Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, or any of its original characters

Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, or any of its original characters. Nor do I have any type of claim to those characters. However, the characters of my creation belong to me, and cannot be used without my permission.

Love, Lies and Videotape

(Cajun Heat Part II)

By

Moonchampion

Rogue gazed at the buildings and the streets of downtown New Orleans as both she and Logan rode in the backseat of a taxi. Rogue glanced at Logan out of the corner of her eye, and noticed that he had the same scowl on his face that he always did. In other words, it was too difficult to figure out what he was thinking. Rogue continued to look out of the window, until the taxi pulled into the hotel.

The hotel was definitely a five-star hotel. When Rogue stepped out of the car, she noticed that everything about it screamed expensive. When she and Logan entered the building, Rogue's jaw dropped as she gazed at the vast lobby. Soft music filled the air as she studied her surroundings. Shiny, black marble panels covered the floors, and there was a large fountain in the center of the floor.

"Ah, welcome to Le Avalon Hotel," said a gentleman with a French accent. "I am Jean-Paul Cartier, and I will be your host during your stay here at Le Avalon." Logan and Rogue turned around to find a tall, slender man staring at them with a smile. However, when he got a look at their faces, and their clothes, the smile slowly turned into look of disgust. "Hmm. You are probably looking for Chateau le Cheape. It's one block east of here, near Bourbon Street."

"Listen 'Bub, it sounds to me like you're looking for a chance at early retirement," began Logan.

The host appeared to be taken aback by Logan's comment and began snapping his fingers in the air. "Security! Security! Please remove this riffraff from the premises."

"Wait!" shouted Rogue. "We have a reservation." The host scowled at the girl skeptically, and then smiled.

"Oh, really," said the host sarcastically. "Then, why don't you tell me your room number, so that I can confirm your reservation." Rogue told him the room number, and the host walked quickly behind the counter and began typing away on the computer. After a few seconds, his smug expression disappeared from his face and was replaced with a look of shock. He glanced at Rogue briefly, and then glared at the screen again.

"Mademoiselle Kelly, I had no idea it was you," stated the host as he feigned a smile of innocence. "And this must be your bodyguard. I don't know how I could have made such a foolish mistake. Please forgive me. Royce!"

Rogue, completely confused turned to Logan. He caught Rogue's glance and shrugged slightly. Then, she turned around to find a young bellhop approaching them. "Royce, please escort Senator Kelly's daughter and her bodyguard to their room. They are in the suite just under the penthouse," said the host. "Once again madam, please forgive me for my rudeness." Jean-Paul leaned in closer to Rogue and cleared his throat slightly. "Would it be possible for you, not to mention this to your father?"

"My father?" said Rogue.

"Yes, Senator Kelly," said Jean-Paul. "I wouldn't want him to get the impression that…."

"Come on, Miss Kelly," interrupted Logan, "we have a very busy schedule ahead of us." And he guided Rogue away from the counter and after the bellhop.

Jean-Paul stared after them, as they got onto the elevator. Then, he picked up the phone and pressed a single button. Then, he heard the receiver get picked up on the other end. "Yes, the senator's daughter has just arrived with his daughter…. They're in the elevator now…. No, sir, the senator himself hasn't returned. I'll make sure to alert you when he does." Jean-Paul hung up the phone, and glanced at the elevator shaft once again. It would only be a matter of time before the carnage began.

The figure sat in the office, which was dimly lit. Across the room, hidden in the shadows, stood a woman. They were each aware of the other's presence, but chose to remain silent. The phone, however, rung and broke the period of silence in the room.

"This is important?" said the main seated at the desk after pressing the speakerphone button. After a few seconds, he continued, "Where is she now…? Is the senator back from the conference…? Very well." The man turned off the speakerphone and spoke into the air. "It seems the senator's daughter has arrived, my dear. They're in the elevator as we speak. Let's have a look at them shall we."

The woman slowly walked across the room towards a painting on the wall. She pressed a small panel beside the painting, and the work of art began to slide into the ceiling. In its place now, was a large view screen. The screen came to life and revealed a scene of three people standing in the elevator: the bellhop, Logan and Rogue.

"Xavier's people," said the man. "Handle it."

The woman approached the door, and prepared to exit. "Consider it taken care of," she said.

As she began to turn the doorknob, she paused as the man at the desk called out to her. She turned around to find his arm pointing at the screen. A black limousine had just come to a stop down in the parking lot, under the hotel, and many men in black suits and sunglasses began shrouding around the car. The back door opened, and a man wearing glasses with brown hair and streaks of white stepped out of the car.

"It appears that Senator Kelly, has returned early. Make sure everything goes according to plan," said the man. The woman nodded and exited the door. Once she was gone, the man got out of his seat and walked over to the screen. As the carnage began to unfold on his screen, an evil grin spread across his face.

Senator Kelly's bodyguards secured the area before allowing the senator to step out of the car. Once they were certain the area was secure, they opened the door and escorted the senator to the nearest elevator. As they approached the elevator a woman ran up to meet them, and started to walk beside the senator and his entourage.

"Senator Kelly," began the woman as they stepped onto the elevator, "where have you been? Thus far, I have had to postpone your interview with the New Orleans Gazette, your television interview with Joanna Chen, and you're running late for the dinner at the mayor of the city and the governor of Louisiana."

"Ms. Wilcox," said the senator, "trust me when I say that it will all be worth it. The luncheon with the Louisiana Congressmen went perfect. I have all of their support for my anti-mutant proposition."

The elevator chimed and the doors opened. The senator smiled at Ms. Wilcox and stepped out of the elevator. She looked after him, her with a scowl of annoyance. The senator began to walk into his penthouse suite, and noticed a young boy pushing a dinner cart from his suite. The senator smiled as he looked at the young boy. The boy was dressed in black slacks and a white jacket, and was sporting a bow tie as well. The only thing the senator found remotely out of place was the boy's spiked, messy reddish brown hair.

The boy looked Senator Kelly directly in the eyes, and a smile began to spread across his face. The senator returned the smile, but it disappeared as he looked down at the boy's hand. He was holding a gun. The senator looked into the boy's eyes, and everything became silent. The last sound her heard was a loud bang. Then, his body hit the floor.

The boy looked at the bodyguards that had drawn their guns and started to rush the boy. He quickly leaped into the air and delivered a series of kicks to the first two to reach him. They hit the floor grasping their faces as they tried to recover from the pain. The boy then delivered a swift kick to the midsection of the next guard. As the guard bent over, the boy pushed him back into the other guards. Then, the boy leaped over the pile of guards, and into the elevator. The first two bodyguards were now back up, and had started firing into the elevator after the boy as the doors began to close.

Ms. Wilcox, who had been trying to cover herself from the bullets being fired her way, quickly crawled towards the senator. She took out her cell phone and dialed 911. The guards got to their feet and rushed towards the elevator. The head bodyguard began talking into microphone taped to his wrist. "This is Greer! Secure the elevators! Do not let anyone leave the building! The senator's been shot! I repeat the senator is down!"

About a minute later, Greer heard something over his earpiece. Just then, the elevator chimed and the bodyguards fixed their arms on the elevator door. It was empty; Greer stepped forward and looked into the elevator. There was a pool of blood on the floor of the elevator. "The shooter's been hit! Let's find him boys! Remember... no one gets out of this building! Understood! Jones, Davis! You two stay here with the senator, the rest of you are with me!" Greer's men piled into the elevator and the doors closed behind them as they prepared to find their assailant.

Rogue walked around the suite and marveled at the large room of luxury. Meanwhile, Logan sat on the sofa and watched television. After a while, he got bored and found Rogue wondering around. "So, what time is he supposed to meet ya here?" he asked.

"Well," began Rogue, "he really didn't say. He just said to come to the hotel room, it would be a place where we could meet." Rogue could see that Logan was annoyed by having to wait. However, just then, they heard a knock at the door. "Maybe it's him."

Rogue and Logan went to the door and answered it. When they opened the door, they saw that it was in fact Remy, however, he appeared to be hurt. "Rogue, help," he said. Then, he started to fall forward, but Logan caught him and pulled him to the sofa. They looked down to find Remy's shirt stained with blood.

"Oh God! Remy! What happened?!" said Rogue.

"No, don't talk yet kid," said Logan. The wound doesn't look that bad. I'll get some towel so we can stop the bleeding. Then, we can go and get you fixed up." Logan got up to get the towels, leaving Rogue and Remy alone. As they stared into each other's eyes, Remy started to smile.

"… interrupt you regularly scheduled program to bring you this special report," said the television. "This is Joanna Chen, of CNBS here in New Orleans, Louisiana. We have just received a confirmed report that Senator Robert Kelly, has been shot just outside of his own penthouse suite at the Le Avalon Hotel. The doctors of Le Mercy Hospital have stated that the senator's condition is critical. Currently, the senator's bodyguards and the New Orleans police are searching the building for the assailant.

"A small puddle of blood was found in the elevator, therefore the bodyguards presume that they managed to wound the assailant. The Hotel, has even managed to provide us with a picture of the assailant taken from their own security cameras."

The picture of the assailant flashed upon the screen, and Rogue's eyes widened from the shock. On the screen she saw very clearly the face of the boy who had stolen her heart. The assailant was Remy. She turned to face Remy, who appeared to be just as surprised as she was. Rogue stood up and began to back away from him.

Remy slowly pushed himself to his feet, and reached out towards Rogue. "Cher, I promise you, I didn't do it. Don't you believe me, Rogue?" he asked.

Tears began to fall from Rogue's eyes. Rogue closed her eyes and shook her head. "Get out, Remy," she whispered. Remy tried to step closer and gently called her name. "I said get out, Remy! Now! Don't make me be the one to turn you in."

Remy paused in his progression, obviously hurt by her words. Remy then turned and started towards the door. He opened the door, and felt a huge boot smash into his chest. Remy hit the floor and looked up to see who had floored him with such ease. Instead of a face, however, Remy found himself face-to-face with a nozzle of a large gun.

Remy managed to look around the gun, to see that it was the man that had been chasing him for some time. Beside him was his female partner. "I warned you LeBeau," said Bishop. I told you that I would get you." Bishop cocked his gun as he prepared to fire. And Shard's hands began to glow, as she covered her partner. "Your luck just ran out, Cajun."

Remy swallowed hard as he turned to look at Rogue. She only stood there and stared in amazement at the sight before her. He reached out to her again, "Rogue, please."

However, Shard's foot slammed on top of Remy's hand and smashed it between her boot and the floor. "No one can help you now," Shard said. She glanced at Rogue who stood there still not moving. "Rogue? Bishop, she's one of the X-Men."

Bishop glanced at the girl in the corner briefly before returning his attention back to Remy. "Yeah, Shard. But she doesn't have anything to do with this. Her file says that she's clean."

"How do you know my name?" asked Rogue. "And what file are you talking about?"

"Forget about it," said Shard. "Just let us handle our business, and we'll be on our way."

Bishop looked down at Remy, who was struggling to get to his feet, but was knocked back down by Bishop's huge foot pressing against his chest. "This cat-mouse game is over, and you lost, LeBeau." Then, the whine of Bishop's gun began to fill the room. Remy turned his eyes and looked directly into Rogue's. That moment they shared seemed to last an eternity. However, it ended the instant Bishop pulled the trigger.

TO BE CONCLUDED…