Katherine patiently waited in her rendezvous point with Hank. She knew that he was trying to get the help from his fellow X-men, but she somehow knew that weren't going to do anything for her. Oddly enough, she found herself telling the truth with Hank. The only problem was that the 'friend' she mentioned was Mystique and she knew they didn't along well.
"I'm positive I have him where I want him though," she purred.
Soon, she heard footsteps in the distance and recognized them as Hank's. She remembered how gently he had moved before, despite his bigger size. As he moved closer, he began to look for her before his stare turned upwards and smiled.
"I'm afraid I have bad news, Kat; they won't help. They say it's too much of a security risk since we hardly know you," Hank explained.
Deciding not to further the subject, he took a few steps away from her, uncertain how things should proceed.
"I only wish they could understand what we go through every day. My friends don't have a constant reminder of why we have to hide," Hank finally said.
"They never will completely understand Hank, despite being different themselves. We have to hide even more than what they do. I've found that if you want to have allies, you have to team up with those who have the same problem and forget the rest," Kat told him.
Hank gave a deep breath as he listened to what she had to say, his mind filled with questions and concerns. He slowly realized that going to his comrades this early was potentially a bad idea.
"Listen Hank, I know we just met but I can assure you that if you ever need help, I will be there for you. Just because they don't trust me doesn't mean you shouldn't either," Kat told him.
Hank gave a sigh, nodding his head. He wished her well and hoped he could see her again the next day. She said she would be there and Hank began to make his way back to the mansion. She crossed her arms and gave a deep sigh, never noticing someone walk up behind her. As soon as Hank was out of earshot, the newcomer gave a snicker.
"Well, that worked well in your favour. Chances are you'll never see him again," she sarcastically mused.
"Wait for it Mystique. He seemed a bit distraught when he told me they wouldn't help. I think he'd like for us to be friends. He'll be back to at least talk to me, that I know for certain," Kat replied.
00000
For the next few days, Hank couldn't stop thinking about Kat and what she was going to do next. He found himself sitting outdoors, watching the others play basketball. He was trying to read a book but found he was unable to focus on the words. Hank was broken out of his reverie when the ball zoomed past his head.
"Watch out Hank, you almost got hit with that," Logan told him.
"Sorry, I've just had a lot on my mind," he replied.
Logan stepped over to the blue-furred mutant, a mild look of disbelief on his face. Gambit stood behind him, a smirk written over his face.
"Hank, are you still thinking about Cat Girl? Listen to me, she's not worth it. If anything, she's probably just trying to get into your pants," Logan snarled.
Hank gave a disbelieving stare at the suggestion. Gambit stepped up beside him and placed a comforting hand in Hank's shoulder.
"Listen to Gambit, Beast. If you still wonder wat's gonna happen with her, see her and talk to 'er. Da problem won't go away sitting 'ere reading a book," Gambit told him. "Just remember dat you still accepted me after I came along."
"Now that's debateable," Logan quietly said.
Hank listened to the Cajun's advice and wondered if that's what he should do. He glanced between his fellow X-men and climbed to his feet before heading into the mansion.
"Think one of us should follow him?" Logan asked.
"Yeah but I don't tink it should be you. I can safely follow 'im without bein' noticed," Gambit told him.
The claws embedded within his arm swiftly popped into the Cajun's view.
"Are you implying that I can't be quiet?" he demanded.
"Non, I'm not saying that, mon ami but I am a professional at dis type of thing," Gambit replied.
Without another thought, he hurried into the mansion to get changed, leaving behind a slightly irritated Logan behind.
00000
Hank walked down the street, unaware that he had a follower. He was intent in going to one place, in hopes that she would be there. He walked through the door and looked around the building. A smile crossed his face once he saw Katherine sitting at a table with another woman. After a few seconds, she finally looked up and saw him standing at the door and smiled. She waved and motioned for him to move closer.
"Misty, this is the one I told you about. This is Hank," Katherine told her friend.
"It's nice to finally meet you Hank," the woman said.
She held out her hand, which Hank quickly accepted. He gave the young woman a look over. The fiery redhead was not much older than her companion and quite attractive.
"What brings you here?" asked Katherine.
"I was simply hoping to talk to you for a few minutes," he replied.
An innocent grin crossed his face as he glanced between the two. Misty had taken that as her cue and climbed to her feet.
"I'll leave you two alone. I'll be outside when you're done," she said.
She walked out the door without a second glance. The blue-furred mutant narrowed his eyes slightly before he sat down next to the feline.
"So what can I help you with Hank?" she finally asked.
"I just wanted to tell you that if you ever did need help, that I'll do what I can," he told her.
"Won't your friends be upset with you? After all, they believe I'm a threat," she pointed out to him.
That little detail hadn't strayed far from his mind as Katherine climbed to her feet. After dropping some change onto the table she gave him a smile.
"This place is getting to be a bit crowded for my taste. Would you like to go for a walk?" she wondered.
He nodded as he got up to follow her.
00000
Gambit watched Hank as he walked into the café and up to one of the tables. Once the one left, he saw him talk to the one still at the table before they headed out themselves. Carefully, he eyed them turn around a nearby corner and began to follow them. Once he reached the edge of the corner, he found himself almost running into Hank.
"Gambit, what brings you here?" he wondered.
"I was only lookin' out for you Beast. I was worried that she might attack you or someting like that," Gambit replied.
Hank smiled as he stepped away from the corner, leading his friend and comrade back in the direction of the mansion.
"Well, you don't have to worry about me. I feel safe around her and I was simply escorting her to her place nearby. Come on, let's head back to the mansion," he replied.
As they headed away from the scene, Gambit stole one last look back at the corner that Hank had disappeared into and reappeared from. Something wasn't adding up in his mind but he willingly went with Hank.
00000
Gambit walked through the doors only to be greeted by Storm and Rogue.
"Why hello there, sugah. Logan told me how you went after Hank. How is he doing?" wondered Rogue.
"I did follow 'im, cher. He got not'ing to worry about from dis one he friends with. She is as 'armless as dey come," Gambit assured them. "I expect dat he be home soon enough."
Gambit walked past them without another word, as looks of worry crossed both of their faces. Rogue tried to move closer but Storm stopped her. Rogue turned enough to look at her African friend, who narrowed her eyes as they watched Gambit disappear around the corner.
"What's wrong Storm?" she finally asked.
Storm soon released the woman as a smile crossed her face.
"Nothing serious, Rogue. Just...suspicions," Storm replied.
00000
He groaned as he groggily opened his eyes. As his vision began to clear, a figure formed in front of him against a black background.
"Wakey, wakey. You won't want to miss what I have to say," a female voice called out to him.
His eyes finally snapped open to be greeted by the feline face he had seen earlier. He tried to move closer to her but was stopped as he realized he was standing against the rockface, chained by his hands by the cieling and his fet to the floor.
"No sense trying to escape, Cajun. Your hands are bound in chains that prohibit your powers, which is good for me," she purred.
"Where am I?" demanded Gambit.
"You're in my home, where you're going to stay until I can get the Beast where I want him," she replied.
Gambit shook off the last of the dizziness as he finally looked around at what she called her 'home'. He cringed for it was nothing more than a cave. His stare returned to the mutant standing in front of him.
"Wat do you want wit' Beast? Who do you work for?" he wanted to know.
"My, my, all these questions all at once. You might know, within time. All you need to know right now is that my friend is helping me complete my mission as we speak by making the seeds of distrust that I've already planted grow even more," she explained.
Gambit snorted and opened his mouth to ask how that was even possible until it clicked in.
"You are friends wit' a shape shifter, non?" he asked.
The smile on Kat's face went from ear to ear as he finally clued in as to what was happening. A laugh escaped her lips as she knelt down beside him.
"How do they tink dey going to get past Wolverine? He smell dem as soon as dey walk inside," the Cajun protested.
The grin on the cat's face widened even further, making Gambit's stomach tie into a knot.
"Not when they're wearing your precious duster in addition to a lotion we've discovered that will not only mask their scent but amplify your own from your own clothes," she laughed. "And there's nothing you can do to stop us."
TBC…