A/N: Thank you to everyone who reads and reviews! Like I have been saying, chapters may be irregularly posted up in the very near future…And my apologies for the late update!
A/N: I use some argot (slang) in this chapter. All of the argot I use, however, can be found in the Brick.
Disclaimer: I do not own Les Miserables in any way, shape, or form; I also do not own the characters from said novel mentioned below. I own only my idea, the arrangement of the words upon this page, and several editions of the Brick.
When, after some time spent walking, they arrived at the rue de la Barrière-des-Gobelins, night was just starting to fall. Inspector Javert motioned for the reinforcements to conceal themselves behind various trees on the road. This was a measure to ensure that they could easily spy upon the Gorbeau tenement without being spotted by the look-outs or any of the others involved. The inspector himself and Gavroche moved to hide behind a particularly large tree directly across from the worn-down tenement.
Gavroche opened his mouth to speak to Javert, but the man instantly covered it with his palm. He shook his head, forbidding any verbal communication. Then, he pointed across the street, to where Gavroche could discern the silhouette of one, very thin, girl. He nodded up at Javert, confirming that this girl was in fact one of the Thénardier children, and therefore, one of the two expected look-outs.
Javert motioned to two of his men, who stiffened to attention, awaiting further orders. Then, he nodded to Gavroche, who moved from the shadows to go speak with the girl.
He walked quickly to her, making sure to look at ease and calm. "Hey, 'Zelma!" he exclaimed, upon recognizing her to be the youngest Thénardier girl. She turned, on edge and anxious.
"Oh, that's you, 'vroche!" Azelma murmured, turning to face him. She clutched her hurt hand to her chest, a miserable look on her face.
This did not go unnoticed by Gavroche, with his keen, sharp eyes. "My, bu'…what's 'appened to ya?" he asked. "Ya 'urt?"
"It's nothing, nothing at all," she said, voice still soft and meek.
"Looks like more 'an a nothin'!" he said. "Anythin' I can do for ya, 'bout that?" he offered, looking intently at her. From behind, he could just barely hear some shifting of footsteps amongst the trees, and he remembered his mission.
"Hey, 'Zelma, where's 'Ponine?" he asked. "Aren't ya always 'gether?"
"Oh, she's doing something for the neighbor," Azelma replied. "She was supposed to be here with me and all, but I guess…"
"What's she doin'?" Gavroche asked, puzzlement written clear across his features. A neighbor? Well, then, that could only mean their informant…Marius Pontmercy. But what would Éponine have to do with such a young man?
"Oh, she didn't tell me much," Azelma said, crossing her thin arms across her chest, giving a small shiver in response to the cold. "Just…well, she said that he had asked her to do something. Something about finding a name."
"A name?" Gavroche asked. "Seems kinda strange…"
"That's what I told her," the girl replied, giving a little sniff. "But of course, she wouldn't listen to me."
"Strange," Gavroche remarked.
"Yeah, I know. And she's supposed to be helping me, and father!"
"'Elping? 'ow?" Gavroche asked, darting a glance behind himself, searching for the Inspector and his reinforcements. All he could see were a few shadows amongst the trees, but he figured that the officers were well-practiced at this kind of deception.
"I'm not supposed to tell anyone," Azelma said. "I don't think I could tell you. Father might get angry with me…" She nervously held her injured hand against her chest, looking around. "And that wouldn't be too good. Probably for either of us, if he manages to hunt you down."
While Azelma had been talking, Gavroche had been fulfilling his part of the promise to Inspector Javert. He quickly gave a thumbs-up signal behind his back at the two waiting officers, signaling that their involvement was necessary.
The two officers, Leduc and Caron, instantly moved to sneak up behind Azelma, their movements very quiet and quite undetectable. Each one of them grabbed one of her arms, restraining her movements.
"How about telling us what your sister, Éponine, is doing?" Caron asked. She shook her head furiously, trying to get out of the officers' vice-like grips. "We would very much like to know!"
"It will make it easier on you, too," Leduc added, holding tightly to her left arm. "Much easier."
"Not telling you cognes anything!" Azelma nearly shouted. Caron threw his free hand over her mouth, preventing any more shouts from leaking out and warning the Thénardiers and Patron-Minette in the Gorbeau tenement.
"You will be telling us everything," a voice snarled from the shadows. Gavroche whipped around to look behind himself, searching amongst the trees. He knew that voice. By this point, he would recognize it from anywhere.
Inspector Javert stepped out from behind a tree, a grin upon his face. He nodded to Gavroche, then looked to the two officers restraining Azelma Thénardier.
"Take her away," he ordered Caron and Leduc. "We'll be fine from here." The two officers began to move away, Azelma still shooting them dark looks. However, before they could walk too far down the road, Javert stopped them.
"Wait, I have a question for the girl," he said, stepping nearer to the three. "Where is your sister? And I don't want any lies from you; I request naught but the truth."
"I don't know!" Azelma murmured, once Caron had removed his hand from her mouth. "She said she was looking for something, but…"
"Yes, yes, I heard. But you also said that she was supposed to be helping you. Where was she to be if she was helping you?" Javert asked, his voice low and menacing.
"Well, father told us that one of us was supposed to be here, at the barrière. The other was supposed to go to the rue du Petit-Banquier." Azelma paused, taking a deep breath. "I'm here, so I guess she's there, at the Petit-Banquier. But she didn't tell me anything. Just that she was looking for something."
"Fine, then," Javert muttered, half to himself and half to her. "Caron, Leduc, after you take her to the station, go down to the rue du Petit-Banquier and see if Éponine Thénardier is at her place. Or the other way, whichever is faster. Get back here as soon as you can."
The two officers nodded to him, then starting on their way again, towing Azelma in between them.
"Did I do it right?" Gavroche asked, looking up to Inspector Javert.
Javert nodded, just a small gesture. "Come on, then. The show's about to start."
They returned to their spot behind the tree, waiting for the signal, the one gunshot in the air, to be delivered by Marius Pontmercy.