"So you know your assignments." Adam looked around the table.

Brennan, Shalimar and Jesse all nodded.

"Why isn't Emma involved?" Brennan voiced the question that they all were thinking.

"She isn't ready for the assignment yet." Adam said with sigh.

"That's not true and you know it Adam." Shalimar shook her head roughly. "Why are you keeping her out of this."

"The truth Adam." Jesse said looking at his boss and friend.

"I told you all you need to know." Adam said quietly looking into each of their eyes. "Now you have to stop Eckhart this time or it's all over for Mutant X."

"But Emma should be included." Brennan insisted.

"No! And that's my final word! Now get on with business." Adam pounded the table as he stood up. He left the room without saying good bye.

"What's up with Adam?" Jesse asked slightly shocked.

"I don't know whatever it is it has to do with Emma." Brennan shook his head. He sighed deeply. "Well lets stop Eckhart. Perhaps when this assignment is over Adam will tell us the truth."

Shalimar looked at the empty doorway with an curious light in her eyes. She felt angry at Adam for mistreating Emma this way. *I'm sure that HE hasn't TOLD her the truth eighter.*

"Shalimar time to get going. Direct your anger at Eckhart and his agents." Jesse said softly into Shalimar's ear as he watched her eyes turn fiery yellow.

Shalimar calmed down and allowed her eyes to turn back normal. "You are right. Let's get." She stood up and led the way out of the door.

******

Adam paused in the door way and watched Emma crawl into herself. *What have I done to you Emma? I should have told you the truth. You of all people.* He wanted to go in and reassure her that she didn't do anything wrong. But inwardly he felt powerless to comfort the young woman. *I did this to you Emma. I have to fix it and I will I promise.* He turned away from the doorway and headed into the lab to do some work.

***********

Emma hadn't noticed Adam looking in on her. If she had she would have been able to read him at that moment. But she drew herself deep into herself and thought of when she first meet Adam and how he saved her from the agents from Genomex who were trying to kill her. What she thought at the time when she was running away from them. Adam and the Mutant X later explained about her being an Mutant and had the power to read minds that Genomex wanted her to work for them. Genomex would have turned her power into evil but the Mutant X wanted it for the good.

*Oh Adam what have done? How did I lose your trust and friendship.* Her heart broke into millions of pieces as it felt the lose of Adam's friendship. She wrapped her knees up to her chin tighter and buried her head into them and wept quietly. She didn't want the others to hear her weeping.

****

"I just don't understand why Adam is being so hard on Emma!" Brennan said angrily as the three Mutant X team members made their way to the abandon warehouse to meet Genomex agents in the fight to death.

"I hate Adam." Jesse said verminously.

"Jesse you don't mean that." Shalimar said slightly shocked at Jesse's turn. "We just don't understand his reasoning is all." After she calmed down from her anger at Adam she came to realize that Adam had his reasons for keeping Emma out of this. They didn't know it yet but she knew Adam would tell them when he was ready.

"Why the hell not!" Jesse asked. "I know he is the boss at Mutant X but how he is treating Emma is wrong. Just plain wrong."

Brennan nodded.

"We can't force Adam to telling us anything." Shalimar said reasonably. "You know that by now Jesse."

"Yea well there is an first time for everything." Jesse said grumpily. "I say this should be the time."

Brennan nodded. "Yea." He stopped walking. "I say let's get back to the sanctuary and force Adam to come clean."

Shalimar shook her head. "No we have to stop Genomex. And now. You know what an serious threat today is to the whole world."

Brennan sighed and nodded. "Oh right let's kick some Genomex assess than head back to the Sanctuary and force Adam to telling the truth.

"Hey you Mutant X. Time to die!" Suddenly an male voice called from the other side of the street.

Shalimar, Brennan and Jesse all whipped around and saw five Genomex agents all lined up in fighting stances.

"Well this is sooner than I though it would be but hell let's get rid of them." Shalimar said her eyes lighting up fire red.

Brennan brought his hands arms back as electrically began to shot out of them.

Jesse turned sideways as an electrically wall covered himself.