Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X or the X Men.

We're All Family

Chapter 18

"John!" Adam called as he turned quickly at the clamor.

Hank agilely moved to the fallen doctor. "Adam, finish with your patient. I will take this one." He very ably lifted John and placed him on a gurney and began to check him.

Evie sensed the shock that momentarily froze her husband in place. She closed her eyes and sent him what he needed to calm.

Adam turned and faced his wife. After a moment he smiled at her. "Help me and we'll finish quicker."

As soon as Adam had Dria stitched he left Evie to clean and dress the wound. As fast as he could he moved across the lab, shedding his scrubs and gloves on the way. "Hank?"

"You need to check his DNA structure, but his vitals are strong and all the scans are clear. It looks like a case of extreme exhaustion; I suspect you will concur, from the use of his powers."

Evie finished and gave Dria some strength to help recover. Adam had been correct. She was extremely weak. John's moans took her attention as she moved to her husband's side.

"Ooh, what happened?" he groaned as he tried to lift his head.

"No you don't. You stay right there." Adam placed a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"But, mom?"

"She's fine, John," Evie soothed as she came into view.

"My head hurts."

"That's from the collision you had with the utility cart and the floor," Hank obliged. "It would seem, My Young Friend, you passed out from over exertion."

"It's from your powers, John. Have you ever used them for this long a period before?" Adam watched and frowned as he saw John slowly shake his head. "Your DNA is showing the strain. You need another tune-up but it'll have to wait until we get home. Then we'll work on your endurance." He smiled when his nephew rolled his eyes.

"Can I get up now?"

"I see no reason to keep you here," replied Hank. "It is still too soon for dinner but there will be someone there. Please make sure you go directly to the kitchen for a snack to boost your energies while you await your tune-up."

John shook his hand. "Thanks, Doc." He nodded to his aunt and uncle and left.

Adam and Hank conferred about Dria and set the monitors to alert them when she began to awake, then joined the rest of the family as they began to come in to meet the new LeBeau child.

"These are the pictures I took." The man handed over the stack and waited.

"So, Adam does have a son." The older man flipped through but stopped and looked closely at one. "He was with him? Oh this gets better all the time."

"That's Brennan Mulwray. He can…"

"shoot electricity. I know." The old man's eyes grew darker. "I want them both. You told me you could do it."

"Of course. My team can handle anything," he stated with arrogance. "I'll get them and put them on ice. Then I'll send for you. It shouldn't take long."

"Good. Then I'll give Adam a father to father call and see where we go from there." Finally, revenge was within his grasp.

Afternoon drew into evening as the families cared for the children and had dinner. Clean up and bedtime routines passed efficiently. The LeBeaus were released from the lab after being brought a nice dinner for two, served with candles and soft music.

Since Dria still hadn't come around when Adam and John checked on her at 8 pm, Evie was called in to give her some extra strength. Adam hoped that Dria's body would wake sufficiently on its own but he knew the weakness she began with was extreme.

"I've given her as much as I dare now. She's still weak but not in any danger. Her system should be able to handle the rest on its own." Evie turned to see John gently holding his mother's hand. "You did an amazing job with the surgery."

John smiled weakly as he looked up at her. "I'm just thankful that Doctor McCoy and Uncle Adam had the means to do it."

"No need for the formality in our family," Hank grinned as he came into the lab. "I am very please the equipment proved more versatile than I'd planned. The possibilities for one with your ability are truly astounding."

"Thank you. I'm still amazed that mom will be ok. When we came from Scotland, we really thought it was to give mom the chance to say…goodbye," his whisper almost brought tears to Evie's eyes.

Adam moved to his side. "She'll be fine. Let's go up to the Library. Charles keeps Scotch here for when I come. I think we both could use some. The monitors are on and I'll check on her through the night. I want you to sleep."

They found Charles and the others in the Library. "How is she doing?" Charles asked.

"Well, for now. She hasn't come around yet but Evie strengthened her. We just have to wait."

"Wonderful. Another blessing for this holiday." Charles raised his glass as the rest joined him.

"Would it be too much trouble to ask for someone to take me back to the city tomorrow? Nicholas is giving another lecture. I'm supposed to join him."

"I can take you," Brennan offered. "Jesse's planning on using the danger room for the Helix redesign. If we stop home first I can pick up what I need to fit your car with the security modifications. I can do that while you're speaking. It shouldn't take long. Then you'll be able to drive it home."

"That sounds like a plan. Thank you."

Wednesday

After a hearty breakfast everyone set about their objectives for the day. Scott and Jesse began the redesigns as Adam and Hank checked on Dria periodically and spoke about upcoming projects.

Brennan and John were about to leave when Jack and Sissy asked to accompany them. Jack wanted to hear Dr. Winslet speak and Sissy…well, Sissy just wanted to be out with the guys. She really didn't care what they were doing. Brennan cleared it with the professor and was happy enough for the company. He really liked these two kids.

As they flew back to Sanctuary Jack and John dominated the conversation. It seemed that their common interest in medicine and their genius allowed for an instant bond and empathy for each other's situations.

Brennan called Sissy up to the co-pilot's seat. Seeing the excitement over the invitation, he began explaining the instrumentation and even let her hold the control stick for a few minutes. The flight was short. When they arrived Brennan got the equipment he would need for John's car. Within moments they were headed into the city for their first stop to switch cars. When they got to the conference center, an hour later, Brennan directed the way and had John park his car in a corner of the parking garage on an upper level hoping not many would choose to bypass the lower level parking. John and Jack went to meet Nicholas as Sissy chose to stay and play lookout and hand Brennan the tools he would need.

A little earlier…"I knew he'd be at this conference," the man whispered to himself. "He's making this way too easy. Alright, let's move. Take everything. We don't know who's with him." Eight men followed their orders as a van soon followed the tracker signal coming from John's car. They parked one level down and sent in a scout to wait for John to leave the meeting.

Meanwhile, Brennan was just about finished installing the access device under the dashboard of the car. "OK, now we link to Sanctuary for activation." Brennan pointed his fist and triggered his ring…then frowned.

"What's wrong?" Sissy asked.

"I'm not sure. It should be beeping to let us know it took…But it's not." Brennan rechecked the installation and tried again…still nothing.

"Maybe your ring's dead," Sissy deadpanned.

Brennan opened his mouth and took a breath to tell her how ridiculous her statement was when he stopped short with just enough doubt to make him second guess himself. Instead he called out, "Hey, Shal…"

"Yeah, Bren,"

He heard the light chuckle of his daughter that carried over the com. He smiled warmly as he pictured his family. "I can hear her. What's she doing?"

"She just fell over Logan. He's roughhousing with the kids. What's up?"

"Nothing. Just checking in. The access device won't activate. Sissy suggested my ring was bad." He turned a mock glare on the teen sitting on the hood of the car and smiled when she shrugged innocently at him. "Maybe I got a bad unit. I'll check it. Tell Shawna to save some energy to play with Daddy."

"Right, like that's ever a problem. See you when you get back."

Brennan turned back into the car and rechecked the device. "Jesse doesn't leave anything in storage that's not working. No, it all looks good."

Sissy watched as Brennan got out of the car and slowly walked around it, kicking the tires. "What are you doing? Looking to buy it? I don't think John wants to sell just yet."

"Cute...No. There are a couple of reasons why this thing might not activate. One is, it's bad…but let's rule that out for sake of argument." He bent down and reached his hand in and around a wheel well. "Another is that the car could have a GPS system installed…I checked…It doesn't." He checked two more wells. Moving to the last he continued. "The other might be…" Finding nothing he moved to reach under the back bumper. "that the car…" Nothing. "was tagged with…" He moved to the front and reached for the hood release as Sissy jumped off. "a tracker."

"But who would want to track John? He doesn't know anyone. He just got here. I think you're just being paranoid. You just don't want to admit…"

"Gotcha."

Being interrupted by Brennan's success, Sissy stood, mouth gaping, as she watched the man lean forward.

Brennan reached in and pulled off a small remote. Holding it up in triumph he continued, looking the shocked girl straight in the eyes. "You need to know now …that paranoia…in our lives…sometimes means survival."

"But John…" Sissy's voice dropped to a whisper. "Who would want to follow him? Why?"

"I don't know, Sis. But I do know that now we have to be careful. Come on. We're going to wait for John and Jack inside." He closed the hood, threw his tools and the tracker on the seat and locked the car. Turning he took the young girl's hand. "Let's go find them."

"Hey, Boss?" one called out.

"What is it?"

"I just lost the tracker signal. It went dead."

"Dead?" he looked over at the handheld display. "That must mean he's not alone. Everyone stay sharp," he ordered.

Brennan led Sissy to the hall outside the conference room. They heard applause coming from inside. Slipping in a side door they noticed John walking to the podium and shaking hands with an older man. "That must be Dr. Winslet," Brennan whispered.

"Where's Jack?" Sissy scanned the crowd. She breathed in relief when she found him and pointed toward the stage. Jack was seated on the end of the first row, John's recently vacated seat next to him taken now by Dr. Winslet. She smiled when she saw him shake Jack's hand in greeting.

Brennan touched her arm and directed her to a seat in the very back. He carefully scanned the crowd…twice, then sat by her side. He noticed she too was looking around. "Don't worry. They're ok for now." He smiled reassuringly at her when she looked up at him.

Sissy was beginning to get nervous. She had been in the mansion long enough to know what it's like when missions go wrong. She just couldn't understand why someone would want to follow John. Sitting back she was distracted from her thoughts by his voice as he began to speak. Suddenly it seemed so…different. Wow, Hadn't she been with him for a few days now? Hadn't she spent all that time talking with him in the kitchen? In her mind, flashed all the events of the last few days, from meeting the young man, to baking with him, to shopping with him, to their excursion to the Great Pyramids. Each time crystal clear behind her eyes. She smiled as she remembered her hand in his. His gallant touch of a hand shake when they met. The caring way he cradled her burned hand in the kitchen. The touch of their palms as she teleported from the garage, taking the bags to his room and again later bringing down the wrapped presents. The gentle strength in his grip as he called for the lights out in the bay. Each moment of each touch instantly remembered and felt. Yet, now…in this setting…he's commanding…he's confident…he's intelligent…he's sooo handsome. Applause brought her out of her thoughts as she sat straighter and quickly looked to see if the man next to her had noticed…anything. He was looking at her and she had the inkling of memory that he had said something that she'd missed. "Huh? Sorry, Bren. What'd you say?"

"Are you ok? You looked like you spaced out for a while."

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine. I just…uh…don't get all this medical stuff." She quickly ran a nervous hand through her hair and pushed one side behind an ear. "I don't know how Jack and John do it."

"Right…" Brennan grinned. "Well, let's go find them and we can ask them about it."

"No!" she snapped. "I mean,…yeah, let's find them but we don't have to um…ask him anything. Well, except why he's being followed, of course."

"Of course,…" Brennan extended his hand indicating ladies first.

Jack saw them coming down the hall and joined them as John remained to say goodbye to Nicholas. Brennan's eyes roaming back and forth, set Jack on alert as he joined the search though he didn't know for what. "What's happened?" he whispered as he met Brennan's eyes.

"Oh, you'll never guess what we found…"

"Sissy," Brennan pinned her with a glare that silenced her instantly and sent her chin to her chest. He gently put his hand to her shoulder. When she didn't look up he raised her chin with his fingertips. "I'm sorry. Not here, ok?" He smiled and put a reassuring arm over her shoulders as she nodded. Noticing John come up to join them he spoke without a hint of worry. "Well, they seemed to like what you had to say."

"Yes. People here have been very gracious to me."

"Are you ready to go?" Brennan didn't want to stay in one place too long. He released Sissy when John answered and they made their way through the crowd and out to the parking garage. When no one was around he spoke again. "John, when I installed the access device I found a tracker placed inside the hood. Any idea who might want to follow you?"

"No. None." John was stunned. "What would anyone want with me?"

Understanding of the scene in the hall dawned and Jack met Sissy's eyes as she looked up at him. He recognized a glint of fear…something he hadn't seen from her since they were younger. He silently took her hand in his as he turned back to face the men.

"I don't know, but we're not going to wait around and find out. Let's get back."

As they walked along the upper level of the garage toward the car they noticed a van parked across the lot. Warily they quickened their pace.

The man had his team positioned strategically behind support columns and other cars waiting for their prey. Not wanting to take chances on what the powers were of the teens and Kane, they were armed with sedatives. Making sure no one else was in view; he waited until they were all in position then gave the signal.

Brennan jerked and stumbled as two darts seemingly from no where hit him, one in the chest, and the other in the shoulder. As he fell to his knees another hit his chest. Time and space seemed to begin to blur for him. He knew he'd heard Sissy scream but now all he could hear was muffled voices, none making much sense. He tried to speak, "John, go. Get them out of here." At least that's what he tried to say. He wasn't at all sure what actually came out.

Sissy dropped to Brennan's side and tried to support him. John was by her. Together they managed to let Brennan down without banging his head on the cement.

Jack took a defensive posture and tried to see the attackers but saw nothing; the next one hit, he fell to the ground as darkness claimed him.

Sissy tried to move to Jack's side but fell quickly over Brennan's legs with a dart in her shoulder.

John looked around and saw the glint of light on metal but not in time to avoid the dart that caused him to pass out.

The man opened the door of the van and stepped out. He walked over to the four bodies strewn on the floor. "Good work. Now let's get them in the van. The sedative will keep them out long enough to get back and get them secured."

The phone rang. The man picked up the receiver. "Hello…yes…excellent…Four of them?...Who are they?...It doesn't matter…yes…when they're secured send someone to get me…" The man hung up the phone and picked up a picture of his family. "Finally…this will be over very soon…I will have my revenge…and peace."

TBC