Title: Heterogeneous Challenges

Author: Sarge

(Disclaimer on first page)

______________________________________________________________________________

A little while later, Shalimar and Jesse wandered out of their rooms to find the rest of the team hanging around waiting for them.

"Alright, now that everyone's here let's get down to business. One of the new mutants that we put into hiding has been found by the GSA. There have been reports that they are going to pick him up tonight. I want you to go get him out of there before the GSA can. Ok?" Adam said.

"Who's him?" Shalimar asked as she sat down on the stairs next to Emma.

"Corbin West," he replied.

"Oh yeah, he's the guy who's telekinetic, right?" Jesse recalled.

"Yes. Now, I need you all to head over to his place and go pick him up. Hopefully you'll get there before the GSA does," Adam replied.

"Ok, let's go guys," Brennan said as he, Jesse, Shalimar, and Emma left to go get Corbin.

Upon arriving at Corbin's house, they all went in to find him, he was nowhere to be found.

"Do you think we're too late?" Emma asked as she looked around his living room.

Just as Brennan opened his mouth to answer, another voice came from behind them.

"No, you're just on time."

They all turned around to see Corbin standing there with about twelve other men behind him.

"Corbin, what's going on?" Shalimar asked.

"Well, hiding just wasn't the thing for me, so I went to Eckhart and he offered me my freedom for all of you. I figured the best way to get you here would be to make you think that I was in trouble, and guess what, it worked!" he answered as an nefarious smile grew across his face. "Now, you can come with us peacefully or we can use force. Which will it be?"

"Although, while the offer of going in peace is quite intriguing, I think we'll have to go with force," Brennan quipped.

"Then force it is. GET THEM!!!" Corbin commanded.

At that, the men that were behind him charged the Mutant X team.

A few minutes into the fight, the team seemed to be getting, as usual, the upper hand on the men.

Brennan had taken down three already and was now helping Emma with hers. Jesse was doing good too. He had knocked out two men and was working on his third. Then there was Shalimar. She was, just like always, going great. She had taken down four men and was now going after Corbin, but he presented a little bit more of a challenge for her. He kept using his telekinesis to throw her into things like the wall, leaving her a bit dazed. Though eventually she got close enough to give him a nice square punch in the face, knocking him unconscious. Just as she turned back to look at her teammates, she was suddenly backhanded across the face, sending her reeling to the ground. Looking up, she noticed that before her stood a huge man glaring down at her. He was about 7' 5" with bulging muscles. At that moment, his eyes suddenly went feral and he let out a low growl.

Quickly, Shalimar jumped to her feet and faced the man. Looking at his full size, she immediately thought to herself, Why do they always have to be so huge? Shaking her head slightly, she pushed aside her sudden sense if fear and sarcastically said,

"Hey there big boy. Who let you out of your cage?"

That did nothing but fuel his anger further. Letting out another growl, he suddenly charged at her, but Shalimar managed to launch herself into a flip over his head. However, when she landed, the man kicked her right in the stomach, knocking the breath out of her. As she hunched over trying to catch her breath, the man kneed her in the face, knocking her back to the ground. Dazed, Shalimar laid there for a few seconds when suddenly she felt the man kick her mercilessly in the stomach. After taking a few brutal blows, she managed to get back on her feet and land a couple of her own punches on him, but as she attempted to land another one, he caught her arm and twisted it until it snapped.

Shalimar cried out in pain as she clutched her arm close to her body and backed away from him, but the farther she backed away, the closer he seemed to get. Finally she came to a stop as she bumped into the wall. As she did so, the man grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. As she attempted to gasp for breath, she immediately thought to herself , I never thought I'd die so soon, but at least I'm going down fighting. It's just shame I won't be able to get Jesse back for pulling me down in the water. It was at that moment that she lapsed into an oxygen-starved unconsciousness.

Jesse just finished off his final man when he looked over to see Shalimar being choked. As he started towards them, he saw Shalimar's eyes close as she passed out and the man throw her into the opposite wall like a rag doll.

Both Brennan and Emma saw the same thing and knowing that Jesse would probably need help taking down the man, they quickly finished off the men they were fighting and headed over towards the man that had taken down Shalimar.

As Jesse got closer, the man turned to glare at him and then, with a growl, he charged. Suddenly he stopped in mid-stride and stood there frozen.

Jesse glanced over his shoulder to see Emma standing there with that look of 'I'm using my telepathy' written across her face. It was then that Brennan walked over to him and stood there, asking, "Do you want the honor or can I finish him off?"

"Allow me," Jesse said as he walked over to the man and after altering his density to make himself extremely dense like he usually does when people are shooting at him, he lifted his hand, bringing it down hard on the man's skull. Hearing the loud crack it made, Emma release the man from her telepathy and watched him fall to the ground.

Jesse immediately turned from the man and ran over to Shalimar. He felt for breath and a pulse, but found neither. "Oh, no you don't. You will not die on me, Shal," he said as he began CPR.

It was then that Brennan and Emma came over. Brennan kneeled down next to Shalimar and took over the chest compressions while Jesse breathed for her.

"Dammit Shalimar!! BREATH!!! Don't you die on me. Please!" Jesse cried before he once again breathed into her mouth.

Emma stood hovering over the three, sobbing softly.

"Please Shal, I need you. Don't die on me! DON'T DIE ON ME, SHALIMAR!!!" Jesse yelled as he shook her roughly. Suddenly Shalimar began to cough. Jesse pulled her into his arms saying, "There ya go, Shal. Take deep breaths."

As her eyes fluttered open, she looked at Jesse's tear streaked face and smiled slightly, whispering, "I guess I got you back for pulling me in the water."

Jesse gave out a soft chuckle and then pulled Shalimar further into his arms, hugging her tightly.

"I suggest we get going before anymore of Eckhart's men show up," Brennan said as he stood.

"Yeah, we should," Jesse agreed as he helped Shalimar stand up too.

With that, they all left.

TO BE CONTINUED....

(More's coming. Remember to READ AND REVIEW!!!!! Thanks!)