History

Brennan let out a frustrated sigh as he fell into one of the computer terminals. Jesse and he had just gotten back from a routine mission. Find the new mutant, take them to a safe house, make sure they're ok and then come back.

Well, they found the new mutant easy enough, a nine-teen-year-old element named Missy Walker in an abandoned factory, and so did the GSA. They were the other part of the routine mission. That was where things had gotten not so routine.

There was more then the average number of GSA coming through their way out. "They're here for me, "Missy said.

"Yup, that's usually how it goes. They want you pretty badly. Why?" Brennan asked as he grabbed Missy and began running to a door on the other side of the factory, one they hoped would lead them out of the factory. Instead, it led them into another room.

The room was white, sterile. There was a tile floor, medicine cabinets, a sink, and an operation table, complete with anesthetic gas. They had stumbled into a lab. Brennan shuddered at the memory; he had heard too many stories from new mutants not to feel a little uneasy.

Missy had stopped to catch her breath, and between gasp she explained that Genomex wanted her because she could control sound waves; she could make them as loud, soft, or as high/low pitched as she liked. "Like Black Canary?" Brennan asked.

"Kind of," she said with a fleeting smile. The GSA had reached them and was trying to break down the door.

"Hey Jess, why don't you make us a way out?" When there was no response Brennan looked around, expecting to find the younger man hurt. Instead Jess was staring at the operating table entranced, a combination of horror and hatred on his face. "Jess, hey Jess! We need…."

Brennan didn't get to finish, the door to the lab was blown open and the GSA came in firing. Brennan was hit in the upper arm as he grabbed Missy and hid behind the table. Jesse seemed frozen in place until the an agent shot the spot right next to him then he came to. With Brennan covering him, he phased the wall, and they were able to get Missy to safety.

When they got back to Sanctuary after they dropped Missy off at a safe house, Brennan went off on Jesse.

"What the hell were you doing? What were you thinking? You could have gotten us all killed!" He had cornered Jesse in the hangar, while he was checking the Helix.

"I'm sorry Brennan, I didn't…" Jesse had started, and if Brennan hadn't been so worked up he might have noticed that Jesse was still in a daze.

"You're sorry? You're Sorry! Adam says I won't be able to use my arm for about two weeks at best! I won't be able to go on missions for two weeks! We could have been killed!"

"Brennan, please, just hear me out….' Jesse pleaded, but Brennan's anger had gotten the better of him and he slugged Jesse in the jaw.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Shalimar said. The feral had heard Brennan yelling, and had just walked into the hanger to make sure everything was alright.

Brennan felt his stomach drop as he watched the angry feral walk over to him. "Get away from him Brennan," she said dangerously, like a mother bear would to a hunter who had gotten to close to her cubs.

Brennan glared at Jesse, "How typical, first sign of danger and you have to have some one come and bail you out. You're just a coward with powers." Shal gave a warning growl, and Brennan stormed off.

Brennan had headed to the computers. Adam had told him that if he wanted to he could start some research on a new mutant named Jessica Killmont, and since there was nothing else he could do, he decided to begin the search.

He typed in the name and waited for the computer to begin the search. He leaned back in the chair, rubbing his hurt arm, wishing now that he hadn't taken it out of the sling. 'Why does she always defend him? Why do they all always defend him? He's a coward. There hasn't been one time that I can remember when someone hasn't had to bail him out of something. Why the hell is he still here? Sure he's good with computers and stuff like that, but why send him on missions if he's just going to freeze?'

The computer gave a beep, indicating that it was finished with the search. Brennan absentmindedly clicked on the first in the result listing.

"Jesse Kilmartin, Genomex Facility Alpha, 1997. Test 0056," came a male voice from the computers speaker.

"What the hell…." Brennan said as he sat up straight and focused his attention on the screen.

"Dr. Harrison presiding and Laura Brooks assisting. Now, how are you feeling today Mr. Kilmartin?"

The three figures were in a room that was much like the lab from earlier today. The doctor was dressed in scrubs, as was the women that he said was assisting him. She sat at a computer while he was hovering over Jesse, doing a last minuet check-up. They both were to the right of Jesse, allowing a clear view of him. Jesse had been strapped down to an operating table, he wore only a pair of scrub pants and there were what seemed like hundreds of wires coming off of him. His body looked so weak and abused, so small and sick that Brennan couldn't believe it was Jesse in the video.

"Are you ready to begin today's test?" Dr. Harrison said as he checked some of the electrodes on Jesse's torso. Jesse just looked at him, defeated. "Alright, Laura, please start recording. Let me know when you have a baseline down."

"Right, it'll be about twenty seconds," she said as she typed in a few commands. She glanced between the computers and the keyboard a few times before she finally said, "Baseline set. You can begin at any time."

"Alright, thank you Laura," Dr. Harrison reached over to a machine that looked to Brennan like some kind of defibrillator, but he wasn't sure. It was plugged into its own generator, and instead of the normal two paddles, there were about eight electrodes. Each was attached directly to Jesse's body; two at his temples, two at his heart, and the rest around his lungs and stomach.

Brennan's stomach dropped as he saw Harrison turn on the machine, there was no mistaking that sound. Whatever the machine was, it held a lot of electricity.

"Now Mr. Kilmartin, I am going to deactivate your governor, and when I tell you, I want you to mass when I tell you. If you try to escape again then I will activate the governor at max and leave it on. Do you understand?"

Jesse nodded, and swallowed. Harrison pressed a few buttons and then nodded to Jesse. "Alright, Mass. Don't un-mass until I tell you."

Jesse did as he was told and Harrison waited a minute before letting Jesse relax. "Did you get a reading?"

"The little freak will have to do it over, there was a glitch," Laura said as she typed commands to the computer. Brennan felt anger rise in him to hear her refer to Jesse as a freak, not because of the word, but the mater-of-fact way of saying it.

"You heard her Mr. Kilmartin. Again."

Again, Jesse did as he was told, and again he had to mass for a minute. By the time he was allowed to relax, he was out of breath, and Brennan could see the strain on his face.

"Did you get a reading?"

"Yes, nice and solid. Ready to continue."

"Good. Now Mr. Kilmartin, when I tell you I want you to mass again. Don't stop until I tell you, understand?"

Jesse just swallowed and prepared himself.

"Alright, mass."

Jesse massed, and a second afterwards Harrison started the machine. The evil sound of electricity reached Brennan's ears and he looked away from the screen. His attion returned when he heard Jesse screaming. Brennan looked up just in time to see him arched on the table, and Harrison frantically cutting the power to the machine.

"Now Mr. Kilmartin, I didn't say you could un-mass. Now we will try this again, and you will not un-mass until I tell you."

'Who the hell does this basterd think he is? What the hell is he doing?' Brennan thought, as he leaned closer to the monitor.

Again, Harrison conducted the test, and this time Jesse was able to remain massed until he was finished, but only just. Jesse lay still in on the table, gasping for breath.

"How'd we do? Are the readings solid?"

"Yes, the little freak did well."

"Now, Jesse, I'll give you a few moments to rest. Then we will continue."

Jesse shut his eyes, still gasping for air, while Harrison and Laura looked over the results. After several minutes, Harrison returned to Jesse's side and began speaking to him again.

"Ok Mr. Kilmartin, it's the same thing again. I tell you when and for how long, and you do it. Alright…" Harrison got ready to trigger the machine again, "ready…" Brennan watched as Jesse tried to get free from the table. Tears were running down his face, and desperation and fear radiated from his body.

Harrison flipped the switch and ordered Jesse to mass. Jesse screamed out in pain. His body was trying to comply, but Brennan could tell there was no way for him to fully mass. The red waves that indicted his mass form could only be seen at random times.

Brennan couldn't look away. Every muscle in his body told him to, but he couldn't. He just sat there watching as Harrison performed the test over and over again while Jesse screamed.

Finally a shaky hand reached past Brennan and turned it off. Brennan looked over his shoulder at Shalimar. She was paler then normal and had tears in her eyes. She swallowed once, and then spoke.

"They had him for two years. Harrison and that bitch. By the time Adam and I got to him….We spent six months just trying to get him to look at us in the eyes. He still has panic attacks if he doesn't have time to prepare. That's what happened today…."

Brennan sat in silence for a moment. 'Me and my big mouth,' he thought. He looked up at Shal and asked, "Where is he? I think I need to apologize."

so what do you think? it's my first mutant x fic, and if you want me to stop then i will. but if you like it i could add another chapter.