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The things we do for Love

Summary:

Story of I can’t breathe without you continues. In the midst of new love and the chaos of Rochefort, the four friends have to take on a new, unknown foe, brutal and sinister. Louis is in danger, as well as Anne. The four musketeers have to risk everything to protect them and having to deal with dramatic affairs of the heart doesn’t make it any easier.

Notes:

Hello my dears!
Finally the story of our four musketeers continues. In this story they have to fight a new enemy and, as usual, protect the king and his cousin Anne, as well as her friend Constance. However, the hearts of the young ladies, and of our heroes, are also in danger.
Here is the continuation of “I can’t breathe without you”. It’s not necessary to have read that story first, but it will certainly help.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: enemies old and new

Chapter Text

The streets of Paris had lost all of their charm tonight. Rain pelted the streets and every man and woman still outside tried to find a dry place as quickly as possible. The heavy cloud cover blocked out the moonlight.

A black limousine drove up to the police station. The driver got out, hurried around the car and opened the door, holding an opened umbrella for the person inside. The passenger walked up the front steps of the police station and went inside.

“Marcheaux!”

The man startled. He was sitting at his desk and had been so focused on something on his monitor that he hadn’t noticed someone entering his office. Hastily he got to his feet, pushing some papers aside. “Monsieur Duke? Sire, you’re in Paris?”

The Duke of Savoy wrinkled his nose at the general disarray. The only light in the office came from a small desk lamp. The darkness and driving rain outside made the atmosphere in the room even darker. “I’m here on business,” he said uninterestedly.

Marcheaux gave an insincere smile. “And I’m sure your wife wanted to see her brother?”
The duke just snorted at the question. “I suppose Rochefort is still in a cell?”

Marcheaux started to feel uncomfortable. “Well, I can’t give out such information.”
The duke just raised an eyebrow and gave him a hard look.

Marcheaux didn’t have to think long. He opened the topmost drawer of his desk and took out a key card. “Here, with this card you can talk to him. There’s just one guard in the ante-room, so you’ll be undisturbed.”

Savoy left the room without another word.

************************************************

Rochefort was lying on a cot, his forearm across his eyes to block out the light from the corridor. Somewhere, a door opened and then closed again with a loud bang. Some of the other inmates just turned around and tried to go back to sleep. He had to share his cell with a drunk and a small-time drug dealer. The former had so much alcohol in his system, that he didn’t even hear the noise. The drug dealer had his back turned to Rochefort.

He heard footsteps getting closer. Suddenly they stopped and someone knocked on the bars of his cell. Rochefort lowered his arm and opened his eyes. When he saw who his visitor was, he jumped up from the cot and tried to straighten his rumpled clothes. “Monsieur, such an honour. I had expected one of your lawyers. Why are you here at this hour?” He looked up and down the corridor, apparently searching for one of the guards.

“Rochefort, there won’t be a lawyer,” the duke informed him.

“Oh, will the charges be dropped?” Rochefort was visibly confused.
“You will be transferred to the state prison tomorrow. I’m not here to get you out.”

“Monsieur, I don’t understand.”

“Rochefort, you’ve become useless. I just don’t need you any longer.” Savoy turned to leave
Rochefort hammered against the bars. “Monsieur, I beg you! I have done everything you wanted. I helped the Red Guard, I spread the information about the tunnels. I even used my own money to raise the stakes for the break-in competitions. What more do you want?”

Savoy turned back around. “You got caught, and by a woman, of all people. Rochefort, you know better.” With that, the duke left Rochefort standing in the cold cell. Behind him the drunk continued snoring. At the end of the corridor, the door fell closed.

*************************************************

As soon as the duke had gotten back into the car, the black limousine drove off through the dark streets. After twenty minutes, it arrived at a building complex. The duke got out and entered the building. In his office on the top floor, he sat down behind his desk and powered the computer. At this time of the day, the other desks and offices were empty, and the secretaries had all gone home, so nobody could notice the dark figure entering the duke’s office.

“Ah, Adrian, I hope no one saw you.”
The man pushed back his hood. “Of course not. I got your message. How can I be of service?”

“My dear brother-in-law has fired his accountant and the man will go to prison.”
Adrian smiled slightly. “Maybe you should trust the right man from now on.”

The duke slammed his fist on the desk. “I know *exactly* who I can trust. Rochefort was just a messenger, and you are nothing more, either. I want you to keep an eye on that cousin of Louis. She’s meddling in our affairs too much.”

Adrian just nodded. When the duke was angry, it was better not to argue with him.
“You can go. I expect a report by the end of the week. And I don’t have to emphasize that I need access to all of Louis’ business files. Please see to that.”

Adrian pulled the hood back into his face. “You can count on me.” He disappeared again.
Savoy turned to his computer. He typed something, clicked “send” and went to get himself a cup of coffee. While he turned on the coffeemaker, a message appeared on the computer monitor.

<500.000 € transferred to police. Recipient; Marcheaux>