This is the end of another story... (well nearly the end!) It took me a little longer this time. Anyway, this is it...
Thanks to Darkangel, Delauro, Empathducky, Gelf, Irismoon, Marie Crosby, Melody 568, Spikestorm, Whitemoonflower 8. You all know what your reviews mean to me...
And you my dear Josh you know how I value the feedback. Jo you gave me inspiration with one song, thanks.
Audrey you're my little sis. this one is especially for you
Chapter 5
Confusion.
Her senses told her something was off. But her brain could not clearly make out what the problem was. The mattress was cold and hard beneath her. The room was cold. She tried to get the covers, which had certainly slid down. But her hands refused to move. Something was tightly wrapped around her wrists cutting through her skin. Instantly her eyes shot open only to find herself blinded by an intense light.
Olivia struggled desperately against her metallic restraints. The rattling sound of the handcuffs was sickening. It made her want to scream.
The men.
They had entered her shop and shot her for a reason she had trouble understanding. The molecular closed her eyes, trying to repress the smoldering panic. She had to stay calm if she wanted to find a way out.
A door opened and she willed her heartbeat down. Sounds of footsteps echoed in the empty room. She guessed there were two people and they were getting closer. One of them checked the restraints on her feet causing her fear to skyrocket. But she remained still. She had to.
"When are they coming to pick her up?"
"Hopefully tonight. Give me the syringe. I don't want her to wake up and make a fuss."
The needle stung in her arm, freeing a strange warmth in her blood. Soon enough numbness overcame the young molecular and she fell into a dreamless sleep.
XXX
Emma absentmindedly ruffled through the fridge, trying to find something edible to eat. Yet she wasn't hungry. A painful knot had formed in her stomach the moment she had woken up and a weird sensation of fear mixed with anticipation hadn't left her. She mechanically picked up some fruit salad and settled at the table.
Memories of him were now becoming clearer, though she still had trouble connecting them to precise places or dates. Every memory was like a small treasure that had been stored in a little box, carefully wrapped in silk paper. Her dream had opened the lid and they were now flooding her mind. Their first meeting, the childhood memories shared on the beach near a bonfire, the first movie, their first snow fight, the first Christmas, the first moment she realized his feelings for her were slowly changing. Each piece held a part of her and she was discovering them with awe and dread. She knew what she would loose if Brennan died.
She looked down at her fruits and let the spoon fall in the bowl. Angrily, the psionic shoved it aside. Crying and lamenting in self-pity would lead her nowhere. She needed to find Brennan. She barely had the time to reach her bedroom to get ready when the doorbell rang. Tightening her robe around her, she wearily walked to the door. It couldn't be Olivia; she would have entered the place. Her mind focused on the people behind the door to make sure they were no threat. For some reason, she knew something bad was going to happen.
She wasn't prescient but her instincts had seldom been wrong.
XXX
Shalimar activated the stealth mode as soon as they reached the outskirts of town. It took them less than five minutes to reach the building where Olivia's flat was located. The feral went down the street to the historical center of the town, not noticing the people going to work hurriedly passing near her. She was nearly running, Jesse barely keeping up with her fast pace. Her mind was still locked on the events of the night. The fear of loosing him, just like they had lost Emma barely half a year ago, was overwhelming. It was something both of them refused to consider.
Reaching their destination, they stopped in front of a door and rang the bell each rehearsing what they would tell the young molecular.
Nothing had prepared them for such a shock.
The door cracked opened, revealing a lean figure wrapped in a silk robe. When their eyes met the face of the young woman standing in front of them, Jesse had to blink to be sure he wasn't dreaming. Shalimar reacted more quickly than him. She crossed the distance to her friend and wrapped her arms tightly around her body nearly crushing the other woman. Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks. But she didn't care. It was the only bright moment in this hellish day.
"Oh Emma! We thought you were dead!"
The feral patted her back, repeating over and over the same words as if they could help her realizing it wasn't one of those dreams. Jesse stood, shell-shocked, near the door, unable to move. Emma's eyes were glued on him. Surprise, fright, a tumult of emotions was going through her eyes. Her mouth opened a few times before closing again, soundlessly. Her arms hang limp at her sides. The psionic didn't know how to react. Those people knew her; there was no doubt about that. She could clearly see the pictures coming from their minds, but everything felt alien to her, they felt alien.
Shal relaxed her grip on her and came in the flat never leaving her the time to protest. Jesse followed her quickly, closing the door behind him. Their mission had been relegated in the background. He wanted explanations. The questions were out before he could control himself.
"Why did you leave us Emma? Was it so hard being a part of Mutant X? If you wanted to go underground we could have helped you. Why faking your death? We are your friends."
Disbelief, disappointment, resentment and betrayal. He felt betrayed, yet she didn't know why. Everything was mixed up in her head. Images of the explosion, her meeting with Olivia, her dreams about Brennan, the men attacking them yesterday night, all those moments swirled in her head making her nearly dizzy. She wanted to scream, to open the door to her memory but it was tightly locked.
"I don't remember you. My last memory or maybe I should say, my first, is an explosion. I know my name and who I am but I've lost one year of my life. So I don't know if I could answer your questions even if I wanted to."
Shalimar came to stand close to her friend.
"I'm Shalimar and this is Jesse. We met 18 months ago. You were chased by GSA agents. We helped you and now you live with us in a place called Sanctuary together with Adam, our spiritual father. We thought you died in that explosion. When we found your ring we were devastated. But we have found you. Now everything will be fine."
"You came for me?"
Suddenly recalling why they had come to that flat in the first place, her two friends locked eyes. Life was certainly breaking in unexpected ways.
"No. We came to help Olivia. She was attacked yesterday night."
Emma faltered a little and sat on the couch holding her head. She had been right. Something was going on.
"I was with her; we were coming back from the theater. They attacked us but we managed to escape. She went to work while I was still asleep. They'll come after her?"
It was more a statement than a question. And it held all her worry for her friend.
"We need to get her before them. Give me two minutes, I'll come with you. That's the least I can do" Sensing their objections she simply added that it wasn't something opened to discussion.
XXX
The three steps leading to the shop lacked their usual exposition of plants. In the widow, Emma spotted a few bouquets that should have been refreshed. And in between the different bunch of flowers there was a vase, lying on the ground, discarded. Her hands were shacking as she took her keys out. She couldn't help it. The weight of what Shalimar had told her barely minutes ago only added to her fright.
Inside there was no evident sign of struggle, except for the vase and the trampled flowers. Jesse hastily went in search for Olivia in the back of the shop. She knew it was useless. They wouldn't find here. It was already too late. Shalimar stayed with Emma as she began to clean the mess. The psionic kneeled down and picked up the vase.
On the ground, the red petals almost appeared like small blood pools. Shalimar watched them, paling under the memories it elicited. Brennan's prone form lying on the ground, steeping in his own blood; his life flowing through her fingers. She closed her eyes trying to repress the flow. But she wasn't quick enough. The solid reality, hid behind the dream, hit Emma like a ton of bricks. It wasn't something she could dismiss anymore. It was real to a sickening point.
"What happened to Brennan?"
"You remember him? How?"
"We have a connection." She didn't elaborate on the how and why. This was not something she wanted to share, especially with people she couldn't remember. Jesse came back a few seconds later, alone.
"They took her."
"Are you always stating the evidence? And what happened to Brennan?"
The two mutants watched Emma surprised. They couldn't remember her being so sarcastic. She had changed during that half year and it wasn't about her physical appearance.
"Brennan was stabbed. I found him in your old bedroom lying in his own blood."
Reflexively Emma touched her wounded arm. She refused to consider that it was her fault. The move caught the feral's attention. It was the same place he had been hurt. Could there connection be so strong that if one was wounded the other would also get wounded? It almost seemed unbelievable. But Adam had mentioned a psionic attack.
"We're loosing time, Shal."
The feral sighed before opening the line with Adam.
"Adam, they got Olivia before us."
There was a long pause at the other end. Silence engulfed them, full of expectation. It became a solid shadow none could ignore. And when his voice resounded through their comlink, they both knew what it was about.
"Come back to Sanctuary."
"Adam, we kinda found something or should I say someone unexpected at Olivia's flat." More silence. "Adam, Emma is alive."
She hastily cut the connection, afraid to have to answer his questions. There would be enough time for that when they would reach their home.
XXX
The Helix landed smoothly, without a sound. Inside, the small aircraft Jesse cut the engines and swirled his chair, facing Emma and Shalimar. The first surprise hadn't faded. He could see her; she was real. As real as the mission and Olivia's disappearance. The psionic seemed so lost, just like the first time they had brought her to Sanctuary.
But today everything was different; there was nothing but resignation in her behavior; she couldn't remember who they were. The only person she seemed to remember was Brennan. He watched her as Shalimar put a hand on her arm trying to gain her attention. But it was hopeless. Emma was looking through the Helix window, lost in her thoughts. The lab. She was looking in the lab direction as if she knew what was going on there.
"I need to see Brennan!"
Her voice was barely above a whisper. Yet it held a strength he had never thought she possessed.
Emma turned slightly to face them, dislodging the feral's hand. But she made no move to leave the enclosed space. It took him seconds to realize that she didn't know where he was. She might be able to sense him; but Sanctuary was alien to her. And it pained him to no end. Gently he got up and took her hand. Emma gratefully looked at him before taking his hand.
XXX
The door opened with a low swish, calling Adam back to reality. He still didn't know what to do about what Jesse had told him a few minutes ago. Less than twenty-four hours, that's all it had taken for his whole life, the life of his children, to crumble to the ground like a frail house of cards. When he turned around, he found himself in front of a person, he had thought was dead, someone he had mourned as if she had been his flesh and blood. And he had to restrain himself to take her in his arms and swirl her around the lab happily singing.
The psionic shyly stepped in the lab, amazed at the high tech material exposed in the small space. The place seemed familiar as if she had spent entire days here. In the middle of the room, a man wearing a grey lab coat was standing, his mouth slightly opened. She could sense his surprise, his fright, his joy to see her alive.
"Emma! We…"
Seeing the glint in her eyes, the words got stuck. Finding her could have been one of the happiest moments in his life. But he knew that look; he had seen it many times during his internship. A faraway look, eyes frantically scanning the place to find something familiar, something to anchor memories. The diagnosis was evident; she couldn't remember him or sanctuary. So he repressed the questions whirling in his head, knowing they would have time to talk later, and he smiled at her encouragingly, like he had done nearly two years ago. But her eyes kept searching the place; she let out a loud whimper when she spotted Brennan lying on one of the medical bed.
"What happened?"
Adam came to stand close to the elemental and adjusted the flow of the IV. He didn't know how to tell her.
"Extensive blood loss. He's not gonna make it."
An impassible mask fell on her. She knew that Brennan was dying. But it was another thing to hear someone else telling her so. The knot in her stomach tightened a little more, creating a wave of nausea. Quickly reaching inside his mind, she could feel him slipping further away from them. He had lost his will to live.
"Can you leave us alone for a few minutes?"
They watched her coming close the elemental. Her hand hovered centimeters above his arm but she didn't touch him. Adam silently nodded at his two teammates and the three left the lab.
She took a stool, sitting close to the bed. He was so pale, so still. Her fingers intertwined with his, trying to find some kind of reassurance in that simple touch. Her other hand touched his cheek lightly.
Nothing.
His mind was blank. There were no emotions, no trace of his love for her, nothing. Her heart constricted at the thought it might be to late.
Outside, they stood near the glass door, watching the couple. They were still too dazed to realize the full extent of what had happened. Silence extended around them until Adam finally managed to get a grip on a rational thought.
"Did you remark something unusual in the shop that could lead us to where they took Olivia?"
Two pairs of eyes landed on him, surprised and somehow betrayed. For them the life of their friends was far more important than a mission.
"No the place was clean. You don't want to know what happened to Emma?"
"Shal, she is shocked. She probably won't be able to help us."
"I know. And I think that Brennan's wound happened because of her connection with him. When I told her about him she touched her arm at the exact same place were he was wounded. "
Adam leaned on the nearby wall rubbing the bridge of his nose. An unusual gesture for a man always so in control. This would make sense. But it still didn't explain the connection with Olivia. The whole situation was a mess. And it would not get better. He had to make decisions and quickly.
"Let's give her a few minutes with Brennan. Then Shal, you bring her to the computer area. We might need her help to find Olivia. Jesse, you come with me. We need to locate my contact. After that, you'll go and get Olivia back."
The two men left her outside the lab. The feral turned around, gazing through the lab window. Emma was holding Brennan's hand, pressing it to her heart. Her other hand was carefully moving strands of hair, lovingly brushing his skin. And despite the windows, she could hear her words. It tore her heart to pieces to think about the irony of the situation.
After a few minutes, she managed to drag Emma away from Brennan and lead her in the computer area. The two men were already working trying to find Adam's contact. So far it hadn't been successful. Shalimar settled Emma in one of the chairs before coming to stand behind Jesse. The molecular turned around, smiling sadly at his friend. It was time for Adam to answer some questions.
"Who is Olivia? And why is it so important to get her back?"
Hearing Jesse's question his hands stilled on the keypad. The moment he had feared for years had come. He was not sure they would accept the truth. They knew that their mutations weren't stable. What they didn't know was the extent of the instability. If Olivia died, they would all die; it would just be a matter of time. But he couldn't tell them the truth like that.
"Olivia was the first mutant I could stabilize. If they get her and find the part of the strand I used they might be able to transform normal human beings into mutants quite easily."
Emma shuddered. This was worst than what she had expected. She refused to consider what could happen to the only person who had helped her, who had been there for her.
"And how do we locate her? She has no transmitter."
Adam turned to face Emma. He had his usual guilty look when he needed something life-threatening from one of them. She instantly understood. Without her they could not locate Olivia, she was their only link with the molecular. But if she broke her connection with Brennan, there was a chance she might loose him. His mind was still lost and he was barely holding onto life. Of course none of them knew that they were giving her a choice.
One life for thousands of others.
It was a fair bargain. All she would have to do would be cutting the link between them. It was easy, it was tearing her apart, it was crushing her heart.
"I… give me a few minutes."
She smiled sadly at the three people standing in front of her. They would respect her decision even if it meant sacrificing thousands of mutants. As quietly as possible she got up heading in the lab direction. She resumed her position near Brennan, taking back his hand in hers.
A choice.
She breathed deeply before closing her eyes. She didn't want to give up on them. After all those months she had finally found the missing part of her heart only to have it torn away from her. It was unfair.
Life was unfair. It appeared like she had the choice. But everything had been already decided for her. It made her want to scream. The young woman breathed deeply, repressing a tear. If she worked fast enough, the loss of their connection would last seconds.
Still it would be too long. The elemental wouldn't survive.
"I'm sorry Brennan. I wish there was another way."
XXX
Shalimar checked the coordinates a second time before landing. Emma had been able to give them an approximate location and after several minutes of search Jesse had found a location matching Emma's description. So they were in the outskirts of town in an industrial part. Shalimar and Jesse carefully checked the surroundings, before exiting the Helix. The area was deserted. All around the place there were no trees, no place to hide their progression.
They would have to move quickly.
"Adam can you direct us once we're in the building?"
"Sure."
Jesse nodded at Shal and the two started to run toward the building. Soon they reached a side entrance. After checking with Adam if there was someone on the other side of the wall, Jesse phased it letting the two in the building.
"Shal, Jesse, the thermal scan indicated that there are five people in the building. One is alone in the basement; it's probably Olivia. Two are patrolling in an alley on your left. Another one is on the upper level and the last is coming your way."
The two friends looked at each other. It was easy. They had gone on that kind of mission at least thousands of times. The two mutants knew the drill perfectly.
The kidnapper didn't have the time to form a coherent thought before he hit the ground. Shalimar rushed upstairs to take care of the other man. Adrenaline was now pumping through her body, distracting her from what was awaiting her at home. An alignment of doors welcomed her; but no trace of the man supposed to be there.
Instantly all her senses went on feral mode; taking a deep breath, she willed her heartbeat down to focus on the sounds and smells surrounding her. She took a few steps in the alley. That's when she heard him, a low breathing behind her, muffled sounds of steps, another heartbeat madly drumming. She took another step, readying to turn around and lunge at the man when a low voice cut her move short.
"I wouldn't do that Miss. My gun is aimed at your head."
Gently she lifted her arms in the air, bidding her time. The man sounded too formal to be one of the kidnappers. Slowly she turned around to come face to face with a man dressed in a business suit. Inwardly she cursed. Having the FBI snooping around was a problem they didn't need.
"You should head back home now Miss, before I decide to arrest you."
The feral couldn't help but smirk before lunging at the man. Despite her amazing speed, the agent countered her move pinning her against a nearby wall, her hands held tightly in one of his. His speed was not human.
"Who are you?"
For the first time she saw him smiling and she couldn't help but smile back. This man had something that she definitely liked. He wasn't afraid of her.
"Special agent Patrick Hayes, FBI."
His grip on her wrists loosened, giving her enough space to move a little. Now was her chance.
"Shalimar and you better get out of here before I decide to knock you out."
Her eyes flashed yellow. But she didn't have the time to move; his grip became too strong, his body pressed her further in the wall. He was clearly amused by her reactions and desperate struggle.
"Listen Shalimar, you're here to get your friend back and I'm here to arrest the three kidnappers. There's not point loosing time fighting. And yes I'm a telepath."
He released her quickly and started getting down the stairs. She stood there watching him for a few seconds before rushing after him.
XXX
Jesse made his way down the ill lit alley, checking every now and then the position of the two men with Adam. His progression was quick but it only managed to increase his worry. He reached the basement and proceeded to check the different rooms. Soon enough, he found himself in a barren room with a metallic table in the middle. The prone form of Olivia was lying there, motionless.
The molecular kept watching for any signs of the kidnappers while carefully phasing the restraints of the young woman. She stirred lightly, protesting a little. Jesse took her in his arms and made her take a few steps around the table, hoping it could wake her up. Her steps were hesitant, and she was fighting his grip.
After a few minutes, he made her sit on the table. She could barely keep her eyes opened and she was stammering, fighting with herself to find words.
"Don't try to talk, Olivia. I'm Jesse, and I'm here to help you."
He barely had the time to help her getting up when the door opened letting the two kidnappers in. One of them drew a gun out of his jacket and fired at Jesse. He massed, taking the young woman in his arms to protect her. A few seconds later, they heard a fight erupting behind them. And when Jesse finally turned around the aggressors were handcuffed together on the ground.
A huge guy was standing close to Shalimar, visibly very proud of himself. However a low whimper called his attention back to Olivia. The molecular was holding her head obviously in pain.
"Shalimar, we need to get back quickly."
The feral watched him and nodded.
"You go ahead. I still have to take of a few detail."
Jesse cradled the young woman in his arms and made his way out of the small room. There would be enough time for explanations later.
"Thanks for the help."
Shalimar smiled at Patrick lightly. The first sirens could be heard in a distance. Jesse was already in the plane waiting for her. There was no point staying her. Yet her feet seemed rooted to the ground. She wanted to say something, anything. But her mind had gone blank. And the man facing her wasn't doing a better job.
"Jesse… is waiting for me"
The man looked at his feet, suddenly finding his shoelaces very interesting.
"Yeah and they'll be there in a few minutes."
Before loosing his nerves, he took a card out of his pocket and handed it to her, nearly shyly. The feral took the card happy to know where she could contact him. She took a few steps backward, still facing him. Her smile didn't fade and when she left the basement, he was still grinning.
However her smile faltered when she reached the Helix.
They had come full circle. Six months ago, they had lost Emma. Now they were loosing Brennan and there wouldn't be any turning back.