A Rogue's Tale

Secrets & Deceptions: Part 1

Chapter thirteen is finally here, but I want to state that this scene takes place at the same time as the last just as the X-Men were leaving school that same day.

Chapter Thirteen: Secrets & Deceptions

This scene takes place at the same time as the last one just as the X-Men were leaving school that day.

"So why does de Rogue girl hate you so much?" Remy asked Scott.

"It's a long story, but you see... she thinks we tried to kill her, but we didn't," he said as they got into the van. "There was something weird about that whole situation, like someone manipulated her into thinking that. Maybe it was some kind of telepath or something."

"How 'bout a shapeshifter?" Remy said and Scott gave him a strange look. "It makes sense, don' it?"

"Yeah, it makes perfect sense, but how do we prove it?" Scott asked but the other kids were starting to pile in.

"I got an idea," he said and sat back. "After all dis, she gonna know de truth."

"Don't do anything stupid," Scott warned, but Remy sat back in his seat already calculating in his mind what he was going to do.

Jean soon arrived and they would all be driving back to the institute, but what he really wanted to do was track down Rogue and get her away from those Brotherhood boys.

After what Scott told him about the X-Men's first meeting with Rogue, he was sure that blue woman was the one behind it. He couldn't imagine this group trying to kill a girl just for kicks. He hadn't made the same assessment of the shapeshifter he saw in New Orleans. He had a feeling that woman would be willing to do anything to get what she wanted.

Upon entering the mansion, he couldn't stop thinking about Rogue and what she might be doing. Bruno saw him standing in one of the corridors and playing around with that green gem.

"I take things didn't go well with Rogue," Bruno said as Remy tossed the gem up in the air and caught it without looking.

"What makes you say dat, mon ami?" he asked.

"Because you still have that thing," he said. "If things had gone well you would have given it to her."

"She don' remember anyt'in' 'bout us," he said and made a fist holding the gem in it so no one could see. "Dat's what hurts."

"What are you going to do?" Bruno asked but at the moment Tara approached.

"Do about what?" she asked.

"Nothing," Bruno said, acting suspicious. "It's just a little problem in geometry class."

She looked skeptical and always knew when Bruno was lying to her. It wasn't often, but he had an obvious tell. He would start fidgeting not knowing what to do with his hands and he wouldn't look her in the eye.

"Yeah right," Tara said. "I know you, Bruno, and you wouldn't be stressing about some dumb math class, so fess up." She stared both boys down until a few drops of sweat dropped from Bruno's brow.

He looked over at Remy who gave him a nod. "Well, it's about Rogue. She's...um...."

"Here... In Bayville... I know," Tara said, but she had a look of concern. "I didn't have a chance to talk to her, but in history class she looked right past me and it's as if she didn't recognize me. I think she had amnesia, either that or she's covering."

"She don't remember me, dat's for sure," Remy said with a gloomy look in his eye.

"Well, we're just going to have to jog her memory," Tara said, and she had a mischievous look in her eye. "I have an idea on how to do that."

"What's that?" Bruno asked.

"Well, today at school there was this guy..." She started to say and Bruno didn't look like he was going to like what she was about to say. "His name is Pietro, and well, he kind if lives in the same house as Rogue, so if he thinks I'm interested in him I can find out what's going on with Rogue."

"No way," Bruno said and shook his head. "I don't like it."

"Why not," she said and looked dumbfounded. "It's a way to keep an eye on her without anyone knowing."

"It's not a good idea," Bruno said and took her hand. "I'm not going to let some weirdo sniff around my girl."

"Oh, come on, we're not animals, and besides I'm just going over there to check on Rogue. If the jerk would try something...well, let's just say I can take care of myself. This fairy is not delicate and helpless."

"No, but I still don't like it," Bruno said and then looked over at his friend. "Remy agrees this is a bad idea, don't you?" Remy stayed silent, looking like he was thinking. "Don't you?" Bruno asked once more.

"She got a point," Remy said and opened his hand and looked at the gem. "Not like you or me could do it. It look fishy if either of us went over dere, but Tara..."

Tara had a smile on her face. "Good, then it's agreed," she said with a look of satisfaction. "I'll call up Speedy and make a study date for tomorrow afternoon."

Bruno was shaking his head hating this idea more and more, but the truth was it would be less conspicuous if Tara pretended to be interested in one if the Brotherhood boys. That way she could find out what was going on in that house without looking suspicious.

She took out her phone and looked up Pietro's number that he gave her earlier. "Hey, Speedy, what's up?" she called him that because of how fast he talked. She could hear voices in the background, and it sounded like he and his friends were rough housing.

"Hey, Tara, what's going on?" he asked and his voice sounded friendly, a little too friendly.

"I was thinking that we could have a study date tomorrow afternoon," Tara suggested, and Bruno scowled at the idea but kept silent. "I could use a little help with my history."

"Yeah, sure," he said, and she could hear teasing in the background. "Wear something pretty."

"Sure thing," she said being a little flirty. She ended the call and looked over at her boyfriend and his friend. "It's all set."

"I still don't like it," Bruno said snaking his hand around her waist. He was careful not to knock against her wings.

"You don't have to like it," Tara said and looked up at him. "Just know I'm doing this for Rogue."

"T'anks, Tara," Remy said and walked off to the stairs to his room. His friends could tell he needed some alone time and they could use some too.

To Be Continued...

In the next scene Tara makes a trip over the Brotherhood house., Will she be able to find out anything? Be here next time to find out.