* * *
The second night Remy taught me a game called Pile. He'd learned it as a li'l kid growin' up in New Orleans. Ah found the idea of him as a li'l kid with skinned knees and a dirty face pretty damn funny. He tried so hard ta affect an air of dignity. Ah laughed and he looked at me sternly.
"You want t' learn or mebbe you want t' stand dere giggling all night."
"Ya got no sense of humor."
"Got enough sense t' know what's funny."
Pile is a fairly simple game, mindless an' good for keepin' things light. Keepin' me from goin' crazy.
Remy dug two holes, we stood a good distance away and flipped coins at 'em, sometimes covering each other's coins, sometimes sendin' 'em skittering across the dirt. Sometimes we remembered ta keep score, but mostly we got caught up and forgot ta do it.
"Ah think you're cheatin'," Ah said finally, tryin' ta aim my coin by the firelight.
"Don't need t' cheat, beb. You lose all on your own."
Ah flipped the coin. It went wide and slid off into the bushes. "Ya don't have ta sound so damn pleased," Ah huffed. "'Sides ya cain't even see the damn holes. It's too dark."
He pulled out his deck o' cards and started shuffling them in intricate patterns. "I could teach you t' play Bourrè. Good Cajun game."
Ah shook my head. "No cards. Ah've had enough with you an' cards."
He had the good sense ta look ashamed. "Never did apologize for dat."
"Is that what you're doin' now?"
"Mebbe."
Right then it seemed so long ago and so insignificant. "Well, you'd have a helluva lot more ta answer for if you'd blown my hand off."
"Dat's true. Sorry anyway, chère."
"Accepted."
Ah never asked Remy where he got his food, at the time it was enough for me ta know that there was always something in his pocket, even if it was only a pack o' Snowballs or a Honey Bun. Ah enjoyed watchin' the fine muscles in his jaw while he chewed, starin' off into the middle distance.
"You've been gone three days. What're ya gonna tell Magneto?" Ah finally asked him. As we got closer ta our goal, Ah got more nervous 'bout Remy's plan.
"Never t'ink about de lie before you tell it. More natural dat way," he said. The firelight couldn't hide the grim lines 'round his mouth. Knowing that he was scared too was cold comfort. Then he seemed ta snap outta whatever funk he was in. Whenever things got too serious, Remy liked ta bait me. "Your French, she need practice, beb."
Ah rolled my eyes. "Your English, she need practice, beb," Ah returned quickly, doin' a fair impression.
Remy chuckled. "Possibly. How 'bout I teach you somet'ing."
"Ah get course credit for this?"
"You bring de necessary paperwork, I fix you up good." He grinned.
Ah shrugged. Ah guess Ah was pickin' up his habits. "Shoot."
"Pendant la nuit, tous les chats sont gris," he said. The words tumbled smooth outta his mouth like water.
Ah repeated the phrase haltingly. He grimaced at my accent, but nodded when Ah was finished. "What's it mean?"
"In de night, all cats are gray," he said philosophically.
"This'll help me in everyday life?"
"Make you seem smarter dan you are. Means t'ings not always what dey seem. Chaque crapaud a sa crapaute."
Ah stumbled over th' words. When Ah was done Remy translated again.
"Every toad got his toadette." Ah snickered at that. He pretended ta be insulted. "No romance in your soul. Dere's someone for everyone. Beautiful sentiment." Ah remember thinkin' the evening was going in interestin' directions. "One more. Pains me t' admit defeat so early, but I t'ink you're beyond my help. Can't stand for you t' be butchering de language anymore t'night." Ah punched him in th' arm for that one. "Ca qu'ete promis, ni du whiskie peut chager la veritie."
"Ah understood the whiskey part," Ah said when Ah was done.
"Neither whiskey nor promises change reality," he said seriously. Ah wondered if that was his way o' tellin' me that he might betray me ta Magneto because it was in his character. Ah felt a cold weight in my stomach at the thought. It was on the tip o' my tongue ta ask him flat out, but then he produced a small bottle of whiskey from one of his magic pockets.
"Speakin' of whiskey." His eyes glinted in the firelight as he opened the bottle. He offered it ta me first, smilin'. How could Ah refuse? Anything you can do, Ah can do better, right? The first swallow went down like fire, meltin' my doubts for the time.
In the mornin', Ah woke Remy and we set out at first light. He was a restless sleeper, but when Ah asked him about it, he said it was le cauchemar (a nightmare) an' nothin' else. Ah had half a mind ta touch him again and find out for myself. Ah had ta shake myself o' that idea, it wasn't one that'd ever occurred ta me before--invadin' someone's head ta get their secrets. Ah guess Ah felt betrayed that he didn't trust me enough ta tell me.
Magneto's headquarters wasn't that far from th' mansion. Ah guess that shouldn't have surprised me. Magneto and the Professor were flip sides o' the same coin. Sometimes seemed ta me they existed only ta oppose each other: necessary opposites. Ah'm sure Mr. McCoy would have some fancy explanation for it, backed up by th' proper literary references o' course: Moby Dick an' Ahab, Porfiry Petrovich an' Raskolnikov, Inspector Clouseau an' Chief Inspector Dreyfus.
Remy left me in the woods. There was a good sight line ta the house. He insisted, said he'd be safer by himself than he ever would be with me.
"Don't worry, I'm still un sous-colline de terre (a scoundrel), t'inking only of my own skin," he said with a rueful twist o' his lips.
"Be careful," Ah said, wanting ta say something and knowing that anything Ah did say wouldn't be enough. At the same time, Ah didn't want him ta go without my saying anything.
"Always am," he said, givin' me a crooked smile. My stomach lurched. He handed me the gun Ah'd given him. "Better if I don't take this."
Ah covered his hand with mine. I felt a tingle of energy spread through my arm, pricking the hairs, like the shock Ah got from that charged card he gave me the first time we met. "If you're not back in an hour Ah'm comin' in after ya."
He rubbed his chin ruefully, fingerin' the fading bruise Ah'd given him. "Pity de man dat gets in your way, chère."
Impulsively, Ah put my hand over his mouth an' kissed the glove. He caught my hand an' tightened his fingers across mine before he took off down the hill.
The whole time we'd been talkin' Ah heard Professor X's voice in my head: 'Under no circumstances do x-men go in without the proper support.' Over an' over 'till Ah thought Ah'd go crazy from it. Ah watched his shrinkin' figure then looked down at my torn gloves for a moment, peeled 'em off and shoved 'em into my jeans' pockets. Ah loaded the guns. My hands didn't shake, not even a little bit. Remy wasn't an x-man and Ah didn't know if Ah qualified as "the proper support" but ya understand why Ah had ta follow him, at a safe distance o' course.
* * *
Figured I hit a rip in Rogue's gloves. Dat was de best way t' explain de spinning in my head after we kiss. Strangest kiss I ever had. Easier t' believe her power mix me up den de fact dat I might have finally found my envie (heart's desire).
Before, I said dat I never t'ought 'bout de girl and dat's true enough, but right den--goin' back t' Magneto's--she was all I could t'ink 'bout. She filled my head 'till I want t' explode just t' get some peace. Had all sort o' crazy ideas 'bout finding her friends and bein' her hero.
"Gettin' sloppy," told myself. "Gettin' weak and sentimental." Didn't help.
True what I said t' her: never t'ink 'bout what your lie should be 'till you tell it. I hoped I wouldn't run into Magneto at all, it was early enough. John and Piotr still in bed--dey consider it a minor sin t' be up b'fore ten. And wasn't I a master t'ief? Wasn't I still Jean-Luc LeBeau's son? Be no problem t' get in and out. All I needed was access t' de database and I was sure t' find Trask. Electronic t'ievin' not my fortè, but I'm no slouch either.
Grabbed an overhanging branch and swung myself up and over, landing silently on de windowsill of my old room. No one had bothered t' latch de window. I shook my head: too easy. Dat's what livin' wit' de most powerful mutant in de world gets you: carelessness. More was de pity for dem. Gripping de windowsill, I eased down de side of de house, held on wit' one hand and used de other one t' open de window. Dat accomplished, I flipped silently into de room, disturbing not'ing. Didn't even hit de curtains when I came t'rough. Felt a flash of pride at dat.
Amazing dat I actually lived dere. De room was too bare and narrow. I missed de sky immediately. Seemed a life ago. Co faire (why) had I become a different man in four days? No time t' ponder life's deeper questions, I slipped into de hall and downstairs t' de main computer room.
Couldn't help but 'member Rogue from de night before. She tried t' pretend dat she drink every day, but it didn't take long before she dans les vignes du Seigneur (to be drunk, literally: in the vines of the Lord), laughing. When she put her head on my knee, was all I could do t' remind myself why I shouldn't touch her.
Dere was someone using de computer. I dipped my head in and back quickly. Magneto. Merde, he could be at it for hours. I decided t' wait, but not long. Wouldn't be dat long b'fore Rogue chargin' in like de cavalry and I wanted her far away from dat place.
"Lord Magneto?" Always cringed at de 'Lord' part. Didn't figure t' ever call anyone dat. Respect's t' be gained t'rough power, not t' be demanded by titles. Least he wasn't wearing de uniform. Never could decide t' be scared or amused by de t'ing.
He shut down de program he was working on an' turned to face me. "Ah, Gambit. I'll spare you the prodigal son references."
"Merci. Jean-Luc was a great one for speeches."
"I take it that is one of the reasons you decided to join our little organization." I'll admit, de man was much easier t' deal wit' out o' costume. "Comment ça va (how are you) or perhaps the better question is who is she?"
Suddenly everyone's de comedian. "Comme ci comme ça (so-so) but you got it wrong. I went for de paper. Got lost. Ask Piotr t' mow de grass more often."
Magneto shook his head, looked at me hard. "Not that I think you might have been doing anything foolish, but I have to insist you tell me." He rose, six inches taller dan me an' twice as wide. I got enough sense t' know when t' fight an' when t' be canille (tricky).
"Julianne," I said sullenly, like he'd dragged it outta me. "Merde, a man's got no secrets here, does he?"
"Not from me. The integrity of the work must not be compromised."
"Dat's true. De integrity o' de work." Afraid I slipped and dere was more mockery in de words dan I wanted. Magneto looked like he want t' say somet'ing more. I weighed my options.
A gunshot and a scream from upstairs cut off his scrutiny. Bon Dieu (good God), dere was only one person it could be. De scream wasn't fear, just anger. I felt a flash o' pity for John and Piotr. Magneto rose into de air. All I could do not t' follow him. Rogue had given me de opening I needed. I only hoped dere would be enough o' her left for me t' thank properly later.
Didn't take long t' crack de system. Most people so concerned 'bout external security dey neglect internal. De encryption codes were child's play, but de noises from upstairs made t'ings more difficult: more gunfire and somet'ing dat sounded like thunder booming over and over. "Wait for me, beb," I whispered, "I'll take you someplace nice. Have ourselves a little rest." Minor reward t' me when I found Magneto's files on Trask. No time t' read. I put de information on a small CD and made my exit, careful to put everyt'ing back de way it was. I was in de hall just in time t' see Sabretooth's back disappearing upstairs. Didn't t'ink I could move so fast.
Everyt'ing was tumbled upstairs. Took me a minute t' process: Piotr unconscious at de end of de hall, John in his skivvies shooting fireballs at Rogue and Magneto trying t' stop him. Dere was blood on John's shoulder, but dat didn't slow him down, jus' made him angrier. His power went wild; he couldn't control de flames like always. Every so often he look down at de blood seeping across de white undershirt and de fire would grow.
Rogue had absorbed Piotr's power--de skin looking a damn sight better on her dan it ever did on him--and John's fireballs bouncing away, setting fire t' de house. Dere were bullet holes everywhere, but I guessed Magneto made short work of de guns at least. He was having less success wit' John. I knew how dat went. Man's obsessed wit' his work, to de detriment o' his brain most times. Didn't t'ink John could even hear him. Sabretooth doin' what he do best: standin' in de corner lookin' like he want t' rip de world apart. Even he t'ink twice 'bout takin' on de Colossus.
Magneto looked at me coldly. Not'ing 'scaped his attention. Had t' stop myself from putting my hand in my pocket t' protect de disk. Had t' stop myself from looking at Rogue. No incriminating moves if I ever wanted him t' trust me again. Met his eyes steadily even t'ough my heart was goin' a mile a minute. De moment passed and Magneto began shouting instructions. "Sabretooth, shore up that wall, it's going to collapse. Get Colossus out of there. Gambit, restrain Pyro. I'll take care of the girl."
Since Magneto had noticed my absence dere was only one t'ing t' do. I grabbed John by his undershirt collar. "Fuck, John, why you so coo-yon (stupid)? Where's your head? You burnin' de house down." He collapsed against me. De blood loss must have finally got t' him. Behind Magneto's back I caught Rogue's eye. She was terrified and silently pleading as he came toward her.
Run, Rogue, run, I willed.
Where? she seemed t' reply.
I reached into my pocket. If I blew de ceiling over Magneto's head den mebbe she have time t' escape. So much for trust. After dat, 'course, my life wouldn't be worth anyt'ing, but dat seemed a small price t' pay. Never considered myself de self-sacrificin' type b'fore dat.
But dere was not'ing in my pocket, not even a ball of lint. Not'ing except de disk. I pulled it out. Magneto blasted Rogue. She looked tired, swaying on her feet under de blows. She couldn't move forward, but she wouldn't move back either. She saw de disk in my hand. Her eyes widened, bright gray against de silver skin. "No!" De word torn from her lips. De house was coming down around us. Fire had spread to de stairs and dey collapsed in a crash o' heat and flame. Sabretooth, making de unlikely romantic picture, held Piotr to his chest and jumped to de first floor. De wall t' my right fell in a shower of sparks. Barely felt dem on my skin. Too busy judging where t' aim. Mebbe some miracle get us bot' outta dis, run away t' some tropical island. Hear Genosha's nice dis time o' year, I t'ought.
"I thought Trask had taken care of you for me!" Magneto shouted. Dere was somet'ing reckless in his voice dat made me shiver, crushing my wild hopes for any neat ending.
"Let's go, Gambit! Lord Magneto!" John recovered from his temper tantrum. Typical superior, bossy attitude annoyed me as much as ever. As if dis wasn't his goddamned mess. He grabbed my shoulder.
Brushed him away, my hand came back bloody. "Va te faire foutre (fuck off)!" I raised de disk again, feeling de familiar rush as de atoms charged, like de world expanding.
"Don't, please!" Rogue shuddered as Magneto hit her again. Everyt'ing around me shook wit' de force of his attack. Knew she wouldn't last much longer.
De house was breaking and m' coeur (heart) along wit' it. Seemed such an easy decision t' make: Rogue's life over de lives of people I didn't know, people who saw me as Magneto's hired thug an' probably hated me for it. Dere was no way I was losin' Rogue in dis mess. I knew I should just charge de disk, grab Rogue an' get out as de house crumbled in behind us. All my foolish heroic dreams come true, but den.I looked at her. Such intensity in her face, enough t' stop me cold.
De message was clear enough: save dem. Bit my lip hard enough t' draw blood.
Opening my mind t' reverse de charge was more difficult, but I managed it and pocketed de disk again.
John caught me off guard. "Gambit!" He put his hands on my shoulders and shoved. We went over de railing together, twisting in de air. I landed in a crouch, rolled forward t' absorb de shock. John was beside me.
"Fils de pute (son of a bitch)!" I punched John across de face and carried him, fireman style, t' de lawn.
De roof fell in, starting in de center. It was like a strange flower. Magneto rose out of de hole, but not'ing else. Sparks flew up as if dis were hell's own bonfire. My chest felt hollow. Like I say: dreams die wit' de house.
On de ground at our feet, Piotr stirred and asked for a glass of water.
The second night Remy taught me a game called Pile. He'd learned it as a li'l kid growin' up in New Orleans. Ah found the idea of him as a li'l kid with skinned knees and a dirty face pretty damn funny. He tried so hard ta affect an air of dignity. Ah laughed and he looked at me sternly.
"You want t' learn or mebbe you want t' stand dere giggling all night."
"Ya got no sense of humor."
"Got enough sense t' know what's funny."
Pile is a fairly simple game, mindless an' good for keepin' things light. Keepin' me from goin' crazy.
Remy dug two holes, we stood a good distance away and flipped coins at 'em, sometimes covering each other's coins, sometimes sendin' 'em skittering across the dirt. Sometimes we remembered ta keep score, but mostly we got caught up and forgot ta do it.
"Ah think you're cheatin'," Ah said finally, tryin' ta aim my coin by the firelight.
"Don't need t' cheat, beb. You lose all on your own."
Ah flipped the coin. It went wide and slid off into the bushes. "Ya don't have ta sound so damn pleased," Ah huffed. "'Sides ya cain't even see the damn holes. It's too dark."
He pulled out his deck o' cards and started shuffling them in intricate patterns. "I could teach you t' play Bourrè. Good Cajun game."
Ah shook my head. "No cards. Ah've had enough with you an' cards."
He had the good sense ta look ashamed. "Never did apologize for dat."
"Is that what you're doin' now?"
"Mebbe."
Right then it seemed so long ago and so insignificant. "Well, you'd have a helluva lot more ta answer for if you'd blown my hand off."
"Dat's true. Sorry anyway, chère."
"Accepted."
Ah never asked Remy where he got his food, at the time it was enough for me ta know that there was always something in his pocket, even if it was only a pack o' Snowballs or a Honey Bun. Ah enjoyed watchin' the fine muscles in his jaw while he chewed, starin' off into the middle distance.
"You've been gone three days. What're ya gonna tell Magneto?" Ah finally asked him. As we got closer ta our goal, Ah got more nervous 'bout Remy's plan.
"Never t'ink about de lie before you tell it. More natural dat way," he said. The firelight couldn't hide the grim lines 'round his mouth. Knowing that he was scared too was cold comfort. Then he seemed ta snap outta whatever funk he was in. Whenever things got too serious, Remy liked ta bait me. "Your French, she need practice, beb."
Ah rolled my eyes. "Your English, she need practice, beb," Ah returned quickly, doin' a fair impression.
Remy chuckled. "Possibly. How 'bout I teach you somet'ing."
"Ah get course credit for this?"
"You bring de necessary paperwork, I fix you up good." He grinned.
Ah shrugged. Ah guess Ah was pickin' up his habits. "Shoot."
"Pendant la nuit, tous les chats sont gris," he said. The words tumbled smooth outta his mouth like water.
Ah repeated the phrase haltingly. He grimaced at my accent, but nodded when Ah was finished. "What's it mean?"
"In de night, all cats are gray," he said philosophically.
"This'll help me in everyday life?"
"Make you seem smarter dan you are. Means t'ings not always what dey seem. Chaque crapaud a sa crapaute."
Ah stumbled over th' words. When Ah was done Remy translated again.
"Every toad got his toadette." Ah snickered at that. He pretended ta be insulted. "No romance in your soul. Dere's someone for everyone. Beautiful sentiment." Ah remember thinkin' the evening was going in interestin' directions. "One more. Pains me t' admit defeat so early, but I t'ink you're beyond my help. Can't stand for you t' be butchering de language anymore t'night." Ah punched him in th' arm for that one. "Ca qu'ete promis, ni du whiskie peut chager la veritie."
"Ah understood the whiskey part," Ah said when Ah was done.
"Neither whiskey nor promises change reality," he said seriously. Ah wondered if that was his way o' tellin' me that he might betray me ta Magneto because it was in his character. Ah felt a cold weight in my stomach at the thought. It was on the tip o' my tongue ta ask him flat out, but then he produced a small bottle of whiskey from one of his magic pockets.
"Speakin' of whiskey." His eyes glinted in the firelight as he opened the bottle. He offered it ta me first, smilin'. How could Ah refuse? Anything you can do, Ah can do better, right? The first swallow went down like fire, meltin' my doubts for the time.
In the mornin', Ah woke Remy and we set out at first light. He was a restless sleeper, but when Ah asked him about it, he said it was le cauchemar (a nightmare) an' nothin' else. Ah had half a mind ta touch him again and find out for myself. Ah had ta shake myself o' that idea, it wasn't one that'd ever occurred ta me before--invadin' someone's head ta get their secrets. Ah guess Ah felt betrayed that he didn't trust me enough ta tell me.
Magneto's headquarters wasn't that far from th' mansion. Ah guess that shouldn't have surprised me. Magneto and the Professor were flip sides o' the same coin. Sometimes seemed ta me they existed only ta oppose each other: necessary opposites. Ah'm sure Mr. McCoy would have some fancy explanation for it, backed up by th' proper literary references o' course: Moby Dick an' Ahab, Porfiry Petrovich an' Raskolnikov, Inspector Clouseau an' Chief Inspector Dreyfus.
Remy left me in the woods. There was a good sight line ta the house. He insisted, said he'd be safer by himself than he ever would be with me.
"Don't worry, I'm still un sous-colline de terre (a scoundrel), t'inking only of my own skin," he said with a rueful twist o' his lips.
"Be careful," Ah said, wanting ta say something and knowing that anything Ah did say wouldn't be enough. At the same time, Ah didn't want him ta go without my saying anything.
"Always am," he said, givin' me a crooked smile. My stomach lurched. He handed me the gun Ah'd given him. "Better if I don't take this."
Ah covered his hand with mine. I felt a tingle of energy spread through my arm, pricking the hairs, like the shock Ah got from that charged card he gave me the first time we met. "If you're not back in an hour Ah'm comin' in after ya."
He rubbed his chin ruefully, fingerin' the fading bruise Ah'd given him. "Pity de man dat gets in your way, chère."
Impulsively, Ah put my hand over his mouth an' kissed the glove. He caught my hand an' tightened his fingers across mine before he took off down the hill.
The whole time we'd been talkin' Ah heard Professor X's voice in my head: 'Under no circumstances do x-men go in without the proper support.' Over an' over 'till Ah thought Ah'd go crazy from it. Ah watched his shrinkin' figure then looked down at my torn gloves for a moment, peeled 'em off and shoved 'em into my jeans' pockets. Ah loaded the guns. My hands didn't shake, not even a little bit. Remy wasn't an x-man and Ah didn't know if Ah qualified as "the proper support" but ya understand why Ah had ta follow him, at a safe distance o' course.
* * *
Figured I hit a rip in Rogue's gloves. Dat was de best way t' explain de spinning in my head after we kiss. Strangest kiss I ever had. Easier t' believe her power mix me up den de fact dat I might have finally found my envie (heart's desire).
Before, I said dat I never t'ought 'bout de girl and dat's true enough, but right den--goin' back t' Magneto's--she was all I could t'ink 'bout. She filled my head 'till I want t' explode just t' get some peace. Had all sort o' crazy ideas 'bout finding her friends and bein' her hero.
"Gettin' sloppy," told myself. "Gettin' weak and sentimental." Didn't help.
True what I said t' her: never t'ink 'bout what your lie should be 'till you tell it. I hoped I wouldn't run into Magneto at all, it was early enough. John and Piotr still in bed--dey consider it a minor sin t' be up b'fore ten. And wasn't I a master t'ief? Wasn't I still Jean-Luc LeBeau's son? Be no problem t' get in and out. All I needed was access t' de database and I was sure t' find Trask. Electronic t'ievin' not my fortè, but I'm no slouch either.
Grabbed an overhanging branch and swung myself up and over, landing silently on de windowsill of my old room. No one had bothered t' latch de window. I shook my head: too easy. Dat's what livin' wit' de most powerful mutant in de world gets you: carelessness. More was de pity for dem. Gripping de windowsill, I eased down de side of de house, held on wit' one hand and used de other one t' open de window. Dat accomplished, I flipped silently into de room, disturbing not'ing. Didn't even hit de curtains when I came t'rough. Felt a flash of pride at dat.
Amazing dat I actually lived dere. De room was too bare and narrow. I missed de sky immediately. Seemed a life ago. Co faire (why) had I become a different man in four days? No time t' ponder life's deeper questions, I slipped into de hall and downstairs t' de main computer room.
Couldn't help but 'member Rogue from de night before. She tried t' pretend dat she drink every day, but it didn't take long before she dans les vignes du Seigneur (to be drunk, literally: in the vines of the Lord), laughing. When she put her head on my knee, was all I could do t' remind myself why I shouldn't touch her.
Dere was someone using de computer. I dipped my head in and back quickly. Magneto. Merde, he could be at it for hours. I decided t' wait, but not long. Wouldn't be dat long b'fore Rogue chargin' in like de cavalry and I wanted her far away from dat place.
"Lord Magneto?" Always cringed at de 'Lord' part. Didn't figure t' ever call anyone dat. Respect's t' be gained t'rough power, not t' be demanded by titles. Least he wasn't wearing de uniform. Never could decide t' be scared or amused by de t'ing.
He shut down de program he was working on an' turned to face me. "Ah, Gambit. I'll spare you the prodigal son references."
"Merci. Jean-Luc was a great one for speeches."
"I take it that is one of the reasons you decided to join our little organization." I'll admit, de man was much easier t' deal wit' out o' costume. "Comment ça va (how are you) or perhaps the better question is who is she?"
Suddenly everyone's de comedian. "Comme ci comme ça (so-so) but you got it wrong. I went for de paper. Got lost. Ask Piotr t' mow de grass more often."
Magneto shook his head, looked at me hard. "Not that I think you might have been doing anything foolish, but I have to insist you tell me." He rose, six inches taller dan me an' twice as wide. I got enough sense t' know when t' fight an' when t' be canille (tricky).
"Julianne," I said sullenly, like he'd dragged it outta me. "Merde, a man's got no secrets here, does he?"
"Not from me. The integrity of the work must not be compromised."
"Dat's true. De integrity o' de work." Afraid I slipped and dere was more mockery in de words dan I wanted. Magneto looked like he want t' say somet'ing more. I weighed my options.
A gunshot and a scream from upstairs cut off his scrutiny. Bon Dieu (good God), dere was only one person it could be. De scream wasn't fear, just anger. I felt a flash o' pity for John and Piotr. Magneto rose into de air. All I could do not t' follow him. Rogue had given me de opening I needed. I only hoped dere would be enough o' her left for me t' thank properly later.
Didn't take long t' crack de system. Most people so concerned 'bout external security dey neglect internal. De encryption codes were child's play, but de noises from upstairs made t'ings more difficult: more gunfire and somet'ing dat sounded like thunder booming over and over. "Wait for me, beb," I whispered, "I'll take you someplace nice. Have ourselves a little rest." Minor reward t' me when I found Magneto's files on Trask. No time t' read. I put de information on a small CD and made my exit, careful to put everyt'ing back de way it was. I was in de hall just in time t' see Sabretooth's back disappearing upstairs. Didn't t'ink I could move so fast.
Everyt'ing was tumbled upstairs. Took me a minute t' process: Piotr unconscious at de end of de hall, John in his skivvies shooting fireballs at Rogue and Magneto trying t' stop him. Dere was blood on John's shoulder, but dat didn't slow him down, jus' made him angrier. His power went wild; he couldn't control de flames like always. Every so often he look down at de blood seeping across de white undershirt and de fire would grow.
Rogue had absorbed Piotr's power--de skin looking a damn sight better on her dan it ever did on him--and John's fireballs bouncing away, setting fire t' de house. Dere were bullet holes everywhere, but I guessed Magneto made short work of de guns at least. He was having less success wit' John. I knew how dat went. Man's obsessed wit' his work, to de detriment o' his brain most times. Didn't t'ink John could even hear him. Sabretooth doin' what he do best: standin' in de corner lookin' like he want t' rip de world apart. Even he t'ink twice 'bout takin' on de Colossus.
Magneto looked at me coldly. Not'ing 'scaped his attention. Had t' stop myself from putting my hand in my pocket t' protect de disk. Had t' stop myself from looking at Rogue. No incriminating moves if I ever wanted him t' trust me again. Met his eyes steadily even t'ough my heart was goin' a mile a minute. De moment passed and Magneto began shouting instructions. "Sabretooth, shore up that wall, it's going to collapse. Get Colossus out of there. Gambit, restrain Pyro. I'll take care of the girl."
Since Magneto had noticed my absence dere was only one t'ing t' do. I grabbed John by his undershirt collar. "Fuck, John, why you so coo-yon (stupid)? Where's your head? You burnin' de house down." He collapsed against me. De blood loss must have finally got t' him. Behind Magneto's back I caught Rogue's eye. She was terrified and silently pleading as he came toward her.
Run, Rogue, run, I willed.
Where? she seemed t' reply.
I reached into my pocket. If I blew de ceiling over Magneto's head den mebbe she have time t' escape. So much for trust. After dat, 'course, my life wouldn't be worth anyt'ing, but dat seemed a small price t' pay. Never considered myself de self-sacrificin' type b'fore dat.
But dere was not'ing in my pocket, not even a ball of lint. Not'ing except de disk. I pulled it out. Magneto blasted Rogue. She looked tired, swaying on her feet under de blows. She couldn't move forward, but she wouldn't move back either. She saw de disk in my hand. Her eyes widened, bright gray against de silver skin. "No!" De word torn from her lips. De house was coming down around us. Fire had spread to de stairs and dey collapsed in a crash o' heat and flame. Sabretooth, making de unlikely romantic picture, held Piotr to his chest and jumped to de first floor. De wall t' my right fell in a shower of sparks. Barely felt dem on my skin. Too busy judging where t' aim. Mebbe some miracle get us bot' outta dis, run away t' some tropical island. Hear Genosha's nice dis time o' year, I t'ought.
"I thought Trask had taken care of you for me!" Magneto shouted. Dere was somet'ing reckless in his voice dat made me shiver, crushing my wild hopes for any neat ending.
"Let's go, Gambit! Lord Magneto!" John recovered from his temper tantrum. Typical superior, bossy attitude annoyed me as much as ever. As if dis wasn't his goddamned mess. He grabbed my shoulder.
Brushed him away, my hand came back bloody. "Va te faire foutre (fuck off)!" I raised de disk again, feeling de familiar rush as de atoms charged, like de world expanding.
"Don't, please!" Rogue shuddered as Magneto hit her again. Everyt'ing around me shook wit' de force of his attack. Knew she wouldn't last much longer.
De house was breaking and m' coeur (heart) along wit' it. Seemed such an easy decision t' make: Rogue's life over de lives of people I didn't know, people who saw me as Magneto's hired thug an' probably hated me for it. Dere was no way I was losin' Rogue in dis mess. I knew I should just charge de disk, grab Rogue an' get out as de house crumbled in behind us. All my foolish heroic dreams come true, but den.I looked at her. Such intensity in her face, enough t' stop me cold.
De message was clear enough: save dem. Bit my lip hard enough t' draw blood.
Opening my mind t' reverse de charge was more difficult, but I managed it and pocketed de disk again.
John caught me off guard. "Gambit!" He put his hands on my shoulders and shoved. We went over de railing together, twisting in de air. I landed in a crouch, rolled forward t' absorb de shock. John was beside me.
"Fils de pute (son of a bitch)!" I punched John across de face and carried him, fireman style, t' de lawn.
De roof fell in, starting in de center. It was like a strange flower. Magneto rose out of de hole, but not'ing else. Sparks flew up as if dis were hell's own bonfire. My chest felt hollow. Like I say: dreams die wit' de house.
On de ground at our feet, Piotr stirred and asked for a glass of water.