This is a very ambitious first attempt at a bit of fan-fiction. Any sort of input would be welcome. I have played a little fast and loose with the x-men time-line, so please bear with me. This story is directly inspired by the Archetype Association, written by James R. Mcbriarty. I have borrowed William Riley from his story; I hope that I do him justice. I have borrowed a batch of mutants from the Marvel Universe (any X-men fan will recognize them). I am not making any money off this so good luck suing. Melanie, Erick, Larry, Gayle, Anna, and Gabriel are all my own creations. Emeralda's personality is my own creation, but the character concept comes from a Squaresoft game. If you like the way they are written, feel free to borrow them for your own inspiration.
 

A Note to the Reader:

Unchained Hearts has been approved as an alternate reality 'sequel' to The Archetype Association, breaking off from the 'main' timeline of my work just after the end of Movement Two, and taking place approximately five years later. The stories should be considered independent of one another; although I am sure that Mr. Rosnawski and I may play off one another as our respective works progress.

I was very pleased and entertained by Unchained Hearts. I hope you will be, too.

Jim R. McBriarty

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Phoenix was hot. He had known that before he boarded the jet, but he hadn't expected it to be over thirty degrees Celsius so close to Christmas.

There was a limousine waiting right near the entrance of the plane, Monet registered no surprise, so she had probably planned it in advance.

The ride to their hotel was in air-conditioned comfort. Monet leaned back and took off her shoes with a sigh.

"You aren't exactly worried about attracting this director's attention before you can get a hold of him are you?"

"I want him worried. The bastard is a pig and I want him to see what's coming. Besides, he wasn't the most intelligent of directors. The only reason he was there was because his mother is a minority owner and I couldn't find a legitimate reason to give him the boot. Now that I have one, I want to savour it."

The hotel was a four star facility that set Gabriel gawking. Monet had to hold back her giggles. It was truly refreshing to travel with someone who appreciated luxury. It made her appreciate what her own wealth was able to provide for them.

Gabriel looked around in awe as the bell hop unlocked their door for them. The suite that lay before them was palatial. It was four times larger then his room at the base. It was stylishly decorated with art and antique furniture, almost to the point of being garish.

Gabriel helped the man bring in the luggage which seemed to worry him until he saw Monet smile. "He's the type of guy who likes doing things for himself."

"Thank you Miss, will that be all?"

"Not quite," she said, handing him a tip large enough to make his eyes bulge. "Can you tell me where the nearest stylish restaurant is?"

"That would be 'The Ugly Duckling' Ma'am. Their duck is said to be the best in the country. If you are in the mood for anything else, I would suggest 'Chez Nous'. The place opened only a year ago, and it is already frequented by the Phoenix Elite."

"Thank you very much. Tell your manager that we do not wish to be disturbed. We will call you if we need anything."

She counted to five, and then started laughing once she thought the man would be out of range. "Oh I'm sorry Gabe, I just couldn't help it. I am just impressed with how far Mr. Riley's influence extends. You see, both restaurants are parts of gourmet chains owned by friends of his."

Gabriel was just finishing getting dressed, when he heard movement behind him. "Damn that's a cute butt," Monet purred, "I can look at it all day."

"Great," he said dryly, "I guess we have a new weapon in the fight against the evil super villainesses. I know what if I cut out the back of my pants? No that won't work, it will leave me vulnerable. I know, what if I replace the back of my pants with a clear, armoured fabric? Then I can follow my dream and claim the name of Butt Man!

"Da da da da da da da da Butt Man!"

Monet couldn't do it. She was faster, stronger, and more agile then Gabriel, but she just couldn't catch him and make him stop his ridiculous dancing. She was laughing so hard that she could barely keep her feet.

She finally gave up and collapsed on the bed. Gabriel stopped his ridiculous dance and stood over her, smiling in triumph. "I'd better keep you and Will apart. His crazy sense of humour seems to be infecting you."

"You started it," he responded with a shrug.

Gabriel fell back as a pillow streaked through the air where his head used to be. "So that's the way you want it," he said, trying to make his voice seem angry.

"What are we gonna do about reservations," Gabriel asked worriedly, as Monet fixed his tie for him.

"Don't worry; I took lessons from Will on how to be a hard case. I'll make their lives so miserable that they will give us a table just to shut us up."

"And if that doesn't work, you can always resort to female ju-jitsu," he said with a smile stepping out of her reach.

"Don't think that Heinlein can teach you everything about women..."

"Of course he can't teach me everything about women, he's a man!"

"... I'll make you pay when I figure out how I've just been insulted."

It was even easier to get a table at 'Chez Nous' then they had expected. The manager recognized Monet from the social pages and he guided them to a quiet corner table in less then ten minutes.

The menu had a nice variety of multi-cultural cuisine. After Gabriel placed his order, he took some time to look around the restaurant. They were attracting even more attention then he had expected, probably due to their recent television appearance. No one approached them, but Gabriel could feel their eyes watching them, it was a little unnerving. Even Monet seemed to be surprised by the amount of attention that they received. He made a mental note to check with Will to see exactly what public opinion was concerning their television appearance.

Their meal was of excellent quality, just as Monet had expected. Gabriel was quiet through the meal. He was disturbed by the attention that they were getting. Even she was surprised. Their appearance on Ms. Tilby's show must have been even more of an attention grabber then Will thought it would be.

None of the attention seemed to be negative though. The general mood of the room fluctuated between curiosity and positiveness.

Gabriel was relieved when Monet asked for the check as soon as they were done their meal. He breathed a sigh of relief when once they were out of the restaurant, which caused Monet to smile. "I never thought that being a star would disagree with you. Why were you so uncomfortable with all of the attention?"

"It goes back to the days when I lived on the street. When you are alone like I was, attracting a lot of attention isn't a good idea. I guess that it's still a part of me. But I suppose that I am going to have to change now that I am one you."

"So what's the plan," asked Gabriel, as soon as they made it back to their room.

"Well tomorrow morning, we are going to head over to the building that my former employee has purchased. We shall enter the building and confront him. Then, I will make him sign over the funds that he embezzled from me."

"And you're sure that it's safe? I understand that he isn't one of the smartest people, but what if he is working for someone. This could be a trap."

"That's why I have you here with me. David's ego is just too large to willingly be subservient to another person, but I can't preclude the possibility."

"Then why didn't you bring this up to the others? I am sure that they would have been as willing to back you up as I am."

"It's my company Gabriel, and my responsibility. I would have asked for their help if I had found signs of manipulation by some of our more powerful enemies. Besides, I am maintaining mental contact with Gayle just in case I am wrong."

Their conversation was interrupted by the phone. This surprised Monet since she had specifically asked that they not be disturbed. She picked up the phone, but said not a word. She heard a click on the line, and two words. "Mutant scum."

"David, how nice to hear from you. When I found your apartment cleared out, I was afraid that something had happened to you."

"Don't you dare approach me you freak. I am among friends who will be able to make you regret ever taking on the company that I helped your father build." This was news to Monet. She berated herself silently for not being thorough enough to find the connection that he was admitting to. The potential for trouble was a lot higher then she had thought it was.

"Aww, don't you worry, you can answer for your actions just as soon as we meet. A bien tot!"

"Who was that?"

"Oh it was just..." Monet didn't continue. She should have realized immediately that there was a problem when the phone rang after she asked specifically not to be disturbed. She felt a high calibre bullet sting her in the back. She pulled Gabriel behind the couch as quickly as she could, but she heard no other shots.

When Gabriel was safe, she broke through the window and began to scan the surrounding buildings. She had an idea of where the shot came from, and she was rewarded with a glimpse of someone closing a door on the suspected roof.

David didn't even have a chance. He had thought that because Monet lived in hiding with a group of mutant vigilantes that she would not be able to confront him directly. He was barely able to believe it when she had been sighted at a local restaurant. He had tried to have her arrested, only to find her record clear with the government. He had tried to make contact with the pro-humanity group that he had promised the money to, only to find that the government had broken up their organization.

It was too late.

Gabriel was surprised when Monet flew back through the open window, carrying a man who was in his mid-thirties. She threw him to the floor roughly, almost causing injury. Before he could recover, Gabriel picked him up and threw him a chair, almost tipping him over with his own strength.

"Gabe, I would like to introduce you to David, my ex-director. He thought that he could scare us with empty threats."

"You'll never get anything out of me," he gasped, but it was already too late. Monet easily dipped into his mind and took the three account numbers that contained the embezzled funds.

Calmly, she asked Gabriel to boot up his computer. Gabriel booted it up and got it ready for her. "Bring him over here for me and hold him please. I want him to watch me take back what he stole from me."

The man tried to struggle out of his grip, but Gabriel had a firm hold on him. He watched as Monet logged into a bank in the Cayman Islands. She gave her former director a smug look as she entered three account numbers, and then withdrew the funds, sending them to an account of her own.

"You can give him back his seat," she said, turning off his computer. "There is one more thing that I must do before this business is done." Monet turned to David, giving him the coldest smile that she had ever seen from him. She grabbed a firm hold of his chin and made him look directly into her eyes.

The process took less then five minutes. Once she was done, Gabriel could feel a small amount of regret, but mainly, she was satisfied with the outcome. Her ex-employee had slumped into unconsciousness. "He's alright," she said, feeling the question in his mind. "I made him forget that he was ever a director at my company."

"If you think that it's for the best," Gabriel said quietly. "What's going to happen to him now though?"

"I left a little money for him in one of his local account, along with the suggestion that he had moved out here to make a name for himself." Gabriel felt some pity for the man, but he had earned what Monet had given him. "What happens if he runs into a piece of his previous life," he asked her.

"It all depends on how thorough I was in removing his associations with my company. It could create problems for him if he finds one and tries too hard to resolve it, but that isn't my concern. He still has his faculties, and some funds to work with. He is lucky that I left him that much."

Monet breathed a sigh of relief as she returned from depositing David into an alley. She had performed a quick scan of his mind, but the tweaking that she had done was sound. With luck, she would never have to tolerate his presence again. Things had worked themselves out a lot quicker then she had expected. She considered keeping to the schedule that she had already planned, but she found that she had no wish to stay in Phoenix. It was Christmas, and she wanted to be with the people she felt closest to.

Gabriel packed his stuff. Monet had told him that her business in the city was done, and she asked him if he wanted to stay. Phoenix was nice, but he couldn't see any reason to stick around, especially so close to Christmas. He packed his stuff quietly; curious as to how Monet would explain the shattered window. There was no mystery about it though. She simply told the manager that she had broken one of the windows in the suite, and had them bill the repair cost to her.

The ride back to the airport in the limousine was in silence. They boarded the plane once more without any delays, and they were in the air once more, less then 24 hours after their arrival in the city.

"Were you alright with what I did," Monet asked him quietly, settling back into her seat.

"Don't worry about me my Angel. The man stole from you. He threatened you over the phone, and then he dared to take a shot at you. As far as I'm concerned, he simply got what he deserved. I am simply worried that whatever connections the man had might trace back what happened to you."

"And what if they do Gabe? Nothing that we did can be traced back to us, so if they suspect of having removed the man as a threat, they can spend time worrying as to how I did it, as long as it keeps them from bothering me for a time."

"Monet, what a surprise! I thought that the two of you were going to stay in Phoenix for another day. Is everything alright?"

"I accomplished what I set out to do a lot sooner then I expected. Gabriel and I decided that we both wanted to be back home in time for the holidays. There is nothing going on that would require our quick arrival back at base, Will?"

"Nope, thing have been quiet."

"Very good. We will be back early in the morning. Look us up if you need anything." She hung up the phone and took a peek at Gabriel. It had been a long day, and he lay back in his seat, his mouth open slightly. She was surprised at how much his understanding of her actions meant to her.

His mind was locked in a pleasant dream which set her at ease as well. She thought of the upcoming holidays with a smile. Christmas had always been her favourite time of the year. This time, thanks to Gabriel's presence, the holiday had a deeper meaning for her.

Gabriel felt himself come out of sleep as the plane landed. Monet was still awake. She was tired, but there was a look of satisfaction in her eyes.

"So you are finally awake sleepy head," she said as she slipped on her jacket. "It's time for us to find our way back home, unless there is anything you want to do first." Gabriel slipped on his own jacket as he looked out the window. It was snowing a little outside, and he could tell by the way that the airport employees hurried about their business that it was a pretty cold morning.

"I think that we've been away long enough Monet. Let's go home."

Will gave Sarah a smile and saluted her with the sword. Of all the people that he had trained with, she was the one who never seemed to fall for his psychological tricks. He enjoyed training with her, and she seemed to reciprocate. Most of the people at the base refused to watch the two of them train. Sarah was brutal and unforgiving in her methods, which suited Will just fine.

Sarah had survived her early years by learning brutality. When she had first joined them, she had a lot of difficulty with holding back when she trained with the others. That changed though when she had met her father.

In dealing with her father, Sarah seemed to come to the decision that she needed help in learning self-control. It was a difficult challenge, but one that he was sure that she had been capable of meeting the minute that she had asked for help.

It had only been a couple of years, but she had shown a lot of progress. She almost never lost her temper among the others anymore. She had also learned to rein in her rage until she could release it at a later time when no one would be hurt.

She faced him with a smile, a confident woman who was very sure of herself. Her hands were empty, but that meant nothing. With her powers, she could form blades in an instant from her own bone. They circled each other carefully, respectful of their mutual talent.

Sarah opened the sparring match with a dagger shot at his legs, forcing him to dodge to the side. She used her deceptive speed to intercept him, catching his sword with two daggers. She twisted his blade to the side, and managed to land a sharp kick to his knee before he was able to free his weapon.

Will was getting ready to congratulate her when his communicator beeped. "Sorry to bother you Will, but Gabe and Monet are back at the garage. Gayle is gone for the day, so bringing them back in is your responsibility."

"I'll be ready in a minute, Erick. Tell them to hold their horses." He winced as he signed off and looked down at his leg. Knowing Sarah, he wasn't surprised to find that the bone was broken. Sarah winced in guilt, and offered him her arm. Will was surprised by the kind offer, and he quickly took advantage of it.

"I am sorry Will. I guess that I still have a problem holding back."

"It's alright Girl. It feels like it's just a hair-line fracture. I'll let it heal up as soon as we're out of here. You don't need to worry. You should feel proud that you got the kick just right."

"Welcome back, you two," Will said happily. He had been surprised when the two of them had asked for permission to leave town for a couple of days. It had been barely 24 hours since they had left, and he had already noticed how the place seemed to be a lot quieter without the two of them around. The place was buzzing with rumour and thoughts about the two of them.

They were tired, but both of them seemed to be happy to be back. Gabriel even went as far as hugging Sarah before she was ready to react. She took it surprisingly well though, smiling a little awkwardly and patting him on the back.

"What was that for," she asked him once he stopped and took up his stuff again.

"It's nothing really. It's just that the longer I was away from here, the more I missed this place. I would have even hugged Scott if he was the one here waiting for us. No offence to the ladies here of course."

"You heard that Sarah? I think that we've just been insulted."

"I don't know M," she responded with a twinkle in her eye. "It was pretty close. We shouldn't do anything until we find out exactly what he meant. If you hold him down I think that I know how I can make him talk."

"Help me, Will?"

"Not on your life boy," he said with a laugh. "I learned a long time ago to never get in the way of what a woman wants."

Gabriel entered his room with a sigh and threw his stuff on the bed. He felt a surge of annoyance when he heard a knock on his door. He had only gotten a short nap on the plane and he was feeling pretty worn out.

It was Gayle who was at the door. She was so happy that she was nearly bouncing around. She entered his room without being invited, causing Gabriel to sigh and bury his annoyance.

"Guess what, Larry liked the surprise that you suggested," she said her eyes twinkling merrily. It took Gabriel a few seconds to get the gist of what she was saying. Gayle smile simply got larger when the surprise finally registered on his face. "Yeah, that's pretty much the look that he had when I showed up dressed as I was."

"Yeah, I can figure, but I didn't suggest that you take the surprise that far! Did everything turn out alright for the two of you?"

"Don't worry about me, once you suggested that I surprise him, I knew what kind of surprise it was that I wanted to spring on him. And as for the way that it turned out," she said with a wicked smile that was totally unlike her. "I think that I will leave how well it turned out to your imagination."

Gabriel checked with Scott about his schedule, and was mildly surprised that he hadn't already changed the shift assignments to accommodate their early return. He returned to his room and tried to settle down to get a little sleep. Even though he was nearly exhausted from his long day, he found that he was too restless to get any rest.

He got up, intending to get himself something to eat, but that wasn't what he was missing. He knew what he needed to get some rest.

Monet groaned and turned over for the uncounted time when something changed in the back of her mind. It was the feeling of Gabriel approaching. It was getting so familiar to her now that she could almost tell what path he took to get to her room. She got up, surprised at how her mood was lifted by his approach. It made her wonder at just how intense her feelings were for him.

Monet opened the door for him the second that he got there. "Something wrong," she asked with an arch smile. "Yeah," Gabriel responded, as he entered her room. "I wanted to get some rest, but I just couldn't manage to fall asleep. There was something missing from my side."

"What, little old me," she asked with a happy smile. She realized how right he was though. She pulled him into her room and pushed him just hard enough to land on her bed. "Oh no," he exclaimed with mock fright as she approached. "I have been captured by the greatest masked villainess that the country has ever seen. Knees getting weak..." Gabriel couldn't continue. It wasn't his fault really. Monet had caught him in mid-word with a kiss that made him forget about his witty remarks.

Monet broke the kiss after 90 seconds. Gabriel looked as though he had lost the capability for rational thought. She called his name, but that didn't bring him back to his senses. Giggling, she gave him a shake, which finally seemed to bring him back to his senses. "Monet I..."

"Just shut up and hold me, Gabe."