Épisode Jugement final S02E17 - Mutant X Saison 2

                                                          Final Judgement



[Opening Scene: Sanctuary interior. Adam sits in front of the computer in his office, talking to his insider contact Marsden via video link.]

Adam: It's been so long, I almost forgot how to contact you.
Marsden: You never forget anything. That's the source of your power.
Adam: It's not like you to expose yourself like this. What's so important?
Marsden: The wheels are turning, Adam, and wheels within wheels. I don't want to see you crushed in them.
Adam: So what's going on?
Marsden: Not like this. You know where to meet me. One hour. [He cuts off the connection. Adam throws on his coat and dashes up the stairs towards the exit. Coming out of her room, Shalimar watches him leave, troubled.]

[Scene: A rocky coast by the sea. Adam's driving along a sandy path towards some bleachers on the beach when he notices Shalimar following behind him in a black Jeep. He pulls over and gets out; Shalimar pulls up next to him.]
Adam: What the hell are you doing?
Shalimar (getting out): Sneaking off without telling anyone where you're going, I could ask you the same thing.
Adam: Well, I've got some business that doesn't concern Mutant X.
Shalimar: How many times have you told us we need to watch each other's backs?
Adam: All right, my back doesn't need watching right now, so you've got to go. [Glancing behind him, he sees Marsden climb up the bleachers and sit down.]
Shalimar: What's going on, Adam?
Adam: I'm meeting an old friend who's got some information.
Shalimar: About what?
Adam (sighing): He said I'm in some kind of danger.
Shalimar: Well, so you just decide to take off on your own?
Adam: All right, look, this guy comes from a world that I only get glimpses of.
Shalimar: What is he, some kind of covert op?
Adam: No, it's more than that. He's the kind of guy who sees the big picture. He knows the names of the folks who actually run the show. But as far as the rest of the world is concerned, they don't even know this guy exists, and his life depends on keeping it that way. So if he sees you here with me, he's not gonna make the meet.
Shalimar: Look, Adam, I--
Adam: No, no, no. So you go. I'm gonna be fine. Thank you for coming; I'm gonna be fine. [He kisses her cheek.] Now get outta here. Go! [He turns away, heading towards Marsden. Shalimar's starting to drive away when a black van labeled Mercury Cable Company pulls up to Adam. Two men dressed in black uniforms grab him and toss him into the van.]
Shalimar (getting out of the Jeep): Adam! [One of the men opens fire on Marsden, who is shot in the arm as he runs towards his car and drives off. Shalimar races towards the van, but she's too late. The van screeches off.] Adam! [Running back to the Jeep, she calls her teammates over her comlink.] Guys, it's Shalimar. We've got trouble.

Opening Credits. "Final Judgement."

[Back at Sanctuary, Emma, Brennan, and Shalimar wait anxiously as Jesse searches the computer database for Adam's location.]
Jesse: No luck. I've searched the satellite images of all the roads leading from the harbor from where Adam was taken. They've been doctored.
Shalimar: Damn it. 20 more feet and I would've had them.
Brennan: This guy that Adam was meeting, did he give you a name?
Shalimar (shaking her head): No. Just that he had some kind of information on a danger to Adam. [Jesse walks over to her and strokes her arm.]
Emma: Well, it sounds like he was the danger. Maybe he set Adam up.
Shalimar: Well, not unless part of his scheme was to be shot by his friends. One of the bullets grazed his arm.
Jesse: Well, that's great. Then we can get a blood sample and I.D. him from his DNA. [Shalimar reaches into her pocket and hands him a plastic bag with a sample inside.]
Shalimar: I'm ahead of you. I just don't know how much luck we're gonna have. I mean, Adam says this guy is as low ground as it gets.
Jesse (heading back to the computer): Well, it's worth a try.
Brennan: What is it, Shal?
Shalimar: Just that Adam said that the people he was dealing with were the power behind the power. You know, the people that really run things.
Brennan: Yeah, but we've dealt with covert agencies before.
Shalimar: Yeah, but even Adam was scared. I'm just afraid of what they're gonna do to him.
Jesse: Well, they had guns and didn't shoot him. They must not want him dead.
Shalimar: Not yet. We have to find them. Fast.

[Scene: Inside a large darkened missile silo, the two men from the van handcuff Adam's wrists and pull him off the floor. A black-robed man, The Judge, walks up to them.]
The Judge: We are The Tribunal, Mr. Kane. You might say that we are the last outpost of justice. We punish those criminals who believe themselves to be otherwise untouchable.
Adam: All right, I'm not a criminal, I'm a scientist.
The Judge: That is what we intend to prove or disprove.
Adam: I have certain rights. First, I demand a phone call.
The Judge: This is not about defendant's rights. This is not about due process. This is about uncovering the truth and punishing the guilty. You'll have plenty of time to present your defense.
Adam: Defense? I don't even know what I'm charged with!
The Judge: Everything will be explained to you in due time. Take these proceedings very seriously, Mr. Kane. Your life will depend on it. [He nods to the men.]

[Emma and Shalimar are working at the computers while Brennan watches.]
Brennan: Maybe these guys who are holding Adam are looking for a ransom or trying to get some kind of lowdown on his tech.
Emma: Until we get some facts, we're just guessing.
Brennan (sighing, standing up): Yeah. I'm just trying to make some kind of sense out of this, you know. Someone gets grabbed on the streets, it's easy to figure out, you know? With Adam, the game runs like, like 10 levels deep. The guys who grabbed him probably had no idea who they were grabbing him for or why.
Shalimar: Which is why we need to find out the truth. And the first step is finding the man who brought Adam to that meet. [Brennan scoffs.]
Jesse (coming out of Adam's office): Well, I couldn't trace Adam's call. He placed it on a secure server, encrypted all the freakin' way.
Brennan: What about the blood sample?
Jesse (holding up a slide): Well, I pulled his genetic fingerprint, but figuring out whose it is is going to be a whole other thing. See, unfortunately...excuse me. [He shoos Emma off the computer.] The official bodies only started registering DNA samples back in the late '80s, so if he's been underground later than that...we're toast.
Brennan (walking up behind him): Great. Now we have nothing else to go on!
Shalimar: This is starting to feel like a nightmare.
Emma: I'm afraid it's the real world. One we know nothing about.
Shalimar: Think he's gonna be okay?
Emma (nodding): Yeah, he's Adam. No matter what's happening to him, he's still got his mind and his will. And that means he has resources other people wouldn't even dream of.

[Inside The Tribunal's headquarters, Adam's sitting on a cot inside a cage. A woman is escorted to the cell by a guard.]
Janet Nicholls (to the guard): I'll be fine. Mr. Kane. My name is Janet Nicholls. I've been assigned to represent you.
Adam (sighing, getting up): Well, thank you, Miss Nicholls, but I'd like to call my own lawyer.
Janet: I'm afraid that'll be impossible.
Adam: All right, then I'd like you to contact some friends of mine. I've been kidnapped. I've been taken God knows where, and my rights have been violated in more ways than I can count.
Janet: Well, I thought it had been explained to you. This Tribunal operates outside the purview of the traditional justice system.
Adam: Right. Ever since I got here, everybody uses double-speak. Now tell me something. What exactly am I being charged with?
Janet: You're accused of manipulating the DNA of over one thousand human beings. Of attempting to create a master race of super powered mutants with which you plan to shift the balance world power for your own ends.
Adam (laughing): Shift the balance-wait, are you serious?
Janet: The prosecution intends to prove that you not only inflicted your victims with pain and suffering, but that the mutants you created have wreaked havoc on society.
Adam: That's absurd! Who's bringing these charges, the government?
Janet: Mr. Kane, this is an impartial body. A case doesn't come this far unless it has been fully researched.
Adam: You mean, unless it's been fully decided already that I'm guilty. Now tell me something, are you even going to pretend to mount a defense for me?
Janet: That's the job I've been given.
Adam: The job you've been given? My life is in your hands!
Janet: I am aware of that.
Adam: All right, look. My entire scientific career has been dedicated to helping people. And the people that I work with are not dangerous mutants. They're human beings. They are heroes who risk their lives every day trying to help people!
Janet (nodding): That's good. That passion, that forthright quality, you're gonna need all of that and more. Because once you get into that room, you should be aware that there is likely not going to be one person rooting for you to be innocent.
Adam: All right, tell me something? What about you?
Janet: Get a good night's sleep, Mr. Kane. You're gonna need all of your energy for the trial.

********Commercial Break**********

[The next morning, two guards escort Adam into a large courtroom past a metal chair on a platform in the center of the room. Janet waits behind one table; the prosecuting attorney, John Warren stands behind the one next to her. Three black-robed Judges sit at their desks behind a high balcony facing them.]
The Judge: Adam Kane. You've heard the charges against you. How do you plead?
Adam: Well, first I wanna say that I don't recognize the validity of this court.
The Judge: Be that as it may, our judgement is just as binding and our sentence is just as final. I ask again. How do you plead?
Adam: Where are the charges against me coming from?
The Judge (banging his gavel): You're out of order!
Janet (whispering to Adam): You're not doing yourself any good. Your Honor, my client pleads not guilty to all charges.
The Judge: Mr. Warren. You have heard the defendant. You may proceed directly to the presentation of evidence.
John Warren (to the guards): Take him to the chair. [The guards pull Adam up the platform in the center of the room and sit him down in the metal chair, strapping his arms down and positioning the metal clasps around his head.]
Adam: What is this?
Janet: They just want to get to the truth.
Adam: This is some kind of neural imager, isn't it? Where did you get this? I invented this technology.
John (smirking): I realize that your arrogance makes it difficult for you to believe that there's anyone else creating things in the world of science, but it is true.Adam: Okay, wait. So you're gonna probe my mind, you're gonna pull memories out of me?
John: No, we're gonna use your own mental reconstructions of the truth. The machine's been programed with the times and dates. You provide the pictures. Turn him around. [The guards spin the chair around, pointing it towards a large screen hanging on the wall.]
Adam: All right, look, fine, see, if you think you're gonna get evidence to support this trumped up case against me, you're wrong. My actions will prove my innocence!
John (leaning forward, smiling into his face): Well, we'll see. [He turns the device on. Adam begins to shake as the machine draws images from his memory and projects them onto the screen on the wall.] April 14th last year, one of your mutant creations, Ashley Elliot, used her powers in an attempt to sabotage the entire power grid of the eastern seaboard. [Up on the screen, the mutating electrical elemental Ashley Elliot absorbs electricity from an electrical tower, causing a massive explosion at a Varateq company and blacking out a group of skyscrapers.]
Adam (watching, horrified): That's not the way it happened. No, that's not the way it was!
John: The resulting blackout caused the deaths of no less than 37 people, and the financial loss from fire and theft totaled tens of millions of dollars. There are no secrets here, Mr. Kane. [He gets down from the platform.]

[Jesse's still working at the computer in Sanctuary's main room when Brennan walks up to him.]
Brennan: Hey, Jess. Turn up anything on that genetic fingerprint yet?
Jesse: Nothing. Not unless we start stopping people on the streets for random blood tests. [Sighing, he gets up and walks to the other side of the room.]
Brennan: What about the Genomex data?
Jesse (stopping): You think this guy might be a mutant?
Brennan: Yeah, I don't know. I'm just searching for any kind of connection.
Jesse (going to another computer): Well, Adam keeps all the hard core Genomex data pretty encrypted.
Brennan (coming over): Well, think you can crack the security system?
Jesse: With what we've got so far, you'd better hope so.
Brennan: Yeah.

[Back inside the Tribunal's courtroom, John Warren continues with his case.]
John: Somewhere along the line, Adam Kane became a monster. He is personally responsible for the creation of a seemingly endless stream of deadly monstrosities.
Adam (listening from the chair): I fixed the genetic flaws that were killing those children.
John: You fixed them? You fixed them. Who did you fix? Did you fix Michael Ward? Is he one of your crowning achievements? [He activates the neural device again.] June 29th of this year, the location, a national park upstate. [Up on the screen, ursine feral Michael Ward brutally mauls two young hikers, Matt and Stacy.]
Adam: I had nothing to do with Michael Ward!
John: Your technology created him. And when your mistake was about to become public, you and your mutant army destroyed him. [The screen shows Emma shooting a psionic blast at Michael. Shalimar prevents Adam from shooting Michael, but when Michael attacks Adam, Shalimar is forced to shoot him herself.] Tell me. How many other mistakes have you made? Why don't you show us how you fixed Lorna Templeton. [Walking back up to the platform, John turns on the device again. The screen shows scorpion feral Lorna Templeton as she releases a deadly stinger from her wrist into Tony's neck, killing him.] That's impressive. But his most terrible creation was the first. The one known as Patient Zero, Gabriel Ashlocke. Enlighten us, Adam. [An image of the adult mutant Gabriel Ashlocke at his childhood home appears on the screen. He emits a force field from his hand and sends his father and mother crashing through the glass sliding door to the ground outside.] Show us how your monster traveled back through time to brutally murder his own parents. You see Ashlocke was a killer's killer. He was more powerful than all the rest and completely insane. [The screen shows Gabriel standing at a hospital's front desk as he hurls an energy ball at the receptionist, sending her flying across the room into the filing cabinet.] And I'm told damage was caused by mutants who fell under Ashlocke's mental domination. [The screen switches to a scene of Gabriel mentally manipulating his former follower, thermal elemental Josh into setting an oil refinery ablaze. Shalimar screams, "Ashlocke's got him!" Brennan grabs her and jet propels them up out of the fire as the place blows up.] Even then, when you realized that he didn't fit in with your twisted plans, you had him destroyed. [The screen shows Brennan and Jesse watching as Adam jabs a syringe into Gabriel's neck. Gabriel convulses in pain, then he gasps as light erupts from his chest and hands. Jesse, Brennan, and Adam flee as Gabriel explodes in a burst of light.] All of this in the name of science. Or was it simply a string of terrible crimes that mankind need never have seen? [John leans over to talk into Adam's ear.] A confession would make things easier, otherwise as you know, we have much more to see.
Janet (standing): Your Honor, I would like to request a recess so that my client can reconsider.
The Judge (nodding): Granted. [The guards walk up to the platform and unstrap the exhausted Adam from the chair.]
Adam (panting, to Janet): Do something. Help me.

******Commercial Break*******

[In Sanctuary's main room, Brennan sits across the room waiting as Jesse works at the computer.]
Jesse: This isn't gonna work. Adam's encryption is beyond military grade. It's a holographic AI system.
Brennan: Which means?
Jesse: Which means basically, you've got to be him to get in. You've gotta face it, we're screwed, Brennan.
Brennan (coming over to him): We've gotta find a way, man. [Jesse throws up his hands. Just then, the screen in front of him goes blank. Brennan frowns.] What'd you do?
Jesse: Nothing.
Marsden (appearing on the screen): You were looking for me.
Brennan: You were the guy that Adam was supposed to meet!
Marsden: Stay out of this. Sending my genetic code out on a search engine puts all of us in jeopardy.
Brennan: Adam wouldn't even be missing if you didn't set up the meet. You have to help us!
Marsden: I don't have to do anything. [He pauses.] 66 Industry Avenue. One hour.
Brennan (touching Jesse's arm): Come on. [They rush out of the room.]

[Meanwhile, Adam's resting on the cot in his cell when Janet walks up to the bars, staring at him.]
Adam (looking up): You know, as a defense attorney, you leave something to be desired.
Janet: And what do you expect? I can't exactly argue with images from your own memory.
Adam: They've taken them out of context! Whosever's trying to destroy me has orchestrated this. They've taken specific dates, specific times, they've fed them to Warren to make me look as bad as possible.
Janet: We witnessed the abominations.
Adam (sitting up): Look, there are many people living productive lives out there who wouldn't be there if it wasn't for me!
Janet: Okay, and what about the crimes committed by your mutants?
Adam: My mutants. You make it sound like they're my science project. They're human beings; they have free will. I am not responsible for their moral choices! You have to believe me about this! But see, it doesn't make any difference if you believe me or not, because the whole trial is a setup, isn't it? [She shakes her head.] All right, but tell me something. Did you go to law school? Did you believe in justice? I mean, isn't that why you went to law school? How can you divorce what you're doing here from what you actually believe in? See you're a good person, I don't think you can.
Janet: When I was offered this position, it was to be a part of ridding the world of our worst nightmares.
Adam: Janet, our worst nightmares are running this trial. And doesn't the possibility of that scare the hell out of you? Give me a chance to prove myself, please. If you still believe in justice, just give me that shot. Check out a government agency called Genomex. You'll find everything you want right there. Please. [She walks away.]

[Brennan drives Jesse up to an old warehouse on Industry Avenue.]
Brennan (getting out): You know, why is it that anonymous callers never want to meet in a nice warm Starbucks?
Jesse (getting out): Ah, I don't like it either. If this is the guy that set Adam up, we could be walking right into a trap.
Brennan: Yeah, well, what's our option, huh? Trap or not, it's our only hope. [He flinches back as Shalimar leaps down from the rooftop beside him.] Geez! How about a little warning next time?
Shalimar: Sorry. Got here a few minutes ago, decided to check the place out.
Brennan: Any sign of Marsden?
Shalimar: Well, there's definitely somebody inside, but I couldn't get an exact fix on him. [She leads them inside the darkened building. They stop when they hear Marsden's voice echo through the room.]
Marsden's voice: That's far enough! [Three lasers beams appear, aimed at their chests.]
Brennan (looking around): Show yourself! [Marsden comes out of the shadows.]
Shalimar: Yeah, that's him.
Brennan: Okay. Tell us where Adam is.
Marsden: When you're in someone else's space, it's wise not to make demands.
Shalimar (starting towards him): I've had enough of this. [Brennan holds her back. Marsden holds up a small controller.]
Marsden: There are tracking missiles at the other ends of each of those lasers. You don't think I've survived 40 years to be threatened by a bunch of made-to-order superkids? Even if you evade the missiles, there are still a score of other traps in this building.
Jesse (grinning): Surprised you invited us.
Marsden: They tracked my communication to Adam. That means it's getting to hot here anyway. This will be my last visit.
Shalimar: So you intend to kill us before you go?
Marsden (shaking his head, turning off the lasers): I just wanted to keep you where I can see you.
Brennan: What about Adam?
Marsden: You're too late. He's in front of The Tribunal. The people who really run this country don't work through the legal system, but they still recognize the need for rules. Some structure as to how they exert their will on world events. Thus, The Tribunal.
Shalimar: So why'd they set their sights on Adam?
Marsden: He has an enemy. Someone powerful enough to have a voice even at that level.
Shalimar: Who?
Marsden: Even I don't know that.
Jesse: Where is he?
Marsden: There is a decommissioned missile silo 46 degrees 36 minutes north latitude, 112 degrees 2 minutes west longitude. A cross ban scanner will guide you in. [As he finishes, two smoke bombs crash in through the windows of the room and a group of armed black-clad men burst into the warehouse. Shalimar, Jesse, and Brennan dive for cover as the men open fire.]
Black-clad leader: Okay, we're going in! Move, move, move! Bring 'em down on the wire! [More men rappel down from the ceiling; Marsden quickly exits the building. Getting up, Brennan shoots an electrical arc at two of the gunmen, sending them flying. Jesse masses an arm and knocks out another with an oil barrel.]
Brennan: Jess! You take care of Marsden; we'll take care of the rest! [Nodding, Jesse runs after Marsden. Shalimar takes out two more gunmen. As she stands over their bodies, a third aims his gun at the back of her head, but Brennan takes care of him too. They join Jesse, who is empty-handed.]
Jesse: He got away. There must be about 20 ways outta here.
Brennan: Let's go find Adam.

[Inside the Tribunal courtroom, Janet stands to present her case.]
Janet: Your Honor, during the recess I had the opportunity to review new information regarding Dr. Kane and his genetic therapies. And it is at this time that I would like to request that this information be submitted as evidence.
The Judge: Miss Nicholls, what is the source of your evidence?
Janet: Through safe channels, I was able to access information from the Genomex corporation, the site where much of his genetic experimentation was conducted.
John (standing): Your Honor, these files are unreliable and prejudicial. Genomex was a rogue corporation that made common practice of misrepresenting its activity.
Janet: A man's life is at stake! All evidence should be scrutinized.
John: This is absurd, Your Honor.
The Judge: Enough, Mr. Warren. The bench will confer. [The other two judges stand and come over to talk him.]
John (to Janet): I hope you understand what you're doing.
The Judge: Defense! Your request is denied. Mr. Warren, you may proceed. [Disappointed, Janet sits down.]
John: Thank you, Your Honor. Let's move on to the matter of Mutant X. Brennan Mulwray, Shalimar Fox, Jesse Kilmartin, and Emma deLauro, four of Mr. Kane's most powerful mutant creations assembled in one terrorist band committing criminal acts across the country in support of his agenda. [He points at Adam, who is slumped over in the neural imaging chair.]
The Judge: Specifics, Mr. Warren.
John: October 15th, last year. [He turns on the machine. The screen shows Brennan and his gang robbing a bank before joining Mutant X.] Brennan Mulwray and his associates robbing a bank using his powers to disable the alarm systems, Mulwray broke into the most secure vault in the state. Mulwray's target was over 10 million dollars in negotiable bonds. He was successful in the theft, just one episode in an extended life of crime. The others? Mutant X broke into a top secret nuclear facility where Jesse Kilmartin used his mutant abilities to steal deadly fissionable material. [The screen shows Jesse and Brennan waiting outside a government warehouse as Colonel Aaron Gaumont's men gas the soldiers inside and steal a laser weapon.] In tandem with another terrorist group, Mutant X murdered government agents guarding the installation. As you can fairly see, Dr. Kane's memories show Kilmartin stealing the deadly material. [The scene changes to Jesse in a protective suit removing the xeraxium from the Twin Creeks vault.]
Adam: No!
John: ...which was later sold to international terrorists. Also that year, Mr. Kane's entire strike force was involved in an illegal operation in a foreign country.
Adam: Huh? What...what are you talking about?
John: July 12th, also of this year. [He changes the scene to Shalimar, Brennan, and Daniel Morrison in Kovakistan, battling the Liberation Army soldiers. They drive off with Adam's Phased Vibration Generator as the Liberation Army troop race after them and head into the cloaked Double Helix.] Mr. Kane's team entered Kovakistan in order to procure a weapon of mass destruction from the middle of a war zone. They moved their hostile actions from ground to air, engaging two government jets. [Two army fighter jets chase them, but when one of the jets shoots a heat-seeking missile at them, Jesse phases the Helix, so that the missile passes through the Helix and circles back to destroy the army jet.] At the same time they destroyed several fighter jets from that country's legitimate government. Further evidence of his warlike intent is hardly necessary.
Janet (walking up to Adam): Are you okay?
Adam: Oh, God, please. Please find out who is feeding him these dates. These are things that no one could know about but my team and I.
Janet: Warren's not gonna share that information.
Adam: Try. Try.
John: It is time that I would like to expose Dr. Kane's most serious crimes. Those that will certainly seal his fate.

******Commercial Break********

[In Sanctuary's landing bay, Emma's inside the Double Helix, punching something into the control panel when Brennan, Jesse, and Shalimar come in.]
Emma: The Helix is powered up and ready.
Brennan: Good. Any information on the coordinates Marsden gave us?
Emma: Nothing on any commercial flight plans, but satellite images from mid-day yesterday showed some activity in the area.
Jesse: Okay, I'm gonna start an all-frequency scan. I should be able to get a tighter lock to the communication channels by the time we close in on their location. [They take off.]

[Back inside the Tribunal's courtroom, Adam slumps in the chair, exhausted. John begins wrapping up his case.]
John: And finally, what might be the most damning evidence of all: proof of Adam Kane's plans to overthrow world governments.
Adam: Mutant X has never plotted to overthrow any government!
John (turning the machine on): Only if you don't consider attacking sworn government agents engaged in their official duties as treason. [The screen shows Emma and Shalimar fighting their way out of Nexxogen. Once outside the building, Brennan electrocutes two gunmen and they race into the Helix.] These memories are from a September 17th break-in at the GSA. Your team helped Emma deLauro evade law enforcement officials intent on bringing her to justice! [The screen flashes to Jesse and Shalimar rescuing Emma from the GS agents pursuing her.] And then she becomes a key member of his criminal organization! Now Your Honor, there are any number of further examples of damning proof that Adam Kane could show here. But I feel a representative picture has already been painted. Now I request that you forgo Mr. Kane's rights to speak in his own defense, and I ask you to find him guilty as charged. [Janet sits up in alarm.]
The Judge (standing): You will have an opportunity to state your defense. Be careful, Mr. Kane. What you say next will determine your fate. [The Judges step down for a break.]

[Mutant X is on their way towards the silo in the Helix.]
Shalimar: On course.
Jesse: We've got a tail wind; that should get us there a few minutes faster.
Brennan: Good, we're gonna need all the time we can get.
[Back in the courtroom. Adam's sitting next to Janet, having had a chance to rest.]
The Judge (banging his gavel): Mr. Kane! You may proceed with your defense.
Adam (sighing): Well, Your Honors, what could I possibly tell you that would alter the outcome of this trial? [He stands up and comes around the front of the desk.] Now I could tell you that what you have seen today has not been the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It's been half-truths. That images from my life have been deliberately taken out of context by the prosecution to portray me as some sort of a criminal, as a terrorist, and my teammates as some sort of genetic monsters. I will tell you this: that the genetic therapies that I performed at Genomex saved hundreds of lives. And I will tell you that I made mistakes. And that some of my patients developed extraordinary abilities that I could never have forseen, and that these abilities have complicated their lives. But I will also tell you that if this were a real trial, and I were allowed to really defend myself, then you would invite those patients here and you would hear the vast majority of them say thank you for what I have done, which is to defend them against the forces that would exploit or eradicate them.
Warren (standing): Objection. Conjecture.
Judge: Mr. Kane, you will confine yourself to the facts.
Adam: The so-called government forces that the prosecution says that I tampered with, that I battled with? That was the Genetic Security Agency. It's a rogue agency whose job it was to hunt down, to torture and to murder these specially gifted human beings.
Warren: Objection!
Janet (standing): Let the man speak!
Adam: All right, there's another fact. The team of brave young people that I work with called Mutant X have saved hundreds of their lives! But you were not allowed to see those images today because the prosecution chose not to show Your Honors those images. Now why is that? Well, because this trial is a joke. Right? It's a sham and I still don't know why. Is it really about some sort of an elaborate revenge that is orchestrated against me by enemies whose names I am not allowed to know? But I will tell you this: that I am extremely proud of what my teammates and I have accomplished. And that I face whatever verdict you send down with something you justices may never again enjoy: A conscience which is clear. [He sits down.]
The Judge: Mr. Kane. We shall confer and return with our verdict.

[Cut to: The Helix as it becomes invisible.]
Jesse: Stealth mode is activated. We are now invisible to all scanning spectrums.
Shalimar: Target's dead ahead and we are locked into the installation's C signature.
Brennan: Emma. When we get a visual, see if you can find an entrance.
Emma: Will do.
Brennan: I'm bringing us in.

[Inside the courtroom, Janet and John stand as The Judges return. Seeing that he's still sitting down, Janet grabs Adam's arm and pulls him up.]
The Judge: This panel has reached its decision. Adam Kane, you have been found guilty as charged. Your execution is to be ordered without delay. [As a guard comes up to take him to the chair, Adam scoffs, shaking his head.]

*********Commercial Break**********

[Adam sits in the metal chair again, Janet standing at his side.]
Judge: Mr. Kane, prepare yourself for execution.
Adam (to Janet): Well. If you can contact my friends, let them know they were in my final thoughts. [The Judge nods, and a guard injects a needle into his hand. Adam closes his eyes. Just then, Brennan enters the room, shooting an electrical arc at the guard and the deadly blue and yellow fluid in the IV bags next to Adam. Shalimar leaps down from the balcony, kicking the second guard to the floor. Jesse blocks the exit as John Warren tries to escape. Standing in front of Janet, Emma forms a psionic blast; Adam calls out to her.] Emma, don't! She's on our side. Get me out! [Emma rushes to his side and begins to unstrap his arms. He kisses her cheek.] Well, talk about waiting till the last minute.
Emma (laughing): Well, we got here as quick as we could.
Adam: Thanks.
Shalimar: We should get the hell out of here.
Adam (pointing at John, who is being held by Jesse and Brennan): No, no! There's something I need to know. Bring him in here.
John (struggling against Jesse and Brennan): What the hell? You can't do this! You can't get away with it! [They plop him in the chair and place the band around his head.]
Adam (waving the controller at him): Just consider this part of my defense. I wanna know; who gave you your information about me?
John (as Brennan and Jesse direct the chair at the screen): No. I can't.
Adam: You can't?
John: No.
Adam: Believe me, you will. [He pressed the button, activating the machine, and leans into John's face.] Who. Set. Me. Up. [The team watches in shock as Mason Eckhart appears on the screen.]
Jesse: It can't be.
Shalimar: He's back?
Janet (standing behind them): Who is it, Adam?
Adam: Mason Eckhart. All right. Let's go. [They run out the door with Janet, leaving John slumped in the chair.]

[Flying in the Helix on the way back to Sanctuary, the team tries to digest the news that Mason is still alive.]
Emma: I can't believe he's still out there.
Adam: Oh, he's out there, all right. And he was able to tell Warren everything we've done, minute by minute, since we last saw him.
Brennan: You think his organization is still intact?
Adam: Well, he didn't accomplish that alone.
Jesse: So what are we gonna do? Just wait for him to make another move?
Shalimar: I say we hunt that psychopath down and put him away for good.Brennan: He was in a pod, I thought that was already done.
Adam: Well, should've known the pod wouldn't hold him. Now we all have to face the grim fact. Our worst enemy is out there again. He's not gonna rest till we're all dead.

The End