Chapter 15: Danger at Le Cirque Boheme
The next day, Caroline reported for rehearsals at Le Cirque Boheme. She didn't want to go back to the opera. She had fulfilled her dream and realized where she really belonged. Everyone welcomed her back. Monsieur Myrcel gave Caroline her old dressing room and personal use of Balcony 5.
A week later, opening day of Le Cirque Boheme came. Guilliame and Erik, who had been watching little Estella all week, brought the little girl to see her surrogate mother before the show. The girl was mollycuddled by the other dancers before Erik took Estella back to the lair. Guilliame went up to Balcony 5 to watch the show.
As he reached his seat, Guilliame looked across and saw his step-father and step-brother in Balcony 6. Looking closer, he recognized another person with them. It was his half-sister Elisabeth. What was his step-father planning to do with her since the Admiral only acknowledged the girl when he needed her for his own needs. Guilliame didn't like wherever this appearance was headed. Monsieur Myrcel was talking with the two as well. Guilliame groaned and felt disgusted. The Admiral was going to force Elisabeth to join the nightclub life, but why? Guilliame knew he had to find out.
His mind wasn't really on the performance. When it was over, Caroline came up to talk to him. "What do you think?" she asked. "Wha-? Oh, it was lovely," Guilliame said. Caroline put her hands on her hips. "You're not paying attention to me! What's the matter?" When Caroline received no answer, she followed Guilliame's gaze. She saw the Admiral, the Captain and a young woman standing in the backstage area. "Is she your sister?" Caroline asked. "Yes and I don't like her presence here," Guilliame said. The young woman noticed her brother and ran down the hallway. She reached him and started to cry. "He wants me to do this, Guilliame. I can't, you know I'm too shy. I can't, I can't, I can't…" she sobbed. Guilliame handed his sobbing sister to Caroline to comfort and went to speak with his step-family.
The Admiral saw his stepson approach and smile. "How dare you put Elisabeth in a position you know she is uncomfortable in," Guilliame said. The Admiral kept smiling. Monsieur Myrcel came out of his office holding a contract. "Alright, Admiral Dupont, I just need your daughter sign here," Myrcel said, holding out the contract. The Admiral pushed the paper back towards Myrcel, saying, "No need for that anymore." The confused look on M. Myrcel's face reflected Guilliame's. The Admiral's smile deepened as is on knocked out Guilliame. Caroline gave a shout of surprise before catching the unconscious Elisabeth. The Admiral bowed to Caroline before the two Duponts dragged Guilliame out of the room.
Caroline dragged Elisabeth into the nearest room, Adellina's. The Italian helped the French girl left the other one to the couch. Once Elisabeth was securely on the couch, Caroline pelted out of the room and launched herself down the hall. Myrcel grabbed her and told her to stay. "I can't," Caroline cried. "I need to help him!" Myrcel shook his head and said, "I just sent Pierre to get a nearby police officer. The two should be returning shortly." Caroline wrenched her arm from Myrcel's grip. "Shortly? Enough time for the Admiral and Captain Controlling Jerk to kill him!" Caroline cried. Carly, who had been listening from behind a curtain, burst onto the hysterical scene. She grabbed Caroline's arm and led her friend in the direction of the Duponts.
Along the way down, the two friends nearly tripped over a piece of rope. In her state, Caroline grabbed the rope, hoping it could be used as evidence. Carly saw it as a possible weapon for them. The two continued running down the hall. Eventually they came to two doors. One led to the back alley that separated Le Cirque Boheme and the shop next door. The other led to the cellar where Myrcel kept the wines and other liquors. Caroline rushed after her, always a few steps behind. The two ran down the dimly lit hallway. Carly finally caught up to Caroline when the closed door prevented her from entering the cellar. The two shared a look and ran to where Myrcel was known to keep the spare key. Carly got it and unlocked the door. The two women barged in.
Captain Dupont met them at the door. "Look at what we have here! Two whores to satisfy us. Sorry, Guilliame, there are only two. Looks like you can't have your usual," he sneered. He reached out and grabbed Carly, throwing her at his father. The Admiral grabbed the young woman and dragged her into a spare room. The Captain lunged for Caroline, who grasped the piece of rope she and Carly found. When she looked at the rope, she remembered the Punjab lasso Guilliame had used on her. She fended the Captain off with the rope, finally knocking him unconscious. She bolted for the spare room where she could hear Carly fighting off the Admiral. Caroline opened the door and threw the rope to her friend. Carly began to fight off the older man as Caroline ran out to where Guilliame was bound to a chair. She removed his gag and then undid his binds.
Guilliame embraced her as Carly ran out of the room, Punjab lasso in hand. "Is the Admiral unconscious?" Caoline asked. "Thankfully, yes," Carly said. "But let's get out of here before Junior wakes up." Caroline agreed and the three began to leave. However, Carly hadn't efficiently brought down the Admiral, who regained conscious and headed off his stepson. "You aren't going anywhere," he hissed. Carly shrank behind Caroline, whom Guilliame was trying to protect. "Why? I am no use to you," Guilliame asked. "Oh, you are of use to me. Especially once you are dead!" the Admiral said, with a crazy glint in his eye.
Guilliame's eyebrow went up in confusion, but he showed no fear. "Why would you need me dead?" he asked. "To collect your inheritance," the Admiral said. "Jean-Philippe and I are penniless. He was discharged without pay and my pension is up. The only way for us to become filthy rich is for you to die!" Guilliame reminded his stepfather that everyone already thought he was dead. "But your father's lawyer saw right through and has convinced everyone you are alive. So I can't claim your inheritance," the Admiral explained. "But I haven't seen anything of my inheritance since the deaths of both my parents," Guillaime argued. "Are you married?" Guilliame shook his head. "Then that's why. Your father's will said you would claim your inheritance when you married. And your mother had it added, upon my request, that if you died or if Jean-Philippe married before you, he would claim your inheritance. Since he has no marriage prospects since the whore back there (Caroline made a sudden movement, but Guilliame stopped her) ended their engagement, we need you dead, Guilliame," the Admiral explained, taking out a pistol.
"Just shoot me, but first let Caroline and Carly leave, please," Guilliame tried to plead with his crazed stepfather. "No," the Admiral said. "They will be our rewards when we kill you."
The Admiral readied the pistol. Guilliame tensed up before giving Carly and Caroline the signal to run. AS the hot rang through the wine cellar, the three dove for cover. Guilliame hid behind a wine rack with Caroline and Carly hid in the room the Admiral had dragged her into earlier. The Admiral kept firing, only managing to break wine bottles. Caroline and Guilliame prepared to fell to a wine rack that was away from the storm. Caroline ran as fast as she could to reach the safe haven before her. Her movements luckily didn't seem to draw the Admiral's attention to her. Guilliame began to prepare to join his lover when the Admiral turned. The bullets began firing in their direction. Knowing the pistol couldn't have that many bullets left, Guilliame remained where he was to await the moment when the Admiral would run out of bullets.
After what seemed like an eternity, a clicking sound came to Guilliame's ears. He knew the Admiral had ran out of ammunition. He quickly began to flee to Caroline's safe wine rack. Halfway there, two shots rang out. Guilliame collapsed on the ground. Not caring where the second shot came from, Caroline darted out to Guilliame's side. Caroline tried to find where the bullet had entered her lover. A hand placed on her shoulder caused her to look up. Elisa stood there, a hand on Caroline's shoulder, the other outstretched. Caroline took Elisa's hand and allowed the American to pull her up.
Caroline then learned where the second bullet shot came from. A French police inspector stood over the body of Admiral Jean-Philippe Dupont, a smoking gun in his hand. "Mort," he said and moved on. A doctor who had been in the audience that night and was hanging around Paris' nightclubs before returning home was talking to Carly, who had come out of the room when silence had reigned. Elisa kept her hand on Caroline as police began to swarmed the room. Monsieur Myrcel approached his dancers. "Elisa, get Caroline upstairs. Leave her with Mademoiselle Dupont and Venus," he ordered one of his Gemini. Elisa complied and began to lead Caroline upstairs. Dazed, Caroline followed mechanically, like her brain had shut down. Adellina took her friend into the room and friend to get Caroline to talk.
A few minutes later, Jean and an inspector approached the room. They needed Caroline's account where Carly's left off. Caroline told them, emotionless, what had occurred once the Admiral began firing. The inspector wrote down what Caroline said. Adellina inquired about the casualties in the cellar. "One dead, two wounded," was all the inspector said before leaving. Upon his departure, Caroline finally broke down and cried. Adellina and Elisabeth comforted her. Caroline eventually cried herself to sleep, passing out from exhaustion.
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A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! Not much to say this time around. So: HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY! ~*Mac*~