Part Three

Remy kept glancing up from the blueprints he was supplied to Victor who sat across the table. For some reason he could not picture this quiet man to be the animal Malice had warned him about. The short time he had worked along side with Victor, the older man seemed quite pleasant to be around. No signs of the animalistic psychopath the female doctor had described. He waited for some kind of change in Victor's behavior and it had yet to surface.

"What?" Victor asked, noticing the glances he was getting from the teen.

Remy quickly looked down at his papers. "Nothin', sorry."

Creed knew why the boy was looking at him. The younger man had been sneaking glances ever since the conversation with Malice. Victor really wasn't looking to visit the subject of his mental problems, but would rather get it out in the open so they could get back to the business at hand. "Listen, I don't know what Malice told you, but I am not gonna hurt you or anything. I got the drug that keeps me under control so you don't have to worry. Sorta like your collar there. I won't hurt you, you won't hurt me."

Remy shook his head, almost too quickly, making him slightly dizzy from the movement. "I'm not afraid that you'll hurt me, I just thought she was pullin' my leg. You don't seem all that mean to me, is all. I'm sorry if I offended ya or anythin'. I should have just asked, I guess."

All Victor could do was laugh. No one had ever said he was anything but mean. "Drug must be doing the trick then. Malice wasn't lying, I have a dark side. I normally have an uncontrollable rage that builds up and then it just has to be released or I feel like my head's gonna explode, which is bad for anyone around me. Especially since I have a healing factor and these." He flashed his claws at the kid, surprised not to see any fear on the boys face when he did so. "Essex made this drug that keeps that all in check, so you don't have to worry about it unless I start getting grumpy. Malice gave you a syringe of the drug I'm guessin'?"

Remy nodded, pulling the mentioned needle from his oversized hooded jacket to show the older man.

"Good, lets hope you don't have to use it. I'll make you a deal, I won't slice and dice you and you don't do to me whatever it is you do." Creed gave the kid a toothy grin and was happy to receive one in return. "You want to take a lunch break before we get back to all these blueprints?"

"I haven't been able to hold much down lately, but I could handle a break. All these plans are givin' me a headache." Remy stood slowly and followed the larger man to the galley at the end of the hall. "It's an awful lot of wirin' for old sewer tunnels, no?" Remy hoped the older man would give him a clue as to why they were doing all of this planning to break into underground tunnels. Every time he asked Essex the doctor would change the subject or blow off the question.

"Yea, the X-men have it wired up pretty tight. They never make it easy." Creed replied, opening the fridge to pull out sandwich supplies.

Remy sat down at the small dining table in the corner. He was glad that someone was willing to tell him what was going on. The smoke and mirrors act he was getting from the others in the lab was making him feel uneasy about the mission and his involvement. "X-men? Who are de?"

His head still in the fridge, Creed realized that the kid obviously hadn't been told anything about the mission he was working on. Most likely because the kid wouldn't participate if he knew the truth. Victor knew he had to tell him something though. "Uh, well, they are this group of mutants that think they are better then everyone else. They got these other mutants locked up in those tunnels because they are messed up. We need to get in there and get some blood and stuff to try and help them." He hated lying to the boy, but how could he tell this kid they were going in to slaughter a bunch of mutants that Sinister didn't approve of. Remy obviously still trusted Essex, and it's possible the twisted doctor could find a cure for what ails the young mutant. Until one of those factors changed he couldn't give Remy any information to turn that doctor/patient relationship on its end. It would most likely be disastrous for Remy.

"Oh." Remy thought for a moment. He didn't believe what he was told was completely accurate, but it's possible Victor knew as little as he did. "We're just goin' in to get blood samples so Dr. Essex can help them? Dat's it?"

"Yea, maybe bring a few back with us if we can manage, I guess. Mission ain't exactly planned out just yet." Victor lied. "Sure you don't want something to eat? You sure as hell could use some meat on those bones?"

"Non. It would just be a waste. I'll take some juice if there is any in there?"

"Sure." Creed hurried to fill a glass with orange juice from the frig, happy to have distracted Remy enough to stop asking questions. "Here ya go." he said almost cheerfully, handing the glass to the younger man. Creed turned to grab his sandwich from the counter only to come back to a very pale Remy at the table. "You alright?"

Remy nodded lightly, but then changed his mind, running to the sink to vomit. He knew he had drank the juice to fast, but it tasted so good since he had barely eaten or drank anything in weeks that hadn't came right back up. He startled slightly when he felt a strong hand rub his back. Realizing it was Victor he settled down and finished his retching.

"Feel better?" Victor asked after the boy seemed to stop heaving into the sink. All he got as a reply was a weak shake of the head. "You wanna go lay down in the lab?" This time he got no reply as the pale form sank towards the floor. Luckily, Creed was there to catch him before he crashed to the ground. "Guess that's a yes on the lab, huh, kid?"