Old Flame

Chapter 7: Tears and Sorrow

Jade woke up slowly, she felt stiff and cold. She looked around trying to figure out where she was, there was a sound near her and she tried to turn her head to see who was there with her.

A man sat in the corner, knees up to the chest. Short reddish/brown hair was spiked, the man seemed to sense Jade waking up because his head snapped up.

"Your awake."

Jade slowly sat up, running her hands through her hair. "Do you know how long l was out?"

The man thought for a minute and then nodded his head. "You've been out most of today and part of last night."

Jade felt a stab of alarm, Adam and the others would probably know that she was gone by know... She knew that Adam would find her, he wouldn't just forget about her.

"I was out a long time" she said softly, shaking her head. She looked around the room they were in and noticed a few other mutants sleeping on the floor.

"Where are we?" she said looking around and immedietly thinking of the others, mostly of Adam. Adam...l hope that your alright She leaned against the wall, her eyes closing as some silent tears started to slid down her cheeks.

Emma stirred, blinking her eyes slowly as she sat up. She looked around and reached out and shook Krysta who was laying right beside her "Krysta...wake up...' she said softly. But the other girl didn't wake up, so she moved on to the next person.

"Jesse...wake up..." she said shaking his shoulder and hearing a groan as Krysta and Jesse both started comming to.

Emma moved to Shalimar and gave her a shake "wake up Shal...come on..." she said giving her friend another shake, before moving onto Brennan and Adam.

"Adam, Brennan...wake up...come on everyone..." she said urgently, looking around for Jade.

"Where's Jade?" Emma asked standing after everyone was awake and was starting to get up walking around.

Adam frowned and looked at Emma "you can find her."

Shalimar quickly stood, holding out her hand for Brennan. She gave him a slightly weak smile, she sensed that they were all weak from the surprise attack.

"l doubt that she's still here, Cole was set on getting her" Krysta said softly, looking very embarassed about her brother's actions.

Brennan looked at Krysta and frowned slightly "so you knew that he was after Jade?"

Adam, Jesse and Emma turned to look at the other three.

Krysta wrung her hands nervously. She couldn't look at any of them, she felt so horrible. "Yes...l didn't want to do any of this. But he said that l had to help him...l had no choice."

Shalimar flashed her eyes briefly at Krysta and Brennan narrowed his eyes at her, but then put his hand on Shalimar's arm.

"Calm down Shalimar. It's okay, we'll get her back."

He moved closer to Shalimar and Krysta and looked at them, before whispering.

"We have to find Jade not just for Mutant X, but for Adam. If she stays missing, he'll go crazy."

The other two nodded slowly. Krysta sighed softly, feeling so bad "l'm sorry...l always thought that he would change his mind and not go through with all of this."

Shalimar sighed and reached out and hugged Krysta "it's okay."

Emma moved to them, with Jesse and Adam behind her.

Lamont smiled at Tylena as he went back to reading the list. He stopped at a name and a slow smile came over his lips.

"Emma deLauro...interesting...very interesting..." He murmered, leaning back in his chair.

Tylena tilted her head to the side as she studied Lamont and then spoke in a curious tone. "Emma deLauro? Isn't she one of the Mutant X team?"

Lamont grinned and nodded his head, then mused softly "yes, she is. Now why would she be interested in a mutant that isn't a new mutant?"

Tylena shrugged her shoulders and looked at him.

"Who knows? She wants to help her probably, you know the Mutant X team. A bunch of mutants who have nothing better to do then to find new mutants and try to save them...pathetic."

Lucas looked at Jade in interest and then moved to sit next to her. "We are at Genomex. Be lucky your still alive."

Jade raised a brow slightly Genomex? What am l doing here? Adam...find me... she thought desperately to herself. "How long have they had you here?" She asked looking at Lucas, taking in his reddish/brown hair and dark eyes. He looked about 17-18, that was no age to be stuck in Genomex.

Lucas streched out his legs and put his hands behind his head, then looked at her and gave her a grin. "I think a couple weeks. Long enough for them to poke me and be otherwise cheerful and hospitable towards me. l rather like the black and blue look they give you here. It really could start a new trend among mutants."

Jade smiled and looked at him and held out her hand. "l'm Jade"

Lucas looked at her smiling as he took her hand and shook it. "And l'm Lucas."

Jade turned to the door as the sound of footsteps stopped at it.

"Show them no fear" Lucas adviced quietly, his own eyes on the door.

Cole stood outside the door and stared at it. He took his gaze off the door long enough to look at the other G.S.A agent beside him, the other man was taller then he was, but less muscular.

"Are you making them sweat? Or aren't you ready to face the telekinetic?"

Cole suddenly found himself against a wall, a strong grip around his neck. "Watch what you say... Mr. Eckhardt wouldn't really miss a mildly talented mutant as yourself..."

The man smirked, leaving his sentence unfinished, knowing the threat spoke volumes. He stepped to the door and opened it slowly, letting the mutants inside wonder who it was and when exactly they were comming in.

Jade wanted to use her powers to make the door swing open, but she knew that would get her more trouble. It was best be good till she knew exactly why she was there and if she was in any real danger.

The man finally stepped inside and mistook the look on Jade's face as fear. Cole stepped into the room behind him and grinned at Jade.

"Well the mutant known as Jade...Eckhardt will be pleased to meet you."

Jade glared outright at the man and at Cole who she spotted standing a little behind the other G.S.A agent.

The agent stepped forward and grabbed Jade's arm and yanked her to her feet.

Jade glared at the man and looked at Cole.

"How could you betray Adam like this? He trusted you, he wanted to help you and your sister..." Her sentence ended as the agent hit her across the mouth, causing her lip to start bleeding.

"Betray? I betrayed noone...it's not my fault that your letting your heart get in the way of seeing that there is no place in this world for mutants like you and men like him who want to help you."

Jade didn't respond, she just glared outright at Cole and the G.S.A man.

Lucas moved to stand, but saw Jade look at him and shake her head no. So he stayed sitting on the floor, watching helplessly as they dragged Jade from the room.

Mason Eckhardt didn't look up as the door opened, he continued to read over the file on his computer. Though he did raise a hand and motion the group towards his desk, after a long few minutes he finally looked up from the screen and studied the young woman before him.

"Well done."

He looked at Cole and the other Agent. Then he looked to Jade and smiled. "Jade, it's been a long time, l hear that you were found with Mutant X. Don't tell me that Adam can offer you more, then what Genomex can?"

He leaned forward, resting his elebows comfortably on his desk, a serious expression on his face.

Jade stumbled as she was pushed forward and then forced to sit down in the chair in front of the desk. She glared at the agent and Cole, before turning her eyes to Eckhardt. "What do you want? Yes, as a matter of fact, Adam can offer me more then you can."

Eckhardt raised his eyebrows, enterwining his fingers. "Hmmm, we'll see if we can't change your mind about that."

Adam sat at the computer staring at the information on the screen. He wished that Jade had taken her ring back, that way could of atleast known she could contact them if she got the chance.

"Lamont is probably working for Eckhardt."

Krysta said quietly behind him, she felt worse each time she saw Adam's face. It was obvious that he was taking Jade's kidnapping very hard, but then again, who could blame him.

Adam turned to look at her "Eckhardt...l knew he would be behind this somewhere. "

Krysta sighed "for now all Lamont wants her for is because she left and Eckhardt wants her because she's a strong mutant. But should he learn about her relationship with you, he'll keep her for a different reason. A way to get to you."

Adam nodded slowly and sighed. "I pray that he never learns about that. Do you know where she was taken?"

Krysta nodded her head slowly and looked at her hands "she was to be taken to Genomex..."