Disclaimer: Nothings changed since last chapter folks I still don't own the X-Men (darn it)! I do however own Adalida Savannah Phillips AKA Whisper, Roy Phillips, K.O., Claude, and Paul Thibodeaux. If any o' y'all want one o' my character's just ask I'll be happy t' share. :-D
*Psychic thought *
~Thought~
A Whisper in the Night
Chapter 9
Here For You Forever
By: Rogue Marie LeBeau
Logan felt depressed after the dance.
~I wish Jubilee were here ~ he thought. ~ Another chance, what I wouldn't give for another chance. I'd tell her I loved her. ~
Instead of picking up the phone and letting go of his pride, Logan decide to go to the porch to smoke.
~With any luck Addie might be out there t' talk t' ~ he reasoned.
He walked out onto the porch, but instead of Addie he found Remy standing there, looking out into the darkness and gripping something tightly in his hand.
"Hey Gumbo ya O.K.?" he asked his friend.
Gambit jumped opening his hand. The locket slid off of the broken chain and onto the porch floor. Logan bent over, picked it up, and handed it back to Gambit.
"What's this?" Logan inquired curious.
"Dey took her, Wolv'rine, dey took Adalida!" the Cajun X-Man replied his voice quivering.
"Calm down Gambit. Now how d' ya know someone took Addie?" Wolverine tried making sense of what Gambit was telling him.
"Dis is de locket I gave her t'day. De chain's broke. I found it and blood over dere on de swing!" Gambit talked so fast the words seemed to be spilling from his lips.
At the word blood Logan ran so fast he nearly knocked Remy over. Fear, panic, anger, rage, hate. These were all things that Logan smelled on the swing. The fear and panic belonged to Addie, but the anger, hate, and rage belonged to a man.
A sick feeling started in the pit of Logan's stomach. He loved Addie as much as he could any flesh and blood sister. Then he turned to Gambit and he realized something. The man loved Addie, really loved her. Just like he himself loved Jubilee.
"Gambit, go in and tell the professor right away. I know sumthin' that might help. We'll find her O.K." Logan ordered Gambit.
Not wasting any more time, Gambit ran off to the professor's study. He didn't take the time to knock instead opting to just barge in. He filled the professor in on what he and Logan thought.
"I got t' find her professor. I really need t' find her." Gambit told him franticly.
"I will try Cerebro Gambit. Logan's right we will find her." The professor headed off to Cerebro leaving Gambit to do the last thing he wanted to do right now. Wait.
* * * * * * * * * *
While running up the stairs, Logan almost collided with Scott and Jean. Jean looked at Logan worry written all over her face.
"Someone took Addie, Logan. I felt her panic, I felt her fear." Jean explained.
"I know Red." Logan knew how close Addie and Jean had gotten over the last few months. "Go to Gambit, he needs the support."
"He loves her Logan." Jean told him.
Logan nodded and Scott looked surprised.
"I got sumthin' I gotta get Jean. I think it might help us find her." Logan said trying to encourage Jean.
She gave him a sad smile in response as she and Scott head off to be with Remy.
* * * * * * * *
Xavier was frustrated; all he could see was that they were headed south. He ended the Cerebro program and went into the hallway to tell the others the bad news.
Scott, Jean, and Gambit stood there hopeful. That hope, quickly faded when they saw the dejected look on the professor's face. He regretted having to bring them bad news.
"I was unable to locate her using Cerebro. All that I could see was that she, a mutant male, and a human male were headed south." Remy hung his head at the professor's words.
"I'm sorry Remy" Xavier apologized.
Logan quickly ran toward the group, Marie's diary in his hand.
"I have the answer, or at least a very good possibility here." Logan held up the diary, turned to Remy, and explained.
"Remember how I told you that Marie had foreknowledge?" Logan asked. Gambit nodded his head.
Logan told him about finding and then reading the diary. "But she told me to put it back until the right time. Well I think that time is now." Logan continued. "She basically tells of how Addie's father, Roy, had an illegal fighting ring in New Orleans. He had been using Addie's powers to heal his prizefighters. I think that's who took her."
"Merde", Remy cursed, "if only we'd know dat sooner, we coulda stopped dis."
"I know", Logan told him, "I wish I hadn't listened to Rogue. She didn't want to mess up the future, and I figured since Addie was at the mansion she was safe from Roy"
" Y' did what y' thought was best homme" Remy assured him.
"I'll get the X-Jet ready." Scott told them.
Jean stopped him, "I think this is something that Remy has to do on his own."
"Oui" Gambit agreed, "She's right I'll take one o' de small jets."
"Well here take this," Scott handed Remy a com-device, "If you need anything call us right away."
"I will", Remy promised him, "T'anks Scott."
Gambit turned to Jean, "I'll bring her back, Jean, I promise."
"I know you will Remy", she told him as he headed off to the jet.
* * * * * * *
Addie woke up scared to death. Her hands and legs were tied to the seat. She gripped the armrests so hard her knuckles were white. It wasn't that she was overly afraid of flying, but combine a mild fear of heights with two people she didn't know piloting the plane and she was terrified.
"Ah see mah daughter finally decided t' wake up" Roy said with a sneer.
"Y' think yer fancy with all dem perdy clothes an' all. Dat necklace y' didn't need it. De earbobs ah can hawk, but ah'll let y' keep dat bracelet just t' remind y' o' what y' can never have again." He laughed a wicked laugh full of hate and bitterness.
Addie knew she was beat. She always felt so helpless and dejected with Roy, like there was no use putting up a fight, like she could never get out from his brainwashing. There was no reason.
The man with Roy was small and puny; he looked like he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. She knew better, knew he was a mutant, and knew he was the one who had made her black out. He was obviously one of Roy's new lackeys.
"Dis is K.O., he may look scrawny but don't get any ideas girly unless y' want K.O.ed permanently." He warned with a gaped tooth grin."
Roy Phillips was shiftless, dark brown hair that was cut in a crew cut, scars on his face, and a crooked nose that had been broken countless times. Addie knew he had once been kind and handsome, but all of that changed once her mother died. He had totally lost his mind, and what had taken over was mean and greedy.
"If y' got a prizefighter why d' y' need me?" she asked in a whisper barely audible over the loud drone of the jet engines.
"Ah've got mah reasons gal", he yelled, "don't y' worry 'bout it none."
K.O. gave her a menacing look. Addie took it as a warning, she had asked too many questions. She decided the best thing to do was sit quietly the rest of the way. All the while dreading what awaited her in New Orleans.
* * * * * * * *
If someone didn't know exactly where the landing pad outside of the LeBeau Mansion was they would totally miss it, fortunately for Remy he did know where it was. The mini-jet landed with a very heavy thud. It was not the smoothest of landings by far, but at the moment Remy was preoccupied with concern for Addie. It was a miracle that he had even gotten to New Orleans in one piece.
Jean-Luc LeBeau, patriarch of the Thieves' Guild and Remy's adopted father, was waiting near by. All that Gambit had told him was that he needed to see him and Emil right away, tonight. He hadn't had the time or the strength to explain the whole story while he flew, but now he must find Addie, so explain he would.
"'Ello Remy good t' see y' son." Jean-Luc greeted his son with a fatherly hug, then he noticed the fatigue and worry on Remy's face.
"What is it Remy? What's wrong?"
Remy didn't answer Jean-Luc's question, instead he asked one of his own, "Is Emil here pere?"
"Yeah, I called 'im right after I got off the phone with ya. What's dis all 'bout?"
"Let's go in", Remy replied, "I'll explain it t' both o' y'all inside."
* * * * * * *
The three men sat in Jean-Luc's den. Emil and Jean-Luc both on the settee, and Remy slumped down on a large leather wingback chair.
"Emil, d' ya know a fille named Adalida Phillips?" Remy asked his cousin.
Both Emil Lapin and Jean-Luc LeBeau looked at each other in shock.
"Yeah Remy", Emil answered, "she was a friend o' mine for a while."
Jean-Luc broke in, "Why d' ya wanna know 'bout Adalida Phillips?"
Remy put his head in his hands. "She's missin'." He told them with a pained sigh.
He explained to them about how she had come to the mansion six months prior and that she was Rogue's sister.
Jean-Luc drew in a sharp breath. "Remy I'm so sorry, I had no idea." Then he explained the months leading up to Addie's arrival at the mansion.
"It all started 'bout eight years ago when Jolie LaChapelle died. She had been raisin' Adalida. Dat Roy Phillips had run off and left de fille. All de better for Adalida I said. Jolie was a good woman. When Adalida turned fourteen, she realized she was a mutant, a very powerful healer." He motioned to Emil, "Dis is what Emil tol' me"
"Well, when Jolie died Roy came back. Seems he had found out 'bout de fille's 'gift'. He figured he could get Adalida t' heal some o' his fighters. He tested his theory and sure nuff it worked. Roy became a wealthy man, but he wanted more, always more. No matter dat he had t' hurt his own daughter t' get the power and wealth that he craved." Jean-Luc looked at Remy. He knew that Gambit was getting angry, but he also knew he had to make Remy understand the exact dangers of tangling with Roy.
"De year dat Adalida turned sixteen Emil was out o' town on guild business. Roy came t' me with an offer, in exchange for acceptance int' de guild, he would give us Adalida t' use any way we wanted. I had seen de fille in town, bruised and frightened, so I knew Roy was serious. O' course I t'rew him out on his ass." Jean-Luc was revolted at the recollection of that day.
Remy couldn't believe it. "Pere if y' knew 'bout Roy's mistreatment o' Addie, why didn't y' d' sumptin' 'bout it?"
Jean-Luc shook his head. "I wish I had done sumptin' sooner. I guess I figured if I tried t'ings mighta been worse for Adalida. Roy hated de guild after I turned 'im down, so I felt I shouldn't interfere. Dat all change 'bout a year ago."
Jean-Luc turned to Emil who explained to Remy. "I met Addie in town 'bout a year ago, in September. We became really good friends. Sometimes we'd sneak out an' fish or maybe just hangout. I even taught her t' drive mah Camero." Emil chuckled softly at the remembrance of the daunting task.
"She was so sweet and beautiful. I don't know exactly how it happened but I decided I wanted to date her, so I went t' ask Roy. That was back in April. Well, he knew right away dat I was part o' de t'ieves guild. Roy became very angry an' he tol' me if he ever saw me with Addie again that he would kill her. I came straight here an' tol' y'r pere what had happened. He forbid me from seeing her ever again."
Remy was furious, he couldn't believe it. How could a man that had such wonderful women for daughters, as Marie and Adalida, be such a monster. Then he realized something else. It was apparent that Emil had deeply cared about Adalida. Did he still?
Emil knew exactly what Gambit was thinking. He knew his cousin well enough to know his reason for coming after Addie was more than to bring home a X-Man. Remy's worry and concern were driven by one thing... love. He hadn't seen his cousin in this deep since he had brought Rogue into the family.
"Remy", he assured, "dat's in de past, I've moved on. Seems you've moved on yerself dere cuz, hein?"
Remy slowly nodded his head before turning towards Jean-Luc. "What happened t' Addie? How did she get free?"
"Well, son, right after I tol' Emil not t' see her anymore I sent Claude t' talk t' her." Remy knew all about Claude, he was the top spy for the guild. He could find anything.
"He tol' her he was a friend o' Emil's. He told her Roy had threatened her life, without telling her 'bout de guild o' course. Den he asked her if she had anywhere safe t' go. Adalida explained to him that her only living relative had passed away a year b'fore, but dat her sister's widower and some o' her friends lived in New York. She agreed t' leave but refused the money that Claude gave her. She told him dat her sister had sent her enough money t' get t' New York."
"On May 15th Roy was out o' town leavin' Adalida alone. She left for New York, and 'bout two weeks later she sent a post card t' the P.O. box address dat Claude had given her, sayin' she was safe. Dat was de last time we heard from her."
Remy was relieved that Jean-Luc had tried to help Addie, but where was she now?
"Adalida was taken," he looked at the large mantle clock, it read four a.m., "
'bout five hours ago. How de we find out where she is now?"
Jean-Luc walked over to his desk, picked up the phone and dialed. "'Ello Claude, we have an emergency. D' y' know what hole Roy Phillips mighta buried himself in? O.K., yes, come right down and explain dis t' Remy. Right away, Claude. We t'ink he may have Ms. Phillips again."
Emil walked over to Remy and gave his cousin's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "We'll find her, Remy. Y' know Claude's de best. She's gonna be fine."
Remy had to believe that Emil was right. He couldn't, no wouldn't, lose another woman he loved.
* * * * * * *
Adalida was alone at last. Here she sat dirty and wet from being forced through the bayou to this building. It looked like some sort of warehouse, but set up with a ring and bleachers for the 'shows'.
~Great, here we go again~ Addie thought with disgust at herself. She had never told anyone about Roy, not even Remy. Now here she was weak as a kitten from K.O.'s touch, and knowing she was beat. Roy had won. He hadn't even tied her up, where would she go if she fled?
She rubbed her feet to sooth the bruises she had gotten from going barefoot. Her whole body ached. Then she remembered something, after they had gotten home from the dance, Logan had slipped her an envelope. She had put it in her bodice to read later. Maybe reading it would make her feel better.
~Or maybe it'll make me feel worse, make me realize everythin' ah've lost~ two tears trailed down her dirt streaked face.
She looked through blurry eyes at her name on the front. This was the last letter that Marie had left her. Addie turned it over and over in her hands.
~This is all ah have left, this lil piece o' mah sister~
Addie looked around to make sure she was alone. She used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes. The salty tears stung her scratches. Quickly Addie opened the letter, greedily reading it, trying to cling to some last sliver of happiness.
'My dearest Addie, May 1st ***3'
'I want t' tell you what a wonderful sister you are. Your support has meant so much t' me the last few months. Your love and kind spirit has gotten me through these tough times. Thank you, Addie.'
'I want you t' know I intend t' keep the promise I made so many years ago. I will be here for you, forever. Maybe not in the way we would like, but I will be here for you. Now I have help. The X-Men are your family now. They will live, fight, and some will even die for you. They will stand by your side everyone of them, but most of all Remy.'
'When I died, Remy seemed to want t' die right along with me. He shut down t' everyone around him. He wanted to die, you taught him t' live again. He wanted t' shut himself out, you taught him t' love again. Yes love... he will tell you, let him. He will show you, let him.'
'There are two reasons why you're holdin' back. First, you want t' honor me, fearin' that it would somehow disrespect my memory. Addie, don't you realize that I knew what would happen when I begged you t' come t' the mansion? Remember, I have foreknowledge. Hey how do you think I'm writing this? I knew y'all would fall in love. I wanted the two of you t' fall in love, I wanted you t' be happy. My story is done, but yours has just begun.'
'Secondly, you feel unworthy of love. For the past eight years, Roy has beaten you down both mentally and physically, convincing you that you are worthless. I know of many people who would disagree. A lot of people love you Addie. There are so many things that make you worth loving, you are such a beautiful person inside and out'
'Please give Remy the chance. Give him the opportunity t' show you the meaning of happiness. There are no two people more deserving of love and happiness than you and Remy, now take a lifetime t' share that together.'
'Dance my sister, dance the dance of happiness, love, and security.'
'I love you Adalida.'
'Love your big sister,'
'Marie'
Addie quickly put the letter back in her bodice. She almost choked trying to hold back the sobs.
~How could she have been so wrong~ Addie wondered.
"Quit yer snivilin' gal!" Roy spat as he came into the room.
Addie began to shake. Roy was not alone, a short, flabby, greasy haired man with a mouth full of gold walked in with him. Addie recognized him right away Paul Thibodeaux. He was very wealthy and to Addie, very creepy. Whenever she used to go into town Paul would be there. He was always making vulgar comments about her. But why was he here now?
"That musta been where y' got the plane." She told Roy, sounding braver than she felt. "But why's he here now?"
"Show some respect gal." Paul hissed, "Ah'm here t' claim mah property."
"What are y' talkin' 'bout?" Addie asked, her quivering voice losing all hint of her prior bravery.
"Yer ol' man's retirin'" Roy told her with a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin.
Addie drew in a deep breath, "Then what d' y' need me for?"
Roy grabbed Addie's arms as Paul reached out his meaty hand to stroke her cheek.
"Mah dear ah did say ah came t' claim mah property." Paul's tone was as slick and greasy as the rest of him.
"Gawd no." she whispered in disbelief.
~Marie how could y' have been so wrong!~
* * * * * * * *
"O.K. Emil, what's dat code now?" Remy LeBeau stood outside of a large warehouse in the middle of Foggy Bayou. Claude had been able to give Remy Roy's location, but whether Addie was there or not was another story.
Remy put on the sunglasses that Emil would use to patch in the view from the security cameras. Whoever was watching would see an 'all's safe' picture, where as Remy would see whatever lay ahead. Including if Addie was there and if so where she was.
The code sat on a desk in the LeBeau home.
"Alpha, Delta, Fox, Bravo, Six."
"Claude is dat y' homme? Where's Emil?"
"Remy y' don't wanna know."
"Great, just great." Remy looked around. Morning wasn't the best time for stealth, and now he had Emil around too. Thankfully Foggy Bayou was living up to its name.
Remy entered the code and the door clicked open. "T'ank Dieu for dat hacker Emil."
Remy entered silently with his deck of cards close at hand.
"Bingo" Remy opened then entered the ventilation shaft. He crawled through the dusty passages all the while following the camera. He saw only one guard, the mutant K.O., Claude had filled him in on the man.
~Avoid dat one.~ Remy told himself.
Finally, he saw it the room where, sure enough, Addie was being held.
~Merde~, Remy cursed, ~Thibodeaux~
Everyone knew Thibodeaux and his lust for young woman.
Remy's hands burned and his eyes glowed red hot with anger. ~So dat's it, Roy got Addie for Paul.~ Remy's stomach turned with revulsion.
Remy opened the grate leading into the room slowly until the moment Paul put his grubby hands on Adalida, Remy's angel. All bets were off.
"What de hell de y' t'ink yer doin'?" Remy yelled as he dropped to the floor, the ace of spades glowing in his fingers.
Paul backed up.
"Bad choice homme!" Remy threw the card sending an unconscious Paul to the floor.
K.O. rushed Remy. "Not so fast", Remy drew two cards. "Pick a card, ah hell take 'em both." K.O. fell in a heap next to Paul.
"REMY WATCH OUT!!!" Adalida screamed but it was too late. Roy had used the distraction of K.O. and Paul to sneak up on Gambit. As Gambit turned Roy thrust a knife deep into his stomach.
In Adalida's eyes everything happened in slow motion, the thrust, Roy tearing out the knife, Remy falling. Fury like she had never felt filled Adalida with a vengeful rage.
"Y' bastard!" Addie charged at Roy grabbing a hold of his neck and sending the knife flying. "Y' hurt me and used me for years, y' were mah father what was ah supposed t' d'? Well not anymore!"
Addie tightened her grip lifting Roy off of the ground.
"Y' hurt the only man who ever made me feel safe and worthy, the only man ah ever loved!" Adalida looked like an angry mother bear protecting a cub. Her eyes were huge and wild she looked crazy.
"Adalida let him go." Emil gently persuaded her. Roy was starting to turn blue and his eyes had glazed over. "I'll take care o' dem. Remy needs y'"
The look of anger in Addie's eyes turned to fear as she saw her love lying in an ever-growing pool of blood. Throwing Roy against the wall Adalida rushed to Remy.
The words of Marie's letter ran through her mind, 'and some will even die for you'. Remy was unconscious. "Not y' not t'day! I love y' Remy hang on hon.
Adalida reached out the same had that she had attempted to heal Rogue with, this time she succeeded. As Addie laid her soft slender hand on Remy's stubbly cheek the room was filled with a blinding green light. Her eyes were huge and the light was growing brighter by the second. The beautiful dress covered with dirt was now covered with something else... blood. Adalida's stomach was bleeding profusely. Remy awoke just in time to see Adalida slip to the floor. Her eyes closed turning out the bright light.
"Adalida, chere, my ange", Remy gently shook her, "Please, Mon Dieu no!"
"De police are here Remy." Emil told the distraught man. "Dere takin' in Paul, Roy, and K.O."
"Dey'll be taken care o' boys" the officer assured them but turned his back on the bleeding mutant.
Emil looked down at Remy who was trying his hardest to stop Addie's bleeding with his shirt. There wasn't even a scratch on his bare stomach.
"Remy de police ain't de only ones here," Emil pointed. Beast, Jean, Scott, and Logan stood in the doorway.
Jean rushed over and used her telekinesis to gently carry her friend to the Blackbird. Jean sat down and held the pale girl's hand, Remy sat on the opposite side holding the other hand. Remy looked nearly as pale as Addie.
* Hank, I can't get through to her. * Jean told Beast privately.
* Jean I have to admit the prognosis doesn't look good, but Addie's strong. *
* Yes, and she has something even stronger on her side. * Jean told Beast as she looked to Remy. * Love *
* * * * * * * *
Hank walked out of the med-lab looking grim. Remy lifted his head and looked Hank straight in the eye.
"Don't lie t' me Hank, how bad is she?"
"I had no intention to Gambit. I have done everything possible to help her. I have tried Shi'ar technology and I have exhausted all the medical knowledge and skill in my possession. It's up to her now. There's a chance Remy, let's hold on to that."
"Can I see her?" Remy asked knowing he'd go in regardless.
"Sure", Beast agreed, "But she's still unresponsive. More than likely she won't even be aware of your presence."
"I understand. I wanted t' t'ank everyone for callin' de police." He added.
Hank scratched his head unsure if he should tell Gambit or not. He had a right to know the truth.
"We didn't. The police and the professor traced the call to... well, to Rogue's old room. They said a woman with a Southern accent called and told them her sister and her sister's boyfriend were in trouble. Gambit, she told them the location and everything." Beast shook his head still finding it hard to believe.
As Remy turned the knob to the med-lab he looked towards the sky his eyes full of tears. "T'anks Roguie, I understand."
Addie might not know that he was there, but he needed to be there. He needed to stay by her. When she woke up he needed to tell her... he loved her.
*Psychic thought *
~Thought~
A Whisper in the Night
Chapter 9
Here For You Forever
By: Rogue Marie LeBeau
Logan felt depressed after the dance.
~I wish Jubilee were here ~ he thought. ~ Another chance, what I wouldn't give for another chance. I'd tell her I loved her. ~
Instead of picking up the phone and letting go of his pride, Logan decide to go to the porch to smoke.
~With any luck Addie might be out there t' talk t' ~ he reasoned.
He walked out onto the porch, but instead of Addie he found Remy standing there, looking out into the darkness and gripping something tightly in his hand.
"Hey Gumbo ya O.K.?" he asked his friend.
Gambit jumped opening his hand. The locket slid off of the broken chain and onto the porch floor. Logan bent over, picked it up, and handed it back to Gambit.
"What's this?" Logan inquired curious.
"Dey took her, Wolv'rine, dey took Adalida!" the Cajun X-Man replied his voice quivering.
"Calm down Gambit. Now how d' ya know someone took Addie?" Wolverine tried making sense of what Gambit was telling him.
"Dis is de locket I gave her t'day. De chain's broke. I found it and blood over dere on de swing!" Gambit talked so fast the words seemed to be spilling from his lips.
At the word blood Logan ran so fast he nearly knocked Remy over. Fear, panic, anger, rage, hate. These were all things that Logan smelled on the swing. The fear and panic belonged to Addie, but the anger, hate, and rage belonged to a man.
A sick feeling started in the pit of Logan's stomach. He loved Addie as much as he could any flesh and blood sister. Then he turned to Gambit and he realized something. The man loved Addie, really loved her. Just like he himself loved Jubilee.
"Gambit, go in and tell the professor right away. I know sumthin' that might help. We'll find her O.K." Logan ordered Gambit.
Not wasting any more time, Gambit ran off to the professor's study. He didn't take the time to knock instead opting to just barge in. He filled the professor in on what he and Logan thought.
"I got t' find her professor. I really need t' find her." Gambit told him franticly.
"I will try Cerebro Gambit. Logan's right we will find her." The professor headed off to Cerebro leaving Gambit to do the last thing he wanted to do right now. Wait.
* * * * * * * * * *
While running up the stairs, Logan almost collided with Scott and Jean. Jean looked at Logan worry written all over her face.
"Someone took Addie, Logan. I felt her panic, I felt her fear." Jean explained.
"I know Red." Logan knew how close Addie and Jean had gotten over the last few months. "Go to Gambit, he needs the support."
"He loves her Logan." Jean told him.
Logan nodded and Scott looked surprised.
"I got sumthin' I gotta get Jean. I think it might help us find her." Logan said trying to encourage Jean.
She gave him a sad smile in response as she and Scott head off to be with Remy.
* * * * * * * *
Xavier was frustrated; all he could see was that they were headed south. He ended the Cerebro program and went into the hallway to tell the others the bad news.
Scott, Jean, and Gambit stood there hopeful. That hope, quickly faded when they saw the dejected look on the professor's face. He regretted having to bring them bad news.
"I was unable to locate her using Cerebro. All that I could see was that she, a mutant male, and a human male were headed south." Remy hung his head at the professor's words.
"I'm sorry Remy" Xavier apologized.
Logan quickly ran toward the group, Marie's diary in his hand.
"I have the answer, or at least a very good possibility here." Logan held up the diary, turned to Remy, and explained.
"Remember how I told you that Marie had foreknowledge?" Logan asked. Gambit nodded his head.
Logan told him about finding and then reading the diary. "But she told me to put it back until the right time. Well I think that time is now." Logan continued. "She basically tells of how Addie's father, Roy, had an illegal fighting ring in New Orleans. He had been using Addie's powers to heal his prizefighters. I think that's who took her."
"Merde", Remy cursed, "if only we'd know dat sooner, we coulda stopped dis."
"I know", Logan told him, "I wish I hadn't listened to Rogue. She didn't want to mess up the future, and I figured since Addie was at the mansion she was safe from Roy"
" Y' did what y' thought was best homme" Remy assured him.
"I'll get the X-Jet ready." Scott told them.
Jean stopped him, "I think this is something that Remy has to do on his own."
"Oui" Gambit agreed, "She's right I'll take one o' de small jets."
"Well here take this," Scott handed Remy a com-device, "If you need anything call us right away."
"I will", Remy promised him, "T'anks Scott."
Gambit turned to Jean, "I'll bring her back, Jean, I promise."
"I know you will Remy", she told him as he headed off to the jet.
* * * * * * *
Addie woke up scared to death. Her hands and legs were tied to the seat. She gripped the armrests so hard her knuckles were white. It wasn't that she was overly afraid of flying, but combine a mild fear of heights with two people she didn't know piloting the plane and she was terrified.
"Ah see mah daughter finally decided t' wake up" Roy said with a sneer.
"Y' think yer fancy with all dem perdy clothes an' all. Dat necklace y' didn't need it. De earbobs ah can hawk, but ah'll let y' keep dat bracelet just t' remind y' o' what y' can never have again." He laughed a wicked laugh full of hate and bitterness.
Addie knew she was beat. She always felt so helpless and dejected with Roy, like there was no use putting up a fight, like she could never get out from his brainwashing. There was no reason.
The man with Roy was small and puny; he looked like he couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag. She knew better, knew he was a mutant, and knew he was the one who had made her black out. He was obviously one of Roy's new lackeys.
"Dis is K.O., he may look scrawny but don't get any ideas girly unless y' want K.O.ed permanently." He warned with a gaped tooth grin."
Roy Phillips was shiftless, dark brown hair that was cut in a crew cut, scars on his face, and a crooked nose that had been broken countless times. Addie knew he had once been kind and handsome, but all of that changed once her mother died. He had totally lost his mind, and what had taken over was mean and greedy.
"If y' got a prizefighter why d' y' need me?" she asked in a whisper barely audible over the loud drone of the jet engines.
"Ah've got mah reasons gal", he yelled, "don't y' worry 'bout it none."
K.O. gave her a menacing look. Addie took it as a warning, she had asked too many questions. She decided the best thing to do was sit quietly the rest of the way. All the while dreading what awaited her in New Orleans.
* * * * * * * *
If someone didn't know exactly where the landing pad outside of the LeBeau Mansion was they would totally miss it, fortunately for Remy he did know where it was. The mini-jet landed with a very heavy thud. It was not the smoothest of landings by far, but at the moment Remy was preoccupied with concern for Addie. It was a miracle that he had even gotten to New Orleans in one piece.
Jean-Luc LeBeau, patriarch of the Thieves' Guild and Remy's adopted father, was waiting near by. All that Gambit had told him was that he needed to see him and Emil right away, tonight. He hadn't had the time or the strength to explain the whole story while he flew, but now he must find Addie, so explain he would.
"'Ello Remy good t' see y' son." Jean-Luc greeted his son with a fatherly hug, then he noticed the fatigue and worry on Remy's face.
"What is it Remy? What's wrong?"
Remy didn't answer Jean-Luc's question, instead he asked one of his own, "Is Emil here pere?"
"Yeah, I called 'im right after I got off the phone with ya. What's dis all 'bout?"
"Let's go in", Remy replied, "I'll explain it t' both o' y'all inside."
* * * * * * *
The three men sat in Jean-Luc's den. Emil and Jean-Luc both on the settee, and Remy slumped down on a large leather wingback chair.
"Emil, d' ya know a fille named Adalida Phillips?" Remy asked his cousin.
Both Emil Lapin and Jean-Luc LeBeau looked at each other in shock.
"Yeah Remy", Emil answered, "she was a friend o' mine for a while."
Jean-Luc broke in, "Why d' ya wanna know 'bout Adalida Phillips?"
Remy put his head in his hands. "She's missin'." He told them with a pained sigh.
He explained to them about how she had come to the mansion six months prior and that she was Rogue's sister.
Jean-Luc drew in a sharp breath. "Remy I'm so sorry, I had no idea." Then he explained the months leading up to Addie's arrival at the mansion.
"It all started 'bout eight years ago when Jolie LaChapelle died. She had been raisin' Adalida. Dat Roy Phillips had run off and left de fille. All de better for Adalida I said. Jolie was a good woman. When Adalida turned fourteen, she realized she was a mutant, a very powerful healer." He motioned to Emil, "Dis is what Emil tol' me"
"Well, when Jolie died Roy came back. Seems he had found out 'bout de fille's 'gift'. He figured he could get Adalida t' heal some o' his fighters. He tested his theory and sure nuff it worked. Roy became a wealthy man, but he wanted more, always more. No matter dat he had t' hurt his own daughter t' get the power and wealth that he craved." Jean-Luc looked at Remy. He knew that Gambit was getting angry, but he also knew he had to make Remy understand the exact dangers of tangling with Roy.
"De year dat Adalida turned sixteen Emil was out o' town on guild business. Roy came t' me with an offer, in exchange for acceptance int' de guild, he would give us Adalida t' use any way we wanted. I had seen de fille in town, bruised and frightened, so I knew Roy was serious. O' course I t'rew him out on his ass." Jean-Luc was revolted at the recollection of that day.
Remy couldn't believe it. "Pere if y' knew 'bout Roy's mistreatment o' Addie, why didn't y' d' sumptin' 'bout it?"
Jean-Luc shook his head. "I wish I had done sumptin' sooner. I guess I figured if I tried t'ings mighta been worse for Adalida. Roy hated de guild after I turned 'im down, so I felt I shouldn't interfere. Dat all change 'bout a year ago."
Jean-Luc turned to Emil who explained to Remy. "I met Addie in town 'bout a year ago, in September. We became really good friends. Sometimes we'd sneak out an' fish or maybe just hangout. I even taught her t' drive mah Camero." Emil chuckled softly at the remembrance of the daunting task.
"She was so sweet and beautiful. I don't know exactly how it happened but I decided I wanted to date her, so I went t' ask Roy. That was back in April. Well, he knew right away dat I was part o' de t'ieves guild. Roy became very angry an' he tol' me if he ever saw me with Addie again that he would kill her. I came straight here an' tol' y'r pere what had happened. He forbid me from seeing her ever again."
Remy was furious, he couldn't believe it. How could a man that had such wonderful women for daughters, as Marie and Adalida, be such a monster. Then he realized something else. It was apparent that Emil had deeply cared about Adalida. Did he still?
Emil knew exactly what Gambit was thinking. He knew his cousin well enough to know his reason for coming after Addie was more than to bring home a X-Man. Remy's worry and concern were driven by one thing... love. He hadn't seen his cousin in this deep since he had brought Rogue into the family.
"Remy", he assured, "dat's in de past, I've moved on. Seems you've moved on yerself dere cuz, hein?"
Remy slowly nodded his head before turning towards Jean-Luc. "What happened t' Addie? How did she get free?"
"Well, son, right after I tol' Emil not t' see her anymore I sent Claude t' talk t' her." Remy knew all about Claude, he was the top spy for the guild. He could find anything.
"He tol' her he was a friend o' Emil's. He told her Roy had threatened her life, without telling her 'bout de guild o' course. Den he asked her if she had anywhere safe t' go. Adalida explained to him that her only living relative had passed away a year b'fore, but dat her sister's widower and some o' her friends lived in New York. She agreed t' leave but refused the money that Claude gave her. She told him dat her sister had sent her enough money t' get t' New York."
"On May 15th Roy was out o' town leavin' Adalida alone. She left for New York, and 'bout two weeks later she sent a post card t' the P.O. box address dat Claude had given her, sayin' she was safe. Dat was de last time we heard from her."
Remy was relieved that Jean-Luc had tried to help Addie, but where was she now?
"Adalida was taken," he looked at the large mantle clock, it read four a.m., "
'bout five hours ago. How de we find out where she is now?"
Jean-Luc walked over to his desk, picked up the phone and dialed. "'Ello Claude, we have an emergency. D' y' know what hole Roy Phillips mighta buried himself in? O.K., yes, come right down and explain dis t' Remy. Right away, Claude. We t'ink he may have Ms. Phillips again."
Emil walked over to Remy and gave his cousin's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "We'll find her, Remy. Y' know Claude's de best. She's gonna be fine."
Remy had to believe that Emil was right. He couldn't, no wouldn't, lose another woman he loved.
* * * * * * *
Adalida was alone at last. Here she sat dirty and wet from being forced through the bayou to this building. It looked like some sort of warehouse, but set up with a ring and bleachers for the 'shows'.
~Great, here we go again~ Addie thought with disgust at herself. She had never told anyone about Roy, not even Remy. Now here she was weak as a kitten from K.O.'s touch, and knowing she was beat. Roy had won. He hadn't even tied her up, where would she go if she fled?
She rubbed her feet to sooth the bruises she had gotten from going barefoot. Her whole body ached. Then she remembered something, after they had gotten home from the dance, Logan had slipped her an envelope. She had put it in her bodice to read later. Maybe reading it would make her feel better.
~Or maybe it'll make me feel worse, make me realize everythin' ah've lost~ two tears trailed down her dirt streaked face.
She looked through blurry eyes at her name on the front. This was the last letter that Marie had left her. Addie turned it over and over in her hands.
~This is all ah have left, this lil piece o' mah sister~
Addie looked around to make sure she was alone. She used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes. The salty tears stung her scratches. Quickly Addie opened the letter, greedily reading it, trying to cling to some last sliver of happiness.
'My dearest Addie, May 1st ***3'
'I want t' tell you what a wonderful sister you are. Your support has meant so much t' me the last few months. Your love and kind spirit has gotten me through these tough times. Thank you, Addie.'
'I want you t' know I intend t' keep the promise I made so many years ago. I will be here for you, forever. Maybe not in the way we would like, but I will be here for you. Now I have help. The X-Men are your family now. They will live, fight, and some will even die for you. They will stand by your side everyone of them, but most of all Remy.'
'When I died, Remy seemed to want t' die right along with me. He shut down t' everyone around him. He wanted to die, you taught him t' live again. He wanted t' shut himself out, you taught him t' love again. Yes love... he will tell you, let him. He will show you, let him.'
'There are two reasons why you're holdin' back. First, you want t' honor me, fearin' that it would somehow disrespect my memory. Addie, don't you realize that I knew what would happen when I begged you t' come t' the mansion? Remember, I have foreknowledge. Hey how do you think I'm writing this? I knew y'all would fall in love. I wanted the two of you t' fall in love, I wanted you t' be happy. My story is done, but yours has just begun.'
'Secondly, you feel unworthy of love. For the past eight years, Roy has beaten you down both mentally and physically, convincing you that you are worthless. I know of many people who would disagree. A lot of people love you Addie. There are so many things that make you worth loving, you are such a beautiful person inside and out'
'Please give Remy the chance. Give him the opportunity t' show you the meaning of happiness. There are no two people more deserving of love and happiness than you and Remy, now take a lifetime t' share that together.'
'Dance my sister, dance the dance of happiness, love, and security.'
'I love you Adalida.'
'Love your big sister,'
'Marie'
Addie quickly put the letter back in her bodice. She almost choked trying to hold back the sobs.
~How could she have been so wrong~ Addie wondered.
"Quit yer snivilin' gal!" Roy spat as he came into the room.
Addie began to shake. Roy was not alone, a short, flabby, greasy haired man with a mouth full of gold walked in with him. Addie recognized him right away Paul Thibodeaux. He was very wealthy and to Addie, very creepy. Whenever she used to go into town Paul would be there. He was always making vulgar comments about her. But why was he here now?
"That musta been where y' got the plane." She told Roy, sounding braver than she felt. "But why's he here now?"
"Show some respect gal." Paul hissed, "Ah'm here t' claim mah property."
"What are y' talkin' 'bout?" Addie asked, her quivering voice losing all hint of her prior bravery.
"Yer ol' man's retirin'" Roy told her with a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin.
Addie drew in a deep breath, "Then what d' y' need me for?"
Roy grabbed Addie's arms as Paul reached out his meaty hand to stroke her cheek.
"Mah dear ah did say ah came t' claim mah property." Paul's tone was as slick and greasy as the rest of him.
"Gawd no." she whispered in disbelief.
~Marie how could y' have been so wrong!~
* * * * * * * *
"O.K. Emil, what's dat code now?" Remy LeBeau stood outside of a large warehouse in the middle of Foggy Bayou. Claude had been able to give Remy Roy's location, but whether Addie was there or not was another story.
Remy put on the sunglasses that Emil would use to patch in the view from the security cameras. Whoever was watching would see an 'all's safe' picture, where as Remy would see whatever lay ahead. Including if Addie was there and if so where she was.
The code sat on a desk in the LeBeau home.
"Alpha, Delta, Fox, Bravo, Six."
"Claude is dat y' homme? Where's Emil?"
"Remy y' don't wanna know."
"Great, just great." Remy looked around. Morning wasn't the best time for stealth, and now he had Emil around too. Thankfully Foggy Bayou was living up to its name.
Remy entered the code and the door clicked open. "T'ank Dieu for dat hacker Emil."
Remy entered silently with his deck of cards close at hand.
"Bingo" Remy opened then entered the ventilation shaft. He crawled through the dusty passages all the while following the camera. He saw only one guard, the mutant K.O., Claude had filled him in on the man.
~Avoid dat one.~ Remy told himself.
Finally, he saw it the room where, sure enough, Addie was being held.
~Merde~, Remy cursed, ~Thibodeaux~
Everyone knew Thibodeaux and his lust for young woman.
Remy's hands burned and his eyes glowed red hot with anger. ~So dat's it, Roy got Addie for Paul.~ Remy's stomach turned with revulsion.
Remy opened the grate leading into the room slowly until the moment Paul put his grubby hands on Adalida, Remy's angel. All bets were off.
"What de hell de y' t'ink yer doin'?" Remy yelled as he dropped to the floor, the ace of spades glowing in his fingers.
Paul backed up.
"Bad choice homme!" Remy threw the card sending an unconscious Paul to the floor.
K.O. rushed Remy. "Not so fast", Remy drew two cards. "Pick a card, ah hell take 'em both." K.O. fell in a heap next to Paul.
"REMY WATCH OUT!!!" Adalida screamed but it was too late. Roy had used the distraction of K.O. and Paul to sneak up on Gambit. As Gambit turned Roy thrust a knife deep into his stomach.
In Adalida's eyes everything happened in slow motion, the thrust, Roy tearing out the knife, Remy falling. Fury like she had never felt filled Adalida with a vengeful rage.
"Y' bastard!" Addie charged at Roy grabbing a hold of his neck and sending the knife flying. "Y' hurt me and used me for years, y' were mah father what was ah supposed t' d'? Well not anymore!"
Addie tightened her grip lifting Roy off of the ground.
"Y' hurt the only man who ever made me feel safe and worthy, the only man ah ever loved!" Adalida looked like an angry mother bear protecting a cub. Her eyes were huge and wild she looked crazy.
"Adalida let him go." Emil gently persuaded her. Roy was starting to turn blue and his eyes had glazed over. "I'll take care o' dem. Remy needs y'"
The look of anger in Addie's eyes turned to fear as she saw her love lying in an ever-growing pool of blood. Throwing Roy against the wall Adalida rushed to Remy.
The words of Marie's letter ran through her mind, 'and some will even die for you'. Remy was unconscious. "Not y' not t'day! I love y' Remy hang on hon.
Adalida reached out the same had that she had attempted to heal Rogue with, this time she succeeded. As Addie laid her soft slender hand on Remy's stubbly cheek the room was filled with a blinding green light. Her eyes were huge and the light was growing brighter by the second. The beautiful dress covered with dirt was now covered with something else... blood. Adalida's stomach was bleeding profusely. Remy awoke just in time to see Adalida slip to the floor. Her eyes closed turning out the bright light.
"Adalida, chere, my ange", Remy gently shook her, "Please, Mon Dieu no!"
"De police are here Remy." Emil told the distraught man. "Dere takin' in Paul, Roy, and K.O."
"Dey'll be taken care o' boys" the officer assured them but turned his back on the bleeding mutant.
Emil looked down at Remy who was trying his hardest to stop Addie's bleeding with his shirt. There wasn't even a scratch on his bare stomach.
"Remy de police ain't de only ones here," Emil pointed. Beast, Jean, Scott, and Logan stood in the doorway.
Jean rushed over and used her telekinesis to gently carry her friend to the Blackbird. Jean sat down and held the pale girl's hand, Remy sat on the opposite side holding the other hand. Remy looked nearly as pale as Addie.
* Hank, I can't get through to her. * Jean told Beast privately.
* Jean I have to admit the prognosis doesn't look good, but Addie's strong. *
* Yes, and she has something even stronger on her side. * Jean told Beast as she looked to Remy. * Love *
* * * * * * * *
Hank walked out of the med-lab looking grim. Remy lifted his head and looked Hank straight in the eye.
"Don't lie t' me Hank, how bad is she?"
"I had no intention to Gambit. I have done everything possible to help her. I have tried Shi'ar technology and I have exhausted all the medical knowledge and skill in my possession. It's up to her now. There's a chance Remy, let's hold on to that."
"Can I see her?" Remy asked knowing he'd go in regardless.
"Sure", Beast agreed, "But she's still unresponsive. More than likely she won't even be aware of your presence."
"I understand. I wanted t' t'ank everyone for callin' de police." He added.
Hank scratched his head unsure if he should tell Gambit or not. He had a right to know the truth.
"We didn't. The police and the professor traced the call to... well, to Rogue's old room. They said a woman with a Southern accent called and told them her sister and her sister's boyfriend were in trouble. Gambit, she told them the location and everything." Beast shook his head still finding it hard to believe.
As Remy turned the knob to the med-lab he looked towards the sky his eyes full of tears. "T'anks Roguie, I understand."
Addie might not know that he was there, but he needed to be there. He needed to stay by her. When she woke up he needed to tell her... he loved her.