Chapter 10, 13 years later, June 2031. Washington DC
It was a rainy night, in central DC a bar, as usual was filled with law and medical students from the university but unlike most nights were the atmosphere was light and people were drinking for fun there was a heaviness and barley anyone was drinking. Instead they were listening. This was a meeting of the Friends of the ABC, a student organization who wanted change and were willing to fight to get it. Right now they were listening to their leader Enjolras speak.
"This is president O'Neil's fourth term in office. The twenty- second amendment states that the president can only serve for a maximum of two terms. It is also known that President O'Neil is withdrawing funds from much needed government agencies to support his many military campaigns in the Middle East and he keeps raising taxes to obscene amounts that most lower class citizens cannot pay. Can we allow this man to keep ruining the nation our ancestors built? No, we must rise up!"
"Here, here!" a drunken student named Grantire cried falling of his bar stool. Several students chuckled, while Enjolras rolled his eyes.
"Enjolras maybe we should call it a night." Combferre a medical student and Enjolras's best friend said looking at his watch, "It's 1 in the morning and most of us have classes tomorrow."
"Ya, and I still need to finish my paper for Landon's class." Coufeyrac, a law student said shouldering his pack, "By the way, which one of us is driving the drunk to his apartment." He asked nudging Grantire, who was passed out on the floor with the toe of his shoe.
"Why don't we draw straws." Another med student named Joly suggested.
"Na, I got it." Combferre said pulling the drunk to his feet. "Enjolras can help me."
"Oh joy." Enjolras said sarcastically taking hold of Grantaire's other arm and leading him towards the door.
"Marius, you need a ride home?" Coufeyrac asked turning to his friend.
"Ya, thanks dude." Marius Pontmercy replied grabbing his own backpack and following Coufeyrac to his car.
"So how's that girl you're going out with?" Marius asked when they were in Coufeyrac's car.
"Wendy? We broke up." Coufeyrac said nonchalantly.
"Why?" Marius asked his friend.
"Yesterday morning she wakes up, turns to me and says that we should move in with each other."
"Weren't you two only dating each other for like two weeks?" Marius asked.
"Exactly. Plus I don't want that serious or type of relationship." Coufeyrac said.
"Well sorry that it didn't work out." Marius said.
"How is your Grandfather?" Coufeyrac asked. The response from he got from Marius was a groan.
"My grandfather is conservative blowhard senator who doesn't know when to shut up and needs to stop trying to control my life." Coufeyrac laughed.
"What do you think he would do if he found out you went to these meetings?"
"You know how in those old cartoons, when ever someone gets mad they turn red and steam comes of their ears?" Coufeyrac nodded, laughing.
"It would be that on a nuclear level."
"You know I would pay to see that." Coufeyrac said pulling his car up in front of Marius's grandfather's large estate.
"See ya tomorrow." Marius said climbing out of the car.
"Later." Coufeyrac said. Marius quietly unlocked the front door, his grandfather hated it when he stayed out late. Marius closed the door just as quietly behind him. He had quite a bit of practice slipping in and out of the house. Exhausted he threw his backpack at the base of stairs and went to his room. Marius failed to notice that he left his back pack open with one of the ABC Society's flyers sticking out.
Next morning the house keeper picked Marius's pack up and noticed a flyer sticking out of it. She took it out and read it over.
"Mr. Gillenormand, you are going to want to read this." She said walking into the dinning room were the senator was eating breakfast and handed him the flyer. She watched as Mr. Gillenormand read the flyer and get a look of pure rage on his face that made her want to run for the hills. Senator Patrick Gillenormand was a purest, completely and utterly loyal to the current presidency. Even if it was slowly turning into a dictatorship so seeing what was in his grandson's possession truly and royally piss him of big time.
Marius was awoken by his grandfather bursting into his room in a rage.
"Marius George Pontmercy, what the Hell is this?!" Marius's grandfather cried thrusting the flyer into Marius's face angrily.
"It's a piece of paper." Marius said sleepily sitting up. He had not realized what was on the paper.
"Read it you insolent boy!" Marius, finally starting to wake up realized what was on the paper.
"I can explain." Marius said quickly trying to come up with an idea to explain the flyer.
"You better."
"It's, Ummm. Some guys were handing them out on campus."
"Don't lie to me!" Mr. Gillenormand said slapping Marius upside the head. Marius had had enough.
"You know what, screw this. I am part of a student organization that is against the government and I believe in all of this." He paused ready to put the nail in the coffin. "The same ideas that my father believed."
Marius said standing up and looking his grandfather strait in the eyes. Marius's father was a disgrace in his grandfather's view, he had married Mr. Gillenormand's youngest daughter right out of high school and enlisted into the army. Less than a year later Marius was born and George Pontmercy was being deployed to the middle east. Unfortunately Marius's mother died in a car accident while he was over seas and when George returned, he lost his parental rights and was not able to raise his son. Marius never got to truly know his father, only that he believed in the true ideas of America. And when the elder Pontmercy died of cancer during Marius's first year of collage in his will he explained everything to Marius. Ever since then Marius idolized his father.
"I've told you to never mention that Bastard in my presence." Marius's grandfather yelled. Marius didn't even flinch.
"Last time I checked I say what ever I want."
"Not while you live under this roof you can't." Mr. Gillenormand replied angrily.
"Well maybe it's time I get my own roof." Marius replied calmly. But Mr. Gillenormand was already walking out of Marius's room.
"I have a meeting at ten. By the time I return I expect you to have your senses back." Marius stared after his grandfather. He would not be here when his grandfather got back. Two hours later Marius had all of his clothes and other important possessions loaded into his old jeep. He had also left a note for his grandfather. Marius left his home without looking back.
The next day Marius was in the Musain Bar, the place were he and his friends had their meetings. He had spent the night in his car, not really knowing were he could go. Now Marius was sitting at the bar looking through the classifieds for an apartment he could afford. He heard the door open and looked up, it was Grantaire and Coufeyrac.
"Marius," Grantaire said "What are you doing here this early?"
"I'm trying to find an apartment to rent." Marius said turning the paper over.
"Ya, I heard that you finally decided to ditch your Gramps." Coufeyrac said sitting down next to Marius. Marius nodded, not taking his eyes of the paper.
"I can't seem to find anything that I can afford." Marius said turning the paper again.
"Well of course your not going to find an apartment like that." Grantaire said taking the paper from Marius's hands.
"Hey!"
"Don't worry I know what I'm doing." Grantaire said walking over to the dart board and pinning the paper to it.
"This is how I found my place, it is completely full proof." He said with a grin as he walked back to Marius with a dart in his hand. Marius turned to Coufeyrac, who just shrugged his shoulders.
"It's worth shot."
Marius sighed and took the dart from Grantaire and stood in front of the board. He closed his eyes and threw the dart. Marius opened his eyes, the dart hadn't even come close to the board. He could hear Grantaire and Coufeyrac trying to suppress their laughter. He sighed and retrieved the dart from the wall. This time he kept his eyes open, when he threw the dart if traveled quickly through the air, this time it hit the paper. Marius, Coufeyrac, and Grantaire gathered around the board. The dart had hit an add for a tenement called the Gorbeau House. Marius read the description beneath.
"One bedroom, one bath, kitchenette. Under rent control."
"Told you it would work." Grantaire said smiling. Coufeyrac rolled his eyes.
"Notice how they don't have a picture of it. That is never a good sign." Marius had taken the paper off the dart board.
"It's an apartment. I'm not going to be picky." Marius said dialing the number on the add. Five minutes later he put his phone back into his pocket.
"So." He said turning to his friends, "Which one of you is going to help me move into my new apartment tomorrow?"
This took me forever to write, sorry about that. And I know that instead of ten years passing it's 13 years later. I did that on purpose. Marius and all his friends are all in there early to mid twenties by the way. And the stuff about the twenty second amendment I checked so ya. On another note less than a month until the movie come out, I don't know about all of you guy but I am freaking exited! Also thank you to all the people who have started following and reviewed my story. Honestly I thought no one would even read it. Hugs to all!