Disclaimer: All X-men characters are created and owned by Marvel. I am gaining no profit for this.

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Ch. 17: Love Lies

Mathen knew the entire layout of the mansion so it only took a few minutes for him to get to the hangar. The blackbird was all prepped and ready to go. Sandra had even left the walkway out for him to use. So he bounded up the ramp, closed it behind him, and took a seat next to Sandra.

Mathen had expected her to take off, but instead she gave him a questioning look. "Where's the specimen?"

He looked down and away from her fierce gaze. "I couldn't get her. So let's go."

Sandra jumped out of her chair and began to head for the door. "Oh no! We're not leaving without her! My Father is expecting you to bring her back."

Mathen knew that he didn't have time to argue, so he jumped into the pilot's chair and lifted the blackbird off of the ground before Sandra could leave.

She turned towards him. Sandra was extremely angry. "What are you doing! GO BACK! We have to get her, my father will be furious if you don't have her!"

Mathen didn't look at her, right now he couldn't. Instead he just kept his eyes focused straight in front of him. "I know………but I couldn't do it."

She sat down next to him. Obviously he was hurting for some reason. Sandra's emotions immediately turned soft and forgiving. "Mathen. What's wrong?"

He remained silent. So she put her hand on his shoulder. "Tell me. I'll still love you."

Mathen couldn't be quiet any longer so he put the jet on auto pilot. Sandra had already put in the coordinates for Sinister's base. They only had another minute or so until they would reach it. He swiveled his chair so that he was facing her. "Look. I can't work for your father anymore. He's evil Sandra and I won't do his dirty work anymore."

She placed his hand in hers. "No Mathen, you've got it wrong. My Father works for the government. It may seem like his work is cruel, but he does it only for good. All of his test subjects are criminals anyway!"

"No Sandra. You've got it wrong. He doesn't work for the government."

She took her hands away from him. "Yes he does! I've seen official documents straight from the FBI and CIA!"

"Sandra, those were fake. Trust me he can do that. If you were to hack into any government system you'd find that not a single file about him exists."

She stared at him coldly. How could he say this about her Father. She loved he Father, he treated her like a princess. He would never have a reason to lie to her. "You're wrong."

"Fine, but another thing. That mansion we were just in……it's a school. We've kidnapped innocent people. We attacked a school for God sakes!"

There was a small bump. Sandra looked up and noticed that they had made it to the base. It was too late to go back now. She stood to leave then looked at Mathen. "If it was a school, then tell why would a school have a jet?"

Mathen opened his mouth to answer but just then Sinister entered. He slowly walked past Sandra and looked around the inside. He then walked right up to Mathen. "Where's the weather witch?"

"I don't have her sir." This was it. Surely Sinister would fix the problem by turning into his own personal guinea pig. Death would come slowly.

Before Sinister could react Sandra interrupted. "Father, it was my fault."

He turned to look at his daughter. "And how could you have failed, Hellfyre?"

Yep. He's definitely mad. He used my codename. "Mathen was about to restrain her but I tripped over a rug and fell over them. Once that happened she broke free and left the premises. We searched for her but we couldn't find her." She looked down at her feet. "I'm sorry I failed you Father."

There was a long pause. And Sandra prayed that he would buy her lie. Then he was lifter her chin to gaze into her eyes. "I love my daughter, but don't ever fail me again."

"Yes Father."

Sinister turned and left the jet. Sandra just stared at Mathen for a moment and then ran towards the main lab. Mathen quickly followed her.

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Ch. 18: The Most Frightening Words Ever Spoken "May I Help You?"

Mathen Finally caught up with Sandra in the main lab. She had started to sob and came in to hold her close, but she pushed him away and walked over toward the side of the room.

"Eh' petite, help this ol' Cajun out, huh?"

Gambit was awake, which meant Mathen's borrowed powers were gone. Sandra however, wasn't too pleased.

"SHUT UP! I don't want to hear a word out of you! GOT IT?"

Gambit it immediately stopped and nodded his head.

Mathen knew what she was feeling. He had messed up yet she had taken the fall for him. She had caused her father to lose faith in her. And to her that was devastating. Mathen took his belt off and put it on the counter. He had to talk to her as her lover, not as one of Sinister's henchmen. It was the only way she would listen her.

Again, he took her in his arms. This time she did not fight him. She buried her head into his chest and stayed there. "Look Sandra. I want you to listen to want I say, ok?"

She nodded. "I know you love your father. I won't deny that, but you have to realize what's going on here. He's not helping anyone. He's only hurting people. You know that, and I know that you know that."

She looked up at him as if to protest, but he pulled her closer and kept on talking. "Remy LeBeau used to work for him. I know it because I had his memories in my head for an hour. He quit and your father never stopped coming after him. Now's he gonna be tortured until he dies because he did the right thing."

He let her go and head towards Scott's cell. Mathen began to try to open the door, but he didn't know the code to open it. He turned, hoping that Sandra would be joining him to help. But instead she just stood there staring at him with a blank expression. "Sandra, I want to……have to do the right thing. And the right thing is letting these people go. Please Sandra, help me do this. Once we're done we can leave and go get married! Please….."

Sandra stepped over to him and looked longingly into his eyes. A tear escaped from her eye and he wiped it away with his thumb. "I'm sorry." She placed her ring into his hand. "I can't"

Before she could leave he grabbed her hand and forced the ring right back into her hands. He couldn't believe that she would back away from this. For the first time ever, he was angry at her. "Keep it"

She closed her hand around it. Glared at Mathen and then ran out of the room.

He didn't watch her go. Instead he turned his back and started working on the lock mechanism. He would have in open in just a minute.

"Hey homme. Glad you changed y'mind. Maybe you help Gambit up? Neh?"

"Don't worry. I'm letting all of you go. Just let me open this cell first then I'll get to you."

"Sounds good t'me."

Mathen glanced over at the other two I there cells. They were desperately trying to speak to him but there was still no sound in there cells. "I'll get you guys out of there too. Just hold on."

Finally there was a click and the door opened right up. Unfortunately Scott was still unconscious. I'll have to carry him out. Mathen took one step.

"Excuse me Mr. Spires. May I help you?"

Mathen's blood ran cold when he turned to see that he was almost face to face with Sabretooth and Mr. Sinister himself.

TBC

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Author's Note: Ok not being able to feel your fingers really does speed up you're typing! Yep that's right folks! Another day and still no heat, oh well I'll just have to let your reviews warm me.

I am getting closer to wrapping this first story up. The next one will include a lot more Remy and Rogue, ah but will they be together. I have not yet decided. I heard a lot of people say that they don't like Romy fics but I have also heard a lot of people say that Rogue and Remy should always be together. Which way should I go? Some feedback would be great, lemme know which way you want the pole to lean and gimme a few reasons why. I have my own opinion, but I will keep silent for now.

So let me know if you want Remy & Rogue Together or apart and I'll let you know at the last chapter what I've decided to do.

And BTW- The next chapter will be violent so I will warn you now and at it's beginning that it is R-rated if you don't wanna read it, make a friend do it and have them summarize it for you. Ok adios!