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The X-Men gathered in the war room, all of them except for Remy and Warren.
"Report," Scott barked out in his concern.
"Firstly, the good news. Sinister's appearance in the danger room simulation does not appear to have been preprogrammed into the computer. From what I can tell the program was uploaded from a local point just outside of the mansion. I believe it was actually a distraction so that Sinister could plant his other little parcel and make off with Warren," Hank explained.
"Yes, but that means he could do it again," Jean said worriedly.
"I've been working on that. I can't block all external access otherwise we wouldn't be able to access the computer from outside of the mansion. Also using genetic codes as an access method is not viable. As we all know Sinister is a geneticist. What could be easier for him than to find and replicate our DNA."
There were a few uncomfortable movements at this statement. The fact that Sinister could so invade their lives was unsettling to say the least.
"How's Remy Sugah?" Rogue asked.
"I don't know Rogue. At the moment he's doing his ghost trick and we can't find him anywhere. I think he's probably still on the mansion grounds though." Scott said.
"How can you be so sure?" Bobby asked, he wasn't fond of Remy but the persecution he was receiving from Sinister made him feel a little more sympathetic towards the Cajun.
"Just a feeling," Scott said, and shrugged, embarrassed.
"So what we gonna do 'bout Angel?" Wolverine asked finally.
"We mount a rescue mission Logan, we cannot trade Remy for Warren." Storm said emphatically.
"Does Remy know what's happened to Warren?" Hank asked.
"I don't know. He ran out of the danger room, before Warren spotted the strangers at the gate. He could have been anywhere, he could be listening to us right now. But if he doesn't know then I don't think we should tell him. In fact we should keep him as far away from this case as possible. He is, after all, the target." Scott said.
"I agree," Storm stated. "It is possible that if Remy discovers Sinister's intentions he will hand himself over to Sinister in order to regain Warren."
"We ain't gonna let that happen," Rogue said and her arms folded mutinously across her chest."
"Do we even know where Sinister is holding Warren?" Psylocke asked.
"No, but we need to find out. Let's run a search through Cerebro first see if Warren in someplace unshielded. If that doesn't work well then we'll have to think of something that will."
The gathered X-Men got up and left the room to begin the search for their team mate.
Scott and Jean had decided to search for Remy.
"We need to keep a close watch on him Scott. If he finds out that Sinister has set up a deal to swap Warren for him then I don't know what he'll do. He is truly terrified of Sinister, and rightly so. Essex has done some evil things to Remy, things that would have made anyone else insane a long time ago. But I think that too much more stress and Remy could come close to breaking point." Jean explained to her husband.
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Unknown to them Remy was no longer on the mansion grounds. He was not aware of Sinister's recent actions, he just knew that he needed some time away from everyone for a while. Especially his brother and Rogue. When it came to fussing over him those two were the worst, often coming near to blows over who should be taking care of him.
He loved them both dearly but he couldn't handle that much attention unless he was purposely courting it.
After running out from the danger room Remy had made his way swiftly up to his room and gathered some things in an overnight back. He had then crept out of the house and snuck off the grounds. Making his way past Bishop who had been on patrol at the time.
It hadn't taken long to get into Westchester and from there he had hitched a ride into the next town. He wanted to make the trail as confusing as possible to follow, and so from that small town he had caught a bus, he actually didn't know where the bus was going only that it was heading away from the mansion. He had enough money with him so that he could then find some other form of transport to wherever he wished to go.
What he wanted was to hire a car. He'd have to scrounge up a fake license first and disguise his appearance so that no one would be able to identify him. Then he would go wherever the road took him and lay low somewhere.
He wasn't running away forever. Just long enough to sort out his head. His eyes drooped tiredly as he watched the scenery go past in a blur. These buses weren't excessively comfortable but Remy was too tired to care.
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Back at the mansion, in the early hours of the following morning the X-Men gathered in the War room to discuss their findings. Most of them had been up all night trying to locate where Sinister was holding their team mate. There were more than a few bleary eyes and stifled yawns at the table.
"Hope this means you're going to cancel this mornings danger room session Scott," Bobby said with a small smile. This raised a few chuckles around the table until people remembered why they had been up all night.
"Okay, what have we got?" Scott asked.
"A possible lead. We didn't find anything when we did a scan for Warren's current location through Cerebro, so we did the next best thing. We ran too different searches. One on Warren's locator. It's a brand new design and something I've been working on . Warren was my first test subject. They're locators that are designed to disguise themselves as part of a mutants own body, giving off a signal that could be concealed as part of that mutants energy signature," Hank explained.
"How does this help?" Scott asked.
"Well although the signal seems to have disappeared briefly, we presume as Sinister took Warren through the tesserect, it has reappeared. We have a location," Hank said finally.
"Great. I want a team assembled to get out there. I'll lead and..."
"I do not believe that would be a good idea Scott," Storm said quietly but firmly.
"Why not?" Scott asked.
"Because you are Remy's brother and can be used as more effective leverage against Remy if you are taken." Storm said.
Scott sighed. He knew this was true. "Very well, Storm you lead the team. Take Wolverine, Hank, Psylocke, Iceman, and Phoenix with you. Make it a scout first. If everything looks okay go in. If not call us and we'll come out and try to think of some other way to take Warren back."
"What about me Sugah?" Rogue asked.
"Rogue you and I are going to find Remy and keep him safe. Okay people let's go."
The X-Men dispersed.
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"Mr Worthington I would like to ask you a few questions about the current defenses in your Westchester home." Sinister said to his bound captive.
Warren didn't bother to reply he merely looked defiantly up at Sinister.
"Hmmm. A challenge. How I love my work."
Sinister approached Warren with a large syringe.
"This is my latest version of a truth serum. From the tests I have made it appears to work quite effectively. It's fast acting. There may be a few side effects as it wear off but you really don't need to worry about that right now. Now let us discuss the defenses of the X-Men's home once again."
Warren flinched as the syringe entered his flesh and his contents were forced into his body.
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"Sugah it's no good, I can't find him anywhere. He's not outside the mansion, on the roof or out in the grounds." Rogue said over her intercom to Scott who was carrying out a similar search inside the mansion.
"Same here. I was sure he wouldn't leave. I've checked his room though and some of his things have been taken. I think it's safe to assume that he has gone, without leaving us any clue as to where." Scott sighed in frustration.
"So now what Sugah?" Rogue asked.
"I don't know Rogue. We can't leave the mansion yet until we hear form the others."
"So I guess we wait then," Rogue said in a defeated voice.
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Warren lifted his head painfully to watch as sinister left his base through a tesserect. Moments later a blast shook the base, and he heard the sounds of a fight, but he was unable to do anything as darkness closed in on him, welcoming him to a blissful oasis from the pain.
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Scott was waiting in the communications room with Rogue when the transmission came through.
"Scott," Jean exclaimed.
"Jean, are you okay? Did you get Warren?" He asked visually checking his wife over for signs of injuries.
"Yes, we got Warren. He's going to be fine, but Scott you must hurry and get out of there."
"Why?"
"Sinister forced the details of our defenses out of Warren and now Sinister is on his way to you."
"I think you will find that Sinister is already here," a voice said from behind Scott and he turned to see Sinister and his Marauders enter the room.
"I believe you have something of mine," Sinister said.
"You're too late," Scott said smugly. "Remy's gone."
end of part 3