Cliff made good on his threat to let Marie rot in the room. Every day he would come in with two pieces of bread and a cup of water. Every day he'd repeatedly question her as to her whereabouts the day she went for the long drive. Every day Marie would insist she didn't betray him with any other man and every day Cliff would beat her until she lay unconscious and bleeding on the floor.
Each time that happened, Marie would try to turn the switch in her head, the switch the Professor found so she could turn on her power and stand a chance against Cliff, but as hard as she tried, she continually failed.
Marie endured nearly three months of that; harsh beatings, brutal rapes, near starvation. She was locked in that room, phone disconnected, devoid of any human contact except Cliff's brutality. Marie felt herself weakening, felt her will slipping. No one had even come looking for her. No one even cared to inquire about her. At least, that's what she believed.
That wasn't true however. Her friends did wonder about her and at Jean's baby shower Marie's continued seclusion was the chief topic of conversation.
"She quit her job here nearly three months ago," Jean said in reply to Mary Jane Parker's query about her friend. "I haven't seen or heard from her since. Cliff r.s.v.ped for her about the shower."
"What did he say?" Lois Lane Kent inquired her curiosity peaked.
"He said he and Marie would be out of town," Ororo replied. She'd spoken to Cliff.
"Hmm," said Mary Jane. "That hardly explains why she didn't call you herself."
Kitty sat next to them and started a second piece of cake. "Marie was never good at saying "no" to people," she offered.
"True enough," Jean agreed. "But it is not like Marie to not call us at all or even send a card."
"I'm worried about her," Lois admitted. "Clark and I will check this out on our end, believe me."
"I don't think there is anything to worry about," Ororo comforted. "Cliff is a good man. They're probably just too involved with each other. They are still newly weds.
The women nodded in acknowledgement, but Jean, Lois, and Mary Jane remained uneasy. All three silently resolved to speak with their respective husbands that night, and for the time being let the party continue. It was after all Jean's day and no one wished to ruin that.
"How was the shower?" Scott asked later as he got into bed beside Jean.
"Scott, has Logan heard from Mary?" Jean asked instead of answering her husband.
"I don't think so. But he wouldn't necessarily tell me if he had," Scott replied. "Why?"
Jean shook her head. "I'm worried about her, Scott. I've tried to locate her, but my telepathy has been off since the baby and I can't control it."
Scott nodded, "You're just overreacting, Jean. Marie maybe changed, but I'm sure she's fine. Don't' let it get to you."
"I can't help it, Scott," Jean sighed. "She was so unhappy the last time I saw her."
"I know. Me too, but she chose Jean. There's nothing we can do about it now," Scott sighed.
"We can go over and see her. She must want to see us," Jean said toying with the ribbon on her night gown.
"Jean, I don't know if I should go there. What if Marie's friends in that neighborhood…"
"Wear your sunglasses instead of the visor," Jean said. "No one will know then."
"I could. We could say we were in the neighborhood after your Lamaze class tomorrow," Scott suggested.
"Great," Jean agreed. "So tomorrow then?"
"Tomorrow," Scott replied, rolling over to turn out the light.
Meanwhile, Lois and Clark Kent were having a similar conversation as they ate supper. Oddly, Clark was the one who brought up the subject.
"I ran into Cliff Welmont today," Clark told his wife. "Was Marie at Jean Sommers shower?"
"Nope," Lois replied. "No one has heard from her for almost three months. Funny thing is, Cliff told Jean that he and Marie would be out of town, that's why she couldn't be at the shower."
"Hmm," Clark sighed. "Maybe they changed their plans."
"Clark, Marie was a really good friend of Jean's. If she was in town and able to make it to the party, she'd have been there, or at least have sent a gift."
Clark studied his wife a moment. He knew the look on her face too well. "What are you planning?"
"I'm not planning I'm merely suggesting we stop by Cliff and Marie's. I can entertain Cliff while you…Why are you shaking your head?"
"Because," Clark began. "I haven't been married to you for eight years and not know when to trust your judgment and your instincts. I'll go over there tomorrow morning early. I'll take an inconspicuous look around."
Lois smiled across the table. "Thank you. If I'm right, Marie will need a super rescue."
Across town in a charming condo, Peter and Mary Jane Parker's discussion was not going as well as Lois and Clark's had done.
"Mary Jane, if Marie needed our help she'd ask for it. And she is one of Charles Xavier's most powerful mutants," Peter reasoned.
"But before she married Cliff, Professor Xavier turned off her power. To my knowledge, he never showed the control," Mary Jane countered.
"It's not our place, M.J." Peter insisted.
"Jean Sommers and Lois feel the same way I do," Mary Jane said.
"Oh, you're in agreement with a hormone factory and a crazy lady. Those two aren't exactly horses I'd back. Jean maybe when she's not pregnant, but never Lois. She's a good reported, but she'd not know for her prudence or her sanity," Peter pointed out.
Mary Jane sighed with exasperation, "Peter, I know in my gut Marie is in trouble. You're honor bound Peter. If I'm wrong, I'll be glad to admit it. Please, Peter, check on her."
It was Peter's turn to sigh. "All right. Tomorrow morning I'll drop by as Peter not…you know. And if you're wrong…" Peter playfully shoved her.
"Peter," Mary Jane said after a moment. "I'm not wrong."
The next morning Jean and Scott rose early. Jean wanted to finish up in the med lab early so they could stop by Marie's house after her Lamaze class. They were surprised to see Logan in the kitchen.
Logan had become ever more of an introvert since Marie's wedding. He ate alone, preferred to work alone, and rarely talked to anybody. Jean could tell her wanted to be alone that he was very much still licking his wounds but she ventured anyway, "Logan, Scott and I are going to visit Marie today. Would you like to come? I'm sure she'd love to see you."
"Maybe I don't want to see her," Logan replied. "She doesn't' even care enough to call us or come to your baby shower. Why should I care about what she wants?"
"Logan, you and Marie had such a special friendship," Scott began thinking it prudent not to mention their suspicions. "Take the first step, extend the olive branch…"
Logan cut Scott off with his middle claw. "There's your olive branch," he grumbled leaning the couple in the kitchen.
"That's sad," Jean observed. "He's so shut off from her now. She used to be his sixth sense."
"She still is," Scott replied. "That's why his mood is more charming than ever."
As it would turn out, Jean and Scott would never have to go to Cliff and Marie's home. Clark Kent's super-reconnaissance yielded faster and firmer results.
Superman flew over Cliff and Marie's quiet Westchester community until he located their house. Quickly flying over it he gaged his super hearing to see if he heard Cliff or Marie's voices. He didn't hear Cliff's but he did hear a small weak moan come from Marie. Quickly he flew around the house until he heard the noise get louder and used his X-ray vision to see inside.
He saw Marie beaten and bleeding leaning weakly up against the door. His anger flared and he landed on the window sill and charged through.
When Marie saw the man in blue tights and red cape she recoiled weakly until he knelt beside her. "I'm here to help you. Let's get you to a hospital."
Superman lifted the girl, no more than skin and bones now into his arms and flew her directly to Westchester County Hospital. Once a nurse was triaging her, he spun out of the suit and called Lois.
For Marie, her rescuer was a dream like figure and her admission to the hospital a blur, because the next conscious thought she had was Lois' voice.
"Hey, Marie," Lois said softly. "How are you feeling sweetie?"
"Cliff'll be…got to get home," Marie mumbled.
"Don't worry about Cliff," Lois comforted. "You're safe here."
"If I'm late…" Marie whimpered. "I was late before."
"Marie," Lois said. "Clark and Peter are right outside. No one will get in here. Sweetie, I think you should let your friends at Xavier's know what happened. Jean and Kitty are awfully worried about you."
Marie didn't answer Lois she just let her eyes drift closed and on a breath whispered, "Logan."
Next: The x-team finds out. Logan and Marie reunited. Cliff returns.
