"Wait here, I’ll carry them one at a time to the van," Michael said.

Kyle had nodded and had not asked any questions. That was just as well. Michael had a lot to do and didn't want to waste any time. Once they were all safe in the van, he said to Kyle, "Wait with them, I'm going to get us some transportation.”

"You're going to steal a car, aren't you?" Kyle said.

"I'm just going to borrow something," Michael said.

Kyle nodded. "Just make sure it's big enough for all of them. And try to keep it low profile.”

"You bet," Michael said. Then he ran off into the night, toward town.

Kyle was surprised when he saw the headlights less than twenty minutes later. Michael had made good time. Town was at least a mile away.

When the car came closer, Kyle realized there was something wrong with it. The dimensions were off, and the taillights were too far back.

What the…? he thought.

A minute later, the bus was close enough that Kyle saw why.

That's low profile? he thought, shaking his head.

The large, bright yellow vehicle bounced slowly through the field and came to a stop next to the van.

Michael jumped out and said, "Come on, let's get moving.”

"You realize that's a school bus, right?" Kyle said, taking Dawn in his arms and stepping toward it.

"Yeah," Michael said, picking up Jessica.

"Very subtle," Kyle noted.

"It's a long story," Michael said.

Once the unconscious girls were in the bus, they quickly went back for the other two. Michael threw the bus into gear and headed into town.

Michael's first stop was the diner. Maria and Isabel were waiting. Maria was awake and she didn't look happy. When he stepped out of the bus, she ran up to him and slapped him hard across the face. Then she hugged him tighdy and kissed him.

Women, Michael thought as he returned the kiss.

"Max and Liz were here. They told us what happened. Max woke Maria up. Dan is still out," Isabel said.

Then she went to Kyle and said, "Are you okay?”

Kyle nodded.

Michael ran back into the bus and came out carrying Bell. He put her inside, laying her down next to her husband.

"Are you just going to leave them here?" Isabel said.

He shrugged. "Unless you want to wait with them and explain what happened tonight.”

Then he softened his tone and said, "Look, they'll be together when they wake up. Can't be helped.”

"You two go back to the garage. We will be right there," Michael said.

"What are you going to do?" Isabel asked.

"Don't worry, I have everything under control," he said.

Maria looked up at the school bus and said, "I can see that.”

"What?" he said, annoyed.

"A school bus, Michael?" she asked.

Immediately, he felt the blood rushing to his face. "Look, I needed something big enough to… " He stopped himself, shaking his head, and said, "Oh, forget it. I'll see you later.”

A few minutes later Michael laid Jessica and the other women down on benches in front of the Laundromat.

"Why not leave them in the diner? They'd be safe there," Kyle said.

"It would raise too many questions," Michael said. This way would also raise questions, but that couldn't be helped. When they were a few feet away, Michael picked up a rock and threw it straight at one of the Laundromat's front window. It shattered, and a loud alarm sounded.

A few seconds later, Michael and Kyle were inside the studio, where the others were waiting. Max was sleeping next to Liz, who was awake and looking only at him.

A glance at the clock gave Michael a surprise. "It's only eleven thirty," he said aloud. How could that be? Had that whole thing played out in only a few hours? Michael told the others what he and Kyle had done. They could hear commotion in the town. Then sirens.

"What are they going to make of tonight?" Isabel said.

"I don't know, but there won't be anything to connect us to any of it," Michael said. That was important. The town would likely be crawling with state police tomorrow.

"Gome on, Space Boy, let's get some sleep," Maria said.

Michael got onto the floor next to her. She pulled him closer, and Michael didn't question it.

What's the point? It will probably all change tomorrow, he thought.

Maria turned around and pulled him tightly against her. Michael stared at the back of her head as he held her.

Well, it might all change tomorrow, but it was pretty good right now.

24

Someone was shaking him. Michael shrugged them off. They shook him again.

"What?!" Michael said, not even opening his eyes.

"Come on. You can walk us to work," Maria's voice said.

That opened his eyes. Maria was glaring down at him.

Of course she is, he thought.

"You have got to be kidding me," Michael said.

"We should," Max said.

Michael looked up and saw his best friend looking down at him. Max looked better. Almost like himself… almost. His eyes were a bit sunken, but he looked better than he had last night.

"We don't even know if the diner will be open, but we should not change our routine. We don't want any extra attention," Max said.

Michael nodded. Max was right. The others were all up already. Michael showered quickly, and they were all out the door in minutes.

As dead as the town had been before, it looked like Grand Central Station now. There were half a dozen police cars and people milling about everywhere on the street. It was chaos, but Max knew it was good chaos. Before, they had been watched from every window when they walked down the empty main street. Now, they were barely noticed.

Max was mildly surprised to see Bell and Sam in the diner. Bell smiled at them when they arrived.

"I'm so glad you kids are okay," she said. "I thought you were on the road again.”

"We had some more trouble with the van," Max said.

"Well, let's get you some food," Bell said.

While they were all eating, Bell told them the "incredi- ble news." The night before, someone had broken into the diner after Max and his friends had gone. Bell was unclear on the details, but thought that she and Sam had been drugged. They had woken up feeling fine and had been checked out by the ambulance crew who had come for the girls who showed up mysteriously in the Laundromat.

"One of them was Jessica," Bell said, tears in her eyes.

"She looked fine, except a little weak. It looked like she hadn't eaten in a while," Sam said, joining the conversation.

"Becky Taylor was there too. She went missing the same day that Jessica did," Bell said.

"It's a miracle," Sam said.

Then, when the food was finished, she and Sam-disap- peared back into the kitchen.

"Do you think they'll come back, Max… the aliens?" Isabel asked.

"No," Max said. He couldn't say for sure why, but it felt like it was all over for Stonewall.

"Bullies don't like it when the prey fights back," Kyle said.

Michael nodded his head. "Especially when the prey kicks their butt.”

"Looks like we'll be staying here a little longer," Liz said.

"What about the van?" Max asked Kyle.

"I'll have to check it out," Kyle said. Then he got up suddenly. "That reminds me. I have to go see Dan before…

"I'll see you guys later," he said, heading for the door.

Kyle got to the garage quickly. Someone was already inside the office. When he got closer, Kyle could see that it was Dan. He was sitting behind the desk and looked up at Kyle immediately. He was holding up the envelope Kyle had left him the night before.

"I didn't expect to see you," Dan said.

Kyle shrugged. "We were going to leave last night.”

"What stopped you?" Dan asked.

For a second, Kyle was at a loss to explain. In the end, he said simply, "The van broke down." It was the simplest explanation. And it was even partly true.