Author's Notes: From here on, the story primarily takes place in the 616 Universe, so the specific Universe will only be stated if occurring elsewhere. We'll get a deeper look at Guild politics. Gambit was recently… shall we say "encouraged" to become head of the global Thieves network in his last solo series. Since it's been mostly dropped and he appears to be in limbo, I've taken liberties. Nothing too outrageous.
Vicarious
July 30, 2018
Schaefer Theater, formerly Avengers Mansion
Manhattan
The snapping of bones as they bent in her hands still echoed in her head. The baddie, a water demon, had killed and would kill again if Rogue didn't stop her. Constantly a pillar of justice, Rogue gladly stood to protect the innocent. But it was a personal thing to break someone's body against your own. Her body violently, viscerally reacted to the visceral violence she'd created. Alone, nude beneath the shower, stripped of all her pretense, she could not hide from the guilt or escape the memory.
She turned off the water and watched steam rise around her. An initial sting melted into bone-deep warmth as outward pain cancelled the internal agony.
"Boss!" Deadpool knocked on the door. "G-men here to see you. I know you're wet and naked. Shall I send them in?"
With a groan, she surrendered her painful comfort, quickly dressed, and emerged from the work showers to face a team of SHEILD suits.
"Had no idea Ah was so popular," she said easily, toweling her hair.
"We had an incident while you were in the field," a man snapped.
"My team's zapped," she replied. "Find someone else."
"We don't need your team. This concerns you."
She froze. 'The X-Men are dead,' she thought. 'While Ah was out playin' hero, my friends were massacred.'
"A woman who appeared to be you attacked several police officers," he continued and she sighed with relief. "She was extremely powerful and wore a variation of your uniform… Any idea who she might be?"
"Y'all need to warn Grey High School."
"We need to know who she is!" he raised his voice. "Can you help us or not?"
Now she was getting annoyed. "Visual?"
Another man summoned a blurry still picture on his touch screen. Looked like Rogue. Without movement or sound, she couldn't infer any clues, and she wasn't about to trouble herself for these gentlemen.
"That's all you got? Ah remember a time SHEILD was cutting edge. 'Night, guys."
"We can't let you leave, ma'am."
"Can't stop me, either."
"Until we know her motives, we need to-"
"Put the X-Men and Avengers on alert. Ah've got bigger problems. And for all Ah know, she's some random shape-shifter on Rage. Ah'm not losin' sleep over it."
They watched as she left. At her car, she realized she'd forgotten her keys. Inside. With SHEILD. She wasn't afraid of going back to face them, but it would really ruin her power exit.
"Need a lift?" Johnny was there, waiting on his motorcycle.
She smiled. "Been ages since Ah've ridden."
He smiled back.
She wrapped her arms around him and snuggled onto the seat. Being with Johnny was easy. They hung out, screwed around, and made each other laugh. But he didn't treat her any differently than he'd treated a hundred other women. And she found herself constantly comparing him to Gambit (in her head), and pining for the latter. Johnny certainly wasn't "the one" but he was the one right now who'd keep her company tonight.
Long after he'd fallen asleep, she lay awake and watched the moonlight fill her room. She grabbed her cell, slipped out to the balcony, and called Storm. The school headmistress assured her that she would not be welcome at Grey until this issue was resolved, but as it was Summer Break, most of the staff was out. Including Gambit. He'd left for a "family emergency", which - for him - usually ended with someone comatose or fatally wounded.
Rogue called him, but his phone went straight to voice mail.
"Hey, it's me. Wanted to let you know Ah'm fine..." She decided against voicing all her concerns for his safety and ended with: "If you see 'me', be careful."
Johnny was awake and dressing. Had he heard? What did he think about her crawling out of bed with him to call her ex? She waited for guilt that never came.
"Sorry," he said, "but I forgot I promised Sue I'd take the kids tomorrow. Sometimes they leave early, and I'd really like to avoid that whole walk of shame thing with my sis."
"Sure."
He paused. "If you're scared, you can come with. You know their place is-"
"Ah'll be fine." There was an awkward silence and she wasn't sure what he was waiting for. With Gambit, she would've baited him back to bed with whispered promises of naughty delights, but she didn't really care if Johnny left or stayed. Finally, she said: "Thanks for the ride."
"You bet. See ya 'round."
July 31, 2018
Mexico City
He woke up disoriented and cotton-mouthed. They grabbed their bags, a taxi, and found the hotel. He barely made it to the bed before slumping over again. In the distance, he could hear Darce saying, "Not good… Not good…"
The next morning, he finally removed his contacts and checked his cell phone.
"Bad news, jefe," she warned him. "Your ex made the news."
From his phone, he watched the blurry, stolen security footage that Fence sent the night before. There was no audio, but he could see two officers in blue, weapons drawn, confront Rogue. Even from behind, he knew her by her distinctive green hood. Shots were fired in vain. She stood unflinching until the rounds were exhausted, and then flew at her attackers. They were punched across the street like gnats. Only nearby buildings stopped them from going further. Then she looked around, anxious, and flew into the sky.
Still pictures followed of damaged buildings and a police helicopter that had been shredded like a soda can.
More incriminating, she'd been calling.
He turned his phone off again without checking his messages. Returning her call wasn't an option. No one could know where he was.
"Summer break," he told Darce. "No crime in takin' off on de Appalachian Trail. You reach José?"
She nodded. "Meeting's at 11. It's not mandatory, but I really think we should stay for dinner. One, it'll be better cover. Two, it's the social thing to do."
"I know how t' make nice."
"Must not have seen that side of you yet." She tossed him a towel. "Go shower. It's probably gonna be a long day."
"Yeah, and no peekin', sis. I ain't a piece of meat."
José Barrera, deputy of the Thieves Guild of Mexico City, was being gutted by the Cartel. José's little operation was no threat to the Cartel. Their aggression was a matter of pride: they wanted to obliterate the any so-called rivals.
Remy's own Guild in New Orleans had faced a similar problem with the Assassins. His father's solution had been to marry him off to his childhood sweetheart, Bella Donna, who also happened to be the Assassin heir-presumptive. The plan failed spectacularly. Belle's brother challenged Remy and lost his life. Remy was exiled and divorced in short order. He hoped to find a better solution, but didn't come with much leverage. The Cartel wasn't interested in negotiating.
The morning meeting was held in José's home with his uncles, cousins, and small sons. It accomplished little but reviewing old wounds. The men were desperate. For years, they'd been petitioning their international brethren for aid. No one wanted to touch this toxic quagmire, and Candra didn't care for personal troubles as long as she received payment. Now she was dead. Remy found himself sucked into the power vacuum she left behind and was eager to tie up her loose ends. But of course, he had his own agenda, too. The Cartel had recently been harassing Belle all the way in New Orleans. She'd confronted them and won, but no one wanted this mess spilling into the American Southeast. He aimed to stop further confrontation before it began.
Propositions were kicked around all day, but Remy returned to the hotel without making any progress.
"You know," Darce rambled, "I read a study about prisoners and guards… They were switched. And the prisoners: psychopaths, serial killers, whole nine yards – they performed guard duties as well as the real guards. It's structure and the perception of power."
His mind was too fried to make sense of her. "Can y' call Fence for me? Afraid Rogue's tracked m' phone and if I turn it on, she'll know where I am."
"Sure thing! But you know, phones can be tracked while off, too."
"Not one dat's been through Fence."
She smiled. "He really is the best, isn't he?"
The old man reported all was well on the home front. Darce's mail was being held and Remy's cats had been fed by the girl next door. Fence's nanny cams revealed she'd browsed his bookcase and peaked in the fridge. Belle reported no trouble in New Orleans, and Grey High School was registering a minimum safety concern.
"What about Rogue?" asked Darce. "Any news?"
"Ha! Who watches the news anymore? Overheard some calls. Case was handed to SHIELD. She wasn't the real deal, I can tell you that. Avengers had her in space… I've got your messages, too, if you want 'm, G."
"Go ahead."
'Hey, it's me. Wanted to let you know Ah'm fine. If you see "me", be careful.' Next message: 'Remy, why ain't you answerin'? Ah'm worried. My doppelganger's on the loose and no one knows what she's after. Please answer so Ah know you're alright.' Next message: 'Went by your place. Neighbor says you're out of town for a while so Ah hope you're safe. Please just text me. Ah'm about to leave with the team, but Ah'll have my phone.'
"Problems dat solve themselves are de best kind. Thanks, Fence."
Darce gave him an odd look but didn't pry. She was right. Personal relationships had no place in a professional setting. Of course he worried about Rogue, but she'd proven herself capable without his so-called protection. Besides, he'd already made a fool of himself on the plane and didn't want a reputation as a mopey ex.
The next day, to avoid detection, José and his cousins met Remy and Darce for lunch. As soon as their host sat down, he seemed anxious. Moments later, a large group of men in sunshades moved in and cleared out the restaurant. José whispered apologies. The Cartel demanded a meeting and he couldn't refuse.
Remy really wished Darce hadn't come. Awkward and appeasing, he thought she'd make a tempting kidnapping target if this went south. But she hunched over and looked around indifferently, like a seasoned gang member skirting a prison yard confrontation. When the visitors arrived, she greeted them in their native language: 'Hey. I'm Darce. My boss, Gambit. He doesn't speak Spanish.'
The clever lie rolled easily off her tongue: a play to stay together.
The leader nodded curtly and they began power plays. He hadn't charged in, firing shots, which was fortunate. He smelled an opportunity. Now, eyes locked, they battled threats through Darce.
Gambit explained that the global banking system was about to implement a new tracking system. Due to government crackdowns, banks had to stop laundering criminal income. Great resources had been poured into this goal. Luckily for the Cartel, a counter system was already available. For the right price. Furthermore, Gambit would only sell to José, since he knew and trusted his Mexican cousin. His customers were leery but interested. They agreed to meet again the next day in another town for a trade. The potential buyers would test the product for forty-eight hours, and if the claims held up, would invest.
By the time they retreated, Gambit's shirt was damp with liquid panic. Darce, too, exhaled deeply, and left wet palm prints on the table.
Part of him was sickened by the ordeal. The Cartel pushed drugs, kidnapped, murdered, terrorized, and sold and transported living people. He wanted no part in it. But the larger part of him was relieved to have created a haven for José. The extra income would be nothing to laugh at, either, and with no work on his part. He'd need to protect Fence and the Guilds if this was ever exposed, but Belle would be elated. The money was badly needed. Mercenary work (like espionage) was changing, and the New Orleans Guild was struggling to keep pace.
August 1, 2018
Schaefer Theater, formerly Avengers Mansion
Manhattan
As the sun rose pink and cheery over the city, Rogue shuffled into work with her peers. She typically entered through a side door, but for some reason her passcode failed. So she tried the main entrance, where security pulled her aside and asked her to wait. She felt ridiculous.
At last, Captain America arrived.
"Sorry they sent ya all the way down here for nothing," she sighed.
"Not so fast, Rogue. You've got a double, and no one knows where she is or what she wants. I can't allow our security to be compromised. Come with me, please."
She followed him upstairs, to the third floor, and said: "Wouldn't an imposture be a tad more forceful?"
"It's entirely possible she is you," he led her to a conference room. "Please appreciate my position… I understand you were less than forthcoming with our buddies at SHEILD."
Waiting inside was a small group of familiar faces: Rachel Grey, a telepathic X-Man from Grey High School; Sam Guthrie, X-Man-turned-Avenger; and her current teammate, Pietro Maximoff. They stood around the room, determinedly relaxed, and Rogue felt her anxiety rise.
"Until further notice," continued the Captain, "you're suspended from the Unity Squad. Effective immediately. You've been reassigned to this task force, which is responsible for detaining your double."
"Ah recommend tyin' me to one spot and waiting for me to come kill me," Rogue said lightly. "Preferably a spa. That's what these things always come down to, anyway."
Rachel took charge. "Dad says she's definitely a mutant, so we can rule out the 'Rage/mutate' theory."
"Cyclops knows about this?" Sam asked.
"I don't know how," she answered, "but he's always on top of catching new mutants… A lack of history suggests a time traveler or dimension crosser. She appeared about the time you and your team crossed back into this universe, so I'd consider that firm evidence if not confirmation. And from what I'm picking up telepathically, she's severely traumatized. A familiar face is what she needs."
"Any idea where she's headed?"
"Europe. Been flying all night. She seems unaware we're tracking her."
"Jet's on stand-by," Pietro said irritably. "Let's ride."
July 31, 2037
LeBeau Residence
Earth 41001
Eight-year-old Jadida was in tears. She'd left a tooth under her pillow last night, and this morning, it was still there. The tooth fairy hadn't come. Raven could've punched herself! How could she have forgotten? How was she going to fix this? All the kids had been losing teeth and two of the boys had been suffering night terrors. They didn't realize it, of course, but it left her on edge all night, straining to hear screams. Also, Vaughn had been sending her love letters, which would be scandalous if the other Council members found out… Jadida's tooth had been forgotten.
"The tooth fairy didn't forget." Vaughn pulled a quarter from behind her ear.
She stopped crying and frowned. "Ellie got a dollar!"
"Wait, what's this?" He pulled three more coins from her other ear.
Raven breathed a sigh of relief. She offered to pay him back but he wouldn't accept cash. He offered his jaw and, after she made sure no one was watching, she kissed his cheek.
August 1, 2018
Location Unknown
Earth 616
'On your feet, LeBeau!'
Raven stumbled from her warm, fuzzy dream to realize she hadn't been sleeping. She was standing on a sidewalk with a duffle bag in her hand. A building across the street had been demolished and everyone was staring at her.
'Get out of there!'
"Shit!" She shot into the air. "Honor, what the hell happened?"
'Got us some loot, that's all.'
"You-? You hijacked my body!"
'Nobody died.'
"Not cool."
'We've got company. Prepared to get your hands dirty?'
A man about her age with golden hair was headed her way. He flew unassisted with sparks and heavy smoke trailing behind him.
'He can't stop or he'll sink.'
"Like a shark?"
She shot straight for him. At the last moment, he turned upwards, but she was ready for that. Her feet came up, caught his jaw. He flipped over, smokeless as a failing jet, and she shot at him again. She grabbed the back of his uniform and kneed him repeatedly in the kidneys. In her mind, Honor roared with laughter. He was as helpless as a fly in a frog's mouth! Satisfied, she kicked his backside and dropped him. Then she circled back around for her duffle bag and continued on.
A jet rose above her, and Honor shouted 'Hood!' Raven pulled her hood over her head and continued. Inside, the material was lined with shards of Magneto's helmet, which was resistant to telepathy. The pilot wouldn't be able to control her, but he also wouldn't be able to communicate now. She heard a quiet, high-pitched humming sound proceeded by an invisible attack. Pressure like a giant hand weighed her down, and although she could withstand the burden, it was extremely irritating. If she'd possessed an offense mutant power like Honor, she would've gladly blown the jet to smithereens!
The jet flew ahead and moments later, ejected a flyer. Raven clearly saw her coming and froze.
"Alright, sugah, enough horsin' around."
'You can outrun her!'
"Give me the bag." Rogue said.
"Wow… I'd… forgotten the sound of your voice…"
'Don't go soft on me now!'
She remained placid. "Let's land – figure this out. Ah wanna help, but you've gotta stop beating up my friends. Deal?"
Raven nodded and accepted Rogue's extended hand. Slowly, they descended together. The Avenger touched her temple, clearly communicating with the telepath on the jet. Raven was overwhelmed. When their feet finally reached the ground, her face was wet.
"Could I – may I hug you?"
She generously embraced the young girl, who sobbed on her shoulder. Understanding came and met with denial, but answers could wait. The most urgent issue was getting this super-strong lunatic secured. As the girl became more and more hysterical, her grasp around Rogue's ribcage tightened.
"I love you, Momma."
"Let go," she wheezed, struggling. "Ah can't breathe!"
"Sorry…"
"Have it your way!" Rogue grabbed her neck with bare hands, but the unnatural pull of memories and powers didn't happen. She reached deep and pulled harder. Again, nothing.
Raven gently laid the limp Avenger on the pavement. "You're not the one I need…"
'Your hood!'
Before Rogue lost consciousness, she'd pushed back the girl's hood. Raven quickly tried to raise her telepathic protection, but it was too late. The full force of the Phoenix assaulted her mind like a billion red-hot needles, pulling memories like threads.
'Telepaths are all the same! Feed her a rotten memory and she'll vomit you out.'
Gathering all of her rage and pain wasn't difficult. In fact, it was very near to the surface. Venting offered an incredible release, and just like Honor promised, Rachel recoiled in horror. Raven's hood was lifted and she vanished once more.
August 1, 2018
Mexico City
"You're joking!" Fence hollered. "This isn't ready to launch!"
"You've got twelve hours, mon ami. Find me a miracle."
"What about all that tech gold I sent?!"
"Mais, I pulled out de big guns first."
Gambit and Darce decided to go to the Barrera residence, not the hotel, after the meeting. Lucky coincidence. The cops had been trailing them and stormed the house. If they'd been at the hotel, all Fence's tools would have been lost. But since the house held nothing of importance, Remy negotiated a bribe.
"This is getting spooky, boss," said Darce. "First the Cartel and now the cops. How much do you trust Joey?"
"Enough. Those are little fish nibbling at shark's leftovers. And we're the bait. Try not to panic, they can smell it."
After nightfall, José's cousin slipped them out and back to the hotel.
They made sure they weren't followed and then checked in with Fence.
"Good news and bad news," he said. "Good news is I got the system up and running. Bad news is I don't know how stable it is."
"Brilliant!" Darce declared. "I could kiss you!"
Gambit imagined a blush behind his pause. Then: "SHIELD found Rogue's look alike. Dunno why but the real McCoy led the charge and got her ass handed to her."
Damn Rodgers.
"She alright?" Gambit tried to sound indifferent.
"Yeah, but the clone got away."
He had to strangle the urge to call her, to soothe her, and be comforted by her. If he lost focus now, he and Darce could vanish. Only Fence would know where they'd been but he wouldn't be able to help.
The team spent all night testing and trying to hack Fence's safeguards.
Next afternoon, the exchange went as Remy feared. The Cartel took the tech and the providers. Darce and Remy were blindfolded and forced into the back of a van. He didn't worry until they hit the highway and left town. This was bad. Escape was entirely plausible, but José and his family were known associates with nowhere else to go. For now, he'd have to play along. Fortunately, the bandits understood enough about the process to protect the Thieves. Remy was selling a service, not a product, and if the payment ceased, so did the service. He suspected they wanted to frighten them, remind them of who they were dealing with, and that was exactly what happened.
He was separated from Darce, but they remained in the same building. He heard her voice from time to time, fearless and demanding. For her safety, he never spoke in Spanish. While the system was tested, he was surrounded by drugs, sex, and violence, and she likely was subjected to the same. But Fence came through. He always did. After two days, terms were reached, and Remy was re-united with a shaken Darce.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I think so."
"Hey. They hurt you?"
"No, boss. I'm good."
She didn't look 'good' – she looked like hell. As soon as she felt safe, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Evil had seared fear into her soul: a terror she'd previously not known, and left a permanent scar. She'd been his responsibility. This was on him.
August 2, 2018
Martin Residence
Kaarst, Germany
The modest European manor owned by the Martin family was the eternal resting place of the Momentary Princess. Once every twenty-seven or twenty-nine years, the Guild convened to observe and honor the stone's appearance. But for the nearly three decades-long intervals, the place was empty. Marble statues collected dust. Wooden floors lost lacquer. Only the housekeeper/security guard, Frau Uxa, remained behind.
When a young woman broke in, Mrs. Uxa was in no doubt as to why.
"It's not here," she said in her native tongue. "You're early or late, but-"
The woman raised a gun: barrel aimed at Uxa's head.
She gasped. "I'll leave. Please. I won't tell-"
"Honor! What're you doing?" The intruder spoke, but her eyes were obscured by a long, green hood. The gun in her hands trembled. "No! She won't! She said so! Let her go. I said, let her go!"
Mrs. Uxa ran from the house.
'She will tell. We've got enough without the fuckin' Guild!'
"She didn't deserve to die."
'Neither did my son!'
Raven sighed. "So what did you steal?" Inside the duffle bag she found an assortment of tools.
'Uxa wouldn't take a bribe and I had a feeling you wouldn't let me kill her. So now we're going to war with our own family. I hope you're pleased.'
…
To Be Continued…
