Table of Contents [Report This]
Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
The Best of All Worlds
Brennan sat leaning against the cold wall. He’d lost his shirt in the torture session, but didn’t care at this point. McKenzie was leaning against his chest which actually hurt but he was trying to comfort her while they experienced this ordeal together.
McKenzie shifted against him. “Brennan, my vision is returning.”
He rubbed his hand along her arm. “That is good news. I wonder what they gave you.”
“Something to suppress my ability I’m sure. That is normally my father’s goal.” McKenzie rested her hand on Brennan’s chest. He tried to hide the discomfort it created but she knew he was hurting. Strangely enough, he actually felt better when he was helping her and she knew it. She shifted a little next to him, trying her best to be careful. She felt safe with him despite where they were. Her mind wandered back to where they were and how strange it was her father and the Centre had left them locked up together. There was something more going on. She was sure the Centre they had ulterior motives in keeping them together.
“We’re not going to be able to stay like this, are we?” Brennan kissed the top of her head.
She turned her head to look up at him. “Doubtful.”
“I’m sorry I pulled your history out of you yesterday.” Brennan squeezed her a little.
McKenzie shook her head and sat up slowly. “Forget it. I’m just sorry I yelled at you. It was just a lot of things I’ve been avoiding. Don’t like talking about them.” She kneeled at his side.
Brennan sat up slowly with gritted teeth. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” He cupped her face in his hands. She was a beautiful woman even after everything… he could still see it. He leaned in and kissed her. She didn’t resist but rather leaned into the kiss.
The door to their cell opened again. “I am so glad you two like one another because we’ve got big plans for you two.”
A sweeper entered and grabbed McKenzie. Brennan reached out for her but another sweeper kicked him down. “Don’t fret, Mr. Mulwray. You will have plenty of time with my daughter. I promise.” Connor turned and left the cell.
Plenty of time with my daughter? “What does that mean?” Brennan was curled up on the floor wishing he could prevent any harm from coming to McKenzie, but now he was sure he had broken ribs.
~~~~~~~~~~
Lyle smiled as he headed through the corridors of the Centre towards the laboratory where they’d be testing a new drug on Connor’s daughter. Connor for a change, had managed to capture his daughter, which the Centre was happy about, even if he missed out on Jarod. Now their fertility project could get up and running. Connor had succeeded in giving his daughter the first dose of the drug which had hit her hard. Lyle had visited her and found it amusing that it had knocked her out. He wasn’t one to force a woman but he’d been tempted. He had no doubt she’d be a good time. Of course, he wouldn’t have the pleasure but if everything went as planned the mutant would. They had discovered long ago and natural conception was the best way when dealing with the mutations.
Lyle got in the elevator and pushed the button which would take him to SL-27 labs, where days earlier the drug had been perfected. Raines, his father, wanted candidates found for the project. Once he’d brought the Genomex projects up, Raines had been determined to breed a mutant with a Centre work of art, as he called them. Lyle, for the most part, thought them freaks, but none of this was up to him. Connor, being the good little Centre lackey, he’d become, offered up his daughter as the mother in the trials of the project. Raines seemed fine with it considering McKenzie’s abilities.
Lyle was now walking through SL-27 where he ran into Parker. “What do you want?” He seemed more annoyed than surprised to see her.
“No dear brother, the question is what sick twisted things are going on down here?” Miss Parker got as close to Lyle as she could. “What are you up to?”
Lyle leaned back a bit staying impassive about her accusations. “If you are working for the Centre, you are going to have to learn we do things for a reason.” Lyle walked around her.
“The Centre always has their reasons.” Sydney stated behind Miss Parker. Broots and he had followed her down to SL-27 as they’d been told to, but Broots was still having trouble with Parker’s direct approach. He’d rather she simply sneak around as they did in the past.
“So McKenzie’s abilities have nothing to do with this place?” Miss Parker knew full well woman had been held in SL-27 while they were pregnant. She remembered the birthing table with shackles. She wasn’t going to sit by and watch it happen again.
Lyle stopped in his tracks and turned to eye Parker. “If you’d like to see McKenzie, then by all means follow me.” He continued on his way, now with Parker, Broots and Sydney following him.
Lyle walked through the doors of the lab with his newest entourage close behind. “Connor, I see you’ve started phase two of the project.”
Connor turned towards them, all smiles, which faded the moment he saw the company Lyle brought. “What are they doing here?”
“I wanted to let Parker in on how we are helping your daughter.” Lyle turned to his sister. “You see, Parker, McKenzie has become increasingly irrational and we have been working hard to find a way to cure her. She’s become paranoid and frequently hallucinates. We are trying to make her life better.”
Connor walked forward. “My daughter has suffered enough from her abilities. I’d rather she didn’t have them than she suffer with them.” Connor had decided Lyle was especially good at what he did and was beginning to like working with him.
Miss Parker crossed her arms. “Noble of you.”
Sydney stepped around Parker. “May I see her files?”
Connor’s eyebrow rose. He clearly wasn’t appreciating the inquisitiveness of these people, but Lyle stepped in. “Of course.” Lyle directed him to the files over on the desk. “As you can clearly tell, she’s had no hope with normal methods of treating her illness.”
Sydney was actually surprised by what he was reading. “She does seem to be rather troubled.”
Miss Parker crossed the room and snatched the file from Sydney’s hand. She looked it over. Syd was right, she did really seem to be disturbed, not that one could tell, McKenzie was out cold on the table in the center of the room. She had no doubt that whether she was troubled or not she’d be trying to escape. She had to be drugged. Miss Parker noticed the dates on the file. “So the moment she left the Centre she became irrational?” Miss Parker walked over to Lyle and pushed the file at him.
Connor smiled slightly. “That is why we believe she fled the Centre.”
“Because there is never any other reason to run from the Centre.” Miss Parker turned and head out the door, but stopped. “Sydney, Broots, let’s go.” Then she continued her journey out of the lab. Sydney strolled after her while Broots run quickly out of the lab.
Lyle turned to Connor. “By the time she get anywhere with this everything will be set in motion.”
“McKenzie’s already been given the rounds of the fertility drug.” Connor stated.
Lyle smiled at Connor. “Now we just have to help Mr. Mulwray in the libido department, put them together and what do you get… a Centre creation.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar, Michael, Jesse, Lexa and Jarod headed through the vents Jarod had brought them in until they’d reached the last signal location of Brennan’s com ring. “We’re in SL-27.” Jarod looked to Michael.
Lexa was crouched down like the others but it was starting to make her mad. “What does that mean?”
“It means we’re 27 levels underneath the ground.” Jarod looked back at her.
Shalimar was behind Lexa. “I smell death.” She looked back at Jesse and then she looked to the others.
“Welcome to SL-27.” Jarod looked to Shalimar. He knew the horrors of this place. He also knew the things that happened there still hung in the stale air.
~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker paced the corridor. “Who was the mutant that was brought in?”
“Is.” Broots corrected her.
“Well?” Miss Parker knew they were running on little time to stop whatever the Centre had planned.
“I don’t know.” Broots looked at her.
Parker tossed her hand in the air in frustration. “Then what do I keep you around for?”
“Because I know where he’d being held.” Broots smiled and gestured for her to go first.
~~~~~~~~~~
Brennan was still lying on the floor, now with his eyes closed as the door opened. He wasn’t sure how much he could take but hoped McKenzie was returning just as he had. The sound of high heels clicking along the floor told him his hopes were dashed.
“What’s wrong with him, Sydney?” A woman voice broke through the silence that he was beginning to find deafening.
Brennan heard the footsteps come closer to him. He opened his eyes. “Who are you people?”
Miss Parker grabbed Sydney by the shoulder and pulled him back. “I’m Miss Parker, Sydney, Broots.” She gestured to both Sydney and Broots. “And you are?”
“Brennan Mulwray.” Brennan forced himself to get to his feet. He needed to fight back or something bad might just happen.
“And what exactly are you?” Miss Parker eyed him.
“Got a piece of metal. I’ll show you.” Brennan smiled at her.
“Sorry, handsome, fresh out.” Miss Parker smiled at him. It was hard to believe a man so beautiful was different from any other man.
“It’s a pity he puts on a good show, Parker.” Jarod stepped into the room behind her. She turned to see his gun leveled at them.
From the wall to the left of her, Miss Parker watched as a man and a woman walked into the room by walking through the wall. She seemed surprised despite the files that told her it was possible.
Broots looked horrified. “Miss Parker! They came through the wall.”
“I saw Broots.” Miss Parker glared at him.
The blonde started to go to Brennan side. Miss Parker tried to block her but changed her mind with the woman’s eyes changed to look something like a cats. “What the hell is this, Jarod?” Parker turned to look at him again.
“Shalimar, we have to catch up with Lexa and Michael. Hurry.” Jesse toned. He wanted to get in and out. He still had problems with the things he’d experienced at Genomex and he was having trouble even being in this place.
“I’ve got it, Jesse. You man the wall.” Shalimar let Brennan lean against her. She was obviously strong because she didn’t seem to slow down with the bigger man putting any weight he could on her. The shorter man Shalimar had called Jesse put his hand against the wall and Shalimar, Brennan and he disappeared through the wall as quickly as they’d appeared.
Jarod smiled at Miss Parker. “Aren’t my new friends just wonderful?” He smiled as he kind of hoped backwards and then shut the three of them in the cell.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Get the drugs ready for Mr. Mulwray.” Connor commanded from the viewing section he and Lyle had set up. The last thing he wanted was to put his daughter through this but it was necessary because of the instability of Brennan Mulwray’s DNA and he was rightly sure McKenzie and Brennan wouldn’t simply comply and so a push was necessary.
A bolt of energy blasted into the doctor, sending him to the ground. Lyle and Connor looked to the brunette that walked into the room. “I’m thinking the show was cancelled. I hate when that happens.”
Michael walked in behind her with his gun pointed at Connor and Lyle. He simply stared at them willing them to act against him so he would have the opportunity to shoot them.
Connor smiled at Lexa. “Very impressive. We could use someone like you.”
“Not really interested in someone who tortures innocent people including his own daughter. You really are a sick son of a bitch, aren’t you?”
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar leaned Brennan against the wall out side of the lab. “Bren, I’ve got to help get McKenzie out of here. Can you hold on for a while?”
Brennan nodded to Shalimar. He wasn’t in the mood to talk about anything but he was very willing to help them get to McKenzie.
Jesse smiled. “Good ‘cause were almost home, bro.” Jesse fazed through the wall next to Brennan.
~~~~~~~~~~
Lexa was finding it hard to control the sweepers in the corner and the two men across the room. The two men’s faces contorted in surprise as Jesse stepped through the wall just behind her. She knew what was happening. The hairs on the back of her neck tickled her whenever Jesse fazed.
Jesse went to McKenzie’s side. “I’m not a doctor but I’ll see what I can do.” He looked through the file which hung at the end of her gurney. “I don’t get this.”
Jarod burst through the doors. “McKenzie.” He went to her side and first grabbed her wrist to check her pulse.
Jesse looked up at him. “She’s been drugged.” He handed Jarod the charts. “You’re a doctor aren’t you?”
“Whenever I need to be.” Jarod skimmed the chart and then turned to Connor and Lyle. “What the hell were you two up to?” Jarod waited but no response was forth coming. “Lyle? Don’t make me play with you the way you played with me?”
Lyle glared at Jarod. “I don’t think you have time for that, pretender.”
Connor stepped forward slightly. Michael held his weapon firm and Lexa flexed her hands. “That won’t be necessary. I can tell you what I gave her. It was a drug to help her mental problems.”
“I haven’t known McKenzie all that long but I’d say the mental problems are coming from you.” Lexa quipped.
Jarod turned his attention back on the charts. “Fertility drug?” He looked at the vials. “And a new one I’d wager.” He was sure of it. “You’d actually impregnate your daughter and keep her down here? Connor who’s the father? Do you even know?” He nodded to himself as he mumbled through ingredients to make possible drugs. “It will be awhile before she’d awake.”
The sweepers behind Jesse looked to Lyle who gave them a slight nodded. One sweeper grabbed Jesse while behind them the room erupted in several more sweepers. Lyle and Connor ducked for cover as did Lexa and Michael.
Connor’s voice rose above the sounds of fighting. “If my daughter is harmed, I’ll gut whoever did it.”
Lexa cringed at the mere thought of a father like him. She rose from her hiding spot and shot a few blasts from her hands. Michael followed with his Desert Eagle. From across the room Lexa heard what she knew had to be Shalimar fighting to get rid of the newest sweepers.
Connor and Lyle watched in amazement as one blonde woman, who had entered behind the new batch of sweepers, seemed to be strong enough to take them all on. “Do you see her eyes?” Connor looked to Lyle who nodded his response.
Lexa shimmered out of existence and made her way over to Shalimar. She shimmered into existence just behind a sweeper. She tapped on his shoulder and waited for him to turn towards her before hitting him and knocking him out.
Jesse was fighting off sweepers with ease. He massed out a few times before the sweepers landed punches and listened as the sweepers hands cracked once they slammed into him.
Not one of them saw the move Lyle made towards Jarod who now had a gun in his back. “Stop, or I’ll shoot him.”
Lexa, Shalimar, Jesse, and Michael stopped in place and stared at Jarod. Most of the sweepers were down and the few that weren’t, nursed injuries of one kind or another. “Why don’t I believe you?” Shalimar growled at him.
“Believe what you want. Jarod might be important to the Centre but they’d rather have him dead than out in the real world.” Lyle sneered at her. Jarod’s face showed his disgust of Lyle. Shalimar noticed how tense Jarod jaw had become. He was angry he’d been put in the position to comprise them all.
Lexa wanted desperately to hurt Lyle but knew she’d be putting Jarod’s life at risk if she disappeared. They all watched as Connor shimmered with blue electricity and hit the floor. When Lyle turned to look at Connor, she vanished moving quickly to one side taking out a few sweepers as she went.
It was only seconds later Lyle, too, was engulfed in electricity. Shalimar had taken down a couple remaining sweepers, as did Jesse and Michael, but turned just in time to see Lyle hit the floor and Brennan fill the doorway with one hand still sparking and the other reaching up above his head to a metal door hinge.
Jarod turned and thanked Brennan before he ran past him and disappeared into the corridor.
“Where is he going?” Lexa looked at the others truly puzzled as to why, now, Jarod took off.
Michael’s eyebrow rose above his left eye. “He had unfinished business.” Michael lifted McKenzie off the gurney and turned towards Brennan. “We must leave.”
Shalimar ran over to Brennan and helped him follow Michael. Jesse took the lead providing them with alternate routes to get through the corridors of the Centre, while Lexa took out any sweepers from the back.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jarod opened the door to the cell he’d locked Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots in and waited for them to exit. “Since when do you come to our rescue?” Miss Parker snapped at him.
“Since you were the one that sent me the information on the children.” Jarod smiled at her. Maybe just maybe she’d changed her mind about whose side she should be on.
Miss Parker suppressed a smiled and then whispered. “Good luck, Jarod.” Sydney and Broots stood surprised as Jarod and Miss Parker seemed to share a moment of admiration for one another, though Sydney believed Parker had deep feelings for Jarod as he did for her. Problem was she rarely showed the side she worked hard to hide from Jarod, who saw it anyways. Now she seemed opened to the idea that she wasn’t destined to return Jarod to the Centre.
Jarod smiled at her. “Thank you, Parker.” He turned and ran off.
~~~~~~~~~~
McKenzie awoke startled. She tried to fight who ever was next to her. Her vision was slowly restoring itself again and now the voice registered in her head. “McKenzie! Stop you’re home.” Nemesis’ hands tried to hold her down.
She relaxed against the bed she was in as she realized she was in the house infirmary. She looked up at her aunt. “Brennan?”
“I’m actually better than I thought I’d be.” A voice from across the room stated. Nemesis moved so McKenzie could see Brennan who got up from his own bed and headed over to see her. “You were right. They came and got us.” Nemesis stepped back to give them privacy and to talk to the others.
“That will teach you to doubt my powers, won’t it?” McKenzie smiled warily at Brennan.
Brennan took her hand in his. “I know what they planned to do. McKenzie…” He shifted looking rather uncomfortable.
“But they didn’t get the chance, Brennan.” McKenzie sat up slowly and pulled him into a hug.
“I would love to have kids someday, but never like that.” Brennan squeezed her against him.
“Me too.” McKenzie laid her head on his shoulder letting a few of her tears stain his shirt.
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar walked up to Nemesis. “Her father was willing to sick a drugged and revved up Brennan on her to impregnate her so he could create a special child.”
Nemesis nodded to Shalimar. “I didn’t think the Centre would sink that low. Your,” she looked to Shalimar, indicating new mutants in general, “DNA is sensitive. The easiest way was for a natural conception and since they figured it wasn’t going to be willing…” She couldn’t believe Connor would allow McKenzie to experience that, but then again she never thought he’d try and kill her. Guess I don’t know him that well.
Shalimar shook her head as she turned and left to find Jesse.
Michael and Lexa walked up to Nemesis’ side. “They have grown close.” Michael stated.
“She understands him because of her initial connection to him.” Nemesis observed, knowing full well they had shared an ordeal none of these Mutant X team ever experienced before.
Lexa moved to block their view of McKenzie and Brennan. “You should know there is an organization called The Dominion. They know about pretenders and are interested in their abilities. They are just as bad as the Centre.”
Michael smiled at her. “I wondered when you would say something.”
Lexa looked shocked. “You knew about that?”
Nemesis smiled at Lexa. “Michael informed me that I know Adam Kane. So to answer your question, yes, we knew.”
~~~~~~~~~~
McKenzie, Michael, and Nemesis stood on the lawn of the San Francisco House watching the Helix leave with the new friends they’d just discovered. Michael held onto a still cooping McKenzie.
McKenzie’s eyes misted over. Her connection to Brennan was strong and would last for a long time even if McKenzie told him he should give into his feelings for Shalimar. Michael and Nemesis turned and headed back into the house while McKenzie watched the Helix disappear into the sky. “Goodbye.” She whispered into the wind.
Reviews are appreciated.
Brennan sat leaning against the cold wall. He’d lost his shirt in the torture session, but didn’t care at this point. McKenzie was leaning against his chest which actually hurt but he was trying to comfort her while they experienced this ordeal together.
McKenzie shifted against him. “Brennan, my vision is returning.”
He rubbed his hand along her arm. “That is good news. I wonder what they gave you.”
“Something to suppress my ability I’m sure. That is normally my father’s goal.” McKenzie rested her hand on Brennan’s chest. He tried to hide the discomfort it created but she knew he was hurting. Strangely enough, he actually felt better when he was helping her and she knew it. She shifted a little next to him, trying her best to be careful. She felt safe with him despite where they were. Her mind wandered back to where they were and how strange it was her father and the Centre had left them locked up together. There was something more going on. She was sure the Centre they had ulterior motives in keeping them together.
“We’re not going to be able to stay like this, are we?” Brennan kissed the top of her head.
She turned her head to look up at him. “Doubtful.”
“I’m sorry I pulled your history out of you yesterday.” Brennan squeezed her a little.
McKenzie shook her head and sat up slowly. “Forget it. I’m just sorry I yelled at you. It was just a lot of things I’ve been avoiding. Don’t like talking about them.” She kneeled at his side.
Brennan sat up slowly with gritted teeth. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” He cupped her face in his hands. She was a beautiful woman even after everything… he could still see it. He leaned in and kissed her. She didn’t resist but rather leaned into the kiss.
The door to their cell opened again. “I am so glad you two like one another because we’ve got big plans for you two.”
A sweeper entered and grabbed McKenzie. Brennan reached out for her but another sweeper kicked him down. “Don’t fret, Mr. Mulwray. You will have plenty of time with my daughter. I promise.” Connor turned and left the cell.
Plenty of time with my daughter? “What does that mean?” Brennan was curled up on the floor wishing he could prevent any harm from coming to McKenzie, but now he was sure he had broken ribs.
~~~~~~~~~~
Lyle smiled as he headed through the corridors of the Centre towards the laboratory where they’d be testing a new drug on Connor’s daughter. Connor for a change, had managed to capture his daughter, which the Centre was happy about, even if he missed out on Jarod. Now their fertility project could get up and running. Connor had succeeded in giving his daughter the first dose of the drug which had hit her hard. Lyle had visited her and found it amusing that it had knocked her out. He wasn’t one to force a woman but he’d been tempted. He had no doubt she’d be a good time. Of course, he wouldn’t have the pleasure but if everything went as planned the mutant would. They had discovered long ago and natural conception was the best way when dealing with the mutations.
Lyle got in the elevator and pushed the button which would take him to SL-27 labs, where days earlier the drug had been perfected. Raines, his father, wanted candidates found for the project. Once he’d brought the Genomex projects up, Raines had been determined to breed a mutant with a Centre work of art, as he called them. Lyle, for the most part, thought them freaks, but none of this was up to him. Connor, being the good little Centre lackey, he’d become, offered up his daughter as the mother in the trials of the project. Raines seemed fine with it considering McKenzie’s abilities.
Lyle was now walking through SL-27 where he ran into Parker. “What do you want?” He seemed more annoyed than surprised to see her.
“No dear brother, the question is what sick twisted things are going on down here?” Miss Parker got as close to Lyle as she could. “What are you up to?”
Lyle leaned back a bit staying impassive about her accusations. “If you are working for the Centre, you are going to have to learn we do things for a reason.” Lyle walked around her.
“The Centre always has their reasons.” Sydney stated behind Miss Parker. Broots and he had followed her down to SL-27 as they’d been told to, but Broots was still having trouble with Parker’s direct approach. He’d rather she simply sneak around as they did in the past.
“So McKenzie’s abilities have nothing to do with this place?” Miss Parker knew full well woman had been held in SL-27 while they were pregnant. She remembered the birthing table with shackles. She wasn’t going to sit by and watch it happen again.
Lyle stopped in his tracks and turned to eye Parker. “If you’d like to see McKenzie, then by all means follow me.” He continued on his way, now with Parker, Broots and Sydney following him.
Lyle walked through the doors of the lab with his newest entourage close behind. “Connor, I see you’ve started phase two of the project.”
Connor turned towards them, all smiles, which faded the moment he saw the company Lyle brought. “What are they doing here?”
“I wanted to let Parker in on how we are helping your daughter.” Lyle turned to his sister. “You see, Parker, McKenzie has become increasingly irrational and we have been working hard to find a way to cure her. She’s become paranoid and frequently hallucinates. We are trying to make her life better.”
Connor walked forward. “My daughter has suffered enough from her abilities. I’d rather she didn’t have them than she suffer with them.” Connor had decided Lyle was especially good at what he did and was beginning to like working with him.
Miss Parker crossed her arms. “Noble of you.”
Sydney stepped around Parker. “May I see her files?”
Connor’s eyebrow rose. He clearly wasn’t appreciating the inquisitiveness of these people, but Lyle stepped in. “Of course.” Lyle directed him to the files over on the desk. “As you can clearly tell, she’s had no hope with normal methods of treating her illness.”
Sydney was actually surprised by what he was reading. “She does seem to be rather troubled.”
Miss Parker crossed the room and snatched the file from Sydney’s hand. She looked it over. Syd was right, she did really seem to be disturbed, not that one could tell, McKenzie was out cold on the table in the center of the room. She had no doubt that whether she was troubled or not she’d be trying to escape. She had to be drugged. Miss Parker noticed the dates on the file. “So the moment she left the Centre she became irrational?” Miss Parker walked over to Lyle and pushed the file at him.
Connor smiled slightly. “That is why we believe she fled the Centre.”
“Because there is never any other reason to run from the Centre.” Miss Parker turned and head out the door, but stopped. “Sydney, Broots, let’s go.” Then she continued her journey out of the lab. Sydney strolled after her while Broots run quickly out of the lab.
Lyle turned to Connor. “By the time she get anywhere with this everything will be set in motion.”
“McKenzie’s already been given the rounds of the fertility drug.” Connor stated.
Lyle smiled at Connor. “Now we just have to help Mr. Mulwray in the libido department, put them together and what do you get… a Centre creation.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar, Michael, Jesse, Lexa and Jarod headed through the vents Jarod had brought them in until they’d reached the last signal location of Brennan’s com ring. “We’re in SL-27.” Jarod looked to Michael.
Lexa was crouched down like the others but it was starting to make her mad. “What does that mean?”
“It means we’re 27 levels underneath the ground.” Jarod looked back at her.
Shalimar was behind Lexa. “I smell death.” She looked back at Jesse and then she looked to the others.
“Welcome to SL-27.” Jarod looked to Shalimar. He knew the horrors of this place. He also knew the things that happened there still hung in the stale air.
~~~~~~~~~~
Miss Parker paced the corridor. “Who was the mutant that was brought in?”
“Is.” Broots corrected her.
“Well?” Miss Parker knew they were running on little time to stop whatever the Centre had planned.
“I don’t know.” Broots looked at her.
Parker tossed her hand in the air in frustration. “Then what do I keep you around for?”
“Because I know where he’d being held.” Broots smiled and gestured for her to go first.
~~~~~~~~~~
Brennan was still lying on the floor, now with his eyes closed as the door opened. He wasn’t sure how much he could take but hoped McKenzie was returning just as he had. The sound of high heels clicking along the floor told him his hopes were dashed.
“What’s wrong with him, Sydney?” A woman voice broke through the silence that he was beginning to find deafening.
Brennan heard the footsteps come closer to him. He opened his eyes. “Who are you people?”
Miss Parker grabbed Sydney by the shoulder and pulled him back. “I’m Miss Parker, Sydney, Broots.” She gestured to both Sydney and Broots. “And you are?”
“Brennan Mulwray.” Brennan forced himself to get to his feet. He needed to fight back or something bad might just happen.
“And what exactly are you?” Miss Parker eyed him.
“Got a piece of metal. I’ll show you.” Brennan smiled at her.
“Sorry, handsome, fresh out.” Miss Parker smiled at him. It was hard to believe a man so beautiful was different from any other man.
“It’s a pity he puts on a good show, Parker.” Jarod stepped into the room behind her. She turned to see his gun leveled at them.
From the wall to the left of her, Miss Parker watched as a man and a woman walked into the room by walking through the wall. She seemed surprised despite the files that told her it was possible.
Broots looked horrified. “Miss Parker! They came through the wall.”
“I saw Broots.” Miss Parker glared at him.
The blonde started to go to Brennan side. Miss Parker tried to block her but changed her mind with the woman’s eyes changed to look something like a cats. “What the hell is this, Jarod?” Parker turned to look at him again.
“Shalimar, we have to catch up with Lexa and Michael. Hurry.” Jesse toned. He wanted to get in and out. He still had problems with the things he’d experienced at Genomex and he was having trouble even being in this place.
“I’ve got it, Jesse. You man the wall.” Shalimar let Brennan lean against her. She was obviously strong because she didn’t seem to slow down with the bigger man putting any weight he could on her. The shorter man Shalimar had called Jesse put his hand against the wall and Shalimar, Brennan and he disappeared through the wall as quickly as they’d appeared.
Jarod smiled at Miss Parker. “Aren’t my new friends just wonderful?” He smiled as he kind of hoped backwards and then shut the three of them in the cell.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Get the drugs ready for Mr. Mulwray.” Connor commanded from the viewing section he and Lyle had set up. The last thing he wanted was to put his daughter through this but it was necessary because of the instability of Brennan Mulwray’s DNA and he was rightly sure McKenzie and Brennan wouldn’t simply comply and so a push was necessary.
A bolt of energy blasted into the doctor, sending him to the ground. Lyle and Connor looked to the brunette that walked into the room. “I’m thinking the show was cancelled. I hate when that happens.”
Michael walked in behind her with his gun pointed at Connor and Lyle. He simply stared at them willing them to act against him so he would have the opportunity to shoot them.
Connor smiled at Lexa. “Very impressive. We could use someone like you.”
“Not really interested in someone who tortures innocent people including his own daughter. You really are a sick son of a bitch, aren’t you?”
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar leaned Brennan against the wall out side of the lab. “Bren, I’ve got to help get McKenzie out of here. Can you hold on for a while?”
Brennan nodded to Shalimar. He wasn’t in the mood to talk about anything but he was very willing to help them get to McKenzie.
Jesse smiled. “Good ‘cause were almost home, bro.” Jesse fazed through the wall next to Brennan.
~~~~~~~~~~
Lexa was finding it hard to control the sweepers in the corner and the two men across the room. The two men’s faces contorted in surprise as Jesse stepped through the wall just behind her. She knew what was happening. The hairs on the back of her neck tickled her whenever Jesse fazed.
Jesse went to McKenzie’s side. “I’m not a doctor but I’ll see what I can do.” He looked through the file which hung at the end of her gurney. “I don’t get this.”
Jarod burst through the doors. “McKenzie.” He went to her side and first grabbed her wrist to check her pulse.
Jesse looked up at him. “She’s been drugged.” He handed Jarod the charts. “You’re a doctor aren’t you?”
“Whenever I need to be.” Jarod skimmed the chart and then turned to Connor and Lyle. “What the hell were you two up to?” Jarod waited but no response was forth coming. “Lyle? Don’t make me play with you the way you played with me?”
Lyle glared at Jarod. “I don’t think you have time for that, pretender.”
Connor stepped forward slightly. Michael held his weapon firm and Lexa flexed her hands. “That won’t be necessary. I can tell you what I gave her. It was a drug to help her mental problems.”
“I haven’t known McKenzie all that long but I’d say the mental problems are coming from you.” Lexa quipped.
Jarod turned his attention back on the charts. “Fertility drug?” He looked at the vials. “And a new one I’d wager.” He was sure of it. “You’d actually impregnate your daughter and keep her down here? Connor who’s the father? Do you even know?” He nodded to himself as he mumbled through ingredients to make possible drugs. “It will be awhile before she’d awake.”
The sweepers behind Jesse looked to Lyle who gave them a slight nodded. One sweeper grabbed Jesse while behind them the room erupted in several more sweepers. Lyle and Connor ducked for cover as did Lexa and Michael.
Connor’s voice rose above the sounds of fighting. “If my daughter is harmed, I’ll gut whoever did it.”
Lexa cringed at the mere thought of a father like him. She rose from her hiding spot and shot a few blasts from her hands. Michael followed with his Desert Eagle. From across the room Lexa heard what she knew had to be Shalimar fighting to get rid of the newest sweepers.
Connor and Lyle watched in amazement as one blonde woman, who had entered behind the new batch of sweepers, seemed to be strong enough to take them all on. “Do you see her eyes?” Connor looked to Lyle who nodded his response.
Lexa shimmered out of existence and made her way over to Shalimar. She shimmered into existence just behind a sweeper. She tapped on his shoulder and waited for him to turn towards her before hitting him and knocking him out.
Jesse was fighting off sweepers with ease. He massed out a few times before the sweepers landed punches and listened as the sweepers hands cracked once they slammed into him.
Not one of them saw the move Lyle made towards Jarod who now had a gun in his back. “Stop, or I’ll shoot him.”
Lexa, Shalimar, Jesse, and Michael stopped in place and stared at Jarod. Most of the sweepers were down and the few that weren’t, nursed injuries of one kind or another. “Why don’t I believe you?” Shalimar growled at him.
“Believe what you want. Jarod might be important to the Centre but they’d rather have him dead than out in the real world.” Lyle sneered at her. Jarod’s face showed his disgust of Lyle. Shalimar noticed how tense Jarod jaw had become. He was angry he’d been put in the position to comprise them all.
Lexa wanted desperately to hurt Lyle but knew she’d be putting Jarod’s life at risk if she disappeared. They all watched as Connor shimmered with blue electricity and hit the floor. When Lyle turned to look at Connor, she vanished moving quickly to one side taking out a few sweepers as she went.
It was only seconds later Lyle, too, was engulfed in electricity. Shalimar had taken down a couple remaining sweepers, as did Jesse and Michael, but turned just in time to see Lyle hit the floor and Brennan fill the doorway with one hand still sparking and the other reaching up above his head to a metal door hinge.
Jarod turned and thanked Brennan before he ran past him and disappeared into the corridor.
“Where is he going?” Lexa looked at the others truly puzzled as to why, now, Jarod took off.
Michael’s eyebrow rose above his left eye. “He had unfinished business.” Michael lifted McKenzie off the gurney and turned towards Brennan. “We must leave.”
Shalimar ran over to Brennan and helped him follow Michael. Jesse took the lead providing them with alternate routes to get through the corridors of the Centre, while Lexa took out any sweepers from the back.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jarod opened the door to the cell he’d locked Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots in and waited for them to exit. “Since when do you come to our rescue?” Miss Parker snapped at him.
“Since you were the one that sent me the information on the children.” Jarod smiled at her. Maybe just maybe she’d changed her mind about whose side she should be on.
Miss Parker suppressed a smiled and then whispered. “Good luck, Jarod.” Sydney and Broots stood surprised as Jarod and Miss Parker seemed to share a moment of admiration for one another, though Sydney believed Parker had deep feelings for Jarod as he did for her. Problem was she rarely showed the side she worked hard to hide from Jarod, who saw it anyways. Now she seemed opened to the idea that she wasn’t destined to return Jarod to the Centre.
Jarod smiled at her. “Thank you, Parker.” He turned and ran off.
~~~~~~~~~~
McKenzie awoke startled. She tried to fight who ever was next to her. Her vision was slowly restoring itself again and now the voice registered in her head. “McKenzie! Stop you’re home.” Nemesis’ hands tried to hold her down.
She relaxed against the bed she was in as she realized she was in the house infirmary. She looked up at her aunt. “Brennan?”
“I’m actually better than I thought I’d be.” A voice from across the room stated. Nemesis moved so McKenzie could see Brennan who got up from his own bed and headed over to see her. “You were right. They came and got us.” Nemesis stepped back to give them privacy and to talk to the others.
“That will teach you to doubt my powers, won’t it?” McKenzie smiled warily at Brennan.
Brennan took her hand in his. “I know what they planned to do. McKenzie…” He shifted looking rather uncomfortable.
“But they didn’t get the chance, Brennan.” McKenzie sat up slowly and pulled him into a hug.
“I would love to have kids someday, but never like that.” Brennan squeezed her against him.
“Me too.” McKenzie laid her head on his shoulder letting a few of her tears stain his shirt.
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar walked up to Nemesis. “Her father was willing to sick a drugged and revved up Brennan on her to impregnate her so he could create a special child.”
Nemesis nodded to Shalimar. “I didn’t think the Centre would sink that low. Your,” she looked to Shalimar, indicating new mutants in general, “DNA is sensitive. The easiest way was for a natural conception and since they figured it wasn’t going to be willing…” She couldn’t believe Connor would allow McKenzie to experience that, but then again she never thought he’d try and kill her. Guess I don’t know him that well.
Shalimar shook her head as she turned and left to find Jesse.
Michael and Lexa walked up to Nemesis’ side. “They have grown close.” Michael stated.
“She understands him because of her initial connection to him.” Nemesis observed, knowing full well they had shared an ordeal none of these Mutant X team ever experienced before.
Lexa moved to block their view of McKenzie and Brennan. “You should know there is an organization called The Dominion. They know about pretenders and are interested in their abilities. They are just as bad as the Centre.”
Michael smiled at her. “I wondered when you would say something.”
Lexa looked shocked. “You knew about that?”
Nemesis smiled at Lexa. “Michael informed me that I know Adam Kane. So to answer your question, yes, we knew.”
~~~~~~~~~~
McKenzie, Michael, and Nemesis stood on the lawn of the San Francisco House watching the Helix leave with the new friends they’d just discovered. Michael held onto a still cooping McKenzie.
McKenzie’s eyes misted over. Her connection to Brennan was strong and would last for a long time even if McKenzie told him he should give into his feelings for Shalimar. Michael and Nemesis turned and headed back into the house while McKenzie watched the Helix disappear into the sky. “Goodbye.” She whispered into the wind.
Reviews are appreciated.
