~Chapter 10~
Standing, he growled.
"We'll find her, Logan." Storm stated, as Kitty and Beast saw to the now waking man.
"And how long will that take until she's safe in my arms and in my bed?" Turning, he left.
Gasping, she gave Cyclops a confused look. "Did he just say 'in his bed'?"
"Yeah." He replied, with a sigh.
"You don't seem shocked as I am. You knew about this?"
"Let it go, Storm. It't not the time nor place."
Hesitantly nodding, she moved towards the now talking man.
"The blue woman, she wanted me to...to deliver a messege for the X-Men." He voiced, as Beast helped him to his feet.
Kitty smiled. "Then your in good hands, cuz' we're the X-Men."
"Then you need to hurry and go to the Rocky mountains, where your frind is being kept. She also said, bring the Shell?"
"Shell? What shell?" Cyclops voiced.
"She said that Charles would know?"
Giving a nod towards Beast, he helped the man out into the tunnels.
"This isn't good. Megnito has his powers back and now that he has Rogue he might try to..."
"He won't do that." Gambit stated, carrying an unconcious child. "He has something bigger planned than what happened back on Staton Island. Gambit can tell you that."
Storm frowned. "Beast said that they were all given a low amount of electricity, but Charles does not recall a mutant with that gift."
"Well, what eva' happened, they're all out cold."
"Are the others who were unconious okay?"
"Yeah. Some of them woke up and are bording the two jets as some are being transported. They also..."
"Can we hurry this shit up, so we can get Marie?" Logan growled, from the entrence, with a teen boy in his arms. "She don't got all day until they start poking her. So let's go."
Watching as he once more turned his back, Storm moved to say something to Gambit.
Already two steps ahead of her, Cyclops ordered him to return to the jet. Turning on her, he shook his head. "Stay out of it, Storm. This is between Rogue, Gambit, and Logan. And if you feel tempted that you will talk, I will not hesitate to have you replaced on this mission."
Narrowing her eyes, she frowned even more. "You wouldn't dare. Charles would not..."
"If you open your mouth, the team will only become more shattered and right now, we can't handle that. And don't forget that we have Rogue and her safety to think about."
Lowering her head, she nodded. "Fine. I won't say nothing,but I will not make any promises for when the mission is over."
"Whatever. Do what you want. Get involved, but I'll tell you it's stressful. Yet I think you may already know that and..."
"Can we get a move on?"
Turning and finding an even more enraged Logan glaring at them, they gave a nod.
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Feeling a cool breeze run over her skin, Rogue moved to ball up.
But couldn't.
Eyes snapping open and finding herself in her bra and panties and chained to a metal table, she froze as Logan's memories came rushing back.
"Calm now, little one." A thick English accent sounded.
Paling and blood running cold, she stared into crimson eyes.
"Come now. I have of yet to do you harm, do not fear me."
"You're the one tha' got me chained in the nude. Wha' am ah 'pose to think?"
Sinister just shook his head. "If you were free, you would no doubt, not allow what is to befall you."
"Which is?"
Moving towards her and uncovering the tray, he smiled. "I need tissue samples from you and blood work." He replied, taking a needle and nearing her arm.
Eyes going wide, she started to tug at the chains restraining her.
"Calm down, Rogue. I am simply gathering my payment." Tightening the chains so she couldn't move, he inserted the needle. "If you wish to be angry, your anger is directed at the wrong person."
"And who should tha' be?" She bit out, between clenched teeth.
Placing the needle down and retreiving another, he continued to draw her blood. "Your partner, Gambit."
"Gambit? Why does this envolve me?"
"You see, back in the 18th century, I gave him my assistance to stop the current Theives' Guild from revealing Apocalypse's secrets to Candra. In return for my aid as well as helping him lessing his mutant power so he could cope, I spoke that if he bares or parnters up with a mutant that I saw as a worthy specimen, that I had free reign to abstract DNA samples for an experiment. And you my dear, is that partner." Placing the third needle down with blood, he retreived one with clear liquid. "Now, I know that you have the Wolverine's healing agent within your body, but I would rather you not feel any pain for what is to come next."
"Pain? What are you...AHH!!!!" She screamed, throwing her head back and feeling tears prick her eyes.
Slowly pulling the rather long needle out of her her, he sighed. "I apologise for the discomfort that caused you, but that was needed to numb you for what is next."
Laying flat upon the table once more, she blinked the remaining tears away. "How did ah end up here wit' you, when the Brotherhood kidnapped me?"
Brushing her hair out of her face with his hand, Sinister sighed. "You are very talkative, Rogue, but I shall indulge such questions. The Brotherhood wished to use one of my clones for her power of electricity and..."
"She's to blame for this." She growled.
"Actually, if it was not for her, Mystic would've forgot the agreement that was made and killed you. She was there to see that you were handed over to me in one piece. But I do apologise for the inital shock. She has yet to actually control the voltage she dishes out."
"Why are you now emotional? Ah thought you were cold and..."
"Many things have changed, but not my love for science and mutant genes. Let us just say, that I am not alone and I am finally gaining a simbalance of humanaity. It is not much, but my partner is patient and teaching me." Pausing, he pinched her stomach. "Did you feel any pain, just now?"
"No."
Smiling and retreiving a surgical knife off the table, he politely cut her open.
Watching as he sliced her flesh, Rogue soon feinted.
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Watching as all the teens slowly walked into the living room and sat down or explored, Charles led the X-Men to his office. Situating himself at his desk, he frowned. "From what Beast told me on the phone, three of the teens are injured and need treatment right away. Were there any deaths among all the teens?"
Storm folded her arms. "Yes...a small boy no older than seven."
"What caused this?"
"Some elecrical current that mostlikely passed through the water. Who ever it is that did this, does not have alot or any control what so ever."
He sighed. "I shall make prepreations for a proper burial...What news is there on Rogue?"
"She's in the Rocky Mountains and we need to get a move on." Logan growled. "So hand over this Shell so we can bring her home."
He paled. "Mystic wants the Shell?"
"Yes."
"I am sorry, but that is not something that can be done. We must find another way to retrieve Rogue."
"What the hell! Ma chere is in series danger and you care more for this Shell thing, than my woman?" Gambit exclaimed.
"It is not that simple."
"Then make it simple. And do that now." Logan demanded, as he and the Cajun glared at him.
"The Shell is not something that can be bargined with, no matter what. The Shell is to be an other worldly object and it has great power. Many years ago before I founded this school for the gifted, myself and Eric came across it. We swore to the guardians with their last breath that we would keep it safe and not speak of it. But I will tell you this, you may have felt true fear on Staton Island, but if Eric gets a hold on the shell, there will be no more humans. Just as I am able to track all as well as mutants with Cerebro, the Shell will do more then that. It will erase them from existence." Sighing, he faced to two enraged men. "I know that you both are angered and wish for Rogue's safety, but the Shell must remain and we must find another way to save her."
"Then what's the grand plan, wheels?" Logan growled, moving towards him. Allowing Scott to hinder him, he settled for a cold stare. "Because if you say you don't know, I'm out of here and finding Marie. With or without your help."
Charles frowned. "The Shell could be imitated, but if Eric is there in the Rocky Mountains awaiting for us to drop it off, then he will injury Rogue. He knows of the true strength behind it and he will know right off the back if it's a fake."
"So what are you saying?" Kitty voiced, as Bobby pulled her to his side. "That we sit back and wait until he just tires of her and hands her back? No offense Proffessor, but he won't do that."
"I know, but our best shot is creating an imitation of the original Shell."
"And how long will it take, till we can get ma' chere?" Gambit demanded, with a lesser tensed voice.
"Two...three hours tops. Me and Beast will get started on it right away."
Nodding, Logan stalked off.
Sharing a look with the Charles which earned a nod of the head, Scott took up behind the angered Wolverine.
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"How is she?" A cold voice stated, entering the room.
Going still and keeping her eyes closed, Rogue listened in as the two soon came to a disagreement.
About her none the less.
"Fine. Her vitals are strong and she is healing as she should be." Placing a blanket over her, Sinsiter frowned. "What has brought this sudden visit on? I gave you Clone 1058 to aid you and Mystic has brought me the girl. She is mine to do with as I wish. Or have you forgotten?"
Magneto narrowed his eyes. "And what do you have planned for your lil' guest?"
"That was not part of our agreement, of what I shall do to her. She is now under my care and none of your concern."
"You plan on releasing her and letting her return to the X-Men?"
Silence.
"I did not come to you and hand her over to only have her back with the X-Men. She is too valuable to just be handed back. If you do not see Rogue as an asset and wish to use her, then I shall take her off your hands." Turning, he moved to take a step, but paused, as five clones appeared. "You wish to use them to stop me?"
Unfastening the manickles around Rogue's wrist and legs, Sinister pulled her into his arms. "No. But they shall be efficent and slow you down. For I gave my word to another for something else and you wish to go back on your own. I may not be evil and I sure am not good in any light, but honor plays high in my world." Creating a portal behind him, he gave a tight smile as two females came to his sides.
Eyeing the one with the blond mohock, Magneto shook his head. "Static sworn to aid me, you fool."
Sinister, raised an eyebrow. "She is a clone and serves under me. She will never turn her back and join another, when it is I who gives her freedom and life."
"We need to go." The other woman at his right stated, in a soft voice.
"Of course, my love."
Crinkling her brow, curiousity won out and Rogue turned to find kind grey hues staring down at her.
Smiling, the woman brushed a stran of raven locks behind her ear. "Nathaniel, we must flee now. The clones will not be able to hold him off long."
Nodding Sinister ushered her within the portal and quickly followed, which Static with no hesitation did the same.
Watching as the debris continued to come his way, Magneto released a defening roar of out rage, as the metal walls came flying for the clones heads. Watching as they fell to the ground, he quitely made his way out the lab.
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Slashing through the last metel door that blocked Marie's scent, Logan came to an uprupt hault. Eyeing the destruction and mess all around him, he started to shake. "She...she's not here."
Placing a hand on his shoulder, Cyclops sighed. "We had to just missed them."
"And from the look of this, its a good thing." Bobby stated, motioning towards the decapitated heads and metal sheets all over the floor. "No doubt Magneto did this. He would've..."
"Sinister." Gambit bit out, picking up the discarded blue cape from the floor. Closing his eyes, anger took him. "Ma' chere is safe, for now, but we need to move and quickly."
Shrugging one eye's appendage off, Logan quickly released his inner beast and moved towards the now saddened Cajun. "Why the hell would Sinister have Marie?"
Eyeing the other members of the team who were waiting for an answer, he sighed. "Sinister and Gambit go way back. He aided me self in lessening my power so that I could attempt to live a normal life and came to aid me clan, many years back."
"What does that have to do with Marie? Your hiding something."
Lowering his gaze, he fell silent.
"Even if you fear how we will react, you need to tell us." Storm's soothing and loving voice sounded, as she neared him. "Rogue may not be in danger as you spoke, but sooner or later she will be and especially if Magneto is after her. Please, for Rogue's sake, tell us."
"In return for all his help, I was to able him to take whatever he wanted to study a lover of mine, if she was a powerful mutant."
Growling, Logan tangled his hands in his jacket and hefted him into the air. "You saying my Marie is now an experiment?"
He merely nodded.
Growling, he socked him one in the jaw.
Seeing this was starting to get out of hand, both Bobby and Cyclops fastened a hold on him, as he moved to leap on the now limp man, sitting on his ass.
Kneeling and placing a hand on his shoulder, Storm frowned. "Why would you make that deal?"
"I was young and I just....My powers were too strong and Gambit wanted to live a normal life, without worrying about ev'thang I touch exploding. I never thought of the woman who would fall prey to him."
Sighing, Kitty pulled out her communicater. "I'm going to call the Proffessor and have him locate Sinsiter on Cerebro."
Nodding, Cyclops fixed a tighter hold on Wolverine and dragged him back out to into the hall.
"You need to calm down. We're going to find her and..."
"How could he be so heartless and just...just make a deal with that ass of a want-to-be scientist?" He growled. "Now Marie's out there and going to get hurt for ever being involved with him. She don't deserve that."
Cyclops nodded. "I agree, but this couldn't have been helped if Gambit already agreed. This all happened years ago and..."
"I love her, just like you loved Jean. I can't lose her and not before I even had time to be with her." Logan's still gruff voice sounded, but with a twang of softness. "I lost one woman, four eyes, and I refuse to lose another. I wont. I'd rather die and give her my last breath, if I couldn't be with her. As long as Marie lives, thats all tha matters."
Nodding and allowing the tenseness that entered his shoulders as his past love was mentioned, he frowned. "That won't happen. We will find her and..."
"She is still with Gambit." A female's voice sounded, within the hall. "You need to allow them to work out their differences."
"Storm." Cyclops' tightly called.
Ignoring him, she eyed Logan. "You and Marie may have feelings for each other, but she needs someone that won't leave her and actually cares for her. Gambit may be over whelming at times, but she never has to doubt that. And with you, she would have to worry about you running off in the middle of the night and wondering if you're going to return."
Growling, he itched to bury his claws in her. "You know nothing, Ro. Marie and I are in love and..."
"Then why haven't she broken up with me yet?"
Freezing, all found a shocked Kitty, Bobby, and Nightcrawler, as one hell of an angry Cajun glared at the eqully angry male.
"She already did, bub. You just haven't accepted it."
"Ma' chere would never want anything to do with you and..."
"Then why did we make love three nights ago?"
Opening his mouth to speak, no sound came out. Eyes going wide, he moved to pounce, but froze as a beeping sounded in the quite hall.
Jumping as her cell started to vibrate. Pulling it out, she smiled. "Proffessor says she's in Okalahoma. He's going to send the cordinates to the jet."
Nodding, Logan turned on his heels and walked off. Mutely following, Cyclops grabbed Storm's arm as they were the last ones in said hall.
"What the hell was that?" He yelled.
"The truth needed to come out and..."
"And you couldn't wait until Rogue was safe and we were all back at the mansion?"
"I could've but..."
"Just know when this mission is over and Rogue's back with us, your off the team." Turning his back, he left a speechless Storm in his wake.
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Pulling her robe over her body, she sighed. "Were the chains really needed, if you are going to release her?"
Narrowing his eyes at his wife, he sat up. "Do not try to guilt me, Epi. For I have yet to develope such feelings and I do not wish to."
Sighing, she pulled her raven hair out of her face. "I'm going to see to her, Nathaniel and see if she needs anything." Pausing, she eyed him. "I do not condone what was done to her, but I understand your reason for it."
"Do you?"
"You forget to whom you speak to." Her normal soft voice was gone, as pure venom was revealed.
Quickly coming to his feet and reaching for her, she slapped his hands away. "Epi, I..."
"Didn't think of how I am effected by this, did you?"
He shook his head.
"Then get to thinking, as I see to our guest."
Watching as she swiftly left their chamber, Sinster summoned his robe from the floor and proceeded to the bathing quarters. "When can I ever be right, dealing with her?" He mumbled, cutting the shower on.
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Feeling the metal bite into her wrist once more, she groaned.
Okay, mayby this was an improvement from the cold steel lab table, but she rather do without the chains though. At least she was clothed and sitting on an actual bed in a room. Just as she moved to lay back down, the door to her room creaked open. All senses alert, she froze as the woman nearing her gave a friendly smile.
"I am terribly sorry for all of this." Her soft voice sounded. "But I wish for you to understand why Nathaniel acted in such a way." Pausing a few inches from her, she retracted a small key. "I wish to explain all that has happeneded, but you must promise to not use your power on me."
Nodding, Rogue soon found herself unchained. "Does he know tha' ya' here?"
Shaking her head, she handed her a ribbon for her hair. "No. And if he did, he would no doubt catch a fit."
Tying her hair back, she slowly stood from the bed. "Now, care to explain why Sinsiter cut me open?"
"I can do better than that. I shall show you." Turning, she led her from the room and into the massive hall.
Pausing and eyeing all the paintings and sculptures, Rogue gaped. "Who...where are we?"
"We are in the Oklahoma estate." Pausing at the end of the hall, she smiled. "By the way, I'm Epilona."
Returning it, she raised an eyebrow. "Forgive ma' bluntness, but are you and Sinsiter...uh...married?"
Nodding, she laughed. "Yes. Me and Nathaniel have been so for the last three years."
"You know he's a mutant, right?"
"Yes."
"And his sick love for science and mutant genes?"
Again she nodded.
"So wha' he does to mutants and jus' did to me, didn't bother you?"
Sighing, she motioned for her to follow her down the next two halls and down a flight of stairs. Making a left and pausing before a pair of double doors, she faced her. "I never accepted my husbands twisted mind in the science field, but if it wasn't for it, he would be dead. Nathaniel has lessened his madness and all of it is dedicated to him."
"Who?"
Pushing the door open to reveal a young child hooked up to multiple machines, Rogue couldn't breathe.
"Meet Daniel, our son."
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Yeah I know you all are like where did Sinister come into this, but I had to turn Rogue against him so she finds comfort in Logan's arms. And I just always liked Sinister. Oh, by the way, his real name is Nathaniel Essex and I know that he really isn't a mutant but he was experimenting with genes and what not, but I wanted to kind of play off of that.
Tell me what you think of the latest twist and your thoughts on Storm and her involvemnet on the whole Gambit/Logan/Rogue situation.
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