So far Queen Bee had gotten blue prints, passwords, codes words, the ranks of all the people in power, layouts of Genosha streets etc. She entered the room after several servants filled the room with trays of food and wine. "My dear little Genoshian Prince...How are you, today?"

In the hive, she used the ventilation shafts to spread her pheromones in a wider area.

"Get away from me" Pietro whispered, trying to withdraw further back into his corner, "this isn't real. What you're doing... I'm not a prince. I love Ciara. Ciara, ciara, ciara, ciara" he closed his eyes, his hands over his ears as he tried to block everything else out, repeating her name over and over again.

Queen Bee smirked, "You may say no but you cannot resist me, my pet." She crawled over him, cupping his chin and kissing him. "So long as you breathe, you shall be mine, my prince."

He tried to pull away but it was half hearted by the time she had gotten that close. He found his hands slipping off his ears and slowly wrapping around her instead as he kissed her back. Pietro relaxed and let out a sigh, "what's gotten into me?" he wondered aloud, shaking his head, "I'm so sorry my Queen"

"Hmmmmm.." She ran a finger along his jaw line, "You've been a rather bad boy... Treating me like that." She pouted before smirking, "Someone needs to be punished." And she went to work and nibbling on his neck.

Pietro let out a moan and felt a shiver through his body. He had completely forgotten he'd been holding onto to something that now slipped from his fingers and fell to the floor with a tiny clink. The sound seemed to startle him awake again and he quickly grabbed for the little ring he'd dropped.

"Huh?" Queen Bee blocked his advance with an out strenched leg, "What's this?" She picked up the ring, her expression grew serious, "Is this how you keep resisting me boy?.."

"No! Please!" he exclaimed, trying desperately to take it from her. The band was made of strands of white gold that wove around each other while in the small gaps it held stones that were as pure and blue as a clear freshwater lake. It even had a tiny inscription on the inside Ciara, my one true love. "Give it back, please my Queen, I beg of you. I need it!" Pietro pleaded with wide blue eyes.

"Uhm." She puffed, "The only thing you need is me." She slipped the ring along a gold chain and slipped the long chain deep into the depths of her chest and out of sight. "Remember that. I am your Queen. I choose if you live or die... not some worthless ring!" She turned and stormed out of the room. "Guards. 50 lashings for the Prince. Make him remember his true place in all of this."

"NO!" Pietro yelled, rushing after her and grabbing hold of her flowing shawl to stop her, "Please, I'm sorry, don't leave. I didn't mean to upset you my Queen, I don't know why I was holding onto that old thing I just... I guess I just miss her... I mean, I love you, with all my heart and I know I shouldn't even be thinking about her but I can't... I just can't" he fell to his knees, looking completely lost.

She looked down at him, still rather cross. "You should forget her. She long brings you grief. I'm doing this for your own good.... Make it 20 lashings." She gripped his chin, "You must understand, my Prince.... This is for your own good." She almost looked sad to make him go through this. "And to show that I really mean it, I will stay by yourself the whole time..." She wrapped her fingers around his, "Now, remove your shirt."

He found himself staring at the chain around her neck, but afraid to make her any angrier he quickly lifted his gaze to her eyes and nodded slowly. He got back to his feet, taking off his shirt though by now his eyes had fallen back to the ground. What were a few more scars to add to the many he had earned growing up? At least these ones would mean something, from his Queen, the love of his life... so why did he feel so dead inside?

Queen Bee made Pietro stare into her eyes as each lashing hit him, "Don't waver. I am here for you. Me and only I am what really matters. Feel this pain, it is my love mending into you. I love you, my sweet white prince...."

~

Ciara looked up as she felt someone's hand brush against his cheek. "Hmm? It's you again..." She mumbled softly, much in a daze. She could see his mouth moving but no words came out. "I'm afraid I can't hear you." The figure moved closer to her face, he seemed rather serious. "Who are you?..."

"It is only I, Ms.McCoy" Mitsue replied as she hovered over Ciara, checking a few vitals before taking out a large needle, "Do try to relax" she aimed the needle carefully into Ciara's stomach, using the monitor on the side as a guide to inject one of the twins with something.

Ciara blinked," Huh?" She looked rather confused, "But... a second ago there was-" She hissed, tensing up and slamming her eyes shut. "What... what are you doing to them?" She dare not move but her fingers and toes were moving rapidly as she tried to stay calm, having been snapped a bit back into reality by the presence of a big long needle rammed into her stomach.

"Just one of them" Mitsue replied calmly, finishing the injection and slowly pulling the needle back out, "I'm advancing the x-genome in this one. Making it develop faster."

"WHAT?!" Ciara sat up as much as she could, "But... But, it'll crush the other one. The little guy won't be able to coup!" She said rather alarmed at such an idea.

Mitsue pushed Ciara back down, "Calm yourself. You misunderstand" she stated, "the x-gene will develop more quickly, not the child. If you wish either of them to live then you must obey my instructions. It is still early, the chances of miscarriage are still probable at this stage."

Her eyes began to tear up, "What other choice do I have? I can't disobey you even if I wanted too! You've bond me, humiliated me by removing most of my clothes, drugged me, altered my unborn child... I'm not an animal! I'm a pregnant woman, you monster!" She turned her head, sniffling.

"Sounds like someone needs a hormone adjustment" Mitsue sighed and went to adjust the settings on Ciara's fluid intake, "depression is not good for the children"

"HOW CAN I NOT BE DEPRESSED?!?! I can't move. I haven't seen the sun in who knows how long... And... And Pietro... I want my Pietro!!" She burst out into tears, "Pietro! Pietro! I can't have children without my Pietro!" Her gem started to glow again and warning signs flashed all over various screens. Although they were suppressing her powers, it seemed if she got too emotional, the systems had a rough time maintaining it.

"PIETRO!"

~

Scott shook his shoulder, "Professor. Professor. You fell asleep in Cerebro 2 again. I appreciate all you're doing for the war and finding the others but... I can't have you getting sick on me."

Charles groaned and startled awake, "hm? oh... Scott..." he sighed and shook his head, "Sorry. I just... I guess it was just a dream. Hm... And you should know by now, you don't have to call me professor anymore" he smiled at Scott, "very few people know who I really am. Just call me Charles."

He rubbed the back of his head, "Right. Sorry. Just so use to it... You should be careful, you fell asleep with the helmet on. Who knows what could have happened...Any luck locating either of them?"

He shook his head, "The Light has been annoyingly successful in hiding their minds from me and they likely have passed on such information to the Reach." he removed the helmet and set it down in it's stand while letting out a yawn, "I'll have a nap and try again later."

"Of course." Scott looked down at the helmet, Don't worry you two... we'll find you...

~

"Ambassador," Kaldur'ahm bowed, "It truly is an honor to finally meet you and your people. My father has spoken so very highly of your people and the wonders you have given us. I have brought a wide selection of specimens," He turned and gestured to the pods, "It may have taken longer but we picked them all from various parts of the world. This way it will appear only as a missing persons case and not a large abduction. Leaving the Justice League, unbeknownst to our plans."