Helensg, this is for you. ;)

Chapter 2

The man with the gun pointed at them, raised his gun higher pointing squarely at Sylvie. Athos moved quickly without thought pushing himself in front of his wife.

Another gunshot went off. At first Athos wasn't sure where this one had come from. He just felt himself jerking backwards into Sylvie's arms.

"Athos!" Sylvie's voice was distressed, but Athos couldn't quite figure out what was going on.

"You, get them in here." It was a man's voice Athos heard. This one's French was far better.

Suddenly Athos felt hands grab him from under his arms dragging him backwards. Pain suddenly seared his left side. He felt his back hit the floor none too gently.

"Sylvie?"

"Right here love," she said in his left ear.

"Michael?" Amelie said from Athos' other side.

"He'll be fine as long as he gives us what we want," the good French speaker said.

Athos took stock of the situation. He was on his back on the floor of the restaurant kitchen. Sylvie sat to his left pressing her hands against his side. "Please may I have a towel?" She asked.

"Give it to her," someone said.

For a brief moment the pressure on his side lightened and then it was back. Athos guessed the towel was added to his side.

Athos heard footsteps recede.

"They've left the kitchen," Sylvie said.

Athos took a deep breath regretting it immediately.

"Athos," Sylvie said, a warning in her voice.

"Amelie, is there any other way out of here?" Athos asked.

"There's a back door connected to the kitchen," she said.

"It's being guarded." This time it was a male voice Athos had not yet heard. It was rough and weak.

"My brother, Michael," Amelie said.

"Michael, what do you know about these men?" Athos' own voice was rough and weak.

"He owes them money," Amelie said when Michael wouldn't answer after a few seconds.

"How much?" Athos asked through a gasp of pain shoot through his side.

"A lot," Michael said.

Footsteps returned and someone was standing next to Sylvie looking down at Athos. This was a new face.

A ring came from the inside pocket of Athos' jacket. The new face suddenly had a gun pointed at Athos.

"It's probably the babysitter," Athos said through clenched teeth.

"You, get it out."

"But," Sylvie started.

"Answer the phone," the new face said.

The pressure from his side was removed again briefly to be replaced by new hands. Amelie had her hands pressed against Athos' side.

"Hi Aramis," Sylvie said. "How are the kids? I hope Olivia isn't too much. That's good to hear. Yes, thanks again for keeping them over night." She ended the call and put the phone back in Athos' pocket.

"Give it," the new face demanded.

Sylvie pulled the phone back out handing it over.

Athos met her eyes with his own smiling at her and nodding ever so slightly. She did amazingly. Hopefully Aramis caught onto her intentional mistake of thanking Aramis for taking care of the kids.

TM

Aramis turned looking at his teammates. "Something's not right."

"How could you tell?" d'Artagnan asked.

"Sylvie thanked me for watching the kids tonight," Aramis said. "Robert and David are watching them."

The four police detectives were standing outside across the street from the restaurant Athos and Sylvie were supposed to be having dinner.

"Treville is on his way," Constance said.

"We need to know what's going on in there," Porthos said. Everything in his body language was screaming the need for action, but he knew better than to simply act.

Aramis had been sitting at home on the couch with Anne watching some tv when he got a call from Treville telling him there were gunshots coming from the restaurant Athos and Sylvie were dining at.

The captain was trying to keep a tight lid on the situation keeping reporters away as well as making sure the police didn't let on they knew anything. This was why they were gathered across the street just the four of them.

A car suddenly pulled up next to them. "What's the situation?" Treville asked getting out of his car.

"There's definitely something not right," Porthos said filling their captain in on what they knew which was not much.

"Alright, Aramis, you and Constance go into the restaurant posing as a couple."

"Cap…"

"Yes sir," Aramis interrupted d'Artagnan. It was always a tricky negotiation having a couple on the same team. They all agreed to follow the captain's rules. "Shall we?" Aramis offered his arm to Constance who rolled her eyes, but accepted the arm anyway.

"Shouldn't we drive one of our cars to park in the parking lot?" Constance asked.

"We can just say we live around here and were taking a nice romantic walk if asked," he said.

"Wait." They were halfway to the restaurant when Constance stopped them. She reached under the collar of her shirt pulling out a necklace holding two rings. Removing the rings from the chain she placed them on her left ring finger.

"Our wedding rings don't match," Aramis said.

"I doubt they have a loupe on hand," Constance said.

Aramis opened the door to the restaurant letting Constance in first. They looked around. The dining room was empty.

The door to the kitchen opened and a grey haired man in a cheap suit stepped out. "We're closed," he said.

"Oh," Aramis said looking as disappointed as he could. "Well, that is too bad. My wife and I were on a nice walk. It's such a beautiful night. And when we saw your nice little restaurant Connie expressed how hungry she was. Isn't that right cheri?"

"Yes," Constance agreed internally rolling her eyes. Aramis was enjoying this too much.

A crash of glass and metal were heard coming from the kitchen followed by a man's scream of pain. Aramis and Constance looked at each other. As one, they reached for their guns under their jackets.

"Hands out," the grey haired man said pulling out his own gun.

TBC