Part Seventeen
written by Soar and most expertly edited by Jeanne Kalvar
email ksg3@le.ac.uk
Jean and the Professor could do nothing but wait as the scene unfolded itself from Remy's memories. They watched as Sinister took his current test subject and strapped him to the bed. The door that Remy had exited opened again and a tall man entered. He was perhaps in his late thirties, pale, with blond hair and watery blue eyes. He looked haggard and tired. Sinister turned to face him.
"Ah, David, there you are. I have need of your expertise for this next experiment," Sinister said to the man.
"Of course, Nathaniel. Remy, perhaps you should go and join your mother," Remys father suggested.
Remy looked over at Sinister, who smiled gently back at him, "Yes. Run along; your father and I have a lot of work to do," Sinister said to the boy.
Remy grinned and ran out of the door. David turned to face Sinister.
"So, what are we doing today?"
"A simple experiment really, I want to test the gene potential of this specimen."
A look of anticipation crossed over David's face, and he sighed in expectation of the pleasure this experiment would bring.
"How did your test on Remy go?" Sinister asked.
A look of anger and displeasure came over David's face. "Normal. No sign at all of the X-Factor in the boy, but I have had some ideas for changing that."
"Oh yes?" Sinister queried.
David smiled a secret smile, "Ah, Nathaniel my friend. You will just have to wait and see."
Jean turned to the Professor with a look of horror on her face. *Dear Lord, Professor. Remy's father is a monster!*
*Worse than Sinister, it appears* the Professor thought to Jean.
The scene changed around them. David was there, as was Remy, and so was a woman. She was tall and willowy, with thick long red hair. Her eyes were the same shade of crystalline blue as Remy's. At the moment it appeared that the adults were fighting over Remy.
"No, David. Don't. Leave him alone, please!" The woman was crying and trying desperately to maintain her grip on Remy, who was whimpering in fear.
"He's my son, Sorrel. I will do with him as I please." David viciously slapped Sorrel, a blow which sent her flying backwards into the wall. She sank to the floor dazed, unable to help when her screaming son was dragged off by his father.
Remy was taken to one of the labs and strapped onto a table.
"Shut up, boy. Don't you understand? I'm trying to improve you! Make you a better son!" David was telling the frightened little boy on the table.
Jean and the Professor watched as David began giving Remy a series of injections, trying not to flinch at the sound of Remy's pain-filled screams. Finally, to their relief, he lost consciousness, taken to a world away from the pain.
Once again, the scene changed. Sorrel was cradling a semi-conscious Remy, who appeared to be delirious and racked with shivers. He moaned softly as pain overtook him and he lost consciousness once again.
Again the scene changed. This time Remy was standing next to his father, who was grinning proudly at Sinister. Remy was subdued and pale, and every now and then a tremor racked his small body. But he bit his lip to hold back cries of pain.
"You see, Nathaniel? I did it! I combined genes from mutant test subjects and integrated them with Remy's DNA; he now has the potential for multiple mutant powers. I'm currently working on a plan to develop those abilities and hone them while he is still young. Just think of what this means. The culmination of all our work into one perfectly healthy, living specimen."
Remy flinched when his father termed him as a specimen.
Sinister smiled, "Wonderful. Would you mind if I ran a few tests of my own to look at the changes in Remy's DNA?"
David grinned, "Of course not. Remy won't mind...will you son?"
David did not wait for an answer before thrusting Remy towards Sinister and leaving the room, his mind already on his next test.
"Come here, Remy," Sinister said holding out his hand.
Remy ran towards Sinister who gathered him into a hug, "It hurts, Uncle Nathaniel," he said, tears escaping from his closed eyes.
"I know, I know. Here. I have something that will take the pain away." Sinister reached for a small container and handed Remy a small pill to swallow. "Come, Remy. You are tired. Let's get you back to your mother so that you can rest." Sinister gently gathered Remy up into his large arms and carried him out of the lab.
The scene changed once again. This time Jean and the Professor could see Sorrel. Her face was swollen and bruised. She was hurriedly packing a bag. She sent frantic looks, towards Remy who was sleeping on a cot and towards the door. Finally, when she was satisfied that she had everything she needed, she quickly woke Remy, telling him to be quiet. Remy did as his mother asked and followed her out of the room. They quickly made their way thorough twisting corridors, Sorrel constantly gazing behind her to see if anyone was following.
Again the scene changed. This time they were out on the streets, walking quickly.
"Would de lady like to buy a nice l'il trinket for de petit?" a street vendor called out.
Sorrel ignored him.
*They're in New Orleans* the Professor commented.
Suddenly, they heard shouting. "Sorrel, stop! You won't get away with this!" a voice shouted from behind.
A look of fear passed across Sorrel's face and she began to run, dragging Remy along with her. Sorrel saw a bus about to leave its terminal and hurriedly jumped on with Remy, paying her fare and rushing to find a seat. She looked out of the window and saw David trying to catch up with the bus, but the bus had already started on its journey. She sighed, a small sigh of relief before turning towards her son.
"Remy, I'm going to get off the bus in a moment, but I want you to stay on it okay? I want you to stay on until you reach the end and the driver asks you to get off, and then I want you to wait there for me to come okay?" Sorrel said urgently to her son.
Remy nodded solemnly. "Where are you going mama?" he asked.
"That doesn't matter. Just know that I love you," she kissed his head, "Now remember what I said. Okay?"
Remy nodded again, and watched as Sorrel got up and left the bus. He watched her run through the streets. He sat quietly and patiently as the bus continued on its journey and continued to wait at the terminal. But his mother never came back. So he decided to go look for her on his own. He wandered the streets calling for his mother, and for his uncle Nathaniel, but no one answered. It began to get dark, and he began to feel the cold through the thin sweater he was wearing so he found an alley and huddled down. He was alone.
The scene changed and Jean and the Professor found themselves back on the astral plane by the memory ribbon. Remy was gone.
*It's time to leave I think* the Professor said.
Jean nodded in agreement, and they left Remy's mind.
end of part 16
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Part Seventeen