Rogue sat in the dark leaning against a tree with her captors sleeping all around her. Despite the agony she was in all she could think about was Remy.

"God, please let the X-Men find him. Ah don't care what happens to me, just let Remy be alright..."

    The last time she had seen him was just after he had been rendered unconscious via a boot to his face. New tears ran down her face at the thought of him laying helpless in the darkness. Would it be too late for Remy when the others found him?

    The tears tickled her face and she attempted to wipe them away with her bound hands. Not long after they had left Remy, the men had stopped to tie her hands and  'dress' her wounds. Basically wrapping the abrasions just enough so that she didn't leave a trail of blood behind them. She ached all over and her left leg had gone completely numb long ago.

    Rogue shivered in the cool night air of the mountain. They men were taking her up into the mountain, though she couldn't bring herself to ask them any questions. Her disgust wouldn't allow her to even look them in the eye. She remembered as a wave of nausea hit her the way they had dealt with the men she had injured during the fight. She had hurt several of them, but most were able to get up and walk. The first two she attacked had not been so lucky.

    Rogue had closed  her eyes and stood there helplessly as the two fallen men's throats were slit only after they had been forced to beg for their lives. She sniffled loudly and instantly regretted it when it caught the attention of the man standing guard.

    "So you are awake," He walked towards her an knelt down beside her. He had an odd accent. British, Australian, maybe. She didn't look up, but instead kept her tear-streaked face pointed towards the ground.

    "Guess you're all in a huff over what we did to your boyfriend, eh?"

    Her eyes shot up to meet his in a stare of pure hatred.

    He only laughed, "I knew that would get your attention. But don't worry. I'm sure he didn't suffer too long. In fact, I'll bet right now his bones are gettin' picked clean by wolves or something---"

    Rogue lunged at him with a snarl. Weak, injured, and tied as she was, it was no challenge for her antagonist to subdue her. He tossed his gun aside and pressed her against the tree with his body.

    "Aggressive...I like that."

    She spit in his face. For a moment, Rogue thought he might slit her throat as she had seen him do to one of this fallen team-mates. Slowly, he raised his hand and wiped his face. When he looked back at her, he was smiling.

    "Y'know...I know all bout your 'special power' and let me tell you, it's got me awful curious...I mean, if you can't touch anybody, how did you kiss that boyfriend o' yours?" When the only response he received was a defiant look, he continued, "How 'bout this then: Why don't you tell me how the two o' you fuck? I'll bet you have some interestin' stories...."

    Something flashed in her eyes, and though the solider could not place exactly what it was, it did not go unnoticed.

    "Now what was that look for, sweetness?"

    "Get away from me."

    "No," he smiled. With one hand he reached up to stroke her cheek, "You know, it's a shame you gotta die...You sure are a looker."

    "Don't touch me," Rogue began struggling again, but the man pressed her harder against the tree. After only a moment, her struggles ceased.

    "I'm gonna do a hell of a lot more than just touch you," his mouth closed over hers as his hands began pulling at her clothes. Rogue opened her mouth to cry out only to have the man force his tongue through her lips. He realized his mistake the second she bite down. With an yelp, he yanked away from her.

    "You bitch!" he cried incredulously. He grabbed a fist-full of her hair and threw her hard and face-first into the ground. Rogue found herself spitting out a mixture of dirt, the man's blood, and some of her own. By now several of the men had awakened to watch the display.

    "You crazy mutie bitch!" He kicked her hard in her side and wiped the blood from his mouth.

    Rogue cried out as the fresh pain ripped through her already throbbing body, "Lord, help me...please."

    "I'm gonna send you to hell where you belong, gene-trash," he spat. She heard him pull out his gun and silently prayed, "No, not like this. Not beaten down like an animal...at least give me a fightin' chance...Remy...God, Ah love you..."

   Gunfire interrupted her thoughts and Rogue instantly knew that she was dead. Then she heard a loud thump as her attacker's body landed beside her. She looked up to see the leader holstering his pistol. All the men were awake now, either having been roused by the gunshot or the yelling of their comrade.

    "Let Steindler serve as an example," he addressed his men,"The prisoner is to be delivered with as little damage as possible. I trust no one else will have a problem abiding that." Everyone remained silent, "Cooper, you are on guard duty for the rest of the night." With that, the large man started toward his tent.

    "Sir?" one of the solders called after him.

    "Yes?" he replied without turning around.

    "The body...what do we do with it?"

    "Leave it where it has fallen."

    Rogue watched her captor, who had momentarily become her savior, enter his tent. She felt fresh tears run down her face as she looked at the body beside her. Only a few moments ago he had a gun aimed at her, ready to kill her. Now his lifeless eyes seemed to watch her intently. Choking out a sob Rogue closed her eyes in an attempt to block the image of his face from her mind. She cried until fatigue overtook her and she finally slipped into an exhausted sleep next to her would-be murderer.

****************************************************************************************************************

A few hours earlier...

    A gunshot echoed, disrupting the laughter and goodwill on the back porch of the cabin.

    "Hunters?" Kurt asked.

    "Shouldn't be," Betsy answered from her place in Warren's lap, "This is private property."

    Wolverine placed his beer next to the grill and went into the house. Another shot rang out as the remaining X-Men stood in silence on the back porch. Logan stalked through the cabin and out the front door. Standing on the front porch, he sniffed the air, already feeling that something wasn't right. His nose proved his instincts true.

    "Ah, hell," he leapt from the front porch in the direction Rogue and Gambit head gone earlier in the evening. Kurt stepped through the screen door just in time to see him dash off.

    "Something is wrong! Elizabeth, Warren---!" With that, Nightcrawler teleported after his teammate.

    The other X-Men raced through the house and came out the front door.

    "You lovely ladies stay here," Beast instructed Opal and Trish as he headed off in the direction his teammates had gone.

    "And lock the doors," Bobby added as he 'iced up'. He and the others took off after Beast.

    "Bobby!" Opal called after him. He turned to look at her, "...Be careful."

    With a nod, he was gone.

    Logan smelled the men, but their scent wasn't what had him  running frantically through the woods. He smelled blood. Logan had been with his teammates when they'd been injured in battle. He knew what their blood smelled like, and it severely unnerved him to smell such a strong combination of Rogue and Gambit's blood on the air. Suddenly, Wolverine stopped as his eyes found Gambit lying on the ground. The once-brown leaves beneath him were now stained a deep crimson.

    "Shit! Beast! Get yer ass up here, pronto!" he yelled, knowing his friends weren't far behind him.

    Nightcrawler appeared beside him as Logan bent down to feel for a pulse.

    "Is he alive?"

    "Barely," Wolverine grunted.

    Nightcrawler let out a breath, "Logan, where is Rogue?"

    "Gone."

    "Where?"

    "East. I got her scent. and theirs too."

    "Whose?"

    "The ones who did this ta Gumbo and God-knows-what to Rogue."

    "She is hurt too, then," dread crept into Kurt's features, "Is it someone we know?"

    "Yea, she's hurt bad. I smell a good bit o' her blood. Don't know who did this, Elf, but they were more that prepared for Rogue and Gambit and they mean business."

    "What the bloody hell has happened?" Betsy asked as she and Warren landed," My God, Gambit!"

    "Is he---?"

    "He's alive right now, Worthington," Logan cut him off as he saw Beast and Iceman approaching.

    "Hurry it up, Hank! The Cajun's in a bad way."

    "Holy shit!" Bobby said, reverted to his human form, "What the hell happened to him? Where's Rogue?"

    "I'm goin to get 'er right now," Wolverine popped his adamantium claws.

    "I'm coming with you," Bobby countered.

    "Logan, Bobby, wait," Beast looked up from examining Gambit," we need to contact the Professor. We need a plan. The two of you can't just---"

    "Take care of Gambit, Hank," Psylocke stepped over to join Logan and Bobby," We'll bring Rogue back home."

    "Wait a minute, Betts---"

    "Warren. Don't. She is a friend and she is in danger."

    Knowing an argument would solve nothing, Warren whispered, " Be careful. If whoever did this took out Rogue and Gambit so quickly and easily then they are no one to be trifled with."

    "We'll be careful. Contact Charles. Tell him what has happened. We'll be in touch." She kissed Warren softly and then she, Iceman, and Wolverine went off to find their friend.