It took six hours for the X-men to take control of the city. Storm called to say that when the mutant slaves were set free, most of them had joined in the fight to take over Genosha's capital city. And oddly enough that reverence for mutants I'd mentioned to Hank worked in our favor. Most of the guards gave up without much of a fight. Especially when they had learned that their
Patriarch had been taken hostage.

Councilor Constantine was brought to me within the hour escorted by Banshee and Logan. He didn't seem distressed as he confidently strode toward me. "I knew Lord Lebeau was bringing trouble on himself when he kidnapped you and your brother," he said. "How did they find you?"

I smiled. "You were right when you said we had powerful friends." By that time Hank had explained everything to me. "One of the noblemen did make a play for Johnny Storm. But since he's not a mutant, the inhibitor collar failed." Constantine chuckled. "When the retrieval units retreated through a portal near the Fantastic Four's compound, Reed Richards called Henry." I  gestured to Hank and the councilor bowed to him. "He and Jean, my wife, had made contact with Richards months ago when I'd disappeared. They'd explained the situation, but hadn't been able to come up with a plausible explanation of the portals. But after the attack on Johnny, and then the kidnapping of my wife, they were able to put the clues together. It was only a matter of time before Richards had the mechanism to open the portals. After all, he was the one to discover the Negative Zone."

"I warned Remy." Constantine looked down at the body of his Patriarch. After the beating he'd received from Gambit, he hadn't regained consciousness. I'd checked him once or twice to make sure he hadn't died, but I wasn't going to press my luck and bring him around. I'd have to decide how to subdue him though, and soon. If he awoke fully cognizant, he'd be dangerous. I'd seen his power in action. Both the kinetic force *and* his charm power. The X-men had taken him by surprise that first time. I couldn't underestimate him now.

"What will you do with him?" The councilor asked.

"I'm not sure. But he's not the reason I asked you to come here."

"I didn't think so," Constantine responded. "You want the 'earthers' freed."

I nodded. "I'd like to say that we're here to free all the slaves, but that's not my concern right now. I'm hoping your world will come to that decision on its own. And I'm not willing to sacrifice my people on that account. However, I have to look out for the people who have been kidnapped from Earth. Not just the mutants, but the humans who've been taken too." Zaki had immediately come to mind when palace had been secured and I desperately wanted to find him. But I held off for the moment, waiting for the correct time to bring it up. I didn't want him to be used as a pawn against me.

"I understand," Constantine said. "Let me gather the other councilors. There's a good portion of the council that wants to ban the kidnappings. You'd be surprised."

"Yes, I would," I agreed.

The councilor smiled. "I suppose that doesn't really give you much of a sense of relief."

I smiled back. "No. Not especially. But calling them together isn't going to make much difference. We *are*`going to free the 'earthers'. With or without they're approval. I simply want the guarantee that no more mutants will be taken from Earth. We can start negotiations with them. But right now I want a list of all registered mutants and humans who were kidnapped. Then I want
them freed by this evening. Everyone of them."

"That's asking a lot. It's not enough time. Perhaps in a day or so."

"In a day or so some of those 'earthers' could be hidden or dead," I snapped. "You know as well as I do that there are plenty of nobles out there who aren't going to take this lying down. And while they might not outwardly fight us, they'll use whatever means are at their disposal to keep what they think is theirs. I think it'd come down to murder if we aren't quick enough
in rescuing them."

I watched Constantine pale, but he couldn't deny the ugly truth of my words, not after having been associated with Escalada and his ilk. "Very well. But I'll need the help of your X-men. I can have the list immediately, once we've found Remy's Minister of Slave Affairs. He resides here in the palace and I'm sure he has a copy on hand here."

"Good." I looked over at Sean then. He, Logan and Henry had stood by listening intently. A sense of amazement that they'd defer to my command went through me. In spite of all that I had gone through -- and I was certain they'd had a good idea of what had gone on here -- they still respected my input. I choked a little at that loyalty. But I still feared what would happen once I got home. Once the whole story had gotten out.

"Banshee," I said, "take the councilor and find this Minister of Slave Affairs. I'm sure the guards will be helpful in finding him."

"Aye," he said. But as he took Constantine's arm and started to lead him out of the room, I stopped him, unable to wait any further.

"There's a Lord Alcie," I said to the councilor. "He has a slave he bought from Remy recently. He'd be called Neil, but his real name is Zaki."

"Yes, I know of him," Constantine responded.

"I want him brought to me. Can you give directions to this Alcie's home?" The councilor nodded.

"Give them to me," Logan spoke up. "I'll find him for ya, Cyke."

My head whipped around and I found myself at a loss of words. But Logan just gave me a knowing smile. "I'll get Rogue or one of the other flyers to get me there fast."

I grinned, feeling a little woozy. Logan seemed to understand everything. All those years I'd misjudged him. "Thanks," I choked out.

Henry placed a supportive hand on my shoulder as I watched Logan and Sean escort the councilor out the door. "Why don't you go take care of yourself, now?" Hank asked. "I've got your uniform if you want to put it on."

I looked over at Remy, my Remy, lying on the floor. Areas around his eyes and nose were beginning to bruise and swell. A patch of dried blood ran from the corner of his mouth. A wave of pity ran through me. He'd been a cruel, selfish bastard, without a doubt. But there'd been moments of tenderness and I'd known he'd loved me, regardless of how obsessive that love had been. I hated seeing him so battered now that it was all over. But now I had to figure out what to do with him. He'd be dangerous once he'd regained consciousness.

"In a moment," I said to Hank. "I need to take care of him."

"Scott!" I looked up as Warren came rushing in. "I knew it!" It was Remy's pleasure slave, Warren. "I knew you'd cause a problem for Remy. He's an idiot."

I smiled. Warren came to a halt in front of me. He was bruised in several places, and was holding his left arm. A long gash ran down the forearm. But he was grinning from ear to ear and dressed in a guard's uniform. "You should see the other guy," he laughed, seeing me looking at the wound. "I helped your friends take over the city, but I wanted to see if you were okay."

My smile broadened. "Thanks, Warren."

"Stephen," he said. "Stephen Brown."

I laughed. "Sorry. Stephen."

Hank coughed delicately and we both looked over at him. "I'll explain later." Then a thought suddenly occurred to me. "Stephen? Do you know how to get to Remy's suite?"

He smirked and said, "Yeah. How could I forget?"

"There's an inhibitor collar in Remy's study. It's across from his desk on one of the shelves. Can you get it for me?"

Stephen looked puzzled, so I said, "I think it's Remy's. I think it's tuned to his mutagenic signature. If I'm right, we'll have a way to keep him from attacking or escaping when he wakes up."

He nodded. "Sure. I'll be back in a few minutes."

After he'd gone, I bent down over Remy and brushed back a few blood matted strands of hair. Gambit had given him quite a severe beating. Henry's first blows hadn't been any kinder. I touched his face gently, feeling for broken bones. But it was all swelling and bruising. Nothing that looked as if it'd be permanent. His shirt was torn in the front where Gambit's burst of kinetic
energy had met flesh and his chest was bruised also. I was fairly certain he had a few cracked ribs. But his breathing was even. He didn't seem to be struggling for a breath.

"Scott?" Hank crouched down next to me. "Will you tell me what went on here? I'd like to help if I can."

I blinked back a few stray tears, wondering how I could feel such sadness at a time like this. I should have been happy to see him so broken, his beautiful face bruised and battered. I should have laughed at his downfall. But all I could remember was his last kind words to me. That I'd been worth the trouble of keeping. That he'd never get tired of me.

"It's a really long story, Hank," I finally said. "Maybe I'll tell you what happened sometime. But not right now."

"I understand," Hank said. Though I knew he didn't really understand.

Remy moaned and I pulled my hand from his face. He coughed up a little blood and moaned again. I didn't have the heart to knock him senseless again, and when Hank reached for him with that intent, I blocked his arm. "I don't think he'll be much trouble right now," I said, a feeling of protectiveness going through me.

"Here you go, Scott," Stephen said, returning with the collar. "Hope it works."

Carefully I lifted Remy's head up and slipped the device around his neck. I was just about to secure it, when he lashed out blindly. "Non!" He opened his red eyes to look at me in horror, the glow fading as I locked the collar in place. He moaned and rolled away from me, pushing up to his knees. I watched with a terrible sense of unease as his fingers scrabbled at the metal
frantically, tearing his nails as he tried to get it off. After a moment he slumped back. He was quiet for a long time. I couldn't say anything to him, and Hank and Stephen seemed just as disturbed by his actions as I was. I think even Stephen was feeling what I felt, that perhaps Remy didn't deserve this. I swallowed at the thought and stood up, backing away from my former master.

"So de master becomes de slave again, eh?" Remy said suddenly. Slowly, painfully, he turned to look at me. "What makes you t'ink dis will hol' me, cher?"

I blinked. "It's worth a shot. Better than killing you outright."

He smiled, fresh blood glistening on his lips. "I suppose dat's some consolation. Gambit wanted to kill me, no doubt?"

I snorted. "He came close."

"But you stopped him, cher. I'm touched." Remy's grin grew even broader. He looked like clown from a B horror flick.

"X-men don't kill," I said like a mantra.

"Don' lie to yourself, mon couer. You couldn' watch me die. You know you'll never get me out of your head. No one will ever be as good as me," he boasted. But it wasn't really an exaggeration.

"Hank," I rasped, "get him out of here."

"Scott, Scott," Remy said as Hank moved to lift him to his feet, "not your wife, not Alex, no one. You'll dream of me, mon cher. You'll long for m'touch. In your darkest fantasies you'll wish you were back in my bed wearing dis collar."

"Get him out of here!" I could feel the panic welling up in my throat. "Hank!"

Hank yanked Remy all the way up and began to drag him out the door. "Mon cher, you'll love me forever. No one will ever touch you like I touched you. No one will love you like I love you. Like you needed. Jean won't be enough."
He kept his voice quiet, confident. So sure of himself.

"GET HIM OUT!" I roared, shutting my eyes tightly, placing my hands over my ears to shut out his voice. But it lingered in my mind and I knew he was right. No one would ever be enough. No one would ever love me like he did.