Disclaimer: Not making any money from this. A/U to X3!
A/N: Apologies for the delay in posting, but I have had a berevement recently in my close family, and it has knocked me for six a little. Thank you to all the kind reviewers who flooded my inbox with kind messages during my brief break- you are all too kind. Lamby
Knife in the Dark: Scene 08"If only you could see how friggin' daft you lot look." Indie had been disturbing Blaze's session all day. He was asking for trouble, trying to draw Blaze into a fight. She hadn't risen to the bait so far, but she was getting the feeling she'd get no peace until she did. It had been hard enough to convince the five students who were slowly coming round to her teaching methods to try this meditation they were working on. Indie telling them they looked stupid made all of them snap out of the trance and look at him instead.
"What do you want Indigo?" Blaze asked mock-patiently, getting to her feet and dusting down her jeans. The wound on her stomach she'd received off Juggernaut ached badly as she stood, making her wince and touch her belly cautiously.
"Are you alright?" Stellar asked quietly. Blaze nodded and turned her attention back to Indigo.
"I want you out. I don't trust you." His demands were simple enough, but Blaze wasn't about to give into them. When she told him as much, he changed tactics. "Fine, whatever. But if you're not leaving then you're going to have to do something for me. Earn my trust Blaze."
"What can I possibly do that would make you trust me?" Blaze argued. "You've already decided you hate me."
"You can start by stop acting like you're so much better than us." He replied, letting a sly smile wash over his face. Blaze was momentarily put off. He was quite good looking when he smiled. "Come out with us tonight, as one of the gang."
"I don't know…" Blaze started to object. Her friends were in trouble and whilst she could do nothing to help them, she didn't think going out and having a good time would be the most respectful thing to do. It was far better to stay home and be miserable.
"Yeah you do." Stellar liked the idea, taking Blaze's hand in hers and smiling warmly. The others also seemed to agree, putting Blaze on the spot. After all she was trying to get all of them to trust her, it would damage what she'd already begun if she turned them down now.
"All right." Blaze agreed. "I suppose it can't hurt."
"Cool." Indigo nodded, putting his hands in the back pockets of his jeans. "See you later then."
Blaze nodded, knowing getting rid of her for now was only the start of this lad's plans. He was up to something; she just couldn't work out what. Stellar gave her the instructions for where they would meet as she guided Blaze back outside.
"I think Indie's starting to like you." She said as a parting shot. "He's a bit of a div when it comes to new people, but he'll be alright in the end."
"You and him been together long?" Blaze asked in reply, opening the car.
"Me and Indie? Eugh! He's my cousin Blaze, that's gross."
"Sorry." Blaze grinned. Why did she feel relieved at that? "I'll see you later then?"
"Yep, later kiddo! This is gonna be a night to remember!"
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Gambit came to on the floor of the bar. He felt like hell, his head was pounding, and he didn't really want to wake up at all. Unfortunately as he tried to slip back into his drunken coma, he discovered the reason he had woken up. Someone was pouring water over his face.
"Salaud…" He swore, trying to sit up. "What the…"
"So this is what the great X-Men are reduced to. A couple of drunks collapsed on the floor of a bar." A woman he'd never seen before was stood over him. She was an attractive blonde, all long legs and stiletto heels. Where had she been last night when all the dogs were out? Remy pulled himself up onto his elbows, then to the nearest chair by strength of will alone. Hang on, how did she know they were X-Men? Come to think of it, where was Wolverine?
Wolverine was just going through the same motions as Gambit, looking as bad as the Cajun felt. Other than the three of them, the bar was empty. So were all the tequila bottles on their table.
"Wake up, the pair of you!" The woman snapped, slapping Logan around the face hard.
"Hey lady, I don't know who you are but…"
"Ha!" The woman laughed shortly, as her form fell away and she became their enemy Mystique. "The last two X-Men free in the entire world, and you're spending your time drowning you sorrows? How perfectly pathetic!"
"What do you want?" Gambit asked exhaustedly. He had no patience for Mystique's games today. "What do you mean, the last free X-Men?"
"I mean all your teammates have been captured by General William Kincaid and his ridiculous goon army. As have most of mine. I was here to propose a truce, to break in to the facility and rescue as many as we could. I see now it's a waste of time…" With that she turned and strode back out the door, letting in a blinding wash of sunlight that made both men turn their faces away in pain.
"You think its true?" Logan asked Gambit eventually, after what had just happened had sunk in with them both.
"I don't know." Gambit replied. "But I know how we can find out…"