TIMEBOMB

Rated: R for language and violence

Disclaimer - I do not own any of the Mutant X characters in this story, they belong to Tribune Entertainment Company. No copyright infringement is intended.

Brennan and Shalimar left the mall and made their way to the car in the parking garage.

"I can't believe that you manage to find at least something EVERYTIME you go to the mall," Brennan commented.

Shalimar smiled, "It's a woman's natural-born ability to spot sales wherever we go. Especially at the mall. And we know to take full advantage of these sales. It's simple, spend less money and you can buy more stuff."

Brennan shook his head.

They reached the level in the garage where they were parked and were greeted by two men dressed head-to-toe in black, GSA agents.

Shalimar sighed, "Here we go again. That's three times this week. Did they not learn the third time?"

Brennan shrugged and looked at her, "Shall we?"

Shalimar tossed her bags aside and readied herself for the fight.

The two men began walking quickly towards them and Brennan got a bolt of energy ready for them. In one quick thrust, Brennan let the bolt go towards one of them, stopping him instantly and sending him crashing to the ground.

The other agent came at Shalimar. She jumped up into the air and kicked out, catching the man on the chin and sending him flailing backwards. Before he could regain his balance, she came back down, landed on her feet and kicked out, hitting him in the chest and knocking him to the ground.

Brennan ran over to the agent he'd laid out and the man sprang to his feet, ready to fight again. Brennan obliged him with some hand-to-hand combat. Both exchanged some wicked blows, neither getting the least bit tired.

Shalimar reached down and went to grab the man's jacket collar but he kicked out and hit her in the stomach. She fell back, coughing as she tried to get the air back into her lungs. He came at her and was about to kick her again but she grabbed his foot and twisted it, hearing his ankle snap. The man yelped in pain and hobbled around as he made his way over to where his partner was fighting Brennan. "Come on, let's get out of here!"

The two agents ran to a black vehicle parked not too far from where they were as Shalimar and Brennan looked on. "Looks like they're gonna go crying back to Mama Bear again," Brennan chuckled as he wiped some blood from his lip.

Shalimar laughed but then frowned at the sight of his battered face.

Suddenly, the agents screeched from their parking space and sped right for them. "Look out!" Brennan said as he grabbed Shalimar and tackled her to the ground to get her out of the path of the car. As the car neared them and then passed, several shots rang out. Then the car disappeared.

Brennan was on top of Shalimar. He was almost afraid to get up, for fear that one of the agents might be behind them with a gun trained on them. He could feel Shalimar breathing heavily underneath him and he sensed that something was wrong. Slowly, he craned his neck around to see if anyone was behind them. Finding no one, he rolled off of her and immediately noted the blood on the cement floor. Knowing it wasn't his, he began to panic, "Shal?!?"

Shalimar didn't answer, just small sobs of pain escaped from her.

"Shal, where are you hit?" he asked as he put a hand on her shoulder, inspecting the back of her body for gunshot wounds. Then he looked towards her left thigh. Blood was spilling onto the cement from a wound, or wounds, in her leg, he wasn't sure at this point. "I'm gonna roll you over real easy." Brennan rolled her over onto her back and hissed at the sight of the bloody wound just above her knee.

Shalimar's facial expression was a grimace of pain. She tried to keep from crying, she didn't like for him to see her cry, but it wasn't working.

Brennan took off his belt and tied it tightly above the wound. Shalimar screamed out in pain as she grasped her leg. "I'm sorry," he said with tears brimming in his own eyes. "I'm gonna help you into the car. We have to get you back to Sanctuary fast."

"Yeah, I'd say some medical attention is needed," she said, trying to lighten the mood. She flashed him a quick smile but then bit on her lower lip as the pain radiated from her leg.

Brennan got her into the car and sped off towards Sanctuary. "Adam!" he yelled into him Comlink ring.

"Brennan? What's the matter?" Adam asked in a concerned voice.

"Some GSA agents came after us again. Shalimar's been shot. We're on our way back to Sanctuary right now."

Emma and Jesse who were sitting near by, overheard the conversation and immediately turned their attention to Adam.

"I'll get the lab prepped. How far..."

"Five minutes," Brennan said. He almost seemed as if he were out of breath, but it was just fear taking over his body. He turned and looked at Shalimar, "How you doing?"

She didn't answer.

"Shalimar?" he said with a hitch in his voice. "Shalimar!" He quickly pulled the car over and threw it into park. Reaching out towards her he felt the side of her neck for a pulse. He held his breath and after a moment he felt a weak one. Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, he patted her cheek. "Hang on!" Throwing the gear into drive, he peeled away and continued home.