"The kid took off," Logan announced on his way out." Lit out the window."

Scott and Peter hurried to follow the older man outside. "Do you know where he went?" Scott asked.

"No, but I aim to find out," Logan replied distractedly scanning the ground beneath Remy's window then heading away from the mansion with a determined stride.

By the time they'd reached the edge of the school grounds both girls had joined them.

A few minutes later Logan cursed angrily. "Stupid kid, real stupid. You got so caught up in running from us ya walked right into an ambush."

"So this definitely a rescue mission," Scott summarized. "Wolverine, keep tracking them. Marvel Girl, can you use Cerebro?"

"Even with Cerebro I probably won't be able to spot Remy," Jean warned. "The Professor can barely lock into his thought patterns on a good day."

"Look for the people that took him," Cyclops instructed.

"That could work," Jean said thoughtfully before jogging back toward the house.

"Colossus go drag Beast away from his computer," Cyclops continued. "Storm take to the air see if..."

"Too late for that," Wolverine interrupted. "Ambush happened last night, they've had hours to get under cover."

"I found him," Jean projected into their minds, her mental voice laced with dread and urgency. "Remy's alone with Scrambler, we need to get to them NOW." Along with her words Jean sent Remy's location.

"On my way," Storm replied summoning her winds to bare her aloft as the others ran for the school's garage.

"Don't let Scrambler near you," Jean warned.

Ten minutes later Storm landed roughly in the motel parking lot. A lightening bolt smashed in the door to the room where Remy was being held.

"Get away from him!" Storm yelled, sending her winds to rip Scrambler away from Remy and send him flying into the ceiling before letting him drop.

Scrambler pulled himself unsteadily to his feet and Storm hit him with a lightening bolt. He slumped to the ground, stunned.

"I-I'll have you loose in a minute Remy," Storm said, her gaze skirting away from the raw bite marks scattered across Remy's shoulders.

The remains of his shirt and coat hung around his bound wrists in rags. Remy drew his knees to his chest and stared across the room uncomprehendingly.

"Just g-gimme a minute," Storm reiterated, rummaging through Scrambler's pockets. "Where's the freakin' key!" she shouted kicking the unconscious man.

"Scalphunter," Remy said distantly.

"I could pick the locks, maybe," Storm volunteered reaching toward Remy. He cringed away from her. Storm drew back. "I'm sorry."

For a few minutes Remy and Storm simply stared at each other, neither knowing what to do. Then the first faint sparks of Remy's returning power began crackle around his hands. A short time later a glowing nimbus had formed around Remy. The shackles seemed to collect the charge until they disintegrated with a muted pop.

"I guess that takes care of that," Strom said. "Can you turn that off now?"

"Gotta leave, dere be others," Remy said.

Wolverine stepped into the doorway. Remy lunged, grabbing a notepad off the table, charging and throwing it in a split second.

"Hell kid," Wolverine exclaimed picking himself up after the explosion.

"Remy?" Cyclops called. "It's just us. You're safe now."

"Nevah safe," Remy said, cringing back away from the open door.

"Better with us than with than with them," Storm pointed out.

"Suppose so," Remy replied looking around worriedly as he left the room.

"Is it okay for you to be in a car when you're like that?" Jean asked watching the sparks and flames dancing around Remy.

Remy stopped, eyes closed, head down, he took several deep breaths. The nimbus slowly faded into nothing. "Jus' don' spook me," he said.

"Why don't we stay," Wolverine suggested. "Finish this once and for all if we fight them now."

"Non!" Remy exclaimed, the glow of his power erupting again, as Scott said, "We're not take Remy into a battle!"

"Can't fight 'em, dey take me to him, can't stay!" Remy continued sounding nearly hysterical.

"Your choice kid, but they're going to keep coming for you," Logan said. "You can't run forever and you've got us to back you up."

"Non," Remy repeated.

The drive back to the mansion was silent. Remy sat pressed against the door as far away from the others as possible, flinching at every movement the others made.

As soon as the van stopped he fled to his room, locking the door and jamming a chair under the doorknob. Then he crumpled to his knees in the far corner, rocking back and forth, body shaking with silent sobs.

"He hasn't left his room yet," Xavier said.

Scott shook his head. "It took three days before he'd even open the door and I'm pretty sure that was only because he needed the food. What are we supposed to do? He won't talk to us. Given how Remy is about telepaths it would probably push him even further off the deep end if you or Jean tried to reach him that way… How are we supposed to help?"

"Perhaps all we can do is give him time," Xavier replied. "He may need to work through this on his own."

"I think he's already worked through too much on his own," Scott said. "Maybe that's why he can't trust anyone else."

"There's a call for you," Scott said, standing outside of Remy's room. "It's Mia, I'm leaving the cordless right by your door okay?"

As Scott walked away he heard the door open behind him. His shoulders relaxed but he forced himself to keep walking.

Picking up the phone Remy's body language shifted, forcing an approximation of Mia's confident protector back to the surface, hoping that the shift would carry into his voice. "Little one, you be a'ight?" he asked.

"Mister Scott said you didn't feel good," Mia said, her voice filled with concern.

"No cheri, don' worry 'bout me," Remy reassured her. "I be fine."

"Your friend was worried," Mia pointed out, still uncertain.

"Scott? He worries 'bout everyt'ing little one."

"T'ank yo' Peter," Remy said without opening the door.

"You're welcome," Peter replied grinning broadly, eager to tell the rest of the team that Remy was speaking to them again.