A/N: I have good news and bad news. The good news: I have discovered why my previous uploads weren't uploading, and the problem has been fixed. The bad news: I spent TWO FRIGGIN HOURS writing this chapter, and then the F***ING POWER GOES OUT FOR TWO F***ING SECONDS, AND I LOSE THE WHOLE MOTHER F***ING DOCUMENT!!! So I am now re-typing this whole chapter, and (as you can probably guess) I'm pretty ticked off right now. Let this be a lesson to ya, kids. ALWAYS have some kind of backup saved.
OK, let's move on to happier things. Like the fact that I have 91 reviews! Just need 9 more. Alright, folks, it's up to you. So read this chapter just as quick as y' please, then write those sterling reviews! First 9 peeps get…A DATE WITH THEIR FAVORITE CHARACTER!!!! (5 bucks says Gambit gets the most requests.)
Now, here is the new and (hopefully) improved chapter 15! Here's hopin' this one doesn't disappear on me!
The next few weeks passed without event. The CIA was devoting most of its time to running various tests on the Eye. There was also much debate as to weather or not Rogue was the girl mentioned in the poem.
Kurt and Kitty were doing quite well with their agent training. Not surprisingly, they excelled in hand-to-hand combat. Kurt discovered he had a knack for using firearms, which was odd, given his non-violent nature. Kitty, meanwhile, was devoting her time to learning how to use, write, and encode advanced computer software. She did exceptionally well…when she didn't accidentally phase through the hard-drive. No less than five computers had been destroyed that way. Thankfully, no information was lost. After the first accident, Kitty was given only outdated or unused computers to play with.
At home, Rogue would tell Kurt and Kitty about all of the high-tech spy equipment she had hidden throughout the mansion. They were amazed to discover that Rogue had hidden bug scramblers in every room of the mansion--including theirs.
"Vhere are they?" asked Kurt. It was Friday afternoon, and they were hanging out in his room (quite literally, in Kurt's case. He was hanging upside-down from the chandelier). Kitty and Rogue lounged on his bed. Rogue glanced around the room.
"Let's see. There's one in that lamp…and the alarm clock…and the phone," she said, pointing to each object as she named it.
"Vhen did you plant all those?"
"While you were asleep."
Kurt dropped to the floor, landing lightly on the balls of his feet.
"But I alvays lock my door."
Kitty sniggered. "Oh, come on, Kurt. Do you really think a little lock could stop her?"
"I s'pose you're right," Kurt admitted. Suddenly the Professor's voice filled their heads.
Everyone please report to the living room immediately. We have a new student.
The trio wasted no time in getting downstairs. The living room was packed with students, as well as a few teachers. There was no sign of Xavier or the new kid.
"He probably wants t' make an entrance," Rogue said. She was right.
As if on cue, Xavier wheeled in, followed by the new student. Rogue caught sight of his face, and had to fight to maintain a bored expression. Thankfully, she had been trained to keep up a façade of calm, even in the most difficult of situations. This was one of those situations.
The Professor started to speak. "Everyone, I would like for you to meet Remy LeBeau, also called Gambit."
Gambit's red-on-black eyes scanned the crowd in front of him, stopping when they came into contact with Rogue's. For one long, intense second they stared at each other, unblinking. Rogue prayed he wouldn't recognize her. Then Gambit looked away; it was over as quickly as it had started. Rogue let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
"Kurt," Xavier was saying, "Remy will be staying in your room. Please help get him settled in. As for the rest of you, feel free to continue putting off your homework."
The students needed no second urging. Within minutes the room was empty, except for Gambit, Kurt, Kitty, and Rogue. Kurt took it upon himself to make the introductions.
"I'm Kurt, also called Nightcrawler. This is Kitty, also called Shadowcat, and my sister Rogue."
"Bonjoir," Gambit said. Once again his gaze fell on Rogue. "Do I know you, chere?"
"Ah doubt it, swamp rat," Rogue said. Gambit smiled.
"Swamp rat, am I? You're one t' talk, lil river rat. You are from Mississippi, no?"
Rogue nodded. "Now if you'll excuse us, me an' Kitty have to go to the library for a school project."
Kitty caught on immediately. "Yeah, that's right. Hey, Kurt, don't you, like, have a research project too?"
"Ja," Kurt said, following their lead. "Let me show Remy our room, zhen ve can go."
"He's at the mansion," Rogue said. The three of them were in the Briefing Room, along with O'Connell, Smith, and Corprew. She had just explained about Gambit's enrollment in the Institute.
"Has he identified you yet?" O'Connell asked. Rogue shook her head.
"Ah don't think so. He definitely suspects something, though. He asked me if we'd ever met before."
"I can't believe he's here in Bayville," Corprew said. "That little runt! My leg still hurts from when he blasted it with that card."
"You don't think he could've tracked us here, do you?" Rogue asked, ignoring Corprew. "Maybe he wants to get the Keystone back?"
This time it was Smith who answered. "I highly doubt it. More than likely, this is all one big coincidence. You do live at a school for mutants," he pointed out.
"He's right, Rogue," Kurt said, speaking up for the first time since entering headquarters.
"Ah s'pose…But what happens if he recognizes me?"
"Just deny it," O'Connell said simply. "It shouldn't be hard. After all, you're only sixteen; there's no way that you could be an undercover cop, or fly to England without alerting either of the two telepaths you live with. He'll have to believe you. Oh, and speaking of telepaths…" He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small box. He took off the lid, revealing three miniscule devices. Each one was the size of a pea, and paper-thin.
"What're those?" Rogue asked.
"Brainwave distorters," O'Donnell said. "Fresh from the tech-lab. I'm told that these can prevent any unwanted telepathic probing. It has something to do with increasing the electromagnetic output of your body whenever your adrenaline increases. Your adrenaline increases when you get probed unexpectedly, or unwontedly, alerting these things to go into effect. Then the electromagnetic pulse distorts brainwaves, making them impossible for telepaths to read."
Kitty appeared to be the only person who really under stood how they worked. Even O'Connell seemed a little confused as he explained it.
"There's one here for each of you three. If you'll come up here, the techies showed me how to attach them." The three lined up in front of him. "It goes on the back of the neck…turn around, Wagner. They're completely waterproof, so you can bathe and go swimming and whatever else you want to do." He placed one of the chips on Kitty's neck, then turned to Rogue.
She didn't turn around. Instead, she was staring pointedly at his bare hands. He took the hint, and put on a pair of latex gloves. A few seconds later the chip was in place. Rogue couldn't even feel it, it was so light.
"How do you, like, get it off?" Kitty asked.
"Like this." O'Connell proceeded to show them how to remove the devises.
"What happens if we need to communicate through telepathy?" Rogue asked.
"It has no effect on telepathic communication. Don't bother asking why, because I haven't the foggiest. Just take my word for it. Now, you three need to get back to the mansion. I want you to keep an eye on LeBeau."
"Zhat should be easy," Kurt said. "He's my roommate!"
"Hey, Rogue, are you coming?" Kitty asked over her shoulder. She and Kurt were standing in front of the elevator, but Rogue was lagging behind.
"You two go ahead, Ah'll be back later. There's somethin' Ah wanna do."
Kitty nodded, and they disappeared into the elevator.
Rogue followed one of the side hallways to a door that had the name "Dr. Betsy Walker, Ph.D." written on it.
Rogue tapped lightly on the door.
"Come in!" called a voice from inside. Rogue opened the door, revealing what looked like a psychologist's office. There was a couch, a big, red armchair, and a desk.
Seated behind the desk was a woman with curly blond hair and bright blue eyes, wearing a light pink business suit.
"Good afternoon Rogue," the woman said.
"Good afternoon, Doctor."
Rogue closed the door behind her, and sat down on the couch.
"What brings you here?" the Doctor asked. "I thought I wasn't supposed to see you until Thursday? Well, it doesn't matter. You've come to work on your powers, I presume?"
Rogue nodded. "Ah think we're finally making progress, an' I just didn't want to wait another week."
"Works for me. Now I've been doing quite a bit of research, and I believe that every mutant, including you, has something in them that allows them to control their power."
"That's what the Professor thinks," Rogue broke in. "He says it's like an on/off switch."
Dr. Walker nodded. "Sounds to me like the Professor knows his stuff. I also believe that, subconsciously, you already know what your switch is."
Rogue leaned against the back of the couch. "If Ah already know what the switch is, then how come Ah can't control mah pow'r?"
"Well that's because you haven't found it yet," the Doctor said.
"But you just said that Ah already know what it is."
The Doctor sighed. "Rogue, Ah said that your subconscious mind knows. But your conscious mind, the mind that controls your power, doesn't know. So, your conscious mind has to find it."
"Okay, how do I do that?" Rogue waited expectantly for answer. When none came, she glanced at Dr. Walker. The woman was thoughtfully rolling a pencil between thumb and forefinger. She spoke slowly, more to herself than to Rogue.
"I don't think the search will be all too difficult. The hard part will be recognizing the switch. I doubt it will be sitting there with a giant label across it. And then, once you've found it, we'll have to test it. That could get a bit sticky." She lapsed into silence, staring at the blank space in front of her.
Rogue glanced at her watch. It was getting late, and she didn't want to risk another close call.
"I've got it!"
The doctor's sudden yell made Rogue jump.
"We'll use hypnosis," the woman said, oblivious to the death glare she was receiving. "That way we'll be dealing with your subconscious, which already knows where the switch is. But I'm afraid it's too late to do that now. I guess we'll do it Thursday. Agreed?"
"Fine with me." Rogue had already gotten up, and was gone before the Doctor could say another word.
A/N: WOOO! GAMBIT!!! Did you guys really think that I would introduce him to the story, and then never use him again? I'd never do that to a character I like. Now, Jean or Evan, on the other hand…
Well I have plenty o' reviews, includin' some from new readers. Yippee Skippy!
Crazed Maniac 02: So many reviews! So little time! Sonic and Shadow, eh? Hmmm, I wonder who your target audience is. Mine is any idiot who'll leave a review. ^_^ As soon as I get my email, I will bombard you with letters, saying things like "Lookit, I have an email address. WHEEEEE!!!" Well, love, french fries, hot guys, and spaghetti ice! (Actually, I think it's spelled ies, but who cares?) Love ya! = P
Rogue151: The dream sequence was the only part that came easily, the rest had to be forced, bargained with, and threatened. I hope you get that subscription. Heck, maybe you'll get both!
Krazy Xanadu: Guess I'm gonna hafta do game research. 9 REVIEWS TO GO! HOORAY! I think I have beaten The Clunker into submission…finally.
Yumiko: Take a wild guess.
Risty: Ooh, a fellow Redwall fan. Yes, it was adapted from the one about Mariel. I was just having a heck of a time coming up with one on my own, and that's one of my favorite Redwall poems.
Rogue77: Here, I updated! Just for you! (Well, maybe not JUST for you, it was more for my readers in general, but you're a reader, so that means it IS for you. If you fallow my insane logic, that is.)
helpfull germanfairy: Thanks a lot! It was very…erm…helpful. Man, I wish I had you around when we were studying past participles last year. That about killed me! And I still don't get it! Ah, well…
FYI, school will be starting in 2 days…unfortunately ;_; …so I won't be able to update as often. I'll try to do at least one update a week. If I can write more, I will.
That about wraps it up for today, peeps. And remember, first 9 reviewers get a date with the XME character of their choice. The reviewing may begin…………NOW!