Chapter Thirteen: Digging Deeper
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"Magneto?" Remy asked quietly as he softly rapped on the wooden door.
"Come in," he replied curtly from the other side of the door.
He opened it and slipped into his leader's office, taking a seat in one of the red overstuffed chairs that furnished the room. "I didn't mean t' interrupt ya or not'in'," he started. "Gambit just ran across a lil' information dat you might find interestin' an-"
He cut the young boy off. "I'm well aware of Rogue's correspondence with her mother," he said. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Gambit. I've got everything concerning Rogue under complete control."
His demon eyes flashed with anger. "Yoh just usin' her, aren't ya?" he asked.
Magneto chuckled. "Well, it depends on how you see it," he responded casually. "Tell me exactly who is using who. Rogue only came here because her mother needed a spy. Rogue quickly rallied to our cause when I presented her with the collar. Isn't she using us just the same as you're using that precious collar?"
"I'm not usin' dat collar," he answered testily. "I mean, sure, it's a pretty nice blessin, but dat ain't the only reason I'm wit' her. I'd still be by her side powers or not. I love dat fille."
"Love her so much you're ratting your precious girlfriend out, eh?"
Gambit swallowed his cutting retort. After much thought he replied, "I know 'bout loyalty. Growin' up a t'ief I didn't have dat many morals, but I knew about trust and loyalty. You hired me whether I like it or not, an it's my job to fulfill dat contract ain't it?"
"Allegiance is so hard to find nowadays," Magneto said with a small smile. "It's lucky for me that I have such trustworthy Acolytes such as Rogue and yourself."
"Rogue?"
The question amused Magneto and he chuckled once more. "You don't understand, do you?" Remy shook his head reluctantly. "I've learned through my long life that allegiance can be bought with the right price. Just like your father who agreed to lend you to me after I opened my checkbook, Rogue was easily swayed by the same idea. Granted, she wasn't purchased through money. No, she was purchased through a miracle she thought she'd never get. She is a sworn Acolyte to me now. Mystique couldn't give her that gift no matter how much she tried, so her loyalty to her own mother is shattered. I have no doubt that Rogue will refuse her mother's plan to take over Genosha. Her new collar is more precious to her." His smile spread wider. "Besides, she wouldn't want to betray her love either, now would she?"
"Mystique is a lot more dangerous dan dat," Gambit objected. "So what if Rogue don' follow t'rough? Her mere will."
"Perhaps," the demagogue agreed. "Mystique is indeed a bigger threat than I'd like to give her credit for. But she is Rogue's mother, and that tie cannot be broken. Blood is stronger than that. She would not betray her own daughter."
She would not betray her own daughter. Remy hardly knew the woman, but his instinct told him that perhaps she would. After all, she fought her own son on numerous occasions with every notion of who he was. She didn't think twice. Perhaps she would do the same to the daughter she loved and raised. Besides, who was Magneto to talk? Hadn't he betrayed his own daughter? He rose disgustedly and went off to find Rogue.
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"What do you want?" Rogue asked angrily as Gambit sauntered up to the game of cards she and Wanda were playing.
"Straight flush," Wanda said, ignoring his presence. "Read 'em and weep."
Rogue sighed and revealed her full house. "What is this, like the fourth time ya've kicked mah ass?"
She snatched up the Atreyu CD with a grin. "Look at me, four new CDs to your two!"
"Playin' poker, ladies?" Remy asked smoothly. "Perhaps ya'all good deal Gambit in?"
"Not a chance," Rogue replied.
"I can take a hint," Wanda said with a smile, collecting her new music and exiting quietly.
Gambit sat down by Rogue. She scooted away disgustedly. He sighed. "Look, chere, I'm sorry, but it's my job t' snoop 'round. An it seemed a lil' suspicious t' me that ya still were talkin' t' the fille who kicked ya out."
She glared at him. "Who do you love more, Magneto or me? Y'r a lap dog."
"Loyalty is important to me," he replied softly. "If ya can't be loyal t' the team, how can ya be loyal t' me?"
"How could Ah ever think we had somethin?" she asked, her voice dripping like honey from a silver blade.
He grabbed her shoulders firmly. "Don' be like dis."
She shrugged him off. "What do you want me to say? You betrayed my trust."
"Rogue, I love you," he said after much silence. "Please just don't forget that."
"I love you, too," she said softly. She kissed him quickly. "Ah'm sorry Ah yelled at you."
"Please just don't yoh mot'er push you around."
"…Ah won't."
He grinned and grabbed her hand. "Now, come on, dey finished the imitatin' collar."
She froze. No. Ah was hopin that they never would finish it. She swallowed hard. "Okay. Ah'll be there in a second."
As Gambit walked to the meeting room, she padded down to her bedroom guiltily. The computer screen was seducing her. No, she said resolutely. Ah ain't gonna betray them like that. Not after all they've done f'r me. Magneto helped me. Ah love Remy. An the rest o' them are mah friends. She nodded sternly. No. Ah won't tell her.
The professional inside her was winning, though. Mystique would be proud that she was still a murderer. She bypassed the laptop and picked up the plastic pistol underneath her bed. The plastic shone white in the light, and she quickly tucked the pistol in her jeans. Ah've got to do it, she said. Ah cain't let Mystique down.
She's got you right where she wants you, Carol said sadly. Rogue had to admit that for once, she was right.