Chapter 1
Logan, no matter how many times he was there in a day, couldn't quite get used to meeting Professor Charles Xavier in the astral plain. "What have you got for me, Charles?" he asked. "Not much, I'm afraid." Started the professor, "However, from talking to the you in my time I have discovered that your next mission involves the thief commonly known as Gambit in your time." "You want me to take him out? That's the best thing I've heard in a while." Wolverine smirked, already thinking up many ways to get rid of the Cajun. "No! No Logan, but rather the opposite." Growling, Logan narrowed his eyes to the professor in front of him. "You want me to recruit him?! That' crazy Chuck, what good would having him joining the x-men be huh?!" "I don't have much time to explain right at this moment Logan, but I do know that at your current present time Gambit will run into Rogue from hiding from Sinister and his mutants. And knowing Rogue, she is more than likely to help the young man." "So, what's going to happen if Sinister does get his hands on him Charles? If you ask me, it's probably a better choice than having him join the x-men!" Professor Charles Xavier sighed and gravely looked at his stubborn friend, "I'm afraid I must say goodbye for now, and if history is once again correct then Rogue, and Gambit, may need you soon enough." Before Wolverine could argue, the professor disappeared, leaving him standing next to the professors motionless body with confusion and anger bubbling up inside. "What could the professor mean about Rogue and Gambit? The two haven't even met yet! And there's no way Rogue would help a scum like him." Logan thought angrily as he exited the room, taking a turn to the elevator door. Pressing the arrow pointing upwards, Logan stepped inside, contemplating on what to do next. He knew Rogue had gone into town, so he tried her communicator just as the doors were sliding back open; no answer. Growling, for the umpteenth time that day, Logan walks to the garage, telling a curious Kitty he was heading out as he passed by. Starting up his bike, Logan sped away from the mansion, trying to catch Rouges scent as he went.
To say Rogue was annoyed with today's turn of events would be an understatement. Originally, she had left the institute to be alone. So she didn`t really need the extra company from the man who had instantly sat next to her as soon as he entered the bar she was currently hiding out at, even if he was kind of easy on the eyes. She narrowed her eyes before she spoke, "Ya mind? I don`t need any company." she snarled. Not at all fazed, he smiled. "Listen Chere, why don't ya help a fellow southerner out an' just play along." He motioned over to the front entrance ever so slightly as a couple, obviously mutants, stepped inside. Rogue took a closer look, recognising only Vertigo from Sinister`s little group of his. "Great, just what ah need." she grumbled, turning her attention back to the guy who seated himself next to her. Figuring out if he was a mutant or not, without wavering her intense glare, she barely noticed that the group of Sinister`s lackey`s had spotted them, or rather him, until the one she didn't recognize, the more buff one, had grabbed and suspended the man in the air. "Mon Deiu!" he gasped as he tried his best to loosen the mutants' grip around his neck. Thinking fast, Rogue slipped off the glove on her right hand and grabbed onto Vertigo; quickly using Vertigo`s power against the other one. The mutant had dropped the man to the ground, but was now charging Rogue instead. Jumping out of the way, Rogue just missed being squashed like a pancake. "C`mon Chere! They be after you now, too!" he explained as he grabbed her left, gloved hand and dragged her out the back to a nearby alley. About a block away from the bar, he finally stopped. Rogue yanked her hand away, "Why were they after ya? An' what`s your name, anyways?" she asked. "Names Gambit, thanks for the save Chere but you best be getting' home before they find ya." Rogue shook her head no in disbelief, she couldn`t believe this guy! "Look, you're the one who got me in this mess the moment ya sat next to me while trying to hide from Sinister`s Lackeys! Now, considering Ah'm already in this mess ya might as well let me help ya!"
Gambit was shocked, how did this girl know about Sinister? In fact, he was still trying to figure out how she even did what she did to Vertigo back there, but it was hard to concentrate with how green her eyes were. He was just about to question her when he caught a glimpse in the distance, he took a closer look. It was the MRD; they were hiding just around the corners, no doubt on both ends, just waiting for the right moment to start shooting. Apparently for them now was the perfect moment, because at least four of them came into view, and from the look on the girl`s face in front of him, he guessed some MRD had just appeared behind him as well. They were surrounded. After telling the young girl to "Get down." he reached into his pocket, pulled out a deck of cards and wasted no time in throwing them at the MRD officers as soon as the girl had dived to the side. The officers he had fired the cards he had 'charged' at had jumped out of the way. Almost immediately after, he had to dodge the shots fired at him from behind by MRD officers that were on the other side of the alleyway. He took refuge behind the trash bin, where the girl had once been but now wasn`t, and had started to take out and charge some more cards. Looking over the trash bin, he was surprised at what he saw. He saw the girl, she was fighting the MRD and she wasn`t doing too badly either, but the MRD he had fired at earlier were coming back around and had started shooting again. He flung his charged cards at the others and went to help the girl out, failing to realize the two brotherhood members watching from above on a rooftop.
On a nearby rooftop:
"Well, what are you waiting for, shoot him!" Quicksilver demanded, "And maybe while we're at it we can finally take care of that Rogue, too." "If you keep yelling loud enough they`ll hear you, and don`t forget Magneto wanted Gambit wounded and then captured, not killed." Domino pointed out as she took her aim. "Yeah, I know that! He told me, said he wants the information on Kelly he`s sure Gambit has. But he didn`t say anything about wanting Rogue alive." He pondered, but Domino only gave him a glare in response, "He didn`t say anything about wanting her dead either, Pietro! Now be quiet, I'm waiting for just the right moment." Down below Gambit and Rogue were just finishing off the last of the MRD. Once the last officer was down, Domino took her shot.
"So, you're Gambit." Gambit turned to look at the girl, "So you`ve heard of me, huh Petite?" She snorted "Yeah, ya could say that." she said, "My names Rogue. Now, are ya gonna tell me why Sinister's Lackeys were after ya or not Cajun?" Gambit started shaking his head, but a sharp pain going just above his right knee on the side prevented him from saying anything as he fell limp to the ground, clutching his leg as blood started to seep through his pant leg. Rogue let out a gasp as she knelt down to Gambit to see the gun wound to his leg. Then Quicksilver appeared with Domino. Rogue stood up, "What are ya up to Quicksilver, the brotherhood trying ta kill people now?" "Get out of here Rogue, this doesn`t concern you." said Domino. Rogue snorted, "Ya, well it does now." Smirking, Quicksilver made a lunge for Rogue, but she dodged just in time and managed to trip the speedster. She turned to face Domino, who had two guns pointing straight at her. Just then, Logan jumped at her from behind, knocking Domino to the ground. "Logan?" Rogue asked, surprised. Then, in a matter of seconds Quicksilver had her pinned against one of the walls. "You can't just mind your own business, can you Rogue?" he taunted. Snickering, she replied, "Guess not." Rogue threw her head back, successfully hitting Quicksilver dead in the nose. Letting go of Rogue, he staggered backwards, clutching his nose then tripping over Gambits outstretched, un-injured leg in the process. Rogue took the chance she needed and, leaning over Quicksilver, she stole his powers; knocking him out in the process. Memories of Magneto ordering Pietro to attack and capture Gambit for information on Kelly flashed through her mind. Just as all the thoughts and memories started to disperse, Wolverine had placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. She turned around and, after making sure Domino was unconscious, she turned to face Logan. "Mind telling me what the hell is going on here, Rogue?" he growled. Rogue looked down to Gambit, who had successfully just finished bandaging up his leg and was now getting up, making sure not to put too much pressure on his right, injured leg and more on his left. She put her hands on her hips, "I was just wonderin' the same thing." Pointing to Gambit, she said "You, now ya better tell me why Sinister wants ya, 'cuz I already know why Magneto does." Gambit shrugged his shoulders, "Nothin' ya should be worryin' over Chere, now if you will excuse me, Gambit's got some business to take care of." He answered as he started to walk around the two, Wolverine grabbed onto Gambits arm before he could leave, however. "Not so fast Gumbo, I want answers and I want 'em now!" he threatened, just then they heard sirens coming closer in the background. Growling, Logan let go of Gambit and started walking down one of the entrances to the alleyway. "C'mon, Storm should be here with the Blackbird soon. And both of ya are going on it." "What? He's not comin' back to the mansion, is he? Didn't ya warn us about...?" "Now hold on," Gambit interrupted, "Now why would you think I would even go with ya x-men, Gambit flies solo." Wolverine turned to glare at him, "Now look here bub, I don't like it either but if Sinister's after ya you might as well come back with us, unless you want Sinister, Magneto, and the x-men after ya in the future." "Might as well come along, we have someone who could look over that wound for ya." Rogue cut in, "'Sides, looks like Storm is already here." Rogue pointed up, where the blackbird was hovering overhead. "Fine, just as long as nobody pokes me with a needle." Gambit agreed. Suddenly Kurt teleported down and took Rogue up first, then came back down for Gambit and Wolverine.
In the Black Bird:
"He thinks ya have the information on Kelly he needs. He also wants tah make ya pay for what ya did to his daughter, Lorna." Rogue spoke. She had just finished telling Wolverine, Storm, and Nightcrawler about what happened at the bar and was now explaining why Magneto wanted Gambit. "I heard from Vanda vhat you did, but vhy?" Kurt questioned, "Vhy vork for Kelly? And vhy is Sinister after you too?" Gambit just shrugged, "Pays good money homme. And as for Sinister, he's an old boss of Gambits. Thinks he needs me again, but I'm done with that." "Done with what? Being a Lackey?" Rogue questioned. "Gambit ain't nobody's lackey, Gambit only do solo jobs." he defended. "Kurt, take over. Wolverine, can I talk to you for a moment please, in private." Storm cut in, leading the way to the back of the blackbird. "What is it Storm?" he asked, once they were out of earshot of the others. "I wish for some answers Logan, you spoke to Charles before you had gone in search of Rogue and called me. I know you would never willingly invite Gambit into the mansion, our home, unless there was a good reason to do so, you are too stubborn." Logan huffed, "Maybe, but me being stubborn has saved more butts than I can remember." Storm glared, "Logan, I'm serious." Sighing, Logan caved, "I know Ro, but I'm just as lost as you right now. Chuck said something about Sinister being after Gambit, and thinks, or knows, Rogue might be in it too." Storm nodded, understanding, "So, you are trying to protect Rogue also, but do you even know what you are protecting her from, Logan?" Logan looked down to the front of the Black Bird; Gambit was trying to flirt with Rogue, but thankfully failing at it. Logan growled before answering, "Well for starters, from that good for nothin' Cajun."