"This is where I say I've
had enough
and no one should ever feel the way that I feel now.
A walking open wound,
a trophy display of bruises
and I don't believe that I'm getting any better."
-Dashboard Confessional
"Okay, Shalimar, I'm here…who did you spot?" Brennan asks, joining Shalimar beside a fountain.
"See that blond guy over there with the leather jacket? Wait until he turns this way…" Shalimar nods toward a nearby water fountain.
"That's him, Shalimar. Thanks. I'll be right back," Brennan says, steeling himself with a deep breath.
"Be careful. I'll be right here if you need me."
Brennan gives Shalimar's arm a grateful squeeze and approaches the blond man that matches his size and build. Once he is within speaking distance, the man turns. Brennan manages not to react to seeing himself as a blond. He doesn't speak to his brother; instead he pushes past him and leans in to get a drink from the water fountain.
Brennan locks eyes with his brother as he lifts his head from the fountain.
"You okay, kid?" Brennan asks, quietly.
"No. I haven't been okay for about 8 years," His brother replies.
Brennan smiles slightly. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that." Britt embraces Brennan, hugging him tightly.
"I need you to come with me, Britt. Right now," Brennan says, quietly in his brother's ear.
"It's that bad?" Britt questions. "Bren, your eyes are…"
"I know. When you contacted me before, it triggered something and my system is all fucked up. Rorie has been coming to me in my sleep and asking about you," Brennan says, walking with Britt towards Shalimar.
"No shit. Where are we going to go?" Britt asks.
"Sanctuary. I have friends. Do you still trust me, Britt?" Brennan questions.
"Of course. Sanctuary as in Mutant X?" Britt asks, lowering his voice.
"Yeah, Britt…" Brennan starts, but a wave of vertigo takes his voice. Shalimar appears from the background and catches him.
"Brennan, take it easy…hi, I'm Shalimar," She says, supporting Brennan with her arm around his waist.
"A friend, Britt…I'm okay, Shal, just a little dizzy…" Brennan says as Britt and Shalimar both look at him with concern.
"We need to get you to Adam, pronto, Brennan," Shalimar replies, concerned.
Britt glances around, nervously. "Something's watching us," He says.
Jesse and Emma step out of the bushes. "We're watching you. You didn't check in when you were supposed to, guys…is Brennan okay?" Emma asks, suddenly noticing his pale skin.
"I'm okay for the moment, but I don't think I'm going to last much longer. Britt…" Brennan turns to his brother, his eyes an unnerving silver.
"I'm ready, Brennan, if Rorie's after me then I know I won't be safe unless I'm with you. Let's go," Britt answers before Brennan can finish.
"Jesse, take Britt first. Emma and I will follow you with Brennan…" Shalimar instructs. She turns away for a moment and holds her ring to her mouth. "Adam?"
"I'm here, Shalimar," He answers immediately.
"Brennan's not looking so hot. Jesse's coming up with his brother," She adds.
"Okay, Shalimar. I'm waiting."
Shalimar nods to Emma and they each take one of Brennan's arms.
"I'm not an invalid," He mutters, his eyelids drooping.
"Let us have our fun, Brennan," Emma replies.
"Yeah, don't worry, I'm going to kick your ass for making me worry once you get back up to speed," Shalimar adds.
"Okay…beam me up, ladies," Brennan says, his voice slurring.
"You just stay awake, Bren, okay? No unconsciousness until we get home, okay?" Emma urges as they jump into the Helix's tractor beam.
******NOTE TO READERS: I have no idea how the team gets in and out of the Helix, I always see them sort of fall from the sky, so I'm embellishing a little and theorizing that there is some sort of tractor beam that helps them get in and out of the magical plane-thing. If you have a better solution or know their secret, please let me know and I will correct the thought. Back to the story. ************
"Brennan?" Emma says, once they are inside the Helix.
"I'm still here…Adam, something's wrong…" He says, his voice weak and slurred. His eyes are a dull gray with flecks of black now.
Shalimar and Emma support him to the back of the plane to the small bed Adam has set up. Britt follows them.
"What's wrong with my brother?" Britt demands.
"His body is under tremendous stress right now. Rorie has been attacking him through his dreams…" Adam starts.
"Attacking him how?" Britt interrupts, his blue eyes full of concern.
"She broke some of his ribs…sliced his arm…made him think he was drowning," Shalimar answers.
"Dammit…" Britt curses.
"And when you reopened the telepathic channel, well, it catalyzed his system and a lot of new mutations started to occur," Adam summarizes.
"Adam…let go of me…" Brennan says, lying on the bed. His eyes are half-closed and slightly rolled back in his head. Adam releases his grip on Brennan's wrist and instantly, a jolt of electricity surges through Brennan.
"Shit, Shalimar, come help me with the Helix!" Jesse calls from the cockpit as the energy surge affects the plane's equipment. She hurries out of the room.
Brennan convulses with electricity for several minutes before gasping for breath and becoming still. "Dammit…"
"Brennan?" Britt calls from Adam's side.
"It's okay, Britt, I promise, I'm just a little out of it…" Brennan reassures. He looks to Adam, his eyes silver. "Adam…"
"I'm right here," Adam says, returning his attention to Brennan's thready pulse, which is now stable.
"His body is trying to compensate for the trauma…the energy is regulating his heartbeat," Britt says.
"How do you know?" Adam asks.
"Because it happened before…in the compound when Rorie took her torture too far," Britt replies.
"Her torture?" Emma asks.
"Britt…" Brennan says, trying to stop his brother's words.
"She would strap Brennan to a platform and submerge him in water until he either passed out or agreed to assist her willingly. Sometimes, she would keep him under too long and when she would bring him out, the energy inside him would restart his heart," Britt says.
Brennan's body suddenly goes limp as he lapses into unconsciousness.
"Dammit…if she goes after Brennan now, his system may not be able to handle it…" Adam curses.
Britt looks at Adam in alarm. "I'll have to go in after him, try to bring him out."
"No," Emma says. "Brennan would never forgive us if we let you go in there. The whole reason we're here is to protect you. If you go into his mind, Rorie will have you both."
Tbc again
