'I told you what the plan was!' Bennett shouted. 'But Taylor is uncontrollable! I became convinced of that when he killed the Countess de la Fere.'
'But that's-'
'Milady de Winter,' Bennett said. 'Possibly the most important figure in this scenario. That was where my talents as a surgeon came in. I performed a transsexual operation upon Adrian Taylor. He is now Milady de Winter.'
Finn put away his newly acquired laser. 'Holy Christ,' he said. 'And Mongoose thought that one of the musketeers was an impostor.'
'Ah, I see,' said Bennett. 'You followed Andre here and saw us in this house and you naturally assumed that D'Artagnan was a ringer. No, he's quite genuine, I assure you, as are the other musketeers. Moreau is an old friend of mine and he arranged this hiding place for me. Bonacieux owes him a favor. Bonacieux's name rang a bell with me, but what with everything that's been happening, I didn't put it all together until I arrived here and found out who his other tenant was. I was even toying with the idea of trying to get D'Artagnan to help me, until I realized how crazy it would be.'
'Help you do what?' said Finn.
'I thought I had made that eminently clear,' said Bennett. 'Taylor must be killed.'
'Where is he?'
'I can tell you where he was,' said Bennett, 'but it's a sure bet that he won't be there now. He's not a fool.'
'I think you'd better have a talk with Mongoose,' Lucas said.
'The agent in charge?' said Bennett. 'I can't do that.'
'You're not exactly in a position to say what you can or cannot do,' said Lucas.
'You don't understand,' said Bennett. 'I'm an important figure in the underground. I know a great deal about the underground organization. Mongoose would have me arrested and clocked out, so that I could be interrogated. I won't jeopardize the lives of people whose only crime was in saying no to war.'
'But you're willing to jeopardize the timestream,' Lucas said.
'I told you, I want Taylor stopped as badly as you do. But I cannot allow myself to be taken into custody.'
'Aren't you forgetting something?' Finn said. 'You're already in our custody.''
'Not exactly,' Bennett said, producing another laser. Finn started and reached for the first weapon he had taken from Bennett, but Bennett fired his laser on low intensity, singeing Delaney's hand. 'I don't want to do it,' he said, 'but if you force me to, I'll burn you where you stand. Don't forget that I'm a surgeon and I'm quite expert with this laser. Now take that weapon out very slowly and slide it to me across the floor.'
Finn glanced at Lucas and did as he was told. As the laser slid across the floor toward Bennett, Lucas moved fast, grabbing Andre and jerking her around in front of him, holding her around the neck, his dagger at her side.
'Drop it or I'll cut her,' he said.
The next thing Lucas knew, he was in mid-air and flying across the room. He hit the floor and rolled, coming up in a fighting stance, his dagger held ready. Andre was holding her own dagger by the point, ready to throw it.
'No!' shouted Bennett.
There was a fierce pounding on the door.
'Damn you, Bonacieux!' D'Artagnan shouted drunkenly from outside. 'Let me in! I've forgotten my key!'
10
Nobody moved. The pounding continued, unabated.
'Bonacieux, God curse you! Wake up and open this door!'
From behind a door on the far side of the room, they could hear the old man getting up, mumbling in an irritated fashion.
'Quickly,' Bennett said, 'put away your weapons!'
Lucas and Andre both sheathed their daggers. She picked up Lucas's rapier and tossed it to him. Bennett, now in possession of both lasers, hid them from sight, but kept them both within easy reach. 'Open this door,' he told Finn.
Finn went to the door and opened it, admitting the besotted Gascon just as Bonacieux, dressed in a dirty nightshirt, came out of his bedroom, looking bleary-eyed.
'Ah, Francois!' D'Artagnan said, stumbling into the room. 'What brings you here? And Dumas, as well! What a surprise! Is there some occasion that merits this celebration? It is not my birthday, is it?'
'Gentlemen, please!' said Bonacieux. 'Cannot a poor man get some sleep? I really must insist on quiet after dark! I am not a young man, I need my rest! Monsieur D'Artagnan, I've spoken to you of this before! It is bad enough that you do not pay rent-'
'I do not pay rent, good Bonacieux, because it was our agreement,' said D'Artagnan. 'Did I not rescue your wife from her abductors? Did I not restore her to you?'
Simon Hawke
The Timekeeper Conspiracy
'For all that I see her, she might as well be held captive still,' grumbled Bonacieux.
'Now, Bonacieux, I cannot be held responsible for your marital difficulties,' said D'Artagnan, winking at Delaney. 'If you did not exhaust yourself by staying up until odd hours and entertaining company all night, perhaps you'd be in better shape to satisfy her.'
'I! I stay up until odd hours! Really, Monsieur, I-'
'Come on, now, off to bed with you, you old fossil,' said D'Artagnan, putting his arm around Bonacieux and propelling him back into his bedroom. 'This is a rooming house and not a tavern! Sensible people are in bed this time of night!'
Protesting weakly, Bonacieux allowed himself to be propelled back into his room. D'Artagnan placed his hand upon the old man's back and gave him a final shove, then slammed the door shut.
'Unreasonable man,' he said. He peered at Andre. 'I say, Monsieur, I don't believe I know you. Have you a sister?'
'Monsieur Andre de la Croix,' said Lucas, performing the introductions, 'and Doc-'
'Monsieur D'Artagnan and I have already met,' said Bennett, hastily. 'Andre is my nephew.'
'A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Monsieur,' D'Artagnan said. 'Now, about your sister…'
'My sister?' Andre said, uncertainly.
'Yes, you have a sister, do you not? Surely, you must be her brother, the family resemblance is remarkable. I refer to the woman who saved my life at the Carmes-Dechaux recently. I have been searching for her ever since, so that I might properly express my gratitude. I never expected that fate should bring her brother to my door, but-'
Someone knocked upon the door.
'What, more visitors?' D'Artagnan said. 'Francois, be a good fellow and tell whoever it is to go away.'
'Go away,' said Delaney.
'But I must speak to Monsieur D'Artagnan!' came the distinctly feminine reply. 'Oh! Goodness, who is in there?'
'Constance!' said D'Artagnan.
With an elaborate gesture, Finn opened the door. 'Why not?' he said. 'Everybody else is here.'
Constance rushed in, all aflutter. 'D'Artagnan!'
'Constance!'
'Constance?' Bonacieux croaked from his bedroom. 'What, is my wife there?'
'Oh, I cannot see him now!' said Constance. 'I mustn't! He is a spy for Richelieu!' She glanced around at all the others. 'Goodness, who are these men?'
