Wolvie
Femmes * Rayne’s Torment
By the time Remy came running in, Jean and Hank had
already assessed Rayne’s condition, and had started IV’s with a myriad of
antibiotics.
Hank took Remy into the other room, dragged the eyeglasses off his
nose and pinched his bleary eyes. Then he explained to Gambit that Rayne
was very ill. That his sister’s wounds had become infected with a
streptococcal gangrene, a flesh eating disease, and it was spreading
rapidly. Antibiotics and surgery were her best hope right now.
Gambit ran his hand through his hair, "How did she get dis
sick wit’out yo’ doctors seein’ it?"
Hank cleared his throat and set his glasses down on the
table. He took a deep breath and looked apologetically at Gambit. "I
am very sorry Remy."
Gambit glared at Beast, his eyes glowing bright red.
Dr. McCoy He held his hand up to quell Remy from
interrupting and continued, "The type of infection that Rayne has is
a particularly nasty one. We have her on every ATB that is known to work
on this strain and we hope that they will help keep the disease from spreading
any further. Surgery is necessary to remove the dead tissue and infected
areas." Hank looked at Remy and tried to read his re-action to the news.
Gambit was looking at the ground now. Twice in just one week
he had seen his sister in a bad
way. And this time it
looked very bad. He sat down, closed his eyes and covered his face with
his hands, "Doc, jus’ don’ let my sister die, alright? Do
everythin’ yo’ can."
Hank laid his hand on Remy’s shoulder, "We won’t let
that happen Gambit. Your sister will pull through this. She is young and
strong."
Remy looked at Beast, "Ah jus’ don’ understan’ how she
got dis bad, dis fast."
Hank nodded understanding his confusion, "This disease
tends to appear suddenly and it spreads quickly," He thought a
moment, " It would have expedited things had we known about her condition
earlier. We’ve had a degree of difficulty trying to get her in here for
check-ups."
Remy now ran both hands through his hair, "It’s jus’ not like
Rayne to let sometin’ get dis bad. She’s a healer herself Doc, she knows
better than ta let t‘ings go."
"Maybe she wanted it this way Gumbo," Logan said from
the doorway.
"What?" Gambit stood up and faced Wolverine,
"Yo’ talkin’ crazy. My sister would not wan’ ta die!"
Logan paused, shifted his unlit cigar; then
he explained to Remy that when he was carrying Rayne to the lab he heard her
rambling on about some things, "She said something about the
choice she had to make and the code of the guilds." Logan looked
Gambit dead in the eye, "And she also said, that she’d rather die
then be the cause of your death."
Those words slammed into Remy and he staggered back, fell over the
chair he was just sitting in and landed up on the floor. All he could get
out was, "No Rayne."
Kamikaze stormed into the room and announced that the Calvary had
arrived. Behind him came Alex and a very confused looking Reg
Grundy. Tyler looked at Gambit on the floor, "Hey, what’s goin’
on?"
The Aussie piped in, "Is this red-eyed bloke the
patient? I thought you said it was a Sheila."
Hank looked at the crew that had just walked in and wasn’t sure how they
could be of any help. Kamikaze read his thoughts and reminded Hank that
Reg Grundy had healed his own wounds.
"This is quite different from superficial animal bites on a
leg," Hank countered Tyler’s reasoning.
Reg guffawed,"How about I pull yer testicles through
yer bloody mouth and we’ll see how much you think it hurts ?"
Kamikaze snorted but Hank was not amused. Tyler then brought up
how Reg had healed Hank on the battlefield during the funeral, but Hank was not
listening.
Jean contacted McCoy from the surgery area and told him that
Rayne’s temperature was now at a critical 106. She needed him there
immediately. McCoy excused himself and left for the OR room.
Alex picked up on the communication and followed Hank into the other
room, "I think I can help." She offered, "I can use my ice
powers to try and get her body temp down."
"Good idea Alex," Jean responded, "Take it
down as slow as you can but quickly. Know what I mean?" Alex
nodded.
Hank hesitated and looked over at Jean,
"We have a secondary problem here."
Jean eyed Hank suspiciously, "What secondary
problem?"
Hank cleared his throat not sure how to put it, "Well, it is
entirely possible that the patient is … um …"
Jean snapped impatiently, "Spit it out McCoy, we’re loosing
time."
Beast couldn’t find a way to put it delicately so he just stated
that Rayne might not want to survive this.
Jean stopped working. This opened a whole new can of
worms. They could do the surgery and pipe in mega doses of ATB’s, but if
the patient had lost the will to live… Jean took a ragged breath.
She knew then that she would have to go into Rayne’s mind and try and help her
there. She told McCoy the plan and gave him the task of the surgery while
she would help Gambit’s sister telepathically. And it was left to Alex,
to try and keep Rayne’s body Temperature down.
Kamikaze stepped just inside the area, "Um guys, Reg really
wants to give it a go. There was dead silence in the room. Come on,
he wants to try and heal her. Is it ok if the man just tries?"
Hank looked skeptical but at times like these anything was worth a
shot. McCoy motioned for Reggie to come over to the table.
Reg tentatively walked over and craned his neck to see what was
going on. When he saw who the patient was he scoffed, "Hold
on, that rat sheila bit me the last time I tried to help her." He
held out his hand to show them but forgot that he had already healed it.
Alex lost patience with him,
"does she look like she is in any shape to do anything to you?"
Reg felt his face flush, "Right. Ok, where do I
start?"
Hank asked Reg to explain how his healing powers worked. Reg
told him that all he knew about it was, that his hands would glow, and he would
touch the part that needed to be healed and it would heal. Hank told him
to give it a try and moved his own hands out of the way.
"Let‘s give it a go," Reg felt
sorry for the girl and he really wanted to help her. But he couldn‘t help
wishing that he were back in Waroongah sitting in his lounge with a nice cold
VB, a smooth cigar, and was listening to the world cricket match. ‘Ok,
this needs to be done,’ He told himself, ‘so just screw yourself up
to it." He swallowed hard and tried to concentrate. His hands
began the tell tale white glow and he moved them to the infected area. He
felt his fingers tingle when they came into contact with her skin. Then a
wave of nausea ran through him and he almost pulled his hands away. ‘No,’
He chastised himself, ‘I will give this everything I’ve got.’ Soon his
hands burned painfully and he gritted his teeth, "Flamin’ hell, this
hurts."
Reg steeled himself against the pain, "Alright you
disease from hell, prepare ter die!’ There was nothing else in the
room for him now. It was just him and the disease that he had to defeat,
and it was a battle that he intended to win.
Gambit sighed, and tossed his head in
his hands. He couldn't help but feel he shared the blame for what has happened.
But, she didn't want to be found and she didn't tell him what was going on with
her. How could he have known? Was this a game she was playing? Messing around
with something this serious, could really mean death. He moaned. Didn't she
love him enough to stay with him?
How could she want to leave him behind
now after all they had done together and been through together. When they were
now finally re-united after so long. For a good part of his life she was the
closet person to him, like an extension of his own hand. She could finish his sentences,
and he would know when to show for important things at the right time because
she would always be there to remind him. They were halves that together made a
whole person. The perfect compliment they were always there for one another
during bad times and good times. They had loved each other that much. Now she
has decided to go to a place where he cannot follow?
He stifled a cry, ‘Oh ye yaille,
chere. Don’ do dis t’me.’ He recalled how there were those who had always
wondered if she would amount to anything, and they never supported her enough.
And yes, he had been one of them from time to time as well, rubbing his chin
and shaking his head at her foolish antics. But the same things had been said
about him too though and he had turned out all right. Maybe better than all
right, but he wouldn't pat himself on the back yet. He still had a long way to
go. What was so different in his upbringing? What caused his sister to loose
her will to live? She must be praying for death if she is willing to let it go
like this but why? If she truly loved him she wouldn’t dare leave him now. He
needed her now. Didn't she love him enough to try harder?
Remy grabbed some hair between
his fingers. He gritted his teeth and kicked the wall. He had a good life with
little worries. He was happy enough with his life. But now he couldn't help but
feel guilty when he thought how she gave up her happiness to ensure his. He had
been given all the breaks and it didn't help to know that she had done all she
could to make sure he got them even if it meant her own death. Except for his
current significant other, Rayne was the only one who truly didn't judge him or
make him feel inadequate. Often he felt lacking when people found out he was a
thief. Not that he couldn't hold his head high, or put on a good show so they
didn't notice how their taunts and accusations hurt him but it was always good
to know he needed no facade with her. She accepted him for who he was without
hesitation. He narrowed his eyes determined to tell her how he felt. That in
all their years together, they had made all their decisions together, how dare
she think of taking her love and her life away without talking it over with
him. Without giving him a chance to help, ‘Wit’out even sayin’ good-bye,’
Gambit clinched his fist and fought back the tears, ‘Mon Dieu Rayne ! Yo‘
can‘t do dis t‘me. Not again.’
Though this was not the same as
before, when they were cruelly separated by powers beyond their control. This
time she was the only one responsible for her leaving his life and he was
angry. He will make her see how wrong she is if he has to beat it into her
head. He would do whatever it took to convince her that she couldn‘t go.
He leaned his head against the
wall and thought of how greedy that sounded. Rayne had to be in terrible pain
to cause her to give up so. Was it his right to deny her an end to her aguish?
Would the end to her pain be the end of his too? She obviously wanted to be
released from her physical pain and the other agonies she had no control over.
Was it right to make her stay? To force her to stay and love him as she always
had in the past? He fell to the floor and folded himself in half resting on his
knees feeling defeated. He hid his face as the tears came and this time he let
them fall. He had failed his sister. He didn’t see what was right in front of
him. He didn’t see her pain. He took advantage of her love, and didn’t make
sure that she knew he loved her and needed her as well. It only would have
taken a little bit to time and effort. Just small things that he could have
said or done.
Remy was overwhelmed with grief. He
had failed his sister again and it was almost more then he could stand, ‘No!’
He yelled in his head, ‘This can't happen. I won't let it. If I have to
scream in her face to make her understand how much I love her and need her, I
will because without her I am only half a person. Damn the past! I was young
then but I can do something about it now and I will.’ Was it his anger, his
love or his own stubbornness that wouldn't let her go. He wasn‘t going to let
her do this. She had too many wonderful things yet to do and see. She was too
young to miss out on all life had to offer. If his love could save her then she
would be all right, because he did love his sister and this time he was going
to give of himself so that she could find happiness. The thought of letting her
go like this was incomprehensible to him, and he hoped that she was not beyond
repair or hope. She never deserved any of the terrible things that had happened
to her, and that angry thought made him want to fight harder for her. Was that
what she needed? To know that he would fight for her life, because he
loved her that much did she feel that alone? That unwanted or that unnecessary?
Gambit shook his head. If that was
all took then he would gladly do it. The fight might not be an easy one and it
might be a very long road. But if he stuck by her and held her by the hand
along the way, then maybe it would only hurt each them half as much, and she
would again be the whole, life loving person he used to know.
Jean made contact with the upper layers
of Rayne’s mind. There was so much fear and sadness. She saw plainly that Rayne
had given up on her life. Jean needed to find the root of the young mutants
hopelessness and then try to help Rayne come to terms with it.
The telepath gently prodded
deeper into Rayne’s consciousness. Jean saw shadowy images of the young woman’s
past. She saw fleeting glimpses of a lab, and saw a woman’s scarred face. She
saw a man’s face as well. Flashes of red intermingled with the images,
and Jean was overwhelmed with a feeling of dread, panic, fear, and most of all
pain. ‘What did they do to these poor mutants?’ She though, although she
knew full well what evil some people were capable of. Again, Jean saw the
visage of a scarred woman. The female was looking down at Rayne and had a
pleasant smile on her face. The telepath saw the woman bring into view a
scalpel. The scene went blood red and Jean heard an agonized scream. Then
everything went black.
A single point appeared
and drew Jean’s attention. It was a cage, suspended in nothingness. And in the
cage was an image of a whiskered and clawed Rayne. She was sitting against one
side of the cage, her arms dropped to the bottom of the cell with the palms of
her hands up. Her legs were drawn up close to her body and she had an empty,
unblinking stare.
Around the cage, appeared
shapes of humans and one demonic looking creature. The humans were circling the
cage, pulling at her form within and taunting her. The demonic looking one was
at the side of the cage where Rayne sat. It looked like it had once been human
but its dried-up flesh and skeleton made it look more like a demon from hell.
The creature kept reaching through the cage and clawing at Rayne. She was
covered with slashes from the demons talons but was not re-acting to anything
around her. The young woman just sat there, staring.
When Jean approached the
cage, the shadowy forms dispersed into the nothingness except for the creature
that was clawing Rayne. With her telekinesis Jean tossed the demonic looking
creature away from the cage. It screeched in anguish, "It’s ma right. Ah
demand venge’nce fo’ de heinous crimes against ma’se’f!"
Jean asked the creature what
crimes were committed against it, that it should torment the young woman so.
The demon keened and thrashed about in the emptiness. After a while it settled
and told its tale.
It said it was from New
Orleans and described the many pleasures of life it had there. It had once been
young and strong and had a prosperous future as a member of the Assassins
guild. It loved its life. It relished every breath and every life it took for
its clan. The creature leapt onto the cage and fiercely rattled the bars,
"Dis witch took ma life." The demon’s eyes glowed a brilliant
red, "But den she wasn’t happy wit’ jus’ killin’ me, non, she turned
ma’se’f into dis atrocity!" The creature wailed and thrashed and the
red in its eyes flared so much that the entire scene vanished in a haze of
crimson.
The red dissolved into black.
Jean wondered if it was true that Rayne had killed that person and the memory
of him tortured her soul. She needed more information. She also needed to try
and establish contact with Rayne herself.
She heard sobbing and
footsteps. From the blackness two forms materialized. One was an 11 year old
Rayne was sitting on a fallen log. She had her arms wrapped around over
her head with her elbows propped on her knees, which were pulled up against her
body. Her head was buried in the shelter of the space in between her body and
her knees. With every sob, her back arched and shuddered.
The other form was
Gambit, about 14 years old, who walked up to Rayne. He asked her why she was
crying and he knelt down in front of her. Rayne wouldn’t look at him and Remy
asked her again, why she was crying. She told him that it was ok, that nothing
was wrong. He didn’t believe her and wanted her to look at his face and tell
him nothing was wrong. So he reached over and pulled her arms away from her
head. That knocked her off balance and her legs unfolded so she could catch
herself. When she did so, Remy saw that her shirt was torn and she had bruises
and scratches on her face and neck.
Remy stood up and
demanded that she tell him who did this to her. Rayne just shook her head no
and said it was nothing that she had just fallen that’s all. The young Remy
gathered his sister up and they started walking. He told her he was taking to
her Tante’ Mattie’. Rayne said she would go but insisted again that she was ok,
that she had just fallen.
Another form
materialized a teen a little older than Gambit. He had black hair and blue eyes
and his clothes had blood stains on them. He snickered at Rayne who was being
mollycoddled by her brother, "Well lookie ‘ere. If dis ain’t a fine
pi’ture." The boy circled them with a cocky swagger and stopped at Rayne’s
side. He grabbed a corner of her torn shirt, "Looks lik’ someone’s
been havin’ some fun, eh?" Rayne buried her face into Remy’s side.
Gambit put it all
together when he looked at the boy’s lewd grin and anger welled up inside him,
"Ah’m gonna kill yo’ fo’ what you’ve done ta ma sister, Edval!"
The young assassin
snorted his derision, "Yo’ can try, but yo’r jus’ a weak, pat’etic
t’ief."
The young Gambit let go
of his sister and began to circle the other boy. "No,
Remy," Rayne pleaded, "Forget ’bout Edval. Jus’ take me ta Tante’s,
Please!" Remy ignored her request and threw a punch at the scum that he
reckoned had raped his sister. Edval side stepped the punch, came in under that
punch, and rammed his fist into Remy’s stomach.
The young thief doubled over, and the black
haired assassin reveled in the thought of a sure kill, "Ah tol’ yo’ t’iefs
was weak." Edval kicked Remy while Gambit was still hunched
over.
Rayne ran over and
pounded her fists into cruel assassin, "Leave ma brother be, yo’
monster!" The boy backhanded Rayne and she fell back onto the
ground. Edval made a vulgar gesture to Rayne, "Yo’ can have mor’ a dis
when ah’m t’ru killin’ yo’ brother."
Remy growled, then came
up out of his crouch with a roar and slammed his body into the assassin. Both
of them hit the ground so hard that it knocked the wind out of the young thief.
That didn’t stop Remy from pummeling his fists into Edval. Though, when the boy
didn’t fight back Remy stopped. There was blood coming from under Edval’s head,
and Remy moved the boy’s head to the side enough to see that when they had
fallen back to the ground, the assassin’s head had hit a rock.
Rayne crawled over to
Remys’ side and looked at the still body, "Is…is he dead, Remy?" Remy
shook his head, " Ah t’ink so, Rayne." Rayne reached out and touched
the boy’s head. She pulled her hand back quickly when she felt that it was
already turning cold. She buried her head into Remy’s side, "What are we
gonna do, Remy? If de assassins guild finds out, dey will kill yo’!"
Remy suggested that they bury
the body then no one would find out. Rayne told Remy she had an idea. She asked
him to help her carry the body to Tante’ Mattie’s. She told him that Tante’ was
gone for a while and wouldn’t be back until later. She told Remy that her plan
was to bring the boy back to life.
Remy looked at Rayne like she had grown two heads, "Are yo’
crazy, girl?" Rayne shook her head no, "Remy, Ah know a lil ‘bout de
spells Tante’ uses. Ah know where her spell book is. Ah t’ink ah can fin’ da
right one ta bring dis boy back. Ah wan’ ta try. Ah’ve got ta try! De assassins
won’ come after yo’ if he is alive an’ if it doesn’t work. Den we’ll bury
him or somet’in. Ok?" Remy still thought it was a crazy idea but he helped
carry the body to Tante’s house.
The figures dissipated from
view, and Jean is once again left alone in the void. She understood a little
bit better now of the trauma that had eventually led Rayne to give up. Jean
thought about what she had just witnessed. Two kids that were suddenly plunged
into a nightmare, and she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of scars Gambit
carried from this as well.
The interior of a house
came into focus. Rayne and Remy dragged Edval’s body into the house and hoisted
it on a table in a small room. The room was filled with books, vials, herbs and
candles. Rayne opened a cupboard, removed an old tattered book and placed the
book gently on the table beside the body. Her hands trembled as she flipped
through the pages looking for the correct spell that would bring this boy back
to life, and thus save them from certain death at the hands of the assassins
guild.
She found the spell and
looked at the list of ingredients. Then she noted how much time it was actually
going to take and was afraid that Tante’ would be home before then. So Rayne
decided that she would send Remy away from the house so he wouldn’t get
caught. She looked at Remy, "Ah need sometin’ from da woods. Yo’
have ta go get it fo’ me, Ok?" He nodded his head and asked what he was
supposed to find. Rayne made up a plant so he would be gone a long time. Remy
left the house on his quest to find a plant that didn’t exist. Rayne sighed,
lit some candles and placed them around Edvals body. She gathered up the
appropriate things to complete the spell. When that was done she
began.
Jean felt a chill run through her as she heard Rayne recite the
incantation. A long time passed and sweat beaded on Rayne’s brow as she
concentrated. There was a noise and Rayne stopped her chant. Her face went
pale, "Oh no, Tante’s back!" She looked back to the book, closed her
eyes and quickly tried to finish the spell.
Jean saw a woman walk into the room and gasp, "What are
yo’ doin’ ‘ere, girl?" Tanti’ stood in disbelief as she saw the lifeless
body of the boy on the table, "Stop what yo’r doin’, chile!"
Rayne finished the last of the spell but something went
terribly wrong. Instead of the spell bringing the boy back to life, it just
re-animated the dead body. She gasped in horror as she looked upon the zombie
she had just created.
The dead thing flung its arm and hit Rayne, knocking her into a
cabinet. The blow also knocked off the spell book and some candles. One candle
ignited the book, while others rolled on the ground spreading wax and flame.
Rayne Screamed.
Jean watched as the zombie
slid off the table and reached out to Rayne. Tante’ Mattie’ Grabbed a hold of
the creature to stop it, but it was unnaturally strong and it flung her away.
Again Rayne screamed.
The fire spread onto the
baskets of herbs that where on the floor, and licked up the sides of the
cabinets containing the books and vials. The zombie grabbed Rayne by the
shoulders and hurled her across the room. Tante’ recited spells to try and send
the creature away but they had no effect.
Rayne grabbed a
broom-stick and threatened the creature with it. The zombie made an unearthly
sound and came at her. Jean saw Gambit run into the house and he slammed into
the demon, knocking it back to the table. Then Remy ran to Rayne to see if she
was ok.
The creature regained its
balance and attacked the person closest to it, Tante’ Mattie’. Remy had
pushed the thing into some flames when he kicked it and when it grabbed Mattie’
by the throat, the corpse was already on fire.
Rayne screamed and
pointed at the battle. Remy turned, grabbed the broomstick out of Rayne’s hand
and attacked the zombie. He kept hitting the creature until it released its
hold on the woman. Then Gambit jumped up and kicked it hard back into the
flames that had now engulfed the table and the undead thing wailed as its form
was consumed by the fire.
Gambit told Rayne to get out of the house as he guided Tante’
outside. He didn’t notice that she just stood there staring at the thrashing,
burning body.
Jean heard voices
outside the house and figured that the screams and smoke had alerted people.
Then the scene in the room faded from view.
Jean could still hear
the crackling of the fire and yells from the people outside to get clear of the
house. She heard Gambit call out for Rayne. Those sounds faded and were
replaced by hushed voices.
*Bang!*, Jean gave a
start at the sudden loud noise, and from the blackness she could see what
appeared to be a court room. But it was not an ordinary courtroom. There was no
judge, jury or lawyers. Rayne and Gambit sat beside Tante’ Mattie. Around them
stood a group of people that Jean took to be members of the Thieves Guild.
On another side were people she assumed were of the Assassins guild. At the
front of the room was a long desk. Sitting behind the desk was a group of
grim faced men. On their cloaks were different insignias, which lead Jean to
believe that they were representatives for both the Guilds.
Jean saw movement from
the corner of her eye, and was shocked to see that the older version of Rayne
was standing next to her watching the scene before them. This Rayne didn’t have
whiskers or claws though. Jean saw this as her chance to reason with Rayne and
get her to see value and hope in her life.
She said to Rayne,
"You know that it was just an accident don’t you?" Rayne just stared
ahead. Jean continued, "It wasn’t your fault or Remy’s fault."
The older Rayne stirred
and said, " Some, wanted ta blame my brother fo’ Edvals
death, but ah tol’ dem he had not’in ta do wit’ it." She
shifted a bit but kept her eyes on the room, "Dere were people saw Remy
run into da house when it was on fire. Dey said he saved us, an ah said dey was
right," She blinked once, "Ah tol’ dem ah pushed Edval, an he fell
and hit his head," She blinked again, " Ah tol’ dem ah dragged his
body to Tante’s, an ah tried ta bring him back ta life." Rayne then closed
her eyes, "Remy, he said it was a lie. He said he killed Edval but
dey wouldn’ believe him. Mostly, cause dere was people dat saw him run
into de house. An he brought out Tante’, den he brought ma’se’f
out." Rayne looked about the room as the trial progressed and whispered, "Rem
shoulda lef’ me in dat house ta burn wit’ da monster Ah created."
Jean put her hand on Rayne’s shoulder, "surely they could see
that it was just an accident?"
Rayne nodded then opened her eyes and stared at the room again.
She stood there for a while. Then said, "Wasn’ so much dat Edval was
dead. Mostly, dey was angry cause ah tried ta bring him back. An…dat
Tante’ was allmos’ killed," A shudder ran through Rayne, "No
forgivin’ dose t’ings."