THEIF'S APPRENTICE:
By: ShadowWing
Disclaimer: Gambit belongs to Marvel, the rest are mine. Read and enjoy!
Author's Note: This story takes place before "Road to Redemption" also posted on this page.
The young woman stepped out onto New Orleans streets for the first time. She could almost feel the history that radiated off this city. Full of mystery and magic, this city held promise and dispair, hope and failure among other things. And for her, a chance to learn from the best, a step to become what she wanted to be. But first, she had to prepare for her part.
Isabelle Anderson walked into the nearest hotel she could find. Known as Belle to her friends she checked into a room and stared at herself in the mirror. *This isn't going to work. If I'm going to pass myself off as a street-born pick-pocket a makeover is going to be needed.* Belle was a young wealthy woman. At the moment she looked the part, dressed in a respectable outfit of designer jeans, blouse, and blazer. Dark brown hair was pulled up from her face in a respectable style, showing off brown eyes and oval face. She sighed. Time to work.
She began to unpack. Theater quality make-up kit and a wardrobe suitable for a street urchin came out first. Then some regular clothing for when she wanted a break from her "lessons", lastly she pulled out a small black bag. She didn't know why she had packed this, she had barely looked at it since she left Gotham. *It just seemed right I guess.* She thought *This is a part of me now, I'm still following the same path he did. Maybe not the same route, but the same destination none the less.* She opened the bag and looked at the purple and gray costume within, memories came quickly, but she almost as quickly shoved them back. "Get a grip Belle." she muttered to herself. "You can't go back, you're on your own and you've got work to do."
When she gazed into the mirror a few hours later, a different person looked back. The respectable young woman was gone, in her place stood a person who looked like she lived on the Big Easy's hard streets most of her life. A hair dye had turned the soft brown hair into a brown and black tousle, make-up had changed the shape of her face slightly, and her outfit covered enough of her trim figure to be decent but was scant enough to distract. She grinned at the reflection and said "What's da matter mon ami? Haven't you ever seen a girl before?" She then snickered. *In this get-up I could fool Dick. Maybe even Alfred*. She grabbed a worn leather jacket and made for the door. If the info she got earlier was right, she and a few hours at most.
Remy Lebeau was trying not to look bored. Every year the Guilds culled new recruits from the streets. Many young tried to get into the Guilds every year, very few actually made it. Over the past few years the pickings to say the least were very slim. Out of the dozen or so recruits that the Thieves Guild had picked only one or two were the caliber that they needed. In contrast the Assassins were growing. Since being accepted as a full member a few years ago, Remy had so far escaped the duty of training new foundlings. But since he was now one of the Guild's better thieves he was told to take part of the training. As he glanced over the assortment of pick-pockets and small time robbers, he inwardly groaned. *Dis has got to be da sorriest group dat I have ever seen. If der is one thief in dis lot I'll eat my coat*. Just before the doors closed on the tavern's back room that they were using as a meeting place one figure slipped in. The figure would have gone unnoticed but since it was a attractive female, and the majority of the room was males, she caused a stir.
One of the guys decided to get friendly with the young lady, by placing his arm around her shoulders and whispering something crude and suggesting in her ear. Remy was thinking about intervening, there was a right way and a wrong way to charm a woman. This two-bit thief was defiantly using the wrong way judging by the look on her face. She then demonstrated that she could take care of herself.
Belle calmly took the slime-ball's hand and murmured sweetly "Please remove dis. Or have a great deal of pain."
"Or you'll do what chere?" he leered
"Dis!" she answered hitting a pressure point on his wrist. He gave a strangled gasp, and she calmly removed his arm from her shoulder and contented applying pressure. The creep was now on his knees, she quickly let go and stated. "Do dat again mon ami and I'll show what other things I know." Belle then made her way to a chair and calmly sat down as if nothing had happened.
At the front of the room Remy was trying not to laugh. *Finally, someone who might be what da Guild needs! * She caught him staring at her and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'What are you looking at?' He just grinned back. *I like dis one*. He leaned over to the other members of the Guild that had also been picked to help with the training and murmured "I want da petite chere dat just walked in." One of them replied "Not if I get to her first mon frere."
Once order had been restored after Belle's entrance the Head of the Guild spoke. "I know dat you all wish to be a member of de Guild but first you must all pass a simple test." He paused, "Simple for Guild members dat is." The room let out a chuckle then he continued, "Der are six hours till midnight, I want you all to go out and steal what you can before dat time. Those who bring the most and da best will be considered for de Guild." The room was just about to empty out with eager thieves when he spoke again "Oh and another thing, we'll be watching you. So if you already have something stolen, forget using it."
As the room emptied out Belle left with them. *Damn!* she mentally cursed, *I was hoping that the trinkets I brought from New York would do. Or I could use my mental knack.* Belle was a mutant, gifted with psi powers. I other words stealing something would be a piece of cake, but it wasn't something she wanted either the Guild or anybody else to know quite yet. *Looks like I'm gonna have to use Bruce's well-intended training to a not-so-well intended use.* As groups of thieves ran into different corners to plan Belle decided to try a different tact. While walking past a newsstand she deftly snitched a paper from the stack, after walking a block away she opened the paper and began to glance through it for a logical hit.
Remy was a short distance behind her and was pleased with what he saw. Instead of a mad dash for a quick and ill planned score, he saw a person who took the time to plan and consider all options before acting. He was also impressed with the paper-snitch, if he wasn't a trained thief he would have missed it. After a few minutes of thumbing through the paper he saw her smile and toss the paper away. Evidently she found her mark.
Belle couldn't believe her luck. For years her family has held one of the largest collections of Russian artifacts and priceless treasures. When the Communists decided to liquidate the Czars vast treasure trove of trinkets and treasures her ancestors took advantage. They had bought several pieces from the Czar Nicholas's family's personal collections. One was a music box that was believed to have belonged to one of his daughters. To help promote a Russian Art Exhibit that was in New York a few years ago Belle's grandfather decided to loan the box to the Museum. Unfortunately a bribe in the right place and the wrong hands resulted in the music box along with half of the entire exhibit to be stolen. Now she glanced at a photo of a local well-to-do business man who was giving an interview in his home to a reporter. In the interview he was describing how he had acquired and admired Russian Art. Behind the man, almost hidden from view was the music box along with assorted other trinkets. Belle grinned. *This isn't even a crime! If I'm caught all I have to do is state that the box is stolen and I'm just getting it back!* She tossed the paper in the trash and made her way to the gentleman's home whose address was conveniently given in the paper.
Remy stayed on her tail as she made her way from the seedy French Quarter to one of the more affluent sections of New Orleans. She then stopped at one house in particular, and made her way to the back of the house. After a few minutes she picked a section of the back wall that was dark and sheltered and nimbly climbed up and over the wall. Remy was impressed. *Let's hope she brings in a good haul, cause she'd be a good edition to da Guild.* He was thinking on how else to watch her when he saw a few of the other hopefuls down the street, he sighed and melted into the shadows to watch them as well.
Once over the wall Belle 'sensed' her tail was gone. *Good, now to pull out some of my toys.* She slipped on some night glasses and slowly made her way into the house. There was no outside security to speak of, but inside was a different story. The article stated that he protected his collection with a state of the art security system. And had boasted that the only way to get past it was with the code that only he knew. Once she got a look at the system Belle was ready to believe it. Cameras, infrared beams, alarms, the works. She silently groaned. *How am I going to get past this?* A thought came to her, if she had the code it would be easy, and she was gifted with an ability to get that code. She slowly sneaked toward the sleeping area.
A few minutes and a mind reading session later. She had the code. *Just for fun I should send his wife an anonymous letter about Bambi...* As she punched it into the pad a soft beep told her that the system was disarmed. It took her only a few minutes to locate the box. *Boy, is Grandfather going to be glad to see this!* She picked up a few more trinkets for the Guild, most were stolen property anyway, and made for the door. As she made her way back toward the tavern for the midnight meeting she sensed her tail was again watching her. She mentally cursed. *Damn! I was hoping to stash the music box in my room but if I go there now they might think I grabbed these earlier.* She reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a micro-transmitter. She then reached into her bag with the box and other goodies and planted the transmitter onto the box. *There. Even if they sell it I'll still be able to track it.* She then walked into the back room at 11:30.
Belle was surprised at the number of people who were back. Only a quarter of the number of people here eairler had returned. One of the Guild members was listing to a radio tuned to the police band, by the look on his face Belle figured that a few of the hopefuls had been caught by the police. *Gee this might not be as tough as I thought....* Five minutes after Belle had walked in the Guild member that had been smirking at her eairler walked into the room. He breifly talked to the one at the radio, both said various un-repeatable words in French about the persons caught. Belle laughed.
Remy turned, "What's so funny chere?"
"Dem." she replied motioning to the radio, "And your descriptions of dem."
"And you can do better?" snickered another member.
"Did better, " she shot back, "I'm here arn't I?"
"Touche." replied Remy walking toward her "I don believe we've met."
"Non," Belle replied "Not formally, but you have been watching me all night." she held out a hand "Call me Belle."
He eyebrows shot up, "Better dan I thought," he replied taking her hand "De name is Remy, and I wish you luck."
"Thanks." she replied at that time more people came in along with the Guild's leader. As Remy turned to leave she quickly snitched his wallet and stashed it in her jacket pocket. *If that doesn't sinch my entry into the Guild nothing will!*
Over the next hour the handful of people who had made it back were presenting there scores the the members. When Belle's turn came she calmly presented her prizes, then just before she left the front of the room she stated "Oh, just one more little item." She looked Remy dead in the eye and asked "Where's your wallet mon ami?" Remy slowly reached for his pocket dreading, and knowing what he would find, or not find as the case may be. She then, with a flourish and a smile, tossed it back to him and the rest of the members present gave him a good ribbing as she shay shayed back to her seat.
After the last few had finished the Leader of the Guild stood and stated "You all have done well, please return tomorrow when we'll have our decision."
Belle carefully made her way back to her room, making sure she wasn't followed and crashed on the bed. Nothing to do till tomorrow night.
After finding an old flop house in the French Quarter she stashed her real luggage in a bus locker and grabbed a pay phone.
Back in New York, William Anderson was wondering what had gotten into his granddaughter. She had left Gotham about a week ago stating she needed to travel a bit, he didn't mind that. What worried him was Bruce Wayne's rather vague reason to what spurned her to leave. He sighed and chalked it up to difficult teenage years. One was bad enough, but Wayne was coping with two. He resigned himself not to worry, but promply pounced on the phone when it rang. "Hello?" he asked.
Belle inwardly groaned, her Granfather was worrying, she could tell by his voice. "Hi Grandpa." she cheerfully stated slipping back into her Manhattan accent.
William sighed with relief, "I won't ask where you are, but I will ask if you are all right."
"New Orleans to be presice." stated Belle, "I'm fine, I'll try and give you a call or write you every week or so."
He shook his head, "Let me guess I can't reach you at times right?"
Belle grinned, "You must be a mind reader." Her eyes widened as she spotted one of the Theives she met last night enter the station and work the crowd.
"You'd be surprised." replied her grandfather dryly.
"Merde!" she hissed.
"Belle?" he asked.
"I spotted a creepy guy I've been trying to ditch for a bit now come up. Better go before he spots me and tries to impress me. Again." Belle rolled her eyes, this wasn't going to be as easy as she thought.
"Call soon." he sighed with experation. Belle quickly hung up and darted into the crowd. Two minutes later she got a tap on her sholder. She glanced over her sholder and spotted Remy behind her with a smirk on his face. She raised an eyebrow,
"Somet'ing the matter?" she asked slipping back into her Cagin accent.
"Small city." he smirked, "How's business?"
Belle shrugged her sholders, "Okay, I guess. I'm keeping my fingers to myself today, after de stunt last night. And you?"
Remy grinned, "You'd tink that de people in dis city would learn by now where not to leave your tings when the Theives are around."
Belle rolled her eyes, this one reeked of trouble, maybe that's why she liked him.
After they left the station, they parted ways until the meeting that night. Belle spent the rest of her day getting a feel for the layout of the city. It was worlds different from New York and Gotham City, so she better learn quick if she didn't want to blow her cover. She mentally gleened info on the workings of the city from various passers-by on the streets. And gave herself a migrane in the process. *I gotta find somebody to give me a better handle on these powers..* she thought as she fumbled in her pocket for her medication. The few people she had spoken too had reassured her that the headaches would decrease as her control increased, but until then, migrane city.
Back at the tavern the final cut was being decided. After the list was made Jean Luc, head of the Guild spoke to Remy. "Which one you you want?"
Remy grinned, "You know." Jean Luc shook his head.
At midnight sharp the hopefuls filtered in. Jean Luc read off the names and Belle sighed with relief as hers was called. After the rejects left Jean Luc continued, "Each of you will be paired with a member of the Guild for the next year to be taught the ways of our kind, we've already selected who will be with each of you." Belle got a feeling of dread as she could guess who go stuck with her. She wasn't surprised as Remy strolled up to her with what seemed to be a perpetual smirk on his face at this point. She smiled to herself, wiping that smirk off of his face was going to be a fun chalange.
A month later.....
"Hi Grandpa!" sang Belle into the phone.
"How are you doing?" he replied, "I've been getting your letters I think you are crazy for staying down there. The rumors I've heard..."
"Are over rated." stated Belle, she chuckled, Remy just stalked by madder than a hornet. He was teaching her how to blend into a croud, he walked past her about 5 times already. "I had a few and decided to give you a call."
"Well, I have heard from Dick Grayson in Gotham. He was wonderng where you were."
"Drat." muttered Belle, "I've been meaning to get in touch with him, oh did you get my message about the music box?"
"Yes, though nobody has approched me about it yet. How did you find out about it?"
"Believe it or not I saw a picture of it in the paper down here. I was going to approach the new owner about it when it was stolen again." Belle rolled her eyes.
"I swear that thing is cursed." he grumbled, "Well don't but yourself in danger for that silly thing, it'll turn up again."
"Gotta go Grandpa, somebody is waiting to use the phone." After she hung up Isobelle Anderson stepped out of the phone booth and Remy Lebeau marched in. She fought to keep a straight face as she strolled into a restroom to change back. A hat had hidden her dyed hair and sunglasses covered eyes. She grabbed a change of her 'real' clothes from the station's locker and hid in plain sight while Remy tried to find her.
"Dis girl don *need* training in de basics...." grumbled Remy while he checked in at one of the Guild's bases to see if she showed up back there. This was the third time she had pulled this stunt. "...I turn away for just a few and den she vanishes...hope we get a real score soon, dis is driving me nuts." As he was speaking to a fellow Guild member and was getting the answer that no, Belle had not shown back up yet, and yes he did lose her again. And no he hadn't checked for his wallet yet, he was afraid to. The view from the phone booth gave him a clear view on the main entrance to the bus station, as he looked up he spotted something and promtly yelled the other person's ear off. "MERDE!!!!"
As the other party pulled the reciever from his ear, Jean Luc who was near by asked. "Remy found Belle?" he nodded, Jean Luc chuckled.
Belle knew a moment of joy as she saw Remy's bug-eyed expression as she was holding his wallet. There were some pluses to that vanishing trick of Bruce's. As he marched up and snatched his wallet back he scowled at her. Belle grinned even wider, "I was wondering what it would take ta get dat grin off your face."
Remy rolled his eyes. "Youe've got da basics down pat petite. Let's see how you do when I let you handle a real score."
Later that night.....
Belle was peering into a skylight at the exquisite Ming vase on a pedistle right below, and commented, "Why do dey always put a convenent skylight right above the most valuable piece in a collection?"
"Don't know chere," replied Remy, "but let's just count our blessings. This fancy window has the least security dan the other entrances and you need to be an expert gymnest to get down der to get the vase."
Belle noticed the small box attached to the window sill, "Who get's to de-bug the window?"
"You can, since you cracked the code on the score for the Entry." replied Remy.
"Uh.." squeaked Belle, "I didn't crack the system, I had the code...."
Remy blinked, "Okay chere." he muttered, "How'd ya manage dat one?"
"I guessed?"
Remy frowned, "Try again chere....."
"I can read minds?"
Remy blinked again. "You're kidding."
"Non," replied Belle, "I just sneeked to the guy's bedroom and read his mind, got the code and walked out with the score."
"Oy." muttered Remy. "We'll looks like we be doin dis one the old fashioned way." He carefully pryed open the box and looked inside the mess of wires. "Eeny, Meeny, Minny, Moe." he muttered and cut a few wires. Belle paid close attention.
After the system was about useless, and the glass was cut away, Belle anchored a rope and handed the end to Remy. "Ladies First." he smiled. She should have smelled something was up.
She carefully glanced down at the floor as she climbed down, if memory served several of the tiles were preasure sensitive, but luckly for her they were color coded. "Don't step on the red ones" she muttered to herself.
"Don't fall on dem either." replied Remy as he pulled out a knife.
Belle didn't even have time to shoot him a 'you-wouldn't-dare' look before she was falling about 20 feet to the floor below. Insincts took over, Bruce had been dropping her from various hights in the Bat-Cave for over a year.
One second, rope was tossed away from the tiles
Two seconds, long coat was off and held over her head.
Three seconds, body arched away from the highest concentration of red tiles.
Four seconds, landing place was selected and was heading for it feet first.
Five seconds, contact with the floor, knees bent and a soft roll across a patch of ordinary black and white tiles. Belle stayed on a crouch until she was sure that no alarms went off and all was quiet. Her coat was over her sholder and she glared at Remy who was happily smirking at her through the sky light. Since it appeared that he wasn't coming down she better get that dang vase herself. As she approched the pedistle she noticed that there was a solid wide ring of red tiles all the way around the base. Okay time to improvise, since the original plan of lowering her down and just grabbing it was out. She gave Remy another glare and noticed some decorative beams that criss crossed under the skylight, at least he had waited until after she was past those before he cut the rope. Instant brainstorm took over she darted to where she tossed the cut rope and grabbed an extra hook from her coat. After attaching it back to the rope she hooked it onto the beam and climbed up. Once on the beam she carefully crept toward the vase from above.
Remy was impressed. He thought the landing was impressive, her actions afterward really caught his attention. Instead of chewing him out she went ahead with the job and improvised as she went. He frowned for a bit, she *must* of had some training before, no way she could be a complete novice. Street smarts and pick-pocketing, that he could believe, but this was too good. Better do some checking.....
By now Belle had lowered herself to the pedistle whe a movement in the room caught her attention. She froze, scanning the room. Who was in here?
Robin was behind a pilar and mentally cursed, the theif had spotted him. Now would she bolt or go ahead with the crime? Given her behavior earlier, she was not stupid, she could bolt. *Batman's gonna kill me for blowing this..* He was too far away to slip a tracer on the thief, but there was still the one on the vase. *Here's hoping she'll take the bait.*
Belle's intincts were on red alert, *somebody* was in here, it wasn't a guard, therefore this whole set up was a trap. She pretended to be checking the vase for any alarms, but she was actually looking for something else. A small bump under the upper lip confirmed her suspisions, a tracer. She got an evil grin, time for some fun.... She carefully disarmed the pressure switch under the vase using some gum to hold it down, picked up the vase a climbed back up to the skylight.
"What took you so long?" chuckled Remy.
"Somebody's done der." replied Belle. She then carefully pried the tracer off of the vase and handed the vase to Remy.
"Great," groaned Remy, "now we gotta get rid of it."
"I have an idea." smirked Belle.
Robin was on cloud nine, she had actually taken the bait. Now all he had to do was follow the signal back to their base. Easy. Untill he heard the theif's voice from the open skylight.
"Excuse me mon ami?" she called from the skylight, "I tink I've got something that belongs to you." With that Belle dropped the tracker into the skylight right over the red tiles.
Robin watched in horror as he spotted the pea sized object drop and hit the red tiles. All Hell broke loose......
Belle and Remy ran for it after they heard the colorful swearing of their would be pursuer, laughing all the way back to base. Behind them the museum was being covered by spotlights and cops.
Robin has just enough time to dive into the vent shafts before the room sealed off. "I'm sooo dead." he muttered as he slipped out of the building and into the night.