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Previous Installment : Incoming Class
Attention: Generation X and their villains, as well as any other mutant mentioned in this work, is property of Marvel Comics. The character Richard Cale is one of my own development. There will be changes to some of the characters background, as this work is part of Marvel Mayhem on ComicVine.com.
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Issue 3: Siblings and Secrets
Adrienne Frost sat in her office of the Seattle branch of her company, Frost Enterprise. She was not, however, going over that company’s paperwork, but that of Frost International, the company formerly run by her sister, Emma. It had been a master stroke for her and her youngest sister, Cordelia, to take over the company when Emma had gone into a coma. No one in the company knew why that had happened, but Adrienne had her suspicions.
The three Frost sisters were all mutants, but Adrienne had yet to see Cordelia use her mutant powers. The girl, however, had an uncanny knack for making discoveries. It had been Cordelia who had found the loophole that allowed them to take over Emma's company. Since then, Emma had not shown her face, but they had known the shamed sister would disappear from public view.
What Adrienne was aware of, however, was that this did not mean Emma was gone for good. She was sure Emma was licking her wounds, but in time, if the woman was not fully broken, she would return. The only question in Adrienne's mind was when. She was sure that the take over stripped Emma of every property and land she owned. The only people who might have the heart to take Emma in would be the X-Men, but that would be under a very watchful eye. The Hellfire Club would have even abandoned her sister, even though Emma still used the moniker of the title she had held with them.
Her musings were cut short when Cordelia barged into the office, holding a file. While the youngest sister was the outcast in the family, Adrienne knew the girl was as crafty as she was. She eyed the folder, but paid attention to Cordelia as the woman said, "We missed a few of Emma's holdings, or some safeguards she took to protect them.
Adrienne sat up when she heard those words. She had been certain that they had control of everything Emma had. She took the folder and opened it, looking at the files inside. It was about the school, The Massachusetts Academy, which was where Emma had trained a group of mutants. "How did this get by us? Wasn't it in her company's holdings?"
She was not surprised when Cordelia sat in a chair, the younger Frost did so with a mix of a business presence, and seductive vixen. "She did it the same way she had set up the trust fund for me; a completely separate company. When we were going through all the holdings, I did not see that trust fund. Turns out our dear sister had it set up through a second company. One she was a silent partner in."
Adrienne thought about that for a few. She had to give Emma credit that the middle Frost daughter had shown craftiness in hiding that holding. Also, with her being a silent partner, that meant she didn't make any decisions in the company holding it. She had probably offered a start up fund, which the company’s owner felt had earned her a silent partnership. No doubt, all Emma had to do was ask for a little favor, and she’d get it.
Finally, after due consideration, Adrienne picked up her phone. “Well, now that we know about this, we can take the steps to make sure Emma remains in her proper place. Besides, we need to make sure our dear sister doesn’t think she can hide anything from us.” What she didn’t say as she started looking for a number to reach Emma at, was that if Emma was running a school, then they had to make sure the students knew that she was in charge. Besides, if her sister was training mutants again, then Adrienne could get her own personal mutant army.
**************
Richard Cale made his way to the office of Emma Frost. He had wanted to monitor the training session in the school’s Biosphere, but Emma had summoned him psychically. He did realize, though, that if she managed to contract them in that fashion, it had to be important. He also figured he could give Emma an up-to-date report on the students.
When he finally reached the office, he noticed the door was closed. At first, he wanted to turn around and come back in a few minutes, but before he could, he heard Emma say, “You may enter, Richard.” He did so, making sure to leave the door open. While it was a fact that they were the only two in the place, he felt better leaving the door open, just in case.
Once inside the room, he noticed that Emma was sitting behind her desk, and she had a look on her face that said the woman had just received some seriously bad news. He approached the desk, and asked, “What’s wrong, Miss Frost?” Once he reached the desk, however, she didn’t need to tell him.
Richard had the unique power to fully mimic a mutant he got near. Prolonged exposure to a mutant power meant he kept that power, which was why he had Yvette unique powers. Unfortunately, it also meant taking on some of the downsides of the mutant in question, which included the panic that Emma was not showing, even though her face just looked sad. He backed up, as well as reigned in the range of his power as Emma said in a calm, yet slightly cryptic voice, “Tell me, Richard, do you think the students are ready for a trip, to Seattle?”
He blinked for a moment, especially at the incredulity of the question. The school was the safest place for the students, even for him and Yvette. He knew Emma had put all sort of security measures on the school, along with Charles Xavier, with the sole purpose of keeping them safe from Emplate. He almost shouted when he responded. “When the school is the safest place, you want us to take them off the grounds? A trip is a bad idea.”
He was taken back when Emma just raised her hand and said, “I wish that was the case. It seems my sisters found out about how I kept the school hidden from them. They are going to try and take it away."
His anger at the idea of leaving the school grounds quickly drained away. He actually collapsed into a near by chair due to the impact of the news. For a few minutes, he thought of the students, at the progress they had been making over the short time they had been at the school. Some had made a bit of progress, and others seemed to make surprising progress. Still, to no longer have the sanctuary of this school, it would mean they would all be exposed to the horrors of the world.
Richard then recalled the one bit of information that he learned when he and Yvette first entered this scenario. "Didn't you arrange for my father to own the school, to avoid this very situation." He saw her nod, and he followed up the fact. "Then there should be no problem at all. The school is safe." He saw her shake her head, and for a moment he felt fear well in him again.
He tried to control his fear, but he felt it wasn't working. He was certain of it when he noticed Emma's eyes looking at the arms of the chair, and he looked to see gouges in the arm. He raised his arms up, hoping to prevent more damage, and Emma told him the reason for concern. "While it is true that your father owns the school now, Richard, if my sisters can prove I had influenced the owner of the company that held the school, they can pull the same tricks they did to take over my company." He nodded in understanding, and then she continued. "For that reason, we need to make sure everything is in order, and take it to my sisters, who are both in Seattle right now."
He took all that information in, and still didn't like it. If Emma didn't go handle this, they could lose the school. What he didn't understand was why should they all go, unless she wasn't certain about her chances of success. If they were all together, the woman might have a place for them to go in case the school were lost to them. He decided to ask the key question. "Emma, I'm guessing you don't want us in on this meeting. What are we to do while we are there? Yvette and I will want to keep a very low profile."
Richard watched Emma nod, and then pull out a file. "Due to events going on in our world, there is a refugee camp in Seattle as well, full of mutants. Now, don't you agree that they should be made aware of the threat of Emplate?" That was logic he couldn't argue, and least not a big argument. The more mutants that were aware of the danger of Emplate, the more that could be saved from the threat. Plus, if the school was forced to close, the only safe haven they had would either have to move, or they would have to go on the run again.
He glanced to the window, and got up from the seat. In all honesty, he felt safer at the school, as did Yvette, but he didn’t want to make it sound like they were being selfish. Even Emma’s office had a nice view of a distant skyline. One could even see to the ocean, like from their suite, and he could see the bay, and the blue waters. The calm vision helped him form his thoughts. “I see your point on that one. Refugee camps are never entirely safe. Heck, they probably don’t even have the best security.” He kept his gaze on the ocean, noting that the land near the ocean was unmarred by any buildings, no matter how often he saw it. “But that doesn’t mean we will be safe as well. I know you don’t want to lose us like the last students, but….” He paused, trying to find the right words, but tactful.
In his mental search, his eyes focused on a lighthouse. It was a familiar sight on coastlines, but instead of causing thoughts of wonder, his heart grew cold, and the fear in him skyrocketed. He had seen that lighthouse before, and he had even been in it. It looked just right in the distance, but it had not been there this morning. He knew the fear would now influence his thoughts, but he didn’t care. “I think it would be a good idea.” He didn’t look at Emma as he said it, but she glanced to where he was looking, and he could sense her own fear starting to rise. He then said, “I think we can be certain Emplate isn’t there at the moment.”
He saw Emma remained motionless, but the woman said, “That wasn’t there earlier. I was looking out the window before my sister had called.” He had to give the woman credit, she wasn’t freaking out. She even turned back to him, and said, “Very good. In the mean time, I’ll make sure all the security protocols are in place. I’m sure we can even get everyone out of here without anyone knowing we are heading out.” He then saw her head to the desk, but obviously a bit rattled. He also knew it would take time, depending how they traveled. It also meant waiting for documents to come in. He left the office, and hoped that the stuff that was needed would come in before anything from that lighthouse managed to find its way onto the grounds.
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Clarice Ferguson surveyed the area of the Biosphere she was hiding in. When Miss Yvette had set up this training scenario, they had all been told to head to certain points, and then make their ways to the base area. To do so, they had to either use their powers to defend themselves, or escape their pursuer. She was nervous about that, since she didn’t want to use her powers to hurt anyone.
She turned her attention over to the base area, where she could see from her hiding spot. It was in the center of a clearing in the Biosphere, with a small pond near it. Already standing there was Jonothan Starsmore, the chamber of his psychic fire burning brightly, and Everett Thomas. She noticed that Everett’s mutant aura, which appeared like a rainbow colored cloud around him, was extending around him. No doubt he was using the new skill to probe the area for mutants.
She then paused for a moment, hearing a rustling sound coming from a near by tree. She looked up in time to see Angelo Espinoza come swinging out of the trees. Soon, he had retracted what he had been holding, and soar through the air, to land at the base spot. The way Angelo moved, she was certain that he had done that trick before.
She scanned the area again, and as before, she noticed that no one else seemed to be around. She didn’t see Paige Guthrie around, nor Monet St. Croix flying about. The two other girls had not reached the goal. In fact, she hadn’t seen any sign of either of them about. Of course, that could be because they were succeeding at this exercise. She remembered Paige had remarked that moving in the woods was second nature to her, since she was a farm girl, and flying would also cause no sound. Still, what was keeping the other two girls.
She froze a second when she heard a twig snap. In that instant, everything became quieter than it had been already, if that was even possible. She wondered if it had been Paige, putting a foot down in the wrong spot. Then she wondered if Monet had touched down on the ground, accidentally landing on a twig. Both were viable options for what she just heard, but the key to the training exercise was to avoid being caught. If she heard a twig snap, it meant that someone was close to her, and she was in danger. The question would be is it safer to run, or stay still.
Clarice remained quiet for a moment, hoping that the action would keep her safe long enough for the sound to either repeat, or she felt safe. In part, she was hoping she was in a safe spot, since her mutation gave her skin a lavender hue. It was a curse that always made her stand out. Soon, she realized that the danger had not passed. That realization was when she felt a hand cover her mouth.
She didn‘t know who had grabbed her, and she was certain the hand was Yvette‘s. She tried to struggle free, but her attacker kept hold of her. She then remember that it was allowed to fight off the attacker. Her first move was to elbow her attacker. This resulted in a brief sound of pain, and a loosening of the grip. It was a break she needed.
She pulled free and kicked back at her attacker. “Keep your hands off me.” She started to run away, and hopefully, she would clear the tree line. She was certain her fellow students couldn‘t see what was happening, but they might be aware that she was in trouble.
Next thing she knew, the figure had tackled her to the ground, and tried to pin her arm behind her. She realized, again, it was Yvette, especially as she heard the redhead‘s voice next to her ear. “Nice move, but how do you get out of this, before Emplate would begin to feed on you?”
What happened next, Clarice realized was instinct, but it was devastating. She managed to turn herself to face Yvette, and said, “Like this.” She took hold of Yvette‘s collar, and activated her powers. Soon, she, Yvette, and part of the surroundings appeared to be crystals. Reality was in pieces, and she was aware of every piece. She could even feel that Yvette was both stunned and disorientated. The key thing was that the woman was still alive.
After that, she changed their position in the Biosphere, and they appeared above the base. They were both whole, and when they hit the ground, they were also rolling. In fact, they were rolling towards the little pond. As they rolled, however, Clarice realized the devastating fact that was now known to her teacher. All this time, she had put forth that she was scared of her power, and had not even attempted this before. This lone move revealed that she did know how to control her power, and even worse, might reveal a secret she kept from everyone, especially her teachers.
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Everett Thomas looked on in amazement at what Clarice had just done, as did the other two guys now at the exercise‘s base. They all knew about Clarice's power, and how the young mutant seemed to be afraid of using it. After seeing it in action, he understood a bit, but was impressed at the teleportation. He finally spoke in awe as Clarice and Yvette, still in a struggle, rolled away. "Whoa. She managed to teleport the both of them."
It was Jonothan who commented next. "Indeed. Is that the first time she was able to teleport a living thing?" When Everett nodded, he could see the look of wonder in Jonothan's eyes. He knew that since they had arrived at the school, Jonothan had been impressed by the redhead who had become a companion of his fellow countryman, Richard Cale. There was still some tension between Jonothan and Richard, but Yvette seemed to help cut that down. "Good thing it did work. I don't think I would want to be near Richard if she got hurt. Those two are protective of each other. Besides, since we learned about his power, I'd hate to be on the receiving end of my own power used on me."
Everett nodded in agreement on that. Richard had shown them each how their powers could be used, and had demonstrated that one's power could be used to hurt them, especially if the power was wielded by another person. It had been a humbling lesson, accompanied by a warning that Emplate could do that very thing. He did, however, bring his mind back to the impressive thing Clarice did. "Still, it was amazing how she did that. That is both a weapon, and an escape method. I wonder why she was so scared of using it?"
His wondering about that very subject was derailed when Angelo pointed to the rolling duo and said, "Personally, I'm wondering if those two will stop rolling before they hit that pond. I know we haven't received our uniforms yet, but something tells me the will be wishing they had them soon." Again, Everett nodded in agreement, realizing that both girls were about to roll into the pond. He was just about to mention going to help, but a loud splash told him it was too late.
He and the others rushed forward, just as Clarice stepped out of the pond, spitting out some water she had accidentally swallowed. He took note that Clarice seemed to be moving like she had extra weight, and remember that she had warn a light weight sweat suit for this training session. In part, he thought that was one of the more sensible outfits for training in, especially as Yvette emerged from the water, her light weight clothes clinging to her. At that point, he tried not to look directly at her. This was made more difficult when as she got out of the water, Yvette said in an authoritative tone, "This training session is over. I must tell you that I'm both pleased, and upset at the outcome."
It was at this point that Everett noticed the arrival of both Paige Guthrie and Monet St. Croix. He had wondered what happened to the two of them, but he didn't want to interrupt Yvette as she spoke, which he was sure would make her demand him to look at her. "First off, I must commend Angelo, Jonothan, and Everett for making it to the base. Angelo." For a second, he looked over at Angelo, and he was thankful that the Hispanic boy was averting his eyes, albeit a little half hearted, as Yvette spoke. "You made excellent use of your power in the trees. I would have caught you first, had you not taken to the trees when I purposely snapped that twig."
Everett then looked at Clarice as Yvette then said, "Clarice, I am impressed with how you fought back when I caught you." That made the lavender skinned girl smile, until Yvette continued, "However, your actions led to mission failure. When you teleported, impressively I must add, with me in tow, you inadvertently brought me to the base. If I had been Emplate, you would have put everyone at risk. Is that understood?" She saw Clarice nod, and then he chanced a look at Yvette, and noticed that she had a thoughtful look on her face.
He wondered about it for a moment, but stopped it after Yvette continued. "I must also commend both Monet and Paige for their evasion techniques. Monet, while I commend your use of flight, Emplate may have minions who can take to the air. I know of at least one that can take on a gaseous form. And Paige, I could have almost sworn you had not been in the area." He took a moment to glance at the two who had just arrived, and wondered if they had actually remained in the place the whole time. It was a foolish thought; besides, why would either of them ditch these lessons. This Emplate thing was a serious threat to all mutants, and nothing to disregard, especially as both Richard and Yvette described him.
While he was thinking about that, he was quite surprised when Monet said, "I figured flying was the safest option, but I was also trying to make sure the rest of the team could be helped. Of course, it would be more convincing an admonishment if you didn't look like you had been in one of those contests that frat boys would enjoy watching." He immediately looked between Monet and Yvette, and hoped the teacher would not take out any retribution on the student.
He dared a longer glance at Yvette, and noticed the girl's eyes had turned pure blue, and even her hands looked like the claws from when she fully demonstrated her powers to them all. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, "Everyone is dismissed. I suggest you all get cleaned up. Clarice, I recommend you get dry clothes on as soon as possible. Monet, I suggest you keep your tongue in check, or I may forget the rules and we will go tête-à-tête." He then watched as their teacher stormed out of the place, soon to be followed by everyone else, except for him and Monet.
Everett looked at Monet for a moment, and even though he thought she was drop dead gorgeous, her comments were definitely not going to help her socially. At least he could take the time to get to know her a bit more, since she didn't seem to socialize much. "You know, it's not a good idea to antagonize her, especially since she is the expert when it comes to this Emplate thing.”
He heard her make a slightly disgusted sound to what he just said, before she commented. “Please. Do you see the way she carries herself? It is almost impossible for anyone to take her seriously. Besides, do they honestly think they are the only ones who have encountered this Emplate before?” He could see her point on how Yvette was presenting herself. He did not want to publicly admit it, but he had noticed that when Yvette walked, it was as if she had been drawing attention to her form. He had also noticed, however, that the act became more pronounced around Richard. That had to be because the two had been on the run for years, being hunted by Emplate, and formed a close, possibly intimate, relationship.
That last thought, however, made him clue in on the last words that Monet had said. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and turned her to face him. “You‘ve run into this thing as well, haven‘t you?” In her eyes, he saw that he had caught her in something she had not planned to admit to. Part of him felt bad about it, but if they were learning about this foe, why hide it?
Before he could voice it, Monet started to speak. “It happened some time ago. My brother, Marius, and I, had been out on the family grounds when this thing attacked. My own powers hadn’t manifested, and my brother tried to fend the thing off.” Everett started to feel bad about forcing the issue, but Monet continued on. “My brother told me to run, and I did. That had been the last time I saw him.” After hearing that, he felt like a heel. He had not meant to bring this to the surface, but he thought he understood Monet‘s resentment to Yvette and Richard. It, however, didn‘t answer a new question that popped into his mind. Why had Richard and Yvette been the ones being hunted down by Emplate?
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Yvette quickly made her way back to the suite. There were two reasons for her speed back to the dorm, and up to the floor reserved for the teachers. One reason was that she was soaked from head to toe, which as Monet said, made her look more provocative than professional. The second reason she moved so quickly was that she was upset with Monet St. Croix. She didn‘t know how that girl had the audacity to say what she said, especially since what they knew about her.
When she neared the door, she noticed that their suite door was slightly ajar. It was the signal to one another that one of them was in the suite, and waiting for them. She was thankful for that for two reasons as well. The first of those was again, that she was dripping wet. The second was that Richard received the mental message she had sent him, and had most likely put things near the door so she could get out of the wet clothes immediately.
As she entered and closed the door, she found a red and blue robe waiting for her. She quickly got out of the wet clothing, and put on the robe, only then noticing the bedroom door of their suite was open. At first, a few playful thoughts entered her mind, quickly putting her anger at Monet out of her mind.
She entered the bedroom, and noticed that Richard was in there, but facing the window. It was not something uncommon to either of them. Every once in a while, if one of them was in thought about something, they would look out the nearest window. As she neared him, however, she could sense a bit of unease, as if something was bothering him. She walked up behind him, and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close to her, softly saying, “Do you need to get your mind off something that‘s bothering you?” It had been a line she had used before, usually when she thought some intimacy was needed.
Not to her surprise, he had turned around to face her, and he didn‘t end the hug. He did, however speak calmly, even though she could sense that he might welcome the intimacy, “I don‘t think it would help at the moment. Emma just dropped a bombshell on me when she called me in to her office earlier. Her sisters found out that the school still exists, and they are trying to take it back. I don‘t think they can, but it does mean that we will all have to go to Seattle. It is, right now, the safest option, since if things go wrong, the school will no longer be a place to come back to.”
Yvette ended the hug, and stepped back. “Is she crazy? Taking us all to Seattle? We could be walking into a trap set by Emplate. Besides, after what Clarice did in the training session, I don‘t think they are ready for this.” She started to pace back and forth in the bed room, unconsciously playing with the belt holding her robe closed. “And there is something else. I think Clarice is faking about how adept she is with her powers. She literally teleported her, and myself, to the designated safe area. She knows more about her powers that she lets on. There is something odd about her, and you know who decided to try and lecture me about how I present myself. It‘s like she doesn‘t know we are on to her.”
She turned her head to look at Richard, who just watched her pace. She noticed the wry smile on his face, and before she could ask, she was stunned by the question he asked. “Don‘t tell me you were wearing one of the lace items from that place Miss Frost recommended to you?” She stopped pacing, and just glared at him. Of course, she had ordered most of her undergarments from there, since they first arrived at the school, but she didn‘t expect that when she was ranting about ‘the spy‘. She watched as he held up his hands and said, “Sorry, but I did say to you that for this training session, you should have wore something more casual, and less professional.”
She nodded, but let a coy smile cross her own face. “Yes, you did, but I had hoped you would have been able to play the part of Emplate for the training session. Your powers would have been a better test scenario.” She then crossed her arms in front of her, but in a way that signaled that she wasn‘t overly upset. “And back to the issue of Emma taking us to Seattle. Didn‘t you protest that it was too dangerous, and I am keeping in mind that the school might fall into the hands of her sisters.”
She watched as he nodded. “Yes, I had. She then pointed out one thing. There is a refugee camp there, with a few mutants who would be easy prey for Emplate, if he were made aware of them.” That made her raise an eyebrow. She didn‘t think such things existed, especially in the United States. Then she saw him point his thumb over his shoulder, towards the window. “But, I agreed with her when I saw the view out her window. Ironically enough, our window faces the same direction.”
For a moment, concern started to rise in her. If his agreement to go to Seattle was due to something he saw from her window, she knew it could only be one thing. She slowly approached the window, which they kept closed curtains on when they weren‘t in, and at night, and looked out. She had looked at the horizon a few times, and had memorized every trait, and one stood out. A tall structure she had not seen before. A lighthouse.
Yvette gasped, and backed away from the window. She turned to face Richard, but he held her in his arms, and calmly said, “I know, but the defenses are still up. He doesn’t have a clue on how to get to us. I can only assume that his spy told him where we are, but since they knew nothing of the defenses, not how to get in. It could also be that he’s looking around the area, and could be for days, which means we can make the trip in safety.” Absentmindedly, she nodded, and laid her head on his shoulder. She was glad Richard kept a level head when it came to the threat of Emplate, especially after the incident in Moscow. It was also enough to sober her up, since she realized now that they had to start preparing the students for the trip to Seattle. That meant getting into a spare outfit for teaching, and making sure she held herself in a professional manner.
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Once the spy got back to their dorm room, they were quick to contact Emplate. The training session that Yvette had put together was perfect for doing some spying. It allowed them to leave the building, and spy on the meeting between Emma Frost and Richard Cale. The spy had hoped to find out something that would put a wedge between Richard and Yvette, but what they heard was better.
It wasn’t long before Emplate responded to the summons from them. “I take it you have some more news for me. I hope it is so I can find the school easier. Miss Frost has put some security measures into effect that makes it difficult to pinpoint.” The spy audibly gulped at that, concerned that this might effect their usefulness.
The spy knew that if Emplate felt they were no longer useful, that when they set up the trap to captured the two, as well as the others, it would mean they would be captured as a food source as well. They took a deep breath, and reported. "Yes, Master. I have found out that you may have a good opportunity for capturing them in the near future. They will all be leaving the school in about a week's time."
They waited for a moment before Emplate responded, a thoughtful tone in his voice. "Interesting. What has prompted this need to leave the sanctuary of the school?" The spy relayed what they had overheard, while she had not heard the actual phone conversation. When they were done, they heard a glad tone in Emplate's raspy voice. "That is interesting. Emma Frost is not as powerful as she once was, and could now lose the school. I will have to get them before a change in ownership happens. From what you've said, her sisters would most likely use the school to turn them into soldiers for their own cause. Still, I will need to sate my appetite soon."
The spy nodded, and then remembered the file Emma had shared. They had dared a quick look before returning to the training session. "There is a refugee camp in Seattle, full of mutants, run by Mattock Military Solutions. The official paperwork seems to hint that it was for some reason of safety."
They then looked at the image of Emplate, and the image had its eyes closed, as if in thought. "I have heard of that company. That means security will be lax, but not nonexistent. No doubt, he will also have things set up to maintain complete control of those who enter. I shall have no trouble getting in. I'm also betting that Emma Frost will tell Richard and Yvette to use psychic powers to trick their way in. Yvette, aside from her sharp exterior when she has it activated, is quite blessed in psychic powers." This made the spy worry for a moment, until Emplate said, "Quite blessed, but underdeveloped. It may take her time to read minds, but projecting images would be easier for her. It is the same as psychic communication, which she has unfortunately been able to develop since Richard rescued her. Now, do you know if they are on to the fact that I am in the area searching for them?"
The spy gulped again, knowing the news might not make their master happy. "They are, sir. Both Emma and Richard saw your base on the horizon from the office window. No doubt he told Yvette by now. I think it was why he agreed that going to Seattle would be a good idea." They went to say more, but there was a knocking at the door. They quickly ended the communication, and hoped Emplate would not be upset by the sudden end of communication.
They went to the door, opened it, and saw Yvette at the door, with the other girls. "There is going to be an important meeting in the assembly hall. Richard is getting the boys, and I am to escort the girls there." The spy nodded, and fell into step. They already knew what it was about, but they were not going to let on. Emplate said that the device they had given them would allow them the perfect cover for spying on the two, as well as transportation, but their own powers had also allowed them a special way of hiding, one they were sure no one expected.
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Emplate did not get upset when the communication ended. He had heard the knock, and he was already thrilled by a majority of the news. An opportunity to recapture Yvette and her rescuer, as well as a smorgasbord of mutants to feast on. There was only one real difficulty, which the spy informed him about. He should have expected it, but he had forgotten about that detail.
He started back to the main room of his lair, and noticed D.O.A. was at his side. Emplate always liked how attentive his minion was. "I need to have the others brought together, immediately, and I need you to get information on a refugee camp in Seattle, run by Mattock Military Solutions. How fast can you get that done?"
He was impressed when D.O.A. pulled out a special communication device. "Not long, sir. I already rounded up the others. They were all giving reports on their search efforts. None of them could find the school, at least not today. In a few days, they could figure out where it is." Emplate was impressed at how well they were taking to the task. Of course, they knew failure might lead to death.
Emplate nodded, and then entered the main room, seeing all his minions there. The bulky, yet formidable Bulwark, the purple mutant Vincente, and the mummified looking Murmur. They all kept their heads bowed, obviously afraid they would be punished for their failure. When he reached the head of the room, he turned and said, "You have done well, but we are calling off the search for now. I have received news of a prime opportunity."
This caused all of them to look up, expectation in their eyes, as well as a budding hunger. They were his thralls, and were getting hungry. They would truly appreciate the news he was about to give. "There is a refugee camp in Seattle full of mutants, we can go there, and capture and feast upon as many as we want. What is better is that Yvette and those with her will be making their way there. It is even possible that while they are there, they will lose the sanctuary of the school." This caused murmurs of excitement. All of them were eager for that. He could even swear that some were eager to see Yvette return. He had suspected that the girl might be viewed as more than a food source, but he would address that later.
The murmuring ended when D.O.A. spoke up. "I found the camp, and there is also a perfect place to hide the lair, not too far from the area where security is it's weakest. No one will be able to spot it, unless they walked close to the lair. Shall I transport us their immediately?"
Emplate looked at his smallest minion, and thought about what the spy had confirmed. Richard had seen the lighthouse, and recognized what it meant. No doubt, they would notice that the building had disappeared when it transports. "No, I want you to do one thing before we do that." He saw the little man look at him, never losing his trademark grin. "I want you to develop a way to make them think we haven't left. They think they will be safe if they see the lighthouse still here before they leave. They will think we are still searching. Understood?" He saw the little man nod, and rush off to the mechanism that allowed the place the transport to other locations on the globe.
He then looked at the other minions, and said, "Remember, the goal is this. Recapture Yvette, and capture her rescuer, Richard Cale. You may rough him up a bit, but I want him alive, as well as her. I also want her untouched." He noticed a slight look of disappointment on the others faces, so he decided to give them some good news. "There will be other objects to focus your attention on. Three males you can capture, harm and feast on until they die, as well as three females." He thought of the spy for a moment, and then said, "But only harm our spy. No supping on her, or any other activity you can think of, unless she is not alone. She will have to understand that an appearance must be kept up, unless they have figured out who she is. If that is the case, she is very expendable." He saw that this information had brightened the mood of the others, and dismissed them.
He then walked to the outside balcony, that circled what would be the lighthouse’s light, and looked around. He could not see the school in the distance, but he knew it was there. Besides, he hoped it wouldn't take D.O.A. long to come up with a solution. One of the joys he had in life not associated with supping was watching the world change when the lighthouse moved. Soon, he was rewarded for his patience as a glow surrounded the building. It made the Massachusetts view tinted yellow, and soon everything changed. It was quickly replaced by tall trees, but through them, he could make out the camp in question. He then thought about the meals that would be forthcoming. Perhaps a solo trip first, not only because it would be easier, but he could gain some thralls in the process.
Next Installments: The beginning of the Thunderbolts/Gen X crossover
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