Lovelies! You're making me SO happy with the response to this story =D Here's the next chapter, it'll be in two parts and I'm warning you (i know i'm sounding like a broken record by now) that it's just getting darker...
Hope you enjoy :)
"ÉPONINE!" Combeferre howled, the last image of her eyes still burning in his thoughts. The pain in his outburst brought a heavy silence. The screams above had died down so all they could hear was the pulling of ropes as Combeferre tried in vain to release himself.
Musichetta took center stage, pulling Enjolras off Courfeyrac with ease before slapping them both. "Enough!" She snapped, causing both men, now rubbing their cheeks, to cower before her.
"This is childish fighting how you are. Now is not the time to turn on each other. Not when Ponine is above us in severe danger. If we want to accomplish anything we have to keep our wits about us and focus on the task at hand, not throw blame around." She finished, crossing her arms, challenging someone to speak up. Courfeyrac's face flooded with guilt and without a second thought, he went over to Enjolras, engulfing the man in a hug. Enjolras patted his back before pulling back, nodding.
"What's our plan Apollo?" Grantaire questioned.
"First, will someone untie 'Ferre? Next someone check to see if anyone has a phone still on them, I doubt these are the kind of men who check carefully for those things."
Joly whipped out his pocketknife and went to work on Combeferre's ropes.
"You had that the whole time?" Boussett questioned his boyfriend.
"If you're gonna ask why I didn't I use it, you tell me how much help it would've done against two actual knives?" Boussett chuckled, nodding.
Soon Combeferre was free and he bolted towards the door, trying the door, slamming his fists upon it, begging it to open.
"Anyone got their phone?" Feuilly questioned, moving from the door to give Combeferre his space.
"I think I do!" Marius exclaimed, shifting his hold of Cosette to produce his flip from his pocket.
"Fantastic!" Grantaire chimed, watching several more phones being pulled out. Their victory was interrupted by a small cough. They all turned to see Gavroche sitting up, rubbing his eyes. Grantaire and Courfeyrac both moved to his side, helping him up.
"Gav! How are you bud?" Grantaire asked, rubbing the young boy's back.
" 'T-taire? Coof? Wha? When did everyone else get here?" The boy questioned, seeing everyone in the cramped room.
"Well Gav, we found Ponine! She led us here to come get you, but we all kind of got captured in the process." Courfeyrac finished, shrugging slightly.
"You found Ponine? Is she ok? Where is she?"
Before anyone could answer, another scream ripping through the small room, followed by Combeferre's pounding at the bolted door.
"I thought you found her? Why's she up there? He's gonna kill her!" Gavroche cried, uncharacteristic tears flooding his watery blue eyes.
Grantaire, unable to see the child in this state again, kneeled in front of him, eyeing him directly.
"Gavroche, your sister is one of the strongest and bravest people I know. She went with them so that you'd be safe, but that doesn't mean we're going to let them hurt her anymore. We're going to get her out of here Gav and we're going to make sure that monster never comes near you or your sisters again."
"But why'd you let her go to him?" The little boy's voice was shaky, all of his nightmares were becoming reality and he wanted nothing more than to crawl under blankets and cry.
No one could answer the boy's question. Did they simply stand aside as Éponine was abused and taken away? Was there really a serious threat if any of them had moved to do something? Combeferre hit the door one more time before letting out an exasperated cry. Gaining some of his composure back and running on the infuriating rage that coursed through his veins he turned to face everyone.
"We can throw blame around all night, but the longer we prolong doing something, the more of Éponine's blood's going to cover our hands."
"'Combeferre!" Feuilly cried in horror, the very thought making him cringe.
"You think I want to think of that? You think I want to put the most import thing in my life into the ground because I stood by helpless? No! We've gone through too much to stop now! Pontmercy, dial 911." He barked, causing Marius to jump slightly as he fumbled with his phone. Turing to Gavroche, he bent so he could see the boy's eyes. "Gav, can you undo that window up there." The boy nodded shakily before scrambling over to the shelf.
"Chetta, think you can try to pick the lock?"
Removing the bobby pins from her hair, she smiled deviously and set to work.
"'Ferre," Grantaire began, "where I think it's great you've taken Enjolras's position for the time being, what do you suggest we do once we're up there? Last I checked they had knives and more fat and muscle than even Bahorel."
"R, it's the best I got." He sighed, squinting to see his friend.
"Oh right! Your glasses!" Joly remarked, snapping his fingers he went to where Éponine had crouched and picked up the cracked specs.
"I know they're not in the best shape, but there were like that when Ponine found them." Combeferre simply nodded before cramming them back onto his face.
They all turned when Marius began speaking into the phone.
"Yes! We're in the basement of the warehouse down by the docks…Yes I understand who frequents this place, but our friend is in serious trouble, her life's in danger…. They're all here, the entire Patron-Minette, and they've unleashed years of anger on our friend…. Yes, I know…. Yes?... Ok…. Please hurry!"
Marius hung up and looked at the crowd, "20 minutes."
"20 MINUTES!" Enjolras exclaimed. "And they wonder why we resent them! Honestly, we really need to take matters into our own hands because those idiots are goi…."
Someone else's phone cut Enjolras off mid rant. Jehan glanced and squeaked.
"It's Ponine."
"Answer!" Grantaire nearly yelled, immeditley regretting his words. Thénardier's voice drowned the cramped the room with malicious laughter.
"Oh good, receptions up Ponine! Tell everyone why you deserved the poker? Or would you prefer the belt before hand?" Silence, someone's uneven heavy breathing was barley audible in the background.
"You won't tell the pity parade how they're the reason your beatings got worse? Fed you with confidence didn't they. Started standing up fer yerself under their influence, foiling my schemes and plots with your scream, then moving! Officially resigning from the only position your worthy of holding. Well, why don't you give 'em one of those famous screams for a bit of thank you huh?" More silence followed by the horrific sound of something leather hitting skin at a remarkable force. "Give 'em a scream!" Now there were kicks and Combeferre moved to swat the phone out of Jehan's hands, but he stopped when Thénardier spoke once more. "Scream or I'll go and find lover boy and gut him in front of you, that is if I find him. They bolted as soon as I opened the door for them." More cracks, more threats and finally, one more blood curtling scream.
"Thatta girl. 'Parnasse, she's all yours. The rest of yous, get in line. She's got all night."
"NO!" Combeferre yelled, taking the phone from Jehan's hands, "TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER! DON'T TOUCH HER, I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL KILL YOU!" He heard one more bout of laugher, before the other line went dead. Furious with guilt and heartbreak, Combeferre moved to hurl the phone at the wall.
"WHOA! 'Ferre, calm down!" Musichetta rose, the door swinging open.
"Now 'Ferre, before anyone goes running, let's just wait…"
"Apollo, you're speaking to thin air." Enjolras looked up to realize Combeferre was already halfway up the hall.
"Merde." Enjolras swore, taking Grantaire by the arm and jerking his head towards the door.
"C'mon, we've not only got to save Ponine, but we have to make sure 'Ferre stays alive as well."
Gavroche had successfully reopened the window Éponine had snaked into earlier. He, Cosette and Musichetta went through it to get help. The rest of the boys made it up the dingy hallway finally catching up with Combeferre. The distraught philosopher was standing by a door with one single window; his face was a storm of pain and fury. He stood in the shadows as not to be seen, but Courfeyrac quickly yanked him away from sight.
"Are you mad? They're going to see you!" He whispered frantically. Combeferre remained still, restraining himself from need to throttle Courfeyrac, the only reason being he had the sudden urge to kill someone.
"Mad or not, I'm going in there." He finally stated.
"We should wait for back up or something." Joly said nervously.
"Why don't you take a look inside, then rethink the waiting issue, but do it quickly, because I'm 30 seconds from going in myself and letting them kill me just so they could spare her."
Joly did as Combeferre instructed, but quickly moved away from the window, quite pale even in the darkness. The others moved to see what had made both men so uneasy. The room was empty, but the floor was covered in blood, both in puddles and spatters, fresh and dry. A worn leather belt was slung across the back of a chair, dripping with the sticky red substance that matched the rest of the room's décor. The door to one of the furnaces was ajar, the hilt of an iron poker still sticking out. Perhaps the most unsettling image was the path of blood that led to a back room. Combeferre cringed at the thought of his beautiful 'Ponine being dragged away.
Bahorel moved to break open the door, but Feuilly stopped him.
"Feuilly, move, its time we act." His voice was low and dangerous, causing the others to step back slightly, but the fan maker held his ground.
"Bahorel, if you storm in there and they hear you, they're going to hasten whatever pain they're inflicting on her. They might also know we're already up here and move to," he paused, praying he was wrong. "finish their work." Bahorel started down at the Polish enthusiast, but seeing the logic behind his words nodded, slinking back into the shadows.
Combeferre however, was through with waiting. Without a second thought and ignoring Enjolras's pleading glare, Combeferre kicked open the door and stormed into the empty torture chamber.
Hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment! Part 2 will be up ASAP :)