A/N: Thank you all for the reviews! Now we're at the crossing of wits and wills. Enjoy!

Chapter 38: Deal of a Lifetime

"I know we've done a lot of crazy things in the past few years, but this is the first time anyone of us has actually stepped in as bait."

"It's not actually baiting. It's being a red herring."

On the other side of the lanai at the Fauchelevents' house, Enjolras fights to keep a straight face while Courfeyrac and Feuilly continue this debate on nomenclature. "The aim is not to attract or mislead Fouche; he will be arrested today regardless of this meeting's outcome. Before that can happen though, he may do a great deal of additional damage, and that is precisely what we must avert," he chimes in as he finally looks up from his laptop, which is full of files collated from various friends and contacts involved with this case. "Should he escape and flee to another country, all our present work will be necessary to provide evidence for extraditing him."

Courfeyrac winces at this idea even as he stirs his coffee. "Another thorny tangle. I am sure he is counting on that as a last resort."

Feuilly shakes his head. "If he has bodyguards around, you might be best off making the meeting short," he warns Enjolras. "Men like him have a way of arranging well timed accidents."

'That move would be too obvious,' Enjolras muses silently even as he turns to see Eponine ambling into the lanai. "How is everything?"

"Gav and Mr. Fauchelevent are just rechecking some of the codes in his office. We should be able to back up the archives in a matter of minutes," Eponine replies, pointing behind her. "Fantine actually got Elodie and Tess to sit down and watch some musicals. She said that she's making some popcorn as a bribe for us to join them," she adds in a more mischievous undertone as she takes a seat near his.

"Now that is a proper way to spend the rest of this morning," Courfeyrac quips as he tosses a cushion to his sister-in-law. "After that of course," he says, giving his friend's laptop a baleful look.

A quick glance at his watch is enough to tell Enjolras that it is now half past ten, just an hour before his meeting with Fouche. He takes a deep breath as he gets to his feet and checks to make sure that he has his wallet, his phone, and his keys. "Keep the lines open. The others might need to call in here," he instructs firmly. He clasps Courfeyrac's arm. "The evidence will need to be sorted once it is all accounted for. It will make matters easier for the fiscal."

"Right away." Courfeyrac bumps his fist against Enjolras'. "Call for backup if you need it. We'll make sure someone gets to you."

Feuilly touches his knuckles to his forehead by way of a salute. "Stay safe, Chief."

Eponine stands up slowly and hugs Enjolras tightly, burying her nose in his red shirt. As he pulls her closer he can't help but breathe in the smell of lavender and rainwater lingering in her hair. "You've gotten him good already. I know it," she whispers in his ear. "Now please, just make sure I won't have to stitch you up when you get back."

Enjolras nods before kissing her forehead. "Of course." His hand brushes against the curve of Eponine's belly and for a moment he catches a rush of movement under his fingers. Nevertheless he wills himself to step away and head to the door. There is still much he has to do before he can feel truly assured that all will be well.

He has asked to meet Fouche at the ground floor of his corporation's tower, located at the heart of the city's finance street. 'The top floor offices would have been impressive but cliche,' he notes as he parks a block away from the building. As he crosses the street he spots a single police car waiting at the corner. As he passes, he allows himself only a slight nod at Bahorel and Karen. Bahorel is in his usual t-shirt and pants attire while Karen is wearing a long trench coat. For all appearances, they are simply two hangers on sipping coffee while apparently watching the goings on all along the curb.

As soon as Enjolras steps inside the glass tower, a nervous looking receptionist directs him to a corridor winding away from the lobby to a staircase at the rear of the building. At last he is shown into a small mezzanine furnished with a large round table and several suede covered chairs. A large glass window looks out onto the bustling lobby below. It is this view that Fouche seems to be contemplating until he turns at the sound of the door shutting. "Good morning Attorney Enjolras. I trust you did not have trouble finding this place?" he greets courteously. "Please, have a seat."

Enjolras simply smiles as he remains standing. "It is good that you agreed to this discussion on such short notice."

The businessman chuckles as he tugs on his blue tie. "I wanted to take the opportunity to congratulate you. You are a remarkably tenacious and thorough investigator. It is a pity that we are apparently at cross purposes."

"Not if the purpose is to bring a murder to justice." Enjolras pauses as a flicker of surprise plays across Fouche's face. "You already know that the consequences of this investigation are unequivocal as far as the law is concerned."

"That is unfortunate then for Garbe," Fouche answers stiffly.

"He acted according to a plan, one that relied on impunity for its success," Enjolras points out. "That has no place in any sort of business arrangement in this day and age."

"You should know there is no room for temerity in business. Your father's example should have taught you that," Fouche says briskly. He powers up a tablet and sets it down on the desk. "At a single command, I can run an app to delete all the files in the national archives it is synced to. Your evidence will disappear. You will then become a laughingstock for having a man arrested on a baseless charge. I am sure my legal counsel will enjoy dealing with this situation."

The weight of Fouche's words hangs in the air, prompting Enjolras to take a look at the tablet. He frowns at the sight of a brightly colored screen with several commands, including one ominously marked as 'Delete Synced Files'. "Is it that simple?" he challenges.

"It could be simpler. You need not say anything." Fouche crosses his arms. "Drop the case. I will deal with Garbe myself."

Enjolras raises an eyebrow at this bald-faced demand. "I am afraid that is not possible."

"It will be once you consider my terms. I have inconvenienced you greatly with this debacle, and I would make amends by relieving you of your difficulties, whatever they are. The very same people who would condemn you for coming forward with no evidence will be the same people who'll lift you up-as per my recommendation." Fouche smiles as he picks up the tablet once more. "If not for you, then your child. I will personally make sure that he or she will want for nothing. Toys, travel, the best schooling, a placement in my firm-all of that and more, I will give if you'd allow it."

'Some would call it a deal of a lifetime,' Enjolras realizes. He could easily see this grand vision playing out, perhaps because it is not entirely unfamiliar to him. Yet it is enough for him to look Fouche in the eye. "No. I will not allow my son to pay this price."

Fouche's eyes narrow as he presses on the screen of his tablet. "I thought you were a reasonable man," he glowers. "How then do you expect to end your investigation?"

Enjolras is silent for a moment even as he hears a single beep coming from his phone. He glances down only to find this message: It is done. He looks straight at Fouche once more. "You lose."

Fouche wheels around only to be greeted now by the sight of police officers now entering the lobby. "What is this about?"

"The crime you cannot hide with that toy of yours," Enjolras replies as he throws the door open, just in time to let in Karen, followed by another officer and Bahorel. "The evidence is with Eponine and Courfeyrac. They will forward the files to you shortly," he informs them.

"Thank you, Attorney Enjolras," Karen says. She holds up her badge even as Fouche steps away from the table and backs against the wall. "Christian Fouche, you are under arrest for the murder of Johannes Grayson and the attempted murder of Charles Magnussen. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say and do can and will be used against you in a court of law."