Chapter 6 - Analogue

A/N: Yup. Mutant X meets Matrix. Just a little. Sorry this took so long to write. I had such a case of writer's block that I almost trashed this story too. This is a weird little journey while I decide what to do with Mason at the end. Hope it's coherent. Hope it doesn't suck too badly... R.
SOMEWHERE IN CYBERSPACE.

Natalia waited a moment longer in the now empty waiting room. She appeared to be listening, then she called aloud, "Marlina, Aari." In response, the room vanished around her. Lines interspersed with light and space that seemed to go on forever appeared in its place. A moment later, space rearranged itself and became Eckhart's office. Natalia sat in his chair, dressed in a black pinstriped business suit, sporting dark framed rectangular glasses. She smoothed her honey-blond hair as she faced her two sisters across the desk.

"Mason Eckhart needs to be released, Marlina."

"It will be arranged, sister." Marlina replied with a small toss of her auburn hair. She added dryly, "The glasses do not become you at all."

"Shouldn't your hair be white?" Aari asked.

Natalia glowered at them but the glasses disappeared. "Better?"

Aarariah met her gaze. "What happened in there? You locked us out."

Natalia's eyes turned silver as she transmitted her information to her sisters. "Adam sent Emma into Mason's mind in an effort to restore his cognitive functions. Gabriel Ashlocke is linked to Emma and has gained access to Mason's mind.

"Michelle mind-locked with Emma and was invaded by Ashlocke. There is also a Psionic link between him and Michelle.

"Inside Mason's mindscape, within our matrix, Emma temporarily separated from Ashlocke. However, she thinks that Ashlocke originates from Mason.

"Upon regaining consciousness, Mason tried to alert Adam again but Emma, under Ashlocke's influence, has put suggestions and Psionic links into Adam's and Mason's minds. I am not sure how much Adam is under his influence."

"It's amazing how you find out this information." Marlina commented, her eyes also silvery as she assimilated the information from Natalia.

"It helps to exist in both worlds; especially in their world as a Psionic."

"What do you propose?" Aarariah asked.

"We must break silence to warn Adam." Natalia replied. "The data that he and Emma has been inputting alerted us to the anomaly of Gabriel Ashlocke surviving the demise of his.earthly shell by implanting himself into Adam's body. The trick is to get the information to Adam without Emma finding out. Now we have evidence that Ashlocke's mind is harbored within Emma's mind.

"The coupling of the Psionic abilities of Emma DeLauro and Gabriel Ashlocke has created an incredibly hazardous situation for both the Organics and for Cybers." Marlina stated. "Neither have access to us in and of themselves, but interfaced-

"Telepathically linked- Aarariah corrected.

"with one like Mason who is Interfaced Organic-can give the Emma/Ashlocke consortium access to our world, and that must never happen." Marlina said, massaging the sides of her auburn head. She continued, "We could eliminate Mason. He is their link to us. He is still confined in the hospital, his shell is on life support, therefore accessible to us."

"That is so CID-like, Marlina. He is one of us!" Natalia protested.

"--and as one of us, he would understand the need to protect the realm." Marlina finished.

"But what he did a few sectors ago freed us from CID. He must certainly have some ideas as to how to stop this consortium." Aari commented.

"Destroying his shell, or body if you will, would free him to join us forever." Marlina countered.

"No. That may have worked for me, Marlina, but it is not a proven process." Aari replied. "Natalia is still Interfaced and Organic and dwells in both realms. We have not eliminated her physical shell; it is not our way. There are other realms that may be recipient to our disembodied souls. Calculations prove the existence of at least 18 non- linear dimensions. He may slip away to any of those and we would lose him forever. Witness Ashlocke- upon destruction of his body, he remained in the Organic realm and bonded to Emma. The possibilities are endless."

"Then we should destroy Emma. That would ensure the destruction of the consortium."

"Would it?" Natalia asked. "Ashlocke is extremely virulent and may survive. Emma has the power to subdue him. I saw it."

"Methinks you care too much about them." Marlina said. "They are Organics. They have the ability to move on once freed of their physical shell or firmware. It is what they are doing in their current physical state that is endangering our universe and they must be stopped."

"You are a rogue Cyber," Natalia said tersely. "Your words echo the mind of CID."

Marlina raised both hands. "I did not mean to offend you with facts, sister. I am Pure Cyber. I am not bogged down with Organic emotions."

"Still, there are enough Cyber emotions to go around," Aarariah commented lightly. Looking at Natalia, she said, "You care deeply for him."

"We merged 3 sectors ago," Natalia replied, peering up at her cyber- sister.

"I know," Aari replied with an exaggerated, agonized look. "I was there."

Natalia looked down contemplatively, remembering the completely unsettling experience of being totally immersed in Eckhart's identity. "He merged because of you, I think."

"We three agreed to merge in order to save your daughter and to counter CID, who had me incapacitated. Keeping me locked down in a back file would have eventually worn through your protective barriers and I would have eventually assimilated you for CID. He is a brave, foolhardy man to take such a risk. Did he do it for love, or for power? While I'm not sure that he fully understood the risks of joining the Unity in that manner, I'm sure that he did it for you, Natalia."

Natalia looked at Aari earnestly. "I believe we both agree that he was quite aware that he could have been assimilated by CID." He trusted me to protect him while he deactivated your link."

"He trusted the one he loves," Aari replied quietly. "There is a great deal of objectivity to all that he does, in keeping with his Cyber side."

Marlina added, "You know that this could become quite complicated if it he changes his mind about you, Natalia. Organics are notoriously fickle."

Natalia glared at her Cyber-sister. "He'd do no such thing," she protested.

Suddenly Marlina and Aari were laughing gently. "We were jesting with you, sister.."

Someone cleared his voice behind them. The three women turned and stared at the newcomer. Mason Eckhart watched them, amused from the doorway to his office. "I believe you're sitting in my chair," he said, approaching the desk.

Natalia remained seated, looking up at him inquiringly. "Uh Mason, just how much of this conversation did you hear?"

The white-haired man gave a self-depreciating half-smile and ignored the question. "I just had a most curious encounter with Ms. DeLauro."

".and?" Marlina prompted him,

Hidden in the shadows of the office the shadowy figure whispered thoughtfully to Emma as they watched unseen .

"Eckhart's playthings or are they GS Agents?" He wondered to Emma.

"More like delusions of grandeur to me," Emma whispered back.

Eckhart suddenly looked up, alert. He shot a look at Natalia who obediently vacated his chair. Mason Eckhart sat down and looked around his office. Certain that someone was there but unable to see them, he pompously proclaimed, "You may approach me, my loyal servants. He took Natalia's hand and drew her down to him.

"Pretend to struggle" he silently told her. Natalia complied as he wrestled her down to the floor in front of the impassive Aari and Marlina. The two had closed their eyes as if sleeping. Hidden behind the desk his eyes took on the silvery glow of the tele-cyber link. Eckhart silently told them, 'we are being observed. My apologies, I seem to have brought in uninvited guests. Now we will have to make this look like a fantasy for them."

Aloud, Eckhart and Natalia laughed and wrestled shamelessly on the floor.

What are they doing? Emma asked her companion. He stared at her meaningfully, his grey catlike eyes filled with interest.

Do you want to watch? he asked.

Eckhart's fantasizing that he's making out with a babe," Emma said. I think I'm going to puke.

Suddenly the entire scene switched from Eckhart's office to a carnival. The sterile office surroundings changed to dusty, noise-filled bustling crowds. Eckhart, dressed in denims, smoked a cigarette while he casually leaned against a booth that had a gypsy mannequin in it. Emma stared at him in disbelief. Curious, she and her companion stepped in front of the booth and peered in. Eckhart casually blew a cloud of smoke in their direction. The old gypsy mannequin turned around inside her booth, her plaster cast hands pointing to various cards. Emma stared, fascinated. The sightless eyes glowed as the hag's hand mechanically pointed at the Death card then at the Love card. Emma stared, totally intrigued. The Gypsy mannequin's eyes glowed again in its luridly painted face and it turned with a mechanical thunk. Its hand slowly lifted to point directly at Emma while horrid laughter emitted from its open mouth.

Emma gasped and frightened, looked to her companion for help. He seemed taken aback, a little angry. Emma felt someone staring at her. Eckhart was studying her appraisingly as he continued to stand there and smoke. Suddenly his eyes hardened and he stepped toward them then walked through them as if they did not exist, into the crowd.

Suddenly the scene changed to the sterile white walls of a hospital ward. There was the sound of a heart beating. Chains rattled in the distance and moans of pain from the patients could be heard. Emma's companion seemed intrigued as he looked around this scape. Two half-naked figures were chained to the wall, side by side.

Adam! Emma cried, rushing to him. Adam stared at her but there was no sign of recognition in his dark eyes. Emma's companion continued to look about in obvious interest. He nudged the figure next to Adam, whose head hung down. He had dark wavy hair like Adam.

"He's dying. I have to save him," Adam whispered, staring sightlessly into the wall across from him.

A lovely brunette nurse bustled to Adam's companion. Brandishing a razor sharp scapel, she began to methodically strip the skin off the man. Emma stared in disbelief and nudged her companion that they should leave.

I know he's psychotic, but this is too intense for me.

No, wait. I have to see if I know this man, he replied kissing Emma gently while the nurse continued to flay the man.

This is so cruel, so gross! Emma pushed her companion away.

The grey eyed man stared at Emma and for a moment a look of sheer hatred crossed his face. Emma was too busy staring at the nurse to notice. Composing himself, the man gathered Emma close to him. I'm sorry, my love. I just have this scientific curiosity about things.

The nurse grabbed the man by the hair and jerked his head back, revealing the face. Mason Eckhart stared at her gravely, then cracked a grin. "You do good work, nurse." He quipped.

Emma's eyes bulged in horror and she covered her mouth to suppress the scream. The hospital scene shimmered for a moment then settled back again. Emma and her companion had gone.

"Was it something I said?" Eckhart asked innocently. Aarariah smirked as she phased out of the nurse's outfit and returned the surroundings back to Genomex. Marlina and Natalia were waiting expectantly.

"That was too close," Marlina muttered. Looking to Natalia, "Did you hook them?"

Natalia looked thoughtful and introspective. "I had to link back to my physical body in order to access my telepathic abilities. Yes, I was successful in creating a Psionic link with Emma while she and her consort were occupied here. This is doubly dangerous, Marlina. You said yourself that having one meta-link in Mason was opening our world to Ashlocke's influence and now what will happen with a second link established? They could return anytime."

"It is a link they won't know about hopefully and we best be ready for them," Eckhart replied. "Ms DeLauro has little stomach for some of the perversities of life, and we keep that as a temporary advantage to oust them from my mind. But the longer she remains in Mr. Ashlocke's influence, the more likely her sensibilities and innocence will be broken down and it will become a challenge to find something that will drive them out."

"They must be kept under the illusion that this is part of Mason's mindscape." Natalia declared. "If they ever find that Mason is a link to a Cyber Universe we would have another enemy with the potential of CID to deal with."

"Yes," Marlina agreed. "A powerful telepath influencing a tele-cyber could influence the Unity if he or she knew where they were going."

"Hm. Two Psionics, mated together in a curious telepathic bond. Somehow I do not believe that Ms. DeLauro would willingly form an alliance with Ashlocke," Eckhart stated. "As she demonstrated in the previous sector, her loyalty is with Adam. Somehow, she is being prevented from recognizing Ashlocke's presence in her mind and I suspect that Ashlocke is in control of her body."

"In that case, time will be of the essence for you, Mason. We know that Ashlocke has plans for Adam to do you in. I will have you released from the hospital within two days, as soon as I am satisfied with your physical progress." Marlina stated.

"All my resources are at your disposal, Mr. Eckhart," Natalia told him. "I will see to it that he is ready." The white-haired man grasped her hands in his. Their faces glowed for a moment.

"In the meantime, beware Michelle. She is linked to Emma's consortium, and she is an empath." Aari warned.

"When I am released, I would like to meet you, my love." He whispered to Natalia.

"Not everything is as it appears to be, my love." She replied gently. He inclined his head, gave a ghost of a smile and reluctantly let her go.

"We will reconvene using firmware access," Aari stated. Everyone nodded and suddenly the grid of light and space reappeared as each entity took their leave.

In his hospital room, Eckhart awoke. Aware of Michelle sitting nearby, he slowly closed his eyes and they turned silver as he linked with the cyber- universe. Natalia stood before him.

"I need to test something, my love. Both our worlds may depend on it."

"I am willing." Mason Eckhart replied, drinking in the sight of her.