At Genomex.... Gabriel stands over Mason Eckhart who is now held captive in one of his own stasis pods.

"I don't know how you are doing it, Eckhart; but I know you are still controlling some of your GSA agents. Of course, we found them; and took care of them too." Eckhart stares silently, almost emptily, up at Gabriel. "Let's see how you did all this." Gabriel uses his psionic abilities to probe Eckhart's mind. "I see. So you had this all planned out just in case something like this would ever happen. You must be a bit of a psychic yourself, Eckhart." He laughs, then grows serious. "If I were to escape and capture or dispose of you - which I have - agents were to find the one person.... or mutant, that might have a chance against me. Heh, little Catrina. Nice try."

"Catrina, Gabriel?" one of his followers, Melanie, a water elemental, asks. Gabriel turns to her and walks over, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Before your time here, dear Mel. She is able to absorb a new mutant's essence and a human's life with a touch of her skin against yours." He trails his hand down the bare skin of her arm. "If she actually decides to come back, I'm sure she'll only prove to be a small nuisance. We'll still inform the others. She's in Mutant X's possession now."

"Tell me about her, Adam." Adam glances up from his computer to look at Shalimar. "I don't look what she thinks of you."

"She resents me; hates me."

"That was obvious, Adam," Jesse comments, sitting down in a chair across from him.

"She has every right. I've carried the guilt of creating her for all of these years. I should have atleast warned her...."

"Did you even know she'd develop these abilities?" Jesse inquires. Adam shakes his head.

"She was an experiment. Anything could have happened."

"But what did happen?" Shalimar interrogates, leaning against the arm of Jesse's chair and crossing her arms. She watches Adam intently.

"She was almost thirteen when Eckhart decided we should let her out into the world to see how she'd react. We had no knowledge of her powers. No one had ever touched her bare skin with their own, besides some of the other subjects. We'd find them in a comatose state - as you were, Shalimar. We assumed that there were problems with our experimentations. We had sent Catrina to her parent's home. Her mother welcomed her with open arms, but as they hugged...."

"Oh, God," Shalimar breathes. Adam nods solemnly.

"Her father told her to leave and never come back. She had a younger brother also; luckily he didn't witness the death."

"So she ran away after that?" Jesse questions.

"No. She was in a catatonic state when we got to her. Eckhart had multiple tests done t discover her powers. She went through the next month as a shell of herself; until Gabriel began pestering her. He'd taunt her, play tricks on her, anything to get a reaction from her. He got a reaction, but I doubt it's what he wanted. She grabbed his bare skin and drew out his essence, while pushing her pain and hate inside of him. Ever since then, they've been enemies."

"Adam, how'd she get out of Genomex?" Shalimar asks. Adam looks at her.

"I was on duty the night she tried to escape and we had a power failure."

"Why did you let her leave?" Jesse queries.

"It was when I first realized that what we were doing was wrong. You're humans, not test subjects. And Eckhart and I are far from being God. We had as much control over you as you yourselves did.... none. We had no knowledge and all we did was create pain. She was in so much agony.... I didn't know what else to do, but to let her go."

"You should tell her, Adam. Maybe she'll forgive you," Shalimar states. Adam clasps his hands together and purses his lips.

"....Maybe."

Back at Genomex.... Melanie walks into the office that was formerly Eckhart's. She is accompanied by a tall, brown-haired young man.

"I have done as you requested, Gabriel." Gabriel glances up and grins.

"Zachary. I'm so glad you decided to come. You must have some questions about your past...." Zachary looks at him suspiciously.

"I do; but I don't see how you'd have the answers. Who are you?"

"Let's just say I'm an old friend of your family.... Did you know you had a sister?"

"Of course I knew. She died in a car accident with my mother...." Gabriel stifles a laugh unsuccessfully. "It was a mistake to come here." Zachary turns to leave, but Melanie blocks his way. Gabriel stands up .

"You've been lied to. Your sister is alive. She didn't die in a car accident and neither did your mother." Zachary turns to face him, attempting to stare him down. Gabriel motions to a seat. "If you want, I can show you exactly what happened." Zachary cautiously goes to the chair and sits down. Gabriel grins as he uses his psionic powers to allow Zachary to experience the past.