The X-Project

to: [Summers, Scott], [Munroe, Ororo]
from: [LeBeau, Remy]

Found them.

The stones were handed off to Alarune, and he took them back directly to who we can assume is the benefactor, a man named Karl Mordo. Mordo is an Eastern European businessman who made a lot of money in real estate over here in the last twenty-five years. Doug and Marie-Ange did some digging electronically, and he's either got interests in or acted as the bridge to a number of businesses that Pete pegged as Selene front companies two years ago. More so, he's got this seperate network, built of dedicated hedge funds that's been making a lot of disbursements lately. One of them is through the front that the Assassin's Guild uses for payments in European operations. This is the cult money network that we never got to when the X-Men took down Selene.

Wanda and Illyana did some research, and it looks like the stones are some kind of focus; a magical conduit to Selene. That's likely why they took Amanda as well. If the ritual is successful, Selene will not only get her power back, but it's enough that she's not going to be trapped in Pete's prison for very long.

The drawback is that Mordo is well connected. State and federal officials, and the only hint of scandal that's ever been associated with him is some minor issues with customs about some artifacts he's purchased around the world. He's a major 'art collector', which is the perfect guise in which to traffic in magical artifacts if you're a cultist. He's the head of a magor conglomorate with friends on boths sides of the political table. You hit him directly and leave any evidence in doing so, and my bet is that he'll lawyer up and pound you legally into the ground, while getting those in Las Vegas.

There's a second issue with Mordo. He lives in that new Baxter building. You know, the one where the average income of a resident is eight figures a year? Wisdom has an in with the security company, and he and Doug managed to 'liberate' a copy of the floor plans and security systems. There are three levels, including overall building security, a total LEED code smart environmental system, and individual isolated floor security. I've attached them.

We've managed to locate the person behind all this, and where she's got Amanda held. If you can disrupt the ritual at a midpoint, we're going to use that distraction to hit them, roll up her followers and take her, hopefully before they decide Amanda of no more use to them. With her, the stones, and Mordo, that should be enough leverage to get your people released from where ever they're being held in Las Vegas. If we're lucky and knowing him, you'll get a phonecall from Nate explaining how he just beat everyone up with his brain and would like a ride home. I think this is our best shot at getting everyone back.

We're on our way to Louisiana now.

--Remy

attached file: [[ritual.doc]]
attached file: [[Baxter Building floor details.pdf]]

[[Left on the school's voice mail system]]

"I have very little time, so I shall kept this short. The van containing four of your students and two of your staff has been taken by my men. They are safe, and the responsibility for their future safety relys entirely on you."

"You have a series of stones in your possession, stolen from a temple in Brazil last year. Those stones are the price for the freedom of your students and staff. There is to be no negotiation."

"You may reach me at this number by this evening with your answer. At that point, you will be provided a place in which to deliver the stones. Failure to agree, or any attempts at rescue will result in the deaths of our hostages. I have no interest in killing for no reason, but I will not hesitate to torture or kill in response to any attempts to delay or twart my demands."

"You have until this evening to respond. Otherwise, we will start with the youngest hostage as our first victim."