Chapter 10- Temporary insanity

A/N- Sorry to have been away from this for so long.  I miss Adam, Emma and Eckhart. *sniff*   Hope you are still out there.  As mentioned ages ago, please review if you want more- the good, the bad, the suggestions…

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It was dark in the transport, darker than any night he could remember.  The vehicle had now come to a full stop with a loud hiss.   Jesse gritted his teeth against the pain in his head, unable to block his ears or to press against his head because his hands had been tied down behind his back.  He wondered who was lying there on the floor of the vehicle next to him? 

I wish I knew what was going on, Dr Bryce," he replied to her question.

There was a noisy rumble as their transport compartment expanded, wheels rolling on a concrete floor.  The air shifted, as if a door had suddenly opened, but it was still pitch black.  At least they were getting some ventilation now.  Jesse listened carefully, trying to sort out the noises they were hearing from the outside of their compartment.  He thought of how easily Shalimar would have been able to sort through this visual blackness.  Someone pushed him roughly.

"Hey!"  Jesse protested.

"Move." An unfamiliar voice told him.  A sharp electrical shock applied to his stomach made the Molecular double over and gasp in pain.  He could hear Lana, Chloe and Dr. Bryce making similar exclamations as the soldiers re-entered the transport and herded them out.  There was another groan from nearby, but Jesse was unable to tell who it was.  He worried about Brennan, who seemed to have aggravated his chest injury during the attack. 

They stumbled forward in the blackness guided by rough prods into the direction they were supposed to go.  Any resistance or attempt to speak was met with an electrical shock.  The little group quickly learned to trudge along obediently in the direction they were pushed in. In what seemed to be a few minutes, they hopelessly lost track of which way they were going because of the many twists and turns.  Chloe noted that the floor seemed to be made of concrete and there was a slight musty smell combined with the smell of plastic and fresh air.  Jesse was looking up, trying to find the slightest hint of light when he slammed into the wall.  He grunted with annoyance as he picked himself off the floor and stood there cursing silently, trying to catch his breath.  Dr. Bryce stumbled into him, followed by Lana, then Chloe.  They heard a door slide close behind them and felt the compartment they were in move up slowly, very slowly.  Dr. Bryce counted almost 100 seconds before the slight almost imperceptible movement stopped.  They stood there in total blackness and silence except for their breathing.  The air had a faint coppery-crushed rock smell.

"Smells like the quarry," Chloe said, sniffing delicately, suddenly feeling unusually irritable and wanting badly to take it out on someone.  Even in her captivity, the anger made Chloe feel oddly free and powerful.    Her usually chirpy, brash demeanor gave way to biting sarcasm.

No one spoke for a minute. 

"WELL?  Have you all been struck speechless or just dumb and witless?"  Chloe demanded, struggling to free her hands in the pitch blackness.

Then Lana replied, "We're all your friends, Chloe.  No need to be so hard on us you know."  Then she asked, "What do you think they're going to do with us?" 

Chloe snorted in the darkness.  "Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answers to," she answered cynically, poking at the sore spots on her arm.

"Hey, doc.  What's your prognosis on this situation,"  Chloe yelled irritably.

"Cut it out," Jesse grumbled.  "My head is splitting."

"Seriously, if I had a gun, I'd be using it, honey."  Chloe replied.  "Hey, doc- aren't you going to share your words of wisdom with us?" 

Dr. Bryce crouched in the corner in silence.  She felt contrary and irritable.  She felt her legendary temper flare up minutes within minutes of being herded into the elevator and wanted to take it out on somebody.  Summoning together all of the self control techniques she could think of, Helen took a deep breath and held it.   She managed to answer the blond calmly in the darkness, "I don't know about you, but I've felt like I have the biggest case of PMS ever since we've been in this elevator.  Is that the way you all feel?"

"Not me," Jesse replied, "but I think it's safe to say that after being zapped in the arms four times and living in total blackness for who knows how long and being herded around to god knows where in the dark and being confined in this elevator-we have a right to be a little edgy,"  Jesse replied testily.

"So the high and mighty doctor is comparing herself with us peons?"  Chloe replied sarcastically.

"Chloe," Lana protested, irritation now evident in her voice, "Don't be such a bitch.  All I know is that ever since we were shoved into this elevator that won't open, I've been wanting to kick some ass."

"Whoa!" Chloe replied.  "Watch your language, princess."

"Princess?"  Lana asked menacingly.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I offended you, your majesty," Chloe retorted.

"If it wasn't so damned dark in here, I'd throttle you."  Lana stated.

"With what? Your hands?"  Chloe laughed belligerently, still struggling to free her own hands tied securely behind her back. 

Jesse lost his patience.  "Will you just be still!"  he exclaimed.  "We need to figure out a way out of this place and what to do when we do."

"When?  How about IF?"  Helen replied, her voice edgy.

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The white-haired man observed the small group in the wide-screen infrared viewer.  Turning to his audience, he commented, "Irritability, anger, release of inner hostilities seem to be the preliminary symptoms of inhalation of the Meteor rock product of LuthorCorp.  We will keep this group of subjects in the compartment a little longer to observe the maximum effects of the inhalant.  They have inhaled an amount comparable to 0.05 mg/ml since they entered the elevator 4 minutes ago.  Data collected on previous subjects, all non-mutant males indicated acquisition of various Mutant abilities like enhanced physical strength, incredible speed and ability to create fire at will.  This has not been tested on women nor on Dr. Kane's New Mutants so this group should provide additional information on the subject."  Mr. Eckhart looked sharply across at his opponent. 

Mr. Warren stared stonily back at him.  "The defense has nothing to say at this time." He replied.  Lionel Luthor, sitting beside the grey-haired man stared at him in disbelief.

"There is a great deal the defense can say, Mr. Warren," he said pointedly.

"Silence," the Chief Justice replied, frowning at Lionel.

"I wish to consult my defense in private,"  Lionel demanded, his face dark with anger.  The three Justices whispered to each other briefly then the Chief Justice nodded coolly to Mr. Warren.   Outside the viewing room in a small office, Lionel spat at Mr. Warren,

"What kind of defense attorney are you?  You communicate absolutely nothing to me about your defense strategy; you have requested no information since your first visit to my cell.  You have offered absolutely no defense to those judging me.  If it were my choice, I would have fired you long ago for such incompetancy."

"You judge me too harshly, Mr. Luthor." Mr. Warren replied, running a hand through his grey crew-cut hair.  "I didn't ask for this job.  I am assuring the satisfaction…"

"…of the Tribunal."  Lionel interrupted.  "It is obvious from your previous actions that you are hostile and determined to have me convicted of the ridiculous idea that I'm producing Mutants from Meteor Rock."

The middle aged man suddenly stiffened and stared closely at Lionel.  "How did you know all of this?  Who spoke to you?" he whispered.

Lionel glared at his defense attorney.  "You did during your last visit to my cell.  While you never stepped out of the dark to show your face, you introduced yourself as my defense.  You explained everything to me, as well tried to intimidate, electrocute and poison me."  He returned the stare.  "It seems to me that you're more of a prosecutor in disguise than my defense, given that you haven't given me much more than your name today, Mr. Warren."

Mr. Warren stared at Lionel another moment.  "Today is the very first time that we met, Mr. Luthor.  I don't know who spoke to you in your cell earlier," he looked toward the door, "but I believe that your assessment may be close to correct."

"The prosecutor?"  Lionel half whispered.   The defense attorney nodded silently.

"What else did he tell you?  Did he want anything?  This should give us an idea of what his strategy is,"  the grey-haired man replied, looking excited for the first time today.

"He seemed very interested in my son."  Lionel replied thoughtfully, "and asked me if I knew some individuals."  Lionel observed the other's expression as he recounted the names.

"Mutant X,"  the man's eyes were wild with suppressed rage.  "They strapped me into a device and tore memories out of my brain.  Nearly cost me my job.  They are a dangerous, rogue organization that must be destroyed."

Lionel considered the information.  "Then it seems that you and Mr. Prosecutor have some things in common.  I hope that it doesn't affect your ability to prove me innocent of these charges.  I am not affiliated with Mutant X…"

"While, I'm sorry to say, it seems that your son is deeply involved."  Mr. Warren replied.  "There was a bit of evidence that I wanted to hold for later."

Lionel stroke his beard thoughtfully.  "Well since we are on the subject, perhaps you should tell me everything you know.  If we work together, you will succeed in defending my case and I will make it very much worth your efforts."

Warren looked skeptically at Lionel Luthor.  "The Tribunal is determined to put a stop to the manufacturer of the Meteor Rock products….a permanent stop."  He added meaningfully. 

"I could tell you where there is a stash of Meteor Rock hidden away on LexCorp property."  Lionel said confidentially.  Mr. Warren brightened and smiled evilly. 

"That's what I was hoping to hear."  He replied.

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In the blinding darkness, Jesse stretched and flexed his arms.  The ropes binding his arms burst apart.  Surprised, the blond man felt around for the fragment and checked it.  It was good quality rope, it shouldn't have fallen apart like that.  Groping the wall he checked for sharp protrusions that may have sliced the rope but couldn't find any.  Experimentally, Jesse grasped a piece of the rope and pulled it apart.  To his surprise, it broke easily in his hand as if it was a light string.

"Hey, I got free." He said.  "Let me get over and untie you ladies." 

"I don't need your help," Dr. Bryce said caustically fighting the rope that still held her hands firmly.  Jesse found her hands and easily broke the strands apart.

"You're all set…"  Jesse said, trying to ignore a powerful heightened awareness of the woman.

'No,Doc.  You don't need any help from us less-than-millionaires, after all you're gonna marry into the money soon,"  Chloe taunted the older woman from somewhere in the darkness. "Tell me, how soon after the marriage do you plan to knock him off?"

"Spoken like a true junk reporter, Chloe.  How speculative and cruel.  I hope you get the opportunity to have a pack of news-vermin spread lies about you.  You deserve a slap on the face for that remark,"  Helen Bryce now freed replied, face reddening in the blackness.  She brushed past Jesse  to follow the sound of Chloe's voice, intent on teaching the saucy teen a lesson in respect.

"Oh leave her alone, Dr. Bryce.  She's just a wise-ass."  Lana said, moving carefully toward where she last heard the blond man's voice.  "Where are you Jesse?   I need you to do me next."

Dr. Bryce was carefully feeling her way around the large freight elevator, biting back her rage.  "I don't need your verbal harassment, Chloe.  It's not my fault that you were born into a needy family and you're certainly capable of moving up on your own.  I don't know why you've chosen me as the object of your aggression, but I suggest you stop it."

"Like you plan to stop me?"  Chloe's voice taunted her from somewhere nearby.  From the way her voice projected from different directions around her, the blond was moving bare-footed as she talked.

"Like I can make sure you're very sorry," the dark-haired woman replied quietly, her eyes like fire in the maddening blackness.

"I'm so scared…" Chloe mocked softly from a different direction.

 After groping blindly for what seemed like hours, Lana abruptly bumped into Jesse.  Intensely aware of her soft form against his body Jesse took a deep breath to calm himself then gently turned Lana around so that he could free her bound hands.  He felt a strand of the heavy rope and broke it apart in his fingers.  Her hands free, Lana turned around and placed a hand on his chest.  "Oh there you are.  I so hate being blind.  I hope you don't think me forward but I just wanted to thank you…" she said innocently, her hands slipping around Jesse's waist and her lips searched for his.  Senses and desires amplified several-fold, Jesse enfolded her in his arms and began kissing her.  Suddenly he broke away.

"You sure you're eighteen?"  he asked, breathing hard, wanting more but fighting it.

"Almost," she gasped.  "This is so unlike me," Lana said, panting.  "I barely know you.  I'm not naturally aggressive, unlike other people I could name.  Why am I liking this?"  Lana asked Jesse, still holding him tightly.

"Maybe it's the company," Jesse replied.  He suddenly grinned in the blinding darkness.  Enhanced strength and senses, he thought.   "Are my eyes glowing?"  he asked.

"Huh?  No," was Lana's questioning reply.

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One of the Justices in the audience noted, "The compound seems to have given the mutant-male super strength and enhanced the sexual appetites of both he and the less aggressive woman.  Dr. Bryce and Ms. Sullivan have become highly irritable and openly combative.  Do you think the effect of the compound is overriding their moral centers?"

Mr. Eckhart's lips twitched in a parody of a smirk.  "We'll see.  It may depend on the strength of character of each individual, then again, it may not matter.  Mr. Kilmartin is a highly moral individual despite the genetic tampering and close association with Dr. Adam Kane.  Lana Lane is a timid young lady with strong inhibitions. We will see if inhibitions and moral upbringing have any effect on resisting the effects of this dangerous substance.  Chloe Sullivan and Dr. Helen Bryce are aggressive women with personal agendas.  Further observation of their activity should be an indicator of how strongly this compound can corrupt an individual's self control and character."  He looked sharply at Lionel Luthor.  "Remember that all of this is the product of LuthorCorp's meddling with human Genetics."

Lionel stared back silently at Eckhart studying his pale face, comparing the voice with the one of the mysterious visitor to his cell.  This man was obviously well connected and knowledgeable.  A dangerous adversary.  He turned his attention back to the drama unfolding on the screen before him.  Hmm.  Maybe Chloe was onto something in her accusations of Dr. Helen Bryce.  His eyes narrowed with calculated anticipation.

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"I'm not a fast woman,"  Lana told him.

 "Yeah," Jesse agreed as Lana hungrily pulled his head toward hers for another intense kiss.  He didn't resist. 

"But you're so irresistible," she whispered in his ear. 

"Mmm."  Jesse replied, certain she was a minor, feeling vaguely uneasy at the speed at which this little romance was escalating, wanting to turn his conscience off so he could fully enjoy the moment.  He continued to analyze the pros and cons of this situation as he always did, despite the strong desire to act upon his base instincts.

"Please,"  Lana was whispering urgently to him.   

Finally tuning in to what she was saying, Jesse suddenly stepped away from her.  "Sorry about the foot," he apologized. 

"I'm sorry I didn't put the brakes on earlier, Jesse.  My mind is screaming no and my body wants…." Lana's voice broke.  "I hope you don't think I'm that kind of girl."

"I think we've been drugged,"  Jesse replied aloud.  "Look at us all.  This isn't the way we normally behave."

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"Astute observation, Mr. Kilmartin.  Mind against flesh."  The pale white-haired man commented dryly from his remote observatory.

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A sound of a hand striking flesh nearby drew their attention.  "Don't you ever call me that again you blond bitch!"  Dr. Bryce was shouting.  Now that her hands had found the blond teenager, she dug her nails viciously into the exposed flesh.

"I'll call you that whenever I please because that's exactly what you are and that's what everybody thinks of you….OUCH!"  Chloe shouted back, pulling away from the doctor's claw-like grasp on her arm.

"Dr. Bryce, Chloe," Jesse strode quickly toward the sound of the women's voices.  "I think we've been drugged.  Look at us, acting out our aggressions.  Is this the way we normally behave?"

Helen Bryce stepped back shaking with rage.  "No," she told him in a small voice, "but I can't seem to help myself.  It's as if that which gives me self control has been neutralized.  I have never wanted to hurt someone so badly and followed through…"

"Now that's a lie," Chloe laughed in the darkness.  "What put you in anger management classes with your VERY WEALTHY fiancé?"

"My personal life is nobody's business,"  Helen shouted furiously.

"Chloe,"  Jesse said quietly.  "Give it a rest."

Chloe smiled to herself in the darkness.  She felt powerful and newly released despite her bound hands.  "OK."  She said simply.

Lana found Chloe and untied her hands.  Chloe gave Lana a little hug.  "Oh Lana.  You smell like Jesse's aftershave."  Lana couldn't see Chloe's eyes burn with malice but heard it in her voice.  "Wait til I tell Clark."

Lana's eyes darkened with rage, her breathing quickened and her hands tightened into fists.  "You're such a loser, Chloe," she replied arrogantly. "That's why I get all the men without even trying."

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"How high is the dosage at this point?" the Justice asked Mr. Eckhart.

"Approximately the equivalent of 0.8 mg/mL."  he replied.

"How long will it take for the effects to wear off?"

"Unknown."  Eckhart replied without emotion.  "It is believed that once removed from the inhalant, the anomalous behavior will gradually disappear.  The physical attributes noted in the first male group seemed to last about eight hours from inhalation before they required a second dose.  The meteor rock seems to affect females differently.  Perhaps we should extend this study."

"The subjects' atypical behavior proves that the material from LuthorCorp affects male and female behavior adversely," the Justice concluded, "producing enhanced physical abilities in males, changing the moral compass of all subjects.  The prosecution has made its point.  Confine the subjects to their quarters."  The Justice instructed Eckhart. 

"Does the Defense have anything to present at this time?"  Mr. Warrren looked at Lionel and shook his head.  He was biding his time, waiting for his plan to play out.  He had prosecuted an air-tight case against Adam Kane for this white-haired madman a few months ago and won, except that Adam's people had come through, laid waste the execution and raped his mind for information as to who had him set Adam up.  The Tribunal had demoted him to Defense Attorney.  He knew where Adam was and was going to get even with him and eliminate his competition in the process.

Mr. Eckhart nodded deferentially to the panel of men that were his audience.

"This concludes the first portion of the evidence against LuthorCorp.  I recommend further study of course, but I leave that decision to the wisdom of the Tribunal." 

"The Tribunal will recess for 2 hours."  The chief Justice replied.

Mr. Eckhart nodded deferentially again and turned off the monitor.  The Justices filed out of the room.  Lionel, hands still shackled, stood up and stared at Eckhart.

"Why?"  Lionel asked quietly.

"Some questions are better left unasked."  Mason Eckhart replied matter of factly; his dark eyes bored into Lionel's for a moment before he left the room.

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The door of the elevator opened with a swoosh.  A rush of cool dry air flew in.  Jesse, Dr. Bryce, Lana and Chloe could see a dimly lit area outside.  Warily they stepped out of the elevator and entered the room.  They heard the elevator doors close behind them.  Jesse scanned the area behind them and around as they moved through the room.  There were cots and metal tables along the far walls.  Two of them were occupied. Jesse ran to them. 

Jesse recognized the tattoo on Brennan's arm.  "Man!  Brennan?" are you all right?"

Brennan and Frank had been strapped down to metal tables with some type of brace.  They were barely recognizable.  In the dim light they looked like grotesque rock formations.  Their faces, arms and torsos looked like composite rock, covered with ridges.  The men lay motionless, holes where the eyes and mouths were supposed to be.

 "What in hell did they do to you Brennan?"  Jesse stared at the rocky ridges on his friend's face, arms and torso, trying to tell if he was breathing.

"Their legs are warm,"  Dr. Bryce told them.  "There is a pulse at the femoral artery.  They're alive."

"Where's the femoral artery?" Chloe asked.  Dr. Bryce stared at her meaningfully, still wanting to lash out at the teenager, deciding she wasn't worth the effort.

"He looks like he was carved from rock!"  Lana exclaimed.  Dr. Bryce carefully palpated the area on Brennan's chest that had been punctured, noting that all previous signs of damage had disappeared.  Chloe hung back for a moment then nudged Lana out of the way.  She stared in shock at what had once been a handsome man.

"Brennan?"  Chloe said.  "Are you alive?"

More alert now, the Elemental tried to blink then struggled against the metallic band that bound him to the metal table.  His body was too heavy and stiff.  His face felt frozen and he couldn't speak.

Jesse tried to break the metallic band and found that it was impervious to even his new found super strength. 

"Brennan, I can't phase anything." Jesse whispered.  "They put a subdermal governor in my head."  Brennan tried to nod but unable to communicate more than a groan through the orifice that was once his mouth.

"What about Thorne?"  Jesse asked, moving at the same time over to the Telekinetic.  Frank Thorne was lying there quietly, eyes open.  His arms and chest were similarly ridged, scarred and his face was barely recognizable.

"Are they dead?"  Chloe asked.  "What on earth happened to them?"

"I wish I knew."  Jesse answered somberly.