Disclaimer: Red Lagoski, Fat Peri, the giant without a name, Lizzie, and Deven belong to me. Sinister, Belle, and Remy belong to Marvel. If I'm making money from this, then someone forgot to tell me.

The Sun Will Shine Again
by Raven Adams
March 1998

Chapter 9

The giant walked up the stair to the lab without making a sound. Considering his size, that was a feat. The stairwell was dark, and he expected the lab to be too, but he didn't need a light for him to keep a sure foot. He was quite agile, and had a certain grace that most men only a fraction of his size seem to lack. Not only that, be he could see well in the dark. As well as any animal, he was sure.

His eyes had the appearance of those of a cat's sometimes. And his hearing was just as good, too. He could hear most of what the Master was saying to the little girl-

No, Lizzie. He smiled. She had given him her name, and it was Lizzie. Such a sweat name, and such a beautiful child. She had seemed so scared of him at first, then she wasn't. It was as if she knew he wouldn't hurt her, and he didn't even have to say anything to her.

Not that he would have. He had learned a hard lesson about speaking out of tern. At least, he thought he had. He couldn't remember if he had or not anymore then he could remember his own name.

And it wasn't that he was stupid. Far from it. He was very well read, the only one of the Master's servants would could read more then "Green Eggs and Ham." He could do long division in his head, he could tell you the answer to almost any question. He was smart! And he was kind. It was just that some of the things he did weren't so kind. Sometimes, they were down right mean. But he had to do what the Master said, or else.

He reached the top of the stairs just as he heard Lizzie scream. He flinched. She had tried to get away, but found she couldn't. He would have to make sure she understood that she couldn't leave, and that if she kept trying, then she would only get the Master angrier and angrier until he just finely got rid of her.

He sighed as there was no more sound from down below, and he opened the door to the lab.

This was the one place he was truly afraid of, and he didn't know why. Perhaps it was the smells of the computers, or the hums they made when on. Maybe it was the little red and green lights blinking on the base of each one, or the printing sounds. Maybe the boy's heart beat that filled the air was why he hated and truly feared this room. And maybe it was something that just was. Like himself. He just was. It couldn't be explained, and he didn't know where it came from, anymore then he could be explained, or know where he had come from. They both just were.

He walked to the middle of the room where a large black box was. It was covered with wires that ran to every computer, and took the boy's life signs. He sighed, hating to see any living being in a box. And he cursed himself for bringing the boy into all of this. But he had to do as the Master wished. That came first and foremost, and his own wishes be-

What was he doing? Just standing here scowling. In a few moments the Master would be wondering what was keeping him, and then he'd be in trouble.

Quickly, he disconnected the wires from the box, and opened it up. The boy was sprawled out in it, in a crucified position. The bottom of the box curved upward in the middle, so that he had to lay with his back arched up. He was still unconscious. Just as he had been for the past few days. Never once had he awakened. But now that he was out of the box, he should be up and demanding to be let free soon.

The giant gently lifted the boy's body, next to him so small and fragile, in his arms, and carried him out the door, and carefully down the steps. The Master was waiting for them.

He just pointed to the cell where Lizzie lay, unconscious, and the giant brought the boy in there, and lay him on the floor beside her. He looked down at the two sadly for a second, then left the cell, closing and locking the door behind him.

"I am leaving." The Master said. "I trust you can make them... comfortable." The giant nodded his head once. "Good. I shouldn't be back for a while, but I want them ready for when I am." Again, all he did was nod once.

The Nightingale was the fastest joint in all of New Orleans. It was also the most illegal. The owner, Fat Peri, had the cops of the Big Easy eating out of the palm of his hand, so no one ever worried about raids.

It was an illegal gambling hall, posing as a strip joint. Actually, the strip was upstairs, and the rest was down below. It was the only operation in New Orleans of this size that wasn't owned by either the Thrives' or the Assassins' Guilds. But both Guilds were tolerated, and welcome, in the Nightingale so long as everyone forgot that they hated each other.

It was here that a man with strange fire bright red hair and eyes to match, came to look for his cousin, the only family he had left. If she were here, which was a long shot, but also his last, he'd stop gambling, drinking, and thieving and he'd become a priest. Shoot, he'd become a nun if she was here!

The place was crowded as it always was on a Friday night, even more so because of the up coming wedding. Blast Remy! Why did he have to be here nine years ago when Juliet was still singing? Why did he have to go back stage?

But the answer was simple. It was the Fates. The one thing Red Lagoski believed in was the Fates. The fair maidens in white flowing gowns, Luck, Chance, and Destiny. The Fates. He knew everything happened for a reason, and that most times, everything worked out in the end. Perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. With Juliet gone, Belle wouldn't have anything to be jealous about, and therefore, Jules and Liz would be safe from the assassin's wrath.

Red made his way through the crowd of gamblers, picking a few fat pockets as he went, just for the hell of it. He came to the stage where a woman was signing Fever and doing a very bad job at it. Beside the stage was a certain and he made his way through it, and past closed doors to the one in the very back. Peri, Owner was written in silver letters on the door.

Red opened it without knocking, and quickly wished he hadn't. Staring him right in the face was Fat Peri's half naked butt. A beautiful blonde with legs up to her neck, shrieked, and Peri turned around quickly. Then tried pulling his pants back on. The grossly fat man turned bright red in anger, but before he could say anything, Red threw all the money he'd pick pocketed at the girl.

"Get out." He growled at the girl, she quickly gathered the money and ran. He looked back at Fat Peri, who was still trying to put on his pants, and growled again. "Get dressed. Jus' 'cause you got somet'ing smaller den my pinkie finger doesn' mean I got t' stare at it."

He pulled his pants on. "What do you want, Lagoski?" He asked, not really wanting to make this man mad, but furious himself that the girl had gotten away from him so soon.

As soon as his pants were on, Red pushed Peri up against the wall, hard, knocking the breath out of the fat man. "Where's Juliet?" He asked calmly.

"I- I don't know."

Red pulled him forward and then pushed him back again, harder. His eyes glazed over, turning them flame red. "Where?" He asked again.

Very few people had ever been able to withstand looking into those eyes and not tell the truth, Remy and Juliet were the only ones. The proof of this came when Peri burst into tears and whimpered "I don't know."

Red snarled and let the fat man drop to the floor. He was angry before, now he was piping hot, literally. "Well, then, that's just too bad for you." He said, the turned and walked through the wall. A few seconds later, right where he had phased through, the wall caught fire.

Within ten minutes, all the people were out of the building, but it was far beyond saving, so the New Orleans fire department, just let it burn it's self out and made sure no other building caught fire.

A huge crowd gathered to watch, among these were priests of both the Catholic kind and the Voodoo kind. The Voodoo Queen giving blessing and shouting gris-gris at the hell fire building. Also among these people was the outcast Gambit.

Belle pushed her hair out of her face as she climbed the porch leading to the front door of her home. It was opened before she could ever put her hand out by a servant. She looked very glad to see her.

"Mizz. Belle, yer father need ta talk ta ya. It 'bout yer beau."

"My beau?" Belle asked tiredly, all she wanted to do was go to bed, her wedding was tomorrow.

"Yer Masa Remy, ma'am." The servant leaned closer, "His father call yers, dey talk, an' yer Masa Remy, ain't gonna marry ya, mizz. He done an' run off. Leave de guild behind an-"

Belle reached out with her mind and shut the woman up. The servant dropped to the floor, dead, and Belle calmly walked up the flight of stairs to her room. Sometime, she mused, sometime, revenge a double edge sword, dat cut you both way.

She walked into her room, and ripped her wedding dress to shreds.

Continued in Chapter 10

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