Summary: Shalimar losses her ability to control her feral side, but will the team be able to find a cure before it starts spreading to the rest of them?
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Mutant X. Tribune Entertainment Co. owns the rights to these characters. But I do own any other characters.
Distribution: I don't mind if anyone wants to put any of my stories on their site, just email me first and tell me you would like to put it on your site! Thanks!
Notes: Italics indicate thought. Stars indicate time change or place.
Story by: Quest – shadowfox_fuse@yahoo.com, feel free to email me on any questions or well anything!
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Chapter 6: Out Of Time
Adam had let the team go off and do whatever they wanted to do while he worked on an anti-virus for Shalimar and Jesse. He worked for several straight hours with little success. Every time he thought he was getting closer to finding something, he seemed to get further and further away.
Brennan entered the lab alone just in time to see Adam angrily sweep his arm across one of the lab tables, sending the test tubes and vials crashing to the floor in a heap of glass and blood. Brennan walked over to Adam, who had his head in his hands and looked very upset.
"Adam are you ok?" Brennan asked when he reached the table.
Adam looked up at Brennan; his cheeks were flushed from the anger bottling up in him. "NO!" He snapped. Brennan jumped back throwing his hands up in front of him, "I'm sorry Brennan I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just really frustrated about this Shalimar thing."
"So I'm guessing you haven't had any luck with it?" Brennan asked.
"No, I can't come up with anything because I have no idea what Eckhart injected Shalimar with," Adam explained.
Brennan thought for a moment as Adam huffed. "Well what if I went back to the alley to see if I could find the dart," Brennan offered.
Adam pinched the bridge of his nose as he thought about Brennan's offer. Brennan moved closer to him. "Adam I'm willing to do anything to find a cure for Shal," he confessed, "FOR GODSAKE I LOVE HER!" Brennan yelled, "And if I have to go and look through that alley with fine hair combs or personally go into Genomex and get the virus I will," he said forcefully.
"Where is everyone else?" Adam asked before giving his answer.
"Watching a movie," Brennan said simply.
"Fine you can go, but go alone. I don't want everyone else to know there might not be a cure," Adam announced holding back his anger.
"Alright I'll be back later," Brennan replied with a smile. He turned around before leaving the lab, "If Shal asks where I am, try to make a good excuse on why I'm gone."
Adam nodded his head yes and returned to his mess that he created. Brennan quickly ran down to the garage before anyone saw he leaving. He jumped in one of the Audi's and took off towards the city.
Shalimar was sprawled out on the couch; her eyes were starting to get heavy as she watched the lame movie on TV. She propped herself up after hearing a car pull out of the driveway. "I'll be right back," she announced to Jesse and Emma.
"Alright," Emma replied not taking her eyes of the TV screen.
Shalimar got up and head to the lab, she found Adam bent over picking up some broken glass on the floor. "What the HELL happened in here?"
Adam glanced up at her for a brief second. "Oh, nothing."
Shalimar rolled her eyes, knowing he was lying to her, but she moved on. "Do you know where Brennan is, I thought I heard a car leave?" She asked.
"Ah… I sent him into the city, to get something for me," Adam answered.
"Oh, okay I'll wait until he gets back then," Shalimar said then turned around and left the room. She thought about heading back to the rec. room, but made the turn to head over to the garage. Shalimar went over to her bike and started it up; she knew Adam didn't send Brennan into the city for no reason, and she was going to go find out where he was.
* * *
It was mid afternoon and the streets were filled with traffic. Brennan passed the bar where they had found Shalimar's bike. He looked around for the alley where they had found Shalimar. Brennan spotted the alley and parked a block up the street.
He climbed out, locking the car as he walked away. Brennan mingled his way into the crowd of people and slipped into the alley unnoticed. It looked the same as it did when they first found Shalimar. It was a mess; papers, trash, and metal spread across the alley floor. He made his way down to the end of the alley; Brennan immediately started looking around for the dart that injected Shalimar.
Shalimar noticed one of their Audi's parked on the side of the road; she parked behind it and got off her bike. She walked down the sidewalk, Shalimar looked around trying to find Brennan. She glanced down an alley as she walked past, Shalimar stopped dead in her tracks as she noticed a dark figure at the end of the alley, bent over rummaging through garbage. Shalimar quietly started down the alley getting closer and closer to the figure.
Brennan was crouched down picking through as papers, when he heard a women's voice behind him. "What the HELL are you doing?"
Brennan jumped up startled by the sudden noise, he turned around and found Shalimar standing behind him with her hands on her hips and was giving him an angry expression. "SHIT Shal you scared me," he said as she smiled at him.
She moved up closer to him, "Sorry, but you didn't answer my question."
"Oh, I'm doing ah…" Brennan started but decided not to tell her.
Shalimar rolled her eyes and huffed. "Why won't you tell me?"
"I promised Adam I wouldn't tell you," Brennan stated.
Shalimar pouted at him and placed her hand on his arm, then reached up around his neck and brought his head down closer to hers and then kissed him passionately for a few minutes. Brennan gave in immediately, he melted every time Shalimar kissed him, it was one of the powers she had over him.
"Fine I'll tell you," Brennan sighed breaking away from the kiss, as she smiled at him pleased with her self. "Adam can't find a cure unless he knows exactly what it is Eckhart injected you with." Shalimar smile diminished after hearing the news, and Brennan continued, "That's why I came back here, to try and find the dart to see if Adam could get something from that."
Shalimar smiled, "You came out all this way to try to find something, that you probably won't find. Just to find a cure for me?"
"Ya, Shal. I love you, and I'd do anything to get you better," Brennan confessed hanging his head.
Shalimar lifted up his chin with her hand and kissed him. "You're so sweet," she told him.
"I try," Brennan said with a smile, causing Shalimar to giggle.
She brought Brennan's head down closer to her and whispered into his hear, "I love you," she then gave him a small quick kiss. "Come on, let's look for that dart," she suggested.
"Alright," Brennan replied as they both bent down to go through the trash to find the dart hidden underneath somewhere.
* * *
Soon they lost track of time and it started getting dusk, Brennan was constantly throwing things at Shalimar trying to lighten the mood. Shalimar had used her feral eyes and senses trying to find the dart but with no success, the alley was just too cluttered with trash that she couldn't pick it out.
Brennan was off in a corner when he heard Shalimar scream out in pain; he looked over and saw her sitting on her knees holding onto her head. He ran over to her side and bent down beside her. "Shal what's wrong?" He asked worried about her.
She looked up at him, tears forming into her eyes. "So much pain," she winced.
Brennan brought her into a big hug, holding her tightly. "Shhh, it'll be ok," Brennan whispered softly.
"Brennan!" Shalimar said nervously.
"What?" Brennan asked.
Shalimar screamed again in pain gripping her head tightly, "I can't see anything," she announced to him before passing out in his arms.
"Shalimar!" Brennan yelled at her trying to wake her, but there was no response. Brennan looked at her she was pale and unresponsive to anything. He lifted her up and carried her to the back of the alley so anyone passing by couldn't she them. "Adam!" Brennan said into his comring.
"Brennan what's wrong?" Adam's voice replied.
"It's Shalimar something's wrong with her," Brennan answered.
"Brennan she's fine, she's just with Jesse and Emma," Adam told him.
"No she followed me, but she started to complain about pain in her head and not being able to see, and then she passed out," Brennan explained. "Can you bring the Helix?"
"Ya we'll be right there," Adam answered as Jesse and Emma entered the lab, he looked over at them. "Come on let's go," he ordered.
"Go where?" Emma asked following him to the door.
"To pick up Brennan and Shalimar. Brennan said something's wrong with Shalimar," he explained.
Emma and Jesse nodded yes in reply then Emma followed Adam out of the lab, as Jesse didn't move after hearing the news about Shalimar. He snapped out of it and walked towards the door.
Emma and Adam stopped after seeing Jesse wasn't behind them. They heard a loud thump coming from the other side of the lab door. Emma quickly opened the door and they found Jesse on the floor holding onto his nose in pain.
"What did you do?" Emma asked him.
Jesse just rolled around on the floor in agonizing pain up through his nose. "I didn't phase," he said simply.
Emma just laughed as Adam helped Jesse up of the floor. Jesse's nose started bleeding once he stood up, Adam immediately lifted up Jesse's head up so the blood didn't gush all over the place. "Come on I'll fix it in the Helix," Adam ordered and they walked to the Helix.
* * *
Brennan had Shalimar's head in his lap and gently stroked her head, as he waited for the other's to arrive. He had thought about taking Shalimar back in the Audi, but he wanted Adam to look at her as soon as possible. He figured Emma or Jesse could drive back his car while he took Shalimar's bike back. He reached into Shalimar's jacket pocket and found her bike's keys, and he placed it into his own pocket.
"Brennan?" Adam's voice came over his comring.
"Ya," he replied.
"We're right above you, is there enough space to land?" Adam asked.
"Yup," Brennan answered.
Soon enough the Helix uncloaked in front of them, and the trio rushed out. Brennan stood up with Shalimar in his arms and gave her to Adam who held out his arms.
He noticed a bandage over Jesse's nose but didn't ask him about it. "Jesse will you take my car back, while I take Shalimar's bike?" he asked instead.
"Sure," Jesse replied and followed Brennan out of the alley as Emma and Adam took Shalimar back in the Helix.
Brennan tossed Jesse the keys to the Audi and took out Shalimar's keys. They each started up their vehicles and Brennan led the way back to the Sanctuary. Brennan drove as fast as the bike would go without losing control. All he wanted to do was get back to Shalimar and see what was wrong with her.
Jesse was right behind him the whole time trying to keep up as best he could. Brennan screeched into the garage parking the bike in its spot. Brennan jumped off and started running towards the lab. Jesse was right behind Brennan within seconds.
They burst through the door to see Emma in tears and Adam comforting her. Brennan saw Shalimar's motionless body on one of the lab chairs, he immediately thought of the worst. "What's wrong?"
Adam looked up from holding Emma; "Shalimar will die unless we find a cure within forty-eight hours," Adam explained to them.
Brennan's heart sank, he wasn't about to let Shalimar go with out a fight, not after them finally being together. "But how can that be?" He finally asked.
"Her Feral side is killing off her human side, and her body is rejecting the overload of feral DNA spreading through her veins; which is causing her body to shut itself down. Sooner or later her organs will stop working and she will die," Adam explained as Emma broke down in tears once again after hearing the news for a second time.
Brennan's knees weakened; he braced himself trying not to pass out. He took some deep breaths before looking up at Adam. "So what are we going to do?"
"To tell you the truth, I have no idea, but we'll have to think of something fast or were going to lose her," Adam answered as he watched Brennan walk over to Shalimar and take a seat beside her.
Brennan took her cold delicate hand in both of his; he leaned down and kissed her forehead sweetly. "I'm not going to let you die on me without a fight," he whispered to her.
TBC
A/N: Sorry about the long wait but I have a little bit of writers block on how I'm going to cure Shal and Jesse, and I still don't! SO ANY ideas would be a big help! PLEASE REVIEW!!! I enjoy reading them!!!!!!!!!!
