In Which Cosette Learns to Fire a Gun

"So, how do you know Rue Plumet so well?" Courfeyrac asked.

Marius scowled. The two walked down the street, seeming nonchalant, but with their hands on guns in their pockets. "It's – look, don't tell anyone, all right?"

"As you wish."

Marius took a deep breath. "You know, er, Ursule?"

"That girl you've been obsessing over for months?"

"Um, well, she lives at No. 55 Rue Plumet."

Courfeyrac stopped dead in his tracks. "You can't be serious. Enjolras's captors will be waiting for us at your girlfriend's house?"

"She's not exactly my – oh, whatever. I guess so."

"Maybe she's in on the plot."

Righteous anger surged through Marius. He rounded on Courfeyrac, who stood half a head taller than him, and seethed, "Ursule is the sweetest, kindest, most angelic girl on the planet. To suggest that she could be involved in a kidnapping is like suggesting that Laigle will inherit a fortune. You got that, smarty-pants?"

"Gosh, chill out," Courfeyrac said, pushing Marius away from him. "I didn't mean it that way."

"How else would you mean it," Marius growled. Then he stopped. "We're here."

A large old house stood, half-hidden by its abundant garden. Evening shadows fell across the boys as they walked up to the tall iron fence.

"This place is creepy," Courfeyrac said. "I wish we didn't have to come at night."

"That's when all the criminals are out." Marius looked around. No one. "Surely they can't be inside?"

"Marius!" A very pretty girl flew through the garden and came to the fence. Her blue eyes trembled with joy. "Marius! You came!"

"Yes, I did." Marius looked up, climbed over the fence, and dropped down into the garden. "It's good to see you."

"Hey, what about me?" Courfeyrac complained, struggling to follow Marius.

The girl blinked. "Who's that?"

"That is Courfeyrac, my best friend. Courfeyrac, this is Cosette."

Now Courfeyrac blinked. "Cosette? But I thought her name was…"

"Ursule?" Cosette smiled. "It's really Cosette. I see Marius hasn't kept you posted."

Marius looked offended. "Why should I? He's not your boyfriend."

Courfeyrac looked a little sulky, but said, "Say, Cosette, do you happen to be involved in criminal activities of any sort?"

Cosette wrinkled her nose. "I don't think I like you."

"Oh, come –" Courfeyrac froze mid-sentence. His hair almost bristled. "Hide!" he hissed, and dove into a hydrangea bush. Marius and Cosette ducked into a small arbor and waited, tense, listening. Marius peered through the leaves, and his heart almost stopped.

Almost inaudible footsteps sounded on the cobblestones. A tall, slender figure wove its shadow on the fence, seeming to shy away from the light of a streetlamp. Cosette squeaked in fright, and Marius placed his hand over her mouth. Dark hair materialized, then a young face, beautiful, yet terrible. The figure, a boy of eighteen years or so, paced in front of the house in a bored sort of way, kicking his heels against the ground, eyes turned upward. "Those idiots, going to send me out every stinkin' night till the stupid ransom comes," Marius heard him mutter.

"He's here to collect the ransom," Marius breathed, peering out of the arbor.

"Collect the what?" Cosette asked.

"Never mind."

"Wait. Who is he? Is he tall and skinny? Black hair? Green eyes? Small hands? A scar on his –"

"Uh, yes, well, wait, I can't see all that from – how do you know all that?"

Cosette sprang out of the arbor with an expectant smile. "Hi, Montparnasse!" she said in a very loud whisper. The young man turned his head, and his eyes lit up. "Oh. Hi, Cosette." He turned and walked to the fence where Cosette stood.

"Wait!" Marius exploded out of the arbor. "What's going on here!?"

A strangled yelp came from the hydrangea bush.

The young man, Montparnasse, reeled at the sight of Marius, though Marius didn't know why the boy found his appearance so repulsive. He latched onto Cosette's arms and attempted to draw her away from the fence. "Cosette, who is this guy? Why are you flirting with him?"

"I'm not flirting! He's just a friend," Cosette defended herself.

Marius hoped he imagined the disappointed look on Montparnasse's face. "Well, how long have you been "just friends"?"

"A few months," Montparnasse muttered.

"This is the first time I've seen him in weeks," Cosette said.

Marius glowered at her. "Does he always visit you at night when I'm gone?"

"Well, yes, but…"

Marius turned to face Montparnasse. He reached out through the bars of the fence and shoved him backward. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious? I came to visit with Cosette."

"No respectable gentleman goes visiting girls in the dead of night!"

Montparnasse put his hands on his hips and gave Marius a withering look. Marius sighed. "All right, I guess I'm not respectable, either. But you're here for something else, aren't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh yes you do!" Marius grabbed Montparnasse by the collar and smacked him against the bars. "Where is Enjolras!?" he roared.

"I'm not telling you."

"Ha! You admit he's your captive! Where is he!? Who are you working with!?"

Cosette came next to him. "Marius, what are you talking about?"

A rustling sounded, then Courfeyrac burst out of the hydrangea bush and bounded to the fence, leaves in his hair. "How can you be so slow, Marius? He's a member of the Patron-Minette! You ran into them before!"

"Patron-Minette!?" Marius released Montparnasse and staggered backward. "Not the Patron-Minette! The worst underground criminal gang in France! The scourge of sunlit Paris!"

"Well, I've never heard it described quite like that before," Montparnasse started, but Marius cut him off. He yanked his gun out of his pocket and pointed it at him. "Tell me everything! I want it all!"

"All of what?"

"The story! How'd you know Enjolras was rich?"

"He certainly doesn't look it," Courfeyrac said.

"Shh! Now spill the beans, or I'll spill them for you."

"Cosette?" came a deep voice from across the garden. "Are you still out there? What are you doing?"

"It's my father!" Cosette hissed. Marius paled. "But – but – I'm so close…"

Montparnasse laughed. "Next time, kid." He turned and ran.

"I'm older than you!" Marius shrieked, forgetting Cosette's terrifying father for a moment. He scrambled over the fence and fired.

The bullet knocked out the glass of a streetlamp. Courfeyrac followed Marius out of the garden as a large, gray-haired man ran up. "Cosette! What is happening? Who is firing?"

Cosette, ignoring him completely, ran toward the gate, shrieking, "Unlock the gate!" She started to climb over it as her father barreled toward her. "Cosette! What –" he stopped when he saw Marius and Courfeyrac flash by. "Why does that boy look familiar?"

Cosette swung onto the cobblestones, stumbled, rubbed her knees, and started after the others, holding her skirts up. Ultime, her father, didn't wait for a key either. He climbed over with a lot less trouble, and the chase really began.

"You're such an idiot, Marius!" Courfeyrac yelled as he ran after Marius.

Marius didn't answer. He cocked his gun and raised it. Montparnasse looked over his shoulder and drew his own gun.

"Look out!" Courfeyrac flung himself over Marius as the gun fired. At first Marius thought his foot exploded, but when he looked he found himself uninjured, but his shoe had been completely blown off. "That's some aim."

"You can't run barefoot – yikes!" Courfeyrac flattened himself on the street as a bullet whizzed over his head. "I'm dead. Oh, yes, I'm dead."

"Nooo!"Cosette caught up with them and tripped over Marius. "Oof!" She looked up to see Montparnasse turning once more to fire. She gasped, but Marius just sat there in a state of shock. Cosette grabbed his gun, examined it for a moment, raised it, prayed, and squeezed the trigger.

"Aaargh!" Montparnasse dropped his gun and crumpled to the street. Ultime came dashing up and surveyed the scene. "When did you learn to fire a gun, Cosette?"

"About five seconds ago." Cosette dropped Marius's gun and hugged him. Ultime glanced down and kicked Courfeyrac, who was still lying on his face and saying, "I'm dead. I'm so dead."

"No, you're not." Ultime decided questions could wait. He walked over to Montparnasse. The young man, clutching his leg, shrieked, "Go away!" when he saw Ultime, but the old man simply picked up his fallen gun. "I'll take you to the hospital." He went back to the others and said, "Cosette, go to bed."

She stood and left without a word. Ultime then looked at Marius and Courfeyrac. "Explanations will come later. Are you hurt?"

"Only my pride," Courfeyrac muttered.