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The Gambit Guild

This is my submission for the secret challenge set by Jason, which was not only to post to a schedule but to show that we could do better than the current writers at producing quality work to said schedule.

So expect to see mine on Thursdays in August.

The story comes first, and after each chapter will be a prequel for one of the characters. I know that makes this a long post, I hope that isn’t a problem.

Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don’t own them, this is making me no money and they are the sole property of Marvel.

Homelands

Part 1- Gathering

Xavier’s…

Sage watched as Emma Frost stood in the head master’s office, her back to the door, looking out of the window. She could almost tell what Emma was thinking, and she was glad that the blonde didn’t know that the communications screen could be used as a form of one-way mirror.

Emma was watching the children playing in the gardens, or at least trying to maintain the illusion that she was, but Sage knew differently. In reality, she knew that Emma was thinking about the events of the past few months, counting the children that were playing and undoubtedly praying that she wouldn’t lose any more to anything other than old age.

Sage sighed to herself, deep in thought and contemplating the fact the Emma really didn’t have a good track record with students under her roof. She would almost feel sorry for the other woman, but a large part of her believed that Emma bought most of it on herself and deserved to know what pain and despair felt like.

Hearing Emma sigh she put everything else onto background processing and turned most of her attention back to the image on the screen, where Emma sat down at her desk with painstaking precision. She was struggling to maintain her calm, and Sage could understand why. They both hated it when people were late, and at ten past four, the two occupants of the mansion that had been expected at four for this meeting were very definitely late.

Eventually, at twenty past, there was a staccato knock at the door and she watched as Emma deliberately relaxed, leaning back in her chair and smiling, giving off the air of elegant superiority that she’d worked so hard to train in the Hellfire Club. Sage nodded to herself, not having expected any less, and settled a little more comfortably in her chair. Things were starting to move forward now and she and she wanted to make sure she had complete data on Emma’s plans.

“Come in.” Emma called, and the door to her office opened to admit Logan and Laura, although she knew that Emma would be thinking of the young woman as X-23, believing her to be nothing more than an animal. She shook her head at such short-sighted bigotry on Emma’s part, knowing that Laura had the potential to be so much more if nurtured properly.

She watched as Laura sat down, her posture a curious mix of defensive and aggressive that made Sage wonder what Emma had done to her to put her so ill at ease, and noted that she looked good dressed in the halter top and trousers uniform she had chosen to adopt since the last time Sage had seen a visual. She looked on as Logan shut the door behind him and then sat down in the other chair, his demeanour nonchalant which in itself showed that he was intrigued as all hell.

“What’s this all about Emma?” he asked, fixing Emma with a piercing, confrontational stare which screamed of how unhappy he was about having been called in. From the slight glance he gave towards Laura, Sage knew that he was worried it was something to do with his ‘sister’, and she smiled slightly, glad for once that he was going to be wrong about Emma’s reasoning. It amused her slightly to see him off balance.

“I’m putting together a new team Logan, one that wouldn’t exactly meet with Scott’s approval, before you ask why he isn’t here.” Emma answered Logan’s questions easily, that self-satisfied smile still on her face.

Sage wondered to herself just how calm she actually was, noting the slight tapping of Emma’s fingers on the desk that normally gave away tension, and decided the answer was not actually all that calm.

“Right.” Logan didn’t sound too convinced. “That explains why I’m here, but what about Laura?” he asked, frowning slightly, almost daring Emma to give him the answer he was expecting.

Sage watched as Emma sighed slightly and shuffled the papers on her desk, appearing to consider the answer to the question carefully. However, Sage knew that the answer had been worked out almost as soon as Laura had come to the school and finally allowed Emma to see behind her shields.

“Although she has been keeping up with her lessons as agreed, it has come to my attention that not only is she not fitting in, but she is actually avoiding any attempt at forming connection with the other students. That in itself would make her ideal for this team, but when you take into account her particular talents, she’s perfect.” Emma smiled, not at all ashamed at this none-too-obvious reference to Laura’s past.

Sage watched the young woman in question carefully, not too surprised to note the slight tension in her jaw at the mention of her attempts to form friendships and the clenching of her fists at the reference to her ‘talents’. Sage hoped that things hadn’t been to hard at the mansion for the young feral, but knowing Emma’s thoughts on the matter and the way she educated her students she knew that it probably would have been.

“Of course,” Emma continued, tone sweet and cold, “If you think she’s too young or unsuited to being a member of a team…”

“I’ll do it.” Laura growled, taking everybody by surprise and completely cutting Emma off. Sage noted that it was only sheer force of will she hadn’t leapt off her chair and wondered again what Emma had done to her.

“Slow down kid,” Logan said gently and put a restraining hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. “You don’t even know what the mission is, or who the rest of the team are. How about you wait until we get the rest of that information before jumping into it head first.” Laura nodded, and Logan turned back to Emma. “So spill Emma. I want details, woman, else neither of us are joining this little team of yours.” He demanded.

“Alright Logan, I’ll give you details,” Emma was entirely unruffled by his and Laura’s statements. “First of all, the team will be dealing with the sort of missions that the X-Men as a whole can’t complete due to the pesky little things such as ‘do not steal’ or ‘do not kill’ that Scott seems so fond of saying. I can’t give you details of this particular mission. I’ll leave that to the third member of the team.” Emma pressed a small button and the full link on the vid-screen came to life. “Sage, if you wouldn’t mind filling them in on the details of the mission.”

She watched Logan and Laura reacting to her presence on the screen, both surprised to see her. Logan’s face went through anger to curiosity to a kind of neutral acceptance, and he offered a nod and a quiet “Darlin’” in greeting.

Laura, who had never met her before, regarded her with open fascination and what could be hope for a second before her face fell back into its mask of surly indifference.

“Of course Emma.” Sage replied, nodding her greeting to all of the occupants of the room. “We are going to be heading out to Afghanistan, where one of the drug cartels have been developing a new drug. A drug that, if all the indicators are accurate, will be ten times more powerful than Kick. An overt operation would result in whole scale slaughter so we will be running a covert mission. I will tell you the rest on the way to Afghanistan if you are interested.” She had deliberately given them enough information to get them hooked and then ended on a question, already knowing what the answer would be.

“I already said I’d do it,” Laura said, quieter and more in control this time and Sage could tell that this was how she would normally react, without Emma baiting her. It had been Emma’s idea to include the young feral in this team, and Sage had to wonder just what her motives were, especially considering her visible animosity to the young woman. Sage had no problems accepting Laura into her team, especially considering the content of her various files and dossiers on her. Laura was perfectly suited to black-ops missions and Sage intended to see her succeed as part of her team, no matter what Emma wanted.

Logan spent a minute watching her, and Sage could see that he was weighing up the pros and cons of being part of another black-ops team. She wasn’t surprised, especially considering what she now knew of his past, but she could also tell that he wanted to say yes, wanted to get back to a life where the rules weren’t quite so important. Finally he nodded, a slight grin playing across his lips. “Alright darlin’, I’m in. Can’t say I ain’t a little wary about this, but I’m willing to give it a shot.” He looked at Laura for a moment, “And if the kid says she wants in, who am I to complain? She’s an adult an’ it’ll be nice to keep an eye on her.”

Sage watched as Laura glowered a little at her ‘brother’, and held back a smile. She was an adult alright, and clearly chafing at the restrictions that had been placed upon her. That fact made her challenge Emma, Sage was certain, and would explain part of the animosity. Emma never had been good at dealing with other alpha females on her territory , or with young women trying to find their place. Sage was even more determined, when she realised that, to help the feral who had caught her attention, made a mental memo to keep and eye on Laura.

Logan spoke again, and she redirected some of her attention away from Laura, towards him. “I ain’t bein’ funny darlin’, but if it’s just the three of us, we ain’t exactly a balanced team. Laura an’ me are good for muscle, wet work and some of the other stuff I’m sure’ll need to be done. You yerself ain’t a bad spy, and if it’s on a computer them I’m sure you’ve already got access, but it seems like somethin’ or someone is missing.”

Sage actually smiled at this, pleasantly surprised to find Logan more insightful than she remembered, and told him as much, noting with amusement the look on Emma’s face as everybody else in the room ignored her. “You are correct Logan, there is to be a fourth member of our team, however, circumstances dictate that we pick him up elsewhere. Once he is on board, and we are on our way to the location, I will fill you in on the rest of the details of the mission, which I’m sure you are both curious about.” She’s gone on to talk about the mission because she knew that would be his next question and his grin told her she had been right.

“Before any of you get too excited,” Emma’s cold voice cut in, drawing them back to their surroundings, “there are a few small details you need to be aware of.” She paused, ensuring that she had their full attention. “You are to be fully autonomous, with no ties to this institute or the Xmen. Not only does that mean that we won’t know what you are doing, which means that darling Scott won’t try to interfere, but also that we will not bail you out of any trouble you manage to find. Sage is in command, and will choose your missions, although I will give you any help in that that I can. Other than that, you are on your own.”

Sage watched as Emma waited or their reactions to that seemingly ominous statement, and she wondered if the woman expected them to show shock, or collapse in fear and grief. She also wondered if Emma realised how disenchanted they all were with the little empire that was Charles Xavier’s legacy, or how that legacy had failed them all in one way or another over the past few years. Sage shook herself mentally, diverting the bitterness and melancholy that threatened her, bringing her mind back to the job at hand.

“Thank you for those kind words, Emma. I’m sure that we will all take them to heart and try not to let them keep us awake at night.” Sage held back a smile both at Emma’s _expression of distain and Laura’s barely disguised snort of laughter. Them she got down to business. “As I said, our fourth member isn’t available locally, so if Emma would be so kind as to lend you one of the Blackbirds I will meet you at New Orleans airport.

Sage looked at Logan, catching his faint frown at their destination. This should be an interesting reunion.

***

New Orleans…

Sage had known that Logan would have mixed feelings about coming to New Orleans to collect the team’s fourth and final member, but she wished he wouldn’t sulk about it. The weather wasn’t helping much, the hot, humid summer making the air almost too liquid to breathe. As he stumped along in front of her , the humidity plastering his hair to his scalp, she didn’t need enhanced senses to pick up the constant stream of grumbling.

She also didn’t need enhanced senses to pick up the fact that they were being followed, and had been almost since they arrived. That Logan wasn’t paying any obvious attention to their tail set her at some ease, and she put a hand on Laura’s shoulder in an attempt to calm the tense feral. “They aren’t a threat.” She murmured, knowing that Laura would be able to hear her, and the slight relaxation in the muscles under her hand showed that she had been correct.

Keeping an eye on what was going on as they walked through one of the less tourist areas of the French Quarter, she soon picked up on the patterns of symbols that let her know their destination was near. A few turns and twenty minutes later they stood outside a small herbalist’s store that bore the legend ‘Baptiste’ above the door, and Sage knew it would be useless to insist that either of her companions wait outside.

Logan would insist on coming in because the man they were here to recruit had been a good friend and drinking buddy of his for years. Laura would insist on coming in because she was curious, and non-too-subtly trying to assert her position as Alpha female, and would go against all but a life or death order from her. Finally, if they argued it through, they would both insist on coming in since they didn’t know if their old friend would be anything like the man he used to be, and if he would attack them on sight as he had the last time he’d seen them.

As they walked into the store Sage noticed that their tails, since she could now pick up at least three, had stopped a short distance away form the shop. They were maintaining a position that meant they could easily rush to the owners aid at short notice. Once inside the shop, its dark and slightly smoky atmosphere setting Sage on edge and making her feel like she was intruding one someone else’s turf, the were confronted by a plump, matronly older woman. Sage knew from her files that this was Mattie Baptiste, also known to Remy as Tante Mattie. This was where they would find the information that they were looking for.

“Come in. Come in, an’ lets see what ol’ Tante can do for you.” She welcomed them amicably enough, but Sage could pick up the slight tension coming off her. Trusting Logan and Laura to their own devices Sage stepped forward and started to make enquiries about their target.

“I’m looking for Remy LeBeau.” She began, and was almost instantly cut off as looked over her shoulder.

“Don’t do dat, child.,” Tante warned Laura, who had begun to investigate the various jars and containers lining the shelves. She wasn’t surprised that the young feral had indulged her curiosity, since she was certain that Laura had never been anywhere like this before. “Dere’s t’ings in der might bite the unwary.” Continued the warning. Laura just sniffed and continued to poke around. Sage found herself wondering how long it would be before something did bite her. “Who was it y’ were lookin’ for again?” Tante’s attention finally focused back on Sage.

“Remy LeBeau.” Sage repeated. The old woman started muttering names under her breath and Sage got the feeling that she was about to engage in a game of mental poker, with a master. It was a challenge she found herself looking forward to.

Eventually, the old woman shook her head. “Desole. Don’t know anyone by dat name. Did know a Remy LeRoux, but dat was years ago an’ I doubt that’d be any good to you. However…” She headed over to a shelf and, as she rummaged for something in its depths Sage got the slightly uncomfortable feeling that this ‘harmless old woman’ was actually anything but harmless. It was steadily becoming clear in the way she held herself and the quiet authority with which she presided over the shop. A good example of this was Logan. Sage had watched him pat himself down for a cigar, stop with it halfway to his mouth, pick up on a look from Tante and hurriedly change his mind. It took a lot to get him to even consider not smoking, and normally not even the presence of high explosives would actually get him to stop, but one look from Tante Mattie was all it took. Sage was quite impressed by that.

“Ahh, here it is.” Tante turned back to Sage, holding a small jar of ointment, but before she could speak Sage interrupted, knowing Tante was trying to distract her.

“I know you know Remy LeBeau. Where can we find him?” She asked calmly.

“Really? What make you t’ink I know him?” Tante put the jar down. One eyebrow raised and her hands rested on her hips. She was not planning on being intimidated any time soon.

“There are Thieves Guild sigils on your shop. I know what they mean. You work with them.” Actually Sage was still decoding the more complex sigils, but she’d been able to interpret the more basic ones. This shop was definitely protected.

“I pay my fee. Dey leave me alone. Sometime dey drop by for bruise cream. Nothin' else to be said on dat. Now…” The triumphant smile on her face made Sage wonder if the metaphorical rug was about to be pulled from under her. It was, spectacularly, as Tante pushed the ointment jar towards her. “Dis might be able to heal them scars o’ yours a little better.”

Sage was stunned, realising that the ‘harmless old woman’ had seen straight through the telepathic glamour she used to cover the scars she had received from Bogan. Not only did that take some skill, and Sage’s files recorded the woman has having no significant mutant ability, but she had also very effectively just put Sage in her place, and if they wanted to find Remy she was going to have to do some very quick thinking.

It didn’t help when Laura, who was still investigating the shelves, snorted quietly, easily able to tell what had just happened and clearly amused by it. As Sage prepared to reply to Tante, ignoring Laura for now but promising mentally to show the young feral just who was alpha later on, there was a loud snap, the sound of metal hitting flesh and bones breaking, and a yelp from Laura.

There was also a low, quiet laugh from the shadowy recesses of the shop, and Sage watched as Logan looked over towards it warily, tensing for action. “Tante warned you ‘bout de t’ings dat bite de unwary.” A familiar voice drifted towards them from the back of the shop, “lucky for you dat you got a healin’ factor petite, or dat would be permanent.” There was the faintest tone of apprehension in the voice, Sage noted, hidden under the warm amusement.

“Come on out Gumbo. We ain’t here to hurt ya.” Logan rumbled, and Sage wished for an instant that she could use her telepathy to find out just what was going on in his mind. She hated having incomplete data on anyone, especially someone as fascinating as him, but there was very little she could do about it. Instead she turned her attention to the man emerging from the shadows, her background processing noting Laura easing the fingersnap off of her broken hand.

“You sure you aren’t goin’ to hurt me homme?” Remy asked as he detached himself from the shadows that seemed to cling to him like water. They had done that somewhat before be became Death, but now they almost followed him into the light, and Sage found it slightly unnerving. In his hands was a deck of old, ornate cards much like the standard playing cards that were his signature weapon, and as he began shuffling them Sage sincerely hoped that she hadn’t made a mistake in bringing them here.

He looked remarkably like his old self, before he became death, dressed in an approximation of his old uniform with his trademark trenchcoat wrapped tight around him. Sage caught herself marvelling at the fact that his skin tone and features had been wholly restored, a feat she was sure that not even Hank could have achieved, and wondered what it had to do with Tante Mattie, who was applying something greasy looking to Laura’s rapidly healing hand. Even his eyes had reverted to their old colouring, and if it wasn’t for the long, bone white hair that hung behind him nothing would have given away the fact that he wasn’t the man he used to be. “’Cause dat wasn’t de case last time I saw you.” He finished, and stood where he was, leaning against a counter, relaxed but clearly expecting accusations or an attack.

“Could say the same about you Cajun.” Logan replied, and Sage could tell he wasn’t entirely happy with this. “In fact, last time we saw ya, you were trying to hurt more than just us. Sage decided it was best to stay in the background, to watch the old friends try to come to terms with each other and give them the space to do so. She knew they had to get this resolved now if there was and hope of their team working together, or Remy even joining the team.

“Made a mistake, homme. Did de wrong t’ing for de right reasons. Underestimated an enemy an’ I can admit to dat, but ‘m not de only one in de room to make dat mistake.” His gaze was fixed on Logan but Sage knew he was referring to her as well. “Tante helped me t’ see what was goin’ on, an’ her faith in me managed t’ give me some measure o’ forgiveness. Don’t apply to de X-Men though, they don’t exactly got a good track record with offerin’ me second chances.” Sage could hear the bitterness in his voice and didn’t blame him for it. The X-Men had always treated him like a whipping boy when it came to forgiveness.

“Well I ain’t an X-Man no more.” Logan replied, and Sage knew that Logan had picked up on the same things she had. “An’ I know what ya mean about mistakes Remy, made more’n a few myself. I’m willin’ to let bygones be bygones, as long as ya ain’t still under his control.”

Sage watched Remy smile properly for the first time, and run his gloved hands through his hair, noting that they were full gloves. She wondered at his change of attire. “Homme, other den a few souveniers, like de hair, ‘m back to normal. Tante jus’ kept slappin’ me upsides de head until I was back to my ol’ t’ievin’ self. You don’ have any worries bout me bein’ one o’ his lapdogs anymore.” He grinned again, an act so typically Remy that Sage felt her heart flutter a little, a feeling that intensified as he turned his charm and attention to her. “So if Logan’s not an X-Man, ‘m assumin’ dat neither you nor de petite are either. So what do I owe de honour of dis little reunion to?”

“I’m putting together a new team, separate from the X-Men, and I want you for it,” she noted the minute look of longing that crossed his face, and the way he was looking at the three of them. “This is it; you would make the team four. However I won’t tell you the rest until you are in.”

She could see the indecision warring on his face, and watched as he started to shuffle the cards faster as if trying to get them to make the decision for him. Eventually he stopped and set the cards down on the counter almost reverently, laying a gloved hand on top of the deck. Seconds passed, and Sage knew that he was asking for guidance through the cards. She also knew that of the people in the shop only Laura didn’t understand what was going on, and she felt almost sorry for the girl.

Finally Remy sighed and cut the deck, pulling a card from the top of the pile remaining on the counter. Looking at it closely he nodded to himself, and then tossed the card towards them. Laura flinched, expecting an attack, but Sage just watched it land, the Ace of Spades staring up at her.

PREQUEL: SAGE

It is midnight, the witching hour, although the only way to tell is to look at the glowing LCD on the clock because the world is obscured behind windows and curtains. Despite the heavy blackout fabric used however, the occasional flashes of light can be seen, destroying the notion that the room’s occupants are cut off from everything in their haven.

Not that one of them could care less. Sleep claimed him hours ago, and has no desire to relinquish him any time soon. He is spread across the bed, limbs askew, hair messed up beyond belief and the sheets barely covering his nakedness. He twitches, rolls, and his hand flops on to the other side of the bed, where it would have hit the room’s other occupant, had she been in it.

Her side of the bed is empty. In fact, on closer inspection it hasn’t been slept in at all. The only sign that she occupied it, however briefly, is the slight imprint on the pillow. Instead, she is sat on the chair that she had moved into the room to help manage her insomnia, not that she’d have been able to sleep tonight anyway.

Looking over at the man in the bed she has the feeling, deep inside, that she made a terrible mistake when she agreed to sleep with him. Despite the adrenaline response after battle, despite the dual feeling of victory and the urge for comfort, she isn’t attracted to him in any way.

Sighing she slides on a pair of glasses and despite the absence of a source the room brightens with the glow of a dozen computer screens. The outside world, and even the inside of the room now easily ignored, she starts to work, the hum of data over her network relaxing and comforting her, helping her to forget what she has done.

First, she checks on her protégé in the Hellfire club, amazed that she has been able to keep him as lord imperial for so long without challenge. As she works through the tasks that will help him maintain the position she knows that no less is expected from her. As a living computer she is expected to be the best, do the best and never fail, especially at a self-appointed task.

The feeling, caring, living woman in her cries out at the unfairness of this, at the sheer burden that she has allowed to be placed on her shoulders, but she forces it down in much the same way as she forces down all of her regrets. She goes back to work, ignoring her feelings.

Next she deals with the tasks for her current group, checking on the status of the Dark X-men, checking on all the members of her team and compiling the data as she goes. She knows they all went out together to a club tonight, but she has resigned herself to not interacting with them outside of work. It is her way after all, and nobody makes any effort to argue with her, not even the man in the bed.

Finally, she decided to check on her former team mates, the ones she left behind because she finally realised that most of them wouldn’t understand her. As she goes to access the first of the cameras, her glasses chime and the image of a blonde forms in front of her, arms folded and an almost smug _expression on her face.

“Tessa, I thought you stopped sleeping with men to manipulate them years ago.” The cold, cultured voice makes her shudder slightly, and wish that she’d thought to engage privacy mode. She wasn’t expecting any interruptions this late at night. As it is, Emma Frost, the one woman she hoped not to see her like this, is smiling at her mockingly and she knows that Emma won’t let her live this down.

Before she has a chance to reply Emma continues to speak. “As much as I’d like to catch up on old times Tessa, this isn’t a social call. I’ve got a business proposition for you.”

She listens as Emma outlines her proposition, demands really, and her mind starts to process the information. She’s ready to refuse, even with the reward Emma has offered, but something in her stops the words before they are said.

Here is the chance she’s been looking for, the chance to work with people that understand what needs doing and the chance to be more than just a living computer once again. It’s everything she wanted, the reason she slept with Pete Wisdom, and its being offered to her on a platter. Despite her misgivings, and her distrust of Emma, she allows herself to hope once again.

“I’m in.”

Sorry this is a bit late. I've come down with flu and so had to finish this story writing through cotton wool. Again, its going to be long, since it contains another prequel. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own them, and I am making no profit from them. This is purely for entertainment purposes.

Warning: Not much to say for this one, evidence of femslash and hints of slash, other than that nothing else.

Part 2 - Planning.

In the air…

Sage hated flying with a passion, something that she kept a very closely guarded secret and so was glad that she wasn’t the sole occupant of the small private jet that she had chartered to take them to Afghanistan. If it had been just her she would have had trouble coping with the long flight, but she found the other occupants of the cabin fascinating and so dedicated her time to studying them and filling in any gaps in her data.

She hated having incomplete data, so watching Remy fidgeting with his gloves and not knowing the reason for the change of attire was like hearing nails being dragged across a chalkboard or Emma Frost orgasming. Both of those sounds were akin to physical pain and she knew that she would have to ask him why as soon as possible, before she started to get twitchy.

She also needed to know why he had decided to join them, not that the decision had taken her entirely by surprise, especially when he had drawn the ace of spades. Typically, she knew, the card was seen as the death card, an interesting draw considering Remy’s recent past, but it was also, although less commonly, seen as the change card and she needed to know what he had seen when he ‘d looked at it.

A low muttering drew some of her attention across the cabin towards where Laura was sat next to Logan. It had been hell trying to get her to behave while they were in New Orleans, and Sage could easily predict that things were coming to the point where she would have to prove to the young feral that A: she was the one in charge and B: it wasn’t worth Laura’s time to challenge her.

She focused in on the conversation, picking up a slightly wounded “where have you been?” from Laura, and noted the faint glimmer of tears in her eyes. For all that that young woman presented a gruff, feral exterior, it appeared that she had been severely hurt by Logan’s prolonged absences and abrupt disappearances. She watched as Logan wrapped an arm around Laura, hugging her close and murmuring something to her. It was too low for Sage to pick up, even after she filtered out all the background noise but she was sure that it was supposed to be comforting.

Her primary attention swapped back to Remy as he shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with the affection Logan was showing Laura. A few seconds later she realised that hidden behind the slightly bored _expression he was currently wearing was an almost wistful one, almost as if he wished to be comforting Laura. She could empathise with him on that. She wished it were her arms wrapped around the young woman, her shoulder graced by that beautiful head.

Sage knew she should be surprised by her interest in Laura, as sudden as it seemed. However, thanks to her ability to background process several sets of thoughts and feelings nothing much came as a surprise to her when it concerned her own thoughts. She had found Laura fascinating from the first encounter, and seeing the reality behind the files, videos and photographs had done something to enhance that. Besides, she realised, she had always wanted someone she could take care of, and Laura certainly fit that bill.

Something about the way Remy was watching Laura nagged at Sage, and she carefully mapped the path of his eyes, finally realising that he was watching Logan and not Laura. She had heard rumours before about the Cajun’s sexuality and preferences, but she had never been able to find any evidence. Now, with him sat in front of her staring wistfully at Logan, she was beginning to think there was some element of truth to the rumours. She made a mental note to keep a watchful eye on Remy to see what other information she could gather.

He was still fidgeting with his gloves and Sage sighed, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to settle until she had found out why. Moving quietly so as not to disturb Laura, who had fallen asleep on Logan’s shoulder, she addressed him directly. “Why did you switch to the full gloves?” she asked, knowing there was no point in beating about the bush with this. Remy looked up at her, mid-fidget, with something akin to surprise on his face before smiling slightly and shaking his head.

“Should’ve known you’d be de one t’ notice, chere,” he said quietly, a rueful grin on his lips. “should’ve known that I couldn’ keep it hidden from y’.” He tugged at the skin-tight gloves, peeling them off one by one. At first, Sage thought he was wearing a second pair of gloves underneath them, since his palms and the undersides of his fingers were as black as the leather he has just removed. Upon closer inspection, and made clear by the start contrast that the back of his hands presented when he turned them over, she realised that it was his skin that held the discolouration.

“I take it that this is another one of those ‘little souvenirs’ that Apocalypse left you with?” She asked, already knowing that answer. His skin, as Death, had all been that unnatural shade and she had been surprised to see it all fully restored back in New Orleans.

“Seems I haven’ been entirely f’given chere, since not’ing Tante did could get rid o’ dis. Seems I still got some sins t’ atone for.” It wasn’t said with bitterness or anger, just a quiet resignation, and Sage knew now why he had agreed to join the team. It didn’t matter what happened to him, be it death or change, because it gave him the chance to do something right, to possibly find forgiveness.

She laid a hand on his, tightening her grip slightly when he tried to pull the blackened palm away from her. “All of us have blood on our hands, and sins that they never be forgiven. Here, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done, just what you do.”

With that she pulled away and sat back in her seat properly, closing her eyes to begin processing everything she’d learnt. She heard Remy shift quietly , and the faint “Merci Chere,” that he whispered.

She knew it had been a trite thing to say to him, but it had been what he needed to hear to function properly as a member of her team. She had no regrets about the manipulation, especially since the more she thought on it, the more she found herself wanting to believe it. It was an interesting sensation, to have hope after so long. She examined the feeling carefully, hoping to keep hold of it but knowing exactly how dangerous it could be.

Afghanistan…

As she stepped through the door of the townhouse Sage was glad of the functional design and large open windows that allowed any hint of breeze through. She had not forgotten how hot her home country was, that wasn’t possible, but she had misjudged slightly how well she would be able to cope with the dry heat after being acclimatised to the English weather. She was glad to be in the crisp, tailored, dark grey linen suit and white cotton shirt that she had changed into before the plane landed rather than her normal leather, since that would have made the heat truly unbearable.

She knew that the townhouse, situated conveniently on the edge of the city, would have seemed like a low rent place to most people, but this was the lap of luxury unless they wanted to bribe their way into the UN building. It was by American standards small, with a master bedroom and bathroom on one floor, and the other bedroom, kitchen and bathroom below, but it was enough for them to be comfortable for now. Since the cover she had constructed for them here involved her being a respected business associate of the more established and elite criminal elements here, it was only right that she ‘own’ a townhouse. ‘The joys of going undercover’ she thought to herself wryly as she unwrapped the headscarf from her head.

A clattering broke the silence and she watched as Laura erupted into the room, trying to keep hold of the many bags she was carrying, and failing miserably. In the end, once she was fully in the room Sage was pleased to note, Laura just let the bags fall, shooting a murderous glare at her. Sage knew she shouldn’t be amused the situation appeared to be rapidly coming to a head, but she couldn’t help the slight twitch of her lips that sent the young woman storming out of the room, her hastily grabbed bag in one hand, Sage’s abandoned on the floor still.

The suit Laura was wearing wasn’t helping the feral woman’s mood. Sage knew the navy blue linen had rumpled the moment Laura had touched it, and it was clearly inferior quality despite its obvious expense. It had been reluctantly pulled on as they were coming in to land, and Sage had had to almost forcibly dress her in the headscarf. Laura had not been happy.

Sage knew that Laura wasn’t the only one who was unhappy with the cover she had provided for all of them, and it was all the more clear when Logan stumped into the room, his combat fatigues clearly worn in and comfortable, despite the storm clouds gathering on his face. Remy followed after him, dressed in identical fatigues , his hands once again covered by gloves, but she paid him little attention. Of all of her team he had been the one to offer the least resistance to her plan.

It was a simple plan, really. She would masquerade as a buyer interested in the new drug, which she knew was coming up to auction soon, and the others would be her entourage, with Logan and Remy acting as her bodyguards and Laura her personal assistant. With her credentials assured by some careful bribes and blackmail she would be welcomed into the compound of Richard Abrahms without question, and it would give the two ferals and the thief a chance to gather reconnaissance so that come auction night Remy could slip in, acquire the drug and everything associated with it. It was a very simple plan, and she should have known that there would be complications.

She watched, resigned, as Logan came towards her, noting with interest the way Remy’s hand brushed momentarily across his, and was almost gripped rather than pushed away, as he moved and filing it away for later thought. “What can I do for you Logan?” she asked, pre-empting his angry tirade.

“Do ya’ know what the hell you’re doin’ here, darlin’?” he questioned, invading her personal space, “They’re goin’ ta eat ya fer breakfast, an’ yer feedin’ Laura to ‘em as an appetiser.” He huffed, clearly not at all happy about the plan. “An’ I ain’t too happy to be dressed like GI-Joe either.” He finished, looking at her expectantly.

She looked back at him for a moment, knowing full well that what he had the biggest problem with was Laura’s role as her PA, before answering him calmly. “First of all Logan, I have been planning this for the past month and I have taken all of the variables into account concerning my homeland’s view of women. Secondly, if you had bothered to listen to me past me handing over your cover, you would know that the man we are going to see is an American, and will have much less of a problem with a strong woman, and finally, this is only temporary. I’m sure that both you and Laura can adapt to your roles.

“Damn it Sage, you know what the term ‘personal assistant’ means ta these people. How could you put Laura through that?” he protested vehemently.

Sage shook her head, astounded at the gall of her team member. “Yes, Logan, I do know what it means, and I know exactly what the real job entails. However, it is just a cover, and believe it or not, I have enough self respect not to allow it to be anything else.” Dimly she heard the floorboards above creak, and knew that Laura had just put her things on the master bed, but she could deal with that later. “Any other complaints, or are you willing to follow my orders without question for the duration of this mission?”

Sage didn’t want to be so harsh with him, and if she could have avoided it she would have, but if this cover was blown it would not only mean that they would loose the chance to stop this drug from reaching the general populace but also that she and Remy at least would suffer a slow, painful death. Laura would most likely end up a sex slave and Logan would end up back with weapon X if he was lucky. She had to be harsh. She couldn’t risk this mission for anything.

He looked at her hard for a few moments, his blue eyes piercing through her, and then nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll play by your rules, this time. Don’t mean I’m entirely happy with this, but you’ve always known what yer doin’ in the past, so I’m gonna trust you on this.” He gave her a grim smile, and moved towards where he had left his bags.

Sage would have watched him go, but it was that moment that Laura decided to storm back down the stairs, clearly still aggravated. She was still in her suit, although it was rumpled beyond belief, but Sage appreciated the way it fitted to her figure, even as she prepared herself for the showdown. Laura stopped in front of her, invading her personal space in much the same way Logan had. “This suit…” she began, obviously about to tell Sage where to stick it. Sage snapped.

“That’s enough!” she barked, unsurprised when the young woman tensed, ready to fight. Sage knew that this confrontation was inevitable.

The sound of Logan clearing his throat cut through the tension, and she watched amazed as Laura forced herself to relax in the face of his obvious disapproval. Sage didn’t look away from Laura however, until Logan began to speak. “Sage, darlin’, why don’t ya…”

She cut him off mid flow as well, asserting her dominant position over both of them. She was team leader, and by god but they were going to understand and respect that. “That’s enough from you too.” She said, leaving the unspoken ‘don’t undermine my leadership’ hanging between them. “Help Remy pack the kit. Were leaving in 30 minutes.” She said to him, turning back to Laura. “And you can follow me.”

She could have given the girl a dressing down in front of Logan and Remy, and part of her wanted to, but she knew that was the way that Frost worked, and that it wouldn’t work with Laura. This needed privacy, even if Logan would hear it, and so she headed to the master bedroom, smiling slightly when she heard Laura follow her. Once she was in the room she moved to stand by the bed and turned just in time to see Laura enter.

Sage spoke before Laura had the chance to. “First of all, get your things off my bed and on to yours.” She pointed to the small camp bed set up in the corner of the room. “Secondly, you will respect the fact that I am team leader and follow my orders to the letter, or I will make the time you spent with Emma Frost seem like a pleasant dream compared to this.”

She’d barely finished speaking when Laura lunged for her, a feral snarl on her lips, and it was only instinct and her analytical brain that stopped Sage from ending up bleeding on the floor. She reflected that she should have expected this sort of response. Instead, with a speed born of total muscle control and an edge born of Laura underestimating her, she dodged back, unbalancing the angry feral when she failed to connect. Quick as thought she moved to the side of the young woman, grabbed her leading arm and used the nerve point in the elbow to deaden it before flipping her face first onto the bed.

Automatically, Laura rolled onto her back, but by then it was too late, and Sage had her pinned, arms above her head and her stiletto to the throat. Still acting on instinct Sage leant in and bit down hard on Laura’s windpipe, marking the other woman briefly and further exerting her dominance in a way the other woman couldn’t misunderstand or misinterpret.

Laura whimpered beneath her and stretched her throat back, exposing it better, showing submission, so Sage released her hold on her. She stayed above her though, until she was sure that this little battle of wills was resolved. Laura shifted slightly, then arched up to kiss tentatively at Sage’s lips, clearly asking for permission, and forgiveness, and Sage found herself deepening the kiss almost without thinking. When she did think about it, she found herself shocked at the level of instinct and emotion contained in the last few minutes. It was something growing inside of herself that she was going to have to keep an eye on.

Pulling back she gracefully climbed off the bed and smoothed her suit back into shape, before offering a hand to Laura, who accepted it only slightly grudgingly. The feral took a deep breath as she stood and then looked sharply at Sage, who looked straight back at her, knowing with certainty what she was going to say.

“I arouse you.” Laura stated, her tone a mixture of fear, surprise, and deeply buried beneath those hope.

Sage nodded once. “Yes, you do. However, we can talk about that more after we’ve completed the mission.” She smiled at the shocked _expression on Laura’s face. “And don’t worry. I fully intend to ensure that you get to that talk, alive and unharmed. Now, we’ve got a meeting to go to.” With that, she walked out of the bedroom, and back into her role.

Richard Abrahams’ compound…

Sage was impressed by the size of their target’s compound, and by association the size of his wallet. It wasn’t cheap to put together an encampment like his, with its obvious security, luxury and state of the art technology. He had done it in under six months, according to her files on him. In the front seat of the jeep she could see Remy starting to scope the layout, putting his thieving skills to good use, despite his discomfort at the roughness of the ride, and she knew she had done the right thing in deciding to bring him along.

“We’re here to see Mr. Abrahams.” Logan announced gruffly to the obviously armed guard at the gate, acting his part of both bodyguard and driver. When questioned as to who ‘we’ were, he replied “Marion Tyler”, using Sage’s cover name, and they were given almost instant access. Sage smiled quietly to herself in the back, knowing that her ‘reputation’ had preceded them.

She allowed Remy to help her out of the Jeep, leaving Laura to deal with her briefcase and Logan very clearly appraising the place. Remy’s hand twitched slightly under her arm, and she noted he was looking at the other side of the area they were in, although couldn’t tell exactly where he was looking thanks to the shades they were all wearing. He didn’t show any sign of what he had noticed other than a quietly murmured “t’ought I saw someone I recognised.” She just nodded and took the lead, following their escort down a maze of corridors to the meeting room.

At one point they passed through a sheltered courtyard, and Sage heard a familiar male voice calling, “Amniat!” a name she had long ago left behind. She turned subtly and found the source of the call, a man she had also thought left long behind, and prayed she hadn’t been recognised. However, the sound of footsteps from the corridor in front of her set her mind at ease, until she was able to watch, with some surprise as a teenaged girl came hurrying down it, hair a rough black and eyes the colour of sapphires. That was definitely information to be processed later she thought, once again following the guide and praying that none of her team had noticed her slight lapse, although the slight tension in both Logan and Laura suggested that they had.

Richard Abrahms was not a physically imposing man, Sage thought to herself as he shook hands and offered her a seat, completely ignoring the others. In fact, the more she looked at him, the more she thought he looked like a caricature accountant, with large glasses and a haphazard tie, nothing like the smooth businessman anyone would expect. However, she knew that this man was the most dangerous threat to mutants currently, and the worst thing was that he was doing it purely for greed.

“A pleasure to meet you, miss Tyler.” He said, his voice neutral and professional. “I am assuming that one of out mutual acquaintances informed you of my latest product.” With that, Sage knew that he had checked her reputation and credential with his contacts and found them acceptable, which was going to make this all the more simple.

“Yes, they did, and I am very, very interested in the profit your little enterprise could net me.” Sage’s accent was a flawless upper-class British, designed to intimidate and throw him off balance, and by his slightly tight smile she could tell that it was having a modicum of success.

She sat there patiently and listened to him prattle on about the various pros and cons of his new drug, making the appropriate noises in the right places, fighting a growing sense of horror as he described the extreme power boost, the short duration of the effect, the high addictiveness and instability it brought, and the uncomfortable mortality rate of his little injection. Everything she was hearing made her more and more determined to stop this getting into anybody’s hands, and from the slight changes in demeanour she could pick up from her team, she knew they felt the same way.

It took him an hour to finish his explanation, and when it was over she wanted nothing more than to get out of there and get the mission done and over with. She forced herself to stay in role despite this, shaking his hand warmly as she stood up.

“Your product sounds like just the thing I am looking for, and highly marketable.” She smiled at him, knowing he would appreciate the fact that she was in it for the money. “When will I be able to purchase some from you?”

“Well, Miss Tyler, there is going to be an auction held soon, giving all interested parties a chance to see a live demonstration of the product and then to bid on varying quantities.” He smiled sharkishly at Laura’s tiny twitch at the phrase ‘live demonstration’. “After all, they’re only mutants.” He finished, testing them for a reaction which luckily none of them showed. He opened the door for them, revealing the guard stood outside waiting to escort them back to their Jeep. “It’ll be a pleasure doing business with you. I’ll be in contact.” With that, he closed the door.

LOGAN'S PREQUEL

It’s midnight, and he welcomes the darkness and the solitude like old friends as he speeds down the country roads, the wind in his hair and the bike warm beneath him.
He knows he should stop for some rest soon, but the darkness disguises what he is carrying slung over his back and he can’t afford to be stopped by a nosy cop investigating the red gleam of the sword.

He wishes he could investigate the mystery of his regained memories more, and the mystery of the sword is like a thorn in his side, but the phone call he received earlier in the night has taken precedence. So he is going back to the mansion, and he is none to happy about what he might find there, given the nature of the phone call.

Thinking back on the call it makes him angry and concerned all over again, but then Emma Frost has always been able to make him angry, it seems to be something that she is highly skilled at, a gift almost. She had rung him while he was trying to find someplace to spend the night, since after travelling non-stop for two days he was finally getting tired. He hadn’t wanted to answer, but he knew that Emma wouldn’t call him without a good reason, not while he was taking care of his personal business, so he answered.

“Its about Laura, I need you back at the mansion.” Those ten words were all she’d said when he answered, and then she’d hung up on him, leaving him with that static crackle and hiss that set his teeth on edge and made him want to hurt things.

He’d had no choice when she’d said that, no choice but to put his mission, his vendetta, on hold and return to a place that he was considering less and less his home. He had taken Laura under his protection, and if his ‘sister’ was in trouble then he was honour-bound to help her however he could, no matter what else he was doing.

That was three hours ago and he is now speeding his way back to the mansion, the bike underneath him eating away the miles. As he rides he begins to worry about the sort of trouble that Laura could be in, after all Emma didn’t say anything to indicate what it could be, and he hopes that it’s something that can wait the four days its going to take him to get back.

One of his first thoughts is that it could be boy trouble, after all whenever Jubilee or Kitty came to him it was normally because of that, but he doesn’t know if Laura has a boyfriend. Hell, he doesn’t even know if she’s interested in boys, or if there is anyone in the mansion that would be her type.

His thoughts then move on to worrying if she’s gone feral, lost herself in the animal rage and hurt someone, and somewhere in the back of his mind he realises that this is his main worry and, if he admits it, the first thought he had before he lumped her in with the other girls that he had mentored. For all she is his clone, he doesn’t know what her limits and boundaries are when it comes to her feral side, and that leads him to the realisation that he actually doesn’t know that much about her at all.

Running through a mental checklist he crosses off the things that he does know about her, and he comes up with four things. One, she is his clone, that one would be difficult to forget. Two, she has his claws, again difficult to forget considering the number of times she’s used them on him. Three, she can fight almost as well as him, which is impressive considering his amount of experience. Finally, four, she lost a lot of friends after M-Day.

With a start he realises that those four things are it, are the sum knowledge that he has of her, and that distracts him enough that he almost loses the bike on the next corner. Mentally chiding himself, and endeavouring to pay more attention to the road, he finds his thoughts slipping back to how much of a bastard he’s been to Laura.

He reassesses the introduction that he made when he forced her to go to the mansion, and he finally understands her _expression when he left her in the room. Being introduced as someone’s clone, not as an individual or a real person in your own right is enough to hurt anybody, and he wasn’t surprised it hurt her. His excuse for doing it; he had other things on his mind, and he knows that will be his excuse for all the other times that he has hurt, shamed or neglected her.

His thoughts take a darker turn, and he fights to shake himself free of them. Beating himself up isn’t going to do either of them any good, all he can do now is start to act like a brother should. He will protect her, stand by her and do whatever it takes to make sure she stays as young as she can, no matter what Frost has in store for him when he gets back.

Ok, here is part 3. I hope you all like it. I apologise for the length once again, but it kinda ran away with me and as always there is a prequal on the end.

Warnings: This not only contains more femslashy goodness, but also clear evidence of guyslash. So if you don't like it don't read it, or gloss over it in you head, it's that easy.

Homelands- Part 3

Execution

Note: “*text*” is conversation held in sign.

The journey back form Abrahams’ compound had been silent, each member of the team absorbed in their own thoughts, and Sage welcomed the chance to process everything that she had learned. It was becoming apparent to her that Emma had misjudged the seriousness of this highly dangerous new drug, and she found herself thankful that it was her team and not the X-men who had been sent in to deal with it. The X-men would have made a mess of things.

They were out of the jeep and on their way into the townhouse when Logan put a hand lightly on her arm, drawing her attention almost fully to him, although she kept some if it dedicated to keeping watch on their surroundings.

“They’ve been inside. I can smell ‘em,” he murmured, loud enough that the team could hear, but low enough that anybody watching would think it nothing more than an overzealous body guard doing his duty, “and I think they’ve bugged the place. Can hear the hum of the electronics.” Laura nodded slightly in conformation, and Sage was glad that, as usual, she’d had the foresight to stash some of their more obviously out of character gear.

She nodded once, weighing up their option in a heartbeat before answering, her voice as low as Logan’s had been. “All conversations in character until I give the all clear,” she ordered, glad that they had parked a little way off from the entrance, as it allowed them to continue moving normally towards the townhouse while they were setting this up. “Sign from here on out,” she said out loud, and then switched to basic military sign. “*I take it that you all understand this?*”

Logan and Laura both signed the affirmative, their special forces training clearly showing through, and preceded her into the building, switching on the lights as they went. Dusk had fallen as they drove back, and it wouldn’t be too long until it was full night. Remy looked at her hard as he walked in behind her, and Sage could swear that behind the dark glasses he still wore he was frowning slightly. Eventually, he too signed the affirmative, although the motions were slightly different, and Sage sighed in relief. She hadn’t been entirely sure that he would understand standard sign, but obviously thieves cant was close enough that he could adapt.

Once they were inside Sage felt a lot more comfortable, although she knew they were still being watched by at least one pair of eyes. Truthfully, she expected no less from Abrahams. He was, understandably, a little on the paranoid side, and she was an unknown element despite her ‘proven reputation’. He could afford to be watchful. Luckily, she also knew that the eyes of Abrahams agent wouldn’t be watching them too closely at this time of day, so it was safe to sign. Luckily, the sign they were using was subtle enough that from a distance it could be mistaken for ordinary gesture.

“I’ll take care of dinner, boss.” Logan’s voice pulled her out of her train of thoughts and she nodded, finally removing her sunglasses. She was unsurprised when Remy offered to help him in the kitchen, his normal Cajun accent replaced with a flawless British one, much as Logan’s Canadian one had been. She was equally unsurprised when she and Laura ended up in there as well. It seemed not only the best choice strategically to fit their cover, but it also seemed that none of them wanted to be alone.

The heat of the day had begun to dissipate, and Sage knew that they would soon be welcoming the heat of the stove once Logan began to cook. As she watched him and Remy in discussion about what to cook with the limited supplied that they had Sage slipped her jacket off, revealing the shoulder holster and 9mm Beretta that it had hidden. For all that she normally went armed, and the jacket was comfortable enough over the gun, it was more restrictive than she was used to and she relished the chance to move freely again. She stretched, almost smiling at the interested half/glance that Laura sent her way, and then sat in one of the chairs around the table in the centre of the kitchen.

As if an unspoken signal had been given, the others in the room also began to get more comfortable. Laura slipped off her jacket, regarding both it and the holster that followed it with the faintest hint of disgust. Logan removed his outer layer, revealing the two holsters over his shoulders, the holster on his left hip and the single blade in the small of his back. He took off the shoulder harness, laying the guns out on the side like a pro, looking like his cover fit him like a second skin.

Sage knew that both Logan and Laura weren’t happy with having to carry guns, there were too many bad memories attached for both of them, but she also knew what was expected of them all and what could catch them unawares. It was the reason that despite their complaints, her whole team was armed, the reason that there would be weaponry beneath their pillows and the reason that they wouldn’t go anywhere alone. It just wasn’t worth the risks.

A clink brought her attention to Remy’s jacket as he removed it, a noise she identified as coming from the half-dozen throwing knives she knew he had secreted within it, despite the fact it wasn’t designed to hold them. The small gun looked out of place sat on his hip, but the one obvious knife sheath didn’t, and as he leaned on Logan to remove an ankle holster Sage smiled, knowing that the touch was more than it appeared.

In fact, as the two men began cooking she began to pick up more and more ‘accidental’ touches between them, a hand brushing a hip for example, or a gentle nudge to the ribs, and it only served to enlarge her suspicions about their relationship. It became quite a game for her to carry on a totally in-character conversation with Laura about the profitability of the drug and how soon they could have it on the market ahead of their competition, and watch them at the same time, and she was almost disappointed when Laura’s insistent signing pulled her attention away from them.

“*Why did that girl in the courtyard smell like you?*” Laura asked, once she had her attention, and Sage sighed, having been hoping that this conversation could be avoided.

“*She’s right Sage. The girl smelt of you, and it wasn’t just a passing scent,*” Logan added, looking hard at her, and then at Remy, who began to sign his agreement, and Sage knew that that this was what they had discussed when she was them talking on the drive back.

“*And the way you reacted to the name Amniat was suspicious to say the least. What aren’t you telling us about this mission?*” Remy gave her a small, encouraging smile, while out loud he asked her if she would like bread or rice with the food.

“*Don’t give us any of that ‘need to know’ shit either. Anything that could shake your calm is something we need to know about,*” Logan continued before turning back to the meat on the stove.

“*It’s a fair exchange after all,*” Remy signed, deliberately flourishing his still-gloved hands, “*one secret for another.*” He leant against the counter, idly spinning a knife between his fingers now, as he and Logan argued out loud about what to do with the rice that Sage had requested.

“*Enough!*” she signed sharply, sending some of the paperwork that she and Laura had spread out on the table fluttering to the ground. She waited until Laura had retrieved it, admiring the way the young feral bent, and then continued. “*That girl is my daughter,*” she started, cutting straight to the point. “*I gave birth to her almost fifteen years ago, during the time I spent in a harem, and then Xavier took me away from all of this.*” She smiled slightly at their expressions of shock and confirmation, at least on Logan’s part. “*And I reacted to Amniat because that is the first name that I ever went by.*”

Laura looked at her, a cough barely disguising a snort of amusement. “*You were called peace?*” she signed, her amusement clear. “*That is a little ironic isn’t it, Amniat?*”

Sage could tell the girl was pressing her again, her unease about their confrontation earlier and the information they had gathered from Abrahams making her push the boundaries. Turning slightly so that her body blocked the sign from Logan and Remy, Sage signed, “*and you were called X23, a weapon, but I am Sage now and you are Laura. Do try to remember that.*”

With that, she stopped signing, and accepted the plate of meat and rice that was put in front of her by Remy, whose hand brushed her shoulder gently in a sign of comfort and understanding. Laura just stared at her, obviously surprised that she had bothered to hide the reprimand from the others, and then began eating as her food was put in front of her by Logan.

The four of them ate in relative silence, occasionally talking out loud about inconsequential things, and Sage began to formulate a blocking program for the bugs which would allow them some time to talk properly. Without access to the vast resources that she normally had she knew that any program would be temporary, and only allow them maybe an hour at a time, and she would probably have to loop the bug’s feed in on itself to create the windows. ‘It was never easy,’ she thought, mentally compiling the program.

When they had finished, Logan and Laura took care of the dishes while Sage booted up her laptop to write the program, and Remy fished a small sewing kit out of one pocket. Sage watched amazed as he removed four small throwing knives and two larger combat knives from various places in his jacket. She had known that he had some there, but had underestimated how many and the skill with which he concealed them. She continued to watch over the top of the laptop as he sewed the sheathes in properly, two throwing knives in each sleeve and the combat knives into the back for a downward draw.

About 15 minutes later she stood, laptop tucked under one arm, and beckoned to Laura. “Come Laura, let us retire to bed,” she said, her clipped tone and phrasing reminding her of Shaw for a moment before she forced it down. “Good night gentlemen. I will see you in the morning.”

Remy and Logan said their goodnights, and then set off to do their own final security check of the night before they too settled. Sage headed upstairs towards the master bedroom.

“Your services won’t be required tonight Laura.” She said imperiously for the bugs benefit, while signing at the young feral to just get some sleep because she had work to do. Laura nodded, heading off to the bathroom, giving Sage time to hook her system into the transmitters on the bugs and refine her program. She could tell that the other woman had questions for her and was almost glad for the enforced silence and the reprieve it gave her.

When Laura came back Sage was still working on her laptop and she was glad to see Laura settle down on the small cot without objection. She had now got the bugs under her control, and was making a recording of the sounds from each room, sounds of them sleeping and the entire house at rest. After ten minutes she switched the bugs over to a loop of the recording rather than have them picking up on actual sounds from the house, and a crack from downstairs made her glad that she had done so. It sounded like one of the beds breaking, and Sage could hear Logan swearing at it.

Turning to Laura, who had shot upright, instantly alert at the noise, gun out from under her pillow, she signalled the all-clear and spoke up. “Its all right Laura, it was just Logan’s bed breaking as I’m sure you’re aware. There is no cause for concern, so get some more sleep.” Laura just nodded, for once not arguing with her, and settled back down on to the bed as Sage got up and headed downstairs. Although she knew that it was Logan’s bed breaking, she still had to check it out. After all, she needed to be sure of the reasons.

Navigating in the dark was easy, and she had soon found and opened the door to the other bedroom, slightly shocked at what she saw inside. One of the beds was very definitely broken, and from the way the wood had splintered it was clearly due to Logan’s incredible weight. The other now had both Logan and Remy in it, with the Cajun’s feet sticking out of the bottom and Logan’s arms locked around Remy’s chest and waist. Sage was glad that it was a sturdier bed, and hoped that they were at least wearing boxers under the blankets.

Logan’s eye cracked open, his face half covered by a curtain of white hair. “See somethin’ ya like, darlin’?” he rumbled quietly, apparently not wanting to wake the sleeping man in his arms. Sage was amazed that Remy had fallen asleep so quickly. It used to take him longer to get to sleep than her, but she wasn’t going to question it. He needed his sleep for what was coming in the next few days.

“There are laws against that here,” she warned, signalling the all-clear although she knew Logan was already aware of it. She shook her head. “As long as it doesn’t affect the mission Logan,” she sighed, knowing that she couldn’t really say anything, especially considering her feelings for Laura. “The bugs go operational again in just under an hour.” She murmured finally, knowing he would hear her, and left them in peace, heading for her own bed and her own thoughts.

When she got back into the room she could tell that Laura wasn’t asleep, and she figured that if there was anybody on her team that she should speak to it was her. She decided to put the time that her program had bought them to good use. “I know that you are still awake Laura, and I think we need to talk,” she said, clearly surprising her roommate, who sat up suddenly, a confused look on her face. Sage sat on the edge of her bed and patted the empty space to the side of her. “You can sit on here with me, if you will be more comfortable.”

Laura nodded, and Sage admired the graceful way that the other woman slid out of the cot and moved across the room to sit on the bed next to her. “What do you want to talk about?” Laura asked, in a tone that made Sage think that the question was really ‘what have I done wrong?’ The _expression on her face confirmed this, as resentment warred with confusion and anger. ‘Oh Emma,’ Sage thought to herself, ‘you really do have a lot answer for.’

“It isn’t anything bad Laura. I would just like to know why you are having such a problem with my authority?” She deliberately phrased the question so that it was just that- a question and not a demand or an order. She knew that she would have to go carefully with Laura if she didn’t want to push her away.

Laura stared at her for a few moments before answering, still unsettled by Sage’s attitude. “I don’t trust you.” She said plainly. “You haven’t given me any reason to. Logan trusts you, but that isn’t enough. He trusted her.” The ‘her’ being Emma Frost, Sage knew that for a fact, and she was glad that Laura opened up to her at least a little. She only hoped that she could build on that trust and get the other woman to believe in her.

“I’m not Emma, Laura, and despite our shared history I am nothing like her. I don’t think you are just a weapon. I know that you are more than that. I haven’t done anything to stop you trusting me, have I?”

“You are attracted to me.” Laura stated, as it if was the biggest black mark there could be.

“Yes, I am. If that offends you I am sorry Laura, but I will not deny the way I feel. I spent too long doing that, but nothing will come of it unless you want it to.” Sage was surprised when Laura moved closer to her, almost hesitantly, and even more surprised when she felt Laura’s lips pressed against hers. After a few moments, Laura broke the kiss and pulled away, obviously surprised herself.

“You are the first person to want me and give me the option.” She said, snuggling into Sage’s arms. Sage found her warmth comforting, and after a minute or so shifted both of them so that they were lying under the covers. Laura offered no protest and within minutes she was dropping into sleep, leaving Sage still lying awake and thinking on her daughter.

She was starting to drift into sleep five minutes later when Laura stiffened in her arms, and she detected a slight noise from downstairs. It took her a few seconds to work out what it was, and it was only when Laura squirmed slightly and said “That’s Logan and Remy,” that she knew for sure. She just nodded, knowing the woman in her arms could feel it, and settled a little deeper into the covers. She was hoping to start drifting off again when Laura spoke.

“Sage?” the tone was hesitant, but clear enough, and Sage smiled slightly. She’d made it clear that Laura could talk to her, and it seemed the young woman was holding her to that.

“Yes, what is it?” she replied, glad that she could survive on very little sleep.

“Why is your daughter here?” Laura asked, and then continued, “If you gave birth to her fifteen years ago, you can’t have been much more than a child anyway. Why did you leave her behind?”

Sage sighed softly and stroked Laura’s hair while she put together the best answer for her. “I was only sixteen when I had her, and believe me, if I could have taken her with me when I escaped from where I was being kept I would have. I was exhausted though, and had no way of caring for her. It was better that she stay where she was.” She heard Laura preparing another question, and continued quickly, “Xavier first met me a few years before I had her, but he didn’t attempt to bring me to his school until a few years after I had had her. He told me that he couldn’t bring her to me, but he could ensure that she was cared for…”

At this point, Laura interrupted, “As long as you behaved and did what you were told? That’s why you agreed to this mission, isn’t it? She knew about your daughter.”

Sage surprised a smile. Laura was definitely familiar with the way people like Xavier and Emma manipulated others. “Yes. Her safety was one of the things that kept me in the Hellfire Club for so long, although as it turns out, he had no idea where she was and no intention of finding her. The only other person to know about her before today was Emma Frost, and she only found out by accident.”

To her surprise, Laura tried to comfort her. “You’re a capable leader. You’ll be able to figure out a way to get her back. If that was the plan all along then you probably all ready know what you’re going to do.”

Sage smiled at this, and held Laura a little closer. The young feral snuggled back against her, and Sage found herself feeling a lot better. A lot more hopeful, she realised with the faintest tinge of surprise. She decided that, in the dark where nobody could see, she would allow herself to hope. For now, she could be Sage the woman. Tomorrow, she would have to go back to being team leader. Tomorrow was soon enough.

The next morning things were back to normal, as if the night before hadn’t happened to any of them. Logan and Remy made breakfast, and if the touches were a bit warmer and more frequent neither Sage nor Laura commented. Things between her and Laura had returned, for now, to the way they were as well. The only indication that anything had happened was the fact that Laura sat just a little closer to her, and the knowing glance Logan shot them when they entered the kitchen that morning.

Things continued as normal, all of them fully back into their roles, until mid-morning when there was a knock at the door. Instinctively, they all reached for the weaponry that they had re-armed themselves with when they got dressed, and Sage was glad to see her team was combat ready. “Get that, would you?” she said to Laura and Remy. Moments later they returned, holding a small envelope.

“It’s an invitation.” Laura said, handing it over to her. Sage opened it, revealing an ostentatious invitation with the current days date, a time for that evening and a security phrase on it. “He said we need your name, the invite and security phrase to get into the auction,” she finished.

“Good. I am looking forward to this auction. Supplies of this drug will increase our profit margin exponentially,” she said out loud while dropping back into sign. “*We need to plan, but they are going to be watching us closely. Logan, Laura, I will need you to act as I diversion while Remy and I plan.*”

The others signed their agreement, while Sage continued verbally, “Laura, we appear to have used up our supplies quicker than I anticipated. Take Logan with you and do some food shopping would you?” She deliberately set her tone so that it was slightly haughty, and slightly bored. She had a plan forming, and it depended on her showing disinteresting in anyone bar Remy.

Laura and Logan obeyed without question, Laura even voluntarily wearing the headscarf, discussing out loud the supplies they needed and via sign speculating what it was Sage and Remy were up to. Within 15 minutes of receiving the invite, Sage was left alone with Remy.

“*Play along.*” She signed to him in thieves cant, so that there would be no misunderstanding, “*and follow my lead.*” She leant over to him. “They should be gone for at least an hour,” she purred seductively. “Come to bed with me.” She made it an order, not a question, and could have laughed at the look on Remy’s face.

“Anything you desire,” he replied in kind, a genuine grin breaking out on his face and an arm slipping around her waist. “*How are we going to work this?*” he signed urgently as he led her to the bedroom.

“*Once we’re in the bedroom, I’ll start recording. We’ll need heavy breathing, a squeaking bed and other such noises. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean,*” she warned, and then smiled at him. “Leave your gloves on darling, you know how I like the feel of leather on my skin.” She giggled, a warm, feminine sound, and allowed Remy to lead them into her bedroom. “*This will give them something to focus on. They won’t think that we’re up to anything else,*” she explained.

She headed straight for her laptop as Remy closed the door and curtains, blocking them from any prying eyes. “*If we bounce on the bed, we should get the right noises,*” he suggested, and it was clear he was having a hard time keeping a straight face. She nodded, signalling the start of the recording and the start of them bouncing on the bed.

Five minutes later and it was all they could to not to start laughing. They had made all the appropriate grunts and groans, heavy breathing and other necessary noises, providing Sage with more than enough material to loop the bugs for at least an hour as long as she mixed the sounds properly. She determined that they needed just one more thing.

“Oh, that’s it… So good… you devil…” She panted, triggering the loop as soon as she finished speaking, accurately predicting that Remy wouldn’t be able to keep his composure. As amusing as it was watching him choke on his own laughter, they had work to do. “It’s ok Remy. You can laugh now.”

“Mon Deiu, chere, dat was de most fun I’ve had for a while.” Remy smiled, letting out a quiet but heartfelt laugh. “Didn’ know y’ had it in y’t’ fun either,” he continued, amusement clear in his eyes. Part of Sage wanted to refute the claim that she never had fun, but she knew that it was true and so let it slide. She also knew that is was only in the past couple of days that she had felt comfortable enough to allow her emotions out again, but she filed that away for further thought after the mission.

“Well, things change,” was all she said to conclude the matter. “Now, down to business. We’ve only got a limited time to plan this and a lot of ground to cover.” She reached for her laptop, intending to pull up the preliminary blueprint she had also worked on last night while putting the bug-blocker together, when Remy’s hand touched her shoulder.

“One t’ing I need to know chere.” He asked, all the mirth forgotten, “Are we going t’ get y’ chile out of dere as well? Because, if so, dats got to be taken int’ consideration.” His eyes locked with hers and she felt strangely vulnerable, knowing that what logic dictated she say and what her heart apparently wanted to say were two different things. Eventually, logic won out.

“No. She should be safe enough with her father for now. It would only jeopardise our mission, which is to get the drug away from Abrahams and ensure that neither he nor anybody else can replicate it.” Remy nodded, and Sage could tell that he was disappointed by her response, but nothing more was said on the matter.

As they discussed entry points and other pertinent things Sage found herself cursing Emma Frost for having put her in this position. She wasn’t entirely sure how Emma had known where the girl would be, but she knew that the other woman had been relying on that information to make Sage form this team. It may not have been what motivated her in the beginning when she said yes to Emma, but having seen her daughter, it was slowly becoming something she couldn’t ignore.

Ruthlessly she forced those thoughts into the background, turning most of her attention to the plan. Between them they decided that the best course of action was for Logan, Laura and herself to attend the auction as if nothing were happening while Remy exercised his talents as a master thief and slipped in while all the guards were distracted elsewhere. They would take Remy in the jeep with them and leave him a little way outside the compound, picking him up again when they left. It was a simple plan, as all the best ones were, but part of her had the feeling that something was going to go horribly wrong.

Once they had finished planning, the rest of the day seemed to go past in the curious mix of fast and slow time that always occurs when you are waiting for something to happen. Laura and Logan were back in what seemed like no time at all, even though Sage knew logically that it had been almost two hours since they left, but the time it took for them to communicate and refine the plan seemed to stretch on into eternity.

Finally night fell, and as they were rapidly approaching time to leave, Sage took the time to look at her team. Laura, Logan and herself were all dressed almost exactly as they had been the day before, although they were all more visibly armed now. The only differences there were the quality of the clothing, the light layer of armoured material that lined each outfit and the fact that Laura was in a skirt. Sage knew that she wasn’t happy about the floor length garment, but Laura needed to appear less of a threat than her and a skirt was the perfect way to do it.

What Remy was wearing however was completely different from anything she had ever seen him in, and Sage knew that at last she was seeing the true master thief at work. He was wearing what he had called ‘blacks’, but looking at it she would describe it more as ‘greens’ or ‘greys’. The ‘blacks’ comprised as skin-tight trousers and top that covered him from neck to ankle and wrist. The actual colouring was a mottle of dark charcoal greys, with hints of dark green and dark blue that would allow him to blend even more effortlessly with the shadows. As he moved, checking the tools spread out ready to be placed in the pouches of the utility belt around his waist, Sage could tell that the ‘blacks’ were lightly armoured in several places, although not enough to restrict movement.

Remy finished packing his tools quickly, they were going to have to leave in a few minutes to make it to the auction, and began to braid his hair. His black palms contrasted harshly with the white of his hair. As he flexed slightly Sage found her eyes drawn to the small flash of pale green and gold situated over Remy’s heart. It was an intricate, ornate ‘T’, she realised, and something she had noticed mixed in with the markings in New Orleans, although not in those specific colours. Her eyes then followed the curve of his chest, drawn to the obvious muscles below the fabric.

She heard someone shift and realised that she wasn’t the only one captivated by the sight. Both Laura and Logan were staring at him as well. When he noticed that attention that the others were paying Remy, Logan moved quietly behind him and took over the braiding of his hair, obviously marking his claim. Sage just smiled at his possessiveness, speaking out loud for the benefit of those listening. “Its time to go. I refuse to be late to this auction. Remy, the house is yours to look after until we get back. Logan, Laura, you’re with me.”

Remy nodded, voicing his assent to her orders, the pulled on the final part of his outfit, a tight black hood that covered everything but his eyes. The pale flesh left visible around his eyes was quickly smeared with dark grey paint, so that when he closed his eyes, nothing showed. After some signalling, Logan pulled away the back of Remy’s top, tucking the plait down it and then folding it back over the base of the hood, effectively ensuring that there would be no chance flashes of skin or hair. Remy made the same overlap at the front and then pulled his gloves back on, fingers brushing over his belt in a final check. “*I’ll see you in the jeep,*” he signalled, and then was gone, the soft boots he was wearing making no noise.

The rest of the team left moments later, maintaining the illusion that Sage was a legitimate criminal interested in the drug, and when they got to the jeep Sage took the back seat while Logan and Laura took the front. It was only after they had left the city and were away from any possible surveillance that Remy revealed himself as sitting next to her, almost causing her to start in surprise. The blend of colours he was wearing really was effective, she found herself thinking, much more effective than true black would have been.

They spent the journey in silence and sooner than Sage had expected they were pulling up at the drop-off point. She watched as Logan stopped the jeep, and then reached into the back and pulled Remy to him, kissing the hood where Remy’s lips should be. “Careful Cajun,” he rumbled, “I lost ya once before an’ I don’t want it ta happen again.” That said, Logan released him, turning back to the road, apparently focused entirely on the mission again.

Remy patted him on the shoulder as he slipped out of the jeep and into the night, and Sage barely heard the muttered “I will if y’ do t’ same cher.” His voice was muffled almost entirely by the mask he wore. Sage smiled to herself a little, part of her glad to see her team happy for once, and glad that their growing relationship wasn’t disrupting the mission.

[Gambit slipped into the shadows with ease and made his way to the entry point, senses alert for any threat of discovery. Once he’d made it to the perimeter it didn’t take him long to get in. ‘Amateurs’ he thought, avoiding the sporadic guards and making his way to the first target.]

It took the team a further five minutes to get to the compound, and the look the guard gave Laura when Sage introduced her as her PA was enough to make her want to castrate him there and then. Sage paused mentally for a moment when she realised that it might not be Logan and Remy that she needed to worry about when it came to messing up the mission, but she pushed that away ruthlessly as they entered the auction room. She could worry about that once they had done what they came here to do.

[He found the office easily enough and slipped the disk that Sage had given him into the computer, where it began downloading and erasing the data, before spreading a vicious virus to the network. While it was working he emptied the paper records out of their various containers and started a small, smokeless fire. By the time he was finished with everything, the blaze should have consumed the whole pile. Retrieving the disk he slipped out of the office and headed for the second target.]

The first thing Sage noticed about the occupants of the auction room was that if anything went wrong with the mission, or if competitive emotions ran too high during the auction, they would be in a lot of trouble. The room contained a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the rich and powerful of the criminal underworld, and Sage began compiling a mental ‘kill list’ just in case things did go to hell, starting with Abrahams and his scientific team, who were standing at the stage clearly ready to start, and continuing to those who were just too dangerous to leave alive. She spotted her former owner from her harem days and added him to the list, deciding then and there that if things did turn nasty she would try and get her daughter out. She owed the girl that much.

[Remy ghosted along the corridors towards the lab, noting the slight increase in guard activity as he neared the lab with some interest. He would have to be slightly more cautious from here on out he realised. Stopping in front of the door to the lab he began to work on the lock, only looking up when he heard movement inside. Looking through the glass panel on the door into the darkness he spotted a man in familiar uniform with a familiar green and gold insignia, wearing an even more familiar set of matched hip knives. “Papa…” he whispered, as he heard the first shout from the guard that his momentary distraction had allowed close to him.]

The auction was just about to start when the doors to the hall opened again. Sage wasn’t able to see who entered, but by the way Logan stiffened after taking a breath, and the booming laugh that rang out was enough to confirm the newcomer’s identity as Victor Creed. Logan was moving even before the laughter had finished, claws glinting in the light, and Sage realised that the mission had just stopped being simple.

Grabbing Laura’s arm as she went to follow Logan, Sage sent a microburst of information to the young feral, using her telepathy. It contained the kill list that she had compiled, the fact that Sage was going after her daughter and instructions to meet her back at the jeep as soon as she was finished. She had no time to feel guilty about what she’d done, which she knew was what weapon X would have done if they could, but there had been no other way, and she would just have to trust Logan and Remy to make their own way out of this as it was. As the room descended into chaos she headed for the location that she had ripped from her former owner’s mind, and her daughter.

[Remy bit back a curse as a bullet tore through his arm, and was thankful that a throwing knife found its way into the guard’s throat courtesy of his father before the man had been able to fire off a second shot. The damage had been done though, and Remy could hear the footsteps of the other guards the shot had alerted.

“*We’ve got to get out of here!*” Jean-Luc signed to him, stepping out of the open door and wrapping a strip of dark material around the bullet wound. “*Can you walk?*”

“*Got to finish the mission first.*” Remy signed back, pulling himself upright with Jean-Luc’s help and pushing down all the questions he had for his father. Those could wait. For now, he had a mission. “*Got to destroy the lab,*” he signed, realising that the sample he was supposed to steal was already gone.

“*I know just the thing.*” His father signed, collecting various components from the lab, including ethanol and potassium.]

Sage raced up the stairs, ignoring the sounds of gunfire that was coming from both the auction room and the back of the compound. All she could do was trust in Laura and Logan’s healing ability and Remy’s ability to get out of trouble despite the odds. Running down the corridor she disabled the solitary guard quickly and efficiently before kicking in her daughter’s door, ensuring that she was between the doorway and anything that could harm her daughter.

She came face to face with a younger, more innocent and softer looking version of herself, clutching a small, battered cradle blanket that Sage recognised as her own handiwork. “What’s going on?” Amniat asked in heavily accented and slightly hesitant English, obviously wary and clearly scared.

“Its all right Amniat,” Sage replied in perfect Pashto, “I’ve come to get you out of here.” She offered the girl her hand, not expecting her to take it, and was surprised at the warmth when she did. She was equally surprised when her daughter gasped and pulled her into a hesitant but strong embrace, barely whispering “mother.”

Sage flicked her tongue out and along the girl’s hair, reading her DNA, and realised that this was how they had made Omega. Her daughter was definitely a mutant, and had inherited her ability to read DNA, although it was much more refined and specific. Abrahams must have been using her to help sequence the drug for maximum effect on mutants, and Sage found herself glad that she had sent Laura after him.

She returned the hub briefly, and then loosened her grip, ready to get them both out of there. Suddenly, the world went black as the lights went out and an explosion rocked the compound.

REMY’S PREQUAL

Its midnight, the witching hour, although the only way to tell would be to look at a watch or a clock, because the night sky is obscured by clouds. The rain pours down in sheets, the thunder roars its anger into the darkness and the lightning barely banishes it before the world is swallowed again. Every living thing that has any sense of self preservation is tucked well away, safe from nature’s wrath. Every living thing bar one.

The lightning flashes again, illuminating the rooftops of the houses, and the mansion that sits outside of town. Anybody who looked up at the mansion now would swear that its roof sported at least one gargoyle, but that isn’t the case. A close look as the lightning flashes for a third time reveals that it is a man, crouched motionlessly and silently on the roof braving the storm, or perhaps revelling in it.

The wind pulls hard at the long coat that flaps open and ignored around him, like the wings of some great black bat or skulking dragon, not that the coat would do him any good against the elements, even if it were closed. The is water soaking into him through his thin shirt and trousers, turning the already black material as dark as the sky, but he ignores the rain, ignores the soaking and the cold, instead focusing on the occupants of the mansion below him.

Another flash of lightning although the radiance is unable to banish the inky darkness of his skin, nor to lend any colour to the stark bone white of his hair. The only colour on him is the red eyes which wince at the light, the only sign that he is living other than the occasional small movement of his chest. That and the slow, dull pounding in his ears that lets him know that his heart hasn’t broken in two.

A frown crosses his face as a peal of laughter rings out into the night, a rich sound that is soon swallowed by the storm. What could be a tear, or simply another rivulet of rain, slides down his face unheeded. Another peal of laughter rings out, and as the storm answers with a crack of thunder he erupts into motion. As agile as a cat he is up, over the roof and flying through the air towards the nearest tree, as if driven away by the distant sound of happiness.

Settled once again in his watchful, gargoyle-like pose he looks into the place he once called home, at the people he once called friends and family, at the warmth he once shared in, and a sudden shudder rocks him before he can get it under control.

When he looks at the mansion all he can see is rubble, smouldering and broken, and when he looks at those he left behind all he can see are corpses, bloated, decayed and choked. That is his curse now, to see the death of all things and to know that he wants to cause it, to know that he could easily cause it with just one sweep of his hands and a little concentration. He could kill them all and he wouldn’t feel a thing.

Looking into their lives he does feel something though, a faint and ghostly remembrance of who he was, and with great effort he relaxes both his hands and the power built up inside of him, because he isn’t the killer that he was made to be, he isn’t the avatar of Death, and he proved that when he walked away from Sinister. He can still remember the warmth of love, although it leaves him chilled to the core now. He can still remember what it was like to be Remy LeBeau, Gambit, although it pains him to do so because it reminds him of everything he gave up.

Finally the pain becomes too much and he slips away from the mansion and into the night like the thief he was. No, the thief he still is. Nobody has sympathy for the Devil, but there is perhaps one person who could have sympathy for him, and if she does, and with the power of faith at her hands, perhaps he can discover once again who Remy LeBeau is, and if there is anything left worth saving in him.

Part 4:

Aftermath

When everything had gone dark, thanks to the explosion knocking out the power, Sage was glad that she knew the exit route well enough to not need the lights. Murmuring a few comforting words to her daughter she led them both out to the main yard of the compound, neutralising any guards that could have been a problem and avoiding the main auction hall, where gun fire and growls could still be heard.

Now, as she reached the jeep, Sage took a moment to observe her daughter. The girl was clearly terrified, breath hitching and eyes wide, but she was handling it remarkably well, not making a fuss. That could all be down to the shock, Sage thought to herself, but the girls coping and willingness to trust her made Sage feel proud.

“Get in.” She said, opening the back door of the jeep and hoping that it wouldn’t be just her and Amniat using it to get back to the townhouse. She found herself worrying about Laura’s status, and the apparent lack of movement from the compound building, and then ruthlessly squashed it. Laura was perfectly able to take care of herself, all the evidence pointed towards that, and if she couldn’t then Logan could.

Sage helped Amniat into the jeep and started to turn towards the drivers door, but a noise from the compound building drew her attention back to it. Coming through the smoke that was now starting to billow across the area was Laura, supporting an almost unconscious Logan. Motioning for Amniat to stay still, Sage moved to help Laura with her burden.

As she did so she mentally examined the pair of them. Logan had obviously taken the brunt of the damage, his clothes shredded by bullets and Creed’s claws, his flesh fairing better only because of his healing factor. He still hadn’t faired well however, and Sage could tell that his body was being pushed to its limits; half healed slashes and pock-marked bullet holes evidence of this.

Laura seemed to have avoided Creed almost completely, and Sage was thankful for this, especially considering the amount of damage he’d done Logan. The most obvious damage to Laura was the dozens of bullet holes that littered her suit, and the blood that soaked it, even if the flesh below was clear of any wounds. The only other noteworthy thing that Sage saw was that Laura’s long skirt had been torn up one side, right to the hip, revealing a pale leg. Better mobility, Sage realised.

Both of them still had their claws out, and she was careful of them as she shouldered half of Logan’s weight reducing the strain on Laura, noting the fact that it didn’t stop the woman from staggering and realising that by now it was probably exhaustion causing it. “Are you alright Laura?” Sage asked.

The look the young feral gave her would have been comical if it hadn't shown just how rarely people asked that question of her. The look was full of confusion and a hint of something else that Sage couldn’t quite put her finger on. “I heal.” Laura said, as if reminding her. “The list you gave me was too risky.” She added, “so I killed everyone still standing.” Laura’s voice was emotionless as she gave this information, and all Sage to do was comfort the girl, but they had to get to safety first.

“She helped me take Creed down.” Logan mumbled, so quietly that Sage had to strain to hear it over the alarms in the compound. “He ain’t dead, but he’s out cold.” Sage nodded wordlessly as she loaded him into the back of the jeep, ignoring Amniat’s shriek of horror at Logan’s blood-drenched form and glinting claws. Sage had been aware of a flinch and a gasp when Laura mentioned killing, and it made her almost happy to know that her daughter had retained some of her innocence.

She knew that everything the girl had seen and been exposed to tonight would probably traumatise her, but there was no time to coddle her daughter now. She would deal with the consequences of her actions later when they were all safe, and risk Amniat thinking that she was a cold, unfeeling monster for now. At the moment, their safety came before everything else.

Climbing into the driver’s seat, Sage nodded to Laura as she took the other front seat, her claws finally sheathing themselves with an audible ‘snakt’. Sage started the engine and got them away from the compound with a minimal amount of fuss, sparing a thought for their missing team member and knowing that they would have to trust Remy to make his own way back. Looking in the rear-view mirror it was clear that she wasn’t the only one thinking of the Cajun thief, and her heart went out to Logan as he stared despairingly at the rapidly vanishing compound. She knew what she would feel like if it had been Laura they were leaving behind and she did not envy him the heartache. All she could do was cling to the hope that they would see him again, no matter how small it was. It would be a poor omen to loose a team member on their first mission.

It didn’t take them long to get back to the townhouse, but it was enough time that Logan’s healing factor had taken care of the worst of his injuries, his claws finally retracting just before they reached the city limits. Neither he not Laura had said anything about Amniat’s presence in the jeep, and Sage was glad. It had been impulsive of her to get the girl, but she was increasingly feeling that it had been the right thing to do, and she would defend her choice if she had to.

Nobody spoke as they got out of the jeep and moved towards the building; Logan, Laura and herself were all on alert, knowing that there were probably half a dozen elements in the city now out for their blood, and Amniat was just being swept along in their wake. Nobody mentioned that Remy had been left behind, or the fact that they could only continue to stay in the country for a very limited time. Nobody needed to say any of it, it was on all their minds.

“We need to get everything packed.” Sage said as they entered the townhouse, accepting Laura’s confirmation nod and waiting for Logan’s. “Logan?” She queried after a few moments of uncomfortable silence, “did you hear me?” She watched as his shoulders slumped, and knew that he had been hoping that she would order a rescue, or at least not give him any clear orders. Now she had, however, he would follow them. He had agreed to as much only yesterday. Finally, he nodded too.

“Good. You start packing.” Sage turned to her daughter, noting the lost look the girl was wearing. “I’m sorry about all of this Amniat.” She spoke in Pashto, knowing it would be easier for the girl to understand. “We are not safe at the moment. Once we are out of the country there will be time for us to talk. Until then,” She pointed at the sofa, “can you sit there and try not to get in the way?” Sage knew it was a little cold, but they needed to pack down quickly and Amniat would get in their way, and with tempers bound to fray she would probably get hurt as well.

Her daughter nodded mutely and sat, holding herself in close, and Sage felt proud again, because despite the adverse circumstances her daughter was holding up and not panicking. She breathed a sigh of relief, which quickly became a sigh of exasperation as she watched Logan digging around in a doorframe with a claw. The object of his search became apparent as he ripped the bug out of the wood, growled into it, tossed it into his mouth and then bit down on it very deliberately, a satisfied smirk on his face. Sage could only imagine the feedback that would cause the listener.

Sage would have found both that and the look on Amniat’s face as she watched it highly amusing, except for the fact that they were running out of time. Instead she snapped, “if you are that hungry Logan, go and get something to eat,” and then looked at the way both he and Laura were shaking. “In fact, both of you, go and get something to eat. I’ll continue packing down.” As she headed for the stairs it occurred to her that she didn’t actually hear Logan spit out the bug he’d bitten.

Logan and Laura had just finished their hurried meal and were beginning to stack the kit that Sage had already packed by the door when it opened. Before Sage or Laura had a chance to react, Logan had grabbed the intruder, pulled him in through the door and pinned him to the wall, claws ready to gut him.

It took them a few seconds to realise that it was Remy, still hooded and in full ‘blacks’, and she watched as Logan pulled him into a bear hug, grumbling “I thought you weren’t coming back,” under his breath. She felt her heart lift slightly as the missing member of their team was reunited with them, until she started to notice the discrepancies. Laura tensed beside her, obviously having noticed them too, and she was just about to say something when there was a polite ‘get a room’ cough from the doorway.

There, leaning against the doorframe, blood dripping from the gloved finger of an obviously lame arm, was Remy, unhooded and sweaty, his skin pale against his ‘blacks’. “Sorry it took us so long t’ get back. Had to let papa drive.” He said, slowly slipping down his leaning post. Logan put Jean-Luc down, shoving away from him quickly, and caught Remy before he fell completely, half carrying him over to the armchair.

Sage took the first-aid kit that Laura had brought through without needing any prompting, and got to work on his arm, removing the makeshift bandage and dressing the wound properly, if quickly. Remy would have to strip out of his blacks later, they had no time for niceties now. “Glad you could make it back Remy.” She said quietly, genuinely glad.

“Me too chere,” he said, then looked over at the frightened girl on the sofa and smiled. “Glad I t’ain’t de only one t’ defy expectations,” he finished, obviously happy that she had rescued Amniat despite having said she wasn’t going to.

“Hate t’ interrupt,” Jean-Luc said, drawing attention back to where he was standing, now unhooded, “but what are the plans now?” She noted that his accent was a lot softer than Remy’s and part of her wondered why that was, however she pushed her inquisitive nature down for now.

Calculating quickly she planned their escape, factoring in all of the new variables. “I can get us out of here in twelve hours,” she stated, glad that Logan and Laura had gone back to packing, although it had been grudging on Logan’s part when he realised that it would take him away from Remy’s side. “Hopefully that will be soon enough and they won’t martial themselves quickly enough to launch a retaliation attack.” She knew that she was more than likely hoping in vain, since there was a 72% chance that they would be that quick, but she didn’t dare say so with Amniat in the room. She wasn’t going to distress her daughter any more than she had to.

“Can do better that dat,” Jean-Luc said, smiling charmingly despite the obvious blood stains on his skin and ‘blacks’, mostly from Remy, but not entirely, she was sure. “If y’ give me a phone I can call in my ride. ‘m sure they won’t mind a few extra passengers, and they can get here in two hours,” he stated, sounding very pleased with himself, and confident that his ‘ride’, and she was incredibly curious as to who that was, and why they wouldn’t have a problem with them.

“Alright,” she replied, handing him the small communicator that she always carried on her person for emergencies, and then turning back to where Amniat was sat. It was clear that the girl wanted to speak to her, and she regretted not having the time to do so properly.

“I’m sorry mother, but what is happening, and where are we going?” Amniat spoke very formally to her, tone level, but Sage could detect the fear behind the words. She wasn’t surprised, after all the girl had been taken away from the only life that she had ever known and thrown into the chaos that was hers without a chance for adjustment, but she knew that with the reduced time scale she really didn’t have time to be answering the girl’s questions.

Luckily Remy beat her to it, drawing Amniat’s attention to himself, and answering the question. “It’s ok chere, don’ y’ worry yourself ‘bout a t’ing now. It’ll all become clear, promise y’ dat.” He caught her eyes with his and continued, “Now why don’ y’ get some sleep chere, an’ y’ can talk t’ Sage when were on de plane. Get some sleep.” She didn’t know if it was because of the fact the girl was exhausted, the tone of Remy’s voice or the ‘charm’ he was supposed to possess, but she watched as her daughter succumbed to sleep almost immediately.

“Thank you,” she said simply, glad to have one less thing to worry about now that her daughter was asleep. Remy just nodded in wordless understanding, looking like he was desperate to go to sleep himself which, considering his wounded state, probably wasn’t too far off the mark. Immediate concerns taken care of she turned to where Jean-Luc was still using her communicator.

As Logan walked back into the room, arms full of bag, she watched his face crinkle and an odd kind of smile cross it. Motioning him over once he had deposited his load she asked him what was so funny. “Nothin’ much darlin’, I’m just thinkin’ how happy ol’ Fury’s gonna be with terrorists on one of his transports.” Sage looked at him surprised. “What?” he grinned, “I could hear his voice a mile away, an’ technically we are terrorists.”

She nodded, not having thought about it that way before, and contemplated the fact that Jean-Luc was working for Nick Fury, although whether S.H.I.E.L.D was also involved was still an unknown. Hearing Jean-Luc finish she turned and was confronted by his once again smiling face. “We’re good t’ go in just under two hours,” he said.

*********

Fury’s Plane………

She was amazed at how efficient Fury’s people were, as within ten minutes of them arriving at the plane’s landing zone they were airborne again. The other occupants of the plane didn’t flinch at the two bloody thieves, the two bloodier ferals and the young girl asleep in her arms, and she was glad for their professionalism as well. She didn’t think she could handle anything less without turning into as big a bitch as Frost at the moment, since the events of the past twelve hours had sorely tried her patience.

She had Amniat in the seat next to her, and as the girl began to wake up she turned her attention from the seats across from them where Laura was once again resting on Logan’s shoulder to Amniat, although this time she was aware of the young feral’s eyes on her. “How do you feel,” she asked, again speaking in Pashto for her daughter’s sake.

“I was asleep?” she questioned, clearly confused. “Where are we now?”

“We’re on a plane, travelling to America. I’m sorry about last night, I had to get you and my team safe before I could relax,” as she said it Sage realised it was true. Now that they were all safe she was starting to relax slightly. “I’m sure you have many questions for me?”

The girl nodded, fighting back obvious tears, “you are my mother, and yet I have not seen you for the whole of my life. Why did you leave me, why did you come back?”

Sage had seen this coming and answered as clearly as she could, explaining in much the same way as she had told Laura, glad that she had had that chance to prepare her answer. She then explained about the drug, and the fact that the team had been sent in to deal with it, glossing over many of the details.

Amniat nodded again, “I know about the drug. My father had me working on it for Mr Abrahms. I saw some terrible things,” she began to cry properly then, and Sage gathered her up into a hug, glad to finally be there for her daughter after all this time. She stroked the girl’s hair, soothing her with touches and murmured words. Eventually the sobs quietened, and Amniat pulled back slightly. “What will happen to me now?”

“I would keep you with me if I could,” she responded immediately, knowing it was the truth of her heart. Her mind however knew differently, “However my work is not safe. I know a safe place for you, a school where you will fit in and can adjust to this new life.” Sage knew that it was a risk sending the girl to Xavier’s, but Emma Frost owed her a life, and this was one debt that she was determined to collect, not for herself but for her daughter. It also helped that there was another student from Afghanistan currently at the school, and she was sure that Sooroya would help Amniat adjust.

“Thank you mother,” Amniat whispered, this time in her hesitant English, and settled in to the hug deeper, clearly getting comfortable with Sage. She made up her mind that when the mission allowed she would spend all of her possible time getting to know this girl who was her daughter, and began planning their headquarters accordingly. She was sure that her old Hellfire apartment was still registered in her name.

She sat back in her seat, her daughter in her arms, and smiled at Laura, promising the young woman with her eyes that they would have their talk as soon as possible. Laura grinned back, and promised in that grin was more than just talking, something that Sage was surprised to see. Surprised and intrigued, and the anticipation would make anything that happened between them all that much sweeter. Hearing quiet conversation from the seats behind her Sage listened in, not caring at all that it was a private conversation between Remy and his father.

“The sample, Papa,” Remy asked, glad that their unnamed ride had come with a field medic who had seen to his arm with a lot more skill than Sage had and that he could now concentrate without the pain distracting him. He had been genuinely surprised to see his father again, especially on a pinch in the same place as he had been, and had known the minute the sample was missing who had taken it. He held his hand out, forgetting that he didn’t have his gloves on, since they had been ruined by the blood.

His father took his hand, rubbing a thumb over the blackened skin. “Was going to make some joke about y’ looking older than me Remy, what with de hair and all, but ‘m thinking that there is a lot more to it den I know, non?” Jean-Luc asked looking older than Remy had seen him ever look. Wherever his father had been it had aged him, and Remy knew that his ‘condition’ wasn’t helping with that.

“Oui Papa, lots more an’ I don’ particularly want t’ talk ‘bout it at de moment. Perhaps when we’ve finished wit’ business, den we can catch up. The sample Papa, please, y’ don’ really want Fury t’ have it do y’?”

Jean-Luc sighed, and pulled a small vial out of one of his pockets, shaking his head as he handed it over to Remy. “Ok mon fils, you can have dis. Was only doing it so Fury owed me a favour, an’ you’re more important than him.” His father moved in for a hug, and Remy pulled back.

“Where’ve y’ been Papa, where’ve y’ been for de past two years. T’ought y’ were dead, f’ all dis time.” His heart was in his mouth as he asked, not entirely sure that he wanted to know the answer but knowing that he needed to ask the question.

“Been workin’ on some Guild business,” Jean-Luc’s hand went unconsciously to the insignia on his ‘blacks’ and by proxy his heart, and Remy knew that it was serious. Jean-Luc’s accent thickened as he continued, a sure sign he was scared, “Don’ wan’ t’ ask dis of y’ mon fils, but I need y’ help, de Guild needs y’ help, because y’ de only one who can stop de Antiquary. An’ ‘m t’inkin’ it’s gonna need de help of y’ team as well.”

X-23'S PREQUAL

She knew form the moment she answered his call that it was a mistake to believe that there was a place for her in his world. She’d known that, but she had still lived up to her promise and gone back to the Xavier institute. She would never let it be said that she didn’t have honour, and the truth of it was that she had nowhere else to turn.

When M-day had struck she had lost the only friends she’d ever had, and no matter how much she despised Logan for saying it, no amount of mourning was going to bring them back. She had to move on, she knew it, he knew it, and the phone call gave her that option.

She’d known from the minute she’d listened to Logan introduce her and watched the faces of the children fall that coming here was a mistake, but there was no way she could tell him that. Logan wouldn’t listen to her. He believed this place held some magic that would allow her to fit in as she was.

She knew exactly how they would look at her, how they would treat her, and it would be no different than before. She was a clone. A created monster who had no right to be regarded as human, and she knew that they could see it on her. It made her miss her friends even more, and the relationship she’d had with them.

She’d known from the second she’d allowed that mind-witch that was the headmistress to scan her that it was a mistake, and once again, she hadn’t been wrong. All Frost was interested in was her past as a killer, as a puppet, and the bitch hadn’t even bothered to see what lay beneath the surface.

Killing wasn’t all she knew, despite what some people, both staff and student thought of her. Why couldn’t they accept that she had as much depth as they did? That she’d done terrible things, but not of her own choice? She wished bitterly that she hadn’t come here, but it was too late. She was stuck here now, bound by a promise and the sentinels outside.

So, she withdrew into herself again, and lost the more open exterior that she had fought to build for her friends. It was all too easy to do, made easier by the fact that nobody expected her to be anything but a silent, feral killer. She almost welcomed not having to try so hard to be anything else.

She knew that she should try harder, but there was nobody that made her want to, something else that made her very sad. Logan was away doing something else and she didn’t trust any of the other adults here. She hadn’t bonded with any of the students either, although she would have liked to get to know Sooroya better. The Sunni girl wasn’t interested in becoming friends though, in fact, she could tell that she intimidated her.

Now, as she lies in bed and listens to Sooroya sleep, the soft chiming of the clock in the hall telling her that its midnight, she wishes that she had somebody to talk to, wishes that Logan was back from wherever he has disappeared to this time, wishes that she wasn’t so lonely. She knew that there would be a price to pay for accepting people, but she wishes it wasn’t so painful.

She can still hear the echo of her mother’s voice asking “why?”, can still see the image of her mothers decaying corpse that the frost bitch projected for her to torture her, and she asks herself that same question. Why? Why doesn’t she deserve to have friends? To have people who can see her for who she is, not who she was? The thought keeps her awake for hours before she falls into a restless sleep.

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