The Cold Hearted Truth
Chapter Seven
Kaleidopy 

" What is so important that you disturbed me?"

" Gotta a little problem, Boss." Scalphunter stands up and meets Sinister halfway across the room. " Seems that Creed went and jumped the gun and took off on his own."

" Track him down and bring him back to me in pieces." Sinister angrily orders them. He turns to leave the room. " If Creed reaches the X-mansion before you do, don't come back."

" Sure Boss," Scalphunter signals his group to their feet. " We won't fail you."

" See to it that you do not." Essex replies. " I would hate to clone replacements.

THE PRISON CELL

Rogue stares out through the bars, suddenly she notices something, or someone. " Remy?"

The rest of the X-men jump to their feet as Gambit comes into view. He smiles slightly as he approaches them. " Dis a change of events, non?"

" Come on LeBeau, open the door." Warren rolls his eyes. " You win, you get the last laugh."

" Gambit t'ank not." He approaches the cell and glares at everyone, he suddenly notices Bishop. " Pup, y' best be findin' a new career, de X-men turn on y' b'fore t' long."

" Remy listen to me," Bishop leans closer. " I don't know what Sinister has said or done to you, but we are your friends. We want,"

" Friends don' leave friends t' die, Pup."

" Sugah, please, ya gotta know ya th' one who told me ta leave ya." Rogue pleads with him. " Remy, we came here ta bring ya home." She sees that she isn't getting anywhere, Rogue turns to Cyclops. Nodding she turns back to Gambit. " Remy, Scott has something ta tell ya."

" Gambit, uh Remy, look I know you have every right to be hurt at us, but we came here to make amends," Cyclops suddenly notices the eerie glow that was coming from Gambit's eyes. Knowing what Sinister could have done to him made his blood boil. He sticks his arm outside of the cell bars. " Remy, let us out of here and I will take you home, you don't realize it, but you are very sick,"

" Got de X-men to t'ank f' dat," Gambit glares at him. " Xavier nothin' but a liar, he be de one who,"

" Betrayed your trust," Sinister enters from a dark corner. He had been listening to the conversation all along.

" Father!" Gambit greets Sinister as the others in the cell gasps for air after the last word was spoken.

" I gave you no such order to be down here." Essex angrily studies his prisoners. " They lured you away from me before with their lies, I will not allow it to happen again."

" Lies? You're the one who lied to him about the massacre." Angel notices Essex's angry reaction to his remark. He turns back to Remy. " Gambit, you were never part of the massacre, Sinister planted,"

" SILENCE!" Sinister thunders. " or be silenced." Essex tilts his head slightly as he studies Gambit. He suddenly begins to chuckle. " It seems these simple minded fools still want you to play X-men with them, Remington. See how they use you?" He waves his hand in front of his prisoners. " First they leave you to die because you are of no use to Xavier and now that they are in this predicament, they would have you betray me to save their lives."

" Leave him alone. Haven't ya done enough ta him already?" Rogue screams. She did not have access to her powers but she did have her temper, and what she was witnessing was quickly bringing it out. " Ya best be killin' me quick, Sinister, cause if Ah get outta here, Ah'm gonna rip yer head clean off yer stinkin' body."

" Not if I get him first!" Wolverine snarls.

" I am making sure what is mine, stays mine." Essex says while looking down at Gambit. " What should Sinister do with these X-men, my son?"

" Remy's not your son, you bastard!"

" Scott, such language." Sinister laughs. " Surely your stay here hasn't changed you that much."

Wolverine suddenly caught a familiar scent. He creeps closer to get Sinister's attention. " Hey, Doctor Do little? Where's ya talking animals, the Marauders?"

" Good one, Logan!" Bobby snickers. " Wish I would have thought of that one."

" I could arrange for the two of you to share the same brain." Essex eyes the two. He wasn't in a good mood and dealing with these two comedians was not on his agenda. " My Marauders are stalking a prey at the moment. Once they have their little fun with him, your friends at the mansion will entertain them next."

" Don't count on it Bub!" Wolverine glares at him. " Why don't ya let me outta here and let's you and me play tag."

Sinister caught a noise and turns around only to be hit across the head with the butt of a laser riffle. Remy backs away to catch a glance of who or what is attacking Essex. He notices a strange lizard creature, glancing back at him. Gambit, pulling out three cards, charges them.

Bishop grabs Remy's arm and yanks him into the bars of the cell. His powerful arm wraps around Gambit's shoulders and pins him. " Release the charge, Remy, or I will absorb it myself." Bishop didn't wait for a response, he uses his free hand to yank the cards out of Gambit's hand and takes the charge into his body. He touches the cell door to release it and blows the door open.

" Let go!" Gambit screams as the X-men leave the cell. He notices several other figures entering the room.

Scott glances at Bishop before addressing Gambit. " We have to get back to the mansion before the Marauders get there. Remy, come on we are leaving."

" Gambit not goin' anywhere wit' y', Scotty," Remy glares at Cyclops. " De X-men can go t' hell."

" Listen, to me very carefully Gumbo," Wolverine motions for Bishop to release Gambit. " I ain't no expert but I know Sinister mess ya up pretty good, so I will make this simple fer ya. You can either come with us under yer own power or," Logan grabs the Cajun and pushes him into a nearby wall. " I'll carry yer unconscious body outta here myself." He eyes the younger man closely. " What's it gonna be, boy?"

Remy struggles to free himself but Wolverine's grip was like iron. " Y' ain't got no right, t' do dis t',"

" Wrong answer, kid." Wolverine snarls. He turns his attention back to Scott. " Cyke, whatcha want me ta do with him. I don't wanna hurt him."

Gambit watches Wolverine as he turns to get Scott's attention, the second he does, he knees Logan right between the legs. Suddenly free, Gambit runs over to where Sinister's body is lying. He drops to his knees.

Wolverine, on his knees and hurting, glances at Gambit and then painfully looks up at Scott. " Tell me I ain't seeing what I'm seeing."

" Mah Gawd, what has th' t monster done ta him." Rogue's hand goes to her mouth. She slowly floats over to where Gambit was and places her arms around his shoulders. " Remy, sugah, please, ya sick and we gotta getcha outta here."

" Non, Gambit no X-men." Remy notices Sinister was on the verge of becoming conscious, he knew to keep the X-men's attention away from Essex until he could gain the upper hand. He slowly reaches and grabs another card.

" Sorry Remy, but you are not staying here." Scott grabs the card out of his hand and yanks him to his feet. " Forgive me, little brother."

" Bro," He never finishes the word as Scott's fist connects to his jaw.

" Ouch, that's got to hurt." Bobby watches as Cyclops picks up Gambit and carries him out of the room.

Angel grabs Bobby by the arm and yanks him out of the room with him. Bishop and Rogue follow after the two. Wolverine stands over Sinister's body. " Could take you out right now and have myself a holiday,"

" Storm, here Professor!"

" Anything?" A voice comes through her voice communicator.

" Quiet, but I will continue to watch the grounds from the air, the darkness will keep me concealed."

" Just be careful." Xavier's voice replies. " The others are on their way back. Their mission was a success."

" Thank the Goddess!!" Ororo sighs after saying a silent prayer. " I shall be watching for them. Storm out."

THE STARJAMMER

Scott stands impatiently waiting for his father to make an appearance. Raza was the one to leave the captain's private quarters. He waves over Cyclops. " Thou father wishes to see you, young Summers."

He enters his father's quarters on the ship, Corsair didn't acknowledge his entrance. Corsair sat quietly, watching Gambit. He continues to hold his son's hand, while looking at Hepzibah. " What did Hank tell you, Mademoiselle?"

" Dr. McCoy wants to keep him sedated until we reach the mansion. " She acknowledges Scott with a nod.

Corsair turns to see his first born, " Scott," He takes a deep breath. " Why didn't you ever tell me what that," He pauses before standing up. " Sinister did to you?"

Scott shakes his head, he didn't want to discuss that subject with anyone. " It's in the past, Dad, leave it that way." He makes his way over to him. " But, I feel he has done far worse to Remy." Cyclops sits on the edge of the bed studying his brother. " Sinister has completely turned him against us. He practically wants to kill us."

" Sinister." Corsair barely says the name above a whisper.

" He isn't worthy of your hate, my love," Hepzibah knew Corsair was on the verge of vengeance. " You have reclaimed your son from this mad man." She takes the Starjammer's captain's head into her chest and cradles it. " I will vow my life to protecting your sons from this Sinister."

" As do I." Raza replies.

Outside in the main cabin, Rogue stood propped up against the side of the ship, deep in thought. She wasn't paying attention on what was going on around her. Her mind was thinking on what was going on in the small cabin quarters. She bit her fingernail trying to decide what to do. She wanted desperately to go inside that room, but she knew her presence would only cause more harm than good. What would Remy do if he saw her? She still couldn't get over what happened at Sinister's base. She knew the things Sinister could do to a person, but to witness first hand the results of mind tampering was frightening. Silently she kept a vigil that the Professor could reverse the damage that Sinister had done. But a deeper thought was now entering her mind, what if Sinister never touched Remy, what if Remy really did hate them and her.

Warren nervously paces back and forth. " How much longer before we reach the mansion?"

" 'Bout ten seconds less than the last time ya asked that same question, Worthington." Wolverine says. He already was having trouble dealing with Cyclops since they left Essex's base, but now Angel was driving him crazy by pacing. " Sit down yer getting on my nerves." He notices Warren's glare back at him before he continues his pacing, Logan sighs deeply, turning he notices how quiet Bishop has become. " Wanna talk 'bout it, Bish?"

" No!"

Logan knew what was bothering the big man. " Gumbo will be back to his usual pain in the ass self in no time."

" You heard what he called Sinister," Bishop spits out his distaste to the conversation. " Father," He looks over at Wolverine. " Remy calls that thing, Father."

" Awwh, the kid's screwed up in the head right now," Wolverine lights up a cigar. " Once Chuck and Jean do their magic, he'll be back ta normal." He snickers. " That is until he finds out he's a Summers."

" But you saw how Sinister was controlling him, his eyes, they were glowing just like Sinister's." Bishop cleans his gun for the third time. A habit he does when he is nervous.

" You know, I always thought Gambit had weird eyes, now I know why." Bobby starts laughing.

Warren suddenly stops pacing and turns on Drake. " Bobby shut up before I shut you up myself."

Iceman turns a shocked look at Angel. " Hey, it was only a joke, don't take it so personal, man."

Bishop gets up, clicks his gun and points it at Bobby.

" Hey man, what the hell is your problem?" Drake suddenly stands up and tries to get out of Bishop's way.

" What's the matter, Drake?" Bishop lowers his gun. " It was only a joke, don't take it so personal."

Wolverine starts laughing, as does Angel. Bobby angrily turns to the three laughing at him. " Not funny, not funny at all."

Nathaniel Essex slowly regains consciousness. He discovers his new surroundings. He was on the ground, how undignified. Getting to his feet, he knew his prisoners had escaped. He suddenly notices a playing card lying on the ground. Walking over he picks it up and studies it. Anger overtakes him as he realizes what has happened while he was unconscious.

Sinister leaves the cell and heads for his control room. There will be hell to pay. The X-men had stolen something dear to him, and no one steals from Sinister and lives to tell about it.

Reaching the control room, he waits. " Yes, Boss?"

" Have you found Creed?"

" No Boss, Creed isn't heading for the mansion after all," Scalphunter's voice responds through the radio. " It seems he changed his mind and is heading north. Do you still want us to track him?"

" No," Sinister sharply says. " I want you to continue with the original plan. I will join you shortly." He enters a tesseract and disappears into it.