Sam paced the length of the room, trying to fight the bubbling panic inside his chest. He had no information and it made him sick to his stomach. He stopped before the fireplace and glanced at the portrait of Chaterine de Medici. Could the jewel be hidden behind the painting?
He raised the frame, but there was nothing except bare wall behind it. He'd searched the room anyway, trying to make good use of his time. What really bugged him was that Snitch Gravel hadn't called him back, so he had no idea what was going on.
Initially, Sam thought Snitch Gravel would want to use him to find the jewel. It made the most sense. Were they even searching? Had they found it? Had they searched the rooms he and Christine were in?
He stopped next to the door he knew led to Christine's room. His prison had two doors. This one and the one that led into the hall and was guarded as far as he knew. He could sometimes hear muttered conversation outside.
There was no sound coming from Christine's room. Maybe she was still sleeping. Maybe they'd taken her away.
He clenched his fists and started pacing again. He'd considered calling out to Christine, but something told him it was better to lay low and not incur the wrath of the goons.
A gunshot tore through the heavy silence and Sam stopped in his tracks. His heart started pounding desperately as he strained his hearing as much as possible.
"What was that?" one of the men in front of his door asked.
Sam moved next to the entrance and stuck his ear against the ornate wood. The sound of quick footsteps thudded on the floor.
"Harvey, what's going on?" the other guard asked.
"The brats are breaking in," someone panted as the running continued.
By all the pounding from the hall, it was obvious that masses of men were moving to face the rest of the group. He had to get out of there and help. He had to get Christine out. Another shot was fired somewhere inside the castle and adrenaline started pumping through Sam.
Damn it, he felt so exposed without his vest, without any weapon. The only thing he'd managed to smuggle into captivity with him was the small magnet they used to climb stuff. It was small enough to fit into his sock, so he'd shoved it there while in the trunk. But that wasn't a weapon. He could only throw it once and caused a mild inconvenience. Maybe if he used it as a garrote... The steel cable inside could do some damage.
He shook his head, driving away useless strategies, and rushed to the door separating him from Christine. "Christine!"
"I know, I've heard," Christine said from the other side of the door. "We need to get out of here."
"Get away from the door." Sam pulled back, raised his leg and kicked the door as hard as he could.
An electric current shot from his ankle to his knee and he fell over. His entire leg felt like ants were marching under his skin.
"Sam? What happened?" Christine asked.
Sam just wanted to die. He couldn't believe he wasn't even capable of tearing down an old wooden door. He sucked so much at this hero thing, it was getting pathetic.
"Okay, I'll try to get to you some other way." He could try breaking down the door again, but with his luck, he'd end up breaking his leg instead and that was the last thing they needed.
His eyes drifted to the window and a shudder shook his body. Yes, he could try going out the window and crawling to the window of the adjoining room, but that would imply dangling above a raging river. His pulse sped up even more, pounding in his temples and bile rose to his mouth at the mere thought of it. He couldn't do that. He'd freeze the same way he had on the roof of Notre Dame.
"Sam?" Christine asked.
"I'm thinking." He drew a blank. Maybe he should try breaking down the guarded door or get the guards to open it, somehow incapacitate them and get out that way.
He couldn't focus with all the shooting.
Something banged much closer.
"What are you doing in here?" Christine asked.
"Quick, before someone comes in," a rough voice said.
"Lock the door! I've had my eyes on her since they brought her here."
"Stay away from me!" she yelled.
Sam didn't think he could feel worse than he had at the thought of hanging out the window, but he did. Cold sweat covered his body and he moved back towards the door separating him from Christine.
"Shut up, stay still, and you might even enjoy it."
"Get your paws off me!"
Sam rammed his shoulder against the door as hard as he could, but didn't even budge it.
"What was that?" one of the creeps asked.
The other laughed. "I forgot. Her boyfriend's in the other room. Let's see if we can make her moan louder than he does."
Christine's scream rang inside him. Sam picked up the nearest chair and flung it through the window. The glass broke, letting in the frigid winter wind.
"Ouch, the bitch bit me!"
Sam climbed on the windowsill. His palms dug into the sharp edges of broken glass, but the sting only served to sober him up a little. The sound of shooting also became louder.
Don't look down. Don't look down. There is no down.
He slipped the magnet out of his pocket and pulled the cable out of it. His hands shook so hard, he was afraid he'd drop it, but he propped his shoulder against the window frame and managed it. All he had to do was throw it and pray it caught something.
His muscles had become so tight, he could barely move and his throat felt raw, but he forced his bumbling hands to work and threw the magnet.
Half of him wished it wouldn't get attracted to anything, that he'd be forced to go back inside and find another solution, even if this was the fastest, even if Christine's screams cut him to the core.
The magnet caught something. Sam tugged on it experimentally and it held. All he had to do was swing and break through the window next door. Simple.
His knees gave in and he caught himself before he plummeted. His eyes however drifted towards ground. The water of the river flowed with impressive speed, right under his feet.
Darkness flooded the edges of his vision and his head spun. He was falling, he was definitely falling and the river would knock the breath out of him, swallow him whole. Christine's screams would be the last sound he ever heard.
No! This wasn't about him. It was about Christine, and his stupid fear of heights was not going to cost her that much.
His hands tightened around the cable and he closed his eyes and swung off the ledge. The air seemed to cut through him and his body hit the side if the castle. He'd missed the window.
He couldn't do this with his eyes closed. Swallowing down the vomit, Sam opened his eyes. A solid white wall awaited him. He gritted his teeth and propped his feet against the wall. All his joints protested and his head pounded.
"Fuck it, Sam," he mumbled. "You can do this. And if you can't, you deserve to fall to your death."
He had nothing to lose by moving and everything by freezing. He was done with that.
With what felt like inhuman effort, he pushed himself off the wall and to the right. His feet broke through the window and he rolled into the room.
He raised his gaze to see the two goons staring at him with wide eyes. They were trying to hold Christine down on the bed and their faces were scratched raw. Christine looked at him too, tear stains on her cheeks.
They'd hurt her. Sam turned, picked up the nearest chair and flung it across the room. It narrowly missed the bed and hit one of the goons in the chest. The other one marched at him, but Sam was ready and tripped him the moment he came near. He fell and knocked his head against the foot of the bed.
Christine climbed off the mattress and kicked the other goon in the ribs. Sam rushed to her and punched the guy into unconsciousness.
"Are you okay?" he asked, standing.
Christine threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "You saved me."
"I'm sorry I didn't come earlier, I just couldn't break the door down. Did they touch you?"
She bit her lip. "Only through my clothes."
A wave of rage swept him and he had to fight the impulse to hit the men again. There was no point, they were both knocked out. Plus, this was his fault too.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "Sorry that I suck at this hero thing so much."
Christine took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. Even with teary eyes and no make up, she was the most gorgeous girl he'd ever seen. Her eyes were like twin suns, warming him up to the core.
"Sam, you broke through a window to save me. What more were you supposed to do? Tear the wall down? I don't want a superhero. I want you. Just the way you are."
Sam couldn't believe what she was saying. She liked him just the way he was? Awkward and bumbling and so ill fitted for his role?
"This would be a great time to kiss me, doofus," she said with a smile. "You know, initiate it for once."
Another thing he sucked at. "Now the moment's gone."
"I don't care." She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him towards her.
Something cracked right outside their door and they jumped apart. Right. War. Captivity. They had to get out of there.
"I'll surprise you," he said, taking her hand and pulling her towards the door. It was locked, but the goon had left the key in the lock, so after listening carefully for other sounds than distant crashing and shooting, they sneaked out into the hall.
"Wait, my coat," she said, but Sam pulled her out the door.
"We don't have time for that," he said, looking left and right. It's not like he had any luggage either. "We need to go help the others."
"How about the jewel?" Christine asked and Sam stopped in the middle of the empty hallway to gawk at her. "Wouldn't it be better to get it now while everyone is too busy to pay any attention to us?" she added.
Holy crap baskets, she was right. He'd totally forgotten about that, focused as he was to save his brothers. But his fighting skills wouldn't be missed too much.
"It would," he finally said. "There's only one minor problem. I have no idea where it could be and I'm not sure how much time we have to search."
"Then what are we going to do?" she asked.
"Go, for now." He took her hand and they jogged down the corridor towards a distant staircase which led to the lower floor.
If he was honest, he had no idea where the others were either, but the shooting seemed to come from downstairs. As soon as they reached the landing, a whole bunch o men came running towards them.
Sam pulled Christine inside the nearest room and closed the door in their wake. That wasn't going to stop anyone for long, so they rushed through two more connecting rooms, shutting doors as they went, before they wound up in what looked like a chapel. It was a dead end, but their followers unexpectedly seemed unable to keep up.
"This place is really pretty," Christine whispered, looking around at the paintings and golden decorations. "Why can't we go to nice places on vacation?"
"Have you met me?" Sam opened the door as little as possible and surveyed the room beyond through the crack. Emptiness. "Come on."
The two stepped inside the adjoining empty room. Sam took in the beautifully wallpapered walls, wondering if the jewel could be there. Before he could even identify a likely hiding place, the door on the other side of the room opened, and three men stepped in
"There they are! Get them!" one of them called out, pointing.
Sam and Christine darted inside the bedroom they'd originally come through and closed the door after them. Why did all rooms have to have two doors leading in and out?
"This way," Christine said, pulling him to the left and inside a room which seemed to have been a study.
She closed the door after him and rushed to the room on the other side. Sam followed, though it didn't really seem like a good idea. The new room had an archway for an entrance, was a dead end, and there was nothing in there but a table with a vase of flowers on it.
Christine picked up the vase and turned towards the entrance, poised to throw it if someone came in. He just gawked at her, fighting the need to laugh at this new, belligerent Christine. Though that might result in her throwing the vase at his head. She wasn't exactly a pushover, not with the way she'd clawed at those men and fought them off.
But as much as he wanted to admire her, they didn't have time. So he stepped out into the study. It was as good of a place as any to start searching for the jewel. Christine followed him, the vase still in her hand.
"What are you looking for?" she asked in a whisper as Sam moved to frisk the fireplace.
"Starting on our jewel hunt."
He gave up on the fire place and opening one of the dresser-like library case next to it. It was still full of books. When he touched he first, he realized it was just decorative cardboard so he had no qualms tossing it on the floor. No secret passage presented itself through random removal of fake literature. So he did the next sensible thing and knocked on the back of the drawer. It sounded full. More to the right, it sounded empty.
"What?" This couldn't be it. It had been much too easy. He glanced around the room for further clues. There was a portrait of Diane de Poitiers right above the fireplace, her smile small and mysterious. "What did you do?"
"Um, who are you talking to?" Christine asked, rightfully freaked out.
"There's something here. Do you have anything I could smash this up with?"
"No, Sam, I forgot my hammer in my other purse," she answered, rolling her eyes. "I honestly wasn't expecting you to smash your way through everything. Is this how missions are now? No more clues, no more delicate mystery solving?"
"Ouch, you're cruel." Sam smirked and Christine smiled back at him. "But you're right. There must be a way to open this without destroying it. Look for something unusual."
Christine raised her eyebrows, but put the vase on the floor and glanced around. Everything was right as it should be. Outside the door, they could hear running footsteps, shouting and gunshots. The sounds grated on his nerves, reminding him that every second spent in that room was a second in which he wasn't helping his brothers. He couldn't focus.
"Christine, you stay and search for a way to open that thing. I'll go help the others." He headed for the door, not waiting for an answer, but stopped once she practically wrapped herself around him.
"You're not going anywhere without me."
"I have to go help the others." He tried shaking her off, but she was like a damn python. "We have to get the jewel, but I'm too wired to search."
"Then we both fight and then we both search."
Sam didn't know what to say to that. He liked that, the feeling of being in this together. It finally sounded like the type of relationship he craved for. And oh, how he wanted to kiss her.
The entire room shook as something exploded what felt like next door. Christine fell off him and he leaned his hand against the door to keep his pacing. His heart was back to galloping madly inside his chest.
Christine whimpered and got to her feet. "I need to get to Tina."
Sam opened the door just as another explosion had his ears ringing. The corridor on the other side was filled with running men, but they didn't stop to look at him.
"Sam, look!"
Christine's voice drew him back inside the room and he closed the door. She was pointing at one of the paintings which had fallen off to reveal a cut in the wallpaper. He walked to it and analyzed the stone wall. As his eyes drifted from the stone to the rest of the wallpaper, he noticed something he hadn't before. The wallpaper there was a slightly more vibrant color than in the rest of the room and it seemed to draw up a rectangle the size of... He turned his head towards the tapestry on the other side of the room. The size of that.
"They must've moved the tapestry."
"Yes, but covering that hole with a painting? Totally unaesthetic."
"No, this hole has a point." Sam pressed it and the stone block lowered a few millimeters without any effect whatsoever.
He hadn't expected it to. Sam moved back to the bookcase and opened the doors again. A cutting the size of a small notebook had opened up inside. He reached out and grabbed the only thing in there. It was the fourth humongous jewel he was holding, so he'd pretty much gotten used to their size and weight.
"It's gorgeous," Christine said, glancing over Sam's shoulder. "I can't believe we found it!"
He couldn't believe it either. "I have no idea what it's doing here. I was expecting to find it in Chaumont." He had no place to put it because he was not shoving a giant jewel in his back pocket again.
"Why's that?" Christine asked, taking it to have a better look.
"Because it was part of the French crown jewels. It got lost when Catherine de Medici took back this castle and the crown jewels from Diane de Poitiers who was her husband's mistress," Sam explained. "We assumed Diane had taken this stone, since it was less conspicuous to take one jewel instead of all of them. We also assumed she hid it in her castle, which was Chaumont, and not here. This was Catherine's castle."
"Here you are, thinking like a guy," Christine said, rolling her eyes. "If I were Diane, I would want to do something to really piss Catherine off for taking my castle and my jewels. I would much rather hide it somewhere where I knew she could find it but wouldn't just to annoy her. Do you think that Catherine didn't actually frisk Diane's castle to search for the jewel? She obviously never found it because it was here all along. Right under her nose. Diane must have had a laugh!"
Sam stared like an idiot. It made so much high school sense. "I think you might be right."
She laughed lightly, heading for the door. "I know you think I'm all beauty, no brains, but I do have a sense for the obvious." She waved Sam away as he tried to protest and he had to admit he'd never loved her more.
They went back into the hall. The noises of gunshots, screaming and running was now joined by different ones. Police sirens and what sounded like helicopters. Everyone seemed to be heading in the opposite direction from the front door. His breath caught in his throat once he spotted Snitch Gravel himself through the masses.
They were leaving. Without the jewel, without making sure they were dead. Sam guessed it was because of the approaching sirens, but it didn't really make sense. All the explosions so close to normal people. It didn't feel like Snitch Gravel's MO at all.
Another explosion shook the building. Sam and Christine held on to each other, the jewel clutch tightly in her fist. It would be so easy for one of the goons to see it, snatch it from them. Kill them.
"Kill him!" A muffled yell broke through the mayhem.
Sam let go of Christine's hand and clenched his fists. No one was killing no one.
"Sam, what are you thinking?" Christine asked, her voice filled with worry.
"Keep the jewel hidden." And just as the last few men disappeared at the end of the corridor, he chased off after them.
❄❄❄
Woo! This might be my last roll chapter, but I'm trying, damn it!
I'm really curious how you feel about this chapter, about Sam's feelings, how he saved Christine (in true hero fashion for once) and how they managed to find the jewel. They got lucky for once.
Hit the star for gas!