Authors note: I own nothing, save Josh and a few others. If I owned it, then I would be very happy, but I don't so I'm not so happy. Anyway enjoy.
Threats and Growing Fears
By: Midnight
Hello
Is it late there
Is there laughter on the line
Are you sure your there
Alone
Cuz I'm
Trying to explain
Something's wrong
You just don't sound the
Same
By Billie Myers
Jubilee sat at her new office and looked over some of the latest patterns she had drawn. She pulled out three of the five and sat the other two next to her phone. She looked at the other three and smiled setting them down one next to the other. The first pattern had a pair of black pants and a green vest with a light tan polo like shirt underneath. The second had a pair of tan slacks with a green sweater with a stripe down the center to put a logo of choice. The third outfit had a red skirt with a logo across the side where a slit could be. A long gray shirt was under a red checkered vest with a collar.
Jubilee smiled at the two and set them into a folder that would be sent out later. She then grabbed her bag and collected her things to go home. She stopped when there was a knock on the door. She looked up to see A young man standing at the door smiling. He had short blond hair with gray eyes that made him look like an innocent. She smiled softly and motioned for him to come in. He walked in and took a seat giving her a large smile that was worth over two thousand dollars.
"So, how are you liking New Orleans?" He asked and jubilee smiled. She picked up her bag and looked out the window.
"Not bad. Not as fast pace as I use to think when I was younger." She said to Jean, the young model sitting across from her.
"Yeah most people think that. Well do you have any plans for tonight, If not how about I show you the town?" He asked smiling softly and Jubilee cursed mentally. She searched through her mind for some sort of reason not to go. There were only three rules in dealing with models in her business. One, never tell the model they were fat, looked badly in an outfit, or need to lose a few pounds. It makes it extremely hard to talk to them afterwards, because they are panicking, crying, or cursing at you. Two never get to close to them as fiends. She had done this once wit ha young model named Cat and had to let her go due o some complications in her papers. It hurt Jubilee a lot to say that she was fired. Rule number three is to date the models, no matter how hot they were or how nice they could be. Things never worked out between them plus half the time the Male models were gay or not interested.
"Um. I think I might have a business dinner." She said half stuttering, but it came out more as an educated though with class. Something Jubilee never knew she had until Emma pointed it out at her graduation from college a few years back. Jubilee smiled at the thought, but now, four years later, she had only advanced her skills as a fashion constant and designer with a sharp edge knife of having an attitude that few could walk away from when she was angry.
Jean opened his mouth as to say something before the phone interrupted him. Jubilee smiled apologetically. She picked up the phone thanking who ever it was for calling.
"Jubilation Lee, How can I help you?" Jubilee said and listened for a second as she heard small amounts of classical type music in the background.
"Why if it isn't the young fashion star." She heard the voice say and smiles whole-heartedly.
"Josh, hey baby, what are you doing?" She said and Jean smiled letting himself out.
"Not much heard you came into town and figured I would take my favorite girlfriend out to dinner and maybe a movie." He said and Jubilee smiled.
"That sounds lovely. What time are you gonna pick me up?" Jubilee said and heard a few papers being moved in the background.
"How about 7:30. Se you then." Josh said and Jubilee agreed before saying good bye. Jubilee looked down at her watched and noticed that it was well after Five and she would have to hurry to her apartment in order to get ready on time. She finished gathering her things and walked out of her office locking the door behind her. She walked through the front doors and hailed a taxi to take her home. Normally she would walk the ten blocks, but she wanted to save the time to get home and get ready.
After about ten minutes she walked into her apartment and threw off her expensive suit with a skirt and hopped into the shower. She enjoyed the hot water on her tense muscles and soon got out. She dried off and threw on underwear and a slip. She walked over to her vanity and started to put on some make up. She didn't have to put on more then a small bit due to her already perfect skin and brushed her hair back into a bun with a few hairs falling around her shoulders. She smiled at her face in the mirror. She then went to her closet and puled out a deep satin green dress that hugged her every curve. She slipped it on carefully and grabbed a necklace of the dresser. The necklace was gold with an emerald in the center of a pendulum wit ha jade dragon claw holding the stone. It had been a graduation present of Logan and she was glad for the excuse to wear it. She straightened her dress while looking in the mirror. She smiled at the image and walked to the kitchen waiting for Josh to arrive. She looked over at the clock and read 7:25. She sat down on a couch and waited. After about ten minutes she tidied up her kitchen when the phone finally rang. She went over and picked it up smiling.
"Jubes. Hey love, I'm not gonna be able to pick you up. Would you mind if I met you at the restaurant in a short while? My work's keeping me here." He said. Jubilee smiled understanding but the smile faded when she heard a young woman's voice in the background.
"Um. Sure. I'll see you in a short while." She said and hung up the phone. She grabbed her purse and went down to the front of the building. She hailed a taxi and gave the driver directions to the restaurant.
When she arrived she took a seat at the table and waited patiently. She ordered herself a glass of wine while waiting for Josh to arrive. After a short while the waiter came by and looked at her.
"Would you like to place an order?" He asked in a fake French accent and Jubilee shook her head and waved him off. He later returned with the phone and smiled. "You have a call. Do you care to take it Cherie?"
"Yes." She said and the waiter sat the phone down and left. Jubilee cleared her throat and picked up the phone. "Yes." She asked sending it out with a bit more anger then she meant.
"Baby I'm so sorry. But I don't think I'll make it. Why don't you go on home and tomorrow I promise I'll make it up to you." He said and jubilee sighed while her anger boiled.
"Yeah, sure. Josh I'll see you later." She said and hung up the phone forcefully. The waiter walked over and began to pick up the phone. "I'll have the lamb, medium done, potatoes, and ranch dressing." She said and crossed her arms not looking at anyone in particular. The waiter wrote it down and left. Jubilee sat there for a while enjoying her wine and thought about things while keeping her mind off of Josh. The waiter returned and sat down her food. He smiled at her and Jubilee gave back a half-hearted smile. She began to eat her meal not feeling to hungry.
After a short while the waiter took away the barely eaten food and looked back at her. "Anything else Madame?"
"Yes, another glass of wine." She said and he smiled. He poured the wine and left the check. Jubilee gave him her credit card. He returned holding the card in his hands.
"I'm sorry but your card is maxed out. Perhaps another form of payment would work better." Jubilee looked at him and frowned.
"Are you sure. I haven't used that thing for a while and the only one who has access hasn't used it either. It should have a good five hundred dollars on it." She said and the waiter shook his head. Jubilee got out her checkbook and wrote him a check. She sat back and looked at the card. 'Only Josh has the access to that card.' She thought and her anger towards him only increases. She looked around and caught sight of a young man in the corner of her eye.
She looked more carefully and narrowed her eyes. Josh was across the table setting a young blond woman. Jubilee got to her feet and her anger tripled in two seconds.
Remy Lebeau smiled at the young woman as he waited for their table. He looked over at the restaurant and got the biggest shock of his life. There, across the room, was Jubilee who was walking over to a younger man he could recognize as her boyfriend for two years. She looked like she was about to rip his head off and possibly do worse. He caught sight of the woman with Josh and frowned. He looked over at the young woman at his side.
"Cherie." He said and she smiled.
"Go ahead. I'm sure the rest of the guild will be here soon." She said and Remy nodded thankfully as he walked over to where Jubilee and Josh seem to be arguing.
Jubilee walked over to Josh and looked at the blond across the table. She was giving him the biggest flirty eyes Jubilee had ever seen. Jubilee frowned at her and grabbed A glass off of the table and threw it at Josh.
"Bastard. Work my ass." She said and walked way but was cut short when Josh's hand grabbed her arm.
"Jubilation. I can explain. This is my business associate, Carla." He said and Carla looked at him angrily. Jubilee looked at his hand and frowned.
"Remove your hand from my arm Josh or else." She said and Josh frowned at her.
"Jubilee you're blowing this out of proportion." He said and opened his mouth to say more but was cut short when Jubilee punched him in the face. He let go of her arm and fell to the ground. Carla stood up and walked over to him.
"You little bitch, that hurt." He said and Jubilee gave him a small smile.
"That was the point love dear." She spat at him and walked away. She bumped into some one but didn't pay the slightest attention. She ran out of the restaurant.
Remy watched her leave and took one look at Josh. "You know Remy could be de lesser man and beat de crap put of you, but I'm gonna leave dat for jubilee." He said and went after Jubilee.
Jubilee ran and hardly noticed the rain falling from the sky. She ran till she felt her legs couldn't hold her any more and stopped at a park bench collapsing on the bench. She sat down and let a few tears fall and they mixed with the rain. Jubilee let out a soft sob and shivered slightly as the rain finally soaked though her dress's material. She sighed wishing she had just gone home instead of ran away. She should have stayed and talked to him and cursed at him, but she didn't think she could have took it.
Jubilee felt a jacket slip around her shoulders blocking out a bit of the rain. She sat up and was about to punch someone till she noticed it was Remy. He sat down and looked at her with his red on black eyes.
"It's not fair." She whispered and Remy nodded and Jubilee fell in his arms. Remy ran his fingers through her soft hair and whispered things in French into her ear. Jubilee sobbed into his shoulder and Remy laid his head on her shoulder and sighed as she let it all out. After a short while she sat back slightly felling embarrassed and tired.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to break down like that." Jubilee muttered and scooted over slightly. Remy smiled and straightens his pant legs while watching her.
"It's alright Chere, I don' mind de tears." He said and Jubilee nodded. There was an uncomfortable pause as both just looked at each other. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"No, I think I just want to go home or hit something." Jubilee said and Remy nodded.
"De first one I can help wit, but dat second part I might have to pass on." Remy said and got up. He held out his hand for jubilee to take and Jubilee took it gratefully. She shook her head slightly and smiled.
"Thanks Remy." She said and they began to walk away when they heard footsteps coming towards them. Josh stopped and caught her breath.
"Jubilation wait. I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that. She was just a business associate. Nothing more love." He said and looked her in the eyes. Jubilee shifted from one foot to the other and looked back at Remy. She wanted to believe josh, they had been together for more then Two years, but at the same time she saw the look in that girls eyes. It was more then business, but perhaps Josh didn't know that. He could be clueless at times.
"I say dat he not be de kind to take back. You saw it Cherie, but den again he is your boyfriend and your life. Just let Remy give you a piece of good advice. Sometimes men ain' always what dey seem." Remy said and Jubilee looked over at Josh. She sighed and backed up slightly.
"I got to go, I can't deal with this not right now." She whispered and started to walk away.
"Baby, I love you, please just give me some clue as to know that you can find something to forgive me with. I'm lost with out you." Josh said and jubilee nodded. She turned back to him and smiled slightly, but kept her hard eyes.
"If you call me this week, I might pick up." She said and walked away. Remy watched her leave and looked back to Josh.
"You hurt her Mon ami, I would be inclined to hurt you badly." He said and Josh frowned. Remy watched as his eyes changed slightly to a more hard tone.
"Really, just stay away from my girlfriend. She doesn't need any more of your kind in her life." Josh said and walked away angrily. Remy stood there for a minute and frowned while starting to follow Josh.
Jubilee walked into the apartment soaking and upset. Her legs gave out under her and she fell to the floor while leaning up against the wall. She sat there for a few minutes trying to get her composure back to what it was. She got up and walked to her bedroom pulling the pieces of wet clothes from her body unemotionally. She sighed and walked over to the shower and turned it on. After a few minutes she was under the hot spray letting the water message her body.
Could have it really only been a day ago when she was here getting ready for a date with Josh. Josh, she hugged herself and sat down in the shower letting about everything she had held onto for the last four hours. Once the tears started she just couldn't get them to stop and she held herself tighter wanting nothing more then for Josh to be here the hold her and chase away the darkness she always felt late at night. She finally turned off the shower even though the sobs had not completely stopped. She grabbed her robe and threw it one while walking to the bedroom.
Gambit continued to follow Josh as he walked into a back ally. He hides behind a dumpster as Josh scanned the area and tapped lightly on the door. Gambit watched as the door opened and Josh walked in. Gambit quickly stopped the door from completely shutting and followed Josh in. A larger man who didn't like him there confronted him. Gambit and smiled and punched the larger man in the face causing him to black out.
"And de people hire dem for protection." Gambit muttered and walked along the platform. He stopped when he noticed josh talking to an older man. The man seemed to be in his late forties and had on a business suit. Gambit climbed up the rafters and listened in on the conversation.
"The mutant ready for the plan?" The older man said. Josh sat down and pulled out a cigarette.
"Yeah, had a few problems with her though. Some guy showed up and almost busted up my plans." Josh said and the other man nodded.
"Do what ever is needed, just as long as then mutant is ready for the project. We only have a few more days till the time." The older man nodded.
"Sure thing Mr. Z, I'll bring her in tomorrow night. No problem." Josh said and stood up.
"Good, and when you do your membership to FOH will be extended greatly. This project will prove a great asset to the fight against those filthily animals." Mr. Z said. Josh nodded and walked out. Gambit debated whether or not to follow him, but decided to stay. Mr. Z got up and dialed a phone off to the side.
"Hello, Boss, the boys going to bring her in. No problem." He said and paused. "Tomorrow night hopefully. If all things go well." Another pause as he nods. "Warehouse C8 off of the old docks. Yeah. The ceremony will be tomorrow at mid night. That will give us plenty of time." Mr. Z smiled and nodded a gain before hanging up the phone.
Gambit frowned deeply and left. More then any thing he wanted to destroy the man, but he thought better of it and he left the building. After walking the streets for a few hours, he finally turned and went to Jubilee's apartment hoping she would listen to him.
Jubilee finally got to sleep when she heard the knock. She sent out three or four curses and got up. She threw on her old robe over her night gowned and walked to the door. She opened it slightly and looked at Remy.
"Can we talk Cherie?" He said and Jubilee nodded opening the door all the way. She looked him over and smiled. He was drenched, head to toe, in water and looked tired. She watched him and sighed. Had she not been so upset over her and Josh's fight, she might enjoy the way Remy's clothes clung to his body show his muscles well.
"Would you like something to eat?" She asked and went to the kitchen trying to derail her thoughts before she though something she wouldn't like. Remy nodded and leaned up against the wall. She fixed a sandwich and some coffee. As she made the sandwich her mind wondered. 'Why is he here? Did some one get hurt back home?' She thought and looked back over at him. She shook her head slightly and sighed.
'Nope, he looks sad, but not that sad, Just upset about something.' She thought and walked back out with the sandwich and two cups of coffee.
"You read my mind Petit'." He said and took the food and coffee. Jubilee nodded and sat down at a table. Remy followed in suit and the sat in silence for a short while.
"So, what brings you here?" She asked taking a drink of her coffee. Her mind began to work normally again as he looked up at her.
"Ran into a friend of yours." He said and looked her over. She had changed greatly in the last year. Her skin seemed a bit softer and her face held a bit more harden features. She still had a great figure that most people would kill for. Her eyes were what caught his attention 9 times out of 10. They held a hardened look in them that screamed hurt and pain to anyone who knew what to look. Not many did, so they looked Happy and tired to untrained eyes. Remy shook his head slightly.
"Ran into Josh, he got some interesting friends Mon ami. He has been tailing with de FOH. He got something planed for you." He said and was rewarded by a glare and a few pafs hitting him lightly on the face. He rubbed his check and knew it was nothing more then a small burn. Also he knew that Jubilee could have taken off his head had she wanted too, most likely with out her powers too.
"Josh is not an FOH man, he is just a guy that works hard. God why does everything have to be about mutants. Maybe he really is just a great guy." Jubilee yelled and looked away from Remy. She crossed her arms and felt tears well up in her eyes. She blinked them away and heard Remy shift.
"Chere you know Gambit only want you to be happy, but dis guy's no good. He been working for de bad guys." Remy told her.
"Is it so hard to believe that maybe he is a normal guy and he loves me." She snapped back and Remy sighed.
"Yes, you already know dat he was cheating on you, he ain't what you think Jubilee." Remy whispered and Jubilee stood up.
"He was no cheating. He doesn't work for FOH. He loves me and he is here now to love me more. Why don't you go back to the X-men and stay out of my life." Jubilee shouted.
"Why do you want to hold onto him so much?" Remy asked and Jubilee frowned.
"Because he has been there for me every step of the way since we met." Jubilee said and turned her back to Remy.
"Fine Chere, I'll leave, but just be careful. He gonna try something tomorrow dat no one gonna like." Remy told her and left not saying another word. He walked out of the building and sighed. She wouldn't take his help; he would just have to make sure she would have it when she truly needed it.
Jubilee finished putting on the final touches to her outfit while waiting for the taxi to arrive. She smiled at her reflection. A grayish black business suit tailored to her was perfect in every way. She marveled at how most of her suits and outfits clung almost like a second skin. Perhaps it was her way of getting back into the spandex and enjoying the fight. Naw, she was just use to the closeness. Her younger years with the X-men and Generation-X had made it close to impossible for her not to enjoy a good fight and such, that was why she had martial art classes every once and a while.
Jubilee half jumped half turned as the phone rang. She walked over to her bed and picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Jubes? Hi." Jubilee sighed as Josh talked. She held onto the phone debating whether or not to hang up. "Please what ever you do don't hang up. I really need to talk to you."
"I'm listening. What's so important Josh." She asked wit ha harder tone to her voice then normal.
"I want to make up Last night to you. Take you out to dinner. Maybe that movie I promised you." Josh told her and she felt her heart stop for a second.
"I don't know. I have this show today. I might end up being gone all night." She told him biting her lip slightly.
"Come on. They won't mind you being gone for a while. Just two hours. That will give us enough time to eat. I promise to have you back in two hours." Josh begged.
"Well, I suppose a little dinner won't hurt. But only for two hours. No more Josh and I'm serious." Jubilee said.
"Done, See ya later baby. I'll pick you up at 9." He said and hung up. Jubilee sighed resting the phone back on its cradle. The front door buzzer rang and jubilee grabbed her purse before heading out.
It took Jubilee half the day to prepare for the fashion show. She knew that it would have taken less time, but her mind was trying to focus on what Josh and Remy. Remy told her that josh wasn't trustworthy and that he was planing something to night. Could it have been a coincidence that Josh called today and wanted to eat supper? No, this is Josh, the man she had been seeing for over two years. The guy she even had thoughts of marrying. But then again Remy knew most of this, what would he have to gain from splitting up her and Josh? Jubilee shook her head and cleared her thoughts for a second watching the models look at the clothes and get ready for the show.
'Things are fine. I'll eat dinner with Josh and then figure things out. But what if Remy is right and Josh isn't all he seems to be. God is my life messed up or what. Next thing you know we'll all be fighting evil demons from Mars.' She thought and smiled.
"Miss. Lee. Dolly is having a fit. She won't leave her room." A younger girl said of to Jubilee's right. Jubilee sighed and walked over to Dolly's dressing room already predicting this event.
"Dolly, Come on out." She said and she heard a sob.
"I'm fat. This dress looks horrid. I can't wear this it will ruin my career." Dolly screamed and cried out at the same time. Jubilee sighed and played in her minds the possible ways to get Dolly out. One she could unlock the door and force Dolly out, no not gonna work. Two she could force open the door and try to reason with Dolly, Nope try again. Three she could just tell Dolly to get her butt out here.
"Dolly you got ten seconds to unlock this door and come out or else you can forget about starting the show." Jubilee yelled and heard the sobbing stop for a second.
"No, but this dress looks bad on me." Dolly said and Jubilee could here her approach the door.
"Come out and let me be the judge of that. If it truly looks bad I will have you wear another more suitable dress." Jubilee told her and she heard the door unlock. A red haired, 5'7, young woman walked out of the room. She had on a yellow dress with one strap pointed up while the other strap sat comfortably toward the middle of her shoulder. The dress wrapped around her legs giving her the impression of having more legs, but with a key tone of a full body. Jubilee sighed. The material clashed with dolly's eyes and skin. She looked to yellow and pale.
"Sarah get me a red shaw or something." Jubilee said to one of the girls and she ran off. A few moments later she returned with a light red scarf and a dark red shaw. "Light red." Jubilee said and took the scarf. She pulled it around Dolly's shoulders with a bit of effort and puffed it up on one side giving a bit more of a balance look to Dolly.
"There. All better. Now will you please get in line. The show starts in five minutes." Jubilee told Dolly and she nodded rushing towards the stage. Jubilee sighed and rubbed her temples.
"Your guest are arriving." A young man said from her left. She sighed and walked to the front of the building mentally cursing her profession. She walked out to see an older lady with a younger man beside her.
"Ms. Smith. So sorry I wasn't here to greet you. A model was having a small problem." Jubilee said and shook Ms. Smith's hand.
"Quite alright darling. Those model can be rather picky at times." Ms. Smith said and smiled. "Well I really must be off. That young man is waiting at my table." Ms. Smith said and walked over to a table. Jubilee sighed knowing this could be a very log night.
The night went off quiet well considering the earlier events. Jubilee entertained her guests and soon 9 o'clock came around. She excused herself from the crowd and walked over to a younger lady. The lady had Brown hair with black tips and light green eyes.
"C. I got to go. Do you mind keeping the ladies busy while I'm gone?" Jubilee asked and Courtney looked over to her. She flashed a perfect smile and nodded.
"No problem. You have a date with Josh right. Have fun and don't worry about a thing." Courtney replied and jubilee nodded. She turned and left the building. Out front she could see Josh's car. 'On time as normal.' She thought to herself with a smile and walked over to the car. She got in and smiled to josh.
"You won't believe the day I've had." Jubilee said and smiled to Josh. She barely noticed the hand cover her mouth. She struggled against it and could fell wetness on the cloth and struggled not to breathe it in. Chloroform.' She thought and let lose a wild display of fireworks before her arms were held behind her back by Josh. She looked over at him with desperate eyes and they narrowed in anger. 'Remy was right and I was to stupid to listen.' She thought and gave one last push before having to breathe. She breathed in the chloroform and reached out with her mind.
'Help. Oh help…please.' She sent out to anyone who would hear as she blacked out in the seat.
"Damn it. My beautiful car. God it's half destroyed. Stupid mutant." Josh said and looked over at her.
"Well at least we got her." The person from the back seat said and blond hair spilled into the front seat as the figure leaned forward. "For a moment there I thought we had lost her. Good thing she ain't telepathic."
"Don't matter, Carla. She wouldn't have had enough time to reach out. Now let's get going. Someone's gonna suspect us if we just sit here to long." Josh said and turned on the car. Carla smiled and pulled jubilee into the Backseat with easy.
"God, what does she weight? Ten pounds?" Carla said and Sat in the front seat as Josh left the parking lot.
"115. Depending on whether she had a good day or not." Josh said off hand and turned down a street. They speed off into the night not noticing the motorcycle behind them.
"Good, she has arrived." Mr. Z said and clasped his hands together looking at Jubilee. "Put her in the cage. The ceremony begins in less then
"I thought the ceremony wasn't for another few days." Josh said and laid Jubilee down in the cage.
"It's been changed." Mr. Z told him and walked off. Josh shrugged and walked off as a guard came up and watched over Jubilee.
"Get her out it's time to begin." Mr. Z said and one to the larger men yanked Jubilee from the cage. She struggled and landed a hard kick to his shin. The arms slipped for a second and Jubilee squeezed her body out from his arms. A hand full of guards and the click of guns greeted her ready to fire. She frowned, had she had her powers this would have been a piece of cake. But alone, unarmed, with no powers. She could take out two maybe three of the eight before they shot her. She went forward at one of them and sent a roundhouse kick towards his head that connected with the guard's lower jaw.
"Don't kill her. If you have to shoot, shoot to hurt. Not kill." One man yelled and Jubilee heard a shot being fired. She rolled to the left and the shot sliced through her left shoulder. A flesh wound, but it hurt badly to get shot. She pushed the pain away as she got to her feet and heard another click of a gun. She looked over at the man that shot her and sent a punch at him. He was close enough that it knocked him off his feet, but not enough to do much damage. She was about to hurt him worse when the butt of a gun came down on the side of her face. She fell to the ground fighting blackness for the second time today.
"Get into the restraint before she wakes up." Mr. Z said and watched as two of the guards helped the others up while another picked Jubilee up and sat her in a seat. He strapped down her arms and Legs along with her waist. Last of all he strapped her head in place looking straightforward. Mr. Z walked forward and put some fainting salts under her nose. Jubilee tired to get away from the salts as she woke up but couldn't. She trashed a bit trying to get free, but stopped when she heard a laugh.
"Now my dear. You'll only hurt yourself worse. Now can we begin or shall we wait a little longer." Mr. Z said and walked over to her. She spat in her direction and he stopped.
"So what's it gonna be this time. Kill me instantly or torture me slowly." Jubilee said with anger dripping off of every word.
"Now, I don't plan on hurting you, but if you give me the information on how to destroy the X-men then I'll let you go." Mr. Z said and Jubilee laughed.
"Been there done that. If you plan on just torturing me then give it up. I won't break." Jubilee said and Mr. Z smiled.
"Oh really. Well then I would like you to say hello to Josh. Of course you two have already had the pleasure." Mr. Z said and Josh stepped forward smiling at Jubilee.
"You really should have listen to Remy love, he was right on the money, even had the time down exactly." Josh aid and jubilee frowned.
"Bastard. And don't call me your love. That love I had for you is gone." Jubilee said and tried to get out once more.
"Yes, I figured so much, but it really doesn't look to good on your part. Being able to stop loving me in a seconds notice." Josh told her and walked over to her. He leaned over and Whispered into her ear. "To bad Remy is dead because of your so called love and blindness." He said and backed away. Jubilee looked at him in shock and narrowed her eyes.
"When? When did you kill him?" Jubilee said and fought against the restraints.
"Last night. Right after you left him and me alone. Poor guy. He gave up a good fight, but it's impossible to fight against a dozen and or so men." Josh said and Jubilee smiled. She watched him and the smile grew making Josh uncomfortable.
"Enough of this. Jubilation I shall give you one more shot at telling me." Mr. Z said and looked at Jubilee.
"Go to hell." Jubilee said and Mr. Z sighed as he waved his hand. One of the guards came up and punched her in the face and then in the stomach. He backed up and Mr. Z looked to her.
"Your answer still the same? I figured you would never give up the answer easily. After all the is how Xavier gets you people." Mr. Z said and the guard began the process of beating her again. After a few minutes of torture, Mr. Z stopped the man.
"You can take you question and shove it up your…" Jubilee's sentence was stopped by a punch to her gut. She spat up a bit of blood and frowned.
"I can see this is going now where and my time is cutting short. I have a close friend I would like you to meet. Josh bring Mr. Logan out." Mr. Z said and Josh smiled while walking towards the back of the warehouse. Jubilee's frown deepened as she saw Josh return wit ha hunched over figure. The figure looked and walked horribly. Mostly Josh pulled it and another guard while it fought to get away almost sluggishly.
"I'm afraid he won't be to much of a help to you right now. He's got enough drugs in him to keep that little healing factor of his down. You see we tried to him to give up the information, but he wouldn't quiet a stubborn man he is, Aren't you Mr. Logan." Mr. Z said and was replied to that by a half growl half grunt as Josh pushed Logan to his knees about ten feet from Jubilee.
"Since you refuse to answer my question under your pain. How about we see how far Mr. Logan's healing factor can be pushed?" Mr. Z said and waved to one of the guards. The guard raised up his gun and shot a lone bullet into Logan's thigh. Jubilee cried out but bit her tongue from saying more. She looked over at Logan's eyes and debated what to do. Logan looked at her and gave a half smile half wince. Jubilee looked up at Mr. Z.
"Jubilation, Don't…. Not worth it." Logan said and Jubilee frowned. She bit her lip again and Mr. Z waved his hand. The guard lifted his gun and took aim.
"NO, wait. I'll tell you. Just don't shot him." Jubilee said and Mr. Z smiled as the guard pointed his gun away from Logan. Jubilee wiggled her finger and motioned for Mr. Z to come closer. He did and jubilee wiggled for him to come closer till his ear was right at her lips.
"Fuck you asshole." Jubilee screamed into his ear and bit into the cartilage. Mr. Z left out a scream and the guard Shot at Logan. The next two seconds happened to fast for Jubilee to recognize. First Logan let out a painful yell as the bullets entered his body; second she heard a crash above her and more gunfire. Then with in seconds silence. She looked over to see Gambit fighting a few more of the guards while some one undid her restraints. She looked back to see Belladonna's Face and didn't know whether to be happy about getting saved or to attack Belladonna. She took the first choice and soon she was free. Belladonna began to fight off another round of guards as josh aimed a gun at Remy.
"Hey, don't move a muscle or we'll see how fast you can drop." Josh shouted and Remy stopped moving for a second. Josh smiled and cocked the gun. Quick as lightening Remy reached over and slapped the gun out of Josh hands.
"Not so fast now huh Mon Ami." Gambit said and Josh threw a punch at him. Gambit ducked under it and punched Josh in the stomach. Josh went to his knees and Gambit was caught of guard by about four of the guards. He was thrown to the ground and there while another guard slapped on power inhibitor.
"Not so tuff now are we." Josh said and stood up. Jubilee watched as Josh aimed the gun at Gambit and she looked around for a weapon. Her eyes fell on an abandoned gun a foot or so away from her. She picked up the gun and aimed it at Josh.
"Hey Josh. You're a terrible liar." She shouted and fired the gun at Josh. The bullet caught him in the chest and he fell to the ground. Jubilee ran over to Gambit and punched one of the guards holding his arm. As Gambit used that arm to throw off the other guards, Jubilee looked over at Josh. He was barely breathing and seemed to black out in pain. She bites her lip and turned to say something, but instead was greeted by the butt of yet another gun. She slowly slipped into an unconscious state as she slipped to the ground.
"Jubilation? Shit." Gambit said and looked over at the guard that hit Jubilee he charged up a card and flashed it so that it covered one eye from the guard's sight.
"Didn't your mere ever tell you not to play wit de devils." Gambit said and flipped the card at the man with easy. It let out a small explosion and left the guard in the same state that Jubilee was in only with bad burns. Gambit walked over and picked up Jubilee while watching out for more guards. He smiled noticing the Belladonna had mostly cleared out a good deal of them from either fear or perhaps pure skill. Might take a few guesses to find the answer.
Gambit held onto Jubilee as he ran to the jeep. He laid her gently into the front seat and climbed into the driver's seat. He took one look at her and frowned. A bit of blood was trickling down her head and Gambit through the jeep into drive taking off towards his home.
Jubilee woke up some time later wit ha headache the size of California and in a strange bed. She knew it was strange right off due to the fact that the sheets were black and had a different feel to the then hers. She never bough black, not unless she was in a strange mood and wanted to hurt someone badly. Right now she didn't mind, she felt like shit and lay slightly back in the bed for a second.
"So de child awakes. How do you feel Chere?" A woman said walking in. Jubilee looked around unsure of who the woman was. She seemed like a gentle older lady.
"Um… fine I suppose. Where am I? Who are you?" Jubilee asked and the woman smiled.
"Ah I should have know you would have had questions child. Ah'm Tante Mattie. De spiritually guilder of de thieves and Assassin's guilds, but enough wit dat. Gambit had been up for a long while makin sure dat you were gonna be okay. Ah sent him to bed, de poor boy looked as though de Cajun spices sat wrong wit him. All tired like." Tante Mattie said and Jubilee smiled at the picture.
"Yeah, so, how long have I been out?" Jubilee asked and looked around for some clothing other then a cloth. Tante Mattie grabbed a pair of jeans and a silk yellow shirt. She frowned when she noticed that they were hers from her apartment.
"'bout two days. You have to forgive Remy for gettin' dese things, de child been raised a thief and some time it can be useful for other purposes den de guilds business. Now how about you change while Tante get some food ready. Come down whenever you ready." Tante said and sat the clothes on the bed. Jubilee smiled and looked over at the phone. She picked it up and dialed Xavier's mansion. The phone rang a few times and Jubilee was more then tempted to hang it up.
"Xavier's place, Logan talking." Logan said in a more of a grunt then a sentence. Jubilee let out a sigh of relief.
"Hey Wolvie, what's up?" She asked in her best happy voice she could come up with right this second.
"Jubes. Good to hear from you, darlin'. I'm fine." Logan said and Jubilee let out a smile.
"That's good. I was just calling to see how you and everyone were." She said half lying. She hated to lie even slightly to Logan, but this time she would make an exception. No use in worrying him over something that was over. Or at least she hoped was over. After talking to Logan for good twenty or so minutes she said her good-byes and got dressed into the clothes. Most of her body protested to the movement and she moved a bit slower trying to get use to walking again. Her arm ached and she noticed a bandage on it that had a speckle of blood. She looked at her self in the mirror and sighed.
Her long black hair was slightly matted down and had a bandage over a large cut. She ran a brush slightly through her hair in hopes of looking more presentable then she was. She would have liked to have some of her make-up to hide the bruises of her temple, lips, and check, but she shrugged figuring that they had already seen them so why even try to hide it.
"Mornin' Chere." A lazy half-tired voice came from the door. Jubilee looked over to see Remy wearing a pair of black jeans a navy shirt hanging slightly open at the top reveling a large bit of his smooth chest. Jubilee sighed and looked back at the mirror.
"Morning Remy. Um… thanks for saving me." Jubilee said and hit herself with the mental shoe. 'The guy risked his life to get you out of the hands of FOH and all you can say is thanks. But at least he is looking rather hot today.' Jubilee thought and hit herself over the head with another mental shoe. She sighed and suddenly thought of Josh. 'oh god, is he okay? Why should I worry about him, I just shot him. No big deal.' She thought to herself and fought back the tears coming to her eyes. Remy must have noticed the tears, because he was suddenly at her side hugging her to him gently.
"Chere, it wasn' your fault. You saved me from a bullet. Dink of it dat way. Josh, he wasn't de man for you." Remy whispered into her ear and jubilee pushed away from him.
"Wasn't the man for me? Remy, I planed on marrying him. He was the guy of my dreams and what did I do in return shot him." Jubilee said and hugged herself.
"No, he was de man who set you up and made you fall in love wit' him. He don' care about whether or not you cared for him. He not de man of your dreams, just a guy." Remy said and Jubilee looked at him with hateful eyes that held more then hate. He could read the understanding, the anger, and the realization; the another feeling passed just as quickly as it came.
"Don't you think I know that. How could I have missed it Remy? How could I have not seen it in his eyes? I should have felt it. I spent 5 good years with the X-men and being a super hero, why did I take the anger and passion and turn it into love?" Jubilee half screamed and half-cried. She wanted to hit something, but most of all she wanted to just sit in the middle of the room and cry. But she couldn't do either, not here but maybe at home in privet with no one who would know. She ran her arm over her eyes wiping any trace of the tears away and let one of her masks slip over her feelings.
"Are they still after me." She asked in a calm tone hiding any trace of sadness behind an official down to business voice. Remy sighed knowing this mask all to well. It would take to long for him to get to talk to the real Jubilee, not the one who hides behind the mask. But the one who wanted nothing of the world but the hope and happiness that had been promised since birth.
:"Not right now. De be going in circles. A friend of mine made sure of dat." Remy said and jubilee nodded. She walked past him slightly and stopped at the door. She paused unsure of whether or not to say anything. She looked over her shoulder back at Remy and let the mask slip ever so slightly.
"Thanks Remy, I really do appreciate it and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." She said and walked down stairs towards the kitchen where scents of bacon and fresh eggs filled the house.
"Your welcome chere, but t'ings gonna get worse from here." He whispered and turned to join her and Tante for breakfast.
AN: I hope to get the next chapter out soon, but it will be a short while.