Adam sighed as he looked down at Jesse. This was a complication he didn't see and he cursed himself because he should have. Jesse had developed pneumonia. His breathing was shaky and he had to have a tube, something that took a lot of convincing of the younger man to put in. It was clear to every one that just by looking that they were in for a fight, and one that they feared Jesse was going to lose.
It was so quick, latterly a blink of the eye. One minuet Jesse looked to be on the mend, he was talking, even managed a few smiles, and now….
"Adam?" Shalimar asked as he came out of the lab to speak to the three others.
He didn't need to say anything for them to know that it was bad news. "It's pneumonia. Because of Jesse's powers that in itself would have been bad enough, but now…He's to weak to fight it off."
"What are you saying Adam?" Brennan asked anger in his voice to cover the fear, "That we were to late?"
"No, no, we did everything we could Brennan. This was a complication that I over looked," Adam said evenly, locking eyes with Brennan.
"Adam, could we try what we did earlier? I mean is there any way I can…" Emma said softly, interrupting the staring contest.
"No, I'm sorry Emma, but this isn't like the gas. Disease is different, it would just phase with the rest of him…."
The team sat in silence for awhile just trying to get over the shock. Jesse was slipping away, and they had no idea what to do. They were helpless to save him and it weighed heavily on all of them.
"What's going to happen to him Adam?" Shal finally asked, looking at her mentor with tear filled eyes.
Adam sighed as he tried to think of a way to say this and finally decide on the truth. "There are a number of things that could happen to him. His powers could flare up as they often do when his lungs are weak. He could start rapid phasing or massing, or even having molecular fits…that's when he goes through phasing and massing cycles so fast that his body can't keep up and starts a kind of ripple affect. It's not good…" Adam added seeing Brennan's and Emma's confusion. Shal had seen it before. "Or he could die in his sleep, or even pull through. Nothing's sure…."
"Except one thing," Shalimar said calmly, "if Jesse dies, then I'll hunt them down and kill them."
There was no doubt of the feral's promis. Ther eyes were cold and she spoke with a calmness that caused the others to shiver. There was no human in her anymore, she was all cat. If Eckhart had been there he would have wet his pants.