Guilt

Gambit sat at the head of the table in his renovated Antebellum home. It was his job to police both the assassins and thieves across the US for he was the Guildsmaster. But he had never wanted this. He would have gladly married Belladonna if he could have prevented what happened. If he could have stopped the guilt, the loss, the pain that it caused his family.

As he was passed a few files from the heads of the regions he once again thought of his decision and how wrong it had been.

New Orleans 2009

Gambit was waiting in the spare book room of the St. Joseph church with his wedding mere moments away. He did love Bella and was lucky enough to be engaged to a woman he cared about, but it was what came with the package that he did not like. If he married Bella both families would be under his control. He would never get out of this. He wanted to be free.

Tired of the lying, the killing, and the deceiving he placed his ring on the wooden table and left. He hoped that someday Bella would understand his decision. That someday his family would understand too.

But Gambit did not foresee what was to happen next. Bella was pissed beyond belief that Gambit would just leave her. She wanted revenge. Why would he leave her? She was perfect for him. He told her he loved her.

Bella's dad couldn't take his daughter's disappointment and waged war against the thieves. Not just the LeBeau family itself, but anyone with connections to them. Out of work, retired thieves to thieves in training were subject to his anger.

He called other assassin families from the Kielarowski family (more like mob) in the Midwest to the Diablo's in the southwest. Together they raged war from every corner of America, Hawaii included, against all the thieves' families first starting in New Orleans.

The thieves were not at all prepared or organized for the initial attack. JeanLuc awoke one night to the sounds of yelling outside his home. He looked out his window to see Bella's father leading the Bourdeaux's and others to their home. He knew that they were outnumbered and awoke his sons.

He told them to save their selves. There was no way to survive this. But his sons refused to leave him. JeanLuc , as leader, could not leave. He would stay and die. Of course his sons refused to abandon them so they loaded their guns, broke the windows, and took aim.

JeanLuc was shooting through the living room window, Bobby through the top bedroom window, and Jimmy through the kitchen window. All windows faced the front of their estate. The LeBeau's continued to pick the invaders off one by one, but that was not enough.

A shot sounded. Jeanluc watched as his youngest, Jimmy, was shot straight through the forehead. He dropped his own gun and ran to him. He shook the boy wishing for the impossible. His son was dead. He was gone.

He took his gun and ran up to Bobby. He'd be damned if he had to lose another son. He aimed his gun at his last son and forced him to run out of the back. As he watched Bobby run away he noticed the invaders had stopped.

He heard Bella's dad curse at him about breaking Bella's heart. So this was all Remy's fault. Of course it was. JeanLuc looked through a window and saw Bella's father take a torch to their home. He was going to burn them alive!

He pulled Jimmy with him to the basement. He knew his son was dead. Jimmy already got shot through the head; did he disserve to be burned as well?

He covered Jimmy's body with a few burlap sacks along with himself. All he could hope was that Bobby was ok and although he knew this to be Remy's fault he had lost one child and did not want to lose anymore. Especially when he could do nothing about it but lay here and either die from smoke inhalation or fourth degree burns, that is if his house didn't crush him first.

Bobby had found his no good brother in a dinner in Memphis. He told Gambit what had happened. And of course Remy wanted revenge as well. He tried to tell his brother that he did not see this happening. That he did not mean for things to go this far. Bobby countered him with the truth. Asking Remy how being sorry would give him back Jimmy and JeanLuc, they were the only blood relatives he had. Sorry didn't fix things Gambit knew.

He also knew revenge didn't make the pain go away. It only gave you something to focus your anger on and he gladly took the chance. It was ironic that he had left home to leave his sins behind but here he was planning to slaughter them like they did his family.

He organized the thieves together when the Maurice assassin family from the Midwest showed up. The lady, Michelle, had told Gambit that she believed in a balance between the families and would help in any way that she could.

The thieves plus the Maurice family lead by Gambit stormed the assassin strong hold. He would not be satisfied till they died or at the very least suffered for what they had done. Just as the enemy did he left blood and fear in his wake. However in his killing he set out a few rules.

One no woman and children would be casualties of their war.

Two prisoners can be taken

Three the leader (Bella's father) was only for him or bobby to kill

Four other than those who are not to be killed, kill on sight

With that he killed virtually anyone who once lived there in the Bourdeaux house. The only ones who escaped were Julienne and Belladonna and he was ok with that. When all was said and done he had their resources such as money, food, weapons, and medicine taken out of their home then had it burned to the ground as they had his.

After that he went to what was left of his home. After a few hours of excavating they found Jimmy's body and surprisingly JeanLuc was alive, but it would take a long while for him to heal. A very long while.

There was a funeral for Jimmy and those who died on their side. Then all was quiet for two months. In those months Gambit and his brother shared an apartment. Both eager for a break from their lives. Then out of nowhere they had received an invitation to return back to their home in New Orleans.

When they returned their home was grand. The assassins left alive wanted to serve him. They needed guidance, they needed a leader, and the thieves wanted one too. They begged him to stay. As time passed his control spread from the south to the east and soon the entire west was under his watch. Eventually, he proceeded over all fifty states.

Naturally he couldn't be at every place at one time. So how it worked was the states were divided up into five territories: the West, Midwest, Southwest, Southeast, and Northeast. Each territory would have one leader. If they were male they were called king and if female, queen. These 'kings and queens' would report directly to Gambit aka the Guildsmaster.

However, each territory is too big for just one person to govern so each state would have a Sherriff who would report to his king or queen. Each state would of course hold both thieves and assassins. All of these parties would have to give their respective Sherriff a cut of their money, then the king/queen would take a cut of the Sherriff's money and Gambit would take a cut of the king or queen's money. (It's like if you've watched True Blood that's how the order kinda works)

Present

As he thought about that time for what seemed the ninth billionth time he looked over the files. Everything as per usual was in order.

"Guildsmaster," Hose Tatera , the 'king' and presider of the southwest spoke up, "The San Jacinto museum is getting a new and rare blue jade Maya piece."

"Piece? Why tell me?" Gambit asked.

"You see sir I need a little … time to pay you."

"Again Tatera? Ya tryin my patience," Gambit started, "No one else had had trouble."

"You see I wanted to get you the jade piece as collateral. All I need is one month and I'll have all my money. Texas has been lacking of payment."

"An whose fault is tat. I want tat necklace by te end of te week. If I don't get it I'm gonna kill ya … personally."

The room grew silent as he nodded. Michelle the Midwest 'queen' looked as if she wanted to say something but passed. Gambit hated killing people. He really did, but he had long since decided that he was a person who was meant to do bad and there was nothing or no one who could change that.

. ….xxxXXXxxx…

Please review thanks.

I know the story's a little dark so far, but bear with me. It'll get better:]