Thanks for all of the reviews, you guys. You really help keep me motivated to write. I will continue now until the story is complete. Don't worry; we have a few more chapters to go. Remember, even if Draper goes soon, Mason doesn't work alone at Genomex…
"Emma!" Shalimar screamed as she forcibly shook her. "Emma, snap out of it!" Emma was transfixed on Draper and possibly not winning the mental battle she was fighting against him. "E – m – m – a!" Shalimar screamed. The rain was threatening to wash the two women off of the side of the cliff if they didn't move soon. Shalimar had no choice.
"Sorry Emma," Shalimar said in a much calmer voice as her only option became clear. It was then that Shalimar punched Emma in her face knocking her out cold. She caught her as her body went limp. "Come on," Shalimar said as she picked Emma up and carried her deeper into the woods away from the side of the cliff. The lightening was scaring Shalimar and she needed to get them to some form of shelter before things got even worse.
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Draper was just about to strangle Emma when suddenly she disappeared. "Damn!" he yelled deep within his mind. He searched for her to no avail. However, as Draper concentrated on finding and holding Emma's conscious, he ignored the necessity of controlling the power he was channeling from the storm. When he regained cognition of his surroundings, Draper realized that the energy he was drawing was no longer from the storm but from the shields and the compound, itself. For some reason, a different field was drawing the energy from the storm and away from his system. He was so preoccupied with Emma, he failed to notice. Now his compound and its shield were close to power failure. "What in the world is going on here?" Draper roared. He unhooked himself from the capacitors and charged to his microphone. "Samuel!" Draper called out over the link. "Samuel!"
But Samuel didn't answer. Draper through down the microphone, "I'll have to do it myself!" Draper commanded as he donned his raingear and headed for an exit to the roof. Possibly something was wrong with the rods that attracted the lightening. He had to find a way to regain power or his project was doomed.
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"Adam," Eckhart asked in the darkness. Adam didn't answer. "Adam!" Eckhart demanded. "Answer me, Adam, I know you are here."
Adam sighed. "Yes, Mason, I'm here."
Eckhart laughed his sinister laugh. "What now, Adam? What now for your fine team?"
"I think you should be more worried about yourself right now, Mason and stop be so concerned about everyone else."
"Oh, I'm not concerned about them, Adam. I'm curious. Exactly how did you get yourselves into this anyway? From the looks of things, only Mulwray has sustained injury. Was he the catalyst to all of your demise?"
Eckhart was mocking him and Adam knew it.
"Knock it off, Mason. It's quite obvious to me that you do not intend to help us or even yourself get out of here so I am not giving you any information. Sit here, Mason, I don't give a damn." Adam had managed to free himself from the binds that held him to his chair. Mason noticed that Adam's voice was going away from him as he told him to stay.
"Adam, untie me this instant!" Eckhart commanded. "I was only kidding – for old time's sake." Eckhart waited for Adam to reply. He didn't.
"Adam! Adam, you can't just leave me here! Adam, I won't let you do this. You are not going to just walk away from me! Adam!"
Eckhart listened as he heard a door open and close. He was alone in the dark.
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Brennan dropped to the ground as the lightening stopped coming from the sky. Jesse looked up in time to see light scroll across what looked like a dome surrounding them before it dissipated in the night. As quickly as the storm had begun, it ended. Brennan lay on the ground discharging energy in all directions. It burned through nearby trees and brush. Jesse massed to keep it from hurting him. His head was killing him and massing always made headaches hurt that much more. It took everything Jesse had to remain massed for the minute or so that it took Brennan to completely discharge. When it looked like he was finished, Jesse unmassed. He regarded Brennan's condition as he approached. Thoughts ran through his head of what he would do if he were dead. "Don't be dead, don't be dead. Please, don't be dead." Jesse continued to mutter as he slowly approached Brennan. The storm had left everything soaking but now as everything calmed, it was strangely silent. Jesse noticed everything around him. It seemed like ages before he managed to reach Brennan's side.
He got down on his knees next to his friends still form. Jesse moved mud, sticks, and leaves, from Brennan's face. There were burns there. Jesse didn't think they looked too serious but he was definitely burned. There were several burns, now that Jesse noticed across Brennan's body. His clothes were smoldering in spots and appeared to be melted to his skin in others. Jesse took Brennan's hand and felt for a pulse on his wrist. His hands were so cold. He was feeling for a pulse on his neck when Brennan suddenly took a deep breath.
Jesse grew more alert. "Brennan, Brennan?" Jesse asked as he put both hands on either side of Brennan's face and shook him gently. "Come on, brother. Brennan, can you hear me?"
"Jesse?" Brennan moaned. He yelped when he tried to move. "No, no, Brennan stay down," Jesse said as he gently held him.
"Jesse, what happened? Where are the beasts? Jesse?"
"Brennan, take it easy. The beasts are gone for now. You had another mutation, I think. You have some burns, Brennan. Just lie here a minute, OK?" Jesse was speaking to Brennan in the calmest voice he could manage. Calm, however, he was not. Brennan had some serious burns, he was noticing, as he looked him over more carefully. His voice was raspy and the splint that was on his leg was now completely gone. Brennan's skin was terribly cold and Jesse feared he would go into shock soon.
"Brennan, I gotta find someplace dry for us."
"How's your head, Jess?" Brennan asked, "there's blood on it."
Jesse regarded Brennan curiously. He couldn't believe he was worried about him when he, himself, was likely in grave condition.
"It's fine, Brennan. It hurts a little, but it's fine."
"Good," Brennan said as he closed his eyes.
"Hey, hey Brennan, no sleeping here, man," Jesse said, suddenly alarmed that Brennan wanted to sleep.
"I'm tired, Jesse," Brennan responded without opening his eyes. "I'm not going die. I just want to sleep."
Jesse looked up and around again. He remembered the cave he saw before all hell broke loose. He began to pick Brennan up off the ground. Brennan grunted in pain and fought Jesse with the little energy he had left. "Brennan, stay calm. I know it hurts, but I'm moving us to a cave I saw earlier. We have to find shelter before nightfall. Just care with me, buddy. You can rest soon."
Jesse knew that Brennan wouldn't have much time without some serious antibiotics and other medical attention. The pneumonia was enough, now with the burns… there was no way his immune system would withstand this type of assault. He needed help and fast.