Back at the school, Xavier, Cyclops, Storm, Logan, Bobby and Rogue were in
the meeting room. The attacker had been treated in the Infirmary and
Xavier had cross-referenced his fingerprints and blood sample with those on
his records and found a match. Although still unconscious, Colossus was
watching over him while the Professor briefed the rest of the X-Men.
"His name is Remy LeBeau, also called Gambit. From his blood sample, and of course his general appearance, he appears to be aged between 19 and 23 and originally from New Orleans. There isn't much on file, but it is safe to assume he is a mutant. Apparently he has the power to charge items with kinetic energy, which explode on release. He may also have increased speed and agility, as well as empathic abilities."
"What was he doing with Pyro?" Cyclops asked. "Is he working for Magneto?"
"Possibly," Xavier answered. "Eric may be gathering a group of mutants to replace Toad and Sabretooth and assist him with his cause."
"Maybe we should smack the kid around a bit," Logan offered. "Might be able to give us some answers about what Magneto is up to this time."
"I'm all for that" Bobby added.
Before the others could respond, a voice came through the intercom system. "Professor Xavier?"
"Yes Colossus" the old man replied.
"Mr. LeBeau is awake."
"I'll be there right away," he answered. "Storm, Logan, I want you two to see if you can find out more about where Gambit has been lately, it may lead us to Magneto. Cyclops, Rogue, I want you two to come with me to see him. Bobby, I suggest you get some rest."
Obviously disappointed at being left out, the boy rose out of his chair and walked towards the door. Rogue watched him go, she could tell he was upset. At first, she wondered why the Professor would want her to come and not Bobby, then she realised that she had absorbed a part of Gambit, something that might be useful. After Storm and Logan had gone too, the three remaining X-Men made their way down to the Infirmary.
* * * * * *
In the high-tech medical bay, precautions had been taken for it's new inhabitant. All items except for a surgical bed had been removed from one corner of the room. A metal cage had been put around it, charged with electricity so Gambit couldn't make contact with it. Although obviously escape was not his first priority, as he was slumped casually in a corner singing a French song.
When Xavier entered the room, he dismissed Colossus and moved towards the cage. Gambit looked up and a smile began to form across his face when saw Rogue behind him. She looked away, slightly embarrassed. His smile grew, while Cyclops glared at him.
"Mr. LeBeau," the Professor started. "I'm Charles Xavier, welcome to my school for Gifted Youngsters."
"Dis be a school? Looks more like a Star Trek movie."
"That's because we are more advanced than most medical facilities you have encountered. This is also a restricted area, the students are rarely allowed down here." Gambit laughed slightly at the old man's explanation.
"Now, do you mind if we ask you some questions?" Scott interrupted, stepping forward. "We did, after all, manage to capture you."
"If dat is how all de men get captured, Gambit surprised dere was a vacancy." His glance went towards Rogue again. Xavier and Scott turned to look at her as well. Uncomfortable with the attention, she shifted her weight from leg to leg and her eyes roved around the room. Eventually, all the attention went back to Remy and Xavier started his questioning.
"Mr. LeBeau, your companion, Pyro, used to be a student of mine. He left after an incident at a military facility a few months ago, with another mutant named Magneto. Do you know anything about him?"
"If Gambit tell ya, can he get a date with de fille?" Rogue turned on her heel and stormed out of the Infirmary.
"Rogue!" Cyclops called after her. The Professor nodded for him to follow.
As Scott disappeared down the hall, Xavier moved closer to cage and leaned towards its prisoner, attempting to read his mind. Realising what he was doing, Gambit grinned and locked eye contact with him, sending various images, lying with the truth.
His first glimpse of Rogue across the club with Bobby. He made sure to include the bar with all it's alcohol and a few druggies in the corner, painting a bad picture of where they had been. Then, he showed Xavier the moment Rogue had kissed him. Although she had only done it as a last resort, Remy showed it as if she did it out of her own free will and had actually enjoyed it.
Realising that he wasn't going to get anything out of Gambit, the Professor broke psychic contact and wheeled backwards. Although he wasn't a telepath himself, Gambit had obviously learnt how to deal with them. His mind wasn't impossible to read, and Xavier could easily see through those images to the real truth, but it would be better at another time, perhaps when Gambit was less excitable or ambitious.
"I don't appreciate you frightening my students," the Professor told him. "Or attempting to portray them in a bad light."
"Hey, Remy just showed y' the truth," Gambit replied in his defence. "Ain't my fault that your best fille enjoys kissin' de enemy and y' boy wonder settles an old score without thinkin' of others."
Xavier scowled at his comment, turned his wheelchair and left the room. Colossus re-entered and started leafing through some medical records. The prisoner flopped onto his bed and resumed singing his song.
"His name is Remy LeBeau, also called Gambit. From his blood sample, and of course his general appearance, he appears to be aged between 19 and 23 and originally from New Orleans. There isn't much on file, but it is safe to assume he is a mutant. Apparently he has the power to charge items with kinetic energy, which explode on release. He may also have increased speed and agility, as well as empathic abilities."
"What was he doing with Pyro?" Cyclops asked. "Is he working for Magneto?"
"Possibly," Xavier answered. "Eric may be gathering a group of mutants to replace Toad and Sabretooth and assist him with his cause."
"Maybe we should smack the kid around a bit," Logan offered. "Might be able to give us some answers about what Magneto is up to this time."
"I'm all for that" Bobby added.
Before the others could respond, a voice came through the intercom system. "Professor Xavier?"
"Yes Colossus" the old man replied.
"Mr. LeBeau is awake."
"I'll be there right away," he answered. "Storm, Logan, I want you two to see if you can find out more about where Gambit has been lately, it may lead us to Magneto. Cyclops, Rogue, I want you two to come with me to see him. Bobby, I suggest you get some rest."
Obviously disappointed at being left out, the boy rose out of his chair and walked towards the door. Rogue watched him go, she could tell he was upset. At first, she wondered why the Professor would want her to come and not Bobby, then she realised that she had absorbed a part of Gambit, something that might be useful. After Storm and Logan had gone too, the three remaining X-Men made their way down to the Infirmary.
* * * * * *
In the high-tech medical bay, precautions had been taken for it's new inhabitant. All items except for a surgical bed had been removed from one corner of the room. A metal cage had been put around it, charged with electricity so Gambit couldn't make contact with it. Although obviously escape was not his first priority, as he was slumped casually in a corner singing a French song.
When Xavier entered the room, he dismissed Colossus and moved towards the cage. Gambit looked up and a smile began to form across his face when saw Rogue behind him. She looked away, slightly embarrassed. His smile grew, while Cyclops glared at him.
"Mr. LeBeau," the Professor started. "I'm Charles Xavier, welcome to my school for Gifted Youngsters."
"Dis be a school? Looks more like a Star Trek movie."
"That's because we are more advanced than most medical facilities you have encountered. This is also a restricted area, the students are rarely allowed down here." Gambit laughed slightly at the old man's explanation.
"Now, do you mind if we ask you some questions?" Scott interrupted, stepping forward. "We did, after all, manage to capture you."
"If dat is how all de men get captured, Gambit surprised dere was a vacancy." His glance went towards Rogue again. Xavier and Scott turned to look at her as well. Uncomfortable with the attention, she shifted her weight from leg to leg and her eyes roved around the room. Eventually, all the attention went back to Remy and Xavier started his questioning.
"Mr. LeBeau, your companion, Pyro, used to be a student of mine. He left after an incident at a military facility a few months ago, with another mutant named Magneto. Do you know anything about him?"
"If Gambit tell ya, can he get a date with de fille?" Rogue turned on her heel and stormed out of the Infirmary.
"Rogue!" Cyclops called after her. The Professor nodded for him to follow.
As Scott disappeared down the hall, Xavier moved closer to cage and leaned towards its prisoner, attempting to read his mind. Realising what he was doing, Gambit grinned and locked eye contact with him, sending various images, lying with the truth.
His first glimpse of Rogue across the club with Bobby. He made sure to include the bar with all it's alcohol and a few druggies in the corner, painting a bad picture of where they had been. Then, he showed Xavier the moment Rogue had kissed him. Although she had only done it as a last resort, Remy showed it as if she did it out of her own free will and had actually enjoyed it.
Realising that he wasn't going to get anything out of Gambit, the Professor broke psychic contact and wheeled backwards. Although he wasn't a telepath himself, Gambit had obviously learnt how to deal with them. His mind wasn't impossible to read, and Xavier could easily see through those images to the real truth, but it would be better at another time, perhaps when Gambit was less excitable or ambitious.
"I don't appreciate you frightening my students," the Professor told him. "Or attempting to portray them in a bad light."
"Hey, Remy just showed y' the truth," Gambit replied in his defence. "Ain't my fault that your best fille enjoys kissin' de enemy and y' boy wonder settles an old score without thinkin' of others."
Xavier scowled at his comment, turned his wheelchair and left the room. Colossus re-entered and started leafing through some medical records. The prisoner flopped onto his bed and resumed singing his song.