A Rogue's Tale

Never judge by First Appearances: Part 2

Lucas didn't look happy by the request. "Remy, I gotta deal goin' with the Thieves' Guild. Ya ain't here t'shake me down for more money, 'cause if ya are ah'll take it up with Jean Luc."

"Ain't not'ing like dat, Lucas," Remy said, trying to reassure him. "Dis one's personal." Lucas looked intrigued. "I saw a young woman come in here not too long ago. She get a room?"

"There was a girl came in 'bout an hour ago or so," Lucas said. "Paid cash up front."

"How much?" Remy asked, looking him straight in the eye.

"A hundred," Lucas said, but looked away from Remy steel gaze.

"You lyin', Lucas," Remy said. "How much she give you?"

Lucas saw Remy pull out a card. His eyes grew wide with fright as the card started to glow bright. "Okay, okay, two hundred."

The light from the card slowly died down until it fizzled out. "Dat's better," Remy said. "Now give me three hundred."

"Three hundred," Lucas said sharply. "Why?"

"Two hundred belongs t'dat girl, and anot'er hundred for lyin' ta me."

"Remy, come on," Lucas pleaded. "Ah'm tryin' ta run a business here, and it's been slow. That's the first real customer ah had all night."

"Not my problem, Lucas, now hand the money over, or you're gonna be payin' for improvements."

"Fine," Lucas said and stomped behind the counter to the hidden cash box. He pulled out three hundred-dollar bills and handed them to Remy.

"Where's her room?" Remy asked.

"At the end of the hall," Lucas said.

"Nice doin' business wid you," Remy said as he started to walk towards the hallway. "Oh, and, Lucas, as long as dat girl stayin' here she stays for free."

"Sure, Remy, whatever ya say."

Remy walked off down the hallway to Rogue's room. He had a master key that he had gotten off of Lucas months ago. He quietly unlocked the door and let himself in.

The room was dark, but he could see just fine. There she was fast asleep. He approached her with caution. Looking at her made his heart skip a beat. She truly was an angel. He stroked her hair gently which caused her to stir slightly. Damn, she was beautiful. She turned over on her side facing him moaning slightly in her sleep. Oh, how he wished he was the one who had made her make that sound. To him, it was like an angel singing.

He looked around just then to see where he could put the money, where she would be sure to find it, but a place not too obvious. There, she had a backpack. He picked it up and rifled through it. He found a small box and opened it and found that it was full of cash. This girl must not have been a typical runaway, not carrying a stash like that, but she was young, no more that sixteen he would guess. Whatever sent her running must have been bad. After what happened with Julien, any other teenage girl would have been on the first bus home, but something told him she was anything but typical. Something inside him wanted to protect this girl, but he didn't know why.

He put the box away after placing the money inside. He was about to leave when he heard her whimper in her sleep.

"No, don't touch me," she mumbled in her sleep. He looked back to see a look of fear on her semiconscious face. He walked back over to her. He knew any second she could wake up, and he would be caught. She would probably scream seeing a strange guy hovering over her, but he couldn't stand to see her having a nightmare, not if he could do something to sooth her anxiety. "No, please, don't," she whispered in her sleep. He wondered about what awful thing could have happened to her.

His half-gloved hand brushed slightly against her face, the skin of his small finger barely touching her. Some sort of static electricity passed through him, making him suddenly weak. What had just happened? Damn, it must have been the same thing that happened to Julien when they were in the alley. He didn't know what it was, but one thing was for certain, this girl was like him, a mutant.

That was another reason for him to take on the task of protecting her. If either the Thieves or Assassins got their hands on her, he knew the outcome wouldn't be good.

He staggered to the door, careful not to make any noise. "I'll be seein' ya, chere," he whispered as he closed the door behind him. He walked back to the lobby to see Lucas look up from his newspaper and look straight at him.

"She didn't see you, did she?" Lucas asked him as he leaned against the counter. "Didn't hear no screamin' comin' from down the hall."

"Naw, she was asleep," Remy said, looking back towards her room. He looked over at Lucas with a serious look on his face. "You gotta do me anot'er favor, Lucas."

"Awe no, Remy," he protested. "You done near took all my profit for tonight. What you expect me t'live on?"

"You do dis, I'll see you be takin' care of," Remy said, slowly getting his strength back.

"Alright, what ya want me t'do?" he asked, letting out a deep sigh.

"Just keep an eye on her," he said in a low voice. As far as he knew no one else was around, but Remy learned long ago that he couldn't be too careful. Let me know when she leaves and try t'find out where she go." Lucas groaned at the request, but then he saw Remy shuffling his cards. "You know how t'contact me."

"Fine with me, Remy, but what dat girl t'you? Or should ah ask?"

"Just do it, Lucas," Remy said as he reached the door. "Anyt'ing happens t'her, it's your hide." With that he walked out into the night, the only thought in his head was her, a girl he didn't even know the name of.

That's it for this chapter. Please, comment if you like and tell me what you think. The next chapter is coming soon.