Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I making any money from, the X-Men movie-
verse. Duncan and Hana belong to Corrinth, as does Ilehana Xavier should
she be mentioned. Star owns Golan, should he be mentioned too. All other
OCs belong to me, especially Blaze and Jessie.
A/N: Post X2 spoilers, and spoilers for Corrinth's Guardians of Destiny, which incidentally is excellent so go read it! Reviews always appreciated.
Scene 14
"That was good timing Chere." Gambit acknowledged as behind them an explosion rattled Shrew's apartment. "Didn't know if you'd make it in time."
"What and miss all the fun?" Blaze smiled generously up at her partner; damn it was good to be with him again! Remy seemed to echo her feelings as he kissed her soundly, soft lips lingering on her own.........
"You get a car?" He asked finally as they headed downstairs to the main exit.
"Yep, its outside." There was a twinkle in Blaze's eye that made Gambit think that wasn't all she'd got waiting for him. But as quick as he noticed it was gone, replaced by worry and fear. "What do you think of what Shrew told us? We're going to check this bloke Shark out, right?"
"It the only lead I got." Gambit admitted reluctantly. "I'se beginning to think it'd be better to jus' sit it out by the Prices and wait for this doctor to come to us."
"Don't worry about that now, Rem." Blaze consoled him. "Trust me, Jessica's not unprotected." His eyes met hers sharply as he grabbed her arm and turned her to look at him. What was she talking about? As an answer to his obvious question Blaze pushed open the ancient front door and indicated to the beat up SUV parked on the curb outside "And I brought friends."
"What?" Gambit exclaimed as he recognised the familiar figures of Logan, Bobby and Rogue in the car. "Cyclops seen sense or somethin'?"
"Not exactly. Technically they're absent without leave, I don't know why, but they really want to help us Remy." There was pride unrivalled in Blaze's voice; she could still hardly believe it herself. They had even hijacked the Eagle, the X-Men's stealth-jet, allowing them to get to California much quicker. "And there's more, Storm is already heading to watch over Jessie, and Golan is busy tracking down all he can on the other kids involved........."
"I was right then? You found proof?" A million thoughts vied for Gambit's attention as he tried to understand what this meant for the X-Men. Blaze only nodded to affirm her answer. "You wanna lead this li'l outfit then Chere?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Blaze smiled, watching Gambit's face carefully as he looked back again at the car as if he had imagined its occupants before. "I'm just your apprentice remember. This is your show Gambit, the team will follow you."
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"Well this is a dump." Logan commented as the team entered their new apartment/base of operations. The door opened straight into the squarish living room complete with TV and moth-eaten sofa, five open doors to either side lead to bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen where Gambit had left the light on. Rogue frowned at Wolverine, prompting him to back himself up. "I mean, look at it."
"Actually I'm impressed." Blaze commented as she dumped her holdall bag on the floor by the front door. "This is way better than most of the dives you've rented in the past Rem. You must be getting soft in your old age."
"So what now?" Bobby changed the subject before Gambit could think of a witty reply. All eyes fell on the Cajun.
"I guess I tell you what I'se found out." He shrugged, indicating that they go into the kitchen where a round dining table had just enough chairs. "Take a seat." The X-Men obliged, filing into the kitchen to seat themselves as naturally as if they were back in the briefing room at the mansion. Gambit glanced round them before he began to report, still so very impressed and grateful that they'd come through for him and Blaze like this. With a deep breath and a glance at Blaze who smiled encouragingly he began.
"First t'ings first. I'se been already to the hospital where Jessie was seein' Dr McMahon. He don't work there, he an outside specialist only comes in to see specific patients. It took a little persuadin', but I got his contact details from a nurse." A raised eyebrow from Logan made Gambit smile; let the Wolverine think what he wanted. "Basically even the address he gives the hospital is fake. The house don't exist, he don't exist. So Gambit go underground, see what dodgy doctors operatin' in the criminal world, which lead me to Shrew." Gambit paused to take in his team's reactions. They were all avid, completely justified in being there. He'd been told in the car what Blaze had found on the school's computers, but now Gambit was backing this up with his own findings it was suddenly a lot more real. And a lot more forbidding.
"Shrew reckons some gang scum called Shark is involved in the fundin' of our doctor's research. I don't know what the doctor is offerin' in return, but it can't be good. But Shark can contact the doctor, an' I'm thinkin' so can other gang leaders in other cities with more money than sense."
"So we go after this Shark guy?" Rogue asked.
"And how we gonna do that?" Wolverine asked. "Just walk up and ask him real nice for his diary?"
"Sounds like a plan to me." Blaze muttered, meeting Remy's eyes cautiously.
"No." He replied, knowing what she was thinking. Bobby and Rogue shot each other confused glances. "I wont, I can't let you do that Laura."
"So instead we try and take it by force? Or do we just give up on Jessica?" Her tone was soft and she reached out to brush his wrist with her fingers. "I can do this Remy."
"I know you can." He replied, grasping her fingers in his hand. "That's what scares me."
"Um, hello?" Bobby asked, bringing Blaze and Gambit back to the real world. "What are you talkin' about?"
"Logan's right." Blaze started, meeting her friends' eyes one by one. "We wont be able to just walk up to some gang leader and force information out of him like we can folk like Shrew. So we have to have a little more tack and get close enough to lift what we need. Or rather, I have to get close enough......... Really close."
"I'm not sending you in there alone." Gambit informed her as the others slowly grasped what it was Blaze was proposing. She followed his meaningful glance to meet Rogue's eyes, then pushed back her chair from the table and folded her arms across her chest.
"No." Blaze snapped. "She'll be a liability Remy. I can't guarantee my own safety let alone Rogue's as well."
"You said you follow me on this, Laura." Gambit began, tone of voice harder than he'd meant it to be. "An' I say you ain't goin' in there alone."
"I can help, Blaze. Trust me." Rogue piped up in Gambit's defence. Blaze didn't reply straight away, instead standing and walking to the door. One hand on the doorframe she looked back over her shoulder at her gathered friends, expression a snarl Ilehana would have been proud of.
"Fine. But train her Gambit. She's worse than useless unless she can master slight of hand and pick pocketing in the next twenty-four hours. And I doubt even you are a good enough teacher for that." Blaze left the room and moments later a bedroom door slammed shut. Gambit tried to ease his team's mood.
"Guess I'se sleeping on the couch tonight, eh my friends........."
A/N: Post X2 spoilers, and spoilers for Corrinth's Guardians of Destiny, which incidentally is excellent so go read it! Reviews always appreciated.
Scene 14
"That was good timing Chere." Gambit acknowledged as behind them an explosion rattled Shrew's apartment. "Didn't know if you'd make it in time."
"What and miss all the fun?" Blaze smiled generously up at her partner; damn it was good to be with him again! Remy seemed to echo her feelings as he kissed her soundly, soft lips lingering on her own.........
"You get a car?" He asked finally as they headed downstairs to the main exit.
"Yep, its outside." There was a twinkle in Blaze's eye that made Gambit think that wasn't all she'd got waiting for him. But as quick as he noticed it was gone, replaced by worry and fear. "What do you think of what Shrew told us? We're going to check this bloke Shark out, right?"
"It the only lead I got." Gambit admitted reluctantly. "I'se beginning to think it'd be better to jus' sit it out by the Prices and wait for this doctor to come to us."
"Don't worry about that now, Rem." Blaze consoled him. "Trust me, Jessica's not unprotected." His eyes met hers sharply as he grabbed her arm and turned her to look at him. What was she talking about? As an answer to his obvious question Blaze pushed open the ancient front door and indicated to the beat up SUV parked on the curb outside "And I brought friends."
"What?" Gambit exclaimed as he recognised the familiar figures of Logan, Bobby and Rogue in the car. "Cyclops seen sense or somethin'?"
"Not exactly. Technically they're absent without leave, I don't know why, but they really want to help us Remy." There was pride unrivalled in Blaze's voice; she could still hardly believe it herself. They had even hijacked the Eagle, the X-Men's stealth-jet, allowing them to get to California much quicker. "And there's more, Storm is already heading to watch over Jessie, and Golan is busy tracking down all he can on the other kids involved........."
"I was right then? You found proof?" A million thoughts vied for Gambit's attention as he tried to understand what this meant for the X-Men. Blaze only nodded to affirm her answer. "You wanna lead this li'l outfit then Chere?"
"Don't be ridiculous," Blaze smiled, watching Gambit's face carefully as he looked back again at the car as if he had imagined its occupants before. "I'm just your apprentice remember. This is your show Gambit, the team will follow you."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Well this is a dump." Logan commented as the team entered their new apartment/base of operations. The door opened straight into the squarish living room complete with TV and moth-eaten sofa, five open doors to either side lead to bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen where Gambit had left the light on. Rogue frowned at Wolverine, prompting him to back himself up. "I mean, look at it."
"Actually I'm impressed." Blaze commented as she dumped her holdall bag on the floor by the front door. "This is way better than most of the dives you've rented in the past Rem. You must be getting soft in your old age."
"So what now?" Bobby changed the subject before Gambit could think of a witty reply. All eyes fell on the Cajun.
"I guess I tell you what I'se found out." He shrugged, indicating that they go into the kitchen where a round dining table had just enough chairs. "Take a seat." The X-Men obliged, filing into the kitchen to seat themselves as naturally as if they were back in the briefing room at the mansion. Gambit glanced round them before he began to report, still so very impressed and grateful that they'd come through for him and Blaze like this. With a deep breath and a glance at Blaze who smiled encouragingly he began.
"First t'ings first. I'se been already to the hospital where Jessie was seein' Dr McMahon. He don't work there, he an outside specialist only comes in to see specific patients. It took a little persuadin', but I got his contact details from a nurse." A raised eyebrow from Logan made Gambit smile; let the Wolverine think what he wanted. "Basically even the address he gives the hospital is fake. The house don't exist, he don't exist. So Gambit go underground, see what dodgy doctors operatin' in the criminal world, which lead me to Shrew." Gambit paused to take in his team's reactions. They were all avid, completely justified in being there. He'd been told in the car what Blaze had found on the school's computers, but now Gambit was backing this up with his own findings it was suddenly a lot more real. And a lot more forbidding.
"Shrew reckons some gang scum called Shark is involved in the fundin' of our doctor's research. I don't know what the doctor is offerin' in return, but it can't be good. But Shark can contact the doctor, an' I'm thinkin' so can other gang leaders in other cities with more money than sense."
"So we go after this Shark guy?" Rogue asked.
"And how we gonna do that?" Wolverine asked. "Just walk up and ask him real nice for his diary?"
"Sounds like a plan to me." Blaze muttered, meeting Remy's eyes cautiously.
"No." He replied, knowing what she was thinking. Bobby and Rogue shot each other confused glances. "I wont, I can't let you do that Laura."
"So instead we try and take it by force? Or do we just give up on Jessica?" Her tone was soft and she reached out to brush his wrist with her fingers. "I can do this Remy."
"I know you can." He replied, grasping her fingers in his hand. "That's what scares me."
"Um, hello?" Bobby asked, bringing Blaze and Gambit back to the real world. "What are you talkin' about?"
"Logan's right." Blaze started, meeting her friends' eyes one by one. "We wont be able to just walk up to some gang leader and force information out of him like we can folk like Shrew. So we have to have a little more tack and get close enough to lift what we need. Or rather, I have to get close enough......... Really close."
"I'm not sending you in there alone." Gambit informed her as the others slowly grasped what it was Blaze was proposing. She followed his meaningful glance to meet Rogue's eyes, then pushed back her chair from the table and folded her arms across her chest.
"No." Blaze snapped. "She'll be a liability Remy. I can't guarantee my own safety let alone Rogue's as well."
"You said you follow me on this, Laura." Gambit began, tone of voice harder than he'd meant it to be. "An' I say you ain't goin' in there alone."
"I can help, Blaze. Trust me." Rogue piped up in Gambit's defence. Blaze didn't reply straight away, instead standing and walking to the door. One hand on the doorframe she looked back over her shoulder at her gathered friends, expression a snarl Ilehana would have been proud of.
"Fine. But train her Gambit. She's worse than useless unless she can master slight of hand and pick pocketing in the next twenty-four hours. And I doubt even you are a good enough teacher for that." Blaze left the room and moments later a bedroom door slammed shut. Gambit tried to ease his team's mood.
"Guess I'se sleeping on the couch tonight, eh my friends........."