Chapter 4: Fittings and an Empty Trunk
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the X-Men or any Vegas hotels-I know, it's sad. However, I do own Merf, Mads and Simone.
Victor knew he would end up paying for dinner, but that didn't matter, Mystique reading someone the Riot Act was far better than any floor show Vegas had to offer. And that's saying a lot!
"What is this the first day on the job?" scolded Mystique as the waitress delivered the first course.
Poor Belle was trapped in the back of a horseshoe shaped booth with Victor and Mystique blocking her escape routes.
"Could you have been anymore obvious? Reading the paper! Where did you get your training from, the 1960's James Bond movies? I swear Anton, the training for our profession has decreased ever since the end of the Cold War." Mystique continued on her tirade.
The conversation at the table was pretty much a monologue through the appetizers and the entrees. Belle didn't get a chance to defend herself until dessert, when Mystique finally said in an exasperated tone, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"I 'ave a plan fo yo infamation!" Belle informed her.
"This should be good," Mystique rolled her eyes.
"I 'ad a contact kidnap a dancer from one o' de parkin' lots, tie 'er up an' put 'er in de trunk of a car, de drive it to de uppa lot o' dis 'otel. So den I could kill dem together an' make it look like she did it-"
"What level of the parking lot?" asked Victor over a raised glass of Jack Daniels.
"De highest level," answered Belle a bit confused.
"And when was the drop off supposed to be?" asked Victor.
Belle looked at her watch, "'bout two houas ago, why?"
"You had the car dropped off in the heat of the day?" Mystique interrupted.
"Oui, so?" asked Belle.
"So-she's dead. No human could survive in the trunk of a car, in the heat o' the day, in the desert. What about this contact of yers, how long have you been workin' with 'im?" asked Victor.
"Well it's not like I've act'lly met 'im," said Belle.
"Are you INSANE?!" yelled Mystique, attracting quite a bit of attention.
Victor felt another lecture coming on and did the logical thing to do, have had extensive past experience with Mystique, "Check please!"
Meanwhile everyone had gone down for their fittings.
Wanda had chosen a period dress, whose style dated back from the 11th century, in a blood red hue. It had long bell sleeves that tapered down into knots with a black satin belt that hung low around her hips, at the bottom of the fitted bodice and went to the floor. The ensemble was completed with a sheer black lace veil that was draped over Wanda's head and held in place by a gold crown.
Rogue, Kitty and Amanda wore the same style dress as Wanda only theirs were done in a golden/yellow tapestry fabric.
The boys on the other hand were not as lucky when it came to wedding attire...
You see, to fit in with the theme of the wedding, Wanda thought it best they wear suits of armor.
Fortunately for Colossus it was a "come as you are" party so he was all set. But for the others...
"Merde, dis metal be chafin' like no otha!" complained Remy.
"Crickey, it smells like somethin' died in this helmet," remarked St. John as the metal visor fell down with a-CLANG!-, "and I can't see me bloody hand in font a me face!"
"Ja, vell at least you don't run ze risk of severing your tail ven you move and ze metal plates over lap! Schiza (sp), it's vorse zen scissors!" whined Kurt.
"Why don' you jus' stick yo' tail in yo' sword sheath, homme?" suggested Remy.
"Great idea, Gambit" said Kurt.
Just then clanging footsteps could be heard coming down the hall, accompanied by what sounded like a horse and an ass kissing hotel employee.
"Right this way, Mr. Wesson," said a woman in a burgundy suit as she held the door to the room open.
In walked a short, back and gold suit of armor, a knock off of historical suit, leading a small horse better known as...
"DEMON!" yelled Wanda as she ran over and hugged the pony's neck.
SLURP!-Demon licked Wanda's face.
"Yer Mr. Wesson?" Rogue asked as she walked towards the black suit of armor, "Ah think there's been a mistake. Y'see Ah don't believe we've met."
The black night, as it were, reached up and removed his helmet to reveal himself to be, none other than...
"Merf?!" gasped Rogue.
"Like your Mr. Wesson?" asked Kitty.
"Wait a minute, homme" said Gambit, "Wesson, as in de Smith an' Wesson gun makers?"
"One and the same," Merf said.
"You upgraded ze rooms and booked ze hanger?" asked Kurt.
"Yep," said Merf.
"How?" asked Kitty, "I thought you like had to work three jobs, just to make ends meet."
Merf sighed and looked away.
"Yer grandfather diahed, didn't he? (Hotel Management ref.)" asked Rogue in a somber tone, "Aw, Merf, Ah'm sorry. Mac said what a great guy he was on the way over heah from the airport."
"Ya, we all still miss 'im," confessed Merf.
"But whay did ya keep all yer jobs?!" asked Rogue.
"I didn't," Merf assured her, "My contract with FedEx ends at the end of the next month, the miniature racing is something I do as a hobby now and..."
"Wait you mean you're not the FedEx guy anymore?" said Wanda.
"Like we're never going to see you again?!" asked Kitty.
"You can see me anytime you want," explained Merf, "I bought the diner...I'm going to re-name it after my grandfather."
"What was his name, comrade," asked Piotr.
"Harold Wesson, but everyone called him Harry. What do you guys think about calling the diner Harry's (AU ref)?"
"Sounds great, mate," said John offering his hand , "And thanks for helpin' us out with the weddin'."
Gambit sighed, "Py dat be a coat rack. Merf's ova here!"
"Really?!" Py lifted the visor of his helm to come fact to face with a short brass coat rack, "Damn visor," he grumbled.
"Uh, guys just a thought, but maybe we shouldn't be wearing metal if Magneto's on the war path," said Merf changing the subject.
"Don't worry about it, Merf," said Amanda, "The wedding will be over long before Magneto catches up with us and when he does the boys will be out of their knight getups."
The X-Jet touched down, barely three miles from the strip in the desert.
X23 printed off what the wedding party had planned for the duration of their stay in Vegas and handed it out.
"How did you get this?" asked Storm.
"I grew up on a covert military base, hacking into a hotel's mainframe is a walk in the park." X23 scoffed at the weather witch. "Here's the plan we divide split up between Caesar's Palace and the Luxor, then..."
"Merde!" swore Belle when she reached the top level of the parking lot with Sabertooth and Mystique, rather Anton and Elaine as it were, "I don' b'l'eve it!"
"Believe it," said Creed lighting a cigar.
"I hope you're happy," said Mystique crossing her arms.
A lone beat up Sedan with brick colored chipping paint stood at the far end on the top of the car garage. It was completely abandoned. The trunk was open to reveal an empty space.
"How de hell she get outta dere?!" asked Belle in disbelief.
"Who knows?" said Creed, "Although you should have expected this, especially from a Vegas show girl. You think being an assassin is dangerous. Those girls can get out of any tight spot. Man, I'll never ferget this one time in the 40's..."
"Stop!" Mystique interjected, "She doesn't need to hear that one!-And you should consider yourself lucky this happened!" Raven shot a look at Belle, "Now that this problem has rectified itself, we can show you how to pull off a hit correctly."
Just then Victor's beeper went off, "Um, ya, Ray (short for Raven) yer gonna hafta take this one. Stormy wants me to meet her fer dinner."
Mystique rolled her eyes, grabbed Belle by the wrist and dragged her back towards the hotel.
When they were out of sight Victor hot wired the car and made a bee-line for Caesar's Palace.
Once the fittings were done the boys and the girls split up and headed to their respective locations to celebrate John and Wanda's last night of freedom.