Man In Black

Harold (Harry) Bloomenfeld, canine feral, was a proud man. One of the first new mutants to be put in the Underground, he received a new identity arranged by the Man himself. That was one of the highlights of his life, a life he owed entirely to an organization that, in return, only asked for a tour of duty according to the person's talents. If not for them, he would certainly be stored in a box, with a "nail" firmly implanted in the back of his neck. If one tour of duty was requested in exchange for a normal life, he would give it gladly, and today, it was his turn to do his part in what his beautiful wife Melissa called, jokingly, the "beast brigade". And the name had stuck with his pals from his Underground security detail.

The Underground... Since Ally Turner's murder, the organization had been in an uproar. Rumors abounded, security measures were amped to the highest level, the teams were in red alert. Harry dealt mostly with Vince Meisel and, sometimes, with Brennan Mulwray, head of security. He had asked about the new procedures, but they hadn't really been forthcoming and Harry didn't insist, but he could tell they were dealing with something big. And dangerous.

Recently, Harry had seen the Man a couple of times, while supervising the design of the new clinic he was watching over tonight. Harry had never dared to approach the Man, mind you, but watched from a distance while he instructed the terraformers and telekinetics working on the site. Now, the place was ready, the furniture, the machines, everything a proper hospital needed to operate was being delivered, and they were hiring the staff. His wife, Melissa, a registered nurse, had applied for a job. She wanted to work with new mutants and their families, something only natural, since they were thinking about a new addition to the family soon.

"It's 10 pm, security guard on duty front door," he reported on his radio. "Nothing here." And he signaled "all right" to his partner, Raisha Connors, a reptilian feral he knew was watching from the other side of the street, but could not see, since her chameleon powers blended her with her surroundings, making her virtually invisible.

The silver BMW came around the corner and stopped facing the clinics front door. Harry watched its approach and signaled Raisha to stay alert. He saw as she detached herself from the building's wall and came closer to the car. "Stranger alert! Car stopped front door, silver beemer," Harry immediately reported on the radio, and he saw two other ferals step out of the clinic and glare at the intruding car.

The beemer's door opened and Harry's eyes bulged. He breathed in deep and held it. It was The Man! Wow! With a gesture, he stopped the other from approaching the car and the driver. "Step back, it is Dr. Adam Kane!"

Respectfully, Harry approached the visitor. "Need any help, doctor?" He had to force himself to speak, so in awe he was of the Man, who actually smiled at him!

"Yes, thank you," the Man answered pleasantly. "I have two suitcases with fragile equipment to the clinic, drugs and medicine. If you help me get them in, I can have them properly stored and classified." And the Man opened the beemer's trunk.

Harry easily lifted the suitcases and followed the Man, two steps behind him. The feline feral by the door opened the way to the Underground's creator and they entered the clinic.

"Lets take the suitcases to the Pharmacology lab," instructed the Man.

"Do you need any assistance with the storage, doctor?" Harry asked, hoping the Man would say yes.

"No, thanks, I can manage." And he flashed his warm smile to Harry. "And warn the security guards that I'll check the whole premises. I'll be walking around a lot, and I'll be in the most unusual places."

"Yes, sir." Harry almost saluted. "I'll go back to my station, then."

Three hours later, Harry Bloomenfeld, canine feral on tour of duty for the Underground, saw the Man In Black, Adam Kane, creator of MX and the Underground, the mutant protection network, leave the hospital's building carrying two now evidently empty suitcases, wave him a good-bye and board his silver BMW. Harry waved back, sighed, proud of the small measure of help he was able to provide, and followed the car as it left. Harry watched as the car distanced itself from the building and, in the distance, he thought he saw a strange light glow inside the vehicle. 'It's just a trick of light, nothing more.'

Inside the car, the image of the Man In Black coalesced into the real features of the blonde man with spiky hair. Aidaan Malone, shapeshifter and New Order operative, looked back at the imbeciles guarding the hospital door, and grinned, cold and cruel.

Mission accomplished.

From Bad To Worse

Sanctuary, 7 PM:

Donna was in her room taking a nap after having an exhausting day helping Mutant X set up The New Chaos, she liked what Adam had called them, at the clinic. She had been keeping on high alert with her powers after the bad feeling that she got in the clinic. Adam had told her after they had gotten back that she should rest. But that didn't help. She kept tossing and turning on the bed trying to relax but she couldn't. Her whole body was a twisted tied up nerve. She finally got up and took her comb out of her purse and tried to put some order back into her long curly hair. Walking back to place the comb back into her purse she got a huge hit. A sensation that she had never had before in her life. A wave that made her sick to the bone. It also made her collapse to the floor. She couldn't stand up to save her life and she was terrified. She remembered what Adam had told her at the clinic.

Jim and Blair, Sam and Cory were with Jesse and Brennan in the dojo, Adam had thought that it would be good for them to train, especially Blair because he needed to learn how to protect himself as well. Cat was off to herself and Rev, Angela, Shalimar, and Emma were all at the workstation talking and going over the schematics to the clinic. Mac, Lux, Jax, and Adam were in Adam's office talking about what their next plan of action would be.

"Well, Addy, you did have some doozies back in school. Maybe you can use one of those." Mac said to his old friend.

"Yeah well, those were pranks and gags we all did to amuse ourselves and out fox each other remember?" Adam replied.

Lux piped up, "Adam, I would like to hear some of these stories after everything is over."

Jax agreed, "So would I."

"You wanna hear some good ones well I will tell you about the time when Adam and his posse of trouble makers were in the physics lab with the rest of us and we were trying to see who could......" There was a signal going off.

"Excuse me while I interrupt this one. I really don't think that they should hear this if it is the story I think that you are about to tell. Answer?" Adam answered the Com-Link.

No sound came for several moments and then, "Adam?"

"Donna?" he looked at the others, her voice did not sound right.  "Is something wrong? Did you get a hit?"

"I need help." was all that the terrified psionic could say and then she passed out.

Sanctuary, The Lab Ten Minutes Later

As Donna slowly opened her pain filled eyes she could see everyone gathered around her in a room that she wasn't in before she blacked out. She recognized it almost immediately as the lab. She was in the exam chair and Adam was checking her vitals on the monitor and then he came over to her side and looked down at her. "Donna? How are you feeling?"

She couldn't speak, she did feel a hand holding her's. Donna looked over and saw that Blair was by her other side giving a worried smile down at her. Pain shot through her head when she had moved her head and she said finally, "Oh, I shouldn't have done that." and she held her head with her free hand.

Blair looked up at Adam and then back to Donna and repeated Adam's question, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I just got kicked in the head by a million ferals."

"Well, Mainframe, at least you have a sense of humor." Jax said laughing.

"Jumping Jax, I would rather have my sense of humor and get rid of this sense altogether. My friend." Donna tried to sit up but she couldn't.

"Don't try. You need to rest." Adam said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Rest is what did it." and she covered her eyes and face with her hands."Why are they getting so strong. I hate this power!" Donna moaned.

"Maybe they are getting stronger because you have been using them a lot lately. What with the Foundation, Alex Tremayne, and then all of this. It is no wonder. Your telekinetic powers are increasing, why not your empathic precognitive ability. All muscles get stronger the more they are flexed."

When the frightened psionic uncovered her face both of her eyes were filled with tears. Adam squeezed her shoulder and with a look at the others indicated that they should give them a moment. They all left but Blair who stayed by her side. "You can stay of course. Donna," he pulled up a wheeled stool, "why do you hate it?"

Donna looked down at her hands and was still upset and she started to cry. Blair said to her, "Donna honey, tell Adam. He can help you. You know he can."

She looks up at her leader and still silently sobbing says, "It was the first power that came out and when it came out something really bad happened to me."

Adam understood fully what she was talking about. "When those guys attacked you?"

Donna looked stunned, she thought that she erased all of that from every computer she could get her hands on so to speak. Telecyberly that is. "How do you know about that?" she sniffled. Adam handed her a tissue.

"Mac told me. I wanted to find a way to get you to join us here permanently with Mutant X so I asked him how and he said that you would never leave your job in Cascade and then told me why."

"I had a bad feeling that whole day and didn't know why. And then that happened and after that I understood why. I mean my telekinesis made me realize that."

Blair added, "She has gotten stronger since I met her."

"Adam, I have a really bad feeling about something and I don't know what it is. Stronger than anything I have ever felt. I wish that I could just have a vision and get it over with. Please help me!" Donna cried again softly this time.

"I'll do everything I can. I promise you" Adam said to his young friend. "In the meantime I am going to give you something to help you relax. Your feelings are getting stronger. The only problem is that they are growing faster than you can keep up with them. You really need to get some rest. Go get ready for bed and in about thirty minutes I will come and check on you." Blair and Adam escorted Donna out of the lab and Blair led her to her room and left her there to get ready.

"How's she doing Chief?" asked Jim.

"Yeah, is she going to be okay?" Sam also asked.

"She's having a rough time with these hits that she is having and I don't know if she can take much more of it. They are growing stronger and stronger. Man, I wish I could help her.

"Well, Indy, Donna's got all of us to give her support. Isn't that right Dad?" Sam said giving his brother a big pat on the back.

"She's already family to us so of course we will be there for her." Mac said to his eldest son.

"And she's got me too. I've always liked her Indiana Jones." Cory said using the full nickname that Sam had given Blair a few years ago.

Blair said to his younger brother and former photojournalist, "Thanks Jimmy Olsen, Cory, Dad. That means a lot to me. And I think that it would mean a lot to Donna. I'll be sure to to tell her that tomorrow."

Sanctuary, Donna's Room:

Adam knocks on the door. Donna opens it with her telekinesis. She is sitting on her bed with a pair of old biker shorts on and a big T-shirt. "Hey, GryphonLady. Are you feeling any better."

"Not really. I keep having that feeling. I wish I had Lux's visions so that I knew what was going to happen. This is killing me not knowing."

"Get in there and cover up. There you go. Now this will put you to sleep almost instantly." Adam said holding up the syringe. "Tomorrow I will get Emma to help you in controlling your ability a little better."

"Thanks, Adam." Donna said

"Your welcome sweetheart. Goodnight." Adam said smiling down at Donna.

"Goodnight." She said. And he gave the sedative to Donna and she was out. He gave her a peck on the forehead just like a proud father would his child and left the room. He met the Cascade Group outside of the door.

"She's going to be okay. She just needs a little rest. I gave her the sedative and that should help." Adam then walks back to his office.

Angela walks up to the anthropologist and his Sentinel and family and says, "Don't worry, GryphonLady will make it through this. She's tough."