One Wild Night

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

Part 1

Gambit hummed softly under his breath as he carefully peeled back the covering on a heavy wire, which was humming it's own song with the power it carried to expose the bright glitter of copper. He stretched a finger toward the wire, being careful not to actually touch it, a grin plastered on his face.

In a few seconds the wire was singing with another form of power. Gambit's awareness followed his power through the circuitry until the museum's whole power grid was dancing to his tune. Then he added just a touch more power and slagged the entire thing, including the back-up generator.

The security system thus dealt with, Gambit shot a hydraulic line across to the museum and used it as a tightrope to make his way to the opposite roof. Once there he took a glasscutter and suction cup out of his backpack and removed a panel from the skylight to let himself in.

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

"Did we have a holiday and no one told me?" Spiderman said swinging toward home, planning on making his curfew for once. "No muggers to be seen, not even a super-powered lunatic running amuck. I guess no one felt like being Magneto's follow-up act. Maybe they've got more common sense than I give 'em credit for, I wouldn't want to give Captain America's team an excuse right now."

Then he noticed a line, besides the normal power lines, running to the roof of the museum. "Someone always has to buck the trend," he said to himself swinging closer.

Lowering himself head first through the skylight, Spiderman watched a man in a black bodysuit with a half-mask re-hang picture upside down while singing softly to himself. "I'd rather be swinging on a star, carry moonbeams home in a jar..."

"I was planning on letting this one slip," Spiderman said. "But that singing is a crime against humanity."

The thief glanced over his shoulder appraising the costumed crime fighter through red tinted glasses. "Ain't de blood rushin' to your head like dat?" He asked, casually straightening the picture frame so it hung levelly.

"Not really," Spiderman replied, wrapping the thief in a cocoon of webbing and attaching the line to the ceiling. "How about yours?"

The glasses clattered to the floor, revealing inhuman red on black eyes. "Super-soldier serum, freak accident or mutant?" Spidey asked curiously. He noticed that the thief or possibility prankster had been having a busy night. Every picture in the room was upside down or reversed and several of the statues and armor suits had been rearranged in a highly inappropriate tableau.

A pink glow brought Spidey's attention back to his captive in time to see his webbing dissolve into ash. The thief twisted in mid-air as he fell, landing in a crouch. He grinned, tucked a crystal-studded statuette in his backpack and dashed out of the room.

Spidey took off after him after a moment's surprised pause. By that time the thief had disappeared into one of the other rooms. The sound of shattering glass drew Spidey to the end of the hall. He stood at the broken window peering out at the empty street wondering if the broken glass were a ruse or not.

Catching a glimpse of movement from the connecting street, Spidey shot a web-line to the corner of next building. He swung around the corner and groaned in disappointment when he saw a teen with shoulder length russet hair in a long, brown trenchcoat.

As he swung past, something made Spike glance back and he caught a gleam of red from beneath the teen's overly long bangs.

"Why that sneaky..." Spidey exclaimed reversing his swing.

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

Gambit bit back an exclamation of surprise as he was snatched off the street. He kicked out at the wall as they swung up into the air sending them spinning out of control. Then he grabbed his capture's hand, mimicking the motion he'd seen the other teen use to trigger his web shooter. Gambit grabbed the new line and swung free as the wallcrawler leapt to a perch on top of a street lamp.

The webline Gambit had stolen struck the traffic signal cable and his trajectory arced upward sharply. At the apex of his swing Gambit released the line and somersaulted to land on a nearby roof.

The wallcrawler shot a line of webbing hoping to snare Gambit again, he responded by charging the dust particles in the air surrounding him. When the webline stuck his shied a small explosion deflected it away from him. "What'd yo' know, dat worked," Gambit remarked to himself then with a quick wave to the wallcrawler he ran and jumped to the neighboring building.

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

Spidey fought back a grin as the cocky thief waved before fleeing. " 'Can't catch me!' That's what you think," he said accepting the challenge with enthusiasm.

Traveling by web line he quickly cut off the other teen, herding him toward a dead-end area for anyone attempting rooftop travel without the benefit of wings or webbing, even if they were using a bo-staff like a pole-vaulter.

To Spidey's surprise the sight of him swing toward the thief didn't give the other teen a moments pause. The thief launched himself into the air, caught Spidey's own web-line several feet about the wallcrawler, swung around like a gymnast and jumped to a new building.

This time Spidey followed the thief's change of direction without a moment's pause landing a few feet from the thief and lashing out at him with a quick punch.

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

Gambit sprung back avoiding a blow as he telescoped out his bo.

The web-slinger made use of the increased distance to try another snare of webbing. Gambit barely had time to deflect the sticky substance with his bo, only to have the staff jerked out of his hands by a powerful pull.

For a moment Gambit's body language took on a hint of caution, then a wide, living-in-moment smile crossed his face and he pulled out a deck of cards, singing to himself.

The web-swinger winced as he dodged explosions. "What is with the auditory torture?" he asked. "Wasn't that banned as being inhumane?"

"Been catchin' up on some educational films," Gambit replied. " 'trapment, gotta say Catherine Zeta-Jones..." He whistled appreciatively. "Wouldn' mind teamin' up wid a t'ief dat looked like dat. An' de Hudson Hawk and de Saint, like deir style, me. Dey both get de femme. Course, neither one gets de loot, ma Bella, don' t'ink she'd be 'mpressed by dat."

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

Spidey flipped over an explosion and landed a solid punch that sent the thief reeling back. "Man, I gotta introduce you to a better class of movies; ones where they realize that the thief is the bad guy. I mean you're a walking, talking advertisement for those people who want to ban all the cool shows."

Careful to pull his punches so as to avoid actually hurting the thief, Spidey landed several more blows then shot out another line of webbing, planning on hanging the resourceful thief somewhere high enough that using his abilities to destroy the webbing wouldn't be a viable idea.

Less stunned than Spidey had imagined, the thief managed to roll clear, the webbing attached itself to the roof beside him and he reached out and used it like a fuse to send one of his charges back into the webshooter.

Spidey winced at the muffled crump of his webbing blowing up, mangling the mechanism. He already knew the shooter was so much scrape metal, but he was grateful not to have been injured, some of the thief's larger charges could have taken his arm along with the mechanism.

As the pair set themselves for hand-to-hand combat a frightened scream filled the air. The thief tossed Spidey his backpack, containing the statuette. "I t'ink dat be m' day job callin'," he said taking off in the direction of the scream.

Spidey dropped the pack and did the same. The loss of a webshooter hindered his chosen mode of travel, but he still quickly over took the thief.

Less than a minute later he was on the scene. The mugger was an ugly specimen, dirty blond hair, blunt, brutal features with a vivid scar latterly bisecting his face.

"Couldn't you wait your turn?" Spidey demanded. "I was actually having fun with the last guy."

A moment before he struck the man, Spidey's senses screamed that this one was more than the typical mugger. He threw himself to the side, but didn't quite manage to get clear of the cloud of gas that shot from the tubes attached to the underside of his opponent's wrists.

The gas acted quickly and with devastating effect. Spidey felt the strength fleeing his limbs like water from a cracked pitcher.

"I knew you'd walk into my trap sooner or later," the mugger said. "Didn't expect it to happen on my first victim, but ya don't see me complaining."

"What is your problem?" Spidey demanded. "I mean who are you anyway? I've never even met you and you've already got a grudge?"

"Right now I'm nobody," the mugger said with a grin. "But that'll all change when I kill you. You've earned a nice rep for yerself and I'm gonna take it."

"With a sucker punch?" Spidey taunted. "Oh yeah, that's going to impress people."

"Mais when yo're as pat'etic as dis homme, I suppose yo' take what yo' can get," the Cajun thief announced, standing in the mouth of the alley. He gave the mugger a disparaging look. "Not dat he'll be getting' anyt'ing tonight."

"Why don't ya mind yer own business?" the scared man growled. "Ya live longer that way, kid."

While they traded glares the woman who'd been attacked escaped unnoticed.

"Mindin' m' own business gets so dull dough," the thief sighed. "I'd rather mind yours."

"Have it yer way," the mugger sneered, stalking the thief.

A card thrown at his feet sent Spidey's ambusher flying into the wall with a loud crack, the demon-eyed mutant followed up with a kick to the mugger's jaw that robbed him of consciousness.

"Yo' dyin' or anyt'ing?" the Cajun asked Spidey.

"I don't think so," he replied. "Not feeling to great, but I don't think I'm getting any worse."

" 'Kay, in dat case, I'll be takin' a moment to deal wid dis trash." The Cajun relieved the would-be assassin of the equipment containing the gas. After hauling it to the end of the alley he rested his hands on the canister and closed his eyes in concentration. Almost immediately the canister took on the pink glow of his mutant powers, after a few moment it slowly shifted to a bright, white light.

The thief leapt backwards and the canister exploded with an impressive bang. "I hate poisons, neh. Gotta make sure everyt'ing be well an' truly charged so I don' jus' release it," he commented.

"Um thanks," Spidey said, not quite sure of the etiquette involved when someone you'd been fighting barely five minutes ago decided to save your life.

"T'ink rien of it mon ami. Yo're fun to scrap wid. I'm Gambit by de way."

"Spiderman, pleased to meet you," Spidey replied, slightly bemused. He tried to stand up, wobbled for a few moments then dropped back to the pavement.

"T'ink I should be takin' yo' to a hospital," Gambit commented.

"No!" Spidey exclaimed.

"Why not?" Gambit asked.

"They wouldn't go for the secret identity thing."

"Den yo' dump dat get-up, no more problems, oui?"

"Sec-ret I-dent-it-y," Spiderman repeated slowly. "I'm not telling you who I am."

"Yo're sorta mistrustin', what wid me savin' your life an' all," Gambit commented.

"You're a thief!" Spidey reminded him.

"Mais, oui," Gambit replied with a shrug. " 'M still workin' on balancin' dat wid de hero t'ing."

"Gee, I wonder why that's a toughie," Spidey said.

"De t'ings I put up wid," Gambit said shaking his head with mock sadness. "Yo' want to wrap dis guy up for de police?"

"Right," Spidey said trying to make his legs support him again. Gambit slipped under his arm providing support while Spidey wrapped his attacker in a cocoon of webbing.

"A'right, now dat dat's taken care of, got any place I can take yo'?"

Spidey wavered for a moment. "Sorry, I really don't want to tell you where any of my friends live, it's nothing personal.

"Some people jus' got to make t'ings difficult." Gambit replied. "Come on, I got a bolt hole I don' mind yo' seein'."

Gambit helped Spidey to the first car parked along the street, then propped the other teen up against it and set to work picking the lock.

"Hey, you can't just steal that!" Spidey objected.

"Mais, 'M not makin' a spectacle draggin' yo' all over de city, an' so 'less yo' want to stay here an' talk wid de police or mebbe de next homme who 'sides to off yo' while yo're helpless, we gonna be borrowin' dis car," Gambit said with a touch of impatience. "I'll lock it up after we 'bandon it, it'll make it's way home 'ventually."

Reluctantly Spidey nodded his acceptance. He tried not to be too impressed by the speed and ease with which Gambit picked the lock on the door and hotwired the car.

Gambit helped Spidey into the car. "Lay down or somet'ing," he ordered. "Don' want no one seen yo' in a car an' wonderin' why."

The idea sounded like a good one to Spidey, in fact the back seat of the car looked down right inviting.

"Don' yo' fall 'sleep," Gambit said frowning. "Wanta know if yo're dyin' on me. Yo' get worse an' I am draggin' yo' to de doctors, secret 'dentity or non."

"Got ya," Spidey replied. "So you steal stuff often?"

"Yo' might say it's a way of life," Gambit replied, unashamed. "Jus' recently turned pro."

"So how much was that thing from the museum worth?" Spidey asked, vaguely embarrassed by his curiosity.

"Mais, don' know," Gambit admitted with a shrug. "De museum, she was jus' gonna be for practice. A little bit of fun 'fore school starts, yo' know."

"Your school hasn't started yet? That's just not fair," Spidey complained.

"Don' get too excited, I been home studyin' all summer," Gambit replied.

"So what made you change your mind?" Spidey asked.

"Quoi?"

"Why'd you take it?"

"De statue? It was nice, yo' see de way de light caught de crystals?"

"You stole it because it was shiny?" Spidey asked in a tone of disbelief. "You're a kender, you know that?"

"Am not!" Gambit exclaimed.

"You are too," Spidey insisted.

"I... what be a kender?" Gambit asked.

"Sort of like a hobbit, only they steal everything not nailed down, especially if it's colorful or sparkly," Spidey explained.

" 'M not short," Gambit announced, sounding wounded.

"Okay, you're a tall kender," Spidey replied.

"Merci," Gambit said, his voice thick with sarcasm and touched with a hint of amusement. "We're here. Mais as close as yo' get by car."

Gambit helped Spidey out of the car and down the stairs into the subway.

"Where are we going?" Spidey asked uncertainly.

"An ole place of mine," Remy explained with a sigh. "It's been 'while since I lived here, hope no one else took it over."

Spidey gave the other boy a slightly incredulous look that was lost behind his mask, but did his best to not hinder their progress.

"Home, sweet home," Remy commented under his breath at the sight of the abandoned subway car.

"You lived here?" Spidey asked shocked.

"What of it?" Gambit replied defensively, dropping Spidey on to one of the benches then digging around under one of the seats. "M' firewood's gone," he commented absently. "Guess we don' need it, dis been' summer an' all but de camp fire makes it a bit nicer."

"It's fine," Spidey said quickly. "It's really nice of you to help me out like this."

"I don' live here anymore," Gambit said, ignoring Spidey's overture. "Got amies an' a family even, but I don' got any reason to trus' yo' now do I, so I ain't takin' yo' to dem."

"It's a great place," Spidey insisted.

"No, it ain't," Remy said quietly. " 'M gonna go get some food or somet'ing. Make some calls, get yo' some real help."

Peter watched the other boy disappear into the darkness then shook his head in disgust. "Real smooth, Parker," he said to himself. "Could you have possibly handled that any worse?"

With a sigh he laid back on the bench, hoping he could sleep off the effects of the gas before his Aunt May got too worried about him.

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