TRUTH REVEALED

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I claim to own, the rights to any Mutant X characters. They are owned by Tribune Entertainment Co. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story picks up where "Vacation" left off. Please read that before reading this one.

Rating: R for violence and language

***

Shalimar laid in her bed watching TV. It had been a few weeks since she'd been shot and Adam was keeping a close eye on her by making her stay in her room.

Boredem got the best of her and she took a walk down to the rec room to see if anyone was around.

Finding the room empty, she headed for Adam's office.

Just as she rounded the corner, Adam ran right into her.

"Shalimar!" he said, surprised to see her. He grabbed onto her arm, "Are you okay? I didn't see you coming."

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"Wha-why are you up? Is everything okay? Are you in pain?"

"Adam, I'm fine. I'm just bored out of my mind. I just thought I'd see what everyone was up to." She smiled at him, hoping he'd give her something to do.

"I'm actually on my way out but I was going to stop by to see you. I'll be gone for most of the day. Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks though."

"Okay. Let's get you back to your room then." Adam looked at his watch, "I'm so late, they're going to kill me."

Shalimar stopped walking and turned to him, "You don't have to walk me back to my room, I'm a big girl. If you're late then you better get going."

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Shalimar nodded.

"Okay," he said as he kissed her on the forehead. "The team is off on some assignments so if you need anything you can give one of them a call. If it's an emergency, call me. I'll see you later tonight." Adam dashed off and Shalimar made her way back to her room.

Shalimar read through all of the magazines she had in her room and she wasn't about to turn the TV on again, seeing as all she was going to do was channel surf.

She glanced over towards her dresser and saw the keys to her bike. Half her mind was telling her to grab the keys and go for a quick ride while the other half was telling her to not even think about it.

Looking away from the keys, she thought about it. Then she got up from the bed and grabbed them.

"No one will ever know I'm gone. I'll be back before any of them get back," she said to herself as she walked to the garage area.

She was excited to see her bike and immediately climbed on. She favored her side a bit, as it was still really sore and not fully healed by any means.

After putting on her helmet she started the bike, listening to the sweet sound of the engine. Then she peeled away.

She cruised along the streets with ease and welcomed the freedom of being on the bike.

She stopped for some coffee at a local coffee shop. Leaning against her bike she savored the flavor of her favorite flavor, mocha mint.

After she had finished she got back onto the bike and drove away.

She came upon a red light and came to a stop. Checking her watch, she realized that she better head back to the sanctuary or else she was going to catch hell from at least somebody.

The light soon turned green and she started to go but didn't get very far when she suddenly felt the front tire pop and begin to go flat. "Shit! I don't believe this," she swore as she pulled over and got off the bike to inspect the damaged tire.

She slowly knelt down by the tire, contorting her face in pain as the movement angered the healing wound in her stomach. Scanning the tire she found the source of the leak...a dart from a blow gun.

Just as she turned to look around the area she heard a van screech to a halt near her. She attempted to get up but the ache in her side prevented her from being quick.

The van door slid open and two men lunged out towards her. She kicked out towards them, hitting one of them in the face, sending him backwards against the van. The other grabbed her arm but she twisted around and twisted his arm, snapping it.

She doubled over as the pain flared up in her stomach and then she saw the man she'd kicked coming at her again. She brought her arms up in front of her to block his punches but she wasn't fast enough to block the fist that came at her stomach. It felt like she'd been hit by a freight train. She doubled over again and backed into her bike, knocking it over as she fell on top of it.

The men grabbed her roughly and threw her into the van, sliding the door shut behind them as they got in. The van flew down the street and disappeared.

"We've got her," the driver said into a headset he wore.

"Excellent. What's your E.T.A.?" a man's voice said.

"About fifteen minutes."

"I'll have everything ready when you arrive."

The driver looked in the rearview mirror to see what was going on in the back, as he heard a struggle. "What's going on back there?"

The men did their best to keep Shalimar still but she was putting up one hell of a fight. "The bitch won't stay still," the man with the broken arm said.

"Well, make her sit still," the driver replied.

In one quick movement, the man with the broken arm drew his good arm back and then let it fly towards Shalimar's face, knocking her out instantly. She fell limply to the floor of the van and the man spit at her, "Take that you crazy bitch. And don't think I won't get you back for breaking my damn arm." He kicked her and then sat down on one of the bucket seats towards the front.