Work Text:
The Pain of Love
by Diana
Brennan swung at Jesse with a hard left hook that the Molecular only barely managed to dodge. Jesse replied by crouching down and kicking the legs out from underneath Brennan. He went down, but had been in the process of shifting his bodyweight and ended up flying forwards, right into Jesse. The two ended up laying in a heap of arms and legs on the dojo floor, but neither one minded that much.
"Nice move." Brennan commented from his awkward position.
Emma and Shalimar were out shopping for the afternoon, and Adam was busy with his research so the two had opted for a sparring session, without powers. It had gone on for quite some time and both were drenched in sweat by the time the match had ended. Of course neither one of them minded too much, they had been going out officially for almost a month now, so any time they had to spend alone together, sweating, was greatly appreciated.
"Didn't we say that the winner would get to be "the master" tonight?" Jesse asked, with a sly smile, though still trying to catch his breath.
Brennan shifted but remained in his position which was more or less on top of Jesse, "Yep. Sure am glad I won." He said, placing a firm but gentle kiss on his lover's lips.
Jesse melted into the kiss, but when it broke off he asked increduously, "You won? Who brought down who, mister?"
"I'm on top aren't I?" Brennan replied, grinning.
"Right where I wanted you." Jesse said, giving Brennan his best thousand watt smile, that he knew he loved.
"Well then, guess we're gonna have to take turns." Brennan suggested. Jesse clearly agreed as he pushed himself up and locked lips with the Elemental. The kiss broke off and as Brennan looked down at Jesse he realized that his life was probably the greatest it had ever been. He had great friends, he was doing something he truly believed in, and he had Jesse. Kind, loving, innocent Jesse. And he really did love that smile. He honestly didn't know what he would do without it.
"What's wrong?" Jesse asked.
Brennan realized he must have zoned out for a moment, "Nothing. Just thinking about things. You." He punctuated the statement with another kiss. Things were just starting to heat up when both their comm rings beeped.
"Brennan, Jesse, I need to see both of you." Adam's voice rang out over the line.
Both men sighed and reluctantly got to their feet. "Give us ten minutes." Jesse requested, knowing they would need to shower and change.
"Only ten?" Brennan asked mischievously once the com was closed.
"Do you think I should have asked for fifteen?" Jesse wrapped his arms around Brennan's neck and kissed him passionately, slipping in his tongue for extra emphasis.
"No, I can handle ten." Jesse just laughed as they both made their way to the showers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"What have you got for us?" Jesse asked as he and Brennan entered the lab, per Adam's request. They were showered and dressed and both grinning madly. Adam was sitting at a computer console, completely engrossed in what was being projected on the screen.
"A new mutant. I need you two to track him down." Adam replied, never tearing his gaze from the monitor.
"What a surprise." Brennan said, leaning against the counter.
Adam motioned for them both to look at the image on the computer screen. They did so and saw a young man, in about his mid-twenties with short brown hair and a medium build. He didn't appear too threatening but with new mutants looks were usually deceiving.
"His name's Alex Indig, he's an Elemental, Thermal. Capable of firing blasts of extreme heat and cold." Adam said and continued typing.
"A combination Elemental. That's gotta be pretty rare." Jesse exclaimed, not having expected to find out they were after a mutant with combined powers.
"It is. There's only a few on file, that's why I want you to find him, quickly." Adam looked at them both quite seriously, his way of telling them not to mess around and make this some kind of contest for them or any other kind of game. Everyone in Mutant-X knew about their relationship, but so far they were doing a pretty good job of staying focussed on the task at hand while on a mission, and not on each other.
"We'll get on it right away." Brennan assured Adam. They left the lab together and set to work finding their new mutant.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, Mr. Indig, you're sure that no one saw you come to us?" Eckhart asked his newest henchman.
Alex smiled slyly as he sat across from Eckhart, playing with a small ball of fire, "Positive. I followed your instructions exactly."
"Good. Mutant-X will be looking for you shortly, they will want to bring you over to their side before you can become one of my operatives. Obviously it is too late for that, but there's no reason for them to know that. It is only a matter of time before one or more of them approaches you. Take this," Mason handed Alex a small device that looked like a pager, "When they do come just press that button and we'll have operatives there within minutes, if there aren't any around already."
Alex looked over the device and then eyed Eckhart skeptically, "So I just keep them busy talking until your people show up?"
"Yes, more or less."
"There's just one more thing. I've heard some stories that your *operatives* haven't exactly had the greatest of luck capturing these guys, as in they tend to get away. Is there going to be anything different this time?"
"You let us worry about that. But I can assure that we have a special surprise for each member of Mutant-X. They won't be getting away this time." Eckhart steepled his fingers, he was smiling just thinking about it. "It is most likely that you won't even have to contact us. That device is to be used on the chance that the agents I have following you, lose your position for any reason. Your job is really no work at all."
"Got that right." Alex said under his breath, "Well then I'll be on my way. Gotta be around if those Mutant guys come looking for me."
Eckhart watched as Alex left with his agents close behind, "A special surprise indeed." Mason grinned, he really liked this plan for some reason.
~~~~~~~~~~~
"You know it really wasn't that much trouble finding out where this Alex guy is. It only took a few simple hacks, I don't see why the GSA hasn't found him already." Jesse commented as he and Brennan made their way down the sidewalk, fast approaching Alex's last known location.
"Well we both know how competent the GSA is in the first place. But it's not like we were able to get an exact location, we're searching a three block radius here. Think we should split up?" Brennan asked, he hated leaving Jesse for any reason, but the sooner they finished the sooner they could get back to Sanctuary and he could be "the master".
It was dark and there were few street lights in the area, and there was a strange vibe going through the air.
Jesse shook his head, "No, I don't think that would be a good idea. If Eckhart does know he's here then he's probably got agents all over this place."
"You're so paranoid. You don't think we can handle a few agents by ourselves?"
"Normally yes, but I don't know, something doesn't feel right about this." Jesse had that concerned and doesn't know why look on his face.
"Paranoid," Brennan said again, this time more like mumbling. He looked over at Jesse, noted his serious expression and smiled, "But that's why I love you." That said he planted a short but sweet kiss on his lover's lips.
Jesse returned the kiss but then pushed away and gave Brennan a reprimanding look, "We have a mission. But, later. For sure later."
"You're right. But I can't wait until later." Brennan said, he was about to continue when his attention was drawn to a figure trying to cross the street inconspicuously. "Hey, is that our guy?"
Jesse squinted to see the man better in the poor light, "Yeah, I think so." Both of them began jogging after Alex who was walking at a fast, but steady pace. Alex stopped under a streetlight and turned around, allowing the two mutants to see his face and confirm who he was. He knew they weren't Eckhart's men so decided they must be Mutant-X. He pressed down on the beeper device he had been given and took off down the street at full pace.
"Alex wait!" Jesse yelled futilely, thinking the new mutant was afraid of them. He and Brennan took off after Alex as fast as they could.
"I hate when they run from us. Can't we just wear a big sign that says 'Good Guys'?" Brennan asked rhetorically as they ran down the mutant.
"Yeah, I'm sure that would work real well. And we can attach 'Don't Trust Us' bumper stickers to all of the GSA's cars while we're at it." Jesse replied.
Alex ran as fast as he could, silently wondering where Eckhart's men were. He didn't actually want to have to meet up with these Mutant-X guys, he had heard a lot of stories about how powerful they were.
"Oh, no." He muttered as he ran down a dead end alley. He turned to go back and found Brennan and Jesse already blocking the only exit.
"Hey man, we're not gonna hurt you. We just want to help." Brennan said calmly, as he slowly approached Alex with his hands up to show no harm.
"Yeah right, I know who you guys are. Get away from me!" Alex was actually panicked now, he thought he could do this easy but now that he was faced with two other new mutants he wasn't so sure. As both men took another step closer he totally lost it and charged up his hands with a motion similar to Brennan's. He shot a fireball at both of them. Jesse phased out and Brennan managed to dodge the shot completely, luckily Alex's aim wasn't the best. Jesse and Brennan backed off a little, seeing how scared Alex was.
"Maybe we should ...." Jesse never finished his statement as the alley suddenly filled with GSA agents. Most of them came in through the entrance but several descended sets of fire escapes, as usual none were armed.
These aren't the swiftest guys in the world are they? Brennan thought to himself as he electrocuted three of them with one shot.
The two experienced Mutant-X members could easily have escaped the men but they thought they had to save Alex as well and stayed to fight. Alex for his part was now leaning against the wall creating the dead end in the alley, breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of the GSA agents. Jesse spotted Alex out of the corner of his eye but in the weak light couldn't see him very well and thought he may be cowering in fear, not relaxing at the agents' arrival.
Brennan loved this part of the job, he electrocuted another agent and then took one out with a reverse turning kick. A jab, followed by an upper cut took down another man. The next was a bit more experience and they traded blocks and punches for a few moments before Brennan finally got bored and downed his opponent with a hard kick to the chest. He looked over at Jesse and smiled, he was having fun too, he could tell.
Jesse phased out avoiding a shot to the face and then solidified and hardened both fists, taking down two men with a single punch each. Two more tried to tackle him at once, he simply hardened, causing both men to fall to the ground. He allowed them time to get up and beat them both with only his human hands and feet. He looked behind him again and spotted Alex once more.
Why isn't he helping? Jesse thought. It was then he noticed Alex wasn't scared at all, he was just watching.
Another half dozen men came down from the sides of the building, confirming Jesse's suspicion. He knocked out an agent in his path and ran over to Brennan.
"It's a trap, he's with Eckhart." Jesse informed him, then executed a perfect spin jump turning kick, knocking out another agent.
"Damn it. Those 'Good Guy' signs probably wouldn't have been much good then." Brennan added, sending out more bolts of electricity. He decided he needed a weapon and picked up a pipe that seemed perfect, now he could take out more guys with one swing.
Jesse kept fighting but something still didn't seem right, despite the fact he now knew it was a trap. There were a lot of men here but none who seemed extremely prepared, Eckhart had put some thought into this attack, there had to be another angle.
Up on the roof, unseen by either mutant sat a sharpshooter whose gun was filled with a new but lethal kind of bullet. These new bullets, more like darts really, were especially designed for each member of Mutant-X. They attacked each power individually, overloading it and eventually killing the mutant. Genomex usually preferred bringing in their mutants alive but with Mutant-X they were willing to make an exception. His first target was the Electric Elemental, then he'd take care of the Molecular. He watched the taller mutant fight off several more agents and then took aim.
Brennan bashed two of the agents' heads together and then moved on to his next opponent, he was beginning to get tired, and he was mad that they had fallen into a trap, but so far it wasn't a lethal situation and he was still having fun.
"Brennan, come on, let's get out of here." Jesse called out, clearing himself a way to the exit of the alley.
"Just a second!" Brennan replied, unwilling to leave the fight he was currently winning. Jesse waited, taking out a few more men but was getting impatient as Brennan just engaged more agents in combat.
The Electric Elemental seemed to prefer making his opponent come to him, and that was fine for the sharpshooter, he just had to stay still for a few more seconds.
Fed up, Jesse ran over to Brennan and grabbed his arm, "Come on, we .... Ah!" Jesse stumbled back, clutching his arm.
Brennan backhanded the last agent and then turned to his lover, fear and concern etched all over his face, "Jesse, are you okay?"
Jesse removed his arm and they both saw a dart piercing his skin. Brennan pulled it out and examined it, not knowing what it was for. Looking up they both noticed the agents were fleeing and Alex was nowhere in sight.
"What was that thing?" Jesse asked, rubbing his arm where the dart had entered.
"I don't know." Brennan admitted, helping Jesse to his feet.
Just as he reached his feet, Jesse fell back down screaming as an immense electrical shock passed through his entire body.
"Jesse!"
"Sir, we have a problem." The sharpshooter reported to Eckhart while still watching the two men in the alley below.
"What is it?" Eckhart asked, obviously not impressed.
"The target was missed sir, Kilmartin got in the way."
"Hmmmm, how interesting. Is he being affected by the shot in any way?" Eckhart hadn't thought of the possible reprecussions of the specially made poisons being used on other mutants.
"He's getting up now sir, he seems fine. Wait, he went down again, I can't hear anything though." The sharpshooter was reloading his high-tech weapon as he spoke. It took a little while though, he hadn't expected to miss his first shot.
"Good, this should be an interesting study. Try to get the other one but if you can't, the night hasn't been totally worthless." Eckhart cut off the communication.
"Jesse, what's wrong?" Brennan asked, beginning to panic. This was so not good, Brennan thought, there was something seriously wrong with the man he loved more than anything in the world.
"Hurts." Jesse ground out through clenched teeth, then fell down further onto the concrete as another spasm of pain-filled electricity skirted across his body.
Brennan was going to crack any moment he was sure, "It's okay, it'll be okay. I'm going to get you out of here. Adam will know what to do. We gotta get you to Adam." He swung the smaller man's arm over his shoulder and helped him out of the alley. Jesse's breathing was harsh and he had quickly begun to sweat.
"You'll be okay." Brennan tried to assure him again. As the pain died down slightly Jesse was able to get his feet underneath him and help Brennan get him out of the alley.
They had nearly reached the car and Jesse was walking a bit on his own when the pain flared again, worse than before. He slumped to the ground since Brennan had been unprepared for the extra weight of the falling body.
"Not again." Brennan begged, Jesse was near the brink of unconsciousness. Knowing they had to move fast in case the agents came back Brennan gripped Jesse's hand tightly and wrapped his other arm around his lover's waist, now supporting all of his weight. They reached the car that way and Brennen quickly placed his bundle on the passenger side, the whole while repeating:
"You're gonna be fine, it'll be okay. You'll be fine." He carassed Jesse's face softly as he buckled him in then raced to the driver's side, eager to get back to Sanctuary. As he began to drive away he looked at Jesse as another wave of pain crashed down on him, this time, oddly enough, Jesse began to phase unwillingly. First his hands phased out, then his left leg hardened. He used all his concentration to get the phasing under control, he didn't need to pass through the car just now. The pain passed as did the shifting and Jesse sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Brennan, get me home, please." Jesse said softly, then drifted into oblivion.
Brennan had never driven home so fast in his life.
TBC
Please review. I'm anxious to know what you all thought. Please keep in mind that I have only seen about a half dozen Mutant-X eps. Hope you liked, ^_^