Counterstrike!
Chapter 1
There was nothing like a really good explosion to make people sit up and take notice.
Set back more than a quarter of a mile from the boulevard behind a thick swath of woods, the sprawling factory had been abandoned for decades. As manufacturing facilities went, it didn't look like much, just a dilapidated patchwork of mismatched buildings squatting on some 45 acres of prime land. A pair of long, flat, rectangular two story buildings stood on either side of the conglomeration, with a number of smaller outbuildings clustered around like chicks seeking the shelter of their mother's wings. The dome-topped rotunda which joined the pair in the center might have been impressive in its day, but now it was an eyesore, pitted and flaking. Stuck onto each side were two cylindrical structures that looked like second cousins to a grain silo, although the grounds bore no resemblance to any kind of working farm. They looked like the rest, with crumbling stone around the foundations, their pointed caps weathered and faded.
Not even the few old-timers in the area could remember the factory's name or even what had been produced there. The general consensus was that it had probably been a government facility in its early days. Rumor had it that at one point the silos had stored either ICBMs or nuclear waste, which was why no one ever tried to redevelop the property. No one wanted the expense of trying to clean up such an albatross on top of what would have to be a major retrofitting, and certainly no one wanted the headaches involved in dealing with an increasingly oppressive EPA. Now a rusty chain with an equally rust-pocked No Trespassing sign hung across a cracked and weed-dotted driveway, cutting off the only paved access to the place from the street, although there was room on either side to drive around if someone really wanted to. Evidently no one had, not for a very long time. With the woods keeping it hidden from view the year around, its very existence faded from local memory, a hulking relic of a bygone era, forgotten and silent, noticed only by small wildlife and the slowing passing seasons.
That is, until an enormous explosion suddenly split the night sky.
The fireball was an impressive one, the force of its launching shaking the ground like an earthquake as it shot a hundred feet into the air. The roiling inferno made a spectacular display that could be seen for miles. Then it turned in on itself as its initial energy was spent, raining down all over the complex. The fallout ignited dozens of ancillary fires.
Almost in the same moment people began spewing out from the supposedly abandoned facility like ants swarming from a knocked-over anthill. From all sides they came, pushing through doors or shattering windows as they tried to escape from the billowing smoke and hungry flames, coughing, staggering, some helping their injured fellows, some trampling others in their blind panic. All the while the shrill klaxon of alarms shrieked their warning, drowning out the screams of the wounded and dying. Then vehicles of men in full body armor and armed with some serious weaponry started appearing from nowhere. At the direction of their commander they moved through the holocaust with military precision, some fanning out to gather up their civilians, others mobilizing in defensive clusters to provide cover for the evacuation.
Unnoticed in the pandemonium four people emerged through a seemingly solid brick wall. The smallest of them, a blond woman, hesitated for only a moment before starting off at an angle away from the inferno. Where others would be stumbling around blindly, she led her comrades through the mushrooming clouds of smoke and ash with an ease that was almost uncanny; guiding them unerringly through the melee, neatly avoiding guards, falling debris, groups of evacuees and ground hazards. Presently, when she found a place well away from the conflagration but concealed from any watchers by a still-mounting curtain of haze, the two men and two women lurched to a halt and tried to catch their collective breath.
To the few that knew of their existence, they were Mutant X, four remarkably gifted people brought together by a pioneer in the field of genetic research named Adam Kane. Shalimar Fox was a feral, with the senses, strength and agility of a tiger. Jesse Kilmartin could alter his physical density from hard enough to repel bullets to ephemeral as a ghost, and could similarly affect objects he touched, such as the wall he phased to allow them all to escape. Brennan Mulwray could generate enough electricity in his body to power a small city, and was able to release that energy through his hands either as bolts of lightning or in sustained blasts that could lift him off the ground like a jet pack. Lexa Pierce's powers were light-based; she could emit a dazzling burst to blind her opponents, fire deadly lasers from her hands, and bend light waves around her to become invisible in normal spectrum light.
It was these talents that made them so valuable to the Dominion, a powerful, shadowy group whose stated mission was to shape the progress of scientific evolution for the benefit of mankind from behind the scenes. They were behind the curtain when Adam Kane's groundbreaking manipulation of the human genetic code inadvertently created mutants, and again when Adam discovered to his horror that the mutants were continuing to mutate, in a cycle that would inevitably see their genes spin completely out of control, resulting in sudden, agonizing and explosive death. Adam made it his life's work to help mutants lead lives that were as normal as possible, to protect them from those who sought to prey upon them, and to ultimately find a way to stabilize mutant genetic structure. To help him in this work, he gathered four of the most powerful and formed Mutant X.
The Dominion was quick to see the advantages of having super-powered operatives among their ranks. Indeed, Lexa had been one of their agents. They formed a partnership of sorts with Kane, supporting him with financing and information from their global network. Mutant X functioned as a strike team, stepping in wherever necessary on missions ranging from neutralizing rogue mutants, keeping dangerous technology from falling into the wrong hands, or any number of other scientific-related disasters, using their abilities to protect a world that didn't even know they existed.
It worked well for a while. Gradually, though, Adam began to sense a sinister darkness creeping into the heart of the Dominion Governing Council. Whatever lofty purpose the Dominion once espoused had become a twisted, ruthless drive not only for world domination, but on such total control of the genetic code that they could create human beings made to order. The very existence of mutants had been just one more unexpected development in that path, one that they quickly turned to their own advantage. It didn't matter to them if a thousand innocent people were destroyed; that their 'creations' were destined for short lives and horrific ends. To the soulless monsters on the Dominion Council they were nothing more than lab rats, a means to an end. Life, loyalty, even basic human decency were nothing more than tools by which they could manipulate their pawns to achieve their own goals. What they really wanted was total control over the human genetic code, and for that they needed Adam Kane.
Adam knew someone was after him, but he didn't know who it was, or who he could trust. He went underground, faking his own death in an attempt to protect his friends from whomever was targeting him. That was when Lexa joined the team, placed there by the Dominion Council as a way to monitor and control Mutant X while still using them for their own ends.
As time went on, the team began to get the same sense of corruption that their mentor had. Their suspicions were confirmed when Adam finally reappeared with corroboration gleaned from months of working deeply hidden back channels. The Dominion Council was implementing some sort of agenda far removed from their lofty stated goals. What that agenda was, and what it meant not only for Mutant X but for the entire world, was still unknown, but none of them were under the illusion that it could be anything good. The problem was, how could they possibly fight an organization as vast and as powerful as The Dominion?
After that, Mutant X walked a tightrope; working for the Dominion on one hand, and watching for any sign of treachery on the other while making preparations for what they all believed was an inevitable battle. They thought they would have more time, but earlier tonight everything changed. The Dominion learned that Jesse Kilmartin's genetic structure had somehow been stabilized. This was the game-changer, the vital element they were missing in their research. Whatever other use Mutant X was to the Dominion, it paled into insignificance next to what Jesse carried. They acted immediately.
As her last assignment with Mutant X, and perhaps as a test of her loyalty to the organization, Lexa was ordered to turn Jesse over to them for genetic testing to determine how that stabilization had occurred, an event that would unquestionably lead to his death. But Lexa's loyalties had undergone a sea change. Being with the team, living and fighting side by side with them for the last year had reawakened emotions she thought she had locked tightly away. Jesse in particular had gotten under her armor, and there was no way she would let them kill him. She rebelled, and single-handedly undertook a suicide mission to try to bring down the Dominion. She was caught, but not before downloading a core-killer virus into their computer system.
Then Dominion managed to capture Jesse. Knowing they would have to neutralize the rest of the team, they tried to force Lexa to give them the access codes to their home base, called Sanctuary, by torturing Jesse before her eyes. At first she stalled, trying to buy time, but then capitulated. An assault team wearing energy-proof suits was dispatched to Sanctuary to take the others into custody. Unfortunately for them, the codes Lexa gave them were bogus. Their operatives had to resort to breaking in. Adam, Brennan and Shalimar were able to escape in their airship, the Double Helix, but instead of running they flew to Dominion headquarters to rescue their friends. They had just landed on the roof when Lexa's computer virus kicked in, throwing everything into chaos. Lexa and Jesse had just broken free when the others found them.
Reunited, they went after the titular head of the Dominion, a mysterious figure known only as 'The Creator'. In the confrontation that followed, Adam was taken hostage and dragged off while Mutant X was held at bay by a force field. The Dominion Council Master ordered their immediate execution, but Adam had rigged Helix to blow up via electronic signal, just in case they needed a diversion. That diversion sent fire shooting down from the roof, triggering secondary explosions in the main building. The team barely escaped with their lives.
Now clear of the worst of the smoke and the rapidly-deploying cordon of armed security, they stumbled to a halt to try to get their bearings. Jesse was the first to find his voice.
"Where the hell do we go now?" he wheezed.
They all ducked reflexively as another explosion shook the complex behind them, sending a second fireball to chase the first.
"We need to find Adam," Lexa said, "I mean, everyone here except Jesse is living under a death sentence." Even as she spoke the words, though, she was aware that, as important as it was, they had more immediate priorities than rescuing the founder of Mutant X. Although she didn't know all the details, this night's work had very obviously taken its toll on the team. Jesse had burns and abrasions on his hands and face, and was still experiencing muscle tremors, the result of being tortured with electricity. Shalimar looked okay, but Brennan's right arm was tucked inside his shirt in a makeshift sling, and that was definitely a bloody bullet hole below his collarbone. Lexa herself was a step slow from being hit with a knockout dart, although she would never admit it out loud. They needed to find a place to regroup before they tried something as ambitious as rescuing Adam Kane.
"Yes, but Sanctuary's gone, the Helix is gone, the Dominion…." Shalimar trailed off, her thoughts so overwhelmed by the magnitude of their losses that she could only look up to Brennan's face in appeal to the one they all instinctively looked to for leadership in a crisis. What would they do if the Dominion came after them now? They had no home, no means of escape, no…nothing. He shook his head.
"No, they think they've won. It's not over yet."
"It will be if we don't move," Jesse retorted, "Come on."
The flames were climbing higher now, engulfing the other buildings. With multiple explosions still erupting behind them they started toward the nearest cover, the stretch of woods which served to screen the facility from the main road. About halfway there Shalimar's keen ears caught an ominous sound.
"Incoming!" she screamed, pointing at the sky before them, and broke into a run. What had been mere flight now became a desperate sprint across the open ground as the faint patter of rotor blades swelled to a crescendo with terrifying speed. They had barely reached the meager shelter of the trees when a trio of low-flying helicopters roared by overhead. The mutants froze, plastering themselves against the most available trunks large enough to offer any sort of protection. Relief filled them all when the machines flew past, heading for the complex. Spotlights from their bellies stabbed at the ground, and staccato bursts of gunfire were plain to hear. Someone from the building was returning fire; Shalimar could discern the ping peculiar to bullets striking metal. She relayed this to the others.
"If they're shooting at them, those can't be Dominion choppers," she said breathlessly, "So who are they?" They watched as one of them peeled off, heading further back and away from the complex.
"It doesn't matter," Brennan panted, "Whoever wins will have Adam and the Creator; they'll want Jesse next. We need to clear out while we can." Supporting his wounded shoulder as best he could with his left hand wrapped around his elbow, he pushed off the tree he had been slumped against. "We have to get to the road on the other side of these woods. I saw some buildings and lights on the way in. We'll get what we need there."
He nodded to Shalimar to take the point. She started to obey, then hesitated, scanning his face with worried eyes. The billowing flames behind them that painted his strong features in stark contrasts of yellow and orange and black could not completely shadow the suffering she saw there, any more than the layers of his clothing could muffle the stronger scent of blood. The mad dash to the woods would have been agonizing in itself, jarring his shoulder with every pounding step, but it also pumped more blood from his wounds. She started to go to him, but was halted by the slight shake of his head. He met her eyes steadily, acknowledging her concerns, and answered her thoughts in that silent communication that was theirs alone. I'll be fine. Go.
She understood, and though not happy about it, accepted, knowing she would only waste time by objecting. Moving with the silent grace of a cheetah she glided through the trees at a deceptively quick pace, though with one ear trained behind to keep track of Brennan in case he faltered. In only a few moments they were at the far edge.
They halted just inside the tree line, taking prudent advantage of the protection of the shadowing woods. From their vantage point they could see a number of small businesses across the road, including a bar and grill, a car rental satellite office, a fast-food joint and an all-night pharmacy. Brennan zeroed in on the only one of the group that was closed for the day
"Over there."
People were coming out of the other establishments, staring and pointing at the fireworks show behind the trees. Brennan cursed. The last thing they needed was witnesses.
"Lexa, can you shield us long enough to get across the road?" After that, he knew, the spectators wouldn't be looking in their direction. The tall brunette nodded, took his left arm and extended her other hand to Jesse. He clasped it with a private little squeeze and reached in turn for Shalimar, but she demurred.
"I won't be seen," she said. With that, she glided sideways through the woods, aiming to move further down the street. In seconds she had disappeared from sight.
"Our turn," Lexa said, and reached out with her power. The three of them vanished.
Even taking the longer route Shalimar was the first one across the road, and by the time the others joined her she had the rental office's anti-theft measures scoped out. The main obstacle was the pair of security cameras mounted on a tall pole. Lexa powered up and took aim, but Brennan stayed her hand.
"Don't," he said in a low tone, "Your lasers would be seen. We need to be a little more low key."
She shrugged, acquiescing to his expertise in this area. "Well, you're the one with the degree in grand theft auto."
Brennan ignored the weak jibe. He spotted a plastic grocery bag caught on a bush and gave it to Shalimar, gesturing at the cameras mounted back to back on the smooth, slender wooden post.
"Can you cover them with this?"
A flicker of something he couldn't read crossed her face and disappeared just as quickly. She gauged the distance and nodded, stuffing the end of the bag into the pocket of her brown denims. While the others waited beyond camera range she slipped like a wraith to a spot at the base where the cameras couldn't pick her up. Then with a mighty bound she was airborne, leaping straight up. She snagged the pole just below the cameras with hands and feet as lightly as a cat, her fingernails digging in to give her purchase. Working fast, she released one hand to grab the bag and drape it over both cameras, notching one of the handles over the base. Tomorrow when the workers arrived it would look like the wind had borne it aloft and it just happened to snag on the cameras – just a fluke, no reason for suspicion. Her task accomplished, she dropped lightly back to earth.
Brennan picked out their ride, choosing the largest vehicle on the lot to most comfortably accommodate his 6'4" frame. The blue Chevy Tahoe four-door SUV was parked far to the back of the lot, boxed in by a four-square block of cars. The rental car people probably thought it was theft-proof in that position, but then again most car thieves didn't have the advantage of having Jesse Kilmartin as part of their crew. Jesse's ability to phase himself and things around him would allow them to drive right through the obstructing cars. The empty space left behind probably wouldn't be discovered for days, which was another reason Brennan chose it.
He moved to the driver's door, as it was the side he encountered first. Using his body to hide the discharge from chance discovery from the gawkers, he sent a few amps of voltage into the vehicle lock. It yielded immediately. He grasped the latch and opened the door, but before he could make another move Shalimar appeared out of nowhere, interposing herself between him and the driver's seat. The slight jerk of her chin and the adamant stare told him in no uncertain terms what she had in mind. This was one time he was going to leave the piloting to someone else – that someone being her - but she also wanted him where she could keep a close eye on him.
Brennan wasn't stupid; he knew he was in no condition to even consider driving. With the feral following closely he went around to the passenger side. She stepped in front of him and opened the door. He eased in carefully, cradling his right arm, trying not to jostle it and biting back a rich expletive when he was unsuccessful. When he was in he reached over and fed a pulse of energy to the ignition. The engine caught with a satisfying rumble.
Shal had already hit the interior locking switch, allowing Jesse and Lexa to climb into the back. As Brennan settled into his seat she saw a shiver race over his body. Immediately she stripped off her faux-snakeskin jacket and stepped up on the running board to cover him with it, draping one sleeve over his perforated shoulder.
"Lean forward a little so I can tuck this behind you."
"I'm fine. You keep it – it's cool out."
Giving that nonsensical statement the complete disregard it deserved, she put her hand to the back of his neck and pressed gently but insistently. He obeyed without further comment. She had already noted that the bloodstain on the front of his shirt from the slug's exit was larger than before; now she could also see that blood from the entrance wound in his back had soaked through his jacket. What she really needed was something to press against both holes to help block the flow, but there was nothing clean available. She would have cut the end of her blouse and used that, but it was too flimsy and porous to do any good. The best she could do was to smooth her jacket sleeve carefully over the entrance and stretch the rest of the lightweight garment across his broad chest, tucking the other sleeve around him to hold it in place. It barely made it. "I wouldn't want you to bleed all over this expensive upholstery," she teased lightly. The corners of his mouth kicked up, recognizing her attempt at humor for the mask it was.
They dropped again when she hauled on the seat belt, pulling out plenty of slack. He opened his mouth to protest that he didn't need to be belted in like a kid in a car seat, but closed it with a snap when she glared at him. He didn't see that particular look very often, her my-way-or-else look, but when he did it always gave him pause. Sheer cussedness made him challenge that look a few times, so he was familiar with what or else entailed. The way he was feeling this small battle just wasn't worth the fight. He let his head fall back against the head rest in token of surrender. Besides, it was a novel sensation – and to his surprise, an oddly satisfying one – to have her fuss over him like this.
As Shalimar worked over him she saw his face take on an odd sort of expression, as if he suddenly realized that he was no longer in control here and he couldn't quite figure out how it happened. The look would have amused her if she hadn't been intent on other things. She knew a seat belt wasn't a device he often used, any more than she did, but he damn well was going to use it this time. If he didn't like it, tough. She reached around him and snapped the buckle in place, adjusting the harness level and straps to her liking with a couple of quick, efficient moves. When tightened the shoulder strap would put at least a little pressure on the front wound, perhaps slow the bleeding a bit. As for her jacket, it would serve a better purpose keeping him warm than her. The last thing she needed was for him to get chilled and go into shock. She would fire up the heater and the seat warmers as soon as she got in; that should help.
Sparing a glance to the back, she saw that Lexa was leaning over Jesse in a similar manner, almost hovering as she helped get him settled, belting him in just as Shal had done for Brennan. That was interesting. Equally interesting was the warm, almost wondering look Jesse was wearing. Filing that little tidbit in the back of her mind for future analysis, Shal stepped off the running board and closed the door, then hurried around the front of the vehicle and hopped up behind the wheel. After adjusting the seat and mirrors to her petite size, she put the SUV into gear and glanced over her shoulder.
"Ready, Jess?"
The molecular mutant placed his hands flat on the seat on either side of his body and drew in a deep breath. Energy flashed in the atmosphere as he reached out with his power and turned both the vehicle and its occupants intangible. Shalimar eased off the brake and coasted through the surrounding cars like a ghost. She stopped once they were clear.
Jesse reverted them back to normal and reiterated his earlier question.
"I'll say it again – where the hell do we go now? I don't suppose you've had a chance to set up a safe house."
The query was directed to Brennan. Acquiring secure locations had been one of his assignments when they started making contingency plans, as he had the most experience of any of them in evading official radar.
"I know a place."
"Fine." Shalimar glided the Tahoe forward but left the headlights off for the time being, as she didn't need them to see. "We'll stop by Dr. Marcus' office first, then head for this 'place' of yours."
Brennan rolled his head over to look at her. "No. It's too risky."
"He's right," Lexa agreed, "The Dominion knows about Dr. Marcus. They would have put him under surveillance before this whole thing started, just in case."
The Tahoe jerked a little as the feral brought it to a halt in the agency driveway. It was a valid point, but it didn't address the immediate need. "Someone else, then. I'm sure you have connections just shady enough to get you and Jesse patched up without asking too many questions."
"One or two," Brennan admitted, not that he was going to take them there. Sure, if Jesse had been badly hurt he would have risked the possibility of a Dominion ambush by doing what Shalimar was suggesting, but the molecular, though obviously hurting, was just as obviously still functional. That gave Brennan a better option than attempting to seek medical attention from a source he may or may not be able to trust. His own condition didn't matter. He'd been shot before; at least this time the bullet wasn't still in him. He'd survive until they were all safe. He cast a veiled glance at Shalimar's tense countenance, trying to guesstimate how much persuasion he was going to have to use to get her to go along with him when she found out exactly what his plan was. Probably a lot. "But I've got something else in mind."
"It will have to wait," Lexa broke in sharply, "Look over there."
She pointed back across the street. The woods they so recently left were alive with small, moving points of light, like men with flashlights coming through the trees. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know what they were searching for. To their left they could also see the headlights of two vehicles moving up the drive toward the main road.
Jesse scrunched forward the inch the restraint device allowed. "Think they see us?"
The sharp click of Shalimar's seatbelt was abnormally loud in the darkness of the cabin.
"If they haven't yet, they will in a minute," she said.
At that moment the tiny beams of light all began moving rapidly toward the two cars on the road.