Chapter 10
Gambit thought about just going in and talking to the Morlocks. Maybe acting dumb. Saying he had been out of town. They might just slip up when talking to him. Or he could act like he left the X-Men because of Scott. They already knew there had been words between them.
But he opted for being invisible. It was so much more challenging to a master thief like himself to steal knowledge right from under their noses. He entered the underground tunnels through the one entrance he knew to be the least guarded and stole towards the main area keeping to the shadows. Playing it by ear, he planned on ease-dropping. Since this attack just happened, the hot topic of the day should be about Scott's plane going down. If he struck out he knew he would have to come up with a Plan B.
He heard voices coming from down the tunnel a ways and stopped. He knew they were still far, but he could understand their conversation. He held his breath so that he could catch every word that was said.
The conversation stopped without a hint of the answer he was looking for. He thought to himself, 'Ya knew dat ya won't get what ya wanted on your first try, Remy. If ya did, lookit all da fun ya'd miss out on.' He continued moving stealthily through the tunnel, peering around each bend and carefully crossing intersections. He froze. Although there wasn't any conversation going on, he heard the soft rustle of people moving about. He looked up hoping for a possible route above to get safely closer. But nothing was available. He removed his large duster and stuffed it aside, then crouched very low. There were still some shadows that he could make use of. On all fours, he crept to the edge of the roomy opening.
'Paydirt!' He found Calipso. Now if he could only stay undetected until something was revealed. There was another woman with her, but no one was talking. He didn't want to peer around the bend any more than he already had. He didn't need to be seen. He just sat there and waited. They moved around occasionally but didn't speak. Either the attack was so hush-hush that they didn't talk about it among themselves or they didn't do it.
When his legs started to cramp up from the squatting position, he opted to move away from the uncooperative Morlocks. 'Strike two, Remy.' Two strides back he gathered up his coat and found another passage to explore.
He followed it for maybe a quarter of a mile before he heard anything again. This time it was soft footsteps. Very soft footsteps. Luck would have it, he had just passed a small cubby hole and he stole into it. There he waited for whatever mutant would be unlucky enough to pass by.
With the stealth of a cat, he snagged the hapless Morlock, covering his mouth. "Well, well, Leech. You be just da person Remy lookin' for. I have a question to ask you."
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Her trance was broken when Beast yelled, "Jubilee, get the backboard over here NOW!" He ran to Scott's bedside throwing the covers and pillows off the bed. He rolled him onto his side and commanded, "Place it under him. Yeah, like that." When Cyclops was laying flat on the board, Hank punched a button on a complicated looking machine sitting next to the bed. As the beeping increased in tempo, McCoy started CPR compressions. Without looking up he yelled, "Call Jean."
The beeping became one solid wail and the blue figure grabbed two paddles, slathered them with ointment then placed them strategically on Scott's chest. Jubilee screamed when his body shot off the bed at the electrical jolt. "I said, 'CALL JEAN!'" Hank bellowed to the unmoving girl.
Jubilee jumped at the command and ran to the intercom.
With the alarm still blaring, the wailing still continuous, Jubilee felt claustrophobic. The door behind her blew open and Jean ran in. She hesitated but a moment to assess the situation, then ran to the medicine cabinet. Fumbling for a vial, she jabbed in the syringe and withdrew a substantial amount of fluid.
"Stand back, Beast." She plunged the needle into her husband's chest, then standing back, waited as McCoy shocked the patient again. She looked up to Hank, then back to Scott. Waiting. Waiting.
McCoy held the paddles in ready, the unit having already recharged, when the alarm switched to the familiar regular rhythm of a heartbeat. Tension in the room vaporized like water droplets sprinkled on a frying pan.
"What happened?" Jean asked.
"I don't know. I was working in my lab when the alarm sounded. I came out here and Jubilee was already with him. Maybe she knows."
They turned to the white faced girl. "Nothing. I didn't do anything. I was just visiting him when the alarms scared the shit outa me. I didn't do anything. Honest."
"It's ok, Jubilee. I'm not saying you did anything. I was just wondering if something triggered his heart to stop." Turning to Hank, Jean continued, "I think I'll stay here the rest of the night if it's ok with you."
"I don't have a problem. I still have more work to do in my lab. I think it would be wise to have someone here with him at all times."
The red-haired beauty looked at Jubilee, "What were you doing here?"
"I couldn't sleep. I just felt like visiting. I'm so worried about him. He didn't seem that bad immediately after the crash and I've just watched him go downhill from there."
"If you still can't sleep, why not keep me company and tell me all about it?"
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"What you want with Leech?" asked the half pint green mutant.
"Relax, Petite. Gambit just needs to talk to you."
He set the diminutive person down. "Calipso. She have the hots for Cyclops, non?"
"I don't know. Leech like Cyclops. He was good to me."
"Ah, mon ami. Remy need to know how Calipso feel 'bout him."
"Why?"
"Gambit has his reasons." He lifted one eyebrow and a small smile cracked his face.
"Oh Leech understand. Cyclops he out of picture."
"Really. Why you say dat?"
"He belongs to the other mutant."
"Dat's it?"
Leech nodded.
"T'ink you could bring Remy to Calipso?"
He brightened up, "Sure. Leech know where she is. Come this way."
The duo retraced Remy's last steps and they entered the room he had spied on just moments ago. Calipso looked surprised, "X-Man?"
"Remy LeBeau at your service."
She nodded to Leech and he disappeared.
"And just what service are you talking about, Mr. LeBeau?"
"You were interested in Cyclops, non?"
"And what business is that of yours?"
"Well, Gambit may be able to help you where Cyclops couldn't."
"Really Mr. LeBeau?"
"Call me Remy." A glint entered his eyes, and the corner of his mouth turned up. "But I must know if you still interested in Cyclops."
Calipso let out with a purr. "Remy is it? Well what do you have to offer?" She slithered up along side him, her hand snaking down his back.
"Why don't you let Gambit show you, Chere," he said as he slid off his coat.
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Charles looked at the pouty teen, "Jubilee, I really do need you to come with me out to New Mexico."
"But why? You'll be with one of the other X-Men. Someone has to fly you out there."
"You know exactly where it occurred. The only way we are going to find out what really happened."
"I'd rather stay here with Scott."