Ensnared in my Reverie

***There's a new mutant in town, and she has the intention of riding the world with mutants. She can be deadly and you won't even know it until you're already dead***

Summary: Mutants have been dying and Adam is worried this might be some kind of epidemic. But he soon finds out how wrong he is, because all these appeared to have good health when they died. Adam is confused how this new mutant kills, and when he finds out exactly how, there is a price to pay. He must find a cure or he will loose two members.

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Chapter 2 - A Shadow in the Dark

"Well she was strange," Jesse remarked after Sheila had left.

Emma laughed. "I'm surprised you didn't flirt with her, Jesse."

"I didn't have to," he replied grinning at her. "It was obvious she was flirting with me."

"Oh, you are so arrogant," Emma exclaimed rolling her eyes.

Jesse frowned at the table top, his brow furrowed. He glanced at Emma, and said, "It was weird, though. When she shook my hand, something burned, and," he paused and studied his hand as if looking for something, "I can't help but feel something's wrong."

Emma shrugged. "Her hand did feel a little hot, but Jesse, so is this entire club!" she said in a way of explanation. "She probably was holding some hot mug or something. Just relax, we haven't had the chance to relax in a long time."

"But we have to be careful, Em," Jesse argued, clenching and unclenching his fist. "I never knew anyone who shook hands with a person they had collided with."

Emma merely waved her hand impatiently. Jesse's voice was drowned out by the music of the club. Later on, Shalimar and Brennan came back to the bar, complete out of breath, but they were both smiling. Realizing it was late, they all headed back to Sanctuary where Adam was deeply engrossed in something in the lab.

"Hey, Adam," Brennan called.

"What's up?" Shalimar asked.

Adam looked up, worry all over his face. "Bad news. Looks like, three more mutants been found dead. And what's worse, the same report came in as before," he paused glancing at the computer screen, "All healthy, no sign of disease. They just came up dead."

"What do you mean they just came up dead?" Emma asked.

"Well, they just came up dead," Adam replied repeating what he had said. "There was no sign of any bacteria or foreign object in their body. Two of the bodies were found in a car, and the third was found in his own apartment, in his bed."

Shalimar raised an eyebrow. "Sounds weird."

"It gets more weird," Adam said sighing deeply. "The third mutant? He was living with a girlfriend. She had gone to work early in the morning and when she came back that night, Alex Cromwell, that's his name, was still sleeping on his bed. According to Nina, his girlfriend, he had been asleep for almost twenty hours."

Jesse frowned. "He didn't wake up?"

Adam shook his head. "Nina tried to wake Alex up but he just wouldn't. She called the hospital, they rushed him in, and after checking his vitals, they explained to Nina that he was only unconscious. But hours later, and even days, he still didn't wake up."

"Maybe the girl slipped him some drug?" Brennan suggested.

"That's why the doctor thought but when they asked Nina, she said no. And even after checking his blood, it was clear. No sign of anything," Adam explained. "It was like he was just asleep."

"I don't get it," Emma began wrinkling her forehead. "How did this Alex die?"

"After a few days the monitor went dead," Adam said. "They tried to bring him back but Alex was dead."

"Just like that?" Emma asked incredulous.

Adam nodded. "Just like that."

"Is this some new mutant?" Shalimar asked.

Adam looked at her. "It could be."

"Of course, it's a mutant, Adam," Emma interjected crossing her arms over her chest. "There's one reason I could think of why these mutant died in their sleep. Of course, it's stupid that they died in their sleep unless they're old and ailing, but I think it's a mutant who has the power to trap someone in their state of unconscious."

"That's right," Adam said nodding. "I'll look into the database. In the meantime, why don't you all get some rest? You've had enough for one day," he said smiling at them, in a fatherly way.

"Sure dad," Jesse said jokingly.

"Night Adam," Shalimar called.

"Night," Adam called back.

"Pleasant dreams," Emma added as an afterthought. She caught Jesse's eye and they both looked at each other. Something about the phrase seemed familiar.

Emma shook her head. It was probably nothing. "Night," she mumbled to him, walking in her room and shutting the door behind her. She took a quick shower before she went to sleep.

As she settled herself to sleep, her thoughts drifted to Sheila. It seemed strange and mysterious what Sheila had said. Could it be possible that she had somehow done something to her and Jesse?

But everything about Sheila seemed normal. When Emma thought about the handshake, she told herself it was stupid to think that Sheila could have done something by that simple handshake, because Emma shook hands with a lot of people everyday.

Sheila seemed innocent enough, was Emma's last thought as she fell asleep. In his room, Jesse too had fallen asleep. But he didn't worry about Sheila, he merely fell on his bed, falling in deep sleep.