Chapter 14

Emma was getting the stuff out of the car. Adam had just entered the cabin, when she heard a noise coming out of the forest. She stopped unpacking the car and walked to the edge of the forest. Again she heard some noises and they were very familiar to her. She heard her name calling and she answered:" Shalimar? Are you there? Jesse? Brennan?" Shalimar stood suddenly in front of her. She had a smile on her face, as if she couldn't believe Emma was there. Brennan and Jesse came in sight too.Jesse wasn't looking very well and Shalimar was limping. But Shalimar wasn't thinking about that. She embraced her friend tightly and kissed her on the cheek. Emma embraced Brennan and then Jesse. Shalimar was scanning the surroundings and she said:" Something is wrong inside. I smell Adam's fragrance, but not only his. I smell someone else, but he is also familiar to me. I can't seem to place it."

Jesse sat down against a tree. He was not feeling great at the moment. Emma kneeled besides him and asked: "Jesse, are you all right?" Jesse didn't answer and let his head hanging in his hands. Shalimar looked at Jesse and Emma and said:" You'll stay here. I am going to look around. Be back soon". Brennan was going to respond at this, but Shalimar was already gone. Brennan cursed, told Emma and Jesse he would be back soon too and he went after Shalimar. Emma saw the back of Brennan disappear between the trees and turned her head to Jesse, in front of her. Jesse had still his head in his hands, but when he heard the voice of Emma calling his name, he looked up. The first thing what came in his mind, when he saw her face, was that she looked amazing. He smiled at her. Emma saw the smile and said:" Jesse?" Jesse took her hand, pulled her towards him and then he kissed her softly. "That was the first thing I would do if I saw your beautiful face again", he said.Now Emma was the one who smiled. She kissed him back and for a few minutes it was very quiet around them, until a voice interrupted them and spoke:" Look what I found. What a beautiful picture it is. But were you not supposed to be in the ravine?" Jesse and Emma stood up immediately, but Jesse had to fight against an upcoming dizziness and a funny feeling in his stomach. Emma was supporting him. When Jesse felt a little better, he looked at the man in front of him and recognized him from the diner and one of the three guys, who drove them off the road. The man was holding a gun, pointing at them. Emma and Jesse looked at the gun and then to each other. A smile appeared on their faces.

Brennan found Shalimar and stood next to her, when she looked at the cabin. "And?" he asked. Shalimar shook her head. "There are three men inside: Adam, the man from the diner and who drove us off the road, and a third one. But it is funny, I know that man too. I recognized his scent and it is so familiar to me." She hated it, not knowing an important detail like this. Brennan saw her and knew she was frustrated. He put his arm around her and pulled her closely towards him. He cupped her face and then let his mouth meet hers. Shalimar kissed him back with passion. She loved when he did something unexpected like this. Brennan said:" I love you". Shalimar saw in his eyes how much and she smiled at him. "I love you too". Suddenly she turned her head and her eyes became orange-yellow and he knew enough. They were getting company.

Shorty came near the place, where he just saw the two mutants. But they were not longer there anymore. He looked around him, but couldn't find them. A slap on his shoulder startled him. He turned around and saw Shalimar and Brennan. Shalimar asked:" Were you looking for us?" Shorty wanted to aim his gun on Shalimar, but she was too quick for him. She jumped in the air and kicked the gun out of his hands. Brennan walked towards Shorty and grabbed his arm, but Shorty wasn't an easy catch. He made a fist and brought it to Brennan's face, but Brennan saw it coming and blocked his arm and with his other arm, he made a fist also and it landed right on the nose of Shorty. Brennan said:" That will teach you not to point a gun at my wife!" Shorty fell on the ground and wanted to stand up again, but Brennan sent an arc of electricity towards him and left the man unconscious. Brennan turned around to see Shalimar smiling. He asked her what she was smiling about. Shalimar answered:" Your wife?" Brennan the realized what he just said and nodded:" Yeah, something wrong with that?" Shalimar looked at him for a moment and then shook her head. "No, nothing wrong with that. In fact, I like it.", she said. She walked towards him, kissed him and added:" Come, we have to save Adam." She started to walk in the direction where they left Jesse and Emma.

Emma and Jesse were looking at the man, lying on the ground. He was hit by his own gun, when it fell on the ground, while Emma was sending him some mind waves. He had the feeling that his head was on fire and he let the gun loose. Now he is was lying in the mud, hit by his own bullet. Shalimar and Brennan came running and Shalimar said, while trying to get her breathing in a good rhythm:" Are you okay? We heard the shot." Emma and Jesse nodded and listened to Shalimar and Brennan, who were talking about their encounter too.Then Jesse said:" Then we must now come up with a plan to save Adam." Brennan answered:" I already got an idea."