Winter Smith (Book 2): The Secrets of France

by Strange, J. S.

  “With us.”

  “On her own survival instinct.” Winter shook her head. “You forget Violet lived on the streets, she has dealt with some shit. She fought to get a roof over her head. She’ll have done that again.”

  Zach nodded, seemingly becoming less anxious. “You’re right. I just want to find her.”

  They heard footsteps, and Cedric came grumbling out from underneath deck. His eyes were narrowed as he looked at Winter and Zach.

  “We’re going back to land and we’re going to hide out in a house somewhere for the night. Hopefully there will be weapons in there for us to steal, but I’m not holding out any hope.”

  “We’re taking on V tomorrow with no weapons?” Winter asked.

  Cedric looked like he wanted to throttle her. “For now, we are turning up with no weapons. We’ll get weapons once we’re there, if we have to. Please have faith in me.”

  Cedric turned, barging past Connor as he did so, and headed to the front of the ship to reel in the anchor.

  “What’s up with him?”

  “He’s panicking about tomorrow, like the rest of us,” Winter said.

  “I haven’t thought about it much.”

  “You’re crazy.”

  Connor sat across from Winter and Zach and peered at them. “Did I interrupt something?”

  Winter thought she sensed just a hint of jealousy. “Nothing. Zach’s worried about Violet.”

  “Still, man?” Connor exhaled. “We’ll find her.”

  “I hope so.”

  “You can’t let it cloud your thinking cap. Otherwise tomorrow night will be a disaster.”

  “Like it isn’t going to be already.”

  Connor shrugged. “V thinks she’s meeting us to recruit us. She won’t know we’re going there to get your parents back and get as much information on her as possible to tear her down.”

  “Well, let’s hope not.”

  The boat spurred into life underneath them. It rumbled and groaned, ready to leave. Cedric stomped back into view and up to the wheel, his back turned to the rest of them.

  They headed towards land, wind whipping at them and chilling them. Without saying anything, the three of them got to their feet and went back inside, where they joined David sat at a table, poring over blueprints.

  “Where are we going in?” Winter asked.

  David pointed to the main entrance. “Right here.”

  “You’re joking?” Winter peered at the complicated layouts. “We’re not just going to walk straight in, surely?”

  “And why not? We’re guests, and we were invited. We have every right to just walk in.”

  “But…what if we’re walking into a trap.”

  “Once we’re inside, the ball is in our court. We go in and we explore the parts that aren’t full of art and aren’t for show. The Louvre has always been a huge tourist attraction, but nobody ever knew it held the Illuminati.”

  “The what, sorry?” Connor asked.

  “The Illuminati,” David replied. “An organisation that want a one-world government. I always believed it was a myth, but it seems V has that exact same agenda. If she isn’t the Illuminati, she sure as hell may as well be. I’ve been reading up on them.”

  “I thought the Illuminati was Beyoncé and social media trends.” Connor laughed. “Not a real life thing.”

  “Which is precisely what that growing organisation of V’s wanted you to think, I have no doubt. Something tells me this isn’t an out of the blue thing. Something tells me this has been planned for a very long time.”

  “How long?” Zach asked.

  David shrugged. “I’ll keep researching. It’s my job, after all.”

  “A task which harms the people that actually needs to be harmed,” Winter said. “You’ve grown up.”

  “Just let your woes go, Winter. Not everything is about you anymore.”

  Winter didn’t reply. Her relationship with David would never be a good one. Too much damage had been done in the past.

  “So, we walk in…then what?”

  “We find her labs before she finds us,” David replied. “Cedric knows how many people will attend. He’s been to these functions before, hasn’t he, when he worked beneath V and her father. He knows a lot of people turn up. There will be a lot more at this one, I’m sure of it. People will want to join V so they can survive.”

  “Evil people,” Connor muttered.

  “Scared people,” David corrected. “If you weren’t in The Union, don’t tell me you wouldn’t be tempted to get a government job, just for a chance of safety from the attacks of the dead.”

  “Nobody is safe.”

  “No, they aren’t, but people will feel safer with a job and a direct link to the creator of such a horrible disease.”

  “We find her labs, for what exactly?” Zach asked.

  “Information on the virus.” David flicked the pages of the blueprints and pointed at a rectangle that took up almost all the page. “We believe this is underground the art museum that was open to the public, and we believe these are the labs. Cedric will know the way there, having worked in them. Once in the labs, we will try and find what causes the virus, what zombies are existing, a list of the immune…anything that might help us.”

  “Do you think there is a list?” Winter asked. She shuddered thinking her name would be written down somewhere for V to find, for her to target.

  “Oh, yes.” David nodded. “Oh, yes, definitely. There’ll be something, even if it’s just suspects. That could be vital to us and the people in Amsterdam on creating the cure.”

  “How do we know we can trust the people in Amsterdam?”

  “They’re on our side.” David glanced at Zach but said nothing else.

  They came to a stop at land. The jeep they had used to get to the shore was still there, waiting for them. Cedric drove them away from the boat they had spent weeks on, and back into Cannes. They found a house that was in darkness, left alone for nature to grow around. Once inside, they set themselves up, knowing it was not time to get comfortable.

  Tomorrow, they would be heading back into the lion’s den. Winter looked at her companions, watching them struggle with their own inner thoughts. Tomorrow, none of them could be alive.

  Chapter Fifty

  It was New Year’s Eve. What should have been a day of anticipated celebrations was instead a day of sorrow. Tonight, The Union faced their biggest battle yet - one Winter was sure they weren’t ready for.

  Their plans were set: arrive at The Louvre and explore before V could get to them. If it went that smoothly, it would be a miracle.

  “I want to find the others before we go in,” Zach said to Cedric. “I want them to be with us.”

  “Zach, it would be like hunting a needle in a haystack,” Cedric snapped. “They could be anywhere.”

  “I’m not giving up on them.”

  * * *

  “We need to get to The Louvre tonight,” Heidi said. “I heard Cedric talking about a New Year’s party that V is throwing.”

  Violet agreed, sat at a small round table in the kitchen, the faces of happier times peering down at the girls gathered in the room. “We can’t take Olivia with us. She’s only just got out.”

  “I don’t think Olivia would come with us anyway. We’re safe here. She’ll be safe here for a night.”

  “I hope so.”

  * * *

  Back in Cannes, the group headed out into their stolen jeep. Cedric found diesel in the back of the car boot. He refilled the tank and put the car into action. He was nervous, anticipation pumping through his veins instead of non-infected blood.

  They drove away from Cannes, which had been ransacked but was relatively untouched in its glorious beauty. A light rain fell on the city, saying goodbye to the year. Winter watched the glass steam up; saw blurs of darkness drift by, and clutched the axe in her hands.

  She knew it would be no use to her once she got in. Cedric had warned them about the security. If th
ey were going to be invited in, V would have ensured the Blitzers on the doors knew who they were and what they might do once inside. It was a case of getting weapons, if truly needed, once they were indoors.

  They had dressed up as best as they could. They had shaved and showered, and put on clothes that they thought weren’t too dirty. They were never going to be as glamorous as the other guests in attendance, but that didn’t matter.

  Cedric had given Connor the invites to hold. He peered at them intently, inspecting every corner of the sparkling print.

  “She really put an effort into making these,” Connor said, letting the light reflect off the holographic exploding fireworks. “For one event.”

  “Keeps up appearances,” David spoke from the front.

  They entered Paris, the buildings becoming a lot more extravagant, oozing wealth left behind by those driven underground by the truth of the apocalypse.

  After half an hour of driving without trying to raise any suspicions, they turned a corner and saw The Louvre. Lights outside rolled over the architecture of the old palace, lighting it up in colours of whites, reds, greens and purples. Inside, yellow flickering lights glistened, inviting those outside in, hypnotising worried minds. A red carpet had been placed at the main entrance, slinking out into the street where people in suits and dresses queued, whilst others flashed a smile or an invite and walked straight in. Red Blitzers guarded the doors, guns held in their hands.

  Cedric turned the key and the jeep stopped rumbling. They heard laughter, chatting, and the distant sound of music. It seemed everybody but them was excited for tonight.

  “I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Winter said, looking at her loose fitting top and her torn black jeans. “I can’t believe we’re just going to walk in.”

  “Hand out the invitations,” Cedric instructed, his jaw clenched.

  Connor handed out invitations with shaking hands, until everybody in the car held an invite with the reflective fireworks. They had leftovers in an envelope, which Connor held on to.

  They climbed out of the car and walked towards The Louvre, a museum Winter had dreamt of visiting, but not in this situation. Flashes exploded in their faces as gathered reporters and paparazzi recognised who they were. People shouted questions, but Winter had numbed her senses as she stared at the red Blitzers that came closer with every step she took.

  Cedric held his head high as guests queuing gasped and pointed. Some people shouted abuse, demanding The Union to be killed. He stopped at the Blitzers and looked at his reflection in the helmets they wore. Winter took Connor and Zach’s hand in hers, wishing she had carried the axe.

  “We have been invited to the celebrations,” Cedric spoke.

  The Blitzers sized Cedric up, staring at them all individually, before drawing back the velvet roped barrier and stepping back.

  Winter thought it was all a trick. She expected gunshots to fire, and to feel the bullets lodge into her back, but before she knew it they were inside.

  People barely glanced at them as they entered. A waiter in a geometric animal mask offered them champagne, which they all refused. Art work hung to walls as stairs twisted around and over the reception desk, which was now closed.

  “Shall we see Mona Lisa?” Connor asked, equally as flabbergasted as Winter.

  “I don’t think it is that sort of trip.”

  Winter’s eyes widened when she saw three girls walking towards them in the crowd. She wanted to scream, jump and excitedly embrace her friends, but she knew that was troublesome. They needed to blend in and keep the eyes off them.

  Violet ignored everyone else and hugged Zach. He gripped her tightly as they rooted to the spot, lost in each other’s embrace.

  “How did you get in?” Cedric asked, his eyes darting from Missy to Heidi.

  “They let us,” Heidi replied. “They took one look at Violet and didn’t question it. Seems they’ve been briefed on who we are.”

  “That’s not good.” Cedric shook his head.

  “Betrayal?” Connor questioned.

  Cedric nodded. “There are three people not here.”

  “Ruby, Caroline and Maria.” Winter stated.

  “You thinking the same as me?”

  “I hope I’m wrong.”

  The thought of the three missing members betraying them was not a nice one, but reality had a way of striking with an iron fist.

  Beautiful women in ball gowns and handsome men in tailored suits surrounded them. Every one of them clutched an alcoholic drink, whether it be champagne with fizzing bubbles, or whiskey on the rocks. None of them were Caroline, Ruby or Maria. The three girls were missing in action. Or they could be here, working underneath V’s regime.

  “We need to get moving,” Cedric said, trying not to look like he was calling a meeting. “We can’t all disappear together, so we need to split up.”

  “But we’ve only just found everyone,” Violet said, letting go of Zach.

  “I’ll take some of you to the labs. The rest of you will go upstairs and try and find offices of those in charge. It’ll be dangerous, but we need to get as much information as possible. And we need to get out of here. The time is…”

  Winter eyed a clock in the middle of reception. “Ten past nine.”

  “We meet back here at eleven.”

  “Yeah, because we’re going to keep track of time,” Violet murmured.

  “I expect you to. Missy, Heidi and Connor, you come with me to the labs. Winter, Zach, David and Violet, you explore upstairs.”

  They nodded, getting together in their groups. Winter placed a hand on Cedric’s arm. “If you find my parents down there, please help them, in whatever way you can.”

  “I will.”

  “I forgot to mention! Your mother is alive,” Violet said.

  Winter felt the world sway. She had ruled out ever finding her mother again. There was more hope for her father, seeing as he had been alive and well before he was abducted from her grasp. “Alive?”

  “We were captured and taken to the catacombs,” Violet explained. She looked at Cedric. “Have you heard of Martyrs?” Cedric shook his head. “They’re the dead, but they live. They can talk and think. They’re a new creation, which are proving to be very dangerous. They guard the prisoners underground, which are made of huge tunnels. I found Heidi and Missy and we planned our escape. The Martyrs let us go; they didn’t seem to care.”

  “That’s worrying.”

  “Yes,” Violet nodded. “But I found your mother. She had been under there for a few weeks, I think. She’s okay, but she’s a bit shaken up.”

  Winter hugged her, squeezing her tightly. “Thank you for saving her.”

  “I don’t know how you managed living with her for seventeen years. She was driving me crazy.”

  “Listen, we have to split,” Cedric said, when Winter let go of Violet. “We can’t be here for long. We’re wasting too much time.”

  Winter, Violet, Zach and David climbed the stairs, avoiding eye contact with anyone who recognised them or even glanced their way. They walked slowly, pretending to admire the artwork, until they found a door, which blended in with the walls. A sticker on the door read ‘private access only’. David pushed it, and they were surprised to see it opened.

  They walked through, letting the door seal them into what seemed to be private corridors. Gone were the posh art-deco exteriors, the artwork by painters, and the warmth of the party. Instead, they were in what looked like a boring office block, with rows of heavy wooden doors and plain white walls.

  “How has this been kept a secret for so long?” Zach shook his head, looking down the corridor.

  “It could be easily hidden,” David said. “How many times have you passed a door with a private access sticker on, and pushed it open?”

  “Good point.”

  They walked down the hallway, feeling as though they were trespassing.

  “Just remember we were invited here,” Winter spoke.

  “I
don’t think our invite extended this far,” Zach said, looking down another corridor at identical doors. “Where the hell are we meant to be going?”

  “I suppose we should start looking through these offices?” Winter asked, pausing at a door.

  David looked worried. “I don’t know. There could be anyone inside.”

  Violet tried one of the doors. It opened, and Winter expected the worst. Inside, however, was nothing but cleaning supplies.

  “Anticlimactic.” Violet shook her head. She looked at David. “Next door, Mr Investigative Journalist.”

  David rolled his eyes and tried the next door. Inside were art works, left to gather dust.

  “Shame.” Violet peered into the room. “Imagine selling your art to The Louvre only for it to be put in storage.”

  “I’m sure the artist made a good sum of money,” Zach said.

  “If I survive this apocalypse, I’ll sell my art here one day.” Violet wishfully sighed.

  “Not when V’s in control you won’t,” Winter said.

  “Hey, money is money.” Violet closed the office door. “I need money.”

  They tried more doors. Some were locked; others were more of the same. It seemed these offices were nothing but storage. They finally found what they were looking for when Winter opened an identical wooden door, pushing against the weight, only to walk out onto stairs leading up to more floors.

  They walked up them, reading a plaque on the wall: ‘Department of Financing’.

  “Worth a look?” Zach asked.

  “I think so.” David nodded. He took a small camera out of his back pocket and opened the door.

  “You’re unbelievable,” Winter said.

  “I have to get the evidence if we want to recruit people.”

  The department of finance was a large room with aisles upon aisles of workspace blocks. Computer monitors sat on generic office desks, and clocks hung on every wall, so people could always be aware of deadlines. The room had that barren air only an unhappy office could suppress.

  They peered in to each cubicle, splitting up and searching through cabinets and drawers. Winter cast her eye over budgets of staff costs, weapon manufacturing and in-goings and outgoings. She re-read a page that told her V had money going out to a factory in Papua New Guinea.