Sorry for the delay. But work got on the way...
(blushes annoyingly) Thank you for the feedback; it put a bright smile on my face on a rough day... So keep it coming...

Chapter 7

Rory watched Patti climbing the grassy slope, making sure she would not slide. He knew he was overprotective but he couldn't help it. The last five days, he hadn't left her side, always finding excuses to be around her, to watch her every move. Sam and Nina had understood without any explanation that he was trying to protect her. At Rory's request, none of them had mentioned the incident again, despite their anguish. Instead, they started watching after her from a distance.

The night after her accident, Patti had wondered if she should tell them that the two teachers were some kind of agents who had been sent to protect them. After a few hours of reflections, she had finally decided against it. There was no need to alarm her friends more than they already were. Every day, she had to pretend she didn't know about their constant survey. A part of her was slightly annoyed. But it also made her feel accepted, loved and she was grateful to have friends who cared that much for her.

The psionic looked back at the slope they had already climbed; there was only grass and a few rocks sticking out of the near vertical ground. Her breath got caught as the too well known feeling of vertigo stroke again. Memories of her fall a few days ago kept playing in her head, accelerating her heartbeats, nearly making her feel dizzy. Patti took a deep calming breath, trying to ease her panic away. If Rory saw her distress, he would want to go down and she wasn't sure she would be able to follow him. She carefully put her feet on a clump of grass, ignoring the trembling of her limbs and took another step using her hands to steady herself. Finally they were nearing their goal. Just a few more steps and they would see the end of the climb.

A nice patch of low grass with multicoloured flowers welcomed them. The two mutants let their backpacks down with an appreciative sigh and sat, taking in the landscape in front of them. A peaceful silence settled between the two as they enjoyed the sight of the high jagged peaks displayed in front of them. Small clouds drifted quickly, some were hooked on to the mountains others inflating, masking the blue sky. The valley, where the camp was located, stretched at their feet endlessly, an oasis of green lost in a casket of snow covered rocks.

For the first time since the beginning of their field trip, she was finally able to relax completely and forget about what had happened before their departure. She stole a glance at her friend. He seemed to have found back his smile, at least a little bit.

Her grumbling stomach harshly called her back to reality. She reached inside her backpack and took out her midday lunch. Her smile brightened as she cut the bread and handed a piece to Rory. The elemental took it, smiling in return. He handed her some cheese and they started eating in a complete peaceful silence. He didn't feel the need to talk when he was with her. They seemed to have a kind of silent understanding and lately the comfort of their friendship had become his refuge. When sadness, memories of Sara and that hollow feeling threatened to overcome him, he would simply sit with Patti and take in her soothing presence.

"Would you mind exploring the caves we spotted this morning when we get back to the camp?"

He looked at her slightly surprised. Patti was not an adventurous type of girl. She had always seemed better while studying or watching the others around her. Maybe it was because of her gift. Yet since Sara's death her reactions toward life had changed. It was a welcomed change. Taking care of her helped him forgetting the pain.

Exploring caves might be dangerous, but he had taken several spelunking courses last summer. They had their frontal lamps, rope and first aid kits. Nothing serious could happen to them if they didn't go too deeply.

"Sure. But we have to get back before 4PM. Otherwise we're in for trouble with the teachers."

XXX

The minute they passed through the tight crack, the smell of wet rock and soil assaulted their senses. Silence around them was only disturbed by the reverberating sound of water trickling down the walls. It engulfed the two mutants, making them both think they had stepped on another world. As they progressed in the caves, natural light diminished quickly and temperature began to drop. Feeling the cold, Patti stopped and put a sweatshirt on. The two friends switched on their frontal lamps and resumed their walk without a word.

Water was seeping from the walls creating small murky pools everywhere; some were overflowing, creating a small stream on their path. On some places, the rock was encrusted with a yellowish material. Thin elongated stalactites were hanging from the roof with gigantic cobwebs taunt between them. Tiny water drops were hanging on them, glowing like little diamonds every time light would reflect on them.

Patti was following her best friend closely, trying not to slip on the polished rock. In order to steady her progression in the cave, she put her hand on the slippery walls. The scenery around her was amazing but for some reason she couldn't help but think back to her conversation with Emma and the incident of a few days earlier.

The two 'teachers' had seemed sincere; but a little something was nagging at her mind. She had been unable to read their thoughts. Many times she had managed to catch a glimpse of what they were thinking, but it had been blurred, just disjointed and meaningless words. Her instinct was telling her that they were hiding something about Sara and Melie's killer. And all their reassuring words and thoughts couldn't abate her fears. She was in danger; the nothingness she had experienced before falling wasn't natural or linked to her gift.

The young psionic was too absorbed to notice that Rory had stopped. The impact of their collision nearly made them collapse to the ground. He swiftly caught her and leaned on the wall to stop their fall. A few seconds later they locked eyes and burst out laughing.

"You are so clumsy Patti. Without me, you would already…"

He didn't have the time to finish his sentence.

She didn't have the time to slap his arm like she always did when he was teasing her.

The ground beneath their feet began to shake widely, reverberating in their bodies, propagating in the walls enclosing them. Rory wrapped Patti more tightly in his arms in a vain attempt to protect her. Blocks of rocks and dust were falling from the roof darkening the already ill lit space. The racket around them only grew in intensity. They didn't think. The two mutants started running toward the entry under a rain of granite.

They were halfway when Patti slid on the wet ground, twisting her ankle. Her leg gave way under her and she collapsed on the murky ground. The pain radiated in her whole leg. A loud cry erupted from her throat, covering the cacophony of falling blocks.

He didn't think.

He threw himself to the ground and cradled her in his arms to shield her from the shower of rocks. Some impacted on his back and legs; but he was beyond the pain. All that mattered was the safety of his best friend. The seconds seemed to last an eternity but her steady heartbeat against his chest became his only focus, allowing him to forget their surrounding, the pain from the rocks falling on them.

XXX

"Stop Nina! Don't touch that plant!"

Hearing Emma's voice, the molecular froze, her hand hovering a few centimetres above the deep green leaves. She cautiously withdrew her hand and took a step backward. The two teachers were coming her way hurriedly. She swore silently. Why did they have to choose that day to check on them? The groups were not supposed to get split and Patti and Rory still weren't back from their small hike.

"Nina, you were trying to collect venomous sumac. Again!"

She looked back at the little bush and then at the teachers standing in front of her. They had showed them at least ten times how sumac looked. And despite all of their explanations, she had been about to pick it up. She shook her head wondering what kind of idiocy she would do next. It has started two days ago with thistles, then the stinging nettle and finally this. Sam and Rory were right; she wouldn't be able to survive alone in that environment.

"Oh, hmm… well…"

Sam's arrival spared her the embarrassment of having to give an explanation. The molecular came rushing toward them, his drawing book in his hands. His eyes quickly went from his friend to the bushes on her right. For a few seconds, he hesitated between screaming at her and laughing out loud. His eyes landed on her face again. The small pout gracing her lips, the way she avoided looking at the teachers, how she shifted from one foot to the other like a guilty child, he couldn't contain his laughter any longer.

But it didn't last.

The mountain suddenly became silent. The absence of noises quickly became overwhelming, frightening. Sam barely had the time to scrutinize his surrounding when the first tremors went through his whole body, throwing him off balance.

On pure instinct, Brennan caught Emma and wrapped her in his arms, trying to shield her from whatever was about to come their way. Around them birds, flew from the high pine trees in a deafening cacophony. A distant sound of rock colliding with each other soon followed. Before they could realize what had happened, the earthquake was over and the mountain found back its noisy quietness.

Brennan quickly lowered his eyes on Emma to make sure she was ok. A reassuring smile welcomed his gaze and his grip on her tightened a little more. Fear was slowly replacing surprise. Fear of what might have happened; fear of loosing her; fear of not having been able to tell her what he had come to realize during those few days. He knew he was irrational; but he couldn't help it. Her smile faltered a little as his emotions reached her. But she didn't have the time to consider it. Loud curses and complaints called her back to earth. He released her after a quick kiss and scanned the area searching for the source of the unnatural noise.

Surprised by the violent tremors, Nina had half stumbled in the sumac bushes. Sam was now trying to help her up. The young mutant was trying his best not to laugh out loud at her crestfallen expression. Nina on the other hand, was nearly up and scratching the exposed skin of her hands. Blotches were starting to appear on her skin and Brennan could only sympathize with her. And then he realized that two of the students were missing.

"Where are Patti and Rory?"

His exclamation killed their bubbling laughter. The two teenagers looked at each other guiltily, unsure if they should tell them. Brennan crossed his arms in front of him waiting for an answer. He suspected the two had gone off on their own but he wanted them to tell him the truth.

"They went off for a small hike on Mount Levus."

Emma cursed under her breath. She had told Patti to stay out of trouble. Without hesitation, she focused on the young psionic, trying to locate her. It barely took her seconds to feel her pain and confusion.

She dwelled deeper in her mind, reinforcing their connection. Her inner eyes opened forcefully. She was in a blackened space with dust surrounding her… it was so hard to breathe. The air was heavy with moisture, earthy scent. Rory was bent over her ankle and the pain was so strong, she wanted to scream. Then it faded; her connection with the young psionic was over. Air was finally forced into her lungs. She opened her eyes only to find Brennan staring at her a worried frown playing on his lips. The two other mutants were also staring at her with surprise. Visibly Patti hadn't told them who or what they were. Brennan tilted his head in an interrogative gesture. She shook her head muttering something only he could understand. 'Later'. They had to find the two trapped teenagers before giving any explanations.

XXX

It was over.

Relief washed over Rory, they still were alive. The teenager relaxed his grip on Patti and opened his eyes. Carefully he sat beside her, taking in the devastation surrounding them. Blocks of rocks were littering the ground and the small pools near the walls were now filled with mud. Particles of rock were clinging to their clothes, their hair and his frontal lamp was barely able to light the small space. Patti was still lying on the ground, unmoving. She had probably fainted because of the pain and the fear. They had stepped into a huge mess and he wasn't sure he could get them out of it.

The elemental dusted his clothes; as his hand brushed against his left arm he had to wince. He took a deep breath only to be seized by a fit of coughing. The air around them was heavily filled with dust, making it hard to breathe.

It took him seconds to realize they hadn't been far from the entry and that the obscurity surrounding them wasn't normal. The elemental got up, made a step toward the exit to check what was wrong when a low whimper stopped him. Hastily he shrugged his backpack off and kneeled on the mud-covered ground near his friend.

"Patti?"

The young woman tried to sit up but her feet hit an obstacle. A strangled cry was heard in the cave. The pain in her ankle was so strong, it made her want to throw up. Her eyes closed as she desperately tried to control the nausea. She felt Rory helping her up and then carefully taking her backpack off. As he cleaned her face with his fingers, a fleeting smile twitched her lips in between her tears.

When he was done, the elemental settled his friend the best way he could, putting their rain mantels on the ground to shield them from the moisture. As gently as possible, he helped her sit down. The young woman leaned on the backpack he had put against the wall. Relief washed over her as the pain in her ankle slowly diminished. She watched him hanging his lamp on a piece of rock and then taking the first aid kit out of his backpack. He kneeled down beside her. What he was about to do would not be pleasant for her.

As gently as possible, he undid the shoelace and took off her right shoe. Then he proceeded to get her sock off. He was half way through when he heard her whimper. Instantly, his moves stilled. His eyes went from her ankle to her face.

"I'm sorry, Patti."

He didn't know exactly what he was apologizing for. Maybe it was the guilt of not being able to protect her and Sara, of agreeing to come here when he knew it wasn't safe. It was swarming in his brain as he checked on her ankle for any broken bones. His thoughts were cloaking her mind, blocking the physical pain.

"It wasn't your fault. None of this is your fault. Sara didn't die because of you. And you couldn't have possibly foreseen that earthquake."

His hands stilled above her ankle, holding the bandage. They locked eyes, exchanging a silent reassuring smile. The pain was so evident in his eyes that she felt a tear sliding down her cheek. Embarrassed, the elemental looked away and resumed his task on her ankle. Within seconds it was immobilized.

The warmth of his hand deserted her ankle and it didn't take long for her to start shivering. She was trying to put on a brave face. But her eyes were betraying her. It was his fault. He should have been able to protect her.

He cradled her in his arms trying to bring her much needed warmth, careful not to hurt her ankle more than it already was. Without a word he wrapped their bodies in the survival cover hoping it would keep the warmth long enough for the rescue to come. The temperature in the cave was slowly dropping and with the shock his friend had undergone it could become dangerous. Patricia shivered in his arms and he tightened his grip on her.

As she felt the thoughts drifting her way, a wrenching guilt took hold of her mind. Rory trusted her, cared for her and she had lied to him about the teachers.

"Rory, there is something I have to tell you."

He was about to interrupt her when she put two fingers on his lips.

"No. Please listen to me. The two teachers, they were sent to investigate Sara's death. They told me the truth when I had my little accident. They are just like us Rory."

"I already knew."

She put her hand on his chest and raised up, surprised. She was a telepath and she hadn't felt it.

"What? How come?"

"I had a little chat with Brennan on his second day at school. And he knew too many things about Sara. I guessed that something was completely wrong with the two."

She settled back in his arms taking in his warmth. Hopefully Emma would be able to locate them. She refused to think that they could die in that cave. Someone would come for them.

XXX

The four mutants stopped near the signs. Brennan got the map out checking their position. Emma came to stand beside him and pointed at small place in a clearing.

"They're…"

Her finger faltered as her breath got caught in her throat. It was there, at the hem of her mind, a dark shadow looming her and Patti's way. And with each passing minute it was getting closer.

The moment Brennan saw her trembling fingers he knew something was wrong. He wrapped an arm around her waist, steadying her. If that thing was anywhere near them he had to keep a physical contact with her. Maybe it could protect her like it had happened a few days ago.

"Emma?"

"It's here Brennan. We need to find them as quickly as possible."

XXX

Jesse put his coffee down, near the keypad, and sat down. He wanted to check one more time the information Brennan had sent him a few days ago. They had already checked the teachers' backgrounds with little success. Three missing students from the years 97 and 98. It shouldn't be so difficult to find. Yet he had nearly searched all databases without finding a trace. He entered the three names at least for the tenth time in a few days and started an extended search in the only databases he hadn't searched.

He barely had the time to take a sip from his coffee when the computer emitted a loud beep. His eyes drifted back to the computer screen only to see one name flashing. Finally! They had a lead.

"Boo!"

Caught off guard, the molecular jumped from his seat nearly sending his cup of coffee to the ground. He hated when she did that to him and since the beginning of Emma and Brennan's mission she had been more playful than usual around him.

"Shalimar! For goodness sake are you trying to kill me?"

The feral patted his shoulder and went to sit in the opposite chair. Her glowing smile and the laughter threatening to burst out should have made him angry. Yet it was a welcomed relief in the constant stress of the mission.

"Nope. If you die, I'll have to do all the work."

She barely managed to get the last words out before bursting out laughing. The temptation was too great. He threw the cushion resting on a nearby chair at her. The feral was too occupied to notice it coming her way. It hit her forehead cutting her laughter short. She straightened in her chair, completely shocked. Jesse was watching her, an innocent smile playing on his lips, one brow slightly lifted. Another loud beep coming from the computer prevented her from retaliating.

Jesse's smile faltered as he watched the information displayed on the screen. It was worst than what they had expected. While Shal came to stand beside him, he called Adam. Her breath got caught when she read what was on the screen. Her hand came to rest on his shoulder and soon his hand rested on top of hers gently squeezing it. They didn't exchange a word but they knew what the information displayed on the screen meant.

"What is wrong?"

Neither moved. The older man had to come and stand behind them to see what could possibly have frozen them. Two names were flashing on the screen. Neon green on black. And they were coming from his mutant database. Two psionics; Dead while studying at Grant's High. The cause of death was a cerebral attack.

Seconds later, a third name appeared on the screen with two lines of information under it.

'Casey Mitchell; Project Nemesis: subject 17; project director Dr. Easton.'

Adam gasped causing Shal and Jesse to turn around. His face was ashen; his lips were tightly pressed together. Life seemed to have deserted his body under the shock. He didn't blink and when the words got out, it sounded more like the voice of a frightened child.

"Tell me this is just a nightmare!"

TBC