Disclaimer:  Everything that you recognize belongs to Marvel, everything else
is mine, mine I tell you! I am making no money so don't even attempt to sue 
me. I am only a University student, like I would have money any way.

As always comments are welcomed at Admiraldraala@hotmail.com

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The Ties That Bind
Chapter 3

By Admiral Draala

******

    The Blackbird landed in an out of the way place where there would be 
little chance of it being found.  Gambit and Storm emerged and engaged the 
cloaking device for the Blackbird.  It was a sunny day in New Orleans as 
Gambit led Storm down the streets.  Little was said between them, Gambit's 
thoughts were else where and Storm did not want to disturb him.  He had said 
little since they left the mansion and this was beginning to bother her.  
Gambit was not normally like this and she wanted to help her friend any way 
that she could.
    As they neared  the French Quarter, Storm noticed that they were being 
watched.  "No need to worry Stormy. Dey just be wonderin' what I be doin' 
here and why I bring you."  Gambit told her, when he noticed that she was 
becoming uneasy.  "Dey not sure what to expect after de mess with Candra and 
Bell de last time I be here."
    "That is very reassuring Remy.  I am glad to see that you trust me enough 
to tell me these things now."  Storm said.
    "It got nothin' to do with trust.  It got to do with survival."
    They continued to walk until they reached a small building that looked 
like it was about to fall down, from age and lack of repair.  Gambit reached 
for the door knob and just before turning it, he looked back at Storm.  She 
gave him a reassuring smile and placed her hand on his shoulder.  He opened 
the door and they both walked in.  
    Remy led her to the back of the room. Just as he was about to slide open 
a panel that would take them to the underground chambers where his father 
could be found, the door slid open.
    "You were told not to come back Remy.  Whachu doin' here?"  The man asked 
that was blocking his way.
    "Dis don' concern you Markus.  I need to speak with my father."  Remy 
answered him.
    "De council won' like dis," Markus answered.
    "Screw de council.  Dis be a family matter."
    "You only be a member cause Jean-Luc took you in as a pup."
    Gambit grabbed him by the shirt and looked him in the eyes, "Now if you 
know what best go tell my father dat I am here."  Markus looked over Gambit's
shoulder at Storm and Gambit knew what he was going to say.  "She with me.  
You don' need to worry about her, you jus' worry about yourself."  Markus 
turned and left heading down the tunnel that led to the chambers.
    "What was that about, Remy?"  Storm asked looking at Remy.
    "Guild business.  You don' need to worry about dat,"  he answered.
    "I do need to worry, if it will have me killed,"  Storm pointed out to 
him.
    "You be a t'ief, Stormy, you don' need to worry.  You  may not a member, 
but you with me."  He answered as he started to walk down the hallway in 
front of them.  Storm followed trying not to let her claustrophobia get to 
her.  
    After waking for what seemed forever for Storm they reached the 
underground catacombs that was home to the council and the leader of the 
Thieves Guild.  Storm was amazed by the shear size, she expected something 
smaller considering the location.  She soon realized that nothing was too 
grand for the guild.  Remy explained to her that this was the safest place 
for the guild to be, hidden away form the authorities and the Assassins 
Guild.  Although they were not with out their lives above the streets, this 
was their sanctuary, much like the many churches that were scattered across 
the city.
    Markus walked up to them.  "Jean-Luc be in de council chamber, he see you
in dere."  With that he took his leave of them.
    "Remy if you would rather speak with your father in private I shall wait 
for your return out here,"  Storm told him as she placed a hand on his 
shoulder.
    "Storm, you come dis far, might as well go all de way neh?"  Storm smiled 
and followed as Remy led the way to the council chamber.
    Remy walked up to the large wooden door and stood in front of it 
contemplating exactly what he would say to his father.  He took a deep breath
and walked in the door, while Storm followed.  Jean-Luc kept his back to them 
as they entered the room.  "I thoug't you were told not to come back Remy."
    "Dis be important father.  I need to know somet'ing,"  Remy answered as 
Jean-Luc turned to look at his son.
    "Remy I thoug't you know better den to bring a stranger down here?"  
Jean-Luc said looking past Remy and right at Storm.
    "Storm be a t'ief and an X-Man."  Remy answered.  
    Remy's father looked at her questionably.  "Being a petty thief doesn't 
make it OK, Remy."
    "I was trained by Achmed El-Gibar as a child in the streets of Cairo."  
Storm told him stepping forward so she was standing beside Remy.
    "I've heard of him.  A fine t'ief and teacher.  Do not look so surprised 
Storm, we in the guild hear of many who are skilled such as we.  It was a 
shame to hear of his passing."  He walked over the table that was in the 
center of the room and picked up a glass filled with brandy.  "I sense dat 
you are not here to talk the trade, so why have you come Remy?"
    Remy waked over to stand next to his father and pulled a picture out of 
his pocket.  "I need you to tell me who she is."  Remy said placing the 
picture on the table in front of Jean-Luc.
    Jean-Luc picked up the picture and looked at it.  Remy noticed the look 
on his father's face when he saw the picture and the hesitation before 
answering.  "You tell me Remy. You are de one with the picture."  Jean-Luc 
took a drink.
    "I don't know who she is dat is why I come here."
    "I don't know, Remy."  Jean-Luc turned his back to Remy and Storm and 
walked to the other side of the room.
    "I know dat she has somet'ing do with dat church you never wanted me in." 
Jean-Luc kept his back to them and said nothing.  "Why don' you ever give me 
a straight answer,"  Remy yelled being to loose his temper.  "I came here 
looking for a simple answer an I get silence.  Why father!"
    "Remy, perhaps this is not the best of times,"  Storm said coming to 
stand behind Remy.
    "It now or never Stormy."  Remy turned his attention back to his father. 
"You going to answer or not?  You know who she is?"  That was more of a 
statement then a question and Jean-Luc knew it.
    "I told her it wouldn' last long enough."  Jean-Luc whispered.
    "What you talkin' about?"
    Jean-Luc turned around to face them.  "Your mother, I told her dat you 
would remember sooner or later."  He saw the look of confusion on both Remy 
and Storm's faces and decided to start the story from the beginning.  "Your 
mother was Elaine LeBeau, my sister.  She met and married a Canadian by de 
name of André Duchette.  De Council or de Guild approve of de marriage so she 
was forced to leave de Guild.  She moved to Canada, Quebec, I t'ink.  You be 
de first born, den your sister Celeste."
    Jean-Luc paused to take a drink before continuing.  "I never heard from 
your mother for years, den one day she called an say she in trouble.  She 
needed to get you and your sister out of Canada an a safe place to hide you 
both.  I did what I could, brought her here and took you in as my own."
    "Den why I don' remember?" Remy asked.
    "Your mother wanted you not to.  She said it be easier if you forgot her 
an Celeste.  It was arranged to have your memories of your mother an sister 
removed.  Den new memories were implanted."  Jean-Luc answered taking another
drink of brandy.
    "What became of Remy's mother and sister?  Why did she have you take Remy 
in?"  Storm asked seeing that Remy was unable to.
    "André had a brother named Brian.  He was an evil man, he wanted you and 
your sister for somet'ing.  He was interested in mutants.  Your father found 
out and wanted Elaine to hide de children.  De Council would only allow one 
to enter de Guild.  Remy was de one in de most danger so I took him.  I 
arranged for Elaine an Celeste to be hidden out of New Orleans."
    "What happen to dem?"
    "A couple of years ago I lost track of dem.  It look like you found 
Celeste."
    "Where?"  Remy asked as Jean-Luc simply pointed at the picture that was 
on the table.  Remy looked at Storm, his face had gone white.  
    "I t'ink it best if you left now Remy.  De Council over looked dis, but 
only for a short time."
    Remy nodded as he picked up the picture, then opened the door to leave.  
Storm hesitated a moment  before she left to look at Jean-Luc.  "You did the 
right thing," she simply said.  
    "I hope that I did."
    Storm then left following Remy out the same way that they entered.  "Did 
you receive the answers that you were looking for?"  Storm asked once they 
were back on the street.
    "Oui et non.  I got dem an more questions."
    They boarded the Blackbird and flew back to Westchester.  Remy trying to 
contemplate the fact that he just learned about his family and that his 
sister could be in danger and he had no idea how to help her.
****** 
    Rogue landed in front of the mansion, she was picked up by Cerebro before 
she even landed.  She was met outside by Bishop who was on one of his many 
patrols that took place during the day.  
    "It is good to see you back Rogue,"  he said approaching her.
    "Glad to be back sugah."  It did not take long before most of the other 
X-Men were outside to greet her.  "If Ah knew Ah was gonna have this kind of 
effect on people Ah would have stayed away longer."
    After the hugs and the warm welcomes were finished with it was down to 
business.  They all gather in the rec room to discuss the news that Rogue had 
brought with her.  As they were all settling into their seats, Rogue took her
first look around the room and noticed that two people were missing.  She 
leaned over to Jean who was sitting next to her.  "Where are Storm and 
Gambit?"
    "They left early this morning on something personal.  They should be back 
soon, Storm radioed in just a little while ago and said that they were on 
their way back to the mansion,"  Jean answered.
    "Did she say what it was?"
    "No just that they were going to New Orleans and that it had something to
do with Gambit."
    Rogue nodded and wondered what could have possibly been so important that
Gambit would head back to New Orleans.  Different possibilities began going 
through her head, Belladonna was the one tat most scared her.  Could she be 
up to something that would bring more havoc into Gambit's life.  She shook 
that idea out of her head just as fast as it entered it.  If it was 
Belladonna he would not be returning this fast.  It was more than likely 
something to do with his family.
    Rogue's train of thought was broken once Scott began to speak.  "It seems 
that Forge has found out something interesting about this new band of mutants 
that has been in the news of late.  Turns out that three of the people from 
this group are actually missing persons:  Jason Baily age 23 missing from 
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Timothy Rich age 20 missing from Portland, Oregon and 
Samantha Turgon age 24 from Toronto Ontario.  The others are unidentifiable 
at the moment but he is working on it."
    "So they are missing, what's the problem?  They are mutants that did like 
what was happening and decided to lash out.  Tell us something new Cyke,"  
Bobby said as he slouched down on the couch.
    "Here is where it becomes interesting.  It seems that are far as he can 
tell they are not true mutants."
    "What do ya mean Scott?  I fought with them and they seemed like mutants 
to me."  Rogue said.
    "They went undetected by all of Forge's mutant defenses,"  Scott 
answered.
    "Are you saying that they were engineered.  Like the Mutates on Genosha," 
Jean asked.
    "Many of the mutates on Genosha were born as they are.  To engineer a 
mutant that is fully grown is near inconceivable but not impossible.  By the 
looks of them, all of the persons in that group must be over 20, to start at 
such a late age is dangerous.  I know of now one that is involved in creating 
mutant genes for normal humans."  Beast said as he pushed his glasses up.
    "Designer mutant genes.  What a concept."  Bobby said.
    "This is nothing to laugh at Bobby.  If this is true, then we could be in 
real trouble.  All we need is for the government to start engineering their 
own mutants to deal with the one already in  the world.  They could create a 
greater problem than the one they are trying to eliminate.  Who knows what we 
could be dealing with then."
    "Do you realize what you are saying Scott.  Do you really think that the 
government is going to start making their own mutants to police the ones that 
exist already?"  Warren asked from across the room.
    "They have already done it Warren, if what Forge says is correct.  I say 
we try and stop it before it gets out of hand,"  Betsy added from her seat 
beside Warren.
    "One problem Betts, we ain't got no idea where to start."  Wolverine 
corrected her.
    "Wolverine is right, what we need to do is wait until Forge finishes what
he is doing before we run head first into something we really don't 
understand.  Once we have more information we will then be able to-" Scott 
was cut off by the sound of the perimeter alarm going off.
    "What now?"  Rogue yelled over the sound of the alarm.  Everyone began to 
head for the door.
    "What ever it is, it's out back,"  Bishop told everyone.
    The Blackbird was coming into the hanger as the alarm started.  Storm and 
Gambit ran off the plane making their way to where the intruder was located.
    A slim figure began to stir an the lawn as the X-Men came running out of 
the house.  The intruder sat up in time to come face to face with the barrel 
of Bishop's gun.  "If you know what's best you will start talking,"  Bishop 
told her the gun still pointed at her head.  "Who are you and what are you 
doing here?"
    "Wait a minute Bish,"  Rogue came running to stand beside him.  "Ah know 
her.  She was with that group of mutants that Ah battled yesterday."
    "Are you sure Rogue?"  Cyclops asked.
    "As sure as Ah am standin' here."
    "What are you doing here?"  Cyclops asked walking forward to look at the 
girl.
    "I...I don't know.  I don't even know where I am,"  she answered rising 
to her feet.
    "I don't buy it.  It's too convenient,"  Bishop said.
    "I agree with Bishop.  She pops in here and doesn't know why.  I find 
something very wrong with the whole thing,"  Bobby said.  She just looked at 
them all in turn not knowing what to think or how to react to the situation.     
    Storm came flying out of the house carrying Gambit.  As they neared the 
spot on the lawn where everyone was gathered, Storm noticed a change in 
Gambit.  She looked over to see what exactly it was he was glancing at.  She 
was just as shocked.  "Gambit we do not know why she is here,"  Storm told 
him.  
    Gambit ignored her as he worked his way out of her grasp and landed on 
the ground.  He ran over to where the X-Men were all gathered and pushed his 
way through them.  He grabbed Bishop's gun and shoved it out of the way.  
Everyone who was there thought that Gambit had lost it.  Storm who had come 
to land by Jean looked on, ready to expect anything.
    Jean leaned over to her friend, "Storm do you know what is going on?"
    "Watch and learn my friend."
    The young woman looked at Gambit with puzzlement in her eyes. "Celeste?"
Gambit was the first one to break the silence that had over taken everyone.
    She slowly nodded and then she realized who it was who asked the 
question.  "Remy?"  she whispered.  Her answer came as he stepped forward and
hugged her.
    "They know each other.  Why does that not surprise me?"  Bobby mumbled to
himself.
    "Gambit will you mind telling us, what is going on?"  Cyclops asked 
beginning to loose his patience.
    Gambit turned around and looked at everyone before he answered.  "Dis is 
my sister."

To be continued

Next Chapter...

Everyone gets over the shock of Gambit having a sister.  Celeste then tells 
the X-Men of what happened to her and what she knows about Brian Duchette.