Jacqueline knocked softly on the lab door. Siroc's voice was barely audible. "Come in," he muttered.
She walked in and waved her hand through the thick, black smoke, coughing. "What is this?" she asked, straining to use her man voice.
"It creates a cloud of black smoke disabling your enemy and allowing you to escape. I haven't thought of a name, but you two might find it useful," he said, pouring the mixture into a flask and closing it. He then walked over to the shelf and picked up two cup-shaped fabric objects and showed them to her. "This should make you look more like a woman." He then put them in a bag with the flask.
She turned to him smiling, "Thanks Siroc."
Siroc waved her thanks away and became suddenly distracted by a blast as liquid fell onto some notes of his; they disappeared. Siroc stood memorized by the accidental discover and shook the notebook as he tried to figure out where the words had gone. Jacqueline turned, bag in hand, and left.
D'artagnan knocked softly on Jacqueline's door as he carefully looked around to see if any musketeers were around. "Jacqueline, it's me." She opened the door and pushed him inside, locking her door behind him.
"Be careful, someone might hear you," she warned. He shifted nervously.
"I brought something that will help you look the part of my wife," he smirked at her. Jacqueline eyed the bag suspiciously, as he opened it and held up a ring and a pearl necklace. "These belonged to my mother. When she died, they became mine," he explained as he handed them to her. Jacqueline looked speechless for a minute.
"No, I couldn't use those," her face had gone white. D'artagnan shook his head as he grabbed her hand and faced her.
"You won't loose them, and you must look like a gentleman's wife, milady." Jacqueline felt her face flush and she turned away.
"Alright, for the mission," she agreed. D'artagnan's attention turned toward the bag behind her and he grabbed it and flung the contents out. "Siroc invented a few things for us to use," Jacqueline explained. D'artagnan held up the two cup-shaped fabric objects and flushed as he realized what they were.
"I don't believe you really need these," he said. Jacqueline suppressed a smile. "Look at this." She held up the flask. "We open it, and it creates a cloud of smoke, allowing us to escape unnoticed," she explained. D'artagnan nodded and suddenly there was a knock.
"Hey, Jacque we are going to eat, you coming?" Jacqueline turned away to the door and using her man voice answered, "Yes, meet you there." Ramon's response was hurried, "Tell D'artagnan if you see him." They heard Ramon's retreating footsteps.
The four comrades sat waiting for their dinner to arrive. Ramon poured wine and brought his mug up to the air. "To the best musketeers." They echoed him and drank. "Ah, mi amigos, parting is such sweet sorrow that I should take a shirt to borrow."
D'artagnan groaned, "Must you do that when we only have a few hours?" Ramon looked hurt. "Senorita, more wine, before we dine?" The waitress giggled and brought another bottle, her bosom placed directly in Ramon's sight. D'artagnan looked at Ramon who was clearly starring at the girl and smirked.
"I take it you two will stay out of trouble while we are gone?" Siroc lifted an eyebrow and Ramon turned his attention back to them. "Ah, but it is you two who can not seem to stay out of trouble."
D'artagnan frowned, "I seem to remember a certain evil girl who put us all under a spell…" Ramon glared at him. "Jacque, I feel sorry for you. To have to be with him all that time." The food arrived and they began to eat. No one spoke and as they were hungry, they were done in no time. D'artagnan and Jacqueline rushed back to finish packing and Siroc and Ramon left to go to the lab.
Ramon and Siroc stood alone in Siroc's lab. "What do you think?" Siroc turned from his pipe and looked at Ramon.
"Yes, I've always thought that," Siroc responded. "Do you think D'artagnan knows?" Siroc moved his hand to his head and thought a minute.
"Yes, he knows, but as she hasn't trusted us, we must pretend." Ramon nodded his approval to this. "Yes, Jacqueline has enough to worry about." He looked down at the wanted poster, balled it up, and threw it on the floor. "It is almost time. Should we not see them off?" Siroc sighed and abandoned his project, "Yes, of course."
D'artagnan stood looking at his horse, Jacqueline frowning at him. "Must we?" she asked. Siroc and Ramon could be heard approaching, so she changed over to her man voice. "I do not like it, I want my own horse."
Ramon laughed, "D'artagnan will not push you off, mi amigo." She frowned but got on and D'artagnan pulled himself on. "Goodbye," Siroc said simply.
"And good luck mi amigos," Ramon added. "Try not to kill each other," Ramon added, winking at them. "Goodbye," they answered in unison and galloped off to the palace.