Alain was within sight of the garrison gates, and paused to catch his breath. Just as he began moving again, he heard voices coming up from behind him.

"There has to be someone who heard something, saw something, Athos," a gruff, worried voice sounded, "there has to be."

"We will find Villefort, Porthos," a quiet, somewhat cultured voice responded. "I promise both of you-and myself."

Alain froze. The men he needed to speak to were behind him! Would they believe him? Or when they found out he had been helping Villefort, would they just kill him?

The fear of being killed that he had been trying to tell himself he didn't care about because he deserved it anyway reared its head.

Then, he chastised himself for suddenly becoming a coward. He slowly turned and faced the men he had been listening to.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Athos and his brothers nearly ran into the young man who had been walking ahead of them. The man's face was unfamiliar to them.

"Messieurs, may I have a moment of your time?" he said.

They looked at each other, then Athos responded, "May we be of some assistance to you?"

Alain answered, "You are looking for someone?"

The glances they shared with each other this time told him they were.

"I am Athos of the King's Musketeers," said the only one of them who had spoken so far. "These are Porthos and d'Artagnan," each giving a slight nod of their head towards the stranger. "Why do we not proceed into the garrison and sit while we speak," leading the way as he spoke.

Going through the garrison gates, they headed for a table and benches in the shade, and sat down. Alain did likewise.

Athos got to the point immediately. "You have information for us about the man we seek?" the hopefulness permeating his words.

"I do," Alain responded. "I am hoping you do not run me through when I tell you what I come to share," his unexpected words causing ripples of surprise mixed with shock.

"Why would we do so?" Athos asked, slight suspicion coloring his words now.

Alain hesitated. "I...I work for him."

The words were scarcely out of his mouth before Porthos had leaped to his feet and wrapped his hands around a terrified Alain's throat.

It took both Athos and d'Artagnan's quick reactions to pull the enraged big man's hands from the young man's throat and sit him down, with Athos now in-between Alain and Porthos.

Giving Porthos a 'stay put' warning look,' then turning to Alain, Athos said, "Please continue."

The young man, who had been staring at Porthos like a bird that a hungry cat was watching, turned his eyes again to Athos.

"He kidnapped some man who he said had taken something from him, and locked him up. We were, I guess you could call us, the jailors."

Athos asked, "How?"

Swallowing hard, Alain answered, "Drugging him. The man I worked with took care of the drugs. I was only supposed to keep him still if he resisted."

They could all hear the pain in Alain's voice at what he was relating, even a reluctant Porthos.

"If the job was distasteful, why did you stay?"

"I signed on for the money before I found out what we were supposed to do. Once I was involved, it made me sick doing this to the captive. But... but Villefort and the man I worked with are ruthless. They're killers. I had to find a way to slip away without getting caught, but they were always around, one or the other of them. It seemed like forever before any chance appeared."

"You were being paid. Why did it repulse you?"

"The man was helpless. He even begged us not to do it, that he wouldn't make noise, figuring that must be the reason we were doing it. I asked Georges later why, and he said our employer wasn't a man to question. We wouldn't like what happened if we did."

Stopping for a moment, he looked down, then said, "I grew up in the Court of Miracles (not seeing Porthos' surprised reaction). I learned the hard way that crime seemed to be the only way I could feed myself. But I never was violent, never hurt anyone. It made me so sick what that our captive had to go through. I..I will be sorry for the rest of my days for my part in it.

I wish to show you where he is. It doesn't matter any more if they kill me. I can't live with myself if I don't help to free him."

Utter silence reigned for long moments after he finished speaking. Their thoughts were much the same.

Villefort was hurting a totally helpless victim. He went right on with his evil after taking their friend's life. They could at last have a chance to put an end to his reign of terror.

Athos at last spoke, "We thank you for risking coming to us. We will indeed accompany you to this hideout of Villefort's. We do have more questions, though."

Alain had taken a long, shaky breath after speaking. Hearing Athos' words, his head shot up, hope starting to shine a little in his eyes.

"Anything. Please ask me."

"Are there just two men there? Villefort and Georges?"

"Yes, as far as I know. At least, I never saw anyone else," Alain responded.

"We need to be cautious anyway, " Athos said. "The man is not to be trusted."

"Is this building in Paris," d'Artagnan asked.

"Yes, on the eastern outskirts."

"What weapons do you know of," Athos continued.

"They both carry swords, main gauches and pistols. There are some extras in a small room off to the left of the front door. I looked inside once when Villefort was exiting the room."

Porthos, who had remained silent after his violence earlier, now rose and walked over to Alain.

"Thank you for coming to us and helping. It doesn't completely excuse your helping Villefort, but I do understand somewhat. I grew up in the Court of Miracles myself."

At these words, Alain' s eyebrows shot up. "You're Porthos! I've heard stories about a Musketeer who came from the Court," his voice sounding awed.

Porthos laughed. "Depending on who is talking, you could hear good or bad things. But it's good that you're finally listening to your conscience. Let's hope it's not too late for the man you want to help."

Athos said, "Let us arm ourselves. We leave in fifteen minutes, gentlemen. Villefort's time has come.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Villefort was fuming.

How dare that upstart try something behind his back?

Luckily, Alain had not been told, and had never seen, the sentry he himself had posted upstairs in the building across the way. Georges had not been told either. Villefort had been betrayed by men he had paid before, so kept the information to himself.

The sentry had come to him as he headed back from his errand, telling him Alain had sneaked out the door not long ago.

When Villefort had asked which direction he had taken, the sentry had indicated north. Villefort uttered a curse, knowing the Musketeers garrison was in that direction.

Reaching the cell, he unlocked it and went inside, stopping when he stood over his captive.

Well, he thought, I was enjoying how things were coming along. But with those Musketeers no doubt heading this way thanks to Alain's treachery, my pleasant game is at an end. And if I can't finish it in the way I wish, no one else will get their hands on you either, drawing his main gauche as he spoke.

Locking the cell as he left a few moments later, he walked back down the hall and out the front door, wiping off his blade with a self-satisfied smile on his countenance.

(I read through the previous chapter again yesterday, and apologize for all the errors made that you had to wade through! I generally proofread before posting, but time was short last weekend.

Thanks as always for reading/fallowing my fanfic! If you have the time or inclination, please review. I appreciate every one of them.)