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As the door closed behind Remy, David immediately approached the computer terminal his son had been using. He called up the results for the testing and crowed with delight at his findings.
"Have you seen this Nathaniel?" David asked.
"The brain implant is producing the expected results?" Essex asked.
"Better than expected. The boy's body seems to have integrated it already. Of course, all credit goes to your techno organic technology. It seems to have attached itself seamlessly into his brain and the processing speed has increased at least hundred fold. At this rate we'll be ahead of schedule in just a week."
"A shame I hadn't thought of the use before now," Essex said, smiling, his sharp metallic looking teeth reflecting light, and his crimson eyes glowing.
"What do you think about the mind block? Is it having the required effect?" David asked.
"Yes I think so, but he is fighting it subconsciously."
"No matter. Soon he'll be a fully integrated member of the family. There will be no question as to his loyalty."
"Perhaps," Essex commented. "What now?"
"Hmmm. Well, his education must continue. I'll start giving him some practical assignments soon. See how he takes to that. And of course, his other little 'gifts' need to be monitored to view their effectiveness," David explained.
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Remy sat in his room, alone. He had spent the better part of the day doing mental tests and studying at his fathers request. He had no idea what would come out of all this, but obviously his father knew best.
Now where had that thought come from, he wondered to himself. The thought had just popped into his head and yet for some reason it didn't feel right. Remy shrugged. Maybe he should just try his mental exercises. Jean had told him that he needed to practice everyday. But who was Jean, Remy wondered suddenly.
He grunted in frustration and ran his hands through his hair.
He didn't know what was going on, but dwelling on it was just giving him a headache. Maybe he should try those mental exercises whoever had taught him.
He settled himself into a comfortable cross-legged position on his bed and emptied his mind of all thoughts. He settled himself into a light trance that soothed his mind and cleared it of the days clutter.
In the distance he could sense the vast openness of the astral plain. It beckoned to him, telling him to come and partake of it's wonders. So Remy followed the urge and rose up onto the astral plain. He just floated there for a while, unconsciously wearing his battle uniform.
Colours shifted at impossibly fast rates to make the entire astral plain a dizzying rainbow of color. In the distance he could sense other people inhabiting this place, but he didn't want to talk to anyone just now.
Now what else had this Jean person told him to do. Ah yes, his memories. She had said that his memories were a good place to practice gaining conscious control over his mind. He moved form the astral plain back into his own mind and located the part of his mind that stored all of his memories.
*************************************************
Scott was roused from his sleep by Jean crying out.
"Honey, what is it?" he asked her in urgent concern.
"Scott, it's Remy, I can feel his presence on the astral plain. He's there now. I have to go to him, to contact him. Find out where he is."
"Scott frowned "Okay but be careful. I'll rouse the team."
**************************************************P>
Remy sat in the vast field that represented his memories. Colorful ribbons floated idly passed him. He wondered which memory he should look for first. Then a thought occurred to him. Why not try to locate this Jean person in his mind.
Remy concentrated on the image that seemed to form in his mind of the woman known only to him as Jean. Then he tried to call up a memory that matched the image. Yet nothing was appearing. Remy opened his eyes and in front of him floated a memory strand that looked different from the ones he'd seen earlier.
It was darkened. Almost devoid of color, but why. Remy tried to mentally grab hold of it and bring it closer, but it just slipped through his mental grasp. Remy frowned, he knew on some level that this wasn't supposed to happen. So why was it happening? He tried again, more forcefully to grab the memory, but again it slipped away from him.
He felt the beginnings of a painful headache forming and decided that now might not be a good time to try and continue this. He was about to come out of his trance when he thought he heard someone call his name.
He stopped and his head cocked to one side to listen more closely.
Yes, there it was again. But it was coming from the astral plain. Curiously Remy rose back up the astral plain, ready to defend himself if it was a trap.
He was astonished at the sight that greeted him. It was Jean. She was dressed as a warrior, and kept looking around as though she expected an attack.
Then she noticed him. "Remy. Thank God, We've been so worried about you."
"Who are you? Remy asked curiously.
He could tell he'd shocked this woman by the widening of her eyes.
"Don't you remember Remy? It's me Jean."
Remy frowned. "I know your name, but I don' know who you are. I 'member your lessons but when I tried to get to de memory of you it was strange, and I couldn' reach it. I don' know why. Do I know you?"
"Remy we are teammates. Good friends, and I am your telepathic mentor. What have they done to you?"
"I don' know what you talkin ' 'bout chere. I'm wit' my parents and m'uncle. Papa is teachin' me to be a better son."
Jean seemed to think about this and then seemed to speak to herself. "So is was him after all."
"Remy do you now where you are?"
Remy shook his head. "Non. Papa don' let me and maman out o' de complex. He says it's fo' our protection."
Listen to me Remy, this is very important. You must find out where you are, and then you must come here and tell me okay?"
Remy thought about this for a moment. For some reason he felt safe with this woman, he felt he could trust her, so finally he nodded his head in agreement.
Remy was about to ask her when she would he here when he was suddenly pulled back to the real world by a violent blow.
When he was fully back in his own body he opened his eyes warily. His father was standing there, with a furious expression on his face.
"Papa, what's wrong?" he asked.
"How dare you, you ungrateful little bastard." David fumed. He'd have to teach his son a thing or two.
Remy looked confused. "I don' know what you talkin' 'bout papa. I was jus' doin my mental exercises."
I monitored your trip to the astral plain. You spoke with someone there. You were plotting behind my back."
Remy was starting to feel a little nervous. He didn't remember ever seeing his father like this so he tried to placate him. "Oui. Dere was a lady who contacted me. Her name was Jean. She wanted to know where I was."
Remy was unprepared for the blow that caught him around the head and he fell back against the wall.
"Get up," David screamed at him.
Remy obeyed warily, trying to keep his distance.
David stormed out of his room, ordering Remy to follow. Remy did, not wanting to incur any more of his father's wrath.
David led him to the lab, where Remy was then attached to number of monitoring wires.
"It's about time I tested a few of your other little additions, and punish you at the same time. Do you understand what you've done wrong?"
Remy was really confused now, he couldn't think of anything that he had done to make his father go crazy like this, so he answered honestly. "Non, Papa, I don't understand."
David laughed, but it was not a warm sound. "You will when I've finished with you.
David went over to a console and activated the terminal.
Remy got no warning as pain suddenly swamped his sense. His body was on fire. Every nerve ending screaming at him in agony. He cried out involuntarily and immediately collapsed upon the floor. The pain stopped and David came to stand over him.
"Do you understand yet what you've done wrong?"
"Non Papa..." Remy began but was cut off as David used a remote unit to activate the implants in his body. Pain once again tore through him and he was left gasping for breath, tears streaming from his eyes.
He was vaguely aware of his mother entering the lab and screaming at David to stop, but David was relentless.
Finally when Remy was almost unconscious David asked one more time.
"Do you understand what you did wrong?"
Remy thought about it then finally answered. " I shouldn' have spoken to de lady?" he asked.
David crowed in triumph, "Finally."
Remy was still unsure why this was a crime, but was grateful that the pain would finally stop.
Sinister stepped into view. Remy had been unaware of his presence in his pain filled existence.
"The implants work extremely well I would say David." he commented.
Remy frowned. "What implants?" he asked weakly.
He suddenly became the focus of attention again, and his father smiled cruelly at him.
"Oh nothing much, just a few little gifts we decided to add to your body."
Remy looked on in horror. What had they done to him? They had placed strange objects into his body without his knowledge. That was also how David had been able to cause such pain in him.
"Of course, it wouldn't have been possible without your mother's help..." David continued in his speech, detailing his mother's participation in the event.
Remy turned shock filled eyes to his mother. She turned away from his gaze and Remy felt betrayal rock his world.
end of part 10.