Chapter Text
Alex hadn’t been sleeping much lately. Between all the alien problems and work issues, he’d been burning the candle at both ends. So when he finally got a day off he ate an early dinner, took a hot bath to relax his aching muscles and was in bed by ten. At midnight his phone rang, and he sleepily pulled it to him. The screen didn’t give him a clue who it was. It just flashed ‘unknown.’ In another time he might have just let it go to voicemail, but with the classified projects at work and the alien shenanigans, he picked up the phone.
“Hello?” He tried unsuccessfully to keep the fact he was sleeping out of his voice.
A tiny voice answered him. “Uncle Alex?”
Still half asleep, Alex mumbled. “What?”
“Uncle Alex, I need help.” The voice continued, obviously on the verge of tears.
Alex forced his eyes open and felt his heart race. “Who is this?”
“Mommy said if Daddy was away and something bad happened to call you.” The child was crying now.
Alex tried to calm his racing heart. “Something bad?”
“Uncle Alex, Mommy is gone and I’m scared.” The child’s sobs were making it hard to understand them.
“Where did your mommy go?” Alex had no clue what was going on, but the voice on the other end of the phone was clearly becoming hysterical and he needed to know what he was dealing with.
“Grandpa Jesse took her, and now I’m all alone. Please help me.” The voice begged.
“Okay, it’s going to be okay. Where are you?” Alex steadied his voice and tried to sound non threatening.
“I’m in the secret place. X marks the spot. Please hurry.”
“Where is the secret place?” Alex asked, but the line went dead. He pulled the phone away from his ear and stared at it for a few minutes. He had no idea who had been on the phone because to his knowledge he didn’t have a niece or nephew. The only thing he knew for sure was that whoever called him was scared and in trouble, and he couldn’t just sit there doing nothing. He pulled himself up in bed and dialed a familiar number.
“Alex?” Came the sleepy reply.
“Guerin. How quickly can you get here?” Alex asked, reaching for his prosthetic.
“Where is here? Are you okay?” Alex could hear keys jangling in Michael’s hand and the slam of the Airstream door.
“I’m home. And yes, I’m okay, but I need your help. I have to make another call so just come inside when you get here.” Alex stood once he attached his leg and made his way to the kitchen where his computer was set up.
“I’m on my way.” Michael answered.
Alex’s fingers flew across the computer keys, secretly accessing his brothers’ military records. He knew for a fact that Greg had no children and he was relatively sure about Flint, but he had no idea about Clay. He knew Clay was still in the Army and was frequently deployed because Flint liked to brag about his big brother’s skills on the battlefield. So it was possible that Clay was ‘away’ and the child was his, but it made little sense that he hadn’t heard about a wedding, let alone a child. He knew his father hated him and Flint barely tolerated him, but he and Greg were close. He was sure Greg would have mentioned a niece or nephew, unless Clay was trying to keep the child a secret.
He hit a dead end with the military records, so he picked up the phone and called Greg. It was almost one in the morning and he knew Greg had classes in the morning, but he needed answers and he needed them like an hour ago.
“Alex? What’s wrong?” Greg’s voice was wide awake and clear.
“Can you talk?” Alex asked.
“Yes, it’s safe. What’s going on?” Greg asked again.
Alex had to be sure Greg was truly alone because he couldn’t take the chance of anyone hearing what they were talking about. Because if that child was truly his niece or nephew and his father really took their mother, well, they were all in trouble. “I need to be sure you’re alone. What color lipstick was Isobel wearing when we came to the res the first time? I’ll know you’re not alone if you don’t answer correctly.”
“Seriously, Alex? You expect me to remember her lipstick color?” Greg scoffed.
“I guess you aren’t alone then. Sorry, I gotta go...”
“Alex! Wait! It’s late and...uh...you’re right, I’m not quite alone. Hold on,” he put his hand over the receiver but Alex could clearly hear him. “What color lipstick were you wearing when Alex brought you to the res?”
Alex relaxed when he realized it was Isobel that was with Greg. Michael had mentioned they were spending time together, but they were trying to keep it quiet while they got to know each other. Alex completely understood. He and Michael had recently gotten back together but were keeping things discreet while they worked out their issues. Only Isobel and Greg knew they were back together.
Greg took his hand off the phone. “Red. Are you in trouble?”
“Do Flint or Clay have any kids they haven’t told me about?” Alex blurted out.
“Why would you ask something like that? Of course they don’t. I mean I don’t think they do...Alex, what’s going on?”
“I don’t know. I truly don’t know. I just got a call from a number in Arizona. It was a kid, Greg. A tiny crying voice asking for help. They called me Uncle Alex. They said Dad took their mom. I tried going through Flint and Clay’s military records, but I can’t find anything. I was hoping you knew something.” Alex ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.
“Alex!” Michael rushed into the house and found Alex sitting at the kitchen table with his phone to his ear. He put his finger up when Michael spoke.
“Is that Michael? What are you planning?” Greg started moving around his house and Alex could hear him telling Isobel to get dressed.
“I’m going to Arizona. I need to find out what’s going on. If someone really needs my help or if it’s some kind of trap.”
“You are not going anywhere right now. We’re on our way to you.” Greg said.
“There’s no time. I’m leaving now. We’ll be careful. I’ll call you as soon as I know something.” Alex motioned for Michael follow him.
“Alex...don’t do something stupid! What if this is a trap? You think you and Michael can handle this on your own? What if it is Dad, and he has the pollen?” He could hear Greg starting his car and Isobel talking in the background.
“I have the antidote for the pollen that Liz made. We’ll be fine. The address is six hours away. I’ll call you when we’re on the way home. Tell Isobel to fill everyone in on what I told you.” Alex headed to his bedroom, Michael right behind him.
“Everyone? Who is everyone?”
“Isobel knows. Tell her...better yet, put me on speaker.” Alex waited until Greg complied before continuing. “Iz, call everyone together and I mean everyone. It may be nothing, but we may have a serious situation on our hands. Greg will fill you in, but we should be back in about fourteen hours give or take. I have to go. I promise we’ll be careful.” Alex hung up before either Greg or Isobel could say anything.
He threw his phone on his bed and went into his closet to unlock his safe.
“You want to tell me what’s going on? Why would I need the pollen antidote?” Michael stood behind Alex.
“Because a little over an hour ago, I got a call from a child calling me Uncle Alex. I traced the phone number to an address in Safford, Arizona. I’m going to find this child and then find their mother. Who may in fact be my sister-in-law. I know I should have asked before you came over, but would you like to go for a ride?” Alex turned around and handed Michael a gun before shoving two vials into his backpack.
Michael took the gun. “Are you driving or am I?”
They took Alex’s SUV, but Michael drove while Alex tried to get any information about Clay’s whereabouts.
“It looks like Clay is currently on his way overseas, but I don’t know exactly where. I could try to go through official channels to contact him, but if my father is behind this, I could put him in danger. On the other hand, if there is no wife or kid, we could walk into a trap.” Alex’s fingers flew across the keys of his laptop while he tried to decide what to do.
“What about Flint? Could the kid be his?” Michael asked, glancing at the GPS.
“I don’t think so. I mean, possibly? But right now, that’s even more dangerous than contacting Clay. I know he’s been working with my father. Clay butted heads with our father ever since mom left so it’s more likely he’s hiding a wife and kid.” Alex changed screens and pulled up a satellite photo of the address the phone call originated from.
“Okay, walk me through this. What exactly did the kid say?” Michael asked.
“They said they needed help. That if Daddy was away and something bad happened, mommy said to call me. I asked if something bad had happened. They said Grandpa Jesse took mommy, and they were scared and alone. I asked where they were and they said in the secret place, X marks the spot. Then the phone went dead.” Alex recounted.
Michael glanced at Alex. “Wait, where did the kid say they were?”
“The secret place, x marks the spot. Why? Does that mean something?”
Michael gripped the steering wheel. “It could be a coincidence, but that’s where my mother told Walt to hide right before the massacre, X marks the spot.”
“Do you think this could be alien related? Oh my god, what are we walking into?” Alex studied the small, nondescript house on his computer screen.
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Five hours later, Michael and Alex pulled into a quiet suburban neighborhood. Michael slowed when they got close to the address. “Do we park in the driveway or do we park a few houses away?”
Alex checked his watch and looked around. “It’s six thirty, people are going to just getting up. We don’t want to be suspicious so park in the driveway. Take the keys and pretend to use them to open the door. Make it look like we belong here.”
“Uh...what if this is a trap or something and the actual homeowners are in there?” Michael glanced at Alex before pulling into the driveway.
“No heat signatures.” Alex lifted his iPad.
Michael cut the engine and reached for the handle, but Alex stopped him. “No powers unless absolutely necessary, except to open any locked doors. Okay?”
“Got it.” Michael stepped out of the car and froze. A pained look came across his face and he turned to Alex. “I can feel her. Alex, it’s just like Caulfield.”
“This place is another Caulfield?” Alex put his hand on his weapon.
Michael shook his head. “No. She’s terrified. Alex, there’s an alien child somewhere in this house.”
Alex nodded, and Michael watched him transform into Captain Manes. “Once we get inside stay behind me.”
They looked around and quickly made their way to the front door. Michael took the car keys and pretended to use them to open the door. Once inside and the door closed, Alex took out his iPad and checked the program again. “Still no heat signatures. How is that possible? Can you still feel her?”
“She’s calling to me. Upstairs.” Michael started up the stairs, but Alex grabbed his arm.
“Let me go first.” He put the iPad away and drew his weapon. Once upstairs he glanced back at Michael who gestured to the room in front of them. They walked into what looked like the master bedroom and turned in circles.
“Where?” Alex whispered.
“The closet.” Michael whispered back.
Alex slowly opened the door. He pushed the clothes aside and searched for the child. “Are you sure she’s in here?”
Micheal nodded. “There’s an x somewhere. She says to push it?”
“Found it. Are you sure, Michael? This isn’t a trap?” Alex hesitated over the x.
“It feels very real. I don’t think it’s a trap, but I’m right here. Nothing is going to happen.”
Alex pushed the x, and a panel slid open to reveal a small room. A small child sat on a bed, arms wrapped around her knees. She looked up at Alex and Michael and fresh tears slid down her face.
“Uncle Alex! You came.” She turned her head to Michael. “You’re like me!”
Michael’s eyes widened. “How can you tell?”
The little girl looked between Michael and Alex. “Mommy made sure I knew how to tell. I can hear you in my head. You’re Michael and you love Uncle Alex. I’m sorry, Mommy said I shouldn’t do that. Where is Mommy? Did Grandpa hurt her?”
“I don’t know where your mommy is, but we’re going to find her. But first we need to get you out of here. It’s not safe.” Alex reached to pick her up, but Michael stopped him.
“I got her. Don’t strain your leg. We’re not in the clear yet. This could still be a trap.” Michael bent to pick up the little girl.
“I want my mommy and daddy.” Tears continued to slide down her cheeks.
“I know, sweetheart. Uncle Alex is going to do his best to find them. Let’s go get some of your things and go someplace safe.” Michael held the little girl tight.
Alex looked around the small room. Whoever created the room had used the master bathroom. There was a bed, toys and a small refrigerator. At least the little girl had been comfortable while she waited for help. He searched the room and found the phone she had used to call him. He picked it up and put it in his bag. He then followed Michael into the hall, opening doors until he found the little girl’s room.
Michael set her on her bed and looked around for a bag. He found a backpack in her closet and began throwing clothes into it. “Do you have a favorite toy you want to bring? I don’t know when you’ll be coming back.”
The little girl picked up a stuffed unicorn and held it to her chest. “What if Daddy comes home and I’m not here? He’s going to be sad.”
Alex sat next to the girl and put his arm around her. “We’ll make sure he knows you’re safe. What’s your name, little one?”
“I’m Aria. I’m four!” She held up four fingers proudly.
“You’re very smart for four. You were very brave to stay in the safe place until we got here. Can you tell me your daddy’s name?” Alex stroked her hair and smiled at her.
“Silly Uncle Alex! Daddy is your brother. Did you forget your brother’s name?” Aria laughed.
“Of course not. I was just seeing if you knew.” Alex knew he had a fifty-fifty shot of guessing correctly and he didn’t want to scare Aria by guessing wrong. He looked at her and studied her features for a moment before answering. She actually looked a lot like Michael, but her eyes and nose were all Clay. “Your daddy is Clay.”
Aria clapped. “Right!”
“Okay, I think we got enough stuff for a few days. We can always buy more if we need. Let’s get out of here.” Michael put the backpack over his shoulder and bent to pick up Aria.
They got to Alex’s SUV and went to put Aria in the back seat. She frowned at Michael. “Where’s my car seat? I can’t go in a car without my car seat.”
“Aria, this is an emergency. Remember why your mommy had you call me? We have to get you someplace safe.” Alex tried to explain.
Aria crossed her arms. “Mommy said never get in a car without a car seat.”
Michael groaned. “Just put her in the car, Alex.”
“I won’t go!” Aria stomped her foot.
Alex rolled her eyes. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was your daughter. Stubborn as hell.”
Michael knelt down to Aria’s level. “Sweetheart, we need to leave. It’s not safe here. Grandpa could come back.”
“But my car seat is right there!” Aria pointed to the car in front of Alex’s SUV.
Michael walked to the car and peered inside. There was a car seat strapped in the middle seat. He used his telekinesis to open the door. Before he unhooked it, he studied how it attached to the seat. He had it unbuckled and installed into Alex’s backseat in minutes.
Alex handed Aria to Michael, and he strapped her in. “Better?”
Aria nodded. “You said you wanted me safe. Now I’m safe.”
Michael got into the driver’s seat and waited for Alex to get into the passenger seat. “Call Isobel and tell her to rest because I want her to use her powers. We need to make sure this isn’t some kind of elaborate set up.”
Alex looked back at Aria and he knew this wasn’t a trap, but he understood Michael’s reasoning. “Okay, but I want to go in with Isobel.”
After Alex called Isobel and explained what they had found he began typing away again on his laptop, trying to figure out where exactly Clay was so he could contact him. He wasn’t having much luck; it looked like he was on another covert mission. He sighed and closed the laptop.
“What’s wrong?” Michael asked.
“I can’t find Clay.” Alex whispered so Aria wouldn’t overhear.
“Is that good or bad?” Michael glanced at him.
“I’ll know once I talk to some people back at base. There is a general I trust who isn’t in my father’s back pocket. He’ll be able to get me some answers.” Alex looked back at Aria and smiled. “How are you doing back there, sweetheart?”
Aria whimpered. “I miss mommy and I have to go potty.”
Alex swung his eyes to Michael. “What do we do?”
Michael looked at Alex and had to stifle a laugh. Alex’s eyes were comically wide with undisguised panic. “Um, we find her a bathroom? Did you suddenly forget what a potty is?”
“B-but she’s a little girl...I’m not taking her into a disgusting men’s room.”
Michael did laugh at that. “Does that fancy laptop of yours do more than hack into government files?”
“What? Yes, of course, it does anything a normal laptop does.” Alex frowned.
“Well, find the nearest rest stop or Target. They both have family restrooms. How do you not know this?” Michael asked.
“How do you?” Alex fired back while searching for the nearest Target.
“Years in the foster care system taking care of the little kids while the foster moms shopped.” He looked in the rear-view mirror. “Hey, little one, can you hold it for a little bit?”
Before she answered, Alex spoke up. “Take the next exit and turn left at the light. There’s a Target three miles from here.”
“I can wait a little bit.” Aria answered softly.
Michael parked the SUV and waited while Alex got Aria out of the car seat. They walked into the store and glanced around for the restrooms. Michael pointed to the sign behind the registers. “They’re right over there.”
Alex stopped short in front of the family restroom and groaned. Michael looked around him at the huge out-of-order sign. Alex turned to look at him, eyes wide again. “What now?”
Michael rolled his eyes and scooped Aria up into his arms. “For Christ’s sake, Alex you cannot really be this clueless. Just wait here. We’ll be right back.”
Alex watched them disappear into the men’s room. He stood in front of the door and folded his arms. Michael reappeared a few minutes later with a smiling Aria on his hip. He looked at the line of grumpy looking men in front of Alex and laughed. “Sorry, guys, potty emergency.”
Most of the men shook their heads and smiled as Alex stepped aside and let them in the bathroom. Michael leaned in and kissed Alex on the cheek. “You are ridiculous. Ridiculous but sweet. Now, let’s get this little one back to Roswell so we can find out what the hell is going on.”