Either the team was lucky or breaking into the museum was very tedious, because Mutant X caught the thieves in the act.
"Didn't any of your moms ever teach you stealing is wrong?" Tony blurted, announcing their arrival.
Without need of words, the team split up, Tony, Shalimar and Brennan headed directly for several Links, trying to open a display case. Emma, Jesse, Ally and Zenger hung back, picking off the strays.
"Are you so willing to die for this?" Zenger asked the young mutant he was opposed against.
"Better you killing us now then waiting for Gabriel's wrath." The Link spat in defiance.
Overhearing this, Ally frowned and backed away from her attacker. "His wrath?"
She looked to Emma, who'd overheard and stopped fighting as well. Zenger backed off too and the three gathered.
"Guys!" Emma shouted.
"Stop!" Ally yelled.
"Stop fighting! Jesse!"
Jesse looked to Emma and Ally, got the message and looked to the other three. "Brennan! Tony!"
They quickly surmised the situation but Tony had to grab for Shalimar to stop her continued assault on one of the Links. "Shal! Shal." Once he had both her arms restrained she got the drift and stopped.
"Everyone, just stop for a moment, please." Zenger called out. He turned to the young Link he'd previously been fighting. "You're not here on Ashlocke's behalf?" He queried.
The Link scowled. "We want nothing more to do with that murdering bastard."
If anyone was confused, a second young Link was quick to clarify. "She was a seer, she had a vision of something worse than even Ashlocke in the near future. She made the mistake of reporting her vision to Gabriel and he killed her. Simply because he didn't want to believe it. We thought he cared about all of us. But he's just a monster."
Jesse's spine tingled. "Something worse than Ashlocke at full strength?"
"No such animal."
Everyone turned to the sound of Ashlocke's live voice. He stood with an army of still loyal Links at his side.
"Not anymore." He continued. "We have Zenger to thank for that."
The young Link, who'd spoken first, grabbed hold of Zenger's arm. When he looked at the young man in alarm, he saw the fear in the Link's eyes.
"Please, do not let him get hold of the Hourglass. If we cannot possess it, we'd rather it went to you."
"It's not even a choice, we'll fight by your side." Ally replied without missing a beat.
A fight erupted around them, but Ally found herself being held back by strong words. Brennan's words.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather side with Ashlocke?"
Ally gaped at him. "What are you talking about?"
"Uh, guys, can't this wait?" Jesse asked timidly.
"NO!" Both Ally and Brennan snapped.
Not sure who he should be more afraid of, Jesse left them alone and joined the other fray.
Grabbing Brennan's hand, Ally used her powers to lift them both to higher ground, setting them on a second floor landing.
"Brennan, why would you ever think I'd side with Ashlocke? You do remember he's been trying to kill us?"
Brennan glared at her. "He's also been in your head. Yours and Shal's."
Ally was briefly stunned to learn he'd known about her troubles with Ashlocke's psychic attacks, but she just as quickly recovered. "So, what? You think I get a big kick out of it? You think he's seduced me?" Ally gasped at her own words appalled. In a rush of fury, she shoved him hard. In a shrill voice she berated him. "How easy do you think I am?"
"Ally I know how persuasive he can be."
Hurt showed in Ally's eyes. "Sure…but you also know how long and hard I fought to feel strong again."
Down below, the fight remained hand to hand…mostly. Emma, Zenger and the other psionics were "cheating" with their powers trying to gain the upper hand.
Meanwhile Brennan was feeling foolish, "Ally…" He moved to console her, but she was quick to shove him again.
"And what about YOU?"
"Wha—"
Ally cut him off. "When are you going to start thinking about where this is going? God knows I've thought about it enough. We've been going around in circles, Brennan. Every time I ask, you find a way to get out of answering. Why won't you just tell me what's going on with you?"
"Because…" Brennan blurted.
"Because why?" Ally demanded, infuriated.
"Because I love you so much I can't speak when I think about it!"
Ally was forced a step back from the wave of emotion that came over her. A small gasp escaped her lips and was the only sound either of them made for a time.
Unnoticed by either, Ashlocke breezed by the rest of Mutant X, heading right for them.
"I'm sorry." Brennan reamed himself. "I wish this had been a better time to tell you. I've been so afraid for you. I didn't know—"
Ally silenced him with a touch to his lips. "I love you too." She croaked as tears welled in her eyes.
Brennan leaned over to kiss her, and was rudely interrupted by Ashlocke. With brute strength, he slammed both Elementals into the wall, stunning them both.
Ashlocke mimed as if he were pondering. "Who would be tortured more by watching the other die? It's so hard to decide." He shrugged. "Well, I suppose I'll just have to kill you both at once." Clapping his hands together, then slowly drawing them apart, Ashlocke began forming a large energy bomb. His smirk grew wider as his hands did. He looked ready to laugh out loud.
Instead his smirk faded and he shouted out in pain.
Ashlocke cringed and fell to his knees.
All eyes turned to the trio as Ally and Brennan helped each other to their feet. The Links still loyal to Patient Zero all started to back away, becoming panicked.
It dawned on Gabriel…he was still coming undone.
In a blur, he whipped around to glare down at Zenger.
"Even I don't have the power to save you, it seems." Zenger drawled.
Growling and roaring as if an animal, Ashlocke leaped down from the landing and fled. His slimy entourage was quick to follow.
Ally looked between the direction in which Ashlocke had fled and Zenger. "But…I saw you. I saw you work your mojo and heal him. I felt you borrow my energy to recharge yourself."
"It was not an act." Zenger assured her. "I thought as you that he was healed. Perhaps he's too unstable to be mended."
"Zen!" Emma's shout was pleading.
The med. student/New Mutant turned and came to the telempath's side. One of the defectors was seriously injured from the fight. Blood began to pool from a deep wound in his side, it seemed painfully clear that his liver had been hit.
"Can you help him?" Emma asked.
"I can try." Zenger quickly knelt down next to the defector and covered the bloody opening with his hands.
It had been only too recently that Zenger had done the same for the woman on the news. He hoped he still had the strength to help this boy so soon after, not to mention the energy wasted on Ashlocke.
As if reading his thoughts (which probably wasn't far from the truth) Emma reached over and touched Zenger on the shoulder, lending him her energy. Jesse and Shalimar did the same without pause. It was more than enough. Within moments, it was as if the young man had never been injured at all…except for the blood evidence of course.
"You should get him someplace where he can rest." Ally told the other defectors.
The former Link who'd been the first to speak and evidently their ringleader nodded. He looked at Mutant X with respect. "It's a great service you've done for us. For that we will leave without incident."
As they became aware of sirens in the distance, the ex-Link looked thoughtfully at the glass case they'd discovered was actually plexi-glass. Inside, among other items, stood a small ornate hourglass.
"Sadly we also leave without the Hourglass." He added.
As Mutant X made their exit, their mindset was generally the same.
They were lucky…perhaps too much so. Who knew what Ashlocke would be capable of now? Whatever it was it might very well be connected to what had just transpired. Unfortunately, the fast approaching authorities told them they couldn't risk keeping the Hourglass themselves and finding out for sure.
