Disclaimer: Don't own any of the x-men character in any of the different Marvel universes (Cartoon, Comic or Movie). All owned and copyrighted by Marvel Comics.
Author’s Note: This fic. is going to involve and take from all sources I have access to, i.e. the two X-Men movies, the Evolution Cartoon series and all the comics (Uncanny, New, Astonishing and Ultimate). Lets see how it works out.
This has been in the works from my very first fic. I hope I know the characters well enough to do justice to them.
Spoilers: Ultimate X-Men #01, #02, #13
** ** indicates telepathic communication
‘ ’ indicates thought
“ ” indicates spoken words
New Orleans, Louisiana,
“Now Cheri. Cast yo’ perdy eyes on da card yo’ pick--,” the street performer instructed the captivated woman standing in front of him. “—but don’ tell! I ain’t s’pose ta know, now, am I?”
Lost in his mesmerizing red on black eyes and his charming wit, she touched and pulled out one card from the deck spread on his make shift table.
“Da’s it. Very simple.” He flashed his pearly whites at her as he reached for the card she had her finger on.
“Now le’s see if I can make dis work,” he spoke like the experienced performer he was. “Sometime’s does, sometime’s don’.”
“’Course, dat’s not a problem I have in uddah areas.”
-----
“Now, how did I know he was going to say that,” a female voice spoke from a few meters away.
“That’s because he is a man,” a male voice answered her. “And more importantly—you are a telepath.”
“I did not need telepathy for that,” the first speaker stressed on her *not*.
“Cyclops, Marvel Girl,” their communicators crackled with the smoothly accented voice of the third of their eight-person team. “What is your position?”
“We have tracked him down Storm,” Jean Grey aka. Marvel Girl answered evenly. “Converge on my coordinates. That goes for you too, Iceman.”
“Coming, coming,” Bobby Drake aka. Iceman’s cheery voice sounded over the communication lines. “Finally, some action.”
“We are not here to fight him or anyone else for that matter,” Scott Summers’ no nonsense command caused the second newest member of the fledging X-Men team to jump up and salute the empty space.
“Sir, Yes sir,” he flipped the bird at a imaginary Cyclops. “Cadet Iceman, reporting for duty sir.”
“Bobby,” Jean good-naturedly admonished him. “Just be here in the next five minutes.”
“Yes Mam,” Iceman replied as he started for the coordinates Jean had patched through to their PDAs. “I know who wears the pants in this relation,” he muttered under his breath, but loud enough for both Scott and Jean to hear.
“Idiot,” Scott gritted his teeth to avoid firing off a retaliatory comment of his own. He knew about Bobby’s teenage crush on the older Storm and would have teased him about had it not been for the fact Storm would be able to hear it and more importantly, because he was the leader of the X-Men and had to maintain a certain standard, both in his public and personal life.
“You do know that he is correct,” Jean didn’t refrain from taking a dig herself.
That comment only made him grit his teeth even further.
-----
A week ago,
**All X-Men, report to the war room** Charles Xavier sent out a mental call to all members of his crime fighting team.
**Yes Professor** Jean had replied for Scott and herself.
**Coming Charles** Ororo had replied from her outdoor garden.
**Be right there** Bobby’s answer came from the recreation room.
**Do you want me to come also sir?** the soft, shy thought came from the newest member of the X-Men, Katherine Anne Pryde, better known as Kitty. Her codename was Shadowcat.
**Yes sir** answered Warren Kenneth Worthington III, who was right then in the far corner of the expansive mansion grounds. He was aptly codenamed Angel. His large snow colored wings giving him an almost ethereal appearance.
-----
Five minutes later, all of them were collected in a large room. It was a special room, called the War Room for obvious reasons. It was where the X-Men met and conducted their business.
“What do you think this is about?” Warren inquired of Bobby as they took their places in the lecture hall style seating arrangements. In from of them was a massive screen, which effectively covered the whole wall.
“Don’t know man,” Bobby shrugged his shoulders. “The Prof. just paged and here we are. Maybe Scott or Jean know something. Hey Scott,” he called out. “What is this all about? Magneto? New mutant? Someone new?”
“It deals with everything Robert….” Professor Xavier’s sounded as the door slid open, the mechanical whine of his wheelchair’s motor drowned by the *whoosh* of the door opening and closing. “…and more.”
“Oh,” Iceman exhaled as he meekly settled back into his chair.
----
“Thank you for coming,” Xavier dealt with the usual pleasantries before getting to the main matter at hand.
“This matter is of utmost importance,” Xavier started. “I have finally managed to find a contact who might be able to help us track down Wolverine.”
“What? Wolverine!!” Scott Leapt off his seat.
“Are you sure Professor?” Jean expressed her own doubts.
Bobby decided to put in his own two cents. “Are you sure this is the right guy? Or are you yanking our chain. Again.”
“What’s a Wolver…uh?” Kitty started innocently.
“Yeah, someone better explain it to the newbie who Wolverine actually is, so she too can join us in peeing in our pants.”
“Wolverine,” Xavier spelled out slowly. “Is the most dangerous killer in the world. The only proof I have that he even exists is from a blurred surveillance video I was able to get my hands. Scott.”
Taking his cue, Scott started to explain it to Kitty in particular and everyone in general.
“All we really know about him is that at point of time, he is supposed to have worked for a joint US-Canadian Black Ops unit. The last record that we have is almost twelve years old. After that, he just seemed to have just dropped off the face the earth, until he resurfaced again about five years ago. Even after that there have no sightings of him….well not from anyone living that is.”
“Sounds scary,” Kitty squeaked from her seat. “Dangerous.”
“Yes Shadowcat,” Xavier nodded his head. “We have reason to believe that he was recaptured or has rejoined his previous partners and is assisting them.”
“Assisting them?” Warren raised his hand. “With what?”
“Capturing mutants for experimentation purposes, or…,” Xavier made his voice as gentle as possible. “Executing them.”
----
An eerie silence set over the room at Xavier’s words, only ending when Xavier spoke again.
“Until four months ago, we had no idea about the physical appearance or mutation to match with our elusive target.”
“Now we do?” Bobby sounded hopeful. “At least a partial one.”
“Yes,” Scott smirked as he pressed a button to bring up a computer-generated hologram. “From what he gathered from the eye witnesses,” Scott started. “He is almost six-three, muscular and has a lot of facial hair…..”
“Hey, maybe that’s his mutation,” Bobby piped up. “Mabye he should call himself Fur-verine.”
Neglecting Bobby, Scott continued as he held up his fisted hand. “He supposedly had knives within his jacket sleeve, which he ejected with his thoughts. His moves are blindingly fast and he is supposed to have fought and beaten a dozen men, separately but consecutively, and still walked away as if nothing had happened. Any more comments, Iceman,” Scott inquired with his *Leadery* tone.
“No sir,” Bobby gulped nervously.
----
“Thank you Scott,” Xavier waited for him to sit before starting again. “I have tried all possible avenues, both official and unofficial and still haven’t been able to find a single lead that has garnered me even a photograph.”
“What about that eye-patch you contact when nothing else works?” Bobby asked frankly.
“General Fury,” Xavier answered evenly. “Has refused any help in this matter. He has also suggested that we restrain from following up ourselves. His exact words were, you won’t be able to find him if he doesn’t want to be found. And even if you are able to find him, it won’t be beneficial for the wellbeing and lives of you and your students.”
That led to another stretch of uncomfortable silence.
**Professor** Jean started telepathically.
**I know Jean, I can sense their nervousness** Xavier informed her. **But they need to know who were going to be up against…..at least as much as I know myself**
“If he as dangerous as you say he is,” Angel brought words to the thoughts of his younger teammates. “Why don’t just let him be. It’s not as if he has attacked us or harmed us in any way.”
“Because one day he might,” Xavier answered bluntly. “In the last two years we have lost three *probables* due to him, including the young girl he picked up four months ago.”
“Do you think he is killing them?”
“We don’t know Katherine,” the telepath looked directly at her. “The only thing we know is that he is not detectable via Cerebro…..as soon as he reaches his targets, neither are they.”
“Do you think that is also a part of his mutation?” Iceman asked solemnly, all traces of his usual flippant behavior gone like snow in summer. “Is that the reason he is able to shield himself and the others around him.”
“We don’t know Robert,” Xavier shook his head again. “That is why I want you to undertake this mission. The six of you will be joined by two more team members.”
“Two more?” That surprised even Scott. “Who professor?”
“One of them is an old student of our institute. You know him well. And the other is a young lady whom I have been trying to get to spend some time here. Luckily for us, both of them have finally agreed to our wishes. They will be arriving shortly. Once they do, you can brief them.”
“Who are they Charles?” Ororo finally broke her calm silence.
“The young man’s name is Samuel Guthrie. He goes by the name Cannonball. And the young lady is Ms. Elizabeth Braddock, also known as Psylocke.”
----
Present Day,
“Psylocke, are you in position?” Cyclops spoke into his communicator.
“Yes, and call me Betsy, luv’,” a posh but lively British accent answered his question. “I have my eyes on him, and from the looks of it, so does the young lass currently under his charm.”
“Cannonball, what about you?” Jean’s tight voice wiped the smile off her boyfriend’s face.
“In position ma’m,” this time the answer came in a drawled Kentucky accent.
“Please Sam, call me Jean,” Jean smirked at the constipated look Scott’s sported at her comment.
“Yes ma….I mean, yes Jean,” even through the audio signal, his shyness and embarrassment was clear to the listener.
“Iceman in position,” Bobby sounded across the link. “Lets get this over with, so that we can go to that rock concert that the Professor got us passes for.”
“He didn’t those passes for enjoying the concert,” Cyclops shot him down again. “He wants us to contact the lead singer of one of the groups performing there.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Bobby sulked as he created an ice state of Cyclops, complete with a made to scale pole sticking out of his behind.
-----
Meanwhile, a few feet away from them,
“Two-one-six-four,” the young woman just ended recounting her phone number to the street performer who had caught her fancy. “You know you could just come to my hotel in about fifteen minutes.”
“Or I could walk you there now,” the charmer offered slyly.
“No, I uh –” she hesitated. “—fifteen minutes.”
Even though he realized the reason behind her delay, the shabbily dressed man, flashed an easy smile. “Minute’ will seem like hours.”
With that, the woman left, flashing a smile over her shoulder.
----
Grinning at her, the performer bent down to fold his worktable, when, “Mr. Lebeau,” an unknown voice called to him.
Neglecting it, he folded the table, tucked it under his right arm and started to walk away, only to be stopped by a man stepping in front of him.
“Mr. Remy Lebeau?” the stranger with rose-colored glasses spoke again. “You are him.”
“Whos’ askin’?” his left hand went into his trouser pocket, separating three cards from the extra deck he always had ready.
“No one,” the man answered. “My name is Scott Summers.”
“Sorry, mez ami, but I ‘ave a date wit’ a beautiful lady, an’ I don’ wan’ to keep ‘er waitin’,” Remy replied as he started to walk away again.
“We don’t mean any harm to you,” Scott offered as a peace offering. “We just want to talk.”
“If you don’ mean any ‘arm, den why do you ‘ave to say it,” Remy looked around. “An’ who’s this *we*.”
“Just give us half an hour of your time. We will make it worth your while,” Scott offered.
“Wit’ what,” Remy let his gaze pass over the plain clothed Scott. “Sorry, but Remy not go that side. ‘e only play wit’ the ladies.”
**How long has it been since you had a proper cigarette, Mr. Lebeau** a female voice echoed through his mind, causing him to flinch at the experience.
“So that be *we*,” he smiled as Jean stepped out of the shadows and stood alongside Scott. “Nice hair. Wo’ else you got hidden there homme? Maybe a white haired one?”
----
Jean’s eyes widened in shocked-surprise, just as Scott’s mouth all but fell open.
“How do you know that?” Scott demanded warily. It seemed that the stranger Professor Xavier had sent them after, knew more about them, than they knew about him.
“Why don’ you make da beauty ‘ere read my mind,” Remy offered easily. “Dat’s what she does. Ain’t it right, Marvel Girl?”
“How. Do. You. Know. Us?” Scott reached forward and yanked the younger man by the coat that was tied across his shoulder and midsection.
“Careful homme,” Remy answered evenly. “You don’ want to lose yo’r family jewels. Do you? An’ don’ move or it WILL go off.”
Turning his gaze down, Scott saw that Remy had two fingers touching the metallic buckle of his belt. His whole belt had a fluorescent glow around it.
“Now, let me go easy and I will let you go,” his eyes glowed with a dark fire.
Scott complied with his demand and moved his hands to his sides in a show of piece.
-----
“Dere, now dat’s moe’ like it,” Remy winked at Jean and let go off the buckle. The belt just frizzled out and crumbled onto the street.
“We are sorry, we got off on the wrong foot,” a new voice caught him from behind as Ororo walked out from her position. “We mean you no harm. We just want have some words with you. If you want we can do it right her.”
“Ah Cherie,” Remy looked at the Nubian beauty standing before him. “Now dat be the way to talk. Remy expected notin’ less from the storm goddess.”
In the silence following his remark, Jean was able to sense something odd about the seemingly simple street-performer-cum-charmer, not that what he had already done wasn’t unnerving enough. It was as if he knew all of them.
“How do you know so much about us?” Ororo asked over her carefully hidden surprise.
“People talk. You just ‘ave to keep an ear open,” came the cryptic answer. “What do you want with Remy? An loose da tough guy look homme,” he grinned at Scott. “You be too much of a good boy to pull it off.”
----
“We need to know where to find Wolverine?” Scott asked bluntly, having got fed up of Bobby and Jean’s ribbing earlier and now being *put down* by this man.
“Who?”
“We know you know him,” Jean crossed her arms around her chest. “Telepath, remember.”
“Of course Cherie,” she received a sarcastic smile. “’ow can Remy forget that. Not after ‘aving met such beauty as you and Stormy ‘ere.”
That got a reaction out of Ororo. “Don’t call me Stormy.”
“My bad Cherie,” Remy gave her mock bow. “Den, maybe Remy should call you ‘Rory?”
“You will address me as Storm, Gambit,” Ororo answered as she revealed Remy’s own codename, which Jean had telepathically conveyed to her.
“As you wish Stormy,” he pressed his luck.
----
“What do you know about Wolverine?” Scott demanded again, his hands balled at his sides. The man was getting on his nerves. He talked too much and knew too much. Always a bad combination.
“Ain’t that a forest critter,” Remy’s reply frustrated him even further.
“We know you know about *the* Wolverine,” Jean sensed Scott’s condition and interjected smoothly. “Just tell us and we will leave you alone.”
“As temptin’ as that offer is Cherie,” Remy drew out his deck and began to shuffle it. “Don’ tink’ that it will be ‘appening.”
“You do know, I could pull it out of your mind,” Jean raised her hand threatening as she let her presence be felt in the Cajun's mind.
**And I assure you, it will not be a pleasant experience**
**Den why don’ you do it Cherie?** Remy projected his thoughts.
As Jean withdrew from Remy’s conscious, he grinned and sided out from between her and Scott.
“Now, if you excuse Remy, he ‘ave to be somewhere.”
“We can’t just let him go,” Scott turned to his teammates. “I’ll ask Cannonball to trail him.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Ororo offered evenly. “I have planted a transmitter on his coat. As long as that stays with him, we will know his location.”
“When did you do that?” Jean asked incredulously.
“Just after he swiped Scott’s purse.”
“WHAT?” Scott jumped as he felt for his missing wallet. “Why didn’t you stop him.”
“If he tries to use anything from that,” Ororo reminded him about his credit cards. “We will be able to track his movements and they lead us to Wolverine.”
“Now come on, we have a concert to attend.”
------
Some time later,
**Tring Tring** the phone rang.
“One, two, three, four,” Remy flipped the calling card between his fingers as he held the hand piece to his ear. He was making an international call….to Japan.
“Hello,” a familiar female voice answered just before the fifth ring.
“Cherie,” Remy greeted easily. “You miss Remy.”
“Sure Cajun. As much as I miss ingesting blowfish poison,” the young woman replied from the other side.
“Aw, you ‘urt Remy’s heart.” The charmer feigned flawlessly. “There be information.”
“What?”
“Tell yo’ poppuh, da x-men be looking fo’ da Wolverine.”
“Now are they. Well let them. Let them look. We are ready.”
*SNIKT*
Note: New character introduced and their descriptions.
Gambit: Remy Lebeau is a common street performer-cum-charmer-cum-thief. He seems to have some information about Wolverine and a lot about the X-Men. Mostly taken from the Ultimate-verse, with characteristics from both the Evolution series and the Uncannyverse. That will come later. Such a setting chosen for a younger Gambit, unlike the one depicted in the Uncanny X-Men and the later issues of the Ultimate X-Men comics. (Age: Early Twenties….somewhere between 21 and 23 years)
Iceman: Also a mixture of Evolution and Ultimate verse Bobby, along with a hint of the one shown in the movies…although not such a dweeb. (Age: 17-19)
Kitty: Mixture of early Uncannyverse Kitty and the Evolutionverse Kitty. Is new, therefore the shyness. (Age: 15-17)
Angel: Had thought of going with the younger one shown in the Ultimateverse, but then settled on the one shown in the Evolution series. Will share some characteristics with the Angel being shown in the latest issues of Ultimate X-Men. Not as stuck up as the Angel from the Uncanny X-Men. (Age: mid twenties….23-25)
Cannonball: Don’t know much about this character as yet. Will be talking from Uncanny X-Men and the Evolution cartoon series. (Age: somewhere between 19 and 21)
Psylocke: Mostly from various places in the Uncannyverse. Ultimateverse doesn’t have much on this character. Evolution and Movies have nothing at all. Also haven’t decided whether to use the original one, or Kwannon….but the hair are going to be purple….that much I am sure of. (Age: somewhere between 18 and 23)
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