Pre - Mutant X
by PsiGen
Summary
A pivotal day in the lives of the Mutant X characters before they ever heard of Mutant X.
Emma
"...And I know you don't usually do refunds... I would've brought it back yesterday except I had to pick up my daughter – I have worn it or anything.. miss? Are you listening to me? Miss!"
Emma Delauro snapped back to the present with a start – seeing the irate customer for the first time since she had returned to the clothes store that morning.
Resisting the urge to scream, Emma took a deep breath, remaining calm and plastered a smile on her face.
"We don't do refunds – ummm perhaps an exchange?" She suggested politely, bored to tears already by the customer's obvious stupidity plus the fact that she knew exactly what this customer was trying to pull.
Having bought the item, she had more than likely worn it to a function, repacked it and was trying to return it and get her money back, having no absolutely no intention of wearing the garment ever again and thus ripping the store off. A cunning plan – credible even – if you could get a gullible or easily intimidated store clerk – preferably trainee.
The woman tried again, oblivious to Emma's knowing expression.
"No, I would not like to exchange it. I want a refund." She repeated, tossing her blonde hair (obvious dye job, thought Emma), in annoyance.
"count to ten...."
Thought Emma to herself. Aloud she simply repeated that they didn't do refunds, adding an apology onto the end, in an effort to placate the customer and hopefully get her to take the hint that Emma wasn't going to be a pushover.
The woman didn't get the hint, or the message or the apology. Instead she got angry.
"Excuse me but who do you think you are talking to! Haven't you ever heard that the customer is always right!"
Having decided that the polite approach wasn't working, the woman had changed tack – trying to intimidate Emma into giving the refund instead.
"The manager – "Emma started to say, but was cut off by the customer's continuing tirade.
"I am not waiting around all day for some manager, now you will give me my goddamn refund this second – "
"Quit yelling at me!" Yelled Emma right back, getting angry herself now.
"Don't you dare speak to me – "
"I will speak to you any damn way I please. You need to be quiet and listen for a change!"
And that's when Emma really lost her temper.
Concentrating, she formed the mental image – anger lending focus – and sent it to the woman getting in her face over a stupid dress.
The effect was startling and immediate.
The customer staggered back, hands going to her mouth in abject terror, panic stricken as she realized she couldn't speak – no she didn't have a mouth to speak with!
Forgetting to breathe through her nose, she tripped back and over the nearest coat rail landing on her back – still trying to breathe through her non-existent mouth, eyes bulging.
As quickly as it had started, it was over.
Instantly sorry for her actions, Emma tried to help the woman – seeing she had regained her speech and begun to cry.
"No! GET AWAY! You.. you assaulted me! Get Back! HELP!" Wailed the woman, pitch rising with each exclamation – distress obvious.
And then the bad situation got even worse.
"Emma what the hell is going on!" Anna Richards, the manageress – and Emma's boss – came running into the store, having returned from her two hour lunch break to find what could only be described as Armageddon going on in her store.
"She assaulted me! I want the police! I I... I want my refund!" Screamed the blonde customer from the floor.
"What! Emma is this true? Did you assault this customer? Emma?" Demanded Mrs Richardson, helping the woman to a nearby seat.
"No! I mean... I .. I didn't... I never touched ... - "Stammered Emma, unable to explain what she had actually done. How could she? She didn't even know!
"I'm sorry Emma – but this is totally unacceptable. You're fired." Said her employer, not even looking at the shaking girl.
"No I'm not because I QUIT!" And Emma grabbed her bag and coat and all but ran out of the store, wanting to be gone before the two decided to call the police on her.
Accidentally or not – Emma had assaulted the woman.
It was getting late when Emma finally turned up at the club Kattra Quo, dressed in her striped top, mini skirt and red boots.
After her terrible morning, being fired from the store she had decided to cheer herself up with a night out – maybe see if she could find her friend Michelle who sometimes hung out at the Kattra.
But Michelle wasn't around tonight it appeared, so Emma had a couple of drinks, and danced with some guys – then retired to the bar to listen to the beat of the music and watch other dancers.
"Hello there! Buy you a drink?" A blonde haired young man dressed in a suit sidled up to the bar beside Emma smiling and sizing her up at the same time.
"Umm.. not tonight – I'm waiting for someone." Lied Emma. Something told her this guy didn't want to buy her a drink. He was dangerous to her.
"Awww... come on. Where's the harm Emma?" Sleezed the guy.
"How did you know my name? I never told you." Emma said, backing away from the bar and Sleezeball.
"Oops. Oh well, so much for the softly softly." He grabbed for her wrist, but Emma slapped his hand away and he fell sideways – caught of balance – and tumbled to the floor.
Emma took off, running though the club, pushing people out of her way. By the exit she paused to get her bearings, her gaze fell on a dark haired guy whose aura screamed safety to her.
Trying to calm down enough, she formed the mental image and sent it out – her equivalent of a cry for help. He looked disorientated and stared at her for a minute, as if he had received her plea and was going to answer it, but Emma was all out of time.
Sleezeball was coming back with some of his friends, all dressed identically – all with menacing expressions on their faces. And all coming after her.
She had to get out of there, she had to escape... somewhere. Where would she go? Why were these guys chasing her? Had the customer sent police after all? Perhaps the woman had died later on as a result of Emma's mental intrusion?
Calm down Emma, she told herself. Calm down and RUN.
She ran up the stairs and into the night.... And into a strange new world she could never have dreamt existed.
That night... when Emma DeLauro found herself a new future.. and a new family.