*Chapter 15*
~Farewell to Paris~
Bobby wasn't quite sure how long they had been imprisoned by the Assassins. There was no light of any kind by which to judge the time in their dark dungeon. But that didn't matter to Bobby for every second was an eternity to him. Every moment he was chained to the moss covered wall of his cell, was a moment he could have spent pulling pranks, talking with pretty girls, or being with the object of his affections, Kitty. And once the time had passed, it was gone forever, never to be recovered and used properly. If only he could freeze his chain, he could break them and escape but the cursed chains were protected by a spell, which made any escape impossible. For perhaps the thousandth time he ran through a lengthy list of curses, mentally berating just about everything and anything he could think of. And it still didn't make him feel any better about the situation.
A distant crash caused Bobby to pause his litany of oaths. What was going on now? There were a few more crashes coming from the levels above and what sounded like a great deal of shouting. Iceman sat silent and tense waiting to see what fate would befall them this time. If he really strained his ears, he thought he could hear clangs of metal-on-metal contact. Who was fighting whom up there? Before his wild imagination could think up too many fantastical possibilities he heard a click and felt his chains fall away. Bobby rubbed his numb, chafed wrists and turned to see his angel crouched beside him.
"Kitty!" Iceman exclaimed joyously before embracing her.
"Bobby be quiet and get off me!" She hissed. "Do you want me to get you out of here or not?"
"Sorry, sorry." He hurriedly apologized reluctantly releasing her from his grip.
"Thank you, now come on." She commanded. Kitty grabbed him roughly by the wrist, dragged him through his cell door, and left him standing dazed in the passageway as she entered Logan's cell to free him. After they all were freed, Gambit included, they followed Kitty's lead through a maze of hallways and corridors until they were free of the Assassins' building altogether. Once outside and several streets away they all paused to catch their breaths.
"You came for us!" Bobby exclaimed between gasps.
"Of course we did, why wouldn't we?" Kitty replied sounding rather insulted.
"Thank you so much!" He cried and hugged her again.
"Bobby I told you to get off once already, don't make me say it again." Kitty growled. He hesitantly let go.
"This your girlfriend?" Remy asked Bobby curiously.
"No I am not." Kitty snapped before Bobby could reply.
"Really?" Gambit replied not sounding the least bit convinced.
"Kitty where are Jean and Piotr?" Logan demanded forestalling the girl's imminent explosive denial.
"They're finishing up with those Assassin people. They'll meet us at the Black Fox when they're done." She explained.
"Two people against the whole Assassin's Guild! That be suicide!" Remy exclaimed incredulously.
"They aren't any ordinary 'two people'; they can handle themselves just fine. We're going to have to leave in a hurry once they get back so let's get packing." Logan firmly decided. Bobby and Kitty quickly followed the feral man's lead leaving Remy trailing behind looking somewhat stunned. What have I gotten myself into now?
***
Kitty saddled Phantom in preparation for their imminent departure all the while thinking up creative ways to maim that damned French thief. How dare he assume that I am Bobby's girlfriend! She thought angrily. He's either blind and deaf or out to annoy me. Kitty decided. For his sake, I hope he's blind and deaf. Because if he's out to annoy me then he's just asking for me to hurt him! She tightened the girth of the saddle and began to attach her bags with jerky angry movements. Phantom turned her head and gently nudged Kitty's shoulder with her nose. When her mistress failed to respond Phantom repeated the action with a bit more force.
"What?" She snapped. The mare flinched away at the loud sound twisting her sensitive ears back. Kitty relaxed and stroked the horse's neck in silent apology for her outburst. Phantom accepted the unspoken apology by lightly nibbling Kitty's travel cloak. The mare's dark brown eyes held a question. 'Why are you so upset?' they seemed to ask.
"So you want to know why I'm upset, do you?" She sighed. Phantom looked at her mistress expectantly. "Alright, I'll tell you. I've been mistaken as Bobby's girlfriend again. Is everyone as blind to my feelings as he is?" She asked the horse who had no answer to give her even if she could speak. "Why doesn't that idiot give up? Every time he asks, I say no. That won't change yet he persists in asking." Kitty complained to the patient mare. Kitty would have said more but Logan entered the nearly deserted stable to saddle his horse.
"Talking to your horse again?" Logan asked already knowing the answer.
"Yes, is there anything wrong with that?" She asked.
"No, not at all." Logan replied. "What were you discussing?" Logan asked curiously.
"We weren't discussing anything. I was just complaining again." Kitty quietly admitted.
"About Bobby or Remy?" He asked.
"Both, and just about every one else too." She replied.
"Really? Am I included?" He wondered.
"No, you're one of the few who isn't." She answered.
"So what has 'just about every one' done to upset you?" Logan inquired.
"They assume that I'm Bobby's girlfriend." She growled.
"I see." Logan replied. For a while, the only sounds were that of the horses. Then Kitty thought of something.
"Logan, where is that Remy person?" She curiously asked.
"He went out to see if his Guild knows anything about the Destiny Scrolls." He answered.
"And you trust him to come back and tell us what he finds out?" She asked.
"No, of course not. I sent Bobby to follow him and make sure that he comes back." Logan replied.
"You sent Bobby? Isn't he the reason you were captured in the first place?" Kitty wondered.
"Yes he was but I don't think he'll mess up this time." Logan confidently answered.
"How can you be sure?" Kitty asked.
"Because if he does mess up he has to answer to me." Logan replied.
"Ah, I see." Kitty mumbled.
"Now would you do me a favor and help me get all these other horses ready to go?" Logan grumbled.
"Of course." Kitty replied moving on to saddle and load up Jean's mare.
"If Jean and Piotr get back before Bobby does we're going to wait for him at the East edge of the city. We don't want to get in any more trouble with these Assassins if we can help it." Logan growled.
"Right." Kitty agreed. As she finished with Jean's horse and moved to work on Bobby's horse she thought about Bobby keeping that thief in line. He'd better not mess this up or I just might help Logan out with him.
***
Remy resisted the urge to pick up a stone, charge it, and throw at that stupid English boy's head. He understood Logan's concern about getting the information he wanted, but why did he have to send this young fool? If he didn't stop complaining about his unfair separation from that girl soon Remy felt he might go mad.
"Bobby." Remy said at last.
"What?" Bobby moaned.
"Be quiet." Remy growled.
Bobby sighed but nodded. And five minutes later, he started to complain again. Before Remy could find a suitable stone to throw, they arrived outside of the Red Rooster, the meeting place he had set up with Henri. Thankfully, Henri was inside waiting for him.
"[Go to the stable.]" Henri tersely commanded and left before Remy could say a word. Remy did as he was told and found a single brown and white mottled horse waiting for him fully packed and saddled. Remy removed a note that was tied to the horse's reins and read it to see what his instructions were.
Remy,
In answer to your question concerning an item known as the Destiny Scrolls, no we do not have them and they are not anywhere in Paris. They may have passed through here but that cannot be confirmed nor can their location be determined. They may not even be in France. Go tell this to your new English 'friends'.
And due to your recent run-in with the Assassins, I must ask you to leave Paris for a while. You have really stirred them up this time and they are out for your head. Use this horse and these supplies well and come back in a year or two when things settle down again. Take care of yourself.
Jean-Luc
Remy sighed, so it seemed that his own mentor had had enough of him. Now he was temporarily exiled from Paris for a year or more. He untied the horse and led it from the stable with a complaining Bobby following close behind. Remy mounted the horse and studied the early evening sky for an answer to this new problem. It gave him no solutions.
"Get on already." Remy snapped to Bobby.
"Is this your horse?" Bobby asked.
"It is now. Get on and let's go." Remy grumbled.
"Why are you so grumpy?" Bobby wondered.
"Remy not having a good day today." Remy replied irritated by the English boy's silly questions. But it looks like I'm going to have to put up with this a whole lot more. If they want to get these scrolls, they just might have to steal them from some one else. And who better to steal something than a master thief?