ROSWELL
Season 1, Episode 7: River Dog
[Recap: Max, Liz, Michael, Maria, and Isabelle are at Atherton's house, in a secret basement, when they hear footsteps above...]
The gang stares up at the ceiling, wondering what that noise was. As they realize that they are about to be discovered, they look about for information or files that they can quickly take before they are found out. Liz accidentally discovers a sewage pipe, so they climb to safety. The pipe opens up above ground, and the gang speeds away quickly. Just at that moment, Depolski (who happened to be the one who knocked out the sheriff) climbs out of the pipe, apparently trying to follow them. She can only stare after the jeep.
On the car ride home, Michael and Maria ride together in Maria's car. As Maria tries to tell Michael that she has changed her opinion of him, he quickly re-affirms her previous opinion of how much of a jerk he is.
At the Evans' house, Isabelle asks Max about a symbol they drew together in the sand, when they were young. She asks Max to draw it, and after he does, she shows him a necklace she found at Atherton's house. They are eerily similar.
Later that day, at school, Maria confides in Liz her attraction to Michael... that he is a "vibrator" (one who sends vibes). While Depolski talks to her boss, he yells at her, telling her that the operation was a disaster, and that she must recover whatever the "kids" took.
After school,Max's boss is confronted by Valenti at the UFO Center. Valenti asks him about Atherton, and finds out that Atherton mysteriously disappeared; later, in the office, Valenti tries to compare the photo of the corpse with the "alien handprint" and a photo of Atherton.
Driving back home, Max, Isabelle, and Michael talk about looking over the information they stole from Atherton's. The conversation leads to Maria, and Michael exasperately tells them that she's a vibrator! However, there's another big surprise awaiting them. While they near their home, they see police cars. Apparently, their house has been broken into!
Max and Isabelle immediately go to Max's room (where the files, etc were kept), and find that they are gone. When Valenti appears, he asks them if anything was stolen. The two tell him "no." He finds that strange, since Max's room is the most ransacked of the house. When Ms. Evans comes in, he eases up on his "interrogation," but the suspicious air does not leave. As Isabelle is about to check her room (just so things don't look suspicious), the deputy (a Native American) sees her necklace. He remarks that it reminds him of a symbol back in his Indian reservation, one coincidentally not far from town.
That night, the gang meets back at the Evans. Michael mentions a man in a suit that might have followed him there. Max also mentions that their drive down 295 South might have also been followed. Before they begin to freak out, Isabelle tells them about the symbol on her necklace, and the deputy's remark. Later that day, Liz knocks on Max's window (very reminiscent of Joey and Dawson!). She tells him resolutely that she plans to go to the reservation and she'll need the necklace, and even Max can't stop her. Her fear that the "suited men" (Men in Black-type) might come for Max is her motivation... a touching scene ensues. Max gives in, and gives her the pendant.
Liz pulls up to what appears to be a small shop on the outskirts of town, part of the reservation. When she asks the shopkeeper about the necklace, a strange old Native American intercedes and takes a look at the necklace. He vanishes afterward, and Liz, confused, heads back to her car. As she reaches for the handle, the old man grabs her wrist. He asks for the pendant, then becomes very inquisitive about all events surrounding it. Liz returns with her own questions. "This is dangerous... it brings death" is his answer.
The next day, Liz is working at the Crashdown. An Indian man (looking much like Keanu Reeves ;P) introduces himself as Eddie, and tells Liz that he has a message from River Dog (apparently the old man she met at the reservation). Liz is to meet him at 10 p.m. that night, at the reservation, and to come alone.
Next scene, the "Czechs" are in the jeep, trying to escape a suited man that is following them. A confusing scene follows, and Max and Liz end up in Maria's car, on their way to the preservation (apparently, the whole plan was to distract the suited man from following them to River Dog).
Surprisingly, Depolski was following the gang, not a suited man. And chasing her was Valenti! The two agree to a "nice conversation," but Depolski soon finds out that Valenti knows a lot more than he lets on.
At the reservation, Eddie is disappointed to see Liz and Max, but he begins to lead them to River Dog anyway. After they journey into the woods a while, Eddie leaves them, and Max and Liz begin to feel a bit lost. Before long, they find a dark cave, which they figure must be where River Dog is. As they head towards it, Liz suddenly screams, and disappears into the darkness. When Max calls for Liz and doesn't get an answer, he makes a ball of light appear in his hands. River Dog reveals himself, and Liz is with him. "You have passed the test," the old Indian tells him, with wide eyes.
The next thing we know, the cave is lit up by torches. River Dog begins to tell Max and Liz about a fourth alien, of whom he refers to as the Man. This mysterious Man only trusted River Dog and Atherton, but later on, Atherton was found murdered. River Dog proclaims that the Man killed him, but he does not know under what circumstances.
Meanwhile, Michael, Maria, and Isabelle are left waiting at the closed Crashdown. They are all getting cabin fever, and Isabelle leaves as she senses sexual tension between Michael and Maria. As the two yell at each other, furiously proclaiming their hatred for each other, Michael kisses Maria. "That was to calm you down," he says nonchalantly. "Thanks," Maria says, brushing it off.
Back at the cave, River Dog has shown Max and Liz a wall of characters and scribbles--the Man left it behind for them to find, in the aliens' language. Max cannot figure out the message, but knows that it is familiar.
As they are all leaving the cave, River Dog grabs Liz's arms. "Wait... you're not one of them..." And as Max calls out Liz's name, River Dog continues, "Make sure he deserves your trust." Liz takes Max's outstretched hand in the end, and the two leave the cave together.
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