"I do not believe that your doctor has released you from the recovery room."

Kyler gave Hank a hopeful smile. "Since my doctor is the generous soul that he is I believe he will over look this minor infraction."

"Kyler, even though I gave you a local anesthetic, you are still in no condition to be roaming the halls." He tucked her arm under his and began leading her back to the med-lab. "The local was to help protect the baby from any lasting effects of a general anesthetic. Not so you could go roaming the halls mere hours after your surgery. Why don't you explain why you felt compelled to release yourself from our luxurious facilities."

"Luxurious? Funny, I don't quite see that it that way." She fingered the edge of the hospital gown she was wearing and then reached behind her to make sure the movement didn't expose her backside. Mooning people was for car windows not mansion hallways. "Do you really want to hear the words I would use to describe this thing? I can promise to use four letters or less."

One bushy blue eyebrow rose in question. "Or less? I am not sure there are two or three letter words of the profanic variety.

"Depends on how creative you want to be."

"I have no doubt as to your creative abilities. By the way, where is Remy? I thought he had bedside duty."

A rueful smile touched the corners of her mouth. "Hank, want a hint?" She waited for his assent. "Don't assign Remy to any early morning guard duties. I left him asleep on that rock you call a bed."

"I get the impression that you have not enlightened him on your expectant state?"

Kyler withdrew her arm from Hank and stopped walking. Looking around to make sure no one had over heard she replied. "Not so loud! Someone will hear you."

Hank was astonished. Did she really think she could hide it much longer? He and the Professor already knew. He wouldn't be surprised if Logan knew. Sure, she had told Logan she thought it unsafe to workout when she had the implant but Logan was no one's fool. He had uncanny instincts about such matters. "Doesn't Remy ask about your nausea?"

"Remy is a night owl not a morning sparrow. I've been getting up earlier than usual. By the time he wakes up I have it under control."

"Kyler, you might have been successful hiding it for a few days but I doubt you will be able to for much longer. Eventually you will start to have other symptoms, an expanding waistline is the one that forefronts my mind. Not to mention how are you going to explain the prenatal vitamins I will be giving you today? Or the frequent exams you will need to assure the baby's development?"

"I am going to tell him. I just want some time to get it straight in my head. Is that so wrong? First I was asked to spy on my idol then I seduced the local Romeo." Kyler ignored Hank's shocked expression and continued, her voice getting shriller with each spoken word. "Then I find out I am pregnant and to top it all off I find out there was an implant in my head thanks to the spider/bat/thing Sinister. Now, perhaps it is the pregnancy that has my hormones out of whack causing me to be more emotional than usual but frankly, I think I have been having a bad year!

"I agree that you had many obstacles to overcome lately," Hank began.

"Damn straight!" She interrupted stomping her foot in emphasis.

"However," He continued calmly. "You might consider the level this conversation has risen to and decrease it or your previous request of secrecy will be for naught."

Kyler took several deep breaths and tried to find her inner center. When she found some semblance of peace she turned to Hank. "I am sorry. I am not behaving like a grateful houseguest, am I?"

"Don't feel bad. We have had worse." He assured her.

"Really? Tell me."

Hank put his arm around her shoulders. He plied her with tales of previous guests at the mansion while he guided her toward the med-lab again.

Kyler was disappointed when they reached their destination and Hank's little antidotes stopped. It was nice not thinking about her problems for a moment. The doors whooshed open and two pairs of eyes sought out the room's only occupant.

Hank observed Remy in the bed reserved for Kyler recuperation. "You are correct, Gambit has never been a morning person but I believe this the first time I have ever seen him down on the job." Hank approached the bed with Kyler in tow. "Why is holding the pillow in that fashion?"

The pink tinge spread over her cheeks as she realized what Hank was talking about. Remy lay on his back crushing the pillow into his chest and groin. "That's.... Hmm....I needed something for him to hold so he wouldn't wake up." Great! If he said one thing about sleeping positions she was going to die of embarrassment.

Hank took one more look at the Cajun sprawled out on the bed. "Why don't we use this table over here for the exam."

Kyler sagged on the bed with relief. Hank was right. She shouldn't have gotten out of bed but her curiosity was stronger than her fatigue. "Hank? The implant, did you find anything?"

Hank looked up from taking her pulse. "Yes, we did. The implant contained a small homing device."

"A homing device? But how? Why didn't your scan pick it up?" Sinister has known where she was this whole time. She led Sinister straight to the X-men. What was she going to do?

"The scan wasn't able to detect the device because it wasn't activated. The device operates by emitting a low frequency beacon when it receives a signal." He held up his hand for silence when she opened her mouth to voice the questions on the tip of her tongue. "Cerebro has determined that the beacon has been operated twice. Neither times were sufficiently long enough to disrupt our sensors."

Kyler's brow drew together in a frown. "If it wasn't long enough for your sensors to detect then it is unlikely he was able to ascertain my location."

"Yes, it is unlikely. I believe that the previous signals were prototype tests."

"If the signals are brief then he must be near by." The very idea that Sinister was near filled her with dread. The feeling shamed her. She should be glad that the time for answers was near. After Sinister was dealt with she could go to work on her future. She should be leaping at the chance to revenge her violation at his hands. Still, the flicker of fear would not be quailed. But it will be controlled!

"It is probable that Sinister or one of his associates are near us." Hank finished the exam and grabbed her chart to record his findings.

"Taking a chip out was a risk. I mean, what if Sinister tries one his little tests now? He'll know that we found it."

"That is unlikely as well. Sinister has no way to determine if you are still hosting the implant. Cerebro is keeping the homing device receptive and is presently downloading the recording chip." He paused at her look of alarm. "The Professor and I agreed that to insure your privacy only recordings relevant to our security will be saved for analysis."

"I am greatly relieved by that."

Me t', cherie."

Kyler whipped her head around in surprise. "Remy! How long have been up?"

Remy sat up on the bed and pinned her with a disapproving look. "Long nuff t' know you not where you should b'."

"Good, then we will not need to recap for you. The Professor wanted to have a meeting, as soon Kyler was able. Had I known that you were going to do a Sleeping Beauty impression and let my patient escape anyway we would have scheduled it while she had the energy to go traipsing about the mansion."

Remy renewed the glare in her direction before asking Hank. "Meetin' for what?"

Kyler thought she knew but she wanted confirmation. "You're going to try to piggyback Sinister's next signal aren't you?"

"Yes, that is exactly what we intend to do."