CHAPTER 14
 

 A brilliant flash blinded Remy's eyes. His arms came up instinctively to try and fend off the offensive light. He could feel the area around him changing. The hard, metallic, floor of the Danger Room became soft and uneven under his feet, the cieling stretched upwards and disappeared, and a faint green scent reached his nose. Eventually the glare subsided revealing a clearing lined with maple and pine trees. It wasn't the park where he had first met Alex, but it was similiar. He could only assume they were still on the mansion grounds.

 Alex rested his back against a tree about six yards, in the same postition he was in when they met, but his expression was different. It was a mixture of impatience, frustration, and perhaps sadness. It was almost disconcerting to see him look so...human.

 "You've made this so much harder than it had to be," Alex mumbled. "I tried to help you out. Tired to make it easier for you, but you wouldn't except it. Robin set a transportation rift to bring us out here. You won't have to worry about hitting you firends out here."

 "Make this easier for me?! By tryin' ta murder my friends?!" Remy retorted. Alex merely shrugged.

 "You just don't understand. Can't understand, maybe. You've grown up with normal humans and mutants all your life, I suppose you just can't except our ways." There was still an almost sad tone to his voice and it was rankling with what Remy had come to expect from Alex.

 "A bomb, of all things!" Remy suddenly challenged. "Your a vampire, aren't you? Why didn't ya jus' drain all de X-mens' blood and turn'em into slaves? Den ya could've just sent dem after me and saved yaself de trouble, neh? A bomb just seems so typical of ya average terrorist but from a vampire?"

 "Oh, I've always had a bit of a fascination with mortal suspense stories, that's all," the grin started creeping onto his face and his fangs were flashing in what was left of the lessening moon light. "I suppose we ought to get on with this."

 "Right. I defeat you and the Covenant leaves me an' m'friends alone. If I forfiet, I come with you," Remy said it aloud to keep it straight, even though he was quite sure Alex was fully aware of the terms.

 "Or you die fighting," Alex reminded him. "Why did you have to call a challenge? Is it really that hard to except that your a killer?"

 "I am NOT a killer! Get thet straight!!" Cards were flying towards Alex with a horrible speed now. The fight was initiated. No one could turn back until it was over. With more skill than he had shown before, Alex dodged the cards and twisted in mid-air to avoid the spray of cards from Gambit's explosive hands.

 His fist came hard against Remy's left cheek. Another into his solar plexus had him on the ground coughing. Alex stepped aside and glared down at the young mutant. Gambit held his side and coughed into the ground, temporarily unable to gain control of his lungs. <So why doesn't he end it now? While I'm down?> he wondered. Frustration was overwhelming him. No matter how hard he couldn't piece together the motives that were driving Alex. Rather than spare anymore time worrying about it, he shot his leg out and tripped Alex.

 Alex cursed in annoyance and the claws that grew over his fingernails appeared. The tingling sensation on his own hands alerted Remy that his fingers were doing the same. A look down confirmed what he already suspected. Not quite claws, but flesh in color and razor sharp, they had grown over Gambit's fingers as a response to a long denied intinct. A deep rumble in his throat formed into a threatening growl, testament to what he had become.

 Distracted by the realization of what he had become, Alex took his chance and brought his claws down hard through Remy's chest. His shirt ripped in pattern to the gash that Alex lashed across his skin. He cried the mountain lion's scream in a response to the surge of pain and retaliated by trying to rip a similiar wound into Alex. The vampire twisted away, making it a cut through his arm, rather than on his chest. To Remy's dismay the wound healed halfway. Remy wouldn't be able to hurt Alex enough to hinder him.

 Alex pulled away, clutching his sore arm. Gambit remained on the soft grass with his hand over the wound, catching the blood that poured out of it.

 "I don't enjoy this, you know," Alex stated.

 Remy laughed hoarsely. "You have a funny way a' showin' it, homme."

 "I promised Min I'd try to keep you safe! But there's only so much I can do! The Covenant wanted you dead a long time ago, Remy! I managed to get them to accept you into the Covenant but anything else is unexceptable!" Alex yelled.

 "Promised Min? Dieu, dat night in the alley...," he was talking to himself more than to Alex. "You an' dat woman, you knew where I hid... but you didn't tell dem.." Remy shook his head and tried to sort out what was left of the hazy memory.

 "Robin. Her  name is Robin. Min  was our friend, we tried to help..."

 "Den why'd you just stand dere,'stead a'helpin' her?!"

 "We couldn't! Keeping a watch over  you was the best  we could manage! Believe me, Remy,if Ihadn't said I would bring you into the Covenant they would have sent someone else to see to it that you died, no questions asked!" his voice began to lose it's edge. "So I waited while you grew up. Waited for your powers to come around. I waited as long as I could but I couldn't wait anymore."

 "So you tried ta blow up the X-men?!" Remy met Alex's stare.

 "I  didn't say I would watch over them." Alex  stated simply.

 Anger welled up in Remy's throat again. It was choking him as he recalled the careless indifference that Alex had shown in the alley. He didn't want to hear anymore; wasn't quite sure he wanted answers to  his questions any longer. Alex had seen to it that the Covenant wouldn't kill him but he was still willing to kill anyone else. He only had a few choices left to him now. He could be destroyed in this fight. But Remy had spent  his entire life trying to survive. Quitting wasn't his style. He could  destroy Alex. But how much of what Alex had told him would become true if he did that. That would make him the killer Alex said he was. He wasn't sure he  would have the power to do so anyway. Or he could go to the Covenant. That would cement what Alex said. Only different poeple would die. No, he would have to fight Alex.

 Sensing Remy's decision, Alex moved quickly. He grabbed  hold of what was left of the collar of Remy's shirt and flung him into a nearby tree. He hit it hard, sending splintered chunks of wood scattering everywherre. Only that added strength of being a half blood saved him from breaking his back. Pulling himself up as fast as his aching body would allow, he sent a kick into Alex's gut. Alex hit the grass and flipped back onto his feet.

 "I'm sorry about this LeBeau, but I can't  help you any longer. You started a challenge and I have to comply. My strength being twice what yours is you don't stand a chance."

 "But I know something you don't," Gambit forced through his dry  throat.

 "Oh? And what would that be?"

 "Neither of us can leave 'til one of three things. My forfiet, my death, or your death. The rules'll literally hold us here 'til it's done."

 "Yes, I know that, LeBeau. Anything else you think I don't know?"

 "Yeah. De time of the sunrise."

 Alex's eyes widened. True, he hadn't noticed the time slipping by. The sun was coming steadily over the tree tops, elliminating the shadows of  night, stretching its light over everything it touched. Most of the plants and green life would appriciate the warmth, but for Alex it wasn't nearly as welcome. He cringed as the light hit  him, burning and searing his skin. He cried out with pain, tried to run for the shadows that the forest provided but was caught in an invisible net that held him to the grounds of  the challenge.

 The  smell of burning flesh assaulted Remy's nose, filling his lungs as Alex's agony screamed in his ears. They echoed over the grounds, piercing any assemblage of peace, turning slowly from a  faintly human cry of pain  to a screeching and whistling as one who was once immortal began to wither.

 Remy blanched. He couldn't prevent the sound from penetrating his ears no matter how hard he tried to block it out. He thought furiously for someway to end Alex's suffering. As much for Alex as for the beating Remy's conscience and sanity were enduring from having to hear his screams.

 The splintered tree pieces lay within Remy's reach. One long spike of lumber was enclosed in Remy's hand. He gripped it in his hand and brought  it down  on the left side of Alex's chest like a steak and the screeching ceased. They hit the ground, Alex on his back and Remy over him, hands still clasping the makeshift steak. Alex looked up Remy  and, for some odd reason, he smiled. The burnt lacerated skin stretched sickeningly and Remy felt like choking at the sight.

 "Y'know somethin', LeBeau?" he spoke through the parched lips. "You'd have made a pretty good vampire. Y'won. Min, y'mother, she'd be proud." Alex would have chuckled at the horror and confusion on  Remy's face  had he any breathe to do it with. Instead he closed  his eyes and his body relaxed against the grass.

 Gambit released the hold on him and crawled backwards until he was a few feet away from the prone form. Slack-jawed and sorely frightened, he stared in shock at what had once been Alex. The body changed into a fine dust remaining in the form of Alex until a breeze blew the dust into a fine mist that was carried away in the wind.

 He swallowed and exhaled heavily. His sweat mingled with his blood, combining to stain his jeans and shirt. Shivering despite the fresh warmth of the sun, he stood, ignoring the screaming protests his bruised back and tired muscles gave him. Pushing through the tree line Gambit staggered in the direction that he believed would take him home.
 

END PART 14

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