Ch 5 - Realities

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Adam stood there uncertainly in Dr. Bryce's office. "Of course," he answered. "What do you want me to see?" Dr. Bryce smiled, looking relieved and went directly to the refrigerator and withdrew a securely packaged sample from a small canister. She prepped a slide with a drop of the blood and placed it under a microscope. Inviting Adam to take a look, she asked, "Have you ever seen anything like this before?" Adam stared at the slide for a long moment and his eyes widened in astonishment.

He saw non-nucleated blood cells that had prominent double walls. Each cell contained 3 strands. He saw the equivalent of white blood cells as well with nucleus containing the strands and double walls as well.

"Where'd you get this? It's unlike any human or animal morphology I've ever seen." Adam said. His interest was fully piqued. Even Ashlocke's blood didn't come close to showing differences this prominent. Adam wondered what an in-depth analysis would show; what kind of DNA this sample had?

"It's from a patient who had been admitted a couple months ago. He healed quickly and was released within a day or two." Dr. Bryce explained.

"I'd love to meet this person," Adam said fervently. "Did he or she exhibit any abnormal characterisistics or unusual abilities?" he asked.

"None that I know of," Helen replied.

Adam sighed. "May I keep this? I want to do a more thorough analysis in my lab, and can you spare perhaps one cc of the specimen?"

Helen smiled at Adam's interest. "Of course, Dr. Kane. Would you let me know what you find out?"

Adam nodded and placed the prepped slide in his pocket case. He would come back later for the specimen.

"Would there be any chance of meeting this person?" he asked. Dr. Bryce's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"I have to uphold doctor-patient confidentiality," she replied. "I've been protecting the identity of this person for some time. He is a good person. He doesn't deserve to be treated like a circus exhibit if this gets out," she replied gravely. Adam nodded, understanding.

"And what do you think of Brennan's blood sample?" he asked, studying her expression. The doctor gazed at Adam, startled. Adam nodded knowingly. "A simple smear may not reveal abnormalities in the cell morphology, but I see that you've been testing other properties." He reached over and held up a voltmeter that had been sitting next to the microscope. "Very innovative, Doctor."

Dr. Bryce smiled. "Brennan is a very unusual man," she said.

Adam nodded in agreement. "I think it's time to check on him. He may not need that transfusion after all."

Adam and Helen stopped by Brennan's room again. Adam glanced at the hospital monitors that were hooked up to Brennan's sleeping form then pulled out his portable bio-scanner. Jesse jumped out of his chair and watched. Holding it against Brennan's bandaged chest, Adam studied the display and smiled. "He's through the worst of it. He needs rest and nutrients to regenerate those damaged tissues." The dark-haired scientist adjusted the portable bio-scanner and placed it directly over the wound, set on an emit frequency. Brennan stirred in his sleep. "Hey, get that off me," he murmured.

Adam held the device firmly against Brennan's chest. "He's feeling a warm sensation, perhaps some itching as the tissue heals at an accelerated rate."

Dr Helen Bryce watched Adam work with fascination. "So this is what you've been doing during the years you dropped off the face of the medical world!" Adam bowed his head in acknowledgement.

"Jesse built this model for me," he said.

"To your specs," Jesse replied.

After several minutes, Adam turned the device off and straightened. "He definitely won't need that additional transfusion. The compound that I gave him earlier is doing what it's supposed to."

"We should let Lex know. He'll be pleased that his father's assistance will no longer be needed." Helen replied. "I can drive us there."

Adam turned to Jesse. "You try to get some sleep. I'll get Shalimar to spell you."

Later....Brennan opened his eyes groggily. He hurt all over. He could feel bandages, wires and needles attached to his bare torso. The sounds of hospital machinery buzzed and clicked around his head as the monitors recorded his progress and well-being.

"Adam?" he called softly.

"Hey Brennan," Jesse answered from a corner chair in his room. "Glad you're up. I was getting bored."

"How bad is it?" Brennan asked.

"You tell me. You took that last train ticket out of here a few hours ago, but I guess they didn't want you," Jesse kidded.

"Not my time," Brennan replied with a thoughtful expression, trying to remember. All he could remember was Shalimar and how frantic she was to keep him awake as he died.

"Where's Shal?" he asked.

"They're all at the Luthor mansion." Jesse informed him.

"Man, so we're missing out on some major action." Brennan complained.

"Maybe not, if you keep healing at the rate you're going, you might even have a chance to say goodbye to the Luthors after the mission is completed."

"That's not funny Jess," Brennan scowled. "Did Adam figure out why we crashed?"

"He thinks that the group that is trying to kidnap the Luthors may be trying to prevent us from warning them. I'm afraid that they succeeded." Jesse said soberly.

"They got both of them?" Brennan asked, grimacing as the chest wound began to throb.

"No, just Lionel. Hey, you calm down and don't move ok? I don't want any more blood today." Jesse replied seriously.

After a few moments of silence, Brennan turned his head and said, "Thanks, man for saving me."

"You got a lot of people to thank for that." Jesse replied, turning his gaze out the window.

****************** break *********************

In the mansion, Emma exchanged glances with Shalimar. Clark laid his hand on Lex's arm and said, "Hey, no need to use that." Lex relaxed.

Lex glanced at Clark then at Frank. "You know them Frank. Are they ok?"

Lionel's bodyguard looked at the ladies apprehensively, then smirked. "They're not what they appear to be, Mr. Luthor," Frank replied.

"Watch yourself Frank," Emma said quickly, looking at her old adversary warningly.

At Emma's warning, Lex raised the gun and pointed it again at her and Shalimar. That small motion proved too much for the Feral. She pushed Emma to the side and bounded with lightning speed across the room, landed, crouched on the floor a few feet from Lex for a split-second before springing up and scissor-kicking the gun out of his hand. The short Feral landed on her feet and stood before the three men panting slightly, her dark eyes gleaming as she tossed her head to move the hair out of her face. Lex was startled into immobility. Clark also stood still, admiring the golden-haired Feral with an appreciative, half amused expression in his eyes. Frank Thorne leaned back against the mahogany chest and smirked again.

"I have this tiny reaction to having guns pointed at me," Shalimar said sweetly, holding her finger and thumb about an inch apart.

"That's quite athletic of you," Clark told Shalimar.

"I train a lot," the golden haired women replied with a smile.

Frank stood his ground next to Lex and looked at the Feral mockingly. "They're undercover agents," he half-lied. Emma and Shalimar stared at Thorne in astonishment.

Lex looked at Frank interested. "And how do you happen to know this?" he asked.

Frank Thorne leaned back against the mahogany chest and smiled as if reminiscing. "Your dad knows I worked for the US Government in my previous job. I was privy to certain information, if you get my gist. And these gals are OK," he added."

"What about that comment about your being a freak bodyguard..." Lex asked and added after a moment, "and about making things move?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Luthor. I was sworn to secrecy." Frank said resignedly, examining his gritty hands. Lex strode away in irritation. Clark felt someone staring at him. He turned his head and caught Emma's full gaze. The red-headed Tel-empath had been trying to read him and had a thoughtful, almost frightened look on her face.

"Why are you covering for us, Thorne?" Shalimar hissed to the tele- kinetic.

"As much as I dislike MutantX, I dislike Eckhart even more and I hear that he's back, with reinforcements. I got the feeling that someone is going to pay dearly for not taking me along with Mr. Lionel Luthor." Frank told her.

"You think that Eckhart is responsible for this?" Shalimar whispered back.

"Hey, what are you two whispering about?" Lex demanded.

"Sorry," Frank replied evenly. "We got back into talking shop."

"Well, you can share your shop talk with the rest of us," Lex stated. "Maybe explain some anomalies."

Emma suddenly hugged herself as if cold. She had a lost, scared little girl look about her and Lex, suddenly filled with compassion walked toward her.

"Are you all right, Emma?" he asked in a caring voice. Emma shivered uncontrollably. Her Psionic senses were screaming at her.

"I'm...fine. Just need a little air." Emma gasped.

"Em," Shalimar started toward her.

"It's ok," Emma replied, leaning into Lex's arm as he escorted her out the front door. There was just something about him that made her feel so at- home, so content, just like....she couldn't remember.

"It must be that head injury," Lex reasoned as they stepped out doors.

"Someone's coming." Emma pointed to a small sports car with two occupants that was speeding up the lamp-lit driveway and had now ground to a halt. Lex stared frozen in place as Helen and a tall, dark-haired man stepped out of the car. They were laughing and talking animatedly as two persons who shared the same passion would do. He fought jealousy and fear as the stranger stepped out of the passenger side and looked up at him. Lex's mouth dropped open as the stranger met his gaze in the dark.

Helen Bryce stepped toward the walkway and looked up. She froze as she saw her fiance standing there in the light of the front entrance with his arm around the gothically attractive red-head that they had picked up earlier this evening. The beautiful brunette closed her eyes for a moment, willing the surge of jealousy to subside. Lex was faithful, she told herself. There was obviously a good reason for this. Taking a deep breath, she turned to introduce her guest.

Adam, still smiling at a medical joke that Dr. Helen had told him, noticed the sudden silence as he exited the car. He looked up at the man who was holding Emma at his side. The world suddenly seemed to spin.

Emma's eyes turned black as night. "This can't be happening," she gasped. It felt as if the universe was about to end.