Freeing the Beast

AN: Once again thanks a lot for reviews! Just a note, the name Onca is pronounced Ohn-sah. The 'n' is only just pronounced and the 'c' should be written with a cedilla, but .html doesn't like that! Neway, on with the show.

Shalimar rose silently from her bed. Walking along the corridor, her footsteps did not make a sound, not a creak of a floorboard, nor the sound of a footfall. Stopping outside Emma's door she listened in. Soft breathing told her that her worried friend was now sound asleep. Jubilant, Shalimar moved into the main hall and sat before the computer console. She was going to do this alone.

Two hours later and she had all the answers she needed. It was not the GSA - she had realised - that had taken Him. But another organisation, (with terrible web security she noted, child's play to hack into), trying to sell off feral new mutants to the highest bidder. 29 feral new mutants had been captured and cured of the virus. All were to be sold in the next few weeks. She had a plan of the building where they were being held and security codes; although to what she did not know. Quickly recording a video message to the rest of Mutant X, Shalimar was on her motorbike and away before any of her sleeping friends began to stir.

The halls were deserted. There was no sign of any guards and no locks or mechanisms of any kind into which she could enter the codes she had stolen.

The room that had been shown as containing the ferals seemed empty. It was a large warehouse-type space with clean metal walls. Nothing filled it. She walked into the room cautiously, wary of being trapped with only one entrance or exit. There was a small console on one wall with a keypad, as if to open something, but there seemed to be no reason for it, there were no other doors to open and there was rarely a need for a lock on the inside of a room. It was only when she was half way into the room, beginning to suspect a trap, when she chanced to look down.

They were below her. Huge glass panels formed a roof to their cells and they called up at her above them, silent through sound proof glass. Metal barriers separated them from each other. There had to be at least 20 cells here, some contained more than one feral and some were empty. Looking back at the access panel she remembered the codes she had been given. Quickly typing out the codes she watched as the glass panels slid to one side. Small walkways were left between the cells, connecting them and allowing movement between them.

As soon as the roofs were fully open people began emerging from the cells. Jumping from the floor of the cells to the walkways, showing their feral abilities.

"Everyone check the nearby cells as you come out, I don't want to leave anyone behind." She shouted across the room as the ferals continued to flock towards her and crowd around her. She was pleased to see a couple of them move back towards the cells to check out the now empty area.

Picking out two of the bulkier ferals she stationed them outside the door as lookouts. Checking everyone's faces as they emerged she realised she knew quite a few of them from rescues Mutant X had previously co-ordinated. The Bastet group were all here, all five young women and their leader, Bastet herself as well as several other familiar faces. She greeted all those she recognised and acknowledged all those who offered thanks for the rescue, but there was no sign of Her feral anywhere. Realising that the flow of people from the cells had stopped and all were stood nearby waiting for her command she looked out to the few who were checking the cells. A shout from one of the ferals - a blond with short hair, wearing what looked like military fatigues - caught her attention.

Reaching her side she looked down into the cell and felt sick to her stomach. There were people in the cell; at least seven of them piled into the small space. All were dead. Glazed eyes stared up at her, up at the freedom they would never enjoy. She looked away, breathing deeply.

"There are people in here dead. Is anyone missing?" Called out to the others. She dreaded the thought that He might be in that small space, hidden by others that had met the same fate.

"Our pack is missing five and our leader, Lago." A huge man was walking towards her. His shoulders looked almost as wide as Shalimar was tall. Looking down into the cell and away again as quickly as he could, he cursed. "They are all in there." The huge man turned to the small crowd of people that had gathered on one side of the room, separate to the others. "Our leader is dead. I will take responsibility for the pack until we have escaped. Do any oppose me?" There was no noise and the man turned back to Shalimar, who was looking on, confused. She had never heard of a pack of feral mutants. "My name is Dus. Our pack is at your service."

"I'm Shalimar of Mutant X, and thanks."

"Mutant X! I have heard much of your team. I had expected you to be" He looked over the top of her head, as though judging her height. " Bigger." He finished.

Before she had a chance to retort, or ask the large man about the 'pack' another shout sounded from across the room.

"This one is alive, but only just. I can see him breathing." Reaching the man's side she was immediately relieved. He was there, alive, although the dark haired man who stood beside her was correct, his breathing was erratic and he looked although he hadn't been treated for his injuries since they had captured him, he had been simply thrown into the cell. She was in the cell, at his side in moments, tears in her eyes. She cursed as she realised his pulse was as erratic as his breathing. He needed to get out of here, and soon. A face appeared above her.

"Are you OK down there? My people want to get out of here." She looked up. She had forgotten about the thirty or so people who were awaiting her instructions.

"I'm going to need help getting him out of here. Could one of you help me lift him out?"

There was an exchange of glances and murmurs in the crowd. They had spent weeks in these cells, she realised, and they were not going to get back in them without a fight. She heard Dus ask the question of the others in the crowd and heard the negative response.

"I am sorry," he called down, "but I will not force my pack to do things I would not do myself and I would not go willingly back into that cell. Those who are not my pack I have no control over, but they too have expressed their apologies." She sighed. It would be up to her to get him out. Scooping him into her arms she lifted him from the floor, muscles straining. His larger bulk made it difficult for her and, looking up she was not sure she would make the jump.

Crouching and looking up again to judge the distance she closed her eyes; focused and leapt. Feeling her feet land securely on the upper level she sighed with relief and laid Him on the floor.

She looked up into the concerned face of Dus. Brushing away his offer of assistance she stood and looked around. "How many of these people belong to your pack?"

"Fifteen. I know at least seven others in the crowd. We will all follow you without question."

"How many of yours can fight?"

"All if necessary. Though there are only four people here besides me that I would trust to lead a group into a battle situation. Two are not pack so I will not vouch for their reliability."

"Divide everyone into groups following those five. I'll join the group following the one you trust least. Bastet," She pointed out the large dark haired woman who was surrounded by her five followers, "Will want to lead her own group. Take her with your group and ignore her." Dus smiled at her.

"Pan, Fel, Tig and Cane get out here a minute." He called out. Four people emerged from the crowd. Pan was a very stereotypical 'tall dark and handsome', the only think not quite fitting was the ripped and ruffled clothes he wore in place of a three piece suit. Fel was a woman of Shalimar's stature, muscles showing even beneath a shirt, blond hair cut to brush her shoulders. She smiled, showing rows of sharp pointed teeth. Shalimar's first impression of Tig was a bright grin, which seemed very out of place in the stifling situation. She looked like she belonged in children's classrooms surrounded by little people and telling stories. Her red hair bounced in tight curls around her head and, as with Pan, the only thing that looked out of place was her ragged clothes. Cane was almost a perfect opposite to Tig; his face was a threat of dark things. His hair braided past his waist and a goatee finished off the look.

"Everyone! Shalimar of Mutant X has freed us, now we must follow her so that she may get us to safety. There are many of us here and it is vital that, now we are free, we do not sacrifice it. Please form groups behind the four who now raise their arms." He gestured to the four who obediently raised their arms. "I believe the infamous Bastet clan will have the honour of my company. Shalimar you will accompany Cane." Seeing the room divide itself Shalimar nodded to herself, smiling internally. She would still be begging for people's attentions at this point. Even Bastet didn't quibble over following Dus. Impressive.

"Right, everyone." She stepped in, taking over. "You will all follow your group leader out of this building and into the forest just outside. The building is sparsely guarded, it should be no problem to get out. When you get out to the forest stay undercover and silent. Follow the river downstream until you reach a watchtower. In about 20 minutes some friends of mine will arrive there and should be waiting for you. If you come under attack, get to the watchtower as quickly as possible. I don't want to risk casualties because someone wants revenge, understood?" A roar of 'understood' deafened her and she smiled softly. "OK, we leave in five minute intervals, don't crowd. Pan, you lead. See everyone at the watchtower."

She watched as the first two groups left with surprising stealth. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised, they were feral after all. But being with the rest of Mutant X had made her forget how truly silent a feral could be. She was used to hearing Emma or Brennan or Jesse's loud footsteps beside her own silent ones. As the third group began to filter out of the doorway and it was only Dus and her own groups left, she knelt to lift her mate again. A hand on her shoulder stopped her, looking up she found Cane's hard dark eyes.

"We're in your debt little lady. 'Least let us carry your luggage for you." He drawled.

"What is it about my height today? Anyone else want to take a stab at me?"

"No offence meant miss, I just"

"Expected me to be bigger, yes I know." She jumped as a dark haired woman with olive skin and amazing green eyes appeared at her elbow, startling her.

"Hey, if it's any consolation, I think I might be shorter than you and I can beat Cane in one-on-one any day. He knows it too." Shalimar was surprised to see the big man's expression soften marginally.

"Yeah, Onca, I think you might be right, but still, someone needs to carry this bundle of bones, and our great rescuer here looks like lifting him again might do her in. Sometimes size is useful." She hated to admit it, but Shalimar knew he was right. She wasn't up to carrying him again.

"I'll forgive you this time. But if anyone is going to carry him, it needs to be someone who isn't going to fight. We'll need all the hands we can get if we're attacked." Nodding as if re-assessing her, Cane turned behind him and called someone over. He was huge, all bulk, and all natural. This man's muscles had not come from lifting weights.

"This is Chad. He doesn't fight. He'll carry our luggage, won't you Chad?" There was a grunt of agreement from the big man and he lifted the injured man off the floor almost casually.

Shalimar glanced back at Onca, the woman who had faced down Cane. "Don't you just hate it when they do that." She quipped. "Thank you, by the way." As the other woman erupted in giggles she knew it was the beginning of a great friendship.

"Maybe we should start a support group for vertically challenged feral new mutants."

I need to know opinions people, am I introducing too many characters at once? 'The Pack' is going to feature in another fic I have planned for a later date, but I don't want to clog this fic up with introducing them now. What do you think?