Chapter 5
SEcRet aGenT mAn!
Clutching the data chart until her knuckles turned alarmingly white, Tessa stormed through the busy room like a woman on a mission.
Which was exactly what she was.
She glaced around nervously narrowing her eyes, already on her last nerve, the woman was on the verge of pulling out the small pistolstrapped carefully to her tigh and making her way through the crowd.
But you couldn't see it just by looking at her. To the outside world she seemed as calm and collected as ever, even bothering to smile slightly at the known buisness associates.
' Shaw you jackass where ARE you! It's good that that insuferable imbecile isn't a psychic, that'd be the end of my career. Urgh if another foul smelling, drunkard with a seven digit account as much as brushes past me suggestivly I swear I will have his head, and the more used one at that!'
It was eerie how calm the pale woman seemed.
Finally she stopped in the middle of the room and a careful observer would notice the faintest of smiles gracing her features.
'Bingo.'
She strolled, at a much calmer pace to a well situated table occupied by four people.
" Excuse me, Mr. Shaw? Could I speak to you for a second? "
The seven feet tall, well dressed brute looked up sharply from the oh so fascinating conversation he was having with the provocative red head seated to his right.
' More like the conversation he was having with her well displayed cleverage' Tessa commented to herself with a mental eye roll she wasn't foolish enough to display.
" What IS it woman? Can't you see I'm busy? How many times have I told you not to interrupt my meetings?"
" Oh that's quite alright Mr. Shaw. This meating is all pleasure. I assure you it's no problem at all if you have to attend to buisness. Especially if it'd calm your ... friend?"
Tessa surpessed the strong urge to roll her eyes again, this time outmatched by a strogner need to glare the cocky man leering at her down. Shaw didn't seem all too pleased at having to introduce her either and that was enough to make the woman's day.
' As long as the ape's not happy about showing his secrets around, I'm just dandy!'
Noting the unnerving man not takig his roaming eyes off her she surpessed all her violent urges, istead rewarding him with a cold expressionless face. Unfortunately for Tessa the usual turn down extraordinare didn't bring the desired effect, intead arousing his interest further. The man smiled another irritating smile, giving Shaw an inquring look.
" Of course, Quentin. This-" he started, gesturing Tessa with an outstrached, powefull hand "- is my assistant Tessa Niles. Tessa, this is the Raven family."
At this moment many interesting thigns happened.
First of them was a sardonic "What's left of it" comment made by the woman sitting first to Shaw's right, Anna was it, met by a modest and infuriated gasp from Scarlett.
The close second wasn't noticed by any of the other members of the small group but probaby the most impotant. It was the dangerous narrowing of Tessa's eyes and a slight grimace of her featueres. The concentration soon morphed into suspicion. She regarded the woman wearily.
There was an important fact about Sebastion Shaw's assistant not many were aware of. That fact was of course her mutancy and it's surprising lenghs. You see the pale, young woman wasn't just your everyday telepath employed by a powerfull buisnessman. Her mutant talents included many other things, one of them being a highly developed psycho-centric power template, which basicaly gave her mind a computer-like storage ability of recording and analyzing increadible amounts of data. This ability came in quite handy when one was working for a secret power obsessed high class mutant organisation, but even more so if you were trying to double cross them...
Tessa's history with the Hellfire club was not a pleasant one. Forced to work for, and under, characters she despised more than anything in the world was the price the woman had to pay for a very costly favour of controlling her abilities. The young, only daughter of the US ambasador in Belgium was not supposed to project her thoughts and fears into the minds of important international politicians duing her father's buinsess meetings held in their mansion. Seeing as Mr. Niles, despite his liberal ideas, wasn't one to weclome a ' freak of nature' under his roof, in fear of a scandal or, worse yet, a national threat, he made sure his only child got the attention she deserved, arranging for her to be transferred to a British top security Institute for Disturbed Individuals. Fortunately for Tessa, her uncontrolably developing powers enabled her to have a glimpse of her caring father's ideas. Unfortunately though, before she had a chance to flee the country, she was approached with a very interesting proposition. An old associate of her father's offered to help her control her new 'gifts' and give her a place at his own Institute. All in exchange for a little favour...
' Damn him.'
And here she was, several years later and still working her debt off.
' And damn my honor.'
Regardless of her less than pleased attitude towards her line of work, deep down Tessa knew full well why she remained as Xavier's agent.
Because she had nowewhere to go.
After discovering her father's plan to get rid of his unfortunate offspring, she literally burned all bridges. Even though she no longer had any contacts in the European high class society, she had , quite a few, usefull information about most, if not all of the most important families, all thanks to her early developed powers.
And with these information in mind, she was absolutely positive, there was not and could not be any more heirs to the late Raven fortune. To her knowledge, the remaining son of the so called 'cursed fortune', was now 'discovering his deeper depth' in a monestary somewhere in India. Of course, given the shady family history, Tessa couldn't be ceratin, but the chance of three surviving Ravens would've been interesting enough to make it into her father's gatherings of gossiping associates.
What really made Tessa's alarms go off though, was the fact that she couldn't pick up any thoughts form either of the so called Ravens. No mutant cases were ever noted in that family tree, but then again, you never know.
' I'm sure father made sure to cover all tracks of my little accidents...'
Frustrated with her limited telepathic abilities and Quentin's eyes on her Tessa cleared her throat boldly.
' Can't worry about this now. It's none of my buisness who alse is playing Shaw. Soon enough this little sharade will be over so no need to alarm him about those three.'
" Would you like to have a drink Ms. Niles?"
Tessa was brought back to reality by Quentin's annoyingly suggestive voice.
' Could he be more superficial?' The woman narrowed her navy blue eyes at the smirking red headed man. Slowly considering the most civilised turn down, gentle enough not to earn her a special 'training session' with the Black Queen, Tessa was interrupted by Shaw.
" I'm afraid she won't be able to join us tonight. We're in the middle of a very important project right now. Couldn't have my right hand man get drunk on a work night, eh?"
Tesa winced at the women's insanely high pitched, and obviously faked, giggle. ' Time to put a stop to this sad show.'
"Right, Mr. Shaw. Could I please have a word with you? It's urgent."
" Ah yes, duty calls! Excuse me, ladies, Quentin, I will be with you shortly."
" Oh you had better be! Remember Mr. Shaw, that you promised me a dance and a gentleman should never break his promise!"
" Yes of course Anna, I wouldn't dare! Especially if it meant upsetting such a fine lady as yourself..."
Shaw bowed, in his mind galantly, getting a parting lusty look at the dear 'ladies' and turned to leave. Tessa noticed Scarlett's shocked and self concious look and the flirty smile on Anna's face. The girls, sure enough, looked alike enough to be mistaken for sisters. Both with radiant red hair, much like their brother. All three had bright lime green eyes, high cheek bones. All wore the best designer clothes. Yet still, something just didn't seem right with the picture. It could be Quentin's playboy wannabe behaviour. But Tessa, after years of working as an undercover agent, and training with the world's greates telepath, didn't need her gifts to judge a person's character. She prided herself in reading people well and something told her Quentin was putting on quite a show. Wether it was common rich boy complex of hiding behind a mask of cockyness, or something more she could not say. On the contrary, his sister's were either excellent actresses or, just being very natural.
Similar as they may be, Anna and Scarlett were acting like polar opposites. Anna with her hair swept back into a high pony tail, wearing provocative make up and a low cut red dress was sitting comfortably in her chair with a confident smile, flirting the night away. Scarlett on the other hand was wearing her long hair down, trying to hide behind it like some kind of protective cloak. No make up was really visible on her slightly bowed, self concious face as she sat timidly, with her hands placed politely on her lap. Once in a while you could see her eyes dart nervously between her siblings as she played nervously with the hem of her longer, modest red dress.
' What a strange family...'
Tessa was shocked out of her ponderings by Shaw's annoyed jab at her shoulder.
"You wanted soemthing?"
" Y-yes sir! It's in the office."
In the corner of her eye she could see a short heated discussion between the siblings and Quentin excusing himself from the table.
' Very strange.'
Across the room, in a secluded table sat a tall well drassed man, savoring a glass of, what seemed to be, fine wine.
" Stop watching her."
" Hmm?"
" You heard me I don't want you anywhere near her."
" Funny y' should say dat... I kind of got de idea y' did. Sending her all de way into my territory. Unprotected and all. Bearing un cadeau jus' pour moi..." 1)
" You realise I'm going to want it back eventually. Just because I temporarily let you hold on to it doesn't mean you'll get to keep it."
" Oh please! Y' and I, we both know what woulda happened if y' let de deux of dem travell accross de country wit' dat box! De way I see it I gave y' a favour..."
The man trailed off suggestively, not taking his eyes off the table a ways off in front of him, or turning to glance back at the figure looming over him.
" Oh of course. And in exchange for that very thoughtful favour I suppose I am now indebted to you?"
"If y' say so..."
The man didn't even jump up as he felt the figure forcefully slam it's fist at the table in frotn of him, spilling his drink.
" You've got some nerve! Listen and listen good little boy. I am much older than you, you may be by all means talented but let's face it, when it comes down to it you're no mach for us-"
" Oh so now it's a matter de famille, eh?"
" Don't play games with me Gambit! I appreciate your 'thoughtfulness' and concern but if you get near the girl again, or do soemthing stupid like say...try to transform her again I swear on the spirits I will have your head!"
" Oh y'r no fun! I'm jus' lookin' out for her, de way y' are! Besides, y' amie Irene did say she gon' turn out dat way no matter what y' do, all y' should care 'bout is de jewel, so what's the differance?"
Even though, the woman, barely visible in the dark corner was standing behind him, she could feel his infuriating smirk.
" The difference, young man, is that it may change the course of history in ways your foolish mind could never understand. Those kids, all of them, mutant or not, are our best chance of survival and unlike you I have people to look after and I'll be damned if I let your reckless attitude destroy their lives!"
" Desole t' inform y' chère but y' already are..."
With that the tall, auburn haired man stood up and turned to his speaker with a mocking smile.
" Now if y'll excuse me I have t' go get anot'er drink."
The woman sighed in a disstressed manner, seeing she accomplished nothing.
" Why do you want her? What does she have that you could possibly want?"
" Well dat's a silly question. De same thing y' want Maharet. Life. De fille is full of the richest, most intoxicating combination of a damned ancient and a fresh, fiery spirit. Besides I can't wait till she's de challenge we've all been waiting fo'..."
" Just... wait until the time comes. Promise me that much."
The man titled his head back curiously, laughing a humourles laugh.
" Oh, mais we cannot cheat the inevitable! Besides, I always wanted t' have somet'in of m' own. Dere, dere Maharet don't y' worry... 's not like it be de 'end of the world'!"
With that he walked off laughing at the woman's tense stance. She bowed her head in resignation and looked disdainfully at the red consents of the spilled glass.
'The least you could do is not drink blood in a public place!'
'Oh desole m' dear mais disbe my party. And I think by letting de Hellfire play around here I earned enough t' at least set ma own rules.. Rule numbero un:do what y' please! But where are my manners-.' "- could I offer y' a drink?"
Gambit turned with a predatory smile, nicely showing off his fangs, but there was no one there.
" Quick you moron! Look where they're going! Follow them!"
"On it!"
" Wha... How's he supposed ta follow 'em without being detected? Sides they're almost out the door now!"
" Believe me I can be very quick!-" Quentin said in a sharp whisper and straightening up, excusing himself in a much louder voice.
And with that he was off, instantly lost in the crowd.
" Well..."
"What!"
"What?"
"Come on spill it Ah know ya're dying ta say it!"
" You SLUT!"
" HA HA HAR! At least Ah'm not a blushing giggling moron!"
" Well you sure got into characer Anna!"
" Wtf? Ah was supposed ta distract him, right? So that's what ah'm workin' on!"
" Uh huh.. allll night looooong! Oh please don't tell me you're actually into this hairy ape! I mean his freakish and borderline toad-repulsive!"
" Hm...intersting that you compare everything to your boyfriend...Ow!"
" Another comment like that and I'm kicking higher!"
Rogue huffed silently, again cursing all the 'characterisation' she had to endure.
" Ah am seriously not enjoying showing that much skin."
She could swear she saw Wanda wince.
" Yeah and I'm so loving the wig! And be carefull with that accent! It was going pretty good so far so don't slip up again skunky!"
" Listen, o' bitchy one, let's see ya try ta force a 'civilised' accent on ya for so long, huh?"
" Fine whatever. Urgh that wig is killing me!"
"Yeah and making ya look fat!"
"Fuck off."
" So why are we here anyway? Couldn't Maharet attend this herself and take what she wanted?"
"Maybe. But this here hairy bastard Shaw is planning to steal some of her companies newest discoveries. She's gonna beat him to it and leave a little calling card... Why are you asking anyway? Dind't you listen to Pietro brief us?"
Wanda laughed at the incredious look she received.
"Do Ah ever? Anyway, why does he get all the fun of doing the illegal work? We never get the good jobs!"
"Well can you imagine him hitting on Shaw?"
" Point taken. Urgh nasty image... So what's he gonna steal?"
" Well dunno, but if big and hairy got what he wanted it would put Mah's buisness in some real deep shit..."
' Her buisness, the Family, mutant kind, whatever close enough.' Wanda grimaced to herself hating to keep Rogue in the dark.
Rogue on the other hand was trying really hard to make her little red number strech enough to cover her decently.
'So much for a 'relaxing night out', 'easy job' he says! 'No sweat we just need to dress up a little..' well this sure is a LITTLE! Urgh I bet it was that sexist pig Pietro who chose our outfits!'
She glared at her barely there dress intently until she felt a sick feeling in her stomack.
' God why does it have to be so red? I almost forgot all about it... It's a miracle I'm not screaming bloody murder right now.'
Rogue massaged her uncovered neck suddenly feeling uncomfortable, like she was being watched. She massaged her temple with a gloved hand feeling dizzy again. She swept her gaze around the room, feeling more and more queasy.
Suddenly she saw them. A pair of eyes staring at her intently, glowing sinisterly in the distance. Rogue drew in a hissing breath feeling panick rise up in her. She looked away and tried to take in a calming breath but it just felt like breathing in smoke that clutched her lungs like a thorny bush. The blood rushed through her veins burning like acid. She wanted to run, turn away and pretend she didn't see them, that nothing was happening. She wanted to scream, call out to Wanda. But all she could do was turn back towards those eerie haunting eyes and get lost in her morbid nightmares.
Nothing. She swept her nervous gaze around the room but couldn't find them.
' I need help. I'm a fucking wack job!'
Then as suddenly as they have gone, they flashed right in front of her, she felt a hot breath on her neck...
'Soon chère soon...'
Wanda was brought back to reality by a sharp gasp from her dolled up friend.
" Wassup?"
" Ah-I er.. nothin'. Just thought I saw someone staring at me..."
"Well no wonder! Dressed like that you wouldn't have to stand on your corner for long-OW! Watch it skunk-head!"
Anna calmly took her hand from under the table and put away a small fork with a smug look.
" What's up with you anyway? You've been acting weird lately, like at the cafeteria-"
"Nevermind. Ah'm just tired."
Rogue rolled her shoulders uncomfortably, staring nervously round the room.
' At least I'm not the only one lying' Wanda thought sarcastically.
"So what's your plan? How are ya gonna distract him when he's back."
" well uh.. the dance...?"
" Oh yeah and ending up in his bed when he can see what's behind all the 'special effects' on your face?"
This time "Scarlett" got a message under the tabe via boot-mail.
" Well Ah.. err I could always try the other 'drama queen' scenario brother-dear came up with."
" Fine, just try not to 'pop your top' in the process..."
Anna Raven busied herself with pouring herself another drink, while innocently readjusting her legs under the table, Scarlett on the other hand looked ready to burst into tears for some reason...
' Ok they went right, then left, then turn by the grandfatherclock.and.pull.the.candle... shit this sounds so low budget horror movie!'
Pietro sighed, running a shaking hand through his now red hair.
' Gah they're all over my face! Where's the bloody gel when you bloody need it!'
After leaving the table he wizzed past the busy room and followed Shaw and his assistant through the twisted corridors, which looked kind of amusing, because a couple times he sped too fast, passed them by and had to run back and find them. The most efficient technique was literaly runing circles around them, carefull not to stay too close and let them feel 'the breeze'.
' Okay so that's the office... great, now what the hell do.I.do.till.they're.outta.there? Am I supposed to go back to the girls or what? Gah rather not after the pms attitude I've been getting all evening!'
Pietro slowed down a bit after getting into a different aera of the house, pretending to look for a bathroom.
' Well got the way to his office memorised, that's an upside. Heh wonder how Rogue's gonna 'distract him'. I almost pity her, but serves her right for snapping at me all day! Make that life...'
Suddenly he chuckled to himself, uncontrolably, thinking of the big bad though Rogue, sitting there in a room filled with snobs all dressed up and flirting like a ditz with gorrillaman. Hilarious!
' Dunno what's better. Rogue doing a ShadowSlut impression or Wanda acting like a catholic schoolgirl!'
" Ahh!" Pietro wiped a tear and tried controling his laugh as he passed two old gentlemen by the men's room.
'Control yourself Qucksilver. Just like father said. Control.'
He narrowed his eyes, feeling like smacking himself for thinking of that man again.
' Like there isn't a better comparison? Urgh honestly, I should be acting a little less like myself because I swear if that Tessa girl was Summers-looks-CAN-kill I'd be a goner! Sheeesh she's acting like an x-girl!'
Too bad he didn't know how right he was.
Shaw was stomping angirly back towards his table, shoving those unfortunate enough out of his way. Tessa, following him at a much slower pace, could swear he was leaving actual dents in the floor.
' And I bet our handsome landlord would not be too pleased about that. Where is he anyway? He said he'd make an appearance. I don't get what's so 'not t' miss' about this party anyway. The high light of the night will most likely be Miss Raven playing my so called boss.'
Tessa rolled her eyes seeing Shaw snap at some poor young Hellfire member.
' Eager to get back to his precious Ms. Tits Onaplatter. Oh for the love of!'
Tessa noticed Shaw trying to drain the protective force field the scared boy drew up around himself.
" Ekhem. My king? I think it would be wise not to draw attention to ourselves...after all there are people here that aren't quite aware of our gifts..."
She trailed off looking pointedly at the table occupied by the Ravens.
"Besides, if we alarm anyone to the existance of mutants now we not only will have to move again, but also terminate our plans -"
" I know what I'm bloody doing Tessa so mind you own buisness and don't forget your place! Now get out of my sight, get a drink, I don't care, just don't interrupt me with minor data changes again!"
' Well off goes our Black King itching for a lay!' She projected sarcastically managing to humour the still terrified boy a little.
Shaw on the other hand was just a small way's away from his destination when he noticed something wrong with his guests. Scarlett, the usually quiet and controlled girl was sitting up straight with a very dissaproving look on her face, while her brother, standing with his back to Shaw , seemed to be in the middle of yelling at his other , now very red faced and upset sister.
Shaw, seeing his chance to save a distressing damsel and 'get 'em while they're weak' quickened his pace even more.
Unfortunately by the time he was close enough to put a comforting hand on Anna's shoulder she turned and run for the door, her face streaken with tears.
Shaw, dissapointed that his pray wasn't an easy one, turned questioning eyes to the remaining Ravens. When he saw that neither of them was planning on following their distressed sister, he took it upon himself to find her and maybe bring her comfort through some distracting bedroom activities.
Turning after the fast retreating Anna with a devilish smirk, Shaw heard the last bits of her sibling's conversation.
" Well she can't just be acting like an irresponsible, lose harlot every time we're in a public place! We have a reputation to uphold!"
" Ah, I just wish she was more like you..."
Snort.
"Is he gone yet?"
"Yep. Touching speach eh?"
" Oh, how I wish we could forget our secret mutant agent career's and fulfill our DESTINY as a traveling mutant drama theatre!"
" Pietro... just get the file you moron."
The speed demon winced at his twin's less enthusiastic approach to their destiny and zipped out of the room all the while humming the 'Secret Agent Man' theme song.
' Urgh... what a speed freak!'
Wanda stood up straightening her long dress and headed for the bar.
' Might as well get plastered. No need to ruin a perfectly good opportunity for free loading!'
Rogue silently thanked her childhood terrorist techniques of 'persuading' her aunt into submission. The crying on demand sure proved useful!
She entered the make-believe kitchen, scaring away all the passing staff and crouched down by one of the counters waiting for Shaw to find her.
'Now what the hell am I supposed to do? How do I keep him from walking outta here and getting suspicious without going to a whole new level of slutty? I can't just make up a sob story and let him 'comfort me' because then I'll really be screwed!'
'Urgh what to do... something big like a sob story and dramatic enough for him not to drag me off to bed...'
Rogue looked down at one of her hands in annoyance and noticed one of her long red gloves slipping up. She made a move to tug it back up when she noticed something.
Right below her wrist there were several tiny white lines of semi-healed flesh. A grim reminder of her early teenage years, right after Irene died. Filled with guilt, anger and sorrow she found an activity that helped her get perspective...
'An activity I promised Wanda never to take up again...'
She glanced at one of the open drawers she was sitting by.
'How very convenient... sarcasm aside..'
She closed her eyes forcefully and reached up blindly into the drawer. Gripping a big, butcher like knive steadily she brought it close to her arm.
' It's all about timing, as momma once said...'
3
2
1
'Let's jam'
Shaw burst into the kitchen looking annoyed with his search and gasped loudly.
' I guess that's my que...'
Applying light preassure to the knive she made a long shallow cut, just deep enough to draw a little blood.
She hissed loudly pretending to drop the knive clumsilly and summoning more tears to her contact lense concealed eyes.
" A-anna... wh. What are you doing!"
" Oh.. oh Sebastian! I never wished for you to see mee like this! I'm just under so much preassure..."
Rogue glanced at Shaw through her tears and noticed him staring intently at her while crouching down to imbrace her in a hug. Well staring at her breasts anyway.
'So much for having to come up with a sob story!. Heh, 's funny how ya don't need to say anything as long ya wearing a bra that makes ya boobs big and bouncy. Gah! What a fucking great way to spend a night!'
Less than a minute later Pietro was back in the main ball room, walking up to his sister with a smug look on his face.
" Wipe off that smirk gonzales. We need to find 'Anna' and bail before they find our little gift."
" Aww you never appreciate the speedster sis!"
Wanda just raised an eyebrow and finished her martini in a shot.
" Well that's lady like!"
"Shut up!"
On the kitchen floor Anna, getting fed up with the attention was begining to regret her course of action.
'It burns like HELL! No wonder I stoped doing that, what the fuck was I thinking back then anyway!'
Shaw on the other hand didn't seem too discouraged by her little show. He helped her up offering a supposedly sympathetic look.
"Well we can't have you looking like that, you're a mess darling! Come on let's get you cleaned up..."
He pulled her closer to him and lead back into the smoke filled room. Rogue felt sick having the huge man so close to her and felt relieved seeing Pietro standing by the bar with Wanda.
'Mission accomplished. Now if only he'd let GO of me already!'
She tried wriggling free and winced when Shaw accidently gripped her lower arm disturbing the fresh wound.
"I'm so sorry dear! Let me take a look at that.."
Rogue used that opportunity to pull away annoyed, which she didn't even have to feign. She made a move towards her 'siblings' thinking of an excuse to get the hell away from that insuferable man right after letting him watch cut herself up. Yep easy.
The twins, having spotted her, run up to the pair quickly apologising Shaw for making a scene and excused themselves, saying they had to catch an early plane the next morning. They dragged a convincingly upset looking 'Anna' out of the main rooms and bolted for the door.
A very shocked Black King was left staring after the trio.
" Ya got it?"
" Yep! So .. didja have fun?"
"Shuddup ya bastard! Ya set me up!"
"Stop bitching you two and move it! If we're not outta here befeore the power goes off the Ravens won't GET to have a tragic plane crash!"
" Hey Rogue, how'd ya distract him anyway?"
Wanda rolled her eyes at her brother's childlish behaviour and got into the drivers seat of their ride.She pulled off her wig in one angry move and and started up the car .
" None of yer damn buisness!"
Suddenly Rogue's head hit the window as Wanda slamed on the breaks.
" What the hell?"
Wanda glared at her friend ignoring Pietro's wining from the backseat. She pointed to the blood smudges on Rogue's right hand and started pulling off the glove from the left one.
"What the hell Rogue? This was an easy mission! Don't tell me you did that to stall him! You promised! God damnit don't start that or you'll be the one sent to a loney bin next!"
" Ya know what? Fuck off Wanda! Ya weren't there and if that's what Ah had ta do not ta get him all over meh than so be it! God it's not even that deep."
To prove her point she angrily pulled off her glove, showing off her left forearm .
Her pale, blood stained forearm with a rapidly healing wound.
1) A gift just for me
DISCLAIMER: And remember kids, all I own is Rogue's lil red number!