GAMBIT by Joshua Zetumer Second Draft (W/ Starred Changes) 8.28.15 1 INT. RED HAT BUILDING, LOUISIANA STATE PEN - DAY ( 1984 ) 1 3 hard-bitten U.S. MARSHALS enter, passing security booths. A SUPERVISOR stands in a freight elevator. He eyeballs the Marshals, then snatches a TOOTHPICK from one man's mouth. 2 INT. ELEVATOR, RED HAT BUILDING, LOUISIANA STATE PEN - DAY 2 Abruptly the Marshalls get undressed. Stripping to tank tops. Rings, badges, shoes -- everything into secure wall lockers. The elevator descends Whoever's below them is dangerous. 3 INT. SUB-BASEMENT, MUTANT WING, LOUISIANA STATE PEN - DAY 3 Doors open. The Marshals enter a sleek wing lined with CELLS. We're in a maximum-security wing for MUTANT PRISONERS. They pass CLEANERS vacuuming dust, arrive at a CELL at the end of the hall. A klaxon sounds. 3 security doors open to 4 INT. GAMBIT'S CELL - CONTINUOUS 4 Inside, a PRISONER kneels, like he's praying, arms outstretched. Then we see -- his wrists attached to a rock face ceiling. Like he's carrying the weight of the world. His head is dropped, we can see only his HANDS. They're Callused and burnt. Like the hands of a blacksmith. Marshals strap a mask over his face, seal his wrists and waist into ADAMANTIUM coils. This prisoner is the most dangerous man on the planet. 5 EXT. GROUNDS, LOUISIANA STATE PEN - DAY 5 The Prisoner steps outside into vast plantation fields. We're in ANGOLA PRISON, sweltering in the hazy heat. 6 ARMED GUARDS step forward, weapons trained Dogs snarl on tight leashes. Marshals lead the Prisoner to a TRANSPORT TRUCK. 4 more GUARDS fastening him onboard. 6 INT/EXT. PRISON TRANSPORT TRUCK - DAY 6 A CONVOY falls in as the truck follows a dusty road. ROAD CREWS glance up, watching it pass. 7 INT. COURTROOM, NEW ORLEANS - DAY 7 A ceiling fan spins lazily. Women on the JURY fan themselves. A CLERK fills up glasses of water. 2 A HUSH falls as the masked Prisoner is led to the witness stand For a moment, you can hear a pin drop Then the Prisoner's mask comes off. This is REMY LEBEAU (30s). Gambit. When we first see his face -- he is crushingly handsome. Movie star looks. We see ATTRACTION ripple through the jury. One woman raises an eyebrow like -- damn. Then, as Gambit's FINGERS reach for a glass of water -- An alarm SOUNDS. Two U.S. MARSHALS reach for their guns: U.S. MARSHAL Weapon. Gambit's fingers inch away from the glass. The jury mu rmurs The BAILIFF approaches Gambit with a King James Bible. BAILIFF Please state your name. GAMBIT (soft, almost sweet) My name is Remy Lebeau. The JUDGE (60s) glances up, sees TWO WOMEN in the jury eying Gambit, WHISPERING. Their shirts stick to their skin. BAILIFF Sir, put your right hand on the Bible. Do you swear to tell -- As Gambit barely touches the bible -- the SAME alarm. U.S. MARSHAL (O.S.) Weapon. Now the Marshals are POINTING GUNS at Gambit. The judge sighs: JUDGE Is all that necessary? The PROSECUTOR (30s ) smiles. He's a bully with a perm. PROSECUTOR I'm afraid so, your honor. With that bible, the defendant could kill you, me, anyone in this room. The judge glances at Gambit. Gambit doesn't deny it. JUDGE Just put your hand in the general vicinity, son. Gambit floats his hand near the bible 3 BAILIFF Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god? GAMBIT (soft cajun accent) For sho. In the jury box, two women smile. The judge eyes them, annoyed. JUDGE I have to ask. Are any of you going to have a problem remaining objective in this case? The women in the jury all look at Gambit. A long beat. One-by-one, all the southern women start RAISING THEIR H ANDS. FEMALE JUROR Your honor, he just don't look like no criminal! He look like this boy I knew in grade school. Had the softest eyes... Other female jurors all start CUTTING IN. Nodding. Working themselves into a lather in the sweaty courtroom: FEMALE JUROR #2 I think he looks my swim instructor. FEMALE JUROR #3 No, he looks like Richard Gere! As the women all start ARGUING about who Gambit looks like, the courtroom dissolves into CHAOS. The judge BANGS his gavel: JUDGE Order! Order! The prosecutor turns to his legal team and growls: PROSECUTOR We're gonna need a new jury. And that, in a nutshell, is Gambit. Dangerous, but sexy. SLAM TO: 8 EXT. BOUDREAUX PLANTATION, NEW ORLEANS - DUSK ( 1955 ) 8 Pounding rain. A storm drenches a lavish GARDEN PARTY at an old New Orleans plantation. GUESTS rush inside. SERVANTS hold umbrellas over their heads. CATERERS bus food inside from the outdoor kitchen, shouting. Amid the sea of umbrellas we spot -- a lone RED UMBRELLA. Held by a black gentleman in a servant's tux . LUKE LEBEAU (30s). 4 Luke helps carry food into a servant's entrance. 9 INT. VARIOUS, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 9 WE FOLLOW Luke as he sweeps up a tray of appetizers, carries them through the party. Rich guests SWIRLING around him. One wealthy debutante, MARYANNE BOUDREAUX (20s) glances over, puzzled, as Luke disappears into a rear Pantry. She makes to follow but is held back by the family PATRIARCH who's keen to chat about the young GROOM TO BE beside her. 10 INT. PANTRY, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 10 Luke stands alone. Beat. What the hell is he doing in here? Then Luke deftly climbs inside the dumbwaiter. He disappears up the shaft, using the PULLEY. Luke Lebeau is no servant. He's a master thief. 11 INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY, PLANTATION - DUSK 11 Luke emerges in a corridor upstairs. A TOILET FLUSH down the hall. Luke stops cold, about to be trapped. A lesser thief would panic. Luke just grabs his appetizers -- LUKE LEBEAU (stiff, dignified) Andouille sausage and jumbo prawn. Luke starts serving appetizers during his robbery. When the coast is clear, Luke DARTS upstairs to an attic door. He pulls out lubricant, a screwdriver -- picking the lock. 12 INT. ATTIC, PLANTATION - DUSK 12 Luke hurries through the attic, JIMMIES up two floorboards. He DRILLS through plaster underneath, slides his umbrella through the hole. He unfurls it, then hammers the plaster, which is caught by the umbrella. When the hole is large enough, Luke DROPS down into 13 EXT. MASTER BEDROOM, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 13 Landing softly on deep carpet He flips on a PENLIGHT. Pads to a WALL SAFE in the closet. Luke shines the light, sees -- The safe door hanging OPEN. Empty. Faint burn marks around it. Luke's face falls. Another thief has beaten him to the job. 5 Just then -- a CREAK. Luke spots a SHAPE dart for the w indow. LUKE Who's dat? But the THIEF is already out the window. Gone. Luke darts to the w indow. Surprised to see the stranger RUNNING through a hedge maze below. This Thief is fast. 14 EXT. BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 14 Luke clambers out the window. CHASING the Thief over a fence. 15 EXT. OAK ALLEY, NEW ORLEANS - DUSK 15 Luke chases the Thief away from the house through a long alley of oak trees and on through rainy FIELDS. 16 EXT. STORYVILLE, WATERFRONT - NIGHT 16 Luke hops a FENCE to an INDUSTRIAL SPACE by the Mississippi. He DARTS across tracks, just moments before a freight train thunders through -- STORYVILLE: A sketchy place SHANTIES in the shadow of a giant LEVEE. Luke's uncomfortable here. Spots a few silhouettes lurking in the shadows - MUTANTS. Luke climbs the levee to see -- The Thief is a 6 YEAR-OLD BOY. Gambit. A kid washing a headband in the river. Band-aids on his fingers. He WHISTLES a tune. Gambit doesn't spot Luke. He steps into his Shanty to see 17 INT. SHANTY, STORYVILLE, WATERFRONT - NIGHT 17 Luke is already waiting for him inside. Weighing a diamond engagement ring in one hand. Gambit stops short. LUKE LEBEAU Boy, I know you didn't rob that party yourself. Where's your daddy at? Gambit: a precocious little punk Speaks in gutter-patois. GAMBIT Man, I ain't got no daddy. I'm the brains of dis outlaw operation. Luke, poking Gambit's STOLEN TREASURES with his umbrella. LUKE LEBEAU Oh you are, huh? Well tell your little crew: that plantation is Lebeau territory. Understa and, boy? 6 Petulant, Gambit starts THROWING watches at Luke's feet. GAMBIT What, you want some of dese riches? Take em. You want dis watch? Take dat too. I can rob more. I'll rob your watch, you ugly sumbitch. A Rolex SKITTERS out the door. Luke can see SHADOWS MOVING close by. He scrambles for the watch. Voice SHARP now: LUKE LEBEAU Knock it off. You trying to get yourself killed? Luke pockets the watch. He eyes Gambit's other treasures. Rings, necklaces. Feeling a pang of sympathy for the boy. LUKE LEBEAU If you're smart, you'll fence the rest of this stuff down on Canal Street. Beat. Gambit just blinks Luke smiles, schooling him: LUKE LEBEAU A fence is who you sell the jewels to, kid. Else they just decoration. GAMBIT (sheepish now) Man, I know dat... LUKE LEBEAU (dryly) Course you do. You're the brains of the operation. Luke opens his red umbrella. He turns to go, warm and dry. LUKE LEBEAU Take care of yourself, boy. Storyville ain't no place for a youngin. Gambit watches Luke walk off under the umbrella. Gambit feels a pang of loneliness. He shivers. Water buckets overflow. Gambit makes a choice. Digging into his haul, shoving the stolen RING and a banded roll of PHOTOGRAPHS into a satchel. 18 EXT. OVERPASS, ABOVE STORYVILLE - NIGHT 18 Luke climbs onto the elevated road above Storyville. Gambit follows. Car tires splash puddles. 19 EXT. OVERPASS, EDGE OF BAYOU - NIGHT 19 The overpass now deserted. Luke heads home, above the swamps. 7 ACROSS THE ROAD - Gambit follows A truck passes, Gambit watches as Luke seems to DISAPPEAR off the overpass. Gambit DARTS across. Puzzled. Then he spots a ROPE-LADDER to the bayou below Gambit begins climbing down the ladder 20 EXT. THE BAYOU - NIGHT 20 Gambit finds himself in a dark swamp. He quickly loses sight of Luke. Alone, Gambit's suddenly nervous. Then he hears -- LUKE'S VOICE Don't tell me you're scared of alligators, boy. Gambit turns. Sees Luke umbrella extended from the sawgrass. Gambit stands in the rain. Then DARTS under his umbrella. 21 EXT. THE BOAT, B.AYOU - NIGHT 21 Luke and Gambit push through the tall sawgrass, over a hidden pathway of waterlogged boards. They emerge to see -- THE BOAT: A multi -tiered jumble of house parts built onto a steel hull. As Gambit looks up in awe -- SPLAT! A SLOT MACHINE falls off a balcony, into the mud. On the top deck are 6 of Luke's boys, including HENRI AND CHARLIE (8 and 6). Streetwise Lost Boys. Henri's the alpha. HENRI Nah Charlie. You're still hucking it like a li'l baby-girl, man! 3 more kids drop, SMACKING the slot machine with hammers. Luke wipes splattered mud, growls. He tugs Gambit inside 22 INT. UPPER DECK, THE BOAT - NIGHT 22 Luke walks Gambit into the ramshackle boat. It's a cozy space. A few shitty paintings sit waiting to be fenced. Inside are 6 MORE STREET KIDS. They feed stray cats, Watch THE SEVEN SAMURAI from a (stolen) projector. Kids watch Gambit pass. One boy makes a face -- Gambit reeks. LUKE Find yourself a bed. Henri enters from outside. COUSIN HENRI Well he ain't sleeping near me. Smells like he stepped in duck shit. 8 LUKE Y'all need to give this stray a bath. Other kids roughly GRAB Gambit's arms. Pulling at him. GAMBIT Hey -- quit it. Quit it! Boys HAUL him to the bath like Piggy in Lord Of The Flies. Water pours from a SPIGOT. Kids YANK off Gambit's shirt. Henri PUSHING him underwater. Grime sloughs off Gambit's white skin. GAMBIT I don't wanna -- it's cold -- THE COUSINS Dunk his head Henri/Dunk him! Limbs, shouts. Gambit sputters. Henri oblivious that something's wrong. Suddenly, UNDERWATER -- Gambit's hand starts VIBRATING. Trembling so fast, all the ice-cold water starts to BOIL. GAMBIT I mean it -- Lemme go! ON GAMBIT'S EYES -- capillaries fill with rust-colored BLOOD. Henri falls back as a wave of EXPLOSIVE ENERGY spreads out -- 23 INT. LUKE'S QUARTERS, THE BOAT - NIGHT 23 Luke places Gambit's treasures into a SMALL SAFE. He looks up, DRENCHED by bath water flooding through ceiling rafters. 24 INT. UPPER DECK, THE BOAT - CONTINUOUS 24 Luke barrels upstairs. Water sprays everywhere. Like someone's thrown a HAND-GRENADE into the bath. LUKE LEBEAU Dammit Henri. The hell's that ruckus? Kids are backed into corners, stunned and soaking. In the tub rubble, little Gambit looks back at him, ashamed. COUSIN HENRI Kid's a walking stick of TNT. 25 INT. BOTTOM DECK, THE BOAT - NIGHT 25 THUNK. Luke drops the SLOT MACHINE on the table. Eyes Gambit. LUKE LEBEAU Open it. 9 Gambit eyes the kids. Cautious. He reaches out and TOUCHES the machine's lock. Gambit COWERS like he's just set a bomb. Nothing happens As kids pull confused faces -- CRACK! The slot machine EXPLODES. Luke ducks as LOOSE CHANGE blasts into the walls and ceiling. Gambit's not in control of his powers. Sorry... GAMBIT Dumbstruck kids look to Luke Charlie picks up nickels , giddy COUSIN HENRI Does he got bad blood or something? To our surprise, Luke softens. Unlike every parent in the X-Men Universe, Luke isn't scared of mutants. LUKE LEBEAU Blood don't matter. Reckon everybody got a little of the devil in them... Luke eyes Ga mbit. Looks at the other kids A tough mentor. LUKE LEBEAU I think he could be a real good earner for us. Long as we all keep our mouths shut. Gambit nods profusely. Relieved he's not being cast out. LUKE LEBEAU Kid. You got a name? As Gambit lifts his voice to speak -- MATCH CUT TO: 26 EXT. FOOD MARKETS, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY ( 1964) 26 COUSIN HENRI (now 15) in an outdoor market. Bellowing: COUSIN HENRI Remy! Wait up! Up ahead, out of the crowded, grimy marketplace bursts GAMBIT (now 14). He passes fruit-stands, clutching a bottle of milk I got it! GAMBIT Gambit runs , groceries falling from his hands His cousins Henri and Charlie (13, scrawny) race to keep up. Charlie clutches a GROCERY LIST: Eggs. Cheese. Bread. Milk. 10 AROUND THEM -- 12 slum-kids plunder the market like locusts. Young kids stealing fruit. Older kids whip past on BICYCLES Gambit vaults onto a cart, hurtling past a STREET BAND to 27 EXT. CAFE, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 27 Gambit leaps a table. Henri ducks it. Slumdog parkour. Into: 28 INT. CAFE, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 28 Kids run through the cafe where MUSICIANS practice into 29 EXT. ALLEYWAY, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 29 Quickly Gambit is up and over a WOOD FENCE. He's so fast, the other kids struggle to keep up. 30 EXT. BACKSTREET, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 30 The kids keep running. SMACK into a padlocked fence -- but Gambit just TOUCHES the lock. It BURSTS apart. WE FOLLOW a piece of shrapnel flying -- CRACK! It shatters a COP CAR WINDOW turning the corner. A Cop YELLS to his partner: NEW ORLEANS COP Daryl, it's him again! Gambit: a reckless teenager with power he can't control. GAMBIT Ah Christ. Sorry. Kids SCATTER, ducking cops. Zipping past on bikes, giving police the finger. All the cops, zeroing in on Gambit. 31 EXT. ALLEYWAY, STORYVILLE BORDER - DAY 31 Gambit, Henri, and Charlie enter an alley, suddenly tense. They're at the dividing line between Storyville and French Quarter. A decrepit sign overhead: Storyville Welcomes You! COUSIN HENRI Rem, we ain't s'possed to be here. Gambit doesn't care. He LEAPS up the drainpipe of a drab FACILITY. It looks vaguely like a hospital. BELOW - Henri picks up groceries raining from Gambit's pockets as he climbs. Now Gambit's the alpha. Henri's job is cleaning up. GAMBIT You need to take your little tampon out, bruh. Ain't nothing to be -- 11 Suddenly Gambit YELPS, scared. A GIRL (10) stares at him through a window Her face is demonic. Black eyes, bones jut out of her face like horns. Gambit LEAPS away. Catches a FIRE ESCAPE, sends down a ladder. GAMBIT C'mon y'all. Up here! As cops close in, the kids RUN UP the fire escape, onto 33 EXT. ROOFTOPS, FRENCH QUARTER - CONTINUOUS 33 Gambit runs rooftops, all of New Orleans beneath him. The narrow streets, bayous, riverboats on the Mississippi. Gambit spots COPS behind them. Yanks Henri into a DOORWAY. 34 INT. BACK STAIRWAY, PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 34 Gambit runs down stairs. Into a psychic parlor buildin g 35 INT. HALLWAY, PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 35 A long HALLWAY full of occult objects and doorways. One door's ajar, Gambit hears a GIRL'S VOICE. Gambit stops, doubles back. Glances through a CRACK IN THE WALL. Whispers GAMBIT Hey yo, hold up a minute. GAMBIT'S POV -- a cute teenage girl, BELLADONNA BOUDREAUX (13). Reading tarot cards for a TOURIST COUPLE. 36 INT. PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 36 Bella eyes the tourists. A blase, punk vibe. She flips TAROT CARDS, couldn't care less about telling fortunes. BELLA I see y'all are from out of town. You're very much in love. And I see... (yawning) You may be coming into some money. DRUNK TOURIST (scoffs, to his date) What'd I tell you? This little charlatan is scamming us. They make to leave, grabbing back their money on the table. Bella reacts, annoyed. THROUGH THE CRACK -- Gambit watches, stunned, as Bella's body creates a static charge. Her clothes and hair seem to become weightless. Like she's underwater. Suddenly Bella's eyes ROLL BACK into her head. Eerie. 12 The Tourists stop in their tracks. Bella: a psychic who's actually psychic. Her voice is tougher: BELLA I see y'all are down from New York. And you been treating Nawlins like your own personal toilet. You work at IBM. You drink too much. And ignore your kids. (eyes snap open, dry) That'll be two-hundred dollars. DRUNK TOURIST (open mouth) What ? BELLA The rest is so I don't tell Pat from Human Resources that you're down here with his wife. The Female Tourist looks stunned. Bella turns to her, sweetly: BELLA He ain't never getting that divorce, honey. I'd throw this one back, plenty of fish in the sea. The couple BLINKS. Sobering up fast. ON GAMBIT -- glued to the crack He smiles, swooning. Sees the tourists quickly hurry out the front exit, frazzled. MALE TOURIST I told you we should've stayed on Bourbon Street! 37 INT. HALLWAY, PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 37 Just then, Gambit spots TWO COPS at either end of the corridor. No choice, he spills into -- 38 INT. PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 38 Bella shoves money into her training bra. Gambit stumbles in. GAMBIT Miss? I saw what you did -- Bella reacts. Pulling a KNIFE from the table. Fierce. BELLA You didn't see shit. Gambit reacts. Pulling a TAROT CARD from the table and holding it up in exchange. Bella cocks an eyebrow 13 GAMBIT It's okay, cher -- I'm like you. BELLA Ain't noone like me. Bella lets fly with the knife. Gambit ducks, HURLS his card in self-defense. Bella side steps, the card PUNCHES A HOLE in the wall. Bella eyes the wall. Eyes Gambit. Slowly she starts to SMILE. BELLA Cool. Abruptly -- the entire wall collapses, revealing A STUNNED COP standing in the back corridor. Eyes turn to Gambit. The Cop goes for his whistle and BLOWS H ARD. Gambit freezes, busted. In that moment, Bella makes a choice Whispers: BELLA Mama's gonna kill me... Then Bella GRABS Gambit's hand. Tugging him out the FRONT DOOR Gambit sees Bella's hand touching his He's in heaven. 39 EXT. DUMAINE STREET, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 39 Bella and Gambit BURST out, past TOURISTS and PERFORMERS. Gambit spots Henri and Charlie, running in the street. COUSIN CHARLIE Remy! We ain't got time to trifle with no girls, cuz! BELLA C'mon I know a shortcut. She tugs Gambit. The four kids RUNNING TOGETHER now, into 40 INT. BROTHEL, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 40 The kids hustle into a WHORE-HOUSE, past gaudy PROSTITUTES. As one of the JOHNS goes to put on a brown DUSTER -- Gambit SNATCHES it as he runs by. The coat's too big for him. COUSIN HENRI That ain't on the list, bruh. Dad'll give you a whipping. GAMBIT Who cares. This coat looks correct. The kids run UP THE STAIRS into a dim hallway. They hear MOANS behind doors. Gambit peeks inside. Bella scoffs. 14 BELLA Y'all got dirty minds. Gambit spots FOUR COPS enter below. He reaches in the wall, grabs exposed COPPER PIPING. With a HUM, the pipe heats up -- DOWNSTAIRS -- THE COPS look up to see water pipes RATTLING. The pipes EXPLODE. BLASTS OF STEAM incapacitate the cops. Prostitutes and Johns pour from bedrooms. The lobby now chaos. UPSTAIRS -- Charlie and Henri look stunned. Bella and Gambit see the chaos and grin. 41 EXT. BACK COURTYARD, BROTHEL - DAY 41 The kids HOP out a window, to the street. They see a COP hurrying out of his SQUAD CAR. The car door is ajar. Gambit stares at the vacant cop car. Henri hisses: COUSIN HENRI No way. That's goin' too far. Gambit looks at Bella. She GRABS his arm. Tugs him towards the cop car. Bringing out the best in each other (or the worst). COUSIN CHARLIE (watching, shakes his head) Man, this chick is bad. 42 INT/EXT. COP CAR - DAY 42 Gambit RIPS off the wheel casing. Touches an ignition cable. The engine GROWLS. Bella's impressed. BELLA You've driven before, right?! GAMBIT Hell yeah girl. Tons of times. Gambit can't reach the gas. He grabs a retractable POLICE BATON, presses down. As the car LURCHES forward -- 43 EXT. STREET, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 43 WHAM! Abruptly Gambit CRASHES into another police car. 44 INT. MUGSHOT ROOM, FRENCH QUARTER POLICE STATION - DAY 44 Gambit grins for a MUGSHOT , toothless. He turns to profile, smiles at Bella. They can't take their eyes off each other. GAMBIT My name's Remy Lebeau. 15 Bella's hand: idly touching his. BELLA Belladonna Boudreaux. So you're a pretty good thief, huh? GAMBIT Nah, I'm the best that's ever been. Our soundtrack kicks in. Devil Went Down To Georgia 45 INT. STATION ROOM, FRENCH QUARTER POLICE STATION - DAY 45 An enervated Luke hands over a wad of cash to a BAIL CLERK. LUKE LEBEAU I'm real sorry, officer. My Remy just got a whole lot of energy Station doors open, Bella's mother, MARYANNE (30s) sweeps in. Face full of makeup, heels clicking, surrounded by an entourage of high-class THUGS. A shrewd New Orleans Godmother. Her son JULIAN (18) sits on a desk like he owns the place MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Where's she at? Where's my baby girl? The Clerk sits up. Maryanne knows him, oozing charm: MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Lou, I'm just beside myself. I was fixing some beignets when I heard the news. She hands the Bail Clerk a bag of PASTRIES. Leans in, whispers: MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Now I trust we won't further burden this city's judicial system by sending my little girl to the courts? Lou eyes the beignets Underneath -- rolls of CASH. ACROSS THE ROOM -- a security door OPENS, Bella steps into the lobby. Maryanne eyes her daughter's bloody face. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Young lady, I don't know what's gotten into you... Then GAMBIT steps out behind her. Suddenly everything makes sense. Maryanne glowers at Luke -- ON GAMBIT AND BELLA Walking out a CORRIDOR, oblivious to their parents dismay. A tableau of CRIMINALS AND COPS walking behind them. 16 MARYANNE BOUDREAUX You better keep that hustler away from my baby girl, Lebeau. I don't need Bella exposed to any bad influences. LUKE LEBEAU Bad influences? Remy ain't stolen but kibbles before. I think maybe your daughter's the bad influence! 46 EXT. POLICE STATION, FRENCH QUARTER, NEW ORLEANS - DAY 46 Gambit and Bella walk outside where TWO CREWS await. Gambit's Crew: Rag-tag. One rusty Chevy. Slum kids on dirt bikes. Bella's Crew: old-school mob. Cadillacs and chrome glinting in waistbands. COUSIN VINCENT(20)wears a silk shirt. The crews talk trash. Gambit and Bella, lost in each other. GAMBIT Before you go, lemme steal just one more thing... Gambit leans in and KISSES her. As the kids start MAKING OUT-- LUKE Remy! You act civilized now, you hear me? MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Belladonna, that ain't no way for a lady to behave! They WRESTLE the kids apart to the SOUND of shredding violins. Gambit and Bella STARE out windows as their cars drive off. MATCH CUT TO: 47 EXT. STREET, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK ( 1973 ) 47 10 YEARS LATER. A COP-CAR with a busted window pulls up to camera and STOPS. Gambit steps out, now an adult clad in bell-bottoms. He leaves the car running, abandoning it in the street. WE FOLLOW Gambit as he approaches a Plantation wall. Starting an impossibly graceful, silent break-in He connects two police BATONS, forming a STAFF. VAULTS over a wall, into a tree, FLIPPING onto a balcony like a gymnast. Below -- Vincent lugs BEER into the house. Oblivious. Above, Gambit pulls out a tin filled with a mixture of EPOXY AND GUNPOWDER. He dabs it on a window touches it -- 17 Foom! It IGNITES, silently cutting a circle in the glass. Gambit: now almost in full-control of his powers He peers in the house, sees -- Bella in the shower. 48 INT. BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 48 Inside, a record player spins Fats Domino. The house is old money, portraits of family patriarchs on the walls. As Bella steps from the shower she feels a faint CHARGE as someone ghosts past. The HAIRS on Bella's neck stand up. BELLA (whispers) Remy. That you -- ? But when Bella turns, she sees only shadows lining the hall. Bella looks puzzled as her cousin Vincent (now 30s) rounds the corner. His arms full of Dixie Beer Oblivious. VINCENT Belle, you coming to the Guild meet? Party's supposed to be righteous. Bella watches in horror as GAMBIT'S HAND snakes out of the shadows behind Vincent. Silently stealing one of his beers. Gambit: addicted to risk. Bella nods, stilted. BELLA Yeah, Vincent. I wouldn't miss it. Vincent moves off. Bella darts into the shadows, finds Gambit coolly drinking the beer. She SWATS him, stifling laughter. BELLA Have you lost your damn mind? Mama sees you, she'll dump your ass in the swamp -- GAMBIT (shrugs, maybe steals a kiss) Risk I'm willing to take. With that, Gambit YANKS Bella back into her bedroom. 49 INT. BELLA'S ROOM - TWILIGHT 49 Gambit and Bella MAKE OUT heavily against the wall now. Her hands gliding up his back. Whispers through kisses. BELLA Shh -- They gonna hear -- Bella’s free hand turns her TV up. Words through kisses: 18 GAMBIT You sure -- you want me to go, cher? BELLA Nah, you can stay. On one condition. Let me go up inside your head while we're making love. Gambit STOPS kissing her. Not crazy about that idea. BELLA I just think it'd be nice is all. Make me feel closer to you... He looks at her, more sincere. GAMBIT You really wanna know what's up in dis head, cher? BELLA Course I do. GAMBIT Well go on then... Bella shuts her eyes. Their bodies become CHARGED with a static pulse as Bella reads Gambit's mind -- FLASH TO: A SINGLE REVOLTING IMAGE -- Gambit's fat COUSIN HENRI, pants down, eating KFC on the toilet. He looks right at us. COUSIN HENRI Sup. BACK TO SCENE -- Bella starts SMACKING Gambit. Furious. BELLA You damn pervert! Gambit GRABS her, cracking up. GAMBIT I walked in on Cousin Henri last week. Saved the memory just for you. BELLA Lemme go! The hell's wrong with you?! He THROWS her onto the bed, the two giggling. 50 INT. DOWNSTAIRS KITCHEN, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - TWILIGHT 50 Crabs BOIL in a pot. Maryanne cooks while her BOYS watch wrestling on TV. 19 a 2 SERVANTS prep as Maryanne reaches for the paprika. Her hand passing a PISTOL inside the cupboard. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Jules, honey. Go tell Belle it's time for supper. Julian peels himself off the couch. The mood suddenly tense. 51 INT. BELLA'S BEDROOM - TWILIGHT 51 Upstairs Gambit and Bella hook up in bed, unaware. The TV rolls footage from Future Past. Mystique saving President Nixon. WALTER KRONKITE (ON TV) ... love them or fear them, Mutants are here to stay... Bella's in Gambit's lap, half -clothed He kisses her chest. GAMBIT Y'know, I might be coming into some money soon. Maybe we should elope. BELLA For real? Like to Vegas or something? Gambit reaches into a bowl of ice water. STEAM comes off his hand as he gives Bella cold towel for her neck. GAMBIT I'm partial to Paris myself. But you want Vegas, I'll give you Vegas. BELLA Big talk. You ain't even left Nawlins. GAMBIT That's exactly the reason to do it. Just hop in the Cadillac, stop at the first chapel we see. Gambit's fingers leave a faint trail of HEAT on her bare back. BELLA I dunno. I always saw our wedding as one of those funky parades down Frenchmen. Both our families there... GAMBIT (stops kissing her, frustrated) Yeah well. I know family's important and all ... but sometimes --