She walked cheerfully into the mansion's foray. She had not expected any hoopla about her return. Vacation was vacation after all. She paused as she set down her bags. The mansion was silent. This could not be good. Gracefully, she floated into the air and vigilantly made her way through the hallways but was not met by anyone.

She could feel the tension in her shoulders start to build. The muscles in her stomach tighten with anticipation and dread. This would not be the first time she had walked into a disaster within her own home. She passed a mirror and started at her own reflection.

"Great, just like some rookie," she snapped at herself in a Southern drawl. She studied her reflection briefly. Bright green eyes, rich, wavy, brown hair with a white streak down the middle, her soft sensuous features completed the ensemble. She turned from the mirror. "Just relax, girl, or yer in for a heap o' trouble."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she continued down the hall toward the War Room. If something had happened then any information would hopefully be there or at least their whereabouts.

She slowly opened the door and let out a sigh of relief. "Y'all scared me half ta death!"

"Rogue!" Nightcrawler turned and quickly made his way to her. He gave her a big hug. "Ve missed you."

Rogue studied his face as he released her. "What's wrong?"

Nightcrawler's shoulders dropped and explained the situation. Rogue's jaw set into a hard line. "Well, then, there ain't nuthin' left ta do but go find these guys and give 'em a taste of ..."

"Calm down, Rogue," Cyclops interjected. "We're doing all we can."

"Yeah, I'm sure ya are, sugar." Rogue calmed visibly. "Just this wasn't the home comin' I was expectin', I guess."

The room became silent.

"Well," Rogue sat down and surveyed the information that had been gathered. "Ain't much ta go on, huh?"

Cyclops shook his head.

"The guy doesn't exactly leave any kind of trail," Warren said a bit sarcastically.

"Hey, I just walked in on this. Y'all coulda called and let me know," Rogue snapped. "Logan's my friend too."

"Sorry." Warren rubbed his eyes. "Just tired."

"No sweat." Rogue turned back to the data.

Jean walked into the War Room and surveyed the grave faces that were gathered around the table. She tapped on the rapport between her and Cyclops to get his attention. He turned to her.

"I found Viper."

Controller studied the team before him. They were absolute professionals. They would do their job to the utmost of their ability. They would succeed or die trying. But, in light of the latest news, would they still stand beside their leader? He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, and thought back to the conversation that took place after the meeting.

"I don't like this," Liberty blurted as soon as the room had cleared, save for Man of War and Controller. "It's just not right."

"Premonition?" Man of War asked.

"Actually, no, but not for lack of trying." Liberty briefly closed her eyes and tried to see into the future of their fate. She saw nothing that pertained for today. She shook her head. "Sorry."

Man of War glanced down at her but said nothing else. He never liked to hear apologies for things that could not be avoided. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. She knew better than to offer an apology for not seeing the future.

"However," she added quickly. "I do know that Viper wants Wolverine more than the girl. He wants to ..."

She closed her eyes, let her mind open to the premonition. "There'll be a battle. Unforgiven. Dishonor. Defeat is assured through death."

"Whose death?" Controller questioned carefully.

"Not sure. The snake will die by the sister's savior's hand." She suddenly shook her head and shrugged. "That's it."

"Okay, people, we've got confirmation that this will not go down quietly," Man of War stated casually. "Then again, no one ever claimed our business was a cakewalk."

"I get the impression that this is more," Liberty cautiously added. "I have the feeling that you're going to be pulled into this further than you would ever imagine."

"Then I have all of you to pull me back out."

"There's betrayal on their part."

"But not from my people," Man of War stated with a furious loyalty and confidence. "Not from this camp."

Controller sighed again and wished he had never questioned their loyalty. He knew better than anyone else did, even themselves that they were devoted to Man of War as faithful as he was to them.

He took his place to the right of Man of War and Gatewayer moved in front of them. He raised his hands and with a gesture and a thought, three gateways appeared. Tracker and Ghost went through the one on the left, simotaniously with Porter and Healer through the right. Man of War with Liberty and Controller at his sides, went through the middle portal. Gatewayer followed.

Viper was composed as he waited for the arrival of his possessions. Kim stood to his right and Nang was to Kim's left, directly behind the chair that Viper currently occupied. They waited in the designated, abandoned warehouse for the drop off. Kim had strategically hid his men throughout the warehouse's catwalks that overlooked the floor. He knew exactly where they were and they knew exactly what would be expected of them if things went wrong. If they failed him, they forfeited their lives.

Wolverine waited, he paced his cell like a caged animal. His shoulders hunched as he stalked from one side to the other, his eyes transfixed on the doorway. A small growl emitted from his chest as he paced. He shook his head that sent beads of sweat from his brow onto the floor, walls and into his damp, matted hair. He wanted out, his insides constricted in fear that he would be confined here forever. He would never be outside again.

Caged.

Chained.

Animal.

He snarled.

He shook his head again and tried to clear his thoughts. The boss-man had made him a deal. The man said he would make sure that Jasmine and Kitku would go free but he had to temporarily turn Wolverine over. The purchasers had betrayed the man; he wanted revenge and would make a deal with Wolverine.

He growled.

The man gave his word the women would be safe.

He snarled.

His personnel guarantee.

He whimpered.

He made the deal.

He howled.

He sold his soul to Satan himself.

Tracker made his way through the gateway onto the catwalk and immediately stopped. He closed his eyes to sense the bodies around him. He knew where his team was and discovered eight unknowns on the catwalks with him and Ghost.

"Eight bogies, three at eight, ten and eleven. Three more at five, three and one. Two in direct line of myself and Ghost," Tracker informed his comrades mentally through Controller. "All eight in range."

"Hold your fire. Gatewayer, remove them," ordered Man of War.

Gatewayer closed his eyes, focused on the whereabouts of the eight men through Controller's telepathy and Tracker's detection power.

"Two," Tracker informed them as two life signs disappeared.

Gatewayer concentrated and pushed his mental will as two more men dropped through the portals that appeared beneath their feet.

"Four down."

The young mutant felt sweat form on his brow as he pushed his actions to take out the last four. He felt two of them fall through and then the last two. He broke his concentration and leaned heavily against a near by wall. The air seemed thick as he tried to steady his breathing.

"Bravo. All bogies away," Tracker related. "So, kid, where'd you send them this time?"

"Botswana."

"Not the Arctic, huh?"

"Not today." His breathing was normal and he felt himself regain his strength.

Tracker turned his attention back to the job at hand. He gestured for Ghost to move left and stay down. Without even looking, Tracker knew the man was on his way. He lowered himself to his belly and crawled along the catwalk until he was directly above the targets. He turned his BDU cap around to put the bill of the cap to the back, shifted his M40A1 sniper rifle and carefully took aim on the man to the right of Viper, the one called Kim.

Viper's patience was beginning to thin. He was not used to being ignored or kept waiting. He was the one who kept people waiting for him to appear. They were the ones who waited and became apprehensive for his approach. He was not the one who should be treated this way. This gaijin should have waited for him.

Everso slightly, he turned his head towards Kim. Kim immediately leaned down to his Master. "If this takes any longer, we will leave and solve this another way."

"Yes, My Lord."

Just as Kim moved back to his position, three figures moved out of the shadows. Two men and a woman. Kim took a small step closer to Viper as they approached. Viper remained seated and drew a displeased look from the smaller of the two men.

"Viper," the smaller man greeted. "I am Controller, this is Jewel," indicating to the woman, "and as requested, Man of War."

Viper nodded in Man of War's direction and was rewarded with no reaction. He stared into the reflective eye covers and masked face. The man was impossible to read by facial features and even by his body language. He just stood with his arms crossed casually over his chest; shoulders back and feet spread shoulder width.

"I am called Kim and this is Viper," Kim responded but choose to not include Nang.

Both sides stood silent and sized each other up.

Gatewayer opened two gateways and signaled for the three to follow him. Wolverine practically dove for the opening as Jasmine and Kitku cautiously exited their cell. When they saw Wolverine both ran to him. Kitku grabbed him around the waist and held him tight.

He was still bound and his hands covered and lashed to his sides so he bent and gave her a hug by squeezing her face between his shoulder and head. He looked at Jasmine, who brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"You've looked better, Wild Thing," she said softly.

"Thanks."

Kitku looked up at him. Her eyes wide with the one question, the one question he could not answer. So he remained silent. She lowered her face and buried it into his side.

"You will remain quiet and do as you are told," the soft, commanding voice of Gatewayer broke the silence.

He moved behind them and opened a gateway in front of them.

"Do not question any actions that are about to take place. Just do as you are instructed and it will go easier for you," Gatewayer instructed them.

"As if," Jasmine snapped, turning to face him.

"You'll have to trust us," Gatewayer said a bit taken back that the orders were questioned.

"I repeat, as if," she retorted. "You expect us to trust you after you kidnap us and ..."

Gatewayer just stared at her from beneath his hood, turned her around to face the opening and in a voice cold and devoid of any emotion, ordered her, "Just do it."

Kitku squeezed her arm before Jasmine could say anything else.

"Let it go, darlin'," Wolverine said quietly.

They went into the portal and on the other side was an empty warehouse.