Max's evening is going sideways. Again. Violently.

Max relaxed back from his computer, he'd just finished ordering some books and bookmarking some online pages. All of them relating to genetics, pregnancy, and how women actually give birth. Yeah, pregnant women are hot, but Max wanted to know more than the general info he could vaguely remember from a health class he barely passed in high school. For the first time, this kind of homework sounded fun, especially with a magical(?) reality altering machine that he can use to fine tune his choices.

Max took a moment to reflect on what he knows about the machine way back when it first crashed through his window and started the best time of his life. He vaguely remembered the basic rules of the machine that he saw when he first turned the machine on and felt the vague paranoid tension he'd been carrying about the machine ease.

• Only Max can use the device.
• No one will remember the way things were, but Max.
• Max can't damage or write out the device.
• The device will allways be with him.

Having a godly machine only he can use was amazing, but from the vague memory of this, does this mean he could have other people damage the machine? Could he edit the machine for other people to use? Could other people trick the machine into thinking they were Max? What the hell does 'allways' mean? All the ways? How does that differ from "always"? How did Max even get the device in the first place? Is Max currently in a time paradox and doesn't know it yet?

Figuring he could at least help his past self with one of those answers, Max went over to the machine and typed in:

"What if I received this machine in my room on November 8th, 2018, at 9pm, local time?"

With a brief flash of light, nothing happened. Because it already had happened. Changing the past was kinda funny that way. But now, how did Max receive it in the first place? Did a future Max invent the device and send the device back? Someone from another dimension? Was God just dicking around out of boredom? Aliens? Was this all part of a bigger plan?

Max began to get lost in the bigger picture of the device on his desk, a loud slamming knock could be heard hammering on the front door, followed by several rapid *dingdongdingdongdingdongdingdong*. Someone was at the front door, urgently. Getting up, Max headed towards the front door, he probably won't get there first, but he wanted to see who was there.

Max heard his Mom get the front door, opening it to some familiar voices.

"Hurry up and let us in! Lock the door behind us, They're right behind us!" came one voice while groans and pained moans accompanying them.

Max came into the view of a very haggard looking Maria supporting a very limp Tiffany on her shoulder, a very bloodied and bruised Carmen behind her looking behind them, searching for something.

Max's Mom didn't know what was going on and didn't open the door further, "I'm sorry, who are you?" she asked.

"Mom! Let them in, I know them!" Max shouted as he rushed towards the door to help them get inside. Britney trusted her son and helped grab the limp blonde from the short latina and helped them get inside, Max helping Carmen through the door before shutting the door and setting all the locks.

The house was starting to react to the sudden arrivals, various curious eyes tracing their path to the living room, Aunt Alison already heading to the closest bathroom to retrieve one of her first aid kits after she spotted the bad condition the girls who arrived were in.

Max looked at the trio, they looked like they'd been through hell. Carmen looked scratched, cut up, and bruised all over, the amazonian latina's shirt and jeans cut up revealing fresh shallow cuts that weren't bleeding heavily, thankfully. Maria looked like she'd only have a few bruises and one black eye, she looked like she'd taken a few hits, but wasn't as bad as Carmen, Max figured Carmen had been covering for the shorter girl against whatever they'd been fighting against. Tiffany was out cold, laid out on the couch. Thankfully his mom had already checked her pulse and breathing and she'd be fine, and only seemed to have some light bruising around her neck and face except for one nasty looking bump on her head that was bleeding lightly.

Carmen sank into a chair after turning it towards the front door, she shushed off Britney's attempts to help her first, ordering Max's mom to help Tiffany and Maria first. Iris, Holly, and Molly were helping check Maria and Tiffany, getting blankets and glasses of water for the new mysterious arrivals. The Halo women had already gone out the side door to check on their house and make sure it was fully locked up, and Megan went to grab their "burglar persuasion equipment." Mrs. Cortez, Olivia, and Shanti were checking the side doors, back doors, and making sure all the windows were locked and lights in the back yard were on before pitching in with helping the newcomers. Someone was coming and damn it, they weren't going to be letting them get their hands on Max again.

Aunt Alison grabbed Max's attention after having Olivia take over the first aid kit, "Ivy's called the cops and they're dispatching someone and an ambulance. What's going on here though?"

Maria spoke up, "Dante's coming for Tiffany!"