Again I felt that I was in that same icy cold dark cave but this time it was worse. I couldn't see any beautiful images but only saw terrible images and painful memories. It was so bad there that I couldn't even focus on my powers. I felt like I had drifted away to some faraway place.

I felt all alone and frightened. I couldn't see anything but darkness. It seemed that the darkness went on and on forever in every direction. I wasn't sure if this was reality or a terrible nightmare. A nightmare that I couldn't seem to wake up from it. I felt like everything that I cared for was gone. I felt all kinds of emotions and none of them was good. There was sadness, loneliness, despair, anguish, hopelessness, misery and above all, pain. Pain was everywhere and I felt empty.

I tried to fight this feeling and it just didn't work. I fought with all my strength but it wasn't enough. And just when I had lost all hope, I heard something. I tried to find it but it was gone again. Just when I was about to give up again, I heard her speak once more.

"Fight it, Sam."

"I can't, it's too powerful."

"Don't give in."

"It is too much, I can't take anymore."

"But you have to fight it. You have what it takes."

"Then tell me how."

"That you will have to figure out on your own. Remember you are not alone."

Then the voice left and again I was alone. I started to feel the darkness returning. Somehow I regained some hope and thought about what the voice had said. I told myself that I had it in me but wondered about what I had to do.

I couldn't think of anything, but thought about the second thing that she said. She said that I was not alone. But I am, I thought. I didn't see anyone. I thought about Adam, Alex, Emma and my friends who were waiting for me.

I wondered what they were doing right now. I wondered how their lives would be without me. I knew I would never be able to leave and go back. But then I felt something warm. I starting running that way and it got warmer. I began to hear voices. I saw a black figure ahead of me. I could tell it was saying something but it was too distant. I kept on running but I didn't seem to get any closer. So I decided to stop and just let myself melt into the darkness once again.

I thought I heard someone calling me and felt the warmth again. I thought about Alex, my best friend in the entire world, Adam, my friend and victim, and Mutant X, who is or was my family. I would miss it and I wished that I could 've at least said goodbye before I left. I hope they will forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye, I thought. I gave up all hope and believed that I had died. I guess this is what death probably feels like, I thought.

I started wondering what really happened. I remember that I was going to take the knife for Adam. I jumped and the knife stabbed me instead. I landed on the floor and blacked out. Now that I thought about it, I realized the knife couldn't have killed me. I have been injured worse in my life and a little knife wound couldn't have taken me down. And then it hit me. I wasn't dead but I was in an illusion created by Rose. The voices must have been Adam and the others calling me. I finally understood what the voice meant. This illusion was created to make me believe that I was dead and it almost worked.

As soon as I realized this, the voices became louder and clearer. However, something was stopping them and I tried hard to focus on it. I recognized one of the voice. It was Adam trying to get to me. I started to see a figure. It was fuzzy but it was there. I felt something pushing me back nearly crushing me. I knew that if I believed in my power, I could overpower her and my friends were there to supporting me. So I couldn't let them or myself down. I focused all of my strength and thought about my friends. I heard their voices getting louder.

Although it was getting harder and harder to move, I refused to give up. I saw the black figure leading me to the exit. I followed it and started to see light. It was warm and comforting and I knew nothing could hold me back, not even Rose.

Slowly I opened my eyes and I saw someone bending above me. I couldn't tell who it was but after a while, my eyes focused and saw Adam staring at me with relief. I looked around and saw that I was still in the factory on the floor. I wondered why Adam didn't call Emma to help me. It would have been a lot easier if she was there to help.

Almost at once, I felt the wounds and my body refused to move. I just hated that feeling. I saw Rose fainted on the ground. And I looked at Adam for an explanation. Seeing my confused expression, Adam knew what I was going to say and told me that she fainted as I was fighting with her powers.

Adam told me that when I was stabbed and in pain, I was vulnerable and she was angry that she couldn't win. So she attacked my mind hoping that would stop me. At the end, she was no match and fainted. Adam complimented me on how brave I was and how I didn't give up.

I smiled weakly to myself because I did give up. Then my eyes couldn't stay open any longer and I fell asleep. Emma entered the factory as soon as I closed my eyes. Adam carried me while Emma carried Rose. We returned to the hotel.

I was worn out physically and mentally. While I were fighting Rose, Emma entered all the victims' mind and helped them block Rose's powers. Our mission was finished, so Adam and Emma packed up. While they packed, I was in the Helix resting. I knew I was going home injured but I had never expected it to be this severe. I knew I was going to be in the lab for a very long time and I didn't need Adam to tell me that.

Before we headed home, Adam started treating some of my physical wounds while Emma helped me recover mentally. At that very moment, I felt that I had achieved something great, but felt completely useless. Both Adam and Emma told me that I was not useless but just worn out. For the first time in my life, I felt weak and fragile but happy.

Adam finished treating most of my serious wounds and Emma helped me relax. I still felt weak but a lot better. Adam told me the only thing left to do was to rest the body and the mind. He made me promise him that I wouldn't move around much until after a week or so of rest. He also said that I could absolutely not train or fight for a while. I was forced to promise him. I feel like a prisoner in the Adam Kane prison but I guess Adam knew what he was talking about so I decided to listen to him for a while.

Once I felt that I could move on my own again, Adam and Emma returned to the hotel room and finished some business. I, on the other hand, had to get the stuff and myself aboard the Helix. As soon as Adam and Emma entered, we headed home.

When we got home, Emma and I couldn't sense anyone. Then we started to wonder. Adam came out of the lab holding a piece of paper in his hand. It was a note from the others.

It said, " Dear Adam, we are away right now. We had decided to go camping in the Amazon forest. So see you when you get back. Hopefully we'll be back before you do. - Brennan