New Blood II: Growing Ranks

New Blood
Chapter 7: Bonds and Bitterness

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Muir Island

“How much longer do I have to do this, mom? It’s getting on me nerves!”

“Just hold still a bit longer, Rahne. The procedure is almost over, right Forge?”

“Uh…right, Moria. Just a few more minor tweaks.”

Moria MacTaggart scolded Forge for mincing words. They clearly weren’t doing her adopted daughter any good. She looked tense and uncomfortable laying on a medical table wearing little more than a pair of panties. These tests were never pleasant, but they had to be done. It was an unfortunate necessity that had only become troublesome in recent times.

Rahne had always been a troubled child, but Moria always made sure she had the comforts and privileges of the Hellfire Club to support her. She raised her as her own daughter. It helped mend the scar in her heart she felt whenever she thought of the child her ex-husband killed. She taught Rahne all the merits of a Hellfire woman, imparting to her the same laurels and toughness that she and Charles developed over the years. And she took to it strongly. She grew to be every bit as fierce as her animal form, taking part in torturing enemies and attacking would-be threats. But as tough as she was, her past left a significant scar that affected her to this day.

Lately, Rahne had been having issues with her morphing powers. Whenever she carried out deeds for the Hellfire Club, she did it in her wolf humanoid form. But when she was in that form, her animal instincts were a lot stronger. She would much easily go into a rage and start clawing indiscriminately. She was usually able to collect herself, but not always after having made a mess. Moria worried that she was spending too much time as an animal and not enough as a human. Coupled with the stress of her traumatic past, she had undue strain on her mind and body. She was also coming of age. She was still in her teens, but nearly a full grown woman. Moria knew she would grow up at some point, but it wasn’t always the smoothest process.

In order to ensure her human form and animal form were in check, Moria had been taking Rahne to see Forge regularly. It used to be rare, but she had been doing it more often lately as Rahne had an increasing number of instances where she couldn’t control herself. It was hard to get around given the Hellfire Club’s rigors and lifestyles, but she needed to maintain control.

“Okay, it’s ready,” said Forge, “Just hold still for two more minutes, Rahne. The scan is almost done.”

“Well hurry up! It’s cold in here and I’m not exactly dressed for it.”

“No kidding,” grinned the mutant inventor, his eyes running down her topless body.

“Just finish the bloody test,” scorned Moria.

“You’re the boss,” he shrugged.

Forge pulled on a few levers and entered a few commands into his computer. Then his latest machine came to life. It was a special mutant scanner that could test the strength, intensity, and extent of mutations in an entire physical body. It was how he was going to measure Rahne’s biology to see which side was more dominant, the human or the animal. It required a couple of IV’s going into her arms and a special micro-scanner that was like an X-ray, only more detailed.

With Forge in control, the device did the scan. A large scope-like device scanned over Rahne’s entire body while the IV’s sampled her blood. It wasn’t the most comfortable process. Rahne was especially awkward when the scope scanned over her breasts and pelvic region. She wasn’t sure if that was by design of just something Forge threw in himself. A man alone on an island wasn’t above such things, even though Xavier sent him over plenty of female sex workers. But she ignored it for the most part until the scope passed over her head.

“Done!” said Forge, “You can get remove the IV’s now, Moria.”

“Finally!” said Rahne as she sat up.

Moria helped remove the IV’s, giving her adopted daughter a reassuring gesture while Forge went over the data. She knew Rahne wasn’t the most affectionate person in the world. Being raised by an abusive priest father would do that just as much as having an abusive husband. But she was strong. She taught her to have an iron will and it showed every time she didn’t wince at these procedures.

Once the IV’s were out, Rahne gathered her clothes and started getting dressed. Like all Hellfire women, she wore special attire. Only hers was catered to accommodate her wolf form. It consisted of a bikini-like outfit with a fancy fur jacket she wore to keep her warm when she was in human form. She hugged it a little closer to warm herself up while Forge went over the data. His expression wasn’t too grim, but it wasn’t optimistic either.

“So what’s the verdict?” asked Rahne, “Will I be having to come in this often for much longer?”

Forge’s eyes scanned over the data on the computer screen. There was a lot to interpret, but the results were pretty much what he expected.

“Wish I could say for certain, Rahne, but I honestly don’t know,” he said with a sigh, “According to this scan the animal part of your biology is expanding and your human side isn’t keeping up. It’s growing at a slower rate than it was on your last checkup, but it’s still growing.”

“Is it slow enough to keep in check?” asked Moria, looking over the data herself.

“I don’t know. You’re the biology expert. I just build machines. I honestly don’t know what’s going on with this.”

Moria walked over and looked at the data herself. She could make out more details than Forge and hopefully she could pick up on something he missed. But as brilliant as she was, she saw nothing different than Forge had described. Rahne’s DNA was unstable to begin with. It had to be or she wouldn’t be able to transform. But the control mechanisms that allowed her to do so were shifting erratically. It was messing with her whole biology and if left unchecked, it could be dangerous.

“Her hormone and adrenal levels are still fluctuating, but her X-gene is becoming more active. That would explain the growth to some extent, but I’m not sure the controlling mechanisms are in place.”

“So what’s causing these irregularities?” asked Forge.

“For all I know it could just be a result of her growing up, but I can’t be sure. I’ll have to go over this data in more detail.”

“Does that mean more tests?” dreaded Rahne.

“Not for now, lass,” Moria assured, “Not until we know more.”

Rahne shifted uncomfortably. The tone in her voice didn’t scream ‘solution.’ She had always dealt with maintaining a balance between being an animal and being human. At times it was difficult. Certain times required her to be in her wolf form. Most of those times were during attacks on Hellfire enemies or when she wanted to intimidate someone. She always got a kick out of how shocked people were when she transformed, but she couldn’t always use that form. She needed to be human when she accompanied her mother on meetings and deals. It was also necessary when she hooked up with men since her wolf form didn’t exactly get them in the mood. On rare occasions she could get someone to do her when she was in her wolf/human hybrid form, but those were few and far between. If it ever got to the point where she was stuck with one form, she wasn’t sure what she would do. She hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Moria sighed and turned back towards her daughter. She could see the anxiety in her eyes. Rahne was always good at hiding her emotions beneath that feral exterior, but around her she let down her guard a little.

“It’ll be okay, Rahne. We’ll find a way to fix this,” said Moria strongly.

“I hope so, mom. I love being a wolf, but not every hour of every day,” she said.

“It won’t come to that. I promise you,” said Moria, “I’ll get in touch with Charles and set up more tests. I’ll talk to Sinister as well. I’m sure he can come up with something.”

“Ugh, that I’d rather avoid. Sinister makes the animal in me growl just looking at him,” muttered Rahne.

“You’re not the only one, lass,” laughed Moria, “But he’ll help us. He knows Charles and I will do horrible things to him if something happens to ye on his watch.”

“Thanks, but I hope that’s enough.”

Moria walked over and gave Rahne an affectionate hug, which the young woman eagerly returned.

“We’re the Hellfire Club, Rahne. You couldn’t be in better hands.”

That helped ease some of her fears. She knew better than most people what the Hellfire Club was capable of. With all the resources they had at their disposal, they had a better chance than anyone at finding a solution. It also helped she was Moria’s adopted daughter. Even though she was a cold, desolate woman most of the time, she did have the capacity for affection. The only ones she usually showed it around were her and Charles. Rahne was similar, a clear result of how she raised her. But she returned the favor and hugged back, trusting that whatever happened Charles and her mother would find a way.

For Moria, this was a growing problem. If Rahne was to become the strong Hellfire woman she raised her to be, she had to be in control of herself. She had to know when to use her feral rage and when to use her human capacity for reason. But there was only so much she could do on her end. If they were to resolve this she was going to have to start making arrangements with Charles. She wanted to keep Rahne by her side as much as possible, but she had to do what was best for her. It was the only way she could show her true strength to the Hellfire Club.

X-Industrial – Training Arena

It was Logan’s first day in the training arena. Now that he was in the Hellfire Club it was time for him to learn their ways. The learning curve for him wasn’t quite a steep as it was for the others. Logan was used to killing and had no qualms about it. He also had extensive training from his time in Japan and the military. His memories may not have been complete, but his skills certainly were. His enhanced senses, agility, and reflexes made him the perfect operative. But Xavier made sure the emphasis wasn’t on making him a killing machine. Logan had enough of that in his life already. He wanted him to find an identity for himself and use it to make him the best operative he could be.

At the moment he was running through an advanced training course with Scott and James Poundstar. It was one that had advanced robot humanoids attacking them from all angles. Each humanoid was equipped to use lethal force and the objective was to stay in a designated circle that fluctuated in size to keep them on their toes. The humanoids were also made to look extra human. They did things like bleed a blood-like substance and beg for mercy when they had them down. That way it conditioned them to be okay with taking them out in real life. It was also meant to test their wits, making them think on their feet. Scott and James ran it often and even they struggled with it at times. But Logan seemed to be doing just fine.

“No! Please, I give up!” exclaimed one of the robots in a meek, female voice.

“Shut up,” grunted Logan as he impaled the figure with his claws, literally ripping it apart from the core.

Blood-like fluid splattered all over him, but it didn’t affect him in the slightest. He just tossed the hapless robot humanoid aside and turned to his next target. And there were no shortage of attackers. They kept on coming, each armed with different tools of destruction. Some had guns, some had swords and knives, and others had chainsaws attached to their limbs. It made no different to Logan though. It just meant he would have to use different means to tear them apart.

“Get ready for the next shift!” warned Scott, “The boundaries are about to change again!”

“Whatever, kid. Just stay out of my way,” grunted Logan as he dove head first into a crowd of attackers.

“Logan! You have to stay in the boundaries or the mission will fail!” exclaimed Scott.

“Worry about that later, Scott!” said James, who was fighting alongside him, “They’re using team tactics now. If Logan wants to go it alone, let him.”

Scott grunted in frustration. Part of this scenario was to work in a team, but Logan showed no inclination to be a team player. He was too busy ripping into endless waves of robot humanoids. Even when he was shot, stabbed, or hit he kept going. His body just healed from it and he didn’t miss a beat. But just because he could take it didn’t mean this mission would be successful.

Scott and James carefully kept themselves in the center of the boundary, leading as many humanoids towards them as possible. James took care of the ones with swords and knives while Scott took care of the ones trying to shoot them at a distance, using perfectly aimed optic blasts to blow them apart. Four years of working and training together gave Scott and James a keen sense of awareness when they worked together. They had each others’ respect and trust both on and off duty and that went a long ways towards teamwork. Many of the other pawns developed similar trust on missions, but it was easier for some more than others. From the looks of it, Logan wasn’t one of them.

The fighting intensified, the agonizing screams of the humanoids echoing through the arena each time they killed one. But they were all hardened to such cries of pain. As products of the Hellfire Club they showed no mercy. Scott and James kept doing what they always did and Logan continued to lone wolf it. Warren was outside the domain, monitoring the battle with a team of Hellfire technicians. Like Scott, he saw Logan losing track of what the objective was. For that, he prepared a little reminder.

“Here comes the shift…” said Warren, waiting intently to see the result.

The alarm in the arena sounded and the boundary, which was marked with red laser light started flashing. Scott and James were still in the center while Logan was near the perimeter, ripping off the heads of several more humanoids. He roared in a rage as a couple of humanoids ganged up on him and stabbed him a couple of times with knife-like weapons. The more they attacked the more focused his anger became. But he was so focused he barely realized the alarm was signaling for another shift.

“Logan! Get close to the center! The boundaries are going to shift!” ordered Scott.

But young man’s words fell on deaf ears. Logan just kept fighting, disemboweling the robots that attacked him while his body healed from more wounds.

“Rrrrrrrrrahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

“Logan, snap out of it!” exclaimed Scott, sensing the shift was almost upon them.

“Too late, Scott,” muttered James.

The boundaries shifted and just as Scott had feared, the shift put Logan outside of them. The laser boundaries realigned to form an oval shape with about the same amount of surface area, but covering different ground. Once it was reset and sensed Logan outside them, the red alert sounded and the failure horn sounded.

“Boundary broken. Mission failed.”

Scott and James let out disgruntled sighs while Logan kept fighting, finishing up the remaining robot humanoids even though they went offline the second the horn sounded. He just couldn’t keep his focus on anything but his attackers. He might as well have been blind to his surroundings.

“What gives? These things run on dead batteries or something?” said Logan, still in the fighting spirit.

“No Logan. They went offline because we failed the objective!” spat Scott, “Weren’t you listening?! You were supposed to stay inside the boundaries!”

“Or else what? That’s shit lousy way to train!” he scoffed as he wiped the blood off his face.

But before Scott could answer Logan received his punishment for stepping outside the lines. It wasn’t in the form of an electric shock from the floor or a shot from one of the stun lasers mounted on the wall and ceiling. This time it involved Rogue breaking in her new powers. While Logan was still standing over a pile of bodies, she flew in from above at high speeds. And before he could even turn to see her, she slugged him hard in the gut and sent him flying across the arena.

“How’s that for trainin’ sugah?” grinned Rogue, “You know what they say…no pain no gain.”

Scott couldn’t help but smile. His healing factor and adamantium bones may heal his body, but not his ego. He needed to be taken down a peg and reminded that this was the Hellfire Club. Any kind of insubordination wouldn’t be tolerated.

“A little rough on the new guy, don’t you think Rogue?” commented James.

“Ah don’t worry. That was just a tap,” she joked.

“You’re liking your new powers, aren’t you?” commented Warren, who stepped into the now de-activated arena.

“Flight, strength, a keen sense of danger…what’s not to like?”

She continued hovering in the air, enjoying the sight from above. She was still adapting to these new powers, but she took to them pretty quickly. She suspected that in addition to Miss Marvel’s memories, she got her knowledge of how to handle herself. It spared her from learning the long way and she could start enjoying the perks right away.

Logan, however, didn’t see them as perks. Even with his durable form, that hit left his body reeling. He could barely stand up straight. He shot Rogue an angry look, but she just smiled and shrugged. He then looked at Warren, who was also smiling. He suspected he was the one who planned that. He must have been the type who loved to set traps and watch people walk into them. No wonder he was such a good businessman.

Scott, however, was not amused. As much as he enjoyed seeing Logan take a hit like that it didn’t excuse them from failing the mission. And as field leader for the vast Hellfire army, he took every failure personally. Walking up to Logan, he didn’t even extend his hand to assist him up. Logan needed to know how things worked around here and the blow he just took should serve as a decent reminder.

“You better learn to follow orders, Logan. Too many hits like that and even you won’t be able to heal your way out of it,” said Scott in his stern, leader-like tone.

“You’d be surprised what I can heal from, bub,” he said, grunting as he popped his shoulder back in the socket and stood up, “What’s the point anyways? Ain’t we just supposed to go out, kill whoever’s a threat, and make sure their buddies know about it so they don’t mess with us?”

“That’s a gross oversimplification of what Hellfire does,” said Scott, “You’re a former soldier. You ought to know the importance of following orders.”

“That’s what my old drill sergeants kept saying. Never did get on their good side,” he said with a snide grin.

Scott moved in closer and looked Logan in the eye with a stern, penetrating gaze. It wasn’t enough he made friends with Jean. It wasn’t enough she was the first woman he slept with when he got here either. This man was pushing every one of his buttons and Scott wasn’t going to stand for it.

“I mean it, Logan! You better get used to following orders because around here you won’t last long if you don’t! The Hellfire Club has no tolerance for outsiders! You want to lone wolf it, do it on your own time! But when we have a job to do you better damn well do it!”

“Bub, gettin’ the job done ain’t the problem. It’s listening to sniveling little punks like you that get in my way! Just because you the field leader doesn’t mean I have to do things your way! I still did my part, didn’t I?”

“You just slashed targets indiscriminately? How is that doing your part?!”

“I did more than you, hangin’ back and not gettin’ your hands dirty! Without those eye beams of yours you’d be dead where you stand!”

“Why you…”

But before they could continue, James stepped in. This was getting out of hand and it had to stop before these two really started brawling.

“Both of you knock it off!” ordered James, pushing them apart, “We’re on the same team, damn it! Act like it!”

“Tell that Mr. Lone Wolf here!” shot Scott.

“Shut up!” said James sternly, “As far as I’m concerned, neither one of you is helping! We’re supposed to be training to become better operatives! Not training to blame each other over trivial shit like this! It was his first time, Scott! Don’t get mad at him for not picking everything up on the spot!”

“Gee thanks, you make me sound like a fucking novice,” growled Logan.

“That’s because you are!” shot James, turning towards Logan now, “I don’t care how old you are or how good you are at whatever it is you do, Logan! This is the Hellfire Club! You either do things our way or you spend some quality time with Selene! Get that through your thick metal skull and start taking this seriously!”

Logan and Scott continued to stare each other down, the resentment between them not getting any better. But they had to remember they were part of the Hellfire Club. They didn’t have to like each other, but they did have to tolerate each other in their given roles. Scott didn’t like Logan’s lone wolf style and Logan didn’t like Scott’s overly uptight nature. They couldn’t have been more different and with Jean playing a part as well there was plenty of cause for tension. But so long as they were part of this they had to at least try and get along. It wasn’t going to be easy, but at Hellfire there was no alternative.

They finally backed off and James let them go. He was just as frustrated as they were. He didn’t like the idea of having to play referee with these two. They were both great fighters in their own right, but their styles were very different. They each had the potential to do great things for the Hellfire Club. Logan could be the extra muscle they needed for really hazardous tasks and Scott had really asserted himself as a leader and role model for the Hellfire army. If they were at each others’ throats it could affect them both and nobody in the Inner Circle wanted that.

Rogue and Warren cast him a look of sympathy. They were glad they didn’t have to play that role. Even with new powers, Rogue wasn’t about to get involved in an affair like that. She had a hard enough time keeping the peace between her, Kurt, and Wanda.

“Take a quick breather and get back in the arena,” said James, “We’re going to do this again and we’re going to keep doing it until we get it right.”

“That could take a while,” laughed Rogue, “Maybe Ah should join. Somebody’s gotta watch y’alls backs.”

“I’ll add you in,” said Warren as he signaled the technicians to prepare another round, “I’ll keep it at the same level. Just try not to kill each other.”

“No promises,” muttered Logan.

Scott and Logan exchanged another spiteful glance before getting back in position. James and Rogue stood between them, making sure there was plenty of separation. The tension was still there and it was doubtful any of it would get resolved in just one session. Hopefully, it didn’t become an ongoing issue. They had enough to worry about as it is.

While the arena was prepped for another training session, Jean and Emma looked down from the observation deck. Mystique was there too, mainly so she could observe Rogue, but she was also there to observe Logan. Having studied him for so long over the course of the mission, she was eager to see him in action. But as skilled as he was, they took a back seat to the fight that ensued. She, along with Jean and Emma, watched the whole thing unfold. It was quite a sight. While they weren’t exactly one big happy family in the Inner Circle, most of them got along well enough not to fight like that. But Scott and Logan just didn’t like the vibe they got from one another.

Jean couldn’t help but feel a little responsible. She was the one that decided to befriend Logan. She didn’t regret it, but she didn’t expect it to develop like this. Now they had more reason to resent each other. They were so different on so many levels and she was already feeling stuck in the middle. Emma noticed this and was naturally smug about it.

“Wow, one training session and already they hate each other. That has to be a record,” said Emma, “Nice going, Jean. You really know how leave your mark.”

“Shut up, Emma,” muttered Jean, “You make it sound like I caused that fight.”

“Did you? If I recall correctly, you were the one that jumped into bed with Logan without thinking it through. You thrust yourself between them…literally in a sense.”

“Since when do I need to go through protocols to sleep with somebody? Scott and I have an open relationship. We’re okay sleeping around with other people. It’s not like Logan was the first.”

“True, but none of the previous men you slept with were Logan,” quipped Emma.

“Why does that matter? It was bound to happen sooner or later. He’ll probably fuck every other girl in the Hellfire Club before the week is out.”

“Perhaps, but he may not enjoy them as much as he enjoyed you,” said Emma with a snide grin.

Jean cast Emma a harsh scorn. Over the years her resentment for this woman had grown. She started off looking up to her because she taught her how to become a good Hellfire woman. She taught her how to strip, how to seduce men, and how to use her telepathy to enhance sex. But ever since she and Scott started their relationship, she had been very critical. It also didn’t help that Emma was a lot friendlier with Scott than she was with the other men. He was the only one she really opened up to besides Xavier. Jean also knew she slept with Scott more often than she did with other men. She often threw that in her face, but she knew Scott didn’t feel the same way about Emma as he did with her. But Emma loved to instill a little doubt.

“I have to wonder, darling…did you decide to befriend Logan just because he’s got the wild-man thing going? Or are things with Scott just not as exciting anymore?”

“Don’t even try it, Emma,” said Jean in a threatening tone, “I still love Scott. I’ll always love Scott. What I’m looking for in Logan is different. He’s strong man and I think he needs someone to guide him into the Hellfire Club. Lord Xavier has said he wants me to take on more active roles with new pawns. This is just one of them.”

“Right, you just make it sound SO convincing,” said Emma dryly, “You didn’t seem to make that clear enough with the boys. Why else would they be at each others’ throats like this?”

“Why does it even matter to you? Since when are you bothered by two people fighting?” said Jean, turning it back on her.

“What? I can’t be concerned about dear Scottie? I’m surprised at you, Jean. If you love him as much as you say you do, you shouldn’t be so willing to bring in competition.”

Jean fought the urge to slap this woman across the face for her comments. But she held back. She knew Emma well enough to know that nothing she said was going to dull that charming wit of hers. She had a knack for painting every situation in a way that put her on higher ground. Even if it wasn’t true it was pretty damn annoying. Rather than feed her hungry ego, Jean sighed in frustration in turned away.

“Forget it, I’m done with this conversation,” said Jean sternly.

“Oh, and I haven’t even gotten into how much this could potentially affect your private time with Scott. Doesn’t that concern you?”

Jean turned back and shot Emma a death glare. She even flashed her eyes bright orange with a little magic to show how serious she was.

“Stop pretending to know things you don’t, Emma! You don’t know the first thing about me, Scott, or our love! How could you know? You’re incapable of loving! You’re just a snide bitch who gets off on pushing peoples’ buttons! And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll back off!”

“Now where’s the fun in that?” said Emma wryly.

Jean just grunted in frustration and stormed off. She might as well have been talking to the wall. Emma Frost was just impossible. She went out of her way to poke at her love for Scott, something everybody else in the Hellfire Club was smart enough to stay away from. They weren’t without their problems, but Emma just loved rubbing salt on the wound. She swore one day that bitch would bite off more than she could chew. That day couldn’t come fast enough though. At the rate she was going she wasn’t going to cut her any slack anytime soon.

Even after Jean left, Emma kept smiling. She felt vindicated in pushing this issue on Jean. It played nicely to her advantage. If she was to get closer to Scott, she had to sew the seeds of doubt. Logan was proving to be a good catalyst. She could never get her this worked up. She just had to keep pushing and everything would eventually fall into place. Having opened up to Scott, she found someone she felt she could get close to. But it wasn’t close enough. If she was to really see where it went she had to move Jean aside.

The only one who seemed to see through her plan was Mystique, who just stood silently and watched the whole thing. She knew Emma pretty well and this sort of thing wasn’t beneath her. But she was surprised that she was pushing this issue. She always had an ulterior motive and it was pretty clear it involved more than just pissing Jean off.

“And they say I’m a bitch,” said Mystique with a half-grin.

“I do what I have to in order to get what I want,” grinned Emma.

“Ever worry it may come back to haunt you?”

“Me? Worry? Never!” she said definitely.

Mystique rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the arena where Rogue was showing off her new powers. This was why she didn’t get involved in personal relationships. She had enough bad relationships in her life to know how easily they grew complicated. Neither Jean nor Emma seemed to understand that. And at the rate they were going they were going to find out the hard way. It was too bad because it would be a shame if Logan’s emergence into the Hellfire Club was shunted by this little affair. A man like him shouldn’t get caught up in this sort of mess. As she watched him fight she started to wonder. Maybe there was something she could do to help.

Selene’s Chamber

The new class of pawns gathered for their first lesson in the ways of the Hellfire Club. Like all newcomers, they had to be conditioned in the unique laurels of the organization. Some already got a taste of it with the sex ritual Selene did for them and that alone left quite an impression. But ritual sex wasn’t enough to create good Hellfire members. More ‘extensive’ training was needed and that was Selene’s main role. She did a good job of shaping the first class of pawns into the ruthlessly efficient operatives they were today. There was no reason to believe she couldn’t do it again with these new faces.

The first six of the new recruits had already gotten a brief taste. After getting fitted with new clothes Kitty, Tabitha, and Jubilee scheduled a round of cosmetic surgery with Sinister. As promised, he helped fill out their bodies in ways they didn’t think were possible. He gave them bigger breasts, a curvier figure, and better skin tone. When they woke up from the surgery and looked in the mirror they were amazed. They didn’t look like teenage girls as much as young vixens. They couldn’t wait to break in their new bodies. Emma already offered them lessons in seduction. They were expected to know the Hellfire way of business for their first stint as sex workers at Club Hellfire.

In addition to their appearance, Sinister and Hank gave them a physical. They received birth control implants and a round of treatments to ensure they were clean of STDs. The men got this too, only they would have to get their looks the old fashioned way by hitting the gym. While the girls were in surgery, they got a taste of the Hellfire training regiment. That was exhausting enough, but being physically endowed was just part of their training. To become true leaders of Hellfire, they had to learn their ways. That’s what their first lesson was about.

The eight new pawns met in her chamber as directed. The air was tense since this was their first official lesson. They spent their first few days just getting to know what the Hellfire Club was like and who they would be working with. Then they were given time to inform their families of what they were doing, reassuring them that they were okay and doing something that would help them. Xavier already set up some generous compensation for families such as the Pryde’s, the Guthrie’s, and the Drakes. And for Emmanuel Da Costa, a generous bonus was granted to him for bringing his son to them. But the time for adjusting to their surroundings had passed. This was the real deal now and there was no telling what would happen next.

To lighten the mood a bit, Alex and Lorna got to know their fellow pawns. Bobby, Kitty, Jubilee, Sam, Roberto, and Tabitha were all around the same age and were able to bring them up to speed since they arrived after they did. They still had much more to learn, but Xavier and Selene insisted that they begin their lessons as a group. It didn’t bother them all that much. The girls especially took a liking to Alex and his handsome, Hawaiian colored image. Lorna got some attention from the boys too, her west coast persona and exotic green hair granting her some unique appeal. She was a bit less used to the attention than Alex, but they got along well enough.

At the moment they were sitting in the back of the chamber, lounging about on the plush carpet. There was a curtain dividing the room. Behind it Selene was making preparations. She wouldn’t say what they were. She just said it was going to help integrate them into their organization. Taking her word for it, they just sat and waited. In the meantime they got to know each other a little better.

“So your Scott’s little brother, huh?” said Jubilee as she, Tabitha, and Roberto got to know their newest friend.

“Well I never liked the term ‘little,’ but yeah. Scott’s my brother,” said Alex indifferently.

“Ah, well that’s nothing to be ashamed of. You Summers boys seem to have a lot going for you. You already got the looks down,” said Tabitha with a flirtatious leer.

Alex smiled and returned her gaze with one of his own.

“Guess there are some perks, but it’s not all about genes. Scott and I aren’t exactly a picture of fraternal love,” he sighed.

“Can’t say I blame you,” shrugged Jubilee, “I may not know Scott as well as you, but from what I’ve gathered he’s a little on the uptight side.”

“You have no idea,” muttered Alex, “He’s changed a lot over the years. We both have.”

“Yeah, well this place has a knack for changing people,” said Roberto, “My father says it can people into gods or reduce them to dogs, depending on how strong you are.”

“And you guys think you’re strong enough?” asked Alex.

“I’d like to think so,” said Jubilee, “I’ve survived the death of two sets of parents and survived on my own without any help.”

“Yeah, same here,” said Alex, “I guess if that doesn’t toughen you up, nothing will.”

Jubilee smiled at Alex, happy to know that there was someone else here who understood what it was like to have to fend for themselves. It seemed to be a common thread among many pawns. But for some it wasn’t that simple.

“Consider yourselves lucky. I wish my dad was dead,” muttered Tabitha, “The bastard liked the beat me around a lot. What I wouldn’t give to have been strong enough to return the favor.”

“Cheer up Tabby,” said Roberto with a sympathetic gesture, “Here you’ll get the chance to do the beating. Trust me, I want it too. After seeing my girlfriend get beat to death, there’s nothing I wouldn’t give to return the feeling.”

Tabitha smiled, rewarding the Brazilian mutant with a sensual touch. It was nice to know someone understood her need for vindictive justice. She played the role of victim one time too many in her life. Roberto experienced it too. They all had. That’s why they were excited as well as anxious to get a taste of the Hellfire ways. If they were as tough as the others described it, they would never have to be victims again.

Next to them, the others were getting to know Lorna a little better. She told Kitty, Bobby, and Sam about where she came from and how she got here. It sounded like she had it pretty rough with her mother being sick, but she didn’t sound down about it. Xavier already set her up so she would receive the best possible care from private doctors in New York. He even personally flew her in on a private jet. That certainly went a ways with Lorna. She seemed pretty determined to set herself up in this place. The others gave her hints of what was in store for her. Having not had surgery or a physical yet, she was a little wary of getting into this so fast. But Kitty reassured her she would be fine. If the way she turned out from the surgery was any indication, she would have all the more reason to be confident.

“So what do you think of the new uniform?” asked Kitty, who was sitting next to Lorna while Bobby and Sam sat across from them.

“Well it’s not the most provocative outfit I’ve ever seen a girl wear, but it’s close,” said Lorna as she looked over her outfit, “I like it though. It shows off all the right things.”

“Yeah, and green is definitely your color,” commented Bobby, “It gives you that perfect, California girl look with an exotic touch.”

“Since when did you care about commenting on fashion, Bobby?” said Sam with an amused grin.

“Since when is it weird for a guy to break down the sexy attire of a beautiful woman? I’m just making polite observations.”

Lorna smiled at Bobby’s assessment. He smiled back playfully, throwing in some flirtatious subtext. She didn’t mind it though. It boded well for her since she hadn’t even had surgery yet and she caught the eye of the men. The outfit sure helped. It was just like the others, only hers was colored green to match her hair. It went nicely with her look and it made her feel sexy. She also couldn’t help but note how attractive the men here were. And seeing as how she wasn’t a virgin that opened up all sorts of possibilities.

“Thanks for the assessment, Bobby,” she said, “But hopefully I’ll fill it out a little better once I get some surgery.”

“Oh yeah, you’ll be smoking after that!” said Kitty in an enthusiastic tone, “I can say from personal experience that surgery does wonders. I never thought I could have a body this hot!”

“And Ah think every guy would agree it’s quite a sight,” said Sam admiring her new voluptuous frame as she posed a bit.

“Amen to that,” grinned Bobby, “But seriously, Lorna, you’ll do fine. Hell, you’ve got influence we don’t. Your half-brother and half-sister rank ahead of us.”

“I don’t know how much a difference that will make,” said Lorna, “It was shocking enough to hear I had siblings out there. I’m still working things out. Pietro’s been a big help, but I haven’t been able to sit down with Wanda yet.”

“No surprise there,” shrugged Sam, “Wanda’s a bit…off sometimes.”

“Yeah, she’s not the friendliest person in the world,” said Bobby, “But then again neither is Pietro. Except he’s a bit more easygoing.”

“That I’ve already gathered. But overall he’s an nice guy. He just needs to slow down sometimes,” said Lorna, smiling somewhat at the bond she’s already formed with her half-brother.

“A guy with powers like his? Ah don’t see that happening,” said Sam.

“Guess we’ll have to wait and see,” grinned Lorna, “From what he told me about this place, anything is possible.”

Those words rang true so far. They had already seen and experienced some amazing things since they arrived at this place. Whether it was ritual sex or connecting with wayward siblings, the Hellfire Club had already left a mark on them. But this was only the beginning. They had a long ways to go and today they were taking the first step.

Selene emerged from behind the curtains. Upon seeing her, the young pawns fell silent. Even though they hadn’t been here long, they knew enough to be mindful of the Black Queen’s presence. She carried herself with much greater force than anybody else and they wisely turned their attention towards her.

“Gather around,” she ordered, “The lesson is ready to begin.”

Bobby, Kitty, Jubilee, Sam, Tabitha, Roberto, Alex and Lorna all got up and obediently approached the Black Queen. They each stood side by side, facing the imposing woman as if they were facing a drill sergeant at boot camp. She had an extra serious demeanor this time, fully taking on her role as an instructor. Once gathered she started walking pacing back and forth amongst them, her eyes running over their young, feeble forms. It was a little intimidating, but they tried not to show any weakness.

But Selene knew they were anxious. They couldn’t help it. They were young, inexperienced, and without proper guidance. She saw before her a collection of damaged and vulnerable teenagers, each of which had potential. But if they were to have any hope of making it here in the Hellfire Club they had to be properly molded. That’s why she was so excited about this little session she put together.

“Welcome to the first step in your long journey towards the Inner Circle,” she said as she continued pacing, “Let me start by saying you’ve got a long ways to go. At the moment you are at the very lowest rung of our sacred hierarchy. Looking at you now, I don’t see the next generation of Hellfire elite. I see a bunch of super-powered punks who haven’t learned to properly apply themselves in this wretched world. And why is that? Well that’s what this lesson is about.”

It was a little demeaning for her to call them punks who sat so low on the Hellfire totem, but nobody dared to say anything. Even those who didn’t usually take insults like Alex, Tabitha, and Jubilee were silent. This wasn’t the kind of women they argued with.

“Let’s start with a simple question…Bobby Drake, is it considered evil to kill someone?”

Bobby hesitated under her gaze. He was never good at pop quizzes even though it seemed like a simple enough question. But not wanting to test the Black Queen’s patience, he answered.

“I…I guess so,” he stammered.

“You guess so?” said Selene in disgust, “You can’t even make a simple judgment? How naïve.”

Bobby shifted uncomfortably and he got some sympathetic gazes. This woman was harsh, but she was just getting started.

“Let’s try another…Lorna Dane, is it evil to take vengeance on someone who has wronged you even though they had good reason to do so?”

“I uh…I’m not sure,” the young woman answered, “I guess it depends.”

“It depends…typical,” scoffed Selene.

The Black Queen stepped back and folded her arms assertively as she addressed the new pawns.

“Anybody else have a better answer?” she asked.

Nobody said a word. These weren’t the kind of questions that had clear cut answers, but there was a reason for that. Many of the older pawns answered the same way when they first arrived. And that was something Selene planned on playing off of.

“I see…” she said sternly, “Well at least it shows you’re all on the same page. Many who first enter the Hellfire Club struggle with such questions. They’ve been conditioned by the outside world to believe that there is right and wrong with some gray area in between. But you’re all still young and each of you has endured a level of injustice in their lives. You haven’t been completely brainwashed by the mindless masses to believe in such foolish notions of morality. That’s why I’m going to open your minds to a new way of thinking. When I’m through with you, you won’t just walk the walk and talk the talk of a Hellfire member. You’ll actually think like one as well.”

Selene’s demeanor shifted and she approached the eight young Hellfire prospects again. This time she was more relaxed, coming off as more a teacher than a dominating queen. It didn’t make her seem nice or anything. It was just part of her style.

“Allow me to continue with a startling revelation…there is no good in the world,” she said boldly, “There is no good, no justice, and no innocence. What you think is just is merely an anomaly. It is a pitifully constructed veil by civilization to present the illusion of security. It’s nothing but a pipe dream! And it’s easy to prove. Look at the world, hell look at your own lives! Have you experienced wrongdoing? Have you experienced injustice? Have you been robbed of innocence?”

It was a far-reaching question, but nobody among the pawns could say otherwise. Every one of them had experienced injustice in their lives. Every one of them had reasons to be bitter about life. Selene knew that and used it to reinforce her point.

“I take it by your silence that you all have. So then ask yourselves…if there is just one hint of injustice then is there any justice to begin with? If there is one hint of evil then is there any good? If innocence can be tainted to any degree then is there innocence?”

They were profound questions that got each pawn to think harder about seemingly obvious morals. But Selene wasn’t done.

“I’ve lived on this pathetic planet long enough to see humanity for what it really is. And do you know what it is? It’s weak! It’s scared! No matter what the potential it is always squandered by such wasteful and unnecessary restraints! The problem isn’t whether it is right or wrong. It’s just how wrong can it be in order for it to be right. It’s not about good and evil. It’s just how evil someone has to be in order to get what they want. And it’s not about whether something is just or unjust. It is only a matter of how far you’re willing to go to vindicate yourself.”

It was a strange way of thinking. It was practically opposite from what most normal people would hold to be self-evident. This woman thought on a different level. But then again she was the immortal one. She had credibility to make such claims and it resonated with the young pawns enough to heighten their curiosity.

“So then what do we do?” asked Jubilee, “What makes Hellfire different?”

Selene turned to the young girl and smiled. Finally, these children were showing some backbone.

“An interesting question, Jubilee,” she said, “To answer it let me pose another…what keeps you all from carrying out your desires? What stops you from slaughtering those who have wronged you or seizing for yourself what you have rightfully earned?”

“Um…a lack of resources?” shrugged Alex.

“Please,” scoffed Selene, “Everybody is capable just grasping something. What’s to stop us from just reaching out and taking it?”

“Laws? Authority?” suggested Roberto.

“All of which are arbitrary,” said Selene, “Rules are rules and they can be bent and broken.”

“Accountability?” suggested Kitty, “Aren’t we accountable for our actions?”

“Not if you do them properly,” said Selene with a sinister grin, “And besides, who are we accountable to anyways?”

“God?” said Sam, who was brought of up a conservative household.

That just got Selene to laugh.

“Ha! You’re talking to someone who regularly deals with magic, visits other realms, and has met the Norse and Greek gods of mythology. Trust me boy, this ‘god’ you speak of is a figment of our collective imagination! It’s just one of those things people create to feel good about things they aren’t certain of. People want to believe if they’re good and moral, they’ll be rewarded with everlasting life in paradise. It’s appealing, but merely a farce. I mean honestly, what has believing in something so foolish got you besides the occasional good feeling?”

It was a harsh assessment of a major belief, one that many of the pawns shared. But then again she had a point about not getting anything for it. It went back to the whole notion of there being no real justice or good, just degrees of injustice and evil.

“So what really does hold us back? Sheer will?” said Tabitha with a shrug.

Then to everybody’s surprise Selene’s expression lit up.

“Exactly!” she said, glad that somebody finally got it even if it was a lucky guess, “Mere will-power is all that keeps us from getting what we want. You all hold back, playing by the rules in hopes that the system will reward you. But it’s a fool’s notion. Holding back doesn’t grant you anything but more frustration and anger. That’s why we here at the Hellfire Club practice indulgence in our worldly desires, not abstinence. We embrace greed, lust, and vengeance. Through this we become fulfilled. And you could be too if you gave it a chance.”

There was plenty of appeal to such a notion. Indulging in sex, money, and power sounded exhilarating and fun. Some had already experienced it with the ritual sex spell. They still smiled at the memory, but that was just a taste. It only wetted their appetite for more experiences.

“So how do we embrace it?” asked Bobby.

“Glad you asked,” said the Black Queen with a mischievous grin, “It just so happens I’ve prepared a little activity that should give you a taste.”

She then snapped her fingers and the curtain dividing the chamber rose. It revealed a strange, macabre scene on the other side. When the eight young mutants saw it they were shocked. Along the back wall, eight figures were lined up. Each had their legs and wrists shackled with metal braces and every one of them were gagged so they couldn’t speak. There were mostly men, but there were a couple of women as well. They were all naked and exposed, looking very vulnerable and scared. They didn’t look like hardened prisoners. Were they dressed they would have taken them for normal businessmen and businesswomen. But now they were completely at the mercy of the Hellfire Club.

Standing across from the bound prisoners were Kurt and Wanda. They each bore a smile similar to Selene’s. From the looks of it they helped set this up and they knew what was coming. It was a little theatric and downright cruel, but that was how Hellfire did these sorts of things.

“Welcome to Hellfire tactics 101,” grinned Wanda, cracking a whip in her hand.

“I hope you all take notes. Zhis is going to be a big part of your Hellfire training,” added Kurt.

The eight young pawns were at a loss for words. They looked at the prisoners. Then they looked at Kurt and Wanda. Then they looked back at Selene. They could see in her eyes what she had in mind. It was too outrageous for them to process. Their minds were not yet ready to process something so horrid. Even those who got a taste of darkness with the sex ritual were horrified. Some didn’t want to think this was what it looked like, but Selene confirmed it.

“Here’s what you little pawns are going to do…you’re going to pick a prisoner and then you are going to beat the living shit out of them,” she said bluntly, “You’re going to hit them. You’re going to whip them. You’re going to torture them and make them suffer. And moreover, you’re going to enjoy every minute of it.”

It seemed wrong on every possible level. But it was very much in line with what Selene was talking about earlier. She also had something else to add.

“These eight pitiful subjects are captured enemies of the Hellfire Club. We’ve got on our hands several businessmen, a few politicians, a technician, and a couple of sex workers. Each has committed the gravest of sins by disobeying their orders and going back on the deals we made with them. As such, they deserve punishment. And in the Hellfire tradition, it is to be swift and harsh.”

The shock was wearing off and the young pawns and it was starting to sink in. The idea that these people wronged the Hellfire Club didn’t make them innocent victims. It made them enemies. That made punishing them less difficult to swallow, but it didn’t stop there.

“But there’s more…” said Selene with an ominous grin, “One of these prisoners played a part in closing the mine in Cumberland, Kentucky.”

“What?!” exclaimed Sam, immediately recalling the hardship that caused his family.

“It’s true. But I’m not done. Another one was a security guard at a mall in Beverly Hills that raped teenage girls on his off time. Another worked for the company that fired Lorna’s mother after her accident. Another was part of the lynch mob that formed around young Bobby here. Another was part of the mob that attacked and raped Roberto’s late girlfriend. Another is a high priced whore who repeatedly slept with Tabitha’s father. Another sat on the school board that expelled Alex after the incident with his powers. Another helped get Mr. Pryde fired from his job just because his daughter was a mutant. Do you all see where I’m going with this?”

The mood amongst the pawns changed. Now they didn’t see them as just prisoners, but sources of their suffering. They weren’t just enemies of the Hellfire Club. They were personal enemies that oppressed them and made their lives so hard. A new sense of anger filled them. Selene sensed it and knew it would drive them over the edge.

“Which one?!” yelled Lorna, “Who’s the one that kicked my sick mother out onto the street?!”

“And who’s the son of a bitch who beat and raped Julia?!” exclaimed Roberto.

“That I can’t tell you,” said Selene with a playful grin, “So the only way to be sure is to beat them all. Do you see what I mean?”

“I see what you’re getting at, Mistress Selene,” said Jubilee, her eyes narrowed on the prisoners, “We never had a chance to get back at the people who wronged us so here we are.”

“And we have them at our mercy,” said Alex, “We can do anything we want to them.”

“For once, we get to be the oppressors,” said Lorna, getting a little excited at the prospect.

“It’s about more than just oppression,” said Selene strongly, “The lot of you have power they don’t, yet they were able to make you suffer. That cannot be allowed to happen in an orderly world. People must be kept in line by any means necessary. Here is your chance to show that you have the stomach for it. Here’s your chance to show you can go the distance! So what are you waiting for? Take a prisoner and show them no mercy!”

It seemed like a simple enough task. They beat up their enemies to prove they were Hellfire material. It was a test of sorts, only more macabre and twisted. But that seemed to be a running theme at the Hellfire Club.

The eight young mutants stepped forth and approached the eight prisoners, each one of them confronting the figures at random so that they were standing face-to-face with them. They all looked terrified and some were really struggling, trying to break free. But there was no escaping. They were at their mercy. Standing before them in such a state Alex, Lorna, Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty, Sam, Roberto, and Tabitha had complete control over their fate. That alone was an exhilarating feeling. But inflicting real harm on someone was taking it a step further. Even after learning some of these people were responsible for the hardships in their lives they hesitated, but there was no turning back now. This is what they had to do to show they belonged here.

“Do it! Make them suffer!” ordered Selene.

Upon hearing her cold, thunderous tone the eight young mutants stopped thinking and just acted. Letting out grunts of anger they all slugged the bound prisoners with a hard fist to the face. Ration and reason fell to the wayside as they let out their anger in the heat of the moment. It was just one blow, but already they were out of breath. It was quite a rush, doing something that felt was wrong and cruel. But at the same time it felt good. And Selene wouldn’t have them stop there.

“Come on! Is that the best you can do? Let them have it! These people are pigs who screwed you over! Stop being sickly little victims for once and take control!” yelled Selene.

“I am not a victim!” exclaimed Tabitha as she hit the prisoner again.

Everybody else soon followed, letting out angry grunts as they hit the prisoners again. Only this time they didn’t stop. They let their rage boil over and erupted into a violent frenzy. They grabbed the prisoners by the neck and punched them as hard as they could, feeling the contours of their faces bruise. With each hit the prisoner let out a pained cry, but it was muffled by the gag. Some tried to talk and beg their way out of it, but it wouldn’t have done them any good. The young pawns were completely into it, lost in a daze of anger and rage. Never before had they erupted with such violence. Never before had they allowed themselves to just embrace these morbid feelings. But as they heard the pained groans of the prisoners, they felt a genuine sense of fulfillment. They were victims way too much in their lives. This was their turn to do the damage.

They were pretty impressive. Selene walked up and down the row of prisoners, enjoying the sounds of pained cries, angry grunts, and fist on face punishment. Torture always got her excited and these youngsters were doing alright for themselves. Girls like Kitty, Jubilee, and Tabitha weren’t very big or very strong. But they were relentless, using their nails to claw at their skin and digging deep wounds that were clearly very painful. Lorna was a bit bigger and more built. She used her legs a bit more, jamming her knee up into the gut of her victim and causing them to choke on blood. It was so effective the other girls copied it and soon all their victims were choking on their own bile. The men kept things simpler, simply using their fists to punch and beat their prisoners. Alex and Roberto were pretty strong so they broke quite a few facial bones. Bobby and Sam focused more on hitting the sensitive areas of the body, punching at the throat and groin areas.

Every hit fueled their anger, pushing them into a new state of mind. It was sewing the seeds for the kind of destructive appetites they would need to grow in the Hellfire Club. Selene nurtured them with a little spell to make it even more exhilarating. It was not unlike the spells she used for sex to make it more pleasurable. By using magic to further their rage, the pawns would descend further into a darker state of mind. It would make them ruthless and cold, willing to go beyond their limits to do what needed to be done.

“Don’t stop!” urged Selene, “Get creative! Use your powers to do more damage! Don’t let up!”

The eight young pawns followed her advice and started really inflicting some pain. Kitty used her phasing powers to phase her hand into a man’s arm and tear at the muscle, nearly causing him to pass out. Jubilee used her firework powers to burn another prisoner all over his body, leaving it scorched with circular marks that started to blister immediately. Tabitha did something similar with one of the female prisoners, creating hundreds of tiny little energy bombs and throwing them all over her body so that when they exploded it was like being stabbed with hundreds of tiny knives. Lorna used her magnetic powers to tighten the chains and stretch the metal for the other female prisoner, popping the shoulder out of the socket and really causing some pain. Roberto used his sun powers to char the flesh of one of the male prisoners around the groin, making it so he could never rape a girl like his ex girlfriend ever again. Bobby used his ice powers to freeze the hands and feet of his prisoner, making it completely numb and then shattering it along with many bones. Sam backed off a bit and charged his prisoner while using his blasting powers to ram him, causing major internal damage and causing him to cough up more blood. And Alex used his energy blasts to break bones in every limb of his victim, serious wounds and terrible bruises.

They had never used their powers with such malice before. It made the rush they got from beating these people up even stronger. Some even started smiling at how great it felt to let this anger out. It got a little chaotic at one point as they started ganging up on victims and coordinating their beatings so that the unlucky prisoners got the blunt end of their wrath. The whole time they were yelling and grunting, screaming out at these nameless prisoners who they didn’t even know and weren’t even sure if they had anything to do with the injustice they suffered. But it didn’t matter at this point. As far as they were concerned, they were all responsible. So they all had to suffer.

“It was you, wasn’t it?!” yelled Roberto as he savagely beat one of the men, “You were the one that raped Julia! It was you!”

“Do you like taking advantage of innocent girls?!” screamed Jubilee as she burned a man who reminded her of the mall security guards that used to harass her, “Try and kick me out now you bastard!”

Over with the women they didn’t fare any better.

“You fuck my dad, slut? Was it girls like you that turned him into the asshole he became?!” yelled Tabitha as she dug her nails into an open wound around a girls neck.

“You look like the cutthroat bitch, type! You probably don’t have any problems throwing people out onto the street!” yelled Sam as he punched a girl in the stomach, “Bobby, freeze her legs!”

“You got it!” grunted Bobby, doing as he asked and watching as Sam rammed the ice to break her legs.

They kept beating them and beating them. It got to the point where most of the prisoners had passed out. Some kept going after that, but eventually they realized it was no use and they stepped back to catch their breath. It was quite a show and one that Selene, Wanda, and Kurt enjoyed watching. They could sense them crossing over. They were embracing the violence just as they had embraced the sex. They weren’t just beating up prisoners. They were beating their old notions of morality out of them. It was almost beautiful in a ways because it was like watching the birth of a new class of Hellfire pawn.

Eventually, they wore themselves out and backed off. Some kept going at it though. Tabitha and Roberto finished up on one of the women. Tabitha had Roberto burn the woman’s face while she dropped bombs on her breasts. This caused bloody wounds that would surely leave scars and if she was a whore like the one that Tabitha’s father used to fool around with, she wouldn’t be applying her trade any longer.

“Try and whore youself now, bitch,” said Tabitha.

“Even I wouldn’t fuck you,” said Roberto without sympathy.

Alex was still in a fighting rage as well. He kept punching one of the prisoners across the face even though his arm was tired and the man’s face was unrecognizable. It had swollen up so much the ball gag fell out and he was able to speak. But he was in so much pain he could barely get the words out.

“Please…have mercy.”

“Not with me, pal,” said Alex.

He then slugged him one last time, effectively knocking him out. Now all the prisoners were unconscious. They were still alive, but in a world of pain. Selene would have liked to see at least one of them take it to the next level and kill them, but she understood that was asking a bit much. They were still new here and killer instinct couldn’t be rushed. She found that out with how the earlier pawns like Scott, Jean, and Warren struggled with it even after some conditioning. With these pawns they would adapt to it much easier with this lesson under their belt.

When it was all over, the eight young pawns fell silent. They were amazed at what they had done. Looking at the bloodied, battered bodies of the prisoners it was hard to believe they were capable of such brutality. They never new they had it in them, but here they were. They had been holding back their whole lives, playing by the rules in a world that didn’t understand them. Now they finally let loose and unleashed the anger that had been building up inside. A part of them felt guilty, but at the same time it felt good. And that rush and exhilaration washed over any sense of remorse they may have had about what they just did.

Now out of breath and in a daze Alex, Sumers, Lorna Dane, Bobby Drake, Jubilation Lee, Sam Guthrie, Kitty Pryde, Roberto Da Costa, and Tabitha Smith stood before the Black Queen and her two loyal associates. She looked pleased, gazing at them in approval. Kurt and Wanda looked impressed as well. They never would have suspected them embracing their rage with such enthusiasm. They may have needed a nudge from Selene, but it was still impressive. And this was just the beginning. These pawns, like everybody else who passed through the doors of the Hellfire Club, were in for a wild ride.

“Congratulations,” said Selene, “You’ve taken the first step towards becoming true champions of the Hellfire Club. You’ve passed your first test, but I assure you this is just the beginning. The best is yet to come!”

************************************************************************

Up next: The new pawns adjust after their first lesson and Selene reviews their potential.