|
|
*********************************************************
Jean opened her eyes slowly. She was in a transport of some kind. A door opened behind her, and light flooded into the small cabin where she and the children lay. Jean tried to engage her powers, but they were being blocked by something. Jean realized then that the weight she could feel around her neck was a Genoshan collar. She looked over at the children, but they were both unconscious. A shadow covered the opening and she saw the Nanny. A thought coalesced in Jean's mind. "I wonder why she didn't transform me too?" But she did not get an answer.
The Nanny stared at her before motioning her to get up. Jean rose slowly to her feet and moved towards the entrance. She thought about trying to over power the Nanny, but decided against that course of action when she saw the weapon pointed at her. So she simply moved out of the transport and up against the wall.
Another door opened and Jean's worst fears were realized. Vertigo and Harpoon came out. They moved over to the transport. Harpoon moved inside, and came back out with the children in each arm. Vertigo motioned for Jean to follow her, and so they all moved to the other door -- Vertigo first, followed by Jean, then Harpoon and the children, and the Nanny bringing up the rear.
Vertigo led them through a series of corridors that, to Jean, all looked the same. "No chance of memorizing the route, then," she thought to herself. They finally came upon two large doors. Vertigo placed her hand over a panel, and the doors opened with a hiss.
They all entered the heart of Sinister's domain. Sinister himself was sitting on a large throne-like chair in the center of the room. He grinned wickedly as the small entourage entered.
"Welcome, Phoenix, to my humble abode. Ah Nanny, I see you have brought the children. You have fulfilled your end of the deal. Scalphunter?" Sinister called, and a figure detached itself from the shadows, "Go and give Nanny her reward."
Scalphunter grinned, "This way, please."
The two went off through another door.
Sinister turned his attention back to his guests. "Please take a seat, Mrs Summers. I would hate for one of my guests to accuse me of not being hospitable." Vertigo pushed Jean towards a chair that was placed on the floor near Sinister's own chair.
"Why have you taken us, Sinister?" Jean asked.
Sinister laughed. "You my dear Mrs Summers, are free to go. It was only young Remy that I wanted. You may take the windrider with you."
"I'm not leaving without both children. In fact, I want them returned to their normal state before I take them," Jean demanded with a false tone of bravado.
Sinister laughed again. "I'm afraid I can't do that. You see I've waited a long time for this. My plans have..." Sinister was interrupted by the sound of the children stirring.
Remy heard voices coming from a distance. Gradually they got closer, and seemed very familiar. The first thing he realized was that someone was holding him. They were not arms he was familiar with and he struggled blindly, trying to free himself. Horrors recently remembered still imprinted on his mind.
"Put them down," Sinister told Harpoon.
Harpoon did as he was told and Remy's struggling stopped. Jean tried to go to Remy, but Vertigo held her back. Remy's eyes opened, and he looked around him, his eyes finally settling on the person sitting on the throne-like chair. A smile of child-like joy crossed his face and he scrambled to his feet before running into the open arms of Sinister.
"Oncle Nat'an'el," he cried and hugged Sinister in his small arms.
Jean watched in amazement as Sinister smiled and actually laughed. A sound that was vaguely human. Remy didn't appear to notice Sinister's strange appearance, which of course was understandable, Jean thought, as she remembered Remy's memories of this man. Ororo had been put down also and was now awake. She saw Jean and quickly ran over to her, hugging her tightly. Jean hugged her back, as much for her own comfort as for Ororo's.
Sinister suddenly seemed to remember their presence.
"Mrs Summers, you are free to take the child and leave. Vertigo will lead you out."
Remy suddenly became fearful, "Non, Oncle Nat'an'el, I wan' dem t'stay. Don' leave me Jean. "Roro," his eyes filled with tears.
Sinister looked consideringly at the woman and child standing before him. "Perhaps I should issue you with an invitation to stay after all Mrs Summers."
Sinister bared his teeth in a parody of a smile.
"T'ank you Oncle Nat'an'el," Remy said, looking at Sinister with an expression of adoration.
Sinister chuckled, "You know I'd do anything for my favorite nephew."
Remy grinned and snuggled himself further into Sinister's lap.
Jean had been silent. Shock taking any and all words from her mouth. What could she say? How could she turn around to Remy and tell him what an evil man Sinister was, especially when she knew from looking at Remy's memories that Sinister was perhaps one of the few people who had kind to him in his childhood.
A voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Vertigo take Mrs Summers to the communication room and set up a link with the X-mansion Let her inform the X-men of her staying here, reassuring them that both she and the children are fine and well, and that she'll be here for a while. Until Remy settles back in here. Make sure she does not send a coded message of our location though, I would so hate for this little get together to be interrupted."
"We can't stay here," Jean exclaimed, "We're leaving Sinister."
Jean took Ororo's hand and moved towards Remy but a strong hand digging painfully into her shoulder prevented hew from going anywhere.
"I'm afraid I wasn't giving you a choice Mrs Summers. Remy wishes for you to stay, and if that helps him to settle back in here then staying you will be. Now Vertigo, take them away." Sinister sat back with a satisfied smile on his face.
Sinister turned to Remy, "Remy, my little one, tell me how much you have missed your Uncle Nathaniel?" he said, casting a gentle smile upon the small face watching him.
A childishly innocent expression crossed Remy's face, "Mil'ons, Oncle Nat'an'el."
Sinister laughed, "I still have your old room Remy. Shall we take you there. After all this excitement you must be tired."
Remy yawned in agreement, and Sinister laughed again.
He picked Remy up and carried him through a door, different to the one Jean had left by.
*********************************************************
"Jean are you okay?" Scott asked anxiously.
"Yes Scott, but we're not being allowed top leave. Sinister has demanded that we stay until Remy has gotten used to living here again," Jean answered her husband.
"Where are you then. We'll come and get you," Scott said.
Jean looked anxiously over at Vertigo who grinned smugly. She sighed in resignation.
"I can't tell you Scott, I -" Jean was suddenly cut off as Vertigo ended the communication.
She gestured for Jean and Ororo to precede her out of the room. She took them down some winding corridors until they approached a room with two cots inside.
"Stay here until you are sent for," Vertigo said simply, before closing the door and leaving them alone.
Ororo moved close to Jean who pulled the child onto her lap hugging her.
"I am scared Jean," Ororo confided.
"Don't worry honey. Nothings going to happen to us," Jean said trying to reassure the child.
"But where is Remy?"
"He's gone to a room of his own. He'll be okay too," Jean said.
She tried to get past the blocking of the collar she wore to reach Remy's mind but found she couldn't. She sighed.
*********************************************************
Remy snuggled into his bed with his favorite teddy. He yawned again and Sinister gently stroked his head as drowsiness took a hold of Remy.
"Sleep well Remy," he said.
Remy's eyes closed as sleep took hold and Sinister watched him for a few minutes, a small smile playing about his mouth. He had waited a long time for this.
*********************************************************
In another part of Sinister's complex, others were finding it a lot harder to sleep. Their constant fear of Sinister coming for them making sleep hard to get.
There was a new addition to these wretched souls tonight.
The nanny fumed as she plotted revenge against Sinister for his double crossing of her. He'd pay dearly.
*********************************************************
Jean was rudely awakened by a sharp poke in the ribs. She mumbled and came quickly awake. Years of training, with the X-Men had left her alert for any possibility. Well almost any possibility. Memory came rushing back and she groaned in despair. How was she going to get herself out of this mess?
Ororo was disturbed by Jean's movement beside her. She had tried sleeping in the bed left for her, but she was scared. So during the night she had curled up with Jean. Now she awoke to see the woman who had left them here yesterday standing over them.
"You will come with me now," Vertigo said, her voice a monotone that brooked no opposition.
Jean reluctantly got up and, taking Ororo's hand, pulled her along.
They were led to a lab. Jean stifled her own impending panic for fear it would transmit to Ororo.
"You will remain here. There is no way to escape."
With that Vertigo turned and left. Jean walked over to the door to see if she could, in fact, get out, but that escape route was impossible. It seemed to be keyed to a device worn on the arm.
She sighed. Things were definitely not looking good.
Jean turned away from the door. The lab was huge. A wall of computers ran down one side of the room. In the center was a mass of beds and medical equipment. What shocked Jean the most was the row of cubicles down the other side of the room--and most of the cubicles appeared to be full, the occupants cowering in their corners in terror.
All except one. There was one face pressed up against the cubicle, staring at Jean and Ororo.
"Nanny," Jean whispered, shocked.
The Nanny's wide, electronic eyes watched Jean shrewdly and she beckoned the woman and child over to her. Jean hesitantly walked over, Ororo hiding behind her leg.
"You have to get me out of here," she demanded urgently.
Jean looked at the Nanny in distaste, "And why should we? It's your fault that we're here with Sinister now."
The Nanny smirked. "Because if you don't then there is no way for the children to be changed back to their original state."
Jean had to admit that the Nanny had a valid point. She looked around for a lever that might pry the cubicle open. There was nothing obvious.
"How do we get you out?" she asked the Nanny finally.
"Sinister controls the cubicles from that terminal over there. I think it might be his central mainframe."
Jean pushed away her disgust at working alongside the Nanny. "Just let us out of here, so we can get Ororo and Remy back..." she murmured as her fingers started tapping the keys.
Things seemed to be going well. It was a fairly simple program. "Must be so the Marauders can use it too," Jean thought maliciously. She keyed in a final sequence and a hiss from a cubicle behind her told her that she had been successful. She turned back to the computer and reversed the sequence so that the cubicle door hissed shut again.
"Don't need them to know we're gone until it's too late," she thought. Again she repressed her feelings of revulsion as the Nanny sidled up to her. Ororo whimpered and pressed herself, tight, up against Jean's leg. Jean laid her hand briefly onto Ororo's head to offer comfort before she turned back to the computer.
"There must be some way to open the door from here," she said to the Nanny.
They didn't have chance to find out. The door hissing open was the only preparation they had, but it was enough. Vertigo walked in. She didn't realize until too late what she had walked into. Jean executed a sharp kick to her stomach, forcing her to double over. Jean then hit Vertigo with a sharp blow to the back of the head and Vertigo slumped to the floor unconscious.
Jean moved quickly, taking the device off Vertigo's arm in order for them to open the door. She then set about searching Vertigo for a key that would unlock the collars they all wore. Luckily it seemed that Sinister kept his Marauders ready for anything because a key was rapidly produced. Jean unlocked her own collar first. She then unlocked Ororo's collar, ignoring the Nanny's attempts to snatch the key. She finally gave the key to the Nanny while she concentrated on focusing her powers to let her know the situation surrounding them.
Thankfully, the cubicles seemed to block out telepathic intrusion and she didn't have to suffer the pain the occupants of the cubicles were feeling.
She searched for one mind in particular. She felt his mind for the briefest moment. It was guarding itself heavily, and she didn't need to get into a mind-to-mind struggle with the child right now. So she led her small band of escapees out of the lab and into the maze of corridors beyond.
She used the vague mental presence Remy had on the astral plain to move towards him. However she also kept one 'eye' open for other minds moving towards them. Thankfully they all seemed to be concentrated in one area.
Remy's mind-presence seemed to get faintly stronger the closer the small party got to him. They had almost reached him when Jean cautioned them into silence. She didn't want to attract any attention to them now that they were so close to their goal.
*Nanny. as soon as we reach Remy, you must turn both him and Ororo back to their adult forms. It is the only way we have of getting out of here.*
The Nanny was reluctant to turn her favorite, Ororo, back into an adult but Jean tightened her hold on the Nanny's mind and forced her to agree.
They moved carefully around the corner. There was an open door. Jean could see Remy through the door. He was alone, and playing with some old battered toys. She moved quickly towards him and was gratified when he noticed her and a smile lit up his small face.
He got up from the floor and ran towards her.
"Jean. You not forget me. Oncle Nat'an'el say you forget me and wan' go home. I tell him it not true."
Jean smiled and hugged the child close. She felt Ororo approach and enfolded her into a hug too.
"Of course it's not true. I would never leave you, Remy."
"Very touching," Nanny hissed, "but we have to get out of here, before Sinister comes back."
"I think you are too late in that respect, Nanny my dear."
The Nanny's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in shock. Jean froze, clutching the children close against her. She lifted her head slowly and turned her body round to face Sinister. When she saw the triumph written on his face, defeat threatened to consume her and her head sank in resignation.
Nanny, however, was not so willing to admit defeat.
"You double-crossed me Sinister. That was a mistake," she said to him.
Sinister looked at her in mild inquiry, "Oh! And why is that?"
A sudden blast of power was released in the room which knocked everyone to the floor. Smoke filled the air.
One minute Ororo had been holding tightly to Jean, the next she was on the floor. There was a lot of smoke in the room, and she was having difficulty in breathing, she coughed and tried to feel her way back to Jeans side. All of a sudden, extreme pain coursed through her body. She screamed.
Remy had been confused. Jean had told him that Oncle Nat'an'el was waiting on the outside for them, and that she was taking him away from an evil man. But then his Oncle had come into the room, and Jean had seemed upset. Then the Nanny had done something. It had pushed him away from Jean and now smoke filled his lungs as he fought to get back to Jean and his Oncle. He only got so far across the room when, all at once, pain seemed to strike him on all sides, inside and out. He cried out in agony.
Jean had thought it all over when Sinister had caught them, but then the Nanny had done something. Now she had to concentrate on getting the children and getting out of here. She tried to search them out with her mind but...something was wrong. They were not registering properly on the astral plain. Not that Remy ever did. Then she heard the two screams coming from the children. Her heart began to pound in fear. What had happened?
Sinister was furious. Both at himself for not noticing that his prisoners collars had been removed, and at the Nanny for daring to oppose him. But his vile heart had begun to pound in fear too. He did not know what she had done, but she hadn't done it to him. Then he heard the screams.
"Remy!" he called out desperately.
The smoke began to clear.
As the room became more visible two desperate pairs of eyes scanned the room looking for two small forms. That was not what they found however.
Laying on the floor were the restored forms of both Remy and Ororo.
They were both unconscious, their bodies twitching still in pain. Sinister roared in disappointment. He moved swiftly over to where Remy was lying and began to stroke his hair.
"Remy, Remy, wake up my child."
Remy stirred faintly, and then again more strongly. His eyes opened wide in shock and then he whimpered in pain as his sensitive eyes let in pools of bright light that his body had become unused to. He closed his eyes again.
"Remy, come on, you have to open your eyes," Sinister said, coaxing.
Remy once again opened his eyes, this time shading them carefully. He looked up at the person hovering over him.
"Oncle Nat'an'el," he mumbled. Then he seemed to become aware of his situation, and who was hovering over him.
"Sinister," he hissed, and tried to pull back desperately into the furthest corner.
Sinister felt his anger boil to the surface. He turned round to find the one who had ruined his dreams. The Nanny was beginning to stir and she dragged herself to her feet. Sinister moved over to where she was standing.
"You!" His voice was filled with venom.
The Nanny lifted wary eyes to face Sinister.
Jean had gotten to her own feet and was rousing Ororo. When Ororo had come around enough to stand, she moved over to Remy and made him get up.
"Come on," she hissed quietly. We have to get out of here quickly while he's distracted."
The three X-Men moved quickly past the furious Sinister just as he directed a blast at the Nanny. The Nanny dodged and Sinister blasted at her again.
They moved out into the corridor. Jean used her power to try and locate the Marauders. They were headed here, attracted by the sound of blasting. Jean pulled her two dazed teammates in the other direction.
"We have got to get out of here fast, before Sinister comes looking for us."
Both Ororo and Remy nodded silently and followed Jean quickly. She used her senses to guide them through the maze of corridors, until they finally reached an exit. Jean still had the armband device from Vertigo and activated it in order to escape. Bright daylight poured into the entrance and all three winced at its unexpected glare.
*********************************************************
Back inside, Sinister smiled in satisfaction as the dead corpse of what once had been the Nanny slumped to the ground. His satisfaction faded however when he realized that the only other occupants of the room were the Marauders.
"Find them," he hissed.
*********************************************************
With the smell of fresh air and the bright sunlight hitting their bodies, Remy and Ororo seemed to recover somewhat. They seemed exhausted but were moving, their own fears carrying them forward. None of them wanted to be caught by Sinister, especially not in the mood he had been in when they had left. Jean looked at her friends anxiously.
Neither had said anything to her, or to each other. She thought that the whole experience must have been traumatic for them.
As they had expected, they were miles from anywhere. Jean just hoped that Scott had had enough sense to keep Cerebro constantly scanning for their presence. As it was, they would have to keep moving so that they wouldn't be easy targets for the Marauders when they came.
And she knew with a certainty that chilled her heart that they would come.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Remy trip over his own feet. He recovered himself quickly, but the fact that he had tripped at all meant that the usually graceful Cajun needed time to rest and recover from his ordeal. As, of course, did they all.
She knew that the Marauders would have an advantage when they finally located her little group. They would have the use of transport, and, what was worse, if Sinister was there he could teleport them all.
She pushed her own fears aside. She had to be strong for the other two now. They were probably still partially thinking like children and God knew she couldn't switch off her own maternal feelings.
They had been walking for about an hour. Jean wasn't sure anymore. But she felt like the Marauders were playing with them--as if they had deliberately given them a head start in order to raise their hopes only to suddenly appear and squash those hopes.
They had had to slow their pace; it was too taxing on Remy and Ororo.
But they really were trying their best.
"Scott please be on your way, please," she prayed to whatever God was listening.
There was a sudden sound. Jean spun around to see the Marauders approaching fast.
"Remy, Ororo. We've got to run quickly and find cover," she said to them, already starting to move into a jog.
They followed her, stumbling and breathing heavily, but it was no good. The Marauders quickly surrounded them.
Scalphunter approached them, "That was rude of you. Sinister wasn't ready for you to leave yet. He insists you return and continue to sample his hospitality." He grinned.
Jean saw Remy gave a start at the mention of Sinister.
"Clever, did Sinister give you that speech to memorize?" Jean asked facetiously.
Scalphunter's grin faded, "Get them," he said to the others.
The Marauders, all grinning maniacally, began to close in on them. A sudden growl and a red beam blasting into Arclight were the only warning the Marauders had that the X-Men had arrived.
"Well, lookie here." Logan grinned toothily. "Something new to play with."
He approached the Marauders, and they backed away.
"Jean," Cyclops called to his wife.
"Scott!" Jean smiled in relief. Her prayers had been answered and at just at the right time. She ran to her husband, dragging Remy and Ororo behind as the Marauders moved closer together to defend themselves.
"Get them to the Blackbird, and fire up the engines," Scott said, briefly kissing her.
Jean nodded and saw Hank beckoning at her to come with him.
"Come on, you two," she said to Remy and Ororo.
They followed, still without saying a word. When they reached Hank, he started running with them towards the Blackbird. Jean glanced back.
She could see the optic blasts from her husband. She saw Rogue viciously flying towards Vertigo. Wolverine was grinning in satisfaction as he made a dent in Harpoon's side. She turned back around and ran faster towards the Blackbird.
Once on board, she and Hank strapped Remy and Ororo in as though they were still children. Then she joined Hank up in the cockpit, and they prepared the Blackbird for take off.
Hank sent a message through to Scott.
"The Blackbird is ready for departure Cyclops, Jean and the other two are on board."
"Great, the Marauders are on the retreat anyway. We'll join you shortly."
*********************************************************
As soon as they arrived back at the mansion The three former captives were sent down to the infirmary, to remain in the care of Hank until he declared them fit to leave.
Jean was allowed to leave straight away.
"You seem to have suffered no mishaps in the course of your stay with Sinister," Hank said smiling at her, "Not even a scratch."
"I was lucky," she said and looked over at the now sleeping Remy and Ororo, "We need to watch them closely Hank, especially Remy. I don't know if he remembers everything but if he does he's going to need our love and support. They've both been through so much, and it's exacted its price on them. They both still seem so childlike still."
Jean sighed, then she left the infirmary for a long waited for reunion with her husband.
*********************************************************
In Sinister's lair, the Marauders had made themselves scarce.
Sinister was in a foul mood, and they knew better than to be within reach of his powers.
Sinister sat in his throne room on his throne. A commotion at the door made him look up in surprise. Who had dared to disturb him now?
A stranger walked into the throne room. None of the Marauders had tried to stop him. The stranger smiled a strange and evil smile at Sinister.
"Hello, David!" Sinister said.
THE END