Maelstrom:[n] A violent or turbulent situation.

Adesina was not in a good mood. Pissed didn't even begin to cover it, and she knew she was in trouble. In pain, alone, but not for long, she'd run out of options. Couldn't fight, couldn't run, couldn't join them. Well, she had one option left, one she really, really didn't want to use. Not that she had a better choice. Make the call or die. She sighed, holding her injured right arm against her body feebly, and found the cell phone in her pant's pocket. The number was easy to call up from the recesses of her memory and she punched it in, glad she'd thought to turn off the sound on the phone a few hours back. A masculine sounding voice answered on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Mutant X?" She didn't wait for him to reply, she knew that's who it was. "Get a message to Adam. From Maelstrom. Code: 15-83-24-09. Pick-up: Seattle, WA, 174-332. Hurry." She snapped the phone shut.

They recorded all incoming messages, so it didn't matter if the guy who answered couldn't remember what she had said, he'd get Adam, Adam would come get her, or send someone to. All she had to do was get to the safe house and wait. If she could get to the safe house.

"Adam?" Brennan Mulwray walked through the labs of Sanctuary looking for the older man. So far, he hadn't been anywhere to be found. He walked further into the maze of labs. He really didn't like it in here. Then again, he had never liked doctor's offices either. "Adam?"

Suddenly Adam appeared in another doorway. "Yes?"

"We just got a call for a pick-up at the Safe House in Seattle, or at least I think it was a pick-up. The girl on the line told me to give you a message. Uh, Maelstrom, some code, 15-83-24-something. It's record-" Brennan stopped, noticing how pale Adam had gone, pale like he'd seen a ghost- or got a message from one. The only times Brennan had seen Adam so rattled was when Danielle stole that prototype and when The Strand had first appeared. It was beginning to seem like things couldn't get any worse, when, of course, they did.

Then Adam seemed to snap out of it. "You're sure she said Maelstrom?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm sure. Who is she? It sounded like she was in trouble."

"I'll explain later. Right now I need you and one of the others to go pick her up. Take Jesse."

Adam nodded to himself. She knew of Jesse at least, had seen pictures, better than sending the two team members she didn't know existed. Brennan left the lab area, calling Jesse on his com-link as he went, telling the younger man to meet him at the Double Helix.

Adesina felt like she was freezing from the inside out. Blood loss, a vague logical section of her mind commented. Shock, another part piped up. The gash in her right arm, she thought she had gotten it jumping one of the fences, was still bleeding and it hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, but the backdoor to the store that contained the Safe House was in sight while no one from the GSA seemed to be around, so all in all, things were okay. Nine meters to the door, inside, and she'd be safe. Safe and headed back to Sanctuary. Fuck.

With one last glance around she crept out from behind the empty boxes she'd been using for cover and started a mad dash towards the door. Gods, she hated running. She hated the idea of it, the action of it, the reasons behind it. She didn't slow down until she was at the door and pulling at the handle with her left hand. She stared at it, numbly surprised, it was locked. Then the lock, and doorknob with it, exploded inwards, and she shoved the door open, running into someone as she entered. He kept his balance, and grabbed her shoulders to steady her, causing her to hiss in pain and as soon as she had her footing back send a small, boot-clad foot into the back of his knee. The angle was bad and she was weakened, so she knew she hadn't dislocated the kneecap but it did cause him to wince and release her, but apparently he was resisting the urge to bend over and check where the blow had connected. She was about to run again, looking for the best away around the taller, and probably stronger, person, when she caught a glance of his face.

"Jesse Kilmartin?" The question was out of her mouth before she had a chance to register her shock and she blinked up at him.

"Maelstrom?" He asked back.

She frowned. Oops. Kicking the guy here to save your ass was always bad etiquette. "Sorry. I didn't realize…" She trailed off when he smiled. He had a nice smile, friendly and open, like he could be trusted. His blue- blue eyes strengthened the claim. Everything about this guy, except the black leather body suit, screamed 'trust me', like a little kid.

"It's fine. You were just scared…not that I blame you. Glad you made it though, we were worried."

Now that she heard more of his voice she knew he wasn't the one who had answered her call.

"We?"

"Yeah. My teammate Brennan and I. Come on. Let's get you to Sanctuary." He glanced down, checking for obvious wounds, and finding one on her arm. "And bandage up that arm."

She smirked. "And the ribs. You just can't see them."

"And the ribs." He led the way outside and to the waiting Double Helix.