Sidekicks

Chapter 6

By Trynia Merin

Notes: Here it be, the sixth chapter! Many thanks and cookies all round to those of you who've given your reviews! I don't own the Xmen unfortunately. But Misty is my character… who appears in this and other chapters! Enjoy as the gang gets ready to go to DC and play secret agent/X philes!


Jubilee yawned as she dragged her duffle bag down the steps. Gambit's long legs carried him past her. "Look sharp petit! Wolverine's already got the jeep packed!"

"How come you're so cheerful?" Jubilee grumbled. He leapt in between her and the door, and seized her bag front her fingers. Out the door, he trotted her bag down and set it near the circular driveway in front of the Mansion. Dipping into his pockets he pulled out a pack of Marlboroughs and shook the pack to let one drop into his fingers.

"That's the REAL reason you're in a hurry," Jubilee joked as she folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the pole of the veranda.

"Shake a leg people! Are we gonna do this or not before sunrise?" Logan's voice drifted from behind his jeep parked there.

"I'm wondering if we can make it in one day…" Jubilee yawned, trotting down the stairs and grabbing her bag. She tossed it to Wolverine, who carried it on over to stow in the back.

"Depends on if we can get the Cajun to get the lead out… I'm not a valet…" he muttered as he opened the front door to the jeep. "Hey today Remy!"

"Gambit's coming…" said Remy, continuing his smoke as he grabbed his bag still sitting where he'd left it. He leapt up into the front seat.

"Move yer butt Cajun… the kid's riding shotgun… she's the only one I trust not to get us lost…" Wolverine barked.

"Get us lost? Remy's hurt at your accusation, mon ami!" Gambit joked as he placed a hand over his heart.

"Move it or lose it, I'm not in the mood for games," Wolverine grumbled as he shoved Gambit roughly out of the front seat. Laughing, Gambit leapt over the seats into the back, and Wolverine grabbed his bag to stow it.

"Where's the map, Wolvie?" Jubilee asked, leaping into the front seat. Wolverine closed the door for her, and crossed around to get up into the driver's side.

"Right here," he said, pulling it out from between the seats. "Either go through the big apple, or through PA… you pick…"

"When I wake up," she yawned.

"Got some coffee. That should help…" Wolverine nodded towards the cup holder midway down from the radio.

"Thanks!" she said, perking up. The engine fired into life when she grabbed her cup of joe, and realized it was fixed just the way she liked it when she took the first sip. A radio blared country western, and Gambit lay back in the rear seat, spreading his legs across it. Wind whistled through her hair when they hit the main road. She sipped her coffee, pleased that there was no quibble regarding her drinking it. Double sweet with 2 milk was how she took it every time.

"What's the first set of roads?" Wolverine asked her.

"Well we can go through Queens, or we can divert to PA…" said Jubilee. "South to the Mid island tunnel… and then thru the Lincoln…"

"What's the PA route?"

"Down through get this… Allentown… that Billy Joel song…"

"We'll check all options," said Wolverine. "Although goin' thru the Pocono's might not be so bad…"

"If we go through Harrisburg we don't have all the garbola from Baltimore…" Jubilee said.

"Sounds good to me," Wolverine agreed.

"You mentioned you were in the service in WWII?" Jubilee asked. They had reached south of NYC, and were heading into New Jersey south on the Turnpike.

"Pretty much as far as I can remember," Wolverine said as he squinted against the rising sun. Yellow, blue and green bands streaked the horizon, and already the gold was inflaming to hot white. Jubilee pulled down her pink shades against the encroaching dawn, and sighed at the warm rays beaming on her skin. Light activated her alertness.

"I fought alongside Captain America once, against the Red Skull," said Wolverine.

"No way!"

"When I had a mission to rescue a top secret French scientist…" Wolverine recounted.

"Wow talk about a weird past… mine's a major yawn compared to that," Jubilee chuckled. "No Red Skull in my story, Wolverine. More like the cheerleaders from heck…"

"No less of a problem, darlin'," Wolverine said, face becoming more serious. "Some skeletons in your closet, huh?"

"No kidding," Jubilee winced. "Back when I was in So Cal… before I was adopted out here by my parents now… back when my birth 'rents were alive… there was this one girl who really had it in for me. She kept calling me names n' stuff. Just cause I wouldn't hang out with her. She was major bad news…"

"How so? Was there something else she did?"

"Well it was kinda lame-o, cause she gave me the creeps. All she ever did was hang around her preppie friends, and they were all into that creepy scarey movie stuff… not the goth stuff which is cool, but really wierdo stuff like ghosts and ouija boards… and talking to dead people. And they were always trying to get me and my buddies to try n' sneak into R rated horror flicks. Well that was major stupid cause we all got into see Poltergeist III, and I was the one who got caught… I was grounded for a week. And then she started daring me and my friends to do even more weird stuff…"

"Sounds harmless to me, but go on," Wolverine said. "What sort of weird stuff?"

"Well this girl Misty, on the field trip to the San Diego zoo in sixth grade, she passed around something in a bottle, and said it was fun… and it was something grownups drank and everyone took a sip. When I sniffed it, the stuff tasted weird, and then I realized it was alcohol. Of course if my parents caught me sipping that they'd ground me for life…"

"As they should," Wolverine nodded.

"And I got really sick to my stomach. And Misty said if told anyone I'd be dead meat. I did tell the teacher cause I had to tell the nurse SOMETHING cause I was puking, and they ended up finding that she had a whole six pack of wine coolers stashed in her locker. Of course she was major league ticked off. And then I started getting these bogus notes in my locker… saying she was gonna get me unless I kept my mouth shut and said I'd hang with her or ELSE…"

"Twisted… anything ELSE?"

"Well that wasn't it… I ignored the notes n' stuff… I mean I figured heck it was just dorky kid junk. Immature and all. But when I mailed out invites to my 13th birthday party, I got some major weird phone calls from her, saying unless I invited her, she was gonna not be responsible for something bad happening to me. I laughed it off, but then I started getting dead bugs in my locker… and other stuff… and then… all of a sudden one day she wasn't in school…"

"One sick ticket. So she had her panties in a wad cause you wouldn't hang out with her, is that it?"

"I guess. I think its cause my parents were pretty rich and stuff. And that she wanted to get in with the 'in crowd'. Not like we were the major popular group. But I had a lot of friends… cause we often went shopping together, and had slumber parties. But the times Misty was around when we were younger, she'd always try to get us to try stupid stuff like slipping her parents booze into our drinks, or trying these diet pills cause they were 'cool…' and she always had some stupid idea that if she hung with us, she'd not be the girl everyone avoided…"

"And was she?"

"She was just creepy, and got everyone into trouble with her… except for her friends… and she'd just pop outta nowhere sometimes and ask me if I wanted to come cut class with her and go shopping or sneak into an R rated movie. Or go with her to the lake and meet boys. I was only 12 for crying out loud…"

"Most girls don't go boy crazy till 13 or 14…"

"I dunno what her deal was. Her parents were never around. She had some dad from England or something who was never in the picture, and her mom was always nowhere… people said that her mom did coke or something… and that her family was always in debt cause of that. I guess I didn't think much of it till lately…"

"Any reason?" Wolverine asked.

"Well, it's just that sometimes… well her dad was some kind of guy who experimented with fire and stuff. And a few times she snuck matches into the school, and I saw her trying to light something in the art room on fire, just as a joke cause she was ticked off that the art teacher gave her a C. I didn't think she'd do it…. But she did… luckily the sprinklers went off before we went up in flames…"

"Seriously screwed up…"

"My buddies then said her dad was obsessed with fire n stuff. And that sometimes they saw flames and fire in the back yard of her home. That one time he'd set fire to the house by mistake and almost got arrested. And then he skipped town and went back to England. So that's why her mom was doing coke… cause he left her…"

"Obsessed with fire?" Logan asked, frowning. "How so?"

"I dunno. It gives me the creeps thinking about it… and well…"

"Any reason you're thinking about this… be honest with me kid…"

"When we were in the woods, and that sound was going on, and stuff, it reminded me of something in the art room… before Misty lit that fire. I saw this mist… like smoke, but it wasn't coming from the fire. And when I tried to run away, it was like something gray out of the corner of my eye stopped me. I almost choked. And then the fire blazed and I just saw her there with this grin on her face, in front of the fire… and it's stupid…"

"Nothing's stupid," Wolverine said. "Did our fracas in the woods with that plasma charge remind you of this in some way?"

"I guess. But it makes no sense…" Jubilee shook her head, hugging herself and shivering. "Shortly after that… my parents were killed in a car wreck, and that's when I was being shipped all over the country like some piece of fruit…"

"I'm sorry kid," Logan said as she wiped at her eyes.

"It's so stupid that I'm thinking of it now… it makes no sense cause it was just smoke I saw from that plasma ball thing the other day… why would I think of some weirdo from So Cal?"

"Mind's a strange thing, darlin. There's some major weird going on in my head… my memories ain't always reliable… as you remember…" he said quietly as he reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "Ain't no logic why yer thinkin' of this. Maybe it was the smoke, or the fire, or some smell or instinct…"

"Or maybe it's what happened when I was rollerblading the last few days… when I felt something was following me. Cause whenever Misty popped up outta nowhere I always felt like I was being watched…" Jubilee trailed off. "And there was this weirdo mist… almost like I saw a face in it… it was…"

"Go on…"

"No it's stupid," Jubilee laughed. "Say, what are we talking about THIS for… you missed the exit…"

"Jubes…" Wolverine said with caution. "This conversation ain't over. When we get to DC, you and I are gonna have a little talk… and you'll spill…"


Fire and smoke. Smoke with a face. Watching every move, knowing where she'd be. There was no place she could hide. Ball lightening and mist… along the back roads. The wheels of her rollerblades purred and slashed at air. Purple haze blared in her ears. There was only so much the Walkman could drown out….

Jubilee blinked, almost falling off the car seat as she jolted awake. She sat up and saw the spires of Washington DC whirring by, and Wolverine's muffled curse as an SUV cut them off in traffic.

"Easy mon ami, they just be sayin' hello…" Gambit said from the passenger's seat.

"If you hadn't suggested that SHORT cut onto the BELTWAY…" Wolverine snarled at him.

"Guys, we're there?" Jubilee asked.

"Sleeping beauty's awake?" Gambit said as he turned his head and glanced at Jubilee. Her eyes were puffy and red, and she seemed to have gone pale.

"You okay kid?" Wolverine asked. His nostrils flared, and he could swear that he smelled fear in her. That same unnatural fear that she had exuded when she told them about rollerblading and someone cutting her off.

"Yeah, just this rotten traffic…" she laughed. "You sure we're in one piece?"

"Gambit won't lead us astray… though Wolverine say otherwise," Gambit huffed towards Wolverine.

"Yeah, yeah yeah… then why's the hotel THAT way?" Wolverine grumbled as he tossed his head in the other direction.

"I see the sign for the Hilton that exit guys…" Jubilee pointed.

"I told you so," Wolverine smirked at Gambit. Fortunately the country western song blared out over Gambit's next epithet as Wolverine pulled off and then turned around on the Beltway to get to their destination.

A half-hour later, they pulled up to the awning of the Hilton hotel, downtown. Jubilee could see the Capitol building off in the distance, and the Washington monument hidden behind trees and other buildings. Wolverine tossed his keys to the red suited valet that stepped out, and Gambit leapt out first. Jubilee blinked and saw gambit's hand held out to her.

"Need a hand, petit…" he asked. She nodded and grasped Remy's hand, leaping down on the circular pavement. Wolverine leapt out and ran around to the back, reaching in to take out the bags.

"I think they're supposed to do that," Jubilee pointed as the bellhops tried to dodge in and grab the backs.

"Beat it bub, I got it covered," Wolverine grumbled as he batted off the guy's hand.

"But sir… surely we can assist…"

"I'm not in the mood to argue, okay?" Wolverine sighed as Jubilee rushed over.

"Just let them take the bags, mon ami," Gambit chuckled as he rested his hands on his hips. "Don't be too cheap… this is business…"

"Fine, then YOU tip them," Logan rolled his eyes as he grabbed his bag and Jubilee's and walked quickly in the direction of the hotel. He kicked Gambit's bags towards the men and Jubilee hurried after him, shaking her head.

"You didn't have to snarl at them, Wolvie," Jubilee whispered.

"I don't like strangers touching my stuff," Wolverine answered.

"Oh," Jubilee said, pressing her lips together and shrugging in Remy's direction. The Cajun was apologizing to the flustered bellhop rapidly when they entered the large lobby. Small birds hopped from branch to branch in a small cage just ahead. Large palm plants and weeping Benjamin figs soared to nearly ten feet on either side of the wide marble pathway. Squares of red carpet were interspersed in a pattern that looked like the plaid on Logan's flannel shirt.

They approached the front desk, mahogany paneled with a brass trimmed edge. A maroon-coated man with close cut hair glided up and glanced down at them. "Can I help you?"

"We've got a reservation," Logan said as he held his bags.

"Allow me," Remy said as he glided up and moved in front of Logan.

"Knock yourself out," Wolverine shrugged. Jubilee folded her arms across her chest and watched as Gambit leaned on the counter.

"We're all together, Monsieur," Gambit said. "Reservation under LeBeau… two connecting rooms…"

"Of course sir…" he said as Gambit flashed his credit card, and the rustle of papers on the counter began. Both Jubilee and Logan waited as Gambit settled the reservations. She watched the silver capped toe of Wolverine's boot tapping as he folded arms across his chest and leaned with his back to the wall.

"Take a chill pill, Wolvester," she whispered to him. "So what if he's bein' mister diplomat?"

"Drawing way too much attention to us, that's what," Wolverine whispered. "Stupid idiot's gonna get us all in a heap of trouble…"

"They're paying more attention to HIM then us, so why worry?" Jubilee whispered back.

"Hmm, you gotta point, Jubes," Wolverine said as he stroked his sideburns. "So, Gumbo, we ready or what?"

"All set," Gambit said triumphantly as he turned from the desk. He held up a small paper envelope, and Jubilee saw the brass key tucked into it.

"A wet bar?" she laughed. "Jeez this place is upper crust posh…"

"Figures," Logan chuckled as he grabbed one of the keys from Remy. "Now let's get settled in already. I need a brew after THAT joyride…"

"Right this way, gentleman, lady," the bellhop said as Remy showed him the room number. Jubilee and Wolverine fell in behind him, the latter carrying her and his gear still.

"Stubborn as ever," she chuckled to herself when he waved off the other bellhop, who was trying to take the bags and put them on a golden framed cart. Logan finally gave in, and tossed both down. But his blue eyes were boring holes in the sweating bellhop's head all the way into the elevator, and up to the tenth floor.

When they tromped down the purple carpeted halls, they stopped at room 1010. A click of the slotted plastic card and the door opened into the room. "A double as you requested… with a door interconnecting with 1008…"

"Thanks," Wolverine said curly as he grabbed his bag and jubilee's, and walked inside. Gambit fished out his wallet from his front pocket and Jubilee saw the flash of a gold moneyclip. He peeled a ten out of the wad of cash and handed it to the man.

"All the comforts of home, mes ami," Gambit gestured with one arm as he entered. The door shut, and Wolverine paced the room warily, his nostrils flaring and head cocked for any sound.

"Let's just dump the luggage and get going with the plan," Wolverine said quietly.

"The petit can have her own room next door even," he said as he motioned her to the door on the side of the large suite. There were two double beds, and a large entertainment center opposite. A table and four chairs were by the tall window covered in long curtains. Another door lead to the bathroom.

"Here's a single here," Gambit said as he opened the door to the next room and Jubilee saw a queen sized bed and a room half the size of theirs.

"Way cool," she nodded, carrying her bags in and tossing them there. "Now THIS is style…"

"Cut the chitchat and let's figure out the game plan, people," Wolverine interrupted.

"So what's Remy to do while you play soldier? Watch the petit…"

"Oh no, you're NOT pulling THAT…"

"Easy kid," Wolverine said. "That's not what I had in mind…"

"Maybe take her sightseeing, while Gambit noses around…"

"Got other plans actually," Wolverine interrupted, with a mysterious smile on his face. "Gather round…"


Smoke curled up and hung in the room. Jubilee turned her nose up at the smell of Gambit's cigarette mingling with Wolverine's cigar that was resting in the ashtray. They all sat around the table, with their communicators and a small map of the Capitol building.

The image of Cyclops flickered on the tiny screen. Jubilee's boom box echoed a Ramones song from the adjoining room, while the television blared the local news. Masking noise, jubilee nodded.

"So Cyke, we're here, what's the plan from your angle? You heard my take on it," Wolverine said.

"Gambit and Jubilee are your cover story… they'll stay out while…"

"Actually I figure the kid can tag along with me while I check out the files for any dirt," Wolverine interrupted. "She's got the ID Beast and Gambit fixed up… and the Cajun here can hang back and snoop around outside the security…"

"Are you sure that…"

"Jubes'll be safer with me," said Wolverine. "And she'll be a good decoy should someone catch us in the act…"

"Sure thing," Jubilee nodded.

"And Gambit's a rear guard just in case," Wolverine said.

"Gambit will ignore the insults and call on some of his contacts through the locals… see what can be rustled up… to the surface…"

"Good. Go into action and keep in touch… Cyclops out… Good luck!" he said before his image faded and clicked off.

"Will do…" they answered.

"You sure about this?" Gambit asked, flicking ash off his cigarette before inserting it in his lips and inhaling a drag. "Petit might like to see Remy in action… she'd be just as safe wit…"

"And wonder off while you're schmoozing with some skirt?" Wolverine shook his head. "No thanks Gumbo…"

"I'm sure we'd be okay," Jubilee said.

"Sorry kid, he can handle himself. I need ya to watch my back inside…"

"Won't I get in the way?" she asked, sarcastically.

"Nope. You'll be a lookout… and backup, of course," wolverine said as he stubbed out his cigar.

"Awesome, thanks," said Jubilee. "Um, what's the cover story?"

"Simple. You're my niece, and I'm taking you for an impromptu tour of the Capitol building. While the tour group walks around, Gambit's gonna join them. You and I will have a private walk through. My buddy Mastodon's got an inside lead… he used to work for Department H, but he's in international offices as a US citizen… and he has clearance to get me into the system…"

"So you're going to use your WWII vet status?" Jubilee asked. "Aren't you kinda YOUNG to be a vet?"

"Not for 'Nam," said Wolverine. "I've got years of practice. And an airtight story… Gumbo here isn't the ONLY one capable of switching identities…"

"Remy will pretend he didn't' hear that… who made Petit's ID?"

"Beast did," Wolverine said. "Here ya go… all of us…"

"I'm Remy again," he chuckled.

"Remy LaRhue? Now THAT's really secret," Jubilee made a face. "And I guess I have the same last name as you cause it's that uncle niece thing…"

"Only family members can be let in… and since yer too young to be Cajun's girlfriend, I figured ya wouldn't mind…" he shrugged.

"Hey it's cool," Jubilee grinned. "Sounds better than Julie LaRhue…"

"Or Julie Patch?" asked Gambit.

"Verry funny," Logan raised an eyebrow. "This ain't Madripoor bub…"


Three people got off the bus to the Capitol building, and walked up the stairs with the clot of tourists and suited people. Back a few paces walked the man in the long brown raincoat. His white suit coat underneath was unbuttoned to show the maroon shirt with the neck unbuttoned. Remy's street clothes were topped off with the black pants and black shoes. His hair was gathered in a long brown ponytail that reached his mid back.

A Canadian air force captain walked alongside a girl in a dark purple dress and low strappy sandals. Her long black coat was velvet, and protected her from the slightly chilly air. Black hair was pinned up into a twist, and she struggled to keep the ends from creeping out. Wolverine's hair was slicked back and hidden under his officer's hat. Jubilee had her arm slipped through his bent elbow, and they entered together.

"Security this way," they were directed by an M.P. He saluted to Logan, who saluted back. Remy slipped away from them, and picked up a brochure. He blended into the line of tourists lining up at the other checkpoint.

"Haven't seen your division down here for a while… retired?" he asked.

"Yep," Wolverine said quietly as he presented his military ID. Jubilee handed her dependent ID that she fished out of her purse.

"The young lady…"

"She's my niece," said Logan quickly. "I'm taking her for a little private tour. We're supposed to meet Major Murphy…"

"I'll page him for you," said the MP from behind the desk. "May I ask the lady to hand me her purse… and step this way…"

"Okay," she nodded as Logan released her hand. She handed the small black leather handbag to him, and the M.P. to the left of the large archway began to sort through it. She stepped through the archway, and was relieved when there was no beep.

"Thank you. Now you sir…"

Gambit chuckled as he watched. Jubilee wondered just how in the heck he was going to get through THIS without setting off the metal detector when he handed the guy another card in his wallet.

"Oh… yes I see…" he nodded, and Logan walked through. The shrilling beep made Jubilee grit her teeth, but the wand waved over his leg caused the MP to look carefully at the card.

"Hip replacement, and wrist… pretty major hardware," the man whispered. "All right, just wait over here, and your escort will be here…"

"Thanks," he nodded, saluting as he stood near Jubilee. She exhaled, not realizing she'd been holding her breath.

"How did you…"

"Medical waver card," he whispered. "Never leave home without it… considering there's six million bucks worth of hardware…"

"Nice," Jubilee nodded. "So what's he doing…"

"He's having fun playing Joe tourist," Wolverine whispered. "Relax darlin, you're making ME nervous… be alert, look sharp, but don't show any fear… it will be okay…"

"Captain Logan, good to see you," said a tall army major in green 8niform. His hair protruding from his temples was gray and black, and he had a familiar twinkle in his eyes as the sight of them.

"Major Murray, good to see ya again," he said as he shook the man's hand vigorously. "This here's Julie…"

"Hi," she said.

"So, you ready?" he asked. "Come right this way… we have a lot to see…"

Jubilee felt Wolverine take her arm, and slide it through his elbow, as if to reassure her to stick by him. It seemed a good cover story, and she felt less nervous with his arm steadying her. She still had a slight limp from that blasted attack in the woods yesterday, and her head was spinning with anxiety. How did Logan know that this Murray guy was going to be reliable?

"This is too easy," Jubilee told herself as they walked through the maze of corridors, off to one side of the rotunda. Logan and Murray were talking in hushed voices as he guided them along. Yet Jubilee couldn't hear what they were talking about.