Chapter Five—Doubts
Brennan progressed carefully along the edge of the woods, not wanting to be seen. Through the trees, he could see cars coming and going, transporting material. The only way to get past the building's security was to get in through one of those cars. But how? He didn't have the answer yet, but knew it was the only way. As he walked, he remembered his conversation with Shalimar. Despite it all, he was sure that she was not far behind him. She was still Shalimar after all. She had protected him so many times, and had saved him more than once, ready to sacrifice her own life even. He couldn't believe that she wouldn't watch his back anymore. He couldn't think of what life would be like at Sanctuary without her.
He stopped walking, ducking behind a tree and waiting as another jeep came down the road. His jaw clenched in resolution. He should not have gotten upset with Shalimar. If her fears were justified, and his own life was in danger, he could deal with that. But he couldn't handle it if anything were to happen to Shalimar. He would never be able to forgive himself.
It was too late to go back now. He narrowed his eyes as another engine approached. For now, he had to concentrate on the mission. Stealing one of those vehicles would not be easy; he would only have one shot. Car lights lit up part of the road and the noise grew louder; he was getting closer. He noticed that the cars travelled in groups of four. He hid as three more jeeps passed by, then crawled to the side of the road. As the fourth jeep passed, he jumped onto the back of the vehicle, hoping that no one would notice him. He half-landed on the roof, gripping the roll-bar as his legs dangled over the edge. The jeep was driving fast, and he struggled to stay on. His fingers slipped on the roll-bar as it began to bend. The muscles of his arms corded and bulged as he fought to hold on. Slowly, he inched his way up the roof of the jeep, tangling his fingers in the canvas roof. Finally, he got his body over the bar and slid through the open side into the backseat, holding his breath as the jeep kept going. As they neared the building, he saw the place where he had been hiding with Shalimar. He desperately searched the trees, but couldn't see her.
Eventually the jeep slowed, and then stopped. He squared his shoulders, knowing that he would have to pretend like he belonged and hoping that no one would notice him. He slid out of the jeep and picked up one of the cases, walking into the building with a lowered head. A lot of people were around him, but no one paid him any attention. Feeling more confident, he raised his head, continuing the charade. His eyes studied the men and women around him. They were all working on definite tasks. Some carried the cases, others unpacked them, and still others carefully laid out the contents.
Brennan took a deep breath and headed for a side stairwell, freezing when a voice called after him.
"Hey you!"
He cringed, then turned around, forcing a nonchalant expression. "Me?"
A man approached him. "Are you new here? I've never seen you before."
Brennan nodded, "Yeah, you could say that."
"Where are you going?" The man's voice was rough.
He thought quickly. "I have to go down to the basement."
The man looked thoughtful. "Morgan called for you?"
Brennan hesitated, unsure how to answer. "Yeah, he's, ah, he's waiting for me. It's urgent."
The man nodded, satisfied, and handed him a small, heavy box.
"Ok," Brennan turned around again. "I'll bring this to him right away." He held his breath, walking to the stairs, but no one else stopped him. He pretended he knew where he was going and kept walking. When he was alone, he stopped, bracing his back against a wall. He was nervous, coming here alone was foolish. He had no idea what these men were capable of or what their mutants were.
He blew out a heavy breath, trying to stay focused. He pried the box open and looked inside, not recognizing the object. It looked like some kind of electronic piece, covered with a strange, unknown material. It looked unimportant and gave no hint as to its intended purpose. He would have to try to learn more about it from this Morgan guy.
He pushed himself off the wall, starting back down the stairs. A large jolt suddenly shook the building, followed by a massive bang. It only lasted a few seconds. The lights flickered and went out. For a moment, it was pitch dark, then the lights slowly turned back on, one by one. Brennan looked nervously around him, but no one else showed concern, continuing about their business. He shook his head and continued on his way. He reached the bottom of the stairs and fingered a large fire-door. He hoped he was doing the right thing here. He was alone, without backup. He pushed the door open and walked through. He was in an enormous lab. Already, someone was walking toward him, a menacing look on his face and some kind of energy dancing on the tips of his fingers.