NO POV

Logan sighed. He finaly convinced Jean to lay down. He wanted to call
the police, to force them to start the search but before 48 hours
noone would do anything. There were no whitnesses, noone who could
support Jeans word.

She was pregnant and he was afraid for her. She seemed to be enduring
it well, but she always seemed to be stong. Which wasn't true.

Logan paced the flat. He had called few people and begged, threatened
them for help. Now only thing he had to do was to wait and it was
something the Wolverine wasn't accustomed to.

He had enough of his own problems. But worrying about Scott surely
kept his mind off of certain red haired young thief. His heart
clenched at the very thought of him. How could he be so stupid? To
trust the Cajun! Never had he been so willing to take somebody in.
Ever. Maybe it was one of the kids powers? Maybe he was a telepath?
Maybe he manipulated him from the very start?

But that wouldn't explain the feelings that still were deep inside.
He cared for the kid. And that feeling was true. The kid probably
knew it and used it against him,.

The rage threatened to take the better of him again and he closed his
eyes in vain atempt to remain calm. The urge to let the claws out and
cut something nearly took over him when something made him stop in
his tracks.

The scent. Spicy, sensual… arousing. His body reacted to it faster
than his mind asiciated it with the particular person. He smelled
Gambit.

He rushed to the door and jerked them open, his claws shot out
without his conscious thout. A mix of rage and love nearly caused him
to turn feral.

Right there in fron of him stood Gambit. Long auburn hair were loose
and softly caressed that sinfully handsome face. The red on black
eyes were hidden behind sunglasses. He was dressed in ever present
trench coat. Black trousers and a knited sweater in color of red wine
were obviously very expensive.

The person that stood in front of him wasn't even near the one he
knew before. That scared, young man dissapeared and in his place
appeared this mysterious, wary man that stood right in front of him.

Something in his stance told Logna that he wasn't nor afraid nor
weak. The deceptive casualness was only a mask. His body was tense
and ready to fight and Logan suspected that he KNEW how to fight.

But his first instinct was to launch himself at that traitor. The
pain inside his heart told him he was used. Decieved. That he was a
fool. And he wanted blood.

His hands missed the long, vulnerable throat by mere inches. Gambit
mad a gracefull leap backwards and escaped his blow. He also dodged
the second and third. Ewven when he needed blood he restrained
himself and sheated the claws. He wanted to kill the kid but slowly
and painfully. Not using his claws that could cut through anything.

The pain, hatred and confusion hit Remy so hard he thought he
would fell. His shields were strong but strangely failed to keep the
Canadian outside. He knew Logan could become agressive and was
prepared for a fight but nothing like this.

His own eyes began to sting. His head hurt and he had serious
problems with knowing which feelings were his and which not.

He menaged to avoid being hit, but it was so hard to concentrate! The
pain in Logan hurt him and he felt sick at the thought he caused it.

At first Logan hadn't noticed that the kid was fighting only in
defence. He couldn't hit him and it was driving him mad. The
incredible agility of the thief surprised him. The way he twisted and
bent his body, totally aware and in controll of it, told him however
that the kid was an outstanding fighter. One that could be a match
for him. But other part of his mind, the primal one wanted blood.
Wanted to punish him, draw the blood.

- I'm going to kill yer, traitor! – Shouted Logan and relesed his
claws. The Wolverine was taking control and he didn't want to fight
it anymore. All he wanted was the pain to go away.

- STOP! – Jean's voice cut through the air like a whip. Logan however
didn't intend to react.

But Jean wasn't an ordinary woman. She used her TK and frose two
fighting men in place. Her first instinct was to probe the strangers
mind but her thoughts were met with and extremly strong mental shield.

- Wouldn't do dat again, chere. – He warned her softly.

She briefly considered his threat. This time she was pushed out of
his mind gently but if he wished to, she could be crumbled on the
floor in pain. Being thrown out of somebodys mind caused a telepath a
great deal of pain. Was he threatening her or just letting her know
that he would defend himself? She decided in favcor of the stranger.
There was something vulnerable to him.

She couldn't not notice his handsome face and that sensual aura
around him.

- Let me go Jeannie. I am going to kill that sun of a bitch no matter
what!

- Why?

- He's a fucking traitor!

She noticed the strangely fierce emotions in Logan but didn't want to
pry. The way Remys face hardened suggested that Logans words hurt him
also.

- I will let you go only if you promise to behave.

- I am not the one you should lecture Jeannie. This thief…

- Knows where Scott Summers is. – Cut Remy in.

The silence that fell was almost deafening. Logans eyes narrowed when
mindless fury fought to overwhelm him. The hurt, the ache deep inside
his soul screemed to him to hurt the Cajun just as badly, not to
trust him.

- What do you know about my husband? – Asked Jean, her voice a little
trembling.

Remy shifted a litle to look at the scowling man beside him. The
anger, sense of betrayal and hurt were still emanating from the
Canadian but now, above all was blinding rage. And Gambit found
himself sad because of it. He also had feelings for the feral man and
it hurted him that Logan was feeling so bad about him.

- Gambit will help y'. He knows where dat man is kept.

- Why? – Asked Logan, already in controll. His voice however was so
cold that Remy felt shivers run down his spine. And a stinging in his
eyes. Merde! He couldn't block those feelings and it was driving him
insane.

- Mr. Summers is innocent.

- Don't you dare to tell me such crap! I will never believe that you
care about someone else than yourself. After all you are nothing more
than a whore to hire.

Jean hissed at the blunt remark. It wasn't like Logan to offend
others in such a manner. She saw the way the younger man flinched at
Logans words but he refused to defend himself. His shoulders seemed
to slump a little and his face become completely unreadable.

The tension between those two said clearly about their past. Jean was
more than sure that they were lovers. Althought Logan always seemed
as straight as they come, the young man was a living, walking
tempattion.

- Logan… - Started the younger man – Gambit… never wanted dis to
happen. Want to help, me. – Said Remy softly. The feeling of guilt
slowly sufcating him. He wasn't ofended by Logans words. He was
right. He was nothing more than he said.

- You better be telling the truth, cause I'm gonna have a close eye
on you, thief.

Remy noded his head and Jean relised her TK hold on them.

* * *

The night was silent when two dark figures came on silent
feets to the first wall that surrounded Essex's headqarter. They were
moving like ghosts, the only soign of their movements were the
displacement of the air.

Logan watched the thief carefully. He was sure that Remy hid
something from him, when he was explaining his plan to him.
Everything he said was just too smooth, too… something.

Remy looked at his watch and then noded to Logan. His self phone
biped once. It ment that Robert Drake, his friend on one of the best
hakers that could be found in USA had disabled the security system
for exactly six minutes. That was all the time they had to find Scott
and get him out of there. Logan should be able to find him by scent.

They climbed the wall, carefull of the line of sight of cameras and
made their way to the main building. Once there, Remy took care of
the door, which opened swiftly under his trained fingers.

Once inside Logan took in a sharp breath. Everything was in glass and
steel, reinforced door, cameras and a LOT of other thing more
suitable for secret military base than a mob headqarter.

He sniffed the air and tried to find a familiar scent. They were
lucky. It seeme dthat Scott was lead this way.

H emotioned to the thief and started to follow the scent. What
disturbed him was the blood that was mixed with it. He prayed that
his friend was still well enought to escape.

The Cajun went silently by his side and Logan couldn't not wonder
just how many times has he done something like this.

In his mind, Remy was desperately counting seconds. They had very
litle time. The first guard they encountered was taken down before he
could even understand what happened.

The second and third one also. It seemed alost too easy. Both men
felt the hai on their necks stand up. Something was bound to happen.
Something bad.

Logan stopped at the intersection. After a minute he choose the left
corridor and started to move but then a hand to his shoulder stopped
him.

He looked questioningly at the thief. His face however was a mask of
concentration. His alien red on black eyes gave him the ability to
see in complete darkness but in combination with his charge power he
was able to see lasers.

The whole floor was literally covered with them.

Slowly he reached inside his trnch and took few cards out. They
glowed lighly in the dark and then he threw them. As always he hit
the bulls eye.

Very soft boom indicated small explosions that disabled the lasers. H
esmiled smugly pleased with himself. Only then he realised Logans
eyes watching him carefully. He turned his gaze to met his and saw
Logan staring at his hands.

Logan could just wonder HOW powerfull the kid was and how much of an
idiot he was to believe the vulnerability of the tief.

Using his sense of smell Logan found the room where Scott was held.
His first instinct was to cut through the door but Remys topped him
again. He fubled with the electronic lock and eventually they heard a
silent "poof" when the hydraulic doors slid open.

The stench of fear and blood hit Logan straight in the gut. He swayed
a little. He didn't hear the hiss Remy made when he saw the beaten,
bounded figure curled in fetal position on the floor.

Scotts eyes were taped with a wide piece of silver tape. His face was
bruised and covered in blood. He obviusly had received a hard
beating. One of his legs was twisten in unnatural angle.

- Scott! – Called Logan running to his friend while Remy watched the
door.

- L…logan? – Croaked the man on the floor. He coughed a little,
speaking obviosly painful to him – What took… you… so long?

- Can you walk? – He asked while cuting the ropes. Scott winced at
the pain his arms where the circulation almost died.

- I'm afraid… not.

As tenderly as he could, Logan tore the tape away and had to grit his
teeth in helpless fury at the sight of his friends face.

- Scott… I have your visor but… - Logan hesitated seeing the mess
Scotts face was. His nose was obviously broken and his eyebrow was
cut deeply. – You are in no condition to wear it.

- I'll keep my eyes closed. Don't worry. Will you be able to take me
from here?

Remy fought for breath when the sense of guilt nearly suffocated him.
It was all because of him. If he didn't stall for time this wouldn't
have happened. Essex knew how to hurt him the most. That man was a
genius in manipulating people.

He should have never agreed to work with that man.

- Hurry up Logan. De time…

Scotts head jerked at the unfamiliar voice.

- Who is it? – asked Scott.

Logan looked at the tall hief still guarding the door. Although his
mind was occupied with something else, he did not forget his betrayal.

- Noone Scott, noone worth atention…

Remy took a step back as if slapped in the face. Merde it hurt. If
wanted, Logan could use words even better than his claws… Remy
blinked few times to get rid of the stinging and turn his face to
hide emotions that threatened to take over him. He was never the one
to show his weaknesses.

Logan took the exhausted man in his arms and lifted him carefully.
Scott only gritted his teeth when his broken ankle was disurbed, but
didn't give out a sound understanding the need to be silent.

They started to make their way back when all the hell broke loose.
All the alarms went off. The sheer volume of noise made them sway.
Both men started running towards the door they came through.

- Fuck! We will never be able to get there! – Shouted Logan when he
heard the approaching footsteps.

Suddenly something stopped him. Something was not right. He turned
around and saw Remy standing eight meter behind.

- What…?

- Remy lied cher… - Said the thief in strange voice. – He changed de
plans.

- What do you mean?! If you…

- Logan. – Something in hat even, plain voice stopped him. Only then
did he smelled the DESPAIR comming off of the thief. – Remy want to
help. You go save your friend… - While he was talking he pressed a
spot on the wall and suddenly a large block of steel started moving,
slowly closing he corridor.

Remy didn't move when it started separating him from Logan.

- Dese doors can be blocked… but only fron de inside. I am sorry I
hurt you Logan. Never wanted it to happen.

Logan tried to make a move, dragg the thief out of that fucking
corridor while still he had the time but when he stepped closer in
one of Remys hands appeared a pair of charget cards and he threw it
in front of Logan. The explosion pushed him backwards, nearly causing
him to loose balance but never threatening his life. It was only to
stop him.

When the smoke dissapeared, there was only small space between the
metal doors and the wall. These last seconds while it closed, Remy
took his glasses off and Logan was able to SEE the real emotions in
there. Sadness so overwhelming, despair and guilt. Guilt so strong
that Remy was determinated to do anything to erase it.

When there was just an inch of the space he saw a single tear flowing
down that handsom face. However he had no time to ponder it becaus
ehe heard the incomming footsteps in the adjoring corridor and when
he turn his head back, the door were closed. From behing them he
heard a muffed sound of explosions.

Refusing to think about it he started running towards exit with Scot
still in his arms. He would take him to a safe place and then return
for the thief. He would probably find his own way back, after all he
knew the plans better…

However he was never given the chanse to do so. When he left the
building heading to the car in which Jean was waiting he heard a
sound of helicopter leavig the building and then a powerfull
explosion caused him to fall to his knees. When he looked back he saw
only a blasing fire. There was no way somebody could survive such a
thing…

TBC