Proverbs - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Cat Smith
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 6

The X-Men were gathered in the Blackbird. They were examining the note that Wolverine had been given. On it had been scrawled, quite simply;

17/8 24:00

Entenmans Theatre

Rogue took it in her hand and held it to her breast. Thank you Lord. She thought. It was Remy's handwriting. He was okay. They'd talk, make up, it'd be just like it was before.

"So, Slim." Said Logan. "What we gonna do?"

Rogue broke off Scott's answer. "Whaddaya think we're gonna do?! We're gonna go meet him!"

Scott looked at the young woman before him. He felt a pain in his chest. The look on her face, he knew, must be like the one the had worn when he had seen Madeline Pryor, the image of Jean Grey, whom he'd married when he thought Jean was dead. A look of hope, of utter need. He sighed as he told her what would have been obvious if she was in her right mind.

"Rogue, we can't just risk the team like that. We need to think up a plan, and a back-up, in case something goes wrong..."

Rogue's eye's reduced to slits. "Ah hope ya ain't still suggestin' Remy's the traitor again."

Cyclops looked at her, trying to make her understand. "Rogue, please try to understand. What if it's not Remy?"

"It's his handwritin', o' course it's him!" She snapped, not wanting to believe it possible.

"Rogue..." Began Ororo. "I want to believe it is him as much as you do. But we must consider all the explanations. Remy does not have remarkably unique handwriting. Anyone could have wrote this note..."

Rogue looked at Ororo pleadingly. "But it could be him!" She heard footsteps behind her, as Bishop came to stand next to her. Solemly, he agreed.

"Indeed Ororo. We must take the chance. Even if it is not Gambit, it may be someone who can help us."

He heard a bark of laughter and looked over at Wolverine. "What's so amusing?"

Logan smiled at him. "You changed yer tune pretty quickly. What happened t' all the LeBeau is evil crapola?"

Bishop's grim expression didn't change. "I just remembered what the Witness actually did, rather than how I felt about it."

Logan got up and walked over to Rogue. "That's what I thought." He took the piece of paper from her. He sniffed it. "Like I told you, it does have his scent. An' before yer say anythin' Scott, I know it don't mean nuthin'. But I think it's worth the hassle of checkin."

Scott sighed again, trying to make them comprehend. "You don't understand..."

"We do understand. We could be hurt or caught. That's why only the three of us are gonna go, an' we'll keep in contact at all times. If anythin' happens, you're our backup. You two comin'?" He asked Bishop and Rogue.

Exasperated, Scott looked over at Storm, who was trying to keep the smile off her face. "You know, Scott as well as I do, that once his mind is made up, there is no stopping him." Defeated, and not happy about it, Scott Summers murmured;

"Well, go on then."

Rogue smiled as she walked along the darkened city streets. That had been worth it just to see the look on Cyclops' face. People on the streets, few that they were, looked at them with worry. Despite the fact they were in street clothes, Wolverine and Bishop always managed to attract attention. The small, feral looking Logan, and the stiff, alert Bishop seemed to be some sort of covert agents. Rogue herself attracted attention too, but that was mostly from drunken men whistling at her. She blushed.

"Ignore them, darlin'."

Surprised, Rogue looked at her team-mate. None of them had spoken since they had left the Blackbird a half hour ago. They were trying to find the theatre, but they hadn't found it in the city centre, and hadn't found it on any of the maps stored on the on-board computer. They walked in silence for a little longer, and then Rogue stopped.

"Guys, don't ya think maybe we oughta ask somebody or somethin'?"

"Nope."

Rogue frowned annoyed. "Whaddaya mean, "nope"?"

She saw Logan glance at her in the dark. "'cause I know where we're goin'."

Rogue was just about to ask how, when he answered her. "I've got his scent. An' Jeannie was right, there is somethin' different."

"What?"

"We're gonna find out in a minute. I think the theatre's round the next block."

Rogue galnced down at her watch, and pressed the button on the side to illuminate it. 23:52. It had better be round the block. They didn't much time. The neighbourhood was getting decidedly poorer. There wasn't any bums, or junkies, or anything like that though. The place was deserted. There were no sounds of life, except for the breathing of the three X-Men. The rounded a corner, and the theatre was there. A large, grand building, tall, with ornate carvings on the front, and glass doors, long since smashed.

"Well," murmured Logan. "We found it." In the distance, they heard a bell toll the midnight ring. That, along with the silence, the absence of life aroung the area was spooky. All three X-Men turned as they heard the sound of clapping. They were not at all greeted with what they were expecting. A beautiul raven haired, purple eyed, woman stood there, smiling at them.

"Congratulation, X-Men! You are worthy indeed of your reputation."

Logan stared at her, and her outfit - corset, long boots and gloves, cape. "You been takin' fashion tips from Selene?"

Rogue was taken aback by the evilness of the glint in her eyes as she grinned.

"Selene is an amateur. Her exploits are often amusing, though. Like that fight with you, Wolverine. Sensational!"

"Who are you, and where is Gambit?" Asked Bishop with no trace of emotion, as he stared directly at her without flinching.

A hand on her chin, she looked thoughtful, while walking about, letting her cloak swish magnificently behind her. Intimidation tactic, Wolverine knew. Then she turned to them again. On her face rested a look of fake confusion.

"Gambit, Gambit... I'm sorry. That doesn't ring a bell."

Ah'll ring your bell in a minute, ya bitch. "Sure ya do. Six foot somethin', reddish hair, red eyes, ya cain't miss him."

Completely faking it, the woman pretended recognition. "Oh! You mean Remy! Oh, I most certainly know him." She ran her tongue over her teeth as she smiled.

Rogue was ready to hit her, hard, when she held up a hand.

"I wouldn't." She looked into the shadows to her left and guestured. "Come, darling. Your friends miss you."

Rogue found she caught her breath as she waited. A lithe, tall sillouhette emerged from those shadows. Thank God...

The woman gazed straight at her. "Not yet, girl."

It was lahk she read mah mind... mused Rogue, while trying to keep her excitement under control, and trying to not think of what she could mean by that.

Remy had stepped out of the shadows. As her eyes narrowed, Rogue's excitement dimmed, and anxiety grew up in it's place. This... this wasn't her Remy... what'd she done to him!?

Beside her, Wolverine started to growl. He could sense it too. The feeling of not-quite-rightness about the man in front of them. Bishop too, was on alert, and following every movement the couple in front of them made. Their movements were amazing. They didn't walk toward them, rather they circled, their eyes never taken off them. They... they were hunting them? Logan knew what the hunt felt like, and this was it. Standing straight in front of the theatre, they stopped and gazed at their prey.

"Introductions are in order, I believe."

Logan growled and clawed the air. "Don't need no instructions. We're leavin'. Now." Something was deeply wrong here.

However, before they could do anything, Remy stepped forward, and spoke.

His voice was different. It echoed with the millenia, and was mesmerising enough to hold even the most strong willed person where they stood.

"I don' think so Logan. Y'ain't let Hadea here tell ya de story y' so urgently wanted to hear a moment ago. Lemme tell ya. It's simple really. I was walking home, an' Hadea confronted me. Made me like her. It's truly wond'ful, Logan. Like bein' re-born. Ev' sense on a high, ev' emotion stronger dan b'fore. Maybe ya ought try it?"

With that, Hadea, who, under the cover of Remy's hypnotising speech, had got in close, hit Logan hard, knocking him out. Faster than it takes to tell, she then turned and kicked Bishop in the face. He slumped to the ground, and a groggy Rogue reached out dizzily to try and help him. Before the dizziness passed, however, she felt someone tackle her, and on her back, saw Remy's face only centimetre's from her own, his eyes dark with desire. He kissed her passionately, and emotions overcame Rogue, and she forgot about Hadea, and Remy's past, and what had happened to him. All she knew was that she never wanted the kiss to end, had never felt better. From her face, Remy started to kiss down her long, slender neck. Sighing with happiness, Rogue locked her hands around his neck, and then gasped as something sharp dug into her neck.

Sorry 'bout dis, mon amour, but I hungry.

Everything went black.