Reunion
When Cosette reached the station-house, she already felt that something was strange. The inspector was standing in the entrance hall, with the man at the desk and she could tell, that he recognized her instantly. Despite the fact that they hadn´t spoken at all on the day of their arrival. Despite the fact that she´d believed to have completely slipped his attention, when her father had demanded men and horses, to search for Javert.
But he did recognize her. And Cosette did not like the smile he gave her.
"Madame." he touched the rim of his hat. "What a nice surprise."
"I´m here to see my husband." Cosette replied, cool and collected, hiding her irritation. "He came here to deliver news about the saboteurs. I believe he …"
"Oh, he´s here." inspector Taillon talked over her. "In fact … he´s our guest now."
Cosette frowned, against this rising fear. "What is the meaning of this?"
The inspector, yet again, smiled at her. Wider even.
"We arrested him." he said, brutally sweet, and Cosette´s fear started to scream in her head.
"What? What for?"
Taillon exchanged a glance with his desk sergeant, as if this was the most ridiculous question he´d ever heard.
"Mademoiselle." he addressed her mildly. "Are you aware of the fact that your husband was part of a revolt three years prior? In Paris?"
"He was cleared of all the charges." Cosette burst out, scandalized that this was brought up, even now after everything that had happened. Taillon only raised a brow, rather satisfied.
"So it is true." he found, and there was something impossibly confident in his eyes.
Cosette realized with dread that her try to defend Marius had just confirmed what Taillon had only guessed so far. Now he had proof. And this was her doing.
"As I just said." she composed herself, refusing to panic the way Taillon wanted her to. "He was cleared. After he helped to uncover a conspiracy, that caused this exact same revolt, only to gain profit. Those men were no students. They were politicians, bankers, even police men."
After this exposition Taillon regarded her in silence for almost a minute. It was as if he watched a rare specimen, believed to be extinct, before he´d shoot it and have it taxidermied.
"Your family seems to be involved in such matters quite a lot." he mentioned at last, and Cosette had trouble to keep her voice down.
"My husband is a lawyer. And one of us used to be an inspector. Of course we are involved in such matters. My father and he are working to fight crimes for two years now. Not because they need the money. But because it´s the right thing to do."
"We do the same thing, mademoiselle." Taillon stated, unimpressed. "In case you haven´t noticed."
"Then why are you holding my husband?"
"Because he´s a traitor to this country. He became one when he joined the battle in Paris. And as far as it concerns your father and his … friend. They work for a former criminal. In my eyes they´re just as trustworthy as the men we arrested on that train."
Cosette wanted to close her eyes, to calm this brewing anger inside her. But something just kept her gaze locked with that of the inspector. Just the fact that he compared her father – and all of them for that matter – with no good criminals, made her want to yell out. But she didn´t. Instead she took a step closer to him, unconsciously imitating what she´d seen Javert do sometimes when he tried to intimidate her father. Her tone though was that of Valjean, on those rare occasions when she´d been around to witness him being angry and determined to show it.
"If you´re looking for someone guilty to brighten up your record, monsieur, look for it somewhere else, not at my family. You wouldn´t want any of us as an enemy."
Taillon raised his brows, surprised, and he was almost laughing. "Are you trying to threaten me?" he asked and his threat was more obvious than hers.
Cosette didn´t answer. She only glowered up at him. "Release my husband." she demanded. "You have nothing on him. Or anyone of my family."
Taillon had no problem holding her glare. He was smirking but eventually he turned to his man behind the desk and ordered: "Release the guy."
He said it as if all of this had been some silly joke that could finally be dropped now that they all had had their good laugh, and it made Cosette fume all the more.
"Take it as a warning." he told her. "This is our precinct. We´re handling our business on our own."
Cosette couldn´t stop glaring, in hate. "Understood." she pressed out. A sound that seemed to satisfy this man even more.
"Cosette." Marius´ cry made her swirl around. The sight of him being led in in cuffs made the anger fly away and the fear return. This creeping fear that maybe one day, her father´s past might catch up with all of them after all.
"Take your husband." Taillon instructed as the cuffs got taken off. "Get him home and pamper him. And stay out of our business."
He gave Marius the briefest of glances, totally uneffected by the hateful glare he received by him just as well. The only reaction it seemed to cause for the inspector, was an amused smile.
"Have a nice day."
And with that they were released … as in thrown out.
...
Valjean´s eyes were in the distance. Far away, not even seeing the street before the house, not even the sky he gazed at. Had he payed attention, he might have seen the two figures arrive and enter the inn, but he didn´t. His worry was still too real for him, too heavy on his mind.
What if Pascal got hurt in his try to help Antoine? Back then, when he´d followed some criminals who´d taken a certain woman, he´d been caught too. What if these men were not as patient? What if they were ruthless and cold blooded killers? They attacked trains filled with people after all. What if they killed Pascal and Javert? Would they find their bodies in the ditch? His blood ran cold dreading this message. He didn´t want to hear this message. He wanted to hear that they were fine. That they´d return home safely.
But what if? What if this wouldn´t happen? He´d lived in this cruel world for too long to know that prayers were not always answered. This part of him was now demanding to get ready for the inevitable message. That Antoine was gone and would never return. That Pascal had died trying to save him, while he, Valjean, had been helpless and unable to do anything.
Oh, God, please.
The knock on the door made his heart beat into his throat, his head swim. Please. Let that be Cosette and Marius, returning from the station-house. Or simply the inn-keeper offering something or maybe … someone else. Just not a police officer, bringing them that message.
When he opened the door and looked at the familiar face of Antoine, it was like a shock. For a moment he wasn´t able to do anything but stare. But he wasn´t dreaming, he was awake, and it needed only a second for his mind to catch up with this fact. When it did a relieved smile spread on his face, just as their eyes met. No one else in this world could ever look so grim and grumpy. Only one.
Antoine grabbed him, and before Valjean had a chance to open his arms, he found himself pinned against a wall, fists under his throat and a very angry looking friend in his face.
"Valjean." he hissed. "I knew it. I told you I´d find you. This time you won´t get away."
And in his surprise, Valjean couldn´t do anything but laugh, heartily in his happiness to see his friend alive, to have him threaten him with punches for his stupidity yet again. Like he always did. How could he have expected anything else for their reunion? No sappy embrace, or maybe even tears of relief. Not him. Not Antoine. He´d show his relieve by punching the living crap out of him for being the reason this ever happened.
"I am sorry." he chuckled, taking Javert´s arms. "I am so … so sorry." he couldn´t stop the tears of joy from entering his own eyes. "But you know technically it wasn´t my fault this time." he gazed at the boy, standing with a startled Michelle. "It was him."
"Hey!" Pascal protested and even on his face Valjean could see the ghost of a smile.
Even this grumpy face of his friend could not diminish Valjean´s relief. It only increased it. God, he had him back.
"I don´t know what kind of game you´re playing, Valjean." Javert hissed. "But it ends now."
He pressed his arm against Valjean´s throat, at last startling him enough to wipe the smile off his face.
"Monsieur, what are you doing?" he heard Pascal cry out but the pressure would not decrease.
"Boy." Javert spoke. "Take your girlfriend and get out."
"What?"
"I´m not his girlfriend!"
"I said out!" Javert roared and the kids flinched, in honest shock, for the first time since they knew him. They glanced at Valjean, for help, and despite his own unfortunate position, he managed to nod at them, reassuringly. It´s all right, kids, his gaze said. Trust me, I´ll handle this. And knowing them both for long enough, they reluctantly obeyed and left the room, firmly closing the door behind them.
"All right." Valjean addressed Javert, serious this time. Because even for him it was obvious that the fun was over. "Would you at least explain to me what all this means?" he had trouble breathing. "If that´s supposed to be a joke it´s not funny."
"Do I look as if I´m joking, Valjean?"
"Then what´s the matter, Antoine?"
The reaction he saw in his friend´s eyes, was pure shock. The arm on his throat pressed stronger yet again, almost cutting off his air. "How do you know that name?" Javert demanded to know and for a moment Valjean was lost.
"How do I know this name?" he repeated. "Antoine, did you lose your mind?" But in this moment, as if his own question was determined to answer itself, his gaze got drawn to the bandages around Javert´s head. And he finally understood.
"Oh God."
"Doesn´t matter where you heard the name." Javert at last decided. "Maybe you saw it in my file in Montreuil. It won´t make a difference. Cause you won´t fool me. Your little friend slipped and so did you. You pushed me out of a train and that … is attempted murder on a police inspector. This will not only earn you the bagne but the rope as well."
"Antoine."
"It´s inspector Javert for you, 24601. And you´re under arrest."
"Antoine."
But Antoine didn´t listen. He simple dragged him towards the door like he would have done it with a real criminal.
"You´re coming with me."
"Antoine!" Valjean finally pushed him back, to stop him, and Javert instantly fought.
Valjean had never dreamed in his worst nightmares that there would be a day anymore, when he´d fight this man for real. And that was the only reason why he lost, and ended up on the wall again, pushed with even more force than before.
"You are not with the police anymore." he cried. "And we are friends. For over two years. We work together. We live together. We are a family, Antoine. Please. You´ve got to remember."
"I remember your capacity to fake and lie. But I must say your fantasy has reached a state of insanity. If you try to fool me with lies, at least come up with something more realistic."
"Antoine, you´ve got to believe me. We were working a case, against saboteurs on the new railway. We found them and they fought. You fell out, because you protected Pascal. Try to remember. Marius and I went looking for you. But the night came and we had to ride back. I was worried sick about you."
"Save your breath, Valjean. Your lies won´t sway me. You only make yourself ridiculous." He began laughing. "What makes you think I would believe such a tale?"
"Because it´s true." Valjean insisted, frustrated and angry. "It is nothing but the truth. Please, don´t do this. Give me a chance to help you remember."
"I won´t give you anything, Valjean. You´ll come with me, to the police station. And then you´ll go back to prison where you belong."
"You gave up your uniform, because you did not want to arrest me anymore. Remember. I saved your life. At the barricades. You wanted to kill yourself …"
"I said it´s enough!" he hauled him away from the wall, just as a shout from outside made them halt. Michelle! And then the door got busted.
Valjean had only a moment to gape at the men who suddenly stood in the room, before one of them raised a pistol and aimed at them. He reacted on instinct when he threw himself at Javert, dragging him to the ground, so the bullet went over their heads. But there was a second man, and a second gun.
"Well, if that isn´t interesting." he commented, looking down on them, and just as he got ready to shoot, Pascal rushed into the room, attacking. The shot misfired as well, into the wall, and Valjean didn´t wait any longer.
Javert was even faster than him. He grabbed the man´s pistol, wringing it out of his hand, and Valjean found himself struggling against the second man. He heard Javert cry out in pain, and saw him go down, holding his side – an injury that had already been there before this struggle. These men knew.
His moment of inattention served him not much better and the blow he received to the head, sent him to the ground.
"Help!" he heard Michelle´s voice, from outside, as she ran down the hall and outside, yelling all the way. "Help! Police! Help!"
Good girl.
"Dammit!" one of the men hissed, and before Valjean even knew what had happened they were gone. Pascal was with him, trying to help him up, only to abandon him a second later in favor of helping Javert. The kid always tried to do too many things at once.
Javert was on his feet faster than expected, and grabbed Valjean. But not to help him. "Who are these men?" he demanded to know. "Business partners of you?"
"They must be the men behind the sabotage." Valjean gasped, annoyed by now. "Remember the case, Antoine."
Through the open window they heard Michelle´s scream, yet again. Only this time she didn´t scream for someone to come and help chase away these criminals. This time she screamed in fear.
Pascal was at the window first.
"They´re taking her!" he cried and ran out before Valjean had the time to realized what he´d just heard. But then his mind had caught up and he followed after. The surprise of this turn of events was probably the only reason why Javert´s grip had been lose enough for him to slip away. But as he reached the street, he was again right at his heels.
They saw the fiacre drive off, Michelle´s voice sounding out from within. And Valjean did not lose any more time. He grabbed a horse, bound to the post before the inn, and spurred it into motion. These men would not get away this time. Not with the girl. Not while he was here to do something about it.
And when he heard Javert´s roar as he spurred another horse to race after him, he knew it was only partly because of Michelle. He was the police inspector from many years ago, and he, Valjean, was once again his fugitive he had to hunt.
If he wanted it or not. The race was on again.
...
When they came back to the inn, they already heard the buzzing voices. Something was wrong. Cosette had developed a feeling for these things, much faster than she liked it. And then Pascal cried out for them, and she just knew.
"What happened?" she asked, almost dreading the answer.
She expected to hear of injuries or even death, but when she heard what really happened, she had to learn that there was something even worse than that. Reality never failed to bring her down, and her worst expectations never matched what life could bring upon her.
Michelle. Oh please God no.
"We´ll find her." Marius promised. "I´ll find us some horses. You wait here."
And with that he was gone, rushing down the street, and Cosette was left behind, clutching a flustered Pascal, and praying … just praying.
...
He should have known that he could never outrun Javert for long. Not this man. Not when he was as determined as this. It had been a long time since he´d seen him like this, such a long time since he´d been his enemy. And still, all the sudden, the man he´d called his friend, the only person in the world beside Cosette he´d trust with everything, was the bane of his existence once more. As if some cruel merciless power had decided to give them a chance to build a safe haven for themselves, only to rip it all from them again, as soon as they thought to actually be safe.
Why? Why was fate so cruel to them?
He only heard the horse, closing in from his left, the trees rushing by, as he tried to skip. This was still not his best part in riding a horse. Cross-country in the close confinement of the woods. This was Javert´s element, not his. And if he didn´t know that Javert had forgotten about the endless hours of giving lessons to him in this sport, he´d now complain an unfair tactic from someone who knew exactly that this wasn´t his best department.
Unfortunately this was not a game. And when Javert finally grabbed the reins of his horse, to stop him, he wasn´t going to celebrate with a triumphant laugh. He´d drag him out of the saddle if he got the chance and force him to his knees, to keep him from running. Valjean knew he would. So in order to spare himself this humiliation, he jumped out of the saddle himself, before Javert had a chance to grab him.
The former inspector was on the ground only a second later, taking a stance, ready to fight. It was so futile and painful to watch. After everything they´d been through. Together!
"I´m not your enemy, Javert!" he cried. "And we don´t have time for this. They´re getting away!"
"You really want to convince me that catching these criminals is the only thing on your mind?"
"They. Have. Michelle!" Valjean began to lose it. God, how easy it was to fall back into the old pattern, facing such a stubborn and unyielding idiot. "You might not remember me, but you must remember your oath. Inspector? There´s a girl in need of our help. We must find her, before they can do whatever disgusting things to her."
The argument was well placed. He saw the change in Javert´s eyes, at the thought of this girl possibly getting raped by her kidnappers. He´d never asked Javert why it was such a weak spot for him, but right now he couldn´t care less. He knew he wouldn´t ignore this, only to catch him. Everything else he might ignore, but not this.
"Please, Javert." he begged. "She´s innocent. Please."
The inspector, who had forgotten that he wasn´t an inspector anymore, narrowed his eyes. "It is always some poor girl that only you can save, isn´t it, Valjean?"
"This time I can only do it with your help. Javert. You can read tracks, far better than I can. I´d never find the trace again, but you can. Help me save her. And after that, if you still want this, I will come with you. I swear."
"You swore to me once already, and still you ran. I´m supposed to believe you now?"
"I have no reason to run from you anymore."
"Ah yeah, right." Javert regarded him with resentment. "Because we´re friends now."
The hostility sent a jolt of pain through him, but Valjean knew he had no time to care about it now. Not now.
"Please, help me." he begged instead. "Help me save her. Before they harm her."
There was something in Javert´s eyes. Something he´d always known was there, even though the other man tried to deny and hide it whenever possible. But right now this one thing was the only reason why he knew he´d convinced him.
Javert straightened his back. "Get back on your horse." he instructed him, and Valjean obeyed, instantly. "You´ll stay close." were the orders. "Never leave my eyes."
"Never. I promise."
He didn´t know if he believed him, but for now Javert did not object. "We will save her." he informed him. "But that´s the end of it."
...
Taillon was not happy to be called to something as ridiculous as a sprawl, while he had more important things to deal with. But as it turned out the incident at this little inn was not as small as he´d expected.
Witnesses talked about an attack. A door and some furniture of the inn had been broken, and a girl had screamed, possibly taken by force. Two men who were seen fighting with some other men, actually fitted the description of the two meddlers from Paris.
Well, if that wasn´t interesting. Maybe this sprawl was worth investigating a little further after all.