This story takes place in the Macbethverse and is dedicated to Lady Macbeth ,as with the exception of Gambit and Storm, these are all her original characters. This was her birthday present! Nina, Louis, Isadora, and JD are the spawn of Gambit and Storm, belong to Lady Macbeth and were used with permission. Gambit and Storm belong to Marvel. Vincent has two mommies- Me and Macbeth!

Please R&R, I realize it is taxing to read OCs that you have no attachment to but please let me know what you think with how I pulled it off. Oh, and anyone know who Vincent's real mom is?

Nina

It's 98 degrees out, mild for Cairo but that doesn't ease the frying feeling all over my body. The high noon sun is blazing, my black uniform is sticking to my skin while sweat droplets drip down from my temples, tickling my cheeks on their way to my chin. The back of my hand wipes across my forehead and I am immediately disgusted with the moisture on my leather glove, wiping on my pants before taking another generous gulp of water from the canteen at my side.

I can literally watch the tar bubbles pop on the roof I'm perched upon, although I really should be observing the ground below. What I wouldn't give for the nice shade of a book depository right now.

There's a crackling on the intercom, Isadora's voice breaking through the static:

SZHKKK You holding up ok in this heat?SZHKKK

I push the com link button, "The sooner I can shower the better- I feel like a slug."

SZHKKK More like escargot in this heat.SZHKKK She laughs slightly and I smile to myself in return, SZHKKK Won't be long now, Vince is moving to position. Stay on your toes.SZHKKK

"No problem." I answer, greeted by only silence. I can't have expected her to carry on an entire conversation. I peer into the scope of my PSG-1 rifle once more, still waiting for Vince to arrive to talk to this mutant informant.

I begin to wonder how I got handed watch duty but I know why. It all boils down to my abilities or rather, lack thereof, as the sole non-mutant member of our team. A slight smile forms when I recall telling my parents I would follow in their footsteps, and my older siblings, by way of fighting for Xavier's dream- peace between human and mutants.

Dad was more than livid, me being the baby of the family (a daddy's girl at that) and mom wasn't too keen, yet at the same time, understood my motives, as much as she did not like them.

It is no secret there is a strong desire within the women of my mother's family to be our own person. Grandma – a princess- left her village in Africa to become a scholar in the states, Mom left a life as goddess to make the world a better place as an X-man, even Isadora, my older sister, decided her place was among the X-men; it was only a matter of time I made my way as well.

Just when I begin to think I'll die of heat stroke before I can be useful, there's movement and finally, I crouch forward, observing the scene below through my scope once more, Vincent walking casually down the sidewalk, tossing a cigarette to the side carelessly and adjusting his sunglasses. His shoulder length brown hair is ratty as usual, and his posture more rigid and assertive, rather than the trademark slouch of the slacker he tries to play.

I have no doubts this will go over smoothly, but Isadora insisted I provide back up on the roof, given the nature of this mutant's abilities, and I am our munitions master. I should be used to this by now, playing back up. Sometimes I wish I could go out on the front lines with everyone else but mom and dad would kill Isadora if I got hurt.

Of course, Vince volunteered to go in to question the informant, citing his defensive strength powers and undercover experience. I am suddenly thankful I have the chance to watch him from this distance without him seeing the drenched sweaty mess I am.

He meets up with a bronze skinned man- he's tall, lean, and sports a tattoo of the blazing sun over his left eye and a distinct scar from his left ear down his jaw. The tattoo is the unmistakable mark of the Akkaba Covenant, a modern take of a cult that worships Apocalypse.

I lean in closer, stretching my fingers as I pull the fingerless gloves up against my wrists and rest my finger on the trigger, as I have found myself having done so many times before. But this time, something's different, my heart pounds and my stomach ties in knots from the adrenaline in my veins. I suddenly feel Isadora was right in her suspicions, why would a man marked by the Covenant be seen publicly, talking to a stranger like this?

They shake hands and the Akkaban produces some papers, which Vince of course scans over in front of him. A bead of sweat trickles into my eye, stinging it and I rub the pain away, my blurred vision readjusting and I unconsciously stick my tongue out as I concentrate on the scene before me, receiving the bitter taste of salt in my mouth.

As Vince's brown hair spills over the front of his vision, head bent over the documents, the Akabban begins to shift his weight, his eyes, once a normal green, shadow over to completely blank obsidian orbs.

"Come on Vince… look up… look up…" I murmur, finger poised over the trigger. "Please don't make me do this."

As if hearing my plea Vincent looks up in time to receive a harsh blow to his face, sending him into the street. People scream and scatter, and I can't get a clear shot of the mutant and I begin to wonder if I can actually pull the trigger.

SZHKKK Nina… What's going on? There's a stampede out here! SZHKKK Isadora practically shrieks in my ear. There's no time to answer as I try desperately to find my mark.

I watch as Vince rights himself, wiping blood from his nose and I can tell he's concentrating, most likely recalling his imprint of enhanced strength just as another blow comes to him.

He lunges for the Akabban, and wraps his hands around his throat, attempting to drain the energy from the man but it's not working! If anything, his attempt is fueling the man's strength, and there is a deafening crack as the man lands a solid punch to Vince's chest, sending him hurdling 12 meters down the road way. His body crumples on the ground, like a rag doll, a cloud of dust and dirt settling around him.

"NINA!" Isadora screeches.I rip the ear piece off of my head and run down the length of the roof, jumping over the edge and sliding on my side, down the hot tin metal of a neighboring building, ignoring the burning of my skin through my cottons shirt. Repositioning my aim, gun trained on the Akkaban.

The informant plucks Vince off of the ground effortlessly, holding his limp body suspended in the air with a vicious leer on his face, his other arm extending to exert all of his strength into Vincent's face.

Can I kill this man? In the blink of nano-seconds, visions of my childhood blur before me, of more innocent times and less complicated matters, where I was daddy's little girl. One choice put me on the path to this life, and I know there is no going back.

I live in a world where split second decisions have eternal repercussions.

Time slows to a crawl and I squeeze the trigger.