"Vicky, why are you standing beside that closet?"

"No reason, Marie," Vicky said, leaning against the closet door.

Marie heard a noise from behind Vicky and frowned. "Is that Harpoon?"

"Maybe."

Marie put her hands on her hips. "Vicky, you know he has issues with small, dark places. Only two days, and already this 'Sabretooth' thing is starting to go to your head."

"He went on this rant about how much he wasn't afraid me, so I decided to show him something he would be afraid of," Vicky explained with a casual shrug.

"You're cruel. Let him out."

"I guess if you want. But he's no picnic, let me tell you."

"Vicky…"

Vicky sighed and stepped away from the door. "Fine, have it your way."

Marie opened the door and Harpoon looked up from the fetal ball he was curled in. He jumped up and began to flail his arms wildly. "I'll kill both of you!" he screamed. "You're both a couple of psychos, and I know you're going to be nothing but trouble! I'm going to tell Rhiannon on you! I'll…"

Marie slammed the door again, pushing a chair under the handle to make sure it stayed that way. "Geez, what a jerk."

"I tried to tell you," Vicky said. "I don't torment people without provocation. Well, except Logan, but that's only because it's so damn easy."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Come on, I think it's almost dinner time."

*** *** ***

"Ric, it's Marie."

"Marie! Where are you? Are you still in Louisiana?"

"Yes. I just wanted to let you know Vicky and I are okay. I have to go."

"Marie, wait," Ric said, wanting to warn her about Candra.

"Ric, I have to go. Bye."

The phone clicked. "Dammit," Ric said, hanging up the phone. His father was not going to be happy…

*** *** ***

Mr. Sinister watched the first training session of his new Marauders. He wasn't smiling. "Rhiannon?"

"Yes?"

"What is this?"

"Your team. You asked me to gather the children of your original Marauders, and I have done so."

"Who is the tall blonde woman?"

"Victoria Creed."

"And the brunette throwing charged cards?"

"Uh, that would be Marie LeBeau."

"I did not wish for the children of Sabretooth and Gambit to be included, Rhiannon."

"You didn't specify…"

Sinister cut her off. "I shouldn't have had to. It was self-evident."

"Mr. Sinister, if you don't mind me saying, despite what your past experience with their fathers may have been, frauleins Creed and LeBeau are the two best warriors on the team. Other than Scrambler, the others seem…"

"Less than competent?"

"I was going to say unprepared for combat."

"Yes, well, that, too. Rhiannon, these things make a mockery of my work. Mutants as useless as these are nothing but a blemish on a perfect race." Sinister sighed. "Kill them, and we'll find better people and assemble a new team. Maybe I'll just clone their parents—again."

Rhiannon blanched. "Kill them?"

"Yes. They are no better than the Morlocks were."

"Mr. Sinister, you may be making a mistake."

"I do not make mistakes."

"Yes, well, that aside, these people may have more potential that you believe. They are still, for the most part, children. Their powers are still developing, and they could become quite a formidable team if you let them. You could take them now—while they are still impressionable—and mold them into a real strike force."

Sinister thought for a moment. "I will give you one week to transform them into something that doesn't make me ill to watch."

"One week! That isn't enough time!"

"Fine, two weeks, then. Otherwise, dispose of them. I'm going back to my lab. Do not disturb me."

Sinister left, and Rhiannon looked back on the training session. She really had her work cut out for her…

*** *** ***

Gambit was tense, frustrated with his nerves shot. He'd thought he knew the Louisiana Bayous better than anyone, but he couldn't find his daughter in them. Even the X-Men hadn't been able to locate her, claiming something was jamming Cerebro. Ric had told Gambit that Marie had called the night before, but she'd hung up before he could tell her about Candra.

Gambit didn't think Candra had Marie yet, but that didn't make him feel any better. If Candra didn't have her, then that meant Marie was still with Sinister, which Gambit thought was probably worse. Despite the fact that Ric had said that Sinister had invited Marie to join the new Marauders, Gambit didn't trust the whole thing. He didn't believe Sinister would exactly extend a warm and friendly welcome to anyone with the last name LeBeau.

Gambit clenched his fists, concern for his daughter's safety warring with his anger at her for doing something so foolish in the first place. He let out a deep breath, slumping against a wall. He'd exhausted every option he had, and still he hadn't come any closer to finding Marie.

He'd lost his daughter, and to top it all off, he had no idea how he was going to explain it to Rogue…

*** *** ***

"Where is your cousin? I know you know!"

Emil glared at Candra from his chains. "I tol' you, woman, I don' know."

"Yes, yes you do! She isn't at the Xavier Mansion—where is she? Where?"

"I don' know! Marie an' I haven't spoken in mont's."

"You're a liar. I can tell. I hate liars." Candra flipped her hair.

"I'm a t'ief, too. Jus' a dirty rotten bastard, me."

Candra threw her arms up in frustration as objects began to fly around the room. "I will find her, Emil. And then I'll lure her here, and use her to lure her father."

"You do dat, crazy lady."

Candra glared at him before storming out of the room, everything falling to the ground with the slamming of the door. Emil slumped. Marie really did need to hurry up…

*** *** ***

Marius opened the letter carefully. He never trusted anything without a return address. He was surprised to find the letter was from Emil—with directions on how to find Marie. Marius wondered how Emil could've possibly known that Marie was missing, and how he could've sent the letter without Candra knowing. Then, Marius noticed the postmark. It was the day before Candra took Emil—and before anyone had known Marie was missing. Marius frowned. Either he was being set up, or Emil was psychic, and Marius didn't figure the latter to be true. If Emil Lapin could see the future, why did he do so many stupid things? But set up or not, Marius wasn't going to ignore the letter.

It could be his one chance to save Marie.

*** *** ***

Rhiannon watched the Marauders as they attempted another training session. Prism had refused to even go, fearing she'd break. Vertigo was passed out drunk. Riptide had painted the room with his breakfast. Arclight wouldn't take off her headphones. Harpoon hadn't hit a single target. Blockbuster had sprained something. Scalphunter was out of ammo.

Rhiannon put her head in her hands. Granted, Sabretooth, Gambit, and Scrambler had proven themselves quite formidable, but the three of them couldn't possibly make up for the rest of the team. And in two weeks they were all dead if Rhiannon didn't come up with something quickly. She couldn't let that happen. She'd been accused more than once of having a cold heart, but she felt sorry for these children. She could imagine the type of lives they had lead up to this point. She needed a plan to save them.

Rhiannon let out a deep breath.

Desperate times called for desperate measures…

*** *** ***

"Sabretooth? Sabretooth!"

Vicky stopped when she realized she was the one being called. She hadn't gotten used to that yet. She turned, giving Rhiannon a grin that showed off her fangs. "Yeah?"

Rhiannon shifted uncomfortably. "I would like to talk to you about becoming field leader of the Marauders."

Vicky raised an eyebrow. "Me? Why me? You know who you're talking to, right?"

"Yes, I do. And I want you to do it because you're the member of the team that shows the most talent on the battlefield."

"But I can't do it!" Vicky exclaimed.

"Please, Victoria. I'm begging you."

"Begging me? What about Marie? She's as capable as I am. Well, maybe not as capable, but she's still pretty good." The last thing Vicky wanted in all this mess was responsibility.

"Frankly, because she's too young. She's what, fifteen?"

"Sixteen."

"Same thing." Rhiannon glanced around nervously. "I'm going to be honest with you. Mr. Sinister is not happy with the Marauders. He says unless they're a decent team in two weeks, he wants them all dead."

"Whoa. That's harsh."

"To put it mildly."

"So you want me to what, perform a miracle? These people couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag. Hell, you put one on Harpoon's head, and he'll go catatonic."

"I don't know what you can do, but you're the only hope I have. I don't want Sinister to kill these children. They may be a little…dysfunctional…but they don't deserve to die because of it."

Vicky knew Rhiannon was right there. She couldn't believe she was agreeing to this. "I'll do what I can," she said.

"Thank you. I knew you couldn't be that awful of a person."

Vicky rolled her eyes. "Speak for yourself, lady."

*** *** ***

Marie wasn't sure whether to laugh or yell. "How can you be the field leader?" she asked Vicky. "You're not actually getting involved in this thing are you?"

"Marie, whether you like it or not, we are involved, just by being here. And Rhiannon said that Sinister plans to kill the Marauders if they don't actually learn to fight."

"Vicky, you're a mutant, not a magician. You can't help these people. Let's just get out of here while we still can."

"You can't honestly be suggesting that we just leave them to die?"

"No! It's just that I don't think there's anything you can really do for them, and all we're doing by staying here is putting ourselves in danger."

"I'm not going anywhere until I know I've done all I can. Sure, these may be the most irritating people I've ever met, but I can't just leave them to Sinister's evil devices."

Marie threw her hands up. "I can't handle this. I'm going out to get some fresh air."

"As fresh as you can get in the middle of a damn swamp," Vicky muttered. "Watch out for hungry gators, Marie. One might eat you head."

Marie gave Vicky a dirty look and left the room in a huff. Vicky sat on the bottom bunk and wondered what exactly she was going to do.

*** *** ***

Marius looked around nervously, half-expecting someone to jump out and attack him. The letter had told him to wait here, and at exactly 6:27, Marie would show up. Marius looked down at his watch and saw it change to 6:27. As soon as it did, Marie walked out from behind a group of trees. Marius shivered. Either this was an extraordinarily well planned trap, or it was the eeriest experience of his life. "Marie," he said, just loud enough for her to hear him, still afraid something unsavory would appear.

Marie looked up, and from the expression on her face, Marius could tell she honestly hadn't expected him to be there. She went over to him quickly. "What the hell are you doing here?" Marie asked.

"Lookin' f'you."

"How did you find me?"

Marius shrugged. "I have my ways. Look, Marie, you're in trouble. Candra's after you an' your papa."

"Candra? You mean the External the Guilds used to tithe to?"

"Oui."

"But why? She's been gone longer than I've been alive."

"She wants Gambit. And she set a trap f'you in order to set a trap for him."

"That's ridiculous!" Marie paused. "Wait a second—what do you mean set a trap for me…" Marie began to back up.

Marius sighed. "I ain't de trap, you crazy fille. Candra took Emil to bait you wit'."

Marie's eyes grew wide, and her hand went to her mouth "No. When?"

"A few days ago. Gambit, he been lookin' f'you, too."

"I have to go after Emil."

"No, chère. Dat's jus' what Candra wants you to do—so she can trap you an' lure Gambit."

"Merde. So what am I supposed to do then?"

"I don't know. We don't even know where Candra took him."

Marie took Marius's hands, looking up into his eyes. Marius felt a knot in his stomach, and reminded himself she was still underage. "But we have to help Emil. I know you don't like him, but he's still my cousin. I can't just leave him to Candra's whims."

"I know, chère. I ain't proposin' we jus' leave de guy to die or anyt'ing like dat. We jus' can't go rushin' in to dis."

"Then what, Marius?"

Marius smiled slowly. "Wait. I t'ink dere may be somet'ing…"

"What?"

"See, Belle, she been helpin' Candra, an'…"

Marie jumped back from him. "Your mother's involved in all of this. Marius…"

"Just hush an' let me finish. Yeah, she's involved, but dat doesn't mean I have a damn t'ing to do wit' it. Belle an' I ain't exactly close. Anyway, dere's a good chance she'll know where Candra is. I may be able to figure it out from her."

"What, do you think Belladonna's just going to tell you where Candra is hiding Emil?"

"No." He smiled and tapped Marie on the nose. "But you T'ieves don' got de patent on bein' sneaky."

Marie frowned. "How long will it take you?"

"Don' know, but I'll not to drag it out. Meet me back here tomorrow night, say nine o'clock?"

"Okay. Bonne chance, Marius."

"Merci, chère." Marius kissed Marie's cheek and disappeared back into the swamp.

*** *** ***

"Hey Vicky."

Vicky took one look at Marie and frowned. "You look bad. Swallow some swamp water?" Marie sat down beside Vicky on the bed and burst into tears. Vicky pulled back a little, then patted Marie's back awkwardly. "Uh, something happen?"

Marie sniffed. "Candra…kidnapped…Emil."

"Huh?"

"Candra. The External. She kidnapped Emil."

"When?"

"A few days ago." Marie wiped at her eyes. "Apparently she's using him as bait to capture me so she can set a trap for my father."

"That's a roundabout way of doing things. How'd you find this out?"

"Marius Boudreaux told me."

"When did you talk to him?"

"Just now. He was outside looking for me."

"And he found you how exactly?"

Marie shrugged. "He just said he had his ways."

Vicky decided to let that one slide. Marie's creepy swamp buddies were somewhat of an enigma to her anyway. "So you think this Candra woman would hurt your cousin?"

"She might. She's not exactly playing with a full deck."

Vicky sighed. "I guess this means we're going to have to pull off some sort of rescue for gator boy."

Marie looked at Vicky in surprise. "You'd help me save Emil?"

"Well, yeah. If it weren't for him I'd be tiny bits o' Vicky back at the Ultramites base. And besides, he has a cute butt. Though don't you dare tell him I said that."

Marie smirked. "I won't."

"You better not. I'll deny it to my grave anyway." Vicky cleared her throat. "So what's the gameplan?"

"None yet. Marius went to see if he could find Candra. Apparently that psycho bitch he calls a mother is in on the whole thing, and Marius thinks he might be able to use that to our advantage."

"Belladonna's in on this, and you trust Marius?"

"Well, yeah." Marie shifted uncomfortably. "As much hell as I give him, Marius isn't like the other Assassins. Even when I was a little kid, and I used to help Emil pull pranks on him all the time, I knew that. And he's…nice to me."

"He wants to bang you."

Marie sat up straight. "What? Vicky, that's crazy. I'm only sixteen! And he's already in his twenties."

"And that's why he hasn't really put the moves on you yet. But watch out when you turn eighteen…"

"Vicky, that isn't funny."

"It's the truth, though."

Marie rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Look, we need to focus on coming up with a way to get Emil out of Candra's grasp."

Vicky nodded. Marie was right. And for some reason, she found herself genuinely worried about Emil. She pushed that thought aside and got to work on helping Marie.

*** *** ***

"Why do we have to listen to you?" Arclight asked, glaring at Vicky.

"Because Rhiannon made me the field leader, that's why. Now here's what we're going to do…"

"I don't want to listen to you!" Harpoon said.

Marie mouthed "closet" from beside Vicky. Harpoon shrunk away.

"Look, you guys are pathetic. You need help," Vicky said. "As it stands, I'm ashamed to be seen with the lot of you."

"Even me?" Scrambler asked with psychotic puppy dog eyes.

"Yes, but for an entirely different reason. Honestly, I'm only trying to help you out, make you something that can actually at the very least hit a nonmoving target. So will you please listen to me?"

"No," Blockbuster said. "Arclight said you're evil, and you want to kill us all."

"Oh yes, listen to Bon Joviette. I'm not here to kill any of you. Really."

"Well, I'm not training with you as the field leader," Riptide said. "I'm leaving. Who's with me?"

The Marauders mumbled their agreement as everyone but Marie and Scrambler followed Riptide out. Scrambler walked up to Vicky. "How about a little one-on-one training, then?" He looked over and Marie and grinned. "Or maybe a little two-on-one?"

Vicky pushed him. "Ew. Get away from us, you troll. Come on Marie."

Marie looked at Scrambler with disgust and walked out with Vicky.

"You're missing the best you could ever have!"

*** *** ***

Marius had searched his mother's room and her computer's hard drive while she'd been out, but he hadn't found a single mention of Candra. He was beginning to run out of hope. He was supposed to meet with Marie in a few hours, and he still had nothing. That was no way to get her to start liking him…

Marius paced his room at the Assassin's base, wracking his brain to come up with something, anything, to bring to Marie. Suddenly, it hit him. Candra had been there, speaking with Belladonna. It was possible that she hadn't left. There was a building a little ways behind the main house that the Assassins used from time to time. It would be the perfect place for Candra to hide—secluded and where the Thieves would want to come.

Marius rushed out the door. Maybe he wouldn't have to disappoint Marie after all.

*** *** ***

"T'ree, two, one…" The door opened, and Emil looked up. "Hey, Marius. Right on schedule."

"Emil! You are here!" Marius blinked. "Right on schedule?"

"Yeah."

Marius shook his head, deciding he didn't want to ask. "Come on. I need to get you out of here."

"No. Just go tell Marie where I am, like you were planning' in de first place."

Marius frowned. Things just kept getting creepier. "But I can't jus' leave you here."

"You have to." Emil started to explain to Marius that moving him right now would screw up a whole long important chain of events, but he was afraid Marius's tiny brain might explode or something. "Look, you take me now, Candra will jus' get angrier. You come back wit' Marie an' we'll have a better chance of takin' care of Candra once and for all."

Marius nodded. That made sense. "I'll be back soon den. You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. And Marius, when you come back, tell Marie to bring her new 'friends.' They'll be more useful dan she t'inks, and it'll solve de ot'er problem wit' dem, too."

"Huh?"

"She'll understand. Jus' get outta here, Assassin. 'Fore Candra comes back and makes gator bait outta you."

"All right. Hang in dere, Emil."

"I will."

*** *** ***

De plot t'ickens… Anyway, leave a review, and let me know what you think of all this so far!