E.....Ch.5

Ch. 5

Marin spent the next few days waiting for Christophe to show up, as if
by magic. Mon was hard to find, but Marin was inclined to track him
down too, because she hadn't liked Christophe's questions about him. So
she decided to go to Mon's apartment.

Marin strode up confidently, her face blank of all emotion. Mon was
slippery, an underhanded person, who had both Anjelica and Paris
charmed. Neither Jaque nor Marin were fooled. Especially not Marin. At
least Jaque gave Mon the benefit of the doubt.

Mon answered on the first knock, as if he had been sitting at the door,
waiting for Marin's arrival like a loving dog, although their was
definitely no love lost in his eyes. His eyebrows quirked, as he gazed
at Marin,

"This is what, maybe the second time you've decided to drop by my
place? What are you up to?" Marin asked coolly,

"Aren't you going to ask me in? Maybe ask if I would like something to
eat or drink? Strychnine maybe?" Mon grinned, a cool, predator
grin,

"Funny, Marin, but I regret that I have no strychnine on hand." Marin
feigned disappointment, and stepped past him, inside, uninvited,

"How sad." Her eyes flicked over his apartment, sparse, and done all in
shades of beige, white and cream. Completely modern to the point of
sheer ugly sparsity. Their was no accounting for his taste, Marin
thought acidly, and looked over her shoulder. Mon growled,

"What do you want?" Marin purred, her eyes gleaming like Chinese
jade,

"I want to know what you know about Christophe Bordeaux." Mon's eyes
narrowed, and he stalked into the kitchen stiffly, coming back with two
mineral waters,

"This guy you took from Paris? Nothing. Why?" Marin sniffed the glass
of water cautiously, her heightened senses indicating nothing wrong,
and took a sip. Mon laughed maliciously,

"Like two roman senators aren't we?" Marin shrugged,

"I guess. Tell me something about Christophe, you know more then you
let on." Mon stood silently, his eyes never leaving Marin's.

"I am sorry, Marin. I know nothing." Marin handed the glass back,

"Then this was an unfruitful venture. I shall be leaving now, so that
you can get back to your cave painting." Mon's eyes flickered
dangerously, and Marin flitted out the door, tossing over her shoulder,
"By the way, watch him, Mon, he's been asking about you."

* * *

Jaque was at home, when Marin swept in like a violent whirlwind. He
looked up from what he was doing with his web comic on the computer,
watching Marin warily. Every inch of her seemed like it was on fire.
She stationed herself on the couch, half perched, half crouching, her
eyes like balls of fire rained down from Heaven. He looked over his
shoulder,

"What's up, Marin? You look ready to disembowel someone without a
second thought." Marin nodded,

"Oh, I will, I will. Mon. Is. Up. To. Something. I want to watch him,
but I also want to watch this Christophe. I need help, because I cannot
be in two places at once." Jaque smiled wanly,

"No way, Marin, your not roping me into this." Marin suddenly turned
sweet as cotton candy. And was just as corrosive.

"Please? Humor me? How can you say no?" Jaque growled to himself, and
gave in,

"I can't. Just this once. And if we get caught, I'm saying it's all
you." Marin hugged him,

"I can take the blame."

* * *

Mon was walking home from work, enjoying the scent of the breeze, when
Christophe turned the corner, and practically ran right into him. He
jumped back with a snarl,

"Don't you ever watch where your going?" Christophe shrugged, looking
up at Mon coolly,

"Actually, I was hoping to run into you. I've been curious." Mon looked
mildly uneasy,

"What about?" Christophe filed this fact away for future reference. He
already knew who he was, despite having never met him. And didn't
question him. Practically had guilt written all over him.

"What do you know about the maulings?" Mon laughed scornfully,

"Nothing. Other then what I have heard from Jaque and Marin. What are
you, a detective of some sort?"

"Of some sort." Christophe conceded. He asked,

"Why don't we go get coffee, and we can talk?" Mon nodded, and the pair
headed away, and towards a nearby coffee shop. Christophe ordered a
chai tea, and Mon an espresso. Then they found a table and sat. Mon
looked decidedly bored, as he waited for Christophe to get to his
little interrogation.

"Tell me. I know you know something, and so does Marin. I need to know
what is going on, what I keep missing." Mon shrugged,

"I am completely in the dark about this." Christophe sipped his chai
tea, and shook his head,

"I do not believe you." Mon shrugged,

"Here, if you want some advice, stay away from Marin, that one bares
watching. A serpents heart. I suppose that it comes from being Feline."
Christophe looked sharply at Mon, not suspecting someone like him to
take not only a shot, but make a subtle accusation against, someone
else, no matter how much he may dislike them. Christophe asked,

"What do you mean by that?" Mon said, his voice cold,

"It is a well known fact, that those of the Feline persuasion tend to
be cold, arrogant, self centered and very self serving. Sell their own
mother for a nickel they would." Christophe asked,

"What makes you think that Marin would have anything to do with
this?"

"She schemes. Terrible it is. Has the others completely taken in.
Probly has you leashed already, I suspect. And they don't share, not
anything. This is something I would definitely not put past her."

"So you have no trust in her? Enough to suspect her for the maulings?"
Mon nodded,

"In a heartbeat." Then Mon stood up, and bowed, "Alas, I must be going
now." Then he left without another word, and Christophe let him,
considering the information he hadn't given him. Then he chuckled and
left too. Two figures wandered together into the open space.

"Rat." Said Marin.

"I think our Mon bears a little watching himself." Jaque added.

"A serpents heart indeed." Marin fumed.

"I think we need to call Anjelica in on this. We can't trust Paris and
her big mouth." Marin nodded, then suddenly chirped,

"Hey! I found someone else who prefers chai tea to coffee!"

TO BE CONTINUED....