A coughing molecular dusted himself off as he sat on the floor of the old building he'd entered. Looking around he could tell this place needed a woman's touch more than he did. The dust that blanketed the entire room was thicker than any he'd ever seen as he stood to his feet and brushed the last of the dirt off his jeans and jacket.
He walked over to the desk in the center of the room placing his hand on the top and removing it to notice the handprint in the dust his touch had left. As his eyes trailed to the floor another imprint in the dust caught his attention. He knelt lower to investigate and scanned his eyes over the footprint. He looked ahead to see there were more leading across the room and driven by his curiosity of the recent markings he walked himself across the room opening the door upon coming to it.
His suspicious were confirmed upon breaching the door and he continued to follow the footsteps across the floor of the next room as well. Noticing they trailed off into what appeared to be a small closet in the corner of the room he brought himself before the door, slowly opening it, shocked to see a bound and gagged Brennan leaning against the wall in the small closet.
"Brennan!" Jesse's shock allowed him to exclaim as he instantly knelt beside the unconscious elemental and began to untie the knotted rope.
Slapping the elemental's face lightly he attempted to revive the man.
"Brennan, can you hear me?" he asked as he continued his attempt at releasing and reviving his friend.
Brennan's small groan informed the molecular he was beginning to regain consciousness. Jesse continued tapping the man's cheek until his eyes slightly opened just enough to look at him. Although the elemental looked like he'd been out on a bender the whole night before Jesse was glad to see him coming to.
Before he could question the elemental about the strange events a suspicious sound from behind diverted his attention from his friend as he quickly whipped around to confront whatever presence was behind him. Before a thought could even be processed the painful strike of a blow across the face took Jesse by surprise and the next thing he knew he was colliding with the floor at Brennan's side.
As Shalimar rushed across the empty street the sudden presence of enemies became known to her and she looked around for any sign of the predators. With yellow eyes turning up empty she decided to continue with her mission even though her feral senses warned her of hostiles in the area.
"Jesse, where are you?" she questioned as she continued on her way. "Jesse?"
She picked up her pace as she rushed across the pavement driven by her love and determination. The sound of a gunshot took her ears by surprise as did the sudden pain in her leg causing her to slow her pace slightly. Hobbling with the new wound she kept herself on foot until she'd retreated behind the building on the other side of the road. With her back braced against the brick wall she leaned around the corner still unable to see where the sniper had been shooting from though her feral hearing would convince her it was above her and slightly behind her to the left. She let herself sink to the ground trying to support herself in a kneeling position but the pain in her shin was too great for her and she let herself sit on the ground as she gripped her bleeding leg. She checked her wound thankful it had just grazed her flesh and not fully penetrated her skin.
Her angry, feral eyes peered around the corner of the building again. She wanted to get her hands on the shooter but reminded herself to keep focused on what was really important, saving her friends and fiancé. Fiancé, she remembered as she almost felt like a weight had just been removed from her shoulders. Had she even let it sink in until now that she was actually going to marry Lara? Had she really contemplated what that meant? She wondered just had much of Adam's information had been right.
"Adam," she called hoping he was still alert.
"Shalimar, are you alright?"
"I've been shot," she informed flatly her words shoving worry into the older man instantly.
"Shot? Are you okay? Where are you?"
"I'm almost at the church. I'm fine but I want you to track Jesse. He didn't answer me a minute ago."
"The computer's showing he's in the building one street over from where you are. He's not moving."
"Not moving?" she repeated her worry intensifying at the information. "What about Emma still no read on her?"
"Actually, wait a minute, yes. Her link's back on the map she's still inside the church according to her comlink."
"Adam, about what you said earlier. You're sure I've been infected with these impulses right? I think I'm starting to feel more clear."
"I'm sure you were altered by these psionic's, Shalimar, but I was suspicious if the effects were long lasting. Many mutants have the power to change your perception but without being around you on a constant basis they usually will wear off. As far as I can tell that's what's happened to you, Lara, Emma, and most likely Brennan."
"Ok. I'm going after her," Shalimar informed standing herself up in the knowledge no pain was too great to keep her from the psionic and she certainly wasn't going to let Lara or even Brennan be in danger any longer than they had to.
"I'll be watching," Adam informed. "Be careful."
A slight groan of pain escaped the feral's lips as she stood taking one last look around the wall before darting off down the street to continue with her rescue mission.
Emma's eyes fully opened allowing her to see the red head's face in perfect clarity for the first time as she recognized the woman who'd apparently been standing right before her. She twisted in her secure hold with somewhat more ability now.
"You," Emma said in realization at the woman before her.
"Good you're coming to," the red head before her stated. "Just in time. You'll be able to call to her before she kills you."
The disgusted look on the psionic's face along with her inaudible mumbling told the red head she had something to say to her and curious what is was she approached the strapped psionic and ripped the heavy tape from her mouth. She leaned in as her unemotional voice questioned the helpless woman.
"What did you say?"
Emma took a deep breath finally relived at being able to do so. She hung her head as if recovering before lifting it to face the red head before her.
"She'd never kill me," Emma assured knowing in her heart the words were as true as could be. She hung her head again letting her weary eyes fall on her white shirt now stained with the blood from her knife wound.
The red headed woman laughed as if unmoved by the psionic's statement and backed up to pace in from of her.
"But she won't have a choice, sweetie. She might not stick a knife in your gut but she'll still be responsible for your death. See, either you all die or she gets to save one of you and do you really think she's gonna pick you" The woman asked approaching Emma and grabbing her hips. "Over her?" she asked turning the psionic just enough to the side so she could see Lara strapped up in the very same manner beside her and, although looking very tired and scared, quite conscious.
Emma's eyes grew wide with shock at the site but quickly enough the woman was releasing her hold on Emma causing her to move back into her original place. The red headed woman bent down to pick up the knife on the floor not too far from the psionic, waving it in her hand as she talked.
"After she rescues her beloved Lara you'll die. Just in time for my powers on Shalimar to reverse as she realizes what she's done. See, Shalimar might not kill you but she's going to let you die. She's not going to have a choice. Just like she never gave me one."
Emma frowned with an evil glare at the woman before her trying hard not to believe her words. Would Shalimar really choose Lara over her?
"She's gonna kill you," Emma surely informed keeping her prominent gaze on the red head.
The woman merely laughed the psionic's statement off and quickly approached her waving the knife in her fearful face.
"I don't think so," the woman denied before allowing the knife to slice each of the psionic's arms out of anger.
Emma cried out at the sudden pain and watched as the lines of blood appeared on her fragile arms before dripping to pool at her feet where the blood from her other knife wound was already apparent. She felt herself getting light headed and wasn't sure if it was the lose of blood, the pain, or the shook of it all that was responsible.
"And besides even if she does choose you she'll lose Lara and by then you'll be dead from your little mortal wound there anyway. No matter how we play the game, Emma, I win," the woman informed with an evil grin as she turned to face the psionic once more. "Checkmate."