What Someone is Willing to Give

What Someone is Willing to Give
By: Vainglorious696

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This is a brutal story containing graphic violence, MATURE THEMES, and dark imagery. You have been warned, therefore, please use your discretion accordingly. Thank You. ~Vain

Vain: Wow, you people actually like this. Hmm. As of 7/15/2001, I have this posted @ my page up to CH: 20-something. But I think I should introduce my muses. This is Remy.

Remy: Salut, mes amies

Vain: This is Sinister.

Sinister: . . .

Vain: Well, he's rather anti-social . . . *brightens* But these are Ken, Wormmon, and the Emperor—er, Kaiser.

Ken: Hi.

Wormmon: Hi

Kaiser: What the hell are we doing here?! This IS NOT even our genre! Well? Ken, get off your ass! You too, slug! We are leaving!

Wormmon: Oh, dear.

Ken: Um . . . We should go, Vain.

Vain: But—Damnit . . . I had better go get them. I kind of need them to live. BRB.

Sinister: Just so you know, Vain doesn't own anyone or thing except Sin, Kiltcher, the White Guard, and the voices in her warped little mind.

Remy: *sigh* Jus' enjoy de fic, non?

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Part Five

Sinister fixed a deadly glare at the inoffensive computer screen in front of him. This simply couldn't be right. He had swept the astral and empathic planes. He had scanned for every known variation of his biosignture available. He had tripled checked his surveillance cameras at Westchester. He had contacted his own eyes and ears, several mutual acquaintances, the mutant underground, and expended several thousand dollars in the past week alone. He had even gone so far as to contact all the Guild Branches of all the Guilds of which his considerable knowledge made him aware and visited Jean Luc himself. And his results? Nothing. Zip, zilch, and nada. Remy Lebeau may as well have fallen off of the face of the Earth.

This simply could not be right. "Scalphunter! Get in here now!"

The mutant in question entered immediately. A wry grin adorned a face which should have been handsome, but somehow fell short. "You shrieked, bossman?"

Essex shifted his glare to the heavy man now at his side. "I am not in the mood for your games, Gray Crow. Have you heard from Gambit as of late?"

"Lebeau?"

"There is only one."

A puzzled expression contracted the Marauder's brow. "No. Why?"

Essex's eyes blazed and he began to walk menacingly towards his employee. "DO NOT PLAY WITH ME!" His voice was a roll of thunder. The sheer volume alone should have been enough to floor the blond haired man, if not kill him.

Scalphunter winced in pain and raised his hands defensively as he backed away from the enraged scientist. He didn't know what had Essex so upset, but he also had no intention of finding out the hard way. Figures that this would have something to do with you, kid. What have you gotten yourself into now?

Sinister's voice dropped to a low, but no less menacing, hiss. "Lebeau has been missing now for well over two weeks, and I cannot track him. Moreover, nobody has seen him in that time, including the underground and the Guilds, and Xavier and Wolverine have been running themselves ragged trying to hide his absence and discover his location. I am well aware that the two of you have periodically been in contact ever since he escaped me as well as the fact that each time you have tried to persuade him to return to my fold. The boy confides in you, Scalphunter. He trusts you. And if I discover that you are withholding information about his current situation or location from me, your agony will end only when you have no sanity left with which to recognize it; even death cannot save you from me! You know this to be true."

Gray Crow's hands were shaking. "I swear to you, boss, I swear, I have not seen or heard anything from Remy Lebeau since he came to you with Creed on an errand from the Mutant Farm. I swear it! Ask Sabertooth: he was the last of us to see him. Try him."

Essex narrowed his eyes dangerously, and, for just one moment, Scalphunter feared for his life. Then, without warning, the moment was over. "Get out of my sight."

Gray Crow stumbled backwards, nearly falling in his haste.

"Gather the others."

Never turning his back to Sinister, the Marauder desperately struggled to keep from running.

"Find me Lebeau!"

He hit the exit panel, frantic to get out of the room.

"NOW!!!!!"

This last was a howl, like some sort of wounded beast. Gray Crow turned and ran for his life.

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