About five miles away, they found a roadside diner sitting in view of Interstate 57. With its seclusion, two eighteen-wheeler trucks and motorcycles parked on the gravel lot, Lauren didn't think it was family oriented. But upon entering, the business surprised her by being clean and obviously cared for. The lighting was decent, the white-tiled floors fairly shiny even after a day of traffic. The hostess—a young, pretty brunette with more curves than her own skinny frame—greeted them with a beaming smile and sat them at a booth by the window.

Having them in full view of any pursuit made Lauren nervous. But Gambit seemed unfazed by it, back to his charming self and flirting with the waitress as she took their order of drinks. Her heart still hammered with adrenaline from their fight and escape. If he could pretend like they hadn't escaped from people who wanted to kill them, so could she... but she had never been a good actress.

As they continued to chat, Lauren looked around. Being designed like a sixties diner with red, black, and white tile was a bit outdated, but the jukebox playing an Elvis Presley song and one of the bikers seated at the bar enjoying a milkshake gave it a charming feel. A truck driver bit into a large hamburger as another one talked with a biker. The atmosphere was very laid back and comfortable. Their hostess promised to return with their drinks before she hurried off to refill some coffee. Looks could be deceptive.

That woman at the bunker was a prime example. She was so beautiful, someone to think you could trust; someone like that might be expected to have a caring soul. Instead, that gorgeous face and toned body hid a black soul. She didn't even blink at casually discussing killing Lauren. A shiver raced over Lauren's skin as the woman's words repeated in her head. The waitress set their drinks down and she reached for her water, hoping the drink could help settle her down.

"What's wrong, chérie?" She looked up to meet Gambit's concerned gaze. "Don't tell me my philandering has sparked jealousy... It's all good fun, I assure you."

What a cocky fool he was—nothing but a womanizer. She shook her head. "It's not that" —with a look at the customers, she leaned across the table to continue with her voice lowered— "I just don't understand how you can simply brush off what happened."

He shrugged—just shrugged!—as he grabbed his Dr. Pepper. "No use in dwelling on the fact that you got a bad hand; it happens. You just learn to play with what you've got."

"A bad hand? You consider me being kidnapped, threatened to be killed, and running for my life as a bad hand?"

He gave a curt nod. "Oui. You can learn from a bad hand—use it to your advantage."

"We're not playing poker!" she practically shouted at him.

"Once you view this as so, you'll realize you can make your own luck."

She was frustrated at his game-analogies. "Is everything a game to you?"

He smiled roguishly—she forgot how sexy he could be when he smiled. "Life is a game, chérie."

The waitress asking if they were ready made Lauren compose her shocked face and hurriedly opened the menu to blurt out the first item she saw. Gambit ordered the same thing; after collecting their menus and a smile at him, she left.

"Do you know who that woman was? Wait. No. First off, how did you get in?" she asked.

"An air vent," he answered smugly. "The idiots put you in a room with a normal air vent where a person can slip through. They didn't think anyone would come after you."

"Thank you for saving me... but about that: how did you know where I was?"

"I saw them take you, and I followed the van to the bunker. For what room they stored you in, I shadowed them and listened through walls. I used to be a thief, so I know how to remain unseen."

"So, did you hear everything?"

"Oui."

"Okay... back to my first question: do you know her?"

He released a heavy sigh. "Oui, I do; unfortunately. She has been after me for a long time. Her name is Avaleyn Nitall. If I had known she'd track me through you, I wouldn't have given you that card."

Lauren felt the queen of hearts card still safe in her inner pocket. Even though just a simple card that had gotten her into this mess, she'd hate to lose it now. "She said she could sense your essence on me... How? What did she mean? Does that mean she's a mutant too?"

Gambit nodded. "She's a mutant, oui. Her ability lets her sense others' powers and absorbs their gift to use alongside all the others she has stolen. Avaleyn wants my powers because they are unlike any of those she already has. I underwent... surgery to reduce my potential—as in looking at an object to charge it instead of having to touch it; that includes living objects. I could also manipulate how much energy is released and even control time, to an extent. Within her, I believe they'd return to that level."

Avaleyn was worse than she thought. Lauren assumed that when she took a mutant's powers, she also drained their life. And Gambit... he was more powerful than just flaming cards and overcharging electronics. Being able to manipulate people and control time made someone extremely dangerous and probably unstoppable, and he had given that up.

The arrival of the waitress with their food halted the conversation. She set each plate in front of them and after telling them to flag her down if they needed anything—looking at Gambit specifically—she left again. They fell quiet as they added various condiments then set to eating; Lauren's hamburger was delicious: juicy patty and soft buns, and the fries were salty.

"Is there anything else you can do?" she began after a few bites.

"Tapping into energy gives me dexterity and agility, unlike a normal human. It also lets me create a static interference, so no telepaths can detect me or get into this noggin'." He tapped his temple with a smile.

"Another advantage of being me is that I can sway sentient minds—make them believe what I say or agree with me."

She didn't like it that he could compel her to do something he wanted. "Have you done that to me?"

"I tried when you had chosen the right card, but you had rejected me. I was quite impressed."

Lauren jolted with surprise. Could she be a mutant too? "How? Avaleyn said I wasn't a mutant... Has she ever been wrong?"

"Not that I know of. But I have had trouble in the past convincing more powerful telepaths." He gave an indifferent shrug, like the question of why didn't intrigue him at all. "Perhaps you just have a strong mind."

On the contrary, Lauren was beyond interested in the thought she could be a mutant. She ran through her memories for any sign that she could have telepathic powers... Nothing stood out as a hint.

As another question popped into her head, she turned her eyes down to her plate and ran a French fry through the glob of ketchup. She worked on making a red canyon out of nervousness. She felt uncomfortable with having to ask—mainly because she was afraid of his answer—but she needed to know. "Avaleyn... she-she said that you have killed before... So, have you?"

His gaze remained steady on hers. "Do not be afraid of me, chérie; I will do nothing to endanger you. I have had to, but it was in self-defense, believe me." But his eyes dropped to his nearly empty plate as he revisited his past. "It was... it seems like so long ago now. As a thief, I was part of the Thieves' Guild in New Orleans, my hometown. In hopes of bringing us and the Assassin's Guild closer, I was betrothed to a woman named Bella Donna Boudreaux, the granddaughter of that guild's head. Her brother, Julien, objected and challenged me to a duel, in which I won. For killing him, I was banished from the city to maintain nonviolence."

Gambit's eyes lifted to hers again. "I regret having to, truly. Long I have wished the outcome was different... but what's done is done. I do not wish to take another life, but I will if needed."

She did believe him; the remorse in his eyes wasn't so easily faked. He wasn't the criminal Avaleyn was trying to paint him as so she would help find him.

Her questions were satisfied about him... for now. "So, what do we do now?"

"Leave. There is nothing left in Chicago anymore but your probable death. We'll make our way east in hopes of locating safety."

Lauren remained quiet, letting the realization that she was on the run now soak in. A part of her wanted to argue, but the more logical side had already come to that conclusion. It would be hard considering Lauren Binns of Chicago as dead, but she could do it—she could make her life somewhere else.

He leaned back to drape his arms along the back of the seat. "You're taking this better than I expected."

"I didn't think I really had a choice."

"'fraid not, but you're in good hands of someone who knows how to run. All mutants have had this experience."

The waitress came back to ask if everything had been okay and if they wanted dessert; it disappointed her that they declined. She laid their ticket down, balanced their dishes, and headed to the kitchen to dispose of them.

Luckily, when the men kidnapped her, she had her credit card zipped up in a pocket. Her license still sat in her purse at the apartment, though. Lauren reached for the card when Gambit snatched up the bill.

"I have this one, amour; you must go dark."

She hadn't thought of that—they could locate her by tracking her card if they had connections. And since Gambit had thought of it, she assumed he knew that they did.

His eyes caught sight of the waitress at the cash register checking someone else out and slid out of the booth. "I'll get us a better deal."

She watched the waitress light up at seeing him paying the bill; he flashed his megawatt smile then leaned against the counter to chat her up. Lauren struggled against a smile at the girl's blushing and giggles as Gambit flirted with her. It was hard not to pity her from knowing he used his mutant abilities through the flirting, only to get her to lower the total price.

Maybe being on the run with Gambit wouldn't be so bad—he'd make it entertaining, that was for sure.