(Seven)

It was true Kimble wasn't the same. He had gone through a powerful transformation over the past two months. He didn't change all at once, but changed he surely had. It began the night of the warehouse explosion.

Kyle had saved Kimble that night, snatching him away from death, or severe damage at the very least. He had reached out and thrown up a telekinetic shield, tossing the flare to one side. Too late. It was lit and the kerosine caught anyway. He barely had time to cover them both with a large telekinetic bubble before the world went up in fiery ball of smoke and debris. The heat blasted into Kyle and he screamed as his skin began to burn from the impossible heat. He used his remaining power to grab Kimble and fly them both out of the loading dock and into the water.

It was hard to see with all the smoke and debris flying around, but they made it. They were on fire, or at least the shield bubble around them was. The fumes had licked around it and caught fire. There was a sizzling pop and crackle as they sank into the ocean. Kyle released the shield and the water rushed in around them, cooling them instantly. It felt wonderful.

He kicked up and broke free of the water, gasping in big lungfulls of air. He pulled up Kimble, feeling his passenger fighting to break free.

"I don't think so, kid!" Kyle scolded, relief surging through him. Kimble couldn't struggle if he was dead.

"Lemmie go! Lemmie go!" the pilot snarled at him in Lakotashay's high pitched voice. She was still in power, Kimble's surrender had seen to that.

"Not a chance."

Kyle jumped and leapt to the sky, dragging 'Shay's body up and dripping with him. He didn't head back to the warehouse, the was no point in it really with it burning down and all, but took off towards the bright lights of the city instead. He flew to the closest aerie he had and dumped the ruined Siskan down inside, tossing her on the bed. She was cold now and freezing from being wet and she shivered and sobbed, covering her face.

"Are you done now?" Kyle demanded, trying to sound more angry than he felt. The pilot had frightened him badly. "Stupid child!"

"Why didja stop us?"

Kyle wiped sea water from his face and began to undress. "Because you're too important."

"That's a load of shit an' you know it. We ain't this ShaRain. We ain't worthy!"

"It's not a load of shit," Kyle corrected, coming over to the bed. He didn't understand why Kimble was speaking like that little child again. She had spoken to him before certainly, but only for a moment and was gone. Maybe she was having some kind of stupid tantrum. Kyle was shivering and freezing now and wanted only to warm up. He yanked on the blankets and pulled Lakotashay towards him, but the pilot pushed him away.

"I hates you! Don' touch us!"

"Kimble, please. You're freezing and so am I."

"So? You shoulda just let us fuckin' die!" she complained, her voice full of anger and pain.

"Ain't gonna happen, Kimble. I made a vow to look after you and I mean to honor it."

"My name ain't Kimble. Don' calls us that no more."

"What?" Kyle asked, perplexed.

"You calls us Lakotashay or nuthin' else," the pilot demanded, rising. The Quitter stood up straight and the coldness seeped back into her eyes. "You won' lets us die? Fine! You ain't the first to stop us. Yer just like our father, thinkin' y'all know what's best fer us. What a crock of shit. All of it! There ain't nuthin' here fer us 'cept hurtin' an' hate. Well, maybe y'all think you kin break me down, swampin' me with yer stupid idears of great things what ain't even real, but yer wrong! We're a stupid Siskan courtesan. The only thing we wuz meant ta do wuz serve. Fine. I'll serve. But you ain't the one who owns us, we belongs ta Cameron. He wants some stupid ShaRain, fuckin' killer gangster? Fine! Kimble ain't up to it, Zander neither, sos ya got me. Lakotashay!"

Kyle looked up at the pilot, horrified. It was starting to sink in what was going on here. This one Cameron had fought so bitterly for was smashed, broken for real. This was no joke, no silly game Kimble was playing. This nightmare was only getting worse. "Kimble, wait -"

"There ain't no Kimble here!" Lakotashay shouted suddenly, throwing out a telekinetic burst so powerful, Kyle was flattened down onto the bed and unable to move. The whole building shook with it and items toppled over from the shelves around him. He was surprised at how powerful her ability was, Kimble had given no sign. Still, Kyle was the stronger of the two at the moment because of his training and tight control. He chose against resisting her, he didn't think putting up a fight here was going to help anything.

"Okay...Lakotashay..." Kyle wheezed and gasped as he was released.

Lakotashay backed off, her eyes angry and defiant. She moved away and went into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. The sound of the shower came on.

Kyle swore and lay back on the bed, covering up. This night had been one long continuous nightmare. Half his team was dead, Kimble was mentally smashed, probably beyond repair. "Hope you're happy, Cam," he mumbled to himself. He had warned Cameron that he wasn't fit to be Kimble's handler and this only proved it.

(break)

The next evening, Kyle brought Lakotashay back with him to Cameron's penthouse. Kyle was stunned at the damage to the building, he had flown out with Kimble before Sabretooth's farewell blast and had no idea it had been this bad. The penthouse was in good shape, but that was about it. Cameron's Club and the upper floors had sustained heavy damage from the big fight. At least half of one whole floor was demolished throughout from Creed's bomb. Amazingly, the building was still structurally sound and there were people milling about. The bomb had blown itself out and there had been no fire. There were still some fire trucks and SHIELD security vehicles parked down below, no doubt trying to figure out what was going on. It looked as though at one point the building had been evacuated, but he saw that regular people were moving in and out now.

They landed on the patio for the penthouse and Kyle kept them going along through the upper floors. As he moved the sullen and silent pilot through the building, Kyle saw many of Cameron's people milling about, cleaning things up and documenting what had to be fixed. There were firemen and SHIELD agents up here, too. Some of them gave sideways looks at the odd looking pilot, but most of them knew this was a building occupied by mutants and nothing was said. That didn't mean the men were silent, Kyle heard whispers of over thirty of The Freedom Kings having been killed, slaughtered by Sabretooth and his gang. Michael wasn't one of them, thankfully. Kyle passed his teammate and smiled at him with relief. Michael shook his hand and went on his way without speaking. There was too much to be done.

Kyle found Cameron in his office, which had miraculously sustained no damage.

Cameron was relieved to see them. He came forward, his hands outstretched. "Oh, thank God! I was so worried, I'm glad you're all right. What happened? Leon and I barely got out of the warehouse alive."

Kyle shook his head and looked at 'Shay who stood quiet with her head down. "He's not all right. The X-men tried to take him. Wolverine was there, I found him sneaking around and locked him up. Somehow Kimble found him and they had some kind of fight. That rat bastard Logan said something bad to Kimble and now he's all messed up. He tried to kill himself and I stopped him. He says his name is Lakotashay and he won't stop talking like that little kid."

"Really?"

Kyle gave 'Shay a poke. "Say something."

She just glared at him.

"He tried to kill himself. That's why the warehouse exploded."

"Well, we can't be having that. Heroes don't kill themselves," Cameron replied in a strict fatherly tone. He locked eyes with the pilot, demanding a response.

"We ain't no hero," Lakotashay finally spoke. "We's jus' Siskan trash. Yer ShaRain is a lie."

Cameron noted the change in the pilot's voice. This one he hadn't heard from as much. When the pilot got into trouble, he mostly spoke to Kimble and that other one, Zander. He figured if this personality spoke so much like a child, perhaps she could be reasoned with like one. "What makes you say that? Heroes aren't perfect, you know. They must be trained, molded. Created. You can still be that ShaRain if you want it."

"Only thing I wants ta be is dead. Kyle stopped me once, he ain't gonna stops me the next time."

"Now you listen to me, son -"

"I ain't yer son!" 'Shay snarled at Cameron in her high pitched voice. It couldn't be mistaken for anything but an outraged female. "I'm Lakotashay! Ya don' owns me!"

He just grinned at her with a nasty smile. He was growing angry, but felt he had no choice but to play his last wild card. Joshua had warned him of the change in this pilot and advised him on how best to handle it. Joshua, too, had survived the assault on the place and was quick to come to Cameron with new visions upon his arrival. It wasn't really Cameron's style to do as Joshua had suggested, but he wanted... no, he needed this new acquisition under his complete control. "Of course I own you. You live under my roof. You are under my authority."

"Never!" 'Shay hissed, fisting her hands.

Cameron stood up tall and straight, ready to deal that card now. He shouted in a loud, commanding voice, "Get down on your knees, you ungrateful whelp! You were lost and I found you! I am your Master now! You will obey me!"

Lakotashay squealed and went down to her knees, hard. It was the first time Cameron had used the word Master directly and with such force. His loud voice and domineering manner had struck a chord deep inside, one she was unable to ignore. Obey! was the command given and she had responded automatically. Submit! was the order implied and it felt too right for her to resist. She cowered before him, holding her arms over her head defensively as though he would strike her. He had used the magic word - Master. Kimble had been a slave in one form or another all of his life. He truly didn't know any other way to be. All of the personalities felt this. He had been floating around for weeks now, essentially drifting in a terrible limbo until someone happened to come along and claim him. That man had just now spoken. The only one with the power to really argue about what was going on was Zander, but he was oddly silent, waiting to see what else Cameron had to say before he went along with this or not.

Kyle was stunned and momentarily speechless. He had never heard Cameron talk this way to anyone and didn't like how Lakotashay had immediately responded. It was too well practiced, too automatic. This was clearly nothing new to the pilot and Cameron had known it all along. Another thing Cameron had hidden from him. His anger surged. He started to speak but Cameron silenced him with a finger, he wasn't done with Lakotashay just yet.

He addressed her, saying, "You listen up now, you listen good. You've been screwing around for the past two weeks. That's why Gail is dead. That was all your fault. You are responsible and so now you owe me. You will train! You will defend us against our enemies! You will do as you are told! Understand!"

"Fuck you!" 'Shay snarled. She willed a wall of spikes, but nothing happened. She snarled in frustration but was greeted only by a harsh, nasty chuckle from Zander.

"Nice try, darlin'. You ain't gots no power 'less I gives it to ya."

"No!" she protested, but squealed once more and twisted as something was disrupted from inside.

Zander had something to say and shoved her rudely aside. He gave Cameron his answer. "I kin shuts 'er down all day if I hafta. All she wants is ta be dead, but not me. Not me. You wants yer ShaRain? Fine. But we gots ta do it together. Kimble's gone so ya gots ta deal with her. I kin stops her from usin' our power ta kills us, but that's it. You gots ta help me. You do that an' I'll work with ya, I'll do whatever ya wants."

Kyle shook his head and covered his face. The rough gravel of the Punisher's voice was too much. He was no doctor, but even he could see that this was not Kimble screwing around. The voices were coming out one on top of the other, almost simultaneously. No human could speak like this. "Cameron, this guy's a mess. We have to get him out of here. He needs a hospital!"

"Shut up or get out."

Kyle startled and looked with surprise at the man he had respected and obeyed unquestionably for the last ten years. Cameron was glaring at him, willing him to be silent. His boss clearly had a plan and wasn't about to let him interfere. Well, his boss was in for a surprise, too. He wasn't about to sit here and watch this freakshow go any further without a say. "Excuse me? This wasn't a dictatorship last I checked! Since when do you boss around your people and treat me like shit! I've done everything you ever asked of me whether I've agreed with it or not! No more! I'm not about to stand here and let you make a slave out of this boy!"

"This is no mere boy and must be handled in a different way! He's not even human! He's a machine, a hologram that was designed to serve! He must be controlled to gain his full potential!"

"But–!"

"I wants ta train!" Zander interrupted in his low rumble. He wanted this and wasn't about to let any of the others or Kyle get in his way. "I been tryin' but Kimble's been the one screwin' around! He's gone now! I wants this! I wants this!"

Kyle crossed his arms and looked down to the floor, defeated. This was madness. He was party to a murder. Kimble was gone.

"This is Zander speaking to me?" Cameron said to the pilot, maintaining his domineering posture and authoritative tone.

"That's right. I wants ta train. 'Shay ain't gots no power, I do. You wants the learnin' done, you ain't gonna git it done without me. We kin makes 'Shay do it, I kin move 'er along just like I done with Kim."

"Where are the others now?"

" 'Shay's here. We all sees what's goin' on. I wants ta train. I always did, but the others don' always listen ta me."

Cameron grinned, happy now. "Then stay and train."

"I cain't, least not all the time. I ain't strong enough ta stay out too long. All I kin do is shut the power off an' on. 'Shay's the strongest now cuz Wolverine made Kimble run. She's trouble. She wants us all dead. She'll do it, too, if she gits the chance. Kimble useta balance things out 'tween all of us, but he's gone now."

"Why is that? How did Wolverine make Kimble run?"

Zander grunted a wry, twisted laugh. "Called the Lover a rapist. Go figger. Kim didn't take it too good. He won't be comin' out no more."

"Why did he call Kimble a rapist?"

Zander shrugged. "Prob'ly cuz it's true, I reckon."

Kyle was finished now. Kimble had truly loved Gail, he had seen it with his own eyes. Kimble would never knowingly hurt anyone, Kyle believed this with all his heart. He couldn't believe Logan's cruelty. Well, scratch that. Wolverine was a rock hard bastard with a wicked temper. Maybe it wasn't so far from reality. Still, Kimble hadn't been able to withstand the mental assault. Kimble was his charge, his responsibility. He had done nothing over the past two weeks to bolster Kimble's self esteem. No, he had played the personalities just as Cameron was doing now. What a mistake. He had failed as both a mentor and a person. This was nothing more than a butchered re-enactment of his prior failure as a handler. Kimble had been gentle and kind, the one with a laugh so happy and full of life. Now he was gone.

Kyle started to walk out, but Cameron grabbed him. "Wait. I want to talk to you, to explain all of this. Just not here."

"Go fuck yourself!" He jerked away from his boss and stomped out, slamming the door.

"What's his problem?" Zander asked.

"He was quite partial to Kimble."

Zander just smiled wickedly. "Yeah, the Lover has that effect on people."

Cameron laughed uneasily, unsure if that was a joke or a statement. "Don't worry about Kyle. He's upset. Don't worry, I'll handle him. Now, back to business. You will train and do as I ask? I want you to learn the sword from Joshua, it will be done."

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, Master," Zander replied with saccharine sweetness and a crooked smile. It let Cameron know that Zander's obedience was conditional. For the moment, their goals were the same and he was content to co-operate. That was subject to change.

Cameron was willing to take what he could get. "And you, Lakotashay?"

"Don' wanna train! Jus' kill us!" she demanded.

"No! You will obey me!" Cameron shouted.

'Shay recoiled and cowered on the floor. She was trembling and submissive. "Yes, Master!"

"There will be no more attempts to destroy yourself! You belong to me! You will do as I say, no questions!"

"Yes, Master!"

"Now, I don't trust you so I'm going to have you bunk with Leon for now. He will keep an eye on you. You will do as he says, understand?"

"Yes, Master."

Lakotashay was all done arguing. She understood that it was her role in life to be a possession, to be ordered. This is how it always was and always would be for as long as they were alive. She could feel Zander's will burning in the circle of light beside her. He wanted this. Her will was stronger, but he was the root of her power. She needed him. They were all three together in this.

Kimble was the only silent partner at the moment. He was balled up in his chains, buried under his wings and asleep with his back to the screen. He was all done with the world and would remain like this until he had the will to fight for control again. It would be a long time coming, the pain had banished him into the deepest recesses of his own mind. 'Shay couldn't fight both of them, but with Kimble down, maybe she could appease Zander enough to drop his guard long enough for her to find a way to destroy the body. She wouldn't be happy until she was back home with Father again.

(break)

Cameron found Kyle at the bar nearest the penthouse exit. Cameron walked the pilot over to where a crew was working on a clean up project nearby and left her there, he wanted her where he could see her while he tried to work this out with Kyle. He knew to get what he wanted from the pilot, he would need Kyle on his side. Cameron sat next to the man who was more like a son to him than any other and patted his shoulder. "Hey, Kyle."

Kyle had been here while Cameron spoke with the pilot and was now quite drunk. He had knocked back a few drinks quickly, wanting only oblivion. He slurred at his boss, "You lied to me. Kept your secrets. You used me."

"I know and I'm sorry. I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't so important."

"You knew it was going happen, him breaking up all the way like that. You knew Kimble would leave."

"Joshua told me."

"That's so unfair. You tell me to take care of him but then you tell me nothing about him. Look at him, he's a mess! I hate you!" he spat and covered his eyes, turning away. He was much too drunk for this. He was horrified Kimble was gone and the frustration was more than he could bear. He had recruited many young people for Cameron over the years and most of them had been kids hardened by the streets or parental abuse. Kimble was one of the few people who had crossed his path that had a spark of true child like innocence about them. Kimble had trusted him and he had let the Siskan down.

Cameron continued with her persuasions. "I'm sorry, really. I understand you're angry. I know I deserve it. Please, set aside your anger and work with me on this. That kid is going to be more powerful than we can imagine. Joshua has seen it. Everything he told me about Kimble has happened. He will be a powerful weapon, just think of all the good he'll be able to do for us and for our cause. Kimble's going to be okay, you'll see. He just needs to be trained and molded into something good. He just needs some time to sort out what he wants."

"Kimble's dead. 'Shay killed him," Kyle snapped bitterly, his head down.

"You don't know that. Just give him some time."

"I hate that bitch."

"She'll be better now, you'll see. Just stay and work with me on this. I want Kim...'Shay... whoever he is now, to bunk with Leon. He shouldn't be left alone. Will you help me?"

"No. I'm on the first plane out of here."

"I know you cared for Kimble, we all did. Perhaps if you stay, he can persuaded to come out again," Cameron said, ever the master manipulator. He doubted it would happen, he just wanted to prey on Kyle's insecurities so he would stay.

Kyle shuddered and held back his raging emotions. He wanted to run, to just walk away from all of this. He had the financial resources to do it, it would be so easy. He looked across to where the pilot was working, seeing her exaggerated feminine movements and the posture of her body. He hated Lakotashay with a passion. He didn't know if he could do this, if he could work with her without wringing her neck. Still, maybe he could make up for his mistake, set things to rights.

"It's not safe to stay here," he said finally, his voice rough.

"Take Leon and Joshua and go to the Baltimore camp."

"Give me Michael. I want his protection, Joshua can't do shit."

"All right. The train stations will be watched, so is this building. Dress in black and fly by your own power. If you take Steven with you as well, he can cloak you."

Steven was a telepath, he also had a way of blanking out perceptions of those around him. He would be able to cover them easily. Kyle nodded. "I need a few minutes, I have to pack."

Cameron was happy now. "I'll see that the others are made ready as well. Take what time you need, but not too long. It will be light soon."