Chapter Summary: The Boucherie gets underway and Irene sends another message
XOXOXOXOX
Despite what Rogue had said about reading or calling Kitty, she decided to take another shower. It was that or go back to the training hall. She was not going back to the training hall. Waiting for the shower to heat up, Rogue sat on the edge of the claw foot tub. She brushed a foot back and forth across the bathmat and tried to ignore the twisting in her stomach.
As the shower began to steam, Rogue wondered if Remy and the others had gotten to wherever the Boucherie was being held. Were Jean-Luc and Marius talking? Remy had said that there would be a trial of sorts, but what did that really mean?
Rogue stepped under the spray and let the scalding water wash over her.
Should she have kept her mouth shut? It's not like she had any evidence to support her theory. Just a random idea that she had spoken out loud.
Hell, she had barely managed to get the idea out of her mouth before Jean-Luc had immediately latched onto it. Remy had said that Marius had agreed with Jean-Luc. He must have agreed pretty quickly because Rogue hadn't slept for that long. Was she right, or were Jean-Luc and Marius looking for a scapegoat?
What about the High Court? Remy said there was a trial…of sorts. Rogue had a hard time believing that the High Court was terribly concerned about justice.
Probably just power and keeping the feud from getting too out of hand.
If Alden was innocent, would they declare him so? Did it matter?
If Marius thought Alden was behind the disappearance of his son…Rogue shook her head, trying to dislodge that train of thought. She really didn't want to think about what Marius could do to Alden, with or without the High Court's approval.
Rogue finished soaping up and ducked back under the water. Letting the heat and steam hit her upper back. The burn was a nice distraction.
Eventually, the water ran cold, and Rogue was forced to get out. Stepping out of the steam-filled bathroom, Rogue grabbed a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt lying on the chair by the fireplace.
The hot water had soothed the tension in her shoulders but hadn't done much to settle her mind.
Stepping out into the hallway, the silence was unavoidable. Not that the Guild Hall had ever been as loud as Xavier's, but there was something unnerving about a house normally full of people suddenly so empty. Rogue moved as quietly as she could down the hall, feeling uncomfortable disturbing the silence.
With no better plan in mind, Rogue found her way through the quiet house to the kitchen.
Sitting on the counter next to a large pot on the stove, Rogue saw a notepad with her name scrawled across the top. It was a note from Tante telling her that there was gumbo in the pot and rice in the fridge. Smiling, Rogue found a bowl and the rice and began heating the gumbo up in the microwave.
Staring out over the bayou watching the fireflies, she tried to shake the feeling that something was wrong. The microwave beeped, and she pulled the bowl of hot gumbo out. Sitting at the kitchen table, Rogue spooned at the food, eating a few mouthfuls but not really hungry. The twisting in her stomach was back.
After a few more minutes of trying to eat, Rogue stood up and walked back into the kitchen. Wrapping up the food and putting it away before wiping down the counters. Not that they needed it, but it was something to her hands busy. Finally, when she ran out of meaningless chores, Rogue headed back up to her room.
Glancing around as she entered, Rogue spotted her bag lying on the floor beside the chair. Remembering what she had told Remy about reading—she was in absolutely no mood to call Kitty right now—she reached for her bag with the novels she had brought on her trip.
As Rogue picked up the bag, Irene's book tumbled to the floor from one of the unzipped pockets, scattering bits of paper as it fell. Frowning, Rogue picked up the book and gathered the bits of paper—newspaper clippings—placing them on the bed. Arranging the clippings, Rogue realized it was a news story from ten years earlier.
One man was shot dead in an armed street fight last night. Authorities have no leads but believe that it is related to the ongoing gang wars that have been plaguing New Orleans for the past few years. Authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward.
Gun-related violence and gang-related violence have been on the rise for the past five years in the city. New Orleans Mayor has pledged…
Rogue turned to the second newspaper clipping.
We are sad to announce the passing of Liam Breaux of New Orleans. The funeral will be a private ceremony with only close family members present. He died at age 49 last Tuesday evening. Liam Breaux is survived by his nephew Colt Breaux.
Rogue choked on her breath, feeling like she had just been punched. Reeling back, Rogue snatched up Irene's book, fanning the pages with her thumb, looking for any other news clippings, when a folded piece of printer paper dropped into her lap. Unfolding it, the document showed a real estate listing for a bayou cabin that listed the house as 'sold.' At the bottom of the page, in Irene's neat handwriting, were the words 'Trust your instincts.'
Rogue felt her insides freeze, her ears ringing.
Launching herself from the bed, Rogue grabbed her phone from the nightstand and stuffed her feet into her shoes. Stumbling through the door into the hallway while simultaneously trying to unlock her phone, she almost ran over someone. Glancing up, she recognized the dark-haired girl in front of her as the other girl Etienne and Yvonne had been training with a few days ago.
"Hi, Rogue. Have you seen Yvonne?"
"No. Why?" Rogue asked.
"Yvonne went to talk to Etienne today after their fight this morning, but they got into an even bigger fight, and she ran off. I've been looking for her, but I can't find her." The girl said with a frown.
Rogue's heart stopped as her stomach dropped again for the second time. If Yvonne was upset over a fight with Etienne, Rogue could guess who she would want to talk to about it. Trust your instincts.
"Do you know where this is?" Rouge snapped, thrusting the real estate listing at the girl in front of her.
"Yeah, it's about thirty minutes away." The girl answered, frowning at Rogue's tone.
"Is it close to Blood Moon Bayou?" Rogue demanded. That caught the girl's attention.
"Umm, kinda? It's about halfway between here and there, but it's further downriver. Why?" she asked.
Rogue was already moving past the girl, heading for the kitchen. Snagging Mercy's keys off the hook by the door, Rogue rushed to the garage. Throwing herself into the driver's seat of Mercy's car, Rogue punched in the address from the real estate listing into the driving app on her phone and peeled out of the driveway of the Guild Hall.
As she drove through the night, Rogue focused on shutting down her emotions. She had been trained by Logan and Mystique. Emotions get you killed. Facts keep you alive. Rogue tried to focus on the facts.
She knew from Jean-Luc that the Guild wars were at an all-time high a decade ago.
She knew from Irene that Liam Breaux was Colt's uncle and had been killed in a shoot-out ten years ago.
She knew from Yvonne that Colt had known Cecile before she died.
She knew from Henri that Colt had been visiting the Assassins and the Thieves Guild, giving him a chance to meet with the other girls.
Colt wanted revenge for the death of his uncle and was setting up the Assassins and the Thieves to kill each other in a war. Rogue swore violently under her breath and pushed the accelerator harder. Reaching for her phone, she dialed Remy's number, thankful he had programmed it in earlier. It went to voicemail. Rogue swore again. Leaving a voicemail, she explained where she was going and what was going on before hanging up.
Driving further into the bayou, Beast's words from earlier echoed in her mind.
Hate is more powerful than money or power.
XOXOXOXOX
New Chapter: Rogue heads for Colt's cabin looking for Yvonne
Fun Facts: 'Up River' and 'Down River' are terms to describe directions. So when the girl tells Rogue the cabin is 'down river' she means it is south of the Guild Hall.
