A/N: Hello!!!!

Oh, the Disclaimer: I do not own anything

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Chapter Five: The Dark side of All of This

continuing from chapter 4....

"Sure, of course, boss," Ray said, inwardly groaning; "Up top of Brigand's, right?"

"The very place," Valerio replied; "Now, I have to go. See you in five minutes."

"Of course, boss," Ray said, and he hung up when the familiar click of Valerio's disconnection sounded. Ray grumbled as he hooked the power-needy phone into its charger, then turned up his music as loud as he possibly could as he sped up and raced off.

Ray reached the place, and after getting out and locking his car, ran inside. He ran up the steps, stopping outside a large wooden door to straighten up and put on the calm and content façade. No one except Roberto knew what he had just tried to do, and it was going to stay that way. Ray then sighed, and opened the door.

He stood still as he gathered the scene. Valerio was seated behind a desk, Joey to his right, while his right, Ray's place, was vacant. There were three other gentlemen on a couch, and another lone man sat in a chair positioned in the middle of the otherwise stark room. Ray slowly walked in, and closed the door.

"Sorry if I was late, sir," Ray said, walking over.

"Of course not," Valerio said, his eyes on the man. Ray strode over, taking his place to Valerio's left. He nodded Joey, who smirked at him.

/Something's not right/ Ray thought, his eyes going to the lone man.

Said person was scared, face paled and eyes wide, though the rest of his features showed nothing other than apathy. He was dressed in casual wear; his sleek red hair gelled down and blue eyes never leaving the desk, or more so Valerio's hands that were folded upon the top. Ray recognized him after a moment; he was an Irish immigrant he had met once at a gathering. /I think his name is John Kinnock/ Ray thought.

"Mister Kinnock," Valerio said, and Ray thought /I was right/; "Are you aware of why you are here?" his voice was cold, yet placid. It never ceased to unnerve Ray; even Joey never got used to it. Ray knew the tone, though he had never stayed to see what came in quick succession. He remained still and calm, like a placid statue. His eyes were on the floor, though. He didn't want to see.

"Ah, yes, Mister Valerio," the Irishman replied in his clearest speech.

"Please state, for the record, why," Joey said coolly, eyes lifting to gaze at Kinnock.

Kinnock gulped, the first sign he was cracking. Ray looked up as well. A fine sweat was forming along the man's brow, a droplet falling slowly, ever so slowly, down the side of his face. Ray looked away, instead focusing on the wall behind Kinnock.

"Ah... Ah was caught pilferin' goods o' yourn," Kinnock managed, ringing his hands together anxiously. Ray pitied him.

"Where were you taking them?" Valerio asked.

"Ah... Ah sold 'em ta the Black Market," Kinnock admitted, bowing his head shamefully.

"And you are aware of the consequences... right?" Joey asked skeptically and raising an eyebrow in the same fashion.

Ray inwardly shivered. /Why am I here?/ he thought worriedly, looking up and his gaze falling on Valerio.

Valerio nodded as he thought, and silence hung in the room like a thick mist of dread. Finally, the man spoke; "Ray, you and Joey will take care of this one."

"Sir?" Ray repeated, and Joey's face fell over with dread as he too, looked at the man between them.

Valerio nodded; "Here," he said, his tone finalizing the unspoken deal that Ray and Joey hadn't agreed to willingly.

"Father," Joey began, but Valerio held his hand up to silence him; "No," Valerio said; "Prove yourselves," his hand lowered as his head turned. His eyes were fixed on Ray, who tried to mask his nervousness and want to be gone from the place as hidden as possible.

"By your means," Valerio finalized; "Ray, I want you to prove to us."

Ray gulped; "That's torture," he whispered.

Valerio smirked; "Not if you do it quick enough," he said venomously, eyes resting again on a now very nervous Kinnock.

"I can't," Ray said flatly, his fists clenched and at his sides; "Sir, I can't have blood on my hands."

"I know that," Valerio said, his eyes darkening; "I know you wouldn't get rid of that cop, and then you wouldn't get rid of the two other guys I asked you to do. I don't know how you could erase their memories, but I don't know if you're being loyal. I need to have trust in you, Ray! I need you to prove yourself to me here and now!" the last word echoed in the room, mixing with the foggy dread.

Ray was silent. If he turned it down, he would get hurt. But an innocent, foolish man's life was on the line. Ray couldn't put him over his dirty hide. He was confused. His heroic X-Men side was screaming to be the martyr, but the inner demon was encouraging him to do otherwise. Ray bit his bottom lip as he looked at Kinnock.

The blue eyes met his own, and Ray could see the inner pain and worry in the Irishman's. Ray nodded once, then looked at Valerio; "I can alter his memory," Ray said; "I'll bring in what I use to do it. He won't remember a thing, and we can just ship him over to Ireland. Just give me a time sequence, and I'll have it erased. What's the point in more blood on your hands when there are simpler, less risky ways of doing things?" he paused as he watched Valerio think it over.

Valerio looked at Kinnock, brow furrowing. He kept glancing at Ray, and the Irishman in turn did the same. Ray held a stony silence, and looked up at Joey.

What the fuck? Joey mouthed, a shocked yet disgusted look on his face. He couldn't stand mingling with Mastermind.

I won't have blood on my hands! Ray mouthed back, glancing over at the couch, the three men, who had remained silent the entire time, were watching the two with hidden interest. Ray glared at them ,before he turned to Joey and Mouthed; just shut up and follow my lead, got it?

Glaring, Joey nodded once before directing his attention forward. Ray did the same.

"Fine," Valerio said after a minute; "But I'm gonna wanna see this deal one day."

Ray smirked, "Thank you, sir," he said, then he walked around the desk and over to Kinnock; "Get up, ya lazy bum," Ray said coldly; "I just saved your ass. Come on, Joey," Ray added as he pulled Kinnock up out of his seat.

Kinnock was surprised at how Ray's hand was heated, and upon seeing the exposed flesh found it to be glowing. The redheaded man whimpered almost inaudibly as he was dragged out of the room and down the stairs, Joey following.

As soon as they got outside, Joey burst out; "What - the fuck are you thinking, RAY?! Pops is gonna follow us one day! We can't keep doing this!"

Ray swung around, Kinnock forced to follow for Ray's grip on his arm; "We'll do this shit for as long as it takes!" Ray said, his eyes starting to glow dangerously.

"Well, fuck it, man!" Joey snapped; "I won't go there again! Those friggin mutants scare the shit outta me!"

"Are you on crack or somethin'? Shut up!" Ray said angrily as he turned and led Kinnock over to his car. He unlocked it, and shoved Kinnock into the passenger side through the driver's seat. The man was still shaken by the Ray's faint yellow-gold glow to do anything.

"Come on, Joey, I can't do this alone!" Ray said, his glare leaving his face; "Would rather see this guy black and blue or red all over?"

"Which ever keeps me breathin' longer, dumbass, that's what!" Joey shouted irately, throwing his hands up into the air and letting them fall.

"Don't you call me a dumbass, you prick!" Ray shouted, "The longer Kinnock breathes, the more sleep you get tonight! Now get in this car!"

Joey glowered, glaring daggers at Ray. But the power of a mutant, especially one with a large temper on a short fuse like Ray, was a force he didn't want to reckon with. Joey got into the back of the car, and they were off.

- - -

Ray found himself in a dark room, a single spotlight falling down on him. HE looked around, then down. He was dressed in white clothing. Looking up, he heard a click, and another spotlight appeared.

There was his mother, her weary, smiling face looking at him. She was frail, and Ray wanted to walk over and hug her. But as he even made to take a first step, she began crying.

"What did you do, Ray?" she asked through her tears; "You could have done better than this!"

"I've done what you wanted me to do!" Ray said desperately.

"I didn't want you to kill people!" she sobbed; "Look at my baby now!" she shrieked, and the spotlight died.

Ray looked around hopelessly, and another spotlight appeared, this time gracing the face of his horrible father, a man he never really knew.

"No wonder I left you and your sorry mama, boy," the man sneered; "Lookit you, ya piece o' shit. You think yer so special, wit' your deformity—"

"It isn't a deformity!" Ray shouted, feeling seven again, the age when he last saw the man before him.

"—And now you think yer on top," the man spat, continuing; "You're nuthin'. I'm glad I left."

The spotlight died, and another came up. It was Xavier. He looked old, tired, and morose as he gazed at Ray. "Professor?" Ray asked, hope lacing with his anguish.

Xavier only shook his head; "Oh Ray," he said, "I thought you showed promise, you were a top recruit among your peers. But you had to throw it all away, to the wind;" he paused; "What were you thinking?"

Before Ray could say, the spotlight was killed. Another was born, this time, it was Meg. She was dressed in white, but her eyes were sad and she could hardly stand to look at Ray, it seemed. He stared at her billowing robes. She looked like a wingless angel.

"...Meg," Ray breathed as she began walking towards him.

Meg had closed the distance halfway when suddenly, she cried out in pain and fell to the ground, her knees colliding with the floor sending a reverberating sound in the cavernous darkness. She cried out again, and this time, Ray ran for her. But the more he ran, it seemed he could get no closer. Finally, Ray stopped, seeing she was crying, her blue eyes fixed on him again.

"Ray," she managed, her voice cracked and begging; "Why won't you find me?" she sobbed.

"I found you, I just can't reach you!" Ray said distraughtly, "You just keep moving around and I'm always a step behind you!"

"Why can't you just follow me?" Meg asked, before screaming out, throwing her head back as she did. The shrill note was field with piercing emotion; agony, defeat, loss. Ray watched desperately, beginning to run again.

Then the spotlight was extinguished, and his last hope disappeared, swallowed in the dark.

Ray looked around, his breathing hitched as he frantically hoped, prayed, wished for a way out. He was alone, like he had been all his life. He was never whole, he probably never would be.

Ray looked down at his clothing, then threw his head back and yelled, the tone fueled by anger and distraught passion.

His clothing was tainted red with blood...

---

Ray shot up, eyes snapping open. He woke in a cold sweat, safe in his room, under the covers and in the darkness of the early morning. Quickly he turned on the light, and got up. Panting, he turned the light off, and went to the window.

He glanced at the Clock tower, it was about 3 in the morning. He had gotten home from taking care of Kinnock at midnight, and the nightmare had woken him up.

Ray sighed with a moan, gravely running his hand over his face as he crossed his arms and stared outside, bleary eyed.

He was in a mental hell, and his angel had been taken in to the darkness. His clothing was red, he was tainted with blood. His soul was losing the battle of the Ages, against the evil that had managed to claim most of his life. Hold-outs were few and far between, and Ray felt like the breath was lost to him.

He stayed in front of the window, thinking, for the rest of the morning, until sun rose.

A/N: I know, sad, but I had to get it out now because I'm upset. Well, it's late, gotta go to bed. Review! Please Thank You!