OK, I'm sorry about the delay. It's just been very hard to get motivated lately. But I'm back now! And I just read a kick-ass book, so I'm charged up and ready to write. So let's get this party started!
OK, one quick note: anything written {like this} is in a foreign language that I can't speak…which means pretty much all of them. Also, stuff written [like this] is heard through a com. link. Ya got all that? Good.
Rogue wiped the car with her cloth, examining the spot carefully. Then, satisfied that it was clean, she began vigorously attacking the windshield. Gambit stood nearby, running a soapy sponge over the X-Van.
"Y' know what," Rogue said as she worked on a particularly tough spot, "someday Ah'm gonna find the guy who coined the phrase 'lazy Sunday afternoons' and Ah'm gonna snap his neck."
"Hey, at least we're not in de Danger Room, no?"
"Yeah, Ah guess yer right. It's a good thing the Prof. decided our punishment and not Logan, huh?"
"And we didn't have t' be up at dawn, either."
"But still, washing all the cars? Don't you think that's a little harsh?"
"We crashed de jag. Believe me, dis is lenient. Besides," he said, sidling up next to her, "I kinda like bein' in dis big garage, all alone, just you an' me. Maybe we could have a little fun?" He took a step closer. They were almost touching. "Maybe we could even do dis…"
He leaned in, as though to kiss her. Rouge opened her mouth to protest, when Gambit whirled his arm around, tossing the dripping sponge at her.
"Catch, chere!"
The sponge hit her full in the face.
"Alright, that's it!" She grabbed both her cloth and the sponge, dipping them into the bucket with the soap. Gambit saw her grab the sponge, and immediately took off, zigzagging between the cars.
"Ready or not, here Ah come!" Rouge called. She started creeping in the direction she had seen him go. There was a flash of movement behind Scott's car. She flung the sponge, which made direct contact with the Cajun's back.
"YES! She shoots, she scores!"
"Maybe, but now I have de sponge."
The next thing Rogue knew, Gambit was in front of her, flinging soapsuds. She responded by twisting the cloth into a whip, and lashing out at him.
"Oh, you wanna play rough? Den let's see how you like dis!"
He picked up the bucket, and advanced toward her.
"You wouldn't!"
"I would."
He lunged forward, tossing the contents of the bucket over her head. Rogue froze. She was now covered from head to tow in cold, soapy water. She pulled a few dripping strands of hair away from her face. Then, without saying a word, she marched out the big, open door. Gambit ran after her.
"I'm sorry, chere. You don't have t' be mad at Remy. Chere?"
She continued to ignore him, walking up to the side of the house. She suddenly paused, bending down to grab something.
It was the garden hose.
"Merde!"
Gambit didn't even have time to run before the water hit him full-force in the face. He threw up his arms defensively, falling back a pace. Rogue attacked him mercilessly, soaking every square inch of his body.
"Truce?" she asked at length.
"Truce!" he sputtered.
Satisfied, Rogue shut off the hose, tossing it on the ground.
"Come on, let's get this over with," she said, already walking back to the garage.
"Why you in such a hurry? You don' like bein' wit Remy?"
"Well you are a thief."
Rogue froze. How could she possibly be so stupid?
"What makes you t'ink dat?" Gambit asked, giving her an appraising look.
"Ah checked out yer file." She watched him carefully. Was he buying it? Or had he already figured it out?
"An' why would you do somet'in' like dat?"
His expression never changed. If he believed her story, he didn't show it.
Rogue stared steadily back.
"Ah've gotten involved with the wrong people before. Ah didn't want t' make the same mistake again."
It wasn't really a lie. After her dealings with Mystique, Rogue had been very careful about who she got close to. Not to mention the fact that as a CIA agent she had to be very careful about the company she kept…of course, if Gambit discovered that she was in fact the woman from London, she might not be in the CIA much longer.
Gambit sighed.
"You gon' tell de Professor?"
Rogue couldn't believe her luck. He had fallen for it, hook, line, and sinker.
"Not unless you start causing trouble. So, are we gonna wash these cars or what?"
It had taken just under three hours to thoroughly wash every car, truck, van, and motorcycle at the mansion. By the time they were finished Rogue was exhausted, and she headed to her room to take a shower and then a nap.
She only had time for the first one, however, because when she came out of the bathroom her computer was flashing a "you have new mail" sign. She sighed and opened the letter.
It was an encrypted document from the CIA.
To: Special Agent Rogue
I have an assignment for you. Bring Wagner and Pryde, and tell Xavier that you're going to see a movie. You will be out past curfew, so you can just say that the movie ran late. I need you here ASAP.
~ Special Agent O'Connell
Rogue shut down the computer, then went searching for the two rookies. They were in Kurt's room, downing cookies and watching some hokey action film on UPN.
"Like, how stupid can you get?" Kitty asked, gesturing at the TV with a half-eaten cookie. "I mean, they're all just standin' there, listenin' to the guy talk! Why doesn't somebody shoot already?"
"And vat's vith everyone holding zere gun's sidevays? It doesn't vork!…Oh, hey Rogue!" he said as she stepped into the room. "Cookie?"
Rogue looked down at the plate of cookies, then glanced at Kitty.
"Who made 'em?"
"Storm."
"Then sure."
She took one of the bigger ones. It was chocolate chip, and absolutely delicious.
"Mmmm…"
"So, like, is this a social call or a professional one?"
"Professional. We've got a mission."
Kurt and Kitty jumped up.
"A mission? Really? Vhat are ve doing?"
"Is it, like, top-secret?"
"Ah don't know. But Ah do know that if we don't get down there in five minutes O'Connell is gonna rip me a new one."
"I can teleport us zhere," Kurt offered. "But vhat should ve tell ze Professor?"
"That we're goin' to the mall, then the movies."
"I'll go tell him!" Kitty said before bounding out of the room.
"Wow, my first mission! I vonder vhat it is?"
"Ah'm not sure, but it sounded important. Which makes me wonder why he wanted you two to come."
"Hey!"
"Nothin' personal. But you are new to this, after all."
There was no more time for discussion, because Kitty was back.
"We can go, but he says that, and I quote, 'if Rogue's out past curfew again then not only will she be grounded for a month, but she will have five a.m. training sessions with Logan for as long as he deems necessary.'"
"As if my life isn't hard enough. Ah well, let's go."
She and Kitty both grasped Kurt's hands. There was a puff of smoke, a falling sensation, and then another puff of smoke. Rogue took a minute to get over the slight wave of nausea that had overcome her. When her stomach finally settled, she looked around. They were standing just outside the breifing room.
"Yer good," Rogue said. Kurt shrugged.
"I try."
Rogue pushed the door open and stepped inside. For once Smith, and Corprew were not there. Rogue, Kurt, and Kitty took their seats quickly, and O'Connell stood.
"Hello Agent Rogue. Wagner, Pryde, welcome."
Kurt and Kitty beamed at being addressed by someone as powerful as the division director.
"Before we start," Rogue said, "Where are Smith and Corprew?"
"On another mission," O'Connell said simply. "Now, onto the reason you're here. We have just received Intel that a military base in Baghdad was raided by a terrorist cell. Several weapons were taken, but nothing the terrorists didn't already have."
"If there wasn't anythin' important taken, what's the problem?" Rogue asked.
"Because something important was taken."
As O'Connell spoke, a picture appeared on the screen behind him. It was some sort of blueprint, with writing all over it.
"These are the plans for a nuclear weapon with the capacity to wipe out millions. If they build this weapon, they'll make 9/11 look like a birthday party. Now, the leader of the cell is Muhammad Kalil. He is currently hiding in France, in the Louvre hotel. (A/N: I have no idea what that word means, I just know it's French!) Your mission is to get into his hotel room and retrieve the plans."
"Alright!" Kitty exclaimed. "Our first mission! Like, how cool is this!" She gave Kurt a high-five.
"Actually," O'Connell began, "you aren't going to be doing anything."
Their faces fell.
"Vhat?"
"You two will be with the surveillance team. I want you to watch Agent Rogue, so that you can see what real missions are like."
"This is, like, totally unfair!" Kitty crossed her arms, huffing in disgust.
"Yeah, vhy can't ve help? It's not like ve don't know how to fight--ve're X-Men for crying out loud!"
O'Connell snorted. "There's more to being an agent then fighting, you know. It requires intelligence, as well. You have to be able to think quickly, and under great stress. The two of you aren't ready for that."
"He's right," Rogue said. "Being an agent isn't like being an X-Man. Ah can't explain why, really. You just have t' see it."
"Which is what you'll be doing tonight," O'Connell added. "We leave in one hour. Dismissed."
" I still say this is totally unfair."
They were sitting in the plane, about halfway to France. The first twenty minutes had consisted of Kurt and Kitty marveling at the fact that they were in a CIA plane, going on a top-secret CIA mission. For awhile Rogue thought they had gotten over being confined to the surveillance van. Apparently she was wrong.
"It's stupid! Ve can handle missions! Ve're doing great in our training!"
"I know! And hey, he, like, needs someone to sneak into that guy's room? I'm perfect for that! I can walk through walls!"
"Exactly! Besides, if ve aren't part of ze mission, zen vhy are ve here?"
"Yer here," Rogue jumped in, "because this'll be a good learning opportunity. Now can y'all please quit gripin'? Ah've got enough problems without you two addin' a headache to the list!"
"Like vhat you'll do if ve get home late?"
She nodded.
"Don't vorry, ve got you're back!"
"Thanks. Well we're about to land, so I better go get changed."
The Louvre was a very classy hotel. It was the type of place where the incredibly wealthy went for vacations or business trips. As such, it was also very well protected.
Security guards were everywhere: the front entrance, the lobby, the hallways. And as if that weren't enough, any area not monitored by a guard was protected by the watchful eyes of at least three security cameras. It was like walking into Fort Knox.
Rogue walked boldly across the lobby floor, pretending to ignore the high security. In reality she was counting the number of guards and cameras, and memorizing the locations of each one. She stepped up to the front desk, where a man sat looking over what appeared to be an organizer.
{Hello,} Rogue said with an impeccable French accent, {I made reservations several hours ago.}
{Your name, please?}
{Katja DeChagny.}
The man turned to his computer, and began scrolling through the list of names.
{Ah, yes, here we are. Katja DeChagny, room 217. Here's your key.} He handed her a small keycard. {Your luggage will be brought up shortly.}
{Thank you.}
{By the way, will you be attending the play tonight?}
{What play?}
{Every month the local theater performs a different play here at the hotel. Tonight is Les Misèrable.}
O'Connell's voice came in loud and clear through the com. link.
[Say yes.]
{I think I will attend,} she said without waiting for an explanation.
{Very well.}
{Thank you.}
She turned away from the desk, and headed towards the elevator.
-------
Kitty and Kurt watched the small surveillance screen, fascinated.
"I totally didn't know Rogue was fluent in French!"
"Zis is so cool! She doesn't even look like a teenager anymore! She looks like an adult."
"Yeah. Like, a rich adult."
"I'm glad you're enjoying the show," O' Connell said. They nodded.
"But, like, why did you have her agree to go to that play?" Kitty asked.
"Because if she's caught in an area she's not supposed to be in, she can say she was looking for the play."
"Oh."
"Now, be quiet and watch."
--------
"What floor?" Rogue asked quietly as the elevator doors closed behind her.
[Give me just two seconds…OK, Kalil's room is on the fourth floor. It says here that he's currently at a business meeting.]
"Perfect."
Rogue punched the four, then waited patiently for the elevator to get there.
"So how are Kitty and Kurt?"
[Impressed, I'd say.]
"Already?" The elevator came to a halt, cutting the conversation short.
She stepped into the hall, pretending to ignore the guard stationed just outside the elevator doors.
[I'm tapping into the video feed now.]
The guard stepped in front of her, holding out a hand.
{May I see you're key, Miss?} he asked. Rogue obliged instantly.
{Of course.}
He glanced at the card, then shook his head.
{I'm afraid you're on the wrong floor.}
{I am?}
The man nodded.
[The video loop is in place.]
Rogue smiled at the guard.
Then she placed a bare finger on his cheek. He looked confused for a moment, then his eyes rolled back into his head. He collapsed on the floor.
Rogue bent down over him, searching his pockets. After a few seconds she found what she wanted: a master key.
[Nicely done. Now, Kalil's room is 416.]
Rogue wasted no time in getting there. She paused at the door, listening for sounds of people inside. There weren't any. She slid the master key into the lock, and pushed the door open.
Kalil's room was very elegant. It reminded Rogue of Xavier's office. There was a large desk in one corner, with a high-backed chair. A leather couch sat against one wall, facing a TV.
[The plans will be on a disk.]
Rogue walked through the living room, to the bedroom in the back. It consisted of a single, queen sized bed, a dresser with another TV atop it, a small bed table, and a tall cabinet. Rogue tried to pull open the cabinet doors, but they were locked. She held up her wrist. A small, silver watch rested there. Rogue pulled a small pin out from the links of the chain, and used it to pick the lock.
--------
"Oh yeah!" Kitty shouted. "Spy gear!"
"Go Rogue!" Kurt added.
O'Connell just ignored them.
--------
The doors swung open, revealing a small, black safe. Rogue studied the lock momentarily, then stepped over to the bed table, where there was a phone. It was one of the old cord phones, so she had to drag the hook with it. She took it to the safe. Then she unscrewed the plastic covering the mouthpiece, pulling out the mechanism inside. She placed it against the safe, listening with the other end.
She turned the dial slowly, until she heard a click. Then she turned it two more times, and the safe opened.
It was empty.
Rogue felt the inside of the safe, checking for a false bottom, or a hidden compartment. Nothing.
"Shit! He must've taken it with him!"
[Maybe not. Look around--it may be hidden somewhere else.]
Rogue ran over to the dresser, rummaging through the drawers. No luck.
"I don't think it's here."
[You've got bigger problems. Kalil's meeting just ended, and he's on his way up.]
Rogue doubled her efforts, checking the desk as quickly as she could. Her search proved futile.
[Kalil just got into the elevator.]
Rogue stood up, looking for any reasonable hiding space. Her eyes fell on the laptop sitting on the desk.
"Bingo."
She hit the power button.
[He's at the second floor.]
The computer began booting up.
[Third floor.]
--------
Kitty sat biting her nails. "Hurry up, Rogue." Kurt's tails was twitching like he was being electrocuted. Even O'Connell looked nervous.
"She's going to make it, right?" Kurt asked.
"Fourth floor," O'Connell said, ignoring the question. "Rogue, you have about fifteen seconds to get out of there."
[The computer's booted up. Ah've got the disk. Just give me two seconds and Ah'll delete anything he managed t' download.]
"You don't have two seconds!"
--------
Rogue grabbed the disk while the computer deleted everything it had downloaded.
The door swung open.
"What the hell?"
Rogue spun around. Kalil stood in the doorway, a briefcase in one hand. He saw the disk in her hand, and immediately pulled a gun out from his belt, training it on her.
"Drop it," he ordered.
{I don't understand!} Rogue shouted in panicked Russian.
{Drop the disk!}
Rogue bent down, as though to place the disk on the ground. With a sudden jerk she through it across the room. Kalil turned to watch it. Rogue jumped up, kicking the gun out of his hand. She tried to punch him but he grabbed her arm, slamming her face first into a wall. Rogue drove her elbow into his chest, eliciting a gasp of pain.
Kalil backed up slightly, releasing Rogue. She spun around, driving her heel into his jaw. He fell back, hitting his head on the desk. His body slumped to the ground, unconscious.
[Security's heard the fight. They're on their way.]
Rogue snatched up the disk and ran out of the room. She glanced down the hall; three guards were running towards her.
{Stop!} yelled one.
Rogue took off in the other direction.
"Where's the nearest exist?"
[Just a second. OK, take this right, there's a stairwell at the end of the hall.]
Rogue turned the corner, glancing over her shoulder at the guards. They were gaining. She sped up. A door opened a little ways in front of her, and two guards stepped out.
{Freeze!}
Rogue didn't slow down as she approached them, using her momentum to deliver a powerful punch to the first guard. He staggered back, covering his eye. The second guard backhanded her jaw, splitting her lip and knocking a few teeth loose. Guard number one stepped around behind her, grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back.
She stomped his foot, and he released her involuntarily. The sounds of her pursuers drifted down the hall. Rogue smashed her fist into his face, stunning him. She then winded the guard in front of her with a quick punch to his solar plexus, and took off before the other guard could get regain his senses.
--------
"Alright!" Kurt shouted, jumping into the air.
"Go Rogue!" Kitty threw her fists into the air,
She made it to the stairwell, and practically flew down it, taking the stairs two at a time. The guards were close on her heels.
"Where's the play at?"
[Ground floor, first hall on your left, three doors down, and please don't make a joke about that also being a band.]
"Wasn't gonna."
Rogue made it to the bottom of the stairs, and slipped out the door. She stepped out into an empty hall. The door opened behind her, and four guards ran out.
"Oh great, they're multiplyin'!"
She tore down the hall, turning sharply to the left, then skidded to a halt in front of door number three, and stepped inside.
The room was set up like a theatre, with rows of chairs facing a small stage. Apparently the play hadn't started yet. Rogue made her way through the rows of chairs, taking a seat near the middle of the crowd. She watched the guards come in, looking around for her. They scrutinized the crowd for a few minutes, before giving up.
[Good work.]
A/N: 12 pages! I am da masta!
Once again, sorry for the slowness. This chapter was really hard to get started, but I think it turned out well.
By the way, that whole using the phone to crack the safe thing? I stole it from Alias. Ssssh! It's a secret!! Oh, and speaking of Alias, let me just say this: Vaughn's new wife is EVIL!!!!! OK, I'm done. ^_^
REVIEW TIME!!!!!
Krazy Xanadu: I haven't seen Pirates of the Caribbean, but I really want to. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! How was this one?
Yumiko: Sorry I took so long. Won't happen again…I hope…
HJOJ Person: You read my Sonic story! You are automatically my friend!! ^_^
MAD: Good questions. But I'm afraid the answers are top-secret G-14 classified at the moment. ^_- As for Rogue's OOCness, expect more of that. Why? Because I'm the author, and I said so.
Rogue77: I hope Vaughn's planning a divorce. If not, I may hafta kill his wife. Kidding! Or am I? Yup, I am! The dream was fun! I like dreams! I am hyper, can you tell? *runs around the room* WHEEEEE!
CM02: I updated. See, told ya I would!
Rogue 151: School evil. Internet good. Alias great! Why the two word sentences? You tell me! I cannot believe there's no Alias this week! They're totally leaving us hanging!…woah. Kitty moment.
The Last Ronin: Man, I know what you mean about those psych wards. It's really hard to move with those jackets, y' know? Oh, and DON'T HURT THE CAJUN!!!!!!! If you do, I'll have to lose MY foot up your--CM02: Shut yo' mouth!!! Me: Sorry! Umm, anyway, as you can see I updated. Took me long enough. By the way, read Shameless Spies. Chapters four and five are up, and they kick arse!
Ishandahalf: Yayness!
OK, reviews over. Thanks to everybody who left one!
Now, before I go I'd like to ask all you Sonic the Hedgehog fans out there to read my fic, Shameless Spies. You won't regret it!
CM02: Yes they will!
Me: Only a little! ^_^
Well, until next time, this is TT-X, signing off!