CH. 15
A few days after dropping gambit off the X-men returned to New Orleans to pick him up only to find that he wasn't at the rendezvous point. When he didn't show up the next day Jean called Prof. X to express her concern. It wasn't uncommon for Gambit to be late, but for him to be late going home to Skylar was practically unheard of.
"He must have run into complications with his family. I suppose I should inform Skylar that he's gone missing."
"What should we do in the meantime professor?"
"Wait around until I can send Logan to track him down." Charles quickly went to find Logan so he could get ready to travel to Louisiana.
"Logan I need you to be ready to go to New Orleans within the hour." Logan put out his cigar and looked down at the professor.
"What's up Chuck?"
"Gambit seems to have gone missing and you are the only person who is going to be able to track him down in that city."
"Does Doc know Gumbo's gone MIA?"
"Skylar doesn't even know that he's in New Orleans. I was hoping you'd be the one to break the news to her." Logan took in a sharp inhale and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Good thing I can't be killed easily because this ain't gonna end well." Logan found Skylar sitting in the garden with a book. Whenever Gambit was away she threw herself into her work, spared, or read extensively. Logan was grateful she wasn't sparing at the time.
"Hey Doc I got some news from the team." Sky shut her book and rushed over to him.
"Are they headed home?" Logan rubbed the back of his neck and Skylar quickly grew suspicious. "What's going on Logan? Did something happen?"
"There's been a bit of a situation."
"What kind of situation, is someone hurt?"
"No, at least not that I'm aware of."
"Then what is it?" Logan exhaled and hesitated before speaking.
"Gambit's gone missing in New Orleans. I'm flying out this afternoon to go and find him." Logan braised himself for the onslaught of irrational screaming he expected to follow, but instead nothing. Skylar blinked a few times, put her hand on Logan's arm, and spoke calmly.
"I guess there's no helping it. Can we be ready to leave in an hour?" Logan did a double take as Skylar started to walk towards the mansion.
"Doc I don't think you should go."
"He's my pain in the ass so I'll be the one to bring him home."
"You don't have any experience in the field."
"I'll learn as I go."
"Doc I really don't think…"
"Logan!" All the plants in the yard burst to life and grew to monstrous sizes as they fed off her anger, "you can try and talk me out of this, but I am going with you because Remy is my man and I am going to do everything in my power to bring him back home." Skylar stormed inside to tell Xavier her intensions and waited for everything to get settled so they could fly to Louisiana. Before the plane took off Logan handed Skylar a box and sat down in the pilot seat.
"What's this?"
"In case you ever changed your mind about the X-Men we had this made up for you. Go change into it before we land." Skylar took the box and went to the back of the plane to change. Inside the box was her very own X-men uniform. Skylar put it on then clipped the belt that had pouches full of seeds in place. She walked back up to the front of the plane and buckled herself in. Logan glanced over at her and smirks.
"It suits you."
"Shut up and fly Logan. I want to be back home by tomorrow morning and if I'm not then New Orleans is gonna beg for a flood because I'm gonna burn it to the ground." Logan had been on the receiving end of Skylar's tempter, but even that paled in comparison to what he was looking at now. Sky sat in the seat tensely, her fingers were flexing as if itching for a brawl and her teal eyes were so hard they could cut glass. The rest of the journey was taken in a heavy silence and the moment the plane touched down Skylar was out of her seat and marching out the door. The X-men had been waiting for them, but Sky breezed past them and started her trek into the city. Kat ran after her and had to double her usual pace just to keep up.
"Sky I know you must be pissed right now, but you need to calm down and think about what you're doing."
"Kat you are me oldest friend however if you try and get in my way I will not hesitate to drop you." Kat was about to protest but had seconds thoughts about it when the roots of a near by tree burst through the pavement of a near by street taking a car out in its wake. Logan handed Sky a comm. radio and warned her not to hurt innocent people. Skylar knew Gambit better then anybody, if someone was going to be able to track him down it was going to be her. The second she was in the French quarter she found a lead. Remy had told her on several occasions about a bar her frequented Blue Nile, that's where her search would start. The moment she walked into the club she felt the spirit of the city seep into her. Had it been another time she would have enjoyed the lively music and festive atmosphere, but today she was all business. Sky walked to the bar and got the bar tenders attention.
"Bonjour cher, what can I get for da lovely lady?" Skylar held out a picture of Remy and showed it to the barkeep.
"Have you seen this guy in the past few days?" The man squinted at the picture before nodding and leaning on the bar so she could hear him over the music.
"Seen him a few nights ago, left with some guy. He was talkin' to Etienne LeBeau earlier."
"LeBeau? Do you know where I can find him?" The bartender jerked his head towards a dive bar at the end of the street.
"He's dere every night getting' piss drunk." Skylar was gone before the bartender knew what had happened. Sky scanned the bar and settled on the man hunched over the bar nursing his drink. Skylar strode up to him and slammed her palms down on the bar.
"Are you Etienne LeBeau?" The man turned to her and his eyes roamed shamelessly over her body.
"Dat I am. You need me cher?"
"You know Remy LeBeau. I need to find him so you are going to bring me to him." Etienne blinked at her as he tried to process what she'd just said. When his brain finally latched on to what she was saying he turned back to the bar.
"Listen cher I ain't taken you to where Remy is."
"So you know where he is?"
"Oui, but I ain't steppin' foot in that place." Skylar grabbed him by the front of his shirt and swung him out of his stool.
"Then you better take me to someone who will show me the way." When Etienne lead her bellow the city Sky was sure the lush had gotten lost.
"Where the hell are you leading me Etienne?" Etienne pulled on a wall and the stone swung open.
"To da T'ieves' Guild." Skylar walked down a narrow hallway that opened up into a room filled with men that all turned to look at her as she walked in. Most of them looked at her appreciating while the others glared at Etienne.
"What you doin' bringin' a girl to the Guild Etienne. She may be fine, but she don' belong here." Skylar looked around but couldn't distinguish anyone as being in charge.
"She wants someone to take her to Remy." The men all erupted into laughter.
"If you knew where he is then please someone tell me. I need to find him."
"What would a girl like you be doin' lookin' for Remy?"
"You his keeper?" The men all started to circle around her hoping to intimidate her, sadly she didn't spook easily.
"Is one of you going to help me or not?" One reached over and pinched her ass.
"Why should we?" Sky pulled out a seed and willed it to grow. The cedar tree grew long and thin resembling a staff. Sky used the plant to knock the thieves around her down. She then used ivy seeds to wrap them up in the climbing plant. Skylar was about to start shoving seeds down throats and watch shrubs grow inside bellies when an older man stepped into the room.
"You must be Remy's girl." Sky looked up and recognized him at the leader of the Thieves' Guild. His grey hair was long and pulled back at the base of his neck. His brown eyes smiled down at her. "I am Jean-Luc LeBeau, you must be lookin' for Remy."
"Yes, now will you please tell me where he is so I can drag his sorry ass back home!" Jean-Luc walked over to her and took her hand so he could kiss her knuckles. This man was clearly Remy's father.
"I can see my boy's found himself a fighter. You'll give him strong children." Skylar was about to make a snide comment when Jean-Luc handed her a piece of paper with direction on it. "Dis is where Remy is. They not gonna be expectin' you cher, I wish I could see Bella Donna's face when she meets you." Skylar didn't have time to chat the second she had the directions she was gone.