The Beating of Your Heart

Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

SOMEONE IS BANGING ON MY DOOR.

"Coming!"

The banging continues.

"For Heaven's sake," I cry out. "Give me two seconds."

I open the door and receive a fist right in the chest. I curse under my breath.

"Sorry, sir!"

I look down and see a boy about Gavroche's age holding out a newspaper.

"I don't want the news today," I tell him.

"Are you sure, sir?" he says, starting to stow the newspaper back in his bag. "It's fresh off the press. Hot stuff, and I'm not just talking about the paper."

"What are you talking about?"

"You haven't heard about the big arrest?" I shake my head. "All of the town is talking about it!"

"What big arrest?"

"Thénardier's daughter," he replies. My blood instantly turns ice cold. "She was lurking around the National Guard. Arrested on the spot. They're planning on making her talk. You know, Thénardier is probably behind all of this anyways. To think he was planning on robbing the National Guard..."

I struggle to formulate a sentence while trying to get my thoughts straight.

"And she, umm... She's being detained?"

"Yep! Not far from here. Still sure you don't want that paper?"

I look at him, almost in a daze. My thoughts are already lone gone from here.

"Umm, sure," I tell him.

I vaguely remember digging in my pocket and taking out a gold coin for him. Somehow, the paper landed in my hand some time after. I snap out of it as the boy was running down the stairs. As soon as he disappears, I rush back to take my jacket, toss the paper on the kitchen table, and almost fly down the stairs.

I need to get Eponine out of there. They can't make her talk. They'll find out I'm behind it all and have me imprisoned. I can't go to jail, not now. Not while I'm trying to fix things back with the boys.

I run through the streets, heading towards the only person I believe would want to help me in this situation: Monsieur Thénardier.

Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.

*

"Go away," he exclaims for the fifth time.

"Thénardier, we're talking about your daughter here!"

"It's fine, I have another one!"

I sigh heavily before banging on the door to his office one last time.

"Thénardier! Open up! I'm not going to say it again!"

"Good!"

Okay, well, that wasn't a good choice of words. I throw my arms up in defeat and turn around to leave as I immediately bump into someone, a young man.

"Sorry," I mutter as I try to walk past him.

He extends his arm, stopping me.

"So you're in need of help," he tells me.

I look up and see Montparnasse. My blood instantly turns ice cold. I can hear my heart with no problem, right now.

"M-Montparnasse," I stutter. "What..."

"Oh, relax, mon ami," he says, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I can't say I particularly like this situation. "We're in the same boat."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"You want 'Ponine back. I want 'Ponine back. Seems like a win-win."

"And you can help me?"

He starts to laugh. "Duh."

What is it with these people and over self-confidence?

"Okay. Let's say I'm buying your story..."

"Oh, Monsieur Enjolras, loosen up a bit! We're all humans here."

"Some more honest than others," I mutter under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing, buddy."

I flash a smile, which he seems to buy.

"Let me round up my boys and we'll be freeing 'Ponine in no time."

He rushes out the door before I have time to add anything. Wait, did he just say 'his boys'? If he's getting his boys, I'm getting mine. Well, those who'll still talk to me.

I head out the door and make my way towards Marius's appartment. Surely he will have some spare time to help an old friend.