Disclaimer: How many times do I have to say X-men doesn't belong to me?
A/N: This is post X2 and we could say that X3 never happened.
CaLCuLaTe
Present time…
"Apparently Lucas Daughtry wasn't a nameless person in the crowd after all." Scott Summers clasped his hands behind his back as he discussed the new found information regarding the Queen of Hearts case to the team in the Professor's office.
"He is connected to the INT Forging Metal Works. He's a part of the security; with keys, map, and an identification card to grant passage down to the innermost compartments of the factory." He began to shuffle the pile of folders on the desk as he continued. "INT Forging Metal Works' basement contained mutation suppressing collars, unknown anti-mutant invented weapons, and automated anti-mutant robots called Sentinels."
"Guy Wendell has the mutation of invisibility. No permanent occupation, residence or property. A dealer of anything as the sources had put it." Cyclops raised an eyebrow as he read that statement. "No connection to the government or mutant insurgence at all but the smuggling syndicates."
"Norman Edwardson, a Mutant Affairs government official was discovered to be an associate with the laboratory we had recently infiltrated. The files sent by the Queen of Hearts were known to be from him. They were accumulated from the records of cure centers and the MRD."
"Pertaining with the Chief Commanding Officer of the MRD, we all know why the Queen of Hearts would have intent against him."
"Donna Rivers, the second mutant victim has the ability to sense human body heat or life force in particular. Hank is still looking for Senator Pendleton's involvement."
"It's confirmed that the Queen of Hearts isn't a part of the Brotherhood but an individual non-conformist mutant who deliberately moves on his or her own against the government, who also attacked two mutants. We can assume that Queen of Hearts had some sort of transaction or any kind of contact with these two or they might be accomplices of the said culprit. They might have had a disagreement that lead to their deaths or the culprit simply planned to kill them. Knowing or not knowing them." Dr. Grey filled in her deductions.
"Knowing or not knowing them?" Kitty Pryde voiced out.
"According to the findings from my further autopsy of the bodies we may presume that the Queen of Hearts has the same ability like Rogue's. Absorbing memories, psyches, life force and powers in case of mutants. If we hold on to that we may presume that the culprit chose these people because of what they know and what they can do." Jean explained.
"It is logical for the information and invisibility. But why the ability of sensing life force?" Bobby asked.
"Maybe, to know how many people were in a place or particularly around the victim?" Rogue supplied. Jean Grey smiled towards her before replying.
"Yes that is probable."
"So, which do we 'hold on to'?" Logan interjected getting impatient with the entire theory making.
"Yeah, and how likely it is that the mutant in question had the same powers as Rogue?" Jubilee inquired then popped her gum.
"We still need more information before we can draw a plausible conclusion." Jean explained.
"I will use the Cerebro to try to locate a mutant with the same mutation as Rogue. For now you should all take a rest in thinking about this case. You have all been helpful." The Professor dismissed them with a smile.
"Yes. All of you did a wonderful job in helping collecting and filing information regarding this case." Storm ushered the younger members of the X team out the door.
Callisto strode into Magneto's office without knocking. Both Magneto and Pyro looked at her disapprovingly for interrupting their important discussion. Protocol could wait she thinks since she holds key information to their search. The Brotherhood must work on this immediately before the X-men gets a hand on it. She didn't wait for a confirmation to speak.
"There's word spreading about a mutant who is fond of cards. He's a member of a 'Thieves' Guild', goes by the name of Gambit."
"He?" Pyro asked amused.
"They didn't rule out the possibility that the Queen of Hearts might be a man. I told you, he is fond of cards it might hold a symbolism." Callisto replied arching an eyebrow at him.
"And his mutation is?" Magneto inquired interested.
"The source didn't provide much but he is said to be able to" a pause "blow up things. I will know it the minute I get to the same area as him." She assured.
"So you're saying this could be our guy." Pyro muttered thinking to himself.
"He could or could not be. After all we are dealing with a dangerous mind. The Queen of Hearts will show up when he or she wants to be found. Very well, I think we should pay the man a visit." Magneto smiled grimly.
"So where can we see this Gambit?" Pyro smirked with a glint of mischief in his eyes.
"He frequents a club called Reaper's Den." Callisto answered with a smile. She knew she really found something genuine.
Gambit knows when he is in trouble. He wasn't sure if the ability came with his mutation or not. But now, the only thing he was sure of was that he was gonna encounter a BIG time trouble. The way his palms itched now made him know that. Maybe he shouldn't have come to the club tonight. Who was he kidding? He always went to that club every night since he met her. And he would always wonder whether she would come back. He wouldn't risk the chance of not going because he won't be able to forgive himself if he wasn't there when she finally comes.
He knew women were always trouble. But she was different. He wasn't a poet but he couldn't deny the fact that he thought he might be looking at an angel that night. Maybe that's why she hadn't come back and the reason that nobody seems to know her. Because she's an angel who's now back in heaven looking down on his poor soul. He chuckled to himself. He's such a lucky man to bump to an angel, and a fool to think that a very beautiful woman in a club could be an angel. An angel in a club? The idea itself was entirely stupid.
He took a sip of his drink and scanned the place to make sure there was really no sign of her. He felt someone sit beside him at the bar stool and looked at the person. It was a woman with tattoos on her face that runs to her chest. She was wearing leather and a smirk on her lips.
"There is someone who wants to speak to you." She began.
"Not you?" He playfully asked.
"No." She sternly replied. "But I believe you would be more amused to know that he is a man of great importance, who could share a kinship of some sort, Gambit." She spoke of his mutant name. At that moment Gambit knew what kind of trouble was coming his way. If he play his cards well he might get a good bargain in this.
"So, where is he?" He asked the woman to lead him to one of the few men that has a higher bounty than his head. She didn't answer him but walked her way through the crowd out of the noisy club. They went to the back street where a sleek black car was parked. The woman opened the door gesturing for him to get in.
He pocketed his hands on his coat and fingered a few cards as he skimmed the vicinity. He entered the car and found he was sitting beside the god of steel himself, Magneto. The woman sat at the front seat beside the driver but the car didn't move.
"Good evening Gambit, pleasant of you to join us." The man greeted him in an elegant British tone. "I'm sure you have met Callisto," He gestured a hand towards the woman then to the driver "and this is Pyro."
"And you are Magneto. That I know of." He couldn't believe that he was face to face with the most feared terrorists right now. Yes, their heads were a bounty that costs more than his. And he doubts that anyone could ever get a hand on that promised money. They wouldn't get caught, never, not alive anyway. One look at these people and you'll know that these kinds die on battlefields, soldiers as you put it.
"So what do I owe to have de Brotherhood pay me a visit?"
Magneto took a card from his pocket and showed it to him. "The Queen of Hearts."
Remy Lebeau simply pursed his lips.
A/N: I'm sorry I took forever to update. I actually wrote a different chapter to post but I decided that this should come first. This is for prompt #27 for the 50 scenes lj community.
I hope I captured things well. Please review. Thanks for everyone who reads this especially to those who took time sharing their thoughts about it. Suggestions, comments and violent reactions are welcome.