The cliffs almost two miles high and reaching out towards the ocean like eaves, one would unlikely realize a vast and exotic beach was nestled there. Not at first glance.
But Shalimar had been coming to this secret cove nearly every day in recent months. She could have landed the Double Helix here blindfolded.
The water glowing in aqua brilliance, the waves rolling into glistening white sand, the breeze a gentle whisper against a person's skin, no one would have ever guessed what a wasteland it had once been. Only thanks to justice and a grueling effort applied by herself and the reptilian feral that once called this paradise home, had this gem been restored to its original majesty.
Shalimar couldn't hold in her amazement any longer. "Everything's so different."
"Yeah," Tony agreed. "The group is never together anymore. Ally and Brennan are…well, you know. Adam's been so busy. Emma's got her new Internet friend and Jesse's always off on his own."
Shalimar's eyebrows knitted together. "Actually, I meant the beach."
Tony blinked. "Oh…yeah. Absolutely. Thank you for the assist."
"You're
welcome. I was glad to do it. But you're right about the group. Of
course, our being here everyday hasn't helped anything."
"I
must say Miss Fox, you have been spending an awful lot of time with
me."
Shalimar narrowed her eyes. "Not by choice I assure you."
Tony seethed. "Ouch."
Quickly, Shalimar's tone lightened. "Speaking of choices, any regrets joining Mutant X?"
"Hmm, that's a tough one." Tony replied playfully. "Better ask me again after I've been separated from this place for awhile. Obviously you don't. You've been part of this team longer than anybody has. What about the others? Have you ever sensed any of the others regretting their choice?"
Shalimar shrugged. "Not really. Although I guess I wonder sometimes. Except for maybe Ally. She's so happy just to be around Brennan."
Tony mocked an inconspicuous manner. "She has been camping out in Brennan's room a lot more lately."
Shalimar laughed at him. "What else do you expect? They're crazy about each other!"
"GOD! I hate you so much!"
Ally pivoted recklessly on three-inch heels as she swung into a right hook. As she connected, her attacker's head jerked away and he collapsed to the pavement.
After a dismal but still successful outcome to their latest assignment, involving popular university nightclubs, Brennan and she happened to be recognized by Links and found themselves in an ambush.
"Yeah, as if I'm real thrilled with you right now." Brennan snarled back as he blocked a sidekick and retaliated with a backhanded fist.
"Oh don't even try to turn this on me." Ally crowed, her eyes never leaving her opponent. "You're the one with the problem!"
You just haven't recognized it yet. She thought wearily.
They'd been trying to track down and ID a New Mutant who could secrete a poison as potent as any of the date-rape drugs on the black market to date. Though Adam had been reluctant to allow it, both Brennan and Ally offered to be bait. So elusive had this Mutant been, so variable had the victims been, they didn't even know if the Mutant was a man or woman. It had turned out, that a very non-mutant man was blackmailing a young university student. He'd threatened to reveal the girl to the world as a Mutant if she didn't do his twisted dirty work for him. Ally was just as bothered by the fact that Brennan, her so-called love, didn't even try to talk her out of it…not that she would have listened, but she would have expected and appreciated his concern. It only added to her fears: He was going to break things off. He could never commit to anyone, least of all her. She was going to lose him.
The thought infuriated her even more at this very moment as she delivered a flurry of low punches to her opponent's stomach, sending the attacker down with a left uppercut.
Brennan stopped fighting the Links. "And what problem is that, exactly?"
Could it be that you're keeping secrets? He wondered with annoyance.
She was so eager to attract the bad guy. She'd dressed like she'd become one, all revealing animal print and senseless shoes. Like a femme fatale. Of course, with Gabriel Ashlocke's influence, what else could he expect?
Just as it had happened to Shalimar, after being manipulated by his powers, Ally was linked to Ashlocke and he'd begun contacting her mentally. Unlike Shalimar, however, Ally had failed to mention it…except to Shalimar it seemed. When Shalimar let it slip to him a few weeks ago, he didn't know what to think at first. Then when this assignment had come up, it all came together. Gabriel was drawing her away from Mutant X. He was changing her.
Of course, he had no proof…yet. Which was why he hadn't mentioned it to the others. It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?
"As if you don't know!" She snapped as she decked another Link and whirled on Brennan.
Getting into each other's faces, Brennan and Ally started to yell at each other at the same time, so fast and loud, neither could understand the other. Not that they cared, as infuriated as they were. Thinking it an opportunity, the Links closed in to attack from all sides.
Their mistake.
In a final outburst of frustration, both Ally and Brennan lashed out, using their powers. Waves of heat and electricity spread through the once quiet street corner.
Suddenly finding themselves beaten and broken, the Links picked themselves up off the pavement and scurried into the alleys.
After a best, the quarreling lovers realized what just happened. Yet they hadn't gotten over their anger.
"We should have tried to hang onto at least one of them for questioning, you realize." Brennan scorned.
Ally rolled her eyes. "Whatever. We're at a Med. School, and those were the Links of a dying Gabriel Ashlocke. You do the math."
Considering the matter settled Ally turned from Brennan in a huff. "Let's just call this in to Adam."
