CHECKING IN
When Brennan, Claire and Natasha arrived at the hotel, it was close to ten o'clock at night. They had been forced to drive all the way, mainly because the presence of a huge jet would only arouse suspicion in the younger woman's mind. Brennan and Claire didn't want that.
They had already discussed that Natasha need not know of her cousin's New Mutant abilities. It would only provide Eckhart with the perfect opportunity to get to Brennan and Mutant X.
Brennan stopped the car, switched off the engine, and glanced into the back seat, where Natasha had apparently fallen asleep. Amber, the cat, was asleep on her stomach.
Brennan, with a quiet sigh, turned back to Claire.
"Now what are we gonna do?" he wondered aloud, indicating with a jabbed thumb towards Natasha.
"Well," Claire began, stifling a yawn, "she's probably exhausted. Do you think we should wake her?" She eyed Natasha briefly, who looked so peaceful. It seemed a shame to do what she had suggested.
Brennan appeared deep in thought for a moment, before, with a cheeky grin, he shook his head.
Claire smiled, and allowed for him to kiss her.
As they kissed, Claire could feel the power flowing to her from him, a slight surge of electricity that made her feel so much more alive… so much more powerful. And so much more eager for him to proceed.
His hand went to her neck, but just before anything further could happen, a sharp clearing of the throat interrupted them.
Their heads turned in the direction of the back seat, where Natasha sat upright, staring at them, cat on her lap purring away.
"Sorry," Brennan mumbled, and quickly moved away from Claire, much to the latter's chagrin.
Claire allowed herself a momentary frown before she smiled briefly at Natasha, and exited the vehicle.
Brennan stepped out of the silver Audi close after, and headed straight for the trunk to fetch Natasha's bag.
He passed Claire the cat carrier, which she in turn handed to Natasha.
A little reluctantly, Natasha placed Amber into the basket. She then got out of the car.
Brennan removed the large suitcase from the trunk, and joined Claire and Natasha as they headed into the hotel.
Feral eyes watched the three figures move into the building, her exceptional hearing picking up every little thing that was said between them.
She recognised two of them as Brennan Mulwray and Claire Marlow, Adam's elementals from Mutant X.
They were not her target though.
The other interested her more. She could smell the beast the third figure carried in a basket, and she allowed a growl to rise up in her throat.
She had learned to be patient though. He had taught her that much at least.
She would wait. The opportunity would present itself.
And then she would pounce.
"Hey, not a bad room," Brennan commented upon entering.
The hotel room was well lit and smelled fresh. It had been kept in good condition. The bed was freshly made, and no dust settled on any of the polished surfaces. A television remote sat tidily next to the telephone, and the actual set itself was facing the bed, so that whoever was to watch the television would be comfortable.
Claire noticed the small box with a slot in it on the dresser… ready and waiting for tips.
Typical, she thought, sighing, watching Brennan heft the suitcase onto the bed, noticing it dipped at the end where he had placed it. Whatever was in it weighed a lot.
"I still don't see why I can't stay with you," Natasha whined, releasing Amber from the basket.
The receptionist had, of course, been reluctant to allow the cat, but with a little persuasion, he had quickly changed his mind.
Brennan was probably missing that fifty dollars though.
Claire opened the drawer on the dresser to her left, and let a small smile cross her lips when she saw the book there.
She removed it.
"I explained this, Natty," Brennan began, "you can't stay with me because of my work."
"I'd be okay on my own, Brennan," Natasha told him, stroking the beautiful cat at her ankles.
"I live in a rough neighbourhood," Brennan added, his performance extremely convincing.
I think he missed his true calling, Claire thought to herself with a grin.
"It's because you live with her, isn't it?"
Claire looked up from the book. Natasha was glaring at her. Brennan looked genuinely shocked.
Natasha looked angry… very angry actually. But why? What had Claire done to offend her?
What I would give to have Emma here right now.
"Natty," Brennan mumbled, moving towards her, drawing a small card out of his pocket. It was the card with his number on it, so the young woman could reach him.
"Whatever," Natasha snapped, "I can do this myself. You can go if you want."
It hadn't been an offer.
Placing the number down on the dresser, Brennan said, "Are you sure? We can-"
"I said it's fine." Natasha wasn't even looking at her cousin. She was staring out of the window with her back to them.
"C'mon, Brennan," Claire said quietly.
Brennan, with a resigning sigh, turned and walked to Claire.
"I don't know why they bother with these things anymore," Claire mumbled to Brennan, tossing the Bible back into the drawer, and closing it.
As they left, shutting the door behind them, Natasha wiped away tears.
When Brennan, Claire and Natasha arrived at the hotel, it was close to ten o'clock at night. They had been forced to drive all the way, mainly because the presence of a huge jet would only arouse suspicion in the younger woman's mind. Brennan and Claire didn't want that.
They had already discussed that Natasha need not know of her cousin's New Mutant abilities. It would only provide Eckhart with the perfect opportunity to get to Brennan and Mutant X.
Brennan stopped the car, switched off the engine, and glanced into the back seat, where Natasha had apparently fallen asleep. Amber, the cat, was asleep on her stomach.
Brennan, with a quiet sigh, turned back to Claire.
"Now what are we gonna do?" he wondered aloud, indicating with a jabbed thumb towards Natasha.
"Well," Claire began, stifling a yawn, "she's probably exhausted. Do you think we should wake her?" She eyed Natasha briefly, who looked so peaceful. It seemed a shame to do what she had suggested.
Brennan appeared deep in thought for a moment, before, with a cheeky grin, he shook his head.
Claire smiled, and allowed for him to kiss her.
As they kissed, Claire could feel the power flowing to her from him, a slight surge of electricity that made her feel so much more alive… so much more powerful. And so much more eager for him to proceed.
His hand went to her neck, but just before anything further could happen, a sharp clearing of the throat interrupted them.
Their heads turned in the direction of the back seat, where Natasha sat upright, staring at them, cat on her lap purring away.
"Sorry," Brennan mumbled, and quickly moved away from Claire, much to the latter's chagrin.
Claire allowed herself a momentary frown before she smiled briefly at Natasha, and exited the vehicle.
Brennan stepped out of the silver Audi close after, and headed straight for the trunk to fetch Natasha's bag.
He passed Claire the cat carrier, which she in turn handed to Natasha.
A little reluctantly, Natasha placed Amber into the basket. She then got out of the car.
Brennan removed the large suitcase from the trunk, and joined Claire and Natasha as they headed into the hotel.
Feral eyes watched the three figures move into the building, her exceptional hearing picking up every little thing that was said between them.
She recognised two of them as Brennan Mulwray and Claire Marlow, Adam's elementals from Mutant X.
They were not her target though.
The other interested her more. She could smell the beast the third figure carried in a basket, and she allowed a growl to rise up in her throat.
She had learned to be patient though. He had taught her that much at least.
She would wait. The opportunity would present itself.
And then she would pounce.
"Hey, not a bad room," Brennan commented upon entering.
The hotel room was well lit and smelled fresh. It had been kept in good condition. The bed was freshly made, and no dust settled on any of the polished surfaces. A television remote sat tidily next to the telephone, and the actual set itself was facing the bed, so that whoever was to watch the television would be comfortable.
Claire noticed the small box with a slot in it on the dresser… ready and waiting for tips.
Typical, she thought, sighing, watching Brennan heft the suitcase onto the bed, noticing it dipped at the end where he had placed it. Whatever was in it weighed a lot.
"I still don't see why I can't stay with you," Natasha whined, releasing Amber from the basket.
The receptionist had, of course, been reluctant to allow the cat, but with a little persuasion, he had quickly changed his mind.
Brennan was probably missing that fifty dollars though.
Claire opened the drawer on the dresser to her left, and let a small smile cross her lips when she saw the book there.
She removed it.
"I explained this, Natty," Brennan began, "you can't stay with me because of my work."
"I'd be okay on my own, Brennan," Natasha told him, stroking the beautiful cat at her ankles.
"I live in a rough neighbourhood," Brennan added, his performance extremely convincing.
I think he missed his true calling, Claire thought to herself with a grin.
"It's because you live with her, isn't it?"
Claire looked up from the book. Natasha was glaring at her. Brennan looked genuinely shocked.
Natasha looked angry… very angry actually. But why? What had Claire done to offend her?
What I would give to have Emma here right now.
"Natty," Brennan mumbled, moving towards her, drawing a small card out of his pocket. It was the card with his number on it, so the young woman could reach him.
"Whatever," Natasha snapped, "I can do this myself. You can go if you want."
It hadn't been an offer.
Placing the number down on the dresser, Brennan said, "Are you sure? We can-"
"I said it's fine." Natasha wasn't even looking at her cousin. She was staring out of the window with her back to them.
"C'mon, Brennan," Claire said quietly.
Brennan, with a resigning sigh, turned and walked to Claire.
"I don't know why they bother with these things anymore," Claire mumbled to Brennan, tossing the Bible back into the drawer, and closing it.
As they left, shutting the door behind them, Natasha wiped away tears.
