Title: The Gateway of Janus

Author: Bast's Son

Fandom: Mutant X

Pairing: Jesse/o

Rated: NC-17

Email: jfwfg@hotmail.com (this is my email for archiving, people on the MutantX-TheSeriesSlash list can respond directly to email I'm sending this from)

Series: ? I haven't decided if there will be sequels or not

Feedback: Yes, please. The feedback determines whether or not I continue the story.

Archive: Yes, please archive my stuff. Feel free to put it on your website if you have one, but please notify me if you do.

Summary: A powerful, unknown person steps onto the scene and immediately attracts the attention of Mutant X and the GSA.

Warning: Slash fiction

Spoiler: Takes place sometime before episode 22 - A Breed Apart, but after 12 - Double Vision.

Disclaimer: Only original characters belong to me. Everything else belongs to the powers that own Mutant X. No copyright infringement is intended, this is just smut for fun. This was written as fan fiction and not for any profit.

The Gateway of Janus
by Bast's Son

Dr. Harris trembled slightly as he administered injections to Eckhart to compensate for his collapsed immune system. Despite Mason Eckhart's lack of physical strength, the man provoked fears the bio-geneticist hadn't felt since his childhood. He nearly jumped as the door opened and the GSA's newest agent, a telepath, walked in.

Eckhart looked up as Dr. Harris finished the last injection. The cold, unemotional expression seemed to have little effect on the psionic, who waited quietly.

"Is it safe to assume you have something important to tell me, or do you think unscheduled visits are a wise course of action, Ms. Billingsley?"

"I thought this matter needed your immediate attention, sir. One of your trainees, an elemental with the ability to release blasts of extreme cold was found unconscious and badly injured in an alley not far from here. He has yet to awaken, so I took the initiative of scanning his mind to find out what happened. From what I saw, he tried to capture a new mutant without any back up," the red head replied with a coolness that matched Eckhart's own.

"I fail to see how the rash stupidity of a trainee demands my immediate attention."

"It doesn't, it's who he encountered that does."

Eckhart's eyes narrowed slightly, as his curiosity prompted him to learn more. With a slight smile he urged, "Please, elaborate."

Ms Billingsley, feeling pleased with herself continued.

"From what I was able to read, the trainee saw someone display new mutant abilities when threatened by a mugger in an alley. The unknown mutant released a blast of wind, rendering the mugger weaponless and unconscious. Thinking his quarry would be no match for his abilities, he engaged the elemental.

"Too late, he realized he had no hope of defeating this mutant. His ice blast was immediately neutralized and overwhelmed by much stronger blast of heat that left our young friend with minor to mildly serious burns over 30% of his body. Then he passed out as his assailant fled the scene."

"A new mutant with both wind and thermal blast abilities, a rare and unusual combination. Certainly, this mutant is worth apprehending. I'll assign some more experienced agents to work with you. Find this mutant and bring him back here immediately."

"Sir, there's one more thing," Ms. Billingsley added, finally beginning to feel her nerves strain in the Eckhart's presence, "I took the liberty of trying to scan for the assailant with the mental image of him I received while linked to the trainee. I managed to connect. He was too far away for me to get any specifics on his location, purpose, etc, but I did manage to find out he's looking for someone he thinks is in the city, and he plans to stay until he finds her.

"I also learned his abilities may not be limited those I previously saw. I've never felt such a sense of power as when I linked to him. It was very difficult linking with him. His mind is….extremely disciplined. I don't believe the standard team will be able to apprehend him. I recommend forming a team made up solely of new mutants."

"Fresh out of the academy and already looking to change policies around here, Ms. Billingsley? Do you really think it wise to question the GSA's strategies, so soon?" Eckhart said with a smile that was anything but encouraging.

"I think it wise not to fail you, sir," she carefully responded, "I'm aware of the penalties of failure, and I don't think a standard team has any hope of succeeding."

"As you wish, Ms. Billingsley. I'll grant your request to put together a trial team of new mutants. With so much power at your disposal, I'll expect swift results."

"Thank you, sir."

"Oh, by the way," Eckhart added as she headed for the door, "I have an opening for a new lieutenant. You can consider this the interview for the position."

* * * * *

Jesse and Shalimar were sparring when they heard Adam call for everyone to join him in the lab. Silently promising to finish the match later, they headed for the lab, where Brennan and Emma were already waiting.

"Adam, what's up?" Jesse asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his shirt.

"I'm not entirely sure. I got a tip from some of the members of the underground about an unknown new mutant who has decided to make an appearance in town. His description has matched some reports by other underground members around the country of a very powerful new mutant. Though, I haven't been able to match him in the database."

"How powerful are we talking, here?" Shalimar asked, growing concerned.

Judging by Adam's tone, there was something worrying him more than usual about this.

"I'm afraid I have no idea. The strange thing about this situation is, in the reports, his powers are different each time."

"Could he be mutating?" Jesse asked.

"It's possible, but I've never seen a mutation rate as the reports would indicate. I've done some monitoring of GSA reports and it seems a team comprised of new mutants has been formed for a special operation. It's not Eckhart's usual style to send out teams of new mutants like this, which means he must feel threatened enough to rethink his tactics."

"If Eckhart's feeling that spooked, then we need to get to this guy and fast," Brennan said, joining the conversation.

"I agree. Emma, try to scan for our mystery mutant. Brennan and Jesse, I want you two to start searching the areas our people have seen him. Shalimar, listen for any GSA reports on where he might be. We can't let someone this strong fall into the GSA's hands."

*

A while later, while Jesse and Brennan were checking with some contacts, Shalimar contacted them about a GSA team heading for a location less than a mile from where they were. They arrived just in time to see a young blonde man run between two buildings as two GSA cars pulled up. They headed around to the other side of the alley to see six agents led by Heather Billingsley cornering the young man.

"You've got nowhere to go. Just come with us, and you won't be harmed," Ms. Billingsley announced, as the two lead mutants, ferals, began advancing. The man was trapped between her team and a tall fence on the other end. Her confidence was taken down a notch as he through a blast of heat, creating a wall of fire, which the ferals fled from. Nodding to one of the team members, a telekinetic began parting the flames before them. Brennan hopped fence as Jesse phased through it.

Brennan startled the young man as he threw an electrical blast to take out the telekinetic in front.

"We gotta get out of here! We'll get you someplace safe!" Jesse shouted to the young man who he had assumed was frightened.

"I don't think so," the hunted mutant replied, touching the pavement, as his hand pulsed with energy.

A wave of energy flowed into the ground, creating a small, localized earthquake, which quickly knocked the GSAgents and the Mutant X members onto their backs. Jesse looked up to see the person they were sent to protect disappear. The air around him seemed to warp and fold around him in seconds, leaving no trace of the mutant.

Brennan and Jesse got to their feet just in time to hear Ms. Billingsley's next orders, "Grab those two. I'm not going back to GenomeX empty handed."

Wincing, Brennan was sure he'd dislocated his shoulder in the fall. Jesse nodded silent understanding to Brennan. Brennan threw another arch of energy as Jesse massed and tore down the fence to make escape easier for his injured friend. They quickly fled the scene to regroup back at Sanctuary.

*

Back at Sanctuary….

Brennan cried out as Shalimar gave his arm a good yank, popping it back into socket. As he sat down in a chair and applied an ice pack to his shoulder, Adam came up to find out what had happened.

"What happened to you two out there?"

"We got creamed by the guy we went to help," Brennan said, wincing.

"This guy neither wanted nor needed our protection, Adam," Jesse added, "He was able to fend off the GSA and us without even flinching. Plus, he disappeared."

"What, like stealth abilities?" Shalimar asked, looking confused.

"No, more like poof into thin air abilities, and a bunch of other powers.

I saw him block the GSAgents with a wall of fire. We ran in to help and he caused an earthquake. Then, it was like the air around him rippled and folded around him. He was gone, leaving us to outrun Eckhart's gang, who were determined not to go back without at least us as a consolation prize. We barely got away."

"Are you sure about how he vanished?" Adam asked.

"Yeah, why?" Jesse responded looking puzzled.

"There's only one new mutant I know of who can disappear in that particular fashion. And she's been dead for 3 months."
Adam punched up a file on the screen.

"Emily Draike. She was a new mutant with the unique ability to warp space and time, creating a small event horizon. She could go anywhere, instantly.

Eckhart deemed her too dangerous to live. The GSA located where we had hidden her and killed while she slept."

"Could this guy be a GenomeX experiment gone wrong? This couldn't be the first time they tried grafting mutant abilities onto non-new mutants," Emma asked.

"I doubt it. The GSA seems as in the dark about this person as we are.

But one thing is for sure. They won't give up so easily when it comes to someone this powerful. We need to find him, and quick."


end part 1