“ Stop, Alex. What do you have there?” Scott Summers asked of this brother as Alex flanked by the twins Aurora and Northstar were to pass him in the hallway in Apocalypse’s pens which Scott controlled, with a young woman between them.

“ Oh, this one? She was one of the rebels we caught at the raid today,” Alex replied disinterested and took hold of the woman’s hair, forcing her head up so Scott could look at her face. She was really beautiful with short red hair, green eyes that seemed to sparkle with anger and a red tattoo down her face. She looked bruised and still dazed after the battle. Scott took the woman under the chin and turned her head from side to side.

“ Hmm, pretty. Do McCoy need her now?” Scott asked and Alex smiled.

“ Nah, you can have her. Dark Beast wants to ask her some questions later though,” Alex said and unglently pushed the woman into Scott’s arms and turned to go. Though the woman was handcuffed Scott took hold of her right arm in an ironlike grip and dragged her with him.

“ Let go of me,” she demanded and tried to resist but since whatever power she possessed was neutralised she was no march for the battle-trained prelate and he pushed her into his room and took her to the livingroom where he released his hold on her. Scott in his capacity as a prelate had a big and luxurious room with a big window overlooking the city though there wasn’t much good to look at. Seeing her chance the woman hit Scott hard in the face with her cuffed hands, drawing a trail of blood on his cheek and making him curse and luckily also lose his grip on her. She ran for the door and reached for the handle only to find it locked.

“ Damn,” she swore and battled with her hands on it. A laughter sounded from behind her and forcing herself to be calm, she turned back towards Prelate Summers.

“ You didn’t really expect to find it open, did you?” Summers asked as she defiantly and with her head held high walked back to where he stood. She shook her head.

“ Not really but it was worth it to see you with blood on your face,” she replied icily and Summers smiled at her while he wiped the blood from his cheek.

“ You’re a real charmer, you know that?” he asked as he walked to the kitchen and poured two glasses of wine for them.

“ From Angel, I presume?”

“ Of course,” he said as he stuck a glass in her hand. She accepted it but didn’t drink.

“ So, what is your name?” She looked defiantly at him. “ I will know it sooner or later. You can just as well tell me know,” he warned, a hard edge in his voice.

“ Jean. Jean Grey.”

Scott nodded.

“ I have heard of you. You are with the rebels, the X-men,” his voice didn’t betray his emotions concerning that. She said nothing.

“ What exactly are we doing here?” she asked as they had been standing in silence for a long while. Scott looked her up and down with his shaded eyes yet she didn’t find it uncomfortable which annoyed her.

“ You are a very beautiful woman,” it was said as a statement and nothing more. She backed away from him.

“ Forget it, mister. I’ll rather die than let you one inch of me,” Jean said hotly and put her wineglass so hard down on the table that the glass shattered. He smiled but it was a predator’s smile.

“ I seriously doubt that. You’re a rebel….,” she was about to deny it but Scott spoke again “…you are a rebel and rebels fight to survive therefore your statement is highly unlikely.”

“ Then what? You’re gonna try and rape me?!” she asked coldly.

“ No. Why should I? I’m a member of the Elite. I could have any woman I want to then why take one who doesn’t want me?”

“ I don’t know. You people are sick so why not?” she asked boldly and Scott’s eyes narrowed.

“ You are getting tiresome real fast, woman,” he warned.

“ Then why even take me if you can have anyone?”

“ Because you are beautiful. I wanted you and what I want; I take,” his voice was calm.

“ You can forget it. I’m not letting you touch me!” she said angrily and searched the room for objects to throw at him or something should he try to grab her.

“ I don’t take without giving. I’ll make you a deal; you stay with me, and you’ll be saved both on your life and body from a visit to the Dark Beast,” Scott offered. All women who had been prisoners who he had liked in the past had accepted his offer with open arms. Some had even suggested it themselves. In her eyes Scott could see that she knew well who and what Dark Beast was but she said;

“ I’ll rather die by his hands than let yours touch me. Just the thought of your touch repulses me!” Scott’s eyes narrowed. Never in his life had he met such a stubborn and insolent woman. Angered by her words his hand flew up and slapped her hard in the face.

“ Don’t EVER disrespect me again, do you hear? You are nothing. Nothing but gene trash. A traitor. You should praise yourself lucky that I’m not gonna let you be killed for this,” he was more angry with himself for losing control like that than with her and that was why he took her arm in an ion grip and pulled her with him out his room and down the hallway and towards the pens.

“ I thought you’ll show your true face sooner or later, demon!” she spat as she almost stumbled as he dragged her with him. On impulse he steadied her so she didn’t fall as they continued down towards Beast’s lab.

“ Oh, spare me. Are you saying that you still believe in that old religion? Mercy and compassion are for the weak,” Scott delivered a sentence he had heard so many times, he had stopped thinking about it and why he said it. As Scott pushed her into a cell she turned towards him.

“ If you really believe that; then you deserve to burn in Hell,” she said coldly and he walked away. Screams from Beast’s lab filled the air and for some reason it bothered him though he had never questioned the necessity of the experiments before. That woman was the worst pain in the ass he had ever met. But she was also the most courageous woman he had ever met. It made him wonder…

“ Has she talked yet?” Scott inquired of the Dark Beast. A terrible scream was torn from a woman’s lips and he knew it was she and against his will he winced.

“ Our Fearless leader, she has not. Just as she hadn’t a hour ago and the hour before that,” Beast answered with ill covered humour for Summers’s continued inquiry. Summers rarely went to the pens; didn’t like the experiments going on there and it was the first time he had handed over a prisoner to him himself like this Jean Grey woman. Normally Summers would order prisoners to be interrogated by Beast but it had always been Alex or someone else who brought the prisoners to Beast’s lab. Yet, why had Summers turned her over to interrogation and then keep asking about her? Strange.

“ Is she…..whole?” Summers asked and his voice held something which could be a little more than simple curiosity.

“ So far; yes. I do have some interesting experiments I’ll like to run on her,” Beast said with an evil smile and turned back towards the door to his lab. Scott lay his hand on Beast’s arm; stopping him. Beast looked questionably up at him.

“ Patch her up and bring her to my chambers.”

Beast looked at him as if he had gone mad which he probably had.

“ I think I heard that wrong. Patch her up and bring her to your chambers?!”

“ You heard me. Do as you’re told!” Scott ordered and left, leaving a very baffled Beast behind.

“ My stars and garters. That man gets stranger and stranger,” he mumbled as he called Aurora to help with the woman.

“ Scott, walk with me,” Sinister demanded as he passed Scott in the hallway, Scott going towards his chambers. Scott followed his father towards his private chambers and patiently waited for him to say what he wanted to.

“ The woman who was arrested on the raid you supervised yesterday, Jean Grey, is she still alive?” Sinister inquired as they reached his lab and they walked in.

“ She is. For now. I have had her brought to my chambers,” Scott answered and Sinister gave him a look he couldn’t quite place.

“ Good for I have some use of her. Talk with her; convince her to join the elite,” Sinister said as he turned his big computer screens on. Scott looked shocked at him.

“ Be a part of the elite?! But….she worked for the rebels!”

Sinister turned to face him, his eyes narrowing.

“ I know that. My reasons will be clear to you in time,” Sinister said coldly. Then it was as if he realised whom he was talking to and his features softened. “ Scott, my son, you have always been the best and strongest. Do this I ask of you and keep it between us. Let me deal with Apocalypse on this matter if it should be relevant which I doubt,” he said more gently and put a hand on Scott’s shoulder. Scott nodded.

“ It will be done, father,” he promised and turned to go.

“ Good, lad. Good,” Sinister mumbled and Scott left. Sinister looked after him and shook his head.

“ So much potential and he doesn’t even realise it. Doesn’t see that he could be the strongest of us or that he.….,” on his screen two strings of DNA showed up, “…..can help me change the world.”

“ Delivery for you, Summers,” Aurora said cheerfully as she pushed Jean Grey in front of her into Scott’s chambers. The woman’s face had escaped somewhat unharmed by her ordeal, only a ring of abused flesh around her forehead where the restraints and mental torture devise that Hank had, had been put around her head, showed. There were rings around her eyes and she looked as if she was ready to sleep for a 1000th years.

“ Thank you, Aurora,” Scott said and put the book he had been standing with in his hands back on the shelf. When Jean spotted Scott she stood up strait, fire in her green eyes.

“ I don’t understand why you would want her though. She isn’t your type,” Aurora commented boldly, using a more free tone than she used to with Scott because of the lateness of the hour.

“ And what is my type?” Scott asked, not really interested. Aurora took Jean in an iron like grip and guided her to the couch.

“ The mild-tempered, kind and obedient,” the last was said with a warning look at Jean, clearly saying that if she didn’t behave soon she was as good as dead; something which Aurora clearly felt should have been done as soon as she was caught.

“ Get your filthy hands off me!” Jean demanded and tore her arm free from Aurora’s grip.

“ See?” Aurora asked irritated and lifted her hand to strike Jean in the face. Scott’s hand shot out and blocked the blow.

“ That’ll be enough. Dismissed,” he said coldly.

“ But…..,” Aurora began.

“ Dismissed!” Scott repeated harshly and Aurora reluctantly drew back. With a last look at Jean she left Scott’s chambers. An odd stillness settled over the room.

“ Sit,” Scott demanded and gestured towards the couch. Jean’s green eyes sparkled with suppressed anger.

“ No.”

Scott sighed. What in the world had he ever done to be saddled with such a stubborn woman? He took her arm in a hard grip and ungently pushed her onto the couch. She remained seated but shoot daggers with her eyes after him. Scott sat in a chair next to the couch.

“ Now, you and I are going to get a few things straight. First of all you live only by my father and my mercy….,” Scott began.

“ Then I won’t live long, I see,” Jean commented dryly and Scott looked annoyed at her.

“ My father has granted you a great honour. He have offered you to be a part of the Elite, the strongest,” Scott explained but his voice didn’t betray if he felt that was wise or not.

“ I’ll rather die than become one of you,” Jean spat out. Scott’s eyes narrowed.

“ I seriously doubt that. When faced with the choice I think you’ll choose to live.”

“ Then you think wrong,” Jean declaimed.

“ Very well,” with a swift motion Scott drew his gun that had been strapped around his waist in a gun belt. He pointed the weapon at Jean’s chest. She didn’t move but her eyes had widened.

“ If you really want to die rather than join us then here is your chance. All you have to do is say you want me to pull the trigger,” Scott said softly. A pen could have been heard drop to the ground, only their breathing were heard. Scott could almost see the shifting emotions running through her. Finally her pride, honour or whatever it was called won as she said;

“ Then do it.”

She didn’t close her eyes but stared strait at him. He had killed before but never like this. For some reason her eyes….her pure green eyes, disturbed the hell out of him.

“ Very well,” Scott said and a shot was heard. Jean hissed in pain. Her eyes found the source of the pain and saw that it was a shoulder wound, not deadly but it hurt like nothing she had ever felt, save Beast’s “interrogation” last night.

“ You shoot me!” her voice sounded shocked, revealing that she had thought it a bluff.

“ You claimed you wanted to die. I’m giving you that chance though I’ll warn you that it’ll be painful,” his voice was cold, emotionless. Pain ran over her face as she tried to stand by her decision. The pain in her shoulder mixed with the pain she still felt after Beast’s torture made her mind uncooperative and every fibre in her being screamed for her to find a way, any way to ease her pain. Scott seemed to sense her doubt for he holstered his weapon and kneeled before her, taking her hands in his.

“ This doesn’t have to be like this. All you have to do is say that you’ll stay here,” Scott whispered and took her under the chin, forcing her to meet his shaded eyes.

“ I…I….don’t….,” she began.

“ What do you have to lose? Truly? You have no family, no ties. This is a harsh world. Take the opportunity given you to make it better for yourself,” Scott urged. Her pain clouded mind wondered if he wanted her to say yes because he didn’t want to hurt her anymore or because it was easier for him.

“ I…,” she felt the pain dragging her towards unconsciousness.

“ No, stay with me. Answer me. Say yes!” Scott demanded and shook her rudely back and forth. Her green eyes looked at him but seemed out of focus.

“……..Yeeesss,” she whispered before promptly passing out in his arms. Scott lifted her up in his arms with a gentleness that belied the fact that he had been the one to hurt her.

“ If you hadn’t been so God damn stubborn this had never been necessary,” he mumbled and put her on the bed in the guestroom that would now be hers. He called Hank and asked him to come and patch Jean up. For some reason he asked Beast to drug Jean as he cleaned and bandaged her wound, not really knowing why. Her pain shouldn’t disturb him. When Hank left Scott sat by Jean’s bedside, taking her hand in his. For a while he imaged that he loved her and that she loved him back. Just…pretended for a while. He wiped some loose hair out of her eyes and stroked her cheek, knowing she’ll never let him do that when she awoke. She looked so sweet, so beautiful lying in the big bed. So… vulnerable. He had never wanted to protect anything or anyone in his entire life, maybe save his brother and sometimes his father. Yet this woman…..she spoke to feelings and impulses in him that he had thought he didn’t have. Not really knowing why he did it, he called Angel and ordered dresses and other clothes for Jean, trying to convince himself that it was only because she would need it if she was to be a part of the upper-class, the elite. Scott sat by Jean’s bed until sunrise where he left to see to his duties….and get more blood on his hands.

“ Ohh,” Jean moaned as she came around. The first thing she saw was a strange bed and a room she had never seen before. Where am I? She thought disorientated before it all came back to her in a rush. Her eyes flamed with fury and she noticed her bandage.

“ That blasted murderer! Just you wait till I get my hands on you!” she threatened into the empty air and with difficulty sat up. Her head felt light and she felt only minor pain. Almost as if she had been given a tranquilizer but she knew that couldn’t be the case. The elite would never do that. She got to her feet and walked into the living room. It was empty like the bedroom. Not expecting to find it open she still tried the door. It was locked as she had thought. If only she had her powers she’ll show him a thing or two. Not knowing what to do she began searching her new prison for things she could use. There was a kitchen where she searched for knifes but all were either removed or locked away. Moving on she found a locked door, probably leading to prelate Summers’ bedroom, then there was the bedroom she had been in, a bathroom and then the livingroom with the door to outside. Admitting she were not getting out and that there were no weapons at hand she returned to the livingroom. She looked at the couch. Worrying about what Summers or someone else might do to her did no good. While she was here she could just as well make the most of it. Her pain had returned full force and never had she cursed Summers more than she did now. Feeling tired she sat down on the couch. She closed her eyes and thought about the earlier night. Summers, that bastard, he had actually shot her. God damn him! She hadn’t thought he’d do it. Why hadn’t she thought he would hurt her? She remembered the battle. All that blood and pain. She had seen Summers lead the battle, seen how he killed without mercy with his eye beams and his guns. She had seen and felt friends dieing by his hands, one he had even strangled with his bare hands. So why had she doubted him last night? Was it because of the pain? That was probably it. She had not been thinking strait. A sudden noise made her jump up and she stood in a fight position she had learned from Logan. With her eyes she searched the room and found that she was alone. The noise had probably been from the prison. Forcing herself to relax she walked to the bookshelf where Summers had been standing and reading a book last night when she had entered. Curious she read the titles of the books he had. “Beyond Good And Evil”, “ Thus Spake Zarathustra” by Nietzsche, “ Either/Or” by Kirkegaard, “The Fall”, “The Myth Of Sisyphus” by Camus, “Critique Of Dialectical Reason” by Sartre,  “Paradise Lost” and “Paradise Regained” by John Milton , “ Mein Kampf” by A. Hitler , “The Social Contract” by Jean-Jacques Rousseau , “The Communist Manifesto” by Karl Marx, “The Origins Of Species” by Darwin, “The Republic” by Plato and so and so on. The books just kept coming and all like the ones she had just read the titles on. She took a random book down and read the cover of the book. “Kipling” the author name was visible but the title was unreadable from age. She opened the book on a marked page and with difficultly spelled her way through the underlined lines:

 
"When you’re wounded and dying on Afghanistan’s plains
And the women have come to cut up you’re remains.
Just roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
and go to your God like a soldier.
And go to your God like a soldier.
A soldier of the Queen."
 

She quickly closed the book again, not really sure why those lines had disturbed her so much. Her eyes returned to the shelves with books and she read more titles on the back of them.

For a while she just stared at the books in shock. Mostly because she hadn’t seen a book for ages and sure had never read one and certainly not books like these. The few books which had survived were useful books; books on military, weapons and warfare. But she had heard of these books and what they were about and that was the other part of her shock. Summers read books like these?! How…strange. A murderer at daytime, a philosopher at night, eh? Suddenly disgusted over Summers’ attempt at clearing himself with a few words she threw some of books on the floor, saw how some pages came loose from one of the books. For a while she just stared at the book she had broken. Silence was around her. For some reason she felt shameful over having destroyed something so rare as the book so she knelt and gently picked up the loose pages. She opened the book they had fallen out from. It was “ Either/Or” by Kirkegaard. Some lines were underlined on the page she had turned up on in the book. Curious she spelled through them:
 

"...Hang yourself, you will regret it;
do not hang yourself, and you will also regret that;
hang yourself or do not hang yourself, you will regret both...
This, gentlemen, is the sum and substance of all philosophy..."
 

She wondered what the words meant and what they said about Summers. Giving up she just put the pages back in the book and ordered them all nicely on the shelf.

The words did make her think about her situation though. She had a choice now and she knew it. Either she refused to be a part of the Elite even though she had agreed last night and Summers would most likely either torture her into saying yes, lat night he had proved that he was quite capable of doing that………or she could say yes, keep to her word and search for an opportunity, search for a way to escape. As she thought about it she knew that the choice was already made. Summers had been right; she wanted to live. She’ll stay then. She’ll do as she was told…to a certain degree…all the while plotting what to do next. Somehow she knew that she’d be free again. One way or another. Logan would come for her. She knew he would. He loved her as she loved him. He’ll never leave her here. All she had to do was stay alive until he came for her and if working with Summers could do that….Lost in thoughts she let her fingers brush over the books on the shelves. Some of the book covers felt strange against her fingers and she looked more closely at them. She tried to take a book out but couldn’t. Some 10 books were connected on the cover and couldn’t be moved. As she knocked on the books, they sounded hollow. Getting curious she tried to tip the 10 back covers over and when that didn’t work she lifted up in them at the bottom. A small room appeared behind the wall made as book covers. Now very curious she stuck her hand in and took out what her fingers brushed against. It was more books but different from the ones Summers had up. She read the titles: “MacBeth”, “Hamlet” and “Romeo and Juliet” by Shakespeare. She had barely read books at all but she had heard about those books. It certainly wasn’t what she’ll expect him to read. As she was to put the books back a small book fell out. She picked it up. “ We Are The Same- A Genetic Study by Charles Xavier” it said on the title. Xavier?! Summers had Xavier’s book? Surely if he were discovered with this copy he’ll be killed. For a while she stood with the book in her hands, puzzled and considering if she should tell someone of it. She decided against it. It might rid her of Summers but it’ll draw unwanted attention to her. With a shake of her head she put the books back in the secret department and stood in deep thoughts by the shelves. Maybe there were more to Summers than met the eye…maybe.

“ Suicide is the only real philosophical question left,” Summers whispered as he entered the room and startled Jean who quickly turned towards him. He had apparently thought she was reading the titles of the books he had up. Summers gave her a strange half smile. “ Or so says Camus.”

He went over to her and she didn’t back away. “ You keep to your word?” the words were kindly spoken but steel were beneath them, warning her of the consequences of turning him down.

“ I keep to my word. I will join the Elite,” Jean said and prayed that she hadn’t just sold her soul to the devil. Summers smiled a predator’s smile at her that made her uneasy. Maybe this hadn’t been a good idea after all…
 

“ Auch. God damn it, Cecilia,” Scott swore as she ungently removed another bullet from his body, this one from his leg.

“ This is your own fault, Scott Summers. If you had accepted the tranquilliser I offered you OR started thinking for yourself this wouldn’t have happened,” she replied and he lifted an eyebrow at her. He had lead a battle against what was believed to be the rebel leader, Magneto’s, stronghold. They had been met with resistance but Magneto and all highly placed officials in his group had already left, the fighting covering their escape.

“ It is unwise to talk like that, healer,” Scott reminded her but with no heat in his voice. He had known Cecilia since he was a child. She was the only real doctor in the stronghold, Beast being more an interrogator than doctor. Her limited mutant powers and the fact that Sinister covered for her had kept her alive. She now worked as a doctor in the stronghold and had through the years played mother to both Scott and Alex, therefore feeling she had a right to speak more freely with them. She had been a beautiful black woman in her days but the hardship of her life had teared on her even though she lived better than most; she had her own chambers in the stronghold. Scott didn’t even know how old she was; she looked way older than himself yet he had a feeling that she wasn’t more than some 17 years older.

“ Yeah, well…. if you had wanted to kill me you had done so long ago,” Cecilia commented and removed a bullet from Scott’s arm.

“ There. That was the last one,” she said and began bandaging Scott’s wounds. During her work she gave him stolen glances.

“ What?” he asked.

“ When will you open your eyes? When will you see?” she asked softly.

“ You wouldn’t want me to open my eyes, Cecilia. I’ll ruin your hospital,” Scott answered and let her remark slide. Knowing she had been out of line and that Scott’s words had been a warning she said:

“ So…I hear you have a young woman living with you.”

“ Yes. Jean Grey. She’ll be a great asset to the Elite, I’m sure,” Scott answered and stood as Cecilia had finished bandaging him.

“ She was brought in two days ago. Now that she is to be…. well, maybe then I can take a look at her?” Cecilia asked. Scott considered it. He hadn’t called Cecilia the earlier night because he didn’t want her to see what he had caused. He still didn’t want her to see or know but it was illogical. She already knew.

“ I’ll have her sent down,” Scott said and left.

Cecilia heard noise from outside her lab and opened the door to see two guards guiding a very reluctant red-haired woman between them. She had to be Jean Grey. Behind them walked….

“ Nat………Sinister,” Cecilia said surprised as she saw him.

“ Let me go, you stupid over-grown…” Jean threatened as the guards forced her into Cecilia’s lab.

“ Hey, be gentle with her,” Cecilia said, as one of the guards was a little hard on her as he forced her onto a chair.

“ Better tie her to it,” Sinister demanded as he stood in the doorframe. The guards nodded and tied Jean to the chair.

“ She is hurt. Is it really necessary?” Cecilia whispered lowly to Sinister, so lowly that the guards didn’t hear.

“ She’ll kill you if she gets the chance. I’m not about to give her that chance,” Sinister said coldly. The guards came to Sinister as they had tied Jean up. “ Come on,” Sinister said to them and they walked away. Cecilia looked after them for a little while before turning her attention to her patient.

“ Who are you?” Jean demanded to know as she tried to escape her bonds.

“ I’m Cecilia Reyes. I’m a doctor. I’ll just take a look at your wound here…” she said as she drew closer to Jean and began removing her shirt to look at her wound in her shoulder.

“ Get away from me!” Jean tried to back away from her but her bonds prevented it.

“ I’m not gonna hurt you,” Cecilia promised as she examined the wound. It wasn’t dangerous but it must have hurt and probably still did. She ignored Jean’s protests and cleaned the wound before redressing it in a fresh bandage.

“ Are you hurt anywhere else?” Cecilia asked, as she was finished with Jean’s shoulder wound.

“ No,” Jean answered but the fire in her eyes told Cecilia that she’ll probably had said no even if she had more wounds.

“ I’m not your enemy,” Cecilia said as she tried to see for herself if Jean was injured anywhere else.

“ Oh, no. You just work for them,” Jean spat out. “ So, tell me, how does it work? First you torture people and then you patch them up? Is that it?”

“ I’m trying to help you, woman, not poison you. Though right now I can’t for the life of me understand why I even bother!” Cecilia gave back and as she was sure Jean didn’t have other injuries she turned back to her desk and sat down.

“ What do you care anyway? You’re one of them!” Jean said angrily. Cecilia turned to look at her.

“ Look, you got an opportunity that few get. To be a part of the Elite, the strong, the best. You have a chance at a decent life,” Cecilia told her, trying to make her understand.

“ Do I?”

“ Do you what?”

“ Have a chance at a decent life?” Jean elaborated.

“ Well…yes. You’ll have what few have. You’ll live like royalty. You can’t convince me that you don’t like the luxury you saw on the upper levels,” Cecilia said, her eyes saying something her words did not.

“ Is that how you got to be here? Because you like the money, the prestige, the luxury?” Jean asked with contempt in her voice. Cecilia’s eyes turned cold.

“ You don’t know the first ting about me so don’t assume you do. I have bleed, suffered and lost as much as the next man so don’t you dare come here and play my judge!” Cecilia said harshly and turned her back on the other woman. There was silence for a long while.

“ Do you know Summers?” Jean finally asked.

“ Yes.”

“ What’s he…like?” Cecilia turned back towards Jean so she looked into her eyes.

“ You’ll find no weakness in him. Scott is one man you cannot fool……….unless he wants to be fooled,” Cecilia warned.

“ It wasn’t like that,” Jena protested but her voice betrayed her.

“ Sure it was and I’ll expect nothing else from a member of the rebels,” Cecilia said with a small smile. “ Look, if I was you, I’ll try and get the most out of the situation. Unlike me you’re a very powerful mutant. One day when they trust you, you’ll be given access to the whole compound. You’ll have money, power……….everything,” even as she said it, there was sadness to her words that Jean didn’t miss.

“ This place change people. I’m sure you can vote for that. But I don’t want to change,” Jean admitted.

“ The way I see it you have two choices; one you join the Elite and do as they say until their belief is eventually yours OR…you get killed. And frankly…you look too much of a survivor to me for you to even consider the second so that only leaves the first,” Cecilia said more gently.

“ I’m not one of them! I’m not like Summers!” Jean protested.

“ No, you’re not. Not yet anyway,” Cecilia warned. She saw the despair in the other woman’s eyes and added; “ But then maybe you don’t change sides. Maybe you are that one person who can remain pure in this Hell.” Silence fell between them again.

“ Is…………is Summers really Sinister’s son?” Jean then asked. The question was so sudden that Cecilia stared strangely at her.

“ Why do you ask this? Does it matter?”

“ If I am to live with the man then…. yeah!”

“ No, he is not. Alex and Scott’s father…is gone. Sinister took them in,” Cecilia explained.

“ And where do you fit into all this?”

“ In the middle…somewhere in the middle,” Cecilia mumbled. She then looked more closely at Jean. “ You are asking me this in hopes of escaping,” it was not a question, merely an observation.

“ I will not……….I cannot stay,” Jean whispered.

“ Afraid you might like it?”

“ Yes,” Jean admitted. Cecilia seemed deep in thought for a while.

“ You have someone?” she then asked.

“ Yes. My husband; Logan,” Jean answered. She hadn’t given anything away that Cecilia didn’t already know yet still she felt strange about telling so much. But if she was to escape…Cecilia was her best shot.

“ I have heard of him. Weapon X, right?”

Jean nodded.

“ He will search for me and I know that he WILL find me,” Jean said confidently.

“ You are probably right,” Cecilia turned back to her desk.

“ But if he knew in which compound I was held…” Jean let the sentence hang in the air.

“ Give me just one good reason to why I should risk my life for you,” Cecilia asked, her back still turned to Jean.

“ When Logan comes………I’ll make him spare Summers,” Jean suggested.

“ Scott could kill Weapon X in seconds without problems,” Cecilia said with as much confidence as Jean had in her voice when she had said she was sure Logan would come.

“ Fine, then I have no good reason but this; don’t let me become what I hate,” there was no pleading in her voice yet still it spoke volumes. Silence fell between them.

“ I may be able to get one, only one message out of the compound about your whereabouts. That is ALL I’ll do for you. We’ll talk no more of this,” Cecilia finally said and called the guards through her com-link.

“ I know it means little but…. thanks,” Jean said quietly as the two women could hear people in the hallway. Cecilia smiled.

“ I too know the meaning of pain…and temptation.” The guards entered and began guiding Jean away, back to Scott’s room.

“ If one ting, my stay here have convinced me that the bad guys are as complex as the good guys,” Jean said with a smile and Cecilia shook her head.

“ There are no good or bad guys. Let that be your first lesson then,” Cecilia said and then Jean was gone.
 

“ Jean?” Scott asked as he entered his chambers. Jean had lived with him for almost two months now and though she hadn’t changed her mind on how she looked at Apocalypse he knew that she enjoyed this life in luxury.

“ I’m here,” Jean said and came out from her room in a beautiful dress. They were to go to Angel’s tonight for some information they needed. They had reached a silent understanding. Scott never came within touching range of her and Jean never argued with him. It worked for them. Most of the time.

“ Good. Come,” Scott gestured towards the door.

“ We are to get information on the rebels, are we not?” she asked as she stopped before him.

“ Yes,” he answered shortly. Her green eyes flamed with fire and he got a bad feeling about this. Her hot temper was something that needed some work.

“ And when you find them, what then?”

“ We do as we always do. They are the enemy,” Scott said and sighed as he saw her angry line. “ Jean, we are at war…”

“ Butchering innocents is hardly war,” she interrupted and Scott’s eyes narrowed.

“ We ARE at war. What do you expect me to do? Drink tea with them?!” Scott asked annoyed and started to walk towards the door but saw she wasn’t following and went back to her.

“ Maybe!” she yelled angrily.

“ Jean,” he said impatiently and gestured towards the door. “ We will be late.”

“ I don’t care. Can’t you understand that? I hate this place, I hate everything about it,” her eyes settled on his face. “ And I hate you!”

“ Good!” Scott shot back, getting angry himself. “ Now come,” he took her by the arm and tried to drag her towards the door. She drew back and escaped out of his grip.

“ Scott…. you can be so much more than this. I know you can. You have a mind of your own, you can make your own decisions then why do you follow Sinister?” Jean asked, her voice more gentle now.

“ He is my father,” Scott simply answered. Jean’s eyes flamed.

“ He is NOT your father. You aren’t him; you’ll never be him. Can’t you see that he’s just using you?”

“ He is the only father I have. He took me in when no one else cared. Yes, he’s using me but no more than you’re trying to use me right now to help you escape,” Scott said calmly and gestured towards the door to indicate that the conversation was over.

“You know this to be wrong,” she said softly. In the two months she had been with Summers, she had noticed small things, things which gave her hope, a flicker of light that maybe…. maybe Summers wasn’t all lost. Though if the goodness in him was really there, just waiting to come out or if she was imagining things, she wasn’t sure but if there was a chance to turn him, she had to try even though she knew well that nothing hurts like the truth and if the truth is painful…no one wants to see or believe it.

“ I do what I must. This is the world we live in. Only the strongest survive,” the words seemed mechanic.

“ Don’t be blind. See what you are doing. Who you are hurting and don’t tell me they mean nothing to you for I know it’ll be a lie,” she yelled angrily, wanting to beat some sense into his skull.

“ I don’t want people to suffer needlessly but sometimes sacrifices must be made.”

“ Bull! All these people are suffering needlessly,” she pointed towards the window showing the battle worn city. " And you are one of their tormentors. You do this. Well, if you truly don’t care then you deserve every living Hell there is and I’ll gladly send you there myself!” she spat. His eyes narrowed and a fibre vibrated in his cheek.

“ Woman, you are trying my patience,” he warned.

“ Fuck that! Don’t you see what is going on here? Are you that blind….or that stupid? You are just a soldier following orders, never thinking for yourself, isn’t that it? You have no honour, no real values, no life. You don’t fight for a cause you believe in. You’re a coward, Summers. Pure and simple,” Jean spat angrily and Scott’s visor glowed dangerously. “ A fucking coward, that’s….”

Scott’s hand flew out and hit her across the cheek and she fell to the floor by the power of the blow.

“ Don’t speak to me like that. Ever!” he warned. She wiped blood from her lip and smiled sadly at him.

“ I thought you were more than this. More than them.”

Before he could reply an alarm sounded, promising danger.

“ Stay here. You’ll be safe in here,” Scott said and went out of his chambers, closing the door behind him. Jean got up from the floor and smiled. Logan had come for her. Cecilia had gotten the message out. She was free! Yet, why did a part of her then feel sad?

“ I KNEW you were different, Summers. And in time…. you’ll see it too,” she whispered softly and knew this would be the last time she’ll ever see Summers…or would it?

Damn, Scott thought as he sat in sickbay, Cecilia having just bandaged his eye. He had not only lost the use of one eye but also lost Jean to the rebel known as Weapon X. For some reason losing her hurt more than the pain in his eye. Knowing that he in return had succeeded in blasting one of Weapon X’s hands off didn’t ease his pain in any way. Scott looked up as best he could when Sinister entered sickbay.

“ Are you alright, son?” Sinister asked concerned and went to him.

“ Yeah,” Scott lied. Really the pain was clouding his mind since he wouldn’t receive a tranquilliser. The Elite didn’t do that. They were the strong and that meant that they could handle pain. From the corner of his pain clouded mind came words he normally couldn’t say out loud and as he spoke he knew it was the truth….and he knew he was about to change everything…..everything for a woman whose green eyes had always held such fire…such life….
 

I don’t like this, father
They suffer
I know they do
This can’t be right
This is wrong
All wrong

Don’t come on so cocksure, boy
You can’t escape your genes
No point in feeling pure, boy
Your background intervenes
What I have done
You have done as well

Don’t assume
That I’m blind
And can’t see for myself
The woman, Jean,
Opened my eyes
And showed me the way
With her courage
This is wrong
But together
We can change it

You are nervous
And insecure right now
The pain in your eye
Clouds your judgment
It’ll pass

No, it will not
She said things
Which rang true
For they were the truth
Weren’t they?

You know the truth, boy
All your life I have told you
A conscience will get you killed
Do your duty and do it well
And reward will be yours
I can make a new world
We are making a new world
A world for the strong

Don’t assume your vices
Gets handed down the line
That blood suffices
To seal a child’s fate
I have done wrongs
I can’t deny
But if she spoke the truth…

She didn’t and I’ll hear no more of it
I have told you the truth all your life
You are a soldier, my son
Act like it and carry your responsibility
With your head held high

Maybe you are right
I wonder though
In my heart

I watch my father walk away
As I leave sickbay
Going the other way
And I pass a cell with a
Young woman inside

I draw closer
And she moves further back
In that moment I know the truth
She fears me
They all fear me
That isn’t power
At least not the power I want

She looks up at me
And hesitantly reaches for me
Before drawing back
As if she was unsure
Of who I was
Once she must have been beautiful
Green hair and green eyes
A woman of power
A woman once so proud
Now she’s as broken as all the prisoners

And I wonder
What if that was me
Could it be me one day?
She is a powerful mutant
What is she doing here?
Is it because
No one cares?

I have no illusions
Nor dreams
About who or what I am
I’m hated
I’m feared
I’m many things
To many people
But I am never
Loved

So, could that be me
I see
Sitting culled up
In a corner
Of a dark prison cell?
Could that be me?
Is that me?

I open her cell
And knowing where
The monitors are I stay out of sight
And cloak my appearance to one
Which all know well
A man I have always admired for his bravado
The man who are my worst enemy;
The master of magnetism

In silence we walk
Until we reach the outside
And I lay my cape around her
Her mind is still clouded from the pain
And she just looks at me
I tell her to get away
To run
And finally she speaks
Why?
And I find I have no real answer but this;

I have done a lot of wrongs
In my life
I wanted to feel
What it felt like
To do one right
To see
If it was true
Like father, like son

She runs off and I turn back
My thoughts are in turmoil
For I have never disobeyed
My father before
Never doubted his word
But the look in her eyes
The look in her eyes
As she saw freedom again…
She might have thought I helped her
But really I helped myself
In her eyes, in her gratitude
I found a peace, a flicker of silence
From the thousands of voices
Crying for justice
All the thousands
Whose lives I have ruined

Like father, like son
That may be
I do nothing out of the goodness
Of my heart
I’m honest enough to admit that
I do this
I help them
To help myself

Like father, like son
I can live two lives
For I know
That he does too
So maybe what they say
Are true
Like father
Like son
 

The End