A/N: Thanks for all the fish. It helps to ease the pain. No I have no idea
what I'm talking about. Hope you like the nice long chapters. Anyway.
onward.
Diorama of Luck
Scott stood in his room, staring almost blankly at the wine glass in his hand. His meeting with Sinister had not gone as he had expected. Again Sinister had muttered about improving him, though Scott had no idea what he meant. Sinister was the one who had developed his visor. He had always complained about not being able to find something more easy for Cyclops to fight with. This time Scott had seen plans for a gauntlet type of glove, with tubes coming out of it. Scott had not understood, until Sinister explained that the gloves would be easier for Scott to use. Scott then realized what the tubes were for. Sinister had also verified Scotts reckoning by telling him exactly what he had in mind. He would attach the tubes to the back of Scotts visor. He would direct the flow of the optic to the gauntlets through which Scott would be able to shoot the blasts from his hands, much like Alex was able to. Scott had waited until Sinister finished to explain his reservations.
Yet Sinisters arguments were sound and Scott had agreed to it. Besides Sinister wasn't done yet. There were still some modifications to go through, until he could get a working model. Scott knew that the gauntlets would only increase his abilities. He would need the extra boon. The X-men were strong. Xavier had trained them well. The feral was a very accomplished fighter, far beyond Cyclops. It was only because of his quick action using his optic blasts he had survived. Magneto was far more skilled in the usage of the control that Polaris was. It was only Polaris's sheer will that had kept her able to fight Magneto. If the redheaded telepath had not broken the magnetic field made, Scott was certain Polaris would be dead now. The telepath herself was worrying, she was quite strong and she knew telekinetic tricks as well. That too was worrying. Scott had ample shielding against telepaths, but Telekinetic attacks were something he was not used to. He was lucky the redhead had been weak at the time she attempted to stop his attack on Xavier. She may have succeeded. There was something about her that worried him, but he was not sure exactly what that was.
He shook his head, that was something to be taken up later. Another worrying mutant was the feral. Scott had only gone up against a feral once before and that feral had taken Scott to the very end of his limits. It was only because of Scott's armor that he had survived. Sabretooth had been a very tough enemy. Now he was more experienced, back then he had been a Prelate only two years. He had finished off the feral with a massive optic blast, one that made his big blast of the battle against Xavier seem like a slingshot. The feral had disappeared under a building that had fallen to the blast, completely raw. The feral that was with Xavier had been fast. Scott barely managed to block him, and counter. Weapon X would be an impressive enemy in hand to hand fighting. Without his powers Scott doubted he could have beaten him. Then again Weapon X had healing powers. That gave him a big edge in his fights. Another worrying one was the leader of Roulette, Gambit and another of his team Storm. Gambit was an enigma even to Sinister. Scott was the only one who knew that Sinister had once met Gambit and lost him, apart from Candra. Storm was an elemental, who were always trouble, but this one controlled wind, thunder and water, in terms of rain. Her sheer power was extraordinary. She may even be able to match the Externals in sheer power.
A voice boomed in his head. The Externals summoned him.
Scott came to a stop in front of the large door, which had a large stylized shape on it, that vaguely resembled an h and an s merged together. The hall where the Externals sat. Where of all the Prelates, he was the only one allowed. He took a deep breath and put his hand against the wall in a precise spot. The area around his palm glowed, then the door opened and Scott walked into the Hall of the Externals. The hall was not very well lit. The Externals themselves sat in shadowed booths. Scott strode to the centre of the room and knelt on one knee.
"Rise High Prelate Summers."
The voice came from the left most corner of the room. Exodus. The psychic vampire, a mutant it was said had nearly limitless abilities. After Sammael the eldest External. Scott rose to his feet. A lilting voice came from the centre of the room.
"So High Prelate, as before you have pleased us with your excellent stratagems. Your plan of attacking Roulette while you and the Prelates attacked the X-men proved most satisfactory. We captured one of them. She calls herself Psylocke, but her real name is Elizabeth Braddock."
Another voice spoke up. This time it was Sinister.
"She is being held in the containment area B3. You must question her."
Scott was taken aback. Questioning prisoner was usually the Prelate's job. If the Prelates could not get enough information out of the prisoner, then the prisoner was given to Dark Beast. Why was she being given to him? He did not voice any of his thoughts though. Once an order was given, the Externals expected it to be carried out without question. Archanfel spoke then. "She is telekinetic. She will be leashed of course, but still she also has various fighting skills. She could be well matched against you. She took down Krola. He was slated to become Prelate soon, or if any of our existing Prelates died. As I recall, you trained him yourself, due to his agility and strength."
Scott was stunned. Krola had been one of the best hand-to-hand fighters he had ever trained, or seen for that matter. He was a natural, and his mutant powers that were like a ferals, sans the healing power made him an excellent fighter. For someone to have overcome him in hand to hand, was a feat indeed. He voiced the question that burned in his mind.
"Was Krola defeated with or without her using her telekinesis?"
The answer came from Sammael.
"The dampener had been placed by that time."
That meant that the woman had beaten him without any powers. She would be a fearsome fighter indeed.
Candra spoke again, "After you are done with her, hand her over to Dark Beast, she must be conditioned. She would be useful against her old team and the X-men. Tell Dark Beast to be careful. We would not like to lose her."
Sammael spoke again. "You may leave."
Scott prostrated again, then turned and left the room.
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"Now that is a man."
Sinister smiled at Candra, "Truly my dear, your appetite is limitless."
Candra looked at Sinister, "Oh Sinister, you cannot be the only one who does not have desires. External or not, I am basically a human. With human wants, and human desires. Your boy is a man, and a very nicely packed one."
"I cannot say I have ever thought of him in that fashion. Yet you are right. He is a very handsome individual. His potential is great."
Sinister smiled at Candra, but inside he was thinking. Scott was indeed a man. And if the right woman was found, the progeny might be spectacularly powerful. Powerful enough to take down Apocalypse. It would need to be a telepath of course. Even a telekinetic would suffice. Either that or someone with enough raw power to destroy Apocalypses natural defense against any attack. Even a telepath would not be enough though. Apocalypse had mental defenses as good as his physical. But Sinister was convinced that he wasn't invulnerable. Something must be able to hurt him. The question was, what?
Exodus stared at Sinister. The man was deep in thought, but he could not read his mind. Sinisters mental block was powerful enough to resist any probe. Exodus disliked Sinister thinking. That mind held too many secrets. And his words almost always had several different meanings that could be attributed. What did Sinister mean by potential?
Still, he would not worry his mind over that. He had other matters. For example, what to do about Helena. If she found out about the prisoner, he did not know which side her loyalties may shift. When he searched her mind, he had found out that she was absolutely loyal to them, but she had strong feeling for Elizabeth Braddock, her childhood friend. He knew what a problem that could be. An earlier Prelate had turned traitor, upon finding his childhood friend on the enemy's side. It had led to he himself having to kill the Prelate. The Prelate was dangerous, with his knowledge of the Tower. He would deal with Helena tonight. Candra was right, they were basically human, though much more advanced, and had human desires. He could sate himself on Helena. She was one of few who could. He smiled slightly. There were also other pleasures in taking Helena. The feeling of pure control over another was the true aphrodisiac.
Archanfel looked musingly after the door that has closed. Sinisters protégé had indeed done well. If he had known that Scott Summers would become such an excellent Prelate, he would have taken him, himself. Instead, he had taken Lorna Dane, convinced that she, with her magnetic powers would help in defeating an old enemy. Magneto, Archanfels biggest enemy. He had been a thorn in Archanfels side for a long time. In one fight he had nearly killed the External. Archanfel had not forgotten that. Since Magneto's power was so rare, killing him would not be easy. Especially since he was very powerful. But when Archanfel had found the girl, he had leapt at the chance. He had learned much about the abilities of Lorna. He hoped that they were like Magnetos. If so Magneto would not survive him the next time they met.
Candra too looked after where Scott had gone. She had had her eye on him for a while now. He was a fine figure of a man. He was also very handsome. Unfortunately he was too level headed and was not likely to even consider her that way. She was his master, an External. He would not dare think of her that way. A pity. Scott would have been an excellent lover she was sure. He had that intensity. She had only seen it in few men. Xavier had had it, as had the Kinetic mutant. Gambit as he called himself now. Sinister had made himself a dangerous enemy the day he had thrown the assassin's daughter off the assassins tower. If only they knew what she did about men. She would not have made the mistake of killing her. Gambit would have capitulated. Of course the damn Prelate had not eased matters. Still, it was pointless to wallow in the past. Right now she needed a man, and Scott Summers was the only real man available.
Sammael watched the others muse. He could almost guess what they were thinking. They had always been transparent. Especially Sinister. Sammael knew about his plans to use the Summers as tools against Apocalypse. They would die for him, he knew that. He was not too sure if they would actually attack Apocalypse himself though, even at Sinisters command. Sammael himself had met Apocalypse years ago. He was the oldest External. Even then Apocalypse was at least two thousand years older than him. He had not been prepared for him and had come out the loser in that battle. Since then he had proclaimed himself loyal to him, and helped him consolidate his position of power, by killing off the Externals who had opposed Apocalypse. Now Sammael waited for Apocalypse to weaken. Then he would kill him. Sammael smiled. A rare thing for him to do. He would rule all.
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The containment area was not one where Scott was comfortable. If he could stand to see the suffering on the mutants faces, it was their cries of torment that struck a cord in him. He walked down the rows of cells. As he passed each cell he tried to ignore the look of hatred and fear that crossed each inmates face. These were the people he had captured, if not personally he still had a hand in it. The mutants knew that. That was the reason for the hatred. They also knew what he was capable of. That was the reason for their fear. Scott hardened his heart. He could not afford to be weak. The warden in front of him stopped at a cell. It was unmarked in any way, looking just like all the others. But this cell had an aura to it. He looked in. One girl was in there. She could not have been much older than any of the Prelates. Mid-twenties Scott judged. So this was the fearsome warrior. She glared up at him. Scott noted the scar on her eye, or was it tattoo? He couldn't tell. He motioned for her to come out. She came out silently. Defiance. There was an aura of defiance around the cell. Hatred, a little fear, but above all defiance. Scott permitted himself a small smile. This would be a battle as well as any, perhaps more difficult than most. He always reveled in challenges. Even one as disconcerting as this may be, he loved a challenge. He turned and walked away, motioning again for her to follow.
Betsy had not given up hope. She knew that when she had killed the Uber- leutnant, she would be in trouble. She had expected being given to Dark Beast, or to one of the Prelates, but certainly not the High Prelate himself. Cyclops. The man who led the assault against their rebel forces. According to Xavier he was an excellent tactician. He had proven that, so far, but he may just have been a figurehead. Yet whatever Betsy had expected, Cyclops was not it. This man was stiff, certainly and hard, but he was also very, very competent. The way he moved, the way he held himself. It showed that he was a formidable fighter. Her ability to judge someone's fighting potential was not something her abilities gave her. She could tell that because of her training. The only other person she knew who could judge a persons fighting capabilities from their stance and movements was Logan, The Weapon X. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, appearing to look grimly ahead. He led her into a room with two guards outside. They saluted him stiffly. He returned the salute almost lazily and opened the door. The inside was different from what Betsy would have imagined. From the way he held himself and what she had learned, she had expected him to have almost stark furnishings. Instead the sight inside was almost a pleasant surprise. The High Prelate had a taste for antique furniture. Stylized wooden chairs, with plush cushions were arranged tastefully around a wood and glass table. A plush maroon carpet was on the floor of the whole room, which was split level. On the lower level was the sitting area, on the elevated one was the entrance and on the other side from the entrance was a large mantle and two teak doors. The entrance itself was beautifully done, with a railing along the two foot higher edge of the entrance from the sitting area. There were two ways down, one was steps the other a slope. All carpeted in the beautiful red. Betsy barely suppressed a sigh. This was a beautiful home, but she would not let the bloody High Prelate know that.
"Come Miss Braddock, sit."
Cyclops motioned her towards a chair, sitting in another opposite her.
She was surprised.
Scott could tell from her facial expression. He smiled slightly, enjoying the hideous images that must have spread through her mind at his smile. She had no idea of his nature. For all she knew he might be sending her to the Dark Beast soon. He didn't have to like what he was doing to appreciate the challenge. She would have to break, for her own sake. Whatever mind games he played with her now would be nothing compared to what the Dark Beast would do to her if she didn't give him any information.
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Gambit stood in front of the assembled team. It consisted of his own team Roulette and the X-men. Of the X-men only Phoenix and Weapon X were the ones who had been there when Xavier had died. The others were Nightcrawler, Shadowcat. The perfect covert team. Weapon X, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Mystique and he himself were the best of all covert rebel operatives. Phoenix could make herself practically invisible, if the mutants had blocks that would be a problem though. Marrow and Storm could be shielded by Phoenix.
Renegade was able to be made invisible by Shadowcat. A sound team. For the risk they all would be taking by sneaking into the heart of the enemy base. Gambit had told them the plan, they were getting ready. Well except for Logan and Jean. They were with Rogue and Magneto, no doubt getting instructions other than what he said, They knew his teams propensity for risking their lives. It was why they were called Roulette, though Storm always did serve as the guiding wind, yet even she would risk a lot, much more than the others. Gambit bristled inside, they better not compromise any of his team to save their own supercilious asses. He wouldn't let anyone fall in Sinisters hands again, never again. At that point Logan and Jean came out conversing quietly. Gambit smiled at them.
"Ready to go mes amis?"
"Ready Gumbo."
Gambit smiled sincerely this time as he turned around to enter the X-jet. Logan would call him nothing but Gumbo. He never had, and no matter what happened, probably never would. The X-men and Roulette followed him in. Weapon X sat in the pilots seat and Nightcrawler took the seat beside him. The lithe demonic mutant had at first scared Remy all those years ago, when he had first met him as a trainee in Xaviers rebel island base. X-quarters. That had been a fine base, but The High Prelate had found its location and attacked it, decimating the place.
"Where exactly are we going mein freund?"
Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawlers voice was nothing like it's owner. It had a vibrant ring to it. It was a friendly voice. With a German accent to it.
"Yeah, I mean it's all well and good to say that we're going to the Tower, but we can't really approach it like a casual guest, or an assault on it. We have to go in on foot."
Gambit smiled. This was the only part of the mission he had not told them yet. He knew a very good spot. A perfect spot.
"Head for de Tower Weapon X. I'll be telling you where we gonna stop. Don' worry Kitty-cat. We gonna do dis safe."
Phoenix frowned at him, he smiled back. He knew the best way in, but he was damned if he would tell them his secrets where Magneto could hear them. He would wait until they had reached the Towers blanket. There he would tell them where to head. A kilometer from his intended spot. Amid darkness, he would take every precaution to ensure even Weapon X would not be able to get there again. The place he was taking them was his special place. Only Storm knew its location, and even that she didn't know how to get there exactly.
Two hours later the X-men and Roulette were making their way through streets piled high with rubble. There was no sign of any life, nothing stirred, not even insects. It was as though the place had been forsaken by any living creature. Only Gambit strode through the ruins as though he lived there. Jean felt uncomfortable here. Even with all the mental shields that Xavier and Moira had taught her to construct, there had always been the awareness, that there were hundreds of thousands of minds at work around her. Here there was nothing, and to her it felt as though something was missing. Even Logan looked uneasy. She flashed him a telepathic message. 'Worried huh? Same here.' Logan looked at her and smiled. 'Don't worry darlin' I'm just tense. It's too quiet. Gumbo is a gambler, but he wouldn't gamble with all our lives, and if we were heading into danger he'd tell us.'
Jean smiled back at him. He was trying to reassure and was partly right. Remy would not endanger them needlessly. He had better not.
They had just skirted what felt like the thousandth ruin, when Remy stopped in front of a door. Logan was looking puzzled; she would take him up on it later. Ororo seemed surprised, and a quick glance passed between her and Remy. Jean was curious, but decided to leave it. It probably was some place Ororo had been with Remy. Remy placed a palm against what seemed like just another brick. It apparently wasn't as it opened up a hidden door in the wall. The place it led to was a beautiful grotto, nestled among the desolation. It was a garden, filled with beautiful plants, and trees. This would be among the last few places on earth where greenery existed. She heard Kitty and Sarah gasp behind her. Sarah. that meant even Roulette hadn't been here in most likelihood.
"Oh, it's beautiful." Kitty's voice came out in a near whisper.
Jean agreed, it was beautiful, comparable to Xaviers own garden on the now destroyed X-quarters, and Moira's garden.
"Nice Gumbo, but I'm sure you didn't drag us all the way here to look at trees." Logan, gruff as ever, but she heard the wonderment under the disinterested tone.
"You're right homme, I didn't."
He walked to the other end of the room, and opened another door, using another hidden door. This led to an even more beautiful room, with a small pond and a large marble statue of some angelic being. The pool must be fed by an underground river. Then she was what the angel stood at the head of.
"A grave? Why'd you bring us to a grave Remy?"
Remy had been looking at the grave, with a look of deep sadness on his face. She heard Logan gasp and peered at the writing on the gravestone.
Here lies Belladonna Boudreaux. Beloved friend and lover. May she rest in peace.
Below that was something in French, which Jean couldn't read. This was Belladonna Boudreaux's grave. She had been the daughter of the assassins guildmaster. Remy had been the adopted son of the thieves guildmaster. The two guilds had been sworn enemies. Why was this here? Could Remy and Belladonna have.? Why had he brought them here? This was obviously a private place. She saw Remy kneel in front of the gravestone and ushered the others away.
Remy looked down at the grave, a deep pain in his chest. *Bella. my beautiful Bella. I could not save you, I'm sorry. Now another person is in danger, someone I knew and liked. A part of my team, and hence under my protection. Bella, I again ask you to forgive me, I couldn't save you. If I could turn back time, I would, for you. It's been a while I know, but I can still remember the day you were murdered by that scum Sinister. I promised you then and I promise you now. Give me strength, Bella please. Forgive me.*
Remy rose from his kneeling position. He turned to the group standing away from him watching him.
"Les' go mes amis."
He walked to the statue then and pressed his palm against the belly of the angel. The angel moved back a few feet, revealing a hole in the ground, where a ladder seemed to go down into nothingness. Remy gestured towards the others to enter the hole. Weapon X was the first to go, the others following. On passing Remy, Ororo put a hand on his shoulder and then went in. Remy was the last to go. He went down the ladder, pausing in the middle and touching a brick behind the rungs. The angel above them moved again, slowly sealing off light. Gavin came aflame then, providing light. Remy reached the bottom.
"Welcome my companions to de catacombs."
The others all went through varying degrees of shock, except Ororo who had been here before. The catacombs had been a thieves guild legend. A means of their quick travel. There were rumored to be several different openings, but all knowledge had been lost when the thieves guild had been destroyed by the Externals and all their members killed, except Remy. The heir to the guildmaster himself, the last thieves guild member.
Remy led them through the guild, as he was the only one who could read the runes, which guided those in the catacombs. He explained that there were many other entrances to the catacombs, but this was the closest to The Tower. He led them through a twisting maze of tunnels until they stopped in a large room.
"Dis is de room under de Tower. Dere's a way into de Tower, but it's dangerous. It leads to de containment area, where all de prisoners are held. We go in, get Betsy and get out."
The last was directed towards the X-men. Remy didn't want anyone getting idea's of revenge.
After they had discussed what was to be done, he led the way again, going up, the ladder there, and pressing a button. The room above was dark. It was apparently a storage room of some kind. Remy motioned to the others. It was time. Remy prayed that their luck would hold.
Weapon X, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler and Mystique ventured out first. They dealt with the guards quickly enough. More were ahead, so Phoenix implanted the suggestion in their minds that they should sleep for the next few hours. It was difficult as the guards had strong blocks themselves. The next thing to do was to find a list of prisoners. That would be more difficult, as only the first few guards were few in number. The containment area's themselves would have many more, and the alarm would be raised before too many could be taken down, and there was always the chance a Prelate might be down here. If that was true, then the mission would be at best a very difficult one, and a tough battle would be in store. For that the covert measures would have to be taken. Shadowcat would be able to stay hidden in shadows and phase through any objects. Weapon X knew enough ninjitsu tricks to be virtually invisible in the dark. Mystique assumed the form of a guard they had knocked down. Nightcrawler could blend in with the shadows, and Gambit himself was the final addition to the party. Marrow, Phoenix, Storm and Renegade would remain behind in the storage area awaiting the others. They would have to be quick. If Phoenix used a telekinetic shield, or any other powerful mutant power was utilized, then it would alert any sensors, or the Externals would pick up on it.
They crept out of the room, Shadowcat phasing them through the doors, to avoid any guards noticing the doors opening. The containment area was fairly brightly lit, with a few shadows. They needed to find a list, or a guard, who could be taken back to Phoenix for a mental scan. There was no office anywhere, but there was a notice board to the right of the storage doors. The walls were practically made up of cages, or containment units, half of which were filled with mutants. It was a pitiful sight, but they could not free them all. They just did the best they could. Free Psylocke for now, and somehow defeat the Externals and Apocalypse and free the mutant prisoners.
They made their way to the lists, though only Shadowcat could get close enough without attracting too much attention. She phased through a box, and stood behind it. She was fairly hidden. She scanned through the lists quickly. She was also the fastest reader, and found the name Elizabeth Braddock fairly quickly. She was held in containment area B3. When she reported to Gambit, he scowled. This was containment area B4. They had to go up a level.
They ventured upwards, and entered the containment area B3, avoiding any guards. There was a warden there. Psylocke was in containment unit 372. That was far from them they discovered, as they read the numbers on the ones closest to them.
The mutants inside couldn't even see out. They spread out again, and began looking for it. A few minutes later, Phoenix sent a telepathic message. Mystique had contacted her telepathically and informed her that the containment unit 372 was empty. They returned to the lower level and into the storage area. There was nothing to do but to confront the warden and find out where she was. They got ready and this time as soon as they went out, phasing again, they attacked. The guards were too stunned to form any resistance. Phoenix simply knocked one out by planting the suggestion in his mind to sleep. He dropped off to sleep. Weapon Xs claws dealt with another and Nightcrawler bamfed behind one and knocked him out with a chop to the jugular. Remy and Renegade dealt with the other two by using their agility and fists. Their powers were too loud to use. Storm blew three off their feet with a great gust of wind, but avoided using it again. Her powers may set off energy scanners. That left two, who Marrow felled with spikes through the stomach. Not enough to kill, but enough to keep them out, until medical assistance was given. Upon reaching the containment area B3, they attacked again, without mercy. Jean felled three with the sleep implant in their brains, and Weapon X took out two guards with a whirlwind attack of claws. Marrow again took two down with her spikes, while Gambit and Mystique, working in tandem knocked out three more. Storm took three more out with her wind, and Shadowcat smashed one into a wall, phasing through it herself. Nightcrawler bamfed in front of the retreating warden, who was attempting to sound an alarm. The warden was caught.
Jean looked the warden in the eyes. Their luck had held so far. Now they needed to find out where Betsy was. If she had been taken to Dark Beast they would recover her, if she was with the Externals, they were in trouble. Of them all only Xavier, Weapon X and Magneto from the X-men and Gambit from Roulette, had ever faced an External. And of them all only Magneto had come close to defeating one. Still Gambit would not leave his teammate. Even if they all left, he would remain behind. Still, Jean doubted she herself would leave any friend to the Externals. She would not leave Betsy either. They were not the greatest of friends, but she was somebody she knew.
"Where is Elizabeth Braddock, Psylocke?"
The warden refused to answer. Jean asked again, and this time the warden answered.
"Fuck you, rebel scum."
In reply Logan unsheathed his claws. Then brought one of them near the warden's throat. The warden went pale. Jean at the same time sent a panic signal into his brain. This caused the warden to become even paler. Jean then probed his mind. The threats had been enough for Psylockes location to come to the surface of his thoughts, as the warden considered telling them.
Jean staggered back as if hit. Logan slammed the warden into the wall, where the warden lost consciousness. Logan tuned to her, but she had regained her footing.
"Jeannie? What happened?" Logan asked, worriedly.
"It's Psylocke. she's with the High Prelate."
Remy looked stunned, his surprise mirrored on the other faces. Even though they had been expecting that Psylocke may have been sent to the Externals at worst, they had not figured on the High Prelate. Only marginally better than the Externals, and Jean and Logan had seen him in action firsthand to know that this mission had suddenly gone from having a fifty percent chance of succeeding, to slim or perhaps even none at all.
Their luck had just changed, for the worst, horribly.
Diorama of Luck
Scott stood in his room, staring almost blankly at the wine glass in his hand. His meeting with Sinister had not gone as he had expected. Again Sinister had muttered about improving him, though Scott had no idea what he meant. Sinister was the one who had developed his visor. He had always complained about not being able to find something more easy for Cyclops to fight with. This time Scott had seen plans for a gauntlet type of glove, with tubes coming out of it. Scott had not understood, until Sinister explained that the gloves would be easier for Scott to use. Scott then realized what the tubes were for. Sinister had also verified Scotts reckoning by telling him exactly what he had in mind. He would attach the tubes to the back of Scotts visor. He would direct the flow of the optic to the gauntlets through which Scott would be able to shoot the blasts from his hands, much like Alex was able to. Scott had waited until Sinister finished to explain his reservations.
Yet Sinisters arguments were sound and Scott had agreed to it. Besides Sinister wasn't done yet. There were still some modifications to go through, until he could get a working model. Scott knew that the gauntlets would only increase his abilities. He would need the extra boon. The X-men were strong. Xavier had trained them well. The feral was a very accomplished fighter, far beyond Cyclops. It was only because of his quick action using his optic blasts he had survived. Magneto was far more skilled in the usage of the control that Polaris was. It was only Polaris's sheer will that had kept her able to fight Magneto. If the redheaded telepath had not broken the magnetic field made, Scott was certain Polaris would be dead now. The telepath herself was worrying, she was quite strong and she knew telekinetic tricks as well. That too was worrying. Scott had ample shielding against telepaths, but Telekinetic attacks were something he was not used to. He was lucky the redhead had been weak at the time she attempted to stop his attack on Xavier. She may have succeeded. There was something about her that worried him, but he was not sure exactly what that was.
He shook his head, that was something to be taken up later. Another worrying mutant was the feral. Scott had only gone up against a feral once before and that feral had taken Scott to the very end of his limits. It was only because of Scott's armor that he had survived. Sabretooth had been a very tough enemy. Now he was more experienced, back then he had been a Prelate only two years. He had finished off the feral with a massive optic blast, one that made his big blast of the battle against Xavier seem like a slingshot. The feral had disappeared under a building that had fallen to the blast, completely raw. The feral that was with Xavier had been fast. Scott barely managed to block him, and counter. Weapon X would be an impressive enemy in hand to hand fighting. Without his powers Scott doubted he could have beaten him. Then again Weapon X had healing powers. That gave him a big edge in his fights. Another worrying one was the leader of Roulette, Gambit and another of his team Storm. Gambit was an enigma even to Sinister. Scott was the only one who knew that Sinister had once met Gambit and lost him, apart from Candra. Storm was an elemental, who were always trouble, but this one controlled wind, thunder and water, in terms of rain. Her sheer power was extraordinary. She may even be able to match the Externals in sheer power.
A voice boomed in his head. The Externals summoned him.
Scott came to a stop in front of the large door, which had a large stylized shape on it, that vaguely resembled an h and an s merged together. The hall where the Externals sat. Where of all the Prelates, he was the only one allowed. He took a deep breath and put his hand against the wall in a precise spot. The area around his palm glowed, then the door opened and Scott walked into the Hall of the Externals. The hall was not very well lit. The Externals themselves sat in shadowed booths. Scott strode to the centre of the room and knelt on one knee.
"Rise High Prelate Summers."
The voice came from the left most corner of the room. Exodus. The psychic vampire, a mutant it was said had nearly limitless abilities. After Sammael the eldest External. Scott rose to his feet. A lilting voice came from the centre of the room.
"So High Prelate, as before you have pleased us with your excellent stratagems. Your plan of attacking Roulette while you and the Prelates attacked the X-men proved most satisfactory. We captured one of them. She calls herself Psylocke, but her real name is Elizabeth Braddock."
Another voice spoke up. This time it was Sinister.
"She is being held in the containment area B3. You must question her."
Scott was taken aback. Questioning prisoner was usually the Prelate's job. If the Prelates could not get enough information out of the prisoner, then the prisoner was given to Dark Beast. Why was she being given to him? He did not voice any of his thoughts though. Once an order was given, the Externals expected it to be carried out without question. Archanfel spoke then. "She is telekinetic. She will be leashed of course, but still she also has various fighting skills. She could be well matched against you. She took down Krola. He was slated to become Prelate soon, or if any of our existing Prelates died. As I recall, you trained him yourself, due to his agility and strength."
Scott was stunned. Krola had been one of the best hand-to-hand fighters he had ever trained, or seen for that matter. He was a natural, and his mutant powers that were like a ferals, sans the healing power made him an excellent fighter. For someone to have overcome him in hand to hand, was a feat indeed. He voiced the question that burned in his mind.
"Was Krola defeated with or without her using her telekinesis?"
The answer came from Sammael.
"The dampener had been placed by that time."
That meant that the woman had beaten him without any powers. She would be a fearsome fighter indeed.
Candra spoke again, "After you are done with her, hand her over to Dark Beast, she must be conditioned. She would be useful against her old team and the X-men. Tell Dark Beast to be careful. We would not like to lose her."
Sammael spoke again. "You may leave."
Scott prostrated again, then turned and left the room.
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"Now that is a man."
Sinister smiled at Candra, "Truly my dear, your appetite is limitless."
Candra looked at Sinister, "Oh Sinister, you cannot be the only one who does not have desires. External or not, I am basically a human. With human wants, and human desires. Your boy is a man, and a very nicely packed one."
"I cannot say I have ever thought of him in that fashion. Yet you are right. He is a very handsome individual. His potential is great."
Sinister smiled at Candra, but inside he was thinking. Scott was indeed a man. And if the right woman was found, the progeny might be spectacularly powerful. Powerful enough to take down Apocalypse. It would need to be a telepath of course. Even a telekinetic would suffice. Either that or someone with enough raw power to destroy Apocalypses natural defense against any attack. Even a telepath would not be enough though. Apocalypse had mental defenses as good as his physical. But Sinister was convinced that he wasn't invulnerable. Something must be able to hurt him. The question was, what?
Exodus stared at Sinister. The man was deep in thought, but he could not read his mind. Sinisters mental block was powerful enough to resist any probe. Exodus disliked Sinister thinking. That mind held too many secrets. And his words almost always had several different meanings that could be attributed. What did Sinister mean by potential?
Still, he would not worry his mind over that. He had other matters. For example, what to do about Helena. If she found out about the prisoner, he did not know which side her loyalties may shift. When he searched her mind, he had found out that she was absolutely loyal to them, but she had strong feeling for Elizabeth Braddock, her childhood friend. He knew what a problem that could be. An earlier Prelate had turned traitor, upon finding his childhood friend on the enemy's side. It had led to he himself having to kill the Prelate. The Prelate was dangerous, with his knowledge of the Tower. He would deal with Helena tonight. Candra was right, they were basically human, though much more advanced, and had human desires. He could sate himself on Helena. She was one of few who could. He smiled slightly. There were also other pleasures in taking Helena. The feeling of pure control over another was the true aphrodisiac.
Archanfel looked musingly after the door that has closed. Sinisters protégé had indeed done well. If he had known that Scott Summers would become such an excellent Prelate, he would have taken him, himself. Instead, he had taken Lorna Dane, convinced that she, with her magnetic powers would help in defeating an old enemy. Magneto, Archanfels biggest enemy. He had been a thorn in Archanfels side for a long time. In one fight he had nearly killed the External. Archanfel had not forgotten that. Since Magneto's power was so rare, killing him would not be easy. Especially since he was very powerful. But when Archanfel had found the girl, he had leapt at the chance. He had learned much about the abilities of Lorna. He hoped that they were like Magnetos. If so Magneto would not survive him the next time they met.
Candra too looked after where Scott had gone. She had had her eye on him for a while now. He was a fine figure of a man. He was also very handsome. Unfortunately he was too level headed and was not likely to even consider her that way. She was his master, an External. He would not dare think of her that way. A pity. Scott would have been an excellent lover she was sure. He had that intensity. She had only seen it in few men. Xavier had had it, as had the Kinetic mutant. Gambit as he called himself now. Sinister had made himself a dangerous enemy the day he had thrown the assassin's daughter off the assassins tower. If only they knew what she did about men. She would not have made the mistake of killing her. Gambit would have capitulated. Of course the damn Prelate had not eased matters. Still, it was pointless to wallow in the past. Right now she needed a man, and Scott Summers was the only real man available.
Sammael watched the others muse. He could almost guess what they were thinking. They had always been transparent. Especially Sinister. Sammael knew about his plans to use the Summers as tools against Apocalypse. They would die for him, he knew that. He was not too sure if they would actually attack Apocalypse himself though, even at Sinisters command. Sammael himself had met Apocalypse years ago. He was the oldest External. Even then Apocalypse was at least two thousand years older than him. He had not been prepared for him and had come out the loser in that battle. Since then he had proclaimed himself loyal to him, and helped him consolidate his position of power, by killing off the Externals who had opposed Apocalypse. Now Sammael waited for Apocalypse to weaken. Then he would kill him. Sammael smiled. A rare thing for him to do. He would rule all.
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The containment area was not one where Scott was comfortable. If he could stand to see the suffering on the mutants faces, it was their cries of torment that struck a cord in him. He walked down the rows of cells. As he passed each cell he tried to ignore the look of hatred and fear that crossed each inmates face. These were the people he had captured, if not personally he still had a hand in it. The mutants knew that. That was the reason for the hatred. They also knew what he was capable of. That was the reason for their fear. Scott hardened his heart. He could not afford to be weak. The warden in front of him stopped at a cell. It was unmarked in any way, looking just like all the others. But this cell had an aura to it. He looked in. One girl was in there. She could not have been much older than any of the Prelates. Mid-twenties Scott judged. So this was the fearsome warrior. She glared up at him. Scott noted the scar on her eye, or was it tattoo? He couldn't tell. He motioned for her to come out. She came out silently. Defiance. There was an aura of defiance around the cell. Hatred, a little fear, but above all defiance. Scott permitted himself a small smile. This would be a battle as well as any, perhaps more difficult than most. He always reveled in challenges. Even one as disconcerting as this may be, he loved a challenge. He turned and walked away, motioning again for her to follow.
Betsy had not given up hope. She knew that when she had killed the Uber- leutnant, she would be in trouble. She had expected being given to Dark Beast, or to one of the Prelates, but certainly not the High Prelate himself. Cyclops. The man who led the assault against their rebel forces. According to Xavier he was an excellent tactician. He had proven that, so far, but he may just have been a figurehead. Yet whatever Betsy had expected, Cyclops was not it. This man was stiff, certainly and hard, but he was also very, very competent. The way he moved, the way he held himself. It showed that he was a formidable fighter. Her ability to judge someone's fighting potential was not something her abilities gave her. She could tell that because of her training. The only other person she knew who could judge a persons fighting capabilities from their stance and movements was Logan, The Weapon X. She watched him out of the corner of her eye, appearing to look grimly ahead. He led her into a room with two guards outside. They saluted him stiffly. He returned the salute almost lazily and opened the door. The inside was different from what Betsy would have imagined. From the way he held himself and what she had learned, she had expected him to have almost stark furnishings. Instead the sight inside was almost a pleasant surprise. The High Prelate had a taste for antique furniture. Stylized wooden chairs, with plush cushions were arranged tastefully around a wood and glass table. A plush maroon carpet was on the floor of the whole room, which was split level. On the lower level was the sitting area, on the elevated one was the entrance and on the other side from the entrance was a large mantle and two teak doors. The entrance itself was beautifully done, with a railing along the two foot higher edge of the entrance from the sitting area. There were two ways down, one was steps the other a slope. All carpeted in the beautiful red. Betsy barely suppressed a sigh. This was a beautiful home, but she would not let the bloody High Prelate know that.
"Come Miss Braddock, sit."
Cyclops motioned her towards a chair, sitting in another opposite her.
She was surprised.
Scott could tell from her facial expression. He smiled slightly, enjoying the hideous images that must have spread through her mind at his smile. She had no idea of his nature. For all she knew he might be sending her to the Dark Beast soon. He didn't have to like what he was doing to appreciate the challenge. She would have to break, for her own sake. Whatever mind games he played with her now would be nothing compared to what the Dark Beast would do to her if she didn't give him any information.
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Gambit stood in front of the assembled team. It consisted of his own team Roulette and the X-men. Of the X-men only Phoenix and Weapon X were the ones who had been there when Xavier had died. The others were Nightcrawler, Shadowcat. The perfect covert team. Weapon X, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Mystique and he himself were the best of all covert rebel operatives. Phoenix could make herself practically invisible, if the mutants had blocks that would be a problem though. Marrow and Storm could be shielded by Phoenix.
Renegade was able to be made invisible by Shadowcat. A sound team. For the risk they all would be taking by sneaking into the heart of the enemy base. Gambit had told them the plan, they were getting ready. Well except for Logan and Jean. They were with Rogue and Magneto, no doubt getting instructions other than what he said, They knew his teams propensity for risking their lives. It was why they were called Roulette, though Storm always did serve as the guiding wind, yet even she would risk a lot, much more than the others. Gambit bristled inside, they better not compromise any of his team to save their own supercilious asses. He wouldn't let anyone fall in Sinisters hands again, never again. At that point Logan and Jean came out conversing quietly. Gambit smiled at them.
"Ready to go mes amis?"
"Ready Gumbo."
Gambit smiled sincerely this time as he turned around to enter the X-jet. Logan would call him nothing but Gumbo. He never had, and no matter what happened, probably never would. The X-men and Roulette followed him in. Weapon X sat in the pilots seat and Nightcrawler took the seat beside him. The lithe demonic mutant had at first scared Remy all those years ago, when he had first met him as a trainee in Xaviers rebel island base. X-quarters. That had been a fine base, but The High Prelate had found its location and attacked it, decimating the place.
"Where exactly are we going mein freund?"
Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawlers voice was nothing like it's owner. It had a vibrant ring to it. It was a friendly voice. With a German accent to it.
"Yeah, I mean it's all well and good to say that we're going to the Tower, but we can't really approach it like a casual guest, or an assault on it. We have to go in on foot."
Gambit smiled. This was the only part of the mission he had not told them yet. He knew a very good spot. A perfect spot.
"Head for de Tower Weapon X. I'll be telling you where we gonna stop. Don' worry Kitty-cat. We gonna do dis safe."
Phoenix frowned at him, he smiled back. He knew the best way in, but he was damned if he would tell them his secrets where Magneto could hear them. He would wait until they had reached the Towers blanket. There he would tell them where to head. A kilometer from his intended spot. Amid darkness, he would take every precaution to ensure even Weapon X would not be able to get there again. The place he was taking them was his special place. Only Storm knew its location, and even that she didn't know how to get there exactly.
Two hours later the X-men and Roulette were making their way through streets piled high with rubble. There was no sign of any life, nothing stirred, not even insects. It was as though the place had been forsaken by any living creature. Only Gambit strode through the ruins as though he lived there. Jean felt uncomfortable here. Even with all the mental shields that Xavier and Moira had taught her to construct, there had always been the awareness, that there were hundreds of thousands of minds at work around her. Here there was nothing, and to her it felt as though something was missing. Even Logan looked uneasy. She flashed him a telepathic message. 'Worried huh? Same here.' Logan looked at her and smiled. 'Don't worry darlin' I'm just tense. It's too quiet. Gumbo is a gambler, but he wouldn't gamble with all our lives, and if we were heading into danger he'd tell us.'
Jean smiled back at him. He was trying to reassure and was partly right. Remy would not endanger them needlessly. He had better not.
They had just skirted what felt like the thousandth ruin, when Remy stopped in front of a door. Logan was looking puzzled; she would take him up on it later. Ororo seemed surprised, and a quick glance passed between her and Remy. Jean was curious, but decided to leave it. It probably was some place Ororo had been with Remy. Remy placed a palm against what seemed like just another brick. It apparently wasn't as it opened up a hidden door in the wall. The place it led to was a beautiful grotto, nestled among the desolation. It was a garden, filled with beautiful plants, and trees. This would be among the last few places on earth where greenery existed. She heard Kitty and Sarah gasp behind her. Sarah. that meant even Roulette hadn't been here in most likelihood.
"Oh, it's beautiful." Kitty's voice came out in a near whisper.
Jean agreed, it was beautiful, comparable to Xaviers own garden on the now destroyed X-quarters, and Moira's garden.
"Nice Gumbo, but I'm sure you didn't drag us all the way here to look at trees." Logan, gruff as ever, but she heard the wonderment under the disinterested tone.
"You're right homme, I didn't."
He walked to the other end of the room, and opened another door, using another hidden door. This led to an even more beautiful room, with a small pond and a large marble statue of some angelic being. The pool must be fed by an underground river. Then she was what the angel stood at the head of.
"A grave? Why'd you bring us to a grave Remy?"
Remy had been looking at the grave, with a look of deep sadness on his face. She heard Logan gasp and peered at the writing on the gravestone.
Here lies Belladonna Boudreaux. Beloved friend and lover. May she rest in peace.
Below that was something in French, which Jean couldn't read. This was Belladonna Boudreaux's grave. She had been the daughter of the assassins guildmaster. Remy had been the adopted son of the thieves guildmaster. The two guilds had been sworn enemies. Why was this here? Could Remy and Belladonna have.? Why had he brought them here? This was obviously a private place. She saw Remy kneel in front of the gravestone and ushered the others away.
Remy looked down at the grave, a deep pain in his chest. *Bella. my beautiful Bella. I could not save you, I'm sorry. Now another person is in danger, someone I knew and liked. A part of my team, and hence under my protection. Bella, I again ask you to forgive me, I couldn't save you. If I could turn back time, I would, for you. It's been a while I know, but I can still remember the day you were murdered by that scum Sinister. I promised you then and I promise you now. Give me strength, Bella please. Forgive me.*
Remy rose from his kneeling position. He turned to the group standing away from him watching him.
"Les' go mes amis."
He walked to the statue then and pressed his palm against the belly of the angel. The angel moved back a few feet, revealing a hole in the ground, where a ladder seemed to go down into nothingness. Remy gestured towards the others to enter the hole. Weapon X was the first to go, the others following. On passing Remy, Ororo put a hand on his shoulder and then went in. Remy was the last to go. He went down the ladder, pausing in the middle and touching a brick behind the rungs. The angel above them moved again, slowly sealing off light. Gavin came aflame then, providing light. Remy reached the bottom.
"Welcome my companions to de catacombs."
The others all went through varying degrees of shock, except Ororo who had been here before. The catacombs had been a thieves guild legend. A means of their quick travel. There were rumored to be several different openings, but all knowledge had been lost when the thieves guild had been destroyed by the Externals and all their members killed, except Remy. The heir to the guildmaster himself, the last thieves guild member.
Remy led them through the guild, as he was the only one who could read the runes, which guided those in the catacombs. He explained that there were many other entrances to the catacombs, but this was the closest to The Tower. He led them through a twisting maze of tunnels until they stopped in a large room.
"Dis is de room under de Tower. Dere's a way into de Tower, but it's dangerous. It leads to de containment area, where all de prisoners are held. We go in, get Betsy and get out."
The last was directed towards the X-men. Remy didn't want anyone getting idea's of revenge.
After they had discussed what was to be done, he led the way again, going up, the ladder there, and pressing a button. The room above was dark. It was apparently a storage room of some kind. Remy motioned to the others. It was time. Remy prayed that their luck would hold.
Weapon X, Shadowcat, Nightcrawler and Mystique ventured out first. They dealt with the guards quickly enough. More were ahead, so Phoenix implanted the suggestion in their minds that they should sleep for the next few hours. It was difficult as the guards had strong blocks themselves. The next thing to do was to find a list of prisoners. That would be more difficult, as only the first few guards were few in number. The containment area's themselves would have many more, and the alarm would be raised before too many could be taken down, and there was always the chance a Prelate might be down here. If that was true, then the mission would be at best a very difficult one, and a tough battle would be in store. For that the covert measures would have to be taken. Shadowcat would be able to stay hidden in shadows and phase through any objects. Weapon X knew enough ninjitsu tricks to be virtually invisible in the dark. Mystique assumed the form of a guard they had knocked down. Nightcrawler could blend in with the shadows, and Gambit himself was the final addition to the party. Marrow, Phoenix, Storm and Renegade would remain behind in the storage area awaiting the others. They would have to be quick. If Phoenix used a telekinetic shield, or any other powerful mutant power was utilized, then it would alert any sensors, or the Externals would pick up on it.
They crept out of the room, Shadowcat phasing them through the doors, to avoid any guards noticing the doors opening. The containment area was fairly brightly lit, with a few shadows. They needed to find a list, or a guard, who could be taken back to Phoenix for a mental scan. There was no office anywhere, but there was a notice board to the right of the storage doors. The walls were practically made up of cages, or containment units, half of which were filled with mutants. It was a pitiful sight, but they could not free them all. They just did the best they could. Free Psylocke for now, and somehow defeat the Externals and Apocalypse and free the mutant prisoners.
They made their way to the lists, though only Shadowcat could get close enough without attracting too much attention. She phased through a box, and stood behind it. She was fairly hidden. She scanned through the lists quickly. She was also the fastest reader, and found the name Elizabeth Braddock fairly quickly. She was held in containment area B3. When she reported to Gambit, he scowled. This was containment area B4. They had to go up a level.
They ventured upwards, and entered the containment area B3, avoiding any guards. There was a warden there. Psylocke was in containment unit 372. That was far from them they discovered, as they read the numbers on the ones closest to them.
The mutants inside couldn't even see out. They spread out again, and began looking for it. A few minutes later, Phoenix sent a telepathic message. Mystique had contacted her telepathically and informed her that the containment unit 372 was empty. They returned to the lower level and into the storage area. There was nothing to do but to confront the warden and find out where she was. They got ready and this time as soon as they went out, phasing again, they attacked. The guards were too stunned to form any resistance. Phoenix simply knocked one out by planting the suggestion in his mind to sleep. He dropped off to sleep. Weapon Xs claws dealt with another and Nightcrawler bamfed behind one and knocked him out with a chop to the jugular. Remy and Renegade dealt with the other two by using their agility and fists. Their powers were too loud to use. Storm blew three off their feet with a great gust of wind, but avoided using it again. Her powers may set off energy scanners. That left two, who Marrow felled with spikes through the stomach. Not enough to kill, but enough to keep them out, until medical assistance was given. Upon reaching the containment area B3, they attacked again, without mercy. Jean felled three with the sleep implant in their brains, and Weapon X took out two guards with a whirlwind attack of claws. Marrow again took two down with her spikes, while Gambit and Mystique, working in tandem knocked out three more. Storm took three more out with her wind, and Shadowcat smashed one into a wall, phasing through it herself. Nightcrawler bamfed in front of the retreating warden, who was attempting to sound an alarm. The warden was caught.
Jean looked the warden in the eyes. Their luck had held so far. Now they needed to find out where Betsy was. If she had been taken to Dark Beast they would recover her, if she was with the Externals, they were in trouble. Of them all only Xavier, Weapon X and Magneto from the X-men and Gambit from Roulette, had ever faced an External. And of them all only Magneto had come close to defeating one. Still Gambit would not leave his teammate. Even if they all left, he would remain behind. Still, Jean doubted she herself would leave any friend to the Externals. She would not leave Betsy either. They were not the greatest of friends, but she was somebody she knew.
"Where is Elizabeth Braddock, Psylocke?"
The warden refused to answer. Jean asked again, and this time the warden answered.
"Fuck you, rebel scum."
In reply Logan unsheathed his claws. Then brought one of them near the warden's throat. The warden went pale. Jean at the same time sent a panic signal into his brain. This caused the warden to become even paler. Jean then probed his mind. The threats had been enough for Psylockes location to come to the surface of his thoughts, as the warden considered telling them.
Jean staggered back as if hit. Logan slammed the warden into the wall, where the warden lost consciousness. Logan tuned to her, but she had regained her footing.
"Jeannie? What happened?" Logan asked, worriedly.
"It's Psylocke. she's with the High Prelate."
Remy looked stunned, his surprise mirrored on the other faces. Even though they had been expecting that Psylocke may have been sent to the Externals at worst, they had not figured on the High Prelate. Only marginally better than the Externals, and Jean and Logan had seen him in action firsthand to know that this mission had suddenly gone from having a fifty percent chance of succeeding, to slim or perhaps even none at all.
Their luck had just changed, for the worst, horribly.