(Five)

Remy found Aiden hard at work the next day. He was outside, hauling boxes. It was hot and the Siskan was covered in sweat. Just as he had when he sparred with Wolverine, Aiden was using his power to augment his strength and ease the burden of his labor. He was working hard and getting a lot done. Aiden enjoyed the strength of his body and it felt good to use it. He hadn't worked here long, but Remy had already heard that he had proven to be very valuable, he could load and unload faster than anyone else, often spending extended hours here working and earning extra credits. He was his and Babette's sole source of income, she was still in no condition to do more than float about their tiny apartment like a ghost. Henry had tried to help her, but she responded to nothing he tried.

Aiden smiled at Remy when he saw him approach and heaved the large box he was hauling up onto the loading platform. He wiped at the sweat dripping from his chin and greeted, " 'Allo, dere. What'sz up?"

"Gambit needs to talk to you."

Aiden looked him over with his usual teasing grin and appeared for all the world like he already knew why Gambit was there. He stuck his work gloves in his back pocket and whistled loudly to the shop boss. "Gonna take a break, ey?"

"You've been nuthin' but a pain in my ass all mornin'! Back in five!"

"Yeah, whatever, cockszucker," Aiden muttered under his breath and walked off, leaving Gambit a little surprised. All reports had indicated Aiden had a good relationship with his boss, clearly Aiden had had some kind of trouble this morning. Maybe this was a bad time. He hesitated for a moment, uncertain that what he was planning to do was wise.

/ Go on, don't be afraid, Shi'ow-ri whispered.

Gambit ain't scared.

/ Liar, she scolded. / Just talk to him. /

Talkin' to Aiden ain't no easy t'ing, chere. We both know dat.

Aiden looked back at him impatiently. "You comin' or what?"

Gambit sighed and followed the Siskan over to a shaded area near one of the planes being unloaded. Aiden took out a pack of cigarettes from a pocket in his shorts and lit one. He was shirtless and sweaty, his pale blue Mark glistening under the slick gel cooling his body. If it bothered him to be so damp, he gave no sign. It seemed he found the Arizona heat agreeable enough. He said nothing more, waiting for Gambit to begin. Remy dove in by saying, "You seen Kimble around lately?"

"Nope. 'E make it clear 'e all done wit Aiden now. Got 'isz assz fucked, time to move on, him."

Remy shuddered, not knowing if Aiden's crudeness was an attempt at humor or a sign of bitterness. "You gave up jus' like dat?"

Aiden shrugged. "Aiden don't go where 'e ain't invited, me. When Keemble done bein' all miszerable an' come down offa dat high 'n mighty 'orsze he be ridin', 'e come szee Aiden, come get what 'e be misszin'."

"Kimble don' work like dat, cher."

"Too bad for 'im den. Aiden don' szuck up to nobody, me," Aiden snorted. He was putting up an air of indifference, but it was a lie. The truth was he had been just as miserable as Kimble was.

Gambit could see that even without the ability to read shines. Still, he didn't like Aiden's surly attitude any better than Kimble's pathetic quitting. He couldn't believe the tension here. This should have been a no brainer. It was obvious these two had shared something important and special that had been aborted far too early. Why did Siskans have to make the simplest things so difficult?

"Go see 'im, Aiden. De boy is self destructin'. 'Is 'eart is breakin'."

Aiden looked across at him and Remy saw it then. A sudden deep swirling of black and grey ripped through Aiden's shine at his words. It betrayed the vast depth of Aiden's pain, revealing an anguish that might even be unrecoverable. What was this, Remy wondered. This was no simple case of misdirected signals and stupid lover's angst. / He's hurting badly, Shi'ow-ri whispered again. / His soul is bleeding. /

Aiden couldn't hear her himself so he replied softly, his voice trembling as he revealed his anguish. "Aiden go an szee Keemble, yesz. All 'e got for 'isz trouble wasz a szlap in ze facze. You worry about Keemble's heart? Phtt! What good isz a 'eart when it can be szmashed to duszt like glassz, eh? Like it ain't even real."

Remy cooled a bit, concerned. "Yo' 'eart is real, just like Kim's. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be 'ere wit yo' shine all ripped up an' 'urtin'. You an' Kimble bot'. You fight so 'ard over nuthin'."

Aiden looked away, inhaling deeply on his cigarette as if it could heal him in some way. "Disz all you come 'ere to szay? You waszte your time," he said trying to sound so brave and cool, regardless of what his shine said otherwise.

"So you just givin' up, just like dat?"

Aiden shrugged. "Dependsz on your definition of givin' up. Aiden doesz not leave. 'E 'ave o'der reasonsz to sztay."

Gambit cocked his head at that. He hadn't even considered the idea that Aiden would take off again after Kimble had rejected him so hard. It made a kind of sense, Aiden didn't have that much going for him here except for some level of security and protection. Aiden's leaving, it was something he didn't want to see happen. A little bumpiness in here was nothing compared to the chaos and cruelty that he might find out there. Besides, Babette was in no condition to go anywhere. "It's good you stickin' around. It ain't safe for you out dere. Got Babette to look after. Alla you Siskans need each other, whether y'all want to admit it or not. You was stronger as a group dan you was apart. P'etere in time, Kimble will come around, p'etetre you will, too."

Aiden looked at him, trying to read him. "Aiden isz fine."

"Aiden still 'as nightmares. Yo' door guard tells me you scream sometimes, makin' a racket. Dat 'asn't stopped since you come 'ere."

Aiden turned away and sniffed with an indifferent shrug. "Aiden been dreamin', szo what? 'E alwaysz doesz. Szometimesz 'e see t'ingsz. It ain't no big deal."

"It's a big deal when dey scare you like dat. Folks don't dream like dat when it all fun and games. What you seein', fils?" Remy asked, although he already had a pretty good idea. He remembered long ago the paintings he had seen at Trishnar's. Aiden had used watercolors to unload his tortured dreams and Remy had looked them over. He saw Aiden's visions of an ugly destructive war where it was hard to tell who was the victor, the world shown there was so badly ravaged it was impossible to believe it could sustain life, mutant or otherwise.

Aiden confirmed Remy's suspicions by saying, "A war. A really bad war. All ze anjelsz Jael take, zey a bad machine now. It gonna be uszed to kill ze whole world."

"You talk about dis wit anyone? We could 'elp you."

Typical of his anger and one track mind, Aiden responded, "Keemble don' want to 'elp no one! 'E only t'ink 'bout 'imszelf!"

Remy was quick to note that Aiden had thought of only one person in that regard, he wanted Kimble's attention and comfort and no one else's. Remy also knew Kimble well enough to know the Dreamer's pain was misplaced, Kimble would bend over backwards for Aiden if it came down to it and they both knew it. This wasn't really what Aiden was angry about. "Dere's others 'ere besides Kimble who can 'elp you, cher."

Aiden snorted. "Oh? Zat Chuckfet bitch from ze 'olding cell? No t'anksz. She good enough to find Aiden work, but no Chuckfet gonna undersztand anyt'ing to do wit Sziszkansz. Even one szuch asz you undersztands not'ing. Aiden can take care of 'imszelf."

Remy cringed inwardly, angry at hearing someone talk about Karen that way. She wasn't always on his side, true, but she had always tried to be fair. "She tries more dan some. She's only ever had Kimble's best interests in mind."

"Oh? Like taking 'isz Anjel away? Pleasze!"

Clearly Aiden had gotten only one side of that story, it must have been Kimble who told him. Still, maybe this was something he could use. "If you so sure about Kimble's troubles, so sure dat all of dis ain't 'is fault, why you bein' so 'ard on 'im instead of tryin' to 'elp 'im?"

Aiden's response to the question was a surge of hot temper and a shine full of insult. "Keemble ze one bein' 'ard! Aiden try! Get kicked in ze facze for 'isz trouble. Fuck you!"

/ That went well, Shi'ow-ri chirped again. She was as quick to criticize as she was to help.

Paisible, chere. Gambit's tryin' to t'ink!

/ Think harder, Remy. Attacking him is not the way to get from him what you want. Work him. What happened to your people skills? Charm him, steal those answers he wants to give you. He wants to tell you something, can't you see it? He's waiting for the right question. /

Gambit swore softly in irritation and lowered his tone, sick of Aiden's bullshit but remaining on the job. He tried steering away from Kimble and back to the unresolved issue. "You say anyt'ing 'bout yo' dreams to Logan? 'E 'ead of security, 'e could use yo' 'elp. If you t'ink we got a problem 'ere wit Jael you gotta tell us and stop screwin' around."

"Logan worried more about who Aiden'sz gonna fuck zan what 'e szay 'bout no war," the Dreamer snarled. This line of questioning hurt him deeply, raising old wounds at being rejected by the Head of Security. "Mebbe all 'e wish isz for all ze Sziszkansz to be gone."

Remy blinked in surprise at the turn in reasoning. "Ne jamais, cher. Never. Logan wouldn't ever t'ink like dat."

Aiden regarded him with green eyes filled with anger and pain, his shine a deeper black than before. "You szilly Chuckfet. Like all ze od'ers, you only szee what you want. What it isz dat makesz you 'appy. You don' want to szee zat your Wolv'rine juszt asz ugly asz all ze reszt dat ever 'urt usz. Of coursze 'e wantsz ze Sziszkansz gone, if 'e did not 'e would've listened to what Aiden have to szay. All we do isz make 'im gnash isz teet' wit' rage. No attempt to undersztand, 'e 'isz too much ze animal, ze alpha male. Aiden szeen szo many like 'im, it not even wort' ze breath it take to talk. If all ze Szizkansz gone, 'e don't 'ave to t'ink 'bout szex or any od'er way of life beszidesz 'isz own. All of 'isz preciousz Chuckfet rulesz be szafe!"

"You bein' awful 'ard, buddy. Logan's done nuthin' but try to help you. 'E give you guards to look after you, see you safe -" Remy broke off as the Dreamer shut off before he could finish, the Siskan had reached his limit.

Aiden was finished with hearing bullshit excuses that meant nothing to him. Guards? Having Logan's spies watching him day and night was a favor? It was an insult beyond his ability to bear. Coupled with all of his pain over Kimble's rejection and just the simple aggravation of having to be here, Aiden was no longer in the mood to continue a negotiation that was going nowhere. He flicked his cigarette off into the desert and stomped off, going back to work. He didn't get two paces before Remy spun him around. The thief was upset that his explanations were being so ignored, he hadn't wanted the conversation to end this way. Aiden could care less, he met Gambit with his fists and he sent Remy to the ground with a crushing blow to the face.

/ Chuckfet! Came an angry vibration, sharp and painful from Aiden. It had come at Remy during the moment of impact, hurting worse than the blow itself. / You of ze flesh! Alwaysz t'inkin' you know what Aiden needsz, what 'e wantsz. Fuck you! No Chuckfet to rule me, not now! Not ever!

Remy groaned, his face throbbing in agony. It had been a long while since he had received a blow like that. He had been spun around violently and was now flat on his back. How embarrassing. Aiden's vibrations of hate and resentment left a bitter taste in his mouth, causing his stomach to clench and threaten to relieve him of his lunch.

Aiden stood over Remy now as he reeled from the blow, blocking the sun overhead. His hands were still clenched, his voice a bitter snarl as he hissed, "Your preciousz Wolv'rine don' t'ink Aiden good enough to szpeak wit no more, eh? Not good enough, can't be truszted. Aiden no good for not'ing! No good for nobody! No trusztin', no fuckin', no luvin'! No good for not'ing, what a piecze of wort'less shit 'e isz, me! Why not jusz prove 'em right, eh? 'Ave a nize day, Cajun!" Aiden growled and left him.

/ Go after him! Shi'ow-ri ordered, oblivious to Gambit's suffering. / Don't let him get away!

Absolument, chere. I'll get right on it, Remy wheezed sarcastically, uncertain he could even stand. He groaned again and rolled to his hands and knees, thankful that his leg wasn't complaining about the mistreatment. He hadn't expected the violence and bitterness that had come from Aiden like that. He couldn't quite stand just yet so he stayed as he was, feeling fresh blood start to drip from his nose. His eye was the target but the blow had been solid enough to make him bleed. He was dazed, still a little out of it, but raised his head enough to see that Aiden had stopped walking away from him, his hands on his hips. Wolverine was at the loading bay door with a couple of his guys, one of them was Max. Logan had seen everything and was obviously pissed about it.

"What's goin' on, ladies? Lovers' spat?" Wolverine joked humorlessly. His eyes were on Remy's rapidly swelling face. "We just finished this dance, you and me," he said to Aiden.

Aiden was silent, but he wouldn't lower his eyes.

"Dis nuthin', Wolvie. Just a misunderstandin', is all. Let it go, s'il vous plait," Remy wheezed as he tried to regain his composure. "Fo'get it, patron."

"Nope. This don't look like nuthin' ta me. Maybe you didn't hear me the first time, Z. We got rules here. That kinda fightin' ain't gonna go around here. Understand?"

Aiden did not reply but took a step forward, attempting to blow him off and return to work. Wolverine stepped in his way. "We got an understandin' or not, boy?"

Aiden stood up to him, his chin high and eyes defiant. "Kissz my assz, fucker!"

"You first, darlin'."

Aiden swung at him, ready to give him a taste of what Remy got. Logan was ready for him. He ducked quickly and reached under his jacket, coming up with a Taser he'd had hidden from view in the back of his pants. He gave Aiden a nice big shot of juice and the Siskan shrieked loudly in stunned surprise as he crumpled to the ground. He convulsed a couple of times, grasping at his belly where he had been shocked. His skin flickered wildly, changing from the male to the female and then back again a few times before he finally lay still. Clearly Logan knew of the Siskans' weakness to electricity and put that knowledge to good use. He had taken Aiden down quickly with no injuries to anyone else.

"What you doin!" Remy howled in outraged indignation, finally finding his feet. He couldn't believe what he just saw happen.

Wolverine said nothing but reached down to haul Aiden's body up and over his shoulder. He turned and carried the Siskan off like he was nothing.

Gambit started to follow, shouting indignant curses, but Max intercepted him. "The Professor wants to see you. Now."

(break)

Remy waited outside of the Charles' office, stewing in his frustration. Something was going on behind his back, he just knew it. He sat for a long time, growing more and more impatient. He rose to leave, but was stopped by Wolverine who just arrived with a box under his arm. "This way, Cajun."

They went into a meeting room next door to the office. The Professor was there, setting up some video equipment. Remy was irritated, why had he been made to wait out in the hall?

"Easy, Remy. Here, have some coffee," Logan grumbled and handed him a cup from a coffee cart that had been set up nearby. "Had some of my boys go with Kennedy to check out Trishnar's place. They dug around in the rubble and found this. Think yer gonna find it interestin'. I did."

Logan had dispatched the job down to Kennedy days ago. Kennedy was one of Xavier's few human contacts and a fine investigator. Kennedy and a team of his guys had gone down to New Orleans to check out Aiden's story. There the team had gone through the rubble of Trishnar's estate as well as public records and police reports. The fruits of that labor had been sent here back to Wolverine for his perusal. He had gone over what was sent and now it was time to share what he had learned.

Remy was less than patient. "What's goin' on, Wolvie? Why all de cloak an' dagger, eh?"

"Didn't want ta spoil the surprise."

Gambit looked across at the Professor in irritation.

Charles just shrugged. "This is the first time for me, too, Remy. We will be surprised together."

Logan had a small stack of DVDs commonly used in surveillance. He popped one into the player. It showed a two way split image from a security camera. One was a holding cell, the other was the space just outside the door where a guard sat on duty. At first both rooms were empty, but a moment later it showed Aiden being carried limp and lifeless into the holding cell by one of Trishnar's officers. He was beaten and bloody as if he had been in a fight. He was dressed only in his khaki shorts, covered in blood. It was red and not his own. The officer lay him down gently and covered him up before leaving.

Aiden wasn't out for long. He began to thrash and moan even before waking. He pawed out in front of him defensively and then snapped awake with a snarl, typical of most of the nightmares the X-men had seen while Aiden was here. Aiden looked around him and began to shout. There was no audio on the recording, they couldn't hear what he was saying. He got up and went to the door of the holding cell, becoming even more vocal and belligerent. The guard came to the door and stood there watching for a moment. He picked up an intercom phone and made a call on a nearby phone.

Aiden didn't like being ignored. He became even more violent, shaking his fists and screaming. His face was all rage and hate. It was ugly and horrible to watch him break down like this. He tensed, flinched, and tossed a volley of telekinetic spikes at the door. His skill with the spikes was not the same as Kimble who had been trained in accuracy and the size of his missiles. Aiden's were crude and not as well formed. It didn't make them any less deadly. He tossed more and more, making them bigger and bigger. It did no good, they just smashed uselessly against the barrier in place. The air became cloudy from the dust of the shattered spikes, but he didn't slow down, he just kept firing until he heard someone outside his door.

His Master had come. Trishnar came and stood in front of the cell, looking in on his enraged and deranged Siskan. He had a bandage over one hand and another over one side of his face. It was clear he had been attacked by Aiden for some reason he didn't seem to understand. He spoke but Aiden was well past the point of listening to anyone. He threw himself at the barrier between them, smashing himself against it over and over. He cut himself on the remnants of lodged spikes and blood began to pour down his sides, this time his own. Trishnar just stood resigned, his shaggy head down.

Aiden took his fit elsewhere. He raised his bunk and smashed it into the wall. He slashed at the mattress with a spike, throwing piling and fluff into the air. He stripped off his shorts and shredded them, ripping them apart with his bare hands, revealing to all who now watched that his strength was formidable, beyond that of a normal human. The mess he had created was huge, but Aiden wasn't getting his way. Trishnar wasn't giving in. Once more Aiden smashed himself against the door, howling.

Trishnar showed him a Taser.

Aiden paused in his tirade and snarled, pulling his lips back and showing his teeth. He backed away from the door as Trishnar entered, clearly understanding the weapon and its purpose.

Aiden was a mess now. Mattress filling clung in his hair and drool and gel blood poured from his mouth. His face and shoulders were bruised and swollen from all of his abuse. He was crazed, but in the worst way. Intelligent, crafty rage. Trishnar tried reasoning with him once more but Aiden wouldn't listen. He lunged and Trishnar zapped him, full charge. Aiden went down, convulsing and thrashing until he finally lay still. Trishnar stood over him, shaking his head. He motioned to the guard and Aiden was removed. The disc ended.

"Trishnar, 'e say Aiden 'ad a bad spell when a burglar come into de 'ouse," Remy said as Logan changed discs. "P'etetre, dis is den."

"Look at the date in the corner. This was taken just b'fore he came here," Logan replied evenly, dismissing Remy's excuse quickly. He exchanged the first disc for a second and pressed "Play".

The next disc started up. In the corner, the date. As Logan had noted, it was taken one day before Jael's attack on Trishnar and about three days before Aiden showed up at the Mansion door with Babette. It didn't escape Remy's notice that it was the same day Kimble had skewered Mary.

On the disc, Aiden had been taken to another cell, one without a bed or fixtures of any kind. It looked padded just like the holding cells in the Lab here. Aiden was still naked, but had been fitted with a straight jacket and laid out on the floor. His face had been washed and his hair combed. He looked so small and innocent there, but the watchers knew different. Aiden came awake thrashing as before, clearly reeling from yet another nightmare. The Dreamer noted where he was and how he was being kept. He got to his feet, furious that he had been restrained. He tossed some spikes, but they were much smaller than before. He was growing weak from using so much power. He couldn't control the spikes enough to cut free, he could only fling them about. Much smaller now, they stuck into the padding of the walls without breaking. He raised his head and howled again, blood streaming from his nose as if the sound of it had torn him open. He smashed himself into the walls once more, screaming and crying, but he wasn't going to break free. He finally collapsed, sobbing. He crawled into a corner, tucking his head down and shivering.

After a few minutes, Trishnar came in again, but Aiden didn't acknowledge him. The Master called to him and he finally looked up, his face tear streaked and red. Trishnar ordered him to come. Aiden turned away. Trishnar called to him again. This time Aiden crawled over on his knees, his head down and submissive. He came to a crumpled halt at Trishnar's feet, his body showing only defeat. The Dognan King asked him a question and he nodded. Trishnar bent down and loosened the straight jacket, removing it. Aiden laughed, his eyes still a little wild. Trishnar started to pet Aiden gently and the Siskan broke down, slobbering and blubbering at Trishnar's feet. He was giving up, giving in. He fell against his Master and buried himself in Trishnar's arms, seeking only comfort now. Trishnar rocked him and Aiden slowly calmed, then gradually fell asleep.

"What dis all about?" Remy asked. "So Aiden 'ave a fit. Dat was weeks ago. Dis give you a reason to detain him now?"

"He's violent. We broke up a fight 'tween him and a co-worker this morning not long before you showed up. Paul spilled coffee on him or something, I don't know. It was some kind of accident, but Aiden decked him. Blacked his eye, just like he done to you. That's why we were still there. What's goin' on with him and Kimble? I hear Kimble's been refusing to see him, that he runs away any time Aiden comes close. This gonna be some ugly Siskan thing or what?"

Remy sighed and took out a stick of gum. He really wanted a cigarette, but smoking wasn't allowed in the Professor's office. "Aiden an' Kimble have deir fling, eh? Aiden, poor fool, tell Kimble dat 'e love 'im. Kimble got scared, got on 'is stupid 'I'm gonna 'urt all de ones who love me' kick. He start pushin' Aiden away. Neither one too happy. All I was doin' wit Aiden today was try and figure out what de trouble was. Aiden get a little hot, he real defensive. From what I can see, Aiden's hidin' sumptin' so I ask 'im what 'e been dreamin'. What 'e tell me make me worry more dan de little lovers' spat 'e goin' t'rough. He say 'e be dreamin' about a war. Dat Jael's gonna come an' burn us outta 'ere. 'E don't say how, only dat it soon and it gonna be real ugly fo' all of us. Said he tol' you about it an' you blew 'im off."

"Did he mention this to you?" the Professor asked Logan.

Logan shrugged. "He said something vaguely about it a couple of days ago. No real details. Said he wanted to be on the Security team with me, but I didn't want to give him clearance until Kennedy got back ta me. I thought maybe he was tryin' a line on me ta get out of workin' on the loading dock. Lookin' at this, I'm glad I chose to wait. Aiden's dangerous. Even Kimble's never taken a fit like that."

"Has he said anything since you took him into custody?"

"No. He's just been sittin' quiet. His back to the door."

"Let me talk to 'im," Remy suggested. "P'etetre, 'e got some kinda explanation for dis."

"Yer welcome to try, but I doubt he'll say anything. He's clammed up. If ya manage it, you can ask him why he came ta us with a pack full of money and clothes. Seems ta me, Aiden knew somethin' was gonna go down with Trishnar. I wonder how much of a fight against Jael he really put up against Jael's guys. Looks to me like he cut and run while the gettin' was good."

" 'E was all bruised up," Remy insisted, still trying to defend his friend.

"Sure he was. But from what? This little stay in the cell? Seems more likely ta me than a big fight with Jael."

Remy sighed. He couldn't really argue, Logan's points had merit. "What else you got in de box, eh? Is dere sumptin' else Gambit needs to know b'fore 'e go see Aiden?"

"I took advantage of Aiden's arrest and searched his quarters."

Remy scowled, furious at the lengths Logan had gone to. It was as if Aiden had no rights. "And?"

"I grabbed the notebook Henry gave him. Aiden's been a busy boy, got the thing almost filled. Was three subjects, too. Guess he had a lot to say." Remy reached for it, but Wolverine blocked him. "It's in Siskan. I'm givin' it ta Seth."

" 'E can't translate as well as me, mon ami."

"Too bad. You've got a prior relationship with the detainee. Might be prejudiced."

"Dat's not fair!" shouted in outrage, his face flushed with anger.

Wolverine never budged an inch. "It's perfectly fair. We don't know what's up with guy. It's better if we got a team workin' on it, not just you. You go in and talk to Aiden, I'm gonna record it. Karen's gonna look it over, she's the house shrink. Seth's gonna work the book. When he's done, you can look it over, that's fine. Maybe you want to add somethin', challenge the translation, that's fine, too. But yer not gonna do the whole case work on this guy. No way."

Gambit leaned against the desk, his head down.

This is the best way, Remy, the Professor sent as a private message of encouragement.

Gambit knows. 'E's just lookin' fo' what's fair. Don' want Aiden gettin' screwed. Wolverine ain't always so nice.

That's why you can do the interview. Logan won't be able to get the facts from Aiden like you can. I know you will do fine. Just relax. I will make sure Logan doesn't get out of hand.

"D'accorde," Remy said, not really wanting to make a fuss. "We do dis your way, Wolvie. Where's Aiden at?"

"Cell four. Just down the hall."