Thick as Thieves

by: Card Gambit


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Charactors: Gambit and Storm

Takes place: When Storm is still stuck as a kid with no memory of her past.
It's during the time the two of them are travelling around and playing Robin
Hood

Rating: 14A for violence

Notes: Their realtionship is that of a brother and sister, all you sick sick
people who would think otherwise from reading this story. Gambit is not
interested in twelve year old girls.


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12 year old Storm walked lazily into the kitchen where Gambit sat sprawled out
on a chair, his feet on the table and a large newspaper held open in front of
him.
"G' mornin' chere." He said without looking up. Storm poured herself some
orange juice and sat down opposite of Gambit.
"Good morning to you too, Gambit. What are you doing?" She asked.
"Lookin' f'r a job, 'tite." He said, turning the page. Storm sipped her
orange juice. His accent was always the strongest in the mornings and late at
night, and she used to have a hard time understanding what he said. She was
more used to it now though. Gambit turned the page and scanned the articles.
"Not'ing, not'ing, not'ing, not'i---" He paused and went back to the article
he had scanned over. A head shot of beautiful woman in her twenties greeted
him. In the caption it read "Tasha Rawlings, missing for one week." Storm had
now picked up interest.
"What did you find, Gambit? A good one?" She was hoping it was as good as the
last one. It had been a couple of no name thieves who had somehow managed to
pull of a bank robbery. Using Gambit's past knowledge of thievery, and Storms
innocence and pick pocketing knowledge, the two had gotten the money back in
three days. A new record. Then, like usual they had given the money out to the
people in need...but of course they had kept a percentage to themselves. They
had to live somehow, didn't they? Her thoughts were interrupted as Gambit lay
the paper on the table so she could see it also.
"A kidnapping?!" Storm demanded, somewhat distressed at her friend and
partner. They hadn't had a good job for a month or so, and their money was
quickly depleting. "Gambit, just because she is another beautiful woman does
not mean we have to save her. It is a waste of time. How will we get any more
money if we do charity acts of goodwill?" This had happened before. Gambit's
adoration of beautiful woman had sometimes waylaid him from the more important
factor of getting them a job with money. There was always some beautiful woman
kidnapped, and Gambit's idea of a damsel in distress always pulled him to put
aside money and save her. Of course Storm had had to interject and put him back
on track. They couldn't afford to do missions just out of the goodness of their
hearts. Maybe when they weren't in danger of being kicked out into the street
in a month, but not now.
"But 'tite. It's a compromise, non? Dere is money involved." Gambit pointed
to a sentence in the article. Apparently she had gone missing on the way to the
bank. She was depositing several thousand dollars in cash and some pricey
jewelry. Storm tapped her fingers on the table. It *was* a compromise.
"We can keep all de money and jewels. De act of saving her alone is de charity
work. 'stead of giving de money to de poor, we be savin de life of de beautiful
femme." Storm thought about it, and slowly nodded her head. The crime sprees
of The Big Easy were slowing down due to their thorough work. Criminals were
afraid to steal anything while Gambit and her were still at large. That meant
they needed some good cash to hold them off until crime picked up again.
"Did I ever tell you dat y'r gonna turn de heads of all de hommes when you get
older, 'tite?" Gambit said, giving her his heart-melting smile. Storm grinned
despite herself, and playfully punched his shoulder.
"Flatterer." She accused, and then slowly nodded her head. "We can do it,
Gambit. But if it ever comes down to it--take the money not the 'femme'. We
need the cash to keep us funded until the crime picks up again." Gambit shook
her hand in the deal closing fashion.
"Alright, Stormy. Let's get to work, neh?" He said, standing up, and leading
the way out.
"Gambit...do not call me Stormy....." She said as she followed him out the
door of their cheap apartment.


It had only taken four days to get all the information they needed on the
kidnappers. Gambit was slightly suspicious. Usually a whole bunch of 'threats'
were needed to scare half the information out of people--especially the friends
or colleagues of the criminals. But now, all they had to do was ask. It was
all too easy.....if there was such a thing. Storm didn't seem to notice
anything amiss. She was a very good judge of personality, and could usually
catch when people were lying...but she hadn't picked up on anything, or at least
she hadn't led on that she had. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Maybe
everyone was just afraid of them, and wanted to get it over with.
"Remy, you t'ink too much." He muttered to himself as he walked back to the
apartment.
"What did you say?" Storm asked. She was walking behind him.
"Oh, not'ing 'tite. I jus' talkin' to myself. Dat's all." He said. Storm
nodded. She was edgy today, wanting to do something. Gambit was just the
opposite though. He was stressed and tired--which was worrisome because this
had all been so easy. Then the thought also struck her. It was TOO easy. Her
and Gambit, they'd have to have a talk about the suspiciousness of this whole
job later that night. And they did. Eight O' clock found them sitting around
the very same kitchen table.
"I'm glad y' noticed it too, chere." He said. "I t'ought I was goin' crazy or
somet'in'." He started off. Storm nodded, her head thinking quickly.
"I suppose there are two options. We can ignore the fact it is incredibly easy
and just assume they are new to the business--or we can give up now, and look
for another job."
"Gambit don't t'ink we can give up. We're in too deep. I was thinkin' day
maybe it could be a trap but..at least now we done and got the first move. If'n
dey really wanna get us, den dey'll do it wether or not we're chasin' after dem.
At least now we have a bit of a say in where and when it'd happen. Assumin' it
is a trap, dat is." He said. Storm thought it over. Gambit could always make
a whole lot of sense when he wanted to. She suspected he could have just as
easily argued the other side.
"O' course dis is a group decision, Stormy. If'n y' don't wanna do de job,
dat's fine wit' me. Dere's no point in both of us doin a job dat only one heart
is in." She thought it over even more. He was just about to open his mouth and
say something else when she interrupted him.
"Alright, Gambit....but on one condition." She said.
"Anythin', 'tite." He replied.
"Do not call me stormy."
Gambit grinned a mischevious grin. "Alright......Stormy."

One weeks later

Much time always had to be made to double check everything. They spent several
days spying on the old warehouse that the criminals were supposed to be. There
was about three of them. They never saw the girl, but assumed she could be in a
basement or a windowless room. Finally they were done. The full misson was so
far a success. They came to the conclusion that this was not a trap. The
kidnappers often left revealing lights on at night and walked outside during
broad daylight. They couldn't have had any idea what they were doing. On one
of his frequent visits to the roof at night, Gambit came to find a sole
sunlight. It was so dirty it blended in with the roof, and it was only by his
trained eyes that he could notice it. That would be their mode of entrance.


That night, they came completely prepared. Gambit had bought five decks of
cards, his bo-staff and his usual outfit. Storm had put on some dark clothes
and kept the wind at her call. Gambit jumped and Storm flew over to the roof
and they walked as silently as ghosts on the top. Using a charged card, Gambit
cleared the debris the had gathered around the edges and he sliced throught the
lock and rust. They opened it slowly and looked in. It was quiet. They were
asleep, just like planned. The criminals always went to bed at around ten.
They didn't even post a guard to stay up and scout for cops!
"Stormy, don't use your wind in dere 'less y' have to. It might wake dem up."
Gambit whispered. She nodded. Gambit grabbed her around the waist and jumped
down to the ground. The landing was as soft as if they had landed on a floor
covered in pillows. Storm silently praised Gambit of his talent. She wished
she could do some of the extrordinary things he could do...like land as softly
as that. The thought was quickly wiped from her head as she became
professional. The two of them walked quietly into the door that they always saw the three men go into. They assumed it was the bedroom. Preparing several charged cards, Gambit grabbed the door handle and looked back at her. She was floating several inches off the ground, the wind lightly blowing around. He winked at her, and threw open the door.