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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Strength in Abilities and Numbers
Shalimar walked out of Michael’s office looking more than pleased with herself. She had been attracted to him the first time they met and seeing him again only made her want him more. It was nothing like how she felt about Brennan, but if he could display his interest in McKenzie, she was going to flirt with Michael.
“What are you doing?” McKenzie saw her exit Michael’s office and decided to confront her.
“I was talking with Michael.” Shalimar smiled wickedly at her. “The door wasn’t locked so I figured I could go in.”
“Who are you trying to bait?” McKenzie asked harshly.
“Excuse me?” Shalimar looked at her with mock confusion trying to hide her surprise.
“You already know I can get into your head. Don’t pretend I’m wrong.” McKenzie glared at her.
“I didn’t appreciate the intrusion when Emma was around and I don’t appreciate it from you. Back off.” Shalimar went around McKenzie bumping shoulders as she passed.
~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Brennan stood in the armory gathering weapons. “I don’t think I need a gun. I’ve got these.” Brennan let the electricity from his fingertips spark up.
Lexa grabbed a gun, checked it, loaded it and then stuck it behind her back, under her jacket. “I’ve always been one to play with toys.”
McKenzie entered the room and went to Michael’s side. “Nemesis gave us the mission. Apparently these children are being held in a facility not unlike Donoterase.” She handed out handheld computers to everyone detailing the mission and its location. They wouldn’t be too far from the Centre but far enough reinforcements would be a problem.
They looked over the plan. It was all pretty simple and even the delayed Shalimar didn’t have a problem with it.
~~~~~~~~~~
They dropped into the bowels of the Centre facility from a vent access Jarod had pointed out to them. They had all paired up. Shalimar and Michael, Lexa and Jarod, and Brennan and McKenzie. Jesse stayed behind in the Helix, which Jarod and the HQ team were rather impressed by, to help with site surveillance. Now that they were in the tunnels the teams split up to survey their own section. All had an objective.
Lexa and Jarod were in charge of finding the security post and changing the visual feeds. Once complete, they were to move in and find the children in their section and meet back at the point of access.
Lexa and Jarod walked quietly through the darkened corridors towards what Jarod was sure was the archives department. He had figured out the rotation of the staff and had figured with Lexa’s ability they’d be able to get in and out quickly.
They came to the security depot near the central brain of the facility. “This will feel strange but as long as you keep thinking of keeping yourself out of sight it shouldn’t be a problem.” Lexa gently took a hold of Jarod’s arm and they shimmered out of existence.
They both slipped in together and headed to an empty work station where Jarod quickly accessed the information they needed.
Lexa walked the room distracting the right person at the right time so they wouldn’t see the shift in the feeds. Lexa waited for Jarod’s chair to move before she joined him in the hall barely missing a young man in a suit who seemed to be missing a thumb.
“That was different.” Jarod looked at her.
“Who was that?” Lexa held out her hand and wiggled her thumb. She could definitely see his yumminess especially in that suit. He was good enough to eat.
“And that was Lyle. Lyle sports an interesting tattoo on his arm of a snake eating its tail. He got it while he was in Cambodia.” Jarod shivered with disgust.
Lexa turned her attention from the doors Lyle had entered back to Jarod. She looked a bit disgusted knowing enough about Cambodian symbols to know exactly what Jarod was referring to. “Good to know.” She shivered. “Let’s find the kiddies.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar and Michael were looking for the information access port on the project and Michael knew the likeliest place to find it was in a big wigs office. They would then be joining Lexa and Jarod in springing the children.
Shalimar looked as professional as possible, as she made her way past a few sweepers. Michael and she decided their best course of action was a secretary who would undoubtedly be able to distract the sweepers, and Shalimar did a fine job. Michael had taken the more secretive route to sneak past the sweepers. Shalimar walked up to the main office and took a sniff. No one was home so she walked in. She walked up to the office desk and quickly jumped up onto it. She reached up and opened the vent letting Michael drop down onto the desk.
Michael didn’t waste anytime. He pointed to the files across the room and Shalimar quickly went and searched through them. Michael searched the desk and surrounding area, and finally decided on the computer. It only took him a few moments to pull up the information and upload it to a PDA like thing him pull out of his pocket.
Michael turned returned to the vent from which he came and Shalimar latched it behind him. She was about to walk out when Raines entered dragging an oxygen tank. Just as Michael described. He eyed her for a moment. “Sir, the files you requested.” She handed them over. She’d made a point to grab inbox files from the assistant’s desk outside and knew this man was waiting on them.
Raines took them from her and she walked out of the office quickly. She rounded the nearest corner and entered an empty room. She sighed, feeling relieved to be out of the lion’s den. She jumped as a hand touched her shoulder but when she turned it was Michael. “Now the children.” Michael stated.
~~~~~~~~~~
Brennan and McKenzie needed to find the lab and destroy what they could before returning to the rendezvous point in the access tunnels where they’d split up. Michael had made sure their destruction of the lab would be timed with their departure because it would draw attention.
McKenzie slipped into the lab in the coat she’d found. She was sure people would recognize her especially since she’d worked at the Centre. She had no idea how much, just yet. She walked over to a lab station and pulled up some information on the research. She needed everything they could find on the experiments.
“Hey,” and lab technician called to her. The man made his way to her, “are you the temp?”
McKenzie looked to the man. “Yes.”
He eyed her a moment before his expression changed to surprise. A surge of electricity engulfed the tech and he dropped to the floor. Behind where the tech had been standing Brennan shrugged at her. “Luckily everything is very separated here.”
She turned her attention on the computer and began her quested for information. File after file blinked onto the screen and was sent to her PDA. The uplink to their satellite sent all the information she wanted back to the house instantly. McKenzie continued through the files, looking up occasionally. “They’re monsters.” She stated as she found experiment logs.
“What?” Brennan moved in behind her and leaned over her to see the computer screen.
McKenzie almost liked the close proximity but now was not the time nor the place for such thoughts. “They’ve been messing with these kids’ genetics… their brains… their immune system.” McKenzie swallowed. “Some of these kids died rather painfully.”
“I thought Genomex was bad.” Brennan shook his head.
McKenzie gasped. “They have a project on me.”
“Why?” Brennan put his hand on her back to support her.
McKenzie could almost feel the electricity that ran through him. “They are trying to recreate my abilities and learn to control them.” McKenzie typed frantically. “They’ve already instituted the project. They’re working with psionic abilities to perfect it.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe their doing this.” McKenzie scrolled threw the information until she found the research notes. At the bottom next to “Project Manager:” it read, “Connor.”
McKenzie pulled away from the computer like it would bit her and ran straight into Brennan. “We have to go.” She shook her head.
“What’s wrong?” Brennan grabbed her arms a leaned down to look her in the face.
“Connor is my father.” She seemed pale from the shock.
Brennan grabbed her hand and they ran out of the lab just as the series of computer malfunctions started to overtake the information already gathered by the researchers. They headed down the corridor and just missed the sweepers running towards the labs. “That was fast.” Brennan looked at her.
“Too fast.” McKenzie grabbed his arm and they ran through the corridors.
Brennan turned the corner and saw the sweepers who fired shots at them. Brennan instantly returned fire with his blasts and headed towards the downed sweepers. “It’s not nice to point guns at people.” He said as he walked over them.
McKenzie stopped. “This is a trap.”
“We have to get out. We can just stand here.” Brennan tugged on her arm.
“There is no point were surrounded.” McKenzie looked at him, horrified.
“I don’t know. I think I can handle it.” Brennan smiled at her.
“Yes, my thoughts exactly.” A man in an expensive suit, with dark brown hair and dark eyes stared them down. “Which is why I researched your kind.” He snapped his fingers and a sweeper turned a nozzle at the end of the corridor. The sprinklers above them came to life drenching both McKenzie and Brennan in water.
~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Lexa waited at the access point while Jarod and Shalimar took the children to the waiting cars. Michael looked down the corridors. “Something’s wrong.”
“Brennan would have called in.” Lexa looked at him.
“Not if his com was taken.” Michael informed her.
“Maybe your coms are obvious but ours aren’t.” She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers.
He nodded. He understood. The ring was their com. He should discuss such a thing with Natasha.
“Lexa?” Brennan’s voice penetrated Michael and her conversation.
“Brennan, where are you?” Lexa was worried. She had come to think of the Mutant X team as her family and she wasn’t willing to loose any of them.
“McKenzie and I have been captured by her father.” Brennan sighed. “We’re locked up in some room. They turned the sprinklers on us so I’m not grounded.”
Lexa heard a door open on Brennan end. “Let’s go.” Lexa turned to Michael. “Brennan and McKenzie have been captured by her father?” Lexa was puzzled as to why her father would hold her against her will. Her first thought was McKenzie was a traitor, but dismissed the idea when Michael’s face changed instantly to concern. She had come to realize he didn’t tip his hand often but something about McKenzie’s father made him worry.
Michael’s expression changed enough to indicate whatever was happening couldn’t be good. “Connor.” Michael turned and gestured for her to follow him back to meet up with the others.
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar turned to see Michael and Lexa heading towards the rigs without Brennan and McKenzie. She walked forward. “Where’s Brennan.” Michael walked past her but she didn’t let Lexa blow her off. She grabbed her arm. “Where’s Brennan?”
Lexa stared at her and then looked to Michael who’d made his way over to one rig now housing children. He grabbed a com out of the rig for Jarod and him and sent them on their way. Michael turned to see Shalimar shaking her head. He tossed the other com to Jarod who immediately put it in his ear.
“Brennan can fry anyone who gets in his way.” Shalimar put her hands on her hips.
Lexa knew how close Shalimar and Brennan were despite how much they fought their feelings and tortured each other with other men and women. “Shal, they turned the sprinklers on them. Brennan isn’t grounded.”
Shalimar pushed away from Lexa. “We have to do something.”
Jarod turned to her calmly. “We will. We won’t leave them in there.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Jesse was keeping in close contact with Nemesis back at the house who seemed to have better intel on the facility than he could get from the Helix’s sensors. Now he was listening to Lexa and Brennan and knew exactly what was happening. “Damn it.”
Nemesis voice came back over the com. “What is the problem?”
“McKenzie and Brennan were captured.” Jesse turned to the screen to look at the woman who reminded him a lot of Adam. She had shown him how to get into the houses visual feeds for the mission.
“McKenzie is very resourceful. I have no doubt she and your friend will make it out just fine.” Nemesis was oblivious to the emotions Jesse was feeling about losing Brennan.
Jesse watched her move around the room. She seemed so cold. “Michael didn’t seem to think it would be so easy for them. He’s setting up a rescue as we speak.”
Nemesis turned to the visual feed. “Why?”
Jesse scoffed at Nemesis. “You’re kidding right? To get them out, of course.”
“I’ve seen Brennan’s abilities and I know McKenzie’s. They should be fine. It was the reason the teams were picked. Strength in ability.” She seemed more worried than before. Nemesis reached over and hit something on a panel Jesse couldn’t see. She stood tall and looked up slightly. “Michael, what’s happening? Why haven’t you vacated the area?”
Jesse made a few adjustments of his own. Now her feed and their com feeds would work together. He looped her question again to make sure the other had heard it. He was beyond interested in what was surprising their new friends.
~~~~~~~~~~
Michael had waited before reporting in to Nemesis but now he could hear her clearly in his ear.
Lexa shook her head. “You are so kidding me? Why wouldn’t we go after our people?”
Michael simply glanced at her before turning his attention back to the com. “Connor has captured McKenzie and Brennan. I believe it was a trap.”
All of them could hear the gasp from the normally calm seeming woman. “Connor’s at the Centre?”
Jarod walked over towards Michael. “Nemesis, I believe Connor leaked such information knowing we’d go in after the children. I doubt he anticipated our new friends but if he is as smart as you say then he would figure out Brennan’s weakness is water.”
“Jarod, he’ll kill them.” Nemesis’s voice seemed almost distraught now.
“We won’t let that happen.” Jarod stated as he turned to the others. “We can’t keep the connection opened. They’ll be looking for us.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Jesse shook his head. “I’m going out there.” The computer beeped and he turned back to the panel. “Guys, two helicopters just took off. I’m reading eleven heat signatures.
“They’re taking them back to the Centre.” Michael voice stated over the com.
“We’re on our way back to the Helix.” Shalimar wasn’t nearly as calm as Michael but she was hiding it well.
~~~~~~~~~~
Brennan paced back and forth while McKenzie sat against the wall with her head in her knees. Without looking up she spoke. “Do you have to pace? I need to think as much as I can before he drugs me.”
Brennan turned towards her. “That man is your father.”
McKenzie’s tear stained face looked up at him. “That man tried to control my abilities by keeping me drugged. That man made me kill a man when I was five. That man killed two of my friends to get to me. He’s a monster.”
Brennan knew she was going to shut down on him if he didn’t get her moving. “McKenzie, you have to fight him.”
McKenzie got to her feet quickly. “Fight him? You are kidding? I’ve fought this man for a while now and all that has come of it is me being locked up and him fleeing when Michael comes to my rescue.” McKenzie leaned against the wall. “If I don’t cooperate, he’s going to hurt you.”
Brennan’s face contorted. He walked over to her. “McKenzie.”
She tried to keep him away from her but he persisted and she gave in as he wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself.”
“Touching.” The door to the cell opened and Connor, two sweepers, and two orderlies entered the room. “Very touching. And my dear you are correct. If you don’t give in to me; I will hurt him.” Connor smiled at her like he was so sort of loving father.
Brennan stepped between them. “She’s not going to give in to you!”
“As suspected. Mr. Mulwray, these fine gentlemen are hear to escort you to your next appointment here at the Centre.” Connor smirked.
The sweepers headed towards him. Brennan took a fighting stance. He made a quick kick to one sweeper and was headed for the other when a shot rang out. McKenzie screamed as the bullet hit Brennan in the shoulder and he slammed into the ground. McKenzie tried to make her way to him but the orderlies held her back as the sweepers dragged off Brennan. McKenzie fought as hard as she could but the orderlies pinned her against the ground and stuck a needle in her arm.
“You must calm yourself, my love.” Connor squatted next to her and brushed his hand across her face.
“Monster.” McKenzie stumbled out as she drifted off.
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar, Lexa, Michael, and Jarod all approached the entrance of the Helix and slipped in quietly. Michael went to the cockpit and sat next to Jesse looking over the controls. “Simple enough.” Michael looked back to Jarod and then rose to his feet, gesturing to the pretender to check out the systems.
Jarod replaced Michael at the helm. “Very efficient.”
Jesse shook his head at Jarod. “Do you know what you’re looking at?”
“Mostly.” Jarod shifted. “Do you have a manual?”
Jesse reached down and grabbed the manual from below the paneling and handed it to Jarod. “What do you need that for?”
“To learn to fly the Helix, in case I’m needed.” Jarod went back to reading the manual.
Jesse just looked to a rather shocked Lexa, and shrugged. Lexa turned to Michael. “Let me guess, you already know how to fly this thing.”
Michael raised his left eyebrow. “I am an accomplished pilot; your craft should not be difficult.”
Jesse shook his head in slight disbelief. “Well I could use a co-pilot if we plan on going after Brennan and McKenzie.”
~~~~~~~~~~
McKenzie’s head felt heavy and normally she would know it was a side-effect of the drugs but it took her a moment to come to that realization. She tried to focus her mind and her eyes but neither one was cooperating with her. She knew she was lying on her side so she pushed herself up a bit and pushed herself along the floor until she hit the wall. The blurriness of her vision wouldn’t tell her where the door was which was beyond frustrating.
She heard the door before the blurs registered. She watched as a large blur was tossed into the cell with her and then the creak of the door closing registered in her ears. At least now she knew where the door was. She moved slowly around the walls of the cell as she moved closer to who she assumed was Brennan.
As she got closer she could hear his breathing which seemed more labored than she liked. “Brennan.” She stumbled out as she reached out and touched the blurry form infront of her.
Brennan gritted his teeth and groaned. Connor had put him through a lot. Testing how much electricity he could take and then drenching him with water. He was drugged with something that made his veins burn and he distinctly remembered being brought back to life with paddles. Water was never far behind. His bullet wound was cleaned out quickly and more than likely not sufficiently, but he was trying to make his appendages work for him when McKenzie’s hand touched him. He hadn’t really realized he was sore but then it seemed too normal to hurt this much. He didn’t like the sensation.
McKenzie realized she’d hurt him and pulled her hand away. She planted her back firmly against the wall behind her. “I can’t see you.”
Brennan turned his head to look at her eyes which seemed a blue as they always were but didn’t appear to be focusing on anything. “What… did they… do?” He struggled to sit up while struggling with the pain.
McKenzie leaned down a bit and then shook her head. “They drugged me with something. It knocked me out cold. How badly did they hurt you?”
Brennan looked to her and remembered how afraid she was they would harm him to get to her. “Not too badly. My shoulder hurts a lot. Sadly, I’m not bulletproof.”
“I’m sorry he shot you.” McKenzie whimpered slightly.
“When I met you, I never took you to be weak.” He looked at her waiting for that moment the anger would win out over the fear.
“Weak?” McKenzie leaned against the wall. “It isn’t being weak to deal with all of this… it just is. It hurts me more to realize Jarod dealt with similar stuff on a daily basis for 33 years.”
Brennan sighed as he let the wall behind him support him. He didn’t have the energy to fight with anyone now and he had no intention of moving around. It would just hurt, and there was no telling how much more they’d have to deal with. “That would suck.”
McKenzie smiled. “I’m glad you’re all right.”
“Funny, me too.” Brennan actually laughed which seemed strange to McKenzie knowing he’d undoubtedly been tortured by her father. “McKenzie, they took my com ring.”
McKenzie turned her head to look at the blurry image of Brennan. “It’s okay Brennan.”
“Jesse won’t be able to find us.” Brennan coughed a little and then sucked air through his teeth.
McKenzie knew now Brennan was definitely hurting. “Michael will find us.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Broots came running into Miss Parker’s office. “Miss Parker.”
She looked up from her desk where she and Sydney were going over some information about the current projects the Centre was apparently working on. “Broots?”
“They captured McKenzie and one of the mutants while they were breaking out the children being experimented on. Security seems to think there was a team of the mutants working with McKenzie, the Centre ghost and Jarod.” Broots sat down in the chair across from Miss Parker nervously. “They’ve only been here a few hours.”
Miss Parker rose to her feet and headed for the door. “Show me McKenzie.”
Broots didn’t want anything more to do with any of this but he knew Miss Parker was far more than serious. He jumped to his feet and scurried after her.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Jes, tell me we have a location on Brennan and McKenzie.” Lexa stood over him as the rear hatch was opened by Shalimar.
“I have the last location of Brennan’s com ring but that doesn’t necessarily mean he is still there.” Jesse turned to Lexa and the others.
Michael rose to his feet. “A location is simply a starting point. We’ll find him beyond that.”
Jarod rose to his feet. “Then what are we waiting for.”
Next Chapter...
Shalimar walked out of Michael’s office looking more than pleased with herself. She had been attracted to him the first time they met and seeing him again only made her want him more. It was nothing like how she felt about Brennan, but if he could display his interest in McKenzie, she was going to flirt with Michael.
“What are you doing?” McKenzie saw her exit Michael’s office and decided to confront her.
“I was talking with Michael.” Shalimar smiled wickedly at her. “The door wasn’t locked so I figured I could go in.”
“Who are you trying to bait?” McKenzie asked harshly.
“Excuse me?” Shalimar looked at her with mock confusion trying to hide her surprise.
“You already know I can get into your head. Don’t pretend I’m wrong.” McKenzie glared at her.
“I didn’t appreciate the intrusion when Emma was around and I don’t appreciate it from you. Back off.” Shalimar went around McKenzie bumping shoulders as she passed.
~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Brennan stood in the armory gathering weapons. “I don’t think I need a gun. I’ve got these.” Brennan let the electricity from his fingertips spark up.
Lexa grabbed a gun, checked it, loaded it and then stuck it behind her back, under her jacket. “I’ve always been one to play with toys.”
McKenzie entered the room and went to Michael’s side. “Nemesis gave us the mission. Apparently these children are being held in a facility not unlike Donoterase.” She handed out handheld computers to everyone detailing the mission and its location. They wouldn’t be too far from the Centre but far enough reinforcements would be a problem.
They looked over the plan. It was all pretty simple and even the delayed Shalimar didn’t have a problem with it.
~~~~~~~~~~
They dropped into the bowels of the Centre facility from a vent access Jarod had pointed out to them. They had all paired up. Shalimar and Michael, Lexa and Jarod, and Brennan and McKenzie. Jesse stayed behind in the Helix, which Jarod and the HQ team were rather impressed by, to help with site surveillance. Now that they were in the tunnels the teams split up to survey their own section. All had an objective.
Lexa and Jarod were in charge of finding the security post and changing the visual feeds. Once complete, they were to move in and find the children in their section and meet back at the point of access.
Lexa and Jarod walked quietly through the darkened corridors towards what Jarod was sure was the archives department. He had figured out the rotation of the staff and had figured with Lexa’s ability they’d be able to get in and out quickly.
They came to the security depot near the central brain of the facility. “This will feel strange but as long as you keep thinking of keeping yourself out of sight it shouldn’t be a problem.” Lexa gently took a hold of Jarod’s arm and they shimmered out of existence.
They both slipped in together and headed to an empty work station where Jarod quickly accessed the information they needed.
Lexa walked the room distracting the right person at the right time so they wouldn’t see the shift in the feeds. Lexa waited for Jarod’s chair to move before she joined him in the hall barely missing a young man in a suit who seemed to be missing a thumb.
“That was different.” Jarod looked at her.
“Who was that?” Lexa held out her hand and wiggled her thumb. She could definitely see his yumminess especially in that suit. He was good enough to eat.
“And that was Lyle. Lyle sports an interesting tattoo on his arm of a snake eating its tail. He got it while he was in Cambodia.” Jarod shivered with disgust.
Lexa turned her attention from the doors Lyle had entered back to Jarod. She looked a bit disgusted knowing enough about Cambodian symbols to know exactly what Jarod was referring to. “Good to know.” She shivered. “Let’s find the kiddies.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar and Michael were looking for the information access port on the project and Michael knew the likeliest place to find it was in a big wigs office. They would then be joining Lexa and Jarod in springing the children.
Shalimar looked as professional as possible, as she made her way past a few sweepers. Michael and she decided their best course of action was a secretary who would undoubtedly be able to distract the sweepers, and Shalimar did a fine job. Michael had taken the more secretive route to sneak past the sweepers. Shalimar walked up to the main office and took a sniff. No one was home so she walked in. She walked up to the office desk and quickly jumped up onto it. She reached up and opened the vent letting Michael drop down onto the desk.
Michael didn’t waste anytime. He pointed to the files across the room and Shalimar quickly went and searched through them. Michael searched the desk and surrounding area, and finally decided on the computer. It only took him a few moments to pull up the information and upload it to a PDA like thing him pull out of his pocket.
Michael turned returned to the vent from which he came and Shalimar latched it behind him. She was about to walk out when Raines entered dragging an oxygen tank. Just as Michael described. He eyed her for a moment. “Sir, the files you requested.” She handed them over. She’d made a point to grab inbox files from the assistant’s desk outside and knew this man was waiting on them.
Raines took them from her and she walked out of the office quickly. She rounded the nearest corner and entered an empty room. She sighed, feeling relieved to be out of the lion’s den. She jumped as a hand touched her shoulder but when she turned it was Michael. “Now the children.” Michael stated.
~~~~~~~~~~
Brennan and McKenzie needed to find the lab and destroy what they could before returning to the rendezvous point in the access tunnels where they’d split up. Michael had made sure their destruction of the lab would be timed with their departure because it would draw attention.
McKenzie slipped into the lab in the coat she’d found. She was sure people would recognize her especially since she’d worked at the Centre. She had no idea how much, just yet. She walked over to a lab station and pulled up some information on the research. She needed everything they could find on the experiments.
“Hey,” and lab technician called to her. The man made his way to her, “are you the temp?”
McKenzie looked to the man. “Yes.”
He eyed her a moment before his expression changed to surprise. A surge of electricity engulfed the tech and he dropped to the floor. Behind where the tech had been standing Brennan shrugged at her. “Luckily everything is very separated here.”
She turned her attention on the computer and began her quested for information. File after file blinked onto the screen and was sent to her PDA. The uplink to their satellite sent all the information she wanted back to the house instantly. McKenzie continued through the files, looking up occasionally. “They’re monsters.” She stated as she found experiment logs.
“What?” Brennan moved in behind her and leaned over her to see the computer screen.
McKenzie almost liked the close proximity but now was not the time nor the place for such thoughts. “They’ve been messing with these kids’ genetics… their brains… their immune system.” McKenzie swallowed. “Some of these kids died rather painfully.”
“I thought Genomex was bad.” Brennan shook his head.
McKenzie gasped. “They have a project on me.”
“Why?” Brennan put his hand on her back to support her.
McKenzie could almost feel the electricity that ran through him. “They are trying to recreate my abilities and learn to control them.” McKenzie typed frantically. “They’ve already instituted the project. They’re working with psionic abilities to perfect it.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe their doing this.” McKenzie scrolled threw the information until she found the research notes. At the bottom next to “Project Manager:” it read, “Connor.”
McKenzie pulled away from the computer like it would bit her and ran straight into Brennan. “We have to go.” She shook her head.
“What’s wrong?” Brennan grabbed her arms a leaned down to look her in the face.
“Connor is my father.” She seemed pale from the shock.
Brennan grabbed her hand and they ran out of the lab just as the series of computer malfunctions started to overtake the information already gathered by the researchers. They headed down the corridor and just missed the sweepers running towards the labs. “That was fast.” Brennan looked at her.
“Too fast.” McKenzie grabbed his arm and they ran through the corridors.
Brennan turned the corner and saw the sweepers who fired shots at them. Brennan instantly returned fire with his blasts and headed towards the downed sweepers. “It’s not nice to point guns at people.” He said as he walked over them.
McKenzie stopped. “This is a trap.”
“We have to get out. We can just stand here.” Brennan tugged on her arm.
“There is no point were surrounded.” McKenzie looked at him, horrified.
“I don’t know. I think I can handle it.” Brennan smiled at her.
“Yes, my thoughts exactly.” A man in an expensive suit, with dark brown hair and dark eyes stared them down. “Which is why I researched your kind.” He snapped his fingers and a sweeper turned a nozzle at the end of the corridor. The sprinklers above them came to life drenching both McKenzie and Brennan in water.
~~~~~~~~~~
Michael and Lexa waited at the access point while Jarod and Shalimar took the children to the waiting cars. Michael looked down the corridors. “Something’s wrong.”
“Brennan would have called in.” Lexa looked at him.
“Not if his com was taken.” Michael informed her.
“Maybe your coms are obvious but ours aren’t.” She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers.
He nodded. He understood. The ring was their com. He should discuss such a thing with Natasha.
“Lexa?” Brennan’s voice penetrated Michael and her conversation.
“Brennan, where are you?” Lexa was worried. She had come to think of the Mutant X team as her family and she wasn’t willing to loose any of them.
“McKenzie and I have been captured by her father.” Brennan sighed. “We’re locked up in some room. They turned the sprinklers on us so I’m not grounded.”
Lexa heard a door open on Brennan end. “Let’s go.” Lexa turned to Michael. “Brennan and McKenzie have been captured by her father?” Lexa was puzzled as to why her father would hold her against her will. Her first thought was McKenzie was a traitor, but dismissed the idea when Michael’s face changed instantly to concern. She had come to realize he didn’t tip his hand often but something about McKenzie’s father made him worry.
Michael’s expression changed enough to indicate whatever was happening couldn’t be good. “Connor.” Michael turned and gestured for her to follow him back to meet up with the others.
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar turned to see Michael and Lexa heading towards the rigs without Brennan and McKenzie. She walked forward. “Where’s Brennan.” Michael walked past her but she didn’t let Lexa blow her off. She grabbed her arm. “Where’s Brennan?”
Lexa stared at her and then looked to Michael who’d made his way over to one rig now housing children. He grabbed a com out of the rig for Jarod and him and sent them on their way. Michael turned to see Shalimar shaking her head. He tossed the other com to Jarod who immediately put it in his ear.
“Brennan can fry anyone who gets in his way.” Shalimar put her hands on her hips.
Lexa knew how close Shalimar and Brennan were despite how much they fought their feelings and tortured each other with other men and women. “Shal, they turned the sprinklers on them. Brennan isn’t grounded.”
Shalimar pushed away from Lexa. “We have to do something.”
Jarod turned to her calmly. “We will. We won’t leave them in there.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Jesse was keeping in close contact with Nemesis back at the house who seemed to have better intel on the facility than he could get from the Helix’s sensors. Now he was listening to Lexa and Brennan and knew exactly what was happening. “Damn it.”
Nemesis voice came back over the com. “What is the problem?”
“McKenzie and Brennan were captured.” Jesse turned to the screen to look at the woman who reminded him a lot of Adam. She had shown him how to get into the houses visual feeds for the mission.
“McKenzie is very resourceful. I have no doubt she and your friend will make it out just fine.” Nemesis was oblivious to the emotions Jesse was feeling about losing Brennan.
Jesse watched her move around the room. She seemed so cold. “Michael didn’t seem to think it would be so easy for them. He’s setting up a rescue as we speak.”
Nemesis turned to the visual feed. “Why?”
Jesse scoffed at Nemesis. “You’re kidding right? To get them out, of course.”
“I’ve seen Brennan’s abilities and I know McKenzie’s. They should be fine. It was the reason the teams were picked. Strength in ability.” She seemed more worried than before. Nemesis reached over and hit something on a panel Jesse couldn’t see. She stood tall and looked up slightly. “Michael, what’s happening? Why haven’t you vacated the area?”
Jesse made a few adjustments of his own. Now her feed and their com feeds would work together. He looped her question again to make sure the other had heard it. He was beyond interested in what was surprising their new friends.
~~~~~~~~~~
Michael had waited before reporting in to Nemesis but now he could hear her clearly in his ear.
Lexa shook her head. “You are so kidding me? Why wouldn’t we go after our people?”
Michael simply glanced at her before turning his attention back to the com. “Connor has captured McKenzie and Brennan. I believe it was a trap.”
All of them could hear the gasp from the normally calm seeming woman. “Connor’s at the Centre?”
Jarod walked over towards Michael. “Nemesis, I believe Connor leaked such information knowing we’d go in after the children. I doubt he anticipated our new friends but if he is as smart as you say then he would figure out Brennan’s weakness is water.”
“Jarod, he’ll kill them.” Nemesis’s voice seemed almost distraught now.
“We won’t let that happen.” Jarod stated as he turned to the others. “We can’t keep the connection opened. They’ll be looking for us.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Jesse shook his head. “I’m going out there.” The computer beeped and he turned back to the panel. “Guys, two helicopters just took off. I’m reading eleven heat signatures.
“They’re taking them back to the Centre.” Michael voice stated over the com.
“We’re on our way back to the Helix.” Shalimar wasn’t nearly as calm as Michael but she was hiding it well.
~~~~~~~~~~
Brennan paced back and forth while McKenzie sat against the wall with her head in her knees. Without looking up she spoke. “Do you have to pace? I need to think as much as I can before he drugs me.”
Brennan turned towards her. “That man is your father.”
McKenzie’s tear stained face looked up at him. “That man tried to control my abilities by keeping me drugged. That man made me kill a man when I was five. That man killed two of my friends to get to me. He’s a monster.”
Brennan knew she was going to shut down on him if he didn’t get her moving. “McKenzie, you have to fight him.”
McKenzie got to her feet quickly. “Fight him? You are kidding? I’ve fought this man for a while now and all that has come of it is me being locked up and him fleeing when Michael comes to my rescue.” McKenzie leaned against the wall. “If I don’t cooperate, he’s going to hurt you.”
Brennan’s face contorted. He walked over to her. “McKenzie.”
She tried to keep him away from her but he persisted and she gave in as he wrapped his arms around her. “Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself.”
“Touching.” The door to the cell opened and Connor, two sweepers, and two orderlies entered the room. “Very touching. And my dear you are correct. If you don’t give in to me; I will hurt him.” Connor smiled at her like he was so sort of loving father.
Brennan stepped between them. “She’s not going to give in to you!”
“As suspected. Mr. Mulwray, these fine gentlemen are hear to escort you to your next appointment here at the Centre.” Connor smirked.
The sweepers headed towards him. Brennan took a fighting stance. He made a quick kick to one sweeper and was headed for the other when a shot rang out. McKenzie screamed as the bullet hit Brennan in the shoulder and he slammed into the ground. McKenzie tried to make her way to him but the orderlies held her back as the sweepers dragged off Brennan. McKenzie fought as hard as she could but the orderlies pinned her against the ground and stuck a needle in her arm.
“You must calm yourself, my love.” Connor squatted next to her and brushed his hand across her face.
“Monster.” McKenzie stumbled out as she drifted off.
~~~~~~~~~~
Shalimar, Lexa, Michael, and Jarod all approached the entrance of the Helix and slipped in quietly. Michael went to the cockpit and sat next to Jesse looking over the controls. “Simple enough.” Michael looked back to Jarod and then rose to his feet, gesturing to the pretender to check out the systems.
Jarod replaced Michael at the helm. “Very efficient.”
Jesse shook his head at Jarod. “Do you know what you’re looking at?”
“Mostly.” Jarod shifted. “Do you have a manual?”
Jesse reached down and grabbed the manual from below the paneling and handed it to Jarod. “What do you need that for?”
“To learn to fly the Helix, in case I’m needed.” Jarod went back to reading the manual.
Jesse just looked to a rather shocked Lexa, and shrugged. Lexa turned to Michael. “Let me guess, you already know how to fly this thing.”
Michael raised his left eyebrow. “I am an accomplished pilot; your craft should not be difficult.”
Jesse shook his head in slight disbelief. “Well I could use a co-pilot if we plan on going after Brennan and McKenzie.”
~~~~~~~~~~
McKenzie’s head felt heavy and normally she would know it was a side-effect of the drugs but it took her a moment to come to that realization. She tried to focus her mind and her eyes but neither one was cooperating with her. She knew she was lying on her side so she pushed herself up a bit and pushed herself along the floor until she hit the wall. The blurriness of her vision wouldn’t tell her where the door was which was beyond frustrating.
She heard the door before the blurs registered. She watched as a large blur was tossed into the cell with her and then the creak of the door closing registered in her ears. At least now she knew where the door was. She moved slowly around the walls of the cell as she moved closer to who she assumed was Brennan.
As she got closer she could hear his breathing which seemed more labored than she liked. “Brennan.” She stumbled out as she reached out and touched the blurry form infront of her.
Brennan gritted his teeth and groaned. Connor had put him through a lot. Testing how much electricity he could take and then drenching him with water. He was drugged with something that made his veins burn and he distinctly remembered being brought back to life with paddles. Water was never far behind. His bullet wound was cleaned out quickly and more than likely not sufficiently, but he was trying to make his appendages work for him when McKenzie’s hand touched him. He hadn’t really realized he was sore but then it seemed too normal to hurt this much. He didn’t like the sensation.
McKenzie realized she’d hurt him and pulled her hand away. She planted her back firmly against the wall behind her. “I can’t see you.”
Brennan turned his head to look at her eyes which seemed a blue as they always were but didn’t appear to be focusing on anything. “What… did they… do?” He struggled to sit up while struggling with the pain.
McKenzie leaned down a bit and then shook her head. “They drugged me with something. It knocked me out cold. How badly did they hurt you?”
Brennan looked to her and remembered how afraid she was they would harm him to get to her. “Not too badly. My shoulder hurts a lot. Sadly, I’m not bulletproof.”
“I’m sorry he shot you.” McKenzie whimpered slightly.
“When I met you, I never took you to be weak.” He looked at her waiting for that moment the anger would win out over the fear.
“Weak?” McKenzie leaned against the wall. “It isn’t being weak to deal with all of this… it just is. It hurts me more to realize Jarod dealt with similar stuff on a daily basis for 33 years.”
Brennan sighed as he let the wall behind him support him. He didn’t have the energy to fight with anyone now and he had no intention of moving around. It would just hurt, and there was no telling how much more they’d have to deal with. “That would suck.”
McKenzie smiled. “I’m glad you’re all right.”
“Funny, me too.” Brennan actually laughed which seemed strange to McKenzie knowing he’d undoubtedly been tortured by her father. “McKenzie, they took my com ring.”
McKenzie turned her head to look at the blurry image of Brennan. “It’s okay Brennan.”
“Jesse won’t be able to find us.” Brennan coughed a little and then sucked air through his teeth.
McKenzie knew now Brennan was definitely hurting. “Michael will find us.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Broots came running into Miss Parker’s office. “Miss Parker.”
She looked up from her desk where she and Sydney were going over some information about the current projects the Centre was apparently working on. “Broots?”
“They captured McKenzie and one of the mutants while they were breaking out the children being experimented on. Security seems to think there was a team of the mutants working with McKenzie, the Centre ghost and Jarod.” Broots sat down in the chair across from Miss Parker nervously. “They’ve only been here a few hours.”
Miss Parker rose to her feet and headed for the door. “Show me McKenzie.”
Broots didn’t want anything more to do with any of this but he knew Miss Parker was far more than serious. He jumped to his feet and scurried after her.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Jes, tell me we have a location on Brennan and McKenzie.” Lexa stood over him as the rear hatch was opened by Shalimar.
“I have the last location of Brennan’s com ring but that doesn’t necessarily mean he is still there.” Jesse turned to Lexa and the others.
Michael rose to his feet. “A location is simply a starting point. We’ll find him beyond that.”
Jarod rose to his feet. “Then what are we waiting for.”
