Hey minna! *waves*

Gomen for the long stretch here - but here is the latest installment
of Into The Heart of Darkness!

First though, lemme es'plain a coupla things. For one, there is no -
repeat NO - mention of GW in this little interlude. This deals
strictly with the business Remy was tending to in New Orleans
waaaaaaaaaaaaay back in chapter one. However, it was important to do
this for a couple of things:

A) It will better explain Remy's background
B) It will introduce you to several characters that will be popping
up as the fic progresses, and explains their roles in my GWX universe.
C) It sets up the next story in HOD - AFTER Duo wakes up.

Duo: When's THAT chapter coming out?

*Ahem* Soon. *cough* Very soon.

Again, no GW in this part - but I bet when you finish reading it,
you'll have an idea of where I'm going with it, neh? *grins*

Arigato Tyr and Blue Lemmings - the former for inviting me to be
hosted at GW Addiction, the other for doing all the archiving.
*winces* I swear Blue - I didn't realize there was so much to do!

Heero: *dryly* Yeah right.

*sweatdrops* Ano...anyway - for better or for worse here it is!


* * * * * * *

INTERLUDE
* * * * * * * *


New Orleans bustled with an intensity that rivalled any other city in
the world. Thousands of people roamed the streets, checking the
venders wares, laughing as street performers entertained them as they
ran their daily errands. Voices called out, laughter rang through the
streets, the very air itself was alive with exuberance.

Jean-Luc Lebeau smiled at the city laid out below him with a hint of
pride that seemed almost paternal. In a way, it was only fitting he
should feel that way - after all, a great deal of the city was run by
him, and under his protection in joint ownership, to use the term
loosely, with the Assassins Guild.

Jean-Luc turned away from the window of his penthouse suite, and
snapped his fingers. Instantly, a younger member of his own Thieves
Guild was there with his briefcase. Sparing him a quick nod of
thanks, Jean-Luc strode briskly to his own private elevator. Punching
the button for the sub-basement, he leaned back against the cool
metal wall and let his thoughts wander. As they often did when
unattended, his thoughts drifted to his adopted son.

Remy was his pride and joy, a source of delight since the day the
grubby street urchin had picked his pocket in the marketplace all
those years ago. Jean-Luc smiled in reminiscence - what a fine young
man he'd turned out to be! Handsome, strong, agile - and a Master
Thief. It was his finest hour as a parent when he, along with the
other two Master Thieves had presented Remy with a silver-hilted
dagger, and inscribed their Guild insignia high on the nape of his
neck, easily concealed by his hair. His son was one of the four most
dangerous humans in the world, mutant powers aside. Even his own
biological child Pierre didn't have nearly the ability of his adopted
brother.

The man chuckled - not only was Remy a Master Thief, he also retained
the brief training he'd had under an Assassin tutor in the few days
directly following the end of their blood feud with the other Guild.

Still, for all his child's skill, Jean-Luc still worried about him.
Remy was also a member of the X-Men, a notorious band of mutants that
fought some of the most deadliest creatures on the planet. Jean-Luc
had no quarrel with mutants, especially since his own son was one,
but some of the acts he'd witnessed by mutants claiming to do it all
for the good of their own kind, made him sick. He recalled watching
one battle the X-Men had against Magneto, when for a brief period of
time, the silver-haired mutant had held New York City hostage, trying
to turn it into a homeland for mutants. It was frightening knowing
his son dealt with such matters all the time. It was a parents
perogative to worry about their children.

It was also a parent's perogative to worry about the future, he mused
thoughtfully. A soft *ding* went off as the elevator reached the sub-
basement. The automatic door slid back with a faint hiss of air, and
he nodded to the two sentries whose eyes never left the entryway. You
could never be too careful of who was coming down, even when you knew
the sentry you'd left back in your suite had already phoned down to
inform them of their leader's movements.

Jean-Luc strode down the narrow but well-lit hallway, eyes focused on
the guarded archway ahead. This was his own private entrance to the
underground labrynth that made up the lair of the Thieves Guild. The
door slid open, hidden cameras already showing who it was to the
inner chamber, and Jean-Luc stepped forward to see his council rising
to their feet at his appearance.

Waving them back into their chairs, Jean-Luc seated himself at the
head of the table, meeting each one of his council members with a
bried nod of greeting. His son, one of the Senior Guild Leaders, and
heir to the Guild itself, sat at his right hand; his Chief Advisor,
Claude Lafier, to his left. The remainder of the seats were filled in
no particular order as they were all leaders of different factions
within the Guild, and awarded each other mutual respect and an inbred
sense of comraderie that was legendary, and chief of all reasons why
the Guild remained such a strong, though hidden, political faction
within New Orleans.

" Greetings Master Thief," Claude started out formally, a warm smile
in his eyes. The two of them had been friends for years, even back in
their childhood days. Jean-Luc returned the greeting, reaching over
to clasp the man's hand in a firm shake. His son watched the two of
them, tension radiating from his body. Jean-Luc said nothing, even as
he sensed the rising unease in his son; he knew it was nothing
directed at anyone in particular in that council room, but that he
was anxious to get things underway. A quick glance at Claude told him
Claude knew it as well, and he sighed.

" I know you're anxious to begin, Pierre," he said, turning his
attention to his son. All eyes followed him, but Pierre didn't mind -
he'd been involved with the Guild and its inner proceedings since
he'd been old enough to sit quietly and listen. Like his father
before him, Jean-Luc believed that the grooming of the next in line
should begin as young as possible. " I'll let you start."

Pierre acknowledge this with a rueful smile.

" My apologies father - I mean no disrespect by rushing you."

His father nodded once.

Pierre sighed and leaned forward, resting his forearms on the
polished marble top. His eyes raked over each and every member of the
council, making contact.

" We have some serious business to attend to, regarding de Guild's
future."

" I assume you're talking 'bout de New York faction," came a voice
from up the table. Pierre focused his gaze on the speaker, nodding.

" Robert, you know better den anyone, what de situation is like."

Robert Marks had been Advisor to the Guild Master Julian Lumiere, who
ran the New York faction of the Thieves Guild. One of the four Master
Thieves, Julian had been a strong leader of the Thieves, making
valuable contacts in New York that served them in good stead for
many, many years.

Sadly, time catches up to everyone, even Master Thieves, and Julian
had succumbed to illness the previous year. His Advisor had been the
one to help his successor, handpicked by both Julian before he'd
fallen ill, and Jean-Luc, enter the position of power. Robert sighed.

" Jean-Luc - as Advisor of the New York council, I strongly urge you
to speak with our leader."

" You forget who he is," Jean-Luc commented wryly. Claude smothered a
brief smile and raised one hand slightly, acknowledging his right to
speak.

" What has he done dis time?"

" Nothing - and therein lies the problem," Robert said calmly. " Your
son may be the best thief in the world, Jean-Luc, but he has outside
ties that lead him away from our way of doing things."

'Remy, Remy, Remy,' Jean-Luc sighed mentally. ' Always causing
problems, even when you're not there.' Fond as he was of the boy, he
was still an exasperating son-of-a-bitch.

" Explain," Claude commanded.

" Since taking over Master Julian's position, he has turned most
leadership duties over to me, to act as I see fit. While this
emphasizes his trust in me, it is not my place to be doing such
things. He is a Master Thief, Leader of the New York section of our
Guild - and he needs to act like it!"

" I repeat - what has he done? What is your chief complaint?" Jean-
Luc stared at the man, and was proud to see Robert stand his ground,
unashamed, and unafraid. Jean-Luc already knew the complaint - this
particular discussion had been a recurring theme for the past several
months, but matters dictated that he begin again, to ensure everyone
there understood the situation at hand.

" He is supposed to be overseeing our operations, making contacts and
keeping them, for one thing." Robert drummed his fingers on the
marble. " Granted, he's there when we need him, and he always has the
Guild's best interests at heart, but aside from the fact he's very
well-known thanks to his exposure as an X-Man, he's not fulfilling
the other duties required of a leader."

" Such as?" This came from Pierre. True or not, he was still loyal to
his baby brother, and it irked him to hear anyone criticise him. Even
if it was family.

Robert looked at Pierre and bowed his head once, trying to transmit
peacefulness through body language. He knew Remy was a touchy
subject, but it had to be addressed. he knew Pierre knew that as well.

" He needs to select a successor. Someone to whom the arts can be
taught and passed down. There are trade secrets that died with Master
Julian, known only to Master Thieves and their Apprentices. Remy has
not even thought of that, in all the years since his ascension in
rank."

" He's rather young to be looking for an Apprentice, no?" asked Henri
Lafife, one of the senior Guild members in charge of training young
thieves in their art. " He's not even t'irty years old, isn't that
right, Jean-Luc?"

" Twenty-six," Pierre confirmed instead. " He has plenty of time to
t'ink about heirs and Apprentices."

" I said nothing of heirs," Robert reminded them. " And with a
girlfriend like Rogue, he's unlikely to have a child of his own,
anytime soon."

Jean-Luc winced - another sore point with the Guild. It was a shame -
he liked Rogue, and thought she was good for his son. Loyal, strong
and fearless - too bad about the other aspects of her power.

" I mean an Apprentice - Remy Lebeau has been a Master Thief for
seven years, and has never once considered taking aside one of our
many talanted youngsters, to further educate them in our ways."

" Perhaps he has not yet discovered someone dat he feels is ready to
learn such methods," ventured Henri. " Selecting an Apprentice is not
something to take lightly."

" We have many young thieves that fit that profile we tend to look
for," Robert returned the volley easily. " It is his duty as Guild
Leader to train someone."

Pierre scowled. " I'd like to bring back de point dat Remy is still
young - I fail to see de urgency in all of dis. He was here briefly
less den two weeks ago to help out wit' a situation we had brewing in
one of de adjacent towns - he brought our agent out wit' ease. His
quick response proves his loyalty to us - no matter his ties
elsewhere, he is still one of us and should be treated as such."

Robert sat back. " I meant no disrespect, Pierre. I'm simply bringing
this to your attention."

" I understand," Pierre replied wearily. " I want to know why. When I
spoke wit' him briefly on dis subject, he also failed to see de
urgency in dis."

It was the same arguement, over and over again.

Robert hedged slightly, even though his outward expression remained
the same. One of the first things any Guild member was taught, was to
keep a straight face under any circumstances. Still, the point he had
to make made even him feel uneasy.

" I merely wish to point out that in Gambit's case, age is
irrelevant," he began gently. " As a member of the X-Men, he finds
himself in increasingly dangerous situations everyday. Thievery is
one thing - battles against mutants whose powers can kill in single
blows, or theoretically destroy the planet is something different.
Despite Remy's skill, he still spends a fair amount of time in the X-
Mansion infirmary for various battle wounds." Robert stopped speaking
for a minute to gage his audiences response. Pierre had resignation
written all over his face, while Jean-Luc's remained impassive. Henri
looked to be considering his words carefully. Robert sighed and
spread his hands out on the table.

" All I ask sir, is that you speak to your son about choosing an
Apprentice, to ensure that our ways and our methods won't be
forgotten. It is by these methods that our Guild has survived for so
many generations, no?"

Pierre chewed his lip thoughtfully before turning to his father. Jean-
Luc sighed, knowing the truth in Robert's statements. As much as he
would like to deny it, his son ran a very real risk of death
everytime his communicator went off. A faint pain pulsed in the back
of his head, prelude to what he knew would become a migraine in due
course. Rubbing his temples, he stood slowly. Immediately, all the
councilmen rose to their feet. Jean-Luc sought out Roberts eyes and
nodded slowly.

" You make some excellent points Robert," he admitted. " I don't like
to admit dat my son's life is in considerable more jeopardy den my
own - no parent does - but I see dat you only have de Guild's best
interests at heart. I will speak to my son regarding d'ese matters.
Pierre?" he asked, turning to his son.

" Father?"

" Has Remy contacted us yet?"

" I recieved a brief message from him today, father - apparently he
has some important business wit' de X-Men to finish up, even d'ough I
asked him to give an answer to d'ese matters." Pierre shook his
head. Having to discuss this day in, and day out - and then emailing
his impulsive younger sibling all the time, trying to nail him down
long enough to get his take on things was getting tiresome. " He told
me he would be in touch."

" Notify me at once when you hear from him - I will speak to him
myself. Understood?"

" Yes sir." Pierre nodded sharply.

" Good. Thank you gentlemen, for coming." Jean-Luc dismissed all of
them, barely noticing as they left, eyes staring at the wall as he
contemplated what to do. If Remy had failed to choose one of the New
York Thieves as an Apprentice, then that meant he hadn't found one
yet with the skill and ability. Teaching could only do so much. He
sighed again.

'Remy, Remy, Remy....what am I gonna do with you?'

* * * * * * * * *

END INTERLUDE
* * * * * * * * *


*holds hands up* Okay, okay - I know some of you nitpickers out there
are probably ready to rip my head off at the language usage - I don't
know french. So for manners sake, these conferences are all spoken in
English, Guild members being fluent in many, many languages anyway.
But the accent still sticks! And every garbled word I used is
actually taken from an X-men book where Gambit is speaking, so for
the New Orleans members of the ML - or any french speakers (since
we've had an influx of them) - blame Marvel if I've butchered your
language. Okay? *grins*