by Simon Hawke
"Until a short while ago," said Bennett, "I stood with them. I'm against the time wars. That was why I joined the underground and it was why I became involved with the Temporal Preservation League."
"Then there is a connection between the league and the terrorists?" said Finn.
"Oh, yes. It's the most tenuous of connections, but it exists. I became convinced that the Timekeepers had a workable plan to bring pressure upon the Referee Corps to end the temporal conflicts."
"A timestream split is what you call a workable plan?" said Finn.
"That was only the announced intention," Bennett said. "The Timekeepers themselves never intended to bring about a split. The idea was to create adjustment situations throughout all of history, alerting the Referee Corps to each situation as it was created, so that they would be able to restore historical continuity, but at the price of extended manpower commitments, financial losses, and temporary historical instability."
"Interesting idea," Lucas said. "But surely you must have realized the chance that you were taking? Suppose one of those adjustment situations proved to be irreversible?"
"There was always that chance," said Bennett. "However, our aim was to conduct only the most controlled types of interference actions."
"What changed your mind?" said Finn.
"Adrian Taylor," Bennett said. "He's—"
"We know who Taylor is," said Lucas.
"Do you know that he's totally insane? That he is totally committed to creating a timestream split?"
"The agency is proceeding on that assumption," Lucas said.
"Then the TIA knows more than Taylor's own people do," said Bennett.
"Are you saying that the Timekeepers actually don't—"
"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?"
"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 fel
low 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?"
"We are not spies for Richelieu," said Finn.
"These are my friends," D'Artagnan said, expansively.
"Is my wife there?" said Bonacieux, from behind his bedroom door.
"No," shouted D'Artagnan. "Go back to sleep!"
"But I thought I heard her voice," said Bonacieux, opening his bedroom door.
"You were dreaming," said D'Artagnan, pushing him back into the bedroom with a hand upon his face, then booting the door closed. "Quickly, up to my room," said D'Artagnan.
"But these gentlemen ..." said Constance.
"Will wait their turn," D'Artagnan said.
"What?"
"He means to speak with him, madame," said Lucas.
"Oh!" Constance said, looking very much relieved.
"My wife ..." said Bonacieux, opening his door again.
D'Artagnan shoved it closed and a heavy thump could be heard from the other side. "Upstairs, now, quickly," he said.
Constance ran upstairs to the Gascon's room. They heard his door open and close as she went inside and then Bonacieux peered out again, rubbing his head.
"What happened?" he said.
"You were walking in your sleep," D'Artagnan said.
"I was!"
"Yes, and you struck your head. You'd best be careful, you could injure yourself that way."
"I thought I heard my wife"
"You were dreaming," said D'Artagnan. "Dreaming and walking and talking in your sleep; really, Bonacieux, this is too much. If this sort of thing continues, I fear I shall have to seek other quarters!"
"Oh, no, Monsieur D'Artagnan, it will not happen again, I assure you!"
"Good, see that it does not. I grow weary of these constant disturbances. Go to bed, Bonacieux."
"Yes, yes, I will."
"Goodnight, then."
"Good night to you, Monsieur."
Bonacieux went back to bed.
"You will excuse me, gentlemen?" D'Artagnan said. He grabbed a bottle off the table and staggered up the stairs.
Finn immediately reached for his rapier, but Bennett had both lasers out at once, covering both him and Lucas.
"Andre, take one of these and watch them for a moment, will you?" Bennett said.
"This is ridiculous, Bennett," Lucas said. "You need our help. If you really want to—"
"Sssh," said Bennett, removing a small box, about the size of a package of cigarettes, from his pocket. He flipped a tiny switch on it.
"—terrible thing!" Constance's voice came from the box. "You've simply got to help— "
"You bugged his room!" said Lucas.
Bennett glanced up at him impatiently. "You mind?"
"—anything I can, dear darling Constance, just let me— "
"Now now!"
"Oh, but Constance, I burn with the flame of desire, I am consumed with— "
There were the sounds of a brief struggle, followed by the sound of water being thrown and D'Artagnan sputtering.
"I think she just extinguished his flame with the water from his washbasin," Bennett said.
"Pooh, you stink!"
"Correction, not his washbasin," Bennett said.
"Now will you listen to me?"
"Lord, Constance, that was my best doublet!"
"The devil with your doublet! The queen is in dire danger and all you can think about is sex!"
“What, the queen in danger? Well then, why didn't you say so? Here, just let me remove this foul-smelling doublet—"
"The king has ordered a ball to be held in honor of the queen," said Constance. "And he has asked her to wear the diamond studs he gave her..."
"Yes, go on, I'll just remove these soiled breeches...."
"But the queen gave her diamond studs to Milord Buckingham," said Constance. "Richelieu must have found out about it, his spies are everywhere."
"Indeed. Here, come over to the bed and help me pull these boots off...."
"If the queen does not get back her diamond studs in time, she will be ruined! She has given me a letter to Milord Buckingham. You must go to London and bring back the studs or—"
"Yes, of course, I'll depart first thing in the morning."
"Oh! D'Artagnan!"
"Sssh, you'll wake your husband."
"Oh! Stop it!" There was a ripping sound. "My dress!"
"I'll buy you another. I'll buy you a whole closetful of dresses—"
Bennett switched off the speaker. "Well, that's it," he said. "Taylor's made his move. It's started."
"What's the plan?" said Lucas.
"I don't know for certain," Bennett said. "Somehow, he's going to interfere with the musketeers and prevent them from delivering the studs. The queen's affair with the prime minister of England will be made public and her reputation will be ruined. She may even be accused of treason."
"Then we're going to have to make sure that she gets her studs back," Lucas said. "We're not going to be able to do that unless you cooperate with us."
"I can't allow myself to be arrested," Bennett said.
"Look, if Mongoose wanted to arrest you, he could have done so at any time," said Finn. "He knows all about you, who you are and what you do. He's had you watched."
"You were being used by both sides, Bennett," Lucas said. "Look, Mongoose isn't interested in your connection with the underground. He doesn't care. All he wants is to get Taylor."
"So I tell him what I've told you and he lets me go, is that it? You really expect me to believe that? I've told you men everything I know. There isn't anything further that I can—"
The door was kicked in and five men dressed in the uniform of Richelieu's guard burst into the room, knocking Delaney to the floor. Bennett reacted immediately, firing his laser. One of the men fell dead, another fired a laser of his own at Bennett, killing him instantly. There was a crash of glass as Andre dove through a window. From outside, someone shouted and there was the sound of several pairs of running footsteps. Mongoose entered the room, dressed in the uniform of a captain in the cardinal's guard. He glanced briefly at Bennett's body.
"The fool could have saved himself a lot of trouble," he said.
Bonacieux came hobbling out, looking like a startled chicken.
"What is it? What's the matter? What is the reason for this ruckus? Can't a poor man get some—" He saw the agents in the uniform of the cardinal's guard and instantly fell silent, eyes wide with terror.
"Back in your room!" said Mongoose. Bonacieux gave a little yelp, then ducked back into his bedroom like a frightened rabbit darting back into its hole. The door slammed and they heard the key turn in the lock.
"All right, get him out of here," said Mongoose, indicating Bennett's body. Two of the agents lifted Bennett's body from the chair, each draping an arm around their shoulders. They started toward the door when there was the sound of a door slamming upstairs and then D'Artagnan appeared, standing at the head of the stairs, shirtless and shoeless, holding a rapier in one hand while he attempted to fasten his trousers with the other. His drunken gaze fell on the agents and he gave a shout. "Hark! An invasion! To arms, my friends! One for all and one for—"
He lost his balance and fell headlong down the stairs to collapse in an unconscious heap upon the floor, his pants around his knees.
Mongoose bent over him for a moment, then straightened. "Well,
he's alive," he said. "It's a miracle he didn't bust his head open." He glanced up the stairs toward D'Artagnan's room, then back down at the senseless Gascon. "Looks like Madame Bonacieux is going to have some explaining to do," he said. "You had the house bugged," Lucas said. Mongoose sighed. "Priest, you seem to be a master of stating the obvious."
"How did you know to bug D'Artagnan?"
"I had D'Artagnan's house bugged, I had Athos, Aramis, and Porthos bugged, I had Treville bugged, and I had Richelieu's private chambers bugged," said Mongoose. "The king and queen haven't been able to fart without my knowing about it and I've had Buckingham under surveillance in London. I'm not here to fool around, Priest, I'm here to stop a terrorist plot. Now if you gentlemen don't mind, we've got work to do. Let's go."
* * * *
They were taken to an unassuming house on the Rue Servadoni, one of several places the agency had established as safehouses. There were no other tenants and the landlord had been given a long vacation in the country. One of the agents made them coffee and brought them cigarettes, which they gratefully accepted.
"Looks like you blew it, Mata Hari," Finn said. "You had everyone under surveillance except the one person who really mattered. Milady was a natural, right? A perfect pawn for the terrorists to use. It was so obvious, I'll bet you figured they wouldn't come within a mile of her."
"You're becoming very tiresome, Delaney," Mongoose said.
"I love you too, sweetheart."
"Your constant efforts to provoke me are not going to succeed," he said. "I have a job to do and, for that matter, so do you. When it's over, I'll be more than happy to accommodate your barroom instincts, but until then, put a lid on it."
Finn nodded. "You've a date, friend."
"And you've just bought yourself a long stay in the hospital, assuming you survive the next few days," said Mongoose. "As a matter of fact, you're wrong about Milady, or Taylor, as the case may be. I had her house bugged. You know what I got? A lot of stupid chatter with gentleman callers about the weather, fashion, court intrigue and other senseless babble. I had my men move in tonight. Know what they found?"
"A lot of prerecorded conversations," Lucas said. "Taylor anticipated you."
"Exactly. In that sense, I'm willing to concede your point, Delaney. I did blow it. Taylor put in an appearance every now and then and did some entertaining to keep up the illusion, but no real business was ever conducted in that house. I must admit, I never even considered the fact that he might have killed the real Milady de Winter and taken her place. It was a master stroke."
