A/N: This chapter and chapter 15 will be dedicated to "the-writing-vampire" your review gave me a new direction to go and even though it isn't exactly how you mentioned it I hope it is enough.
If Olivia was surprised at seeing Rogue and Pierre at her doorstep, she did not let it show. Instead she gracefully stepped aside to allow the two to enter, Pierre taking a seat on the couch and Rogue standing before the fireplace. Olivia let the door close with a soft click before joining Pierre, both of them turning their eyes in curiosity to the agitated woman standing before them.
Rogue focused her eyes directly on Olivia's before saying in as calm a voice as she could muster, "Olivia, Colin knows about Rene."
Olivia immediately stiffened while Pierre let out a curse under his breath. Both of them glanced towards each other before Olivia turned back to Rogue.
"How much does he know?"
"Enough. He doesn't know what he looks like but he knows what ya'll have been doing. He has even hired men ta stay on his property and try to catch ya." She looked at Pierre. "Those men that attacked us on the docks were some of the men hired."
"How would they know where to find Rene if they don't know what he looks like?" Olivia inquired her voice quiver slightly.
"I think I can answer that," returned Pierre, "For a while now Rene has suspected one of our own as a spy. There were only three of us that knew to meet at the docks that day Rene, me and…."
"That man named Jaq," Rogue finished for him. Pierre nodded his head in affirmation. "Where is he now?"
"He sailed with Rene to Boston. He must be waiting there to report when Rene will be heading back to New Orleans. Rene sent a message to me by telegraph yesterday that he would be ready to sail in two days, therefore he would be back within the week if the weather is favorable."
"Is that why ya stayed here? Ta receive messages?" Rogue couldn't help but ask.
A small smile graced the side of Pierre's lips. "No," he said, "Rene didn't like to leave you alone. He doesn't trust that fiancé of yours. Plus he said you have the uncanniest knack for getting yourself into trouble. I can see his concerns were not unfounded."
Rogue resisted the urge to say something, " Be that as it may, Rene can not be allowed ta come back here. Colin has given his men leave to kill him if he is caught. He wants him stopped at any cost." She turned to Olivia for confirmation.
"I agree with Annabelle," Olivia said, "Pierre you must send a message to him to stay put. There is one problem though, we still have one more group of people we have promised to save."
All three looked at each other in silence. Rogue desperately ran through ideas in her head but nothing presented itself as a plausible solution. Then she remembered something Pierre had just said. "Pierre, you said that Jaq is with Rene in Boston, right?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Well what if we help the last group escape ourselves. If Jaq is reporting to Colin's men that Rene is still in Boston they will not be ready to prevent us." Rogue could see Olivia's eye begin to brighten as she caught on to Rogue's train of thought.
Pierre sat thinking, running through the possible complications or benefits, "It could be done. Rene made friend with a fellow captain down at the docks who could help me sail our passengers at least far enough away from New Orleans. We would have to do it soon though…."
He was cut off as a scratching noise was heard from beyond the door. They all froze; their eyes fasten to the panel of wood. Rogue slipped silently towards it, her hand trembling as she reached to turn the knob. She saw Pierre give a slight shake of his head and she flung the door open. A small bundle fell into a heap at her feet, only to stretch out into the familiar shape of Logan.
"Hey Stripes," he grinned up at her.
"Logan what are ya doing here?"
"I got bored, so I followed you," he said glancing around at the others in the room. When his eyes fell on Olivia though he seemed to get a little nervous, shifting from one foot to the other. "You hadn't come to play with me in a while and I kinda…. wanted to make sure you were ok," he finished as manly as he could.
"Annabelle who is this darling little one?" Olivia laughed causing what Rogue could only call a blush to creep onto the little boy's cheeks.
"I'm Logan ma'am. I heard everything you guys were talking about and I want you to know that I can help. I'm staying at Mr. Monroe's place and I have seen those guys your talking about."
"Logan, Ah don't think that is such a good ide…" Rogue began but was stopped when Olivia put up her hand.
"I think I might just have a job this brave young man might be able to do that could help," She gently pulled Logan aside and bent down to whisper to him. Rogue smiled and walked over to Pierre.
"How soon should we do this?"
"I can have everything ready by the night after tomorrow."
"Do ya think it will work?"
"Olivia and I will work out the details. We have done this so many times it should be fine but nothing is guaranteed," he turned to look at Rogue, his eyes completely serious, " Miss Devereux are you sure you want to be involved in this. Olivia and I can probably manage it on our own, there is no need for you to risk anything."
"Ah'm sure," Rogue said stubbornly, "Why? Ya think ah can't handle it?"
Once again his lips quirked into a smile. "I have no doubt you can handle it, I also don't doubt I can stop you. You seem a rare lady Miss Devereux. I have to be sure though. I made a promise to my best friend that I would keep you out of danger, and here I've let you lead the charge."
Rogue couldn't help but feel touched at his and Rene's concern, "Ya just tell your friend ah can take care of mahself and he best better worry about himself right now." She didn't add to say how much she was missing him right now. How he was the only thing that felt familiar in this place.
"Olivia," Pierre called, "I better get Miss Devereux home. We have a lot to do in the next two days and I best get started."
"I agree," she gave Logan a small kiss on the cheek, "Now remember when I send you a note you be ready, ok."
Logan nodded enthusiastically and ran to join Rogue. After saying their good-byes Pierre helped Rogue into the carriage, Logan scrambling into the seat beside her. Rogue waited until they were moving before turning to Logan.
"So what is it Miss Olivia told you to do?"
"I get to create a distraction, she said the bigger the better."
"A distraction? What kind of distraction?" Rogue did not want him to get hurt, advanced healing factor or not.
" Oh no. I'm not giving that away, but trust me Stripes it will be something."
Rogue could only pray he was just exaggerating. They sat in silence, watching the streets slip by.
"Stripes, can I tell you something?"
"Sure, Logan what is it?"
"Miss Olivia is one pretty lady," he said a big smile stretching across his face, "You think she likes me."
Rogue didn't know why but she had to suppress the urge to howl with laughter, she didn't want to hurt the little boy's feelings.
"Ya know something Logan, ah think she does. In fact I think if ya give it a few more years ya might have a very good shot with her."
Logan puffed up his chest and smiled with the all the assurance that only a boy with big ideas can have. Rogue smiled to herself. He didn't have to know he'd have to wait a hundred or so years before he actually got that chance.
A/N: Ok so I know I promised a glimpse of the present in this but I decided to save it for the next chapter. So what will Logan's diversion be? Will the plan work? You'll just have to stay tuned. Hopefully the next chapters will be longer. : )