Shout outs:

Winblades: You'll see what the effects will be on Jean and Scott. Hope you like what will come from Tessa's abilities.

Ldypebsaby: Ever heard the expression it's darkest before the dawn? Well that's pretty much how this will be and believe me it isn't at its darkest yet.

Mark C: You'll see about Tessa later on and you might be surprised by how they find them later on in the story. Shaw isn't much for talking and you'll see what I mean.

TheLegendaryManHimself: Very insightful, you'll have to see soon if you were right or not.

Episodic: Yeah computers can be a pain at times. Trust me you'll really feel sorry for Jean later on. Tessa will do kind of like in X-treme but with a little twist to it.

Wenl: He doesn't say anything because he's a personal guy and he's not sure what's going on. Xavier thinks they might be just dreams and no they wouldn't get an idea form those there isn't enough to go on.

Lil Jean: I guess so, although if you do like her character you won't like this chapter.

Sparky Genocide: Trust me it gets worse for them from this point on before it gets better.

The Uncanny R-Man: Hell to pay and you said my puns were bad. Yeah well things are about to get for for Jean and Rogue and more fluff with Emma and Vince.

Thanks to: X00001,

WARNING:This scene has graphic sexual imagery with the Jean part of this so if you don't like to read anything about sex don't read her part in this chapter
.

HELLFIRE AND BRIMSTONE

CHAPTER 6: ESCAPISM

-Prison Section, Hellfire Club-

Emma was fixing up the dark haired young man. She had seen the old scars on his body and wasn't sure if any of the new injuries would scar with the exception of the one on his face. But it was small and might actually give him an interesting look to his already handsome face. He wasn't supermodel good looking, but she had to admit he was attractive.

She also wondered how he got those horrible scars on his body. She could tell from them and his eyes that he had lived a hard life. His eyes…Now they were another story. They had a mysterious light blue color, but the intensity of them and the hardness that they conveyed at times spoke volumes to her. Her own eyes were just as hard and cold at times from her own pain.

"Hey…Emma?" Vincent said weakly.

"Yes." She said wrapping his wrists up from the handcuffs that had been cutting into his wrist.

"Tell me about yourself." He said simply.

"Why?"

"Because I'm interested…And it will give me something to focus on besides the damn pain."

She considered this. It wasn't easy for her to talk about her life, especially to a stranger, but he was going through much the same as she had at one point and looking into his eyes, she wondered if he would understand her. No one ever had and it was kind of lonely feeling so isolated, but then again she had been alone for some time. That, and at this rate Selene might lose patience and kill him by accident. "Alright, but if you tell anyone…"

He laughed a little and fought back a cough. "Who am I going to tell? Besides after three days with that woman you think I'm the gossiping type?"

She gave a small smile. "Well you got a point there." She finished with his wrists and started on this upper body. "I was born into a rich family, the second of three daughters. I had an older brother too. Unfortunately my brother Christian was into drugs…And he overdosed last I heard."

"I'm sorry." Vincent said.

Emma shrugged it off. "We were never close. My sisters, on the other hand, were…At least we used to be. Then my father said that one of us had to prove to him who was best to take over the family business. After that my sisters turned on each other. The three of us had a major falling out period and we all did things that destroyed our relationships…All for a damn business." She said bitterly.

"When the time came, father chose me of all people to take over. My sisters hated me for that, and they both wanted to have what I was given. When I saw what our little 'competition' my father made had done to my family, I wanted nothing to do with that damn prize. So I went right up to my father and threw his little 'prize' right into my face. I thought my sisters would see that I wanted to repair what had happened, but they just thought I was too good for the family."

She was silent at that moment, remembering how her family closed itself off to her. "Then my mutation kicked in. I'm a telepath as you might know and when I started to hear voices, my family ditched me in a mental hospital." She remembered that horrible place and whished she could forget about it.

"You don't have to go on if it's too painful." Vince said gently. He didn't want to push her and he knew full well how painful the past could be.

Emma looked at him and saw understanding in his eyes. She didn't quite know why, but she wanted to go on. She never told anyone any of this before and it felt good to finally tell someone. "No, it's okay…I…I need to get this out. By then I was sixteen and for a few months I was assaulted by thoughts, the doctors gave me all kinds of drugs…And then someone else happened." She felt her free hand ball up into a fist. "A few of the guards…They…They started to rape me. At first it was this one guy and I was so drugged up the first time I wasn't sure if what I was experiencing was real or not…But then it happened again…And again. For two months, every few days a guard would take advantage of the little crazy girl."

She felt his hand on hers holding it and see looked at him and saw it wasn't pity she saw in his eyes, he was looking at her like someone who had seen hell and was supporting her. She didn't know why, but she held his hand as well. It was nice to have at least one person giving her support. "Anyway, it occurred to me that if I could hear their thought that maybe I could do something with them." She smiled to herself thinking of the punishment she had given out to those that had taken advantage of her. "Let's say that they learned that Karma is a bitch…And so am I." She said coldly.

"Anyways after my escape, I lived on the streets for over a year." She remembered huddling in doorways and scrapping for food even using her talents to 'persuade' people to give her money and was able to stay at motels and get a good meal now and then.

"I know how that is." He told her. "I spent a year on the streets myself…It's not easy to be alone all the time with just yourself to depend on, but it does make you stronger if you survive."

"Yes…It does, doesn't it?" She said to him and she could tell he was telling the truth. "Anyways, I was tired of the streets and with the help of my powers, I got a dress and managed to get into a solon and get into high society parties. With my experience gained from my family and their parties, I knew my way around social circles. I managed to work my way into a nice fortune as well. And that was how I met Harry Leland." She remembered how Harry had said she had much potential and it was then that she learned about the Hellfire Club.

"I learned about this place at one of the parties and also that they were looking for dancers. I auditioned of course."

"And used your abilities to give your performance something a little extra?" He said with a grin.

She cocked an eyebrow. "Am I that transparent?" She teased and he nearly laughed at that. "Anyways you're right, I did and Shaw saw talent in me. I was eighteen at this point and he became my mentor, and of course I started crushing on him." She saw his look and nodded. "Yes, yes I know…Big mistake. He was the typical older high society man that my family tried to groom me and my sisters for our entire lives."

"Well, with him I learned to master my talents and with them used them for the Hellfire Club. You know a little 'inside' information and such." She left out how she was also remake in the Club's image. How Shaw had convinced her to get plastic surgery to 'enhance her beauty' as he had said. She got a nose job, her cheeks done, and her breast as well along with any baby fat and unsightly hair permanently removed. When she was done and healed up, she hardly recognized her appearance in the mirror anymore. Which was fine with her, she wanted to forget that life and move on anyway and start anew. "Well it wasn't long until he also lusted after me. To be fair, I didn't mind. In fact, I encouraged it, flirting with him and everything. Then of course, one thing led to another and I gave myself to him." He remembered how rough and forceful he could be…Much like the men from the mental hospital and she shuddered at the thought. "I thought we were in love…Then when I took a peak in his mind…I was wrong." She said sorrowfully.

"He was just using me…The entire time. He didn't love me. Hell, I don't think he's capable of that. He just wanted to use my powers and my body for his own purposes. So I dug a little deeper and started to find out the 'real' face of this place. I tried to run but…They caught me and well you can guess the rest of it." She said pointing to the collar.

Vincent looked at her as she wasn't meeting his gaze. "You didn't deserve any of that." He said with kindness yet a force behind it like he damned the universe for giving out such a harsh life to her.

She laughed a little. "You think I'm some kind of nice girl? Well you don't know some of the things I've done!"

"We all do things that we regret. There are certain times beyond our control and we do what we have to in order to survive…Believe me, I know." She looked at him and studied his face. She was wondering what secrets he held in him, and if maybe she had found someone like herself in a way.

"You should rest now." Emma said softly.

"I don't want to…I'll just have nightmares and I like talking to you, plus…You have a gentle touch." He said flashing her a warm smile. She managed a small smile in return as she took care of the last of his injuries. She had to admit that he had one hell of a nice body and kept in really good shape. She eyed the oriental tattoo on his chest.

"What does this mean?" She asked him, knowing full well she couldn't or shouldn't ask him about his own past considering what he was going through to keep it secret.

"It's the symbol of a Samurai family, the Mototsugu. The symbol in the center of the circle stands for the family name the four on the outside stand for Honor, Duty, Courage, and Strength. You see when I was seven an elderly Japanese man took me in as a student after I helped him fight off these punks…I never liked seeing people picked on." He told her and she listened with interests. "Well I've been training with him ever since and when I was seventeen I got this as a write of passage as it were to being a full member and warrior of the clan."

"Wait a minute…" Emma said not sure if she was hearing right. "You're telling me you were trained as a Samurai…And are one?" She asked him not sure if he was lying or not.

"Yes." He said and the serious expression on his face told her not to question that.

'Well that's a new one, will wonders never cease.' She thought. "Well that would help to explain how you took out Pierce's prize mercenaries."

Hellfire Club

A/N If you want to skip this if it's too graphic then do so

As Jean entered the darkened room with Jason Wayngard and the guards, she forced herself to take deep breaths. After seeing the way Shaw looked at her earlier, she was very anxious over what he wanted with her. After some of the horror stories that Emma had told her, she feared he may use her in a similar way. More than anything now, Jean wished for her powers so she could escape this horrible place…But due to the collar fastened securely on her neck, she was at the mercy of these 'men' now.

She knew she had to stay strong though, for she couldn't risk being broken by these people and used against the world for nothing more than greed. Her thoughts drifted to Scott and how she had been told that he hadn't survived that blast she witnessed with her own two eyes. She had felt his pain through their link…That had been the last she had felt from him before it all went dark. She threatened to break down in tears again upon remembering the horrible feeling of feeling the man she loved die right within her mind. But Jean knew she couldn't allow herself to sink any further, for that's what they wanted her to do. Scott may have been dead, but that didn't mean she would make his sacrifice be in vain. She vowed to survive…If anything for his memory.

Then suddenly…Jean felt a strange sensation surge through her mind and the world around her began to spin. A sinister grin spread across Wayngard's face as he used his powers on her weary, unguarded mind. Sabastian Shaw then came out of the darkness with a satisfied expression at what he was seeing with her.

"Is it done Jason?" asked Shaw in the form of a statement more than a question.

"Yes my king…Just as you requested," grinned Jason.

"Good…Now leave us," he ordered.

Both Jason and the guards obediently followed, knowing full well Shaw's expectations. As Jean lay on the floor, the sinister grin on Shaw's face grew wider as he looked at the frail redhead struggle with what Jason just did to her. She had been weakened enough by the nightmares for him to have full control over her now. Control…Being one of Shaw's favorite things.

As the darkness faded for Jean and she slowly opened her eyes, she suddenly found herself no longer in the dark room she had been led in. Her mind was dazed, confused, and barely able to make sense out of what had happened or where she had been. Was she still in the Hellfire Club? Had they done something to her? Many questions surged through her mind, but her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a soft voice.

"Jean…"

The weary redhead looked up at Sabastian Shaw as he stood over her…But in her eyes, she didn't see Shaw. She hadn't heard his voice. Instead, her mind told her that the voice and image before her was none other than the man she thought had died right before her eyes…Scott Summers. Her heart started racing as she saw his face and he bent down to pick her up in his strong arms.

"Oh my God…Scott?" said Jean weakly, gently touching his cheek, every logical sense telling her that this was Scott, "Is it really you?"

"Of course it is Jean," said the man before her, "What made you think otherwise?"

Jean quickly embraced him tightly as tears formed in her eyes.

"I…I thought you dead. I…I saw you die right before my eyes and…" but she was soon cut off as she struggled to form the right words.

"You were just having a nightmare Jean…" said Scott gently, "It's over now…It was a dream. You have nothing to worry about. See…We're back here in your room where it's safe."

Jean then took a look around and her eyes told her that this was indeed her old bedroom at the institute. She wasn't quite sure how she got here, but her mind told her that this was it, she looked down and saw the Hellfire Club clothing gone and she was in a shirt and skirt. This was the room she had spent so many years in. A feeling of great joy soon fell over her as she collapsed once again into Scott's arms.

"It was a dream…A horrible dream Scott," said Jean as Scott began to run his hands along the curves of her body.

"Shh…It's over now my sweet. Let me make you forget all about that horrible dream," said Scott in a deep voice as he cupped her chin and moved in to kiss her.

Jean just wanted to forget, so she didn't fight Scott as he roughly pressed his lips against hers. As she sunk into the kiss, his grip on her body grew firmer as he hungrily moved her over to the bed. Jean couldn't explain it, but her mind lacked the capacity to fight it. Scott soon removed his shirt and aggressively began to tear off the top part of her shirt. He was being bit rougher than usual…He was always one to savor each feeling during the many previous times they made love. But this time, he was being so aggressive for some reason and Jean didn't know why.

"Scott…" Protested the redhead weakly as he ripped off her bra and roughly fondled her large, generous breasts.

"Relax Jean…" said Scott in a strange tone, "Do not fight it…It's me…Scott."

Unknown to Jean, Sabastian Shaw grinned with a great deal of hunger for her as she remained under the strange shroud that had been cast over her mind. Jean was still not seeing him, she was only seeing Scott and that's they way he wanted it.

Jean's mind still told her that this was Scott and didn't fight him as he roughly trailed his kisses down past her neck and began biting on her nipples. Jean was flat on her back as Scott's overpowering weight kept her in a submissive state while he continued to aggressively run his hands up and down her body. Jean swallowed nervously…But she had never been nervous before. Why was she feeling this way now?

She didn't have time to ponder this as she felt her skirt being ripped off and thrown to the side. Her panties soon followed and Jean suddenly found herself completely exposed to this man now. Jean then looked at the expression on Scott's face…But something was wrong. It didn't look like the thorough, caring, lover that she knew. Instead he bore a strange expression that looked like one of pure hunger…Hunger for her.

His hand then roughly cupped her private area and began to stroked her as he continued to grow increasingly aroused by the naked woman laying before him. Jean felt herself whimper and groan by his roughness. He then slipped two fingers into her and began to frantically pump his way in and out of her vagital area causing brief bursts of pleasure and pain. It was strange…For this never had hurt before. Then again, Scott had never been this rough with her before. Jean began to grow increasingly dazed, for something was still keeping her from doing anything about this.

"Yes my dear…" said Scott in a deep voice, "Feel my touch."

Jean gritted her teeth a he continued to finger her. Then finally, he stopped and she saw him remove his pants. Being so rough with her and having so much control over her had aroused Shaw immensely, but Jean still remained oblivious to the illusion before her.

"Now my redheaded sweet…Be mine," he said in a dark tone as he pressed his weight against her and roughly drove his hardness into her.

Jean let out a gasp as he swiftly thrust into her, not taking the time to allow her to adjust or savor it. He then lay on top of her and held her down as he began pumping and thrusting into her with increasing ferocity. His hands groped her and actually scratched her at times, but she still couldn't stop it. This feeling…This sensation…It was all wrong.

"Scott…" she cried as he continued to thrust without mercy into her, using his weight and his arms to hold her down, "You're…Hurting…Me."

But the man on top of her didn't listen, he just gripped her breasts in his hand and drove himself into her even harder, causing her to cry out. "Don't fight it Jean. Relish in it…My queen."

Jean suddenly felt something in the back of her mind tell her that this couldn't be the sweet, passionate lover she knew. He was so rough, he was so…Dark. She couldn't feel the wonderful pleasure she remembered from previous times. This was hurting her…It wasn't right. She closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the animalistic expression on this man's face. Tears were forming…But to Shaw, it only made him feel more in control.

'No…' a voice in Jean's mind told her, 'This is not Scott…This is not Scott. Scott is dead. This is not him.'

Her tears continued to flow as the cloaked Shaw continued to aggressively fuck her without conscious. But in Jean's mind, she still saw Scott. But feeling this…Pain from him, she knew it couldn't be him. But if it wasn't him, who was it? Suddenly, something appeared behind the illusion in Jean's mind. Something stood over Scott as he kept fucking her. Jean could sense it, but she didn't know how. Then, she opened her eyes and an expression of great shock took over her.

It was another Scott…The Scott she thought had died back in the field. He was covered in a strange white glow while the other Scott on top of her naked body became shrouded in a dark purple glow. Suddenly, the image of Scott on top of her was shattered. Then suddenly…The Scott in the light glow lunged toward her with a desperate look on his face…Full of compassion, worry, and love.

"JEAN!"

"AHHHHH!" yelled Jean in pain as she suddenly passed out and everything went dark.

As she went limp under Shaw, he finally withdrew from her and looked curiously at the naked unconscious redhead he had just fucked. Jean now reeked of his scent and was in a deep state of unconsciousness. But no matter…Shaw had got what he wanted. And now that he had managed to control her like this, it wouldn't be long now before she was completely broken.

Shaw casually dressed, feeling very pleased with himself now and looking forward to doing this to her again once her mind was fully under control. Although it was curious as to why she had passed out, to Shaw it meant she was just more weak minded than they had thought. If the illusions sparked this reaction within her, then she would be much easier to manipulate in the end. As soon as he was dressed, Shaw summoned the guards and had them dress her and carry her unconscious body back to the room. Luckily, the illusions that he had instructed Jason to cast would only give her a vague memory of what had happened. But in doing so, it would hinder her control and keep her submissive. When she woke up, he doubted she would recall much of anything.

Xavier Institute Infirmary – Scott

Unknown to Shaw or anybody else for that matter, Scott had been in a deep, troubled sleep as Jean remained trapped in the Hellfire Club under Wyndgarde's illusion. In his sleep…He could see someone that looked like him touching her body, whispering lies to her, and fucking her while she cried. It was a torture unlike anything he could have every imagined, witnessing this horrible scene as some imposture defiled the woman he loved. But he had tried to step in…He had tried to stop it. He managed to lunge forth towards the imposture…But only felt everything go dark after that as he let out an agonizing yell.

"JEAN! NO!" he yelled into the empty infirmary where he was resting.

His body was now covered in a cold sweat and he shivered under the sheets as he thought about what he had just seen. Jean's cries stung in his mind as he felt his whole body go limp with weakness and sorrow. He had felt something…He knew something was happening to Jean. He could sense it…He could feel it. He could feel her pain. It hurt so much…Feeling the pain of his soul mate. But he had to stay strong. Now he was more determined than ever to fight through his injuries and save her from whoever or whatever was doing this to her. Even though he knew she probably wouldn't be able to respond, Scott sent a message to her with his thoughts…Hoping Jean was alright wherever she was.

'Please Jean…Stay strong. I'll come for you…I swear. Don't give up…Stay alive. Please Jean…I need you. Please…Be okay.'

Xavier Institute – Kitty's room

As the exhaustive search for Jean and Rogue continue, Kitty found herself lying back on her bed looking at a picture she had of her and Rogue when they were still roommates. The young valley girl hated not being able do anything to help in the search. The Professor had been at it for days now and still hadn't found any trace of their missing friends. Add to that, Logan had been acting very strangely lately ever since Gambit arrived. He was so irritable now that only Ororo dared to confront him.

Now, Kitty was left to worry about her friends. Since coming to the institute, she had come to see her fellow X-men as more than just teammates. They were all like a family at heart. They lived together, ate together, and gave support to one another. Rogue was always someone Kitty was particularly close to. Even though they seemed like polar opposites on the surface, Kitty and Rogue had always had a close friendship. And not being able to do anything about her disappearance was definitely hard on her. Kitty was soon so lost in thought she didn't notice Colossus standing outside her doorway.

"Katya…Are you okay?" asked the Russian as he approached her bedside.

Kitty shifted her gaze from the picture, but her expression remained the same.

"It's been three days…" said Kitty with a defeated sigh, "The Professor still hasn't found anything. Three days and not a trace of Jean or Rogue."

"Have faith Katya," assured Piotr, "I'm sure something will come up."

However, those words just made Kitty feel more frustrated.

"That's what everybody has been saying!" shot Kitty, "It's always the same damn words! Have faith…Everything will be fine! It's just…"

Kitty soon forced herself to stop before she got too hysterical. It was clear that just sitting here while her friends were out gone was starting to get on her. She had tried to help, but there wasn't much she could do. Logan was still acting very strange, Beast was busy caring for Scott and Remy, Ororo was struggling to maintain order as the only adult among the new recruits, and Xavier had been in and out of Cerebro with few breaks in between. All the while they had no way of knowing what was happening to Rogue and Jean.

"I know…I know…I'm sorry. Maybe I should try different words," said Colossus.

Now Kitty felt bad. She knew she had no right to take her frustration out on Colossus of all people. He was trying to help her.

"No…It's not your fault Peter. I guess this whole thing is just getting to me. I mean, Jean and Rogue are gone, Remy came here half dead, Scott was nearly killed twice, and I don't know what the hell has gotten into Mr. Logan."

"I know. It's a lot to take in. But as you once said, we X-men have a way of dealing with strange things. If we can face somebody like Apocalypse then I'm sure we can work through this."

Upon hearing that, Kitty lightened up somewhat. In remembering what she and the rest of the X-men had been through, it became clear just how many crazy things they had managed to overcome. Apocalypse was far from a normal problem, yet they had overcome that. Sometimes she forgot just how strong she and her friends were and at times had to be reminded to have faith in them and what they had been through.

"I hope you're right Peter," said Kitty as she moved closer to Peter, glad that he was doing his best to cheer her up, "Jean and Rogue are strong. They can survive anything. I know how strong they are. I roomed with Rogue when I first got here. At first, I was kind of intimidated by her because I thought we would never have anything in common. But after getting to know her I really found a good friend in her. And I always looked up to Jean for managing to be so normal while staying in control at the same time. I know her powers are tough on her and I honestly don't think I could ever do what she does. I guess part of the reason why I'm so upset is because…I've really come to see them almost as family."

Colossus then looked back at her as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Gently, he wiped them away.

"We'll find them Katya. I know we will."

Piotr in turn placed a gentle hand on the young girl's shoulder and she ended up leaning against his strong body for support. He knew there was little else he could do to help her feel better. Things wouldn't get better until Jean and Rogue were back safe and sound.

-Hellfire Club-

Rogue was strapped down as Tessa placed her hands just above the young woman's face. She could sense the girl's potential and she had much of it. However, it looked like it would be difficult to bring out her full potential safely, given what else she had sensed. With her telepathy, she had sensed the 'ghosts' of other personalities. At least they seemed to be dormant and the girl could access their memories, but she also carried their genetic information, which it seemed was how she was able to use other mutants' powers.

Her body mimicked those traits and they were still there in her mind. She began to alter the girl's mutagentic field. She had to turn off the collar in order to access the girl's field since suppressing that field was how the collars worked. It took a few minutes and a glow came over the girl's body. Then, after a few more minutes it was over.

"It's done." Tessa said sitting down on a chair feeling a little drained.

"So…What exactly was done?" Leland asked eyeing the girl who seemed to be sleeping now.

"She now has control over her absorption powers. She should be able to turn then on or off and more."

"More?" Leland asked her. He knew the girl was an alpha class mutant, but he was wondering if she might become one of the most powerful alphas out there, maybe even omega class, but he doubted that. So far the only omega had been Apocalypse, so he figured she would most likely be a high level alpha.

"She has the potential to use any and all powers she has absorbed, but only time will tell what her true abilities can be." Tessa explained to him. "She's not exactly a typical mutant to say the least. Her power is very unique and difficult to judge."

Rogue was slowly regaining consciousness as her eyes slowly opened. She felt fine…Although a bit different, but couldn't make out exactly why. She tried to move her hands and found they were still bound. She wished that she had the strength of someone like Blob to break them. While thinking of the Brotherhood member she felt a small rush. She could see his mind and also a source of strength flowing through her. She tried again and this time her hand ripped right out of the restraint.

"What?" Leland turned to see the girl breaking out of her restrains and looked for the control for the collar. Rogue saw him looking and immediately ripped off her collar off her neck. "Oh shit." He swore as the girl charged him. He increased his mass and caught the girl, but she was stronger then he thought and she slammed him through a wall and she ran out of the hole.

Tessa watched this and a small smile was on her face, but she quickly hid it. She didn't want anyone to notice she had to maintain the charade.

Rogue ran though the huge building. She had to find Jean, or at least get to the roof or outside so she could try and send a mental SOS to the Professor. She saw more of those strange uniformed guards with the blank face masks summing for her. She guessed Leland must have gotten the word out. They leveled their sub machine guns at her and she flinched, thinking that she wished for some protection and suddenly she felt Colossus. She felt the impacts and saw that her body had his armored form.

"A gal could get used ta this." She said with a smile and thought of Jean's powers and flung her hand out sending them all flaying back with telekinesis. She wanted to run some more, but her head was swimming with images at the moment and she was having trouble thinking. She pushed it away and ran on.

More and more guards tried to stop her, and she used Scott's eyebeams in response. She wouldld have used Kurt's teleportation, but she didn't see any windows and didn't want to teleport into a solid object. She used Kitty's phasing powers to go through the walls, but using all those powers unknown to her were taking a toll.

She was having trouble concentrating and her head was hurting, but she ran on and called upon more powers. However, she didn't put any away and after defeating more guards she found herself in the lobby, but she fell to her knees, for the pain in her head was killing her.

"Well I must say that is impressive." She turned to see Shaw, Selene and the other members of the Inner Circle behind her. "Tessa, shut her down."

Rogue still had Jean's power and if this girl wanted to fight her telepath to telepath then so be it. Rogue tried to get into her head like she remembered how Jean could from the memories she was recalling, but something happened. She hit a wall and not only that it, was like a powerful burst of mental feedback striking her mind. Rogue screamed out in pain and clutched her head and curled up onto the floor from the pain.

Tessa, if she pulled her mind in, was completely defendable against telepaths. In fact, it also had the effect of sending it back at the telepath causing great pain. She knew the girl would try it, so she calculated the odds and she knew that the girl knew of her telepathic powers and would assume that was how she was going to attack.

She knelt down and sent a telepathic command to sleep and Rogue was forced to succumb. Shaw walked over and placed a new collar on her neck. "What happened to her?"

"I believe with her new gifts, she has to learn to separate the minds of the powers she uses. Eventually she will be able to, but she was overloading her mind this time. If she tried anymore, then she might have had a mental breakdown. She will have to slowly retrain herself and have mental exercises to help her, but she will have a limit on how many powers she uses. Use too many and it might cause serious harm, if not become fatal."

Shaw nodded. "That's good to know. But now she has to learn that there are consequences to actions of both escaping and for attacking us. Selene?" She dark haired woman stepped forward. "I believe you're little 'playroom' is free for the moment. I think she needs to learn that actions such as that will not go unpunished."

She smiled a cruel smile and nodded. "Oh I think I can do that. And don't worry I won't permanently damage her…Well…Physically."

Tessa watched this all and got a cold knot in her stomach. She hated this, working for these people, seeing what they did and what that poor girl was going to go through. But she was torn, for the loyalty of an old friend and her duty.

It was times like this she hated her life, but she knew that what she did was best for the future and that her role as 'Tessa' would ultimately save many lives and get rid of an evil power that has gone unchallenged for centuries. Still, her heart went out to the girl as the guards dragged her to the lower levels.

NEXT UP CHAPTER 7: PAIN AND PUNISHMENT