New Blood

New Blood
Chapter 20: Moving Forward

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Hong Kong

“I don’t know! I swear to God almighty I don’t know! Please! On your humanity! Have mercy!”

The desperate cries of a pleading man echoed over the night sky of Hong Kong. But they fell on deaf ears. His captors, two voluptuous women with the power to probe and break down his mind, stormed in without breaking a sweat. Now he, a wealthy financer with ties to government and the Hong Kong underworld, was hanging by a telepathic thread from out a window on one of the tallest skyscrapers in the area. There was nothing below him but hard pavement and certain death. He already gave these women what they wanted, but that wasn’t enough it seemed.

For Jean Grey and Emma Frost, this kind of job was all too common, but none-the-less necessary. If the Hellfire Club wanted to expand into China and the Far East, they had to weed out those standing in their way. And this unlucky bastard had the audacity to turn down a fairly generous offer from Xavier to cede his authority. Now he was paying the price. They found out he was staying at a fancy hotel downtown. So they dropped in on him during dinner where Scott took care of his body guards while they escorted him to a room near the top floor for a little Hellfire interrogation. They already probed his mind and extracted plenty of useful information about his operations. Now Jean was holding him up via telekinesis over a vast drop and certain death.

“What do you say, Emma? Should we cut this guy some slack even after he foolishly thumbed his nose at our organization?” said Jean coyly.

“I don’t know. He is pretty pathetic and you know how our boss hates to leave loose ends,” said Emma with a sadistic grin.

“Please! I beg of you! I’ll do whatever you want! Just please don’t kill me!” cried the desperate man.

“Oh you’ll do what we want alright! You and all your associates will yield to the authority of the Hellfire Club,” said Jean sternly, “We are tough, but fair. For that reason, I won’t kill you.”

The man let out a sigh of relief. For the moment it looked like he would walk out of this. But Jean didn’t let him go.

“You’re right,” grinned Emma, “He’ll fall fifty stories and hit the pavement at terminal velocity. That will kill you.”

“What?! Nooooooo!” exclaimed the man.

But it was too late. Jean already let go with her mind and he fell helplessly towards the ground below, yelling out in anguish until he was silenced by the impact. Jean and Emma just stood by and watched as his body disappeared into the distance. There was no hint of remorse or hesitation. The Hellfire Club had done a good job of weeding out the weaknesses of compassion and mercy. Emma never had a problem watching men like this fall to their deaths. Jean used to have reservations, but after extensive training and conditioning she had no more second thoughts. This was how the Hellfire Club did things and it worked.

The job was officially done. They did what they had to do, taking out an obstacle to the Hellfire Club’s expansion plans and gained some useful information about how to operate in this part of the world. The two women smiled in satisfaction at their work and were ready to call it a night.

“Well that was fun,” said Emma, “Now where’s Scott? He should be here by now.”

“He’s on his way,” grinned Jean.

“And how do you know that?”

Just then the door to the room burst open in a surge of ruby red light and four mangled bodies came flying in. Jean and Emma recognized the men as the heavily armed body guards that were protecting their target. Now they were battered and bruised. A couple looked dead with the way their heads were twisted. It looked as though they were hit by a speeding bullet train. Such tell-tale mayhem was the calling card of Scott Summers deadly optic blasts. Only they could mangle bodies this much. He entered the room, his eyes still glowing, and greeted his female partners.

“Sorry I’m a little late. I got held up,” said Scott.

Jean smiled at her lover’s arrival. She walked up to him and affectionately slipped her arms around him, a gesture which he eagerly returned.

“No problem, love. We were just cleaning up here,” she said, “Is that the last of them?”

“It better be. You know how I hate messing up such nice hotels with mangled bodies.”

“I know, but it’s not the biggest mess we’ve left on a mission. Not by a long shot,” purred Jean as she sank into his arms.

“I’m sure house keeping will manage,” muttered Emma.

The blonde telepath turned away while Scott and Jean shared a kiss. Even with four mangled bodies in the center of this nice hotel room they still put on their obnoxious show of affection. Emma noticed how one of the men was regaining consciousness and trying to reach for his gun. But she stepped on his arm with her heels and delivered a psychic seizure which put the man out of his misery in a few short seconds.

“Are you two done?” she groaned.

“Oh we’re just getting warmed up,” said Jean in a seductive tone, “It’s Thursday night, remember?”

“How could I forget?” smiled Scott, “You want to go to a different hotel or just head back to our suite?”

“Let’s just go back upstairs to our suite. Less time running around means more time for lovemaking. And I’ve already prepared a nice little setup for us with a touch of my magic to spice it up.”

“I can’t wait. Why don’t you go get ready while I deliver the report to Lord Xavier? I promise I’ll be right up.”

“I’ll be waiting,” said Jean, giving him one last seductive gesture before running off.

Scott watched as she ran off, admiring her graceful form until she was gone. Since that night they first made love, they had been doing it regularly every week without fail. They still had sex with other Hellfire associates, but that never compared to what they did when they were together. That was just sex. Making love was so much more meaningful. And since Jean began her mystic arts exploration she had gotten pretty good at casting spells. Her personal favorites were the spells she used to enhance their lovemaking. It seemed the more they did it, the more they relished the feeling. And despite the doubts of many, their relationship was blossoming.

Emma still thought it was pathetic. She always rolled her eyes whenever she saw Scott and Jean look at each other with such passion. But a part of her couldn’t help but be a little bitter. Every day their bond strengthened, it proved Emma wrong. She still remembered how she told Jean that relationships in the Hellfire Club were a bad idea. But somehow these two made it work despite the complicated circumstances surrounding them. She wasn’t ready to admit she was wrong just yet, but she was definitely feeling a twinge of jealousy. Every time she saw Scott and Jean with that affectionate look in their eyes, it reminded her of what she once had.

“You mind working out the rest of the details with Lord Xavier?” asked Scott, “I don’t want to keep Jean waiting too long.”

“Fine,” she sighed bitterly, “I’ll take care of it. Just go along and enjoy your mushy, superficial love life with that woman.”

“Hey, why so bitter?” asked Scott, surprised by her attitude, “I thought everybody was over the novelty of me and Jean being together.”

“Not quite everybody,” said the blonde psychic, “Some people still have a problem with it. And if you know what’s good for you you’ll both end it as soon as possible.”

“Sorry Emma, but that’s just not going to happen. Sometimes when something amazing comes along you just have to run with it,” said Scott strongly.

“Fine! Ignore my warning! Just don’t come crying to me when it leaves you broken and desolate inside!”

Emma let out a little more emotion than she meant to when she said those words. Scott quickly picked up on it and looked at her more curiously. She looked away, turning her attention towards the bodies on the floor. She started moving them towards the closet, ignoring Scott’s gaze. But he wouldn’t let it go that easily.

“Don’t give me that look,” she said menacingly.

“What? You expect me to up and walk away after an outburst like that?” said Scott with a half grin.

“It would be nice.”

“Stop being coy, Emma. What’s this really about?” he said with that serious critical tone that always seemed to get to people.

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

“That’s obvious. Could you at least offer some clues? Because it’s really hard to understand where you’re coming from when you won’t tell anybody the first thing about yourself.”

Emma was silent. She kept her eyes on the dead bodies, shoving them into a nearby bathroom where they would later be picked up by their associates. But Scott’s critical eye never left her. He wasn’t like other men who were content to just walk away. He was too curious and critical a man. It was something Emma both hated and admired.

“Don’t you have a horny redhead to get to?” said Emma.

“I’ll get to her soon enough. But seriously, what’s up?” he said, taking a step closer to her, “We’ve been working with each other for quite a while now. I’ve gotten to know everybody personally on at least some level since they arrived. Even Selene’s opened up. Why won’t you? Why do you have to be so hostile?”

“It’s just better this way,” she said, grunting as she slammed the door, “I like my privacy. I’m better off.”

“You sure about that? You never smile and you look miserable,” said Scott skeptically.

“Oh what do you know?”

“Enough to see that there’s probably a hard story behind it all,” he said, this time with more sincerity in his tone.

He was a pretty perceptive guy. That much she would give him. He then reached forth and put his hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. It was probably the most compassionate, non-sexual exchange she had in years. It caught her off guard and she found herself finally looking Scott in the eye.

“Look, I’m not going to make you spill your guts on the spot, Emma. But you’re not doing yourself any favors by bottling it up. Trust me when I say it only makes things worse. I’m not saying you have to be the most open person in the world, but no matter how bad your story may be it helps to have somebody to confide in. It’s not easy, especially if you’ve been hurt before. But it’s better than being miserable.”

Emma didn’t respond with her usual snide remark. There were any number of ways she could have thrown that back at him, but for once she chose to hold her tongue. Looking into those eyes of his, she saw real understanding. She hadn’t had that in a long time and it touched her on a personal level, stirring old feelings of bitterness but also new feelings of wanting to reach out. She knew some of Scott’s back story and there were many things she could relate to. Even if she wasn’t ready to talk, it was nice knowing someone understood.

“I’ll leave it at that,” said Scott, casting her a comforting smile before making his leave, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a hot redhead to make love to.”

He was just about to open the door when suddenly Emma stopped him with one last remark.

“Grace…”

Confused, Scott stopped and turned around.

”Come again?”

“My middle name…it’s Grace,” said Emma with a coy smile.

Scott couldn’t help but laugh. Emma Frost had an interesting way of carrying herself. She was a unique woman to say the least, impossible to read at times. He didn’t expect this kind of a response to his little rant, but he would take it. It was nice knowing he got through to her in some respects.

”It’s a start,” he told her.

“Don’t let it go to your head,” said the telepathic blonde.

Satisfied, Scott nodded and left to join Jean up in their hotel suite. Emma kept smiling even after he closed the door. She was beginning to see why Jean was so smitten with that man and why the girls seemed to like sleeping with him more than the others. He had a serious, critical nature that he balanced with reason and understanding, some of which were Xavier’s influences. Maybe he was worth opening up to. It might be nice having more than a fuck buddy in someone. She would have to be careful though. She had already been burned once. But if nothing else, hanging around Scott more could spite Jean. Just because that bitch was proving her wrong didn’t mean she had to take it.

Western Africa

Some parts of the world are always in conflict. No matter how much the world changes, the conflict never stops. It’s not because the people themselves are more warlike than everybody else. It’s just all they know. Western Africa was one of those areas. For over a half century it had been the site of one bloody conflict after another. There was no law or order here. People followed whoever had a gun pointed at them. It was also a place where volatile proxy wars had the potential to cause major conflicts with the rest of the world. For that reason, the Hellfire Club was firmly entrenched in this area.

At the moment, James Poundstar and Piotr Rasputin were on an important mission for the Inner Circle. As the two main strongmen of the pawns, they went on the kinds of missions that required quick wits and durability. At any one moment a battle could break out and or a bomb could explode, killing dozens and maiming dozens more. But to them such matters were as serious as a shaving cut. Both men had grown up in a world of violence with Piotr coming of age with the Russian mob and James being trained for combat from the time he was a boy. This was the kind of place they worked best in.

At the moment, they were going head-to-head with a group of West African militiamen employed by the corrupt local government to protect major oil lines. They were all armed heavily with guns laundered out of Eastern Europe, some of which the Hellfire Club sold them. But they were doing little against the onslaught.

“Shoot them! Shoot! Don’t let them get to the pipeline!” exclaimed one of lead militiamen in a foreign dialect.

He and his henchmen tried in vein to bring down Warpath, but every bullet harmlessly bounced off his body. They started to fall back, but they weren’t fast enough and the Apache warrior pounded on them, using a couple of vibrainium knives Xavier gave him to slit their throats and hack through their flesh. Blood spewed forth and cries of agony echoed under the hot African sun. James Poundstar was merciless, ignoring their pained groans as he snapped the necks of those unlucky enough to avoid his knives. It was the kind of cutthroat ruthlessness only the Hellfire Club could instill and combined with Apache training, he was a force to be reckoned with.

“Amateurs,” muttered James, “Now where the hell is Colossus?”

A second after he uttered those words a jeep flew in right over his head and crashed into the main pipeline. In the jeep there were a few men screaming their lungs out, sheer terror etched on their faces as the vehicle crumbled into a pile of twisted metal. It was enough to seriously damage the pipeline, hitting a few major valves and causing steam to burst out through a few secondary pipes. It wasn’t quite the damage they were looking for, but it was close.

Knowing where that jeep came from, James turned to see Piotr walking towards him over a nearby ridge. His job was to take care of the roving patrols so James could move in and take out the pipeline. But with no more patrols to worry about he decided to give him a hand.

“Nice throw,” grinned James.

“I thought I would soften it up for you comrade,” said Piotr in his metal form, “Is that the last of the militia?”

“If they know what’s good for them, it is,” said James, stepping on the neck of a man who was still breathing slightly, “What about the patrols?”

“I don’t think they’ll be sending reinforcements. I’ve heard the kind of wages they make and it’s nowhere near enough to risk their necks for a pipeline.”

“That only leaves one more task,” said James.

The two men tore through the final barriers between them and the pipe. There wasn’t much keeping them from doing their job now, only a couple layers of rusted gates. Once at the pipe James got on one end while Piotr got on another. Then using their superhuman strength, they simultaneously ripped the pipe open and smashed the main control valves. Thick crude gushed forth, spilling onto the arid grounds. Once satisfied with the destruction of the pipe, the two men casually walked away. But for good measure James took out a flare and tossed it into the oil, setting fire to the volatile mixture and causing more valves and pumps along the way to explode. The resulting shockwave would have knocked most men off their feet, but the two Hellfire pawns barely flinched. It was just another part of their Hellfire training. They checked pity and fear at the door before every mission.

“That should shake up local politics,” said James, “And now that oil is involved you can bet every Western nation with gas guzzling cars on the roads will get involved.”

“Indeed, and those rival oil companies Hellfire owns should be very happy. I heard Warren recently brokered a major deal that should not expand our control over global energy supplies, but also keep the conflict in this area going strong for the next five years.”

“That’s war economics 101. Keep it going and make sure you profit whether both sides win or lose,” said the Apache warrior, “They say war profiteering is one of the greatest evils, but given the stability it brings by striking fear into the populous it is a necessary evil.”

It sounded so sinister on the surface, but James and Piotr knew from experience that this was an unfortunate byproduct of the natural order. Civilization has been built on war. Many aspects of modern geopolitics are stitched together by war. War instilled fear in people and fear was the greatest social tool for control in all branches of power. The Hellfire Club was no exception. The only difference was they kept the level of war at certain level and made sure it never got too out of control to threaten their reign.

With the mission complete, James checked his watch to see they were ahead of schedule.

“I think we’re done here,” said James, “Let’s get to the jet and swing by Egypt. Warren needs us to pick him up.”

“What is Warren doing in Egypt?” asked Piotr, “Xavier never mentioned that in the mission briefing.”

“I just got the call an hour ago. Selene sent him on some business trip that took longer than usual and needs us to fly him back to New York.”

“Fine, but we must be quick. I promised Illyana I would pick her up this afternoon.”

“Don’t worry, Peter. I’ll make sure you get there. Even if Warren’s in the middle of getting an belly dance from ten half naked Arab princesses I’ll get you back,” assured James.

“Thank you, comrade,” said Piotr with a smile.

Warpath didn’t smile back, but Piotr knew the feeling was mutual. James Poundstar was never a very outgoing person to say the least. But he wasn’t hostile either. He respected his fellow pawns and even treated them as real friends, both on and off duty. He also seemed to have a special respect for Piotr in dealing with his sister. Piotr didn’t pry, but he had a feeling it stemmed from his own experiences with his late brother, John. He went out of his way to make sure he didn’t face the same problems they did and for that Piotr was grateful.

“How is Illyana anyways?” asked James, “You haven’t talked much about her recently.”

“She’s fine. We’re both just caught up in our duties,” sighed Piotr, “But she’s coming along well in school and Miss Amelia has helped her manage her powers. She still struggles to fit in at times, but she is strong. She can handle it.”

“Growing up around you I wouldn’t expect anything less,” said James.

“I like to think so,” laughed Piotr, “But she’s grown up so fast since she arrived in America. Sometimes I worry she is growing too fast for me to keep up with. It won’t be long before she starts talking about boys and dating.”

“Not looking forward to that, are you?”

“Not particularly,” confided the Russian mutant, “But with all the work we do with Hellfire and all the work she does at that boarding school, I worry sometimes that we may drift apart. I also worry that she may think less of me if she knew some of the things I do to make the lives we have possible.”

There was a great deal of worry in his tone. He hadn’t been too forward with Illyana in regards to his duties as a Hellfire pawn. He probably didn’t even tell her about the girls he hooked up with. She did know a little about his work with the Russian mob, but he always left out the more mature details. And the Hellfire Club was in a whole other league compared to the mob. But this role he had as a pawn was such a big part of him now. He couldn’t keep silent about it forever.

It was times like this James was reminded how big a role distance played during his falling out with John. They were never too forward with each other about what they did after he left for SHIELD and nobody deserved to go through that anguish, especially not Piotr.

“Look Peter, I’m not the best one to give advice on sibling matters, but I will tell you this…don’t let things get too distant between you and your sister. Never lose her trust or her respect, even if you have to hide the truth from her sometimes. Because one day you’ll need her to trust you and if there’s too much distance, it’ll all come crashing down. And trust me, you don’t want that.”

“I’ll believe you, James,” said Piotr with a look of sympathy towards his friend, “I’ll keep doing my best. I owe it to her after all.”

“And don’t you forget it,” added the Apache warrior.

It wasn’t an easy life, working for the Hellfire Club and maintaining some form of a normal life. It was a fragile balance James, Piotr, and the other pawns played. Some managed it better than others. But it was important. Xavier himself preached it. That shred of normalcy that lingered through the ruthless world of the Hellfire Club was what kept them from descending too far into darkness.

Romania – Cathedral

In ancient times most religions defined their power through blood sacrifice. Some sacrificed animals, others sacrificed gold and crops, and even some sacrificed people. But over time blood sacrifice lost its appeal and the vast majority of people believe it is a relic of the primitive past. But what that vast majority don’t know is that blood sacrifice never went away. It just slipped into the shadows.

In one of the largest cathedrals in Romania, an unlucky priest was finding that out the hard way. He was currently trying to get out and run as far away from this place as possible. He had in his hand a small box that contained a holy relic that would fetch big bucks for collectors and mystics alike. It was hardly priestly behavior, but even holy men are prone to the forces of greed. However, not everybody appreciated his newfound entrepreneurial spirit. A group of mysterious youths were after him and gaining ground fast.

“Oh Lord…give me the strength!” he prayed in his native language as his out-of-shape body started to give way.

He was near the end of the area where services were conducted. Then in a sudden blur, Pietro appeared in front of him and delivered a punishing blow to his face.

“You’re only making it harder on yourself, pal!” he taunted, “Give it up and we may go a little easier.”

“Get away cursed beasts!” he exclaimed in broken English.

He tried running in the opposite direction, but Pietro effortlessly ran ahead of him and stopped him again. The man was in a real nightmare now. His feeble body was no match for him. This unfortunate sap was well out of his league.

“You’re out of shape,” commented Pietro, “Why don’t we save you the trouble. Hey Kurt! You’re up!”

The man tried to run again, but this time Kurt appeared right above him and tackled him to the ground. When he saw his demonic appearance the priest fell back in terror, dropping the box in the process. The young mutant grinned at the look of horror etched on his face. Sometimes looking like a demon had its perks.

“Danke, I’ll take zhat,” he said as he took the box and teleported away.

“Demons! Monsters! Lord save me!”

The man ran back up to the altar where he usually stood to give his sermons. But about halfway he was hit with a strange energy that froze him where he stood, paralyzing his ever limb. It was like God himself had stripped him of his ability to move. But as he gazed off to the side he found it wasn’t God. It was an angry looking young woman with glowing eyes.

“Sorry, but even in here there’s no god around to save you,” said Wanda coldly as she tightened her grip on the man.

“Easy Wanda, I gotta absorb the guy, remember?” said Rogue, who was standing next to her, “You can do whatever you want to him after Ah find out where he got this thing Selene’s been obsessin’ over.”

“Make it quick,” said Wanda, “This pitiful excuse for a holy man needs to be put out of his misery.”

Rogue rolled her eyes and did her thing, walking up to the paralyzed man and absorbing his life energy. She had gotten pretty good at getting only what she wanted from her victims. Sometimes she didn’t want to absorb everything about a person, just their memories or powers if they were mutants. This guy looked terrified, but it would all be over for him soon. She didn’t get the kind of memories she hoped though. Turns out this guy found the relic by accident. Other than that he didn’t know much about it, which was all too common when dealing with magic.

“Dang, lot of use you are,” muttered Rogue, “He’s all yours, Wanda.”

“Finally!” she grinned.

Rogue turned away and started walking towards Pietro and Kurt. She didn’t liked watching Wanda deliver her little death blows anymore. She found her methods a bit too harsh for her tastes, and in the Hellfire Club that was saying something. But that’s what happened when anybody hung around Selene too much. Even though she claimed she wasn’t taking private lessons anymore she still retained the Black Queen’s tastes in punishment.

The hapless priest was left to his cruel fate. Still paralyzed, he was levitated off the floor by this mysterious power that focused around the woman before him. She had a cold, sadistic gaze in her eyes. And yet she was grinning as she guided his stiff body up to the large cross that hung on the wall behind the altar. It quickly dawned on him that she was going to kill him. He tried struggling at first, but it was no use. Whatever devils magic she was using, it was too strong. All he could do now was pray for forgiveness.

“Oh heavenly father…forgive me,” he cried.

He started reciting the Lord’s Prayer in his native language. As he did Wanda forced his arms out to his side and bound his legs together. Then from altar, she levitated two large crucifixes that were worn as necklaces by other priests and altar boys. She moved them up and positioned them over his wrists so the ends were pointed at them like nails. All the while she was using her powers to break his bones and rupture his internal organs. He was already coughing blood and choking on his own bile. But he kept reciting the prayer. Then when he got to the part about leading to temptation, Wanda drove the crucifixes into his wrists. The man let out an agonizing scream, which was promptly silenced once his neck and spine were snapped effortlessly by the young mutant.

Now hanging from the cross in an ominous resemblance to the savior god he prayed to, Wanda smiled at her work. It was a fitting end to a greedy priest. Selene always told her that few things were sweeter than punishing a good man who went bad. This was proof of it and a fitting way to complete a mission.

“Are you done, Wanda?” said Pietro impatiently, who never liked it when his sister smiled too much after she killed somebody.

“I’m done,” she said, finally turning to address her comrades, “Is the relic secure?”

“Relax, it’s not going anywhere,” said Pietro, who took the box from Kurt and casually tossed it about in his hands.

“Careful!” exclaimed Kurt, “Zhat relic is very old and very fragile!”

“Can’t be too fragile if it’s survived this long,” shrugged Pietro.

“Oh grow up,” scorned Wanda, “Let’s just get out of here. Mistress Selene said she wanted this in her hands by the end of the day. And you know how she is about deadlines.”

“Whatever,” said Pietro.

He handed the relic to Kurt for safe keeping, who shot him one last harsh scorn for playing around with the relic. He may not have had an appreciation for mystical items, but that didn’t mean he should be so careless with them especially when they were part of the mission. He wasn’t even sure why he volunteered to tag along on this mission. It was supposed to be just him, Wanda, and Rogue. He suspected it was just his way of keeping an eye on Wanda, but he was beginning to think he was also keeping an eye on him.

At least it was over now. The four Hellfire pawns were ready to return home with the relic in hand. Mistress Selene was sure to be pleased. But before they left, Kurt looked back briefly at the scene they left behind. The sight of a dead man on a cross was somewhat symbolic of how far he came since joining the Hellfire Club. It was ironic in many ways because at one point he was actually like that man, grasping onto his faith but constantly being betrayed by it. The Hellfire Club made him question a lot of things and since he got together with Wanda he found himself heading down an increasingly darker path.

As Kurt stared at the morbid cross, Rogue stopped and noticed his demeanor. She noticed the change in Kurt better than anybody. He could convince everybody else everything was okay. He could even convince Mystique. But Rogue wouldn’t let it go that easily. She knew his history with spirituality. It was a big part of who he was. That’s why she often worried about the state of his spirit and where it was leading him.

“Still with us, Kurt? You wanna stay and confess some sins, or something?” said Rogue.

“You and I both know ve vould be here all night for zhat,” quipped Kurt, “Being here just makes me think, zhat’s all. It reminds me of how I spend all zhat time reading over those books about God and the soul, learning about zhe righteous, moral paths people of faith are supposed to take. And yet even vith all my faith and knowledge, I go a completely different path vith zhe Hellfire Club.”

“You ever have second thoughts?” she asked, walking up next to him and staring at the cross as well.

“I used to, but not so much anymore. Zhe Hellfire Club has show me enough about the spirit world to convince me zhat everything I read was only part of the story. Zhere is so much more zhe soul zhan just selfless sacrifice and honest goodness. Zhat isn’t zhe natural state of humanity. In fact, zhe opposite is true.”

Rogue looked at him strangely. She heard him go on philosophical rants before, but this felt a little different.

“Ah wouldn’t go so far to say it’s completely opposite,” said Rogue, “Lord Xavier says ya need a balance.”

“Vhy, Rogue? Vhat good is balancing good nature vith bad nature? Vhy is it zhat ve are never tempted to do good? Only bad?”

“You’re startin’ to go a little overboard, little brother.”

“Maybe so, but I believe it is telling vhen our natural instincts lead us not towards a middle ground between good and evil, but always into zhe darkness. Zhe real question shouldn’t be how do ve get off zhat path? But vhy do so many people vant to?”

Rogue wasn’t sure how to answer that one. She was never good at this spiritual stuff. But before she could think of a response, Wanda stepped in.

“Some people are just weak I guess,” she said, coming up from behind and slipping her arm around her lover’s waist, “Everybody has a touch of decadent darkness in them. Those who don’t embrace it are just too afraid. That’s why they’re mindless puppets and the Hellfire Club is the puppet master. We embrace our inner darkness. That’s what makes us strong.”

“Really? I would think all the money and mutant powers play a bigger role,” said Rogue skeptically, shooting Wanda a look as she clung closely to Kurt.

“They do, but they are means and not an end. But my love has a point. The balance Xavier likes to preach isn’t our natural inclinations. He’s right on a lot of other things, but not this.”

“So what? You gonna get him to stop preachin’ it even though it’s been holdin’ everything together?”

“Of course not. We’ll just set our own example, won’t we Kurt?” said Wanda with an eerie grin

“Indeed, frauline,” said Kurt as she pulled him into a kiss.

Rogue wasn’t sure what to make of this. Kurt’s musings were starting to get a little outlandish. They didn’t sound like anything Xavier or Selene would teach. It was just something he thought about and this was the result. That kind of thinking worried her though. Criticizing some of the teachings Lord Xavier preached was one thing, but saying the opposite was true was something else. Either something screwy was going on in his mind or he was just thinking way too much into it. But she wasn’t about to start an argument with him, especially not with Wanda clinging to him like she had been lately.

“Hey! Are you guys coming or what?! We’ve got a plane to catch!” exclaimed Pietro from down the hall.

“We’re coming, Pietro!” groaned Wanda as she turned back to Kurt, “Are you done, my sweet?”

“I’m done, Vanda. Let’s go home,” said Kurt.

“Good, because Ah think this place is startin’ to go to your head,” said Rogue.

She followed Kurt and Wanda out, trying hard to ignore the way Wanda kept her arm around him. It was almost possessive in a ways, but Kurt didn’t seem to mind. He never stopped smiling. But before she left she took one last look at the cross that still had the dead priest hanging from it. As much as she avoided the whole spiritual aspect of the Hellfire Club, sometimes she did wonder.

Xavier and Selene preached different views. Xavier favored balancing darkness with light to get things done and Selene favored embracing darkness fully. Selene was the extreme, but it wasn’t like Xavier’s wasn’t radical either. She never adhered to either. She was still too busy enjoying herself at the Hellfire Club and making up for time spent trapped by her powers. But at one point she would head down one of those paths, but she wasn’t concerned. Her mother taught her to be smarter than that. It was Kurt she was worried about. She would have to keep an eye on him in case his mindset got too extreme.

Selene’s Chamber

The Black Queen was quiet these days. Other than conducting rituals, torturing captured enemies, and relishing in deviant sexual acts she wasn’t up to much as of late. At least that’s what it seemed on the surface. A few knew of Selene’s more covert activities. Even fewer knew what exactly she was planning. But nobody knew her ultimate goal. That was a secret known only to her. And for those loyal few she had special ties to, they were helping her.

Warren was one of those elite few. Ever since his arrival, Selene took a special interest in him. His angelic appearance carried a special appeal. She made a special effort to fill him with darkness. He still vividly remembered that first experience he had with her when she fucked him and cast a spell that roused his darkest, most deviant side. Since then she coupled with him numerous other times, building off that spell and luring him further into her dark grasp. He didn’t have the will-power or desire to escape from her. He found that the deeper he followed her into darkness, the greater the ecstasy he felt. It was like the perfect drug and he would do anything to keep getting it.

At the moment he was at the entrance to her chamber with an unmarked package. Inside there was a book a team of Worthington Industries archeologists uncovered. Selene sent him to personally get the book and take it to her. She didn’t tell him what the book was or what she would use it for. He just did as he was told like a good errand boy.

“Mistress Selene? It’s me. I have the package,” said Warren after knocking on her door.

“Excellent! Come in, my little angel. Show me.”

Warren entered the Black Queen’s chamber to find her in the middle of one of her rituals. She was meditating naked on an engraving on her wall. The engraving was an elaborate occult symbol resembling a gateway that glowed softly as waved her hands over it. Warren was a little surprised to see doing this in the nude, but he had seen her naked plenty of times already. He didn’t interrupt her. He just walked up and placed the package next to her.

“Open it,” she ordered.

Warren nodded and opened the box. Buried under layers of protective foam padding was an old book with a blank cover except for a mysterious symbol in the center. It was written in a language Warren could not understand, but Selene seemed to understand it as she paused her ritual and turned to see her prize.

“Amazing!” she said as she took the book, “I knew this book had to be real. Those fools said it was myth. Shows how much they know.”

“My team said there were other artifacts at the site. I told them not to touch them until I gave them the go ahead. I wasn’t sure if you wanted to continue digging there, my queen,” said Warren.

“Good boy, but that won’t be necessary. I only require the book,” purred Selene, affectionately caressing the side of his handsome face, “Now are you sure this was off the record?”

“Yes, Mistress Selene. I paid the workers from my own pocket,” assured Warren, “None of them suspected anything.”

“See to it they stay that way,” she said menacingly, “We don’t need too many people in the loop, especially with Charles listening in on everything.”

“I understand. I assure you, my queen, I have taken all the precautions.”

Selene took his word for it. She had an iron grip on his soul and he knew it. Every time she used him in her elaborate sex acts, she added onto the spell she initially cast on him during his first visit. Each addition darkened his soul and made him more loyal to her. She had to be careful though because she couldn’t make him too much like her. Otherwise Xavier would get suspicious. But he put on a good act, doing business and going on missions like the rest of the pawns. She took a perverse pleasure in corrupting a man who looked so heavenly on the surface with his wings. It was her way of spitting in the face of the heavens. And if this book contained the information she hoped she would do more than that in due time.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Mistress Selene, why is this book so important?” asked Warren.

“Oh don’t concern yourself with such things, boy,” said Selene as she flipped through a few pages, “For now, it is merely an instruction manual for the little artifact the other pawns retrieved from Romania.”

“You mean that old compass?”

“Not just any compass…the compass used by Odysseus himself to navigate the river Styx of Hades,” said the Black Queen strongly, “It was said that this guided him out of the fiery pits of the netherworld. But I’m hoping it can lead towards it as well. That’s what this book is for.”

“Are you sure you can use it? None of my workers could decipher it. It isn’t written in any local language, ancient or otherwise,” said Warren.

“Oh please, I can decipher old texts in my sleep,” scoffed Selene, “When you’ve been alive as long as I have, you pick up tricks for deciphering all sorts of old languages. All it takes is time and that’s something I have plenty of.”

Selene looked over the first few pages. It was just as she hoped. This book was written in an old Greek dialect that few even knew existed and even fewer could read. It was also coded in a way to keep unworthy minds from ascertaining its knowledge. Even for her, it would take some time to decipher. But that was the price of great power. It wouldn’t be worth having if it wasn’t challenging to get.

“I can take it from here, Warren. Go back to your duties,” she ordered the young man, “And remember, you didn’t return from Egypt with a book. You just picked up some rare ingredients for me.”

“I understand, Mistress Selene,” said Warren respectfully, “I’ll never tell a soul. You have my word.”

“See to it that you don’t. And since you’ve been such a good boy, come back to my chamber tonight. I’ll treat you with a little reward.”

Her tone was seductive and dark. Given that she was already naked Warren got aroused just thinking about it. He smiled at such an offer. The night couldn’t come fast enough now. But unparalleled ecstasy was always worth waiting for. It was part of why he was so tied to this woman. It was getting to the point where he would go to the ends of the world just to get a taste of the pleasure she offered. Normal reason told him to be careful, but he was long past the point of no return.

With an obedient nod, he left Selene to study her new book. She looked back at the glowing symbol on the wall and the compass she had been using to stir the power within. The reaction she got was less than spectacular. The compass clearly had great mystical potential, but unlocking it would be tricky. At least this time she had an apprentice to help her. She planned on assigning Wanda to unlocking the power of the compass while she deciphered the text. It may take a while, but it was a start. These were just the pieces to her plan. Not everything was in place just yet. Blackheart told her she may need more than an apprentice to get what she ultimately desired. But that was a matter for another day. Eventually, it would all come together. It was only a matter of time.

X-Industrial Tower

Xavier had just finished up another successful meeting with his associates. From his office high atop X-Industrial tower, he could link up with everyone he worked with and everyone he entrusted to run his various operations. Most of the time he used the Cerebrum interface so he could be inside their minds as they gave him the rundown of ongoing issues. This way they couldn’t lie to them and if he uncovered something suspicious, he could get answers and deal with them in short order. If necessary, he could also induce a lethal brain seizure that would kill whoever was stupid enough to defy him, but luckily few were that stupid and he rarely had to carry out such acts.

Overall, his various enterprises were doing well. Ever since the pawns came on board they were having a positive effect on all fronts. Not only were his companies making more money, but he was better able to intimidate those in positions of power. When reports of mysterious and sometimes gruesome deaths emerged about known rivals of his, many took notice. Xavier found it much easier to make deals this way. As good as the Hellfire forces were they could only do so much. At the rate he was expanding he may have to get the pawns involved in more administrative roles. Warren was already doing a great job furthering his business interests. But he had much more ambitious plans for his loyal pawns.

‘Thank you, gentlemen. I believe we’re done for today.’

His associates all wished him well and cut the psychic channel that linked him to all their minds. Once powered down he took off the Cerebrum helmet and rested his tired mind. Even for someone of his vast psychic potential it was draining to be linked to so many minds at once. But he was used to it. To him it was no more complicated than making a phone call. Only with telepathy, he could control the users on the other end and ensure they were being completely forthcoming. The intrusion was always uncomfortable for them, but he made sure they were well-compensated.

It was ironic in many ways because he used to consider it very immortal to intrude in someone else’s mind without their permission. That upstanding idealism seemed so laughable now with all the success he had breaking that rule on a near daily basis. It was hard to believe he was once so naïve. But his life had taken many turns since then. He was doing so much more than he ever could have as some foolish dreamer. The world was a complicated place. The only way to ensure stability and order was to wield power with an iron fist on one hand and a velvet glove on another. That’s how the Hellfire Club operated since he seized power and it was working out pretty well so far.

‘Charles? Is your meeting done?’

Xavier recognized the telepathic voice in his head as belonging to Sage. She was the only one allowed to contact him directly when he was doing business here at X-Industrial.

‘Yes, Sage. It took a little longer than usual, but I’m done with psionic conference calls for the day. Is Enchantress still here?’

‘She is and she’s getting impatient. Should I send her in?’

‘Please do. I know how she get when she’s impatient and I don’t need another scene messing up my office.’

The doors to his office opened and both Sage and Enchantress entered. Xavier got up to greet them. As he always did, he took Moria MacTaggart’s hand and kissed the top of it affecionately. It always got a smile out of her.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, my dear. It’s has been very busy lately,” said Xavier.

“That it has, Charles,” she said coyly, “I’m not used to waiting, but for you I can be patient.”

“I suppose that makes me a lucky man,” grinned the Black King.

“More than you know, Charles dear. But you know I didn’t come here just for a progress report.”

“Of course. Please, have a seat. Sage, will you bring us some refreshments?” asked Xavier.

“Very well. Merlot for you and the usual for you, Miss MacTaggart?” said Sage.

“The best you’ve got,” grinned the hardened Hellfire woman, “And make sure it’s cold this time.”

Sage held her tongue. Moria wasn’t the most pleasant woman to be around. Her hardened, tough demeanor made her downright cold at times. Even if she was Xavier’s closest confidante, she was still a bitch. She was right up there with Emma, but still nowhere near as bad as Selene. Sage didn’t despise her though. Anybody who harbored a serious grudge against the Black Queen couldn’t be all bad.

While Sage got the drinks, Charles and Moria settled in on one of the nice leather couches near the windows of his office. Enchantress rarely made visits like this, but this was an important matter and Charles had to know since he worked closest with Selene.

“So what is this all about?” asked Charles, “I know you don’t visit unexpectedly unless there is a good reason.”

“I say this qualifies. It may or may not involve Selene,” said Moria, taking on a more serious tone.

That caught the Black King’s attention. Selene had been unusually quiet lately, at least as much as someone like her could be. And that was cause enough for concern.

“Selene? What makes you say that?” he asked.

“Gut feeling, which I know doesn’t amount to much around here. But I spoke with Enchantress after she began training with Jean. She says she’s noticed some occasional anomalies in the mystic realm…the kind that can only occur by the hand of someone with Selene’s level of power.”

“I see,” said Xavier, “What exactly is the nature of these anomalies?”

“They’re subtle…almost too subtle. I can’t accurately describe it, but a few other mystic friends of mine like Baron Mordu painted this picture for me. Imagine someone running through this elaborate trade palace of yours randomly opening and closing doors. They don’t actually go through the doors. They just look inside and leave everything as is. Now imagine some of those doors aren’t meant to be open. Also imagine that those doors contain potentially dangerous forces on the other side.”

“How dangerous?”

“Dangerous enough be a concern,” said Moria ominously.

It sounded dangerous alright. Xavier himself was no expert on magic, but he knew the kind of power it was capable of. He watched Selene perform some amazing feats over the years. He had little doubt she was capable of much more. But there was still uncertainty in Moria’s words. It seemed like one of those things that wasn’t big enough for everybody to see, but significant enough to warrant concern.

“Has anyone else looked into it?” inquired Charles.

“Not in any real depth,” she replied, “It’s too subtle so my mystical associates assume it’s just some renegade sorcerer deviling in forces they don’t understand. But none of them know Selene. I just know she’s involved!”

Her eyes flashed with anger. Selene was clearly a touchy subject so Xavier gestured her to calm down.

“Easy, my dear. There’s no need to get worked up right now. Let’s say I believe you and Selene is up to something. What would you have me do?”

“I don’t know! We’ve had this problem before! Since day one, you knew she was a wildcard! Just watch her closer! She’s gotta slip up at some point!”

“We both know how good she is at covering her tracks,” said Xavier, “I’ve watched her activities extensively ever since I joined this organization. But there’s only so much I can observe. She’s one of the few people on this planet who I cannot read with my telepathy. She knows this and goes to great lengths to hide her activities.”

“Then I suggest you go to even greater lengths to find out what she’s up to,” retorted Moria, “I know I sound paranoid, but she’s planning something big! And I’m not talking about big as in taking over the Inner Circle or expanding her magical potential. Selene’s more ambitious than that. She won’t be satisfied until her power exceeds every masure.”

Xavier wasn’t about to argue that. He knew better than anybody Selene’s insatiable demand for power. If she was making a move to grasp more then he had to find out about it.

“I’ll start making arrangements,” said the Black King, “Rest assured my dear, I will do everything in my power to keep Selene contained.”

“How many people have said that before?” she muttered sarcastically, “I’ll also keep talking with my mystical contacts. I’ll even do a little magic myself if I have to. If I discover anything, I’ll contact you. I’ll even have Rahne check it out.”

“See that you do. Give me regular updates along the way. And send young Rahne my regards when you get a chance.”

“I certainly will,” affirmed Enchantress.

“And if Selene ever does make a move, I already have plans. I have Enchantress training Jean in magic and I expect her to be our main counter.”

“That may be asking a bit much, even from me,” said Moria skeptically, “Jean’s a great girl, don’t get me wrong. But from what Enchantress I don’t think she has the potential to match up against Selene. At least not without help.”

“I’ll get her her whatever help she requires. I’ll spend whatever I have to every step of the way..”

“Fine,” she groaned, “But why are you so intent on developing that girl anyways? Why are you intent on developing any of these misfits you’ve brought in?”

Xavier laughed at her brash judgment of his pawns. She may be a powerful sorceress, but she wasn’t very good at reading people. The Black King prided himself in seeing potential. That’s what led him to recruit these young mutants in the first place. He saw something in all of his pawns, but Jean Grey was a special case. There was something else about her spirit that implied a much greater strength. Selene didn’t see it and neither did Enchantress. But he saw it and that’s what he wanted to develop.

“Let’s just say I gauge potential on a different scale. Just have faith in her. I’m sure she’ll prove herself in the long run.”

“If you say so,” said Moria, “I still don’t think that will be enough to combat Selene.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see about that,” said Charles, “While I know you’ve always been bitter about fate, I believe in shaping the future as it unfolds. That involves being proactive as well as vigilant. I can safely say I’ve got both covered for now. So long as every piece does their part, we have nothing to fear.”

“For all our sake sake, Charles, I hope you’re right.”

Charles Xavier was a bold and confident man. That was part of what Moria liked about him. He had subtlety, yet he exuded great strength and wisdom. That was part of why she fell in love with him all those years ago. That love had been in flux over the years, due in large part to the changing nature of their lives. But her admiration of him never changed. He was the one that saved her from her brutish husband. He was the one that allowed her to reinvent herself and find her true calling. The world was a cruel place and she took a very cruel persona to keep up with it. But her capacity to love was still there and Charles was at the center of it. But as always there were obstacles, namely Selene.

At this point Sage re-entered the office with a tray of drinks. After a discussion like this, Moria found herself in need of some good drink anyways. Charles was a lot calmer, taking his glass of Merlot and swirling it casually as he contemplated the future. Even with these revelations, he was confident in the future of the Hellfire Club. Even the likes of Selene could not stop his plans for this chaotic world.

“Join us, Sage,” he offered his associate, patting the area next to him on the couch.

Sage took him up on his offer and poured herself a glass as well. Then the Black King rose his glass proudly. This was an exciting and volatile time for him and his organization. There was a lot to build on and with the class of pawns they had and the influence they were gaining there seemed to be no limit to what they could achieve.

“I propose a toast my fair ladies…to the future,” he said, smiling confidently in an aura of strength.

“I’ll drink to that,” said Sage, who remained reserved as always.

“As will I,” said Moria, “Even if you don’t believe in fate, Charles, I believe the forces of destiny are on your side.”

“Let’s hope they are, my dear,” he said ominously as he sipped his drink, “I have great plans for the Hellfire Club and I will see to it that nobody, not even Selene, will stop me. This is still just the beginning. A new era draws near! And I will see to it that this era is dominated by Hellfire.”

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Up next: Time goes by and the Hellfire Pawns mature and the next step in the Hellfire Club’s ascension begins.