Disclaimer : Marvel owns the X-men, I'm just borrowing them.
Explosive Combination
Chapter Four : Dinner in Paris?
Jubilee sat cross-legged on the rooftop, her breath even as she meditated. Her conscious mind drifted between being attuned to her surroundings, and lost to the gentle sound of her quiet breaths. She could feel the cool wind blowing against her skin, and the blood coursing through her hands as she sat there. Finally as she felt as if the entire universe was ignoring her unobtrusive presence, she rose and ran for the edge of the building. She gracefully leapt from the edge and spread her arms wide, tearing through the air like a fallen angel. The windowsill came rushing towards her, and with a twist, she landed on the edge with a quiet thud as her suit absorbed the shock of the fall. Looking to the window, she could see the prize sitting on the mantle of the fireplace, quietly calling to her.
Placing her hand on the pane of glass, it shimmered with all the colours of the rainbow for a moment as Jubilee focused her plasmoids to dance over its surface, the plasma heating it until it melted away, leaving a hole large enough for her to slip through. Walking up to the mantle place, she picked up the ornate jade dragon and placed it in the case she had slung over her shoulder. Looking about the room, she fought the urge to pilfer anymore of the beautiful pieces sitting around. Remy had taught her to quit while she was ahead, and exercising that control, she ran and leapt through the hole in the window, tumbling through the air until she landed on a balcony of an adjacent building.
Looking back up to the window she had just visited, she could see the light flickering on in the bedroom, and then once more in the living room. Creeping into the shadows of the balcony, she watched as an obese man looked out of the hole in shock, and then ran back into the living room. Quickly she pulled the same trick on the patio window and ran through the living room and unlocked the front door. Running down the stairwell of the building, she ran out to the front and hopped on Remy's awaiting motorcycle.
"P'tite, I ever tell you how much I love de way you work?" Remy asked, as he gunned the engine and sped off into the night.
"Only every time I ever come back after a heist only I could have pulled off with what you've shown me." Jubilee replied, wrapping her arms about Remy.
"Dat sounds about right." Remy remarked as he leaned into a corner, Jubilee molding herself to his form.
"Y'know Gumbo. I hate having to leave such a trademark like that." Jubilee remarked, nitpicking the finer details of the job.
"Oui P'tite. But with de connections dis one has, we had to sacrifice finesse for speed." Remy explained, gunning the engine as he sped past a cruiser, the officer intent on his paper.
"That was a cop Remy." Jubilee remarked, looking back to the cruiser.
"Oui P'tite. But he be a good friend of Remy. I made sure he be in de area incase anyt'ing happened dat would have de officers rushing to de scene." Remy said as he slowed down as he got onto an onramp and headed out of the city.
Jubilee smiled and rested her head against Remy's back as the pair raced through the night like they owned it, and few would dare say otherwise. A year had passed since the pair had met on that fateful night in the alley. Remy had taught her the finer points of the art of theft, and the patience she lacked. In return, Jubilee had given Remy the family that they both had lost, as well as a partner he could trust unconditionally.
"Y'know Remy, it almost feels a shame to have to give this piece up. Its so beautiful." Jubilee mused, checking on the case slung over her shoulder.
"Oui P'tite. But a contract be a contract, honor in dis business be what keep people coming back to us. Knowing dat we do de job and get it done, dey pay well for dat, knowing dat de not need fear being double-crossed." Remy explained.
"Yeah, I know. Lets just get this one done, you promised me breakfast in Paris." Jubilee remarked, squeezing Remy tighter as the pair sped down the freeway.
"Breakfast in Paris, a stop to de Louver after hours. Midnight flight to Turkey." Remy chuckled out.
"Just so long as I get my fair cut as always, and get to do some shopping before the job. It's my first trip to Paris after all." Jubilee remarked, hugging Remy tightly.
"But of course." Remy said as he watched for his exit.
Jubilee rested her head against Remy's back, enjoying the feeling of the wind rushing over them. Before she knew it, they were pulling up to a large mansion that had two men standing out front in suits and radios in their hands. The smaller of the two said something into the radio and soon after, the men were waving them up the stairs.
Jubilee followed Remy up the stairs, her hands tingling with her gift as she watched the two guards. No matter how many times she had worked for these kinds of people, anyone who could afford armed help made her uneasy. Remy seeing this pulled Jubilee closer to him, giving her a playful ruffle of her hair.
"Mr. Dawson is ready to see you." The larger of the two said as they neared.
A butler escorted the two into a den where a rich man sat in a leather chair, enjoying a scotch by the fire. As they entered, his face brightened.
"Please, have a seat." Mr. Dawson said to them, pointing to the loveseat.
Jubilee sat down beside Remy, curling her legs up and leaning against him. Remy had relieved her of the case on their trip to the den, and now held it in his lap as he looked across to the man before them.
"Do ye have de payment?" Remy inquired, his tone going flat and cold as it always did when he did business with men of power.
"The payment, ah yes. Of course, you can have the girl verify it as my man transfers the funds to your Swiss account." Mr. Dawson remarked as he snapped his finger.
A man came from the other room, carrying a laptop over to Jubilee. He sat it down on the table before them and typed away for a moment while Jubilee watched. After the transfer was complete, Jubilee checked over the transfer and then worked away at it for a moment. The accountant looked at it again, typing away and turned to Jubilee baffled.
"What did you do? The money is gone." The accountant inquired.
"Oh nothing much. Just did a little disappearing trick I know to cover our collective tails." Jubilee remarked, though in truth, only did it to avoid any hackers from stealing their 'hard earned' money.
"Ah." The accountant remarked as he picked up the laptop and exited.
"And de other part of de payment?" Remy inquired, looking to Mr. Dawson.
"The statue first, just a glimpse is all. I trust you to no end Remy, but you know as well as I that in this kind of business, nerves always run high." Mr. Dawson said.
"But of course." Remy remarked, as he opened the case and revealed the jade dragon.
The grin that fell across Mr. Dawson's face seemed electric as he eagerly snapped his finger, summoning another servant. This one carried a slim case and walked towards Remy and Jubilee, handing the case to Remy and taking the jade dragon to Mr. Dawson.
Remy held out the case to Jubilee which had a silk ribbon tied about it. Jubilee looked to Remy curiously, and then took the case.
"Happy Anniversary P'tite." Remy said as Jubilee undid the bow and opened the case.
Jubilee stared inside the case, finding sapphire hung by a delicate silver chain, shimmering in the firelight. She looked up to Remy, speechless for a change.
"Remy, it's beautiful." Jubilee whispered as Remy closed the lid and gingerly took it from her and placed it in his jacket.
"Remy knew you'd like it. Now c'mon. We must be going if we be catching de plane." Remy said quietly as he got up and looked to Mr. Dawson.
"By your leave?" Remy asked, remembering his manners.
"Of course, Joseph, show our guests out. We both have what we want." Mr. Dawson said as he fawned over the statue, admiring every detail.
"Yes, we both have what we want indeed, oh I wish I could have been there to have seen DeCartre's face as he found it was stolen." Mr. Dawson added as the two left at the escort of the butler.
Remy and Jubilee were shown the way to the exit and made their way to the bike unhindered. Climbing on, Remy gunned the engine and sped off, intent on making it to the private jet which they had seats on, with their luggage waiting. Jubilee constantly coaxed Remy to speed up, but he decided to stay at a 'reasonable' speed, as he didn't wish for a cop to pull them over. Finally as they pulled into the parking lot, Remy pulled up to a man he had waiting for them. Getting off with Jubilee, he grabbed his saddlebag and handed the keys over to the man.
"Take care of her homme, and give her a nice tune up while we be gone." Remy remarked to the man, who was climbing onto the bike and throwing on his helmet.
"Of course Rem my man. You know I'll treat your scoot like she was my own sister." The man replied.
"Den be de protective older brother, non? A single scratch and Remy not be happy." Remy replied, and soon after the man drove off.
"Hey Gumbo, metal detectors, your not packing anything are ya?" Jubilee asked, tossing her tool kit to Remy who in turn charged it, destroying any evidence.
"Only a deck of cards P'tite, where can be de 'arm wit dem?" Remy asked, giving Jubilee a wry grin.
"With the hands you deal out, positively lethal." Jubilee remarked, pulling her trench coat out of the saddlebag.
"C'mon P'tite, lets get to de plane now." Remy said as he began walking to the airport terminal.
"I'm coming, just keep your pants on!" Jubilee shouted as she took off after him.
The pair walked through the terminal watching as other's waited for their flight. After checking through the security checkpoint, their escort awaited them and they made their way to the plane. Remy and Jubilee took their seats, with Remy ordering a brandy while Jubilee a soda. As the plane took flight, Jubilee looked out the window as New York stretched out before them. With a sigh, Jubilee turned to Remy and snuggled up next to him.
"Hey Gumbo, do me a favor, wake me when we're just before Paris. I want to see it before we land." Jubilee whispered as she closed her eyes and started to drift off into a light slumber.
"Of course P'tite." Remy whispered, waving over a flight attendant for a blanket.
Some time later, Remy took a peek out the window Paris drawing closer to them. Giving Jubilee a gentle shake, she slowly rose from her slumber and looked around. Remy pointed out the window, and Jubilee instantly remembered why he was to wake her. Turning to the window, she watched as Paris stretched out before her. The sun was just rising off the horizon, and in the early morning, it looked absolutely peaceful. With her request satisfied, Jubilee shut the shade with a quiet thud and snuggled back down with Remy, intent on sleeping through the landing.
After the plane had set down, and the other passengers started to disembark, Remy gave Jubilee another gentle shake, but this time only received a grunt.
"P'tite. We be here, you have to wake up now girl." Remy whispered, giving her another gentle shake.
Slowly Jubilee woke up and looked around the plane, finding it empty.
"Ugh. I was having a wonderful dream about that cute actor whose name I can't remember right now as my brain doesn't function until it's noon." Jubilee grumbled, climbing out of her seat and stretching.
"Ah, well 'ow about we cancel breakfast and do dinner in Paris, I be needing to get some sleep too." Remy offered as he rose and stretched too, and then showed Jubilee off of the plane and to the awaiting taxi.
"Fine by me, though we'll have to get up in time for some shopping first. Mallrat habits never die." Jubilee remarked, climbing into the taxi while Remy helped the driver with their luggage.
After arriving at the apartment Remy owned, Jubilee immediately ran to her bedroom and resumed her interrupted slumber. Remy gave a chuckle and headed off to the bathroom, intent on a shower and shave before he retired for the daylight hours. As Remy slid into bed in his silk pajamas, which Jubilee laughed at seeing for the first time, he drifted off into a light slumber. Though being back in Paris once more brought back dreams from his youth. The man named Creed, and the job he had been hired to do. Stealing the heart of a woman, who in the end paid with her life for the necklace she owned that Remy and Creed were both after. A choice between an old friend, and a new love. The pain resurfaced, as did the guilt. He awoke from his slumber with a start, jumping out of his bed just as Jubilee was exiting the shower.
"Chill Gumbo. Just me, ya were having a wicked bad nightmare there, but I didn't want to wake ya." Jubilee said as she stared at him.
Remy stared at her for a moment, catching his breath. Taking in a calming breath, he gave her his trademark smile as he masked the feelings that had been torn loose by the nightmare, replacing them with the bravado that is all Remy.
"Oui, just a bad dream P'tite. You getting ready to go shopping?" Remy asked, climbing from the bed and gathering up some eveningwear.
"You betcha. Gonna put a nice dent on that platinum card of yours that will heal with the next order of business in the evening." Jubilee remarked, walking off to her bedroom to change.
Remy let a genuine chuckle go. The girl could wear out almost any credit card, though with the two of their skills combined, she always managed to make up for the injury. He still marveled at how she could just walk into any building after psyching herself up, and go in undetected even to the video cameras. About the only thing that would ever give away her presence were pressure plates or door contacts, but she found creative ways around either of those obstacles. Suddenly a crash of glass from Jubilee's room sent a chill down his spine. Running to the room, he kicked down the door and found her in the arms of the torment of his nightmare.
"Creed!" Remy exclaimed, staring at the blonde haired man.
"Heya kiddo. See ya've grown up since we last tangled. Even got yerself a new fling do ya?" Creed asked, hefting up Jubilee by the hair, unconscious and with a trickle of blood running from a cut on her forehead.
"Ya let her go Creed. Dis be between you and me!" Remy yelled, only earning a throaty chuckle from Creed.
"Yer like a friend o' mine. Always fun ta torment when ya got a frail of his by the throat. Wonder what ya would do if I gutted this one in front of ya?" Creed inquired, raising a clawed hand to Jubilee's stomach.
Suddenly the whole room erupted into a shower of sparks and streamers of every colour of the rainbow, with Creed letting out a blood curdling roar as he threw Jubilee against the wall as he raised his hands to cover his eyes. Jubilee impacted with a sick thud, and tumbled to the floor in a heap. Remy ran to her side and picked her up, spinning around and facing Creed with several charged shards of glass while blood trickled down his hand. Creed had long since leapt back through the window, his sick demeanor wishing to savor the torment that he had in mind.
"I kill you if you ever dare come back here! You hear me Creed!" Remy yelled out of the shattered window, red faced rage on his face while his eyes shone with the fires of the infernal depths.
Falling to his knees, he let the shards drop from his hand, their charge fizzling away as he looked down to Jubilee. Bruises and cuts covered her form, while he could feel that her shoulder was dislocated from the throw. Gritting his teeth, he relocated it as Jubilee burst to life, crying out in pain. Looking up to Remy, he looked as if he had just seen a ghost, while he only cradled her as he stared out the window, his gaze distant and filled with purpose.
"Remy…who was that…" Jubilee asked in sharp breaths as she fought back against the pain.
"Old business P'tite. We getting out of here, trust Remy on dis one. No job or shopping spree be worth de trouble dat man bring wit him." Remy remarked, rising to his feet with Jubilee in his arms.
Walking out into the living area of the apartment, suddenly the door came crashing down and Remy jumped back to an end table, picking up a few playing cards left there and charged them.
"I kill you dis time Creed! Remy warned you!" Remy yelled as he threw the cards at the door, an explosion tearing apart the frame and bringing down a cloud of plaster and debris.
From the cloud, a short and stout figure rose and stood his ground. Soon after a tall African man walked through, gun drawn, followed by an African beauty with hair as white as ivory. He recalled these people who he hadn't seen in a year, and the man that stood before him, who had helped him flee from their home that night.
"Sorry we didn't knock bub. Guessin' since ya know Creed, ya know the game don't allow for pleasantries." Logan remarked, coughing in the cloud of plaster.
"What you doing here?" Remy asked, looking to them.
"We were here on business when Logan caught the scent of Creed. Followed it to your apartment LeBeau. Is she alright?" Bishop asked, looking to Jubilee.
"Not…polite to talk about someone in the…third person…unless you're Remy." Jubilee remarked through short breaths.
"We must get you to the hospital." Ororo said, and Remy only shook his head.
"You don remember dat de P'tite don like hospitals?" Remy asked.
"Oh…of course…my apologies. We can take you to our hotel where Henry can treat you. I don't think you are safe here if Creed is lurking about." Ororo said as she walked over, checking over Jubilee's injuries.
"Fine. Just so long as we're far away from that freak of nature." Jubilee said, finally catching her breath.
The trio of X-men soon became joined by Jubilee and Remy as they made their way to an awaiting car with Angelo at the driver's seat. Looking to the pair his comrades emerged with, he let a shocked expression pass over him, recalling the last time he saw them.
"Dios, what is this? We only see you two after you get beat up?" Angelo asked as they got into the car.
"Shut up hombre, before I paff ya." Jubilee growled as Remy sat her up and buckled her in.
"Paff?" Angelo asked, only to have Jubilee raise her palm and put on a display.
"Paff, scientifically known as Quasiarticulate Plasmoids. Can be as quiet as a few sparks as you see now, or mean enough to knock down a wall, or directed enough to melt glass. Want a demonstration?" Jubilee asked, too pissed off from having her shopping spree canceled to be nice.
"Eh Chica, you cool by me." Angelo said as he revved the engine, speeding off to the hotel the X-men were staying at.
The group sat in silence for the rest of the trip, with only Remy casting a glare at Angelo at every failed attempt to miss a pothole, shaking the car and jostling Jubilee. He knew it wasn't the boy's fault, though where his 'P'tite' was concerned; he was the world's most overprotective brother a girl could ask for. From the rooftop, Creed watched as the car drove off, carrying two men he would take much pleasure in tormenting and eviscerating. Giving a snarl, he leapt off into the night, to search for the unwary and unprotected of the city to satisfy the 'glow'.
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