Sinister's London, Undiscovered Location

The Past, Six Weeks Ago

Five and Poppet had to crawl over broken wreckage to reach her bedroom. Thick plumes of smoke had filled the upper portion of the corridor. The stairway to the lower floor was impassable. They could still hear residual explosions which sent tremors throughout the house. When at last they reached her room, Five scrambled forward to the window. She pushed it open. The flames from the hall suddenly sprang up, smoke and sparks were sucked into the room to light upon the bedclothes and carpet. Five choked and coughed, her eyes stung and watered. She reached behind her to take Poppet's hand and pull him towards the window. They both leapt from the opening.

Five used her telekinesis to guide them safely to the cobblestones. From the courtyard they could see that the roof of the manor was ablaze. They ran towards the stable. Poppet moved forward to seize the door when it suddenly exploded outwards. Five felt shards of wood pelt her shields. Poppet stumbled backwards as the remaining fragments of wood fell. Just inside the stable was a huge blond-haired man. He snarled at them, then crouched to spring.

"Sabretooth!" Five cried. She threw out her hand and just as Sabretooth leapt, a telekinetic bolt caught him in the chest, sending him flying backwards. He crashed into a second Sabretooth clone and the two fell snarling into the stable.

Five seized Poppet's wrist and was about to pull him away when a third Sabretooth sprung forward. He landed in a crouch on the cobblestones before them, his sharp teeth bared. Five prepared herself for another defensive maneuver when Sabretooth suddenly raised his head and sniffed the air. His attention veered from Poppet to something he had scented. He let out a terrible incoherent roar and dashed across the courtyard towards the house on all fours. The remaining two clones bolted after the first, their eyes alight with the fervor of the hunt. Poppet and Five looked at one another for a moment and then ran.

They passed through the stable and down the alleyway, Poppet taking the lead. They sprinted across the shade garden and through the gate out into the grassy lawn. From the gate was a long stretch of ground that rose up to a small hill. They dashed down a stone path towards the collection of small mud huts that clustered around the exterior of the manor walls. Poppet and Five came up against the first of the huts and ducked into it. Poppet peered out of the opening, protectively pushing Five back into the dark interior. Seeing no threat, he took her hand and together they stole to the next hut. They snuck around it, looking for the next safe place to hide. They were dangerously exposed on this stretch of land. As they passed the opening of the second hut, Poppet abruptly seized Five and thrust her into the doorway.

"Poppet!" she cried, but her voice was swallowed up by a sudden loud boom. It sounded like the firing of a cannon. Poppet dashed away. She moved to follow after him when she saw a gold and red blur fly past her hiding place. She gasped and withdrew. A second form streaked after the first with a boom.

"Sam!" Five said to herself and dashed to the doorway. She looked out to see Poppet running across an open expanse of ground. The airborne figure of Sam Guthrie, and what appeared to be Iron Man, flew after Poppet.

Poppet drew up short at the edge of a large pit and paused to glance over his shoulder at his pursuers. He picked up a stone from the ground and chucked it into the pit, then backed up a few paces. He dashed forward again and launched himself across the open space. Just as Iron Man streaked over the open void, something erupted from the pit. A long black tentacle whipped from the pit to wrap itself around Iron Man's torso. Five could see the propulsion jets in his hands and feet flare as he was pulled downwards. Something emerged from the pit. It was an enormous eyeless eel with a gaping mouth of slavering fangs. The tentacle was in fact a long tongue. Iron Man was pulled by the flailing appendage towards the monster's open maw. Cannonball blasted head-on towards the monster as it retreated back into its pit, taking Iron Man along with it. Sam blasted downwards, his pursuit of Poppet abandoned for the moment.

Five began to run from the hut towards Poppet. Suddenly, she felt a horrible tearing pain in her stomach. She gasped and folded over herself, clutching at her abdomen. She thought she had been stabbed, but when she looked at her hands, she saw they were free of blood. Five experienced another flash. In her mind's eye, she saw Three dropping to her knees, sliding free of the three blades that had impaled her through the stomach. Three fell backwards and Five cried out in agony. Then Three died.

Poppet picked Five up from where she had fallen. He helped her to her feet and she was half-dragged along towards an embankment. They struggled up it. When they reached the top, they saw a lake. Poppet immediately set towards it but Five paused to glance back at the manor. Half of the house was an inferno. She could see the flames springing from the roof and spewing from the windows. Five turned and ran after Poppet.

They followed the shoreline for a ways before coming to the river that fed the lake. Poppet hopped out onto the first of the rocks alongside the river which flowed from a dark crevice in the cavern wall. He turned to look back at Five and beckoned her forward. She started towards him and took his hand. As she did, she stumbled. Her entire body felt as if it had been seized by a powerful burning force. She could not even scream. Poppet held her as her body went rigid. In her mind, she could see a blinding white light. Finally, she was loosened from the terrible electrified grip. Her last sister, One, had been killed.

Jean drew a struggling breath as if coming up for air. She hung limply in Poppet's arms for a few moments before she managed to get her legs to obey. She stood on the rock, leaning her head against Poppet's shoulder. Another echoing boom prompted her to move. Poppet guided Jean towards the cave. At the entrance, he paused and held his forefinger to his lips, signaling Jean to be quiet. She nodded her understanding and they entered the cave.

It was nearly too dark to see. Jean stepped carefully after her guide, her hand resting on the small of his back as they walked through the darkness. They climbed upwards. Every so often, Poppet would pause and be still. Jean mimicked him. Beside their rocky path was a rushing river. Jean found herself soaked through, her bare feet aching with cold. From Poppet's mind, she could get a sense of how long it would take to reach their next destination. It would only be a few more minutes, but it seemed like hours. They crossed a natural stone bridge and took a steep switchback path. Jean could see a fissure of light and it was all she could do to not bolt for it.

Poppet pulled himself through the crack and held out his hand for Jean. He pulled her through and they both stood. Jean was disappointed to see that they were still below-ground, in a dark wet tunnel. Poppet still held her hand and he guided her down the tunnel. At a fork in the tunnels, he paused and looked to his right and left. He seemed to reach a decision and they started off down a path that had a large black X painted on the wall. The sludge rose above their ankles, and Jean was leery of where she stepped. There was all sorts of debris in the water. They came to a large round metal door. It had been torn open. They picked their way over broken trash as they passed through the portal. Once through, they were able to step up onto a sort of sidewalk that rose free of the sludge and water. Jean and Poppet continued to walk, their footfalls echoing in the long tubular corridor. At last they reached a steel door and Poppet pushed through it. They walked up a flight of cement stairs and turned down a tiled tunnel. This one was lit with flickering fluorescent light. Jean could hear the rumble of a passing subway train. Her heart leapt and she nearly burst into tears.

Though exhausted, they both ran up the next flight of steps, turned down another tunnel and into the real world. Poppet and Jean ran through the subway station and past a shocked ticket booth operator who stood and gazed at them open-mouthed. There was one last set of steps leading upwards. The walls to either side of them were plastered with signage. The yellow streetlights reflected on the wet pavement. The sky above was a dark blue-black. It was night.

The sky! Jean stared up at it in wonder as they emerged from the subway station. They found themselves in the heart of New York City, not far from the museum and Central Park. All around them were tall buildings. A few cars passed on the nearby street, their tires hissing across wet pavement. A few white snowflakes fell from the nighttime sky. Jean was momentarily dumbstruck. Poppet once again took her hand and began to stride down the sidewalk with purpose. Jean was dragged along behind him.

"Poppet," she said. "Where are we going?"

"To de next place," he told her.

Jean attempted to draw him to a halt. She tugged on his arm. When she looked into his eyes, she could see a blind determination there. "Where is the next place?" she asked him.

"It's where it is," Poppet told her and pulled her forward. Jean staggered after him.

"Poppet, stop," she told him. "Stop!"

He continued to drag her behind him.

"Did His Majesty tell you to take me to this place?" she asked and allowed herself to be lead.

Poppet didn't answer. He had been told what to do and was following orders. He had little choice but to obey. Jean darted forward and put herself into Poppet's path. "Wait!" she said, trying to stay him. "Just wait a moment! I – Poppet, I'm so tired. My feet are so cold. We have to stop for a bit, please."

Poppet paused, his expression was confused. She put her hands against his chest. "Please, let's just rest. Okay? Can we rest somewhere? Then we can go to the place. Right after, I promise."

He hesitated. He seemed torn and he rocked from one foot to the other. Jean hoped to give herself a little time to either convince Poppet not to follow the instructions he'd been given, or to reprogram his mind. But she would hate to have to do that to him.

"Can you take me someplace warm?" Jean pleaded. "Someplace safe?"

Poppet reluctantly gave in. He nodded slowly. She smiled with relief. They continued at a slower pace. They passed 24-hour drugstores and restaurants. There were few people on the street, it was very early in the morning. Jean and Poppet must have appeared very strange, with Jean in her torn and filthy gown and tangled red locks. Poppet too was a mess and dressed in strange clothing. Like Jean, his feet were bare. Jean altered their appearances to the passers-by using her telepathy. Jean shivered with cold and followed after Poppet. They walked in silence. Jean was buffered by the eight-million minds around her. She withdrew into herself, feeling overwhelmed.

Poppet came to a halt. When Jean looked up, she saw they were standing in front of an apartment building.

"In here?" she asked.

Poppet nodded and they moved through the revolving doors and into the lobby. It was bright and blessedly warm. A security guard glanced up at them from his desk, his face was illuminated by the glow of his computer monitor. Poppet stood and looked around absently.

"Do you need some help?" the guard asked him.

Jean didn't know what to answer, but Poppet turned to the guard and pointed upwards at the ceiling. The guard seemed to understand this and nodded. "Ah," he said and raised his brows. "Forgot your elevator key?"

Poppet grinned and nodded.

The guard glanced at Jean and then back to Poppet. The guard smiled to himself as he looked down at his computer. He said with a smile in his voice: "Go on ahead, Mr. LeBeau. Elevator's open. You and your guest have a good evening."

Jean was confused, but followed after Poppet to the elevator. They stood shoulder to shoulder in the car as it rose upwards. When the doors reopened, they stepped off into the hall and they proceeded towards a door. Poppet turned the doorknob to find it locked. He looked at Jean. Jean nodded at him and used her telekinesis to unlock and open the door. They passed into the apartment. It was empty save for a few cloth-draped pieces of furniture. Jean closed and relocked the door. When she turned, she put her hands to her aching skull and let her telepathic illusion drop. She sighed and tried to relax. Poppet had wandered into the middle of the apartment, looking around. Jean walked towards him.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she said tiredly and rested her forehead against his chest. Poppet put his arms around her.

She looked up into his face. He smiled at her. "C'est bien, ma chère," he said quietly.

There was a sudden sharp sound of shattering glass and Jean flinched. Poppet's head snapped to the side and he began to fall. Jean saw a spray of red splatter across the white fabric covering the couch. For an instant she could not comprehend what had happened. She caught at Poppet's arms as he collapsed bonelessly to the rug. Jean was pulled after him. She looked with shock and horror into his blank staring eyes. Jean heard herself scream. She shook him by the shoulders with growing despair as tears began to blur her vision. She called his name over and over again, but it was useless. The bullet had killed Poppet instantly. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Next week: the X-Men descend to Hades.