Title: The Time Has Come
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Mutant X characters, and may occasionally include a few of my own as the work progresses. All but the characters in the show are mine.
Feedback: Guys, I really appreciate your feedback and all of the reviews. This is my first fanfic, and it's been interesting to see it unfold. I hope you guys enjoy it. I really look forward to your comments. Thank you Ambrosia, Megara, Chic, Cand, and the rest of you for reading it and taking the time to share your thoughts on it. I hope you guys aren't disappointed with the ending. : )

Chapter 8: Old baggage

"Look Adam, are you sure going back to that club is a good idea?" Brennan asked, flat out angry at Adam for what had happened the last time.

"Yes." After seeing the look in Brennan's eyes Adam sighed roughly before walking across the room to pick up the glass containing remnants of the drug in question. "Look Brennan, this drug has sped up Emma's mutations to the point where she's not only a danger to everyone around her but to herself as well. I'm working on something to counteract it, but at the rate it progresses mutations, chances are whoever created it in the first place had no choice but to do the same. I need to know if they already have something that can help Emma."

As Adam finished, Brennan looked over to Emma's unconscious form. Lying in a chair beside her was Jesse, who within a day of bringing Emma back from the Falcon's Claw had also gone unconscious. While they didn't completely understand why, the best theory Adam had was that the two were somehow connected. So the trauma Emma's mind was undergoing slowly leaked into Jesse's until it overwhelmed him. Seeing the vulnerability of his friends, Brennan slowly nodded his head. Turning around, Brennan and Shalimar started walking towards the door when Brennan came to a stop.

"If anything happens to them, Adam, I'm holding you responsible." Brennan whispered roughly. Soon Brennan and Shalimar were once again on their way to the club.

"It's not his fault Brennan. I get frustrated with Adam too, but blaming this whole thing on him? You're being too harsh." Shalimar said, understanding his feelings but also knowing that Adam would never intentionally send them off to get hurt.

Staring at the road in front of him, Brennan couldn't respond. The struggle going on inside of him wouldn't allow him too. He'd always had a problem with authority, but with Adam… it was different. He was their leader, but he was also their friend. Concentrating on the road ahead of him, Brennan tried to reconcile his old experiences with authority with his newest ones. Mutant X had offered him a chance to work with people who had special abilities for the good of others, instead of the lawless and selfish life he'd led until joining them. His teammates were his friends, and he cared about them. It was frustrating to see Adam holding back or concerned with another agenda, especially when most of the time he was staying at Sanctuary, even if he was watching their backs.

Turning into the parking lot of the club, Brennan and Shalimar silently agreed to leave it be for now. Looking at the rundown brick building, they noticed little difference from the last time they had been there. Daylight emphasized the cracked, aged exterior of the recently created New Mutant club. Looking around, there was no sign of activity anywhere near the building. The utter silence that surrounded it was eerie, and more than enough to set Brennan's nerves further on edge.

"Come on, let's get this over with." Brennan muttered while walking up and checking the door. Not even locked, both Brennan and Shalimar were able to walk in unhindered. Gasping in surprise, every single feral that Emma's psionic pulse had permanently rendered harmless was missing. The shocking part were the grooves on the floor, obvious signs that each body had been dragged away. The criss-cross patterns on the floor made it evident that each body was removed one by one. Moving forward, Shalimar picked up an unusual scent and began walking towards the backside of the building, where the restrooms were located. Looking around once last time, Brennan turned and saw Shalimar in time to follow her.

"You got something?" He asked, not far behind her when she nodded and motioned for him not to speak. Slowly walking up towards the back of the building, Shalimar turned slightly as she noticed where the scent was coming from. A side door that presumably led to an office was giving off the same odor that the glass they picked up the last time had. Moving forward slowly, Shalimar heard slight shuffling sounds and quickly glanced at Brennan. Having heard the sounds also, Brennan took a fighting stance and signaled to Shalimar that he was ready. Reaching over, Shalimar slowly turned the doorknob before the door crashed against her body at full force. Shocked but quick to react, Brennan side kicked the man rushing through the doorway. Falling backwards and landing hard on the cement, the man looked up with dazed eyes before passing out.

"Great! What should we do now?" Brennan asked, frustrated. Looking past the man on the floor, Shalimar was overcome with curiosity.

"We should check this place out." Looking at the man once more, Shalimar continued. "He's not going anywhere. We can come back for him and take him to Sanctuary with us afterwards." Nodding, Brennan stepped over the unconscious man before moving towards the room in the back. Odors filled their nostrils quickly the further back they went. Unaccustomed to the smells, Shalimar slowed down. "We'll have to hurry, the chemicals are too strong for me to handle much longer."

Moving through the darkened room faster, the two quickly noticed containers full of different chemicals. Looking around, a chemistry lab of some sort sat to the back right side of the room while bodies of vacant eyed ferals were piled high on the back left side. Checking with each other, Brennan and Shalimar confirmed they'd seen all they needed too. Heading back towards the unconscious man, they dragged his body to the car and went back to Sanctuary.