For disclaimers, please see Chapter 1.
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"Shhh, baby, come here." He pulled Jesse down into his arms and held him close. "It's okay, baby, I'm here. I'm here."
Jesse buried himself in Brennan's arms, his face pressed against the taller man's neck. "Almost lost you. So close."
"Shhh. It's alright. Everything's alright."
Jesse held him tighter, letting loose his worry in soft cries.
Shalimar let go of the breath she hadn't realized she held. A quick glance at Emma showed her doing the same.
Brennan heard the twin sighs and looked up to meet their eyes, a tired smile on his face.
"Brennan – " Shal started.
Brennan shook his head. "Not yet," he whispered. He continued to hold Jesse, stroking his back gently.
Emma pulled Shalimar away from them, giving them a few moments alone. "Shal, we need to figure out what we're going to do. Those men with the dogs will be here soon."
Shalimar wrinkled her nose at the mention of dogs. "What's the big deal, Em? A few men and dogs aren't anything to us. We can take them out easily enough."
"I'm sure we could, Shal. But there are two problems with that. First – you and I just had our DNA rearranged and got a major power boost? Are you willing to take a swipe an innocent man and accidentally take his head off because you don't know your own strength yet?" Emma saw comprehension set in to Shalimar's eyes. "Who knows – right now a sleep suggestion that I send to them may put them to sleep permanently. We have to be careful."
Shalimar nodded, but nodded in Jesse's direction. "Still though – Jesse can take care of them. His powers seem limitless."
"That's part of problem number two, actually. These guys aren't Genomex – they're normals. If we use powers on them at all, they're going talk about it. And with everyone on high alert because of the supposed bombing, news stories about 'super-powered freaks' isn't going to help – it will make things worse. I think we just need to get out of here, before we make the situation worse."
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Jesse tentatively raised his head from the crook of Brennan's neck, almost as if afraid he'd vanish at any moment. When Brennan didn't, Jesse took a deep breath and looked into the dark eyes of the man he loved.
The man who'd left him days ago because he couldn't handle being with him. Brennan didn't love him. Jesse's heart stopped, and his breathing hitched.
Brennan saw the fear blossom in Jesse's eyes before the younger man quickly lowered his eyes and ducked his head. Brennan could guess the reason. Now that the initial shock of finding him had worn off, Jesse had remembered that Brennan had ditched him. Brennan had to act quickly to repair the damage he had done.
He raised his hands to Jesse's face, cupping his cheeks, and raised his head so that once again he could see the younger man's face, though Jesse's eyes remained lowered. "Jess, look at me."
Jesse couldn't risk it – couldn't risk the pain of rejection again. He closed his eyes.
"Please look at me." After waiting a moment and seeing Jess continue to block him out, Brennan charged forward, full steam.
He raised his own head and gently brought his lips to Jesse's, touching them softly for a moment before whispering against them, "I love you."
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"Have they had enough time yet?" Shalimar asked, having caught Emma's worry.
Emma's creased forehead smoothed and a broad smile stole out on her face. "Almost, Shal," she said, pulling the feral into a hug, caught up in the emotions she felt.
Shal, ever the fickle cat, quickly worked her way out of Emma's arms. She could be as touchy feely as the next girl, but always on her own terms. She'd pick those moments, thank you very much. "What was that for?"
Emma continued smiling and said "Them," flicking her eyes in the direction of the boys. "Feel this." Emma redirected what she felt, sharing it with the feral.
Immediately Shal's eyes filled with tears, and she pulled the empath into a hug. "Oh god," she sniffed. "There's so much joy, so much happiness. They love each other so much." Shal reached up and wiped tears from her eyes. "Why am I crying?"
Emma wiped her own eyes and smiled. "'Cause we're silly girls. Love does that to us."
Shalimar giggled and had to agree.
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Jesse's eyes flashed open. "What?"
"I love you," Brennan repeated.
"You love me?"
"Yes."
"Really? But…"
"Yes, you big moron, I love you. We'll talk about it later, but for now - shut up and kiss me."
Jesse's eyes filled with wonder, and he kissed Brennan shyly at first, and then with growing confidence. His heart soared, but confusion set in when Brennan pushed him back.
"What?" he asked in confusion.
"Need oxygen every once in a while, you know," Brennan said with a smile, breathless from the depth of Jesse's kiss. "You're still a helluva kisser."
Jesse beamed, and then glanced over his shoulder when he heard Shalimar giggle, seeing both girls with wet cheeks. "What's with them?"
Brennan looked over and then rolled his eyes. "Just ignore them. It's a girl thing. They get all sappy about love."
Jesse grinned. "And guys aren't?"
"Oh, we are," Brennan grinned back. "But we show it differently."
"And how's that?"
Brennan leaved forward and whispered into Jesse's ear just how many ways he would show him that he loved him.
Jesse's face reddened and his groin throbbed. "You better stop," he breathed huskily. "I won't be able to stand up for a few minutes as it is." He gasped as Brennan's teeth teased his earlobe.
"Okay… for now," Brennan replied, setting Jesse's ear free. "But later… I need you."
Jesse nearly came in his pants.
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Shalimar walked over to the two prone men and clapped her hands. "Okay, you two, break it up. Party's over. Time to get up and move out."
Jesse blanched. "Ummm, I need a few minutes."
Shalimar smirked at his discomfort. "Have a little bit of a problem, do we?" She laughed at Jesse's eye roll. "No worries, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Recently, in fact. That was quite the scene back at the dojo."
Jesse wondered about the possibilities of death by embarrassment.
Emma broke in. "Guys, we really need to go. The men are getting very close."
"I can handle them," Jesse said with assurance. "No problem."
Emma let out a small groan. Why is it they all think that kicking a little ass solves everything? "We don't have time for this," she said aloud.
Jesse and Brennan both jerked back at the sudden intrusion in their minds as Emma quickly broadcast the situation and her thoughts on it. They both shook their heads and rubbed their temples when she had finished.
"Ow, Em. A little slower next time."
"Sorry," Emma said, sheepishly. "I forgot. But that just proves my first point – I shouldn't try to mess with their minds."
"So we run?" Brennan asked, rising slowly into a sitting position, a wince escaping as he did so.
"You okay?" Jesse asked anxiously. "Is there something wrong? Did I miss something?"
"Nope, I'm fine. Just a little stiff and sore. It's nothing to be worried about," he reassured, "though the running part may be a little beyond me right now."
Jesse stood, not even realizing that his concern for Brennan's well-being had solved his other problem, and helped Brennan to his feet. "Let's get going."
Brennan took a step forward and stumbled, but Jesse caught him easily. "Okay, this isn't going to work."
"Maybe you could just… move… him there, Jess," Shalimar offered helpfully.
"No, I'll walk," Brennan broke in, a bit forcefully.
"What do you mean, Shal?"
"Well, you make walls disappear and then reappear…"
"No, forget about it," Brennan said again, forcefully.
"Maybe she's right, Bren. If I just…."
Brennan grabbed Jesse's shoulders and twisted him so that he stared directly into his eyes. "Jesse – promise me you will never do that, to anyone."
"Why, Brennan? We're all just matter, and…"
"Promise me. Right now. Promise me."
Emma and Shalimar looked uneasily at each other, not understanding what had Brennan so concerned.
"Okay, Brennan, if it means that much to you."
"It does."
"Now promise," Brennan demanded.
"I already said I wouldn't."
"No, you said 'okay'. I want to hear you say it."
The worry Jesse had started to feel a moment ago when Brennan started this grew increasingly stronger. "I promise you I will never to dematerialize anyone." An itch demanded scratching in the back of his brain, and he frowned.
Brennan recognized the action. "Thank you and now stop thinking about it. We'll talk about it later, I promise."
Jesse nodded, but he still worried at the itch, trying to remember.
"Stop it, Jesse. I love you and everything will be okay, just trust me." He leaned forward and kissed Jesse softly on the lips. "Okay?"
"Okay."
"Now, we need to figure out how we're going to get out of here."
"More than that, we need a way to end this whole man-hunt and the news stories."
"Yeah, ummm, sorry about that." Brennan had received a glimpse of the controversy when Emma had 'caught them up'. The idea of national media, the president, and every local redneck trying to find 'those responsible for this act of terrorism' made him cringe. "I guess taking off to deal with this on my own wasn't one of my better ideas."
Jesse snorted. "No shit, Sherlock."
Brennan smiled back at him evilly. "When I'm feeling stronger, you'll pay for that."
"Think you'll be up to it?" Jesse countered.
"Oh, I'll be up for it alright."
Shalimar saw the verbal fuck-fest starting and squashed it. "Sexual innuendos later, boys. Exit plan now."
"We need Adam," Emma said. "He'd know how to diffuse this whole thing."
"I still don't think I'm ready to trust him, but let's call him," Jesse suggested.
"Call him? How?"
Jesse held up his ring communicator and tapped it with his opposing hand. "Sanctuary?" he queried.
"Yes, Jesse," a modulated voice responded.
"You made Sanctuary voice activated," Shal marveled.
Jesse nodded. "Sanctuary," he continued, "reactivate Adam's ring, but for communication with us only. No other access."
Shalimar looked at her own ring. "We can do more than talk with each other with these things?"
"Confirmed," the modulated voice replied. "Ring activated."
"Adam?" he said to his ring.
"Jesse?" Adam responded back a moment later, a touch of anger in his voice. "Where are you? What's going on? Why isn't anyone answering? Why can't I get into Sanctuary?"
"Because I locked you out, Adam, for our safety."
"But you asked me to come back!" Adam retorted.
"There's been a change of plans. Are you outside of Sanctuary now?"
"Yes."
"Well, we had to take a trip. You saw the news?"
"Of course. Was that Brennan? Is he okay?"
"Yes, but we need your help. We're trying to get back to the Helix, but Brennan was injured. He's okay, but we'll be moving slowly. We need to get some men and dogs off our tracks without making the situation worse."
"I understand," Adam said thoughtfully. "The world is looking for terrorists, and if they find terrorists with super powers, Genomex will look like a bunch of candy stripers."
"Exactly."
Jesse looked at his three friends while waiting for Adam to come up with a solution, and saw both worry and relief on their faces. Adam would find a solution.
"Jesse?" Adam asked.
"Yes, Adam."
"I know you are not sure about me right now, but I need to know about your powers. What are you able to do?"
Jesse paused, still hesitant to say anything to Adam about his powers, though he had already demonstrated them somewhat to Adam back at Sanctuary. In for a penny, in for a pound, I suppose. "I can control matter. I can create it as well as remove it."
"And your memories?" Adam asked with more than a little reservation in his voice.
"Coming back slowly."
"Yeah, I guess we'll have to talk about that, but first, let's get you out of there."
"So what's your plan?"
"They want a terrorist to blame, right? We give them one."
"What? We're not leaving anyone behind to take the wrap," Brennan said angrily.
"No. Jesse creates a terrorist for them."
Brennan's eyes widened. "No, Adam. Absolutely not."
"Not a living one, Brennan. A body for them to find and blame."
Emma didn't even know if Jesse could create a living person – all the memories, personality – the soul… all the things beyond matter. But she had assumed that Brennan had been in opposition to creating someone who would likely suffer in their place. She still felt the waves of panic coming off him though, and she didn't know why.
"No, Adam. It's not worth the risk."
Jesse felt that itch again in his brain.
"I don't see any other choice, Brennan. Don't make the situation worse than it is."
Shalimar cocked her head. "They're close. I can hear them talking."
Jesse strained to hear anything in the resulting silence, and then heard the faint barking of a dog. "Lower your voices to a whisper," he ordered.
"Adam?" Emma asked in a low voice.
"Yes, Emma."
"I can see how that might give them something to deal with, someone to blame – but won't that just escalate the problem? If we give them an Al Qaeda, won't we be risking war?"
"Who said anything about an Al Qaeda?"
"You said a terrorist."
"Yes, I did… but what if that 'terrorist' was a member of the US Military?" Adam waited for the thought to sink in.
"They wouldn't want to admit that the military had been compromised," Emma mused after a moment.
"Exactly. Instant cover-up. I'm sure something like a 'weather balloon' will be blamed."
"Wow. That's twisted," Jesse said.
"I still don't like it," Brennan said testily. "Jesse shouldn't…"
"Shhh," Shalimar cautioned, at Brennan's rising voice. "They're really close."
"It'll be okay, Brennan. I can do this."
"Jesse, you'll also need to make a device for them to find. Preferably something that looks like government issue…and used."
Jesse thought about how when he had shielded Sanctuary's core from EMP, he had done a little research on the devices that could cause it. "No problem."
Jesse tapped his ring, turning it off, when he heard the barking of the dogs grow louder. He motioned everyone behind an outcropping of large rocks, and Emma and Shalimar helped Brennan hobble behind it.
Looking at the spot Brennan had occupied not long ago, Jesse reached out to the matter field and began constructing a body. He knew it would have to stand up to autopsies, so it has to be perfect. He fashioned the image of Brennan's broken body in his mind, and stifled the instant panic the picture caused, but used it as model to build broken bones and torn skin. The body grew, bones, whether broken or whole, knitting into place, muscle weaving around them, skin stretching to cover all but the wounds.
Jesse made the man a blond, with blue eyes – reinforcing the desired effect of an all-American boy. He gave him a short buzz cut, common to the military, as well as a few old scars one might have from old football injuries. Jesse faltered when it came to the fingertips. He couldn't create an identity to back them up, and then it dawned on him that if the fingertips had been burned or sanded off, it would help complete the image of a soldier gone rogue. He dressed the body in fatigues, and added combat boots. A side arm completed the picture… that and a generous splashing of blood.
Jesse formed the pieces of an exploded EMP device next, one that had ostensibly overloaded and exploded. He scattered the pieces and then restored part of the rubble he had earlier cleared, but left enough of the body exposed that the dogs would be sure to find it.
Jesse then remembered that dogs would be attracted to smell, and he'd have to make the body smell. He concentrated on body odor, and then added things like remnants of cologne and deodorant. He also realized that the body should probably smell pretty bad, being dead an all, and added a touch of decomposition to the body, mostly around the wounds, aging them as if they'd been there for many hours instead of just minutes.
Jesse opened his eyes and winced at the sight. He'd done a good job – and it made him want to vomit.
He ducked behind the rocks himself, and then materialized more rocks to hide them. He just hoped the dogs wouldn't pick up their scent as well as the body's.
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4/30/06