A Rogue's Tale

The Heist: Part 1

"Rogue, would you slow down, honey," Mercy called as Rogue raced down the streets of New Orleans. "Where de fire?"

"Mercy," she called as she stopped running to catch her breath. "If you're taggin' along, try to keep up."

"Where are we goin' anyway?" Mercy demanded to know. Rogue tried to ignore it and continued her trek, but Mercy pulled her back. Rogue snatched her hand back. "You ain't draggin' me any further until you tell me."

"Fine," Rogue said and then took a deep breath. "You know that old mansion up on the slope."

"Yeah, 'course I do, but nobody goes dere," she said with a look of fright in her eyes. "Dat place is haunted. Plus, it's owned by..."

"The Assassins," Rogue finished.

"How you know 'bout dem?" Mercy asked intrigued and also a bit suspicious. "Outsiders don't know 'bout de guilds, 'specially one who's new in town."

"Because, Mercy, they tried ta kidnap me," Rogue said. There was a fire in her eyes like she could burn the whole city the ground. "Remy was the one that saved me, and now he's going into that place. Ah heard him talking to his brother this mornin'. If that place is owned by The Assassins, he could get killed on what he says is just work."

"Remy is in dat mansion," Mercy looked shocked, "an' Henri put him up to it. Why dat low life t'ievin' retch. Wait 'til I get my hands on him."

"Ya like 'im, don't ya?" Rogue asked as they walked down the street together.

"Yeah, I guess, but dat man gonna be de death a me," Mercy said but gave a smile. "Same wid you an' Remy. Dat boy needs a girl like you t'settle him down. He been a wild one as long as ah've known 'im."

"Well, ah ain't all that stable either," Rogue said rolling her eyes.

"Maybe not, but all's I know is dat Remy ain't never taken to a girl like he takes to you," Mercy said with a smile on her face. Rogue got the feeling she was trying to play matchmaker.

"Too bad for him," Rogue said silently so Mercy wouldn't hear.

"What's that you say?" Mercy asked as they approached the mansion.

"Nothing, not important," Rogue said and pulled out the blueprint. "So, what's the best way to get in here?"

"Well, I do know de place somewhat," she said, putting a finger on her chin. "Best way not t'be seen is dat way." She removed her fingers from her chin and pointed to the north side of the mansion. "Jus' got t'watch out for dem dogs."

"Dogs or not ah'm goin' in," Rogue said, not looking one bit scared. "Ya don't have t'come if ya don't to, Mercy. It might be dangerous."

"Dat's why I'm goin'," she said. Mercy had as much determination as Rogue did. "If Henri was in that building, I'm going to find him and make sure he's safe. There would be plenty of time to kill him after this was all over.

Rogue laughed at that. "Then ya must really love 'im," she said in a teasing manner. "Ah guess a kinda feel the same 'about Remy."

"See, us girls got t'stick t'gether," Mercy said taking her hand. "'Specially when dese boys got some fool notion is dere heads 'bout getting' demselves killed."

Rogue didn't argue with that. She just let Mercy lead the way since she knew the layout of the place better. The two young women disappeared into the shadows just as two dogs howled into the night.

Once inside, Mercy spoke in whisper. If the assassins caught them, they were as good as dead. Even with her powers, Rogue doubted she could stop an ambush, but she knew Remy was walking into trouble. She was going to do what she could to stop it.

"Jus' follow me and lay low," Mercy whispered to Rogue. Right now, she wished she had been given the powers of invisibility. Her heart raced as they crept forward. Suddenly they both heard voices.

Rogue recognized one of them, but it wasn't Remy or Henri. A chill raced up her spine when she realized who it was. "Julien, I tell ya, dat t'ievin' fool ain't dumb enough t'break in here."

"Oh, yes, he is, Bernard," Julien said nodding his head. "He wan' dat gem an' I know why. De same reason my pere liberated it from its last owner, jus' before he gutted him. He like his killing drawn out and messy." Rogue's eyes got big at how nonchalant Julien described a gruesome murder. "Ain't no safer place for dat gem den here."

"No sane person ever try t'break in here, not wid de ghosts an' all," Bernard said.

Julien just laughed. "Ain't no ghosts. Dat jus' a rumor spread by de Guilds t'keep outsiders away. T'ieves know dere ain't no ghosts jus' like de Assassins do, but people believe whatever you tell 'em."

"What about dat girl?" Bernard asked. "Your pere want her. She worth a lot a money, but only if she alive."

"She wid that t'ief right now, but not for long," Julien said with a laugh. "It happened jus' de way I planned. Dat girl distract him. He make mistake, and we kill 'im and get de girl t'boot."

That last statement made Rogue angry. They were talking about her like she was a piece of meat. She wanted nothing more than to go out there and teach those guys a lesson, but just because she only saw two that didn't mean that there wasn't more in the shadows just waiting for her to make a mistake.

She stayed quiet and signaled for Mercy to do the same. The one called Bernard left leaving Julien alone. She had an idea. If Remy and Henri were going after that gem then it was a good bet that Julien knew where it was. She had one chance and one chance only.

"Hey, lowlife," she finally said out loud but without revealing her location.

"That little bitch," he said in a low voice but not low enough that she couldn't hear. That was the last straw. He wanted to insult her he was going to pay for it. Julien looked around but didn't see anyone, and then suddenly he screamed out as he felt a pair of hands on either side of his face. In seconds, he was out cold.

Rogue shook her head for a second. The last thing she wanted was for that filthy pervert's thoughts to be in her head, but if it would help save Remy, she would do it.

Bernard pointed a shaky finger at Rogue with his face as white as a sheet. "Witch!" he shouted.

Mercy was the one who took action and punched him in the face. The hit knocked him out cold. "Some Assassin he is," she said, shaking her head back and forth. Then looking back over at Julien unconscious on the floor she asked, "What you do to him?"

"Ya don't wanna know," Rogue said with her hands on either side of her head. She scanned her mind for the information she needed from the scum she just knocked out. If the situation hadn't been so dire, she would have most likely vomited after a stray thought popped up in her head. "Perv," she said under her breath looking down at his unconscious body. "He'll be alright though... in a little while."

"So, what do we do now?" Mercy asked as she just stared at the unconscious body of Julien. "We ain't got no idea where dem boys are."

"Oh, yes we do," Rogue said with a twinkle in her eye. "Ah know exactly where they are?" She put her gloves back on and grabbed Mercy's hand. "This way."

"Good, 'cause I owe Henri a thrashin' for dis," Mercy said as she followed Rogue down a dark corridor.

To Be Continued...

There's more to come when Rogue and Mercy catch up with the boys, and Rogue learns the secret of the mysterious gem.