Guild Life

Disclaimer: Characters and Premise are borrowed from the Marvel, I'm not making any money.

Part 4

"Looks like Remy got your bike after all," Mercy commented pointing to the Harley parked at the bridge's midway point.

Henri leaned over to tap the car's driver on the shoulder. "Pull over, dis be too good of a chance to pass up," he said. After checking the saddlebags he grinned, "Much too good a chance."

"Be nice," Mercy laughed. "Leave him his shoes."

"Yo' mean leave dem deir shoes," Henri corrected. " 'Ppears m' petite cuz has hisself a date."

Mercy quickly went through the clothing. "Naw, jus' leave Remy's shoes, let Belle go it bare foot."

"Belladonna? Yo're kiddin'," Henri said.

"How many girls yo' know wid four knife sheaths sown into deir cloths?" Mercy asked.

"Yo'," Henri laughed.

"Boot knives don' count," Mercy pouted. "Everybody does dat."

"M' apologies," Henri said with a slight bow. " 'M goin' to have a talk wid Remy 'bout his taste in girls in de martin. Now let's get gone 'fore dey come back."

"If yo're truly sorry yo'll let me drive," Mercy said, a gleam in her eyes.

"Cherie we don' have time to fight 'bout dis," Henri pointed out.

"M' point 'xactly," Mercy replied.

"Yo're evil," Henri laughed stepping back to let Mercy hotwire the bike.

"Yo' wouldn' want me otherwise," Mercy replied as the engine roared to life.

****** ****** ******

Jean-Luc paced the halls, anger and fear giving him a surplus of energy he had no outlet for, his cell phone pressed to his ear.

"Mattie still be workin' on Josy," he said. "Don' know if ma soeur gonna pull t'rough or not. How are yo're people?"

Marius' voice was tense. "One of m' advisors is dead an' Belle's missin'."

"Yo' know de kids sneak out a'mos' every other night," Jean-Luc said quietly. "Merde, we all but 'ncourage it."

"Nights like dis one, I have trouble 'memberin' why," Marius said.

There was a pause, and then Jean-Luc said. "If Remy's wid her, keep him dere till I can send someone."

"I'd been hopin' dat was jus' a rumor," Marius sighed. "Yo' do de same for me if dey hit yo're place first, an' I'll have a word wid Belle 'bout t'inkin' t'ings t'rough."

"Merci, I ain't quite ready to come clean wid Remy an' I can't 'xsplain Belle till den," Jean-Luc said.

****** ****** ******

Remy stared at the empty spot where he'd left the bike. "Merde, Henri's goin' to kill me," he said.

"M' cloths," Belle exclaimed.

"Mebbe I'll get lucky," Remy said. "Mebbe Henri will be laughin' too hard to catch me."

"Where your boots in de saddle bag?" Belle asked, holding up the items in question.

"Oui," Remy said relaxing a little.

"Dat no good T'ief!" Belle exclaimed angrily.

"It is Henri's bike," Remy said.

"Mais he could of lef' m' boots too," Belle explained. "Or yo' could be a gentleman an' let me have yours."

"I t'ink I'd rather be a gentleman an' carry yo'," Remy suggested.

****** ****** ******

Jean-Luc's eyes closed and he sighed with relief, hearing the roar of a motorcycle in the drive. Moments later Henri and Mercy burst into the house. "I saw Tante Mattie's car," Henri exclaimed. "Who's hurt?"

"Not tonight," Jean-Luc said under his breath. "Get armed an' get Remy from where evah yo' stranded him. If Belladonna's wid him take her as well. De Benefactress is on de warpat'."

Henri nodded, his expression grim as he and Mercy headed for the armory.

****** ****** ******

"Who would of 'magined a body could be so t'ankful for cloths lines," Remy said happily buttoning up the shirt he'd borrowed.

" 'M still barefoot," Belle complained.

Remy swung her up over his shoulder. "Dere, dis is much easier on m' arms," he said.

"Not if yo' value your life," Belle threatened.

"Yo' could a'ways walk," Remy laughed.

"Yo' could carry me right," Belle offered.

"Not any further dan I a'ready have," Remy replied. "Yo're petite chere, but yo' ain't anorexic."

"Bebe," Belle pouted. "I supposed a piggy-back ride would work."

"I like de view right now," Remy said.

"Mais, I don' like de angle on m' view," Belle complained, slapping the 'view' in question. "Or de blood rushin' to m' head, so put me down."

After a few more minute of friendly bickering the pair arranged themselves and started down the road. A half-mile further on a car Remy recognized pulled off the road in front of them.

"Henri, mon ami, I knew yo' loved your little cousin," Remy exclaimed smiling engagingly.

"Josette got shot Remy," Henri said seriously.

"Is Jean-Luc a'right?" Remy asked with concern.

"He's bien, worried 'bout yo' an' Josy, mais healthy," Henri replied. "Belle, your daddy's worried too," he continued tossing the blond girl a cell phone.

Belle rolled her eyes and started dialing. "Hey Daddy," she said. "I can take care of m'self yo' know."

She paused for a moment her expression turning grim. "Rouler's dead?" she asked.

Remy turned to Henri, "I t'ink yo' got somet'ing to tell me," he said frowning.

"Mon pere'll 'xsplain," Henri said. "Jus' get in de car 'fore anyt'ing else happens."

"Yo' drop me off?" Belle asked quietly.

"Oui," Henri said.

****** ****** ******

Remy stood hesitantly in the doorway to his uncle's office, watching the older man pace. "Yo' 'kay?" Remy asked placing a very tentative arm around Jean-Luc's shoulders.

"Glad yo're safe petite," Jean-Luc said. "Josy's lung collapsed. Mattie be sayin' we might have to take her in to de hospital."

"Bullets somet'ing yo' don' like to 'xplain 'round here?" Remy asked stepping away from Jean-Luc.

Jean-Luc's head came up sharply; he saw the frustration and suspicion in Remy's eyes. "Oui," he reluctantly said. "How much yo' figured out an' how much your girlfriend tell yo'?"

" 'Nough to not be surprised," Remy replied. "Mais not 'nough."

Jean-Luc nodded. "I head de T'ieves Guild. Marius Boudreaux, your Belle's pere, heads de Assassins Guild. Bot' Guilds serve an' to a degree worship de Benefactress. Lately we come to de realization dat she mos' likely be a mutant, like yo', but immortal. Still no Goddess an' no one 'm willing to sacrifice m' people to. She ain't 'xactly takin' Marius an' I's decision well."

"T'ieves huh?" Remy commented. "Take it Lapin an' Pierre ain't breakin' as many rules as I t'ought dey were."

"Oui," Jean-Luc admitted. "Dey were testin' yo'."

"Yo' won' mind if we go t'rough wid it?" Remy asked. "Hate to do all dat work for rien."

Jean-Luc laughed. "Glad to hear yo're so 'nthused. Was worried, me, dat your friends up in Westchester had corrupted yo'."

"Mais I ain't plannin' on tellin' Scotty 'bout dis anytime soon. Mebbe Logan, he might 'ppricate it."

"I'd rather yo' didn'," Jean-Luc said. "De T'ief t'ing, its sort of a secret."

A quick smile curled Remy's lips. "So I've been tol'. Hey yo' realize dis makes me a part of two secret organizations?"

Jean-Luc shook his head at Remy's pleased tone and clapped the boy on the shoulder. "An' now dat yo're in de know, we can have a petite conversation 'bout datin' Assassins."

"Knew dere'd be draw backs," Remy sighed theatrically.

"Remy, Belle's an Assassin, it ain't jus' 'bout de feud. She be preparin' to be a professional killer," Jean-Luc said seriously. "What a T'ief takes can be replaced, de Assassins can't say de same."

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