Unchained Instinct ( Complete)

Chapter 32

Cassie Martin’s house sat on a pleasant flower filled lot on a pleasant block of suburban houses. It’s white facade with deep green shutters looked almost like something out of a fairytale, clean and bright and welcoming.

The morning sun shone like crystal fire, but Jean’s heart was full of darkness and fear.

“Nothing looks out of the ordinary,” Scott said, gazing at the house from the sports car. “What if she did just go away for a few days like her office said.”

“I don’t know, Scott,” Jean replied. “I have a bad feeling. She would have called the Professor or Kurt if she intended to miss a counseling session and her office said she’d be gone indefinitely. Something’s wrong.”

“Well, if I’ve learned anything, I’ve learned to trust you. Let’s go have a look.”

Jean let her mind range out as they reached the door, but no one seemed to be home. She rang the bell anyway.

Scott crossed his arms, his foot tapping impatiently. “I’m going around back to check things out. Why don’t you try the door. I bet it’s open.” Scott offered her a quirk of a smile and Jean understood. The handle didn’t turn, but with a little mental nudge the lock tripped and the handle turned easily in Jean’s hand.

“Hello? Cassie?” The curtain’s were drawn across the windows and Jean fumbled along the side of the door searching for a light switch. Light flooded the room, revealing an overturned lamp and a disheveled living room.

Perhaps Cassie was an lousy housekeeper, but Jean doubted that, Cassie’s personality mismatched with that assessment. She moved into the room and around the sofa. A dark stain, red brown and dried caught Jean’s eye and she knelt down, running a finger over the stain.

Blood.

A rushing wave of pain and terror cascaded over Jean, as if she was feeling what Cassie felt. She concentrated, opening herself up to the scene inside her mind.

Pain as Cassie was struck and fell. Blood flowing, dripping on the carpet. Another wave of agony ran up Jean’s arm and she gasped and fell back, pushing away from this strange, new and frightening experience.

“Scott!” Jean shoved up and ran for the door. “Scott!”

Scott appeared from around the side of the house. “You find something?”

“Blood and a messed up living room. I...I felt something...something terrible. Cassie was attacked. She’s hurt...or....”

Scott pushed by her and knelt down to examine the stain. “Blood all right. We’d better search the house and make sure she’s not here.”

“Oh Scott.”

“Calm down, Jean. I’ll search. You look around here.”

Jean nodded her agreement, her fear of finding Cassie dead gibbering at the corner of her mind. She occupied herself with looking around, finally lighting on the laptop computer sitting on the desk, apparently still booted up. The desk chair had been knocked over and Jean righted it and sat. Pressing the enter key, the black screen opened up to a text file. That gibbering feeling turned into a gnashing inside her stomach.

Cassie’s case notes on Kurt and Logan.

She felt Scott behind her and turned with a questioning expression, her heart trying to crawl up her throat.

“She’s not here. But her suitcase is in the closet.” Scott shook his head in consternation. “And her car’s in the garage. I don’t know Jean. Something’s not right, that’s for sure.”

A tentative knock came at the door and a male voice called out, “Ms Martin...Cassie?”

Scott headed for the door and Jean followed. It wouldn’t look good if someone thought they’d broken in.

A white haired man, distinguished in pressed slacks and a polo shirt stood there, startlement in his eyes when he saw them instead of Cassie.

“Oh!” he said. “I...is Ms Martin here?”

“I’m afraid not, sir,” Jean said. “We’re friends of hers. Have you seen her?”

The man’s eyes held a look of concern. “Not for a few days. I’m her neighbor...across the street. I always see her when I walk the dog in the morning, but the last few days....” He shrugged then put his hand out. “I’m Don Shoneheimer...Pediatrician, retired.”

Scott reached out. “Scott Summers and this is Jean Grey. We’ve been trying to reach Cassie, but her office said she’d called and said she’d be gone indefinitely. We hoped she’d be back by now.”

“Left?” the man said. “Cassie never goes anywhere without letting me or my wife know. We always keep an eye on the house while she’s away. That’s not like her at all.”

Scott glanced over at Jean, his mouth going tight. Jean knew that look. “When did you see Cassie last?”

The man thought a moment. “Hmmm. Three days?” He shrugged again. “I saw her pull into her garage...and I saw her leave again an hour or two later.”

“Did you see her return?”

“No. Must have been late that night cause I have to admit, yesterday I checked her garage and noticed her car was back. Perhaps she called a cab to go wherever she was going.”

Jean chewed her lip and nodded, but not in agreement. A scenario was building in her mind, one she didn’t like in the least. And that remembered wave of pain and fright washed over her again. She reached out to the door sill and held on till the feeling passed.

“Did you see anyone visit her that evening?” Scott asked.

“Yes, yes, I did,” Shoneheimer said, brightening at the memory. “It was already getting dark, but I did see a young man going up her walk. Brittany got out the door when my wife came home from shopping and I had to chase her down.” The man smiled. “Brittany’s our dog, Brittany Spaniel. A real sweetheart, but full of mischief.”

Jean offered a lame smile. “The young man,” she said. “What did he look like?”

“As I said, it was getting dark, but Cassie’s automatic outside lights came on. “5 foot eight or nine, slender. Shoulder length black hair. A good looking young man, but too young to be a date for Cassie. I never saw him leave though, but then I wasn’t looking either. We’re not snoops, my wife and me. Just good neighbors.”

Another look from Scott shot Jean’s way and they were in complete agreement. The description sounded like Kurt.

“You’re both worried about her, aren’t you?” the doctor said. “I see it in your eyes, Ms Grey.”

“Well, yes...we are, sir.”

“Should I call the authorities?”

“Hold off on that, Dr Shoneheimer,” Scott replied. “Let us check a few more places and we’ll let you know what we find out. If we can’t locate her soon, then we’ll contact the authorities.”

The man gave a reluctant nod. “You say you’re friends of Cassie’s, but I’ve never seen you around before.”

“Cassie is counseling a friend of ours,” Jean said. “That’s how we met her.”

The man nodded again, this time with understanding. “Then I’m sorry for your friend.” He dug into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, retrieving a card. “Here. My number is on the card. Please call me when you know something.”

“Absolutely,” Scott said. “And if you see Cassie or hear from her would you please call us at the Xavier Institute? Just ask for Jean or Scott.”

A startled expression crossed the man’s face. “Ah, I knew your faces looked familiar. You two are with those X-Men, aren’t you? Mutants.”

Jean took a deep breath and let it out. “Yes we are. I hope that doesn’t change anything.”

Dr Shoneheimer smiled. “Not a thing, Ms Grey. Good day and good luck.”

They watched him turn and follow the walk back to the street, checking and crossing. He didn’t seem like a man who ought to be retired just yet.

Jean pushed the door closed and took Scott’s arm, leading him back to the computer. “I need to show you something. Cassie’s case notes on Kurt and Logan are open on her laptop. If she was going away why would she leave her computer booted up and opened to a classified file? Why wouldn’t she take the laptop with her?”

Scott shook his head. “Good question. I just wish I had an answer for you.”

“I think I know the answer,” Jean stated, forcing her voice not to quaver. “And I think you know too.”

Scott let out a sigh of resignation. “Yeah. Mystique.”