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Title: No Man's Land
Chapter Two: Search and Destroy
Fandom: the Marvel Universe
Rating: 18 and up
Warnings: graphic sex and violence, language, incest and anything else i can toss in.
Disclaimer: the recognizable characters and places contained herein are the property of Marvel and whoever the hell else owns them. i'm merely borrowing them for the sake of entertainment. no money is being made from this venture. the Sues are the sole property of their originators, Ginevra, Dazzledfirestar, Nanaea, SilverFoxChan, Samuraiter and ladydeathfaerie. the concept and title of The Mary Sue Virus are used with permission from Dazzledfirestar. plot bunny cultivating is being done with Daz.

Author's Notes: not so much graphic sex but some violence here. and a touch longer than the last chapter.

No Man's Land - the Index

She didn't bother to hide the yawn that stretched her mouth wide. It was the least they deserved after waking her from a deep sleep. She didn't know what the hell was so important that it couldn't have waited until the morning. Didn't they know that people had better things to do with their time? She'd had a long night of pleasure and wanted nothing more than to sleep off the lethargy and euphoric sensations.

Casting her gaze around the table, she took in the less than pleased looks on everyone else's faces. Remy's eyes were almost completely hidden behind his lids, as if he wasn't quite awake yet. She knew that it was little more than a way to leave the stranger off guard. Warren wore a dark scowl, as if he'd been interrupted in the middle of doing something important. Probably Jehnna. He was so predictable that way. Dare and Haley were the only ones wide awake, making it obvious that they'd never gotten around to playing with their new toy. Harper was the one who gave the appearance of being most annoyed, his gaze riveted to the stranger lounging in an extra chair.

She allowed herself to take a moment and study the stranger. He was clad entirely in white, a stark and noticeable contrast to everyone's darker wardrobe. And he was very decidedly Italian. It was there in the olive complexion of his skin, in the darkness of his hair and eyes. He looked completely at ease, as if he wasn't sitting in the midst of a group of mutants who had a reputation as one of the most powerful and dangerous groups of mutants on the east coast. If the man was concerned about his life, he didn't bother showing it. Finally, after a length of time in which nothing was said, Harper slapped a hand down on the table and brought everyone's attention to him. He turned to Dare.

"What was so important that you woke me in the middle of the night?" It was more than obvious by the tone of his voice that he was displeased with things. "Why couldn't it have waited until the morning? And what the hell is this stranger doing here without guards?"

Predictably, the pyrokinetic pouted. She crossed her arms over her chest and shot a dark glare at him. Her anger made itself known when her hair started floating around her head. It was unlikely that Harper was intimidated by the show of power. The two of them simply stared at each other until she finally threw herself from her chair and stalked across the room until she was as far from him as she could get. A side table smoldered, but didn't actually burst into flames. "Forgive me for disturbing your rest, Harper. It was stupid of me to think that news of Ororo would trump your sleep."

Dare's words made everyone sit up straighter in their seats. "Ororo Munroe is dead. She died in a plane crash three years ago." Harper's tone was flat when he said it.

"Not according to the information I have," the stranger said. All attention was shot his way. The room fell silent as each of them tried to verify the truth behind his words.

"And you are?" Harper phrased it as a question, but there was no mistaking the demand in his tone.

"Raphael Coscarelli. You can call me Raph." He offered them a smile. No one returned it. "And I have knowledge of exactly where Miss Munroe can be found."

"Ororo is dead." The comment came from Warren. Raphael turned to give the man a look, then smirked.

"I beg to differ. Ororo Munroe is very much alive."

"She died in a plane crash." Remy spoke this time. Again, Raphael gave his attention to the Cajun.

"Did you bury a body?" The Italian sounded smug. She wanted to rip his heart from his chest. Did he really think that they hadn't looked for her after the crash? Everyone had. They'd searched for days. But they'd found nothing. They'd warned her not to go, that it wasn't safe to travel. But she'd insisted, saying that she had to go to Wakanda. That she had to be at T'Challa's side. The plane had never even made it out over the ocean. According to the reports filed by the government watch dog, the plane had gone down due to mechanical failure. But they'd known it for the lie it was. The plane had been made to crash. And Ororo was dead.

"There was no body to bury." Harper spoke what she knew everyone was thinking. But there was something thoughtful in his voice. She watched as Haley glanced at her brother. She could see that the redhead shared the same opinions her sibling held. "Curious that they found every body on the plane and identified them but they never found hers."

"Fucking humans," Haley snorted.

"Where is she?" Warren didn't bother to make his question polite. It was purely a demand.

"Now, now. Before I play my hand, I would like to barter for something in return. A reward, if you will," Raphael replied, idly checking the nails on one hand. When he finally looked up, the smile on his face would have convinced the Devil to agree to his terms. Unfortunately for him, Harper was much worse than Lucifer.

"You'll get a reward when we have Ororo here at the manor, safe from the cruelties of humans. And if we find that you're lying to us..." Harper paused, as if he was giving contemplation to what it was he was going to do. She was fairly certain she already knew what he had planned. "If you've lied, then I would suggest investing in a pair of asbestos underwear. Because I'll let Dare play with you." Harper held one hand out to the pyrokinetic. She slinked closer to him and put her hand in his, allowing him to pull her in against him. When she stood beside his chair, he wrapped an arm around her and settled his hand on her hip. "Show him, my pretty."

The woman's hair lifted on the wind of her power, the ends dancing maniacally around her head. She lifted her hands up, palms facing out, and let the flames come to life. Flickering ribbons of fire began at the tips of her fingers and rapidly crawled their way down her hands to her arms. In only moments, she wore opera length gloves of fire and an expression of such intense bliss that it was frightening to look at her. Raphael let his gaze move over Dare's hands and arms before he turned to Harper. "That's hot."

"You have no idea," Harper replied. "Enough, Dare. I think he gets the point." The woman's hands were just that again, the flames disappearing as suddenly as they had come. "Now that you understand what awaits you if you lie to us, name your reward."

"Sanctuary."

"All mutants are welcome here at Blackhaven. Its always been that way. It always will be." Haley told him this, as if she thought it odd he didn't know this. It would be kind of strange if he didn't because it was a well established fact that Blackhaven offered a home to all mutants, offered them a place to live in safety where they didn't need to fear retaliation from humans.

"But I think you'll find that my case is special. I'm on the run from some powerful people." Raphael sounded as if he was unsure if he should say anymore.

"How powerful?" Harper had given his full attention to the Italian. He was so passionate about the mutant race that he would no doubt be plotting ways to destroy these powerful people the other man had spoken of.

"Victor Von Doom powerful." The name dropped like lead into the room and prompted an extended silence. Raphael smiled ruefully. "Ah. I see you've heard of him."

"And what did you do to land on Doom's bad side?" Harper asked. It was a valid question. Doom had stayed out of the war, choosing to lock himself away in his castle in Latveria and simply watch the way events played out. It had been rumored that he'd offered aide to either side, but that the price for his held had been much too high for either one to pay. It wasn't unlike Doom to profit off of a war. They all knew that Doom was in it for himself.

Raphael gave a shrug that said everything and nothing all at once. "Who knows? Maybe I breathed on him the wrong way. Maybe I looked at him wrong. Maybe I stole something that belonged to him. The point is, I need to hide where I know I'll be protected. Every mutant I've spoken to has said that your little kingdom here is the safest place to hide out until I can figure out what to do about Doom."

"Sanctuary will depend upon whether or not we retrieve Ororo. If my people don't find her, Doom will never find you. If she's where you say, and alive, Doom will have to go through us to get to you."

"That is a pretty amazing promise considering we are talking about Doom here." Raphael didn't look convinced.

Harper's response was to smile a not so very nice smile. "You wouldn't have come here for sanctuary if you weren't sure that we could offer you the protection you seek. You already know how strong we are. Its pointless to pretend. Now tell us where Ororo is."

Raphael stared a moment, as if he was considering what to say. The moment passed when he reached into a pocket and drew out of it a folded piece of paper. The Italian unfolded it and spread it across the surface of the table. It was a map. Like everyone else, she rose from her seat to look at it. She was mildly surprised by what she saw.

The lines on the map were familiar, showing the shape of the state as well as where all the major roads, highways and rivers were located. Gone were all the little towns and cities that had once lay sprawled across New York State. Instead, there were marks that denoted mutant locations and human locations. Blackhaven was easy to find, one of the largest mutant enclaves within the state. Just as New York City was marked as belonging to the humans. It was one of the few places the mutants hadn't been able to make a foothold. Harper was more than certain that the resistance was operating from the Big Apple.

After allowing everyone to admire the map. Raphael's finger tapped at a point just under the state line in Pennsylvania. It was listed as a manufacturing plant. But there was no reason for a manufacturing plant to be on the map. Most businesses had gone under when the war had come to a head. The few that had survived mostly catered to one race or the other. Any that had tried catering to both had been destroyed long ago. They all looked up at Raphael. "The sign outside says its a food processing plant. But soldiers patrol the walls with automatic weapons and attack dogs. There's no way this place makes anything."

"Its a government facility?" Harper asked it, though it was more than obvious that the plant was precisely that.

"Its a facility dedicated to dissecting and studying mutants. In a manner of speaking, at least. Word has it they do experiments banned for use because they're cruel and inhumane." Raphael fell silent and allowed his words to sink in for a few moments. "It won't be easy to get in. And it'll be even harder to get out. But Ororo Munroe has been a guest at this place for the past three years."

"How did you find out?" It was Warren who asked that question. No doubt the one that was on everyone's mind.

"I have my sources. No, I won't reveal them but I can assure you that they're very trustworthy." As if to prove his point, he pulled yet another piece of paper from his pocket. He unfolded it with care and smoothed it across the state map they'd just been looking at. This time, they were staring at blueprints. The date on them suggested they were only a few years old. His finger began pointing to sections of the building as he spoke again. "These are the main offices. They're as far from the cells as possible, which are here, at the back of the place. Each cell has reinforced walls that are at least six feet thick. The last information I had places Ororo in this cell here."

His finger tapped at the center cell in what looked like a new section of building. Even without reading any notes, she could tell that it was a place where the humans would store the strongest and most dangerous of the mutants they captured. With Ororo's ability to control the weather, there was no doubt that she would be considered dangerous. And the way the plans were laid out meant that getting to those cells was going to be difficult. Rescuing Ororo would be no simple task.

"May I borrow the map and plans? Just for the night?" Harper made sure to ask and not demand. Raphael stared at the man for a few seconds, then nodded his head in agreement.

"Of course."

"Very good. I'll have Dare show you to a room for the night." Harper's hand nudged the pyrokinetic away from him, prompting her to pout down at him. He offered her a smile and no doubt some kind of mental platitude. She sighed, but nodded and crossed to where the Italian sat. "The guest quarters, if you will." No doubt that was for Raphael's benefit. They didn't have guest quarters.

"Follow me," she said. Raphael inclined his head toward everyone at the table, then stood and allowed Dare to show him to the door. Her hand was on the knob when Harper's voice stopped her.

"Make sure you show him a good time, Dare." The pyrokinetic looked at him over her shoulder, a broad grin on her face. No doubt that made her happy. She tugged the door open, allowed the Italian to step out before her, then followed after him. The door closed silently. Harper waited for a long time before he spoke again. Probably to be sure that their guest was well and truly away from the meeting room.

"We gon' go get Ororo back?" Remy asked. He was playing idly with a deck of cards, his fingers turning the slick rectangles over and over before working them back into the pack.

"Of course we're going to get her back." Harper moved to the seat that Raphael had vacated so that he could study the blueprints. As a group, they all shifted closer to him so that they had the same view he did. "But we need to plan this out carefully. One wrong move and no one will return to the manor."

"Who do you want to send?" Haley asked. She eyeballed the plans and pointed to a spot on the outer wall. "This would be a good place for a distraction."

"What do you mean, Haley?" Harper looked at his sister.

"Launch an attack on the wall here and draw all of the armed guards to the front. Then we can slip someone in here." Again, Haley's fingers tapped the wall. This time, it was at the back of the compound, near the newer cells. "And they can release Ororo."

"Who will you send to rescue her?" Warren questioned. Harper looked up and eyed each of them. His stare was measuring.

"Roxxy will go for her stealth. Remy will go for his ability to pick locks and blow things up. Warren, you'll go in case she needs to be flown out of there. If she's been held for three years by the humans, there's no telling what her frame of mind will be." Pausing, Harper looked at the layout again. "I'll send sedatives with. That way, you'll have them if you need them."

"You only gon' send de three of us?" The Cajun drawled the question out slowly. Harper looked at him, tossing an evil smile his way.

"Of course not. I'm going to send Raphael with you. No doubt he can be of use in securing Ororo's release."

"We don' know his powers."

"No. We don't. But that doesn't matter." Harper rose and began folding the plans back up. "Go get some rest. Tomorrow will be long and stressful. I want you all at your best. You'll be leaving with first light."

"You're going to leave Dare out of this mission?" Haley asked, only mildly curious.

"Dare's temperament doesn't allow for the kind of delicacy this mission will require. And it would be a bad thing if she was to fall to the humans. They'd try to harness her power. Which could be dangerous for everyone."

"I'll find a way to keep her occupied tomorrow."

"Let her play with one of the humans. That should put a smile on her face." A look from Harper let them know that the meeting was over. Warren rose, no doubt eager to get back to his mindless little whore. Remy followed, his fingers trailing suggestively across Harper and Haley's shoulders. No doubt he'd have attempted to touch everyone if he'd been given the opportunity. Haley looked as if she was going to remain in the room, but a frown crossed her face and she was suddenly stomping out the door.

"Roxxy." Harper's voice was soft and seductive, almost a physical caress as it touched her spine and slid into her brain. She shuddered at the feel and stopped beside him. Smirking knowingly at her, he wrapped his arms around her and pressed her down against the table top. The weight of his body against hers woke up her slumbering desire. She was ready for his mouth, her lips melding to his while his tongue dipped into her mouth and teased. She wrapped arms and legs around him, rubbing herself against him shamelessly. When he pulled back, she was sure he could see the big golden cat staring back at him out of her eyes.

"Be a good girl tomorrow. Ensure that Raphael does what he's supposed to. He could prove to be an excellent asset to our little group." Even as he spoke, her hands were busy tugging at the laces that held his trousers closed. When she had his cock freed, her fingers began tracing patterns across the sensitive skin.

"And if he doesn't?"

"Then see to it that he has an accident," Harper whispered before driving himself inside of her. "You're a clever girl. I'm sure you can think of something."

A low growl rumbled up her throat, promising him that she already had something in mind.

~*~*~*~*~

She was sprawled bonelessly on the bed when they joined her. Each of them looked confused and perhaps a little sleepy. Dare looked angry, but she always looked angry. That didn't scare Morgan one bit. Once upon a time, they'd been such good friends. The angry look didn't mean anything. Dare wore it as easily as she wore a pair of jeans or a ripped up t-shirt. Haley was a little nervous. That was to be expected. She'd never quite gotten used to Faye. Roxxy's tail would have been twitching in agitation if she had it. Morgan smiled at them, a dreamy kind of smile that none of them responded to.

"We're here, Morgan. What do you want?" Haley asked. She was ever the leader, ever the one in control.

"I've had a vision that I have to share with you." She knew Faye had gone to Jehnna, but it was likely that the girl's wicked angel wouldn't allow her to leave his side. More than once, Morgan had seen him using her in ways that the girl would have never allowed, had she been herself. The war had broken her so easily.

"You called us here for a vision?" Roxxy asked, a faint snarl in her voice. Oh, yes. Agitated.

"It is one of great importance. And for no one's ears but your own. None but yours and mine." Morgan sat up and ran her hands down her body. She was lonely and they were so pretty.

"Morgan. You know the rules. All visions are supposed to be given to Harper." Dare had patience in her voice, even if she didn't really want to be there. They might have been something to each other. Once upon a time, a girl with sad grey eyes had been her friend. That girl didn't exist anymore.

She pouted prettily. "But this vision doesn't involve Harper. Its for you and I. Do you want to know what I saw?"

"Of course, Morgan. Tell us your vision." Haley offered her a strained smile.

As if that was the cue she'd needed, she felt the change come over her. The vision was so close to the surface that it was so easy to fall back into it. It all flashed before her mind's eye again, crisp and clear and beautiful. She often wondered what she looked like when she was caught in a vision. She felt like she was floating on the clouds when they came. One hand lifted and made a gesture, though her gaze was turned in toward the images in her head, so she didn't see what it was she actually did with the appendage.

"The Inner Circle will bear powerful fruit. They will rise above and claim a rebuilt world. For the power and glory of our empire, we shall create the new world. From smallest to tallest, one by one they shall fall."

She knew that her voice wasn't her own when she did this, that it was the voice of some greater power than her own. She would have allowed the voice to continue, but a hand on her arm brought her back to herself. She blinked to clear the fog from her eyes, then looked up to find Dare standing over her. Morgan threw herself up off the bed, her arms circling the other woman's neck while she pressed a kiss to her lips. A moment of clarity stole over her with the taste of those sweet lips against her own. Dare gently but firmly disentangled her arms and pushed her away.

"What does it mean, Morgan?" For a moment, Morgan wanted to be hurt. Every time she tried to kiss Dare, to tell her of the things she'd seen, the other woman pushed her away. "That's a prophecy. What did you see in your vision?"

"I saw you pregnant, your belly growing fat with twins. I saw the same for Haley. I saw a baby for each of us. For myself and Roxxy and even the angel's little whore. Babies for all of us. Babies with the power to rule the world. Those babies and more. We will be the ones to shape the future. You and I. We will be the mothers of the most powerful of our race."

"You called us here for talk of babies?" Roxxy scoffed at the news, her frown deepening. "The meds have started to addle her brains. You should tell Harper to change them or take her off of them altogether."

"I saw a baby for you, Roxxy. A demon changeling. Just wait and see." Morgan pointed at the other woman. There'd been a time when Roxxy had been much more even tempered and gentle. But the war had changed them all. The war...

Visions that she'd seen before came to her, images that scarred her brain and left her trembling inside and out. Even now, with them so far in the past, they had the power to leave her a quivering mess. Before she could lose herself in the hell that had once been, a hand stroked her face gently. She came back to herself again to find Dare's hand on her cheek, the woman's eyes clouded with concern. When she was sure that Morgan was once again herself, she stepped away and turned to look at the shape shifter. "Roxxy, darling. You know I love you. But there's no need to be such a bitch."

"I'm sorry. But this load of shit is the last thing I need to hear today. I've got more important things on my mind. Speaking of which." She lifted her nose and scented the air. "Its time for me to get moving. We'll be leaving soon. Dawn is rapidly approaching."

"Then I imagine you need a kiss for good luck." Morgan watched, doing her best to hide her hurt, as the pyrokinetic crossed the room to stand before the golden skinned woman. Pale hands reached up to cup her cheeks, then they were kissing the way Morgan had long dreamed of kissing Dare. Or any of them. When the two of them broke, Roxxy smirked and turned for the door.

Before slipping out of the room, she shot a look at each of them. It landed on Dare last, where it lingered. There was heat in her golden gaze. "We'll continue that after I get back." Then she was gone and Morgan was left with Haley and Dare. The pyrokinetic had moved closer to Haley, so that they stood almost touching one another.

"There's more. More that I didn't want to share in front of Roxxy." Morgan rose from the bed to saunter closer to them. She smiled at them, that same dreamy smile she'd given them before, then laid one hand on each bellies. "Twins you shall bear, but no ordinary twins for you. Different men shall ensure that you grow ripe with their seed. I see light and dark surrounding you, men of noble purpose. One comes to you with the fires of Hell burning in his veins. One comes with a power he was not born with, but one he created and crafted for himself. It is a power that he has refined until it is perfect and true. And there is a third, but his face is unknown to me. That part of the vision has been clouded."

When she stepped back, she once again felt more like herself. "The visions tell me that you should be careful with your toys, lest you break one."

She watched as Haley and Dare shared a look. No doubt the two of them were already wondering just which of their toys they should have care with. They didn't say good bye. They never did. They simply filed out the door and left her alone again. But she wasn't alone. She was never alone.

Just because they can't see me doesn't mean that I'm not here. The ghostly voice echoed off the walls, coming from everywhere and no where at once. You know I'll never leave you, Morgan.

"I know, Faye. I know."

~*~*~*~*~

It wasn't a manufacturing plant. It was a fucking prison. Remy could tell just by staring at the walls. They were high, made of solid concrete. And strings of barbed wire topped the walls, an added measure to dissuade people from breaking out. Or in. Add to that the guard towers in the corners and by the gates and the armed guards with automatic weapons walking the walls. It was a mutant prison. And Ororo was inside.

He, Raphael and Warren were hidden under a tree, some distance from the place. They were carrying high power binoculars with them that allowed them to see everything as if they were standing right before the wall. Roxxy was off scouting, checking to see if the plan that Haley had suggested last night would work. She'd shed her clothes and slipped into her cat form, sure that they guards would be less likely to notice her that way. Remy had voiced his uncertainty but had been over ridden by her. So he strained his ears for the sound of gun shots.

"You smell of worry, Gambit. Surely you don't believe that those men spotted me? They're more concerned with keeping their charges inside than what's creeping around the outside." Roxxy's voice emerged from behind a tree before she did. She'd redressed herself and looked fresh as a spring day. He shot a scowl her way and toyed with the cards in his hand.

"What you see?" he demanded, not willing to admit that he didn't really like this mission. He didn't trust the information or their source. Oh, he was willing to believe that Ororo was inside the building. But he was beginning to doubt that she was the woman he remembered from before the worst part of the war. And the ease with which they got the information from the Italian bothered him. There was a smugness to the man that rubbed the Cajun the wrong way.

"The guards are looking in. Not out. It shouldn't be too hard to start the diversion. Based on the smells I was picking up, there are people in the yard. Perhaps if we destroy enough of the wall, we can free some of the mutants."

"And what do we do with the guards?" Warren asked, his gaze on the men at the top of the walls.

"You can leave that to me," Raphael suggested. "I have a few talents that I can put to use here."

Roxxy looked the man up and down, then nodded her head. "Fine. Remy, can you take down the wall? Right there? Next to the guard tower?" Roxxy pointed to one of the corners. It was a good choice. Because it would destroy not only the front wall but the one on the side, too.

He nodded his head, already preparing the deck of cards. "You gon' keep dis ol' Cajun from getting shot."

"Warren." Roxxy looked at the blonde. He was already shedding the coat he'd worn. The shirt went next, leaving his chest bare. Remy took a moment to admire the tightness of Angel's trousers. "You know what to do," Roxxy told him. His wings flexed in answer, the metal feathers scraping against one another, before he began moving out of the safety of the tree's cover. Once he was out in the open, he took a running leap and rose into the air with a flap of his wings.

As soon as the guards had their attention on the sky above them, Remy sauntered out into the clearing. He heard the measured step of a person behind him and knew that Raphael was at his back. No doubt that Roxxy was behind him.

Close to the wall, Remy began firing off cards. The hit the wall with enough force to shake the ground, the explosions loud enough to drown out the shouting of the guards up on the wall. Soon enough, dust began to rain down. It was followed by pieces of concrete that gradually got bigger and bigger and bigger. The rumble of a freight train filled the air as sections of the wall began to collapse. A gaping hole showed that the humans hadn't bothered with a fence so the prisoners were already pushing their way toward the hole. And the guards were already firing on them.

Something small sailed over Remy's head. A moment later, it struck the nearest guard and sent him tumbling from the wall. Looking back, Remy found Raphael holding a marble, his eyes fixed on his next target. The marble flew with great speed to hit the guard dead on in the chest. The man did have skills. Those that Raphael couldn't hit from where he stood were dealt with by one of Warren's metal feathers.

The mutants looked thin, as if they barely ate. They were in standard issue prison clothes. And each one had a greasy grey collar around their throat. Most of them ran for the trees. One or two stopped where they stood, as if they couldn't believe they'd ever see freedom again. A single figure headed straight toward Roxxy. As he got closer, Remy saw that his features were familiar and welcome ones. "Holy shit! As I live and breathe."

"Jamie," Roxxy smiled. The man hugged her tight. "I had no idea you were here."

"They caught me early in the war. I didn't realize that you knew this place existed." He traded handshakes with Remy.

"We didn't until last night. Word is that these bastards have Ororo." The news hit Jamie hard. He gave Roxxy a look that said he didn't believe it.

"Are you sure? I never saw her."

"Say your hellos later. When we're not in danger of losing our lives. I happen to like being alive," Raphael snapped. It was a sign to retreat into the trees. Already, Remy could see that guards were in the yard and heading for the hole in the wall.

"You go back to de trees. Remy keep dem at bay." He waited until they were moving before tossing a handful of cards toward the ground near the gaping hole in the wall. When they exploded, they threw clods and clumps and a fine mist of dirt up into the air. He turned and ran, occasionally stopping to do the trick again and again. It was an effective way to cover their tracks.

When they were under the cover of the trees, Roxxy tugged a small, remote control device from her pocket. A click of the button saw the collar around Jamie's throat unlocked. He tossed it away and rubbed at the spot where it had sat. "Damn, it feels good to have that off. Now what do we do?"

"We go get Ororo," Warren said, landing lightly on the ground behind them. "The guards are moving in this direction. I suggest we get going."

"What can I do?" Jamie asked.

"Keep the guards busy? And don't get shot," Roxxy told him. Jamie nodded and stamped his foot against the ground. A dupe appeared next to him.

"You can take him with you. He knows his way around the place."

"No," Roxxy shook her head. "You come with us. If they capture you, your dupes disappear. I'd rather you leave your dupes here and give us a hand with Ororo." Jamie gave it thought for about two seconds, then nodded his head and created another dupe. The five of them headed off through the trees, making their way around to the back of the prison. Every few feet, Jamie would create another dupe and send it back to where he'd left the other two.

It took them a while to reach the back of the prison. The wall here was unbroken by any kind of gate or door. And there were still guards in the towers, meaning that they still had some work to do. Angel took the to skies again, intent on taking care of the guards. It was hard to see him in the deep blue sky, but a flash of sunlight on the metal of his wings marked his position for the brief moment it took to fire off a feather. Some five minutes later, Warren landed beside them. "We don't have long. There will be more guards. We should go now."

"And how are you going to get in there? Blow up more of the wall?" Jamie looked at the imposing obstacle before them.

"No. We go over it." Warren stepped up to Roxxy and put his arms around her. "Ladies first." A powerful flap of his wings saw the two of them rising up into the air. Remy watched them as they flew toward the wall. When they were close enough, there was no cry of alarm. No sirens blared. Warren dropped Roxxy on the roof, then swooped around and headed back. The next to go was Jamie, who made some joke about never having been picked up like this before. Raphael was the next to go. Remy was last. When they all stood on the roof, they made for a doorway that would take them inside. Plans had showed it as an access to the air conditioners on the roof.

The lock was easy to pick, no doubt because none of the humans expected any of the mutants to make their way to the roof for an escape. Or to try and break in that way. Once inside, they found the stairs that would take them down into the man part of the prison.

Roxxy took the lead, using her enhanced senses to detect whether or not anyone was nearby. She had a small electronic device that displayed the plans of the prison on the screen. It helped them find their way into the section of the place where the most dangerous of the mutants were kept.

No one spoke as they wove their way up and down halls, ever moving past cells toward the center of the maximum security wing. Only a few times did they come across a guard, who was quickly dealt with by one of Raphael's deadly marbles. Their weapons were thrown away, hidden in closets and behind desks.

The prison was like no prison he'd ever seen before. There were no bars separating the different sections. Not even doors kept the areas apart. Instead, the halls were open and allowed for all manner of traffic. It was a bad sign. No doubt, the humans were doing tests and experiments on the mutants they'd captured. Again, Remy worried about the state of mind that Ororo would be in when they found her. Would she even know who they were anymore?

They finally passed the last check point into the maximum security area. The cell doors here were thick slabs of steel with electronic locks on them. There was a single, barred window set up high while a panel to the side opened to allow a guard to pass food through to the prisoner. Cards set beside the door put a name to the mutants who were being housed there. Just as Raphael had said, Ororo was housed in the very middle of the cells. Besides her name being printed on the card, her mutant powers were there, as well as a list of what Remy thought might be medications. A chart hung under the card. He didn't have to look at it to know that it documented the things they'd done to her.

"Remy, can you get us past the lock?" Roxxy asked in a soft voice. She had her back to the wall, leaving her better able to keep either end of the hall in her sights.

"A lock like dis take a special touch." He laid a hand against the lock and channeled just enough kinetic energy into it so that the explosion was small and destroyed only the lock. The door opened on silent hinges.

"Everyone inside." Roxxy ordered. She slipped in first. Warren was the last one through the door this time. They all stopped dead in their tracks and stared.

The cell held only the most basic of furniture. A cot that had a thin mattress on it. A commode in the corner. A table bolted to the wall. It had three drawers on one side of it. A chair bolted to the floor that was meant to be slid into from the side. There were no windows and the only light came from a single dim bulb over head. It was bare. But the most shocking of all was Ororo.

The woman who had once been strong and proud now sat cowering in the corner. Thin arms were thrown up over her head, the clothing she wore more rags than anything. But the worst of all was her hair. It was so dirty and matted that it looked more grey than the once glorious white locks it had been. Remy feared that they'd find more madwoman than friend. "Ororo?" Roxxy asked, her voice low and gentle. "Ororo. Its me. Roxxy. I've come to get you out of here."

Despite the tenderness Roxxy used, Ororo cowered further into her corner. Remy thought she shook her head, but he couldn't be sure.

"Ororo. Storm. Please. I won't hurt you. I want to get you out of here. I want to take you someplace safe."

"You are not real. I am imagining this. Go away and leave me in peace." Her voice was hoarse, dull and rusty with use. She'd given up hope a long time ago. Roxxy looked at him, her eyes wide and sad.

"Ororo. Cher, it Remy. He come wit' friends to take you away from all dis. Why don' you look at me?"

She shook her head, muttering softly to herself about devils and lies. Roxxy stuck her hand in her pocket, where Remy knew the syringe filled with a sedative was being kept. It was a good thing that Harper had sent it along. Things were not going well and they had to get out of there before someone discovered them. Keeping her hand hidden, she approached Storm slowly. "Ororo. I swear this is no lie. We're here to rescue you. Please. Look at me. We aren't here to hurt you."

Roxxy was four steps from the other woman when Ororo shot to her feet. Her face was almost gaunt, the startling blue of her eyes bright and vivid in her darkened face. Her expression was that of a wild animal who had been cornered. Her hands were out, as if to ward off a blow, and the collar that rested against her throat was an ugly reminder of just what she'd been through. Roxxy stopped and let Ororo look at her.

That blue gaze sought out each face in the room. It seemed as if she recognized Roxxy, the fright and fear softening just a touch when she looked upon the other woman. It was obvious that Ororo remembered Roxxy, and remembered her fondly. Then her eyes flicked to the left, suggesting that someone or something had moved. Remy saw she was looking at Warren. And no doubt, it was a shocking development. Ororo hadn't seen him since he'd... changed.

"Demon!" she hissed, recoiling from the sight of him. Remy hadn't thought it possible, but she squeezed herself back into the corner even further than she had been previously. He could see that she was reaching for the power that lived inside of her, but the collar cut it off from her. She hissed in pain and clawed at the heavy piece of metal.

"Do it, Roxxy. There's no way we can get her out of here unless she's sedated. She'd only hurt herself. And she'll make it harder for us to break her out by fighting." Warren sounded as if he was pained by the way she'd treated him.

"I'm sorry, Warren." Roxxy whispered. Remy watched as Ororo's gaze flicked between the woman before her and the man she no longer knew as Angel.

"She be better when we get her home," Remy drawled softly. The sound of his voice brought Ororo's piercing blue gaze his way. Again, there was a brief sense that she recognized him, But the woman's hysteria won out. It looked as if she was going to try for her powers yet again. Roxxy moved quickly.

In the blink of an eye, Roxxy had pulled the syringe from her pocket and slipped the needle into Ororo's arm. It didn't take long for the sedative to work its way into her system. In only moments, Storm was sagging forward into Roxxy's arms. "I'm sorry, Ororo. I wish there had been another way," she whispered.

"Let me take her." Warren stepped forward. As carefully as if they were handling a newborn infant, Roxxy handed Ororo over to the blonde. He swung her limp frame up into his arms, cradling her gently against his chest. His head bent so he could study his burden thoroughly. When he lifted his gaze to the rest of the room, it was filled with icy rage. "Get us the fuck out of here."

Roxxy consulted the device in her hand, studying the map. Then she looked up at Remy. "Back wall. Blow it the hell up."

"You all get behind me." He was already fingering his cards. He waited until the five of them were standing against the wall at his back. "Make sure you cover you face. Dis could get messy." Each one of them either lifted an arm or turned around so that their back was to the wall. Remy drew a pair of cards out and filled them with the energy that flowed within him like blood, then casually tossed them at the wall.

He saw it all as if it happened in slow motion. The edges of the cards touched the concrete wall and the energy he'd poured into them exploded. The noise was loud in the small area, echoing and reverberating time and time again. Chunks of wall tumbled to the ground with fine dust particles and pieces in between. It wouldn't be easy to climb over the rubble, but he was sure they'd manage.

As soon as he could hear again, he caught the wail and scream of a siren. They didn't have much time. Not that it mattered. They were on their way out and anyone who got in their way would go down. Roxxy was standing before him, her nose catching the scents on the air. With a silent nod, she let them know it was clear. The fell into line then, with Jamie going after Roxxy. Warren took the center. Raphael passed him, giving Remy the back of the line.

They met little resistance as they went. The basic escape plan involved going through wall after wall until they reached the wall that enclosed the prison. The few guards that they did come across were easy to dispatch. Raphael's marbles were dangerous even though he didn't always hit his target with the first one. And Jamie's ability to multiply himself was particularly handy. All in all, it took half the time to get out of the prison as it had to get into it. And when they finally reached the last barrier between themselves and freedom, they found themselves faced with over two dozen guards.

"Warren. you have to get Ororo out of here. We'll engage the guards to give you an opportunity. We'll meet you back at the transport." Roxxy was already making a plan. Remy could see it in the way she studied their opponents.

"I won't leave you here to face them."

"Go, Warren. That's an order! This is my mission. Take her to the transport. Make sure that these idiots didn't put any kind of tracking device on her. We'll meet you there." Before he could argue further, she whipped her head around to look at Jamie, who was already producing dupes. "Front lines. Remy will back you with cards. You, too, Raphael. If possible, work with Remy and let him charge the marbles before you throw them. I'll do what I can in my other form."

Jamie's duplicates rushed out to meet their foes. Remy worked with Raphael, marbles and cards flying while a golden figure slunk and leapt upon bodies with feral intent. The sound of winds slicing the air let him know that Warren had taken to the skies with Ororo.

A sense of wicked pleasure rushed through him as he launched card after card into the ever growing crowd of guards. They fired off a few shots, shots that went wide and struck the earth or the wall, but they fell so easily. Once, he might have worried over what he was doing. But the war had wiped such soft emotions from him easily. Seeing friend after friend die needlessly to the humans and their fear had cured him of such fancies.

The yard was filled with the sounds of battles. Men screaming. Explosions. The meaty thud of flesh against flesh. The yowling cry of a large cat. His blood rushed in his veins, his body strung tight with excitement and desire. He'd never understood before how other mutants could be turned on by their powers, by the use of them. But now, with so much gone on, he got it. And he reveled in the use of his powers. Reveled in the chaos and destruction he could cause. When he got back to the manor, he was going to find himself a willing body and slake his growing lust on them. Man or woman, it didn't matter.

Minutes ticked by and, one by one, their opponents fell. Soon, the yard was littered with bodies. If they were alive, it didn't matter. If they were dead, that was all the better. When they were sure that no one was going to get up and attempt to stop them, they crossed to the last wall, the last barrier they had to deal with. It would come down so easily.

He started at the top, bringing the wall down inch by inch. The air was filled with dust and rubble, the rumble of destruction loud on the air. Jamie left his remaining dupes around to stand guard and watch their backs. When the wall was down and they could make it out without trouble, Remy turned and tossed them a smile. "De door is open."

Jamie absorbed the last few dupes and, as a group, they climbed up the pile of rubble and through the gaping hole in the wall. The smell of freedom was sweet on the air. They ran across the open field, toward a line of trees some distance away. That was where they'd left the transport.

No one tried to follow them.

Warren had the engines of the Blackbird humming when they finally arrived. He'd already planted himself behind the console, his hands curled around the steering yoke in readiness. A quick check ensured that Ororo was strapped in and still unconscious. Roxxy saw to closing the hatch up behind them. The press of a few buttons had it secured. They only needed to settle into the chairs and strap in. They did that quickly, ready to put the taint of human cruelty behind them. Roxxy took the co-pilot's seat.

"Mission accomplished. Let's go home."
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