"How bad is he Adam?" Shalimar asked the question that was on everyone's minds.
The four conscious members of Mutant X, Jessica and Witson were all gathered in the dojo. It had been about twelve hours since they had arrived back at Sanctuary and already two things were clear. The first, Brennan was fine; after sleeping for a while he was almost back to himself and just as stubborn as always. The second, Jesse was in serious danger.
"I spent the night running test…the damage I found, I can't imagine how it's possible for him to even be alive, let alone in and out of sleep. He has an infection, the wounds weren't treated probably. It'll heal though, slowly, but it'll heal. The new and improved governor can be removed, it'll take surgery, but it shouldn't leave any damage. He's weak, anemic, in a great deal of pain…and that's the good news," Adam said, with more then a little distain.
"I'm afraid to ask…what's the bad news?" Emma asked after a brief moment of silence.
Adam took a deep breath and addressed Brennan, "When you two went back to the factory, what happened?" Adam and the others were already aware of the fight that Jesse and Brennan had, had seemingly a life time ago. But there was little talk of the recalculation so a full account had never been heard.
"We talked for awhile then we noticed this smell, gas. It was leaking out everywhere…the door was jammed and I was passing out…" Brennan said, straining to remember.
"Brennan, this is important, did Jesse phase?" Adam asked, dreading the answer.
"He had to; I mean I was outside when I woke up…."
"Yes, I understand that he phased, but there's a difference between phasing the wall and himself. Did he phase?"
Brennan looked at Adam with regret, "I don't know, I was out. I'm sorry."
Adam sighed, frustrated, and began to rub his temples.
"Adam?" Shalimar asked, her concerned eyes searching his. She knew the news was bad, she knew that Jesse was in a lot of trouble, and she'd wish Adam would just tell her what was endangering him.
"Genomex uses a gas called Vecuronium Bromide. It's a nerve gas that takes away you're ability to move and puts you to sleep. Both Brennan and Jesse were exposed to it, Brennan for a shorter period. The longer exposed to the gas the more damage done, often it leaves a person paralyzed. If Jesse phased, the gas would mix directly with his molecules. It would damage his lungs…his nerve. Now that I think about it, that's probably why he's still able to wake up. His nerves are practically paralyzed. Combine the gas with the electric shock…" Adam trailed off and looked at the others, all of who had confused expressions, not following a single thing Adam had said.
"Brennan and Jesse inhaled Vecuronium Bromide, a nerve gas that if exposed to long enough will cause paralysis. If Jesse phased while surrounded by the gas then it would fuse with his molecules. His lungs already weakened by the gas, were only aggravated more by the electric shook, not to mention the broken ribs. I'm surprise he's still alive. But he may not be for very much longer."
There was a silence as the others took in Adam's words. Silently Adam watched as the realization hit home and the devastation began to show.
Emma was the first to realize, and a look of pain Adam had never seen before crossed her eyes. She silently bowed her head and started to cry soft sobs that still managed to shake her body. Brennan was the next to realize, feelings of pain, fear, and guilt crossing his face. He couldn't fight the tears, even as he took Emma into his arms and tried to sooth her.
Witson and Jessica took the news worse then Adam would expect considering only hours ago they had met Jess and Witson had tried to kill him. But the expression of guilt and sorrow on their faces were sincere and honest, telling Adam that they were hit almost as hard as the others.
Shalimar was all that remained. Her face was blank, her body squared, like she was getting ready to fight. And perhaps she was.
To anyone it would seem the news hadn't affected her at all. That it was just some sad story that Adam had told. However, she wasn't surrounded by anyone. This was he pack, her team, and they could see deep inside the emotions that were ready to explode.
Silently she stood from her place on the dojo steps, and with out a glance or word made her way to the med lab.
"Shal…" Brennan called, but refrained from saying anything else with one look from Adam.
'She needs to be cold, she has to be right now. She'll melt latter, but right now she needs to be numb,' Adam's eyes said. And Brennan went back to tending to Emma.
Brennan and Emma still sat on the dojo steps. They were the only two left there. Shal had wondered off, while Adam had taken Jessica and Witson to start getting them new identities. They'd leave for the underground tonight.
Brennan was stiff and sore, his injured arm screaming for relaxation. But he ignored it, Emma was still crying. Dry sobs now, but she still needed someone to hold her, and he'd be damned if he let her go.
Inside his head, his emotions were battling with his memories. The memories were telling him that there was nothing he could have done, after all he was one guy with one hand when they took him. Number two, he wasn't prepared for Emma and Shal to get cornered by the GSA or for Jesse to be so bad off. And number three, it wasn't his fault that Jesse got electrocuted. They used a generator, the images were all made up, all in his head. But his emotions kept saying that there was more he could have done.
He couldn't help but feel like a failure, that he'd failed his best friend. 'There we were, suffocating slowly and he use what was probably the last of his strength to shove me throw a wall, probably killing himself in the process. Then when it got down to it, when he needed me I failed him. I might as well have electrocuted him myself for all the good I did. It's my fault that he's dieing…I failed him….'
"Don't think that…don't ever think that," Emma said harshly. "You didn't do anything! How were you supposed to know that the tank would leek or the door jam? How were you supposed to know that Shal and I would get in trouble? This isn't your fault Brennan. It isn't your fault."
Brennan looked at her red eyes and the determination and fierceness in them and wished that he could have the same faith in himself that she had in him. "Em…when they had Jess and I…when they were…you know…" Brennan said, a little embarrassed.
"Yeah," Emma prompted.
"Well, they had this mutant, and he got into my head. I could hear them hurting Jesse. I could here the electricity and the sound it made on his lungs and him screaming…" Brennan said, a little to fast, like he was trying to rush through more then just the words. "And Em, in my head, in my head I saw him…only we weren't in that lab, we were in a lake. And we were drowning and my powers went out of control, and he was still screaming, but it was me…it was my fault…" Brennan could feel the tears starting to fall, and if it had been anyone else but Emma he would have played them off or left. But it wasn't anyone else, and he didn't have to be afraid of emotions, so he just let them fall.
Emma for her part, listened, and when he was done, did the only thing she knew to do, and held him. It was his turn to break down into sobs.