Scott found an area to land, "Don't get anywhere near him when he has a deck of cards in his hands" Rachel replied remembering the first time she saw what he could do. He sent Hank through a wall. "or really anything for that matter"
Logan wasn't convinced as he looked out the window, with an eyebrow twitched.
"Where is he then?" Scott asked
Rachel was still searching, "He's been known to be downtown, loves the nightlife on bourbon street"
Logan scoffed as he unbuckled his belt, "Guess this isn't a covert mission" he had been in the game long enough to know when there would and wouldn't be a mess. He knew tonight would get messy.
He looked at Rachel, 'And you're saying I don't like this guy very much"
Rachel let out a thin smile, "You have the power to change your future Logan" she got up and followed Scott out of the plane.
Logan and Rouge followed, "Do me a favor and don't swoon once you meet this guy" he said to Rouge
Rouge smiled curiously, "Logan, I have a boyfriend"
"Right" Logan sighed wondering if that would be any use.
The group strolled through the downtown core of New Orleans. Scott watched as Rachel tried to listen for Remy. He watched in awe of his daughter realizing she was more controlled and powerful than Jean was at her age. Rachel stopped, "He's in the bar across the street"
"Wait" she added keeping still
Logan and Scott watched with a concerned look. "Eric is here with Mystique"
"Logan go in with Rachel to get Remy, Rouge and I will be on look out for Eric" Scott said hating the idea but Logan would be able to protect Rachel, and he knew he had a better shot at reasoning with Eric then Logan.
Rachel nodded as she and Logan headed for the bar. "What's your plan then red?" Logan asked
"Well I can't exactly start off telling him I'm from the future" she smirked walking under Logan's arm as he opened the door for her
"So what then?" he asked following her in. The music began to blare through their ears
He leaned in close to hear, "I'll have to use my other talents" Rachel yelled scanning the room,
"You're going to drum up some illusion?" Logan asked confused, "What good will that do?"
Rachel rolled her eyes, "I'm going to hit on him, Logan"
Logan stopped and grabbed her arm The hell you are, it's bad enough her father is watching me like a hawk when I haven't laid a finger on her, I'm not going to take the blame for some other creep
Logan was still wasn't sure about her plan, but she knew this Remy more than he did. He let go as she stepped towards the bar where he was sitting. His auburn hair hung over his eyes as he nursed his jack Daniels. He was thinking about the person he just pick pocketed. Why am I feelin' bad bout him he took a sip I ne'er felt bad bout doin' what I do bes'
Rachel looked back at Logan who hung back. His stare was equal parts concern and Jealousy. She looked back to Remy needing to concentrate. He didn't have to be jealous of anything. Her heart belonged to him, even if he couldn't know it. Looking back at Remy she remembered finding him in a similar place, only this time he wasn't causing any trouble, he was actually keeping to himself.
Rachel leaned up against the bar beside Remy and smiled, "I'll make you a deal" she said pulling out a deck of cards. Remy looked up and smiled seeing Rachel.
My, My red headed cherie thinking she can win a bet against me
Rachel set down the cards, "Highest card buys the round" she smirked
Remy grabbed the deck and began shuffling. The cards flew into the air in perfect order. Logan watched in pure distain. Showoff. Rachel smiled, "I don't like my odds" she said
Remy tilted his head, "Cherie, is ok, at least you still got your looks darlin'. You had no idea you'd run into da bes card player in town"
Logan rolled his eyes from the back of the bar hearing everything, "No tricks" she said, "Let's make it a fair game"
Remy smirked, "Have you heard of me Cherie" he said confidently "Das all Remy's about" he lied
Rachel nodded, "You're name is pretty well known on Bourbon street, I just had to see for myself the infamous Gambit"
Remy leaned back. Not many people knew him by that name yet. But he was taken by Rachel's flirtation. He set the cards down, "Ok honey, ladies first"
Rachel looked at the deck and picked up the card. 6 of spades. She watched as Remy picked his up. She looked at the card then back at Remy. "Ready Sugar" she smirked
His expression was stone as he looked at the card, but Rachel knew it was what she wanted it to be. She threw down her's and looked at Remy with a sheepish smile. He laid down his. "Guess you win Cherie" he said with a wink. Rachel looked at her six and his 9 with a smile. "A two of hearts don't get you far does it"
"It doesn't" she said
How did she do that Logan scoffed from the back of the bar
Logan watched with a smile She sure is something. Rachel looked back at Logan for a moment knowing she shouldn't but when he thought like that, it tugged at her heart, making her think back to her time with him. Logan smiled at her shaking his head. He was jealous, he couldn't hide it, he hated seeing her talking to him even though he knew he shouldn't care. She wasn't part of his world, at least not yet. He couldn't justify any of it because of his love for her mother, jean.
Rachel kept her eyes on Logan as Remy ordered her drink. She knew it too, but still couldn't help but draw on those feelings, she missed him, the old him, and seeing him now working with him was the hardest thing she had to do knowing what happened to him. To see him die and come back to find him again in a time when he loved her mother.
She wasn't this complicated of a woman in her own time. She tried to shake it off when she heard Remy ask her something. She turned to Gambit but stopped. Logan caught her expression and froze. He literally froze. "Logan, the metal in your bones is like a fine cologne" Eric said as he walked into the bar.
Remy noticed Rachel's worried expression and turned to see what caught her so off guard, "Der a problem darlin'" he asked
Logan could feel the metal in his bones expanding, "I'm so glad my present is working out for the both of us" Eric said walking in the bar
Where are Scott and Rouge? Rachel shook her head with a light shrug watching Logan and Eric behind him.
She turned to Remy
"Remy, you have to listen to me" Rachel said holding his arm, "You aren't going to believe me but you and I know each other" she said
Remy turned to her again with a smile "Course we do honey" he said touching her face, 'And we're goin to get ta know eachoder a whole lot better after a few of des" he held up his glass
Rachel was rushed, "Not in this time, but in the future we know each other" she said again
Before she could elaborate Eric was behind him 'Ah, Remy Lebeau I presume" Eric said. He noticed Rachel and tilted his head.
Eric was ignoring the stares from the patrons in the bar, his dark purple jacket and helmet were out of the ordinary for the people of New Orleans, but Rachel caught his attention. He knew she was another mutant. She wasn't hiding it.
"My dear I believe there is another gentlemen full of testosterone at the back of the bar who could use a drink" Eric said
Rachel shook her head, "You can put Logan down, Eric" she said, "We're not here to cause a scene"
Eric smiled, "No we're not, that is if Remy leaves with us"
Remy shifted away from Eric, "Remy aint going anywhere wit anybody" he was impatient now, "Who are the two of you"
"My name is Rachel Summers" she said, "in about 17 years we will be in the fight for our lives against something that is going to put us on a path of death and destruction" she looked at Eric
Eric knew where Rachel had come from, he saw Logan come back in time, and knew it wasn't out of reach for someone to do it again. But he wanted no more part in Charles' plan. He wasn't interested in doing anything Charles' way, not again, not ever.
"I'm sorry my dear, but there is nothing you or Charles can say that'll make me come to your side" he shook his head. "Now you might want to go check on your father outside" he said pleased, "He might have a few head injuries that need tending to"
Rachel shook her head wanting to believe Scott was ok, but before she could realize Eric's knowing statement Remy shot up,
"This is just bullshit" he spat out
"Ah ah" Eric said "I haven't given you my sales pitch yet" he put his hand on Remy's chest
Remy titled his head while resting his hand on the deck of cards "Get yer hand off me old man"
Rachel looked at Eric "You might want to listen to the Cajun" she said knowing exactly what was about to happen.
Eric looked at the metal pipes that ran through the walls giving the bar an industrial look, they flowed out of their place and came for Rachel. Logan yelled her name in a rage and Gambit's deck began to glow.
Rachel was pushed back by the pipes and the crowd began to panic. In the second Gambit's cards began to float. Rachel used her power to push back on the pipes as Gambit forced the cards towards Eric, but the cards froze in mid air as Rachel began to float. Fire erupted around her as she began to glow. She was using the Pheonix to freeze Eric and Remy. Logan watched in horror at the sight of Rachel, how he'd seen it before, but Rachel had it under control, she was using it to help.
Eric was thrown to the ground and the cards dropped while Remy watched in disbelieve. Logan ran to Rachel once he was free "Are you alright?" he asked as she shifted back
Rachel nodded, "Remy no" she saw that he pulled out his cane. "We need him, and you" she said
He looked at her, "Fer what exactly Cherie" he looked at Logan, "You say you're from de future but how" his cane began to glow
Remy watched as the power started to transfer to the stick "What are you Cherie"
Before Rachel could brace herself Gambit had slammed down the staff and the concrete started to rise as the force tore through the ground. Logan and Rachel were thrown as well as Eric.
"Woah" Logan said trying to shake off the hit. Fear ripped through him for Rachel's safety as he quickly turned to her while looking for Eric "You ok?" he said checking her, she held on to him briefly to brace herself up, a moment the two of thm paused caught in each other. Rachel shook out of it focusing on Remy.
Rachel laid against the wall trying to catch her breath. You leave me no choice She thought. Remy grabbed his head as Rachel started projecting her memories of the last few years into his mind. Trask, the sentinels, the ambush at the mansion.
He caught his breath, "What de hell" he said trying to shake off the trauma, he felt Rachel's fear, her pain.
Logan watched confused "What did you do to him?"
Rachel stood to her feet and walked towards Remy, "Helped him understand"
Remy asked amazed "all that really happen?"
Rachel nodded, "And so much more" she gave him a pleading look, "Remy we need you, all of that can still happen if you don't come with us, maybe a worse version I don't know. All I know is that you are powerful, and we need someone like you on our side" Rachel shrugged,
Remy looked down thinking it through. The horror that he felt, he never wanted to feel that again, and if it meant going with them would by chance change all that, then he had no choice.
"Ok I do it" he agreed still not entirely convinced, "Because you pretty scary Cherie" he smirked, "What else can you show Remy?"
"I'm also good at black Jacket" Rachel said heading for the door, "We've got to go though, the cops are coming"
He smiled following, "Fancy a game sometime darlin"
Logan nudged him, "Easy there Jazz hands"
"He taught me to cheat, wouldn't be much of a game" she said smiling at Logan. "Common we have to find Rouge and Scott"
Logan sniffed them out "I got em" he said running to the alley. Rachel watched worried she couldn't hear them. But something muffled began to come across. What the hell, oh god not you
Rachel could help but smile as Logan emerged from the dark with Rouge in his arms and Scott stumbling behind him "We have to go now" Logan said
"What happened" Scott asked trying to shake his blow off
"Eric, Remy and your daughter did a little damage to the bar" Logan grunted
Sirens started to blare from down the street. "We've got to go" Rachel said,
"Are you alright" Rachel said helping Scott
He nodded holding his head, "I'd be a little better knowing my daughter didn't destroy a bar her first night out"
"Eric started it" She replied
Remy noticed Rouge in Logan's arms, "My my, say why don't we trade"
Logan wasn't impressed remembering Rachel's stories about Remy and Rouge, "Don't you worry about either of them" he stormed past headed for the plane
Scott stumbled into the pilots seat, "You ok to fly" Rachel asked concerned
Scott nodded "I'm fine, not the first time I've been hit in the head with a garbage bin" he held his head, "What happened with Eric"
Rachel lowered her head, "He didn't want to hear any of it" Scott turned to see the new addition
"But we got Gambit" Scott confirmed
Rachel nodded looking back as Remy was fawning over Rouge, "That's him"
"How did you convince him to come along then? Eric should know about all this time travel stuff" Scott thought
"He said he wanted no part in it. But I wager he's going to continue to recruit. If he was after Remy, then who knows we might run into him again. I'll know what to expect next time around"
Scott took her word for it, "You alright?" he asked concerned
She nodded, "Not really, but for now I'll try to be" she sighed
Rachel turned to her seat to find Logan in front of her "You're bleeding" he held her arm
Rachel looked at it, "It's nothing" she shrugged taking her arm back "Didn't even feel it"
"You sure proved yourself tonight" he worried thinking about all that power "You are pretty powerful for someone so young" he said impressed, "What was that back there"
"You know what it is" she sat down.
"How" Logan asked quietly, "How can you.." He stopped knowing that power consumed Jean, but Rachel was the one controlling it.
"my power doesn't control me" she looked at her arm, then back at Logan's intense stare, he was fighting his desire for her. To know what that kind of power felt like, to be with someone as equally as strong as him. "Guess I'm going to need a band aid" she said getting out of her chair.
Remy watched with a chuckle, "Dat is some woman" he said under his breath
"Yeah" Logan heard "She is"