"Jesse looked bad this time," Brennan offered, one light hand on the steering wheel of the red Miata, guiding it down the open highway at a speed that would earn him a ticket in nothing flat if he were caught. "That spinal tap stuff is a real killer."
Shalimar agreed, her blonde hair blowing in the breeze of the open window. "Which is why you and I get the pleasure of driving up here with the serum." She jerked her thumb at the cooler in the back seat that kept the precious liquid cool and fresh. "Emma said that Adam intends to put some kind of a patch over the hole in Jesse's spinal cord, and that should fix the head-aches." She shook her head, and the ringlets bounced. "I hope so."
"And I hope that they've gotten it right this time. Putting Jesse through this kind of torture every month is not my idea of a permanent solution, even if it does help a fellow mutant. It's not Jesse's fault that Benji came out wrong."
"Yes, but you know our little Jesse: thinks the world ought to be fair, and willing to do what it takes to make it that way."
Brennan shot her an annoyed look. "Someone needs to protect him from himself."
"And that's what we're doing right now. Solve this problem, and Dr. Sutter won't be asking for any more samples."
"Why do I think it's never that easy?" Brennan indicated the maps. "Are we close to the turn off?"
"Right up ahead. Dr. Sutter said she lived on an old farm. Makes a great cover, she said, so that Genomex won't find her and Benji. There it is; turn left."
It was indeed an old farm that Dr. Sutter had acquired. The house was an old-fashioned two-story clapboard structure with some of the shingles falling off the roof. There was a barn, part of which was sectioned off to protect her car from the elements, but the rest sheltered a flock of chickens and a single cow. The cow lifted its head disinterestedly from munching grass in the pasture to mark their arrival. Brennan pulled in beside the barn. The Miata looked out of place next to the older building.
Benji came bounding out. "Hi, Brennan! Hi, Shalimar! Mommy said you'd be here soon!"
It was a pitiful sight. Brennan contrasted this child-man to the well-spoken adult who had left Sanctuary just one short month ago. Ben—not Benji—had been calm, polite, able to conduct conversations on several levels, and had both Shalimar and Emma drooling over him within a day or two of receiving the intelligence serum. This Benji looked up at the two New Mutants with a puppy-dog pleasure in his eyes at seeing the two grown-ups that he had had fun with a month previous. A good trick, making them feel looked up to, since Benji was still just shy of seven feet tall. But then, Benji had had lots of practice. Twenty years, to be exact.
Shalimar recovered first. "Where's your mommy?" she asked, taking Benji at his current level of abilities. "Is she inside?"
"Yup," Benji told her. "Can I hold your hand?" There was innocence in the request. Benji clearly was looking for adult guidance. But Brennan was uneasy. Maybe Benji had the mind of a four year old, but his body was that of a well-developed adult male, with all that entailed. Brennan almost resolved to keep an eye on his team mate, then stopped himself. If anyone could take care of herself, it was Shalimar.
Dr. Sutter came out, welcome on her face. "You have the serum?"
Well, almost welcome. Her eagerness overshadowed everything else. Brennan lifted the cooler out of the Miata and handed it over.
Dr. Sutter wasted no time. "I've got to move with this. You can sit for a bit in the kitchen, or head back to Adam; it's up to you. Joe, the man who looks after the farm for me, will take care of you. Come with me, Benji." She dashed into the house and hurried through the kitchen, her son in tow, leaving the pair behind.
Shalimar looked at Brennan. "Not even a thank you?"