New Blood III: Triumph of Darkness

New Blood
Chapter 15: Uncertainty Abound

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Secret Hellfire Island Villa

Days passed on the secluded island for Xavier and his pawns. It was a time of rest and recovery. Those that endured Selene’s torture chambers were especially in need of it. The pain and humiliation they endured left a number of scars, both physically and mentally. Even those that avoided the torture chambers needed it as they struggled to collect themselves and contemplate what they would do now. The Hellfire Club was officially in chaos. There was no telling whether or not they would be able to access any of their resources. There was also no telling what Selene would try next. They had a hard enough time escaping their clutches. Catching up with her was sure to be an even greater challenge.

Throughout the opulent villa, the pawns lounged about in the luxurious accommodations. Some laid in bed for hours on end, others went for long walks on the beach, and others passed time in the recreation rooms. Nobody talked much. They didn’t indulge in their usual sexual activities either. Nobody besides Remy and Ororo were really in the mood. Everybody had their own way of dealing with these circumstances and everybody had issues doing so. The only thing they could all agree on is that Selene was still out there and they had to take her down.

At the moment many of the pawns were enjoying a nice lunch prepared by the Hellfire cooks. Jean, Rogue, Pietro, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Piotr, Julian, Danielle, Remy, Emma, and Ororo were all present, lounging about and eating in the dining area while the midday sun filled the villa. Scott, Warpath, Sam, Deadpool, Rahne, Logan, and Mystique were still in the lower levels with Xavier and Moria trying to access some of the systems. They had been working at it for days, not taking nearly as much time to rest as the others. They couldn’t rest so long as Selene was still out there. They were intent on finding her, but at the rate they were going it might be a while.

“So much longer do you think it will take for Lord Xavier to find Selene?” asked Bobby, “We’ve been here for almost a week.”

“Be patient, Bobby,” said Piotr, “Xavier will find her. He always does.”

“I hope so,” said Kitty bitterly as she finished her eggs, “I can’t wait to get my hands on that woman and make her pay for what she did to me.”

“Believe me, Kitty, we all do,” said Jubilee, “But even if they do find her, I can’t help but wonder what she’s up to. I mean, you said it yourself, Bobby. It’s been almost a week. Why haven’t we heard anything?”

“Guess that’s the big question,” said Bobby as he iced up some cola, “Because if her sole goal was to torture and kill us, she would have come looking for us.”

“What makes you so sure that she hasn’t?” asked Kitty.

“Because she’s Selene,” Bobby answered bluntly, “She would have either found us by now or she would have torn through half the world looking for us. I think we would have noticed either.”

Bobby wasn’t the most articulate person in the world, but he had a talent for making things simple and understandable. It made sense because they all knew Selene well enough to understand how driven she was. If torturing them was her goal they would have confronted her by now. But that clearly wasn’t the case.

“So what do you think she could be up to?” wondered Jubilee.

“With her, who knows?” said Bobby, “I wouldn’t be surprised if she just plans to destroy the world.”

“Me neither, but I think she would do something a bit more elaborate,” said Kitty, “Selene is guilty of a lot of terrible things, but doing things half-hearted isn’t one of them.”

“Indeed,” said Piotr distantly as he just stirred his soup, “I just hope we can stop her soon so we can get back to New York. I still need to call my sister. She’s probably worried sick.”

“Oh I wouldn’t worry about that. She knows you can take care of yourself,” said Kitty, smiling and moving in closer to help lift his spirits, “Besides, you did make her a promise and she knows you always keep them.”

That helped cheer Piotr up a little. He smiled back at his love and pulled her into a light embrace. Bobby and Jubilee rolled their eyes when they saw this. They weren’t surprised Kitty and Piotr finally hooked up, but this hardly seemed like an appropriate time to be starting a relationship.

“Those two picked a hell of a time to get romantic,” commented Bobby.

“I know. Go figure,” said Jubilee.

Kitty and Piotr ignored their comments and enjoyed their little moment. Ever since their first night here they had plenty of opportunities to explore this new part of their lives. With little else to do but wait for updates from Lord Xavier, they had a lot of time on their hands to work these things out. It was still new to them and these circumstances didn’t make it any easier. Hopefully when this whole messy affair with Selene was over, they could really allow it to blossom.

And Kitty and Piotr weren’t the only new couple to come together as a result of recent events. Remy and Ororo had also been spending their share of time together, getting acquainted with the idea of them being an item. In between making love on the beach they began telling more stories about their past, which was also something they were getting used to. But it had been good for them for the most part. And it helped strengthen their bond.

“Those two are cute together,” commented Ororo as she ate her fruit salad.

“Oui, guess size really does matter for that girl,” snickered the Cajun, “She’s gotta be one of the most petite femmes around here and she goes for a big guy like Petey.”

“I don’t think size has everything to do with it, Remy,” said Ororo with a slight chuckle.

“Maybe not, but it makes you wonder, non?”

The two thieves shared a good laugh. But the woman sitting next to them, Emma Frost, was hardly amused. She hadn’t even cracked a smile since she got here. She barely even spoke to anybody. These past few days she had been keeping to herself, often hovering around Scott and Jean as if she was waiting for them or something. Nobody dared ask for details. Emma had always been a very private person and she was known for getting moody when people pushed her.

“Would you two please stop talking about love already? It’s starting to get on my nerves,” said Emma as she roughly stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork.

“Since when does love get on your nerves, Frost? Ain’t like you’ve ever been one for affection,” commented Remy with a wry grin.

“Wipe that stupid look off her face or I’ll pry it off with this fork,” she said bitterly.

“Take it easy, Emma! Do you have to snap at everybody who makes a comment?” said Ororo defensively.

“Of course you’d say that. You’ll say anything to defend a man that makes you moan loud enough to be heard across several rooms.”

Ororo shot the blonde telepath a harsh scorn while Remy snickered. Unlike the others had known Emma a lot longer. They were never the best of friends, but they had gotten to know one another during the early years before Xavier became the Black King. She knew some details of her history, including the affair with Shanobi. She never brought it up, but she knew it was a sore subject that still affected her.

“Emma, I don’t know why you have more of an attitude than usual, but I would at least try and tone it down. You’re already on thin ice with everybody after helping Selene.”

“How many times to I have to tell you people?! I didn’t know I was helping Selene! I was tricked!” Emma spat.

“Ignorance is not an excuse. You should know that better than anybody after what happened with you-know-who,” said Ororo strongly, “Now I don’t know what it is you’re dealing with or what drove you to help that demanded woman, intentional or not. But whatever it is, stop being so bitter about it and start dealing with it on your own. Don’t wait for others to do it for you because you’ll be waiting a LONG time.”

Before Emma could make another one of her famous quips, Ororo got up to get some more fruit. Remy didn’t follow her at first. He just sat there and stared at Emma for a bit and shrugged, giving her a look that said he didn’t judge but he didn’t disagree with his lover’s remarks. Emma still shot him a cold glare so he got up to leave.

“Ya want it to be this way, cherè? That’s fine with Remy. But take it from someone who knows. There ain’t no solace in bein’ alone on your own island. And that ain’t no joke either.”

“Shut up, Lebeau,” was all Emma said in response.

Remy shrugged and smiled as he went to get some more food. Emma stayed seated, casually stirring her chicken and rice and occasionally looking over towards Kitty and Piotr. She didn’t show it, but at times she felt a twinge of jealousy. She still found herself wishing she could have had that with Scott or even Shanobi, had he not been a lying bastard. Love was still a sore subject for her, almost as much as what happened with Selene. But she was getting nowhere just keeping it to herself.

Emma found herself looking over towards Jean, who had been keeping her distance just like Scott. The idea of confronting her as well as Scott was not a pleasant feeling. But on some levels Ororo was right. She couldn’t just wait for this to work itself out. It wasn’t going to blow over anytime soon. Sooner or later she would have to confront them and at least try to make peace. For now it just didn’t feel right. Nobody trusted her and a lot of people still hated her. Maybe if she stuck around and helped fight Selene it would go a ways towards winning back some trust. But until she had something to work with, she could only wallow in bitterness and contemplate where it would go from here.

For Jean, she was fully aware of the looks Emma had been giving her. She had been aware of them since they arrived. But she ignored them for the most part. At times she wanted to just walk up to her and beat the life out of her, but Scott made her promise she would hold off until they talked it out. She wasn’t sure what there was to talk about. That woman tried to mind warp him into loving her. She figured he would want to pay her back even more than she did, but he insisted they would talk it out. Lord Xavier also played a part in keeping her at bay. He assured her that Emma would be dealt with in time, but for now they had other issues to worry about. And against Selene they needed all the help they could get.

After staring Emma down Jean let out a deep sigh and returned to her meal. She wasn’t eating much. Her appetite hadn’t fully returned over the past few days. She had been too busy to eat. She had been training by herself with occasional help from Scott on getting a grip on this new Phoenix power of hers. It was still new and she had yet to fully grasp it. But she was getting closer. She could feel it.

“Is something wrong, Jean?” asked Danielle, who was sitting next to her with a bowl of rice.

“No…I’m fine,” said Jean as she tore her gaze from Emma.

“Are you sure? You still look tired. Have you had trouble sleeping? I mean, I know it’s probably not easy after everything you went through, but still.”

“It’s not that, Danielle,” she sighed, “Not completely anyways. Sleep isn’t the problem. I’ve been caught up in other matters, training mostly.”

Danielle was confused at first, but she quickly pieced it together.

“Oh…I see. You mean ‘that’ training,” she said, “Um…how’s that going if you don’t mind me asking?”

“In all honesty, I don’t know,” said Jean, “I can’t even begin to describe what it’s like, trying to tap into a powerful entity like the Phoenix. It’s like a tapping the energy of the sun and trying to use it in your average light bulb. And I’m the light bulb.”

Danielle wasn’t sure what to make of that. She had a hard enough time dealing with her own mutant powers and the ones Jean described were of an entirely different sort.

“Wow…that sounds pretty intense.”

“It is,” said Jean distantly, “But it’s not something I can ignore. I’m sort of connected to this power. And I think I always have been. But I’m only just beginning to understand it.”

“Well you were able to use it once. I’m sure you can use it again,” said Danielle.

“I wish I had your confidence, but I just don’t know. And the hardest part is I have to be able to wield this power. If I don’t then who else will be able to fight against Selene’s magic?”

It was the harsh reality that had been bothering her since she arrived. She was the only one who had a chance against Selene’s sorcery. There was nobody else who even came close and that left a lot riding on her shoulders. She had to pull through for the sake of everybody. It was a position Danielle found herself in before as well. With that in mind she put her rice down and looked at Jean with a reassuring smile.

“You know, I once thought along those lines a while back,” she said, “When Xavier came to me and told me I was the only one with the power to deceive Selene, I was pretty overwhelmed. He left me with a huge responsibility and if I failed at it then everybody would suffer. But I was still able to pull it off.”

“And how did you manage that?” asked Jean, finding it ironic that she was getting advice from someone so much younger and inexperienced than her.

“That’s just it. It was no one thing. Lord Xavier helped train me, James Poundstar helped encourage me, and Mistress Moria helped push me. In the end it was only when I allowed everything to come together that I was able to use my powers in ways I never thought I could. It wasn’t just focusing on one thing. It was focusing on everything as if it were one thing. I know that may not make a lot of sense, but it really does help to put everything into perspective.”

Jean thought about that for a moment. It made a lot of sense. Taking the Phoenix one aspect at a time was pretty overwhelming. She focused so much on so many things at once she really didn’t have a lot of perspective. Maybe that was why it emerged back in Selene’s chambers. Her perspective had been shattered so she was able to take as a whole and use it. And if she did it once then she could do it again.

As she thought it over she looked at Danielle and smiled. This girl was much stronger than her youth and inexperience let on.

“Perspective…yes, I think I understand,” she said, “Thanks Danielle. Guess that’s one more thing I owe you.”

“You can thank me all you want after this is over. Of course by then we may be even again.”

“We can only hope,” said Jean.

In a sign of confidence Jean held out her hand and formed a small ball of mystical fire in the shape of a phoenix. It wasn’t the most dazzling display she ever put on, but it reminded her of the power she now wielded. She still had a lot to learn, but for now she focused only on what was necessary to beat Selene. She would still have to rise to the challenge. But for the sake of perspective she looked at it merely as punishing a sadistic woman who wronged them all.

While Jean and Danielle continued to discuss the issue of power and perspective, others dwelled on more personal concerns. Pietro, Rogue, and Julian were just as mad at Selene as everybody else. But to them it wasn’t just about getting back at her. It was about getting back the loved ones she stole from them. For Rogue, that woman stole her foster brother. For Julian, she stole his love interest Laura Kinney. For Pietro, that woman stole both his twin sister and his half-sister. She even stole his father, but he didn’t care for him. Lorna was the one who hurt most. It affected them all on a deeper level. This woman hadn’t just tortured them. She robbed them of their loved ones.

“So you really think Wanda and Kurt have been under Selene’s control all this time?” asked Julian as he picked at his eggs.

“I don’t think anything, Julian. I know she was influencing them,” said Pietro bitterly, “I just didn’t know how far it went.”

“Me neither,” said Rogue who stopped eating after only one sandwich, “Ah always thought when push came to shove, mah brother wouldn’t resort to that woman’s cruelty. Guess Ah was wrong.”

“We both were,” said the speedster, “Once that woman sinks her teeth into something she doesn’t let go. Even if we do stop her I don’t know if there’s ever any going back.”

Julian’s expression fell at such grim prospects. If Selene’s affect on people was really that permanent, then that may mean he may never get Laura back. And that was something he didn’t want to consider.

“You guys aren’t giving me much to work with,” he muttered, “I want to believe I can save Laura, but you’re both telling me that’s impossible.”

“I don’t want to believe it either, Julian. But if that spell Selene put on Lorna is anything like the one she put on my sister, it’s unlikely at best.”

“Well Ah wouldn’t go that far, Pietro,” said Rogue, “Mah mama did say she thought she sensed a little resistance from Kurt during the whole thing. Ah didn’t see it, but then again mah mama always could read him better than meh.”

“What’s to say that isn’t just wishful thinking?”

“That don’t mean it ain’t true,” said Rogue, “It may be improbable, but Ah wouldn’t say it’s impossible.”

That lifted Julian’s spirits somewhat. If someone like Kurt, who had been under Selene’s influence for years now, could potentially break through then so could Laura. She had that kind of strength.

“So there’s still a chance,” said Julian.

“Maybe, but don’t get your hopes up too much,” warned Pietro, “You can’t assume someone’s spirit will win out against Selene. You have to be willing to go a step further than you would like.”

“What do you mean? How much further?”

“I wish I could tell you, but I’ve been trying to figure that out myself for years,” sighed Pietro, “And seeing as how I’m the only one left in my family who Selene hasn’t taken over, it’s up to me to find out. One way or another I’m going to have to fight them all, including Lorna. I may have to hurt them too. But if that’s what I have to do to beat Selene’s influence out of them, so be it.”

Julian shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t like the idea of having to fight Laura. Not was it an emotional strain, she was much tougher than him in that regard. He still was never able to beat her in a sparring match during training. But Pietro looked pretty determined to save his loved ones, even if it meant fighting them. It looked as though he was going to have to do the same.

Rogue felt it as well. She didn’t like the idea of having to fight her brother either. Even though he helped Selene do all those terrible things to her, he was still her brother and she still loved him in that regard. She and Mystique hoped Kurt would be strong enough to break Selene’s hold on him when the time came. They were wrong. Now they were going to have to break it for him, even if that meant using a little tough love. Pietro didn’t seem to have as much a problem with it because he had little love for his father and fought constantly with Wanda already. But it was still going to be a challenge for him. It was going to be a challenge for all of them.

“You’ll be okay, sugah,” said Rogue with a smile, trying to encourage Julian, “If ya feel for that girl like Ah think you do, you’ll do what you gotta do.”

“I hope you’re right, Rogue,” sighed Julian, “I also hope she doesn’t beat the shit out of me for it afterwards.”

“That Ah can’t help you with,” she laughed, “But Ah’m sure she’ll get over it.”

Julian managed to laugh somewhat as well. It was still a daunting notion, having to face the girl he grew so close to and fight her. He wished he could just take his anger out on Selene and somehow have that fix everything, but nothing was ever easy with this woman. She had to hurt people on a deeper level. Julian was just as determined as everybody else to make her pay for what she did. But when she had control of their loved ones, no amount of punishment they gave her in one beating would be enough.

As Julian, Rogue, and Pietro continued to eat along with the others only one thing was clear. Their chance at taking another shot at Selene couldn’t come soon enough. Hopefully Lord Xavier would be able to find her soon so they could go out and give her the punishment she deserved.

Villa Sub-Levels

The sub-level of the Island Villa were not the most advanced in the world. In fact compared to the systems they had Hellfire Manor and X-Industrial, it was downright inadequate. But in a situation like this Charles Xavier and the remainder of his Inner Circle couldn’t afford to be picky. They had to use whatever they had to work with and so far it wasn’t working out.

Much of the sub-levels were devoted to maintaining a secret network hub that would allow them to access other Hellfire systems around the world. Since the systems were so complex, a lot of computing power was needed and with the systems they had here it was slow going at best. But thanks to some of the backup systems Moria and Xavier put into place and some of the backdoors that Sage put in, they were able to access a few vital systems. Since they arrived they had been combing through them, trying to get a feel for what was going on. Moria looked over the networks while Xavier coordinated with a few of his secret sources back in New York.

“I see…very well, keep an eye out for anything else…don’t worry, we’ll be okay. Just make sure nobody finds out what happened…no, as far as the rest of the world knows, the Hellfire Club is still active. For now, make sure X-Industrial remains stable. I’ll worry about the rest of our associate companies later on…thank you Jamie. I’ll be in touch.”

Xavier hung up his phone and turned to Scott, Warpath, Sam, Deadpool, Logan, and Mystique, who had been helping out in their search for answers. Although he suspected Deadpool was just here because he was bored.

“So what’s the story, Lord Xavier? How bad is it back in New York?” asked Warpath.

“There’s room for improvement. That much is certain,” sighed the Black King, “According to one of my agents, Jamie Madrox, our entire power structure has been shaken. A number of spies and sources have gone rogue. And many of the companies we control are in a state of chaos. And it showed in the stock market this week.”

“Bet the guys on Wall Street are shitting their pants!” laughed Deadpool.

“They’re not the only ones worried. Local and federal authorities, including SHIELD and the Avengers, were drawn to the matter as well. They’re investigating the ruins of the manor as we speak. Jamie said they won’t be able to find anything incriminating, but if they keep asking questions they may find out more than we want them too. And we won’t be able to stop them until we reassert control over the Inner Circle.”

It wasn’t looking good. If the Avengers or SHIELD got too involved in this affair their entire organization could be at risk. But they couldn’t re-establish control as long as Selene was out there. And even if they could stop her, they couldn’t wait too long or they wouldn’t even be able to reform their power base again.

“I’m hoping there’s some good news in all this,” said Sam, who was acting somewhat as a leader representing the younger pawns.

“There is,” said Charles, “Jamie managed to keep X-Industrial stable. Many of our mutant and non-mutant workers have been reassured and are still doing their parts. So when this is over, we’ll still have X-Industrial as a solid building block.”

“I suppose that’s something. It’s only fair that they do their part after you gave them all those nice jobs and all,” said Mystique, “Any chance we can tap some of X-Industrial’s resources?”

“We can, but it won’t be much I’m afraid,” said Xavier, “Selene was able to cripple much of Cerebrum’s network capacity and with the rest of the organization just struggling for stability any assistance they could provide would be small at best.”

“So in other words, we’re on our own,” surmised Logan.

“I’m afraid so.”

Battling Selene was going to be hard enough, but doing it without the aid of Hellfire’s vast resources was going to make it even more difficult.

“What about Selene herself? Is there any word on her yet?” asked Scott.

“None so far,” said Moria, who was still typing on a network terminal, “I’ve been checking as much of our assets as possible from bank accounts to contacts with mercenary groups. Near as I can tell she hasn’t been able to tap them. Sage managed to cut off a good chunk of her access to our resources in the same way she cut off ours.”

“But that’s a good thing, isn’t it?” said Sam, “If we’ve cut her off then she may be just as crippled as we are.”

“Knowing Selene, I doubt that,” said Moria, “We managed to detect some attempts to access the Hellfire network. But curiously, she hasn’t been going for any of our power contacts. She hasn’t even tried to gain control of our bank accounts. The only thing she seems interested in now is manpower.”

“Seems like a pretty bad way to try and take over everything,” scoffed Logan.

“Who knows with that crazy woman?” shrugged Deadpool, “Maybe she just likes a challenge! Like those chicks who wear chains as bikinis and try to go swimming without drowning! It’s kinky, but fun to watch!”

“I don’t think it’s about challenges,” said Scott, ignoring Deadpool’s obnoxious remarks, “Perhaps it just means taking over the Inner Circle wasn’t her goal to begin with.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense,” said Sam in confusion, “Why would she move against us if she didn’t want to take control of the Hellfire Club?”

It was difficult to contemplate. Selene was not the most rational person in the world, but she never did anything without some larger goal in mind. They could understand her moving against them if she wanted to take over complete control of the Inner Circle, but she didn’t appear to be trying very hard based on what Moria was telling them. It didn’t add up unless there were other factors involved. And that was even more disturbing.

“I suppose that is the major question at hand,” said Xavier, “If Selene has no interest in taking over the Hellfire Club, then what could she be up to? She’s too ambitious to just lie low.”

“But what power could be more tempting than controlling the Hellfire Club?” asked Warpath.

“I don’t know, but we had better find out soon,” said Xavier strongly, “If she isn’t bothering to access Hellfire resources than that could imply she already has everything she needs. For all we know she’s in the midst of carrying out her master plan.”

“And I don’t think anybody wants to see her succeed with that,” said Scott.

“No argument here,” said Logan, “Guess that leaves only one option. We gotta find that bitch and beat her before she can go any further!”

“That’s easier said than done, Logan,” said Moria as she brought up more visuals on the Hellfire network, “Selene is very good at covering her tracks. I can’t even find the slightest trace of her or her followers. I’ve checked all our branches, our safe houses, and even some of our secret strongholds. Near as I can tell she’s not in any of them.”

“Well seeing as how we have our own private island why couldn’t she have something similar?” shrugged Deadpool, “Maybe she’s in some other secret tropical paradise sipping margaritas planning her next assault!”

Xavier and the others looked at Deadpool strangely. Even though he sounded like he was being sarcastic with his remarks, that didn’t mean it was wrong. And coming from him that was saying something.

“As strange as that sounds, you may be right,” said Scott, “But if she does have some sort of secret stronghold, how do we find it?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Scott,” said Moria as she brought up a map that had every known Hellfire stronghold on record, “There are any number of places Selene could hide. And since we don’t know what her plan is, we can’t narrow it down.”

“Do we have ANY clues to go on?” said Sam, starting to show signs of frustration.

The pawns were getting restless and so was Xavier. None of this was making any sense. They couldn’t get a lead on Selene and they couldn’t access the Hellfire Club’s resources. Everything was in chaos. All the order they spent years building seemed to be falling apart. But as bleak as this situation seemed, it wasn’t without hope.

“I did find one anomaly that could be something,” said Moria as she brought up another screen, “When Sage blew the main network hub she effectively caused all the backup systems we have littered throughout the world to kick in and lock up. But in checking them I noticed that one network didn’t blow or lock up.”

“How did it manage that? I thought the whole system was crashed,” asked Warpath.

“This one only became active after Sage blew them. In fact it’s the only part of the main network left.”

“Great then, can you access it?” asked Mystique.

“That’s the problem. I doubt any of us will be able to access it with our information because of where it’s located and who it belongs to.”

“And who might that be?” asked Scott.

“Who else? Mr. Sinister.”

That didn’t raise anybody’s hopes. Sinister was too smart to leave open doors to his systems. Xavier and Moria always knew he had secrets and he always did a good job of hiding them. Even Sage couldn’t get through and now that she was dead, they didn’t have a lot of hope of cracking it before it was too late. But it was still a curious matter. If all the systems went down and reverted to backups, why didn’t Sinister’s? And moreover, why could they still access it?

“Guess we can safely scratch that,” said Warpath, “There’s no way that freak show will let us in there. He probably doesn’t know anything either way.”

“We can’t be sure about that, Logan,” said Xavier, “It is suspicious though. Sinister never usually has his systems connected to our network. And since it only became active after the manor was destroyed that could lead to one of two possibilities.”

“And what is that?” asked Sam.

“Either it is some sort of fail-safe that he wanted us to find or it’s something he overlooked. And knowing Sinister, I’m leaning towards the former,” said Xavier.

“I’m not sure about that, Charles,” said Moria, “If he wanted us to find it then why did he lock it with a password?”

She then brought up a screen with a distinct gray background, which the same color as Sinister’s pale complexion so they knew it was his. It was definitely an active hub, but the only thing keeping them out was a password.

“Can’t you just get around it?” asked Deadpool, “Bet Sage could do it in her sleep!”

“I’m not Sage,” said Moria, “I’d need at least a few days to get around this and that’s only if Sinister hasn’t installed some sort of self-destruct fail-safe.”

“Knowing him, he’s probably got several along with backups,” groaned Scott.

“Exactly, so if we don’t know the password then we’re still stuck.”

“But we had spies on Sinister for years! Don’t we have at least a clue about what it may be?” said Mystique in annoyance.

“Not many, I’m afraid,” said Xavier, “I suspect this network was meant to be accessed by, Hank. And since he’s dead too, we may never be able to access it.”

Xavier and his pawns fell silent. He along with Moira, Scott, Warpath, Logan, Mystique, and Sam were growing frustrated and anxious. Even Deadpool seemed a little distant. He was crazy, but even he could understand the seriousness of the situation. The longer they wasted time like this the more time Selene had to carry out her plan. And that wasn’t good for anybody. Ironically enough the only lead they had was from Sinister, someone who for all they knew was helping Selene. There didn’t appear to be a lot of hope at this point. The Hellfire Club had overcome many of its enemies before, but Selene may prove too tenacious.

While Xavier and his pawns debated the issues at hand, Rahne stayed secluded in a corner just listening in. She didn’t make any comments or anything. She couldn’t focus enough to really contribute. Ever since they arrived on this island she had been distant. She couldn’t stop dwelling on Hank’s death. Every detail played out in her mind again and again. And when she put it into perspective it seemed so surreal. In one act he threw away all the influence Sinister ever had on him and went out of his way to save her. She knew this was no time to mourn, but something about it just wouldn’t leave her.

While the others began speculating on how they could access this system, Warpath looked over and saw her sitting in her stupor just barely paying attention. He had never been one for technological discussions anyways so he found himself approaching her.

“Are you still with us, Rahne? You haven’t said a word all day,” he asked her.

“I’m fine. I’m just not in the mood for talk over secret networks, locked assets, or Selene.”

Warpath rolled his eyes at her flat tone. He knew like everyone else that she had been pretty hurt by Hank’s death. He had been hurt too by Sage’s death as well, but he set his grief aside for the sake of the Hellfire Club.

“Rahne, I know you’re still hurting, but you have to stop this,” he said sternly, “Just sitting here and mourning Hank isn’t going to stop Selene.”

“I know it won’t!” she exclaimed, “But I just can’t stop thinking about it!”

“Well you’re going to have to at some point,” retorted the Apache mutant, “The Inner Circle still needs you and you need to start taking that seriously.”

“I am taking it seriously,” she groaned, “It’s just not easy to leave something like this behind, okay?”

“You think I don’t understand?” he said in a more serious tone, “I was close to Sage too and I’ve spent half my time here thinking about her and the sacrifice she made. She did what she did so we could go on and take Selene down! Hank did the same for you so don’t make his sacrifice in vain!”

“I’m not trying to! But it’s one thing to just run away while they die in an explosion and it’s quite another to actually be there and hold someone’s hand as they die. You would understand if you had been there holding his hand while he told you…”

Suddenly, Rahne froze. As the memory played over in her mind again, she had a revelation. The image of Hank holding her hand as he died in the ruins was more vivid than ever. But it wasn’t just the emotions or intensity of the moment that stood out this time. It was what he said.

“What do all great men leave behind?”

Rahne’s expression shifted. The distraught frustration that had taken over as a result of Warpath’s comments gave way to a strange sense of irony. For the first time since this whole affair began, she actually smiled. And she didn’t just smile, she laughed. Hank McCoy gave her so much in the time she knew him. Yet even in death he had one last gift to her.

“Rahne? What’s wrong now? Why the hell are you smiling?” asked James Poundstar in confusion.

“Hank, you crazy and dedicated genius…” said Rahne as she got up from the corner.

The feral girl then literally shoved Warpath aside and ran up to her mother, who was still sitting at the computer terminal looking as frustrated as Xavier and the others.

“Mom, bring that access screen to Sinister’s network back up!” she said.

“Why? What is it, lass?” asked Moria, surprised to see her daughter so enthused.

“It’s legacy!” said Rahne strongly, “That’s the password!”

“Legacy? How do you know?” asked Xavier.

“It’s Hank. He was trying to tell me something before he died! His exact words were ‘what do all great men leave behind?’ And what’s the one thing Sinister’s always been trying to create?”

“A legacy…” said the Black King, “Moria, try it.”

“Already on it, Charles.”

With renewed hope, Moria brought the access screen to Sinister’s network back up and typed in the word ‘legacy’ as the password. Everybody held their breath as she prepared to enter it. With a fateful click, they waited and watched. Since these systems were so slow it took a moment. But then they saw a large ‘passcode accepted’ signal and they were in.

“Well I’ll be damned,” said a flabbergasted looking Warpath.

“Guess the big fuzzy gorilla man had one more left in him. And this one didn’t even smell! It’s a miracle!” proclaimed Deadpool.

“Don’t start celebrating yet, Deadpool,” said Moria, “We still don’t know if this information will even help us.”

They all waited anxiously for a few minutes, watching as Moria typed feverishly on the terminal. Sinister’s network wasn’t the easiest system to navigate. Much of it was full of meaningless test data. But there were a few ominously marked files with a strange label on them. These peaked the interest of Xavier and Moria and they tried accessing them first. And what they saw what the files contained they were aghast.

“Charles…look at this.”

“What is it? Did you find something?” asked Sam as he and the others crowded around the screen.

As Xavier took in what he saw his expression grimaced. The nature of this situation had just taken a significant turn. It had just become many times more complicated, but it may also provide to them the vital piece of information they were looking for.

“Sinister you crazy fool,” mused the Black King, “What have you done?”

Nova Roma Imperial Palace – Throne Room

It had been days since their arrival at Nova Roma and Selene’s minions had already made themselves at home. They did their part to help their mistress set up the supplies for the necessary rituals she had planned. It was more difficult and time consuming than they all would have liked, but since their access to Hellfire resources was severely restricted they had to improvise. They raided every temple in Nova Roma and every citizen who had something in their possession that could help. Their mistress told them to show no mercy or compassion for anybody and they never did. The citizens already trembled in their presence, making their jobs much easier. It was all just part of the final push to help her Mistress achieve her ultimate goal.

But when they weren’t helping their Selene, they were enjoying the benefits of being Selene’s special minions. At the moment they were indulging in a decadent sex ritual with a number of servants and citizens, each of whom was used for their physical beauty. Wanda set it up in the throne room. There they bound and restrained the ‘participants’ and had their way with them in a dominating, sadistic manner that would have made their mistress proud.

Tabitha, Monet, and Betsy each had a man strapped to a table and gagged with a dirty rag. Their wrists and ankles were shackled so they couldn’t move and a spell kept them fully aroused while they had their fun with them. Tabitha and Monet were going all out, straddling them by the waist and riding their ridged dicks with dominating fervor. Tabitha bounced and gyrated her hips up and down the man’s ridged length while another behind her was roughly fondling her breasts just as she ordered him to. Monet leaned over the man, raking her fingers over his neck and face while she roughly slammed her hips down against his. And because of her strength she caused him a great deal of discomfort, but it felt so good she barely noticed. Their cries of ecstasy echoed through the throne room, muffling out the pained groans of the men beneath them.

Betsy was even more fervent. She had a man restrained on a table next to Monet’s and was literally pounding her hips down against his, driving his erect cock as deep into her vagina as possible. As she did this she aggressively raked her fingernails down his body, causing bloody scratch wounds that put him in a great deal of pain. She even used some candle wax from the ceremonial candles to add to it. Having been controlled and manipulated all her life, she relished the feeling of being in power for once. Even if she was still under Selene’s control, at least she could still get a taste of true dominance.

“Uh-uh-uh-yes-yes-oohhhhhh bloody fuck!” Betsy cried out in ecstasy.

“Mmm…yeah! This is what I like!” moaned Tabitha as she rode her victim harder, “Uh-uh-I fucking love fucking darkness!”

“Uh-uh-uh-yeeesssssssss!” Monet seethed as she had another orgasm, “Ooh it’s perfect! So fucking perfect!”

Suddenly, as they were riding their victims they noticed Betsy’s start to choke and gag. Apparently she scratched and rode too hard. All the pain and exertion was too much for his system. The man’s eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out, but Betsy kept riding him until she had an orgasm.

“Ohhhhhhhhhhh fuck!” she cried out as she threw her head back in ecstasy.

“I think you pushed that man too far, Betsy. He’s out cold,” commented Monet.

“Fucking weakling,” said Betsy, still panting hard.

The purple hair mutant rose up from the man and turned towards some of the masked guards, who were making sure the victims stayed in line.

“You!” she said, pointing to one of them, “Get this weakling off of the table and take his place!”

The guard wordlessly nodded, knowing better than to argue with a minion of the queen. He promptly walked over, undid the shackles, and tossed the unconscious body of the hapless Nova Roman citizen aside. Then before he could disrobe, Betsy literally ripped his clothes and armor off and pinned him to the table. The man still didn’t speak, too petrified of what she might do if he resisted. He let her bound and restrain her and she was soon at it again, sucking the guards member until it was erect and then getting on top of him and plunging down onto it.

“Damn, I like your style Bets!” grinned Tabitha as another man joined in to help fondle her breasts.

“Uh-uh-uh-shut up and let me fuck this brute!” she exclaimed.

Monet and Tabitha returned to their respective victims, letting Betsy go all out. She was not like the rest of them in that she seemed to care little for Mistress Selene and more about having a chance to dominate others. It showed in how she handled these rituals. But that didn’t bother them so long as she did her part.

Across from the table where Betsy was riding the guard, Warren watched on with pride. Betsy took nicely to the domination techniques he taught her. She was almost like a protégé to him. He loved watching her assert her dominance. It showed just how much she took after him. When all this was over he looked forward to sharing such experiences with her for a long time. But for now he had his own concerns.

In front of him chained against the wall was a young teenage blonde they took from the citizenry. Warren had her facing away, her wrists shackled against the wall so she had to bend over. She was gagged so she couldn’t beg for mercy and she bore a look of complete fear in her eyes. It was the kind of look Selene savored.

“Don’t worry, I won’t be as rough as my purple haired associate. But I won’t be easy either,” he told her.

Grabbing the woman by the hips, he positioned himself behind her and roughly thrust his erect cock up into her vagina. The woman whimpered and gasped, indicating she was a virgin. That was okay with Warren though. He rarely got to do this with someone untainted and as soon as he felt her tight, untouched vagina around his length he began pounding into her with unrelenting fury.

Not far from his position, Roberto had another woman in a similar situation. Only she was chained to the wall in a way that she was facing him, her naked body there for him to see. This woman wasn’t a virgin and she was a bit older than the woman Warren was doing, but Roberto hank-picked this one for a very special reason.

“You know, I once had a girlfriend like you,” he said to her in a dark, dominating tone, “She was so beautiful, just like you are. But she was ravaged and killed because she was dating a mutant. You don’t have a problem with mutants, do you?”

The woman whimpered and shook her head fearfully. Roberto grinned at her timid state. He may not have gotten his chance with Juliana, but he could have the next best thing by taking someone like her.

“Good,” he taunted, “Because you’re about to be fucked by one! And just to make it interesting, I think I’ll call you Juliana while I do it!”

The woman closed her eyes and braced herself as Roberto grabbed her legs and lifted her up so she was hanging only by her wrists. Then with a firm grip on her butt, he guided his cock into her waiting pussy. He thrust into her with dominating force, causing her to gasp in discomfort. Roberto seethed with intent, fueled by this dark feeling as he began hammering away into this woman’s depths and watching as her breasts and body bounced with every movement.

“Uh-uh-uh-you like that, Juliana? Ohhhhh fuck you’re so tight! I wish I could have done this to you sooner!”

While Roberto and Warren continued to go at it with their female victims, Sabretooth had been having fun in his own little corner with a number of female servants. He wasn’t into the whole S&M deal that the others seemed to get off on. He preferred just stripping a woman, holding her down, and fucking her nice and hard until he got off. And these girls were attractive, submissive, and even a little kinky at times as most servants of Selene were. He fucked three women since the ritual began, pinning one on her back and doing the other two while they were leaning against the wall. For the last one he even did a little anal with her, pounding his cock up into her tight ass while he fingered her cunt.

As he let out another round of feral grunts as he climaxed, his gazed drifted over towards Laura. She was sitting with her back against the wall, stripped naked and covered in sweat. Roberto and Warren had their way with her earlier, but they seemed to get board quickly with a girl who could heal from any wound they gave her and didn’t show any fear or anxiety. And since she had no free will she had no desire to join in the fun. But that didn’t mean Sabretooth couldn’t have some.

“Out of my way,” he grunted as he tossed the naked woman aside he had been fucking.

The feral mutant then approached the distant and dazed X-23. Her expression hadn’t changed since Selene took control of her. Sabretooth didn’t mind that though. It just meant he wouldn’t have to deal with an attitude. Grinning at her blank stare he knelt down and grabbed her by the chin.

“Look at me, bitch,” he growled.

He then took in her appearance. She definitely had some of Logan’s features. Her skin tone was similar and so was the color of her hair. She also had that same feral look in her eyes. There were plenty of differences though. He assumed it was something her creators threw in, whatever the story was there. But appearance aside, she was still an attractive teenage girl who just happened to have a connection with his greatest enemy. That was all the reason he needed to use her in whatever way he pleased.

“So you’re Logan’s clone,” he said, “Can’t believe someone would ever wanna clone a runt like him. At least you’re not as butt ugly as him.”

Laura didn’t say anything. She just looked Sabretooth in the eye. Her face actually cringed somewhat, as if some latent trait of Logan’s that despised Sabretooth so much was trying to get out. But her mind was still too clouded. He seemed to pick up on this and grinned sadistically as he traced his clawed hands down her young body.

“I figure I’ll get another shot at that runt. But in the meantime I can still screw him over by screwing his little pet,” he growled with a sadistic grin, “Now get on your hands and knees!”

Her expression cringed again, but she still complied. Laura rose up from her seated position and turned around so she was on her hands and knees, her butt now facing the feral mutant in front of her. Sabretooth grinned as he leered over her vulnerable form, raking his claw-like nails over her body and teasing her still moist folds. He hoped after all this was over Selene would let him keep this girl. She would make a nice play thing for him.

With a feral growl he grabbed Laura by the butt, digging his claws into her flesh, and slammed his ridged cock into her tight cunt. He let out a dominating howl as soon as he felt her tight warmth around his length and with seething intent, he began pounding into with force and vigor. Laura’s body rocked back and forth to his forceful movements, the sound of his burly flesh slapping against hers as his dick penetrated into her womanly depths. She let out only slight grunts and moans as he did this, her mind too clouded to feel pleasure or pain. But Sabretooth continued to go all out, pounding into her hard and fast and savoring every moment.

“Rah-rah-rah-rahhhhhhhhh fuck-ungh-uh-oh yeah! Take it you little bitch! Take it!” he exclaimed, seething with every motion.

Laura’s hardened face cringed again at the sound of his seething words. But she did nothing to resist, allowing Sabretooth to keep hammering into her with relentless fervor. He kept going faster and faster, raking his claws down her body and causing wounds that quickly healed up. Eventually he climaxed inside her. And when she felt his seeds spill into her pussy she grimaced slightly. Even in her controlled state she was sickened by it.

But even after his climax, Sabretooth continued to fuck her. He didn’t even slow down. He just grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head back as he kept ramming his dick into her tight folds, savoring every minute of it. When he got tired of doing her pussy he withdrew briefly and thrust it up her ass. This caused more discomfort, but Laura continued to take it in her submissive state. There was nothing she could do to stop it. Sabretooth didn’t know that with every vile motion he was stirring the instinct inside her that was fighting to regain control. It was still weak, but it was definitely growing. And so long as it stayed weak, Sabretooth would have her as much as he wanted.

“Ha-ha-ha-haaaaa! Yeah bitch, I like fucking you!” exclaimed Sabretooth, “If I can’t screw Logan over, I’ll just keep screwing you! HA!”

While Sabretooth and the other minions indulged in their victims, dominating and controlling them with a relentless fervor, Alex and Lorna were in their own area enjoying a more intimate ritual. Having had his fill of raping and dominating Selene’s enemies Alex sought something different with Lorna. He wasn’t like many of the other minions who favored using such sadism in these rituals. He didn’t mind being rough, but he preferred something more meaningful at times. Even after Selene brought him into the darkness, he still got a powerful feeling whenever he slept with Lorna. And part of the reason why he wanted to have her on their side was because he wanted to keep that feeling.

For her, he set up a nice little rug in a corner near some of the candle stands. There he and Lorna had been indulging in an intimate ecstasy, kissing and caressing each other’s naked flesh as they had sex in a heated yet steady pace. Alex didn’t even bother starting off with some of the girls they brought in and he didn’t want any of the men to taint his love. So he focused all his attention on her, embracing her as he made her moan in euphoria.

“Uh-uh-uh-ohhhh Alex-oh-my love!” moaned Lorna in a dazed tone.

“Uh-uh-yes-uh-oh Lorna-uh-yes-uh-oh you’re so beautiful!” he moaned.

They had coupled twice already, but they were still going strong. Alex was in a sitting position with Lorna in his lap, both legs wrapped around his waist with the balls of her feet digging into his lower back. He had a firm grip on her butt, using it as leverage to guide her up and down his erect penis. Every time he plunged into her tight pussy he let out a sharp grunt. This powerful feeling surged through him every time he felt their flesh clash. It was intoxicating and profound.

As their bodies rocked to the sexual rhythm, Alex gazed into Lorna’s dazed expression. She had that submissive look that dominated all those who were controlled by Selene. But in that daze he saw the love that she instilled in her. And that love, even though it was driven heavily by magic, was focused solely on him. It was a love he shared on some levels, but it was a dark love that had been consumed by Selene’s influence. To Alex, it wasn’t just about mutual affection or intimacy. It was about controlling this feeling and enjoying it. And if it meant pushing Lorna a little and altering her will, so be it.

“Uh-uh-I’m cumming Alex-uh-I’m cumming again, love-uh-uh-ohhhhhhhhh!” cried Lorna.

“Uh-uh-me too-uh-oh that’s it, Lorna-ungh-that’s it!” grunted Alex.

The pace of their movements slowed as they climaxed together again. Lorna threw her arms around Alex and hugged him closely, tensing her inner thighs as her pussy throbbed around his member. Alex let out a sharp gasp as he gripped her butt harder as he released his load inside her, moaning in contentment at the feeling. As they each savored these blissful feelings, Lorna gazed into his eyes in a daze of love and submission. Alex grinned and captured her lips in a deep kiss, looking forward to enjoying this feeling for a long time.

“That’s right, Lorna. You’re mine now. Our love will be forever bonded by darkness,” he whispered to her in a soft yet dark tone, “Soon the world will know this darkness as well. And we’ll be able to savor this feeling for many years to come.”

Lorna was too dazed to respond. She was too dazed to even think about what he was saying. All she could think about was Alex and embracing this dark love they shared. And if he said this was how it was going to be from now on then so be it.

Still fueled by the power of the ritual, Alex then laid Lorna down on her back and began yet another round of sexual ecstasy. The others continued their parts as well. Sabretooth continued to ravage Laura. Tabitha, Betsy, and Monet continued to ravage their male prisoners. And Roberto and Warren kept ravaging their female victims. Groans of ecstasy and groans of pain echoed through the walls of the throne room. Selene’s minions indulged in dominated, letting the darkness guide them to their ultimate desires.

Yet as this orgy of darkness was going on, one of them was not a very active participant. Kurt Wager had been keeping to himself, sitting off to the side with Wanda. She was the one who was carrying out the ritual, using the magic Selene taught her to drive the other minions and their victims into a sexual fervor. She participated herself in some areas, taking a man and having sex with him at the head of the throne room until he passed out. Afterwards she focused primarily on using the sexual energy seething throughout the room to enhance the spell. But she eventually noticed Kurt’s lack of enthusiasm.

“Why aren’t you participating, Kurt? You’ve yet to ravage a single woman,” asked Wanda as her eyes glowed with mystical energy.

“Sorry, my love. But I haven’t been able to get in zhe mood,” he said distantly.

“Oh why not? You always enjoy our little rituals. You play your role of sex demon so well,” she grinned.

“I just can’t stop zhinking about Mistress Selene and zhe children. I feel as though ve should be helping her and Sinister.”

“Oh stop worrying about that,” scoffed Wanda, “Mistress Selene was clear. We are not to be present during Sinister’s final round of experiments, less he get too suspicious. That’s why she had me organize this little ‘activity’ in the first place.”

“Vhy vouldn’t she vant us present?” he questioned, “One of zhose children is ours, you know?”

Wanda rolled her eyes. Kurt had been bringing that up ever since they got here and it was starting to annoy her. He usually never had any opinions that weren’t hers. Perhaps she needed to refresh the spell she had over him.

“Kurt, I’m tired of having this conversation. Mistress Selene told us not to get too close to those babies. They’re to play a vital role in her plans and we are not to interfere.”

“I know and I have no desire to interfere vith our mistress. But still, can you honestly say you don’t feel something for a child bearing our blood?”

“How can I feel something when I didn’t even know Sinister created it?” scoffed Wanda, “It’s not like we made it the old fashioned way.”

“I know, but still…zhat is our child. And ve don’t even know vhat Selene has planned for it. Should ve not be close to it no matter vhat may come of it?”

“We should only do what Mistress Selene tells us. That’s all there is to it,” said Wanda sternly, “Just drop it, Kurt. I don’t want to have this conversation again. Understand?”

Her words were strong and forceful. And for Kurt, whenever he heard it to him it was like getting an order from a god. He had to obey it. And as uncertain as he was about this, he lowered his head and conceded to his love’s request.

“Yes, my love.”

“Good,” said Wanda, “Now either strip and join the ritual or go find some other way to amuse yourself. We’re to stay put until Mistress Selene gives us the word.”

Kurt nodded respectfully and did a she asked. He took off his clothes and joined in the ritual, taking a nearby female servant and laying her down on the floor near the area where Wanda was casting her spells. Without any hint of expression or emotion, he began having sex with the woman just as the others were. But his mind continued to dwell on the issue of the children. Even if his love told him not to bring it up, that didn’t mean he would be able to stop thinking about it. The issue continued to linger over him. But he wouldn’t know what to do until he learned what Mistress Selene had planned.

Soon, it would all come together. Their mistress would carry out the final act of her plan and bathe the world in darkness. Then it wouldn’t just be Nova Roma where they could dominate, desecrate, and indulge in their every hedonistic desire. The whole world would be their victim. The whole world would be their slaves. And it would all be guided by Selene. Soon she wouldn’t just be their mistress. She would be their god.

Nova Roma Imperial Palace – Sinister’s Lab

While most of Selene’s minions indulged in a sex ritual up in the throne room, Selene was working with Sinister on the final step of his experiments. She had an army of Nova Roman servants and scientists working night and day helping to set up his equipment. It didn’t go as fast as she would have wanted because she couldn’t access many Hellfire resources in wake of the manor’s destruction. She cursed Charles Xavier for cutting her off, but it would only delay her plans and not stop them.

Once everything was set up the only challenge was providing enough power. Since Nova Roma didn’t have the most advanced power system in the world, they had to improvise in order to power his elaborate machines. This was where Magneto came in. His mutant powers provided a boost to the antiquated generators in the palace. In his mindless state he fit the role of living battery well, but Sinister was still less than thrilled.

This was by far the most important part of the experiment thus far. It took nine months for these children to develop and it was just recently they were able to finally survive for long periods outside an incubator. They all had the pieces he needed to create his perfect mutant species. But in their current state he could not extract that information. To that he had to activate their mutant powers early. It was dangerous and risky, but he just needed it active on the DNA level. That way he could get what he needed. To do that he was going to give them a dose of radiation. Much of the equipment Selene loaded from his lab was a special apparatus that would generate such radiation in a concentrated, finely tuned manner. But in these surroundings such advanced equipment was hard to manage.

“Damn it, Selene! Can you get that mindless fool to watch the power levels? He’s going to overload them!” he exclaimed as he made the final adjustments on one of the panels.

“Will you stop complaining and hurry up already!” shot Selene as she paced restlessly, “This experiment was supposed to begin hours ago!”

“It would have begun much sooner if you had just shipped those components I specified!”

“Don’t try to blame this on me! It’s not my fault Charles Xavier shut us out of Hellfire’s system! I could barely get what was left of my elite guard down here, let alone your bulky machines!”

“Funny, wasn’t it your responsibility to kill that man in the first place?” quipped Sinister.

For a man as smart as him, he was really pushing his luck with her. Luckily, she wouldn’t need him much longer. They just had to get through this and he would be of no more use to her.

“Enough of this blaming! Are you ready or not?!” exclaimed the Black Queen.

Sinister did one last diagnostics on a small hand-held computer. These weren’t ideal settings for such an experiment, but he was out of options and he was too close to his goal to turn back now. After going over all the systems they seemed okay. He would have liked to be a bit more attentive to detail, but around this woman that wasn’t possible.

“It’s ready,” he told her, “Clear all your men out. We’ll begin in five minutes.”

“Finally,” she groaned as she turned to her servants and workers, “All of you out! And nobody comes back in until I say so!”

The servants and workers timidly nodded, each getting out of the room as fast as they could. They knew their queen had little patience and a quick temper. And they weren’t about to test her now during this vital stage.

Once everyone was out, Selene sealed the doors and joined Sinister at the main console. Magneto was still present powering the generators, showing signs of fatigue as he kept the power flowing. Sinister worked fast, not willing to accept anything short of success. He activated the main programs on the console and brought up the scanners so he could verify that the process worked.

The apparatus itself was composed of four large panels that resembled solar panels. They were rectangular in shape and covered in a grayish white coating that had special pores to allow the radiation to pour through. They were all linked into several large nuclear capacitors where the radiation was generated and processed. And each was synched up with a series of command consoles which Sinister controlled from a master panel. The rest of the equipment contained the programs that scanned the DNA of the children to make sure their mutant powers were active. They were built right into the panels and the data was fed in from the incubators containing the children. They were all sedated for the process and set up in a neat cluster between the panels. They had no idea what they were a part of, but it was certain to be an important part of their brief lives.

“I’m powering up the generators now,” said Sinister as he entered the proper commands, “In order to activate the mutant genes they need to be hit with just the right amount of radiation. Since they’re only infants the margin for error is very narrow. Too much and they will die and too little the genes won’t manifest and they’ll be too weak to endure another round.”

“Then you had best make this count,” said Sinister, “Spare me the rest of the science jargon and get on with it already.”

“Very well,” he said, “But remember our deal, Selene. After I complete this, I’ll help you re-establish control over the Hellfire Club’s resources and my obligations will be met. Then just give me the keys to a jet and I’ll be on my way.”

“You don’t need to remind me, Sinister,” she said with a dark grin, “I know the bargain. I still need you and you still need me. Just do your part and we’ll all get what we desire.”

“Be sure that I do,” said Sinister.

After typing in the final command, the system started up and the panels began to glow in a bright blue halo. The infants rested silently in the incubators, remaining still and unmoving as a loud hum echoed throughout the room. Sinister adjusted the dials, keeping a close eye on genetic scanners to make sure they were reading properly. The radiation hadn’t been released yet, but once it did he had to stay focused. He would only have one chance with this so he had to make sure the radiation wasn’t on for too long or not enough. It would be a matter of reaction time and careful execution. Over a hundred years of hard work and planning was about to come together. This was it.

“Okay…panels charged,” said Sinister, “Here comes the radiation.”

Selene stepped back, watching on with intent. Sinister then flicked the switch. There was a slight spark from the panels. The glowing aura intensified as a wave of energy poured through. More sparks followed in the surrounding metal components. The lights flickered and the generators started making a strange thumping noise. Selene didn’t like how it sounded, but Sinister remained focused. He carefully watched the genetic scanner, keeping a close eye on every one of the children.

It felt like it went on forever even though it lasted a mere two minutes. The panels continued glowing and the thumping noise in the generators intensified. Magneto, who was helping to power this whole thing was starting to show signs of exhaustion. Several times the power flickered, but he kept going at the orders of Selene.

“Do not let up, Magneto! I don’t care if it kills you, just keep that power going!” commanded Sinister.

“How much longer? Are these noises normal?” demanded Selene.

“No, but that’s what you get when you’re stuck with antiquated machinery. Now please be quiet for the most important part of the procedure!”

Selene backed off, still not liking the noises the generators were making. She cursed Charles Xavier for cutting off her access to other Hellfire resources. If this failed because of him she would not rest until he died a million painful deaths. She didn’t like that so much was riding on the shoulders of Mr. Sinister, but she had no choice. She needed this man to succeed in order for her plans to succeed.

It was going up on three minutes. More sparks followed and there were some warning alerts on a couple of generators. It didn’t sound like they would hold out much longer. But Sinister remained calm and focused, his eyes never leaving the screen.

“Come on…come on…just a little bit longer,” he said intently.

It sounded as though the generators were about to fail and Magneto was about to pass out. Then finally, he saw it. The scanners were picking up X-gene activity. The mutant DNA of his infant creations had become active. The procedure had worked.

“It’s working! The DNA is activating!” he exclaimed.

He reacted quickly, shutting off the radiation and with an emergency panel and de-activating the power feed. But at that point, the generators gave out and so did Magneto. Two large sparks arced over from the panels and the generators shorted out. It caused the lights to go completely off for a moment until the backup generators kicked in. But Sinister’s eyes never left the command terminal. His normally stoic expression became one of exuberance. His children had officially reached the next stage.

“What’s going on, Sinister?! What happened?!” said Selene in a fit of anger.

“The machines gave out,” he said in a calm tone, “A predictable outcome.”

“They gave out?! Don’t tell me that means your experiment failed!”

“The machines aren’t important. The results are only important. The machines did their part. The scanners prove it. The mutant DNA in the children is officially active!”

Sinister smiled with pride as he ran out from the console and over to the incubators where his sleeping children resided. He placed his hand over them and took in his accomplishment.

“My children…they are ready for the final step!” he proclaimed.

Selene grinned with intent as she walked up behind him, taking a small relic out of her glove in the process.

“So then…the experiment was a success?” she asked intently.

“Yes, the outcome is just as I predicted!” said Sinister proudly.

“That’s all I needed to know.”

Suddenly, Sinister felt Selene slap her hand against the back of his neck and jam something into his pale flesh. The next thing he knew his unique body chemistry was completely paralyzed. A strange red halo of energy consumed him and a blinding wave of pain surged through him unlike anything he had ever felt before.

“Auuuuuuugggggghhhhhhhhhh! Selene! What is this?!” he demanded.

“What does it look like, Sinister? I’m changing the terms of our deal,” said Selene snidely, “You really didn’t think I needed you that badly to regain Hellfire’s resources? Please, I don’t even need the Hellfire Club anymore! My plans are MUCH more ambitious!”

“Errrrrrrrrrr you traitorous witch!”

“I’d watch your mouth if I were you, Sinister. I can make this much more painful than it already is.”

Sinister should have seen it coming. Selene was not the kind of woman to stay true to her word. She was a lying, deceitful tyrant. He never expected her to give him everything she promised, but he had no idea she would turn on him at this point. He tried to adapt his body chemistry to overcome whatever it was she was using against him. But he was unable to tap his abilities. Whatever this force was, it must be one of her spells. And magic was something he could not overcome.

“Have you ever heard of the blood stones?” Selene said in a taunting tone as she leered over him while he convulsed in agony, “It was said that the blood stones were forged by the very fires of hell. The dark lords themselves used them to inflict untold terror on the damned. But then one day a rogue demon swiped them and tried to use them in the world of the living. He failed to understand the rules of magic and power and was eventually destroyed by champions of light. But before the demon was vanquished, he cut up the blood stones and scattered them throughout the world.”

“Errrrrrrrahhhhhhhhhhhh!” exclaimed Sinister as he fell back and crashed into one of the radiation panels.

“It was said that the blood stones had the power to create in the world of the living the same kind of fiery wasteland that reigns supreme in realm of Hell. But nobody has ever been able to unlock such power within the stones…nobody until now.”

With the energy still surging through him, causing untold pain within Sinister, Selene grabbed him by the neck and held him up so she could look him in his dark red eyes.

“When I founded this kingdom, I founded it upon the sight where I found the first blood stone. I used it to expand my power to new levels. Even after they exiled me, I made sure the stone’s power would never be wielded by anybody but me. And over the years I collected other pieces. The last one was attained when I took control of the Hand. Now I have all the pieces. All that’s left is to unleash their full power. And to do that I need to perform a little ritual that requires a special kind of blood sacrifice.”

Then in a taunting gesture she carried the pained Sinister over to the incubators housing the children. She then had him look down upon them while she affectionately smiled at them.

“And you just provided me with that special sacrifice. I need blood that is innocent and unique. I figured the blood of your little children would do nicely.”

“Errrrrrrrrrrrr nooooooooooo!” exclaimed Sinister.

“YES!” proclaimed Selene as she set Sinister down and pulled him to within inches of her face, “You’ve just provided me the final piece I need to garner ultimate power! I’ve waited centuries for this chance! You think this pitiful world needs to evolve? I say it needs to devolve! When I’m through, this whole world will be bathed in blood and darkness! And you helped make it happen! I would say thanks, but you know I’m never one for gratitude!”

The glowing aura around Sinister’s body brightened as he went completely ridged. His eyes bulged out as his face became frozen in a state of complete and utter torment.

“But since you did help me, I won’t let you go unrewarded. I’ll merely keep you frozen in place, eternally damned to a life in limbo. And I’ll make sure you enter your eternal sleep with the full knowledge that you helped plunge the whole world into complete darkness!”

This woman’s capacity for evil truly knew no bounds. He wanted to evolve life on this world. She wanted to plunge it into darkness. And he helped her do it. He suddenly felt his body change shape. Starting from his feet to his fingertips, everything was becoming hard and stone-like. Sinister tried to fight it, but it was no use. He could feel his body and mind giving out. Everything was fading away. The only thing he could see was Selene’s taunting leer. It was truly a cruel fate even for him.

But he refused to be the one that allowed her to carry out her dark wishes. If she was going to screw him over like this then the least he could do with his final breath was return the favor. Thankfully, by killing him like this she was sealing her fate. And before he drew his last breath he had one final message for her.

“You will fail.”

Selene scoffed as she watched the last of his body turn to stone. Now Sinister was just a statue, lifeless and still never to taunt or annoy her again. She was tempted to just shatter it, but it might serve better as a trophy to her grand triumph. Reaching behind, she retrieved the small part of the blood stone she used to carry out this spell. It was pretty potent, but for Sinister she didn’t want to take any chances.

“So long you blathering fool,” she said to the statue, “You’ve served your purpose.”

Selene then turned to the children, all of whom were still sleeping soundly. She smiled as she trailed her hand over the glass. It was amazing how everything she had worked for now came down to these twelve infants. They were the final piece she had been waiting for. With them she could finally seize the power she craved. It was only a matter of putting it all together.

“Rest easy, little ones. Your destiny is nearly at hand. Soon, you will help usher in a new era…one that I shall reign over as a true immortal should. The time of balanced rule between good and evil is about to end. Now darkness shall reign supreme!”

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Up next: Xavier and his pawns make preparations for the battle against Selene.