"Keep her still now, I think she's coming around," someone said in the distance. Raye slowly opened her eyes. An old man was standing above her. She felt a shudder of power. Panicking, she forced three metal claws out of her knuckles. That was one of Logan's powers. "Now, now," the old man said. She felt a strange tugging. She forced the claws back in.

"I'm sorry for the brutal way you arrived here but we like to keep our privacy. You of all people know about secrets," he said. "I am Magneto and I understand your slave name is Raye."

"It's not a slave name," she said. "But I've heard all about your Brotherhood of Mutants and I'm not interested," she said flatly. She searched through her memory to find some power that could be useful but nothing came to mind. She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair. She lifted the blanket covering her and looked down. She was wearing a nightgown that barely stretched to her mid-thigh.

"I'm sorry to say that you are interested, whether you like it or not. Now, I am aware you found the computer we abandoned two days ago. Do you know what that computer contained?"

"Some stupid city files. What does that have to do with--?" she trailed off. "You knew that was me?"

"Of course we did my dear!" he chuckled. "But those stupid city files also contained very important information. The location of certain files at the FDA and Worthington labs."

"Worthington labs, where the cure was made?"

"Yes, that Worthington labs. Anyway, the FDA has created a strain of a virus and do you know who that virus affects?"

"Mutants," Raye concluded. "And you want to test it on me, don't you?"

"What a smart girl! And do you know why?" the old man said.

"Because of my power," she whispered, fear finally setting in.

"And? There's more my pretty little heiress." The woman came over and strapped her arms down. She swabbed a tiny area on the crook of her elbow.

"I'm rich."

"Yes! They will pay to have the cure for you and once they have that, Mystique will slip in and steal it, protecting the brethren from their doom," he said.

"I'll die even if they did get a cure. I would be the first. And once the CDC figures out that it was their virus that killed me, they'll release it on everyone to cover up the slip. It'll be a pandemic," Raye muttered. Magneto faltered. He approached her slowly.

"You are a smart child. It is remarkable how someone who suffered so much can still harness a love for humans," he said, his eyes darting between hers. He began pacing a few feet away. "My parents were taken from me when I was just about your age. I know what it's like to be branded a freak, a menace, a mutant."

"Then why don't you do something about it?" Raye asked through gritted teeth.

"I am, my dear. I tried to understand their hatred but m own was sparked. And then brothers like you and X-Men come along to protect them. You fight the history and tradition of the universe. We are dominate."

"And killing us will help?"

"You are a sacrifice we must make. With the cure to the virus, the mutant race will be unstoppable. You see, once you die and the cure is found, there is nothing left to slow our natural progression. Luckily, we've got some technological friends to reprogram sentinels." Out of the corner of her eye she saw the fire-breather, her Ferrier. That was their inside man, the person who knew when to get her and how. "Thank you so much for all your help in this, Raye," he whispered, leaning close again. The woman stuck her arm. A chill swept over her as darkness crept into the corner of her eyes.

"Release her. She can't be tracked, go on," Magneto whispered. "I'm sorry this had to happen. I truly am," he whispered in her ear. That was the last thing she heard.

"Put her down, gently now. Steven, hurry! She doesn't look like she'll make it through the night," a woman whispered. "Fix her head." The blood rushed to Raye's ears as she awoke in agony. She kept her eyes closed, too afraid to open them.

"Why don't we just take her to the hospital Clarisse?"

"No, the hospital's an hour away. We should do what we can here," she replied. Raye discreetly felt her side under the blanket. Dried blood covered a blister on her abdomen.

"Stitch her up. Did you see that cut on her side?"

"With what?"

"Your fishing kit!" Raye strained to catch more of their conversation but she soon slipped into unconsciousness.

"Steven, she's waking up. Get the aspirin! Hurry!" Clarisse hissed. Raye let her head roll. She remembered them talking about her blister. She moaned despite herself. "Hush now baby. We're here, everything's okay."

"Where am I? Who are you?" Raye groaned.

"You're in New Jersey, just across the Hudson. Do you remember us at all?"

"No, should I?"

"You were speaking to us when we found you. I'm Clarisse and this is my husband Steven," Clarisse said.

"What did I say?"

"Nothing, really. You were talking about fire and your parents or something."

"I have to get out of here," Raye said. She sat up slowly, screaming in pain. She slumped back onto the couch. She focused on Steven.

"You've got a nasty slice in your side. I stitched it up for you."

"Thanks, where's my ring? It was my mother's, I need it back."

"Here, it's right here," Clarisse said timidly. She slipped it back onto Raye's finger. Suddenly, Raye vomited. She had never felt so sick. She thought of Logan but nothing happened. She couldn't heal herself. She screamed an agony as another blister oozed open on her arm.

"I think we should go to the hospital now," Steven whispered. Raye swallowed nervously. Her power didn't work. She really was going to die. The, Magneto's words echoed in her head. No, they would find a cure. They had to.