Morphing Into Shade

[Gambit]

(( takes place after "Training Shade" ))

Parallel to training Shade to survive without relying on Gambit always being there to protect her, Gambit was working on devising a scheme that would help them clear Shade's name and remove her from the 'wanted' list. With Morph's help, provided Morph acted in their interests, Gambit was certain they could pull it off. He tried not to involve Shade into much of the planning because his life has taught him that the schemes he himself developed worked better for him than those on which he collaborated with someone. And even though this one concerned Shade directly, for him it was no different from others.

However, the day came when he realized that the development ended and they had to start with actual field work. This meant running over the plan with Shade; briefing Morph with as few details as was absolutely necessary for the plan; training Morph to pass for Shade; launching the scheme into life.

He arranged a meeting with Kevin in an empty warehouse that would conceal them from unwelcome attention, but brought Shade there much earlier, intending to discuss the ideas with her before they would include Morph.

[Shade]

In the weeks leading up to this day, there had been little extra information for Shade on the matter. After the discussion they had had about it in the car in which Gambit had given several hints that he preferred to plot on his own, Shade had let the matter be for a while. It didn´t mean she wasn´t curious. Quite the contrary. But it was one of the things where she still didn´t feel fully familiar with Gambit, quite some memory still lacking which made it difficult for her to sort in his skills there. What she could rely on was what she remembered so far and that spoke clearly in his favour. Or rather, in the favour of him being an expert with these matters. The knowledge what he did and who he was was there, clearly, but little to fill it with life and Shade was starting to remember that he had used to keep that part well away from her with a few exceptions of stealing the car together or moments in which he became talkative and talked of guilds and family ties.

The place was still empty when they arrived, or so it seemed. A large, empty warehouse of the kind that seemed to be strewn all over certain parts of the city. Shade was wearing regular clothes, jeans and a shirt with a light jacket tossed over that, it was still summer after all - sort of. The costume, ready and painted by now, was in a duffel bag she had over her shoulder. One never knew whether she might need it later today.

She had to admit to herself that she was a bit nervous. Mostly, she figured, because still not being part of the details of the plan (which she was sure would change in the next minutes), she did not know what to expect and whereas that was no reason to be nervous, talking things through again was. In clearer terms, telling a stranger about this. It was a somewhat odd feeling.

[Gambit]

"Ready t' do dis?" Gambit asked as they entered the warehouse. He set his bag onto some empty crates near an old table standing a bit to the side.

[Shade]

The most plausible answer to that question would have been´I guess so´, because there were some doubts Shade had about that. Not as far as Gambit was concerned. She didn´t need a complete three years´ memory to tell that he would try his best to get her through this. But maybe because one didn´t usually walk up to strangers and tell them about the capital crimes one had committed. Oh well, Shadey, she thought sarcastically, been there, done that. Therefore, her answer was a different one. "Yes." she said. "Yes, I am." The addition was properly something like the equivalent of a motivational cheer. And despite her slight insecurities about herself in the matter, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Very, very pretty light. Which came in the shade of Manuel behind bars. And maybe a few persons more. Maybe.

[Gambit]

"Good," Gambit said. Opening his bag, he produced a thermos with coffee and a few plastic cups. "Kevin won't be here for a while yet. I thought I'd run some stuff through wit' ya first."

[Shade]

There was a half broken staircase leading up to the next floor. Shade sat down on it. She nodded. "He doesn´t know anything more than what we talked about back at the Hellfire yet?" she asked. There were things Gambit didn´t let her in on, and he hadn´t let her in on anything about this kind of plotting, so this was merely an assumption that seemed fitting.

[Gambit]

"No," Gambit said, stopping in the middle of the large room, with his hands in his pockets. "Question is, how much do we want 'im to know at all?"

[Shade]

"As much as he needs to know," Shade said. "and as little as he needs to know." She thought about him. "He needs to know what happened, I think, what I remember of the hotel. I´m not sure about the rest. I mean...I´m not sure if he needs to know about Jimmy. But of course that explains why Manuel had...something to work with so to say."

[Gambit]

"He needs t' 'ave your motivation for killin'," Gambit explained. "He needs some of your background, otherwise it won't be convincin'. He needs t' be completely you in your rationalization an' logic. We need his abilities for somethin' else, not for a made-up story."

[Shade]

"Okay..." Shade said, sighing inwardly. This wasn´t an easy thing to talk about but of course there was no way she would back out of this. "So that means mentioning Shona and that I was looking for her..." It was weird, she remembered Shona now, but in fragments, small bits of memory, hardly a full fledged image. "and that I found Manuel and later put two and two together about kidnappers." She paused, thinking. "What about the list I took? Mention it or no?"

[Gambit]

"Let's see," Gambit took a few paces around the room, thinking aloud. "First thing: we can totally pull de memory loss card. Dis explains, first, why Kevin can't use your invisibility, second, why he can't tie loose ends, 'cause he's in dead ends himself. Plus, he won't be lyin' when he says he don' remember stuff."

[Shade]

Shade nodded in agreement. "I was thinking that, too." she said. "it could also be used to explain how Manuel´s powers against me worked, make it more believable. I don´t think the list has to be mentioned necessarily. I could tell Kevin I recognized one of their voices. I think that´s not even a lie." She wasn´t absolutely certain, the memory was a bit blurred. "If we leave out the list and they catch Manuel, he might mention it, then the amnesia thing could work. Don´t know of a list. If he doesn´t mention the list, he´ll have some own info maybe about those kidnappers."

She had the feeling that the list was the element int he whole story that made things really complicated. Her taking it had made it difficult and so far impossible for the police to narrow down possible suspects, mentioning it would complicate things once more.

[Gambit]

"Dere's a problem about it, though," Gambit said, "wit' de list an' Jimmy. Manuel don' know your last name, an' I intend to keep it dat way. Kevin goes in as a fake Emily Something, wit' fake fingerprints an' fake testaments. Once he's out, your case is history an' no one will ever associate dis wit' ya. But if he mentions Jimmy, your real name goes public. If he don't, den he got no motive for killin'."

[Shade]

Shade thought for a moment, rubbing a hand across her face. "I am not sure I mentioned Jimmy," she said then. "I mean...I am sure I did dodge the question. I took the list, but didn´t give a reason for that. He then asked me later and I gave no reason and said it was not important how I knew them." It was memories that even though sort of evasive were there, very faintly. "I think I did not completely trust him, that´s why I didn´t introduce myself as ´Shade´ But I can´t guarantee for what happened after he meddled with my brain. I went very fast but I might have mentioned Jimmy´s name."

She stretched her legs and rubbed her palms along her jeans. "He never saw the list though. Maybe there´s a way to meddle with it." She did feel strange about this in a way and knew exactly why, but it might be a possibility.

[Gambit]

"Ya gotta see it from another angle," Gambit said. "Say you go in as Emily Smith. You claim Manuel abused your emotions for your sibling, I dunno, John Smith, an' made you kill de guy. Dey catch Manuel, dey arrest de gang. De gang goes in court, under what accusations? Dat dey killed lots an' lots of people, includin' someone named John Smith. Oh no, dey say, ya got it wrong - we did kill lotsa people, but no John Smith. Interestin', de police say - why did dat chick shoot dat guy, den?"