"Maru told us that you went somewhere very late last night."Ma.Xacinta said at the breakfast table the next day. "So where did you go?"

"Oh, no where, just...you know, around and around. Oh, by the way, Pietro, I need to talk to you. Right after breakfast."

"Of course, Patron."Pietro answered, giving Lance his most winning smile.

The dectuplets and Ma.Eugenia had to work hard to conceal their giggles. Arthur, however, noticed.

"What's so funny?"he asked.

"Oh, nothing. We were just remembering when we were trying to teach the bunnies to bake. That was hilarious."

"Teaching bunnies to bake?"asked Rogues, throwing her hands in the air. "Honestly, what haven't you guys done. You are unbelievable."

"There's this song, Los Conejos Panaderos, it's really cute. We were only seven or eight at the time, and we thought we could teach the bunnies to bake, to open a bakery, just like Los Conejos Panaderos. We got into so much trouble."

"That was hilarious."

Jesus laughed.

"You guys crack me up."he managed to say.

"We could crack you up, Chuy, for reals, but we prefer not to. It would mean a lot of tedious paper work, legal work, you get the idea. Not to mention we don't like bloody body parts. Not when they're dead, anyway, because if it's altering the bulls, we don't mind. Really, it's fascinating."

"Please don't start, guys, we're eating."Arthur begged them.

The dectuplets simply giggled, and turned to Ma.Eugenia.

"It's obvious that he's furious."Ma.Xamila told her about Pietro.

"Yes, he is. But does he have any hope what so ever?"

"No."

"Poor guy. Maybe you should just tell him."

"Are you crazy?! You couldn't buy entertainment this good."

"No, I guess not."

After breakfast, Lance told Pietro everything he wanted Scott to have to go through. Pietro, delighted, since he still disliked all the X-men immediately agreed.

"But don't you think, La, I mean, Patron, that that isn't harsh enough?"

Lance shook his head.

"Of course, it isn't, you idiot, this is just a starter. However, if he does anything, or something happens that you think harsher methods are necessary, you have my permission. And as a security precaution, I want someone standing guard, armed, all the time, just in case he finds a way to sneak out, or someone tries to help him. Or maybe an alarm. I'll think about that. You go and carry out those orders first. Remember this must come first, above all your other duties."

"Of course, and if it's all right with you, I would like to beat him the first time myself, and every now and then, you know. If that's all right with you."

"Of course. As many times as you think necessary."

He bowed, and left, wearing his most evil smile.

"And how long do you think I have to stay in bed?"Kitty asked.

"We don't know, Gatica. We've never had kids before. Deja eso, Guillermo!"

Guillermo had been trying to put the pacifier in his mouth.

"I just wanted to see what it tasted like."he said.

"That's not for you, Menso. Besides, poor babies, if you put the pacifier in mouth, they will get ill."Rebecca said.

"Don't fight. Just don't touch anything, Guillermo."

"Es que a este no le paran las manso."Rebecca insisted. "Ni la boca tampoco. Ya tiene harta a mi mama."

"And you think we don't know that, Becka?"

Kitty giggled.

"I hope none of these turn out like that."

"No, they could be worse. Not."

The dectuplets took Ana Paz from Kitty, and passed Ana Patricia, who was next in line to nurse.

"Mother said it would take her hours to nurse us, but of course you shouldn't be surprised, there's ten of us. Two more."

"Yes."

"I know!"exclaimed Ma.Xiomara. "We should sing to them, and I know just the perfect songs for them."

"Which ones?"

"Which other ones, sweetheart. Cri-Cri. We still love that music. Father still loved it, and he was older than us."

"By the way, you still haven't told us which ones you will, or rather which two will not be a godmother, Gatica. Now, tell us, who is discarded?"

"Godmother?"

"Yes, and el Padre Juan already asked when you plan to baptize the girls. By the way, he asked if he could come see them. You know everything is ready, we just need to know the date, and whom the godparents will be. They will, of course, be baptized right here, at Piedras Grandes, like the rest of their family has been. Their father, their aunts, their grandfather, you get the idea."

"Oh, I didn't think about that, but I'll let you know."

She really hadn't thought about that. After all, she was Jewish. She thought her children would be, too, but since she came to Piedras Grandes, seeing how these people were so devout to their religion. They prayed every evening, they lit candles, every time it was the day of someone's saint, they would celebrate it. She knew how much it meant to them that the octuplets be baptized. However, her parents would probably not be happy if they learned that she had decided her children to be of another religion. In the end, she decided that they should be baptized. If they were like their aunts, who were, and she did want them to be like the dectuplets. They were always so cheerful.

"Mom and Dad will just have to accept it."she said to herself.

In the time Kitty had been thinking the matter over, Pietro had been enjoying himself watching Scott being tortured.

"You should've thought about the consequences of your actions. Now, I've got the power. And if I want, you could die right now."he was telling Scott. "All this is really for all those times you X-men made us feel less, and interfered in our plans."

He picked up his hat.

"Unfortunately, Summers, the show is over. Pity isn't it. I have to go. However, don't worry, the show is only over for me. For you, you still need ten more whippings, to complete the five hundred. Well, bye."

He walked out of the bodega.

Jean tried to think of a way to help Scott. She didn't know where he was, and no one would tell her anything, however, she knew that wherever he was, it was somewhere horrible, and he was suffering. Ma.Eugenia had not told her anything, because she said that Jean was nothing to her. She had already noticed that blood meant a lot to these people. They never lied to their relatives, they kept their secrets, they protected them, and did everything they possibly could for them. She thought maybe the professor might be able to get something out of Ma.Eugenia, seeing that she couldn't. Which was why Ma.Eugenia was now torn two way.

"I can't tell you, because I don't know where he is."she said.

"Do you know who would know?"the professor asked her.

"I know someone who might know, but I can't tell you who it is."

"Why not?"

"Supposing I did, she won't tell you, either. Besides, can't you just leave things the way they are?"

"NO!"Jean told her.

"Just leave things the way they are. Please, I beg of you. I'll do anything, just don't ask me anymore. Either way, it's not up to me. Supposing you knew where he was, what good will that do? Just tell me. You probably won't even be allowed to see him, depending on the orders given."

"Dejen de estar presionandola, no ven que se puede enfermerar."Meche told them angrily.

Ma.Eugenia ran out of the room, before anyone could stop her. She found the dectuplets.

"Isn't there any way every one can forget about Scott. They are pressuring me to tell them."

"You know you can't say anything, Maru."

"I know, but they pressure me. What am I going to do?"

"Nothing. Don't worry, they won't find anything. Even if you tell them about Teodora, they won't be able to find out by reading her thoughts, even. Sissy's already taken care of that."

"Oh, good."

Francisca had spend most of the last weeks trying to get the appropriate girls to take care of her granddaughters. As Francisca trusted no one as much as she trusted Juanita, Juanita was in charge, with Lupe helping her. Francisca insisted that Juanita told her everything that went on in the nursery.

Meanwhile, Kitty, Lance, and the dectuplets had agreed that the octuplets share a room just like their aunts. Pietro was not happy with this. Now he had to supervise this, and order all the furniture, see that things were done on schedule, in addition to all his other duties. He was the only one who disliked the babies, and hated the way everyone treated them. Everyone admired them, even Toad and Blob, and in his opinion, they were doing no more than making complete idiots of themselves. Blob couldn't believe they were so small.

"They're so small. Uh, hello."he said, waving to one of them.

She looked up.

"She's looking at me!"he exclaimed.

"Let me see."Toad jumped to get a better look at the baby in Blob's hand.

Pietro thought they really were idiots. If he thought so before, now he was convinced, but never the less, he still complimented them, just like everyone else. He wouldn't let his dislike of babies get in the way of his plans and ruin everything he had worked so hard for.

"Oh, just great, just great, just great!"cried Ma.Xamila in distress. "What are we supposed to do."

"Get some earplugs."Ma.Eugenia suggested.

"The problem is they're all hungry, but we have eight babies, and only one mother. You see, it's a pity you're not like Sissy, Sissy has well, at least eight nipples, you only have two."

"And that solves the problem? What we need is bottle-feed them."Kitty said.

"NO!"Ma.Eugenia and the dectuplets exclaimed over the crying.

Francisca fell backwards, and looked as though she were about to suffer a heart attack. Lance caught her, and took the baby from her arms, as she fell.

"Have you lost your mind? You can't bottle-feed the babies. I never did. I will not allow it."

"Besides, it's not good for their health. It's not natural, you know. No. Wait a minute, I know."

Ma.Xacinta ran out of the room.

"What will she do?"

She ran out to the fields, and asked that all the women who had recently had babies report to the house at once. She picked out eight of them, and brought them upstairs.

"You see, no need to go to desperate measure."she said proudly. "Now, each of the ten Ana's has her own wet nurse."

"Why didn't I think of that!"said Francisca. "Good work." ñ