Gambit (5th series) #6
James Asmus (writer), Diogenes Neves & Al Barrionuevo (pencilers), Allen Martinez & Raul Fernandez (inkers), Rachelle Rosenberg (colorist), VC's Cory Petit (letterer), Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson (cover), Jennifer M. Smith (assistant editor), Daniel Ketchum, (editor), Nick Lowe (X-Men group editor), Axel Alonso (editor in chief), Joe Quesada (chief creative officer), Dan Buckley (publisher), Alan Fine (executive producer)
Gambit is given a job to do by Borya Cich: steal Excalibur. Reluctantly, he enters Buckingham Palace and poses as Sir Anthony Ellis in order to get close to Faiza Hussain, who wields the sword. He takes her by surprise, steals the sword and escapes, only to be captured by Pete Wisdom and agents of MI:13. They take him to their North London headquarters where he is questioned. However, having Remy captured was all part of Cich's plan in order to use the GPS on his anklet to locate MI:13's building. His men invade the building and steal all Wisdom's weaponry before teleporting his team out of there along with Gambit. Pete Wisdom is furious and wants Remy's head on a plate.
Gambit is on board Borya Cich's private jet, along with several of his bodyguards. One of his assistants informs Cich that the teleportation device is still intact and that multiple teleportations didn't alter the beacon signal, audio monitor or explosive charges. Cich, tapping away on a laptop computer, is pleased. Now they have Remy LeBeau hooked up to his leash he can begin to repay him.
He then brings up Excalibur on screen and informs Remy that he is going to get it for him. The sword of Arthurian legend is currently in possession of an Arab woman named Faiza Hussain - a doctor turned associate of MI:13. Gambit asks him to hold up. Does he mean Pete Wisdom and British spies carrying alien rayguns MI:13? Cich figures that Remy might know Wisdom but he informs Cich that they've never met. But, he's heard plenty of stories. Most of them end up with somebody dead and him walking away.
Cich asks him not to worry about Wisdom. Miss Hussain is to work independent of her agency today. Remy asks where that will be, exactly. Cich replies that he can see for himself. They should be passing overhead right now. Remy looks out of the window and sees Buckingham Palace below, home of Queen Elizabeth II. "L'enfer," he gasps.
(later)
The Queen and Faiza Hussain are dishing out honors. An assistant introduces Gambit as Sir Anthony Ellis, who is receiving an honor for services to arts. As Remy approaches, Faiza turns to the Queen and asks if she wouldn't rather dub these knights. The Queen replies that Excalibur represents the empire and its history far more than even her. And, the sword has chosen her. Besides, she adds, she has no doubt these men feel safer with a steadier blade at their heads.
Remy kneels before them and Faiza places Excalibur on his left shoulder. She is nervous about nicking him. Remy looks up and thanks her for being gentle. It was his first time too. In an instant, he grabs Excalibur and kicks Faiza away from him. He charms the Queen by kissing her hand and then makes a run for it. He calls to the plane as members of the Queen's Guard chase him.
Remy figures that by using a little charm and making jokes will keep him from thinking about how this has to be one of the most outright foolish jobs he's ever done. But, Borya Cich has him under his thumb good and proper and wired to explode the minute he hears something he doesn't like. He radios the plane and informs them that he has his target. He's ready for extraction. As swords are thrust in his direction, he calls again but receives no answer. Faiza asks the Queen if she's all right. She replies that she's fine but she must stop 'that roguish man.'
Surrounded, Remy decides to use his powers to his advantage. He charges one of his opponent's swords which explodes, scattering the guards in all directions. Gambit then wonders why he hasn't been teleported out of there. He tells whoever's listening that they've had their laugh so they can pull him out now. As he sprints away with Faiza in hot pursuit, he wonders if this was Cich's plan all along… to get him killed as a thief and for the world to know it.
He makes his way to a window and crashes through it, landing on the grass outside. He tumbles and then looks up to find Pete Wisdom and several MI:13 operatives waiting for him. Wisdom smiles. "Gambit, put down the legendary pig sticker and don't make any sudden movements," he warns, suggesting that if he does his men will blow his head off with Elven magic and quantum something-or-others. "You must be Pete Wisdom," replies Gambit. "I was hopin' we'd meet one a' these days."
(North London)
Remy is seated, shackled and surrounded by armed agents. Pete Wisdom informs him that he knows all about him so he should really focus on the chat they're about to have and not on any ridiculous escape attempts. His agents would be delighted to vaporize the Yank who made a joke of the Queen. Only they get to do that. He mentions a blue guy who looks like an alien standing nearby and explains that he prevents Remy from using his powers. That means no charging his restraints with kinetic energy and blasting free. He adds that Dr. Faiza Hussain is under lockdown accompanied by their finest agents.
Remy doesn't think that this makes sense. This must all have been about something else and it ain't done yet, otherwise Cich would have blown him to pieces rather than risk him talking. What game is he playing and what moves can he make without scaring Cich into pushing the button? Wisdom leans over to him and asks what he wanted with Excalibur. Remy admits that he's not too sure himself. Wisdom says he hopes he's not about to give him one of those 'I was possessed by the Shadow King' or 'It was bloody Skrulls' sob stories. They've been tracking him since he hit the Swiss red facility.
He hits a switch and brings up images of the hit. He notes that Remy's crew didn't bother dodging any of the security systems because their faces don't show up in any database. Remy knows this doesn't look good. Wisdom adds that he's in the intelligence business so he can imagine how this doesn't sit well with him. Remy hasn't had time to figure out whether Cich is still listening and has to decide whether to cover his ass or his own. Wisdom demands that Gambit tell him everything or he will lock him in the deepest, darkest hole that even he cannot break out of. For starters, he wants to know exactly who those men are and who keeps them off his grid.
On board the plane, one of Cich's tech guys asks (in Russian) if they should activate. Cich asks him to wait. This is a chance to see what kind of man Mr. LeBeau is. Wisdom leans in again to Gambit, who tells him that he just got knighted, so he's sure he is supposed to call him sir. Wisdom turns and asks one of the agents to shoot him. He blasts Remy with his hi-tech weapon and Remy is rocked. He screams out loud and Wisdom informs him that the weapon knocks his spirit-energy out of synch with everything else. No one knew you could do that, so no one has ever banned it as torture. He has a million little bits like that. "So, care to talk now?" he asks, "Or shall I send an agent down to the basement to fetch some of my favorites?"
Cich figures he's heard enough. Wisdom pushes Remy hard against the wall and tells him he doesn't give a *&%@ if they have mutual spandex acquaintances. He came to his country and targeted his agent. Elsewhere, Cich asks Remlik if he's ready. Remlik assures him that he is. Wisdom looks down at Remy and notices the device strapped to his ankle. He tells his agents that he told them to strip him of any tech. As he grabs Remy, a bright flash nearby distracts him and Remlik appears with several armed soldiers. "Open fire," he barks as gunfire rings out.
Remy figures that this must have been the plan all along. They just needed him to tell them exactly where to teleport. Remlik faces off against Wisdom and manages to get the drop on him, smacking him in the mouth with his pistol. He then prepares to shoot another agent who approaches from behind, only for Remy to leap in and knock the guy to the floor. He tells Remlik that the kid almost got the drop on him. He could never have lived with himself if he didn't stop him. "Right," snarls Remlik.
An explosion nearby blows a door off its hinges and Remlik and his men go through it. Gambit tries to follow but Remlik warns him off, tossing a small device to the floor which excretes a kind of goo which expands rapidly, sealing him and his men inside. Remy is grabbed by two MI:13 agents. Wisdom asks them to hold him and asks Devon to radio the agents holding Faiza to ready them for incoming. He calls for everyone else to blow the damned door back open!
Inside the room, Faiza asks the agents guarding her why she can't go and help heal the wounded with Excalibur. Gambit, meanwhile, thinks that this is all wrong. If Cich wanted Excalibur why wait until now? Why not pull him out at the ceremony? Was it because Wisdom was ready for them? He figures not. Even if you're looking to get the element of surprise it ain't worth coming to MI:13's turf - not unless you have to. Pete Wisdom radios for status. An agent replies that they can't get eyes on the invaders. They must have brought in something to jam the monitoring systems.
Meanwhile, Remlik is led to another room. Faiza is informed that the opposition will be on their position any minute. Faiza asks one of her guards to at least let her up front to defend herself, but he asks her to shush. Remlik and his men blow the door and enter the room as the dust clears. He radios Borya Cich and informs him that the targets have been acquired. They are in the vault. Confused, Faiza calls Pete Wisdom and informs him that their foes would easily have made it to her by now but there is no sign of them. Wisdom informs her that he's shouted out for the psychics at HQ to run a satellite scan. A moment later he receives information that Remlik and his men are in the armory. He calls for every agent who isn't completely tapped to converge in the basement armory. Listening, Remy hands it to Cich. Remy destroyed the paranoid old hoarder's mess of super weapons so he fooled him into handing him MI:13's. And, he expects Remy to take the fall.
Wisdom grabs Remy and, holding his white hot blades to his face, asks what he knows. Remy replies that he knows that he missed something important. His little blue trump card has been K-O'ed since the fight. Wisdom turns to see the blue guy slumped against the wall, unconscious. Remy charges his hands and brings them down on the floor, smashing a hole through which he drops. Faiza calls Wisdom and informs him that she sent some men to cover the exits. The rest of them are closing in on the armory. She receives no answer and calls his name again.
As Remlik's men secure the last of their targets, Gambit appears and informs them that Wisdom and his men are heading their way. One of Remlik's men sees them coming and says they have to go. Cich's tech guy then teleports the whole team back to their base. "My goodness," exclaims Cich as he sees their haul. Remy informs him that he's got his damn arsenal. He doesn't quite see why he had to leave him on the hook quite so long though. Cich admits that it was not necessary. It was simply a bonus. Remy asks if that settles things between them, but Cich asks him not to get ahead of himself. They have yet to inspect his bounty. God forbid he brought him any surprises.
Remlik asks if he can really trust the mutant. Cich says of course not but, as he sees it, he has to unpack and decide whether to kill him there or throw him back to the wolves. Back in North London, Wisdom inspects the empty armory. An agent asks if he has any orders. Wisdom asks him to contact every international agency who'll pick up the bloody call. He can tell them that Gambit is now operating a criminal network armed with weapons of mass destruction. He is now considered an enemy of the crown and, as such, he should be hunted with extreme prejudice.
Borya Cich
Tech guy
Remlik and his men
Faiza Hussain
Queen's assistant and Queen's Guard
Pete Wisdom and MI:13 agents including Devon and Excalibur
(on screen)
Remlik's men
Story Notes:
Faiza Hussain first appeared in Captain Britain and MI:13 #1 and joined the team after helping them defeat Dracula. She was given the codename Excalibur by Pete Wisdom (Captain Britain and MI:13 #11).
Issue Information:
Fantomex.
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