Staring out the window, the red bird sits on the sill, staring at her. Getting up, she goes to it. "Hello! What are you doing here?! Please, tell me this is a jailbreak?! I am tired of being here like this." The head pops up, "if that is what you want?!" "Katherine. How did you get The Phoenix to do that?!!" "Mom, shh! You are going to get us busted before we can even escape."

"Who is going to escape?! I thought we had a deal, Aunt Red?!" Dane asks. "We do but surely, I can finally go further than this room and interior of this building?!" "Nice try. But fat chance, especially given that answer, sister. Thank you, Dane. Now sit your butt back down, Rachel." "I will have you know this is mutiny and treachery; I am the elder one here, little brother." "Rachel, sit." He replies with no room for debate. 'Now I know how Thomas feels, slavedrivers.'


Holding the IV stand in front of her, "what is he doing?" William is sitting in the air, cross-legged; his eyes closed, blue energy around him. "He is focusing on seeing what he can do to find not just Sean. But see if there is a way, he can help you as well." David says. "But he isn't chanting." "Yeah. He has slowly been working on that." Ted replies. "Um?! Did we break his concentration?" "No, why?" "Because," They turn to see his eyes are open and glowing blue as well.

"That which you seek is further than you think. Though, beware the ones amongst you. They will come close to succeeding." Touching the ground, the next moment, looking at their faces. "What?! Did something happen. "Let's not worry him further. No, Billy. You helped us more than you know."

"Aunt Rachel, what are you doing out of bed?!" "Hank and Warren came by and told me; I am well enough to leave my room. But with how far I clearly let my state get, I still have a long way to go." Putting his arm around her, he navigates her back to her room; the two quickly lost in a conversation. Ted following them as Katherine and David are left in the room.


Opening the room, she is greeted with Katherine, Lyja and two other Skrulls. "What is this?!" Turning back to leave the room, missing the signal Faerie gives them. "HELP! CHARLES, WILLIAM, ILLYANA, ANYONE, SK…!" The link is quickly shut off as Katherine blows the powder in her face. Thomas appears, holding Hope. "Aunt Rachel, what…what is it?!"

Looking around to see Katherine, Katya, Ted and William standing there. "I don't know?! I'm sorry." "Well, come on. It looks like you need more healing and rest." "I guess you are right." Not bothering to fight after this confusing episode; 'I don't understand. Being a telepath means I don't forget memories. And yet, lately?!"


"What are we going to do?! Aunt Red has been acting really strange lately, like she isn't herself. Could the state she is in have affected her that much? Hank and Warren said she was getting better. Anabel?!" "I don't know. But if my dad and Uncle Henry have said she is faring better than that is the truth." Tuc and William are hovering in the air again, sitting opposite to each other.

"We will focus on that later. But it looks like we finally got a clue. Those this is going to have to call for a certain band of pirates, and a ship. Traveling through space never gets old." "You know if we really have finally found where Sean's whereabout might be; we can't really leave her out. No matter what state she is in; she would never forgive us." "How do we keep her safe then, since the system we will be going to isn't exactly always friendly?!" "Well for starters, how about you ask her?!" "Aunt Rachel?!"

"Your thoughts were screaming, even if I am in a weakened state still; I was able to pick them up. And if it leads to my son, well then, there is really nothing any of you can do to stop me." "Mommy, Daddy?!" "Yes. Bajean. You finally going to meet your dad." "Barbara Jean, I can tell you about him. Come on, little bean." The girl lets Rachel pick her up. "G'dma!" "Oh, but Rachel?!" "I am not completely useless. I can carry a child." The two walk out of the room ending the meeting.


He runs as the ship shakes again. "CH'OD! RACHEL!" "Grandpa, I am barely able to hold it together at the moment. Someone needs to hurry. AND IT IS YOUR CHOICE, MOM. YOURS AND YOURS ALONE!" "She's right, Rachel. You are in charge here." 'We can't give up we are so close.' "Alex, take Dad and Rachel and Hope with you.

Nate, Charles, Cable, stay here with me. Raza, Hepzibah, take William and the others and ready the escape pods as a precaution." "But Aunt Rachel, we should fight?!" "If the Starjammer winds up going down, what good is being dead to Sean?! Now go and don't question me again." She moves forward taking the copilot seat, next to Shadowcat.


"We have an issue." "I will be right there, Hep. Katya, will you be, okay?!" I will be fine. You have helped get the ship under control for the time being. And if another issue arises, then I will let you know. Who knew there could be a Summers with a bigger stick up their ass than Scott?!" "Yeah well, keep in mind, Gabriel is still my little brother, Kitten." "How are you holding up by the way?!" "Hey, with your, Reed, Tony and Vision's help, I am able to have a semi-sustainable body, so. At least, I can still be of some use, despite the bouts of intangibility. Maybe I will have to take Thor up on his offer after this."


"Well, that is a problem." "It means we have a traitor." "And as much as I would love us to be able to flush them out, my dear brother pursuing us is the priority; while we look for Sean as well. Hold on." She dives into the circuitry. Before coming back up, holding a piece in her hand. "No, Katya says that isn't it." Disappearing again, she returns, "this might be it, "mom.""


The creature on the apparatus moves into the cell. He moves slightly. His white hair matted and greasy; while his skin is caked with dirt and mud. The chains keeping him in place. "I know the Xmen. It is only a matter of time they find you. But the deal that had been made is still being held up; so, who knows they may never actually find you again.

And normally, I would have put you to work. And have had a contract signed by now. But it would mean they would be able to find you that much sooner. And well, that would ruin all the fun this business deal revolves around, Sean Xavier Maximoff. And it was definitely a twist with the one who actually set this meeting up. Sure, the women had a hand in it. But who would have thought the All American would have turned traitor; and reached out to me?"

The memory surfaces. The room is black with a single light illuminating it. The chains behind his back biting into his skin. "Don't worry, Maximoff. You will pay for keeping my family from me." "Did you stop to think maybe it wasn't me, but your recent choices?!" The punch resounds as he spits out blood.

"I would worry more about how much a disappointment you are to your mom. All that prowess at her fingertips. And the brutal training sessions, and what did you have to show for it, a mediocre display of ability. I mean really, it didn't take much for Thor to render you unconscious."

Looking down with remorse and failure, "oh don't take it to heart too much, Sean. Know that you are serving a purpose, maybe not the one you had desired." "They will find me. They would never give up." Staring at his friend's father with hate burning in his eyes.

"Oh, they can try. But you are somewhere so far removed, it isn't very likely. Even with The Phoenix and other resources at their disposal. I have more than his help. Now I mustn't have the four women and a new ruler wait for me much longer. And before I go, did you know you have a daughter. She is quite adorable!" Sean attempts to move at this, kept grounded by his shackles.

Stopping by the door, "thank you again for this. We greatly appreciate it. They are all doing a good job keeping them at bay." The two are gone the next moment. As he is once more left with his thoughts, "Mom, I know you are keeping Mariah and our child safe. But he could be lying. He just showed he can excel at these. And yet, for some reason, I didn't get that impression. I just hope you come soon. I can feel myself beginning to weaken."


Closing the door, "Rachel?!" "Kobik, keep it down. And our mental link is out of the question at the moment. I finally remember. And it is only a matter of time before they catch on; so, we are going to have to continue playing it cool. This is what we are going to do…You can manage that right?" "Yes. But?!" "It will be okay. You have Barnes to watch over you, the paperwork is almost final. And you will have a family and name.

I knew what would happen if I took this life on. And all of you mean everything to me. If this will keep them safe, then I will be willing to pay the price. I will make sure your illusion of us will hold up. As we search the rest of this galaxy. They will be none the wiser." "Fine." The door opens before they can continue and the attack is over before they can react.

"I must say your weakened state definitely helped us. And you really expected a child to help. When all you had to do was ask me, but of course that was too much for you, mother. Hurry, we have waited long enough. The others have been taken as well. The longer their absences are, the more we run of being discovered. And we all worked too hard for this."

The four Skrulls quickly shift to their designated personas. "And you sure this will work?!" "Of course, just do what is expected. And the telepaths I have will do the rest, Devos, Lyja Lazerfist, Paibok and Talos. People think she and the others are heroes. Never taking into account the price the rest of us have to pay for this. All I wanted was your love and to be proud of me, mother. But at this point, I will take what I can get."