"Oh no you don't," Shalimar muttered under her breath; her sharp eyes
locked on the reddish tendrils flickering from Elaine's fingers, as
threatening as the murderous gaze in the elemental's cold green eyes. Her
timing needed to be perfect, Shalimar knew and as she raised her knee to
block the otherwise inevitable attack she hoped Brennan could read her
moves; they were most fortunate to have practiced the moves just this
morning in the dojo. She could only hope Brennan remembered it.
Indeed he did. As Shalimar catapulted backward, her long legs lashed out 360 degrees in the air, she deliberately drove the pointed edge of her left boot into Elaine's exposed torso. Exerting more than a little pressure, Shalimar gritted her teeth as she drilled harder into the woman's side, forcing her down.
Elaine cried out in pain and as the ground rushed up to meet her, she slapped both her palms on the asphalt. The red tendrils died out, but the fire in her still hadn't gone out. Not yet. Out the corner of her eyes she could see the male elemental approaching, crackling flickers of electrical energy crawling up his arms.
You're not gonna get me, she vowed. No one has ever brought me down. No one ever will.
Brennan rushed forward with his forearm raised. A quick clean chop to the back of the neck would put this entire useless squabble to an end. Time was running out. Jesse was depending on them to get Elaine back and that was what he intended to do.
But what Elaine did next was totally unexpected. One moment she was there, gasping on the ground holding her side in pain, the next she was rolling on the ground. Brennan's karate chop hit nothing but air and he was lucky he caught himself before falling face-first to the ground.
Elaine stopped her roll a few yards away and painstakingly got onto her feet, breathing harshly. There was no way she could use her mutant powers, if she tried to on one of them, the other would be all over her in a second. For a second it seemed to Elaine that she was trapped.
"Give it up, Elaine," Shalimar spat out. "It's over."
"Hah!" She scoffed, brushing a stray lock of black hair off her forehead. "Says you. You're Mutant X. I bet you think you lots are a couple of reckless renegades fighting for the side of the good, don't you? Don't you think it's time you get over your romantic idealistic propaganda and face the facts huh? What good can your safehouses do for the New Mutants now?"
Shalimar could feel her blood boiling. "Look we don't have time for chitchat okay? Now why don't you come with us and we'll settle this matter once and for all?"
"What matter?" Elaine rolled her eyes. "All I see now is a couple of rugrats who're trying too hard to be heroes who just happen to be in my way. What's the deal huh? Can't wait your turn?" She turned her icy gaze toward Brennan. "I remember you. The club, right?"
"And I remember you too," Brennan spoke softly but there was nothing gentle in the glare he was sending her way. A ball of energy formed on his out- held palm. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You choose."
"Ah," Elaine drawled in delight. "My poor baby's feeling poorly isn't he? That's why you came! You thought you could get me so I could save your friend." She threw her head backward and let out a delicious laugh.
"You-" Shalimar started forward, her eyes blazing angrily but Brennan was quick to grab her arm.
"You know, you two are very amusing. I'm afraid I have other urgent matters to attend to and I simply can't waste any more of my time playing cat and mouse with the two of you." She stood her ground, parting her legs slightly.
If you want me, come and get me, that was the message Brennan could read in her eyes.
"Bring it on."
Indeed he did. As Shalimar catapulted backward, her long legs lashed out 360 degrees in the air, she deliberately drove the pointed edge of her left boot into Elaine's exposed torso. Exerting more than a little pressure, Shalimar gritted her teeth as she drilled harder into the woman's side, forcing her down.
Elaine cried out in pain and as the ground rushed up to meet her, she slapped both her palms on the asphalt. The red tendrils died out, but the fire in her still hadn't gone out. Not yet. Out the corner of her eyes she could see the male elemental approaching, crackling flickers of electrical energy crawling up his arms.
You're not gonna get me, she vowed. No one has ever brought me down. No one ever will.
Brennan rushed forward with his forearm raised. A quick clean chop to the back of the neck would put this entire useless squabble to an end. Time was running out. Jesse was depending on them to get Elaine back and that was what he intended to do.
But what Elaine did next was totally unexpected. One moment she was there, gasping on the ground holding her side in pain, the next she was rolling on the ground. Brennan's karate chop hit nothing but air and he was lucky he caught himself before falling face-first to the ground.
Elaine stopped her roll a few yards away and painstakingly got onto her feet, breathing harshly. There was no way she could use her mutant powers, if she tried to on one of them, the other would be all over her in a second. For a second it seemed to Elaine that she was trapped.
"Give it up, Elaine," Shalimar spat out. "It's over."
"Hah!" She scoffed, brushing a stray lock of black hair off her forehead. "Says you. You're Mutant X. I bet you think you lots are a couple of reckless renegades fighting for the side of the good, don't you? Don't you think it's time you get over your romantic idealistic propaganda and face the facts huh? What good can your safehouses do for the New Mutants now?"
Shalimar could feel her blood boiling. "Look we don't have time for chitchat okay? Now why don't you come with us and we'll settle this matter once and for all?"
"What matter?" Elaine rolled her eyes. "All I see now is a couple of rugrats who're trying too hard to be heroes who just happen to be in my way. What's the deal huh? Can't wait your turn?" She turned her icy gaze toward Brennan. "I remember you. The club, right?"
"And I remember you too," Brennan spoke softly but there was nothing gentle in the glare he was sending her way. A ball of energy formed on his out- held palm. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You choose."
"Ah," Elaine drawled in delight. "My poor baby's feeling poorly isn't he? That's why you came! You thought you could get me so I could save your friend." She threw her head backward and let out a delicious laugh.
"You-" Shalimar started forward, her eyes blazing angrily but Brennan was quick to grab her arm.
"You know, you two are very amusing. I'm afraid I have other urgent matters to attend to and I simply can't waste any more of my time playing cat and mouse with the two of you." She stood her ground, parting her legs slightly.
If you want me, come and get me, that was the message Brennan could read in her eyes.
"Bring it on."