Gambit
Gambit stepped into the bar and casino where he often met one of his fences. He sat down on a barstool. One of the barmaid glanced up at him, gave him a wink and them moved onto talk to someone else, who stood and left.
"What can I getcha?" she asked him. "Usual?"
"Please."
A few minutes later, Gambit felt a tap on his shoulder.
"Gambit?" asked a voice as Gambit turned to see it's owner.
"Yeah?" Gambit replied.
"This way please."
Gambit noted the big guy not far away watching them, stood and followed, but not without a feeling of apprehension. They stepped into one of the backrooms.
"Have a seat," said the man.
Gambit obeyed.
"You're a mutie," he observed.
"What gave it away?" Gambit asked dryly.
"Hmm," the man smiled. "You'll just have to wear sunglasses all the time. If you're going to be working for me, then I want to be able to have the upper hand."
"Working fo' yo'?"
"Baz thinks quite highly of you. Of course, this just mean you make him the most money. And we've just had a... job opening."
Judging from the smile on his face, Gambit had a pretty good idea how this 'job opening' came about.
"What kind of job?" Gambit asked.
The man (who's name turned out to be Johnny) went on to explain what he would be expecting to do. Using legtimate sounding descriptions of course.
"This will be your base. I shall expect to see you here at least four nights a week," he finished. "And also, Gambit? Do something about those threads. If you're going to be working for me, you're going to have to wear better things than rags."
Gambit raised an eyebrow.
"And what if, by some chance, I'd prefer to stay rogue?"
Johnny shrugged.
"You're decision, of course. But I can guarentee, if Baz' figures are anything to go by (which you can never tell) you stand to be earning a lot more, working directly - and exclusively - for me."
He leaned in.
"A lot more."
Gambit pretended to think it over. But he had already made his decision. The things that Johnny had been talking about stood to bring in a lot more than pickpocketing. This was big time. Something he had been trying to get into ever since he had arrived in New York, but he just never seemed to get past that first foothold.
Plus it also meant that he could legitimately tell Rogue that he worked for a bar and casino. Maybe this way he also stood some chance to be someone who could give her the life she deserved. And for that matter, he could get out of that dump and into something he wouldn't be ashamed to bring her home to.
"I'm in."