Within the confines of a child filled park outside of Salem Center, New York. Two X-Men have just been confronted by one of their greatest enemies. Sinister stands face to face with the mutants Rogue and Gambit, his hands clasped together behind his back. Rogue looks away from him, looks towards her son. A child she thought she would never be able to conceive and quickly stares back at Sinister.

Remy LeBeau steps towards the mutant scientist and whispers to him, "Not now Essex. My son was never apart of this. Leave him out of this or so help me…"

"You'll what Mr. LeBeau? Your child, your very life is as much mine as it is yours. Do not ever assume to forget that. I am not here to negotiate any longer. You knew the deal and now payment in full must be made. You know what I ask, and if you desire that child to remain living you will give it to me," Sinister points to Remy and Rogue's son with one hand and in the other he holds a needle containing some unknown liquid.

Remy screams, "Rogue, get Charles," and as Rogue runs towards their son, Remy snatches the needle from Sinister's hand. As he turns Rogue has just grabbed their son and holds him, protecting him like only a mother can. The child begins crying not knowing what is going on.

"Remy, what's goin' on sugah?"

The mutant Gambit walks up to his lover and son and hugs the both of them. "I'm sorry, Petite," is his only answer as he sticks Rogue with the needle and she collapses in his arms. Tears stream down Remy's face and he stands with Rogue in his arms.

"You have made the right decision Mr. LeBeau. Bring her and the child," Sinister says as he reopens a teleportation portal and steps through it. Remy carries Rogue and calls to his son to follow as he walks into Sinister's portal.

*****

A day ago, the worlds most powerful mutant telepath and the master of magnetism survived an assassination attempt which resulted in the entire island of Genosha being destroyed. They are now hundreds of miles beneath the surface of that same island, in what Magneto has dubbed his War Room. Charles has spent the last several hours being briefed on how far Magneto has actually gone to preparing himself for such an attack. The War Room is populated by dozens of mutants loyal to Magneto, each performing a specialized task or carrying for survivors of the attack.

"Magnus, how long have you actually been preparing for something like this to happen?"

"A lot longer than you can imagine, Charles. While you worked towards guiding mutant-human relations, I have been gathering those willing to fight when you eventually failed. This is my Brotherhood, Charles. We outnumber your X-Men, because we knew a war was inevitable."

"Lord Magneto, we've finally been able to locate confirmation data to clarify Gamesmaster beliefs."

"Forge, he said it would happen and it did. What more confirmation did you need?"

"Forge…? What are you doing here? I never believed you would be one to follow Magneto."

"Professor, as much as I believed in your dream, I also knew the possibilities of what would happen if it failed. I have worked with Lord Magneto since the beginning. It is why I elected both Mystique and Sabretooth for membership while I lead X-Factor."

"Has everyone reported in, Forge?"

"We are still expecting arrivals within the next several hours, Lord Magneto. Madrox, Cargill, and Sunfire have just arrived. They are being debriefed as we speak."

"Good."

"Magnus… what is going on here? I thought you refused to enter into this war. You have an entire army on call and you refused me? Why, Eric?"

"Charles, I have always been looked upon as a terrorist and any action of the kind would have brought far too much unwanted attention to Genosha. Now we have been attacked and will answer in kind. Call your X-Men, Charles. This war will be over far sooner than Apocalypse could imagine. He will pay for the innocents killed here."

*****

Deep within the laboratories of Mister Sinister, the mutant Rogue begins to regain consciousness. She realizes immediately that Sinister has kidnapped her and probably her child, even more shockingly is that Remy helped him do it. As she tries to sit up, it is made abundantly clear that she is strapped to some sort of machine of Sinister's. She begins looking around the room trying to find away to escape.

As her eyes roam the room, she finally spots Sinister. Standing next to him are Remy, who is holding their son. "What's goin' on here, Remy?"

"Ahhh… I was awaiting your return back to the coherent Marie," Sinister replies to her in a mock concerned voice. "I think it is far past time you knew who you have chosen to raise a child with," Sinister makes a gesture which draws Rogue's eyes to Remy. He can't bring himself to look at her and instead kisses their son gently upon his head.

"Remy, how could ya do this t'me? Ah know ya Remy, what ever Sinister is forcin' ya to do, don't Remy."

Sinister walks closer to Rogue and caresses her brow. "You claim to know Mr. LeBeau? Allow me to enlighten you about your son's father, Marie. Over twenty years ago, a family who had the genetic potential to create, in several generations, something beyond a mutant, were flying down the Western American coast. I had already been keeping a watch on the offspring of Christopher Summers, and when his aircraft was attacked by an alien race known as the Shi'ar, I was given the perfect opportunity to gain even more knowledge of his children.

Before I was able to teleport inside of the aircraft, Christopher had already tried to save his two children, Scott and Alex, by having them parachute from the craft. His third son was far too young to survive such an ordeal. Grasped in his mother's arms, Raymond Summers, would soon meet a fate that would not be best for the plans already in motion. I wiped all traces of Raymond from the minds of Christopher and his wife, Katherine Anne, allowing me to teleport myself and the infant child to safety.

After the incident, I began searching for the other two children with much success. I found Scott, the eldest of the Summers, in a hospitable suffering in a coma. While posing as one of his doctors I entered his mind and erased any knowledge of his youngest sibling. I then did the same with Alex, effectively eliminating any known existence of Raymond.

I raised the child as my own, after losing the wife and only child of my own, I must say it was in itself a very… moving experience for me. Eventually, everything must come to an end, including the pseudo father-son relationship I created with Raymond. His potential was only surpassed by that of his immediate brother, Alex, but still certain restrains were put upon him and he was released into the streets of New Orleans, where he was adopted into the Thieves' Guild. There he was raised to become a rather accomplished thief, but he never forgot me.

Over the years, I have helped and been helped by my surrogate son, now named Remy LeBeau, but never so much when he realized his true potential. Of all the Summers children he has been the only to break through his conditioning. Both Scott and Alex still cannot completely control their powers, but Remy… ahhh, my dear young Remy, has surpassed all expectations I had for him.

I have lost track of my story… after Remy's powers manifested and he gained some control over them, I cut all ties with him and suggested he join with the X-Men. While I had studied all mutants intimately, and realizing the potential you had, Marie, having the two of you meet was essential. After Remy joined, the rest was left up to the two of you. Love, the greatest weapon I have ever been able to yield. You have given us a true heir to Apocalypse, Rogue. When your son reaches his mutant potential the world will crumble."

Rogue looks at Gambit, not believing any of what Sinister has told her, "Remy… he's controlling your mind. Break out of it. Ya can beat him, Remy. Ah know ya can."

Gambit doesn't answer her and simply walks out of the room, with their son still clasped in his arms. Sinister then places a headpiece upon Rogue's head and places several needles into her arms. Rogue, through a torrent of tears, asked, "What have ya done to him, Sinister?"

"Right now, Marie, I'd be more concerned with yourself than with Mr. LeBeau," Sinister presses several buttons and Rogue's body is racked with pain. It feels worse than anything she has ever felt before, as if her very blood was on fire. "Rejoice, Marie, the genetic reconstruction is painful and takes quite awhile to complete, but afterwards you shall be the newest Horseman for Apocalypse."

Rogue's only response is a yell that soon fills the entire laboratory. While outside the door, the mutant Gambit listens to the woman he loves screaming in pain. He tries to cover his son's ears and again kisses him on his brow. "I'm sorry, Chere. I'm so sorry, but you'll know soon enough… I did this for us. For all of us."

To be continued…

Author's Notes

Gimme more reviews. Next chapter- the horseman war and the formation of an army