X-Men Fan Fiction ❯ Origins ❯ Ch 3 ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

See disclaimers, notes and warnings in first chapter

The song sung by Remy in this chapter is Candy Man

chapter 3

The ride back to the city was slow going with sheets of icy rain slashing at his face. Remy was thankful that the owner of the bike he `borrowed' had been safety conscious enough to leave a helmet as well. By the time he reached the run down section of the city he knew so well, the rains had mostly let up. He drove into an alley not too far from the motel and turned off the motor, lowering the kickstand to bring the bike to rest. Grabbing up the bag of food from the pannier, Remy walked cautiously into the alley, scanning the area to make sure no threat was nearby. Opening his shields he searched out for the emotions of a particular mind that he knew would be close, touching it briefly before smiling and pulling back.

“Remy!” the head of a little girl popped out of man hole a few feet away. Clambering out she ran to him, arms spread wide and hair flying in all directions. She was one of the blessed few of the clan that did not yet possess any outward signs of mutation, though it would change as she grew older.

“Bon jour, petite. Miss me?” Remy couldn't help but smile at the pure, innocent emotions pouring off the child as he knelt down to meet her hug. She kissed him on the cheek and started digging into the bag to see what he brought her. “Where your poppa at, Krystal?”

“Right here.” A disembodied voice echoed in the quiet of the alleyway. An ordinary trashcan transformed into a grotesque little man with purple skin and yellow eyes. “It's good to see you, Remy. Wasn't sure how long you'd be gone this time.”

“Ah Kale, you know me. Got de wander lust, yeh?” Charm flowed off the Cajun like water as he shook the other man's hand. “Got some t'ings here to tide de group over. Ain't much, but dere more where dis came from. Just need a little time.” Remy handed the bag over to the man, and scooped the little girl up to whirl her around, relishing the laughter that more than made up for the harsh surroundings.

“Remy, sing me.” She gasped in between laughs.

“Now, Krystal, don't bother him” her father said sternly, giving her a disappointed look.

“Non, it be fine. You really want to hear dis old boy, petite? Den, your wish be my command.” Remy gave her a wink as she settled her legs around his hip, hugging his neck tight.

As he started singing out her favorite tune, all traces of his Cajun accent disappeared as if he transformed into a completely different person just for her. “Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination. Take a look and you'll see into your imagination.” He whirled her around again as he started the next line. “We'll begin with a spin traveling in the world of my creation. What we'll see will defy explanation.”

Kale smiled at the two, then looked into the bag and could barely contain the emotion in his voice. “Thank you Remy. It is more than enough. You always do too much.” He looked back at the Cajun and motioned for his daughter to come. “Take this bag to your mom, Krystal.”

“Awe, but daddy, Remy just got here” she whined.

He smiled at his child, patient as ever. “Please child, do as your daddy asks. It is very late and Remy is tired.” She pouted for a moment, then reached up to give Remy one more kiss before taking the bag and disappearing underground.

Kale turned his attentions back to the boy and drew his brows in concern. “You take too many risks, Remy. You don't need….”

Remy cut him off with a wave of the hand. “Non Kale. You don't worry `bout Gambit. Take care of de chilluns, I take care of myself.” He turned and headed back for his bike, placing the helmet back on his head. Just before he started the engine, he looked back at the other man and said “Don't know when I be able to get back, mais I try to bring more next time. D'accord?”

Kale knew there was no arguing with the stubborn boy, so he simply nodded in response and waved a hand farewell, watching the Cajun disappear around the corner. He whispered a prayer for the young man, then turned to follow his daughter.

**********

Remy made it back to the motel, the close proximity to the alley and the price being the primary reasons he chose it. Entering his room, he quickly packed his meager possessions into one duffel bag and made one last sweep of the place. He was about to leave to check out when he glanced at the phone. Fingers went to the bridge of his nose involuntarily as the beginnings of a headache took form. He hated his life; feeling trapped by what he had become and the responsibilities he had assumed.

How he had become a slave to the monster was still a mystery to him. No matter how many times he tried to break free, Essex always found him and brought him back. It was like the man had some kind of internal radar tuned to the Cajun. Remy had enough scars on his body to remind him of the punishment that awaited him if he ever tried again. But, it really didn't bother him so much to be punished or to face death. It was only his body, only pain. At least that's what he kept telling himself. The real torture was the possibility that the doctor would find out about the clan for which Remy provided. The man was pure evil and would most likely salivate at all the potential lab rats waiting in those tunnels, if not outright destroy them for the genetic wastes he thought they were. They were the undesirables; humans with outward mutations too obvious to be able to live a normal life above ground. They called themselves Morlocks and instead chose to live under the city, forming a small family of their own; brought together by the common bond of their visible mutations. Life was much harder for them, Remy knew well enough. Though he could pass as normal among most humans, the occasional glimpse of his unique eyes and the periodic loss of control of his powers had caused him more than his fair share of trouble growing up.

There was no one to blame but himself for allowing them to worm their way into his heart. He still recalled the day he saved Kale from a group of anti-mutant haters. Normally he wasn't one to interfere with the business dealings of others, but his sense of justice couldn't allow the badly outnumbered man to be beaten to death. Remy snorted and chuckled to himself. Sense of justice? Right. What a load of crap. He didn't believe in it for one minute. Though Kale and the others tried to convince him otherwise, he knew the truth; he was a thief, a slave, and a whore, nothing more. Remy didn't remember all the particulars of that day, but if pressed, he would recall that the thugs were in the way of whatever stupid assignment he was on that day; the saving of the Morlock just a side benefit.

Running a hand through his wet hair, he sat on the edge of the bed and dialed the number given to him by his current boss. When the other end answered, Remy gritted his teeth at the voice. “It's me.”

“Well if it ain't the wonder boy. Finally decided to call home, sweet cheeks? I take it ya got into the place. Tell ole Creed how ya did it with no money. Did the old, bald fart make ya go down on him?”

Remy could almost see the sneer on the bastard's face. He didn't want to get into it with this maniac and refused to rise to any bait. “Lemme talk to Magneto.”

“What ya gonna do for me if I do? I'm feeling mighty horny right now, boy.”

Remy let the comment slide over him, thankful for the distance between them. “Dey gonna expect me back soon.”

Laughing heartily into the phone, Creed told him to hold on and transferred the line to another phone, where Magneto picked up. “Ah Gambit. I trust you found a way to join the institute despite your lack of funds?”

“Yeh, dey want me to work around de place, do chores to earn my keep.” He put as much neutrality in his voice as possible, not wanting to give anything away.

“I see. Nothing else was asked of you then?” There was no change in timbre in Magneto's voice as he subtly inquired as to whether sexual favors had been requested in exchange for tuition. Remy was irritated at the fact that the master of magnetism had led him to believe such a sacrifice would have to be made; a prospect that had dismayed Remy to no end at the time. “Very well, how long before you can hack into the database and retrieve the data?”

“Dey ain't even shown me de lower floors yet. It may be a while before I've built enough trust for dem to give me de opportunity I need.”

There was silence on the other end. Remy felt a cold shiver run down his back at the thought that Magneto would be angry with that answer, perhaps sending the animal to encourage speed in a most unpleasant way. Finally, Eric spoke, his voice controlled. “Fine, that is acceptable for now. But I will not wait forever young thief and I will expect regular updates.” With that, the line went dead.

Remy stared at the receiver in his hand for a long while, before finally heading out of the room. He checked out and made his way back to the mansion.

End ch 3

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