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Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
 
 
 

Unfinished Business - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by X-Treme and Loup Garou
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 7

by Loup Garou & X-Treme

"Who are does people?" seethed Remy. "Dey be good. Very good. Almost too good." He was lost in his thoughts.

Carl winced at Remy's tone. "Prince, I know who it is." he whispered softly.

Remy didn't move. Carl started walking away; after all, Remy didn't even hear him.

"Carl, who are those people?" asked Warren. Probably the only one who heard me, Thought Carl sourly.

"Sit down sir." Carl motioned them away from Gambit to talk. He pointed to some trees.

Once they were sat far enough away from Gambit, but still close enough for him to overhear if he wanted to, Carl started. "While Logan and I were in there, I discovered just was there."

"And who was it?"

"The Assassins Guild and the Thieves Guild in a joint venture."

"WHAT?!" screamed Remy stalking over to them.

"Was I talking to you?" Carl asked peevishly. He dragged up Warren and went farther away. Remy just followed.

"Now like I was saying," whispered Carl. "It's a joint venture put forth by the New York Guild head master, Thomas Geo. A real prickly the way."

Remy sauntered up again, "Carl, do y' know if dis was sanctioned by mon papa?"

Carl his a secret smile, "No, it's not." Remy was following his plan, hook, line and sinker.

"I hear you saved Logan *and* still did the job. How did you pull that off?" asked Warren. One must know the enemy to overcome him.

"I'm a Master Thief," he admitted quietly. "I... deserted the Guild."

"Y' WHAT??" cried Remy furiously. "When we be done wit' dis, y' goin' t' be a dead man!"

"Bite me LeBeau." he grated. "I may have this scar and have said some worthless words, but it doesn't mean you or the Guild owns me."

"Yes, it does!!!" Remy grabbed Carl by the shirt. "It means we own you body, mind an' soul. Dat's de price o' being trained a Guild t'ief."

Carl brushed him off, "I am my own man. Hear *my* warning LeBeau, back off or *you'll* suffer the consequences."

Remy picked him up and threw him harshly to the ground, "After we be done wit' dis. We'll what de council 'as t' say."

Carl gave a laugh, "If you can get me there, LeBeau. If you can get me there."

Warren sat down on the grass contemplating the recent events. Somewhere, in-between all this, he had lot control. His beloved

Elizabeth lay battered and bruised in the hospital. Carl stood over by Remy and Logan now, trying to come up with a plan to

take back the house *and* save the last two remaining occupants.

When was it that the thieves took over... again? Like old buddies, they threw ideas up into the air... catching them, molding them. Never once did they ask him to join.

I'm not useless! He raged inside.

He looked at the house. The total take over was imprinted on the mansion's very foundations.

Will the X-men ever recover? He paused for a second. Yes, they would. We always do.

Storm came up to Warren and softly put her hand on his shoulder. Warren jumped, when he saw her, he relaxed considerably, "Sorry Ro'. I'm a little on edge."

"Understandable," she murmured. "I just wanted to let you know that Betsy is doing well and recovering rapidly."

"Thanks Ro'." he smiled. His hands were still shaking.

"I am always here if you need an ear." she replied reassuringly. Warren nodded his head as Storm headed for Jean.

He needed to go save Lil'. This was all the thieves' fault... again and again and again. And as the world's defender against thieves, it was his duty to get her to safety.

Making up his mind, he quietly snuck towards the cliff leaving everyone behind.

Thomas smiled grimly. Bella was wavering. She wanted out. Not going to happen though. She is as deep in this as we are.

He made his way into the room that held this house's computer. Aliens gave it to them. I'll have to remember to order someone to dismantle it and bring it with us when we leave.

"Well, I guess it's time for a little bit of threatening." he mused to himself. "Computer?"

*Yes?*

"Access information on intergalactic phone protocols."

*Access denied.*

"WHAT?"

*Access denied.*

"Damn... um, can you contact the Sh'iar Empire?"

*Affirmative.*

"Then do it!" he snapped.

Lights began flickering and soon, something came onto the screen. "I would like to speak to her Majestrix, Lilandra Neramani about her consort here on Earth."

"One moment please." The screen flickered off. What was that thing?!! Then it came back on.

"My name is Gladiator."

"Um, hello there..."

"What is your name?" he interrupted.

"Thomas, sir..."

"How did you get access to this link? Are you affiliated with the X-men?"

"I was told where the link was and yes, I am affiliated with the X-men through Gambit and Archangel."

"Do you have permission to use this link?"

Thomas looked at him squarely, "Yes, I do."

"Then what is it you wish to ask Earthling?"

"I would like to speak to the Empress Lilandra please."

Gladiator lifted an eyebrow, but his facial expression didn't change. "She is on Earth. Is there something the matter?"

"Actually, yes there is."

Gladiator stood up quickly, "What?"

"Nothing of importance though. I just need to know if her armor can sustain the type of polish I'm using."

"That's what you called for?" he asked incredulously.

Thomas became sheepish, "I'm sorry if I worried you."

"That is fine." snapped Gladiator. "Next time you call, make sure it is VERY important."

Then the screen snapped off.

Thomas sat there in the chair for a while. "She's here on Earth, somewhere. Now the problem is finding her. It shouldn't be too hard, after all, it's a small world."

Lilandra had no need to cleaning her armor because of the type of material. There was something wrong - something terribly wrong.

"Oracle, Shakari, Astra, Fang, Tempest, Hobgoblin and Starbolt, will these members of the imperial guard please report to the battle cruiser in ten minutes." He said over the intercom in the imperial palace. Then he went to go secure the ship.

Thomas smiled grimly as his men put Charles Xavier into position. "Bring in the girl."

A clothed Lilandra was dragged into the Danger Room. All color left her face when she saw Charles. He lay battered and bruised, worse than Scott and Betsy.

"You bastards," she moaned. Her stomach felt like heaving.

"If you get his to talk, we will rush him to the hospital for medical attention."

"And if I don't?" Boldly she asked.

"Then you will see the man who is paying you to whore, die."

Lilandra kept her anger in check with the fear she had for Charles. Carefully, she fluttered her fingers over his cheek. "Charles?" A tear trickled down her cheek when he didn't respond. "Charles?" Lilandra shook him gently hoping against hope that he would open his eyes. Not a wink, not a movement stirred from the prone body of Charles.

"Take him to a hospital!" Pleaded Lilandra, looking intently at Thomas. "He may have internal bleeding."

"Oh on, dear girl." Thomas smiled evilly. "You are the one that is going to shout from the room, the Professor's condition."

"The X-men wouldn't stand outside the mansion if you have control over Cerebro." she whimpered softly, looking at Charles. "Charles, wake up!"

She tried to find a pulse at the side of his neck. There was none.

"You killed him," she whispered horrified. "YOU KILLED HIM! Tears overwhelmed her as she threw herself over his lifeless body.

"Oh course his whore wouldn't know where to find this Lilandra, but his X-men would." Thomas spat as an insult.

"Cerebro?" whispered Lilandra.

*Yes?*

"Is he truly dead?"

*No.*

"Who can save him?"

*Oracle.*

She closed her eyes and began to laugh, "What make you think the Majestrix of the Sh'iar Empire, who rules over 1000 worlds, has conquered most of them, would let you get your hands on her; not to mention her consort. You half brained humans... Don't you know that the most powerful are the most paranoid! And that makes her subjects paranoid as well! At the mention that something has gone wrong, they jump to attention."

Thomas looked at her in new light, 'You know where she is."

Lilandra took Charles into her arms and rocked slightly, numb with shock. "I am going to have his baby. Out child will go on. His name will always be on the lips of my subjects. He will have a burial unlike this universe has ever seen."

Thomas gave a laugh, "Hey Bella, you listenin' to this. She's so numb with shock that she actually thinks that she is Lilandra."

Bella smacked him across the face, "Let the girl grieve." Her look softened, "I know what it is like t' be loved an' lose it suddenly. All I have left is my son from before I was *forced* t' take de T'ieves Elixie o' life, Jean over there." She pointed over to the youngest of the group. He couldn't have been over 10.

Thomas gaped speechless, "Remy gave you an heir?"

Bella put a knife up to his throat, "Say dat a little bit louder an' I'll kill y' where y' stand."

"How? When?" he whispered softly, once she let go of him.

"We were married at 19 an' I have Jean-Luc when I was 17. An' Remy is never goin' t' find out. If he does I'll know who is responsible."

Thomas looked at the girl again and regained his composure. He suddenly noticed something, "What is that at the back of your neck?"

Lifeless eyes now glared at Thomas. "You want to know what it is?"

"Yes, I do."

"It is you death." she intoned like a sentence. Reaching behind her neck, she turned off her image inducer and threw it to the floor where it shattered into a million pieces.

Lilandra stood naked in the Danger Room. "Cerebro, my clothes on me please."

*Yes Majestrix.*

She now adorned her classic battle armor.

Thomas stares at her open mouthed. She was the very likeness of the photo, 'Cerebro' printed out. In all her glory, the authority in her gaze gave Thomas the tingly feeling at the back of his neck.

Gladiator appeared beside her all of a sudden. She looked at him gravely and whispered softly, "What ship did you bring?"

"The battle ship, your Highness."

"How many does it carry?" Lilandra could hear people shuffling in for reinforcements.

"500,000."

"How many on board now?"

"Oracle, Hobgoblin, StarBolt, Shakari, Fang, Astra, Tempest and myself." He responded seriously.

"You brought half the imperial guard?"

"Yes Majestrix."

"Very good Gladiator. Bring Charles to Oracle and get him stabilized.

"I command that you surrender yourselves to the Thieves Guild!" shouted Thomas. His men had totally surrounded the whispering pair.

"Get the X-men off the planet and enough people to fill up 25 of those ships. We are blowing up the planet." she whispered to Gladiator. Then she turned boldly towards the doomed man - Thomas. "Only when Sharra bows down to the two, will I ever surrender myself to low life, murderous, scum of this planet... THIEF!"

Everyone became startled when the doors to the Danger Room noticeably locked. Then a voice came over the loud speaker, "THAT's what I've been saying for a LONG TIME!!!" Warren who had just snuck into the observatory/control room for Danger Room, sat at the controls, "Lil' I'll get you out!"

Lilandra glanced up at her would be savior. "Nice to see you Archangel. Albeit that you are too late, it is good to know someone cared." she said bitterly. "Grab him Gladiator and go."

Gladiator nodded. He disappeared and so did Warren.

Lilandra now stood alone. "You better hope that Charles Xavier is alive."

Thomas raised his gun warily at her. "I made sure he was not dead."

"Then why didn't he have a pulse!" she screamed, her resolve crumbling away.

His eyes narrowed and his hand became steady.

"Go ahead and take your best shot." Lilandra goaded, hoping to Sharra that the safeties were on.

"No!!" screamed Belladonna. She threw herself into Thomas' line of fire, while her son threw himself at Thomas. A hoarse cry came from Lilandra as Bella's blood bath. Thieves and Assassins began shooting at one another. Thomas shot Jean and he fell to the floor by his mother. Bullets hit the shield Lil' had erected around the three of them. The bullet had hit the girl in the shoulder and her son tried to save me. She mused. She took a bullet for a complete stranger.

Lilandra watched as finally, Thomas was killed. It was a pity she couldn't do it herself, but in a couple of hours, she would be killing a lot more than just one.

All was finally done. No one stood alive and Lil' felt nothing. Charles was now dead and nothing else mattered. She looked at the girl and the little boy, "Gladiator, lock onto the girl and teleport her to the med.-lab. Make sure we have them under guard though." The two disappeared and in that single moment, she had a twinge of regret. But if this is how they were going to greet an alien race - alien race - she was better off protecting the rest of the galaxy.

By now, the X-men were on the ship and Gladiator is calling for more ships. I'll have my guards start to sift these people out - good and bad. "Gladiator, teleport me up."

Lilandra left and the mansion was empty.

 

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