Disclaimer: I don't own them, but wouldn't it be grand?
CH 2: The Addison Project
"So the operation was successful?"
"Well, we won't know to what extent until she wakes up, but yes, it was a success."
"Good."
Emma slowly opened her eyes. Immediately she felt a small pain in the
back of her neck.
Eckhart smiled. "Ah, Ms. deLauro, how are you feeling?"
"Well, okay, I guess. My neck kind of hurts." Emma said slowly, still a little disorientated.
"Yes, we had to put an implant in the back of your neck. It will help heal the nerve damage." Dr Harrison said.
"Ms. deLauro, do you remember what happened yesterday?"
Emma searched her recollection. "No. I don't remember anything."
"You hit your head during a conflict with those rebel mutants." Eckhart told Emma.
"Did they get away?" Emma said, anger in her voice.
"Yes, they did. But I'm sure it won't happen again?" Eckhart said quickly.
"Get some rest Ms. deLauro." He and Dr Harrison walked out, leaving Emma alone in the lab.
Adam sat silently on a bench in sanctuary. Brennan, walking by, stopped.
"Hey Adam." Brennan said, but got no reaction form Adam, who was lost in thought.
"Adam." Brennan said once again, sitting down next to him.
"Oh, sorry Brennan." Adam said quietly.
"Still thinking about those simulations?" asked Brennan.
Adam nodded. "Yeah. We need Emma to pull it off. But of course, we don't have her."
"We'll find a way," Brennan tried to reassure Adam, though he was having trouble reassuring himself.
"I don't doubt that we'll find a way, but I think it's going to be too late." Adam paused for a minute. "I was so blind. I thought something good was coming out of the creation of mutants. And I never questioned anything that was going on until it was too late. And look what's happened. Eckhart has perfected the implant."
"Now you're jumping to conclusions. Look, like Shal said, you had no way of knowing what was going on. You were kept in the dark during the whole thing."
Adam got up and began to pace. An idea began to form. "It's been three days, and Eckhart hasn't made a move. Now it could be one of three things. One, the implant is in, and Eckhart is waiting for us to move. Two, the implant didn't work, and their trying to fix it."
"And three?" Brennan asked.
Adam looked grim. "Emma could be in a stasis pod. And this whole Addison Project was just a hoax."
Brennan shook his head. "I don't think so. Eckhart seemed really serious. Besides, he's always wanted Emma. Why would he just stick her in stasis?"
Adam nodded. "You have a point. But we have no way of knowing. We can't just barge into Genomex, expecting to get Emma out of there. We have to know what we're up against first."
Brennan was puzzled. "Then what do you suggest?"
Adam smiled. "Reconnaissance."
Jesse turned the corner in Genomex, making sure the lab he was about to enter was empty. He could see no one in there, and quickly, before the next agent came walking by, walked in. He was still waiting for the signal from Brennan. That signal was simple. When the lights went out, Jesse would have 3 minutes to download Genomex's files, while the security system was down. Then he would only have a couple of minutes to look around and hopefully find Emma.
The lights above Jesse's head flickered, and then went black. Brennan had been able to cut the power with a bolt of electricity. As soon as the backup power was on, Jesse began to download Genomex's files into the Sanctuary's Database.
"Adam, are you getting this?" Jesse asked, contacting Adam through the comlink in his ring.
"Yes, the download is almost complete. As soon as it's done, get out of there. Brennan's looking for Emma right now." Adam said.
"Got it." Jesse said quietly. The downloading process seemed to take forever. It was almost done when Jesse heard a voice behind him.
"I don't think that's yours." It was Emma.
"Emma!?" Jesse said as he whipped around. She was somehow different. "Are you okay?"
Emma looked at him, puzzled. "Am I alright? I've never felt better in my entire life. I feel like a whole new person." She laughed as she lunged at Jesse, trying to hit him.
"Emma, it's me, Jesse." He pleaded with her.
"I know exactly who you are. One of those Mutant X freaks." She said as she lifted up a lab tray and tried to hit Jesse with it. Immediately Jesse became impervious to it. The tray hit him, curving around his head.
Emma threw down the tray and began hand to hand combat with Jesse. Unfortunately for Emma, she was no match for Jesse. With one swift blow to her face, Emma was knocked unconscious.
"Sorry Emma." Jesse said, stepping over her body. He could hear agents coming down the corridor. He quickly altered his body density, and walked through the back wall of the lab, bumping into Brennan.
"You okay?" Brennan asked.
"Yeah. But we have a problem. Emma's been implanted already. She acted like she didn't even know me. I had to knock her out."
"Why didn't you bring her?" Brennan asked getting angry.
"Well, unless you wanted me to get caught by agents." Jesse said sarcastically. "Come on, we've gotta get out of here."
"NO! We can still grab her. There's time." Brennan said. Footsteps could be heard from down the hall.
"Do you hear that?" Jesse asked. "While we stand here and argue, they're getting closer and their about to catch us. There's no time!" Jesse found himself practically pulling a very reluctant Brennan. Finally the pair found their way out of Genomex, and into the Double Helix where Shalimar was waiting.
"How'd it go?" She asked, as the smile on her face slowly washed away.
Jesse and Brennan both threw them into their seats.
"Just peachy." Brennan said sourly.
"So our hands are tied." Brennan said uncomfortably.
Adam shook his head. "No, Brennan, that's not what I said. We don't know how to reverse the effect of the implant, except removing it, but at this point that's not an option."
"It would have been if someone would have brought Emma back after knocking her out." Brennan said snidely.
Jesse got angry. "Oh, sure easy for you to say. You weren't the one practically trapped in a lab with GSA agents at the door. If I hadn't been able to go through the wall, end of Jesse Kilmartin."
"But still." Brennan started but Adam interrupted him. "Enough you too. Let's not place blame. What's done is done. Now we have to focus on a way to get Emma back. I think with some more digging, we can figure out how to deactivate the implant."
"You think there is something that can be done without necessarily taking out the implant?" Shalimar asked.
Adam shrugged. "I honestly don't know. But that's what science is all about. We'll find a way. We just need to be patient."
"Patient?" Brennan said getting up. "I cannot believe this."
"What do you expect us to do Brennan? Eckhart knows it was us in Genomex, we can't go in there again. Emma's gonna have security. Nobody's probably able to get within ten feet of her without proper authorization. There's no way we'll be able to rescue her." Adam looked away from Shalimar, Jesse, and Brennan. "You.We.need to realize that Emma is not the same person. She's not even going to want to be rescued. She's not on our team anymore. She's playing for the other side."
Brennan looked up. "I understand that Adam. I just wish there was something more we could do." He said quietly before leaving the group to retreat to his room.
"If I could have taken Emma with me, Adam, believe me I would have. But there was no way. Brennan." Jesse started.
"Brennan knows that Jesse." Shalimar said.
"Then why is he acting like this?" Jesse asked as Shalimar put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Adam sighed. "I think he might be feeling guilty for Emma being taken in the first place. Brennan's weakness was used against him."
"Water." Jesse stated.
"Exactly." Adam said.
"And he can only handle so many agents at one time." Shalimar added.
"He feels weak?" Jesse offered.
Adam nodded in agreement. "I think so. He wasn't able to do anything to prevent her abduction. And now, that Eckhart's plan has succeeded, Brennan feels guilty."
"But really, it's not his fault. If anybody should be feeling guilty, it's me." Jesse said, as Shalimar raised an eyebrow. Jesse quickly added. "I do feel guilty though, I do!"
"You've forgiven yourself, which is a good thing. The best thing to do now is to give Brennan a little space and a little time to cool off. Meanwhile, I'm gonna keep looking at this information." Adam said getting up.
"I thought you said you'd looked at all the information." Shalimar said.
Adam shook his head. "I've looked at all the information regarding the Addison Project, however, I've also come across some other information that needs to be analyzed. I think something's brewing at Genomex."
Eckhart paced in his office in front of Emma, who was standing.
"Ms. DeLauro, I distinctly remember telling you not to fail again in capturing any of the Mutant X rebels, and yet here I stand, my security breeched by two of the Mutant X members, and numerous files downloaded.
Emma looked straight into Eckhart's eyes. "Technically, security wasn't totally breeched. Agents were alerted and arrived to the lab in 2 minutes. Nothing even that substantial was taken."
"I disagree. Many files about the research we have been performing have been stolen. I am holding you personally responsible."
"I understand sir. I'll make it up to you." Emma said, trying to convince Eckhart that she was remorseful.
Eckhart smiled. "Yes. You will make it up. In a form of a new mutant." Eckhart moved to his desk and turned around his computer monitor so that Emma could see the screen.
"This is Rachel Slatley. She's a molecular. She can become invisible. I don't think I have to tell you how valuable she could be to us." Eckhart said.
Emma nodded.
"You have three days, Ms DeLauro. Don't fail." Eckhart said firmly.
"I won't"
CH 2: The Addison Project
"So the operation was successful?"
"Well, we won't know to what extent until she wakes up, but yes, it was a success."
"Good."
Emma slowly opened her eyes. Immediately she felt a small pain in the
back of her neck.
Eckhart smiled. "Ah, Ms. deLauro, how are you feeling?"
"Well, okay, I guess. My neck kind of hurts." Emma said slowly, still a little disorientated.
"Yes, we had to put an implant in the back of your neck. It will help heal the nerve damage." Dr Harrison said.
"Ms. deLauro, do you remember what happened yesterday?"
Emma searched her recollection. "No. I don't remember anything."
"You hit your head during a conflict with those rebel mutants." Eckhart told Emma.
"Did they get away?" Emma said, anger in her voice.
"Yes, they did. But I'm sure it won't happen again?" Eckhart said quickly.
"Get some rest Ms. deLauro." He and Dr Harrison walked out, leaving Emma alone in the lab.
Adam sat silently on a bench in sanctuary. Brennan, walking by, stopped.
"Hey Adam." Brennan said, but got no reaction form Adam, who was lost in thought.
"Adam." Brennan said once again, sitting down next to him.
"Oh, sorry Brennan." Adam said quietly.
"Still thinking about those simulations?" asked Brennan.
Adam nodded. "Yeah. We need Emma to pull it off. But of course, we don't have her."
"We'll find a way," Brennan tried to reassure Adam, though he was having trouble reassuring himself.
"I don't doubt that we'll find a way, but I think it's going to be too late." Adam paused for a minute. "I was so blind. I thought something good was coming out of the creation of mutants. And I never questioned anything that was going on until it was too late. And look what's happened. Eckhart has perfected the implant."
"Now you're jumping to conclusions. Look, like Shal said, you had no way of knowing what was going on. You were kept in the dark during the whole thing."
Adam got up and began to pace. An idea began to form. "It's been three days, and Eckhart hasn't made a move. Now it could be one of three things. One, the implant is in, and Eckhart is waiting for us to move. Two, the implant didn't work, and their trying to fix it."
"And three?" Brennan asked.
Adam looked grim. "Emma could be in a stasis pod. And this whole Addison Project was just a hoax."
Brennan shook his head. "I don't think so. Eckhart seemed really serious. Besides, he's always wanted Emma. Why would he just stick her in stasis?"
Adam nodded. "You have a point. But we have no way of knowing. We can't just barge into Genomex, expecting to get Emma out of there. We have to know what we're up against first."
Brennan was puzzled. "Then what do you suggest?"
Adam smiled. "Reconnaissance."
Jesse turned the corner in Genomex, making sure the lab he was about to enter was empty. He could see no one in there, and quickly, before the next agent came walking by, walked in. He was still waiting for the signal from Brennan. That signal was simple. When the lights went out, Jesse would have 3 minutes to download Genomex's files, while the security system was down. Then he would only have a couple of minutes to look around and hopefully find Emma.
The lights above Jesse's head flickered, and then went black. Brennan had been able to cut the power with a bolt of electricity. As soon as the backup power was on, Jesse began to download Genomex's files into the Sanctuary's Database.
"Adam, are you getting this?" Jesse asked, contacting Adam through the comlink in his ring.
"Yes, the download is almost complete. As soon as it's done, get out of there. Brennan's looking for Emma right now." Adam said.
"Got it." Jesse said quietly. The downloading process seemed to take forever. It was almost done when Jesse heard a voice behind him.
"I don't think that's yours." It was Emma.
"Emma!?" Jesse said as he whipped around. She was somehow different. "Are you okay?"
Emma looked at him, puzzled. "Am I alright? I've never felt better in my entire life. I feel like a whole new person." She laughed as she lunged at Jesse, trying to hit him.
"Emma, it's me, Jesse." He pleaded with her.
"I know exactly who you are. One of those Mutant X freaks." She said as she lifted up a lab tray and tried to hit Jesse with it. Immediately Jesse became impervious to it. The tray hit him, curving around his head.
Emma threw down the tray and began hand to hand combat with Jesse. Unfortunately for Emma, she was no match for Jesse. With one swift blow to her face, Emma was knocked unconscious.
"Sorry Emma." Jesse said, stepping over her body. He could hear agents coming down the corridor. He quickly altered his body density, and walked through the back wall of the lab, bumping into Brennan.
"You okay?" Brennan asked.
"Yeah. But we have a problem. Emma's been implanted already. She acted like she didn't even know me. I had to knock her out."
"Why didn't you bring her?" Brennan asked getting angry.
"Well, unless you wanted me to get caught by agents." Jesse said sarcastically. "Come on, we've gotta get out of here."
"NO! We can still grab her. There's time." Brennan said. Footsteps could be heard from down the hall.
"Do you hear that?" Jesse asked. "While we stand here and argue, they're getting closer and their about to catch us. There's no time!" Jesse found himself practically pulling a very reluctant Brennan. Finally the pair found their way out of Genomex, and into the Double Helix where Shalimar was waiting.
"How'd it go?" She asked, as the smile on her face slowly washed away.
Jesse and Brennan both threw them into their seats.
"Just peachy." Brennan said sourly.
"So our hands are tied." Brennan said uncomfortably.
Adam shook his head. "No, Brennan, that's not what I said. We don't know how to reverse the effect of the implant, except removing it, but at this point that's not an option."
"It would have been if someone would have brought Emma back after knocking her out." Brennan said snidely.
Jesse got angry. "Oh, sure easy for you to say. You weren't the one practically trapped in a lab with GSA agents at the door. If I hadn't been able to go through the wall, end of Jesse Kilmartin."
"But still." Brennan started but Adam interrupted him. "Enough you too. Let's not place blame. What's done is done. Now we have to focus on a way to get Emma back. I think with some more digging, we can figure out how to deactivate the implant."
"You think there is something that can be done without necessarily taking out the implant?" Shalimar asked.
Adam shrugged. "I honestly don't know. But that's what science is all about. We'll find a way. We just need to be patient."
"Patient?" Brennan said getting up. "I cannot believe this."
"What do you expect us to do Brennan? Eckhart knows it was us in Genomex, we can't go in there again. Emma's gonna have security. Nobody's probably able to get within ten feet of her without proper authorization. There's no way we'll be able to rescue her." Adam looked away from Shalimar, Jesse, and Brennan. "You.We.need to realize that Emma is not the same person. She's not even going to want to be rescued. She's not on our team anymore. She's playing for the other side."
Brennan looked up. "I understand that Adam. I just wish there was something more we could do." He said quietly before leaving the group to retreat to his room.
"If I could have taken Emma with me, Adam, believe me I would have. But there was no way. Brennan." Jesse started.
"Brennan knows that Jesse." Shalimar said.
"Then why is he acting like this?" Jesse asked as Shalimar put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
Adam sighed. "I think he might be feeling guilty for Emma being taken in the first place. Brennan's weakness was used against him."
"Water." Jesse stated.
"Exactly." Adam said.
"And he can only handle so many agents at one time." Shalimar added.
"He feels weak?" Jesse offered.
Adam nodded in agreement. "I think so. He wasn't able to do anything to prevent her abduction. And now, that Eckhart's plan has succeeded, Brennan feels guilty."
"But really, it's not his fault. If anybody should be feeling guilty, it's me." Jesse said, as Shalimar raised an eyebrow. Jesse quickly added. "I do feel guilty though, I do!"
"You've forgiven yourself, which is a good thing. The best thing to do now is to give Brennan a little space and a little time to cool off. Meanwhile, I'm gonna keep looking at this information." Adam said getting up.
"I thought you said you'd looked at all the information." Shalimar said.
Adam shook his head. "I've looked at all the information regarding the Addison Project, however, I've also come across some other information that needs to be analyzed. I think something's brewing at Genomex."
Eckhart paced in his office in front of Emma, who was standing.
"Ms. DeLauro, I distinctly remember telling you not to fail again in capturing any of the Mutant X rebels, and yet here I stand, my security breeched by two of the Mutant X members, and numerous files downloaded.
Emma looked straight into Eckhart's eyes. "Technically, security wasn't totally breeched. Agents were alerted and arrived to the lab in 2 minutes. Nothing even that substantial was taken."
"I disagree. Many files about the research we have been performing have been stolen. I am holding you personally responsible."
"I understand sir. I'll make it up to you." Emma said, trying to convince Eckhart that she was remorseful.
Eckhart smiled. "Yes. You will make it up. In a form of a new mutant." Eckhart moved to his desk and turned around his computer monitor so that Emma could see the screen.
"This is Rachel Slatley. She's a molecular. She can become invisible. I don't think I have to tell you how valuable she could be to us." Eckhart said.
Emma nodded.
"You have three days, Ms DeLauro. Don't fail." Eckhart said firmly.
"I won't"