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Hate Is An Understatement
by Diana Othman

Chapter 9

Sludge splattered across her boots and Rogue cursed under her breath. Under normal circumstances, Gambit would have chuckled. But that night, he and his Southern belle team mate were about to breach US's top security system, the military and the secret service. Remy stopped and turned to look at Rogue who were a few steps behind, dutifully following his knowing lead. She grumbled as she closed the space between them and finally caught up with him.

"Wha'cha stop for, Cajun?" she chided, grimacing when she took a long hard look at her boots.

"Just felt dat you were lagging," he replied cooly.

"Well, Ah can take care o' mahself, thank ya very much...And ah'm not laggin'; you're the one goin' too slow!" she hissed when she caught laughter twinkling in his eyes. Gambit shrugged and continued to watch Rogue as she lifted her foot, trying to shake mud off her boot.

"Are y' nervous?" Remy's tone was serious, softly inquiring the almost obvious.

Rogue froze for a while but continued fussing with the muddy boot. She answered shakily, "Yeah...kinda." She felt Remy's gaze boring into her, sending chills up her spine. She pretended to adjust her uniform thoroughly, trying to avoid his impending stare. It proved futile when she sensed him moving closer towards her.

"Not as tough as ya'd like us t'think, neh?" he teased.

"Shut up, Remy." She snapped.

"Dere ya g-" Rogue clamped her hand over his mouth in annoyance.

"Ah hear somethin',"

Remy's legendary thief instincts came to life as his eyes fixed worriedly over Rogue who was also stiff, her senses activating at full force.

"We're not alone, chere," he confirmed.

"Like ah didn't know already," Rogue whispered, her hands clutching the sleeves of his trenchcoat.

"Guess we be closer t'de site than we've calculated."

This time round, Rogue grabbed his hand and crept towards a bush of damp shrubs, placing their backs against the stout trunk of a tree and just in time too, as an officer emerged from beyond the darkness of the groves clutching a plasma rifle. He trudged against the muddy grounds, rattling the grenades that were strapped to his waist. He wore a pitch black uniform that blended him perfectly into the shadows making his presence unknown against human eyes. Remy had no problems locating their adversary, however, thanks to his unique eyes.

"How many?" he heard Rogue's faint whisper.

"One."

Remy reached down and picked up a tiny pebble and threw it far into a distance where it hit the ground with a slosh. Alerted, the officer made his way to the source of the sound and began to inspect. Remy snuck up behind him without a sound and knocked him down flat with his bo staff.

"Dat was just too easy," Gambit smirked as he looked down at the beaten man, hardly breaking a sweat. Rogue flew down next to him and retracted the communicator from the soldier and crushed it to powder.

She sighed. "That was close!" She reached into her jacket and pulled out a strange contraption. "Ah guess it's time ta see if Beast's 'wassitcalled' works."

Remy looked over her shoulder and clicked his tongue. "What does dat do?"

"Well, obviously ya haven't been payin' much attention ta classes."

"Says de one who don' know what it's called,"

Rogue frowned but continued, "Beast said this thingie's a tracking device o' sorts. It could pick up body temperature and display the location of any livin' beings around,"

"Cool."

Rogue switched it on and almost immediately, the small screen of the tracker glowed with bright green random lines that ran like thumb prints which, Rogue figured out instantly, were the contours of the area of the swamps surrounding them in that particular radius they were situated. Red dots scattered across the lands northward.

"Soldiers straight ahead," Rogue voiced, still taking a couple of readings. Gambit and Rogue and the rest of the X-Men appeared as blue dots on the tracker just as Beast had explained. That way they could tell whether impostors were friend or foe for sure. "Too bad this thing can only show a small area at a time instead of the whole swamp...Life'll be so much easier,"

Rogue pouted and looked up at Remy who just shrugged with a grin.

"But dat ain't de way t'live, no danger, no thrills, no pretty femmes..." he grinned lecherously as he leaned closer to her.

Rogue snorted and chided, "For pete's sakes, Remy. Can ya even be serious for a second?"

She strode past him towards the bushes, resuming with their perilous journey to where they would meet up with the rest of the team. Gambit pressed a green button on his communicator which acted as a homing device in connection with the Blackbird, keeping updates of his whereabouts within the dark wells of the Louisiana bayou.

Continued in Chapter 10.

Thanks again, Vicks..*audience stands and applauds* The gal's amazin'!!! Shaped this fanfic up really good!

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