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There was no reaction from the willowy figure.
"Maman?" Remy called again, confusion lacing his voice.
Still no reaction. He tried to move towards her but bolts of fire lanced through his body as he was forcibly reminded of his injuries. His vision wavered and his breath came in ragged pants.
"David," Sinister said pointedly.
"What? Oh, of course. Sorrel take care of the boy." David commanded.
The willowy redhead moved swiftly forward towards Remy. Her expression was still vacant though. She knelt down at his side and placed her hands on either side of Remy's head.
Remy felt a sudden heat on his skin where Sorrel was touching him, and a hazy glow seemed to envelop them both. He felt himself suddenly detached from his pain, and the glow increased. His mind instinctively tried to do what his body could not and formed a tenuous link with Sorrel.
He felt her start as the joining took place and then heard her softly whisper his name before Remy succumbed to a healing sleep.
The glow faded and Sorrel stepped back from Remy, staggering slightly. A tear formed and trickled down her cheek as she stared at the healed but unconscious form of her son before her face settled into a studied blankness, as she turned to face David, her husband.
"He's okay?" David asked.
Sorrel nodded obediently.
"Good, then arrange to have him taken to his room." David said as he and Sinister turned and left the room.
Sorrel walked swiftly over to a communicator and activated it.
"Get someone up here now. LeBeau is to be shifted to his new room."
Sorrel switched off the communicator and walked back to her son's side.
"My child," she whispered tenderly, stroking his hair softly out of his face.
**************************************************
Remy came awake with a gasp. He sat up quickly, then, as awareness returned, he looked down in wonder at his healed body. Even old scars seemed to have faded somewhat.
How had that happened he wondered. Maybe it had something to do with the heat and glow that had come from his mother.
His mother! A wistful sigh escaped him. She was alive, but she hadn't seemed to recognize him. What had happened to her?
Remy pondered his current situation. He knew he was in serious trouble. What with both the grotesque stranger claiming to be his father , and Sinister here together. He realized escaping was going to be a lot more difficult, especially after the trap he'd already fallen into. This whole place was likely to be rigged.
But he couldn't just think about himself. He had to get his mother out too. For so long he'd feared she was dead, and then after a time his mind had blocked out the horror of his childhood until memories of his time before New Orleans and the Guild were vague and hazy at best.
He started as the door to his room slid open, and realized that he'd either been too distracted or his spatial awareness hadn't sensed an approach. Sorrel strode in followed by two armed guards. She showed no recognition of her son, and Remy sat back warily as she turned and dismissed the guards. Remy remained silent as Sorrel looked at him. He watched her eyes take in everything about him from the tips of his boots to his soft, unruly, auburn hair, then she moved.
Remy shrank back almost instinctively. He had no idea what to make of this woman... his mother.
Sorrel hid her hurt at this sign of rejection, but moved forward anyway. She sat next to him and clasped his head gently between her hands. She felt him trembling, and saw the wariness in his eyes. She smiled sadly and ran her hands through his thick, soft hair, before pulling him into an embrace.
"My son!" she whispered to him, and felt him relax ever so slightly in her arms. Still he did not say anything, so she decided it would be up to her to break the silence.
"Your father sent me to make sure you had healed properly," she said hesitantly.
Remy marveled at how little her voice had changed. Finally he spoke. "Gambit fine. 'Twas you non? Who healed me."
"Yes"
"He really my father?"
"I'm afraid so," Sorrel said sympathetically.
There was silence for a moment, then finally Remy spoke.
"What happened maman? Why you leave me?" All the repressed loneliness and desperation laced his voice and made him sound more childlike.
Tears formed in Sorrel's eyes and holding them back was a pointless struggle, they fell rapidly.
"I'm so sorry Remy. I never wanted to. You must believe me. I knew David was following us when I put you on that bus, so I had to leave you, hoping to lead your father on a false trail. I had every intention of coming to the bus station to fetch you but he caught me. For days he relentlessly questioned me, trying to find out where you were, and in the end when I could take no more, I told him. He used his machines..." Sorrels voice trailed off and a shadow crossed her face, then in a still shaky voice she continued. "By that time you had left the station. I was so thankful he hadn't caught you. I plotted to escape and find you, but David took measures against that. He had Nathaniel block all my memories of you and replaced them with ones he felt were best to ensure my obedience, and then he changed me."
"How?" Remy asked.
"After some tests on other people he finally worked out how to create stable mutations. He changed me just before he changed himself."
"But what did he do to you Maman?" Remy asked again.
"This healing gift he gave to me. I am thankful to him for that at least. The changes on himself were more significant as you can see."
"Maman, we have to get out of here," Remy urged her.
"It's no good Remy. David is too careful. He'll never let us get away," Sorrel said despairingly.
"My friends will come after me," Remy said stubbornly.
"It would do no good. Many have sought to defeat David and all have failed. In most cases they have become his new experiments. I hope for your friends sake that they never find us."
"You don' know my friends," Remy said.
"Enough Remy. To talk of this is futile. You have grown into such a strong and handsome young man, enough to make any mother proud."
"A father also I think," a voice said from the doorway.
Sorrel and Remy turned as one in shock to face David.
"Sorrel, I see that your mind block did not last. I wonder if our son had anything to do with that. We shall soon see, now come along both of you."
Sorrel began to weep but Remy leapt to his feet and stood in front of her.
David's eyes narrowed. "Fighting will only waste time, now come along. We really need to improve your manners. You should show obedience to your parents."
For an answer Remy charged a playing card in his hand and threw it at David. It hit him squarely in the chest and Remy could see the burnt skin, but the only cry of pain he was expecting came from his mother instead. He turned in surprise to see her clutching her chest.
"Maman, what's wrong?" he asked in concern.
"Your mother didn't tell you about the little safeguard I have? No? I have attuned her mind to mine. Any pain I feel I can transfer to her instead. It also ensures obedience from you both. Hurt me and you hurt your mother."
Remy's jaw dropped in shock. Now what was he going to do?
David started laughing. "Come, I've had enough of playing games. Follow me." He turned and left the room and Remy found Sorrel following.
"Maman, stop."
"I cannot Remy, he has control over me." Tears fell down Sorrels cheeks.
Remy stepped resignedly out of the room and was grabbed on both sides by two of David's guards. They marched him after his mother and father towards the lab.
end of part 7.