This story is translated from a French fanfiction. Without the help of
Loveconquers and Viviana, I would never have succeeded in translating it.
Thank you again.
Disclaimer—see Chapter one A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews!
Chapter Two--Closer than ever
The hours flew by and before they knew it, it was nightfall and time to leave on their mission. During the flight, Shalimar reviewed the file that Lexa had given to her. Her smile slowly disappeared as she read and took in the information. Brennan glanced over at her from the pilot seat, noticing her worry.
"Shal," he prompted, "I hope you have some good news for us?"
Shalimar shook her head. "Well, you won't be smiling for much longer either when you read this file. If we thought the strand had given us a hard time before, than these guys won't be any easier."
"Shal," Brennan chided, "Tell me what's really got you so worried, or do you want me to put the helix on autopilot so I can see for myself?" His tone was still teasing, but it didn't make the beautiful feral smile; not this time.
Shalimar frowned, "Well, it would be easier if just crashed right now, at least then we wouldn't have to deal with this."
"Come on," Brennan asked again, "Tell me what's in that file that's got you so upset."
"Oh not much," She stated sarcastically, "It's just that, according to this file, the mutants that are in the building are already up to thirty or more. They've already succeeded in reaching the tenth floor of the complex and deactivated all the security alarms, and then they fried the circuit board with what appears to be pure energy." Her hand gestured into the air. "They'd have to be extremely powerful to do that, Brennan. They blew out the whole city. Plus, the labs that they robbed had no alarms or surveillance video, and the investigators couldn't find any evidence of a break-in except for a scrap of paper that hinted at some kind plan for a molecular accelerator." She snorted. "So not that big a deal. You know, when Lexa said she didn't know what kind of mutancy they had, she was lying. They have to have molecular, elemental electrical, elemental thermal, and feral. And they must be powerful. Not even you could blow up such a big generator. I couldn't even get further than the fifth floor with the security system the building had. You still think I have nothing to worry about?"
Brennan had listened to Shalimar rant without moving. He was struck by everything she had told him. Was this going to be a death mission for them or were they just crazy taking this on, he wondered. There was no way such an organized group would let them get close.
"Ok," he finally spoke, "I admit you're right."
Shalimar smiled briefly. "You're just trying to make me feel better. But what really worries me is their name."
"What is it?"
Shalimar raised her eyebrows, "G.A.P.0."
"Let me guess what you're thinking, Gabriel Ashlocke."
Shalimar nodded, "You have to admit that it's a strange coincidence. Gabriel Ashlocke, Patient Zero. It makes sense, don't you think?"
"Listen, Shal," Brennan rationalized, "I know this guy put you through hell, and I'm sorry. But he's dead, you know?"
Shalimar's eyes flashed. "Oh thanks, Brennan. I know that he's dead, but I'm thinking that one of his followers must have brought the members of this group together. And they have something planned, who knows what with everything they've stolen so far."
The helix finally arrived at their destination. As a precautionary measure, they landed over a kilometer away. It was better for them to take all possible precautions in order to keep their cover; they didn't want to have a confrontation with the group already. As they left the helix, Brennan again saw a flash of worry in Shalimar's eyes. He grasped her hand gently and looked her directly in the eyes.
"Shal, what are you not telling me? There is something more bothering you."
"It's nothing," she shrugged, "We should get going."
Brennan stood firm. "We are not leaving until you tell me."
"It's nothing," she insisted, "It's just a feeling. Now let's go."
Brennan didn't back down. "No, we are not leaving, not when you are so upset. Now tell me."
Looking into his warm eyes, Shalimar knew she couldn't resist him. She shook her head. "I don't know how to explain this."
"Try."
She took a deep breath. "Ever since we left I've had this feeling of fear and pain, a feeling of death. I don't know why or how, but I'm afraid. If you ever—if something ever happened to you..."
Despair and panic was strong in her eyes. Brennan knew her instincts were always reliable. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't want to downplay the seriousness of the situation either. He slipped one hand under her hair and cupped the base of her neck, pulling her close to him, whispering fiercely in her ear. "I promise, neither one of us is going to die tonight. Do you understand me?"
They were so close together, they could hear each other breathe. Shalimar pulled slightly away, meeting Brennan's gaze, fear still shining in her eyes. Brennan stared at her. She had been through so much the past few years. Richard, Adam, Emma. She had never shown it, but he knew she was brokenhearted and suffered in silence. With so much loss, she had a deep emptiness inside of her. She could handle anything, except another major loss. He didn't know if she could survive another broken heart. He touched her face and lightly leaned in, kissing her, comforting her. He wanted her to know that he was there for her. It was a tender kiss, but both knew it was not the appropriate time to reveal their feelings, so reluctantly, they broke apart. Their eyes met and neither one was embarrassed. Instead, they were disappointed they wouldn't be able to finish what they finally had the courage to do.
Finally, Shalimar spoke. "We should probably get going."
Brennan nodded, "Yeah, let's go." He let her pass by him and followed after her, keeping his hand on her shoulder. Once outside, they were hit with a rush of cold night air, so they grabbed their jackets and slipped them on. They had a long walk ahead of them yet.
...TBC
Disclaimer—see Chapter one A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews!
Chapter Two--Closer than ever
The hours flew by and before they knew it, it was nightfall and time to leave on their mission. During the flight, Shalimar reviewed the file that Lexa had given to her. Her smile slowly disappeared as she read and took in the information. Brennan glanced over at her from the pilot seat, noticing her worry.
"Shal," he prompted, "I hope you have some good news for us?"
Shalimar shook her head. "Well, you won't be smiling for much longer either when you read this file. If we thought the strand had given us a hard time before, than these guys won't be any easier."
"Shal," Brennan chided, "Tell me what's really got you so worried, or do you want me to put the helix on autopilot so I can see for myself?" His tone was still teasing, but it didn't make the beautiful feral smile; not this time.
Shalimar frowned, "Well, it would be easier if just crashed right now, at least then we wouldn't have to deal with this."
"Come on," Brennan asked again, "Tell me what's in that file that's got you so upset."
"Oh not much," She stated sarcastically, "It's just that, according to this file, the mutants that are in the building are already up to thirty or more. They've already succeeded in reaching the tenth floor of the complex and deactivated all the security alarms, and then they fried the circuit board with what appears to be pure energy." Her hand gestured into the air. "They'd have to be extremely powerful to do that, Brennan. They blew out the whole city. Plus, the labs that they robbed had no alarms or surveillance video, and the investigators couldn't find any evidence of a break-in except for a scrap of paper that hinted at some kind plan for a molecular accelerator." She snorted. "So not that big a deal. You know, when Lexa said she didn't know what kind of mutancy they had, she was lying. They have to have molecular, elemental electrical, elemental thermal, and feral. And they must be powerful. Not even you could blow up such a big generator. I couldn't even get further than the fifth floor with the security system the building had. You still think I have nothing to worry about?"
Brennan had listened to Shalimar rant without moving. He was struck by everything she had told him. Was this going to be a death mission for them or were they just crazy taking this on, he wondered. There was no way such an organized group would let them get close.
"Ok," he finally spoke, "I admit you're right."
Shalimar smiled briefly. "You're just trying to make me feel better. But what really worries me is their name."
"What is it?"
Shalimar raised her eyebrows, "G.A.P.0."
"Let me guess what you're thinking, Gabriel Ashlocke."
Shalimar nodded, "You have to admit that it's a strange coincidence. Gabriel Ashlocke, Patient Zero. It makes sense, don't you think?"
"Listen, Shal," Brennan rationalized, "I know this guy put you through hell, and I'm sorry. But he's dead, you know?"
Shalimar's eyes flashed. "Oh thanks, Brennan. I know that he's dead, but I'm thinking that one of his followers must have brought the members of this group together. And they have something planned, who knows what with everything they've stolen so far."
The helix finally arrived at their destination. As a precautionary measure, they landed over a kilometer away. It was better for them to take all possible precautions in order to keep their cover; they didn't want to have a confrontation with the group already. As they left the helix, Brennan again saw a flash of worry in Shalimar's eyes. He grasped her hand gently and looked her directly in the eyes.
"Shal, what are you not telling me? There is something more bothering you."
"It's nothing," she shrugged, "We should get going."
Brennan stood firm. "We are not leaving until you tell me."
"It's nothing," she insisted, "It's just a feeling. Now let's go."
Brennan didn't back down. "No, we are not leaving, not when you are so upset. Now tell me."
Looking into his warm eyes, Shalimar knew she couldn't resist him. She shook her head. "I don't know how to explain this."
"Try."
She took a deep breath. "Ever since we left I've had this feeling of fear and pain, a feeling of death. I don't know why or how, but I'm afraid. If you ever—if something ever happened to you..."
Despair and panic was strong in her eyes. Brennan knew her instincts were always reliable. He wanted to comfort her, but he didn't want to downplay the seriousness of the situation either. He slipped one hand under her hair and cupped the base of her neck, pulling her close to him, whispering fiercely in her ear. "I promise, neither one of us is going to die tonight. Do you understand me?"
They were so close together, they could hear each other breathe. Shalimar pulled slightly away, meeting Brennan's gaze, fear still shining in her eyes. Brennan stared at her. She had been through so much the past few years. Richard, Adam, Emma. She had never shown it, but he knew she was brokenhearted and suffered in silence. With so much loss, she had a deep emptiness inside of her. She could handle anything, except another major loss. He didn't know if she could survive another broken heart. He touched her face and lightly leaned in, kissing her, comforting her. He wanted her to know that he was there for her. It was a tender kiss, but both knew it was not the appropriate time to reveal their feelings, so reluctantly, they broke apart. Their eyes met and neither one was embarrassed. Instead, they were disappointed they wouldn't be able to finish what they finally had the courage to do.
Finally, Shalimar spoke. "We should probably get going."
Brennan nodded, "Yeah, let's go." He let her pass by him and followed after her, keeping his hand on her shoulder. Once outside, they were hit with a rush of cold night air, so they grabbed their jackets and slipped them on. They had a long walk ahead of them yet.
...TBC