Hank had little trouble opening the entrance hatch once we found it. He and Gambit easily leaped through it while Rogue ferried me from the jet to the Helicarrier.

I steadfastly refused to look down. Down was a terribly long way from this height.

"Ah have you, sugah. Don't worry," Rogue drawled as she flew me into the Helicarrier.

"I'm not scared, Rogue. Terrified maybe, but not scared."

"You didn't mention you were afraid of heights."

"I just found out."

Remy grabbed my hand and pulled me into the Helicarrier. His grip was surprisingly strong, and welcome. "Don't you fret, Kyle. Remy not about to let his wingman down."

"Wingman? I thought you were my wingman!" I took a deep breath and quickly walked as far away from the hatch as Hank would let me.

"Please," Hank said, waving something like a Star Trek Tricorder around. "You are both obviously MY wingmen."

"Don't encourage them, Hank," Rogue said as she shut the hatch. "They're bad enough as is."

"This is Cyclops. I'm pulling back before they pierce my shielding. Keep me posted, Hank. Blackbird out."

"Aye aye, mon Capitan!" Hank saluted smartly which of course Cyclops couldn't see but he probably heard the rest of us laugh.

"So you guys went to Radio Shack and bought some radios instead of depending on the psychic hotline," I observed as Hank fiddled with a headset that didn't exactly fit his pointed ears.

"Avengers gear," Hank explained. "Cyclops thought it prudent that we take precautions this time giving the telepathic blackout you experienced earlier."

"So this is a SHIELD Helicarrier?" I asked, glancing at the narrow hallway we were in. It seemed to be some sort of airlock, actually. Given that Hank wasn't exactly tiny, it was a tight fit for the four of us. "Kinda smells like a high school locker room."

"Ah must admit that it is rather fragrant." Rogue waved a gloved hand in front of her face.

"You want Gambit to open the door, Henry?" Gambit asked.

"There should be alarms, Remy. Let me use my Tech Pack to examine our immediate surroundings."

"Make it quick, mon ami. Remy is getting the itchy fingers."

"Don't get any ideas, Cajun," Rogue said, stepping behind me.

"Hank I could try to mystically cloak us. It wouldn't exactly make us invisible but it might things a little safer."

"I'd rather you not do so just yet, Kyle. Magic has a way of interfering with my more delicate equipment. I'm trying to patch into the security system of the Helicarrier. Once I do so, I will not only be able to shield us, but hopefully locate our quarry."

"Gambit is not a fan of standing still in one spot, Henry. A thief who is not on the move is a thief who will soon be found."

"This is a search and rescue mission, Remy. We must do the search before we can do the rescue."

"You search in your way, Hank." I sat down on the floor—deck?—and crossed my legs Indian style. "I'll search in mine."

"You going to use your amulet again? Should Gambit stand aside so as not to give you a complex, Mon ami?" Remy asked me with a grin.

"No. I'm going to scout ahead without my body."

"Astral travel?" Hank asked me. "I was unaware that was one of your abilities, Kyle."

"Well, let's just say that I was doing some studying last night. Besides, I have the Eye to help me." I glanced over at Rogue. "Um, please don't let Remy do something embarrassing to my body while I'm away from it."

"Would Gambit do that?" Remy asked with an overly innocent expression on his face.

"Do I even need to dignify that with a response?" I asked him in return.

"Don't worry, Kyle. Ah'll make sure that Remy is on his best behavior." She knelt down beside me and stroked my cheek with a gloved hand. "Be careful, sugah."

"Always." She was close enough to kiss …

But I didn't.

I knew her power.

I knew the risk.

Not just to me; but to her.

There were things about me she didn't know. Things she couldn't know. If her power would let her learn my secrets, learn of the Lady …

No.

I closed my eyes. "Eye of Agamotto."

The Eye opened and a silvery energy duplicate flew out of it and attached itself to my forehead. Even without my eyes, I saw it.

Okay. That part went exactly as the texts said that it would.

I took another deep breath.

The next part would either be very easy … or impossible.

I …strove.

Magic is fueled by belief. Without it, Magic is impossible.

But it's not just belief. It's also visualization. To make a spell work, you have to know it will work. You have to be able to make it work, bend reality to your will.

I'm pretty good at that.

Normally.

"Kyle? Sugah? You still there?"

I opened an eye and glared at her. "I'm working on it."

"You might want to hurry. Hank is about ready for us to leave… Maybe this isn't going to work out."

I shut my eye again.

C'mon, Kyle. You've done all sorts of magic before. This shouldn't be that hard. You're just splitting your mind from your body … and the worse that can happen if you fail is that you remain unable to rejoin it. No pressure there, right?

Breathe.

Finally, it was less visualization than sensation that pulled it off. Rather, the visualization of a sensation translated into what I wanted to accomplish.

Ever have a sunburn? A really bad sunburn?

Remember that sensation of peeling off a patch of your skin?

That was my key.

I used that sensation, that moment of imagination … and I peeled out of my body.

And there I was, looking at me …

I really needed a shave, I decided. And maybe a haircut.

And Rogue was holding me.

"Kyle? You still in there, sugah?" She touched my cheek again. "Kyle? Remy, he ain't answering me."

"I think Kyle's lights are on but he not at home, Cherie." Remy knelt down beside me and waved a hand in front of my eyes.

Damn.

Even I had to admit that Remy was in good shape …

I still didn't appreciate his admittedly tight butt waving in front of my astral face though.

I walked around him and looked at Rogue.

There was concern in her eyes.

Concern for me.

I was an astral spirit now. I could not touch her. She could not touch me.

But I couldn't resist.

I gently brushed my nonexistent lips against her cheek.

"Kyle?" She touched her cheek in the same spot where I had "kissed" her. Her eyes were wide and she was blushing slightly.

I grinned even though there was no one to see it.

All that studying? All that effort?

Totally worth it.

And with that, I turned and walked through the door.