Chapter 3
Claude
"There has been another shooting" the sombre voice of Corinne Orrilard, the most respected news reader in France informed us, on the national station. "The shooter did not attack one of the respected Aristocrats this time, he shoot our President," there was a pause as the news reader stopped speaking to allow everyone the time for the news to sink in, well I already knew but I was important enough to know before the official report, call it pompous, but it was a fact. I noticed that the news readers eyes had a glazed over quality that looked like she was on auto pilot, was this so? Was the famous news reader who had a heart of steel going to break down? Now that was something I would love to see. I turned away from the plasma telly, to see a young woman crying softly, her dark mahogany hair was ruler straight and hung like curtains at the side of her almond face. Her dark moss eyes shone as a tear tracks made zig - zags down her almond skin. "Look Gabreelle, Orrilard's going to break down on telly, that's got to make you laugh, you always hated her" I smiled in glee, and my sister just rose her eyes and looked into mine like she was seeing the real me, "You are sick" every word was pronounced with a quiet but deadly menace. "Do you honestly think that she gives a crap about her appearance when our president is dead?"
"Honestly, I think she cares about the ratings" I gave her a quick smile, which held no humour.
"Basterd! You have no heart, you are capable of no love you just have a clock that counts down your life!"
"And if that were true I would not be here talking to you, as nature knows its failures and disposes of them, Sis that's why we are here, we were wanted" I turned back to see Corinne finally break down and do that pathetic mime think where you cover your mouth with one hand while halting people who would come over and comfort you. I heard a chuckle from behind me. "Told you, I said you would enjoy it" I loved being right
"You are so crude and opinionated. And that's why I love you."
"So let me get this straight, you 'love' me because I'm a stubborn, cold hearted basterd?" I looked at my sister who had gotten up and was moving out of our main reception room, she stood in the doorway, and I just saw a minuet shake of her head before she walked out of the room, I yelled after her retreating form to close the door, she replied in a cool voice "what did your last servant die of?" while still walking away from me, "he hasn't yet, it's always good to have more than one" I bellowed after her and I just heard her laugh echo around me. Well, what is the point in being rich if I couldn't boss more than one person? The sound of money interrupted my thoughts, not actual money as that would be highly improbable, but the song by Pink Floyd which I thought was rather fitting as I am extremely wealthy. I looked down at my blackberry, which was my private number; I looked at the caller ID and saw it was Sebastian Chaumount. I sighed; he was the last person I wanted to talk to. "Hello, Claude Chaumount speaking" I heard a click, as if we were having a three-way conversation, which was impossible as my father wouldn't ring me on my private number to have someone eavesdrop. I ignored the impulse to hang up and shrugged off my paranoia. "Son, is that you?" a deep, harsh voice that held little voice was on the other end. I resisted the urge to give a smart comment and just answered with a stiff yes, whenever my father rang on this number it was always bad news.
"Claude, you need to get out of Bordeaux, my informants tell me it's not safe," he was speaking quickly and quietly, incase someone was listening in, "Where will I go?" I asked him just as quickly. "To the apartment, in Paris"
"And how will being in the capital of our country? There will be millions of people around me on the streets, unless you want me to be locked up in the apartment."
"Headon knows Paris well and all the sniper spots, you will be safer, and 5 of the 9 aristocrats that were on the council have been assassinated in their family homes and..." I quickly shut him up before he would start to ramble. "Okay father I understand, so when is Headon arriving?"
