An Officer and a Thief

[Magneto]

As Gambit exited the conference room, Magneto was coming around the corner. The two stood in the hallway, neither speaking right away. Magneto finally broke the silence.

"The mission can wait a few minutes. Right now I need to talk to my highest ranking officer."

He studied Gambit's battered face for a moment, and then turned on his heels, headed toward his office. Though it was not spoken, the clear implication was for Gambit to follow.

(tag: Gambit)

[Gambit]

Turning the corner, Gambit was so lost in his thoughts that he almost ran headlong into Magneto, coming the other way. As the two simply faced off, a bad feeling began to build in the pit of his stomach, and it only increased by Magneto’s choice of words.

How much y’ wanna bet dat he’s regrettin’ makin’ y’ de highest rankin’ officer? Merde, dis ain’ gonna be pretty...

Lowering his head, Gambit followed obediently after the Master of Magnetism, wisely choosing to, for once, hold his tongue.

[Magneto]

Once inside the office, which was seldom visited by anyone other than Magneto, the door shut behind Gambit, and Magneto made his way to the other side of his desk, sitting in the high-backed leather chair and removing his helmet.

“The Acolytes are ready to leave, I assume.” It was an odd mixture of statement and question, and with just the barest hint of a look from Gambit, Magneto knew that they were indeed ready.

“Good.” He studied Gambit’s face. “You have taken a good amount of abuse. Knowing your skills with fighting, I am assuming it was not from anyone among our ranks.” He leaned forward. “I do not intend to ask you where you have been the past few days, though that is hardly behavior worthy of the highest ranking officer.”<br>
There was only a slight pause here.

“No, what I do want to know is who did this to you.” His tone was commanding, yet there was something in his gaze that did not direct scorn at Gambit. It would appear as if vengeance would have been enacted on anyone else who laid a hand on his Acolytes.

[Gambit]

Entering the office, Gambit started slightly when the door closed behind him, but he hid it well. Knowing that no defiance would be tolerated, he quickly removed his sunglasses and pocketed them. Meeting Magneto’s eyes, he silently answered the first question, before standing rigid in wait of the lecture he was sure to receive. So needless to say, he was very surprised when it didn’t come.

De old Magneto, de one I r’member, woulda bitten m’ head clean off by now, but not b’fo’ knockin’ me down t’ de lowest rank possible.

As his boss continued, Gambit quickly picked up on the intent of his words.

I killed dem in de last world. I ain’ ‘bout t’ let dem live de ot’er night, jus’ so dey can be hunted down by Magneto himself.

“I don’ really know. Some group o’ mutant hatin’ scum masqueradin’ as t’ieves,” he replied. This statement was not a lie, just not the whole truth. Lowering his head again, he continued, feeling a strange obligation to apologize for his behaviour. “Je suis très désolé, sir. I know I ain’ been actin’ de part, an’ dat I prolly don’ deserve de trust y’ placed in me by givin’ me dis position."

[Magneto]

Magneto listened intently, studying Gambit very carefully while he talked. Being sensitive to electromagnetic energy down to the microscopic level, he was aware that something was going on in Gambit’s mind when he was telling the story. His instinct and experience told him that Gambit was likely withholding at least some portion of his story, though he kept this knowledge carefully hidden, the only indication was a slight quirk of his eyebrow.

He folded his hands together and leaned forward in his desk, looking Gambit in the eye with a look that held the odd combination of stern authority, and almost fatherly compassion. “Part of what I need from you is your constant awareness. I need information about what is going on in the streets around us. Everything is useful, no matter how small it seems. Though you are by no means my only source of information, I count you as one of the more valuable sources due to your street wisdom, and sharp eyes.”<br>
Leaning back again, Magneto let Gambit digest that for a moment before continuing. “Now any information you could give me about this gang of thieves will be greatly appreciated.”<br>

[Gambit]

Although he kept his eyes lowered, Gambit could feel Magneto studying him, analysing his slightest movements, changes in tone. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but he did his best to maintain his appearance. Although he had the sneaking suspicion that he was failing miserably.

“It was jus’ a minor lapse, but I swear I be back in de game now,” he said, hoping that was all that needed to be said to complete the apology. He had confessed to Magneto a while back about what had happened to him, how he didn’t belong in this world. He only hoped that the older man could accept that he had dealt with his demons, and was prepared to move on.

But as the conversation moved back to his attackers, Gambit was at a loss. It would be so easy to just reveal their whereabouts, as they seemed to stick to the same area each time. But what would be the result of this? And why did he care? If Magneto decided to dispose of them, their deaths in this world would be as much his fault as they had been in the other, even if he wasn’t the one doing the killing this time.

“T’ de best o’ m’ knowledge, dey ain’ no big t’reat. Dey wasn’t seakin’ out mutants t’ terrorize, I jus’ happened t’ be one,” he replied, raising his demonic eyes to meet Magneto’s. Resting his hands on the back of the chair in front of him, he continued. “An’ don’ worry, dey didn’t get outta dere unscathed ei’ter. I doubt dey’ll be back in business right away, at least not in de same place.”<br>
The Cajun’s words made it sound like he had done his share of damage in the fight as well, and there was no way he was about to tell Magneto that it hadn’t been him, but that an X-Man had saved his life.

[Magneto]

“I believe you,” Magneto said after a moment of studying the face of Gambit carefully. He did not elaborate on exactly what it was that he believed him on. “I leave this up to your discretion on whether or not there is a threat to us on the streets, but I also ask you to remember the others. Next time it could be Jubilee, or Vapor, or…”

His voice trailed off and a distant look came over his face. Magneto knew that they should be going fairly soon to avoid any possible complications, but there was something he had to ask Gambit. “Wanda. What do you know about this Wanda Maximoff?"

Penetrating steel blue eyes searched Gambit’s face for a clue. “I feel that I know her.”

[Gambit]

As Magneto spoke of how it could be someone else next time, and mentioned Jubilee by name, Gambit’s expression darkened.

What if he be right? What if I did de ot’er world a favour by gettin’ rid o’ dat scum? What if, but lettin’ dem live dis time, dey gonna go after somebody else? Maybe I misjudged dem as simple t’iefs. I didn’t get de impression dat dey be mutant hunters, but what if...

Frowning, the Cajun quickly decided that, from now on, he’d keep an ear close to the ground, and pay close attention to any talk of this group specifically. He had taken their lives once, and if not for interference, they would have taken his in return. As he saw it, they were now even. The slate was clean. If they stepped out of line again, it would be his job to deal with them by whatever means necessary, or to at least inform Magneto of their doings, and let him make the final decision.

Startled out of his thoughts by the question, Gambit furrowed his brow.

“Funny y’ should say dat,” he muttered, before shrugging and meeting Magneto’s penetrating gaze. “Don’ know much ‘bout her. Found her at de mall, in a little tiff wit’ Creed. Said she had t’ flee her home country when dey found out ‘bout her powers. Speakin’ o’ which, not even quite sure what dey be. Somet’in’ dat involves makin’ trees fly, benches walk, an’ mannequins attack Creed.”<br>
Realizing just how strange that sounded, he grinned genuinely for the first time since entering the room.

“Nevermind. Anyways, ot’er dan dat, not really sure. She needed a place t’ stay, where she’d be safe, an’ help controllin’ her powers. Y’ know I ain’ one t’ bring home strays unless I trust dey plan on stayin’, so dis might seem a little rash, but...” Gambit continued, before the humour dropped from his face, and his expression grew serious. “I kinda had a feelin’ ‘bout her too. Dat she could be trusted, dat she belonged here fo’ some reason, y’ know?”<br>

[Magneto]

Magneto’s brows knitted together at the mention of what had taken place at the mall. It had been a very long time since he had spoken to Victor Creed, and why a man like that would be at a shopping mall was completely beyond him. But the other facts that stood out as particularly odd was that somehow this Wanda had manipulated objects such as benches and mannequins into attacking Creed for her.

“Fascinating,” he said under his breath as Gambit was switching gears to talk about how she had come to be here. “And I agree, she does seem to be one of the missing puzzle pieces here, though I cannot fathom to what end.”<br>
Spending another moment in contemplative silence, Magneto finally grabbed his gloves, sliding his chair back and standing to his feet. “I do not anticipate that this mission will take long. Keep your eye on the newcomers though.” He did not elaborate, but rather just headed toward the door.

“We leave immediately.”<br>

[Gambit]

And that was it. The meeting turned out to be a lot less painful than Gambit had imagined. Magneto hadn’t been angry, hadn’t inquired about his whereabouts, or speculated on his mental health. This may have just been a warning, but whatever it was, the Cajun wasn’t about to argue.

Holding back a sigh of relief, and followed Magneto to the door. It would be strange returning to the Institute after everything, but he was focused, driven, determined not to let Magneto down.