What Goes Bump in the Night
p.1
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The young post carrier arrived at the Maison de Guildes (House of the guilds) with the post, "Mes seigneurs," he bowed before the Order of Four, "nous avons une lettre de bordeaux de dame!"
"Read it aloud boy." Louis Josef, the head of the Order of Four, demanded.
The boy nodded before quickly opening the letter and read:
My Lords Louis, Frederic, John and Bastillan,
As you may or may not know the people of my family waged war against the thieves. Needless to say we lost and Remy LeBeau, Gambit, has taken over both guilds in America. I do not write to complain, but as of late the man has become distracted. His attention fancies the young woman to which had escaped his grasp a few months ago and although time has passed he refuses to do nothing more than search for her.
He exhausts his resources, time, men, and money across the country in an effort to find her which has proved fruitless. I do not speak only for myself when I say that this manhunt is a waste of time and disgraces the lives we people live. Thus it is in my sound judgment that the woman he fancies must die. Enclosed is a picture of said woman, her name is Anna. Normally I would take matters into my own hands in situations such as these, but at present he has been keeping close watch of me. Your help sires would be most appreciated.
Your humble servant,
Belladonna Bordeaux
"That bastard is a menace!" Bastillian Shaw exclaimed throwing his fist in the air.
Nodding in agreement, "The boy is foolish," John Blake noted.
Rising, "I say we do as our dear Bella asked and send this bitch," he points to the photo in Louis's hand, "to hell along with the bastard American."
As the three bickered Louis looked over the photo for a few minutes. He could see the girl is beautiful even with that strange hair coloring. If they are lucky, and from what Bella has written, the man is obviously in love with her.
"Silence!" Louis barked calming the order, "You may go boy." He waved the mail carrier away. When he was gone the other three men leered at Louis. He had no reason to be angry with them!
"Josef are you barking?" Bastillian commented.
Looking at the red faced man, "Actually it is you that is mad," Louis said, "Do you know what this is gentlemen?" He asked holding up the letter.
"You had one too many drinks Josef," John pointed out, "It is obviously a letter. "
Deciding it his turn to speak, "Not just any letter; a letter from the prestigious Bella Bordeaux," Fredrick exclaimed.
"Idiots!" Louis snapped at them, " Bella has given us exactly what we need."
"And what do we need?" John asked.
"A way to control the American of course," Louis rolled his eyes, "Just because I do not like him doesn't mean I can't appreciate his talents."
"Explain." Fredrick gestured.
"Gentlemen," Loius smiled, "It is classic. We capture the lady of his affection first. He will come after her," he took a break to pace back and forth before them, "When he sees that there is no way to free her he will do as we ask to keep her alive and then … we will finally have control of the America!"
"Brillant!" John clapped, "But who shall we send on this endeavor?"
"My friends," Louis stopped to look them each in the eye, "The chance to control that backwater country is too great to leave to just anybody. That is why I wish to send myself."
"Take the Couteau's with you at the very least Josef! Fredrick said.
"Then it is agreed." Louis bowed before them before leaving the comfort of their order room for his bed room where his weapons and suit were kept.
"You may enter." Louis said as he placed a poisoned dart in his suitcase.
An Asian woman with hair and eyes the color of night with red and blue eye shadow stepped forward, "We can never startle you my lord."
"Katana," he turned to great her.
"The Couteau's are at your service."
"Good. I'll be leaving for America in two days time. Meanwhile I want you to find this person. I do not want you to be seen or heard. You will not attack unless I allow it."
"Of course sir." She said taking the picture of Anna from him.
"Move now." He shooed her away.
Two ½ Weeks Later
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"I don't thank I should be here." Rogue said pulling her hood tight to her head as Jean and Kitty led her through the mall.
"And like why not?" Kitty asked.
Sighing, "There are people still after me."
"Like you don't know that Rogue." Kitty pointed out.
"And we don't know if they aren't after me Kit."
"Touché." Jean smiled at their bickering.
Jean and Kitty believed some fresh air would do their friend some good. She rarely went outside the mansion, let alone the mall. So they kind of kidnapped her and viola Rogue's outside.
Kitty turned to see Rogue still holding her hood over her head, "Like Rogue please take that off."
"No. Do you know how many security cameras a complex this big has?"
"I'm sure that they aren't watching you from the cameras." Jean said patting her in the back, "But if it makes you feel comfortable … Kitty let her keep it on."Jean said as they walked down the hallway past an escalator. Kitty immediately turned to Rogue. She would not let Jean tell her what to do.
"Let me go Kitty!" Rogue yelled at the girl as she pulled her hood down. Kitty didn't stop until she received a rather hard punch to her gut. While Kitty took a moment to hold her stomach Rogue refastened her hood back on her head paying careful attention to hide her hair.
Five Days Later
"My lord, we found her." Katana said sitting on the lap of the security guard she killed. Katana and the rest of the members of the Couteaus had began searching as Louis Josef had commanded. Their teckie, an elbow bladed Scott, had hacked Gambit's mainframe. With his knowledge and a little common sense they deduced that the girl would more likely be seen where other teenage girls are.
Thus they checked all major malls, plazas, and romantic restaurant camera feeds until Katana snuck in, killed said security guard, and played the days feed. As she scanned the seven screens she noticed a stripe of white. Holding the rewind button for ten seconds. Then play for two seconds before clicking pause.
She noticed a girl in a hoodie with hair the color of the indicated target. The girl, Anna, was trying to pull her hood up that the shorter brunette in front of her had pulled down. Alongside them was a red head shaking her head side to side within the shadow of the escalator.
"Good, now go find out everything you can about the situation. I hate to not be properly prepared."
"Ai." (yes?)
The Couteaus
Very few knew of the fiendish five that made up the Blade of France. Their history started in the mid to late 1400's where rogue assassins proudly displayed their colors on the streets, admired as gods and when thieves were far from sparse taking not only your money but often men's wives.
Tired of the mockery that walked their beloved cities the French Government decided to hire five adolescent prostitutes off the street. Took them in. Taught them how to kill. How to deceive. Many a lawbreaker had found their selves in bed with one of the killer whores not knowing their lives would soon come to a rather short end.
These five prostitutes alone freed Paris of its hooligans in a matter of years. With the streets safer and their pockets deeper they each set out to find the next generation of defenders. From henceforth the tradition continued on. They were often called the Blade of France or Couteaus (knife), for the femme fatal's love of blades.
The latest group was headed by the color blind Japanese beauty, Katana, whose love for Japanese steel rivaled her taste for blood. With her raven hair tied in a high ponytail to sport the blue phoenix tattoo down her back, graced with the personality of a wolverine, she is easily the natural leader of their team.
Next in command is Maxine (Max) Moore, the Scott, who learned her elbow bladed tactics from her Philippian master. She also has a gift with computers and prides herself on being able to hack any computer system known to man. In classic Irish fashion she has long, stunning bright red hair in two pigtails with aqua eyes and freckles with a tattoo of a banshee.
The third is the French native, Alice, a blond who fights with a winged spear and a lead performer at the Moulin Rouge during the spring. Her skill lies within her resourcefulness. She has a tattoo on her inner thigh of a crow.
Then there's Syp Sveta, an x-Russian spy who carries more hidden weapons than a pack of terrorist. You name it she has it. Syp, has chestnut hair, chocolate eyes, has a fetish for tight white clothing, and has a tattoo of the grey wolf on the back of her neck.
The last is Italian bred Rosa Dante who although carries thin sharp weapons resembling chopsticks, prefers to get her hands dirty. Her victims are more likely to be strangled to death than stabbed in the chest. Rosa wears a green bandana over her short dark brown hair with a tattoo of a peregrine falcon, with its wings spread, across her chest. And given her height and small size she easily can fit into almost anywhere and in anything including carryon bags.
Together, Katana, Max, Aice, Syp, and Rosa make up the Couteaus. And as of now their mission is to seek out Anna.
.
"Mutantes!" Rosa pointed out from the safety of the tree she was surveying the outer north perimeter of the mansion on.
"Why is nothing never easy." Alice whined listening to Rosa through use of a head piece.
"Alice," Max smiled coyly, "You're easy enough for the five of us." Alice glared at her for her non to subtle pun before turning her attention back to the screen in the van they are in.
"What are their talents Rosa?" Katana asked straight to business as usual.
"Un mutante è sul fuoco, un altro è fatto di ghiaccio e c'è uno coperto di pelliccia ... somiglia a un elfo a me." Rosa said.
Katana took a seat pushing the bickering Alice and Max out of her way, "One's body is made of fire, the next ice, and the last looks like an elf. Got it," Katana spoke into the piece again, "But we're going to need a visual."
Syp stood up happy to take the job to stretch her legs when Max interrupted her, "I can just hack the system Syp," she started typing away on her keyboard, "I'll need at least thirty minutes."
"I see," Katana turned to her, "You have half that time to finish. Rosa continues surveying. What are the mutants doing?"
Rosa peered through her binoculars again, "football di giocare." [playing football]
"Search the other perimeters and see if you can see any others. We need to know their numbers Rosa."
"Si, mam."
Rosa ran around until she spotted Jean and Scott making out under a tree. She also saw the most beautiful woman ever with snowy white hair watering her plants with her hands. And last, but not least she saw her.
"L'ho trovata! [I found her]" Rosa said excitedly.
"Josef will be most pleased ladies." Katana complimented.
"I have visual." Max told her flexing her fingers above her head. Rosa on the other hand continued to watch … well try to watch Anna anyway. Her mind was more on the beautiful chocolate woman downstairs. Fighting the urge to look away she saw another man come into view. From the information required she knew him to be the girls father and a major bad ass mutant.
They talked for a moment or two before the man stiffened. Instinctively she jumped out of her tree and rolled in a bush. Using her fingers to part a few bristles she knew the man had spotted her by the way he glared and headed down stairs.
"Mi ha visto!" [He has seen me] She quickly cast her binoculars in the bush. She was sure the man didn't physically see her. So how did he know she was there? Dusting off her shirt she decided to act the part of tourists.
The girls watched from the van intently as Logan came upon Rosa who had mystically drawn a map from what appeared to be nowhere and was looking it up and down.
"What are you doing here kid?" Logan asked.
She smiled kindly at him before stepping closer and extending her hand, "Il buono signore di mattina!"[good morning sir]
Logan looked at her quizzically before asking, "What did you say?"
"Che?" [what] she asked pulling back her hand he shook and retrieving her map, "Sono il turista. Sono perso."
"Perso?"
"Lost …" she offered. Logan looked at the confused lady. She obviously didn't know any English and here she was trying to navigate the city. He took the map from her and after five attempts he finally got her to show him where she was going.
"Alright kid, here's the Empire State building. Just head in that direction," he pointed north, "And you should be there in an hour or two."
She smiled brightly at him, "Ringrazia il signore!" [Thank you sir]
"Your … welcome." He raised an eyebrow.
Taking her map back she gave him a quick bow saying, "So che lei non mi capisce l'americano, ma mi chiamo Rosa e lei mi vedrà di nuovo." [I know you don't understand me American, but my name is Rosa and you will be seeing me again] Before taking off in the direction he pointed her, but before she could take more than two steps he stopped her again to hand her her binoculars. How did he know she owned them?
When Rosa was safely back in the van Katana spoke, "It is apparent the beast has heightened senses just like the mammal whose name he so proudly wears. He probably smelled you on the binoculars Rosa. This bunch will be difficult to deal with.
"But we WILL deal with them right?" Syp asked.
"You know I love a challenge." Katana smirked, "Why we ambush them our boss will kidnap the girl. From there we will await orders."
The other ladies nodded.
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