Author's Notes: Once again I'd like to thank all that have reviewed. I will try to keep my story interesting.
*************************************************************
The Temple of Hanzain
Rogue led the X-Men to the stated of Ohio. It was almost midnight when they arrived. As she guided Hank through the air she couldn't help but worry of what was to come.
Finally she pointed down to a small dark clearing in the middle of a large stretch of woods. "It's down there," she said.
Hank set the X-copter down a little farther into the woods. He didn't want to draw any attention.
As soon as they landed Andre opened the door and hoped out. The puppets followed him one at a time.
Rogue got out and stood next to Andre. They began to head for the clear before Hank and Ororo could help Charles out of the chopper.
Rogue was the first one to enter the clearing. She looked around for any sign of the Hanzain Cult, but she couldn't find one. There was only the empty clearing.
Andre and the puppets entered the clearing and stood near Rogue. "Where the hell is the temple," Andre asked.
Rogue began to look around her. She was very confused. "The old woman's thoughts showed me that the temple was right here," she said. "Ah don't see anything."
Charles, Hank and Ororo entered the clearing. Rogue turned to them and said, "the temple's not here."
"What," asked Ororo, "but you saw this area in the old woman's head."
"Ah know," said Rogue, "but Ah can't find any trace of a temple."
"It's got to be here somewhere," said Andre. He began searching around the clearing. As he was looking around Jester noticed something in a bush near the outer edge of the clearing. He tapped Six-shooter on the shoulder and led him over to it. Nobody noticed the two leave.
Andre stopped searching and said, "this clearing is completely flat. If there was a temple here it would stick out like a sore thumb."
Charles thought for a while and said, "may be I should try to contact one of the captives. If I can reach them it means that we are close."
Andre said, "ok you do that." He then looked and noticed that two of his puppets were missing. "Where's Six-shooter and Jester?"
Rogue looked around and said, "may be they're trying to find the temple. Come on Andre Ah'll help you look for them."
"All right," he said. "Now I want every body to be on the look out. If the Hanzain temple is here that means we could run into the Cult."
Then he began to search for Six-shooter and Jester with Rogue. Xavier began to send out a mind message, hoping to find his captured students.
*************************************************************
Jean sat in the cell shivering. Not only was she cold, but also very afraid. Scott had been dragged out of the cell a little while ago. She could hear him screaming at the end of the long corridor.
When he was brought back he had long gashes on his back. He wasn't dead, but he went through much pain.
The guard that brought him back said, "I will return in a little while, when we choose which one of you will be tormented next."
That's what made Jean afraid the most. Waiting for her turn to be tortured.
She just sat as Logan tried to release himself from his chains. Kitty sat in the corner with Kurt. They huddled together trying to keep themselves warm in the cold cell.
Scott had passed out after whatever the Hanzain Cult did to him. Jean thought it best to let him rest.
She began to hug her knees. She wanted to go home so badly. All she wanted to do was go back to the institute and forget that this whole thing ever happened.
She was about to fall asleep when she heard the Professor's voice in her head. "Jean Scott can anybody hear me?"
Jean called out, "Professor," with out thinking.
Down the corridor one of the guards heard her sudden shout. One of the guards turned to the other and said, "go and get Vonce. It seems the leader of these X-Men has contacted the red head."
The other guard nodded and went to fetch Vonce.
Back in the cell Kurt and Kitty turned to Jean. Logan stopped fighting with his chains and looked to Jean. They all fell silent.
Charles continued talking to Jean in her mind. "Oh thank God. I've managed to reach you."
Jean said in her mind, "where are you Professor? These Hanzain people just tortured Scott and they're gonna do the same to one of us soon."
"We are at the area where we believe the temple to be located," said Charles. "We will try to free you all as soon as we can."
"Please hurry," Jean said, "I don't know how long these people are going to let us live."
Charles said, "just try and stay calm Jean, and what ever you do, do not reveal to the Hanzain Cult that we are near."
"Ok," was Jean's last thought before the Professor left her mind.
"What's happening," asked Kitty. "Have the others found the temple?"
Jean only nodded and said, "don't yell it out. We don't want the Cult to know."
"Know what," they heard a familiar and evil voice ask.
All of them turned to the entrance of the cell and saw Vonce standing right in front of them with Hennin next to him.
Jean covered her mouth instantly. She couldn't believe she just blurted out t to tell the Hanzain Cult something. Now they knew she was hiding something.
Jean quickly said, "nothing."
Vonce laughed and said, "you don't want me to know about nothing. We I'm afraid that I know your Professor has contacted you."
Jean's eyes turned wide. She hoped that Vonce didn't hear why Xavier contacted her.
Vonce spoke again, "what did he tell you?"
Jean kept her mouth closed. Vonce took out his large knife and walked towards Jean.
Kurt jumped up and got in his way. "Leave her alone," he said demandingly."
Vonce held onto his knife. "Out of my way mutant," he said, "or I will stab you so hard that your bitch of a mother will feel the pain."
Kitty stood up and stood nervously next to Kurt. "Back off," she said. "None of us will tell you what the Professor told Jean. If you kill us you'll never find out, and I think that if we were dead it would make the Puppet Master very angry."
Vonce thought about this. He could not afford to anger young Toulon. If he did the Puppet Master would not come to his temple and the formula would be out of his grasp once again. And young Andre would use the magic to its full extent to get avenge these mutants. He could not take that chance. But he needed to know what The Professor told the girl called Jean.
The tried to think of a way to get it out of them. In no time he had the perfect plan. "Take these three to my quarters," he said. "Leave the chained man and the unconscious boy here."
Hennin and two guards grabbed Kurt, Kitty, and Jean and dragged them out of the cell.
Vonce said to himself, "I have ways to make people reveal secrets."
*************************************************************
Back in the clearing Charles returned to his own mind. "They're close by," he said, "I could sense it when I contacted Jean."
"Are they alright," asked Ororo.
"Yes," said Charles, "but Jean seemed very afraid. We must get them out o there quickly."
Rogue and Andre listened to him as they searched for Six-shooter and Jester. Rogue looked into a bush and said, "Ah can't find them. Where are those two?"
"Just keep looking," said Andre, "we've got to find them before we do anything else."
As they continued their search Blade and Pinhead looked over to a bush on the far side of the clearing. They could see two small figures moving around between its branches.
Pinhead walked over to Rogue and tapped the side of her leg. She looked down at the muscular puppet. "What is it Pinhead?"
He pointed to the bush where the commotion was coming from. Rogue tapped Andre on the shoulder and showed him what she now saw.
Rogue walked slowly towards the bush. She knew that the Totems were still after them, and she knew that she had to be very cautious.
The rustling in the bush stopped when the Goth knelt down near it. Rogue reached her gloved hand out to move some of the branches aside.
A small hand came out of the bush quickly followed by five more. Rogue jumped back in shock as Six-shooter came out from behind the branches.
Rogue stood up and said, "what the hell are you doing Six-shooter."
Jester came out of the bush and waved his hand as if he wanted Rogue to follow him. Six-shooter pointed to the bush with one of his hands.
Rogue followed the two puppets making her way through the branches and leaves. Behind the bush Jester showed her a strange slab of stone with some sort of writing on it.
She called to the other, "Professor Andre there's something of here."
After a few minutes the X-Men and Andre came to her followed by the rest of the puppets. Andre knelt down next to the stone. He looked at the inscriptions on it and said, "this writing is in the language of the Hanzain Cult."
He felt around the stone. His fingers soon came upon a crack near the ground.
Andre slid his hands along the crack. He studied the stone for a while and then said, "it's some sort of door. This has got to be the entrance to the Hanzain temple. That's why we couldn't find it, the whole temple is under ground."
He began to push at the stone saying, "somebody help me get it open."
*************************************************************
Jean, Kitty, and Kurt were dragged through the corridors. They were brought to Vonce's chamber. Vonce was already waiting for them there. He sat in a stone chair in the far corner.
The room was lit with many candles. It was round and almost completely empty. All that was in there was the chair and a table near the middle.
Vonce stood up and said, "guards leave us."
The guards did as they were told, but Hennin stayed.
The three captured X-Men stayed close to each other. Their powers may not be working, but they could still fight together.
Vonce walked over to them. He could see the look of hatred in their eyes.
"Don't look at me like that," he said. "I want the Puppet Master's magic and I will do anything to get it. If you understood the power you would do the same thing I would."
Kitty said angrily, "that's not true. We wouldn't kidnap innocent people just to get some stupid like, hocus-pocus."
"Oh trust me," said Vonce, "it is much more than that. Just think about it. The secret to an ever lasting life. Kidnapping you is a worthy task in order to live forever."
"That's enough," said Kurt, "we know why you brought us up here. You want to know what the Professor told Jean. Well you can torture us all you want, we'll never tell."
Vonce laughed a little and said, "actually I wasn't going to torture you."
The three mutants looked at him confused. The cloaked man pointed to the table in the middle of his chamber. On it were three plates of food with cups water along side them.
Vonce looked back at the mutants and said, "I'm sure you must be famished."
"Oh so you're gonna try to butter us up so you can get the information," said Kitty. "Well that won't work either."
Vonce said, "the food is not to persuade you to tell me anything. I just wish to talk."
The three mutants looked towards the food. They had not eaten or had water ever since Vonce kidnapped them. They were very hungry.
They walked slowly over to the table and began to eat. They did not eat quickly. The food was cold and somewhat stale, but it was better than nothing.
Vonce began to passe slowly. "I guess I should apologies for the treatment of you. You are not the ones that deserve this punishment, it is the Puppet Master's"
"We know that apology means nothing," said Kurt, "so don't bother." He too a sip of water.
Vonce paused and said, "I am just trying to reason with you. If you do not cooperate we will have to get into more painful negotiations."
Jean took a sip of water and said, "just stop it alright. You think we're gonna cooperate with you. You kidnapped us and tortured Scott."
"Not to mention that you killed Rogue's parents so long ago," Kitty said.
Vonce laughed and said, "I guess Andre told you about that."
Kitty said, "Kurt and I over heard him telling Rogue about what you did to them. He said that you killed them without mercy. And you expect us to cooperate with you? You killed my best friend's parents."
Her throat felt very dry. Vonce saw her take a sip of water and smiled behind the darkness of his hood. He said, "I didn't really expect you to see reason. I have just been talking to you so I can buy some time."
The three mutants stopped eating. Jean asked, "buying time for what?"
Vonce laughed again and took a vial of a blue liquid out of his cloak. Kitty saw this and asked, "what's that?"
Vonce stopped laughing and said, "it is an antidote."
"To what," asked Kurt.
Vonce said, "the poison that was in the water you all just drank."
He began to laugh evilly. Hennin began to laugh as well. The three mutants looked into the water. They could not believe that Vonce had poisoned it. Kitty began to feel afraid and started breathing heavily.
"I wouldn't do that little girl," said Vonce, "the poison works faster with every breath you take."
"Why did you do this," Kurt yelled both angry and afraid.
Vonce said, "so you would learn never to defy me. If I order you to tell me something then you tell me, I order you to do something you do it. Is that clear."
Jean tried not to breath so hard, "I thought you weren't gonna kill us because of Andre."
"Well that's a risk I'm willing to take," said Vonce, "if you tell me what your Professor told you when he contacted you, I will give you the antidote."
Jean looked over to Kurt and Kitty. It was true that she didn't want to die, but she was afraid for her friends now.
"Alright," said Jean. She couldn't believe she was betraying the Professor, but she had no other choice. "He told me that they were near the temple. They're gonna try and free us soon." Her voice changed to anger as she said, "are you happy now?"
"Very," said Vonce. He put the antidote back into his cloak.
"What are you doing," Jean yelled, "you said you'd give us the antidote if I told you!"
"That's true," said Vonce, "and you would need the antidote if I had really poisoned you."
The three mutants stopped panicking and stood in disbelief. "WHAT," Kurt screamed.
"I know that I had said I would risk killing you, but I had lied," said Vonce. "If I were to really kill you the Puppet Master would leave here and he would come back much later using his magic at its full power. I could not take that chance."
Kitty said, "you tricked us." She stormed towards the cloaked man and slapped him hard in the face screaming, "YOU BASTARD!"
Kurt and Jean were surprised at the preps sudden cursing. She had never sworn before.
Vonce felt where Kitty had hit him and said, "thank you for that joyful pain Hennin take them to the torture chamber, and bring their two friends from their cell."
*************************************************************
Outside Hank and Andre had finally got the stone off. Under it stood a long stairway descending deep into the Earth.
Charles looked down the stairs and said, "these people must hardly ever see the light of day."
Andre suddenly grabbed hold of his head. He had been hit with a large burst of someone else's fear."
Rogue looked at him and asked, "what's wrong?"
Andre opened his eyes and said, "it's Jean. She's afraid. Afraid for us."
"What," Ororo asked. "What are you talking about Andre?"
Andre continued, "Jean's afraid that Vonce is going to find us. Vonce knows that we're here, and she's afraid that Vonce is gonna kill us."
Rogue asked, "how can you seance that, you don't know where Jean is in this temple."
"My powers can have a mind of their own sometimes," said Andre. "They get the better of me every now and then."
Hank looked down the stairs and back to the others. "We must find the others quickly," he said, "come on."
Andre stopped him before he could enter the temple. "You're not going down there," he said. "Now that Vonce knows we're here I can't allow all of you to go down there."
"But we've got to save the others," said Ororo.
"I know that," said Andre, "but if we all go down there then it will be difficult for all of us to hide from the Hanzain Cult. The less people down there the hard it will be to find them."
Xavier sighed and said, "you're right Andre. Which one of us will go."
Andre said, "Rogue, me, and the puppets."
"But that is still a lot of you going down there," said Ororo.
"Don't worry," said Andre, "the puppets are more stealthy than any body else. It will be like it'll just Rogue and me down there."
"Are you sure about that," asked Hank.
Rogue was the one to answer him. "Look Hank, Ah know I haven't known these puppets for very long, but Ah do know that they can take care of themselves."
Charles shook his head as if he were exhausted and said, "very well. But what should the rest of us do while you tow are searching for my students."
Andre said, "you go back to your mansion and get the rest of your students. With their help it won't matter if Vonce knows we're here. We'll have enough to fight against him."
They all came to an agreement. Charles headed back to the X-copter with Ororo and Hank. The puppets went down the stairs followed by Rogue and Andre. They descended slowly into the temple of Hanzain.