Continuation of Issue #18

***

Betsy moaned as she slowly returned to reality. At first all she could remember was darkness. Everything
around her seemed to be black, neither up or down, just black. Her body felt as if it had no mass at all, as if
she was just a weightless molecule floating around in nothingness. Then her senses returned to her. She felt
cold and damp, but she still had no idea why.

Gradually, her vision started coming back. It was no longer swirling and fuzzy, but there was another element
that was wrong with her. Something she couldn't quite figure out. And then finally, before realizing what was
going on, the sense of pain came back to her, and she clenched her teeth as a piercing arrow of hurt stuck
her. Her head felt as if it was about to explode and she could feel blood rushing around her head like crazy.
She hated pain. Pain was something she eventually grew used to but still hated. Every day she would wake
up and her very first thought would be the feeling of pain as she grew accustomed to her new body. Even
though the swap was years ago, she still felt pain from it. Of course nowadays it was more of a mental pain,
as she grew used to the physical pain and now had to deal with the thought of not only living in someone
else's body but with owning her life to living shadows. It was much over her abilities and even though she
didn't show it, she rarely found motivation to go on, especially since she broke up with Warren. Maybe she
deserved death.

^I don't know which one I hate more.^ she would think. ^Waking up with a body not of my own, or waking
up with my mind shattered.^

And now, as she was waking up from unconsciousness all these thoughts rushed through her head. She
couldn't stop them, she couldn't do anything to stop them. Finally they stopped, all with a sudden bang, and
with that bang came to cold reality of where she was and what had happened. ^Oh God no.^ she thought as
she finally realized she was floating in water.

By now she had noticed she was in a water tank. She slammed her hands on the walls but with no use. It
wasn't going to break. She looked around. It was certainly some sort of a lab, with computers, screens and
chairs all around her. There was no sign of people.

"Well well, look who's waken up." said a voice behind her. She turned around in a instant but she didn't need
to. She would remember that voice anywhere.

"MATUSO !" she thought. She was about to scream the same thing when she realized her mouth was
covered with a mask that supplied her air. So much for screaming.

He smiled at her, watching her trying to break out of the tank. He knew she had no power to do that, but
still it was intriguing to see her so determined to try. Finally she gave up, and realized that too. Matuso saw
her trying to say something and even though her face was covered he knew exactly what she was trying to
say.

"What's going on ?" he asked rhetorically. "Let me explain Ms. Braddock. You came here. You wanted to
attack me. You failed. Can it get more easy than that ? And as for why you're doing in this tank... No first I
should have some manners and introduce our special guests tonight." he said with a wicked grin.

^Special guests ?^ Betsy thought. Then out of the shadow stepped out.... Tar ! Betsy almost choked on her
own breath as she saw the ruler of the Crimson Dawn standing behind Matuso. In fact she had never seen
him in the past, but he had been described to her many times and from the moment she saw him, she knew it
was him. Tall, much taller than Matuso, with grey skin and a red cape. The rest of his costume was totally
white, which somehow didn't suit him. He walked up to Matuso and stood behind him. "Welcome
Elizabeth." he said with a evil smile on his lips.

Betsy was totally shocked. She knew Matuso had something to do with the Undercloaks but she never
figured they were allies. Then again, once she thought about it, it made perfect sense. How could she not see
something as easy as that. If she could she would have slapped herself in the head now, for being so blind.
Then again with all her poor head went through in the last 2 days it was a miracle that she actually managed
to get down here to Hong Kong at all.

"You may be wondering what is going on Elizabeth." Tar said. "Why you're feeling so weak, why you can't
even see properly." Betsy's eyes went wide at the realization that she no longer felt dizziness, the way she felt
it before. Had Tar stopped it ?

"Well you see, as to everything there is a price to Crimson Dawn. I don't just go giving away lives like that, I
have to get something out of it. If you had come in any contact with Crimson Dawn, if you had used it, to
save your life, or anything of that sort, you will pay the price. The price of your life. Sooner or later everyone
has to give their life to me. In your case it was sooner."

Betsy looked at him, not sure what to do or say. She felt so helpless, stuck in this water tank without hope.
In her answer she slammed her fists against it, only making a hollow sound. She was not getting out easily.

"Now don't you give me that look," said Tar teasing. "Everyone has to pay the price for it, unless of course I
agree not to but I do that rarely to be honest. So anyway, you're dying Elizabeth, as I'm sure you've all ready
figured out."

He said it with such mockery, such sarcasm, such ignorance, as if he was laughing at her, for falling into his
trap. If she wasn't drifting in water tears would be running down her face, but instead they just disappeared
into the fluid around her.

"But then this gentleman approached me." Tar said pointing at Matuso. "Made me a offer, and offer I
couldn't refuse. So I agreed, and I won't take you into my kingdom." Betsy looked at them again, what were
they up to ?

"Yes Braddock, we wouldn't just let you die like that." Matuso joined in. "You are dying, and are going to
die, but first... first we are going to make some use of you. A fair trade, no ?"

^Use ?^ she thought. She did not like the word use. She slammed her fists against the cold hard surface of
the glass surrounding her but it did no good, it must have been a inch thick. "Let me out !" she tried
screaming just to choke on her own air supply again. Going wild with furry she stared slamming the glass
around her, trying to get out desperately, like a wounded animal fighting to get out of a trap. With no use.
Matuso had obviously predicted she would try something like this.

Breathless and hopeless she gave up, floating around in the water, awaiting her fate. If she was going to die,
she was going to die standing up straight.

"Now that you understand that there's no way out, I want to point out to you that I am doing this for a
reason." Matuso said.

^What is he on about ?^ Betsy thought.

"But unfortunately, you'll never know it. Good bye Elizabeth Braddock." With those words he pulled down
one of the numerous levers . Betsy's body went limp as she drifted into unconsciousness.

"Are we ready ?" Matuso said to his lab technicians, sitting around the computers.

"Yes sir."

"Then do it." Matuso pulled down the lever sending something into Betsy. Even though she was unconscious
she started swirling around in pain.

***

The feeling of waking up in pain was not new to Remy LeBeau. It was not the first time he had waken up
like this with pain striking at the back of his head and then quickly taking over his whole skull. It took him a
while to figure out just what had happened. Memories came back, hitting him like a fist on the jaw. He
remembered Betsy falling, he remembered almost getting to her and then being attacked by a shadow. ^A
shadow ? Madre dios what had I gotten myself into this time ?^

Then suddenly reality hit him again. He was cuffed. Chained to the wall. His powers were gone. But most of
all.... Betsy wasn't anywhere in sight. ^What happened to her ? If she died..... No she didn't die.^ he told
himself. He looked around. He was in a cell, surprisingly made of glass. He could see around, and noticed
that he was in some kind of a laboratory. There were people sitting in front of them, all in one line, each one
of them studying the computers. There were two men who he couldn't recognize from behind standing in
front of a big tank filled with water. ^Tanks.... not a pretty sight. I've hated tanks since....^ his thoughts
stopped as he saw Betsy inside.

"Madre dios...." he murmured to himself, shocked. ^What is she doing there ?^ he thought. He watched as
her body went limp, and floated in the water, only help up by her air supply. She looked bad, very bad. She
didn't have any obvious injuries, but her face was twisted with the grimace of pain as they began charging her
with something.

They turned around, and Gambit recognized them in the first instant. One of them, Matuso he knew straight
away, he had seen him more than once before. The second one took a bit longer to figure out, but finally he
remembered the so accurate descriptions of Tar Warren had made. ^If these two are in this together then
we just got ourselves into a damn big mess.^ Remy thought.

They didn't seem to notice he was awake, as he watched on to what they did to Betsy. At first it seemed as
if they were charging her body with something. He could almost feel her pain as she twitched and swirled.
^It's good she actually is unconscious, otherwise it would hurt....^ he smiled sadly at that. Oh how much he
knew about that kind of pain.

"AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH."

Her scream brought her back to reality. ^What the hell ?^ he thought. ^She's not supposed to be screaming,
she's unconscious. What are they doing to her ?^ he looked at Betsy again. She was still unconscious but her
inhuman screams could be heard even through her face mask.

She was in the tank, struggling, beating her hands on the glass around her. Something must have went wrong
because she was not unconscious anymore. Not that she was conscious either. Remy couldn't look at what
they were doing to her. He tried pulling on his chains, but they were too strong. Once again he was left to his
other skills. He began looking around the room for anything he could use as a lock pick. He tried hard, not
to think about what they were doing to Betsy. Just block it out he told himself. But he couldn't, could he. He
didn't know if it was done on purpose or if it was just a mistake, but his cell wasn't soundproof, he could
hear every scream Betsy made, and they just kept coming and coming. It was like they were raping her.

^What are they doing anyway. It's almost as if they're draining something form her.^ he thought. Still no sign
of anything that could pick locks. ^All those flashes of black light... I mean I've heard of flashes of white
light, but black light ? And then there's all the black substance exiting her body. It's just going out of there,
into the tubes. But what is it ? How can someone have black void in them ?^ Another scream reminded him
what he as supposed to do, and he kept on searching the floor, as far as the chains let him. ^What the hell
have I gotten myself into this time...^ he thought. ^I should have turned back.^ He stopped at that thought.
^No we should have turned back, I mean we..... Sure Remy you're just a coward like you always were.^ he
sighed as he remembered just what kind of a coward he was... he would never forget that, would he ? It
would just keep coming back, haunting him, reminding him what kind of a terrible person he was. What
coward he was... ^It's no use playing hero now, it's not going to bring back the dead is it ? Damn you Remy
LeBeau if only you hadn't..^ Yet another scream by Betsy brought him back to reality. ^Poor girl, I wish I
could do something to help her...^

"I don't believe they haven't left a damn thing on this floor... There's gotta be something around !" he
suddenly bursted out screaming. He stopped, surprised at himself at this outbreak of rage. ^If only I could
help you Betsy...^ he continued thinking silently while pushing on with his search. ^I could have saved her... I
could have just grabbed her and took her back to the Blackbird. She wouldn't resist or anything, she could
barely walk. But instead I walked straight into a trap. Do I even have I brian ?^ he began torturing himself.
^I could see she was barely able to stand on her feet, yet I let her come here. If she dies... or if anything
happens to her... Man I think I'll just kill myself now.^

He sat up against the wall helpless. There was nothing here, he could use as a lock pick. They knew he was
going to be here, and they cleaned it out perfectly. He had searched every inch of the room twice, and still
nothing. It was useless. ^Am I ready for that kind of responsibility, again ?^ he thought, leaning back against
the wall. ^I should have thought about that before I allowed Betsy to come here.... Sometimes I just hate
myself.^

***

Pain: the sensation of acute physical hurt or discomfort caused by injury or illness, or emotional
suffering, mental illness.

Gradually, reality began returning. She was no longer in water, she could feel space around her, and that
meant she was outside the water tank. After the senses came back, the feeling started too. She was still in
the state of shock, and the amount of pain she felt was only a fraction of what really went on inside. She felt
being dragged down the stairs somewhere. Her captors weren't quite careful and she felt her legs dragging
behind her. She got bumped on few corners and then they stopped. As much as she was actually beginning
to register what was going on with her, she still didn't quite understand it. And when she tried opening her
eyes, to see where she was, they wouldn't respond. After trying few times she gave up, with great
exhaustment.

She felt her face being touched by someone. "Well you're still alive, aren't you ?" a voice said. To Betsy, it all
sounded like one blur, she couldn't work out one word the person said. She felt being carried away again.
By now, her vision seemed to start to return. Blurry as it was, at least she could working out shapes around
her. Her feeling seemed to start improving again as she began feeling a strange sour taste in her mouth. What
it was she couldn't quite put the finger on it, but it was very annoying. Had she been more conscious and not
in shock she would have recognized the taste as blood, and would have understood the seriousness of the
situation but now she didn't even think something could be wrong. Her mind, too battered to acknowledge
the damage had reversed on itself and ensured Betsy everything was okay.

The next thing she felt was being thrown on to the floor somewhere and landing on hard surface.

***

"What have you done to her ?" Remy demanded in a angry voice as he pulled the beaten Betsy into his arms.
She was barely breathing.

A very glad Matuso was standing in the doorway looking at them both. "You wouldn't understand Gambit."

"WHAT DID YOU DO ?" Remy screamed in anger pulling on his chains with all his strength, achieving
nothing. All his effort only made Matuso smile.

"If you insist then." he said with a grin on his face. "But I'm only telling you this because you're both going to
die soon anyway. I drained all of the Crimson Dawn from her body. Every little pint there ever was. It's
gone. So basically, she's about to die..."

Betsy still couldn't get back to reality fully. She heard people talking but it was still hard to work out the
words. She knew she was being held by someone and that few feet away there was someone standing. But
that was all she could see and hear. Then suddenly, when the man at the door said die she snapped. With a
bang, her shock ended and suddenly she was back in reality, not only understanding and hearing again, but
most of all hurting. She clenched her teeth and tried not to scream as she felt her insides popping. It was
terrible.

"Yes, she's going to die, and this time there's no Crimson Dawn to save her. I will attend to you latter."
Matuso said looking at Gambit. With these words he turned on his heel and walked out, slamming the door
shut behind him.

"H...i.." Betsy murmured.

"Hi. Betsy what have they done to you ? Oh my god, I shouldn't have brought you here." Remy panicked as
he looked into Betsy's hollow eyes. Could Matuso be right ? He couldn't help noticing that the red mark was
gone from her face.

"I...'m dying... ain't I ?" she said. A contraction swept through her entire body making her gasp for air.

"No... no you're not..."

"Remy... I... I ca..can feel it... Serves me right."

"No... no don't be like that... don't die Betsy... please.... just don't die..." tears rolled down his face as he
pulled Betsy's head to his chest. "I... I can't take another death... I can't....." he had totally broken, he wasn't
hiding anything anymore.

"It's too late Remy..... I'...m dying.... I'..m.... sorry for doing.... this to you... I... shouldn't have.."

"There's gotta be something I can do to save you..." he spoke really fast, his nerves breaking through. "Some
magic or something, I bet you know...."

"I...I... can't thin...k of anything...."

"C'mon Betsy, don't give up !" he screamed.

"I know.... there... there is... Logan told me once about it... never tried..."

"What is it ?" he asked excited.

"We would have to link our minds.... link them together..." she took a deep breath, he could see she was
having problems talking all ready. "Use your.... your mind to power mine... to help my... brain recover.... to
help my body recover...." she began coughing up blood.

"Then let's do it !"

"There... there is a downside to it...." she kept talking. "Once we link our minds.... I will have your
memories.... in ... in my... mind forever.. every... single mem.... memory... I can... can handle that.... but...."
her voice trailed off, she couldn't speak much more.

^She will know my secret.... my past, everything. Can I let her do that... How will she react when she sees
what I've done ?^ these thoughts flashed through his head in one instant.... And then he was sure. Maybe she
would forgive him.... and if not he at least wouldn't be a coward anymore...

"Do it."

"Th...." she couldn't say it.

Remy lifted her hand, and a small pink psychic knife erected from it. Hesitating for a split second, he placed
the hand on his head, digging the knife deep into his brain. There was a sudden shock and everything felt
weird for few seconds but after that world returned to normal. He leaned back against the wall, feeling the
link with Betsy every second. She fell into unconsciousness, but her breath was already beginning to stabilize.

Tears in his eyes he tilted his head back, while holding Betsy in his arms. This was it. He'd done it.

...

NEXT ISSUE:
"Twisted end"
IMMORTALITY PART 2

How will this end ? What was the purpose of this story ? Why did Matuso drain Crimson Dawn from Betsy
? All the answers are here, plus a cameo you'll never believe.