At Mutant X Sanctuary.... Adam inspects Shalimar, checking her vitals for signs of any damage or danger.

"How is she?" Jesse asks.

"She should be fine. She just needs to rest," Adam responds.

"What happened?" Brennan inquires, walking into the infirmary room.

"We saved this woman from the GSA. Shal went to see if she was alright. She touched her and then.... I don't know what happened. She seemed frozen and then she fainted. It was so strange. For a minute, I thought I saw Shal.... in the other woman," Jesse informs. Adam's brow furrowed in thought.

"I want you to go to the files and see if you can identify her," he instructed. Jesse nodded and walked out to the computers. He soon came back to the infirmary. Brennan and Emma sat beside Shalimar who was now awake, but still a little out of it. Adam looks over at Jesse.

"I found her; Catrina Valent. There wasn't any other information on her though, except for her birth date. Not even a clear picture; but she had the same dark brown, curly hair, dark eyes, and facial features. I'm almost positive that's her." Adam nods thoughtfully.

"I thought it might be her."

"So, what are her powers? Is she feral?" Jesse interrogates.

"No."

"She wasn't an elemental. Could a molecular have done this?" Shalimar questions.

"No."

"So she's a psionic then," Emma states.

"She's not any of those. She was one of our earliest.... experiments," Adam starts.

"Please don't tell us this is another Gabriel," Brennan interrupts.

"Let me finish. What she does is absorb the powers of new mutants; but only by physical contact. Not only does she inherit their powers, but their personalities, their memories, and their energy."

"Basically their whole essence."

"Yes, Emma. She ran away at a very young age. We never able to find her. If we could find her now, she'd probably be our best bet for defeating Gabriel," Adam conveys.

"What if she's on his side already? She did attack Shal," Brennan comments.

"We'd be in a lot of trouble. Though I doubt she'd join him. They never liked each other and their powers being complete opposites make them repel more so than attract," Adam explains.

"She stopped running. She's hiding," Shalimar speaks. They all turn to look at her, startled.

"How do you know?" Jesse inquires.

"I.... feel her. Like we have a connection."

"That's supposed to be my job," Emma comments.

"Can you locate her, Shalimar?" Adam asks.

"No, it's not that strong of a connection, only a few moments were we share.... essences I guess."

"See, Emma, we still need you," Brennan says. Emma rolls her eyes.

"I'm not sure if I can. I've never been in contact with her before. I need to feel her essence to know what to search for."

"And since Catrina's essence isn't lasting for long enough time periods within Shalimar, I doubt you could get a good enough reading," Adam adds.

"Try searching for Shal then. If Shalimar is still feeling her, then she must still have a good grasp on Shal's essence. Maybe you can reach her that way," Jesse suggests.

"That just might work. Now why didn't I think of that?" Adam wonders, smiling. Emma focuses and thrusts her powers outward to search for Shalimar.

"I'm only getting Shalimar here at the Sanctuary. I can't.... wait! I know where she is!"

Emma, Jesse, and Brennan search for Catrina's hideout in the Double Helix.

"Down there," Emma points out. They land on top of a building cloaking the Double Helix to blend in with the surroundings.

"Remember not to come in contact with her bare skin," Adam warns through the radio connection. They walk inside the building, down the stairs, to the bottom floor.

"This way.... Watch out!" Emma yells, turning around. Catrina jumps out of the shadows. Her eyes glow with Shalimar's powers.

"We didn't come to fight," Jesse assures her.

"But we will if we have to," Brennan adds, bringing one hand just above the other to show off his electrical powers.

"What do you want?" Catrina asks suspiciously.

"Just to talk. Come with us to Sanctuary. You'll be safe there," Emma says.

"I know Adam is the leader of your.... Mutant X. I want nothing to do with him."

"He's not who you think he is," Jesse speaks.

"You don't know what I think. Is he not the same man who made us who we are? The man who experimented on us, reducing us to mere test subjects."

"Can't you tell from Shalimar's thoughts that he's good.... we're good?" Brennan queries.

"She's blocking out those thoughts. She doesn't want to believe it."

"Stop reading me, Emma!" Catrina hisses.

"Try treating her like she's Shalimar," Jesse suggests quietly to his teammates.

"Cat, we don't you come back with us just for a little bit. You know we'll watch out for you and we won't hurt you," Brennan states.

"Just because she trusts you doesn't mean that I will."

"We need you to help us, Catrina. Gabriel's too strong. You're the only one that stands a chance at defeating him," Emma informs.

"What does Gabriel have to do with anything? I thought he was stabilized in a stasis pod."

"His groupies, The Strand, released him. He captured Eckhart and know he's after Adam and anyone who stands in his way," Jesse explains. Catrina smirks, but finally relaxes her fighting stance.

"Fine. I'll come back with you; but only to stop Gabriel."

Catrina is taken back to Sanctuary with contacts in her eyes that block her sight to the directions.

"Adam!" Jesse calls out. Adam comes out to the main room to greet them with Shalimar close behind him. She stops to keep a good distance between herself and Catrina.

"Catrina."

"Adam." She speaks blandly, but reveals an unfriendly expression on her face.

"It's good to see you are doing well," Adam comments.

"Who said I was doing well? My whole life has been hell, thanks to you!" Anger stirs within her and Shalimar watches her warily.

"I am sorry. I wish you'd believe that."

"Apologizing doesn't fix anything."

"I understand, but you have come to help us?" Adam inquires. Catrina nods, now wearing a blank expression she's perfected over the years.

"I really don't think she should be here. How do we know we can trust her? She could lead Gabriel right to us," Shalimar speaks.

"Then I would have done so already," Catrina responds.

"She must have absorbed the location from your memories," Emma states.

"Then why'd you let us blind you?" Jesse questions.

"I won't argue about trivial things. I want this over with as quickly as possible. You all came searching for me. I want nothing with you. I just want to be left alone. I'll help with whatever I can, then I'm gone."

"If that's what you really want; but perhaps you'll consider staying with us after this is all done and over with. Though we can discuss that at a later time. Shalimar, please show Catrina to her room," Adam requests. Shalimar reluctantly leads her down the hallway to a room. She is sure to keep the distance between them.

"Do you have to do that?" Catrina asks, standing in the doorway, but not turning to look at Shalimar.

"What?" Shalimar turns back to her before she had managed to make a quick escape.

"Act so afraid to come near me; as if I have a deathly contagious disease. I never did anything to you."

"Ha! What about absorbing my essence and stealing my powers?

"You touched me." Catrina turns slightly to glare at her.

"I guess that's true, but it's nothing I want to experience again. So just don't touch me," Shalimar states firmly, shuddering visibly. Catrina's countenance shows a quick flicker of sorrow. Shal experiences a flash of memory -

A bunch of children surround her. A few of the younger ones reach out to her, then jump back giggling in excitement at the game they created, similar to running towards the ocean then escaping just before the waves touch you. She hugs herself and looks at the bigger kids who circle her, but won't come to close. "You can't play with us!" "Stay away, freak!" "We don't want you here." "You don't belong here!" Dirt and stones are lifted and thrown at her. She covers her face and head with her arms, then turns to run. Some of the children gasp as they hurriedly move out of the way so she can get by without touching them. Fear and anger is evident on their faces and even on the faces of the parents pulling their children away to "safety."

"I'm sorry," Shalimar apologizes, stepping forward. Cara's protective shield is quickly put back up to hide her true emotions.

"I hate that part of my powers," Catrina mutters, referring to the sharing of essence which takes awhile to wear off. If she loses control for one second, her own essence can be imparted into another just as easily as their essence is imparted into herself.

"Maybe we could talk.... We did get off to a rough start. We could get to know each other better and not fear..."

"No! No. I just want to be alone. I don't want anyone here unless it's time to attack Gabriel." Catrina walks into the room and door slides shut behind her. Shalimar stares at the door for a moment.

"I know being alone is the last thing that you want."