The sun was barely on the horizon as the day began anew. Brennan was fast asleep in his quarters. As he stirred and rolled from his side onto his back, his brow creased. He was slowly coming into consciousness as a feeling of unease overcame him. He frowned and slowly opened his eyes...to find another pair staring back at him. He started, inhaling sharply.
Ally was floating above him?
"Like my new trick?"
"Ally..." Brennan didn't really know what to say. "How are you floating?"
"Easy, hot air rises." She replied proudly.
A smile twitched at the edges of Brennan's lips. "Oh, so I guess you're full of...hot air?"
Ally's gaze narrowed for a moment. "Adam suggested I work on developing my new abilities."
"And how long have you been doing just that?" Brennan asked, though from simple observation he had an idea.
"Eight hours straight." Ally replied.
"Don't you sleep anymore?"
"Not with that crazy woman trying to get into my head. I was planning on enjoying it vicariously through you guys."
Brennan arched an eyebrow. "By hovering over us like a vulture?"
"You're very cute when you're sleeping." Ally said, trying to lighten the situation. With a sigh she landed back on her feet, next to Brennan's bed. "I can't fight her again, Brennan. I'm not strong like you guys."
"Emma could help you." Brennan offered. "And so could Adam. You'll build up your mental defenses in no time."
"How can I feel mentally strong if I don't feel it physically?" Ally demanded to know. "I mean, I can run, sure, and I have an 'interesting' method of defense. But Brennan, you saw it, my power's not the kind I can just throw around. And so okay, I may know a fighting move or two, but there's no real skill behind it."
"Then why don't you go ask Shalimar to help you improve your skill?" Brennan asked. "She's always fired up at this time of morning."
"I already did. She said she was already busy with something else."
Brennan found that odd, but didn't vocalize it. "Well, you know what? So am I. I'm busy sleeping!" Adding emphasis, he pulled the sheets over his head.
"Oh c'mon, Brennan. I spent a good part of my life on the streets. Even in a place as beautiful as this, I'm getting stir crazy. I feel like a lit candle under glass. Believe me, if Adam didn't want me here to unlock my memories I'd have gladly gone into the Underground by now. But no, within these walls I remain." With a huff, she turned away from him.
Brennan considered what she was saying. With a sigh he poked his head out from under the covers. "But not all the time." He concluded.
Ally turned back to face him, curious.
Brennan relented. "Okay, you and me'll go out so you can blow off some steam." He climbed out of bed and under his breath he muttered, "So THEN maybe you'll sleep."
Ally was ecstatic and she clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Thank you! It means a lot!" Ally stopped as a thought occured and a timid expression came over her face. "Just no dance clubs, okay?"
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
On the other side of town, Marnie Neuman pleaded with Patient Zero.
"I attempted to gain information from the members of Mutant X as you requested. I managed to probe the minds of Jesse Kilmartin and Shalimar Fox before my strength ran out."
"Yet you have nothing to show for it." Gabriel observed.
"They fought back, as if they were ready for me."
"They were prepared, because your tactics are predictable. They knew you were there."
Marnie became defensive. "They were prepared because they did not fear me."
Ashlocke turned, considering the matter closed. "You failed." He spat. "It's time to move on to other efforts."
Marnie pressed on. "The Preston girl still fears me, it makes her weaker to my power. Please Gabriel, let me try again."
"Perhaps later. You mustn't forget, she still has Emma DeLauro to protect her mind. If that obstacle is removed, I may be pursuaded to give you a second chance."
Marnie was dismissed, but she was far from through. She would sit in waiting and the moment the Preston girl fell asleep, she would strike with all her might.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Gabriel approached the computer console and reviewed the police file on the screen. To his left, the officer this computer belonged to, stood motionless, seemingly in a daze, and waiting for instruction. The whole conversation with Marnie had taken place in this precinct and only now was Gabriel getting to the heart of the matter. Reaching for the keyboard and typing away, he reached Proxy Blue's hotline...audio only.
Ashlocke grinned.
Ally was floating above him?
"Like my new trick?"
"Ally..." Brennan didn't really know what to say. "How are you floating?"
"Easy, hot air rises." She replied proudly.
A smile twitched at the edges of Brennan's lips. "Oh, so I guess you're full of...hot air?"
Ally's gaze narrowed for a moment. "Adam suggested I work on developing my new abilities."
"And how long have you been doing just that?" Brennan asked, though from simple observation he had an idea.
"Eight hours straight." Ally replied.
"Don't you sleep anymore?"
"Not with that crazy woman trying to get into my head. I was planning on enjoying it vicariously through you guys."
Brennan arched an eyebrow. "By hovering over us like a vulture?"
"You're very cute when you're sleeping." Ally said, trying to lighten the situation. With a sigh she landed back on her feet, next to Brennan's bed. "I can't fight her again, Brennan. I'm not strong like you guys."
"Emma could help you." Brennan offered. "And so could Adam. You'll build up your mental defenses in no time."
"How can I feel mentally strong if I don't feel it physically?" Ally demanded to know. "I mean, I can run, sure, and I have an 'interesting' method of defense. But Brennan, you saw it, my power's not the kind I can just throw around. And so okay, I may know a fighting move or two, but there's no real skill behind it."
"Then why don't you go ask Shalimar to help you improve your skill?" Brennan asked. "She's always fired up at this time of morning."
"I already did. She said she was already busy with something else."
Brennan found that odd, but didn't vocalize it. "Well, you know what? So am I. I'm busy sleeping!" Adding emphasis, he pulled the sheets over his head.
"Oh c'mon, Brennan. I spent a good part of my life on the streets. Even in a place as beautiful as this, I'm getting stir crazy. I feel like a lit candle under glass. Believe me, if Adam didn't want me here to unlock my memories I'd have gladly gone into the Underground by now. But no, within these walls I remain." With a huff, she turned away from him.
Brennan considered what she was saying. With a sigh he poked his head out from under the covers. "But not all the time." He concluded.
Ally turned back to face him, curious.
Brennan relented. "Okay, you and me'll go out so you can blow off some steam." He climbed out of bed and under his breath he muttered, "So THEN maybe you'll sleep."
Ally was ecstatic and she clapped her hands enthusiastically. "Thank you! It means a lot!" Ally stopped as a thought occured and a timid expression came over her face. "Just no dance clubs, okay?"
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
On the other side of town, Marnie Neuman pleaded with Patient Zero.
"I attempted to gain information from the members of Mutant X as you requested. I managed to probe the minds of Jesse Kilmartin and Shalimar Fox before my strength ran out."
"Yet you have nothing to show for it." Gabriel observed.
"They fought back, as if they were ready for me."
"They were prepared, because your tactics are predictable. They knew you were there."
Marnie became defensive. "They were prepared because they did not fear me."
Ashlocke turned, considering the matter closed. "You failed." He spat. "It's time to move on to other efforts."
Marnie pressed on. "The Preston girl still fears me, it makes her weaker to my power. Please Gabriel, let me try again."
"Perhaps later. You mustn't forget, she still has Emma DeLauro to protect her mind. If that obstacle is removed, I may be pursuaded to give you a second chance."
Marnie was dismissed, but she was far from through. She would sit in waiting and the moment the Preston girl fell asleep, she would strike with all her might.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Gabriel approached the computer console and reviewed the police file on the screen. To his left, the officer this computer belonged to, stood motionless, seemingly in a daze, and waiting for instruction. The whole conversation with Marnie had taken place in this precinct and only now was Gabriel getting to the heart of the matter. Reaching for the keyboard and typing away, he reached Proxy Blue's hotline...audio only.
Ashlocke grinned.