Chapter 5 The Acolytes' Discussion

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~1 am, the next day:

"Well," growled Sabertooth. "What did she do to me?"

The Acolytes were still recovering at Magneto's base. "Remy t'inks it be Rogue, 'cept dere's only one of her, and she don't look none like what we seen wit' our own two eyes each."

"Did you contact Magneto?" asked Piotr.

"I ga-ron-tee," said Gambit. "And I called in to de Prof' too, jes' in case, but he's yet ta get back to ol' Remy."

"Wail, wail, wot 'ave we 'ere, moyts?" Pyro was beaming at the computer display. "It's a roight good thing Oy wuz smart and gave 'er a tracking devoice."

"What?" asked Remy.

"Wail, she woz bein' rather flirty, and I decided ta give 'er moy nummer, but Oy don't really have one that I can use, and she wuz too coy ta let me 'ave 'ers, an' so Oy slipped a lil' devoice on 'er so's Oy could find 'er later if Oy needed ta."

"So where is she?"

"It lawst power a few hours ago, but she wuz in this lo-kay-shee-un for a good while," he pointed to a spot on the map. Ya know, wouldya like me to moyke some fire-mares with moy flame an' get ya there quicka?"

Gambit looked at the display. "Hmm... let's try to do some reconnaissance before we do a full frontal attack, mes amis."

Beast was looking over Jamie, who had been listless and tired all day, in the infirmary. He was now having trouble sleeping, and yet Hank McCoy couldn't figure out what was wrong with him.

"Hello, Bones," said Professor X as he wheeled into the room.

"Ha, ha," replied Beast. "You've got me confused with another Dr. McCoy.

"But you are the real Mc-"

"Charles, do you want to be a quadriplegic? And no jokes about the Hatfields, either."

"Okay, so do you know what's wrong?"

"Only that Jamie has been more clumsy than usual this morning, and yet he hasn't produced a single clone."

"Hmm...has this happened before?"

"Once."

"When was that?"

"When Rogue's powers went out of control. She had drained him when she freaked out at the concert. But I asked Rogue and she hadn't touched him."

"Still, maybe we should jostle Rogue a little. See if she shows signs of having absorbed Multiple."

"It is unlikely that she would hold the powers this long."

"Well, I guess I'll just check my voice mail before turning in."

"I'll give Jamie some warm milk or some herbal tea."

"You know," said Jamie dryly, "I am in the room. You can talk to me, you know."

"Sorry," mumbled Hank.

When he heard the message, Charles blanched. Four girls had absorbed the powers of the Acolytes. Four girls just like Rogue - she could have used Jamie's powers. And Mystique's. But - when would she have gotten Mystique's powers? There were no other shapeshifters that Xavier was aware of in the vicinity, so it had to be Mystique. But she wasn't here - was she? She'd been kidnapped, perhaps, and forced to touch Rogue. But why? Who would have...

"Mesmero!" Charles grew even paler. He turned on the intercom and practically yelled into it, "X-Men! Wake up! I think Mesmero's going after the third key!"

He quickly took the phone off the hook and called Jean's dorm room at the college. He would tell her, and she, being only two buildings away from Scott, could use her telepathy to inform him.

Meanwhile, using Colossus' bike, Remy had driven forty miles out of town. Only another thirty to go before he reached where Rogue had stayed. He wasn't sure exactly what to do when he got there, other than be really quiet and to see if he could get some information.

Using Cerebro had been remarkably easy. Charles had spotted Rogue, or rather two Rogues, going to the Himalayas, and some earlier research with Magneto had suggested that something that Apocalypse had wanted was in Egypt.

Charles sighed. What should he do? He didn't want to play into Apocalypse's hands. Magneto had already been tricked into opening the second door. What if he were to be similarly used?

About an hour later, he was addressing all of the assembled X-Men. "I think we need a plan. We are about to face an enemy one thousand times as daunting as Magneto ever was."