Author's Note: Please see the author's note in the chapter before.

Summary: "Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets." -
Arthur Miller : The story of Remy LeBeau's recruitment by Magneto.

Notes: For French phrase translation, Babelfish will give you a good approximation.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this piece. They are the property of Marvel Studios.

Chapter Three: Escape

Smoke rings floated into the air and dissipated with a final, parting curl into the haze that hung over the card table. It was early, and the haze wasn't to fog consistency yet, allowing the card players to see the unclouded eyes of the other gamblers. This visage posed no advantage at the high roller's table, however, many liked to think seeing the eyes of others gave them an advantage. One person obviously didn't believe so, or believed so to the extent that they hid their eyes with sunglasses indoors. It was odd, even for the French Quarter.

This oddity amused an older gambler everyone knew as Saul, identifiable by the prematurely grey streaks in his hair. "Light in yer eyes, or jus' blinded by yer own comin' defeat?"

"I wouldn't count the chickens before dey hatch, Saul," the sunglass-clad figure grinned, fingering the edges of the cards idly. "Let's see what ya have, and then we'll see who needs the glasses."

The corner of Saul's mouth twitched, and the cards were played, the fortune falling to the sunglass-clad one. As the brown haired man took the money, another player threw down his own cards. "If LeBeau's going ta play in this round, count me out. Le diable blanc is too good for me."

Tipping his hat, the discontent gambler left, earning a respectful nod from Remy LeBeau. Life wasn't always hard in the Big Easy. As the son of the head of the Thieves' Guild – adopted had no meaning when the family could steal the pants from the President or charm the wings from flies – Remy found he was generally treated with respect. Some gave him genuine respect, like Saul. Remy knew he was known for his eyes, and feared for them, which is were the other kind of respect came from: out of fear. Those were the ones that called Gambit "the white devil". Finally, there were some that knew Remy's gifts, and respected him for his talent in fighting, thieving, and his mysterious explosive powers. The latter type of respect was usually grudgingly given, and quick to disappear when he slipped up.

"Well, I don't think Remy'll be joinin' in dis round, as he has a previous engagement." The comment came with a hand on Remy's shoulder, and Remy knew that the rest of his night was gone. Jean-Luc nodded to the other gamblers as Remy stood. "Evenin', gentlemen."

Brushing off Jean-Luc's hand, Remy nodded his own farewell to the regulars. He'd see them again next week, if life permitted it. At the rate that he left games, however, he was surprised he was allowed in at all. These days, he had no control over his own time, anymore, and there was nothing more annoying than a consistently inconsistent regular.

"Didn't know I had a date," Remy muttered as he stepped outside, reaching for his trench coat pocket he knew his smokes were in. "You the lucky cheri tonight, Jean-Luc?"

"Cute, Remy," Jean-Luc grunted, letting the jazz bar door close behind him. "Somethin' came up and I need you."

"You don't need me, you need my powers. I've heard better pick up lines from Julien." The smoke found its way into Remy's fingers, and a small spark lit the stick.

Jean-Luc's eyes slid over at the sparking, but he didn't say anything about the cigarette. "The Boudreaux's have been meddlin' again. I need you to get back a certain few items that we need ta make a deal with a few friends of ours."

Remy took a drag before answering, thinking. He always seemed to be pulled out for these assignments. They had three defining characteristics: they were dangerous, they always involved at least two semi-automatic guns, and the only way to accomplish them was with the use of Remy's uncanny ability to charm his way out of situations, run, jump, and move faster than normal, and most importantly, blow things up.

"I'd ask why me, but I'm guessin' it's because I'm the most skilled, the most handsome, and the most insane fer this job." Remy flicked ash onto the street and gave a polite nod to an attractive brunette and her just as attractive black-haired friend. Remy still held to the idea that Louisiana had no unattractive lady under thirty. "Not to mention the only one who can destroy whatever supposedly impossible thing it is."

"I don't like your tone, boy. This family's done a lot for you, and you know we all do our part for the guild." Jean-Luc gave a stern look that would have resembled a fatherly look of admonishment if Remy didn't feel like he was still on trial period for full entrance into the family.

"An' I've done a lot fer this family, Jean-Luc," Remy sighed. He took another drag, attempting to blow the smoke out through his nose and failing. Etienne had made it look so easy. Of course, Etienne had made dealing with Jean-Luc look easy. Recently, Remy had found that nicotine eased the tension. "Is it to much ta ask fer one night not on duty? You've sent Remy on the past four assignments, once because you needed him, three jus' fer safety. Someone else can do dis one."

Remy remembered last time he was pulled out of his life to attend to the Thieves Guild. He had been wooing three beautiful femme at the bar, and had been showing off his card tricks. There had been a very good chance of going home with one of the fine ladies that night. It had been his first night on the town in a month without some ulterior motive. Remy had been drinking for pleasure, not to drown out Jean-Luc. The night had ended with Jean-Luc pulling him out to go on an assignment that he had cancelled the night before. That was two weeks ago, and Remy was getting fed up at being pulled from his small social circle he managed to keep.

Jean-Luc never saw much need to associate outside of the Thieves Guild, however, and his disdain for Remy's craving for recreation shone through. "I don' care if you were goin' at it wi' the hottest femme dis side of the Mississippi, Remy. If the Guild needs you, we need you, and yer goin' to respond whether you like it or not."

Grabbing Remy's half used cigarette, Jean-Luc took a long drag, pausing the conversation for a moment. It let Jean-Luc clear his mind, and let Remy hide his anger beneath a careful façade that Jean-Luc had gone to such pains to teach him. He'd do the job, Remy always did, but there was nothing Jean-Luc would do to make him be on duty this Sunday. It was the last night of the Jazz Festival down town, and Remy had a date with Claire, the waitress at one of the bars he managed to appear at a few times a week, despite Jean-Luc's best attempts.

"Merde, Remy'll go," Remy conceded, letting Jean-Luc finish the cigarette. "But no more assignments! Not till after this weekend. Fer once, Remy would like-"

"We'd all like a lot a things, Remy, but we don't get 'em," Jean-Luc scoffed between pulls on the smoke. "I know you got a date with that waitress, and it ain't happenin'. Yer goin' with Bella."

It took Remy a minute to process that. "Bella? Bella Donna Boudreaux?"

"Yeah. Figure it's time ta see if that prophecy is goin' to be answered," said Jean-Luc with the natural nonchalance that came with him. Remy knew that was a trait that came with every LeBeau – a naturally cool head and at times blasé attitude to danger. But the Boudreauxs, he thought, deserved a bit more thoughtful approach than Remy thought Jean-Luc was showing.

It wasn't necessarily the lack of reason that Jean-Luc was giving that Remy was angry about, however. Remy was twenty, going on twenty-one, and the fact that he couldn't choose something as simple as who he wanted to take to the Jazz Festival was irritating. Through the years, Remy had wondered why half of the thieves in the guild were so jaded when it came to having lives outside of the Guild. Now he was finding out. Jean-Luc was an efficient leader, deadly efficient, but Remy didn't necessarily need guidance in his personal life.

"I promised de femme from the bar, Jean-Luc, and Remy's not about to go back on his word."

"She'll get over it. You'll charm your way back into her heart in the time it takes a gator to get in the water," Jean-Luc shrugged, blowing out smoke into the night air as the two walked along the road towards Blood Moon Bayou.

Aggravated didn't being to explain Remy's mood. Jean-Luc continued. "I already have confirmation on when Bella's arrivin' to the festival, which I'll pass on to ya before you go."

"You have all my lines written out fer me too, Jean-Luc?" Remy grumbled, kicking a stone to hear the satisfying clatter of the pebble along the concrete. He pretended it was Jean-Luc's head.

"I figured I'd let you figure dat one out." Jean-Luc had the audacity to wink at Remy, as if giving him a favour.

"Merci." The tone wasn't the nicest, and Jean-Luc noticed the sarcasm instantly.

"You got a problem?" Jean-Luc raised an eyebrow, the cigarette halfway to his mouth.

Remy knew he shouldn't say anything. Just move on, do the jobs, and sneak out when he could. He knew, however, that the next time he would be sneaking out would be after 2am next week. Maybe. He was twenty, and had the freedom of a trained dog. When he was younger, he hadn't minded as much, but now Remy was ready to have more freedom than Jean-Luc was ready to give. Remy was never sure exactly what Jean-Luc meant by limiting him. As much as Remy would like to say it was the fatherly instinct, but Jean-Luc wasn't exactly one to invest in emotions.

Last time Remy had attempted to go his own way, Jean-Luc had ignored him and sent him on an assignment that had worn out Remy to the point of forgetting why he had attempted to leave. There had been several instances when Remy had left the guild, but he had always come back out of guilt for abandoning other family members. Jean-Luc had never said anything, but he always had that look of smug knowing. Once a Thieves Guild member, always a Thieves Guild member. Remy couldn't deny his roots…but he sure wished his roots didn't contain Jean-Luc!

And now Jean-Luc wanted to control Remy's personal life. Professional life, Remy could live with, but especially since he was turning twenty-one soon, and Remy eventually wanted to settle down, Remy wanted the freedom to pursue a life. Remy knew about the prophecy about uniting the two warring guilds, but that meant marrying a Boudreaux, and the current, eligible one was Bella Donna. Bella was beautiful, fiery, and bossy. It was her way or the highway. She was almost exactly like Remy, and that's exactly what Remy didn't want.

"I don't want to marry Bella." Remy went ahead and said it. He fingered the release for his bo staff, but refrained, choosing to tighten his grip instead.

"Never said anythin' about marryin', Remy."

"You implied it, Jean-Luc. Prophecy says unite, and you've made it clear dat ye think it means marryin'."

Jean-Luc sighed and flicked the cigarette over a bridge, watching it fizzle in the running water below. "We'll talk about it later, Remy. Just go get what's ours from the damn Assassins."

Remy knew that he was being brushed off, and that there would be no talk later. "Non, Jean-Luc. We're talkin' now."

"Non, we're not talkin' now, Remy." Jean-Luc looked at Remy with no condescension this time. "You've got a job ta do, and you'll do it, because it's for this family. If marryin' Bella stops this war, then you'll do it. Sorry, Remy, but life ain't fair, an' yer luck could be a lot worse than marryin' Belle Donna. Lucian and a few others are waitin' for ya at the Blood Moon Bayou. You know what ta do."

With a curt nod to Remy, Jean-Luc strode off, leaving Remy at the walkway that would take him to the beginning of the bayou. He took a deep breath to keep from saying anything to Jean-Luc, but once the man was gone, he extended his bo staff and swung at the air. The sound of air rushing helped calm Remy down, but still feeling nervous, Remy lit up another cigarette and leaned against a tree, staring down the path.

He was tired of this. When would he have time to himself? This wasn't the life that he wanted. No one inside the Guild was married to anyone outside of the Guild, and if they wanted to marry a non-Guild member, that person had to be approved. Everyone was involved in Guild business, and the Guild came before life. On top of that, war continued between the two Guilds, and Remy was tired of people coming home hurt or killed. There were few people his age, and on top of that, the respect he often had from others was of the fear or grudging kind. Remy knew he was different because of his powers, but he didn't want to be feared for them. He didn't want to be used either. There were few options in Remy's line of work. It was either work for the Guild and try to live past fifty, or die trying. No one left.

It wasn't the life Remy wanted. There were parts of the world he had yet to see, and he wanted to see them outside of the context of stealing. Life was so short, especially for a thief, and Remy wanted more than Louisiana would give him. There had to be other mutants out there, and Remy wanted to meet them. He wanted to make his own way and build his own legacy instead of melting into the large and sordid legacy of Jean-Luc. There were things Remy wanted to do, like kiss a woman while on a boat under the moon, see the Eiffel Tower for real, and drink with friends who weren't ready to kill him if he said something wrong.

The cigarette smouldered, and Remy took off his sunglasses, folding the glasses into the pocket of his trench coat. Red eyes burned at the road that he was supposed to go down. Remy really didn't want to. He wanted to go back to the Lazy Sax and play another round with Saul. Or swagger over to the Rusty Drum and knock back a few with the femmes.

Remy was so distracted by what he wanted that he almost didn't notice the hum in the air until his bo staff began to jerk in his hand. Surprise, Remy tightened his grip, the cigarette falling to the ground. Engaged in a tug-of-war with what seemed to be a living metal bo staff, Remy blinked when change from his pockets began to fly out as well.

"What in da hell is goin' on here?!" His question was met with a louder hum, and Remy let go of his bo staff to grab his cards as a man floated down from the sky. "Quite an entrance, monsieur, but you got an explanation for the visit?"

"I am here because you and I have a lot in common, Remy LeBeau," said the man. "I am Magneto, and I am a mutant like you, Gambit."

Remy would have been worried about the man knowing his name if half of New Orleans didn't know at least one of his two names, or a nickname that would have easily been identified to him. "Glad to know you've 'eard of me, monsieur. Now what is it you're after, so that we can both be on our merry way?"

"What I am looking for is not quite that easy, Gambit," said Magneto, lowering himself to the ground. Remy noticed when Magneto touched the ground, the humming lessened, though the sound still pervaded the surrounding sound of crickets. "I am sure that you know how mutants are treated in this world. Feared, grudgingly accepted, only accepted when hidden and restrained within the walls of our society. I want to change that, Gambit."

Remy raised an eyebrow, and wondered if he'd need another smoke before this ended. "That's nice, Magneto, but I'm not so sure how I play into your plans." He was cautious, not sure exactly where this was going.

"You are quite skilled, Gambit, in numerous aspects from what I hear," Magneto continued. "Yet you also know what it is like to be feared. I have heard what they call you, Le Diable Blanc, and I know what it is like to be considered something less than human. The look in the eyes of others, the remarks behind your back. You may be respected, but that respect is nothing but fear. I could use people like you, Remy, who know what it is like and would be willing to prevent the same thing from happening to others."

"I've got a family here, sorry monsieur." Remy shrugged, uneasy about the proposition. He didn't know this person, and he wasn't willing to drop everything to leave with someone he didn't know.

"Is it family if you are being used?" Magneto's comment stalled Remy, and Remy reached into his coat for a smoke as Magneto took off his helmet to reveal the older man beneath. "Remy, you have the chance to help other mutants such as yourself have the opportunity to be part of a world that does not use them. A world that respects them for the people they are, and gives them room to grow. Mutants are used by this world, Remy, as you have seen by your family. There are humans who care only for the powers mutants possess, and desire to use those powers to their own gain. Our kind, Remy, deserve to have a choice. Help me bring that choice to them."

Smoke rose into the air, and Remy mused over the words. Going with this man, Magneto, meant that he would be leaving what he knew. Hadn't he been wishing for that earlier? Irony seemed to be in the air tonight. Here was a mutant like himself, offering him a chance to do something significant with his life.

"What exactly would Remy be doin', monsieur?"

Magneto smiled a bit, his blue eyes slicing into the hot, muggy night. "You would be working with other mutants like yourself, Remy. I am afraid that our work will not always be in the United States, or even in the South, but you will have a home and the necessities are your disposal."

"But what does your team do, Magneto?"

"We liberate. We rescue mutants who are captured, and we stop organisations that threaten our kind. Our work is what brings hope to others through prevention of anti-mutant laws and devices, Remy. Someone has to do it."

Remy nodded, and blew smoke into the air, his brow furrowed. That didn't exactly answer the question, and Remy wondered exactly what illegal activities Magneto's team was involved in. Then again, it wasn't like the Thieves Guild was exactly legal. Ok, not at all legal. But then again, Magneto's team didn't have Jean-Luc.

It was a hard decision. "I need some time ta think."

"Unfortunately, I do not have much time, Remy, and need an answer soon," Magneto said slowly, floating his helmet up to himself. "Time does not stop for us, or others, unfortunately."

Sighing, Remy blew smoke into the night once more and hoped he had more cigarettes. He knew that leaving his associates would be a declaration of independence, and would be seen as leaving the family he had known for so longer. But what Magneto said rang true in his head. Family didn't use you, and that was all the Thieves Guild did. Would things change with the Guild? Remy wasn't sure. But he did know that going with Magneto meant things would change. It was a hard decision.

Magneto promised change, even if he didn't say it. And the chance to do something significant. To help others, to travel, to see others – it was all on Gambit's list. Granted, Magneto didn't mention finding a femme, but Remy knew he could do that in his own time. And it sounded like he would have his own time to choose to spend if he went with Magneto. Remy wasn't worried about being trapped by Magneto, as he knew he could get out of any situation he got into it. Besides the one he was in with Jean-Luc. But he had learned from that one, and Remy knew he wouldn't repeat his mistakes. Jean-Luc had offered him escape from his life on the streets. Magneto was offering him escape from the cage he was in.

"Hey, LeBeau, who's this?" The voice broke the concentration of Remy and caused Magneto to catch his helmet and spin around. Lucien stood on the path, hand to his gun that he carried blatantly on his belt. "He botherin' ya?"

Remy sighed. "Non, Lucien, non, da monsieur isn't."

"Good, because it's gettin' late, and we're all wonderin' where you are, mon ami. We need ta get goin' if we're goin' to beat Julien and his gang home," Lucien said tersely, eyeing Magneto with an unfriendly eye.

Remy held up his hands to ward off any anger Lucien may be directing at him. "All right, all right, mon ami, give Remy a minute."

Lucien scowled slightly. "We don't have a minute, Remy, we need ta go now. I thought Jean-Luc explained that. We're countin' on ya, Remy, and we need yer powers now, not later. Say au revoir to your friend and let's get goin'."

Remy's slender, gloved fingers curled around his bo staff, the other hand around his cigarette. "I see. Lucien?"

"Yeah?"

"Is that the only reason Remy's needed on these assignments, for his powers?"

A confused look passed over Lucien's face. "What?"

"You heard Remy."

"Well, yeah. Why else would you be on dis assignment?" Lucien shrugged, giving Remy a careful eye. "Yer powers are the most useful thing you offer to dis guild."

Remy's fingers crushed his cigarette, and he let the crumpled white stick fall to the ground. "I see. Well, Lucien, please tell Jean-Luc dat Remy won't be comin' home tonight. In fact, Remy isn't goin' on dis assignment either. He's gotten an offer from a different employer, and he likes the fact that he's bein' employed to do somethin' more fulfilling then pander to Jean-Luc's every win."

Distending his bo staff, Remy put the staff in his coat, and looked to Magneto. "You've got Gambit at your service, monsieur." Turning back to Lucien, Remy shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, mon ami. Hope the assignment goes well."

Lucien was dumbstruck, and it took him a minute to pull his jaw back up. "You're, you're…leavin', LeBeau? Why?!"

"I'm tired of bein' used for my powers, Lucien. I need to choose my own life for once," Remy said, sure of his decision for once.

"You have made a good decision, Remy. You will not regret it," Magneto assured, lifting his helmet back on with his powers and raising his hand to summon two metal orbs from the sky.

"What about Jean-Luc, Remy? And Claire? What about Belle Donna?" asked Lucien, still shocked. Remy wasn't sure if there was disappointment in Lucien's voice or not.

Remy held out his hands, unsure of what to say. "Remy's takin' a break from all this, Lucien. Just tell Jean-Luc and Claire and Belle that. Remy's just…escapin' this." Remy wasn't one to pour out his heart, especially not to Lucien who he knew mostly on a professional level.

Watching the metal orbs open up, thanks to Magneto's powers, Remy turned abruptly from Lucien, and noticed the still smoking cigarette on the ground. Putting it out with the toe of his boot, Remy glanced back at Lucien, who had put his hands back down by his side in defeat, and was just watching.

"Let's go, monsieur," Remy said to Magneto. The older mutant nodded, and with that closed the orbs. Remy hoped he was making the right choice, because it was too late to turn back now. Here he was, escaping, and pushing back any unease, Remy revelled in the fact that he was free from the vice-grip that Jean-Luc and the Thieves Guild had over him. Escape was très bon. Remy hoped that freedom was just as sweet.