The Outsider

Liz shook her head. "I'm not sure what you mean."

DuPris eased back down into the seat across from her, his green eyes intense. "Let's say a young man could manipulate the muscles and skin and even the internal organs to close a bullet wound with a single touch of his hand."

Liz nodded, afraid to speak.

"Well, if the young man could do that, couldn't he also do it in reverse? Couldn't he open a hole in a person's heart or cause a rip to appear in one of their lungs-all with the same touch of his hand?"

Liz could almost see the blood pumping through the hole in the heart and the delicate lung tissue tearing open. She grimaced as the gruesome images filled her mind.

"I wouldn't like to think there was someone wandering around our town who could kill so easily and with so little chance of being stopped," DuPris finished.

Standing up again, he tipped his hat at Liz and sauntered toward the door.

Liz rubbed her finger back and forth over the shiny silver tabletop after he left. What DuPris said did make sense. Could Max kill someone just by touching them?

"We should all go shopping together for the homecoming dance." Stacey Scheinin gave a little bounce on her toes.

Stacey was always bouncing, or squealing, or giggling. She was like a cheerleader out of some thirteen-year-old boy's fantasies. She made Isabel want to puke.

"I thought all of you could get dresses in the same color-maybe lavender," Stacey went on. "That way when I get elected homecoming queen, all my attendants will be color coordinated. We are going to look totally killer up on the stage together."

"Is there some reason you think we are going to be your attendants?" Isabel asked.

"Oh, Izzy, don't worry," Stacey cooed. "You can come over tonight and I'll do a makeover on you. I know I can pretty you up enough to be chosen as part of my homecoming court."

"No thanks." Isabel ran her eyes up and down Stacey. "I've seen your work."

"Go, girl," Tish Okabe murmured.

The cheerleading squad was split between girls who wanted to be just like Stacey and girls who thought Stacey was the love child of Jerry Springer and Lassie. Isabel and Tish were definitely in the second group.

"Let's get back to work." Stacey clapped. "We're going to do Alien Attack until we get it perfect. Izzy, you were behind last time."

"Yeah, me and everyone else but you," Isabel muttered as she moved into place on the gym floor.

"Ready, okay!" Stacey called.

"Roswell aliens, causing a sensation," Isabel began. She caught a flash of movement out of the corner of her eye. Alex Manes slipped through the gym door. He leaned against the back wall, watching her. Just her.

Isabel did a walkover and slid into a split as the cheer ended. She gave Alex a wink, and a grin stretched across his face. That dream did it, she thought. Alex's vote is in the bag. If anyone needs to buy a lavender attendant's dress, it's Stacey. She pushed herself to her feet, her sneakers squeaking against the polished wood floor.

"Okay, everyone, next practice is Wednesday at three-thirty. Be on time, please," Stacey called.

She needs to get out more, Isabel thought. Being head cheerleader is the best thing that's happened to her in her whole pathetic life.

Isabel started toward the locker room. Alex hurried up before she reached the door.

"Hey," he said. He stuck his hands in his back pockets, took them out, then shoved them back in again.

He's nervous. How sweet, Isabel thought. "That's it?" she teased. "Just 'hey'? I thought guys were supposed to have some suave opening lines memorized for situations like this."

"That was it," Alex admitted.

"Catchy." Isabel released her long blond hair from its ponytail and shook it out.

"Thought it up all by myself," he bragged. "But I have a backup. It's total cheese. My older brother taught it to me. Want to hear it?"

"Of course." Isabel ran her tongue over her bottom lip. That got Alex's attention. Guys were so predictable. And they never realized when they were being played.

"Okay, pretend I'm a cop, you know, with a gun and badge and stuff," Alex instructed.

Isabel laughed. "I like this one already. Are you wearing handcuffs, too?"

"No way I told you this is my brother's line, and he's a classy guy. Okay, get ready to melt." Alex cleared his throat loudly. "I'm going to have to arrest you."

Isabel batted her eyes. "But I haven't done anything wrong."

"Uh, I'm afraid that's not true." A faint blush colored Alex's cheeks. "It's clear you've stolen the stars from the sky-I can see them in your eyes."

Isabel tried not to laugh, but the expression on Alex's face was just too fu

"You liked that, huh?" Alex asked.

"Yeah," Isabel admitted. She'd never bothered to talk to Alex before, even though they had a bunch of classes together. But there was something about that dream they shared that kept her standing there, smiling at him.

"So, you want to go to the movies or something this weekend, now that I've proved what a suave guy I am?" Alex asked.

"No, but I'll go out with your brother," Isabel shot back. Enough was enough. One interesting dream wasn't enough to make her lower her standards.

Alex suddenly appeared completely fascinated by the row of spirit posters behind the bleachers. "Well, my brother did teach it to me," he mumbled. "But I put some of my own refinements on it."

"I've got to hit the showers," Isabel said.

"Um, okay. I'll give your name to my brother." Alex turned around and headed toward the big double doors at the far end of the gym.

Isabel allowed herself a moment to enjoy the rear view, then started for the locker room. Stacey fell in beside her. "New boyfriend, Izzy?"

"Him? No. He's just a pathetic wa

Isabel gri

Alex watched Liz and Maria flip through a row of dresses. He hoped they would hurry it up. The tiny boutique was making him claustrophobic. The racks were too close together, and the place smelled like it had been wallpapered with those little perfume cards that came in the middle of magazines.

"You're not being much help, Alex. We brought you along to get a guy's point of view. What kind of dress would get your attention?" Maria asked.

"Oh, you know, short, tight, backless, low cut, maybe a couple of slits somewhere," he answered. "Preferably worn braless with one of those thong things."

Liz whapped him on the head, and Alex gri

And the fact that it bugged the Major was a bonus. Alex's dad wanted him to spend his time starting up an ROTC program at school or at least thinking about what branch of the military he wanted to join after grad. Ever since his father had retired, he'd become obsessed with Alex's future military career. The idea of Alex spending all afternoon playing fashion consultant would make him go ballistic, not that Alex was pla

One of the things he wasn't telling was that there was no possible way he was going into the military. He used to hope one of his older brothers would be a trailblazer for him and soften the old man up toward the idea of having a civilian for a son. But his two oldest brothers had joined the air force, just like Dad. And Jesse, his last hope, had just signed up with the marines. The Major wasn't too happy about having a squid in the family, but he had finally switched over from shouting to muttering.