The "Big Mutant On Campus" Series
By David D. Amaya

Part Eight "A Knight on the Town"
Chapter 1


New Disclaimer:

X-Men, Generation X and all related images are property of Marvel Entertainment, LLC. Batman and all related images are property of DC Entertainment, Inc. No profit is being made off this original work of Fan-authored fiction. All original characters are of my copyright and may not be reproduced without my consent. All other facilities and landmark images are property of their respective owners.

Elements of this story are formed from the Fan-Authored stories "A Friend in Need" and its sequel "A Friend in Need II: Sweet Child of Mine" both authored by Somogyi and available to read here on this site. Check out my Profile link and look for her stories and profile.

Feel free to read her great stories, but please wait until you are finished with this month's chapter. Okay?

Thanks!


A shout out goes to three Fan Fiction Writers who took the challenge to beta read this story;

Robin-Is-Totally-Whelming & Aureus Lux two very good Fan Fiction authors who tackled the challenge to help me with my first Batman crossover, and as such they have been awarded the title; Beta Reader First Class!

Special mention goes out to SMakarov who wanted to help, but with beta reading other stories, bowed out, but I still thank SMakarov for all the help!


Remember, disclaimers are the first step of the journey.


Prologue

The Southern gentleman lounges in the small apartment procured for him. It may be roach-infested and barely the size of a matchbox, but he needn't too many comforts, especially in this city, especially when his fee has been paid in full.

The gentleman in the room next to his is planning to knock off a jewelry store. That might attract the cops, but he doesn't worry. In the apartment upstairs, he hears a fight that ends in gunfire that WILL attract the cops, but he still doesn't worry. Not because he has more firepower than either of these two-bit hoodlums with delusions of grandeur.

He doesn't worry, because he is a true gambler.

Duhan "Lil Duce" Boudreaux is a proud Cajun and the fourth generation of a true gambling family. The Boudreaux knowledge of all games of chance has led to his banishment of every casino from Metropolis to Madripoor, from a tribal reservation bingo hall in the California desert, to the City of Dreams Casino in the Macao Peninsula, all before his 22nd birthday. Therefore, he embarked into the family business.

This is the business which now sees him in this Gotham City flophouse. He is, as his father, and his father before him, and HIS father before him, a croupier. Moreover he, as his predecessors before him, has an exclusive clientele.

The legendary Family Boudreaux has, for four generations, been the card dealer to the underworld.

The patriarch of the Boudreaux is his namesake, Duhan "Le Grand Duce" Boudreaux, who was said to have invented the Executive Card Game, a highly guarded, secret marathon poker game made up of the local area's celebrities and other high-rollers, but the games of the legendary young Boudreaux caters only to the most powerful movers, shakers, and crime bosses.

Despite the fact that Duhan's card games bring together so many low life high rollers and separate even more money from their wallets, he runs these secret, innovative games, working only for tips in an effort to keep the streets of his native New Orleans, Louisiana free of needless bloodshed.

But it is the widely spread stories of how, despite Boudreaux's youth, he runs his operation, and more importantly his games, all on the up and up, even between those who would cheat their own mothers.

It is for that reason he is brought to Chicago in 1925.

Paid the princely sum of $500, the young Boudreaux is hired to deal a clean, marathon game of five-card stud to Hymie Weiss, Bugs Moran, Dion O' Banion, and Polack Joe Saltis, all set up as a parley vehicle to bring about a truce between the North Side Mob and the Chicago Syndicate. This is all made possible by used-furniture dealer of simple renown:

Al Capone.

So impressed with the 19-year-old dealer, Mr. Weiss tips the dealer with his favorite pair of brass knuckles, and Polack Joe dubs him "Le Grand Duce." Capone is so gracious that he tips the young lad by paying for his Louisiana State University education in full.

For decades and continuing through the 21st century, the rumor mill around American Legion and VFW halls tells the tale of a young US Army tank Captain, Duhan's grand-père, the apply-christened Chance Boudreaux, who received a Silver Star - not for his heroics in the battle of the Kasserine Pass, say those who claim they were there. He was given the award for his honor in a card game.

He was known to everyone in the US II Corps as the Cajun Cardsharp who always carried a deck of cards into battle and bluffed his way to victory, on the field of battle as well as into the wallets of his brothers-in-arms. Chance was rumored to have dealt a game between Major General Orlando Ward, commander of the 1st Armored Division, and the legendary Desert Fox, General Field Marshal Erwin Rommel of the 7th Panzer's "Ghost Division".

Due to Rommel's chivalrous code of honor (and the 7th Panzer's oft-reported humane treatment of all their captured soldiers), The German arranges a secret parley session takes place between the two commanders over prisoners of war after his counterpart's poorly-led American's were soundly beaten by the master technician.

It is agreed to be decided on a game of cards.

The game: a best-of-seven-hands game of Baccarat.

The stakes: Six injured Allied tank platoon solders, led by a high-ranking US Senator's son fresh out of West Point, taken prisoner and rumored to soon be taken, then ransomed, by the Red Skull himself, against a young Bavarian Volunteer Panzergrenadier Oberstleutnant, whom the Desert Fox personally took under his wing, and who the British captured at Thala two days before.

To balance the stakes, Rommel also antes up his prized Field Marshal baton.

Cpt. Boudreaux is ordered by Maj. Gen. Ward to deal a square game, and Rommel bests the Allied commander, yet again, in the seventh and deciding hand, holding a Jesse James (a 5 and 4 of clubs) against Ward's TNT (a pair of tens worth nothing).

Though as gracious in victory in a dusty tent as he is in a Panzer IV tank, the Field Marshal, complementing the young captain on his shuffling skills, asks him why he did not try to cheat for his commander, to which the young man replied; "Such acts of dishonor have no place in ma famille! On the battlefield as well as the poker table, I am a gambler with my money as well as my life, mon general, but never my honor!"

So moved was the Gentleman Warrior by the captain's words, that not only had he allowed the exchange of the Allied platoon for his protégé, but as a tip, Rommel presented to the dealer his command baton!

Duhan's père, Parieur "Five Deck" Boudreaux told young Duhan of that most honorable Gentleman of Fortune many, many times. He even played with Rommel's baton as a young boy. Then at the mature age of 14, father introduced son to the lifestyle, when he took him to the lad's first Executive Poker Game, in a less-than upscale locale in the fair city of Gotham, between those most upstanding of citizens; Edward "The King" Barlow, Rupert Thorne, Roland Daggett, Tony Zucco, and Arnold Stromwell.

All was going well up to the fifth hand. Zucco bluffing with a Scotch Straight, (a 10, 8,6, 4, 2 hand) was about to lose his West End protection racket to Stromwell's royal flush - that was, until some Gotham PD goons broke up such a tranquil moment.

That corrupt Captain Arnold Flass stole the Desert Fox'sBaton from the boy's hands like the thief he was. He and his père upheld the family honor, son faking fear of the corrupt lawman and 'unable' to answer questions while father pleaded the Fifth at their trials when asked his name! The son was shipped back to Bayou des ?cores, LA, while his père spent a dime at the newly built Blackgate Penitentiary for that, though cementing the Boudreaux Family legacy.

As his tip from the Gotham Five, Five Deck was treated as a prince in Blackgate and given the job as the prison's new head chef. Authentic Cajun cuisine suddenly was served to prisoner and guard alike and, every Friday night, he dealt hold 'em to the crème de la crème of Gotham's incarcerated underworld figures. Every Saturday night, he dealt five-card draw to the off-duty guards.

As a tip every year his père was imprisoned; young Duhan received birthday and Christmas gifts from several notable denizens of Gotham, including his favorite Blackgate Santa, Edward E. Nigma.

The Riddler bestowed upon young Duhan his first Rubik's Cube as well as other puzzles and brain challenging games, which sharpened the young man's mind, enhancing his gambling abilities to almost super-human levels.

It is this Gentleman of Conundrum, that brings "Lil Duce" back to the United States, haven just returned from Interpol custody.

His last employment was at behest of the ruler of Latveria. The Cajun was sent to Madripoor and some dive in Lowtown called the Princess Bar, and was to host a 5 million Euro Hold 'em tournament von Doom financed as "payment for services rendered and retained."

In this Under-World Series of Poker, the Wrecking Crew, Bullseye, Black Tom Cassidy, Dr. Octopus, Carl "Crusher" Creel and his main squeeze Titania were entered in the tournament, which was hosted by Madame Hydra, herself being the tenth player.

After five hours, Bullseye and Thunderball were both up 900,000 when SHIELD decided to ruin that pizza party.

Despite hearing their plans for the near future and their discussing their past violations of the regulations set forth by the law enforcement community, he upheld the family honor at their trials. "Lil Duce" evoked the Article 6 privilege against self-incrimination when asked his name in several courts throughout Europe.

As his tip for this tournament, the players decided to pool their recent plunder and hire the best defense lawyers stolen loot can buy, and they reduce his sentence down to only 18-months at Her Majesty's Prison-Wormwood Scrubs, where he dealt games every Thursday night.

Mr. Nigma arranged this evening's little tea party while he was in stir at the Scrubs. Duhan's 5,000 fee, paid in advance in Euro-backed bearer bonds, was sent to his parcel box at his Swiss chalet in Ch?teau-d'?x, where he plans to retire after this game.

Though he enjoys the relative protection he receives from the outlaw community (they never did find the body of that punk who carjacked his '69 Coupe de Ville while he was living in Metropolis), all the gunfights, stabbings, turf wars, police raids, cheap booze, cheaper dames, and worse of all, those damn unmannered super heroes, have taken a toll on the Cajun's life. And at the ripe old age of 39, he was just getting to old for all that marde!

Four knocks emanate from the door of his room, snapping him from his reverie, followed by ten knocks, then five knocks, then ten knocks, then four knocks.

" 'Rommel's Honor,' once again," he reflects as he opens the door….


Rhino runs a finger long the itchy neck brace and face mask he still has to wear. He was given explicit instructions by his current employer, the Riddler: Pick up the Cajun dealer and his assistant at the Wayne Gardens Hotel, room 64. Then take them to his favorite game shop to buy five randomly picked decks of cards and a cool mil worth of chips, then bring them both to the Stacked Deck Club in Old Gotham. Then, Muggsy will let him take his pain meds.

When the two are delivered at The Stacked Deck, they surrender their cell phones before being frisked by the henchmen from all five of the players present. After getting a clean bill of health (although one player insisted that they be frisked twice), he and his assistant begin setting up for this Executive Poker Game. The table provided was refurbished to like-new condition at the combined expense of the five players, and its maiden game is about to begin. The chips are now in the process of being divided into six racks (one player insisted on dividing his chips into two trays). The henchmen assigned as the house bank indicate that all the players have paid their hundred-large buy-in, which is now locked in a small box, which is then placed in plain view at the end of the bar. Lil Duce's assistant places each rack in front of their assigned places on the table. Once this is completed, Duhan calls the game to order;

"Messieurs," he calls out to the five players and their entourages, "as yo' buy-in has already been accepted, ma able assistant and I've completed de preparation fo' 'dis Executive Game, and we ready to begin à vos loisirs.

"Now fo' de rules o' de game: Starting ante always $100. No player may pass on mo den trios mains in a row 'less you provide ante as penalty, o'erwise you may quitter la scène an' yo' lieutenant's shall cash out on yo' behalf. A aucun moment is a joueur allowed ta threaten 'nother wit deadly weapons at the table, aseach entourage be armed to the teeth, y'all may feel free ta threaten any o'er joueur's men, this be fair, non?" He receives chuckles from many of the hired goons in attendance.

"You will be 'llowed des boissons of yo' choosing at de table, but non eating while cards be in play. All meal an' rest breaks have been pre'rranged an' convenu, an' de not affect dis game. An' on dat note, Monsieur Nigma, J'ai déjà mangéle souper, but if you will, I would enjoy some Tarte à la Bouillie from dat Fran?aise de boulangerie on Rue Kane dat my père told me so much 'bout. An' ma assistant wish a bifteck souper avec tous les accompagnements from Manny's Steak House on Rue Thurston, s'il vous pla?t."

"Of course, Monsieur Boudreaux," the Riddler agrees as he puts down his Baxter Box and snaps his fingers. His biggest goon steps forward. "Rhino here hasn't eaten yet and he will gladly escort your assistant Monsieur Tache to dinner. Besides, he really needs to take his Oxycodone with food. Meanwhile, my esteemed Mr. Cobblepot's associate, Mr. Hawke shall procure your favorite pastries along with other refreshments for my other guests, all with my complements gentlemen."

As all three men leave the room, the five players sit at their prearranged seats at the table. The dealer proceeds to place one of the purchased decks on the felt, and after opening it and removing the superfluous cards, he riffles the cards in his hands, then begins to shuffle the deck in several exotic ways until the deck is brought down to the center of the table.

"While your family's reputation is legendary, Mr. Boudreaux," the Penguin admired. "your skill puts all others in your profession to shame. I noted several techniques that are rare and used only in the most exquisite of locales."

"Yo kind praise touches ta quatre générations o' ma humble clan, Monsieur Manchot. If you will further honor dem by cutting de deck, we may begin, non?"

The Penguin grasps the top fourth of the 54 cards with a flipper-like hand and brings them down. The dealer then places the remainder of the cards at the top.

"Now we begin, messieurs," Twenty-five cards are dealt to the master criminals. "I would like nice clean game, yes?"

"That'll be a first!" Penguin remarks.

After adjusting their cards, the former DA, sitting at the 2 o'clock position is holding two pair; kings and deuces, with a 4 of clubs as a kicker.

To his left, The Riddler finds he is holding all the Primes; A Duce, a Trey, a 5, a 7 and a Jack.

Directly in front of Duhan, the Joker is sitting in on a Beatles Reunion (Three Aces and both Jokers).

To his right, Killer Croc hasn't figured out he has a Jeffrey Dahmer (a 6, 7, 8, 9, and a Jack).

And to the dealer's right, the Penguin is riding a Steel Wheel Bicycle (an Ace, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of Hearts)

"So fellas, word at the summer villa is that the four of you tried to nab the same victims, and completely screw up, all in the same night," The Clown Prince of Crime then breaks out in uncontrolled laughter when he sees the looks on all their faces, which tells him that the rumors are true. "Who'da thunk that for once, I would be glad that I didn't break out of Arkham one day earlier! So, how does this joke go, my fine feathered fiend?"

"Not well, Chuckles."


One month ago….

"Yes, Miss Tate? What is it?"

"Special Agent Nichols to see you, Director."

"Thank you, Miss. Tate. Please send him in."

The Director of the United States Secret Service stood from behind his desk at the Secret Service headquarters on H St & 9th St NW and greeted one of his Staircase agents with a hearty handshake, then grasping the agent by the shoulders, the Director turned him to the left, then to the right, and then finally looked into both his eyes.

"You don't look any worse for wear," he apprised. "I guess those kids haven't killed you, yet. But you seem to have less hair on your head than you did two weeks ago."

"Thank you for noticing, sir."

"Please be seated," He gestured to his chair. "There is something I wanted to ask you."

Special Agent Kordel Nichols sat in front of the Director's desk. "What would you like to ask, sir?"

"I received a note from Ron Ziegler that you put in your usual request for March 7th off, but what I noticed is that this year you have asked for that entire weekend. May I ask why the change of plans, Kordel?"

"Here, sir," Kordel handed his boss a letter. "There is a pleasant change in my itinerary this year. The Trust has been offered a generous endowment on the condition that the scholarship terms change; from the local Boston area to throughout the Eastern Seaboard, allowing the chosen students to be increased from three to ten annually and allowing those students to choose any school in the country, Furthermore the endowment would be contractually obligated annually for the next ten years and would be matching already existing funds raised."

"Do you have a problem with that, Kordel?"

"I would be lying if I do not mention that I intended this scholarship program to be a personal vehicle, for reasons you know all too well, sir," he answered truthfully. "But I discussed this with Gary's family and they all fully endorse accepting the endowment. I would be doing his memory an immense disservice if I turned down this opportunity, sir."

"Good call, son. But what's the catch?"

"The endowment is to be made at a fundraising dinner reception to be held out of town on the evening of the sixth. As the Executive Director of the Trust and Chairman of the Scholarship Committee Board, I am expected to attend. Will that pose an issue, sir?"

"Ron wanted to deny the request, but the President has decided to take his family to Camp David that weekend and you would be on stand-down anyway, so I am granting your request, Kordel. You will be relieved of duty as of 1100-hours Friday, March 5, after Kilowatt is in residence in Castle and ready to pack for Cactus. But keep that between us, Kordel. Knight wants to make it a surprise.

"And speaking of surprises, Kryptonite's birthday party will be in the Blue Room, at 1530-hours tomorrow. You will be on-duty, casual dress is required, but I'm going to suggest wear your Secret Service team jersey - it'll help conceal your weapons, and Kryptonite's favorite color happens to be blue. Also, speak with Agent Reynolds about what to pack and how to pack it," The Director stood and extended his hand again. "Well, congratulations on the endowment, Kordel, I'm sure some deserving students will be glad to see you have secured more funding. Well, have a good time at the fundraiser."

"I will suppose you skimmed over the line as to where the endowment award will be held, sir."

The Director looked over the letter again, and then he saw the address. "The Cathedral Square Grand Hotel in - oh my - Gotham City!" He looked Kordel with grin. "And I thought you hated the accommodations on board the Chester Phillips!"

"It gets better, sir."

"In what way, son?"

"I have three extra tickets to the endowment dinner. And I do not know anyone who will accompany me willingly to Gotham City. Gary's family already turned down my offer and Charlie Block has not spoken to me since I asked him-"

"My answer is 'no' as well, so don't ask," the Director interrupted him. "The last time I was in Gotham City, was that incident with Renegade that went sideways. I'll NEVER allow the Boss within spitting distance of that Art Deco Hellhole as long as I'm in charge around here!"

"So what should I do, sir?"

"The way I see it, you have only two choices," the Director put his hand on his shoulder in a fatherly manor. "One: you can go stag. And secondly, you can always use those tickets as punishment if, say, one of your students get's out of hand. Now that'll be one hell of a scared-straight situation!"


Three weeks later…

"Very well, everyone," Sean Cassidy informed the students in the Biosphere after their workout session. "You are all dismissed, but Jubilee, Jason, will you both accompany Agent Nichols and I to my office?"

Less than five minutes later, the two young mutants stood before the Irish headmaster's desk, the Secret Service Agent leaning against the wall next to where Sean sat. "Kordel informs me that the two of you left the academy grounds well before breakfast this morning. Will you be so kind as to explain why you both left the grounds without permission?"

Jason stood there, his posture militant. "I'm an emancipated minor," he reminded them. "I don't need your permission for anything that doesn't concern you."

"But Jubilee is still a minor, Jason," Sean reminded him. "And besides, when you enrolled here, you signed the same code of conduct contract as all the rest of the students. Now, what I would like to know is why you exited the grounds. Lass?" he addressed the young pyrotechnic.

Jubilee was uncharacteristically quiet. She fidgeted where she stood as he looked at the pair of adults before her.

"Jubilee," Kordel spoke up. "If Mr. Delano were to have been pulled over by the police, for, say, speeding in his SUV, running a stop sign, or any other minor traffic offence, you would have been detained, no matter what nor minor the violation. Now, what we need to know is where the two of you went, and why the two of you left the grounds."

Jubilee looked at the older student and continued fidgeting. Jason held up a quieting hand. "It's okay, if you don't want to yet, Jubes," he told her softly. "You see, I know why she left with me," he told the pair of instructors. "But if you guys were on her need-to-know, she wouldn't have told me."

"Then why did you drive off the grounds then, Mr. Delano?"

"You two damn sure ain't on my need-to-know, either, One-Time."

"Mr. Delano, when you signed the code of conduct agreement, you gave your word that you would abide by the rules set forth in it," Kordel reminded him. "Rules that every other student has to follow. That contract also dictates that violations will be met with penalties for transgressions. Unless your word has absolutely has no value, please tell us why you exited the grounds without authorization this morning and where the two of you went."

Though she trusted these two with her life, Jubilee looked at the two members of the X-Men before her and continued to fidget. She'd be willing to tell them where they eventually ended up, but telling them why….

"It's okay, Jubes, really," Jason placed a warm hand on her shoulder, and then put on a serious face, direct and challenging to the pair before him. "My word is worth more than the ransom of kings!" He looked over to Jubilee. "And I meant that!" He then returned his gaze to Sean and Kordel. "I know why she came along for the ride, and she doesn't want you to know, and it ain't the Danishes she was thoughtful enough ask me to stop for to bring back here! She knows why I left in the first place, but I don't need you to know. So until that day comes - and today don't look promising - you won't!"

"Mr. Delano, we are more than willing to treat you and the rest of the students here with respect," Agent Nichols replied, "but only if that respect is reciprocated in kind. You may start by dropping the rebellious actions you are currently utilizing."

"For mi familia, rebelling isn't just an act, One-Time. My middle name means 'rebellion'!"

Sean knew when he was getting stonewalled and gave Kordel a questioning glance. Jubilee usually explained the moments of foolishness and the reasons (such as they are) for doing them to him, but now, it seemed that Jason's influence was stalling her from telling them the truth.

"The two of you are dismissed," he informed them. "I will announce your punishment for leaving the grounds without permission later in the day." After they exited his office, Sean rose and dug his hands in to his jacket pockets. "That wasn't much like the lass at all, Kordel."

"She has never violated school policy with another student?"

"Nay; that she does - often with friends, but they've always given their reasons for it, even if they are hard to fathom, in an effort to evade punishment, and even if those attempts are half-hearted at best. When I mention a punishment, it usually gets one of them to open up, even if it is just to worm out of it. I'm concerned about that aspect."

"How have you and Emma dealt with defiance in the past, Sean?"

"Emma would have entered their minds and extracted the truth, so I'm sort of glad she's in Spain for stockholder's meetings all this week. Besides, if we can't handle the kids the old fashioned way, we'll lose control of them. What do you think, Kordel?"

The Secret Service agent grins. "I believe I have found two guests to accompany me this weekend, Sean."


End of Part one

?David D. Amaya 2013