"If you have nothing to hide, then you can come back with us and we'll clear this up right away. We'll finish your interview, Max. Then we'll start on your friends. I think we'll save your girlfriend for last," Spellman said.

Something in Max snapped, and he was moving toward the agent. For a moment he didn't know what he was going to do. There was no room for planning when images of the White Room filled his head. He found there was something that frightened him more than going back to the White Room himself: It was Liz going there.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and jerked for a moment until he saw that it was Michael next to him. "We've got to get out of here, Max," Michael said.

"What will your friends in the other SUV do now?" Max asked.

Spellman answered, "They pulled back when they saw us engage you. When we don't answer the phone, they will assume we were lost. They will call for more agents, a lot more agents. So go ahead and kill us, Max. Kill us and run. You won't get far."

"Take your jackets off, slowly," Max said. The agents complied, and Max saw the guns strapped to their chests as well as the phones on their belts. "Throw the cell phones and guns down very slowly," he added. The men did as he said as Max kept his hand up, ready to respond if they tried anything.

"Pants, too," Michael said. Both the agents and Max looked at Michael in surprise. Michael ignored the looks and said, "Pants, now!"

The two men took off their pants and revealed ankle holsters, which also held small revolvers.

"Throw them on the pile, and step back," Michael said.

Max ran his hand over the pile and melted the guns and phones into a single, useless mass.

"Very impressive, Max. We know all about what you can do, you know," Spellman said.

"Then there's just one more thing you need to know," Max said. "We don't want trouble. We don't want to hurt anyone, but we will protect ourselves. Go back and tell them that."

Agent Spellman looked at him for a long moment and then said, "There's one thing you need to know, Max. You have other enemies and other people watching you. The Unit got a call telling us where to look for you."

"Who is it?" Michael shouted into Spellman's face.

"I don't know," Spellman said, sneering.

"Get out of here," Max said. He gestured the way they had come. "It's a long walk to town, but you might be able to flag down a ride."

"You're just going to let us walk away?" Spellman said.

"Tell them what I told you," Max said.

"It won't make any difference," Spellman said.

"Just tell them," Max said.

Spellman and his companion reached down for their clothes.

"No," Michael said. "Leave the pants and the jacket."

"What?" Spellman said.

"I said leave them," Michael said. Then he kicked the clothing into a pile and destroyed it with a burst of energy. Max was glad there was no traffic on the road. Things would have been much harder for them if there had been witnesses to call in their clearly suspicious activity.

"Why?" Spellman said.

"Because I don't like your attitude. And because we were having a real nice drive until you and Mr. Giggles here crashed the party," Michael said.

"Start walking," Max said.

"This isn't over, Max," Spellman said.

Michael stepped forward. "Okay, shirts off now!"

The agents jumped and stared blankly at him.

"Now!" Michael repeated. "Do it or I'll melt you into paste." He held up his hand threateningly.

"I would do what he says. He can be… unpredictable when he's angry," Max said.

Reluctantly, the men took off their ties and white shirts. Now they were left with only their shorts and undershirts.

Max found himself smiling, and saw that Michael was as well. "I'm glad you think this is funny, but when… "

"Shut up!" Michael said. "You just don't get it. Now take off the T-shirts."

The agents complied, and Michael said, "Another word and you know what will happen."

With that, the two men, wearing only their underwear, turned and headed back the way they had come.

Liz watched as Max and Michael quickly put the sheriff in the squad car. They sat him up in the seat, reclining it as much as possible.

"Are we just going to leave him?" Maria asked.

"We don't have a choice," Michael said. "It's pretty warm… he'll be okay until he wakes up."

"That will be in maybe an hour. That means we'll be lucky to have that much head start," Max said.

"We could smash the radio, do something to the car to give us more time," Liz suggested.

"No," Max said, shaking his head. "What's the point? The Special Unit will be onto us long before he wakes up."

Liz marveled at Max. He had just saved that man's life despite the fact that as soon as he woke up he would probably start a massive police search for them. Max just accepted it and moved forward. And the next time the same thing happened, he would do it again… heal a person who might destroy him.

Of course, that would only happen if they got away this

time. They would have both the Special Unit and the local police scouring the area for them for some time now.

Once the sheriff was set and Michael had changed their license plate number, the group got into the van. And not a moment too soon: Almost as soon as Liz closed her door, the rain started to really come down. Watching the rain, Liz suddenly remembered her premonition. It was raining there, too. Liz felt a chill run down her spine at the memory.

It didn't look good for them, she realized. The rain meant it would be harder to put much distance between themselves and this place now.

The only consolation was that the people after them would have the same handicap. The difference was that they could afford to make a mistake. More than ever, Liz was sure that her life and the lives of her friends depended on avoiding their enemies.

"Like Tom Joad: Doing good deeds and avoiding the law," Liz thought. She had said that when they had decided to leave Roswell. It had started when she and Max had used their powers to save that woman who was about to be killed by the mugger in the alley by the Crashdown Cafe.

Liz had believed it was possible for them to do that, to be like Tom Joad. She had known the life would be dangerous, but living in Roswell had been dangerous. The thought of making a difference had sustained her when she had decided to leave everything she had ever known… her family, her home… and the certain future of college and a good career.

And in the less than two weeks since they had left, they had made a difference to some. They had helped the people in Stonewall, and Max had just helped the sheriff. But they

had been on the road for less than two weeks. Would that be all the time they would get, before the Special Unit got them? And even if they avoided the law forever, Liz's visions had told her that they would all die in a final battle with an alien menace that would take them one by one, and then take Max last.

Once, Max had come from the future to warn her of what would come. He had told her to stay away from him so that Tess would stay and help in that fight. A lot had happened since then, and now Tess was dead. And Liz knew that fight would still come.

In spite of all the moments of hope and happiness she had found with Max and her friends since this trip had begun, Liz felt hopelessness wash over her. She looked at Max and saw none of that feeling on his face. It was raining hard and was getting difficult to see in the fading light, but he had nothing but determination on his face.

That sight lifted her spirits slightly. Maybe there was a way. And if there was, Max would find it.

"Maxwell, we have to get off this road," Michael said.

"I know," Max said, scanning the road ahead of them.

Liz could see the problem, though. They were in a remote forest road. There had not been an exit or turnoff for miles. It might be many more miles before they saw another one. As it was, it would be painfully easy to track them.

The Special Unit agents would know their direction and would have maps of the area. They would also be able to call helicopters. It would not take them long to find a single van on a nearly empty road at night.

Then something caught her eye as they passed. "There," she said, pointing. "Max, stop."

Without hesitating, Max pulled over. "What?" Michael said.

"Just back up," Liz said, and Max did so.

"Stop," Liz said when they reached the road she had seen. Actually, road was a strong word for it… it was more like a path, covered by years of leaves and brush. Liz had to struggle to see in the fading light, but she could see that although it was narrow, it was paved.

"What is it?" Kyle asked.

"Some kind of road. Maybe an old logging road," Max said.

"It looks like it hasn't been used in years. It could be blocked, washed out… who knows?" Michael said.

"If we stay on the main road, they'll have us in a couple of hours at most," Liz said.

"What's the word, Maxwell?" Michael asked.

"I say we try it," Max answered.

"That's it, then," Michael said.

"No," Max said. "I won't make this decision for all of us."

"We don't have a lot of time here, Max," Michael said.

"We vote first," Max said, his voice firm. He turned to Liz and said, "What do you say?"

"We have to get off the highway," she said.

"I'm with you," Michael said. Then he turned to the back and said, "What about the rest of you?"

Isabel, Kyle, and Maria all agreed.

"It's unanimous, Max. Can we go now?" Michael said, his voice impatient.

Liz understood Michael. Everyone was still getting used to the idea that Max refused to take charge of the group

anymore. She understood. He still blamed himself for everything.

Michael started to open the side door and said, "Hang on, let me blast the chain."

"No," Max said. "I'll do it." He turned to Liz and said, "Drive through. I'll meet you on the other side."

Max jumped out and Liz slid over. She watched him touch the chain on one end. There was a flash, then the chain separated and one side fell to the ground. As she drove over the chain, she watched Max use his powers to put the chain back together. Then he waved her forward and kicked up the brush and leaves behind the van to hide the fact that they had been there. Max jumped back into the van as Liz moved over to her seat. The first thing he did was turn off the headlights. Then he started driving.