Chapter 11
Meanwhile, back at Sanctuary Shalimar, Brennan and Emma were on their way to the lab.
"So what did you see exactly?" Shalimar pressed, slightly annoyed that they hadn't called her to sort out the feral.
"It's hard to say really," Brennan began. "She was human when I first saw her in the club, and then again outside, but then . . ." He struggled to find the words. "It was almost like seeing the two images at once. She was a woman and a wolf at the same time."
"Yeah, exactly," Emma agreed. "Like my mind couldn't decide which she was." Shal looked from one to the other in confusion.
"Trust me," continued Brennan. "It's not something you should witness on a full stomach."
They reached the lab to find Adam and Jesse still hard at work on the computer. Adam turned to speak to them as they entered.
"I think we may have a breakthrough," he told them, "which is why I've asked you all here. Jesse has managed to find a GSA file concerning a highly dangerous canine feral. We believe they are hot on Ms James' tail." Shalimar giggled at the unintended pun, until a stern look from Bren silenced her instantly.
"I've also found a record of Ms James' address and workplace, so we need to get moving fast before the GSA get to her."
"Right," Shalimar said, all business-like now that there was something she could be doing. "So the plan is to go out there and bring her back."
"Correct," Adam agreed. "Shalimar, I'd like you to go to her apartment, Emma, you take her workplace. Brennan, can you patrol the murder scenes? She may use those streets in the normal course of her day."
"What about me, Adam?" Jesse asked.
"I'd like you to stay here and carry on helping me go through her records. We need all the information we can get."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Brennan strode along, much warier than he was the last time he had gone out looking for the feral. He knew that at this time of the month, she was less likely to be a fully transformed wolf, but the memory of their last but one encounter was too fresh in his mind.
He was feeling rather disturbed. He knew that she was a dangerous creature, he had the scars to prove it, but the woman he had met at the club had been stunning. He was getting increasingly confused about his feelings towards her. It had been an instant attraction from his side, and he kept wondering whether she had felt the same way.
He crossed the waste ground, eyes wary for any movements in the bushes, but there was no one. It was early morning, so there were several people on their way to work. There were too many for a wolf to be prowling around, so he relaxed a little and scanned the passers-by, searching for her human form.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Shalimar prowled along the streets, almost in a dream world. She knew Jesse hated staying in with Adam when the others were out, but no more than she hated not having him near her. She should have been much happier knowing that he was safe in Sanctuary, she acknowledged to herself, but she missed his presence. *If you're not careful, Shalimar,* she thought to herself sternly, *you're going to turn into one of those soppy girls who can't stand being out without their boyfriends.*
Her mind switched to thinking about the feral. She wondered how it was that she transformed completely, and what it must be like. She certainly didn't envy her, and she worried that the canine was simply more evolved than she was. She was coping well enough with her own mutation without having to worry about changing into some sort of cat when her mutation next evolved.
Her train of thought was cut short as she approached the address Adam had given her. She found it was a ground floor flat and also noticed an open window - *paw-friendly,* she thought to herself.
After a quick look in through the window, she made her way to the door and pressed the doorbell. There was no reply, and her sensitive hearing picked up no sounds coming from inside.
"Adam," she spoke into his comring. "She's not here."
"Then go around and meet up with Brennan," Adam replied as she ran off in search of the elemental.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
As she walked the streets of the town, Emma scanned the buildings for the name of the estate agent. She had assumed they must have a sign over their door, and she was rewarded with a green and blue sign that stated to all that their offices were open for business.
She peeked in through the large windows, hoping to see Rhian alone. There were two women inside, one with short, blonde curly hair and a wide smile, and the other taller, with dark straight hair pulled back into a severe bun. No sign of anyone else. She opened the door cautiously, not wanting to startle the two inside.
"Good morning, madam," the blonde said with a big smile. "I'm afraid you've caught us just opening up. The boss isn't in yet. Would you like to wait, or can you come back a little later?"
"Actually," Emma replied, "I was looking for a friend, and I was told she worked here. The taller woman turned round and fixed her with a stare. "Rhian James," Emma continued.
"Ah, Rhian, yes," the blonde continued. "We didn't realise her friends were in town. I'm afraid she's a little late this morning."
"I'll tell her you came round," the dark haired woman smiled at her, "except the boss doesn't like us having friends around when we should be working."
Emma furrowed her brows thoughtfully as she looked around the offices, seeing they hadn't yet gotten round to making Rhian her own nameplate. "Thanks, Miss Romero," she replied, as she found the dark-haired woman's nameplate, "but I'd rather surprise her."
"No problem," the woman replied as Emma walked out the door. Something about her demeanour was unsettling Emma. It was almost as if she didn't want Emma to talk to Rhian. As she leaned against the wall outside, she opened her mind and reached out to her. The woman's mind was like Fort Knox, she had that much protection. Gently, she prodded the walls, trying to find a chink, a small opening by which to enter. She soon found a weakness in the barriers and wriggled her way in, priding herself on her ability to enter minds relatively unnoticed. What she saw left her stunned. The woman was a telempath. Not only that, fear and dread was engulfing her like a thick fog. She had only seen that kind of terror in GS agents. Eckhart had a lot to answer for.
She raised her hand to her mouth, speaking quickly and clearly. "Adam, Rhian works with a telempathic GS agent. I think we've got problems."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
As Jesse sat in his usual seat in front of the screen, he pondered his role within Mutant X. He knew he was of greater use when playing around with all things technical. He knew it wasn't that his fighting skills weren't up to it. He only wished he was sent out to the action more often.
He was still in that cloud when he heard Emma's voice over Adam's comlink. "Adam, Rhian works with a telempathic GS agent. I think we've got problems." His head snapped up to meet Adam's gaze.
"Adam, surely I'm more useful out there than I am in here now?" he asked, his heart in his throat.
Adam frowned as he thought out a new plan. "You're right," he answered. "Jesse, go out to meet Emma. If the GSA has realised that we're looking for Rhian, they may bring in backup."
"On my way," Jesse yelled as he ran out.
Within minutes, he was on the outskirts of the town, and making his way towards Emma's last known location. He was so intent on getting to Emma, making sure she was all right, that he nearly missed the red-head as she turned into the main street. She stepped out in front of him, almost tripping him up, and he fell into step behind her.
He had been following her only a few blocks when she looked round and stared right at him. It unsettled him, how she had been able to turn around and know exactly where he was. He quickly fell back a little, enough so as not be completely obvious he was following her, but not too much that he would lose sight of her. Knowing his voice would not be heard by her from that distance, he spoke into his comring.
"Adam, I've found her. I'm still following her into town."
"Don't lose her, Jesse," Adam replied, followed quickly by a barked order for the others to join him.
Another block went past, when she turned to look at him again. He couldn't afford to back off any more without loosing her, so he continued as he was going.
She obviously knew she was being followed, as after another block, she ducked into an alleyway. Jesse slowed down and turned the corner after her. Before he could react, a hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat, pinning him to the wall.
"What the hell are you following me for?" she growled at him angrily. He felt the hand constrict around his throat as he gasped for breath. "Well?" she shook him again.
He instinctively wanted to phase out, free himself from her vice like grip, but he knew she needed to be reassured, and a full-grown man turning ghost-like on her was guaranteed to spook her. He tried to gesticulate that he meant no harm, and she relaxed her grip on him.
"I don't need this hassle," she continued before he had a chance to speak. "Trust me, you do not wanna see me when I get angry."
"Rhian, listen," he managed to interject. "We're just trying . . ." The grip tightened once more as she heard him say her name. He was flung to the ground as she thumped a knee into his chest, pinning him to the floor.
"How do you know my name?" she asked roughly, obviously nervous about him now.
"Rhian," came a woman's voice from behind her. Still holding a winded Jesse, she turned to see Liz leading a group of men. "Trust me, we're friends," she continued. "I know what you are, I'm just like you." Rhian's eyes opened wide as she tried to assimilate this new information. "I only want to help. This man is keener on dissecting you," she continued, knowing exactly what to say in order to get Rhian on her side.
Liz came towards her, putting a hand on her shoulder to reassure her.
"It's OK, I can help you."
The last image Jesse had was of the uniformed men running forwards, one wielding an electric spark in his hand, before he was zapped and the world went black.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Thanks for the reviews. Hopefully it won't take me as long to get the next chapter up, but I'm not promising anything!
Meanwhile, back at Sanctuary Shalimar, Brennan and Emma were on their way to the lab.
"So what did you see exactly?" Shalimar pressed, slightly annoyed that they hadn't called her to sort out the feral.
"It's hard to say really," Brennan began. "She was human when I first saw her in the club, and then again outside, but then . . ." He struggled to find the words. "It was almost like seeing the two images at once. She was a woman and a wolf at the same time."
"Yeah, exactly," Emma agreed. "Like my mind couldn't decide which she was." Shal looked from one to the other in confusion.
"Trust me," continued Brennan. "It's not something you should witness on a full stomach."
They reached the lab to find Adam and Jesse still hard at work on the computer. Adam turned to speak to them as they entered.
"I think we may have a breakthrough," he told them, "which is why I've asked you all here. Jesse has managed to find a GSA file concerning a highly dangerous canine feral. We believe they are hot on Ms James' tail." Shalimar giggled at the unintended pun, until a stern look from Bren silenced her instantly.
"I've also found a record of Ms James' address and workplace, so we need to get moving fast before the GSA get to her."
"Right," Shalimar said, all business-like now that there was something she could be doing. "So the plan is to go out there and bring her back."
"Correct," Adam agreed. "Shalimar, I'd like you to go to her apartment, Emma, you take her workplace. Brennan, can you patrol the murder scenes? She may use those streets in the normal course of her day."
"What about me, Adam?" Jesse asked.
"I'd like you to stay here and carry on helping me go through her records. We need all the information we can get."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Brennan strode along, much warier than he was the last time he had gone out looking for the feral. He knew that at this time of the month, she was less likely to be a fully transformed wolf, but the memory of their last but one encounter was too fresh in his mind.
He was feeling rather disturbed. He knew that she was a dangerous creature, he had the scars to prove it, but the woman he had met at the club had been stunning. He was getting increasingly confused about his feelings towards her. It had been an instant attraction from his side, and he kept wondering whether she had felt the same way.
He crossed the waste ground, eyes wary for any movements in the bushes, but there was no one. It was early morning, so there were several people on their way to work. There were too many for a wolf to be prowling around, so he relaxed a little and scanned the passers-by, searching for her human form.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Shalimar prowled along the streets, almost in a dream world. She knew Jesse hated staying in with Adam when the others were out, but no more than she hated not having him near her. She should have been much happier knowing that he was safe in Sanctuary, she acknowledged to herself, but she missed his presence. *If you're not careful, Shalimar,* she thought to herself sternly, *you're going to turn into one of those soppy girls who can't stand being out without their boyfriends.*
Her mind switched to thinking about the feral. She wondered how it was that she transformed completely, and what it must be like. She certainly didn't envy her, and she worried that the canine was simply more evolved than she was. She was coping well enough with her own mutation without having to worry about changing into some sort of cat when her mutation next evolved.
Her train of thought was cut short as she approached the address Adam had given her. She found it was a ground floor flat and also noticed an open window - *paw-friendly,* she thought to herself.
After a quick look in through the window, she made her way to the door and pressed the doorbell. There was no reply, and her sensitive hearing picked up no sounds coming from inside.
"Adam," she spoke into his comring. "She's not here."
"Then go around and meet up with Brennan," Adam replied as she ran off in search of the elemental.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
As she walked the streets of the town, Emma scanned the buildings for the name of the estate agent. She had assumed they must have a sign over their door, and she was rewarded with a green and blue sign that stated to all that their offices were open for business.
She peeked in through the large windows, hoping to see Rhian alone. There were two women inside, one with short, blonde curly hair and a wide smile, and the other taller, with dark straight hair pulled back into a severe bun. No sign of anyone else. She opened the door cautiously, not wanting to startle the two inside.
"Good morning, madam," the blonde said with a big smile. "I'm afraid you've caught us just opening up. The boss isn't in yet. Would you like to wait, or can you come back a little later?"
"Actually," Emma replied, "I was looking for a friend, and I was told she worked here. The taller woman turned round and fixed her with a stare. "Rhian James," Emma continued.
"Ah, Rhian, yes," the blonde continued. "We didn't realise her friends were in town. I'm afraid she's a little late this morning."
"I'll tell her you came round," the dark haired woman smiled at her, "except the boss doesn't like us having friends around when we should be working."
Emma furrowed her brows thoughtfully as she looked around the offices, seeing they hadn't yet gotten round to making Rhian her own nameplate. "Thanks, Miss Romero," she replied, as she found the dark-haired woman's nameplate, "but I'd rather surprise her."
"No problem," the woman replied as Emma walked out the door. Something about her demeanour was unsettling Emma. It was almost as if she didn't want Emma to talk to Rhian. As she leaned against the wall outside, she opened her mind and reached out to her. The woman's mind was like Fort Knox, she had that much protection. Gently, she prodded the walls, trying to find a chink, a small opening by which to enter. She soon found a weakness in the barriers and wriggled her way in, priding herself on her ability to enter minds relatively unnoticed. What she saw left her stunned. The woman was a telempath. Not only that, fear and dread was engulfing her like a thick fog. She had only seen that kind of terror in GS agents. Eckhart had a lot to answer for.
She raised her hand to her mouth, speaking quickly and clearly. "Adam, Rhian works with a telempathic GS agent. I think we've got problems."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
As Jesse sat in his usual seat in front of the screen, he pondered his role within Mutant X. He knew he was of greater use when playing around with all things technical. He knew it wasn't that his fighting skills weren't up to it. He only wished he was sent out to the action more often.
He was still in that cloud when he heard Emma's voice over Adam's comlink. "Adam, Rhian works with a telempathic GS agent. I think we've got problems." His head snapped up to meet Adam's gaze.
"Adam, surely I'm more useful out there than I am in here now?" he asked, his heart in his throat.
Adam frowned as he thought out a new plan. "You're right," he answered. "Jesse, go out to meet Emma. If the GSA has realised that we're looking for Rhian, they may bring in backup."
"On my way," Jesse yelled as he ran out.
Within minutes, he was on the outskirts of the town, and making his way towards Emma's last known location. He was so intent on getting to Emma, making sure she was all right, that he nearly missed the red-head as she turned into the main street. She stepped out in front of him, almost tripping him up, and he fell into step behind her.
He had been following her only a few blocks when she looked round and stared right at him. It unsettled him, how she had been able to turn around and know exactly where he was. He quickly fell back a little, enough so as not be completely obvious he was following her, but not too much that he would lose sight of her. Knowing his voice would not be heard by her from that distance, he spoke into his comring.
"Adam, I've found her. I'm still following her into town."
"Don't lose her, Jesse," Adam replied, followed quickly by a barked order for the others to join him.
Another block went past, when she turned to look at him again. He couldn't afford to back off any more without loosing her, so he continued as he was going.
She obviously knew she was being followed, as after another block, she ducked into an alleyway. Jesse slowed down and turned the corner after her. Before he could react, a hand shot out and grabbed him by the throat, pinning him to the wall.
"What the hell are you following me for?" she growled at him angrily. He felt the hand constrict around his throat as he gasped for breath. "Well?" she shook him again.
He instinctively wanted to phase out, free himself from her vice like grip, but he knew she needed to be reassured, and a full-grown man turning ghost-like on her was guaranteed to spook her. He tried to gesticulate that he meant no harm, and she relaxed her grip on him.
"I don't need this hassle," she continued before he had a chance to speak. "Trust me, you do not wanna see me when I get angry."
"Rhian, listen," he managed to interject. "We're just trying . . ." The grip tightened once more as she heard him say her name. He was flung to the ground as she thumped a knee into his chest, pinning him to the floor.
"How do you know my name?" she asked roughly, obviously nervous about him now.
"Rhian," came a woman's voice from behind her. Still holding a winded Jesse, she turned to see Liz leading a group of men. "Trust me, we're friends," she continued. "I know what you are, I'm just like you." Rhian's eyes opened wide as she tried to assimilate this new information. "I only want to help. This man is keener on dissecting you," she continued, knowing exactly what to say in order to get Rhian on her side.
Liz came towards her, putting a hand on her shoulder to reassure her.
"It's OK, I can help you."
The last image Jesse had was of the uniformed men running forwards, one wielding an electric spark in his hand, before he was zapped and the world went black.
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Thanks for the reviews. Hopefully it won't take me as long to get the next chapter up, but I'm not promising anything!
