The Helix had been up in the air for more than fifteen minutes when Jesse
felt the sudden urge to cough. It hurt him too much to sit upright in his
usual seat so he had decided to sit down on the floor of the Helix, huddled
against the comforting metal body of the ship.
Jesse fought not to cough; he had been sitting still for the past fifteen minutes because he simply didn't want to move. And now I've got to cough. Great. The tickle in his throat was getting more and more unbearable. He guessed he could say the same for the pain mauling his insides. His stomach was killing him.
So what else is new, he thought tiredly as he leaned his head back against the wall, listening at the familiar droning sound of the engine. The rest of Mutant X back at the Sanctuary would have no way of knowing where the Helix was heading; hell they wouldn't even know where the Helix was. He'd cleverly deactivated the automatic self-tracking device. That would also mean they wouldn't be able to get a signal from his com-link.
Satisfied, Jesse closed his eyes, willing himself against the ever- increasing pain. Hmm. I wonder what the guys are doing now. Wonder if they know I'm gone.Shalimar must be going batty-
Jesse couldn't finish his train of thoughts when a sudden coughing fit overcame him. Automatically he raised his fist to his lips just as soon as rushes of air exploded from his lungs in violent bursts of coughs. His whole body jarred and it sent a fresh new pain rippling from his abdomen, spreading through the rest of his shaking form.
As he coughed and coughed, Jesse automatically switched his mind off the pain; it was better not to think of how much he was hurting but the taste of copper which had suddenly filled his mouth got his brain running again. What the hell?
Slowly, Jesse lowered his fist. Flecks of blood smeared the whitened knuckles of his clenched fist.
Jesse stared at the blood. And kept staring.
****************
"Adam. We lost her." Brennan couldn't hide the dejection in his voice as he spoke into the com-link, Shalimar right beside him, staring listlessly out the front window. Then it suddenly occurred to him that Jesse might hear him too back at the Sanctuary. They almost had her, the only person in the world who could help Jesse, and they blew it. And Jesse might be very well listening in on the conversation right now as he delivered the terrible news. Shit.
"Brennan." Adam spoke his name urgently.
"Uh, is Jesse there?" He asked guiltily.
"That's what I wanted to tell you, Brennan. Jesse's gone." Brennan's blood ran cold. What does he mean Jesse's gone? He can't be- He turned slowly toward Shalimar and she too, was staring at him, a horrified expression on her face.
"What?" Brennan's horrified whisper carried itself through the com-link and back at the Sanctuary, Adam was momentarily puzzled at what could have spooked Brennan so. Then he realized his blunder and hurriedly corrected himself for Brennan and Shalimar's sakes.
"No, I'm not saying he's DEAD, no, nothing of the sort!" Adam said in a rush. "I'm just saying that he's not here. He's gone."
*********
Black spots danced in front of his eyes. He'd just climbed the last of the stairs of Safehouse 8, the third place on his list. He had made 2 stops earlier; at Safehouses 3 and 11, both empty and perfect for his trap, only if it could really work. Right now he wasn't so sure.
Now he was winded; and in terrible pain.
I'm going to pass out, he realized numbly. He clung to the railing, to prevent from falling. I am sooo going to pass out.
His vision blurred and for the second time in that short week, he feared that he was going to fall down the stairs again. And maybe this time he would not be lucky enough to wake up.
Jesse kept a hand clasped to his stomach and struggled to stand. I have to stand. Come on, Jesse, get up. You HAVE to get up.
Please, just let me rest, he begged himself. Just for a while.
No.
For all he knew, it could only be minutes till the GS agents stormed the place. He needed to be ready and he hoped the device he'd planted at both the previous safehouses could do their job as deterrent, and that would throw the GSA off for a while and buy him some time; but only for a while. Soon, he knew, soon the silent killer in him would grow and grow out of proportion, practically screaming out to Evie to come and get him and no high-tech deterring devices or false broadband transmitters could save him from her.
His eyes longingly settled on his backpack sitting on the table. He'd taken some drugs with him from the Sanctuary. Though he promised to himself a long time ago that he'd stay off any kinds of drugs but he'd held out as long as he could. Adam hadn't been there when he left to give him the much needed radioactive therapy so he had no options but to take the strong painkillers with him. No. He wasn't going to use it just yet. The pain was a motivation, a motivation for him to keep going. And he definitely needed concentration; drugs would only make things worse for him at the moment. He had to finish this.
Just a little bit more, Jess. Then it will all be over.
**********
"How could you have let this happen, Adam? How could you have let him go just like that?" Shalimar snapped at him as she strode briskly into the lab where Adam was surveying the mess Jesse had made before he disappeared. Brennan was quick to tap her on the arm from behind.
"Adam wasn't here, Shal. He couldn't have known Jesse would just take off like that." He spoke gently but Adam could detect the hint of worry tingeing the edge of his voice. Adam could practically hear the wheels in the Elemental's brain whirring as he processed the new and old information. Jesse's deteriorating condition, Elaine getting away, and now Jesse disappearing.
Shalimar growled and raked her fingers through her disheveled hair, clearly frustrated. What could have possessed Jesse to go running off like that? Then she froze.
"Maybe he didn't leave on his own free will. Maybe he was attacked- Kidnapped! Where's Emma?!" Shalimar was practically shouting.
"Relax, Shalimar. Emma's fine, she's checking out the safety camera right this moment, to see if we've got anything on tape. In fact she was the one to find that Jesse was missing-he'd taken the Helix and then she frantically called me up-"
"Jesse took the HELIX?" Brennan's jaw dropped.
"Yes, the logbook in the computer showed it. But unfortunately Jesse deactivated the tracking device on the Helix and I haven't been able to get a signal from his com-link-so right at this moment, we have no way of telling where he could be," Adam said seriously. "And since we don't have the Helix, it looks like we're not going anywhere."
"I think that's just changed," Shalimar said suddenly. "Look!" She pointed excitedly at the surveillance computer.
"It's the Helix," Brennan breathed out. He couldn't believe his eyes. It showed up on the camera as it had come within 5 miles of the Sanctuary and the best thing of it all-
"Jesse's in there!" A grin broke Adam's face. The red dot blinking furiously on the screen was enough to tell him that Jesse was alive; and he could feel a heavy rush of relief washed over him. Shalimar was already running out the door.
"Hey, what's going on down there?" Emma called from upstairs.
"Jesse's back!" Shalimar shouted excitedly. "Come on!" She quickly slid open the hangar door, her heart racing as she approached the Helix. Punching in the access code, she practically leaped in when the door slowly flapped open. "Jesse?"
Her smile faded.
There was no sign of Jesse at all.
Puzzled, Shalimar swept her eyes across the cabin. She craned her neck to see if Jesse was sitting in the captain's seat in front; but he wasn't.
By then, the rest of the team had arrived and upon seeing the empty cabin, wore the same puzzled expression on their faces.
"Com-link signal's showing he's still here," Adam said in a hushed voice, holding up his Palm Pilot for everyone to see.
"He is," Brennan spoke suddenly. He picked something up from the floor at one far corner of the ship and held it up. "At least, a part of him still is."
Emma instantly recognized the shiny metal object in Brennan's hand. "That's Jesse's ring-but how?"
Brennan fingered the ring. "It's coated with something.wait a minute."
"Blood," Shalimar said flatly. She could smell it from afar. "The ring's got Jesse's blood on it."
Jesse fought not to cough; he had been sitting still for the past fifteen minutes because he simply didn't want to move. And now I've got to cough. Great. The tickle in his throat was getting more and more unbearable. He guessed he could say the same for the pain mauling his insides. His stomach was killing him.
So what else is new, he thought tiredly as he leaned his head back against the wall, listening at the familiar droning sound of the engine. The rest of Mutant X back at the Sanctuary would have no way of knowing where the Helix was heading; hell they wouldn't even know where the Helix was. He'd cleverly deactivated the automatic self-tracking device. That would also mean they wouldn't be able to get a signal from his com-link.
Satisfied, Jesse closed his eyes, willing himself against the ever- increasing pain. Hmm. I wonder what the guys are doing now. Wonder if they know I'm gone.Shalimar must be going batty-
Jesse couldn't finish his train of thoughts when a sudden coughing fit overcame him. Automatically he raised his fist to his lips just as soon as rushes of air exploded from his lungs in violent bursts of coughs. His whole body jarred and it sent a fresh new pain rippling from his abdomen, spreading through the rest of his shaking form.
As he coughed and coughed, Jesse automatically switched his mind off the pain; it was better not to think of how much he was hurting but the taste of copper which had suddenly filled his mouth got his brain running again. What the hell?
Slowly, Jesse lowered his fist. Flecks of blood smeared the whitened knuckles of his clenched fist.
Jesse stared at the blood. And kept staring.
****************
"Adam. We lost her." Brennan couldn't hide the dejection in his voice as he spoke into the com-link, Shalimar right beside him, staring listlessly out the front window. Then it suddenly occurred to him that Jesse might hear him too back at the Sanctuary. They almost had her, the only person in the world who could help Jesse, and they blew it. And Jesse might be very well listening in on the conversation right now as he delivered the terrible news. Shit.
"Brennan." Adam spoke his name urgently.
"Uh, is Jesse there?" He asked guiltily.
"That's what I wanted to tell you, Brennan. Jesse's gone." Brennan's blood ran cold. What does he mean Jesse's gone? He can't be- He turned slowly toward Shalimar and she too, was staring at him, a horrified expression on her face.
"What?" Brennan's horrified whisper carried itself through the com-link and back at the Sanctuary, Adam was momentarily puzzled at what could have spooked Brennan so. Then he realized his blunder and hurriedly corrected himself for Brennan and Shalimar's sakes.
"No, I'm not saying he's DEAD, no, nothing of the sort!" Adam said in a rush. "I'm just saying that he's not here. He's gone."
*********
Black spots danced in front of his eyes. He'd just climbed the last of the stairs of Safehouse 8, the third place on his list. He had made 2 stops earlier; at Safehouses 3 and 11, both empty and perfect for his trap, only if it could really work. Right now he wasn't so sure.
Now he was winded; and in terrible pain.
I'm going to pass out, he realized numbly. He clung to the railing, to prevent from falling. I am sooo going to pass out.
His vision blurred and for the second time in that short week, he feared that he was going to fall down the stairs again. And maybe this time he would not be lucky enough to wake up.
Jesse kept a hand clasped to his stomach and struggled to stand. I have to stand. Come on, Jesse, get up. You HAVE to get up.
Please, just let me rest, he begged himself. Just for a while.
No.
For all he knew, it could only be minutes till the GS agents stormed the place. He needed to be ready and he hoped the device he'd planted at both the previous safehouses could do their job as deterrent, and that would throw the GSA off for a while and buy him some time; but only for a while. Soon, he knew, soon the silent killer in him would grow and grow out of proportion, practically screaming out to Evie to come and get him and no high-tech deterring devices or false broadband transmitters could save him from her.
His eyes longingly settled on his backpack sitting on the table. He'd taken some drugs with him from the Sanctuary. Though he promised to himself a long time ago that he'd stay off any kinds of drugs but he'd held out as long as he could. Adam hadn't been there when he left to give him the much needed radioactive therapy so he had no options but to take the strong painkillers with him. No. He wasn't going to use it just yet. The pain was a motivation, a motivation for him to keep going. And he definitely needed concentration; drugs would only make things worse for him at the moment. He had to finish this.
Just a little bit more, Jess. Then it will all be over.
**********
"How could you have let this happen, Adam? How could you have let him go just like that?" Shalimar snapped at him as she strode briskly into the lab where Adam was surveying the mess Jesse had made before he disappeared. Brennan was quick to tap her on the arm from behind.
"Adam wasn't here, Shal. He couldn't have known Jesse would just take off like that." He spoke gently but Adam could detect the hint of worry tingeing the edge of his voice. Adam could practically hear the wheels in the Elemental's brain whirring as he processed the new and old information. Jesse's deteriorating condition, Elaine getting away, and now Jesse disappearing.
Shalimar growled and raked her fingers through her disheveled hair, clearly frustrated. What could have possessed Jesse to go running off like that? Then she froze.
"Maybe he didn't leave on his own free will. Maybe he was attacked- Kidnapped! Where's Emma?!" Shalimar was practically shouting.
"Relax, Shalimar. Emma's fine, she's checking out the safety camera right this moment, to see if we've got anything on tape. In fact she was the one to find that Jesse was missing-he'd taken the Helix and then she frantically called me up-"
"Jesse took the HELIX?" Brennan's jaw dropped.
"Yes, the logbook in the computer showed it. But unfortunately Jesse deactivated the tracking device on the Helix and I haven't been able to get a signal from his com-link-so right at this moment, we have no way of telling where he could be," Adam said seriously. "And since we don't have the Helix, it looks like we're not going anywhere."
"I think that's just changed," Shalimar said suddenly. "Look!" She pointed excitedly at the surveillance computer.
"It's the Helix," Brennan breathed out. He couldn't believe his eyes. It showed up on the camera as it had come within 5 miles of the Sanctuary and the best thing of it all-
"Jesse's in there!" A grin broke Adam's face. The red dot blinking furiously on the screen was enough to tell him that Jesse was alive; and he could feel a heavy rush of relief washed over him. Shalimar was already running out the door.
"Hey, what's going on down there?" Emma called from upstairs.
"Jesse's back!" Shalimar shouted excitedly. "Come on!" She quickly slid open the hangar door, her heart racing as she approached the Helix. Punching in the access code, she practically leaped in when the door slowly flapped open. "Jesse?"
Her smile faded.
There was no sign of Jesse at all.
Puzzled, Shalimar swept her eyes across the cabin. She craned her neck to see if Jesse was sitting in the captain's seat in front; but he wasn't.
By then, the rest of the team had arrived and upon seeing the empty cabin, wore the same puzzled expression on their faces.
"Com-link signal's showing he's still here," Adam said in a hushed voice, holding up his Palm Pilot for everyone to see.
"He is," Brennan spoke suddenly. He picked something up from the floor at one far corner of the ship and held it up. "At least, a part of him still is."
Emma instantly recognized the shiny metal object in Brennan's hand. "That's Jesse's ring-but how?"
Brennan fingered the ring. "It's coated with something.wait a minute."
"Blood," Shalimar said flatly. She could smell it from afar. "The ring's got Jesse's blood on it."