Chapter Two: The Discovery

In the Helix

(Jesse and Lexa manage to convince the three teens to come back with them to Sanctuary.)

"So…who are you?" Jesse ventures, "It would be good if we knew your names and mutant abilities."

After a few minutes in silence Alyssa sighs and says, "My name is Alyssa, but you can call me Allie."

"Full names please." Lexa says bluntly.

"Alyssa Valentine." Glares at Lexa, "As for my mutant abilities," Looks at the other two teens, "it's really nothing special." She ends abruptly.

"That's it!" Lexa looks suspiciously, "nothin' special?"

"Well…I'm a telekinetic and intangible." Glares at Lexa and Jesse as if challenging them to say she's wrong.

Instead Jesse asks another question, " How old are you?"

Reluctantly Alyssa says, "Sixteen."

Moving on, Jesse turns to the feral and asks her some questions, "So tell us about you."

My name is Cassidy Connors and I'm a Reptus feral and I am also sixteen." She gives Jesse and Lexa and hard untrusting look. "Anything else?" She adds sarcastically.

Lexa sighs in exasperation and turns to Jesse, "Okay, the reptus feral explains the green eye thing." Lexa tells Jesse then turns to the boy and asks, "What about you?"

"Well, I'm a telecyber and I am fifteen." Looks around then says, "Right…my name is Ian Roberts…so you guys are really mutant x?" Before Jesse or Lexa can respond Ian goes on. "This is so cool! Do you know how long we've been trying to contact you, somehow? I mean Allie over here has a-"

"-FRIEND," Alyssa says cutting Ian off, "in the mutant underground." Obviously covering something up. She glares at Ian shutting him up.

(The three teens sit in silence and Lexa and Jesse exchange a confused glance.)

In Sanctuary

(Brennan and Shalimar are making out.)

Shalimar stops and her eyes go yellow-green and using her feral hearing. "They're home."

"So much for alone time." Brennan mutters as the group comes into the living room.

Jesse and Lexa lead the teen new mutants into the living room to be greeted by a surprised and obviously in the middle of something Shalimar and Brennan. Jesse does introductions, "This is Shalimar Fox," Jesse gestures at Shal, "And this is Brennan Mulwray." Jesse looks at Brennan who is look at him as if has lost his mind.

"Jesse, can I talk to you in the lab for a minute." Brennan says, leaving a delighted Shalimar and weary Lexa to show the teens around sanctuary.

In the Lab

"Jesse, man, I know you have a thing for rescuing kids and damsels in distress, but bringing three new mutants back to sanctuary. We don't even know how powerful they are." Brennan concludes.

"They're harmless… I'm sure of it. They are just three scared kids who our need help. Don't you remember what it was like to first get your mutant abilities?" Jesse asks.

"Yay, I was scared shitless that I would electrocute myself or someone I cared about." Brennan recalls.

"And that was before the GSA was tracking down new mutants and creating terror and fear in every mutant out there." Jesse pauses for a moment then continues, "See, now we can help them, although I think you're right about keeping an eye on one of the girls, Alyssa. She isn't telling us something and I don't have a good feeling about it."

In The Living Room

"This place is so cool. Wow, I would have never imagined living in a mountain-"

"-Ya, living in a cave is so great." Lexa interrupts a greatly excited Ian.

Shalimar gives Lexa a warning look and Ian continues on. "Are those, those new computers I've been hearing about? They cost upward of ten thousand dollars. Whew!" Takes a quick breathe and is off again much to everyone dismay. "Wow, is that a simulation center for training of something?" Then without waiting for an answer continues, "Is that-"

Ian, you can shut-up now, I think they get the picture of how much this place rocks." Alyssa says snappily.

Just then Brennan and Jesse walk in. Jesse throws his hands up, "Everything okay in here?" He looks at Shalimar who nods and Lexa who says, "I'm gonna go get a drink of water."

Lexa leaves the room muttering something under her breath about never having kids. Jesse chuckles and turns to the group and asks, "So anyone hungry?"

Shalimar and Brennan say, "yes!" and race each other to be the first to get the menus.

The three teens stare at Jesse in silence. "Aren't any of you hungry? I mean when is the last time any of you had a decent meal?" Jesse asks.

Cassidy pipes up when the other two say silent. "A while I guess, but we do perfectly fine on our own." She adds indignantly.

"We are fine! We don't need anyone's help!" Alyssa adds angrily, pouting and walks off alone.

"Is she always like that?" Jesse asks concerned.

"She always gets like that when she's scared or hurting. Besides she hasn't been getting much sleep. It's especially difficult for her..." Ian looks at Cassidy uncertain of whether to go on. When he does he doesn't look Jesse in the eye. "She's having a hard time handling her abilities." And for once Ian is quiet.

Just then Lexa walks in and asks, "So what's for dinner?"

After Dinner In The Kitchen

(Jesse is helping Lexa put away the left over pizza. He stops and looks at her for a second.)

"What, Jess?" Lexa catches him. "Do I have something in my teeth…why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"I was just thinking of what you must have been like when you were their age." Jesse responds.

"Ya, I was a brat." Lexa says bluntly.

"No, I think you were probably a sweet and innocent and scared, just like Alyssa is now." Jesse ponders a moment. "She's a lot like you… covering up her fear with anger."

"Gosh, Jesse I don't know what to say." Lexa replies sarcastically.

"I see though your 'tough girl' attitude you scare everyone off with. Underneath is a smart, funny, beautiful woman." Jesse says to her, looking her in the eye caringly.

"Why… thank you Jess," then abruptly says, "We better make sleeping arrangements. It's getting late." Lexa leaves quickly avoiding anymore of Jesse's sweetness. Jesse follows shaking his head.

In The Living room

"Well, I think it's time to get you kids off to bed." Brennan says a little too cheerfully.

"We're not kids." Alyssa says fiercely.

"Chill, will you. I was just saying bedtime, alright?"

"Fine," Alyssa says reluctantly, then, "I am kinda tired."

"No doubt," Shalimar adds giving the three teens a caring look, "You've had a very eventful day."

"Too bad it doesn't end now," Alyssa whispers to herself.

(Shalimar's feral hearing picks it up but she ignores it since Jesse and Lexa enter the room.)

"Now the trick is where to put you all. The guest rooms aren't finished, so…" Lexa says then having the answer goes on, "One of you can sleep on the couch out here… it pulls out into a bed. And one of you on the couch in Shalimar's room and someone on the one in my room." Lexa finishes looking satisfied.

"We'll I guess it's settled, I'll grab some blankets." Brennan says quickly escaping the room.

"I get the couch then since the other two choices are in Shalimar's and Lexa's rooms." Ian say sitting down on the couch.

A timid voice speaks up, "Shalimar, can…can I stay in your room?" Cassidy asks nervously eyeing Shal.

"Of course you can." Shalimar smiles and adds. "Now lets go tackle those sheets." Cassidy smiles back relaxing slightly for the first time that day. Shalimar and Cassidy leave to go to her room.

Brennan returns with the sheets and helps set up. "Ian, you all set up, man." Brennan asks Ian who answers, "Yes."

"So cool, sleeping in a mountain." Ian sighs and is out like a light the second his head the pillow.

"That guy is sure something." Bren whispers to Jesse then leaves to go to his room.

"Well, it's just you two left. Have a nice night." Jesse says and yawns, then looks at Lexa and Alyssa, "Be good girls." And walks down the hall to his room.

"Night Jess," Lexa calls after him. "Guess it's just you and me, huh, Allie." Lexa says looking at Alyssa caringly but cautiously. "You're with me than, so come on I'll show you where my room is and we can get you set up." Alyssa nods sleepily and stifles a yawn all the while never talking her eyes off of Lexa.

Lexa's Room

"Are you a deep sleeper?" Alyssa asks suddenly. Nervously twirling a strand of sandy brown hair.

"Not really." Lexa looks at Alyssa suspiciously, "Why?"

"Well, sometimes…um…well," Alyssa looks at Lexa uncertainly. "…Um, never mind, it's nothing really."

"Okay, but if there is anything I should know about, you can tell me." Winks at Alyssa, " I only look like I'll bite."

Alyssa smiles slightly and curls up onto the couch having already changed into her nightclothes. Sighs, "It's nothing to worry about."

Lexa looks at the young mutant sleeping on the couch in her room and realizes that Jesse was right. "She's so much like me, I wish I could help…I feel her pain." Lexa whispers to herself before falling to sleep herself.

Shalimar's Room (11:45pm)

"So can you leap tall buildings in a single bound?" Cassidy asks giggling.

"You know, I'm not superwoman, but I can jump pretty high." Shalimar says smiling at the inquisitive young women sitting beside her. "I can also sense people and hear and smell things non-ferals can't. The infor red vision is really good for spotting Lex when she's invisible.

"Cool!" Cassidy says wonderingly.

"Tell me what you do exactly." Shal asks.

"I can climb walls, I just stick to them like I have super glue on the palms of my hands." Looks around thinking. "It's pretty neat." Cassidy turns her eyes the eerie green and Shalimar responds by turning her eyes the yellow-green color. They both crack up laughing.

"Time to go to bed." Shalimar says smiling, "Night Cass."

"Night Shal." They both drift off to sleep.

(All of mutant x and its three guests are sleeping for several hours; peaceful, blissful, uninterrupted sleep. This is new for the three new mutants who slept practically in shifts, fearing for their lives, in cold abandoned safehouse.)

Lexa's Room (3:30am)

Lexa wakes up with a start, an eerie light is radiating from where Alyssa sleeps. "What the hell's going on?" Lexa asks, but there is no response, just a whimper coming from Alyssa. The eerie light gets brighter and Lexa leaps from her bed. "Alyssa, wake up and tell me what's going on." Lexa say while moving towards her.

Lexa reaches out to touch Alyssa and a shockingly powerful energy field expands throwing Lexa to the ground across the room. Suddenly the room is in a furry of motion, as powerful winds seemingly out of nowhere throw objects around like paperweights. Then as suddenly as it started it stops, leaving Lexa in the middle of what looked like a tornado disaster zone.

Talking into her com-link ring Lexa calls for Jesse. "Jess, Jess," Waits for a second, "Jesse, wake up!"

"Wha-" Jesse begins only to be cut off by Lexa.

"I need your help NOW!"

"Okay, jeesh, I'll be there… just give me a sec." Jesse mumbles sleepily.

Alyssa wakes up and looks around in dismay, then starts to cry silently. "I'm sorry, so s-s-sorry." She says whimpering.

Lexa walks over to Alyssa and puts her arm around her. "Hey, it's alright, this place was full of junk anyways," Looks around, "but you are going to help me redecorate."

Jesse walks in and stubs his toe on a mangled chair. "What?"

"Yes, Jesse I was about to ask Alyssa here the same question." Lexa turns to Alyssa, "Now tell me what you were going to tell me before…earlier." Lexa smiles encouragingly.

Alyssa looks at Jesse then Lexa and sighs, through her tears she says, "Um… I'm a geological mutant; as well as a telekinetic and intangible." Looks at them uncertainly. " I can't control it either."

Lexa and Jesse exchange looks. Geologicals were very rare and even more deadly if there abilities weren't controlled. The mutant the dominion was looking for sat in Lexa's room in sanctuary at that very moment.