"Are we ready?"  I asked, glancing at Lady Eliza and Janette.  
Eliza nodded.
"Places, people, places."  I muttered under my breath, visions of
the director of the show we had recently performed filled my head.  I shook it
off, and motioned for Janette to follow me.
      We stepped out into the light, yelling at each other as if we
were having a disagreement.  The guard yelled, "You there!  What seems to be
the problem ladies?"
We stopped and looked at him, back at each other, and then walked
towards him.
"We're having a bit of a disagreement,"  I said.  
"She thinks that you think she's prettier then me," Janette
filled in.
"Well, I am!"
"Are not!"  Janette turns to me with her hands on her hips.
"Are too!"  I shot back.
"Why don't we let him decide?"
"Fine!"
      We both turned and waited impatiently for the guards decision.  
"Well?"  we said in unison.  
"One moment ladies,"  the guard motioned for the other guard to
join him in
making his decision.  It was all I could do not to laugh.  "What
do you say, Henri?"  said the first guard.
"Hmmm, tough one, Jean-Marc", said Henri.  Janette stepped closer
to Jean- Marc.
She smiled and ran a finger down his jawline.  The guard smiled
and put his hands around her waist.  Janette whispered something in his ear
that made him grin even bigger.
"Uhhhh, I have to go do something, Henri.  Could you keep watch?"  
said Jean- Marc.
"Mmmhmmm." he muttered, staring at me as I slid my arms around his neck.  
"I'll see you there,"  said Janette, smiling.   Jean-Marc scampered off.  
I walked around Henri, sliding my hand across his chest as I
went.  He smiled.
Janette moved over to him.  Both of us slid our hands around his
waist.
Janette began whispering in his ear.  I slipped the keys off of his belt, and hid them in my pouch.  A far off clock chimed 11:30.  Only a half
hour left.  
"Oh dear, listen to that!" I said giving a secret signal to Janette.
"My, my, it is getting rather late.  We should be going," she
backed away from him as I walked around to meet her.  "Shall we be off?"
"Oui, mademoiselle,"  We began to walk off, arm in arm, secretly laughing.
"Un moment, mademoiselles,"  said our victim.  "Would you be
needing someone
to escort you home?"  
      Janette looked a little panicked, this being her first
assignment.  I patted her arm reassuringly.
"No, that is quite all right. We don't live far from here," I said, strolling off into the night.

~*

      We made our rendezvous with Lady Eliza.  I gave her the keys, and she led the
way to the prison cell.  We arrived there, and a guard was sleeping, slumped over the arm of a chair in the corner.  A rat skittered past Janette's foot, and she almost started to scream, but I clamped my hand over her mouth before she had a chance. Eliza raised a finger to her lips, telling us to be quiet.
She began testing keys in the lock.  The guard began to stir at the jingling of the keys.  He snorted and all was quiet again.  Janette's eyes showed just how scared she was.  I touched her shoulder to settle her.  Eliza continued testing keys.  The next one snapped the lock open.  I slipped inside the cell, and began gathering the Marquis and his sons.  Eliza led them out into the
street.  
      When we stepped out into the alley, we could hear the remaining
guard whistling.  Eliza continued on, carrying Claude, the younger of the Marquis two sons.  Etienne, the older son, clung to his father's hand.  I followed
behind everyone.  Suddenly, I heard the sound of a sword being unsheathed.
"Eliza! Run!" I yelled, whipped out my sword, and was met with a strong swipe from the guard's sword.  Our swords clanged together, sending sparks flying.
The guard who had been sleeping ran out to the street and charged towards Janette.  She let out a banshee wail and met his sword with her own.  
      It was hard to keep track of what was happening with all of the clanging, sparks, and screaming.  I heard a sickening thud from behind me.   Janette had knocked the other guard unconscious but hitting him in the head with the hilt of her sword.  I slashed at my assailant.  Our swords met, sparks flashing in the dark.  I swiped again, and missed, giving him the advantage.   He sliced my arm, but then suddenly fell forward, eyes crossed.  The thudded
to the ground, unconscious.  Janette was standing behind him.  "Let's go!" she said, and we ran off into the night.

             ~*      
      Out of breath, we met Eliza, the Marquis and his family, and
Eliza's husband,
Hastings, at No. 12 Rue de St. Anne.  "Leontine, you're
bleeding!" cried
Eliza.  Hastings retrieved the medical kit from his bag.  He
bandaged my arm.
      Finally, everyone was safe...for now...





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