Melinda Metz: The Vanished

As Ms. Shaffer blathered on about someone she was very pleased to introduce to them all, Liz leaned against Max's shoulder and concentrated on sending him happy, positive love energy Maria would approve.

Liz decided that she would find a way to distract Max once the assembly was over. She basked in his nearness, wishing they could be alone together right now. The moment they had some privacy, she'd give him the kind of kiss that was guaranteed to take his mind off his problems, at least for a little while.

"Okay, everyone," Ms. Shaffer called, "may I present Kasey Dodson, the new interim sheriff of Roswell!"

Liz sat up, suddenly alert, and exchanged a startled look with Max as the crowd of students around her applauded halfheartedly. She shouldn't have been surprised-after all, Sheriff Valenti had been killed at the Clean Slate compound. Even though no one but them knew that's what had happened, everyone knew the sheriff was gone. Obviously the town would have to appoint someone new. But Sheriff Valenti had been such a mainstay of her nightmares that Liz hadn't even allowed herself to consider that he might be replaced.

But here she was, the new sheriff. Liz watched as Sheriff Dodson walked toward the podium. She was a tough-looking woman with shoulder-length dark hair and a lean, muscular body under her brown uniform.

"Thank you, Principal Shaffer," Sheriff Dodson said with a smile. She had a warm, smoky voice that made her sound friendly, but Liz wasn't going to be fooled by that. She knew better than to be taken in by appearances-after all, Liz was dating an alien disguised as a human.

"Roswell has never been a town with a high crime rate, and I pledge to do my best to keep it that way," Sheriff Dodson continued. "This town has always been safe to enjoy even at night… and barring an alien attack, I see no reason why that shouldn't continue to be true."

Most of the students laughed at her joke. Everyone in Roswell loved its weird reputation as UFO central. But a shudder ran through Liz from head to toe.

What did she mean by that? Liz wondered, rubbing her arms to ward off the sudden chill that had invaded her body. Was she joking, or was that a threat? Is she another Clean Slate agent like Valenti?

Liz glanced at Max. He was shaking his head. He had to be as worried about this new development as she was-if not more.

She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart.

Liz and her friends would have to watch Sheriff Dodson carefully… very carefully. Valenti had come uncomfortably close to discovering Max, Isabel, and Michael's secret. In fact, he had discovered it. He'd just been killed before he could tell anyone.

Liz knew that Michael thought Project Clean Slate was destroyed along with the compound, but Liz wasn't so sure. It was quite possible that the organization existed outside of Roswell. And if it did, it made sense that Project Clean Slate would place another of their group in a hot spot like Roswell.

Just what we need, Liz thought. Something new to worry about.

Four months ago her biggest worries had been getting to work on time, making valedictorian, and making sure her parents never had to worry that she'd end up like her sister, Rosa, dead from an overdose. She'd been constantly stressed, but that was nothing compared to obsessing over whether or not some secret agency-or some evil alien-was going to show up one day and kill you and your friends. Or that one of your friends might never make it back from another planet. It was insane. If only she could make everything go back to normal so she could hang out with Maria and Alex, make out with Max, study for SATs, and just worry about stuff like the prom-

Stop. You've got to deal with reality before it deals with you, Liz told herself. No matter how twisted reality is.

"… and if you need to talk about anything or if you have something to report, please don't hesitate to stop by the station," Sheriff Dodson said. "I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you very well."

The students applauded, but the sheriff's words sent a shiver racing down Liz's spine.

I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you very well.

Liz had to make sure that never happened.

Max was in shock.

As he filed out of the auditorium beside Liz, so many worries demanded attention in his mind that he couldn't keep track of them all. How to get Alex back. How to find the ship. How to find DuPris and deal with him. How to keep connecting to the collective consciousness without risking permanent brain damage. How to keep his alien identity secret. And how to avoid a new sheriff who might or might not be someone who wanted him dead.

Max followed Liz through the dispersing crowd in the hall. How was he supposed to handle all this stress while feeling more exhausted than he'd ever been? He was so turned around and tired that he felt like his whole life was happening underwater. And he knew he needed to be alert in order to survive.

"Hey, Max, are you there?" Liz asked.

He looked up to find that he'd followed her up the stairs and over to the supply room across from the bio lab.

"Wait. Shouldn't we be in the cafeteria?" Max asked.

Liz opened the supply-room door and stepped in. "Get in here," she said with a mischievous smile.

Max hesitated. "I don't think we're allowed-"

Liz groaned, grabbed his arm, and yanked him into the room with her, closing the door behind him.

Max leaned against a wall next to shelves covered with battered microscopes and Bunsen burners. "So what did you think of Kasey Dodson?" he asked. "Think I have another psycho stalker?"

"Besides me?" she asked. She used her body to press him up against the wall. "I don't know about you, but the smell of formaldehyde… it makes me crazy."

Max just looked at her, his brain a cluttered fog.

"Crazy?"

Liz put her hands on his shoulders and kissed him on the lips. Instantly the fog started to clear.

"Oh," Max said when she pulled away. "Crazy." He smiled as he tucked his hands under the hair that fell like a thick, silky curtain around her face.

He pulled her closer, releasing a long exhalation of breath as her warm, soft body pressed against his. How could he have allowed his worries to interfere with getting his minimum daily requirement of Liz? He was so stressed, he hadn't even been thinking about kissing her, and that was wrong. Deeply wrong.

His lips found hers again, and he opened himself up to the intense passion of their kiss. Liz tasted sweet and deliciously alive. Max could feel his heart racing as her tongue glided across his own, sending tingles of pleasure echoing throughout his body. As always, kissing Liz made him feel inside out, as if all of himself was concentrated on the one small, soft spot where they were connected. It was the best feeling Max could ever imagine.

As he lost himself in her, a strange sensation started to creep up his neck, tingling over his scalp. Suddenly his mind seemed to open, as if it were exposed to the universe. And then the myriad beings of the consciousness made themselves known, reacting to his and Liz's kiss. Confusion, curiosity, pleasure, amusement-Max received all of those emotions in flickering images. They wanted to know what Max was doing, and they were there to share it with him.

Startled by the unexpected intrusion, Max pulled away from Liz abruptly. He hadn't even tried to connect to the consciousness.

Liz's beautiful brown eyes fluttered open in confusion. "What?" Liz asked, sounding hurt. "What's the matter? Did I bite you or something?"

"No, no," Max assured her. "I just felt a little… dizzy for a second, that's all." And violated, he added silently.

Liz searched his eyes. "Are you okay?"