Disclaimer: All I want for Christmas is a broken record. I do not own the X-Men.
A/N: Thanks to all you guys who've reviewed so far and I'm so sorry it took so long! The hitting him to get a response was from personal experience. I'm generally the one being whacked and/or poked. I should pay more attention. XD
Rogue couldn't resist a slight smile at the response in what she assumed to be a Cajun accent.
"Ya weren't payin' attention t'me so I hit you, that's what for."
"Oh."
"So do you know where we are?"
"Non." The acolyte shook his head, closing his eyes.
Rogue sank back against the bed frame with a poorly concealed sigh of frustration.
"But I do know who runs the place." He added, opening one glowing eye to look at her.
Rogue sat forward again, eager to know the merest detail of who was keeping her here and why. She tried not to make it a habit to be locked in some forsaken cell with no knowledge of what was going on. "Well, spill it, whose fault is this?"
"Guy called Sinister. An' it ain' his fault. Fault sounds like an accident. This ain' no accident, not where he's concerned. Sinister's one sick homme." He closed his eyes again with a slight grimace.
Rogue decided that now was not the time to debate what Sinister had in store for them. The two lackeys had called them experiments after all, and from what the Cajun had just said, he didn't have too high an opinion of the man's work either. No, Rogue definitely didn't want to think about it right now. Time for a change of subject, she thought.
"So..I - wait, I'm gonna have to know what your name is first.." Rogue realised with a start. Calling him 'the Acolyte' was all well and good in her head, but out loud, it could only be classed as stupid.
"My real name?", he asked, turning to glance at Rogue with questioning eyes.
"Yeah, your real name. What did they call you when you were a kid?" Rogue asked, rephrasing the question to try and get the answer she wanted.
"Oh, what they called me as a kid…Ma tante used t'call me beautiful. Y'can call me that any time y'want, chere."
Rogue rolled her eyes and resisted, barely, the urge to hit him again. "Okay, how about swamp rat – can I call you that?"
"Rat? Remy ain' no rat!"
"So you do have a name!" Rogue answered with a victorious smile. Her triumph was quickly forgotten though, as footsteps echoed down the corridor. She watched the door tentatively, listening to the voices which drifted to her ears. They got louder with each passing second, coming towards the cell. Rogue glanced over at Remy, to find he was also watching the doorway with a wary expression.
A key turned in the lock, and the door creaked open, revealing one of the men who had came in earlier. His large form obstructed most of the light that would have come through the open door, leaving the cell still in relative darkness. A light was abruptly switched on and the sudden harsh white glare caused Rogue's eyes to water a little. She blinked to clear her now slightly blurred vision, and saw Remy had his eyes firmly shut, keeping the light away.
"Hey sweetheart.."
The leering tone made Rogue look up, to find the hulking man standing over her with a look of anticipation as he watched her.
"I was getting bored and I thought you might be up for a lil' fun. So what do you say?" The man asked, putting a thick hand firmly on Rogue's shoulder, giving her no doubt that there was no real choice. 'No' wasn't an option with this guy. Well, it had never stopped her before.
"Get away from me, you slimeball!" Rogue hissed, pulling back from him with a glower. He stepped in closer to her as she did so, his face turning to the look of a small child who wants to grab the tail of a cat that keeps getting away.
"Lemme rephrase that for you, honey. You will be up for it, an' you say yes." He grunted, with a snarl.
Rogue only stared back at him, not willing to give him the response he wanted. The man reached out to grab her. Rogue reached a hand out to his face hesitantly – she hadn't wanted it to come to this. A brutish psyche in her head wasn't something she was that enthusiastic about, but he had given her no other option. Touching her fingers lightly to his cheek, she pulled back slightly, steeling herself against the memories that would flood into her head, but none came.
"Your lil' tricks don't work here, sweetie." The man pointed out, noting Rogue's look of confusion. He grabbed her right arm and pulled it round in front of her face. "See this?" He pointed at a small metal band halfway up her arm. "Stops your lil' powers."
Rogue stared at him, aghast, half dismayed and half shocked that she hadn't noticed the band before, although she'd had other things on her mind. She only had a second to examine it however, before she was reminded of the current situation, as the burly man put a hand tightly round her waist.
"I said stay away from me!" Rogue yelled, putting her hands on his shoulders and giving him a shove with all her strength. Caught off-guard, clearly not expecting her to fight back again so soon, the man fell backwards. Using the spare moment, she returned her attention to the restraint on her arm, looking for a way to take it off. Focussed on trying to find a latch or any way of getting the band off, she didn't see notice him recover from her shove.
"You're gonna get it now, girl.." The guy hissed, pulling back a broad fist. Rogue looked up and swiftly closed her eyes, preparing for the unavoidable punch she was about to get. But for the second time that day, nothing happened. Or at least nothing she could feel - despite having heard someone being punched, it hadn't been her. She lifted her head and opened her eyes, to find Remy standing between her and the lackey, swaying slightly but still standing.
"Ain' no way t'treat a lady, mon ami," Remy pointed out. "So why don' y'jus' back off?"
The man growled and punched him again, sending Remy sprawling back against the metal bedstead.
"Stupid thing isn't worth the hassle anyway..", the thug grunted, turning and storming out of the room, slamming the door as he went. The light went back out as quickly as it had come on, and the door was locked.
Rogue was momentarily surprised by the sudden rush of concern she felt for Remy, lying limp on the bed. He was an Acolyte after all. She moved over next to him, wishing the glaring light was back so that she could see him.
"What did you have to go do that for, swamp rat?"
To be continued – sooner than last time I hope! I'd be much obliged if you'd review for me, and Shroom, you still rock for being my beta. XD