"Have you been doing what I told you?" Donovan swayed closer to Remy, who took a slight step away. In the cramped space that Donovan used for his office, there wasn't room to take anything bigger than a slight step. Remy could smell strong alcohol on the man's breath. "Has he told you his plans?"

"He hasn't told me anything."

"Killian must have told you his big plan. You're his favorite, you know that, don't you? Reckons you climb better than everyone else."

"Well, maybe he likes my climbing, but he hasn't told me anything. I turn up, he tells me what to do, that's it."

"You're hiding something."

"No, I'm not," protested Remy.

"I'll kill you. I've been meaning to kill you for weeks. Now, tell me, or say your prayers!"

Remy just glared back at him, knowing that when Donovan had been drinking as much as this, no answer was going to be the right one. "I already told you, he hasn't told me anything."

Donovan grabbed Remy's shoulders and slammed him up against the wall.

"You're lieing, boy."

He struck Remy hard across the face, drawing blood from his lip. A loud yell from outside made Donovan turn round. He let go of Remy and wobbled over to the window. "Killian! Well, if he wants your help, you're going to do exactly what he says, and you will find out what his big plan is. Do you understand me?"

Remy nodded, wiping the blood from his lip on his sleeve, and following Donovan into the yard.

"Donovan! There you are." Killian strode forwards to greet him, with a huge smile on his face. Killian was a huge man, and a huge smile on his face somehow suited him, but it rarely reached his eyes, which Remy always found unnerving. They shook hands energetically, and Killian handed Donovan a bottle. It was probably cheap, weak alcohol, but then, the way Donovan drank, it wouldn't last long enough for him to notice.

Donovan smiled at the bottle, and then at Killian. "You have my money? The boy did the job?"

Killian laughed. "Yes, I have your money, and some things I need to ... dispose of. And yes, the boy did his job, although it took him too long and he made more noise than I was happy with. I still prefer Remy. He's much quicker than the others."

Donovan nodded. "Yes, yes, but the others must learn, yes?"

"Yes, they must, but not on my time. You train them, I'll employ them." He looked over to where Remy was stood, half hidden in the shadows of the building, cautiously watching the two boys Killian had brought along.

"Come inside and we can discuss business and drink to success." Donovan waved the bottle in the air and the two men headed inside.

The two boys looked over to Remy and had a whispered discussion. Remy didn't like the way they kept looking at him, and had an urge to just leave, but Donovan would be mad at him. Well, madder than he already was. The taller of the two boys swaggered over, running his hands through his greasy black hair, presumably in an attempt to make himself look presentable. The attempt failed. His nose made a few too many detours on his face for him to manage presentable.

"So, you think you're good do you?"

Remy looked at him blankly. "What?"

"You. You think you're good, just because Killian mentions you all special like. We could do the job you know. I'm great at opening doors and windows, and Louis over there climbs like you wouldn't believe. We're going to be the ones he uses in future, not rented help from Donovan. He's just a drunk anyway. Got a big mouth Killian reckons. Can't tell him anything or the whole city would know what Killian was doing."

Remy scratched his head. "Really? You want the job? All yours. Seriously. I don't like the work anyway. Prefer horses."

Louis wandered over. "What did he just say, Antoine?"

Antoine scratched his head. "Dunno. I think he said he prefers to work for Donovan than Killian."

Louis frowned. "Why? Donovan drinks too much and is way too happy with his fists. And the pay is lousy. Killian pays better."

Remy had to admit, that was all true. However, working for Donovan rarely involved risking a fall from a high roof, or being arrested as a thief and thrown in jail. And Remy knew Killian could be just as free with a sideswipe to the head as Donovan, except, since he was generally sober, his aim was a lot better, and since he was bigger, it tended to hurt more.

Remy shrugged. "I'll put in a good word for you."

The smaller boy chuckled, while Antoine's eyes grew dark with anger. It was a look Remy had seen many times and recognised well. He shifted his weight a little, ready to hit low, hit hard and run like hell. It wasn't foolproof, but it worked more times than it failed. Antoine's fists balled tightly and he launched himself towards Remy, fists flailing trying to punch the smaller boy in the head. Remy ducked easily under the attempted punches, catching Antoine with a straight right to the midriff. Antoine coughed, gasped and doubled up with pain, crumpling to the ground. Louis stared at his friend, wondering how that had happened. Remy ran for the nearest stall, grabbed his pack, and left the stables as fast as his legs would carry him.

Donovan and Killian emerged from the office just as Louis was helping Antoine back to his feet.

"Wha th'ell?" Donovan's words were starting to slur a little.

Killian glared at the two boys. "Where's Remy?"

Louis turned a little pale. "He … he ran away."

"He did what?" roared Killian, his face turning red. He looked from Louis to Antoine. "You knew I wanted him for a job. Which of you started this?"

Louis stared at his feet unhappily. Antoine looked the man squarely in the eye. "He was no good. We don't need him, Come on, Killian, you know we don't. We can …" His words trailed off as he flew sideways under the force of the blow, hitting the floor in a crumpled heap. He cried out in pain and clutched his eye.

Killian dropped to one knee beside him, grabbing him by the throat. "Like picking on boys that are smaller then you, do you? Think that makes you tough, do you?"

Donovan shook his head. "No need for that, Killian."

Killian stared up at him, with a face completely devoid of emotion. "Don't tell me what there is and is not a need for. Not when you can't keep those boys of yours under control."

Donovan glared back at him, rapidly sobering up. "Like you keep yours under control?"

Killian snorted, but released Antoine, who scrambled to his feet, gasping for breath and cupping his eye, which was already starting to swell and close. Killian stood up, looked at Antoine, and then at Louis. "Well, you two have been pestering me for your chance, and since you've managed to lose Remy, tonight it's your turn." He looked at both boys in turn, before jabbing Louis in the chest. "And since his eye is shut, you're doing the climbing." He poked Antoine in the chest. "And you better hope he does a damn good job, or I'm holding you to blame.

Louis was torn between shrinking backwards from the man in fear, and pushing his chest out in pride. Antoine groaned quietly.

The Musketeers looked down at the young body spread out on the ground in front of them, with its limbs at completely unnatural angles, and a pool of blood congealing around the head, staining the light dusting of freshly fallen snow. Aramis crossed himself, Porthos growled under his breath.

"About Remy's height and build," mused Aramis.

"Same blond hair as well," added Porthos, seeking out Athos's eyes for confirmation or denial of what they were all thinking.

Athos knelt down beside the body and gently turned the head, so he could take a look at the face. Or at the little that was recognisable anyway. He stood up, shaking his head. "Not Remy."

Porthos breathed a little easier. "Well, that's good."

"They said two bodies." Aramis was still looking unsettled.

Athos nodded grimly. "The other is further on."

They walked down the alleyway in silence. This time, the body was of a bigger boy, with black hair, a swollen black eye, and a nose that took a devious route down his face. His head was at a peculiar angle to his body, and there were livid red marks around his throat.

"A fight gone wrong?" asked Porthos.

Athos shook his head. "The smaller boy strangles the larger boy, then climbs up on the roof and throws himself off in remorse? I don't think that's particularly likely."

"Someone killed both boys?"

Again, Athos shook his head. "While I might believe that someone could kill two boys in such a close vicinity, I'm not sure I believe that they'd strangle one and go to all the effort of throwing the other from the roof."

"Perhaps … perhaps they threw the first boy from the roof and the second saw, and they strangled him to keep him silent?"

Athos inclined his head to one side. "Perhaps. But I still believe there are easier ways to kill a boy than to throw him off a roof."

"It snowed last night," Aramis was staring up at the roof above them. "And that roof looks a little on the steep side. Perhaps the smaller boy merely slipped from the roof?"

"Perhaps," agreed Athos. "Though I'd like to know what he was doing up on the roof. Maybe we should see if there's a way up there."

"I'm not clambering around on a slippery roof," grumbled Porthos.

Athos smiled wryly at that thought.

"And the bigger boy?" asked Aramis.

Athos sighed. "Strangled. From the imprints, I'd say by someone a lot bigger and stronger. We may never know what happened. I think we're leaving this one for the Reds to sort out. There were no thefts from this area last night, or anywhere else that I'm aware of, so this is probably none of our concern."

Aramis frowned at him. "So why did we come to check then?"

Athos shrugged lightly, but Aramis caught the glance he shot towards the contorted smaller body.

Remy crept towards the bridge and whistled quietly. A small figure appeared out of the darkness and came towards him, cautiously.

"Remy?"

"Yes, Jamie. You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm just cold."

Remy hugged the smaller boy to him. "Come on, let's get under cover. I think it's going to snow again soon."

The boys settled into the damp darkness under the bridge as the snow started. Large snowflakes, that drifted and settled all around, even encroaching under the bridge. Remy pulled the threadbare blanket out of his pack and wrapped it around them both, handing Jamie a chunk of bread.

"Here, eat this."

Jamie took a bite, then turned his dark brown eyes to Remy. "Did you eat?"

Remy smiled at him. "Yes, Jamie. I ate mine on the way back. That's yours."

Jamie nodded, and hungrily devoured the bread, before snuggling into Remy for warmth. Remy wrapped an arm around him protectively, wedging his pack between his head and the cold stonework of the bridge.

Jamie yawned. "Not working tonight?"

Remy shook his head. "No, no more nights. I know it paid well, but the risks were too high, especially in this weather. Besides, who's going to look after you?" He playfully tickled the smaller boy, who giggled before snuggling in closer. Remy adjusted the knife in his right hand and closed his eyes. "We'll be ok, Jamie. I'll find work somewhere other than Donovan's."