"You're sure this is the pier?" Shaitan asked as he walked along rickety dock. A light mist was over the entire area making visibility less than perfect. In his normal form this fog would have meant nothing to him, but being in the guise of Gambit made him much more human.

"Without a doubt. It's what was on the napkins," Bishop said holding a futuristic gun in each hand. He wanted this psycho and he wanted him badly. What he did to that man back in the hotel was unforgivable. The only punishment for that kind of sick act was death and Bishop was going to deliver the sentence. Tackling this solo would normally have been his approach, but since Shaitan had told him about Rebirth in the first place he couldn't just leave him behind.

"And what makes you think those napkins belonged to Rebirth?" Shaitan asked holding a bunch of marbles in his right hand. He was ready to charge them up with kinetic energy at a moment's notice.

"He's wanted us to find them. They were in clear view. He's trying to bait us," Bishop explained as he pointed at an abandoned building that probably was housing the killer. It would be the perfect place to ambush the two of them. The building was dark, and probably full of little hiding places. Anyone could take advantage of that in an attack.

"Alright well then let's oblige his invitation," Shaitan smiled as motioned to Bishop that he would come in from the roof. The XSE acknowledged Shaitan's signal with a nod. He proceeded to run and then leap up onto the roof of the building. He had used a nearby metal pipe to propel himself upward. Landing with a fair amount of noise caused him some frustration. He had been hoping to move in with a certain amount of grace, but there was no use in crying over spilled milk.

Looking downward he could see Bishop kick down the door of the building with both of his guns aimed forward. That was Shaitan's cue to move. Charging up a couple of his marbles he threw them at the building's skylight shattering all of the glass. He waited until he could hear the glass hitting the ground before he jumped through. As he descended to the ground the former Avenger indeed saw that the warehouse dark.

"This just gets better and better," Rebirth laughed as Shaitan landed on the ground. It was so sad when the prey believed themselves to be the hunters.

Cairo

"Tell me about my family Crow. I want to know what they were like," Mystique demanded. It looked as if she was talking to no one, but a psionic image only she could see was standing in front of her. It was the man she had come to know as Dr. Crow.

Your father was quite the man. Everywhere he went he always commanded authority and presence. He was the type of man that everyone just respected. Quite the humanitarian as well. Now your mother! Oh what a lovely woman. I don't think there was ever a moment when she wasn't smiling. And she loved her family so very much. Then there's Ryan and Adam. Your older brothers were quite the handful. One nearly tried to perform surgery on the other with my surgical tools.

"Brothers? What happened to them after my father died?" Mystique asked. She could see the hesitation in Crow's eyes. He didn't want to answer her. That infuriated Raven to no end!

"What happened to my brothers? Tell me Crow!" Raven yelled.

He took them and myself. Used us for experiments. I escaped, but he still holds your brothers till this day. Probably as some leverage against you for a later date.

"And so once again Sinister is involved in my life. I'll put a stop to that. Soon enough. Look Crow I'm about to head back to the States with Mastermind. Our flight leaves tomorrow. We have unfinished business with Shinobi, but on the flight you and me need to have a long talk," Mystique said as she got up from her bed and slipped on a white shirt. She began to shift her form into that of a beautiful Arabian woman.

Of course. Until then I suppose.

"Until then," Mystique agreed as Crow vanished.

Chicago

"Reiger what the hell are you doing here?" Pamela asked shocked.

"Trying to protect you," Reiger said keeping his gun behind the head of the King of Sorrow. The detective had seen enough weird crap in one day to make him quit the force. None of this shit had started happening until that Bishop set up shop in his town. Whenever he caught up with that brother he was going to expect a long explanation.

"For your info the man ya pointin tha gun at just saved me from that crazy bitch over there!" Pamela exclaimed pointing to the broken coffee table where Yani was laid out.

"Back down Reiger! He is a friend. This is the King of Sorrow," Akaya explained putting down Reiger's hand that was holding his gun.

"How many other friends you got around here?" Reiger sighed as he held his gun at his side. He most definitely wasn't putting his only means of defense away. Too much was going on for him to be unarmed.

"That matters not! We must depart before Yani awakens from her slumber!" the King of Sorrow said urgently as his black cape sprung to life and surrounded all in the room. Then with a loud sucking sound all of them were gone. That left Yani and her servant, Maurice, all alone in Pamela's apartment.

"Damn them!" Yani cried out as she sprung to life.

"They are gone," Maurice said sadly as he wrapped his arms around his master.

"We'll find them. Don't worry my child. I'll send Emplate to find them. I will have Pamela," Yani said as she stroked the hair of Maurice.

"What of the King of Sorrow?"

"He has come too late my child. There is nothing he can do to stop me now," Yani smiled.

Hellfire Club Building

"Welcome back ladies and gents! It's been so long since we've all been together," Shinobi said as he rose a champagne bottle in the air. He was at the head of a long brown table. Picasso paintings and Van Gogh lined the glossy walls of the room.

"Yes it has been a while, but noticeably we're missing three out of our ranks," Mountjoy laughed as he partook of a roll that he had just got done smothering in butter.

"Don't count us out yet," Mystique exclaimed as she stood at the door of the room with Mastermind at her side. Shinobi's face turned noticeably paler.

Tugging at his tie Shinobi quickly said, "Ahh Raven! I didn't expect to return so soon."

"You were probably were wishing we hadn't returned at all," Mastermind said angrily as she took a seat next to Mountjoy.

"So I guess that means everyone is here except for Emplate?" Vanisher asked looking around at the table to see if anyone knew of his whereabouts.

"I'm sure Marius will be here in due time. First, we need to talk about my attempted assassination by the hands of Shinobi Shaw," Mystique bluntly said and not once did her yellow eyes wander from the form of Shinobi. He would answer for his treachery and he would do it before everyone here.

"You and Mastermind were wildcards! I wanted to deal with you, but it seems my attempt was less than perfect," Shinobi said confessing to his attempted killing of the two women.

"Shinobi how could you?! You invited them into this organization and then you turn on them. Are you that much of a jackal?" Cordelia Frost exclaimed. She was tempted to throw her glass of champagne at the man.

"I didn't try to kill the two because I wanted to. I was going off the request of someone else," Shinobi finally confessed.

"Shinobi taking orders? I'm sure your father would be so impressed," Trevor mocked.

"It's called 4 million dollars Fiztroy. I could hardly turn it down. Besides I have the money now, Mystique survived and all is well. At least to a degree," Shinobi said partaking of another sip of wine.

"Who told you to kill me?" Raven asked angered.

"Would you believe me if I told you that it was Forge?"

"Hell no! Don't play games here Shinobi! I'm still tempted to kill you!"

Shinobi laughed, "Kill me? You must be joking. I'm glad to see you still have a sense of humor. Though we need to get down to business. With or without Maurice."

"You have still yet to tell us exactly what this business is Shaw. You keep going around in circles," Trevor said voicing the concern of most of the other members of the Club.

"I like circles. They're so much smoother, but I figure I'll have to let you all in eventually. Recently I've come across a set of books detailing the entire history of the Hellfire Club. Let me tell you that this cabal is far older than I ever realized. There's also sort of a higher purpose for all of us. We're meant to fight," Shinobi said with a sigh. That was the last thing he wanted to do when he formed this Club. First there was Bishop and now there was this.

"Care to tell us who we gotta fight?" Mounjoy asked eager to get back into action again.

"The Heavenrain Army."