Ororo looked around the room in fear. She was bound to a bed, a gown she didn't want to admit was beautiful clung to her as she struggled uselessly. She had been waiting for Sinister for what it seemed hours, but was probably only minutes. Left alone in the metallic room her mind roamed, and she wished she could see Remy.

"Welcome my dear." Confusion swept across her face as she heard the voice.

"Who are you?" It sounded like an evil…an evil computerized voice. The malevolence was thick in the air, causing her to struggle more.

"You don't recognize my voice? For shame…" He chuckled and stepped into the room. Ororo gasped involuntarily at the sight. As Sinister came closer she recoiled, his grotesque form revolting her. "What, you don't like what you see? You caused me to evolve…in ways I didn't predict, but its evolution none the less."

"What do you want with me and Remy?" He stepped closer to her and she tried to breathe as he stared her in the eyes. No life, no compassion, only driven selfishness and the desire to bring the world into the age of his rule. He smiled, a truly horrifying gesture with his fangs bared.

"I need you Ororo." She shivered at how he said it.

"Why do you need me? You have Psylocke."

"No, she cannot do what I want. I have perfected my method of manipulating the cells of mutants, thanks to you. I need a large energy source."

"Then use the sun."

"I need electrical energy."

"I don't produce it when I'm dead." Sinister laughed, a scrapping sound devoid of all joy, a digital tinge to it.

"I don't want to kill you just yet my dear. You are too valuable to me alive." Psylocke stepped out of the shadows with electrodes in her hands, and proceeded to attach them to Ororo's temple, wrists, and collarbone. "You see these…" He motioned to the electrodes. "They usually measure pulse and things like that. But these aren't ordinary, nor is the bed your lying on ordinary."

"What do you plan on doing to me?" She grimaced as Psylocke pushed her head back on the bed.

"I plan on seeing if your body can withstand the jolt of a lightning bolt without your powers. I've thought about that for a while…" Ororo's eyes widened in fear.

"You'll kill me! My powers are what enable me to withstand a bolt of lightning!"

"We'll see, won't we. Are we ready?" He turned to Brainchild, who brought out a small measuring device.

"Yes Master."

"Begin then."

*

Remy jerked as he heard a scream…that could only be Ororo. "Stormy!!" He screamed pushing against his chains. He was in a rage, all coherent thought left him as he heard the pain in her voice. The scream died away, and he slumped to the ground, fearing for her life. What had he done? And what could he do now?

He kicked the floor with his boot, pulling on the chain that held his left wrist. His boot clanged and he stopped. Hitting his heel again, he could have kicked himself. He brought his foot up and took off his shoe, removing the flap above the heel inside the shoe. His emergency lock picking kit. They took the other one when they destroyed his duster.

He worked quickly, breaking out of his chains and then the door. The hall was empty and he put his shoe back on and ran down the passage quickly. Stopping, he heard her scream again, livid. Realizing it came from the other direction he bolted down that way, intent on finding her.

*

"Please…" Ororo panted, almost out of her mind with the pain her body couldn't handle.

"Please what? You said only your powers allowed you to take the brunt of a lightning strike and survive. Yet you are still here." Sinister ran a pale hand down her arm.

"It hurts."

"I'm only trying to do what's best for you. Remy didn't care for you. If he did he would have stayed away."

"I love Remy." Sinister snatched his hand back and motioned to Brainchild.

"Do it again. Until she pledges her allegiance to me only! More power."

"No…please!" Ororo screamed as the electricity coursed through her body, causing her to glow brightly. Her body could barely handle the power, her garments smoking as she thrashed around to futilely escape the pain.

Psylocke bit her lip to keep from screaming herself. When she was first brought here she was in the same position the Ororo was in, tortured until she was broken down and would accept orders. Caught as she was trying to kill him, contracted from someone else. He tortured the information out of her, then sent her to kill her employer. He put her though so much pain it was unthinkable to even try to escape at that time. Sabertooth had followed her like a glove, and in her emotional state it would have been impossible to get away from him.

They let the electricity recede and Ororo's body relaxed involuntarily, sagging to the cold metal beneath her. Brainchild looked at his readings and smiled. "Master! Master…it's going up like you said!" He showed him the reading.

"You doubted my intelligence?"

"No Master, never master. I am a stumbling child compared to your intellect." Sinister smiled faintly as he walked over to Ororo. She was so still she looked dead, but the monitor beside her showed a strong heartbeat.

"I guess you're more powerful than you thought." She opened her eyes and he grinned harder. They were pupiless despite the level of the dampening shield around her.

"Let me go."

"What?"

"Let me go, and I'll try not to kill you." Sinister laughed and stepped back.

"Do it again."

*

Remy knew his spatial sense wasn't working, but he still knew he was lost. Stairwells and passages abounded, but he couldn't tell where he was. Ducking into a doorway he stilled himself as someone passed him. It was a woman, he recognized her as Vertigo. Stepping out quickly he grabbed her around the neck and pulled her against him, stepping into the opposite stairwell.

"You know somet'ing. I will break your neck if you don give me what I wan to hear." He put all of his charm power with his words and he felt her start to shake.

"Please don't hurt me. What do you want to know." He looked down at her wrist and saw a silver bracelet.

"What's dat?" He pointed to her wrist.

"It's to counteract the effects of the compound's shielding. If you're not wearing one, you can't use your powers here. Except the Master of course."

"Take it off." She hesitated and his hands around her neck squeezed harder. Pulling it off she handed it to him and he slipped it on. It was like being hit with a car. All of his awareness came back and suddenly he knew what he needed to do. Remy jabbed Vertigo in the neck, causing her to drop to the ground soundlessly. He took a quick look around and felt two guards coming, low level mutants. He needed a little workout.

*

"I don't think this is safe." Psylocke said softly, looking at the readings Ororo was giving. Outside the sky was dark and clouds rolling in, the wind picking up. "Will that shield hold her?"

"The Master made it. Of course it will." He turned to Sinister. "She'll go Omega shortly Master."

"Excellent."

*

She was trapped. Trapped inside her own mind, and she couldn't, didn't want to get out. Outside there was only pain, fighting and struggle. Inside she didn't have to feel anything. Why was she holding back? Why couldn't she for once, just let go? Totally and unequivocally be free? The pain was almost gone….

Psylocke knew what she was doing was wrong. It gnawed at her like few things have, seeing an innocent person, a person who used their life to fight for mutants, tortured to what would surely be her death. Touching her mind a few times, she hated herself. No animosity towards her at all. If she were in her place, she would hate herself, with good reason. Maybe it's time to stop going along out of fear.

She turned as the wall behind Brainchild started to glow. Instinctively moving away, it exploded, a large chunk of debris catching the small man in the head. He fell with a wet thump as Sinister vaulted over the bed Ororo laid on. "Who dares to defy me?" He screamed maniacally.

Remy stepped out of the smoke and threw a charged rock, the projectile landing at his feet. It exploded on impact and threw Sinister backwards, crashing against the control module for the shielding. "How could you…what did you…" His voice trailed off as he saw the device on his wrist. "How intelligent of you. I forget you have some smarts in that empty, lust filled head of yours."

"Dis ends now. Either you die or I die. But either way I'll be rid of you." Remy picked up a good sized rock and shot it at Sinister. He tried to dodge but it caught him in the side of the chest, exploding. He went down hard, his body already foaming.