Disclaimer: I own this plot, and I fear it shall never be a Broadway musical...
Star-of-Chaos I left you dangling. Not too long, but just long enough...he-he-he.
Chere But I can. For I am evil. I noticed the favorite writer thing in your bio. :) Don't mind stupid reviews, I know a lot of people do hate them, but I just like knowing people read the story... Makes me happy. I need reviews. And I cannot do without humor, my brain just doesn't work that way.
Serpentine013x Well, glad you liked it, you got me worried there for a sec...up until the point you said 'loved it'. Me like that. :)
Epona Hell yea! I'm having everyone dangling from one hand on that cliff. He-he-he.
Dark Elf3 Cliche, I know, but a perfectly fine cliffhanger...water I don't need, I live below sea level :). Oh, and all your praise left a stupid grin on my face that refuses to leave, and I'm receiving disturbed looks right now. But I don't care; glad you liked it!
FlamingCammi Work, work. :) Bishie came back, but he didn't change the past because he didn't kill Remy, so it doesn't matter he's there… I know this is a pathetic excuse, but plots were never my strong point.
Streetwise Girl And that my friend, is my plot. I never claimed it was a very good plot. :)
Peace215 Remy's drugged, ranging from slightly buzzed to crazy-high in seconds and the choice needed to be made, and because his judgmental capacities might not exactly be high up, he resorted to the gambler inside him. Fifty-fifty an' all that.
Ishandahalf Is that really an option? Come on, I like the x-men, why kill em? Oh yeah, I forgot; I'm evil.
Enchantedlight Indeed, authors don't post their addresses to prevent bomb-packages from arriving in their mail and prevent axes from flying through their windows. But the mental pain is enough, so here's a chapter for you. :)
Leann Hope you didn't flunk the test, whatever test it was, but a great portion of my brain told me to do something evil...
Kitrazzle Fayn *gets her out of the seat and leads her on a comfy armchair* there, much better, right? Sit back and enjoy the show.
Chronicles Bailey Come on, get off the floor, stop overreacting. Here's more, see? Now, put the gun down slowly…good…slowly and nice and continue reading…good.
Dreams of Magic Is that really a question? Come on. The cliffhanger was pretty cliché, so shouldn't the outcome be too?
Rena Lupin Eh...no. I like being unhurt, it's just one of those ticks I got. :) Here's more.
A/N Now, you didn't have to wait that long did you? So don't go getting anxious. Here's a long chapter!
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All power corrupts, but we need the electricity
Fissie
A drop of sweat fell to the ground as he closed the wire in on the sharp edge. Closer, and closer and closer. Somehow he seemed to be moving in slow motion, although that could have been due to the drugs he'd been given. His body always reacted strangely to drugs. Some drugs left him slightly buzzed, such as morphine or ephedrine, while others made him Fear-and-loathing-in-Las-Vegas-high in a matter of seconds, such as aspirin or ibuprofen. Some said it was because of his high metabolism, due to his kinetic abilities. The only drug he could really cope with was nicotine. ~Could really use a cigarette right now.~ For clarity, Remy was obviously not addicted to cigarettes or nicotine, but he needed one desperately within the next twenty-four hours or else...
The wire closed in on the sharp edge even more.
...
Suddenly it struck him. He didn't know if it was because of the adrenaline shot in his body or another side effect of the drugs, but one memory vividly jumped up from the mesh that was his brain and danced around his head in big bright neon letters.
It was a memory from the one of the first days that Bishop arrived at the mansion. When he had talked about what he was like in the future. 'Neither black nor white ever did suit me'. Neither black nor white ever did suit me. The words, big bright letters, danced around his head. Okay, so maybe he was still a bit more than slightly dazed. They words had taunted him ever since the moment Bishop had spoken them. Back then he had explained black was the color of mourning and white was the color of innocence, and that the Witness had claimed to be neither. But something wasn't quite right about that. For Remy, white was the color of surrender. He hadn't put much thought in it at the time, but he did always kept his doubts about Bishop's color-assessment. Of course, he had doubts about everything that the man had claimed since he arrived to this century, so who would have believed him at the time.
But now...Now that he saw the wire in his hands, the plastic already slightly torn, about to be cut in two...
Gray! Neither black nor white ever did suit me. Black and white makes gray! ~Dat's it! Don' cut de grey one.~ He let go of the wire, took the red one instead and proceeded.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
''What was that sound?'' Bobby didn't dare asking, but he did anyway.
''Ah heard it too.'' Rogue looked at the ceiling. It seemed to come from there.
Jean looked at the restraints that were still holding their hands in the air. ''The red light above the restraints is no longer flickering.'' Could the restraints have been turned off?
Beast tried. ''I still cannot free myself from them. They're too tight. If fear it shall take an outsider to help us.''
Suddenly a figure crashed in through a grille in the ceiling.
''Gambit!'' Was the more-or-less collective sound.
''Hello, mes amis. Miss me?'' His grin was wide.
''I knew you'd come to our rescue.'' Storm was delighted to see him.
Gambit turned to Storm as his face grew stern. ''Rescue? No, chere, I'm here t' kill y'.''
''WHAT?!'' This sound was a lot more collective, even Wolverine managed a sound.
Unable to keep up the stern look, Remy started laughing. ''I should bring m' camera when I say dose things. De looks on y'r faces, priceless. Jus' priceless.''
But enough play, he'd have to move quickly, before he was noticed and those men in green would come to smash them all over again.
Wolverine needed to get out of that room fast. He pulled on the restraints and feral and pained man dropped to the floor. Remy grabbed him by the shoulders and carried him out the, luckily unlocked, doors.
Being out of reach of the mutant power restriction device, as soon as he was on the other side of the doors Wolverine's healing factor started kicking in.
''Thanks, kid.'' He croaked.
''Warn 'f y' see anyone comin'.'' Quickly Remy returned to the room.
He pulled Beast out and both helped out the rest of the team. While getting everyone out of the restraints, Remy explained the situation.
''I found some files bout dis place an' what happens in here. Dis is a prototype t' mutant power restriction device. So is dis collar. An' I saw somethin' bout a net or somethin' too. De people here are experimentin' wid mutants. Dis,'' he waved at the room ''is jus' _one_ o' deir projects.'' He pulled the restraints of Storm and helped her to the floor gently.
''Thank you.''
''Any time, Stormy.'' And he continued explaining. ''Dey beat us so easily cos dey know all about us, dey have our files.'' He paused for a second. ''I saw de children dat were captured, you remember? It was on de news. Dey're here. We got t' get dem out. Also found de mutants captured a few monds ago...well, dey didn' end up so good. I got all de evidence we need t' pin Kramer down f'r a long time.'' He paused again and then continued on a much graver tone. ''As f'r de rest o' dis whole organization, I f'r one am not goin' t' be beaten again. Dis has t' go down permanently. It _is_ goin' down. Found a weak spot, placed a li'l bomb dere, made by y'rs truly, de whole place is goin' down in about fifteen minutes. So, you blast out o' here fast an' wait outside de buildin' an' Wolverine an' me 'll get de kids, 'fore de place crumbles.'' Scott was about to interrupt. ''Don' argue wid me. We're gonna get dose kids an' it ain' gon' happen anytime fast 'f we hav' t' follow y'r li'l rules.'' About not killing, were the unspoken underlying words. ''We do dis my way. You don' agree wid me, I'll knock y' out cold an' y' won' wake up till dis is over, comprands-tu? We're gonna get de kids out an' den de buildin' 's gonna collapse. End o' story.'' Scott tried interrupting again. ''_End_'' Knowing he didn't really have a better solution, and it was sver if only two of them saved the kids, Scott remained silent. ''Good.''
Rogue was still dangling and Remy approached to rescue her. ''Hi chere.'' His tone was lighter.
''Get the damned constraints off, Cajun.''
He stood there with his hand behind his back. ''Not 'less y' ask m' nicely.''
''Now!'' This was no time for stupid flirting.
''An' what d' I get in return, chere?'' He started pulling on the restraints.
''Just get me outta he...!''
Her last words were muffled with a kiss as he carefully let her down.
''Gladly, chere. Since y' asked m' nice.''
*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Running down a maze of hallways in search of the kids, Wolverine and Gambit didn't encounter much opposition, due to the fact that they moved very quickly. Well, that was the story they would tell Xavier. It was impossible to get those kids out fast and unseen.
No, they didn't encounter much opposition, due to the fact that they were two very pissed off mutants that had left quite a few men in green in need of rapid hospitalization. Not dead, not yet, and if everything resolved quickly, they would most likely survive, but non the less, right now they remained in a less than pleasing state.
Gambit still wore the suppression collar, it was made of adamantium and Wolverine couldn't claw through it, not now, not this fast. They closed in to the place where the children were captured.
''Stand still or die!'' Another two men came up to them in the hallway. They had seen their colleagues and were not in the mood for fights.Wolverine got ready to put his claws to good use once more but Gambit stopped him.
He turned to the two men and grinned. ''Mon ami, y' better get out 'fore de buildin' collapses on y'r heads.''
''What?'' One of the men asked.
''De buildin's gonna collaps in...'' he checked his wrist, on which no watch was present. ''oh, about ten minutes.''
''That's a bluff.'' The other one said, getting ready to shoot.
''Try m'.'' His expression was rock hard.
The man called on his receiver and told whoever was on the other end to have everyone to get out of there. Well, at least he had some sense in him and valued their lives. Something could be said about that. Both ran away to safety.
''Why'd you do that?'' Wolverine asked.
''Kids are behind dat door, no need f'r dem t' hear us fightin'. Dey need t' trust us. Put y'r claws away.''
Gambit picked the lock and stepped inside.
'''M back.'' He said softly.
The older boy he had left 'in charge' rapidly stood up. As soon as he was standing the rest of the group divided into groups of two, always a smaller younger kid paired with a stronger older kid. The boy had really done a good job.
''Le's get out. Fast.''
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
The x-men waited for the members of the FOH to come out and surrounded them instantly. Men in Green, scientists, cleaners, everyone. Things didn't look too good for the FOH-ers.
''Get down on the floor, face down!'' Cyclops commanded.
After eight minutes Wolverine and Gambit came out with the kids.
Jean ran over to the two men, the rest were still surrounding the members of the FOH. ''We called the cops, they should be here soon.'' She turned to a little girl that had grabbed her hand tightly. She smiled at her and continued. ''We need that evidence you picked up to give to the authorities, Gambit...Gambit?''
A few papers dropped near her on the floor. The evidence. She looked up to the trees, but saw no one.
The cops came right at that moment and some ambulances too.
Jean handed the archive to one of the older children. After that, the x-men left the scene They didn't feel like being submitted to interrogations. The FOH people were turned in and the children were taken to safety.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Quickly the x-men got in the blackbird. Gambit showed up just before lift off.
Jean gave him a knowing look. ''You left pretty quick when those cops came.''
''Cops? Did you call de cops? What a great idea.'' Gambit managed to sound innocent.
''Right.'' Jean smiled.
Wolverine looked out of the window. ''Kid, why ain' the building collapsed yet?''
''Ain' gonna collapse.'' He shrugged.
''What?''
''Course not. All de evidence dey need is in dere. Plus some people dat deserve decent burial. Was jus' a li'l white lie. T' make sure everyone would get outta dere fast widout arguin'.'' He smiled at Scott.
Scott was about to start a serious argument but Bishop had some more urgent questions that needed answering.
''You beat the murderer of the X-men?'' He was still curious at who would've killed them.
''Non. You were right in claimin' I was de one.'' He explained the situation. How he got captured. How he got drugged. How he saw them trapped. How he had to choose from a gray and a red wire. ''Fifty-fifty, now I don' normally like dose odds, but I didn' have much choice.'' How he remembered the words of Bishop. ''See, white is de color o' surrender, o' givin' up. So what I said was dat I didn't mourn dem, 'least not anymore, but dat I wasn' givin' up...on whatever. An' packed in dat li'l riddle, was de reason f'r y'r deaths. Gray. De gray wire.'' Remy wasn't at all convinced with his own little explanation, but he figured that if he talked in riddles in the future, he would probably not have been sane anymore, and so it probably didn't make sense either way. He picked the right wire and was pretty damn happy he had done so.
''So you did kill the x-men, but it was an accident?'' Scott asked not believing it.
''''Parently.'' Remy shrugged.
Hearing another argument coming, Storm interrupted. ''Were save now.'' She sounded serene.
''Mos' likely.'' Remy grinned. ''Less de plane crashes right now, wid me as de only survivor.''
The trip home was mostly silent.
Bishop walked up to Gambit and coughed.
''I suppose I owe you an apology.'' He spoke.
''Yah.'' Remy said matter-of-factly.
''For calling you a traitor.''
''Yah.''
''And trying to kill you.''
''Several times.'' Remy specified.
''All the time.'' Bishop managed a smile that looked more like a wry grin.
''Y'do. I'm waitin'.'' Remy finally at the man.
''I owe you one.''
Remy slapped Bishop on the back. ''I'll save it f'r when I need y' t' stalk someone I don' like. Y'r good at it.''
''I'll be there.''
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Home sweet home; the hallway
Remy tugged at the collar that was still around his neck. ''Dis is gettin' real uncomfortable.''
''Allow me.'' Having regained his strength, Wolverine was now able to cut the device with an extended claw.
''Thanks, mon ami.'' He looked at his hands and they started glowing. He was happy to see the glow back in them. ''Good as new.''
''I'm glad everything worked out.'' Storm said happily seeing everyone was all right.
''Euh. Gambit your hands are still glowing.'' Bobby assessed stepping a bit back. He still remembered that guy's powers up close and personal.
''Yeah, shouldn't you, like, push that charge back?'' Kitty asked.
Remy smiled, he had forgotten about that. He tried to retrieve the charge. Again. And again. ''I...I...can'.'' Instinctively he ran outside. The rest were stunned. Remy had just stuttered. They ran after him.
They found him in the open field. The pinkish glow that surrounded his hands became a flaming red glow and started spreading throughout his entire body. Pieces of skin were charging the first thing they came in contact with, clothing, shoes, grass, the air-molecules surrounding him. Remy dropped on his knees, he couldn't stand anymore, feeling the power burst of his body.
~Not again.~ ''Get back. Everybody.'' Remy shouted. No one could move, they stood petrified, amazed of what was happening. The glow was getting bigger and bigger, much like the glow of a dying star right before imploding or exploding. ''RUN!'' Remy shouted again. The got the hint and ran for shelter as fast as they could.
A huge explosion burst out at the same time as a loud and pained scream was heard. Then silence. Rogue was the first to run back.
''Remy? Remy! Are you alright?'' He lay on the floor, in a crater created by himself. Shreds of clothing had been burned away from his body, burn marks were present on the few patches of grass that surrounded him, and pieces of glass made out of sand surrounded him. He had burn marks on his feet, knees and hands. His eyes glowed fiery red.
He stood up, aided by Rogue, shakily.
''Jus' peachy, chere, don' worry.'
Xavier came nearer too. ''The collar.'' He quickly assessed. ''The suppression must have caused some sort of power surge.''
Remy let go of Rogue and stood on his own. He couldn't let know what pain he was in. ''Don' y' jus' love experimental technology.''
The professor was more than worried. He had felt the surge as a mental kick and as he saw the grass burning, he realized that was organic matter he charged and he had appeared to charge the very air too. ''Gambit? Are you sure you are alright?''
''Don' worry. I be fine.'' He passed his hand by his nose. ~Blood? Oh, merde.~
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A/N They lived! Hurray! Don't kill me for this shallow plot.
And no, this isn't a cliffhanger, it's a bloody nose, nothing big, just blood. From his nose.
On next: An epilogue. The last chapter of this mad crusade.
Review and I promise the next chapter will be the last one, it's getting kinda long don't you think?
A/N Oh dear, another 'if you can't beat them'-less chapter. Really sorry but I couldn't think of any and I was getting a bit scared of all the death treats to my address for hanging people cliffs. That's why I posted this so quickly. I'll repost if there's too much errors in my writing. If you're really unhappy with the end just pretend you read something like ~if y' can' beat dem...blood? Oh, merde.~ I know it sucks, but that's the best I could think of.