CHAPTER TWELVE

"Brennan look!!" Shalimar called to Brennan as she knelt down to pick up the item she had found.

"What is it?" Brennan asked as she held it up before her.

"It looks like some kind of dart from a dart gun". She said looking at Brennan, her eyes lighting up "Do you suppose...?"

"I don't know, but let's get it back to Adam so we can find out."

Adam turned around to the group that had milled around him waiting anxiously for the results of the test that he had conducted.

"It's definitely Jesse's" he said confirming everyone's suspicion.

There had been a trace of blood at the end of the needle of the dart and he had done a DNA test which he had specifically designed to expedite results.

"There was also a trace of a strong substance commonly used in tranquilizers" he continued.

"So he's alive?" Emma asked as Shalimar and Brennan looked on anxiously.

"Well, we don't know anything for sure yet. But we do know he didn't drive off that cliff and I have a feeling someone went to a lot of trouble to make it look like he did."

The relief on the faces of the Mutant X team members was evident. They still didn't know where he was or who took him and for what, but at least they knew that he could still be alive.

Suddenly, a beeping sound from Adam's computer interrupted them.

"We've got trouble". Adam said looking up from his computer screen. "I just got word that the safe-house on east of 22nd has been breached. Emma, I need you and Brennan to go check on that. And hurry."

Emma and Brennan entered the safe-house cautiously. They had found the door to the safe house broken at its hinges and had cautiously entered looking around. Broken chairs and other pieces of furniture were scattered everywhere indicating a sign of a fight. No one however, was in sight.

"Adam, it's too late". Emma said through her com link. "The safehouse is totally wrecked. Whoever did this is long gone."

"What about the new mutants we had just brought down to the underground that was placed there?" Adam queried anxiously.

"Well there's nobody here. Its either they manage to make their escape or whoever did this has them." Brennan said looking around. "Adam?" Brennan said again not receiving a reply.

"Hold on Brennan." Adam said sounding distracted. "What is going on here?" Brennan heard Adam say in disbelief.

"What is it Adam?" Emma asked through her com link.

"We just received another breach signal from the safe-house in fifth street. I don't know what is going on but someone seems to have gotten a hold of information about our safe-houses. Shalimar and I are going there now. You and Brennan, look around a little more for anything that may give us a clue as to what happened. We'll meet you back in Sanctuary when we're done."

"Where's Shalimar" Brennan asked Adam as he walked into Sanctuary alone. "We received another breach signal whilst we were investigating the 2nd safe-house. I sent her to check it out." Adam explained grimly as he headed straight to his computer terminal.

"Another one?" Brennan said incredulous. "Three safe-houses in one day! What is going on here?"

"I don't know. But I don't like it. So far, we've got five mutants unaccounted for. And that's not counting the new mutants in the third safe-house Shalimar's checking."

"How are they getting information about our safe-houses?" Emma asked quizzically.

"I don't know" Adam said typing furiously on his computer. "There is no record of any breach or intrusion into our database. It doesn't make sense."

"We have to think about moving mutants out of the safe-houses. Our security has been compromised. They are not safe there. Brennan I need you and Emma to get on that as soon as possible. I'll give you a list of designated housing above ground that they can be placed."

"How can we be sure that that information hasn't been breach?" Brennan asked.

"We can't. But it's the best move we can take for now until we find out what is happening." Adam said looking up to Brennan from his computer.

"Adam, look at this. I found it at the safe-house." Shalimar said bursting into the lab showing Adam the item she had found at the third safe-house that had been breached.

Adam took the item from Shalimar's hands looking at it intently.

"It's the same one isn't it?" Shalimar asked anxiously. It's the same kind of dart we found at the cemetery right?

"It certainly seems identical." Adam said as he inspected the dart and compared it with the one they had found earlier. "I'll just run a quick test to see whether the substance used is the same one used on Jesse."

Shalimar paced the lab impatiently waiting for the confirmation that she knew was coming.

A few minutes later Adam turned to face Shalimar and nodded grimly.

Whoever had taken Jesse were also responsible for the intrusion on the safe-houses.

The clanging of steal against the metal bars of his cage brought Jesse instantly to the world of the conscious. He tried to bring his hands up to close his ears in an attempt to block out the noise that seemed to translate as an explosion in his head but realized they were still handcuffed behind him.

"Time to wake up!!' Xavier yelled looking at his prisoner curled up in pain on the floor of the cage.

Jesse opened his eyes as the clanging stopped, adjusting once again to the assault of the light.

"I want you to see something" Xavier continued almost gleefully as he made a motion with his hands.

Jesse watched in horror as a small group of men and women were led in handcuffs by the renegade soldiers, outside his cage. He recognized them instantly as the new mutants that had sought refuge in Mutant X's safe-houses.

"This, ladies and gentlemen is the man who is responsible for your being here." He heard Xavier address the group of prisoners with a sickening pleasantness. He swallowed at the words being spoken. "You all have Mr. Kilmartin here to thank for anything that happens to you from here on end." Xavier said with an evil grin as he ordered the prisoners to be taken away.

No! This couldn't be happening, he thought as he saw the prisoners being roughly led through the side door of the warehouse. The look in their eyes weighed down at his soul. The look of defeat, anger and of accusation. It was his fault. They were taken because of him. Unable to control the bile that rose in his throat, Jesse wretched the contents of whatever was in his stomach to the cold stone floor as the resounding sound of Xavier's laughter echoed through the warehouse.