Chapter One

Petit Poisson

-oOo-

The weather in Paris was foul and uninviting, clouds swelled across the sky drawing the eye to the tip of the Louve, it's beautiful pyramid illuminated in the lamps outlining the streets.

Chloe Blanc tightened her jacket across her chest, trying vainly to shield herself from the harsh, biting wind that swept through the narrow streets of the city.

She couldn't believe Jerome had convinced her to walk to DCPJ headquarters this late in the evening. She could have been there sooner, but her old reliable citron had finally let her down and was in her local garage for repairs.

Chloe flipped her dark hair out of her eyes before sprinting up the buildings steep staircase and through the revolving glass doors of the DCPJ office block.

She waved carelessly at the attending night watchman and hurried to the lift that occupied only one other person, a tall male with dark eyes and a bright smile. Chloe didn't return his friendly gesture, only turned her eyes away and pushed a button for the fourth floor.

As she stood in the uncomfortable silence of the metal box, she recalled the urgency in which her godfather, Lieutenant Jerome Collet had called her back into work. Normally she worked on the fifth floor, the Criminal Psychology department, Chloe's own expertise. She had only been back to work for six months, having been forced to take a months leave for 'personal reasons'. She had hoped to slip back into her regular life and had already heated her frozen dinner and poured a glass of wine before the phone rang.

God, she sighed, I wish I hadn't answered that call.

Silently she stared at her reflection in the cool metal doors of the lift. Her hair was slightly ruffled and wind blown, she vainly tried to flatten it down on her head and pulled it straight till it reached just below her breast. Her eyes were dark and shadowed from too many sleepless nights and her skin was unusually pale and tight, especially around her cheekbones. She had lost a fair bit of weight in the last few months, despite the fact she ate three times a day and did little exercise.

Finally the lift stopped on the fourth floor, Chloe strode out into the corridor to the usual sounds of office equipment; phones, fax machines and photocopiers, all whirling and moaning, reminding her that she should be at home.

Her high-heeled shoes clicked against the hard tiled floor until she stopped dead outside the office of her godfather. She rapped her knuckles against the wooden door three times and heard the familiar voice beckoning her in.

As she opened the door, she expected only to see Jerome, but sitting opposite the Lieutenant was Capitain Fache. A man she had met several times before at the small parties her godfather held every now and again. She had never met the Captain at work.

She noticed the way the two men seemed tense and stressed. The usual worry lines on Jerome's brow were evident and his hands were clutched tightly together on his desk. Fache was leaning back against the seat of his chair, his left leg on top of his right, a usually relaxed pose, but he was wringing his own hands and was tapping his polished shoes against the wooden leg of the desk.

"Bonsoir Jerome, Bonsoir Capitaine" she said politely, nodding her head to the two seated men.

"Please Chloe, take a seat," her godfather offered. Curiously, she eyed Fache but removed her coat and perched on the chair next to the Captain.

"You said it was urgent, Jerome?" she pushed, fully aware that she was coming across as a little rude, but she was tired and wanted to go home.

Fache coughed, "Oui, Officer Blanc. We do apologise for interrupting your busy schedule…" Chloe fought back a retort at the sarcastic comment, but let Fache continue, "…but we are currently investigating a case which we may require your assistance in" he added seriously.

Chole was shocked and she could tell from the way that Jerome was looking at her, that it was evident. It was highly unusual practise for someone like her, with a low a status in the DCPJ, to assist in a case with such men as Fache and Jerome. She had only ever been in the field twice in the last two years that she had been in the Psychology Department and that was for small cases that simply needed wrapping up. But if she were to assist the Captain himself, this was big.

"But why me? Surely there is someone better qualified, maybe Monet-"

"We feel it would be of greater assistance if you helped us with this one" Jerome cut in, nervously looking at the captain.

Chloe was not convinced, "I still don't understand. I'm not nearly ready to take on the responsibility-"

This time Fache interrupted her, "The Lieutenant has spent the last two hours trying to convince me to let you assist us with this case. But if you would like to let down the man who has by far more faith in your abilities then me, then please, leave the room. But if you want to get anywhere within the DCPJ, I suggest you stop convincing us you're not good enough for the task and take a look at the case you will helping us with" he raised an eyebrow at Chloe.

She wrung her hands nervously in her lap. She didn't like the way Fache starred her down, it was domineering, and it reminded her of something in her past she would rather forget.

"Fine" she finally said, lifting her chin up defiantly as if she was in charge, "What exactly is the case I will be helping you with, Capitaine?"

She almost scowled when she saw a triumphant smirk creep in the corner of Fache's mouth, but kept her mouth pursed as her godfather passed her a brown file.

Fache began to speak as she flipped open the document, "The man you see there is Sir Leigh Teabing. He was arrested a week ago in London for aiding known criminals, committing four second degree murders, one first degree murder and possessing an illegal firearm"

Chloe's eyes scanned the picture of the elderly man, hardly at all what you'd imagine a dangerous murderer to look like, but she knew more then most that appearances are deceptive. She turned the picture over.

"That is Professor Robert Langdon and one of our own Cryptologists, Sophie Neveu. Their involvement in this case is sketchy at best, but if you read the report you'll know all you need to on them" he added.

Chloe recognised both people in the picture. She had purchased Langdon's book only the other day, she still had yet to read it and was perched on her bedside table at present. Sophie Neveu she had seen once or twice in the building, but not to talk to, from what she had seen, she was a nice person.

Chloe looked up at the two men, "What is this about? I heard on the news about these two. It had something to do with four murders and Opus Dei" she asked as she recalled the news broadcast, she hadn't paid too much attention to it, but she knew that both Langdon and Neveu had been cleared of any charges.

Fache and Jerome looked at one another, "Do you know what Opus Dei is?" Fache asked.

Sophie shook her head, she knew well that Fache was connected to the cult, but she had no background knowledge. Fache leaned forward, preparing himself for a long speech.

"Opus Dei literally means 'Work of God', it's an organisation within the Catholic Church with the soul aim of spreading the word of the Gospel"

Chloe was confused, "But what has this got to do with the case?"

Fache sighed and in details described the whole story of how Teabing had organised the murders of four men with the aid of an assassin and a power group of people within Opus Dei to follow his mad idea that the Holy Grail was a real artifact hiding somewhere in the world.

Chlor found the whole story far-fetched and somewhat alarming. All this talk of Holy Grails and religious groups was hardly her area of expertise. What did Fache plan her to do?

"So you arrested Teabing? The case is closed?" She offered at the end of Fache's long-winded explanation. It didn't occur to her once that the story of the Grail was true, only that some old man, bent on years of obsessive studying had convinced himself that this Priory of Sion had concealed from the world a great secret. But then she had a theory as to why she was sitting here now, listening to this story.

They believed it was true! That's why they called her in instead of Monet, they wanted someone who they could trust and could keep the case quiet, who better then Jerome's goddaughter?

Chloe felt a prickle of anger and she got to her feet, "Capitaine Fache. I know when I am being used. I know you want me to convince Teabing to reveal the location of this Grail. But the whole thing is pure nonsense!" she barked. She was angry that she could be at home right now, watching her television programmes with a glass of wine instead of listening to tall tales and being treated like a fool, but Fache didn't something very unexpected. He slammed his palms on the chair arms and got to his feet.

"Miss Blanc! I assure you that everything you are being told in this office is complete fact! Whether or not the Grail is real, people were willing to kill for it! But Teabing is not the reason you are here, now please, sit down!" he snapped.

Without a word, Chloe sat back down onto her seat, feeling very much like a little girl who had just been told off. She watched looked back at the file in her hand while Fache regained himself and sat back into his own chair.

"Now" Fache began, his voice now level again "The reason you are here is for the very sensitive matter of the people inside Opus Dei called the Counil of Shadows, who joined forces with Teabing to murder four innocent people. You maybe well aware that I am Opus Dei, so regulation dictates that I can have nothing to do with this case. But you are right, we do need you not just because of your expertise, but because we can trust you not to make any of this public"

Jerome cleared his throat, Chloe had almost forgotten he was in the room, "I am sorry for dragging you into this business, mon petit poisson, but as Fache says, this is a sensitive area. Opus Dei are a powerful sect of Catholism. To appose them openly at this time would be suicide for the DCPJ" he explained kindly.

Chloe slowly nodded her head, "So what is it you want me to do?"

Fache smiled triumphantly which made Chloe want to slap him. She wasn't doing this for him; she was doing it for her godfather.

"We need to find out who in Opus Dei is involved in this secret society bent on killing anyone to do with this Priory of Sion," he explained.

"Any idea where I can start? Do you have a name?" Chloe asked.

Fache nodded, "There is a bishop" he said almost through gritted teeth, Chloe knew the anger was not aimed at her, but at the man he was speaking of, "Aringarosa. He has something to do with it, I am sure, although I have no proof"

"So you want me to convince him to talk?" Chloe asked.

Fache shook his head, "You will not need to. We have another in our custody, he was a monk sent to kill the members of the Priory"

Chloe's eyes almost popped out of her head, "A monk killed four people!" she exclaimed.

Jerome nodded sadly, "So you must be careful, Chloe. Although he calls himself a man of God, he is willing to kill in his Lords name. He is not safe to be with"

Fache waved his friends concern, "Unfortunately he is so far very uncooperative, but if you can get it into his head that he was betrayed by those that he killed for, I'm sure he will be very accommodating"

Chloe nodded, trying to take in all this information. It was hard and her fatigue was not assisting the matter. This was well over her head.

"And the monk? Who is he? It will help if I know a little about him before I interrogate him"

Fache pointed to the file in her lap, she flipped the next page and saw a very short report complete with a picture of a slight man with very pale skin and fair hair. It was clear to see that he was an albino from the clear pink eyes starring back at her from the page.

"His name is Silas" Fache said, "He's waiting next door"

-oOo-

A/N: What do think of the first chapter? Let me know.