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| Maria DeLuca rolled her eyes at her captors and swore underneath the duct tape. "She's upset," Liz Parker ran her hands through her red hair and grimaced. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." "Fubkin biff," Maria's words weren't quite lost in the tape and the intention was crystal clear. Max Evans kept a hold on Maria's arms and led her towards the steps back to the parking lot; Liz Parker trailed behind them. Maria saw the shiny silver car parked a few spaces away from her own jeep and cursed Michael Guerin. If it weren't for Michael Guerin she would have been more observant and seen the car. At least she might have seen the car, but definitely she would have heard Max and Liz behind her before it was too late if she wasn't thinking of apologizing to Michael Guerin. When she caught up with him� She kept her eyes peeled for any signs of help as she was walked to the shiny silver car and eased gently in the back seat. Liz followed her in and if Maria wouldn't have been cuffed and had tape over her mouth, she would have been delighted to see the look of sheer terror on little Liz Parker's face. Maria glared at her backseat companion before she shifted her attention to the back of Max's head and tried to burn holes through it. This was not working out the way she had hoped. This wasn't even close to working out at all. Panic seized her as she realized she must have dropped her purse because it no longer appeared to be on her shoulder. Stun gun, mace and handcuffs; not with her. "That's a really pretty dress," Liz mumbled and tucked stray strands of red hair behind her ear nervously. "Um onna kil oou!" Maria screamed beneath the tape. "Max�" Liz scooted away from Maria. "Don't worry Liz, everything's going to be fine." Max Evans reassured her with his smooth voice and warm smile flashing in the rearview mirror. "Maria, we only want to talk to you, okay?" "Uck oou!" * * * Michael pulled into the hotel parking lot and slammed the car into park next to the jeep. He smiled knowing Isabel would have a complete fit if she knew how he was driving her car. He checked his hair in the rearview mirror before getting out. "Okay DeLuca," he shook his head and walked slowly to the steps. An earlier conversation with Isabel had given him the hotel room number he desired. "I'm here, I might even grovel a little, but you have to throw me a fucking bone. I can see it in your eyes and I don't know why you're trying to fight it." He let out a breath and made his way up the steps, his palms sweating, his heart rate quickening. He rolled his shoulders and put his bad ass bounty hunter face back on and walked down the open hallway. "What the fu�" He looked down at the ground as his foot hit something. A purse. A red purse. A red purse that belonged to Maria DeLuca. He bent down and picked it up and looked inside. It contained all the essential bounty hunting paraphernalia and her license. He looked around and noticed a key card in the lock of Maria's room and reached for it. He reinserted it and opened the door. As soon as he stepped inside he knew it was empty. "Shit!" * * * Maria didn't mumble another word, but watched as an unfamiliar town washed by her, until Max stopped the car and put it in park. Fury was racing through her. First there was the actual stupidity of being "kidnapped". Second, there was the stupidity of being kidnapped by Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Dumber. Max Evans turned around in his seat and first smiled at Liz then at Maria. "I'm sorry, but I didn't think I could get you to listen to Liz any other way than this." "This is all my fault," Liz said softly. Maria nodded exaggeratedly. Max got out of the car and opened up the back door. He helped Maria out and to her feet either not seeing or completely ignoring the hate in her eyes. Maria fought back her anger and focussed on what was around her. Being unfamiliar with the hell known as Roswell, she didn't have a clue where she was. If her brain was working properly she would have paid more attention to her surroundings; but most of her brain was melted and what was left of it had been geared towards Michael Guerin. "Maria," Max touched her bare arm and pulled up the straps of her dress. "I just want you to listen to her, okay?" Maria glared and nodded. She cringed when he took her forearm and began leading her into what looked like a brick apartment building. As they entered the front door, Maria deduced she was right, it was an apartment building. She kept her eyes focused in front of her as Max led her into the elevator. She watched him tap the "six" button and then narrowed her eyes at Liz. "I'm sorry I hit you," Liz's voice was quiet. "I had to get away from you." "Biff." Maria raised her eyebrows. "Maria, I promise you once you listen to Liz you'll understand everything." Max rubbed her arm until she shook his hand off. "Then we'll let you decide what to do." Maria hid her surprise by keeping her eyes blank. She had no idea if she could believe him or not. She wondered what Michael was doing and that may have bugged her more than anything else. When the elevator doors opened, she followed Liz, with Max's assistance, down the hallway to apartment 614. She watched as Liz opened the door and let them in. * * * "Fuck." Michael paced Maria's empty room, the red purse still in his hands. He lunged for the phone on the other side of the bed and called Isabel at home. She answered on the second ring; Michael didn't wait for her to finish saying 'hello' before frantic words were tumbling from his mouth. "DeLuca's gone." "Michael?" "Who else would it be? Maria is gone." "Slow down, what are you talking about?" "I came to her hotel and she's gone-" "I thought she was out with Max." Michael tried to fight the irritation. "She was and then she came back to the hotel, I left her in the restaurant parking lot not ten minutes ago. Her purse was laying outside her room, her jeep is here, but she's gone." "Oh shit." "Yeah, call Max, I'm on my way over to your place now." "You don't think that Max�" Michael didn't answer her, instead he hung up and bolted out of the hotel room. TBC |
| Part 22 |
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