"The Guildmaster of the New Orleans Thieves is dead," the man reported to the shadow shrouded council.
"Good." A shot dropped his body to the floor.
Dr. Charles Xavier, founder of the Xavier's School for the Gifted, and mentor of the infamous X-men, was reading through the reports that Logan had compiled of the latest rumors from the "underground" community. The most interesting one was the rumors of a concentration of mutants in New Orleans, due mostly to a "theft" of "specimens" from the Centers for Disease Control. Xavier wondered if these were the same mutants that Mystique had sent him information about. The most dangerous one informed him of a possible riot by the Friends of Humanity in Boston during the coming weekend.
He summoned his students to the war room. The first one there was Alex Summers, as usual. He'd grown up at the School. His foster parents had been so scared of him that they were willing to foist him off on the next available person. Xavier couldn't find it in his heart to blame them. Alex had killed someone when his powers erupted to protect himself at eight. His eyes were always so knowing. The boy saw it as a stain on his soul. He never believed he was good enough. He'd spent all the years with the professor trying to make up for that pain.
The next into the room was the Mansion's resident couple Jean Grey and Logan. No one would have guessed that the delicate Jean would end up with the gruff and grumble Logan. Jean was his second student, a telepath and telekinetic with tremendous potential. She'd been taken over by the Phoenix, but survived it and come back to find Logan waiting for her. He'd known she wasn't dead, although no one had listened to him.
Hank McCoy, the team's doctor, and leading researcher on the Legacy Virus, followed with his best friend Robert Drake. It was an unusual friendship. The sedate and understated sarcasm of the doctor shouldn't have found a friend in the prankster and mostly immature Bobby, but it had. Rogue, their newest member sat with them. Hank had become her protector. The girl who'd absorbed Carol Danvers and the Blue doctor who'd made the mistake of messing with his genes had formed an alliance. Bobby Drake had decided to pursue her. He made her laugh. She cried on his shoulder. They were about the same age. Xavier hoped they would find happiness as Jean and Logan had.
Warren Worthington and his lover Elizabeth Braddock settled into their customary seats. The rich playboy and the English model made quite a striking pair. No one was really sure how their romance was faring recently because they never talked about it. You didn't have to be a telepath to know they loved one another, but Betsy had made choices that Warren couldn't agree with. They refused the professor's offer of finding a couple's counselor for them, but he held out hope.
Kitty Pryde and Piotr Rasputin phased into the room from next door. Kitty loved showing off for the big Russian. Piotr himself was infatuated with her. He'd been working on a portrait of her when they'd been called. Xavier had forbidden nudes until Kitty turned 18, but that didn't mean they couldn't flirt. Kurt Wagner popped into the room accompanied by the scent of brimstone. He had been avoiding Rogue since she'd joined the team. They called the same woman mother, Mystique, but they had little in common in upraising. Kurt didn't like the reminders of Mystique he saw in Rogue, the way she stood, turns of phrase, words of wisdom. He didn't like that at all.
Ororo Monroe was the last one in the room. She was impeccably dressed as usual. She held herself regally. She had been a goddess. She expected respect and got it. She'd also been a pickpocket and that was what Xavier knew her first as. She'd sought him out when she wanted to change her life. She was the default leader if Alex was out of commission.
The professor surveyed the room and began his briefing.
"Havok, Storm, Psylocke, I want you to go to Boston tomorrow. There are indications that there is a planned anti-mutant rally that could easily turn into a riot. There may be innocents hurt if it doesn't get controlled. Keep a low profile and watch for innocents. Call if you need reinforcements.
"Angel, Wolverine, Phoenix, and Iceman will be going to New Orleans. There are reports of a high mutant population. Marti Gras is Tuesday. There may be trouble there or there may not. What I want is an investigation of the rumors. If you see any likely candidates, get their names and sound them out about coming to the school. I want you to especially investigate the possible connection to the Guilds."
"The Guilds are a myth, Professor," Ororo, also known as Storm, stated.
"No, they ain't," Wolverine contradicted. "I've met some Guildmembers. They're the best at what they do."
"Our way in is the rumored Guildmasters' children, Remy LeBeau and Scott Boudreaux. Both are alpha class mutants. Good luck. And be careful."
"Remy, come here now," Mattie snapped into the phone. The young man stared at the phone in his hand. Then, he jumped to his feet and got dressed. His wife followed suit without asking what was wrong. They made the LeBeau Mansion about two minutes before the police arrived. The grief overwhelmed Remy's shields and he made a jump in logic. "Papa?"
"Oui." Henri rubbed at his temple. "The police will have to investigate of course."
"What happened, Henri?" Remy asked softly. Belladonna had wrapped her arms around his waist and was holding onto him as if her life depended on it. He was glad to have the anchor. He was sad, but it was no where near the pain that was radiating off of Henri. It was different for him. He was Jean-Luc LeBeau's blood child. He had never known a world where the people you love the most leave you all the time.
Remy squeezed his brother's shoulder and turned to be able to put an arm around the his wife. Henri spoke with the police. The detective in charge told Bella in a quick Guild sign-language conversation that it wasn't a Guild hit. Jean-Luc LeBeau had been found with three bullets in his body. One hit his hand as he was reaching for his own weapons the other two had entered his brain and killed him instantly. Remy settled on the poker face that his father had taught him to wear when dealing with the police. He could sense guilt in Henri, but couldn't figure out why. There was no advantage to having Jean-Luc killed. The police finally left several hours later.
Scott arrived as the last car left the drive. He greeted Henri formally, then said, "I'm sorry, LeBeau."
"Thanks, Boudreaux, that means a lot." They were in Henri's office, drinking coffee and trying to figure out what to do.
"We didn't do it."
"I know. I think I know who did, I just don't think it's safe to touch them. They think the Guildmaster is dead. I'm sure of it. We'll let them think that."
"This is in response to the CDC robbery?"
"I think so."
"CDC?" Remy and Bella asked.
"You two were out of town. Mystique gave me information on where the government was keeping mutants as part of a research program. We took them away."
"Simple as that?" Scott laughed. "They also wanted to get out of my way."
"Bet your ass we did. A mad Assassin is a dangerous Assassin."
"Remember that next time you want to go out on the town with the boys," Bella stated punching Remy in the shoulder. "So the government put the hit on the Thieves Guildmaster of Nawlins. That makes sense. And they were operating off of old information."
"They'll be their weakest right now," Remy stated. "We could get through their defenses best right now. Maybe take out their networks and support."
"Why not just kill them?" Bella asked. She'd taken to filing her nails. It was her thinking activity. Remy had unconsciously started shuffling a deck of cards. Scott was pacing and Henri had settled back and put his feet up. He was tired.
"Because I'm a Thief, Belladonna," Henri stated. "And if this isn't an Assassin hit, I have no reason to seek revenge. There is no truce between us and the government."
"This isn't the normal government is it?" Scott queried.
"Non. That's why Mystique is so willing to offer them up. She wants them out of power. If we can prevent some of the research I'll be more than happy."
Jean, Logan, Bobby, and Warren had checked into their hotel. It was lush with enough room for the four of them in one suite. Jean didn't even want to think about how much it had cost to get them a room in the middle of the biggest tourist season the area normally saw. Logan had found a phone book and was trying to find a phone number and address for the mutants the professor wanted them to talk to. //Logan?//
//Yeah, Darlin'? What's up?//
//I was thinking we could just take a walk tonight and get started tomorrow. It's not as if we don't have the time.//
//Sounds good t' me, Jeannie.//
They wandered through the town trying to get it into their memories. No one paid them any mind, except for a few eyes that watched them from the shadows. Jean caught some random thoughts: //Not enough t' make it wort' de trouble. Dat one looks like trouble. Who de hell dey dink dey are t' be in dis area? Damn tourists.//
Logan was watching the shadows that watched him. He saw flashes of green and flashes of black and red. There were definite Guild connections in the area. There was no way of mistaking it. He couldn't figure out the territorial lines though and that bothered him. The Guilds normally didn't share well. And no Thief he'd ever met was stupid enough to stray onto Assassin territory and stay in the shadows. That would be suicidal.
Bobby was excited. He'd never been this far away from the School before. It was fun. There were so many different people. He'd seen mutants that were as obvious as Hank walking around with no troubles. There was a girl with purple skin and her boyfriend with quills instead of hair. On the street corner they passed a preacher with wings spread wide. They didn't look to be fake. They were hawk colored. There were street vendors lining the streets and tourists galore. He couldn't remember seeing quite so many people in one place before.
Warren was more interested in the architecture than anything else. The crowd of people bothered him, but they were ignoring him. He was glad he'd brought an image enhancer to hide his skin and wings, even though it didn't look like it would be a problem around here. He noticed movement in the area of the church they'd just come into sight of and pointed it out to his companions. The crowd was parting, moving to the sides as if Moses himself had parted them. The respectful silence as the quartet moved down the stairs and into the street startled him. He'd seen less respect of royalty.
The blonde woman wore black and red. A startlingly low cut black shirt, with simply tailored red pants. Her hair was pulled up neatly into a French twist and she sported several feathers in it. Next to her in green, was a handsome young man. His long coat was green leather. His startling red hair was tied back in a pony tail. He wore all green except for a mourning band on his left arm. His eyes were hidden by dark glasses. To her right, a pace behind to her was a man who looked a few years older than the pair in front. His chestnut hair was cut short. He wore red sunglasses and all black, with red piping. To his left was a man in all green. He too wore a mourning band. His hair was shoulder length. A small frown graced his mouth. All of them seemed to be preternaturally aware of the crowd around them.
Logan noticed people slipping through the crowd to keep up with them. He frowned. He knew a security force when he saw it. What was so special about these four that they had a security force with them? We couldn't be that lucky, he though to himself. "Jeannie?"
"I think that's LeBeau and Boudreaux. Let's follow them."
"You see them?" Henri asked softly. Scott nodded.
"They've followed us from the church. Let's get somewhere more defensible."
"Isn't this why we have Honor Guards?" Remy asked.
"Hush, I want to confront them," Bella responded.
"And you two need the stress relief."
"Says the Assassin," Henri muttered. "The alley three blocks to the left."
"The one with the high back wall. I don't like going into a dead end," Remy put in.
"No, the one with the fence. Any one of us could scale it in seconds. I don't know who these people are, but I want the confrontation out of public view."
"Can I kill the cute one?"
"The blond?" Remy asked. "Sure. Just clean up after yourself."
"No killing them until we know who they are," Scott commanded. He shook his head. "You really need to get a handle on that bloodlust, Bella."
"The more she beats up on other people, the less she hits me. I like that," Remy defended. "'sides, I don't like competition."
"He's not my type."
"Remy, you get the girl. I'll take the tall one. Henri can have the short one."
"Deal," Henri said.
"D'Accord, Scotty."
"Don't call me that. Turn here." They led the X-men on a merry chase through the streets to an alley. When they quickly disappeared into the shadows, their pursuers were pulled off guard. Logan growled.
"Remy LeBeau? Scott Boudreaux?" Jean called. Scott nodded to Remy.
"What y' be wantin', chere?" he asked stepping into the light. The red-head stepped forward. He felt her try to scan him and his shields reacted violently. She straightened. "Don' be doin' dat, chere. Remy don' like it when people try t' get int' his head." Jean was angry.
"We want to talk to you."
"Why? Y' workin' for de gov'ment?"
"No," she stated firmly. Logan heard Henri moving towards him. A normal human would never have heard him. He tracked him. "We work for a private fund. We are looking for mutants to train." The young man stiffened. His lips compressed into a line. She wondered if he was talking to his companions. She couldn't sense anything, but his shields had slapped her. She wished the professor had known what kind of mutantcy they would be dealing with. "An' jus' why y' be dinkin' y' could follow us? Who send y', chere?" Jean pressed on the shields, hammering for entrance. She drew closer to the young mutant she was talking to. She misjudged and Remy backhanded her. "I tol' y' not t' do dat. I wan' answers," he snapped. Logan snarled and moved towards the boy. Henri confronted him.
"I wouldn' do dat, if I was y'." Wolverine snapped out his claws and the fight was joined. It didn't take long before Henri was cut and lying on the ground. Remy felt the pain pulse into him and Jean rocked from it as well. She was distracted and didn't get her TK shield up fast enough. She found herself on the ground when she woke up from the left hook. She missed the rest of the fights.
Angel had abandoned his disguise and was swooping down towards his target, the man in black. Scott deflected the attack and smashed the flying one into the wall. He kept track of Remy and Bella's fights. The young Thief had his bo out and was engaging the short stocky man. Bella had the iced over teen at her mercy and was beating him down. Angel went down, dazed and Scott moved to help Remy. Remy couldn't help it. As he felt his brother die he was consumed by rage. He didn't even realize that most of the fury was coming from the man he was fighting as opposed to from within himself. He flipped and spun, his staff connecting as he avoided the claws and kicks. Scott's training was working, he realized in one small corner of his mind. He didn't know why he went limp the moment before the older mutant pushed him to the ground.
Scott saw everything in slow motion. He tackled Remy, who couldn't see the flashing claws aiming at his back. They would have driven through his lungs. Instead, they striped down Scott's back. Scott pulled down his shades and hit the man with half of his optic rays. He wished for the control of his visor, but the blasts did the trick. They drove Wolverine into the wall and into unconsciousness. Without his healing factor, he would have been dead.
Jean ran for Logan as she lifted Warren from his position and separated Bella and Bobby. The Iceman was hurt, but still conscious. Bella had been drawing out her fun. Warren was afraid that one of his wings was broken, but his worry for Logan outweighed that. He carried the still figure out of the alley as Jean took Bobby in a TK embrace. They went back to the hotel, and called for Henry McCoy.
Remy sobbed into Scott's shoulder. The older man rocked him gently. "We have t' make sure de Thieves know dis wasn' a Guild matter," he muttered as he forced the tears away. He sat up straight and Scott nodded. Remy murmured Last Rites for his brother and shut his eyes. Blood soaked through the knees of Remy's trousers. The police officer that came upon them took in the scene and called for back up. He crossed himself and prayed that God would keep the City safe from the war this could start.
DuPont himself came to the crime scene with his detectives. He nodded to the Guildmaster Boudreaux and took Remy aside for questioning. He was surprised that the young man was holding up so well. The Thief answered all his questions carefully. He gave full descriptions of the killer, but refused to give any details about the others. The Captain didn't press him. "Taking off my badge for a moment, Guildmaster LeBeau," he said softly. "I'd find myself some damn good bodyguards before the funeral."
"I will take that advice, Captain," Remy stated. He'd retreated into the cold formality that masked his emotions. It was a trick he'd been taught by his father. The tear streaks on his face didn't ruin the effect, even though they softened his face somewhat. "May we leave." Bella and Scott's statements had been taken as well. Without discussion, they had all neglected to inform the authorities of anyone but the actual killer.
"Don't leave town." Remy drew himself up to his full height. DuPont blinked as the young man raised his chin.
"Are you accusing me of murder, Sir?"
"No. It is just standard procedure."
"I'll inform you of my whereabouts should I leave town." Remy spun on his heel and joined Scott and Bella to walk down the street. Bella was between the two men. She held both of their arms as they walked towards the Mansion that served as neutral ground between the guilds. Marius and Jean-Luc had had offices there and most Guild business went on there. It was the safest place in New Orleans.
Scott hissed as Mattie doused the cuts with an antiseptic powder. He'd been lucky. Remy had been wearing an undershirt. They'd been able to staunch the bleeding with the shredded shirt and hidden it with the clean black tee that Remy'd been wearing under his shirt. Scott thanked God that Remy got so cold. By the time they'd hidden the scars, it looked as if Scott just wore the shredded jacket as a reminder of what he'd escaped. The gashes took a total of 45 stitches. Mattie's touch was just like Louisa's and Scott let himself relax on the couch.
Remy had climbed to the roof and not even Bella had been able to coax him down. Scott hadn't even bothered to try. He knew that this was something the younger man had to process. Shit, Remy was going to be taking the Guild over at 17. It had been hard enough to hold everything together at 23. "You sleep now, chile, and Tante'll go make somet'ing t' make all a her chilen feel better."
The smell of cookies finally coaxed Remy down from the roof. He hadn't changed from his bloodstained clothing. He looked ragged. Bella clung to him and he seemed to take strength from the contact. Over cookies and hot chocolate they discussed. "The first thing to be done, is to gather the Clanmasters, I suppose," Remy said. "I need to pass on the information. It has to be official. I'll send out a runner as soon as we finish here. Then, there are the funeral arrangements. When do you think I'll be able to get the bodies back from the cops?"
"About two days, since it's Henri and your father." Scott matched the business-like tone with one of his own. He knew what to do. He'd unobtrusively take care of the little matters, just like Remy had done for him. He hadn't realized it until much later. Now, he wanted to repay the favor.
"Good enough."
"I don't want either of you to be out alone from now on. I don't like how the City's been lately." Scott was ready for the arguments. He was shocked when Remy sat very still, his head cocked to the side as if he was seeing something no one else could. He reached out and touched Scott's glasses.
"We gonna stick together from now on, Fearless?" he asked.
"Yes." Scott closed his eyes and let Remy remove the sunglasses. The punch was predictable and Scott blocked it. He held the younger man's wrist.
"Good. Here." Remy tapped his hand with the frame of the glasses. Scott put the shades on.
"I don't like being tested."
"Neither do I," Remy stated. "I'll listen to your advice, but I am not one of your Guildmembers."
"I know that, Remy, but you are still my sister's boy and I don't want her to be hurt."
"I need to clean house." Scott was startled by the assessment. It had taken him too long to get to that point. "The first thing to do is call Lapin." Remy was thinking out loud. Bella was taking notes. Scott grinned. The City had no idea what they were in for.
"Logan, my office, immediately!" Xavier snapped. "Leave us, Jean."
"But, Sir!"
"I'll get your information later, Jean."
"It'll be okay, Jeannie." Logan had healed from the blasts. He was looking chagrined, but not guilty. His wife looked at him for a long moment, then stalked towards the library.
Logan sat down as the professor rubbed the bridge of his nose. "How exactly did you end up killing the boy?"
"He tried to stop me from getting to Jeannie when the red-headed brat hit her."
"I think I need the whole story. If you will?" Logan nodded and the professor scanned his memories of the fight. "Oh my," Xavier said. "It seems we have miscalculated. The boys are much better trained than I had thought. Neither of them used their powers until the end of the fight. That either means they aren't well trained in their use or..."
"Chuck, those two are damned good without their powers. The LeBeau kid was a match for me. If his brother hadn't died, and I hadn't gone feral, it could've gone either way. I've never seen an Assassin and a Thief workin' together though."
"It could be a factor of the mutantcy. If they have similar powers they could be working together to train them."
"Jeannie couldn't scan them." Xavier nodded.
"Send Jean in. Dismissed. And Logan, do remember that we don't kill here."
The double funeral was conducted with reverence. There were no Assassin's present at the ceremonies. The truce was still too shaky for that. Bella and Scott watched the church from across the street, in the same place that the police had set up surveillance. There were three fewer officers on the force now, and their pictures were ruined. The sea of green was led onto the streets by Remy. He stood tall, in spite of his grief. His Honor Guard was beside him as he walked. Scott held Bella in a loose hug. They trailed the processional on the rooftops to the graveyard. Henry and Jean-Luc were laid to rest in the family crypt. Remy had officially been installed as Guildmaster the night before.
There were a sheaf of hits out on Thieves that were security risks. The difficulty was that they had to be killed out of town. Unlike the Assassins Guild, it was not common practice to kill off problems. They were usually merely disciplined. Remy was arranging for several of them to be transferred to other Guilds around the country. If that occurred, the hits were to be cancelled.
Remy and Scott peered at the computer screen. "This is an interesting program. It's for creating training exercises," Remy said. "You want it?"
"Why not?" Scott popped in a disc. "This is the worst security I've ever seen. Oh, look, is that the personnel records?"
"Oui. I'll download them too. Want to find some snacks? I'm getting hungry."
"I'm sure there's something in the kitchen we could snag. Maybe a quick run to their lab?"
"If you like. I was thinking of getting some pictures for Raven. You know she misses her girl."
"I think she has a thing going for Baldy."
"Really? I'd pay to see that."
"You would. Christ, get the hormones under control or I'll tell Bella you were flirting with the waitress."
"I'll be good. Honest, Scotty. Oh, here's some medical files. Those should be interesting reading for Bella. She's going into the medicine after all."
"The better to kill you with, chere," Scott snickered. Remy bumped his shoulder. "So, what are you going to major in?"
"I was thinking business with a minor in art."
"Sounds good. I think you'd like the sciences better?"
"Really? I've never been into science really."
"How about math?"
"I'm good at it, but it doesn't really send me. Think we should send in a bid to upgrade their security?"
"Naw, let them suffer. Oh, grab that Legacy Virus stuff for Hawthorne. He's always looking for new research."
"I thought he was into eugenics more than anything else."
Scott shrugged. "He's interested in anything having to do with mutants. He's a good doctor. And doesn't ask questions, so we don't debate politics."
"That's okay, he likes you. Thinks you'd be good stock. He's been trying to get me to set you up with some woman he has. Calls her Madeline."
"Not my type?"
"Not even close. She's a poster child for typists." Remy shook his head. "I think you'd be much better off with the girl down the street." Scott batted Remy's head. "Oh, you're so mean to me," Remy pined.
"Shut up, Brat, and change that security monitor. I don't want to watch wild and furry getting it on with anything."
"They're married? Oh, that's sick. Think I should kill them both?"
"No. Have Bella do it, if you like. I think you should stay away from Claws until we know what makes him tick."
"Whatever. I think I saw chocolate cake in the fridge when we went through it."
"Sounds good to me."
"Residence Boudreaux-LeBeau."
"May I speak with Remy LeBeau, please?" the voice asked pleasantly about two months later.
"One moment." Remy took the phone from his wife and raised a brow. She shrugged.
"Bonjour."
"Remy LeBeau? My name is Professor Charles Xavier from Xavier's School for the Gifted. I will be in town on a recruiting visit next week and I wanted to arrange for a meeting with you."
"Oui. When?" Remy flipped out his dayplanner.
"Next Wednesday?"
"Dat works. F' lunch?"
"Yes. That would be perfect. I'll make the reservations. When the young lady answered she said Boudreaux-LeBeau correct?"
"Oui?"
"Would Scott Boudreaux happen to live there as well."
"I get him. Bella, get Scotty."
"Who is it?" Scott asked.
"Professor Charles Xavier," Remy grinned. Scott shook his head.
"This is Scott Boudreaux, how can I help you?" Xavier went through his spiel and they agreed to lunch. Professor Charles Xavier had just made the biggest mistake of his career. He was meeting the partners in crime together.
Remy and Scott looked nothing like Guildmasters as they sat in the restaurant with Xavier. Remy was wearing a tee-shirt and jeans, his signature green leather trench was no where in evidence. It felt odd not to be carrying it's usual weight. He wasn't even wearing his gloves. Scott was hardly better in jeans and an LSU tee. They both wore their sunglasses as usual. Remy's hair was pulled into a loose ponytail. The waiter brought the wine and food and the men settled down for business. Remy reached for the wine and Scott smacked his hand.
"Hey!"
"You're underage."
"So?" Scott just frowned. Remy sighed.
"Tell us about this school."
"Xavier's School for the Gifted was founded on...." Xavier gave them the full "dream" speech and then set about explaining that his research had indicated they were powerful mutants and that he was willing to provide training with no cost to them. Remy snickered. Scott was doing his best not to frown as the professor patronized the two of them.
"So, like, we go to New York an' leave our families here for training? I mean come on. I'm married. There's no way I'm gonna leave my wife for a man with a dream."
"And you're gonna teach us to live with humans. Duh, we already do that."
"Bella's human," Remy shrugged. "You been on the streets here?"
"I mean, it's totally not a high prejudice area."
"Gentlemen, I understand your reservations, however, untrained mutant abilities..."
"An' who says we're untrained? Just because we didn't use them to take down that strike force of yours?" Xavier felt his stomach drop. He couldn't read either of the young men across from him, but they were implying that they'd tracked Logan and the others back to New York. The waiter came by solicitously providing them with more wine. He winked at the two young men from behind the professor's shiny pate.
"At no cost to us. Right. You just want us to become X-men. I mean really dude, you shouldn't lie like that. It's not a good habit for someone like you."
"This is so not gonna happen. See you round, Wheels," Remy said in disgust.
"Oh, by the way, the Louis XIV table would look much better in the hall than the den," Scott stated as he got to his feet.
"And the Renoir in your office is a fake no matter what Sotheby's told you," Remy added, following suit.
"Rock on, dude!" Scott stated raising is fist in the traditional sign, thumb and pinkie extended.
"Later, Wheels," Remy said with the same gesture.
"Boys," Xavier sighed. His mind was working overtime. He paid the check and hurried back to his hotel. Storm was there waiting for him.
Remy and Scott couldn't stop laughing. "Did you see his face, Bella?" they asked as they settled at her table. They were soon joined by Raven Darkholme, better known as Mystique. She'd been their waiter.
"Oh, boys, that was just too precious. I've just got to go see him. I think I'll warn him about you two," she smiled. She kissed them each on the cheek, running a lingering hand down Scott's face.
Bella snickered. "That was good! I loved it. What did you say to him before pulling the end there?"
They recounted their experience to her as they ate dessert with her.
"Hello, Charles," a voice purred in the professor's ear.
"Mystique," he sighed moving over a little on the bed. She settled beside him, tracing patterns on his chest through the sheet.
"My sources tell me you have a meeting with Remy and Scott. Now, I don't even want to know why a man like you is meeting with the head of the Thieves and Assassins Guilds, but I thought I'd better warn you anyway. The boys are so dangerous. If you treat them like children they get even worse. Scott is just a killer. And when he gets his sarcasm out," she shook her head. "And Remy can be just so unpredictable. It comes from being married to an Assassin. I just thought that I'd better tell you to treat them like diplomats."
"Those two children are the Guildmasters!" Charles hissed.
"Oh, no! You've already met with them haven't you?" She sighed theatrically.
"I'll try to stop them from doing anything, but I don't know. Do tell Rogue hello." She kissed the professor on the lips and left. Professor Charles Xavier, leader of the X-men, and respected researcher of genetics, indulged in some of the most creative cursing Mystique had ever heard as she sat outside of his bedroom on the window ledge.
"De shipment o' explosives is comin' from where?" Remy asked, staring at his wife.
"Alexi. I met him in Russia. He be a full Assassin. He should have 'is Master class soon. He's good."
"An' he be sendin' explosives. Wonderful. Dis we need. De Tithing be next week."
"We just kill de bitch," Bella shrugged. "What's de big deal?"
"She come back, chere!"
"Dere's a way t' kill 'er. We jus' have t' find it. Try dat computer data y' pulled fr' New York."
"Oui, Sas." She tugged at his ponytail. The three of them had moved into the neutral mansion between the LeBeau and Boudreaux grounds. The Guilds hadn't totally adjusted, but there were very few incidents all told. Bella kissed Remy's cheek.
"I hope it's gory."
"Why me?" he asked the ceiling. "I don' dink I'll be sparin' wit' y' t'day."
"Fine. You can spar wit' me," Scott said as he passed by the pair. "Is de shipment on schedule?"
"Oui."
The X-men were training as was their wont, against holographic enemies. Coordinating efforts with barely a muttered direction here or there or a gentle push from Phoenix. Suddenly, there was a small explosion and two men were sprawled in the middle of the training room. The program shut off automatically. The two men sat up, groaning. The large black man, looked at his compatriot,
"Are you all right, Cable?"
"I'm fine, Bishop. What the hell? How did we end up in the Danger Room?"
"I believe we have been time traveling."
"Oh, great. Confirmation was not what I wanted. Hey, Logan, where's Scott?"
"Scott who?" Logan growled at him. His claws were extended.
"Scott Summers. Cyclops. Leader of the X-men?"
"Yer infermation's wrong, bub. Wanna tell me what's goin' on here?" He advanced on the two men who had stood and were dusting themselves off.
"Then we should probably see the Professor."
A voice came over the loudspeaker, "meet me in my office. Jean, escort our guests please," Xavier said pleasantly. Inwardly, the professor was cursing. This was just what they didn't need. First, Bobby had removed all of the chalk to some untold location. Now, there were what seemed to be time traveling soldiers that knew about the X-men showing up in the Danger Room. And the children were all talking about some new toy fad that they just had to play. It was enough to give a man fits.
The office was crammed full. "I am Professor Charles Xavier, the headmaster of this school and you are?"
"I'm Cable and he is Bishop. We're X-men." Cable shrugged. "Time travel is such a pain. Where's Scott? Does he know that Jean's alive? On Muir? Something like that?" Cable's voice was a little strained. He'd just noticed Jean sitting on Logan's lap. He repressed a shudder.
"Scott who?" Cable stared at the professor.
"Scott Summers also known as Cyclops, leader of the X-men. You know, stands about 6'2". Wears red shades. Dark hair. About 190 pounds? Walks like he's got a surgically implanted stick up his ass? Havok's big brother? Jean's husband? Is any of this striking a chord?"
"I don't have a brother," Alex said sharply. Cable stared at him, then laughed.
"Just because you're fighting with him or something." The professor was staring at Cable as if he were a fascinating, but dangerous specimen.
"Will you allow me into your mind to see a picture of this man?"
"Of course." Cable grinned at his own foolishness. If this was a truly different timeline, they couldn't be sure that Scott was called Scott. He had been an orphan after all. He projected the image of Scott Summers in full fighting gear and then in street clothes.
The professor sighed. "You mean Scott Boudreaux." Bishop sat up quickly.
"You must be mistaken," he stated. He glanced at Cable. A slight frown was on the man's face.
"Scott Boudreaux, of New Orleans. The head of the Assassin's Guild." The professor handed them a picture. "Alpha class mutant. I spoke with him and his brother-in-law two weeks ago." Cable swallowed. He had the curious feeling that he was about to go over a cliff with no parachute.
"Brother-in-law?"
"Remy LeBeau."
"Oh. My. God," Cable gasped. Bishop stared at them all with something approaching terror. He looked around the room. He knew all the faces. Phoenix, Storm, Wolverine, Havok, Iceman, Beast, Rogue, Psylocke, Angel, Shadowcat, Collosus, he ticked them off in his mind. A little voice, one he rarely listened to was telling him that there was a time to be brave and a time to run like "de Hounds o' Hell be after y'." He was beginning to believe that this was one of the later. He looked at Cable.
"We do not belong in this timeline at all," he stated quietly. Cable lifted the thoughts from his companion's mind. //There is no Gambit here. And your parents have never met.// Cable pulled out his gun and ran a check on it as the members in the room stiffened. Jean prepared to take the weapon. As she reached out she impacted against a stronger TK field than she had ever sensed.
"X-men. Please leave us." Logan and Jean were holding hands. Cable gagged at the sight. When the door had shut behind them, Xavier turned his attention to the two men in front of him. "Explain to me who you are."
Cable took a deep breath. "I am the son of Scott Summers and a clone of Jean Grey." Xavier blinked. He accepted the statement as it stood. "Answer me this, is Redd really the runt's girl here?"
"Logan and Jean are married." Cable couldn't help it, the nausea overwhelmed him and he sprinted for the bathroom to empty the contents of his stomach. Bishop watched him with sympathy. He never had understood the concept of having a father you could care for. "And you, Bishop?"
"I was sent back in time to prevent the death of the X-men."
"By whom?"
"The Witness. He was the one X-man who did not die in the conflict."
"And who was this 'witness' before the X-men died." It was infuriating to be stonewalled. Xavier really wasn't in the mood for long drawn out interrogations.
"Gambit. Remy LeBeau." Xavier closed his eyes.
"You are far out of your time stream, I fear."
"We'd noticed," Cable stated from the door. He didn't look quite so pale anymore. "Maybe this is the time-line's way of dealing with the paradox. If we don't exist here. And can't exist here, then we can't cause a paradox wave." Bishop considered that for a moment. "However, we could still exist in this time line, but not in the way we do in the others. If Scott Boudreaux runs into the clone of Jean that Sinister created, they could still have you. However, you would be raised as an assassin."
"A soldier from birth, that wouldn't be a stretch. Summers as an assassin. Damn, that must be a sight. I wonder if he's as stiff in this lifetime?"
"Perhaps. But if LeBeau is still in the Guild, perhaps this is the correct timeline to create the Witness. How old are LeBeau and Boudreaux?"
"LeBeau is nearly 17 and Boudreaux is 23."
"And LeBeau is married?"
"Yes. They took over the Guilds last year." Bishop stared at the professor. If the man weren't who he was, he'd demand the man tell him the truth.
"Merde," he muttered almost to himself, then his eyes widened as he realized what he'd said. Cable was staring at him with an odd look.
"You know, I'm beginning to understand why you don't like Gambit." Bishop snorted.
"The man is untrustworthy, but he is... was loyal to the X-men. I do not see that occurring here."
"And I don't see an assassin falling for Madeline. Or for Jean even." Xavier watched the two men, attempting to glean additional information about the situation.
"Can you tell me more of the men you knew?" Cable and Bishop exchanged a glance.
"I can't see it hurting anything. The men we knew don't exist here."
"You are welcome to stay with us here. We can always use new members. Once and X-man always an X-man," Xavier stated quietly. Cable nodded and Bishop shrugged. Cable started first.
Dismemberment. The only way to kill the bitch was dismemberment. Remy was not pleased. No siree, not at all. It wasn't the killing that bothered him, so much as the messiness of the death. Oh, Bella and Scott would be more than pleased to chop the woman to bits, but Remy was a Thief, not an Assassin and that made all the difference. He stared at the information, then sighed. No use in trying to hide it. They'd just pester him until he came clean. He scowled at the computer. A small surge of power would erase the hard-drive and destroy the discs, but Scott would just suggest that he go get the information. Hell, it wasn't even a challenge to break into Xavier's mansion. Bella stroked through his hair, dislodging the band that held his hair back.
"Ooooh, looks like fun. This means we can play with her first."
"Sas! You've got to think about the possible dangers. She's got guards. And you have no clue what other powers the woman has. If she can pass on powers to the Assassins that aren't mutants what can she do on her own? We don't have enough information to play games. In and out. Just destroy her. An explosion would do it."
"She's got dampers on the Tithing chamber," Scott stated, perching on the edge of the desk. Bella had her hands on Remy's shoulders kneading out the tenseness she felt there.
"Dampers can be circumvented."
"Not easily and not in one week. Options." Bella took a moment to think.
"Her base. Or we tempt her out of her home. With bait." She smiled at her brother. "Like a single Assassin Guildmaster who looks really good in leather." Scott raised a brow.
"You want me to seduce her."
"Well, that was the gist of it."
"Belle," Scott sighed. "I've never even met the woman. You have no way of knowing if that is even feasible. For all we know, she might be attracted to you." The blonde rolled her eyes.
"Men. You two come up with the plan then. That's what you're in charge for right?" she said sweetly. Then, she calmly smacked the back of Remy's head. "And don't even think about saying the comment that I'm sure is going through your head right now."
Remy looked Scott dead in the eye and mouthed: "P. M. S." Scott forced on his poker face.
"Where's she located?"
"The plans are in the file cabinet. And the latest update from her security company. That doesn't mean that she doesn't have something additional attached to her place, or a spook or something on staff."
"Our shields seem to frustrate Wheels and he's a telepath. We're probably okay on that front. But it's not knowing that bothers me."
"We could stake the place out," Bella added. "A week is long enough to get a feel for the security routine."
"I want her dead before Tithing, but after would work as well. We could walk out on her or not show up at all," Scott suggested.
"If we don't go, she'll have us all dead and new leaders in place. They won't want to get rid of her. No, we go through with the ceremony and refuse the exlir." Remy pulled out his "thinking deck." "Of course, we could make it look almost accidental. Blow the through the pipes into her place. She's on the swamp. We could redirect some of the gases..."
"We direct the gases into the pipes and light a match. It'll take out more than her place and there may be innocents involved. And there's no way to guarantee that she'll be inside or dismembered. It's going to have to be a snatch and run."
"Kidnapping? I suppose. Do you have someplace secure enough to hold her?"
"I think we do. By the river. We can hold her. And no one notices anything down there."
"Then we can get her. No one's that secure. Not at this time of the year. She'll be out for a celebration."
"Surveillance, like I said," Bella stated. The boys nodded. "I'll get the equipment."
At least it was relatively warm in the back of the car. Bella was curled up on Remy's lap, watching Candra's home. "Is that her?" she asked, handing the binoculars to Remy. He looked through, blanched and nodded.
"That's her."
"What have you done that I have to hurt you for?"
"Nothing."
"Liar."
"One night stand. When is Scotty coming?"
"Soon. Okay. Before we were married? Oh, look at that dog. Beautiful."
"A rotwieler. Nice. Before. Right after the Master ceremony." Bella shrugged.
"Fine. Alexi and I celebrated after mine." Remy shrugged.
"Do I need to kill him?"
"No. He's a good contact and he'll be taking over a guild someday. I can feel it."
"That should be good. I was thinking that maybe we should... I don't like that. There's something strange about that fence."
"You're right. It doesn't seem to be electrified, but there's something else going on. Should what?"
"Work out a treaty with the other guilds. You know, if the assignment's in their area, we send it to them. At the moment it's just convention, nothing in writing."
"Hm, that sounds like a clever idea. Then, you won't be running around when I want you at home."
"Then again, that means I wouldn't be able to steal that painting you wanted from the Met."
"So, just hold off until we get everything we want from the museums." She kissed his temple. "Oh, my. I think it's a TK shield. See how that bird bounced off?"
"Damn. That means we can't go in over the fence. Not without a fight. I think we need to get her out of there. Are we prepped to take her if she leaves the grounds tonight?"
"I think so. I've got the cuffs and the suppression collar." Remy shuddered.
"Nasty things."
"You're the one that got it."
"Cost me too."
"How much?"
"A pint of blood. That man's just got to be a vampire. I swear."
"Hawthorne?"
"Who else. There's more than a dog roaming those grounds. It's creepy." Bella was instantly alert. There was something a little off in Remy's voice. Like when he was talking about telepaths.
"How so?"
"It's like being watched. A wash of something sickly. Tante Mattie'd say the place is haunted. Maybe that's partly it. The ghosts. Maybe she's just gotten charms at the fence."
"That could be dangerous in itself. I think we just take down the complete compound. I doubt there's any innocents in there, despite my brother's optimism."
"You can't stay near her and stay innocent." Bella patted his hair.
"So we do it. And forget Scott's objections?"
"No, we take her down like we planned. I'm not starting a war over a disagreement and that's what that would do and you know it. And I gave my word. So did you."
"I remember. Damn the man," she said affectionately. "I still say we use him as bait."
"I think it could work. She definitely is fond of men. And Scott's not exactly ugly." Bella rolled her bright blue eyes. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "That's the fourth rotation of guards. I don't like the fact that she's got so many."
"We can do this. We've got two master assassins and a master thief on the case. The bitch is dead." Remy sighed. "The explosives are here. Scott will be by to take over. Didn't either of you tell your assistants what was going on?"
"We can't be sure of their loyalties. And there are still those who want the elixir."
"That could be messy. Still, if the two of you are in agreement, their going to have to deal with it. That's part of the vows."
"Yeah. I wonder if there's a better way in from the back?"
"Maybe."
"Hello, kids," Scott said, knocking on the window. "Move along. Move along. Nothing to see here." Remy shook his head.
"You are a freak."
"Coming from you that's a compliment. Go on home."
"Okay. You really shouldn't be out here without back-up."
"I'm not." Remy rolled his eyes.
"Fine. See you later." Belle slipped off his lap and in to the driver's seat.
"Be good."
"If not we'll be better!" Scott's sister said with a wave as she hit the gas. Scott continued down the street as if he were just out for a walk. Out of the sight of the guards, he slipped in to the shadows.
Two days later they were plotting, planning, and drawing the guard rotations. "I still say we throw Scott in and let him get her to come out," Belladonna stated, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
"She'll like him," Remy agreed. Scott calmly kicked his sister under the table while he smacked the younger man across the back of the head. "Someday I'm gonna call the cops on the abuse I get around here."
"You just need to work on your pain tolerance."
"That's okay."
"I'll help you, cher," Belle purred in his ear. He smiled at her.
"Excuse me, you two. I hate to interrupt this little cooing session, but we do have work to do?"
"We wire the place and blow it during the ceremony."
"Too many of our own people could be hurt like that."
"You two are so, so, male. Just tell them not to go. Say that because of the new unification the two of you need to hammer out a new agreement with the bitchyfactress."
"She does have a point, I guess," Remy sighed. "But I think catching the woman outside of that fortress of hers would be the best."
"I don't think she'll be leaving before the tithing. They had groceries delivered today."
"That's not a good thing. What do we know about what she's got in the way of weaponry?" Remy asked.
"The guards have guns, knives, the usual. Some explosives in the house, we don't know where. Ammo for the guns."
"So, basically, we're going in blind and are completely fucked?"
"That's a fair summary. Oh, and don't forget that we're going to have to wing it."
"Oh, I'm so glad you added that part. I really am. I thought this was going to be too easy."
"Don't forget the telekinetic shield over the place," Belle added, cheerfully. The thief looked at the two assassins who were grinning.
"This is Hell, non? The two of you are getting off on the fact that we don't have a plan. I know for a fact that you spend as much time planning as I do when I'm pulling off a heist. So, what's the difference?"
"Psychosis," Scott informed him, straight-faced. "Besides, I've seen you fight. You like it too."
"Not when the stakes are this high."
"But fate loves you."
"Which is why I'm married to an assassin," Remy sighed. "I'm going to die aren't I?"
"Non," his wife said, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, "no one gets to kill you but me."
"Comforting, truly, Sas. Fine. We go in to the tithing with guns, and explosives and knives. We kill her people. We kill her. Drag her someplace and hack her to bits."
"Don't forget the suppression collar and handcuffs for that part. And the acid bath to get rid of the evidence."
"So, anyone else want Chinese tonight?" Belle asked.
"Sure," the men agreed.
The tithing was an old tradition. Almost as old as the first Guild members on the continent. Candra had become the benefactress of the Guilds, offering them power and immortality. The bitterness between the Guilds had been fostered by one woman who wanted loyalty from her children. That was what they were to her, siblings. She wanted them competitive and on edge. The unification was unexpected to say the least, although, she did like the children. She had never believed they were capable of dealing with the political ramifications of the marriage.
The fact that they were successful upset her. Rather badly. But the tithing would come and there would be a new agreement. They weren't stupid enough to brush her off. With that comforting thought in mind, she ran a brush through her hair. Maybe she should make a play for the Boudreaux boy. That would be fun. And maybe the girl. She was sure Remy would go for that, as long as he got to watch of course. Most men were more than willing to give up their wives for a night. And if not, the girl was a Master Assassin. She had plenty of ways to convince him to go along with things.
Well, they'll be here tonight, she told herself as she curled her hair. And things will be resolved one way or another.
Candra never had the Guildmasters searched. It wasn't as if they could kill her with their pathetic weapons. And their powers would be suppressed in the tithing chamber anyway. She was doubly sure that Remy wouldn't hurt her. He wasn't the type to hit a woman. Especially not a lover, even if it was only one night. His wife, however, was another matter. But that could be settled woman to woman. She sat, regally on the high-backed chair she thought of as her throne. There they were. Oh, weren't they a pretty picture.
She'd never seen the Boudreaux boy this closely before. He was delicious. The black leather of the modified colors he preferred highlighted every muscle in his body. He stood straight, almost arrogantly before her. The long black trenchcoat hid a little too much of his physique for her taste. Remy was a little taller than she remembered, but he was still growing. His eyes were older now too. He swept her a gallant bow. She felt one corner of her mouth twitch up in response.
"Speak, boys," she purred.
"We've got a new deal for you, Benefactress," Scott informed her.
"Really? I don't recall requesting a new deal."
"It wasn't a request, Madam," Remy added. A second later the men in front of her had taken down the guards in the chamber down without a sound. "If you would step this way?" the Thief said, offering her a hand down from the dais. She raised her brows, but took the hand with centuries old grace. She stepped delicately over her head guard and kicked him in the head. "I brought you a necklace," Remy said absently rubbing at a bruise on his cheek. "I thought it would match your eyes." She laughed.
"You don't have to impress me any more, you know. I know you're quite worthy of your position, Master LeBeau." Her eyes twinkled. Scott pulled a timer from his pocket. He studied the readout for a moment.
"If you're done flirting, Remy, I've got other things to do today."
"Jealous, Master Boudreaux?" she purred. "I'm not married, you know." He shook his head with a rueful grin.
"What is it with people in this town and trying to set me up?" he asked the ceiling.
Candra smiled. "You need a strong woman by your side to take up some of the responsibility for peacekeeping in the Guild."
"May I put the necklace on for you?" She gave Remy a dazzling smile.
"Of course, Sweetie." He fastened the delicate choker around her neck and Scott noted the flash as the circuit was connected. Remy kissed her cheek and as she turned toward him, Scott buried the stiletto his sister had lent him in her heart. She gasped and collapsed. Remy checked his watch.
"And under time too. Let's get out of here." They wrapped her in a midnight-blue full cloak and put an arm over each of their shoulders. They settled her hooded head on Scott's shoulder. The hood hid her face so it seemed that she was talking earnestly with them. With a small application of charm, no one questioned that illusion. Belle was waiting in the car for them. She opened the door and helped Candra in to the backseat.
Quickly turning, Scott hit the release code and the shed in the back yard exploded attracting the attention of the gaurds. They drove off while the guards were running to the explosion.
Candra woke up angry. Remy was straddling a chair, a delicate necklace swinging around his finger. "Welcome back, Candra. I didn't really believe it. Belle's going to be so happy."
"Let me up!" she ordered, yanking ineffectually on the chains that held her down. Remy clucked.
"Well, I can see, I'm going to have to make sure you can't break out of that." He knelt down and gently placed the necklace around her neck. "Would you like something to drink?" She nodded. He lifted her head and trickled a small amount of water in to her mouth. When she finished the glass, he set it aside. "Better?"
"Yes. Well, you've gotten my attention. What is this new deal you want to make?" Remy looked at her in surprise. He laughed.
"No more deals, Candra. Time to say goodbye."
"You can't kill me. I'm immortal."
"I wouldn't be too sure of that," a female voice said from behind her. Belladonna Boudreaux stalked around her, settling an arm around her husband's waist. "We have a tradition of pulling off the impossible in this family. Now, where to begin?"
"What is this all about? Is this jealously, Belladonna?"
"For a one-night stand? I have much better things to do with my time. Like torture for instance. You can scream all you want." Remy resumed his position in his chair. He looked up in interest when Scott came in carrying a chainsaw.
"It's for later," he explained. "Am I interrupting something, Belle?" he asked. Belle had straddled the External and was cutting off her clothing, leaving shallow wells of blood on the pale skin. The blonde with the knife shook her head. "So, you going to watch, or are you going to destroy some evidence?"
"I'll watch for a little while, then, when there's too much blood for me, I'm going to destroy some evidence. You gonna come with me?"
Scott studied the women on the floor. "You know, if Belle wasn't my sister...."
"Shut up. Shut up right now, Fearless." Scott grinned and patted his brother-in-law on the top of the head.
"That's okay. We won't hold a weak stomach against you."
Remy rolled his eyes. "So is this what they teach you in med school?"
"Nope, this is private training." Belle was very carefully skinning one of Candra's outstretched arms. The External had bitten through her lip trying not to cry out. Tears were streaming from her eyes. Remy shook his head. "Don't worry, I'll clean my knife before we work on your pain tolerance."
"Sas, I love you, but I don't trust you with a knife anywhere near me."
"Smart boy, Twist."
"I do have some sense of self-preservation." Candra lost two battles. First, she screamed. Then, she passed out. Belle wrinkled up her nose at the smell.
"Where's the hose, Brother-mine?"
"Over there. Do you want me to take of the necklace, so she can heal up?"
"Yeah. I don't want her to die that easily. This is going to be fun."
"I'm going to destroy some evidence. I'll be back in say, two hours?"
"Okay, I'll save the best until last. See you then." Belle turned the hose on the woman cleaning away the mess. Remy escaped to the serenity of the underground tunnels of the Thieves' Guild.
LeBeau monitored Candra's compound. The guards were out in strength. If Belle and he had calculated correctly, the planners would be in the office behind the tithing room. He hummed under his breath. "Supply room's connected to de kitchen, kitchens connected to de dining room, dining rooms connected to the parlor, all the live long day." He hadn't tried his powers from this distance before, but if it worked, great, if not, he'd just have to sneak closer. He was perched in a tree in the swamp that was the back perimeter of Candra's yard. The animals had ignored him, except for a pissed off squirrel that had told him off before scampering away.
The wall of the supply room began to glow. He reached beyond it. Oh, there, that was nice and unstable. Remy really liked unstable compounds, they were so much fun. If anyone had been monitoring the supply room, they would have noticed the C-4 turning pink. As it was, they only saw the results as the supply room blew sky high and collapse the kitchen and half the dining room with it. Fire spread across the roof of the building. The quartet of guards that had been guarding the supplies were just so much torn and burnt flesh.
Remy reached out again. This time he located the supporting wall of the tithing chamber. "Timing, it's all in the timing." It exploded, collapsing the roof on the tenants of the office and the chamber. Something invisible to the eye disappeared and Remy grinned. It appeared he'd taken out whoever was controlling the TK shield. He slipped over the fence in one quick move and was lost in the confusion. He took out the remaining support walls and the compound was leveled. Whistling lightly, he slipped off of the grounds, blowing out the guard house for good measure. It was time to see what Bella was up to.
"You're running a little late," Scott snapped.
"Saw a necklace I just had to have."
"Ah. And who was it on?"
"A tourist. She won't even know where she lost it."
"Someday you're going to have to move beyond the 'oooh shiny' phase you know."
"No need to get catty. Besides, your sister's having fun and I don't want to upset her."
"Remy, sweetie, come look at this! She can regenerate skin! It takes about a minute an inch."
"Really?" Remy peered over his wife's shoulder. Candra's eyes were glazed. He doubted she was even feeling the pain any more. He watched as the skin grew back. "Wow. That could be handy."
"Too bad I can't figure out a way to bottle it like she did." Remy shrugged.
"Well, there's no point in that. How many ways have you killed her?"
"About forty. She reacts oddly to poisons. Time to kill her for good." Candra's eyes flickered to them in fear. Something must have gotten through the fog in her mind. Scott started up the chainsaw.
"Bye-bye, bitch," he said. Remy moved to the far side of the room. He wasn't dressed for the occasion. He peered in to the acid bath. It smelled disgusting, but it was semi-unstable and that was enough to hold his attention. Belle hummed as she brought over the arms. Remy decided that descretion was called for and retreated to the bathroom to empty his stomach.
"So, Italian tonight?" Belle asked.
"Whatever you two want. I'm just having a salad." Belle frowned. She didn't like it when Remy didn't eat.
"What's wrong?"
"My stomach's just a little queasy. I pushed a bit too far today."
"Which normally means you're willing to eat anything. Especially, pasta."
"I'm just not hungry tonight, Sas."
"Voluse, I'm warning you, you better eat later."
"Or what."
"Or I'll take you to Hawthorne."
"I'll eat later, chere. I'm just not really interested right now. I'll be in my office, okay?"
"Okay. I'll ask Mattie to make you something for your stomach."
"Merci, chere."
Scott watched his brother-in-law leave the room. "He's not an assassin, Belle. You know that. Getting rid of Candra upset him."
"I know. But you don't understand. With his metabolism, he should be eating everything under the sun right now. Something else is wrong."
"Like what."
"I don't know. I'm not a mind-reader. He's more than just unsettled. Like he said, he pushed himself, but he was riding high when he got back and he didn't even flinch at the skinning. It was like it didn't matter. He should have been half asleep until he ate something."
"I'll talk to him, okay? He might not want to worry you."
"He's doing a piss-poor job of it."
"Belle."
"Fine. Go talk to him. And make him eat something. He can barely keep his weight on as it is. I'm not going to let him starve."
"I'll take him some bread," Scott promised.
"So what's wrong, Street-rat?" Scott settled on the couch and looked up to where Remy was perched on the book ladder. He was surprised he hadn't had to track him to one of the trees out back. Then again, he had told his wife he'd be in his office.
"I'm just feeling a little off. I'm fine, Scotty."
"Don't call me that."
"Whatever, Fearless."
"Talk to me. Explain 'off.'"
"Remy's just..."
"Twist!"
"I'm just a little off kilter. It's like nothing looks right. Nothing looks solid. I can see the air moving around me and it's just a little too much to take in right now."
"You can see the air?"
"Yes."
"What are you seeing?"
"I'm seeing molecules and bonds. I'm so tempted to reach out and play with them. The air's already so excited. The real powers in the things around me. Do you know how attractive that desk looks? I just want to watch it blow. I'm losing it."
"You're having a power spike. And Candra's dying messed with your empathy."
"You think?"
"Yes, I think. You want to blow off some of your energy, or do you think you need to keep hold of it?"
"If I start I'll take down the block."
"Even the adamantium?"
"It doesn't take charge well, but I think I could take it out without a problem today."
"That's why you don't want to eat. Too much surplus energy. Tell Belle the truth."
"No, she'll just get weird and overprotective." That startled her brother.
"Over protective?" Remy looked at his hands.
"Yeah. She gets over protective when it comes to my powers. When I first met her, she didn't want to let me leave."
"You saved her life. That's an honor debt to her."
"She's saved my life since then. A couple of times actually. But that's not the point. She just won't let me be alone and I need to concentrate and I need to be alone to get a handle on things and just in case I can get a handle on things, I don't know if I could protect her. It's hard enough to keep from charging my clothes."
"I don't think you'd hurt her."
"But you don't know that. You don't know how often I knocked myself out of my bed when I was younger because I'd charged my pillow or the blanket or something. I can't take that chance with her life. I don't want that to be the reason why she gets hurt."
"Come here for a second."
"Why?"
"Just trust me for a minute." The thief jumped lightly to the ground. Scott couldn't tell if there was a danger and Remy knew it. Even though Scott's eyes had long ago adjusted to the red screen of his glasses, there was one shade of red he just didn't see. Unfortunately, that was the shade of red that Remy's charge created. Still, Remy called him 'Fearless' for a reason. He put out his hand and Remy took it. "You don't ordinarily charge living things."
"Non, there's too much activity." Scott felt the light touch of empathy, like cotton wool against his shields. At this point, he knew he had to keep his emotions steady.
"Come on, sit down." The younger man settled on the couch. His eyes were haunted.
"You don't understand, Scott. I killed a man when my powers developed."
"I know. You saved Belle's life when you did." Remy was scared to death, but he wasn't going to say it outright. He'd learned too many hard lessons about showing his emotions. "We'll deal with this, Street-rat."
"This is something I have to do by myself."
"Non." Scott smacked the side of his head. "You aren't in this alone. You have a wife. You have a brother, remember? You have Mattie. I remember what it's like. But you can control this. Fate doesn't give you any more than you can handle. You just need to start doing control exercises again. That's it. And tonight, you go upstairs and burn off another kind of energy with your wife, so she'll stop worrying. Tomorrow, you can worry. As for seeing air. You'll adjust to that too. You'll start to filter out the extra information unless you need it. It's going to work out okay. Don't worry."
"Thanks, Scotty."
"All part of the service. Go on. Belle's worried about you and she's set to force feed you. Tell her what's happening and tell her you have a plan. Then she won't get too protective."
"Just possessive. You're sister's a pyro, you know."
"Non, that's you." Remy grinned.