Summary: When an old friend of Adam turns up craving revenge, it results in the capture of Bren/Shal, but is the love they hold for each other enough to keep them alive?
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.
Notes: Italics with 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!
* * *
Chapter 9: Threat of life
Jesse was starting to fall asleep at the computer when a beep coming from the computer jumped him. "Ahh…Adam?" Jesse said rubbing his eyes trying to focus on the request in front of him.
"What is it Jesse?" Adam asked a little annoyed that Jesse called him every five minutes thinking he found, which always turned out to be nothing.
"You have a web cam request," Jesse said.
"What?" Adam rushed over to the computer. "Who's it from?"
"I don't know, it doesn't say," Jesse replied getting out of the chair for Adam to sit down. "Do you think I should accept it?"
"Accept what?" Emma asked waking up from her nap in one of the chairs.
"This web cam request," Adam replied.
"YES! What if it's Shal or Brennan trying to contact us?" Emma said excitedly.
Adam slowly pushed accept and hoped to see Shalimar or Brennan's face on the screen. But all he saw was darkness, "hello?"
"Adam it's been a long time," a familiar voice said.
Adam eyes widened when a man finally showed up on the screen. "James? I thought you were…"
"Dead." Crawford finished for him.
"What do you want?" Adam asked.
"Well…" Crawford started.
Shalimar couldn't control herself "ADAM HELP US!" she screamed.
"SHUT HER UP!" Crawford snapped as Zan quickly ran over and placed his hand over her mouth.
"Shalimar!" Adam said nervously.
Shalimar struggled under Zan's hand trying to tell Adam where they where, knowing Brennan was too weak and barely conscious to say anything. She pulled her hand back and bit down hard on Zan's hand causing it to bleed.
"Aww shit she bit me," Zan yelped shaking his hand around.
"ADAM WE'RE IN…" Zan punching her in the face several times cutting off Shalimar.
Brennan heard the commotion and struggled to look up to see what was going on. He noticed Zan beating up Shalimar, "hey asshole leave her alone," Brennan mumbled.
"Did you say something?" Zan asked stopping to look at him.
Brennan nodded his head yes, "ya got a problem with that?" Zan moved over to him giving him a couple of punches in his ribs trying to prove he was in control.
Crawford just shook his head in disappointment, "see Adam if you didn't do this to me then this wouldn't be happening."
"I didn't do anything to you. You brought that upon yourself!" Adam argued. "What are you doing to them?" Adam demanded after hearing Brennan's soft voice telling someone to stop.
"Oh nothing really, would you like to see them?" Crawford asked. Without any reply he turned the web cam over towards Shalimar.
Emma gasped seeing her clothes torn, face bruised, and several bloody cuts on her shoulders and cheeks. Adam was furious, but his anger soon changed to horror when Crawford pointed it over to Brennan. Brennan body was covered in fresh blood, with his hands chained up over his head. His skin was now black and blue from the massive bruising forming on his rib cage and face making him barely recognizable.
"What the hell have you done?" Adam asked shocked.
"I had to do a little convincing to find you," Crawford explained referring to Shalimar and Brennan. "So I want you to find a cure for this," Crawford held out his scaly clawed handed. "I will contact you in one hour for your answer."
"What if I say no?" Adam asked.
Crawford grinned, "then one will die as you watch from your computer, and if you still don't find one for me then the other will die." Adam hung his head. "I'll give you one hour and that's it."
Crawford disconnected the web cam and turned to Zan, "I think that went well." Zan nodded, "what do you want me to do with them?"
"Give them warm shirts so they don't freeze to death before Adam's reply, and throw them in a holding cell," Crawford ordered then walked out of the room.
"You heard him take 'em to a holding cell," Zan ordered Abby and Ashley then left.
The screen in front of Adam turned black, and Adam growled in anger. Jesse was holding Emma in his arms as she quietly sobbed to herself. "Who the hell was that?" Jesse asked.
"That was Dr. James Crawford," Adam sighed turning his chair around to face Jesse and Emma. "He was a lead biogenesist on the creation New Mutants with me. He's supposed to be dead."
"Why is that?" Jesse asked.
"I found him dead in the lab one day," Adam explained.
"What happened then?" Emma quietly asked lifting her head off of Jesse's shoulder.
"That whole week we were working on creating different Ferals and Crawford thought the formula was ready for human testing, and of course I thought otherwise." Adam started twiddling his fingers not making eye contact with either of them. "One day we had a huge fight over if we should test it on a human or not. I left angry and went back to the lab after I cooled down. I found him on the floor with the needle he used to inject the formula still stuck in his arm." Adam sighed, "it was too late he was cold. The guards took his body away and I was determined to fix the formula not wanting it to kill anyone else."
There was a long moment of silence, Emma finally moved up and gave Adam a reassuring hug. "It wasn't your fault Adam…for any of this." Emma said knowing he blamed himself for creating mutants and Shalimar and Brennan's disappearance.
"I know…but this never would have happened if I…I don't know what but we have to find them," Adam slammed his hand down on the table jumping Emma and Jesse.
Jesse cleared his throat. "Ahh…I have one question," he paused.
"Yes?" Adam finally asked.
"What kind of Feral were you guys working on?"
"Reptus," Adam answered.
"Huh?" Jesse didn't understand the scientific term.
"Reptiles, Jesse." Emma answered with a huff.
"OH…that's why he looked so weird," Jesse shrugged.
"No I think it's a side effect to the formula he injected himself with. The formula must have had a reaction to human DNA," Adam explained. "It looks like over the years he's slowly been morphing into some type of lizard."
"No wonder he wants you to find a cure for him," Jesse grinned, Emma slapped him hard on the shoulder, "OWWW!! What was that for?" Emma just rolled her eyes at him. "Hey I'm just trying to lighten the mood a little, geez."
"This is serious Jess; a mad man has kidnapped our friends!" Emma snapped.
"I know I'm sorry," Jesse apologized giving her forehead a kiss.
Emma smiled then looked at Adam, "so what are you going to do about this psycho?"
"I don't know," Adam replied with a small shrug.
"You don't know? Aren't you going to make the cure for that freak," Jesse barked automatically regretting the term he used.
Adam hung his head, "I don't know if I can make one is the problem."
"SO you lie and tell him you can!" Jesse was becoming more and more furious with his mentor.
"Alright that's what I'll do," Adam agreed.
"Good, now all we do is wait," Emma huffed.
* * *
Shalimar and Brennan were thrown into their holding cell; Brennan didn't make eye contact with Shalimar. He moved over to a wall by himself. Shalimar watched him knowing he disliked her choice in telling Crawford how to contact Adam. She was going to explain her self when the door flew open, Ashley stood there holding something in her hand.
"Here!" She threw it at Shalimar then slammed the door shut.
"What is it?" Brennan moaned.
Shalimar pulled it apart, "its two shirts." She turned around and tossed one to Brennan.
She ripped off her torn shirt and threw on the turtleneck, Brennan couldn't help but watch her, and he shook his head trying to clear the amazing images flowing through his head. He looked down once Shalimar glanced up at him. Brennan slowly tried to put on his shirt, but he was in so much pain. Shalimar frowned, "here let me help you."
"No I got it," Brennan replied with his shirt stuck on his head.
Shalimar couldn't help but giggle, and moved up next to him, she carefully helped Brennan get his arms through the holes in the turtleneck. She pulled down his shirt over his stomach; she stopped and stared at his wounds. She gentle traced her fingers over the large black and blue spots. Brennan winced and pulled away from her not sure if he wanted her to touch him after what she did for Crawford.
Brennan could see the hurt in her eyes as he pulled away, "how could you do that Shal?" Brennan asked somewhat pissed.
"Do what?" Shalimar tried to deny it.
"Shal they could have traced Adam's location or something. I just can't believe you did it," Brennan hung his head in disappointment. "You of all people!" He was beginning to loose his temper.
Shalimar moved up closer to him tears forming in her eyes, "I had to Brennan."
"No you didn't," Brennan said angrily as his voice got weaker and weaker.
Shalimar shook her head yes, "yes I did, I couldn't stand them hurting you anymore."
"I would have been fine," Brennan, explained softly, he braced him self against the wall trying not to fall over.
"See you're not fine," Shalimar helped Brennan keep his balance. "They would have killed you, and it would have been my fault, everything is my fault."
"Shal it's not your fault, if this crazy dude holds us for ransom it's not your fault," Brennan coughed up some blood, he paused for a minute, "I'm ready for it."
Shalimar cringed, "ready for what?"
Brennan paused and turned his head away from Shalimar coughing up more blood, "to…die," he moaned.
Shalimar's eyes widened, "What? You're not going to DIE!" Shalimar said angrily.
Brennan looked at her; tears started falling down her face. "Shal…" He whispered whipping away her tears. "I'm bleeding internally… I think..." he semi laughed but sobbed quietly. "I know… I can feel… it."
"Don't…think like that," Shalimar begged him.
Brennan groaned, "I…need…to rest," Brennan gurgled.
"NO Brennan you have to stay wake," Shalimar ordered shaking him slightly, as his eyes slowly closed.
"Just…need…to…rest," Brennan whispered as his eyes shut completely.
"NO!" Shalimar cried gripping his shoulders. "You can't leave me…I…I…love you," she sobbed.
TBC
A/N: OH, I've said I was evil before but this chapter proves it! LOL! Don't worry I won't forget to post on Friday, cuz if I did I have a feeling that I would have a mob come have after me. Anyways you know the drill…don't forget to drop a review and tell me what you think!