Lainey knew something was really wrong the moment John, Marcos and a green-eyed woman she had never seen before stormed into the Headquarters. Lainey's eyes widened when she saw Marcos holding his right arm tightly as a bright gold-like liquid emitted from his injury. She rushed downstairs towards the three, her hand instinctively going upwards to examine the wound, but she immediately drew it back knowing it would burn her.

"What happened?" Lainey panicked, turning to face John to get some answers. Only then she noticed the absence of a certain person, "Where is Lorna?"

"She was taken by the police," John shortly answered, pushing Marcos from the entrance of the building into a nearby room. Lainey followed them into the room.

"What? How?" Lainey glanced back at Marcos who looked like he was about to lose it. She knew Marcos loved Lorna more than anything and would do everything to keep her safe. Things must have gone terribly wrong if they had to leave her behind.

"There were too many cops, we had to get out of there," John started to patch Marcos' injury up. He looked at Lainey from over his shoulder, "Can you go and help Sage with the new girl?"

Knowing it wouldn't do any good to stay and argue about Lorna (and because Lainey knew Marcos could handle this on his own), she nodded and went to find Sage. It wasn't so hard to find them considering that the building was not that big. Not so far from the room she'd just been with John and Marcos, she found Sage near the entrance and in front of her was the green-eyed woman she seen.

"Hey," She greeted Sage shortly. Sage looked slightly worried, she probably heard about what happened. Lainey turned to the woman in front of them, "I'm Lainey and I guess you already met Sage," She introduced.

"Yeah," The woman nodded, giving a tight smile. Lainey noticed the woman was slightly shaking, goosebumps spreading over her bare arms. It was probably freezing out there and who knew how long she had been on the run.

"You're shaking, let's get you inside," Lainey offered and the three found an available place to sit. "Do you want something warm to drink, maybe tea?"

"That would be nice," The woman smiled and Lainey could see it was a genuine smile, not forced like before.

"I'll be right back," Sage nodded and went to find some tea.

"So, what is this place?" The woman asked Lainey as she looked around and observed the Headquarters.

"It actually used to be a bank. The place had been abandoned for three years, ever since Oakwood. Lorna and John found this place and it became Underground Headquarters." Lainey answered, "It's a bit broken and dusty, but it's home for some of us,"

The woman opened her mouth to say something, but before she could Sage came back with a cup of tea. She handed it to the woman and sat next to Lainey. "So, we never got your name,"

"Some people call me Blink, but it's actually Clarice," She told Lainey and Sage.

"So, Clarice is your real name?" Sage asked just to make sure.

"Yep." Clarice nodded.

"Anyone we should contact? Family?" Sage suggested.

"No. My family..." Clarice shook her head and trailed off, "It's complicated."

Lainey sadly understood. Many people didn't accept people and treated them in an awful way. Marcos once told Lainey that when he was thirteen his powers manifested for the first time and he was kicked out by his parents. He had to live on the streets. The world was a terrible place for Mutants, especially after the X-Men and the Brotherhood disappeared.

Sage nodded, "Right. Well, look, you'll stay here with us for a few days, lay low, and then we will figure out where to move you."

"Get some rest, okay?" Lainey added, guessing that Clarice was exhausted from everything that had happened.

"Okay. Thank you." And with that Clarice got up from where she was sitting and walked away to find a place to rest.

"I'll go to check if there is anything on the news," Lainey told Sage, who nodded at her. Lainey got up and went to the room where she and Sage usually monitored the updates on the news and the police.

She walked inside just as breaking new headlines appeared on one of the screens. Lainey furrowed her eyebrows. She immediately grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. The screen showed a high school with people running away from it. The moment she heard the word "Mutants" mentioned, Lainey decided to call Sage, who quickly arrived.

"Go get John. He needs to see it."

Sage got back with John and Marcos just as a reporter's voice was heard: "Yes, and as we have reported, breaking news on the mutant attack at Belleview High. We believe two young mutants to be responsible for the destruction. We've also heard the federal authorities will be getting involved..."

John didn't wait to hear the rest as he turned to Marcos, "Well, if it wasn't too hot before, it sure as hell is now."

He went to get outside but Lainey rushed to grab his arm and stopped him. "We need to talk later."

John nodded without saying a word.

Lainey glanced back at the news. Those two mutants were just normal, unknown teenagers who went to high school just a few hours ago. Whatever happened to them would change their life forever. They wouldn't get their old life back. None of the mutants ever did.

~~~

"So, what exactly happened there? How did they catch Lorna?" Lainey did her best to keep her cool, but it was hard knowing that one of the people she cared the most about was captured. Lorna was like a sister to Lainey, she always guided her and support her. She was part of her new family.

"When one of the cops shot Marcos, Lorna panicked and started to slam the policeman into a wall. We tried to tell her to stop and come back but she wouldn't listen. Before we knew it, she got tasered and we were surrounded by the police."

"So that's it? You just left her?!" By now she was furious. But although it didn't seem like it, she wasn't upset because of John. She was upset for herself, for not insisting enough to go with them.

"Do you think I would really want to leave her there? Do you think Marcos would?!" John started to raise his voice, but he quickly lowered it, "We had to leave, we had to get out of there. We were outnumbered—"

"See? Right there, that's the problem! You were outnumbered. Things might have gone differently if you just let me come. I can help."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," A new voice popped up, startling Lainey. Clarice did interrupt them, but Lainey couldn't really blame her. She was new and didn't know that once Lainey and John had an argument (Even if it rarely happened), it would be the best to keep distant from them. Besides, by the look on Clarice's face, Lainey had a feeling it was something urgent.

"Something wrong?" John asked, looking at Clarice.

"I need to talk to you. It's about Marcos," She started and John let out a chuckle.

"Uh, listen, Marcos is, uh he's an emotional guy. So, whatever he said, don't take it personally."

"No, it's not about that. It's—He got a phone call from some guy. Something about helping a family. He ran off about an hour ago. Alone."

"What?" Lainey frowned, almost forgetting her previous conversation with John.

"Why didn't you tell me?" John asked, getting up from where he sat. He walked toward Clarice.

"Because he told me not to, and he didn't want to get anyone else involved because it was dangerous. But then I was thinking about how I owe his girlfriend. And she'd be pissed if he died." Clarice explained, looking at Lainey and John.

John sighed, "Come on."

"Well, where are we going?" Clarice asked as John walked towards the exit, "We don't even know where he is."

"I found you. Trust me, I can find him."

Before John could walk any farther, Lainey walked right in front of him, "I'm coming with you,"

"What? No. Lainey, you're too inexperienced and I'm not going to risk you getting hurt," John stated, but Lainey was not going to give up that easily.

"I've been training with you and Lorna for months. I could kick your ass and you know it," Clarice didn't interrupt the two this time, she simply looked amused at Lainey's last statement. "Come on, what could possibly happen?"

"You know exactly what could happen," Lainey knew exactly what he meant by this. She knew what happened to John's best friend.

"Last time you had Lorna with you and you barely made it out. Don't you think you need to use any help you can get?"

"Lainey—" He started again, but she cut him off quickly.

"He was there to save me. This is not some stranger in distress we're talking about."

"I said no, and that's final," John walked past Lainey and she knew she only had one last chance.

"You know I would follow after you either way." Lainey insisted, watching as John stopped in his tracks, "I may not be a tracker but I learned a few things from you. Think about it, I'll be safer if I come with you."

His back was facing her so she couldn't his face, but by the way he paused she knew he was considering it. "Fine," He finally said and glanced at her. He still seemed conflicted, but Lainey couldn't care less. 

He finally agreed. 

"When the hell did you start to be that stubborn?"

"Around about the time I got to meet you. I learned from the best," She smirked at him.

~~~

"They are close," John muttered as he was trying to track Marcos and the family who was with him. They were wandering around a place that seemed like an abandoned warehouse and Lainey was glad that John was too busy trying to find Marcos, otherwise, his heightened senses would have heard how quick her heart was beating.

Suddenly John stopped in his place, "And they are not alone,"

Lainey glanced at Clarice who seemed just as worried. They weren't sure who John was talking about, but it definitely wasn't good. Was it the police? Or maybe worse, the Sentinel Service? Just the thought made a shiver run down her spine.

Before either Clarice or Lainey could say something, John ran forwards, slamming his body into steel door in an attempt to open it. There was a loud, echoing sound from the impact. The door was locked with a metal chain. Although, it didn't last long seeing as John charged towards the door once again, completely tearing the chain down and opening the door.

Marcos was the first person that Lainey saw once the door was wide open. Behind him was standing the family Clarice was talking about. Two adults, middle-aged, blonde woman and a man with dark hair. Next to them were standing two teenagers who didn't seem much older than Lainey. One of them was a girl with long blond hair, and the other was a boy with dark brown hair.

John and Marcos didn't waste any time, "Come on! Go! Go now!"

Marcos quickly followed John and so did the family. They all started running as fast as they could. Lainey didn't really know where they were running, she just hoped it would as far away as possible from whoever was chasing them. She was right behind John and she almost bumped into him when he suddenly stopped. She knew he was listening to something, but her legs kept pushing her forwards alongside with the others.

Everyone's attention was focused on John again as he shouted: "They're coming! That way, Go! To the hallway!"

Immediately, everyone turned to the right, to where John was pointing. Lainey heard a metal chittering and she forced herself to run faster. Soon, they approached a hallway but as soon as they got close, the blonde-haired girl screamed. Lainey's eyes widened as she saw why. A spider-like machine crawled over the ceiling. Now she had no doubt it was the Sentinel Services that were after them.

"Go! Go! Go!" The man with the dark hair yelled, directing them to another hallway. However, Lainey stayed in her place. The machine jumped down from the ceiling, heading towards her. With a grunt, Lainey raised her right hand and quickly used her abilities to slam the machine into a nearby wall, hoping to buy herself and the others some time.

Without hesitation, she ran after the group again. Once she reached them she realized they ended up in front of a locked metal door. John started to punch it, trying to rip it open like he had done before. The metal chittering sound was back and the group turned to see the machine heading towards them again.

Using his abilities, Marcos shot powerful bright light beams from his hands, attacking the machine and holding it off. There was a weird, electronic sound and then a small red dote appeared on the machine. Lainey counted at least four more dotes that appeared over a wall not so far from where they were.

"They're on the other side," John muttered to himself and then turned to the group, "They're on the other side!"

"Here they come!" Marcos exclaimed, grunting. Two more machines came to attack and Marcos was having a hard time trying to hold them off. One of them jumped forward towards the brown-haired boy but Lainey was quick to react and use her abilities. She raised her hand and sent the machine flying as far away as she could. Unfortunately, more machines came up and Marcos and Lainey couldn't hold all of them at once.

The blonde girl stepped forward, creating a force field to shield them from the machines. She was a mutant, that was for sure. It worked for a while, but she, too, couldn't keep it up for long.

"Clarice, you got to get us out of here." John put his hand over Clarice's shoulder.

"What do you mean?" Clarice asked.

"You got yourself out of the prison, you can get us out of here!" John exclaimed, knowing that they didn't have any other choice.

"No, it's different. I can't see where I'm going. It's too dangerous." Clarice argued.

"Well, we will die if we stay here, so can you please just do it?" Marcos stated. Lainey's heartbeat quickened as she realized that Marcos was right and Clarice might be their only chance to get out.

"They're getting through!" The blonde girl groaned as the shield was starting to break.

"I can't do it!" Clarice insisted. Lainey looked at John, feeling fear starting to creep in. John saw the afraid expression on Lainey's face and turned back to Clarice again.

"Yes, you can!" He urged her.

Clarice brought her hands together and slowly separated them, creating a distinctive, bright blue, purple and pink glow. Lainey watched in amazement along with the others as Clarice opened a portal behind them. She could see one of the rooms that were in the Headquarters through the portal.

"What is it?" The man with the dark hair asked, holding the blonde woman (who Lainey assumed was his wife) tightly.

"This is our way out," Lainey smiled.

John jumped into the portal, making sure it was safe to pass. He landed safely on the other side and called the others, "Come on! It's safe! Go! Go! Go!"

Before she knew it, she was pushed by Marcos into the portal. She landed harshly on the floor but she ignored the pain and quickly got up. The dark-haired boy and the man still remained on the other side.

"Andy!" The blonde woman yelled, looking at the boy. Andy didn't move toward the portal and instead, he raised up his clenched fists. Lainey gasped as the machines suddenly exploded and were completely ripped apart.

"Come on!" The man pushed Andy into the portal just as a gunshot was heard.

"Dad! No!" The man fell backward, remaining on the other side of the portal. He grunted and couldn't get up.

"Get him out of there, Gravity!" John exclaimed and Lainey raised her hands towards the portal. The portal was getting smaller, less steady. Lainey concentrated as hard as she could, she already saw his body rising slightly above the ground.

"I can't hold it!" Clarice exclaimed. Just a second later she passed out and with that, the portal closed. Lainey didn't make it. The man was trapped on the other side.

"No!"

_____________________________________________

Okay, so that was a longer than I expected but I really hope you liked it! Just wanted to say thank you for 82 reads, I never thought that I would get so many in such a short time! And huge thanks to

@spookycaspian  and her lovely comments. You really made my day!

By the way, it'll be explained more about Lainey's abilities and the oh-so-original nickname "Gravity" on the next chapter.