The next morning had yet to bring any progress in Ally's case. In the weight room, Emma was doing yoga exercises, Jesse (who hadn't discovered anything on Ally during his investigation the day before) was lifting weights, and Ally was what could only be described as attacking the double end heavy bag.
Between punches and kicks, she spoke to Jesse. "So you could be "livin' it up" in the Mediterranean or some random tropical island somewhere, but instead you're here playing crazy spy games with superheros?!"
Jesse smirked ever so little. "I wouldn't phrase it quite like that--"
"Because he's not THAT rich and we aren't superheroes." Emma interjected.
Jesse glanced at her. "Uh, right. But, also, I was never..."livin' it up" in the first place. My dad wasn't around much and my mom...anyway, I'd much rather be trying to do good for the world--superhero status notwithstanding."
Ally grinned and turned to the telempath. "What about you Emma? If you could choose?"
Emma shrugged. "It isn't a choice for me. We're doing good here. Helping people. Helping others like us. If you could remember why it is you're standing here, you'd probably see that."
This gave Ally pause.
What was it that would help her remember anyway? A word? A smell? A sound? Maybe even all three?
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Brennan stood out of sight, watching the other three, when he heard his name. It was Shalimar. He turned to face her.
"Hey Brennan, can we talk for a sec?"
Brennan nodded. "Sure." They started down the hall together. "What's up?"
It all came at once. "I just want you to know that I know about you and Ally...how you feel about each other--and don't give me that crap about not knowing what I'm talking about!"
Brennan blinked. "O...kay."
Shal shrugged. "I understand the attraction. It was the same when I met Richard. Two ferals...two elementals--"
"Hey if you think that's all it is--"
Shalimar stopped him. "I'm saying I hope it's not just. And, I want to help make sure you're...relationship doesn't end the same as ours."
Brennan frowned. "Ours?"
"Richard and I." Shalimar clarified.
"Right..."
"There's a chance the attraction's purely...elemental,"
Brennan smirked at that.
"But," Shalimar went on, "It might honestly be more than that to both of you. You deserve the chance to find out."
Brennan smiled. "Thanks Shal...I think."
Shalimar laughed and hugged him briefly.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Breaking the moment, Adam's voice sounded through their comm rings.
"Everyone, I want you to meet me at the main computer."
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
After Jesse, Emma and Ally took a couple moments to change out of their sweaty clothes, they were gathered round to listen to Adam.
"I think we need to discuss our next course of action."
Ally relented. "I haven't been able to remember anything else."
"I may have a solution." Adam held up a disk. "I've compiled this disk of images and phrases. It should work similar to subliminal messages and trigger the rest of your memories. You'll use the simulator in the dojo to run the program. Emma will stay with you. Something you see might be to subtle for you to pick up on consciously, but if Emma leaves her mind open, she might pick-up on what you couldn't."
Jesse interposed. "Wait, the way you said "Emma stay's here", where are the rest of us going?"
"We're going to split off into pairs, Shalimar you're with me, and going to the sites of the arson attacks. We need to find proof to disprove Ally's involvment. We need to show that the guilty party is anyone but Ally."
"Shouldn't be too hard." Ally murmured. "You know, considering I wasn't even there!"
"The authorities have probably cleaned those places out by now. They might have even destroyed the evidence we'd be looking for, unintentionally." Shalimar warned.
Adam seemed unfazed. "In that case, we'll just have to hope we still have some luck on our side. At any rate, Ally's right, she wasn't there, so there's no way we can let the police keep thinking she was."
"Piece of cake." Jesse said sarcastically.
Brennan chuckled. "Yeah, it'll be a walk in the park."
As if jabbed in the head, Ally winced and fell to the floor. Emma and Jesse (who were closest to her) checked to be sure she was alright, but Ally recovered relativly quickly and accepted their help in standing back up.
"Ally?" Brennan asked, raptly concerned.
Emma had a guess. "You remembered something?"
Ally nodded and gave Brennan and everyone an expression assuring them she was alright. "Just the shock of it hitting me. I'll be alright in a minute." She looked up at Brennan coyly. "You helped me again."
At that, Brennan's worried face turned into a smiling one.
"Ally, it's important you tell us what you remembered." Adam interupted.
Ally shook herself. "Right. Uh...It wasn't a memory exactly...more like a hint, I guess. Another breadcrumb. To get all my memories back, I have to go to...Hillcrest Park. Something...something I see there will trigger the rest of it."
"I think your friend had too much time on their hands." Shalimar said to Ally, amazed at the spectacle.
"You think they figured Ashlocke would get annoyed before reaching the end and give up?" Jesse wondered playfully.
Everyone else rolled their eyes.
Ally added, "Once we get there and find...whatever it is I'm supposed to see, I'll be able to remember the location, names, faces and even the mutant abilities of all of them."
"The sooner we find them the better." Adam said. "If Ally and whoever took her memories are any indication, who knows how much more powerful some of these mutants could be."
The group was halted by this thought.
Without any warning, Proxy Blue appeared on the computer screen, breaking the stillness. Adam had asked her to alert him of anymore arson activity.
"What's going on Proxy?" Adam asked.
†I recieved this footage moments ago. It puts a face to the damage recently done to our fair city. Our firebug isn't hiding anymore.†
Proxy's face disappeared and the aforementioned footage filled the screen, starting with a building engulfed in flames. The camera shakily panned over to the building next door and zoomed in on the lobby. Several thugs with guns stood over what could only be terrified hostages. The members of Mutant X recognised the thugs as members of The Strand. Suddenly the camera whizzed back to the burning building and followed a red-headed woman, running towards the second building. She was spreading the fire as she went, keeping the police at bay.
Realizing the red hair was actually a red wig, Ally's eyes narrowed as she recognized the supposed "firebug". "Hey...she's one of the mutants who attacked me the other day. She's a thermal too."
Shalimar nodded slightly as she recognized the woman too. "Yeah, that's Kelly Rice. We've met."
Emma pointed back to the screen, "Look!"
The camera was now back on the lobby entrance. A different redhead was there, shouting over the sirens to be heard by the many camera crews broadcasting. It was Marnie.
We only want one thing and we know the people who have it will see this. All we have to say, is either they deliver within the hour, or these people will die! One way-- Marnie cocked a gun. Or another! She pointed with the gun at the burning building next door.
"Oh my God..." Emma whispered.
"Off." Adam barked and the footage disappeared.
When no one moved, Ally looked at everyone, aghast. "What are we all just standing here for? Let's go put a stop to this!" Ally walked towards where the Double Helix waited, but Adam grabbed her by the arm before she could get past him.
"No, the authorities can handle the fire. You need to worry about the hundred New Mutants waiting to be relocated."
Before Ally had a chance to argue, Brennan did. "What? Adam, we can't just let those people get hurt!" He pointed at the blank screen as he said this.
"We won't. You, Emma and Jesse are going down there. Shalimar and I are taking Ally to Hillcrest."
"Adam, I can put those fires out faster than the fire department. It's getting out of control, Kelly doesn't have the strength to hold it back if it gets too close to them."
"They can handle it. If you go, you're playing right into their hands." Adam tried to comfort her. "Ally, I know you feel responsible for this, but you're not. If anyone's to blame, it's me, for letting Ashlocke get this out of hand."
"Bu--"
Adam stopped Ally before she could argue more. "Ally, the best thing we can do right now is get your friends back in Los Angeles to safety."
Between punches and kicks, she spoke to Jesse. "So you could be "livin' it up" in the Mediterranean or some random tropical island somewhere, but instead you're here playing crazy spy games with superheros?!"
Jesse smirked ever so little. "I wouldn't phrase it quite like that--"
"Because he's not THAT rich and we aren't superheroes." Emma interjected.
Jesse glanced at her. "Uh, right. But, also, I was never..."livin' it up" in the first place. My dad wasn't around much and my mom...anyway, I'd much rather be trying to do good for the world--superhero status notwithstanding."
Ally grinned and turned to the telempath. "What about you Emma? If you could choose?"
Emma shrugged. "It isn't a choice for me. We're doing good here. Helping people. Helping others like us. If you could remember why it is you're standing here, you'd probably see that."
This gave Ally pause.
What was it that would help her remember anyway? A word? A smell? A sound? Maybe even all three?
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Brennan stood out of sight, watching the other three, when he heard his name. It was Shalimar. He turned to face her.
"Hey Brennan, can we talk for a sec?"
Brennan nodded. "Sure." They started down the hall together. "What's up?"
It all came at once. "I just want you to know that I know about you and Ally...how you feel about each other--and don't give me that crap about not knowing what I'm talking about!"
Brennan blinked. "O...kay."
Shal shrugged. "I understand the attraction. It was the same when I met Richard. Two ferals...two elementals--"
"Hey if you think that's all it is--"
Shalimar stopped him. "I'm saying I hope it's not just. And, I want to help make sure you're...relationship doesn't end the same as ours."
Brennan frowned. "Ours?"
"Richard and I." Shalimar clarified.
"Right..."
"There's a chance the attraction's purely...elemental,"
Brennan smirked at that.
"But," Shalimar went on, "It might honestly be more than that to both of you. You deserve the chance to find out."
Brennan smiled. "Thanks Shal...I think."
Shalimar laughed and hugged him briefly.
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
Breaking the moment, Adam's voice sounded through their comm rings.
"Everyone, I want you to meet me at the main computer."
# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
After Jesse, Emma and Ally took a couple moments to change out of their sweaty clothes, they were gathered round to listen to Adam.
"I think we need to discuss our next course of action."
Ally relented. "I haven't been able to remember anything else."
"I may have a solution." Adam held up a disk. "I've compiled this disk of images and phrases. It should work similar to subliminal messages and trigger the rest of your memories. You'll use the simulator in the dojo to run the program. Emma will stay with you. Something you see might be to subtle for you to pick up on consciously, but if Emma leaves her mind open, she might pick-up on what you couldn't."
Jesse interposed. "Wait, the way you said "Emma stay's here", where are the rest of us going?"
"We're going to split off into pairs, Shalimar you're with me, and going to the sites of the arson attacks. We need to find proof to disprove Ally's involvment. We need to show that the guilty party is anyone but Ally."
"Shouldn't be too hard." Ally murmured. "You know, considering I wasn't even there!"
"The authorities have probably cleaned those places out by now. They might have even destroyed the evidence we'd be looking for, unintentionally." Shalimar warned.
Adam seemed unfazed. "In that case, we'll just have to hope we still have some luck on our side. At any rate, Ally's right, she wasn't there, so there's no way we can let the police keep thinking she was."
"Piece of cake." Jesse said sarcastically.
Brennan chuckled. "Yeah, it'll be a walk in the park."
As if jabbed in the head, Ally winced and fell to the floor. Emma and Jesse (who were closest to her) checked to be sure she was alright, but Ally recovered relativly quickly and accepted their help in standing back up.
"Ally?" Brennan asked, raptly concerned.
Emma had a guess. "You remembered something?"
Ally nodded and gave Brennan and everyone an expression assuring them she was alright. "Just the shock of it hitting me. I'll be alright in a minute." She looked up at Brennan coyly. "You helped me again."
At that, Brennan's worried face turned into a smiling one.
"Ally, it's important you tell us what you remembered." Adam interupted.
Ally shook herself. "Right. Uh...It wasn't a memory exactly...more like a hint, I guess. Another breadcrumb. To get all my memories back, I have to go to...Hillcrest Park. Something...something I see there will trigger the rest of it."
"I think your friend had too much time on their hands." Shalimar said to Ally, amazed at the spectacle.
"You think they figured Ashlocke would get annoyed before reaching the end and give up?" Jesse wondered playfully.
Everyone else rolled their eyes.
Ally added, "Once we get there and find...whatever it is I'm supposed to see, I'll be able to remember the location, names, faces and even the mutant abilities of all of them."
"The sooner we find them the better." Adam said. "If Ally and whoever took her memories are any indication, who knows how much more powerful some of these mutants could be."
The group was halted by this thought.
Without any warning, Proxy Blue appeared on the computer screen, breaking the stillness. Adam had asked her to alert him of anymore arson activity.
"What's going on Proxy?" Adam asked.
†I recieved this footage moments ago. It puts a face to the damage recently done to our fair city. Our firebug isn't hiding anymore.†
Proxy's face disappeared and the aforementioned footage filled the screen, starting with a building engulfed in flames. The camera shakily panned over to the building next door and zoomed in on the lobby. Several thugs with guns stood over what could only be terrified hostages. The members of Mutant X recognised the thugs as members of The Strand. Suddenly the camera whizzed back to the burning building and followed a red-headed woman, running towards the second building. She was spreading the fire as she went, keeping the police at bay.
Realizing the red hair was actually a red wig, Ally's eyes narrowed as she recognized the supposed "firebug". "Hey...she's one of the mutants who attacked me the other day. She's a thermal too."
Shalimar nodded slightly as she recognized the woman too. "Yeah, that's Kelly Rice. We've met."
Emma pointed back to the screen, "Look!"
The camera was now back on the lobby entrance. A different redhead was there, shouting over the sirens to be heard by the many camera crews broadcasting. It was Marnie.
We only want one thing and we know the people who have it will see this. All we have to say, is either they deliver within the hour, or these people will die! One way-- Marnie cocked a gun. Or another! She pointed with the gun at the burning building next door.
"Oh my God..." Emma whispered.
"Off." Adam barked and the footage disappeared.
When no one moved, Ally looked at everyone, aghast. "What are we all just standing here for? Let's go put a stop to this!" Ally walked towards where the Double Helix waited, but Adam grabbed her by the arm before she could get past him.
"No, the authorities can handle the fire. You need to worry about the hundred New Mutants waiting to be relocated."
Before Ally had a chance to argue, Brennan did. "What? Adam, we can't just let those people get hurt!" He pointed at the blank screen as he said this.
"We won't. You, Emma and Jesse are going down there. Shalimar and I are taking Ally to Hillcrest."
"Adam, I can put those fires out faster than the fire department. It's getting out of control, Kelly doesn't have the strength to hold it back if it gets too close to them."
"They can handle it. If you go, you're playing right into their hands." Adam tried to comfort her. "Ally, I know you feel responsible for this, but you're not. If anyone's to blame, it's me, for letting Ashlocke get this out of hand."
"Bu--"
Adam stopped Ally before she could argue more. "Ally, the best thing we can do right now is get your friends back in Los Angeles to safety."