They met in the cargo hold so Athos could brief them. "The diamonds will be in Buckingham's personal vault, located in the lowest, most secure level of the Tower, next to the crown jewels. The lock is state of the art. It requires a key that Buckingham carries on his person at all times. Corridor leading up to it is booby-trapped."

"Oh, I'm glad that's straight forward," Planchet interrupted as he set down a tray of food. "Tempt anyone with some food and cheese, if you…" he noticed the five of them staring at him. "You hadn't finished the briefing, actually. I'm so sorry. Please don't tell me off."

Athos then continued, "Then it gets worse, a lot worse. We have to cross three stone walls and a moat. And there's just a couple of hundred highly trained soldiers, with a predilection for not being robbed. Although, since Buckingham undoubtedly knows we're coming, thanks to Milady, that number is likely to be greater."

"And why can't we just tell Buckingham Milady is plotting against him?" D'artagnan asked.

"Because he wouldn't believe us," Evangeline pointed out.

Athos nodded, "Why should he? We're his sworn enemies. Besides, Milady would have made sure. We can't outshoot them, but we can outsmart them. She knows us. What we look like, how we think. There are five of us. So we use…"

Planchet interrupted again, "Well, there's six of us, actually, if you…" he trailed off as eyes were all on him once again. Athos then launched into a plan that didn't even involve D'artagnan or Evangeline.

"That's how it's done. And that's exactly what she'll expect. So we do… the unexpected. We go in broad daylight. One man, hiding in plain sight. With all the extra security, there'll be a lot of new faces, that's their weakness. And you, D'artagnan, you're the wild card. We are the decoys. Now we'll try and create a distraction, keep them occupied, keep them away from you as much as possible, but, ultimately, it's down to you. You wanted to be a Musketeer? You want to serve France? This is your chance." D'artagnan just smirked.

That night Evangeline wandered up to the deck of the ship and leaned against the rail, watching the sea drift by. She was restless and worried about the next day. D'artagnan would be in a lot of danger, more than any of them. As similar as the two of them were, being friends for so long, Evangeline was a little more cautious about any dangers.

"What are you doing up here?" she heard a familiar voice behind her and turned to see D'artagnan approaching her.

Evangeline shrugged, "Couldn't sleep. Guess I hadn't really considered how dangerous this mission is."

D'artagnan smiled gently, "We'll be all right. Besides weren't you the one who always wanted to be a hero and not a damsel in distress when we were young?"

"Yes, but it's a little different now."

"Come on, we both need some sleep." Evangeline nodded and followed him back below deck.

The next morning Aramis and Porthos staged a traffic jam in which they argued with fake English accents. Whilst that was going on Athos switched D'artagnan with one of the guards. However, D'artagnan was captured and taken to Buckingham.

Meanwhile, Planchet and Evangeline went to Milady's carriage near the Tower. While Planchet disguised himself, Evangeline removed all of the gun powder from the weapons in a hidden compartment. Evangeline then stole to the dock to meet up with Athos, Aramis, and Porthos. The three men were attempting to figure out how to get past the guards and commandeer Buckingham's ship without raising an alarm. Evangeline just rolled her eyes and walked straight up to the two guards near the ship.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Evangeline greeted with a fake English accent. "I'm so sorry to bother you, but do you suppose you could do me a small favor."

"But of course, m'lady," the first guard as he and other bowed to her.

"Oh, wonderful. I seem to have lost my grandmother's pendant. I was just walking along here when it disappeared."

"Well, let's take a look then." She led the two guards around for a few minutes.

"Oh, you don't suppose it fell into the Channel, do you?" Evangeline asked as she led them over to the water. The two guards got on their hands and knees and peered down into the water's depths. Evangeline stood by watching in amusement. Suddenly, a rope dropped down next to her. She grasped it and kicked the two guards into the channel. The men sputtered and watched with astonishment as Evangeline was lifted into the air by a rope dangling from the airship. "Thank you for your help, gentlemen," she laughed as Porthos pulled her aboard. The two of them, with Athos and Aramis, set sail for Buckingham's tower.

Meanwhile, D'artagnan had been taken to Buckingham. "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," Buckingham smirked. "So, how's the old Athos, eh? Still his surly, insufferable self, I'm sure. Sending a boy to do a man's job. I should feel insulted. Well, what were you after anyway, eh? Secrets, spies, it's all a game, really. Although the price of loss, as you'll come to discover is a little bit higher." Buckingham sat in the chair next to where D'artagnan was on his knees. D'artagnan stayed silent, not letting Buckingham see him nearly flinch at his price of loss possibly being Angel. "What? No last words? No insults? Pleas for mercy or…"

D'artagnan spoke, cutting him off, "What time is it?"

"About two o'clock, I'd say. Why? Are you in a hurry?"

D'artagnan pointed to the glass, "Look out the window." Buckingham glanced out the window to see his airship with Athos and the others on it. "They weren't the decoys. I was."

Evangeline manned the three small cannons on the top deck. She, along with the others, fired into the room where Buckingham and D'artagnan were. A moment or so later D'artagnan jumped through the window and landed on the ship's railing. Evangeline gasped as he started to fall back but Athos caught him.

D'artagnan huffed, "Permission to come aboard?"

Athos smiled as D'artagnan hoped onto the deck, "Granted."

"Come here," Evangeline told D'artagnan as she pulled him over so she could free him from the shackles on his wrists. The ship flew away and began the trip back to France.

"So what about the diamonds?" D'artagnan asked once he was free. "Doesn't Buckingham still have them?"

"Nope," Athos answered as Porthos steered and Aramis scanned the horizon with his spyglass. "Milady likes hedging her bets. She'd never have taken the chance we'd actually succeed in breaking into the vault."

"So where are they now?"

"With the only person she trusts."

"Herself," Evangeline clarified.

"Which means we've lost her and all this has been for nothing."

Evangeline grinned mischievously, "I wouldn't say that."

Athos nodded, "You were the decoy, we were the extraction, but the real linchpin of the plan, well, that was someone else entirely. Someone even Milady would never suspect."

Evangeline led D'artagnan to the side of the ship to see Planchet laughing on a horseless carriage with Milady inside as it was lifted into the cargo hold. Evangeline and D'artagnan grinned at each other as Athos disappeared below deck. A few minutes later he came back carrying the Queen's diamonds. Athos placed them on the table as Milady entered.

"Boys," she greeted, "Been a while." She noticed D'artagnan and Evangeline standing there, "These must be the young Gascons."

"We've met before," D'artagnan said stiffly.

"Ah, yes. Small world. I didn't let Rochefort kill you. You do remember that, don't you?" D'artagnan glanced at Evangeline, who was glaring at Milady. Porthos cocked a gun and handed it to Athos who pointed at Milady.

"Did you kill Buckingham?" Milady asked perfectly calm with the gun in her face.

Athos remained stone-faced, "No."

Milady lost her smile, "But you will kill me?"

"Yes."

"You would spare him, but kill me?"

"Yes. I don't hate Buckingham."

Suddenly, Milady reached inside her dress causing Aramis and Porthos to pull guns on her as well. "Here, you may find use for this." She placed a small sealed scroll on the table before Athos gestured for her to go to the ship's rail.

"Move."

Milady stood at the edge of the ship as Athos held up the gun. Milady held out her hand and fell backwards overboard. Evangeline gasped and Aramis went over to him.