Chapter Seven

Breaking Through

-oOo-

Chloe awoke with that familiar weight resting on her shoulders. She rubbed her eyes and glanced outside the window where the rain was pounding hard on the glass.

Just like my mood, she thought, begrudgingly getting out of bed and heading for the bathroom.

She didn't know what made her agree to take the case again. Maybe it was Fache's pleading eyes, maybe it was the fact he would owe her a big one if she solved the case. Or maybe it was the fact that the monk asked especially for her.

She had thought about it for most of the night, tossing and turning in her bed, but she still could figure out why the monk would answer only to her. He had referred to her as 'woman' on more then one occasion, hinting to some form of misogynist ideals probably a repercussion of his celibate vow. He probably saw women as a threat to that promise, that's why he disliked them. It was almost a mirror image of Chloe's own hatred of the other sex because they were a threat to her. And maybe that was why she normally just referred to him as 'the monk' instead of using his real name. There were more similarities there then she cared to know.

But we're nothing alike, Chloe thought, as the water ran down her bare skin. But a nagging voice in the back of her mind told her otherwise. She tried to suppress it but her inner psychologist told her that maybe that was why Silas wanted to talk to her; maybe it was something in her eyes that told the monk she was as tortured as him.

Chloe removed the gauze from her arm and found the cuts were now healing. Decidedly she left the arm free to let the wounds breath, but still pulled on a long sleeved blouse over her pencil skirt. She was just slipping on her cream high heels when the phone rang. Rushing about she pinned the phone to her ear with her head and shoulder and threw things into her bag.

It was the garage informing her that her trusty citron was back in working order at a very high expense. Chloe hung up and grabbed her credit card before hailing a cab to the garage. It was comforting having her own car back, Chloe thought as she adjusted the seat forward and put her little knickknacks back in their place on her dashboard. She hated relying on taxis and hated the restrictions, there was also something very relaxing about driving and by the time she reached the office, she was relatively calm and ready to begin her day. She conducted her usual chores and then sat quietly at her desk, staring at the empty screen, trying to determine exactly what she was going to say to the monk after Fache called her to the Interrogation room.

Nerves flitted throughout her stomach, making her feel as if she were about to stand in front of a crowd to perform a speech; she knew she was being ridiculous. There was nothing to nervous about, except maybe facing a murdering monk who pinned her against a wall not two days ago. She ran her fingertips consciously over her neck. The bruises had healed quite quickly, but she could still fell his fingers around her throat, squeezing determinedly.

But then that bugging question; why did he let go?

Her phone began to ring, making her jump; angrily she seized it and lifted in to her ear.

"Chloe Blanc" she answered.

"Miss Blanc, it is Fache. I felt compelled to call rather then come get you myself. In case someone is watching," the voice replied.

Chloe automatically lifted her eyes and scanned the room. It was filled with the usual faces, milling about and busy working. She didn't see anyone who might be eavesdropping or looking suspicious.

"Oui. How can I help you?" she replied.

"Silas is waiting for you, come and collect the key on you way" he answered quite simply. Chloe nodded and took a deep breath.

"Ok, monsieur. I'll be there in a minute" she replied and hung up the phone. She starred at it for a second or two and then tucked her bag under her desk, gathered her research files and headed toward the fifth floor. Fache was sitting at his desk running through some paperwork. He wordlessly handed her the key, which Chloe took, but she refused to budge until she made sure of one thing.

"You will keep your word? About not listening in, Capitaine?" she asked.

Fache looked up at her as if he didn't understand what she had said, but then he spoke, "I always keep my word, Miss Blanc. Just be sure to keep yours and let me know of any progress," he added.

Chloe nodded and left, her shoes clicking on the tiled floor as she made her way to the fifth Interrogation room. She stood before the door for a second to collect herself and her thoughts. She didn't know what she was going to face when she stepped into that room. Indeed the last time she had laid eyes on him was when he had tried to strangle her. For a second she thought about taking back her words to Fache and make him watch the interview in case he attacked again. But she steeled herself and slid the key into the door and turned the handle. Gently she pushed the door open, made her expression dead and unmoved before walking to the room.

To assert herself, she starred directly at Silas, her own grey eyes starring into his red ones. She closed the door behind and made her way to the chair in front of the monk. Silas cocked his head and seemed to study her, making her feel naked and exposed, but she didn't let it show in her face. At least she hoped not.

Leaning back into the chair, she crossed her legs and clasped her hands onto the desk. A silence fell over the pair, Chloe realised she would have to start the conversation and where better to start then with the question that had been burning her brain all night.

"Why did you call for me?" she asked, allow a frown to crease her brow.

Silas continued to study her. His pale features looked as though they had been carved out of marble. He looked almost like an innocent child, experiencing something for the first time. But then she saw his eyes gaze to her throat. Chloe consciously lowered her eyes and rubbed the painless bruising.

"Are you in pain?" he asked, but with no concern in his voice, just plain cilvilty which riled Chloe.

She looked up at him and dropped her hand back to the table, "Why do you care?" she asked rather briskly. Surprisingly a small smirk appeared in the corner of the monks' mouth.

"Your eyes. They tell me" he replied, pointing to his own red ones.

Chloe frowned, what was all this cryptic bullshit? She thought.

"Well they obviously lie, because despite your brutal attack on me, I'm actually fine" she snapped. She watched as the monk lifted his head as if praying, but then he dropped it back down to eye-level.

"I was not talking about the other night. I'm talking about your soul" he said almost sadly.

Chloe sat awkwardly, feeling rather transparent. How the hell can he tell that by looking into my eyes? She asked herself. She glanced down at the table and decided a change of tack was in order.

"Listen, I came back here under the assumption you knew something that will help with my case. Do you? Or are you just wasting my time?" she asked forcefully.

He cocked his head again, a questionable, irritated expression on his pale face "I told you before. I don't know whom this Council is that you speak of. I was instructed by the Teacher to discover the whereabouts of the key-stone"

"And murder four people in the process" Chloe added for him. The monk turned his head away and sighed.

"Alas, they had lost the way" he breathed, shifting his shoulders, the handcuffs tinkling from behind his back.

"That's no justification. Murder is murder, I'm sure even your God doesn't forgive murderers" she replied.

Silas starred at her, some recognition in his eyes as if she had said something shocking. She frowned again, "What?" she demanded.

"That is what she said," he whispered.

Chloe leaned over the desk, "Who?" she asked, finally glad that they were going somewhere.

"The woman, the granddaughter" he replied, his eyes suddenly glancing inward, as if he were watching a memory flash before his eyes.

Chloe racked her brain for an answer to his riddle, when it occurred to her that he was talking about Sophie Neveu, Jacques Saunière's granddaughter. Chloe sighed quietly. She wasn't getting anywhere, it was beginning to seem that the monk didn't have anything to offer Chloe of any particular value to the case.

Slowly a plan began to form in her mind, she realised she would have to frighten the monk into giving some kind of evidence against his former employers. She had to convince him that he was in danger from the Council; despite the fact that they thought he was dead. But of course, Silas didn't know that.

"The Teacher you referred to before. Were you aware that it was an Englishman named Sir Leigh Teabing?" she asked.

Silas' brow dipped and his eyes burned angrily, "That name sickens me, he betrayed Opus Dei, he betrayed my patron and used me for his own purposes. He was not a true man of God, and I pray everyday that he burns in Hell" he glared. Chloe was fascinated with the anger and hatred coursing though the man's eyes. They darkened, almost to a blood red and his lips pursed into a thin pale line.

"Well you prayers have been answered. Teabing was murdered yesterday," she answered.

Silas dropped his head and muttered quietly to himself. Chloe realised he was praying. She let him continue before she spoke again.

"I think you're missing the point, Silas" she started once the monk's eyes lifted to face her own, "Teabing was murdered because he knew too much"

Silas frowned, "What do you mean to say?" he asked.

"Teabing was a prestigious, rich English Knight but they still killed him. Do you think the Council will have second thoughts about finishing off a lowly, murderous monk?"

Silas glared at Chloe, "Why do you question me about this Council? I know nothing about it. Bishop Aringarosa is the only man I answer to"

"You answered to Teabing" Chloe said, resting her clenched fists on the table.

Silas' voice deepened with a dangerous tone, "I would trust any man my patron deemed worthy, but that heathen tricked the Bishop to his peril"

"And to yours too if you don't take this threat seriously" Chloe said, "You're in danger, Opus Dei have their finger in every pie, they will find out where you are sooner or later, and if they do, even your beloved patron, won't be able to protect you" added Chloe, her tone rising to disbelief.

"Then it is God's will" Silas nodded. Chloe frowned and wanted to smack the monk across the face; instead she got to her feet, rolled her sleeves up and slammed her palm on the table.

"You're a fool if you think standing by and just accepting death is even an option! I don't even know why I'm risking my career to help you! You're nothing but a murderer, but for some reason my Capitaine seemed to think you could see sense and stop hundreds of other people being killed by this senseless Council!" she shouted down on the monk as her rage from days of frustration finally getting the better of her.

She had expected the monk to be spilling everything he knew about the Council as soon as she even hinted that he might be their next target. But despite her ramblings, she knew that Silas had nothing. He was only a loyal lap dog who did as his master said to guarantee a place in Heaven. And there was also a deep bond between the monk and his patron that Chloe could only speculate on.

She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Silas, surprising he wasn't looking at her face, he was looking down at the desk, obviously fascinated with something.

She looked down and to her horror realised he wasn't looking at desk, but her exposed right forearm that held the scars she had inflicted on herself. Desperatly she pulled the sleeves of her shirt down and crossed her arms defensively over her chest. Her heart raced and her blood ran cold. No one was supposed to see what he had just seen. No one.

Chloe watched the expression on the monks face as he looked upon her curiously.

"Please tell me Miss Blanc. What in your past calls for such a punishment? You don't chastise yourself for our Lord" he replied, a shadow of a smirk on his lips.

Angrily Chloe stormed around the desk and gathered a handful of the Monks jumpsuit, almost hauling him out of his seat. He looked startled, but as he starred back into her eyes, he almost seemed amused.

"Listen monk" she hissed, "It's in your best interest to forget what you just saw. It's not any of your damn business, remember that!" he snipped.

"Maybe we are not so different after all, Miss Blanc" he smirked.

Enraged, Chloe tugged on his collar, "I am nothing like you! You are a murderer! A criminal! Don't you dare compare us"

Silas seemed almost joyous at the rise he was getting out of Chloe, but he kept his mouth shut. Chloe dropped him back into his seat and rubbing her forehead with her hand she returned to stand behind her own.

Oh God, she thought, what the hell have I just done? She had just put herself in further danger. She was done for if Fache ever found out. She could only thank her lucky stars that she had made Fache promise to stay away.

"I assume you will still be accompanying me as I chastise myself this evening?" Silas asked.

Chloe's train of thought was interrupted as she looked at him with a vacant expression; she knew what he was trying to do. He was daring her to scold him about his repenting, but she refused to rise to it. Instead, she stood tall.

"Of course" she replied coldly. Then a thought occurred. She could not let Fache come and take Silas down to the cell, and who was to say the monk would not tell the Capitaine everything. She had no choice but to take him herself.

Grabbing the keys, she hauled Silas up off his seat, "Come on, I'm taking you back to your cell" she explained.

"You'd rather your Capitaine not do it?" Silas asked.

Chloe bit back a retort, "No. I am quite capable of doing it myself" she snipped as she hauled him back down to the cellblock, she was however, aware of how he limped heavily as she pushed him along the corridors, and could only assume, Fache had allowed him to wear his cilice. She pushed him rather aggressively into the cell and before the monk had time to say anything, she had turned her back on him and returned to her desk; silently cursing herself for her stupidity and hoping against hope Silas would keep his mouth shut.

-oOo-

The day couldn't have gone any slower for Chloe. She found herself constantly checking the clock, wishing the hands forward.

Fache had come to see her only once to collect the key to the Interrogation room and to ask why she hadn't summoned him to lock the prisoner up. Chloe had assured him that if he was indeed compromised, Fache couldn't be seen to have anything to do with the case. He knew only two well that Opus Dei had influences everywhere but the Capitaine insisted that he would rather risk it then possibly endanger Chloe's life again.

Finally the office had cleared and the sky outside was almost pitch black. Chloe returned to the cellblock and found Silas sitting beside the toilet, his knees up to chin level as he starred at the floor.

Chloe silently opened the cell door and kicked the box back into the room. Silas slowly lifted his head and glanced at Chloe, then at the box. Without a word, Chloe turned her back on both, her ears straining to hear the sounds of the box being opened.

She jumped when she heard the slap of the discipline against the monks back. It made the anger rise in her again, but also a deep sense of pity and sadness. It confused her, this great jumble of emotions. When finally the slapping and cries ceased, Chloe gingerly turned around and saw the monk on all fours, breathing heavily as the blood clotted on his back.

Slowly, she reached out and grabbed the first aid kit that had been replaced on the desk opposite her. She then unlocked and locked the cell door and gingerly stepped towards the pained monk on the ground.

"Silas, I will have to clean your wounds before I can leave" she said, but was responded only by the monks' heavy breathing. Silas had either heard her but not bothered to reply or the pain had temporally deafened him to everything else around him.

Chloe poured some antiseptic on a wad of cotton wool and carefully kneeled next to him. A part of her was worried that he would lash out again, but he looked so weak she doubted it, "This is going to sting a bit" she explained and slowly dabbed at the fresh wounds with the cotton wool. She heard Silas hiss with pain and his shoulder flinched, but he held still and allowed her to dab at the cuts in his flesh until the wounds were clean. She was almost mesmerised by the pale flesh that Silas had tortured so much. He was skinny, obviously having missed a few good meals, his ribs poked out of his flesh, but she could see that his skin was flawless, save for the savage tears.

Hurriedly she grabbed a square bandage and put it over the open wounds before carefully sealing it with medical tape. Once she was happy the wounds were protected, she got to her feet, her knees aching from being on the cold, hard floor for so long.

"I'm done. You can put your shirt back on," she said, breaking the silence. Silas had ceased breathing heavily and cocked his head up so he could see Chloe.

"Maybe you should tend to your own wounds," he said with a crocked smirk.

A fire blazed in Chloe's eyes, all sympathy faded away, "I told you never to mention that again!" she snapped.

Slowly and with some struggle, Silas got to his feet and painfully pulled the top half of his jumpsuit back over his torso, "I made no promise," he hissed.

Chloe angrily threw the bloody cotton wool on the floor, "Why, you ungrateful son-of-a-!" she bit, resisting the urge to kick him where his cilice was.

Silas glared down at her, "It would be unwise to attack a prisoner you wish to gain information from. It deters them for talking" he said.

"Talking isn't your problem" Chloe muttered, "Only you don't know anything, that much is clear now. I don't know why Fache doesn't just throw you in the Bastille and let you rot for your crimes" she added venomously.

The smirk was wiped from the monks face, he turned his back on her, "You may leave now, Miss Blanc," he said.

Chloe clenched her fists, "Gladly" she mumbled and threw in the box the discipline, first aid box and used cotton wool and locked the cell behind her. She couldn't help glancing back at the monk, but he was still facing away from her.

Bastard, she thought to herself, how can anyone be so insufferable?

In a fury she returned the keys and box to Capitaine Fache's office, luckily he wasn't there and she was in no mood to update him on what she had learnt, but she thought to herself that she didn't even know that either, so she grabbed her things and gratefully got into her car and made her way home.

It was a blessing to finally sink into the hot water; the soapy suds enclosed around her released faint flowery scents that sent Chloe spiralling into a doze. She forgot, for a whole ten minutes about that day, she forgot about the monk and what he now knew, she forgot about Fache and the rapist. It was pure bliss.

And then the phone rang.

"Merde!" Chloe hissed. She had half a mind to let it ring out, but she thought it might be Jerome checking up on her, and if she didn't answer to phone he would be round her apartment in a flash to make sure she was alright.

Reluctantly she hauled herself out of the bath, wrapped the robe around herself and grabbed the cordless phone from the coffee table.

"Bonsoir" she replied sleepily

"Miss Blanc. It's Capitaine Fache. We have a serious problem" the voice rushed.

Chloe sighed, Oh no.

-oOo-

fabala4077 - Well here is a lot more of everyone's favourite monk! I just wanted to get Chloe's character and story across before I got Silas back into the story, as well all know about him!

phoenix rising06 - Aww thanks (blushes)

Anchita - Hey new reviewer! Glad you're enjoying it.