A Defensive Situation
Part 8
Nadir was starting to regret taking on this mission. As he waited outside the Opera Populaire for Christine and Meg to change into some more suitable clothes (let's fact it, corsets just aren't practical) he began to wonder exactly WHY it was that he was here.
Before he could think of an answer to this question, Meg moved out of the doorway, humming the Mission Impossible theme to herself. She was dressed completely in black with a ski hat in her hands. Nadir blinked.
"I didn't realise we would be needing ninjas."
"Come on, you think I want to be stuck as a ballerina for the rest of my life? I've been working on other things too, keeping my options open. I'm a member of the Indian Jones club, the Mission Impossible club AND the James Bond club." Meg said, waving her membership cards at him.
Nadir was definitely regretting this. Especially when Christine came rushing out, cooing about how 'cute' the black ninja outfits were. He sighed.
"Can we go now?"
"Go where? We don't know where they are." Christine pointed out. Nadir hesitated.
"Well… I can go and see my sources again."
"Where did you get sources?" Meg asked curiously. Nadir looked at her flatly.
"Why is it that no one believes that I have a life outside of Erik? I do go out occasionally. I have a social life! I have friends who aren't living in a basement!"
Meg and Christine exchanged an ashamed glance.
"Sorry Nadir." Meg muttered. Christine mumbled an apology too and Nadir sighed.
"Never mind. Come on, let's get moving."
Nadir's source turned out to be an elderly woman in a knitting shop. Ignoring the giggles of Christine and Meg, he crossed to her and spoke quietly whilst the girls waited outside.
"OK, so let's assume that we get both guys back in one piece. What are you going to do then?" Meg asked. Christine blinked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, are you going to go with Raoul or Erik?"
"Meg, I'm married to Raoul. The whole 'til-death-do-us-part' deal."
"I know, but… come on; Erik is totally gaga about you."
Puzzled at both the situation and her friend's use of the phrase 'gaga' Christine shrugged.
"Let's just get them both back to begin with. That'll do for a start."
"Yeah but-"
"Meg, just stop. It's too much for my brain." Christine moaned, rubbing her head.
"Do you reckon the knitting lady can actually help?" Meg said, nodding towards the old lady. Apparently there were some communication problems as Erik was waving his arms around and shouting.
"If she can hear a word he's actually saying." Christine noted dryly.
A few minutes later, Nadir emerged looking triumphant.
"The headquarters of the E/C Shippers united. Got an address."
"Where is it?" Christine asked. He handed her a piece of paper and she stared at it. "Where is this?"
"It's here, in Paris. About two streets over." Nadir commented.
Meg considered the situation.
"Am I going to need the grappling hooks and ropes?"
"I don't know. Let's go and see them first. Then we can find out where the Friends-of-the-Fop are." Nadir replied.
"I hope we do. I haven't had a chance to use my new crossbow yet." Meg said cheerfully as they set off.
Meg insisted on driving them to the headquarters in her new Land Rover. She was extremely proud of this vehicle. When they climbed out Christine looked at Nadir sceptically.
"Are you sure about this place?"
"This is the address she gave me." He said weakly.
They were stood in front of a toyshop.
Meg tilted her head, her blonde hair swinging in its ponytail.
"Maybe it's a cunning disguise."
"Well, let's just ask." Christine suggested. Nadir stared at her.
"Why?"
"Why not?"
"I don't see why we should bother them. I mean-"
"Oh, for crying out loud, Nadir! Don't be such a baby." Christine said crossly opening the door to the toyshop, Meg beside her.
A cheerful teenager smiled at her.
"Hello, how can I help you?"
"I hope so. I'm looking for someone at this address." Meg said. "A Raoul de Chagny."
The pencil that the girl was holding snapped. Meg and Christine stepped back slightly as the girl narrowed her eyes.
"What do you want with him?"
"Uh… I just happened to hear that he was here." Meg said in a conspiratorial whisper. The girl looked around and then whispered,
"Are you a member?"
"A member? Oh, of the E/C Shippers United?"
"Shh! Secret headquarters!" The girl hissed. Meg grinned.
"No, I'm not. But I want to join."
"OK, fill in this application form." The girl said, tossing it to her.
Meg turned to Christine and Nadir.
"I'm going to check this out. You guys go and find Erik."
"Are you sure?" Christine asked. Meg nodded and grinned evilly.
"I just got Chinese throwing stars for my birthday. Been dying to try them out!"
"Be careful, OK?" Christine said, hugging her friend. Meg saluted her.
"I will be. Go and find out where Erik is."
Nadir and Christine drove through the streets of Paris to Nadir's next source.
"Where do you get sources?" Christine asked curiously. Nadir said,
"Friends of friends mostly. Occasionally people I meet at the pub. Social groups, that kind of thing."
"Oh. OK."
She sat in silence for a moment.
"Where did you meet the old lady?"
"Dorothy. I met her through Stacy, who is dating Roy, who works at the pub down the street." Nadir said.
"So who's our next source?" Christine asked.
"John."
"And you know him how?"
"He's Joseph Buqet's second cousin's wife's stepbrother."
"Oh." Christine said. She considered this for a moment and then said, "Can I talk to him too?"
"Why?"
"I'm curious about sources." She admitted. "I don't have any."
John was a red-faced man sat in a bar. Nadir slid into the seat beside him.
"John."
"Naddy."
"Please, John, I have asked you repeatedly not to call me that." Nadir said, irritably. John grinned and then caught sight of Christine who was looking curiously around the dingy bar.
"Who's the hotty?" He leered. Christine glared at him.
"She's married!"
"Congratulations!" John shouted, slapping Nadir on the back. Christine rolled her eyes.
"Oh for goodness' sake."
"I'm not married to her, John. I need some information."
"Anything for Naddy and his missus." John lurched, wobbling on his barstool. Nadir groaned but pressed on.
"We're looking for a society. It's quite urgent that we find them. The Friends-of-the-Fop Society."
John stared at him blearily and drained half a pint of beer in one gulp. Christine had to admit, she was rather impressed. She had never seen someone drink that much before. Raoul didn't like alcohol and Erik only drank brandy at Christmas. Presumably whilst wearing the jumper from his mother.
"Do you know anything about them?" She asked John. He belched impressively.
"Yeah. They've got a headquarters in the bakery three streets over."
"A bakery?" Nadir asked sceptically. Christine looked at him pointedly.
"The last lot were in a toyshop. Why do you find that odd?"
John was watching her a little closely Christine was beginning to regret wearing the ninja outfit. Cute, it might be, but it was also tight fitting. Luckily Meg had equipped her with a crossbow, grappling hook, rope, pepper spray, knives, missiles and lip-gloss. When asked about the last one, Meg had simply told her to watch Charlie's Angels. Apparently it was good to look cool whilst fighting evil.
Christine felt a bit like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. If Buffy had dressed like a ninja and dealt with drunkards. Nadir nodded.
"Thanks John."
"Welcome. Have a drink before you go." He offered. Nadir was about to say no when Christine interrupted.
"We'd love to."
"We would?" Nadir asked her. She nodded and smiled brightly.
"I want to ask him about being a source!"
Two hours later, they finally emerged from the bar. Nadir held Christine up. Apparently the singer had a very low tolerance for alcohol and was now ranting about how much she wanted to be a source.
He was definitely regretting taking on this mission.
