In The Back Streets Of France, Chapter 4: Shawn

Chapter 4: Shawn

Alex looks at his watch and says, “Could Charcoal have picked a worst time to disappear?” Seeing the perplexed looks on his friends faces, he explains: “Its 11:30pm. Great. Just wonderful.”

He had come back just as soon as he had realized that he didn’t know where she is, let alone which way she went once she got to the mouth of ally.

He gathers 4 flashlights, makes them all put on sweatshirts, and tells them to be careful. They make their regular exit one at a time making sure there are no police. They stick to the shadows, of which there are many, and when they get to the end of the ally, they all look around.

Alex says in a rough, strung-out whisper, “Matt: go look down on rue Brown. Andrew: Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Shawn and I will go to the Avenue Montaigne in the 8th Arrondissement. Keep going until you come to the dead end or the square. If it starts to get light out and you haven’t heard from one of the other of us, go back in and we’ll figure it out from there. See ya.” They all go their separate ways and they are all grateful to Alex for making them bundle up.

Alex and Shawn are sticking to shadows when they notice a club that is illuminating the whole street. They stop and look at each other. They decide that they will just have to walk. They stick their hands in their jeans and try to act like they are only out for some action at a club. They even stop in front of the club entrance and pretend to contemplate if there are good catches at this one. They are very aware that this club is Les Bains. This club has the reputation as the top Paris night club. It pull in visiting Hollywood stars and its clientele are all the regular Who's Who of French showbiz. Fantasy décor gives the dance floor and its adjoining sections privacy, while the first floor restaurant is the place to be seen if you like the paparazzi. They know this is the place to pick someone up, so they cross the street and continue.

They arrive at the mouth of St. John-Paul Square and see three lone figures standing under a dim street light. The two taller ones shake hands and they can see dark hair waving in the wind. Shawn notice that Alex is considerably stiffens when he sees them. Shawn looks at him and sees that he has a look that Shawn has never seen before. He can’t quite place it at that moment. Looking back on the situation later that night, or rather when he finally gets in bed, he will decide that that look was a look of fear, anger, and a hate he knew he can’t possibly know.

“We gotta get her out of there,” Alex says firmly.

“Alex, what’s wrong?” Shawn asks.

Alex looks at Shawn and decides that there is time.

“That younger boy, there,” he says slowly, pointing at Thomas. “He - Thomas is not a pot of cute love to put it simply. He’s 14, but both he and his 16 year old brother, Michael, are criminal masterminds, working for the best in the criminal business. Actually the International Mob. I’ve seen what the girls look like when Thomas is done mentally torturing them. Their nervous wreck for life. What’s even worst is the damage that Michael ends up doing. Lets just say... babies are the least of it. actually, no babies. Number One always seems to manage to kill them so Michael isn’t emotionally attached..”

“Alex...,” Shawn backs into the light. “How do you know all this?”

Alex also steps into the light. “Do you remember the times that you all asked me what I did whenever I left the orphanage?”

Alex’s eyes are wild, sad, scared, lonely, but most of all ashamed. Shawn takes anther step back.

“Yeah.”

“For a while I worked for them. I must have been really depressed and I was constantly listening to ‘I Hate Everything About You’ by Three Days Grace. I was in a trance. I can’t believe I did the things I did, but I do remember that I thought it was the coolest thing in the world to run around with the French branch of the International Mob. What Michael and I did was get information out of girls who didn’t know any better. More than once I had to kill the girl in order to keep myself out of the cells. So now you know stuff I never told any one else. You can run if you want to. I won’t go after you. Or shoot me. Whatever you do, I don’t blame you, Shawn.”

Shawn becomes aware of the fact that this is the first time he has ever heard Alex say his name. Alex has a scared look on his face and Shawn knows he is waiting for some sort of betrayal or to being turned over to the police. He also knows that the little band of friends can’t survive without Alex. Shawn nods.

“Alex, I know you’re probably really scared that I’ll turn you in. I won’t, but you most likely shouldn’t have told me all that. That’s enough information to blackmail the president. But whatever. We have to get Charcoal out of there first.”

It is Alex’s turn to nod. He looks only marginally relieved.

They walk towards the café.