Memoirs of Les Amis de l'ABC

Chapter Five: The Leader in Red

It wasn't too long until the five people found themselves in front of the Café Musain. Courfeyrac stopped short of it while Sybill stared curiously at the building that suddenly seemed familiar. With a start she remembered what it had been years ago, and her heart turned to a sinking lead weight with the anxiety. She took care to ensure her companion would not be able to tell her change, but the man beside her noticed anyways.

"Are you alright, mademoiselle?" inquired Courfeyrac gently.

"I'm fine," Sybill replied, faking a smile. "Yes, I am fine. It is... it is just hot after the time I spent chasing Gavroche."

Courfeyrac chuckled. "It's a miracle you were able to keep apace with him. There's scarcely a person who can do it."

"She was raised in Saint-Michele like me!" cheered Gavroche happily from in front of the pair. "She must know how to run - all of the kids do."

Grantaire and Cosette had found their way beside the two in time to hear Gavroche's little explanation of Sybill's past. "You're a Saint-Michele kid?" Courfeyrac questioned. She nodded slowly. He looked at her curiously. "Curious," he remarked. "I do not remember meeting you, mademoiselle, and I thought my family knew of most of the families that lived here."

"I do not remember you either," Sybill admitted honestly. "I only just arrived in town after being gone some years."

Grantaire stared at the girl a second before smirking. "There are more than just the wealthy who live in Saint-Michele, dear Courfeyrac."

Courfeyrac chuckled. "I am well aware of that, R, but I assume my lovely, feminine companion here would belong to the former sect which I find myself a member of."

"She wasn't rich either," Gavroche announced. "That's how she knew Madame Rosalind."

"Gavroche," Sybill said in a fierce whisper to silence the young boy who was talking far too much. Cosette and Sybill exchanged looks.

"Oh," Courfeyrac mustered. "My apologies then, mademoiselle," he added hastily. "I do fear that sometimes I make assumptions that are too rash and qui-"

"It is no matter," Sybill shook her head. "No, all is fine. That is just a fact from my childhood though my fortune has greatly changed, I daresay." She took a breath. "So this is the Café Musain you were telling us so much about?"

Courfeyrac and Grantaire were watching her closely. It was quite evident that there was something that she was not telling them. Grantaire stole a glance at Cosette on his arm who appeared frozen in shock while gazing worriedly at her sister. The little boy could not understand what was happening, and he was growing quite confused.

"It is," nodded Courfeyrac. "Yes, here we are. I imagine no one is in at this hour," lied Courfeyrac.

"But-"

"Gavroche, will you need help fetching your belongings to take to the Fauchelevent house?" Grantaire interrupted the boy, staring him down.

Gavroche looked at him in confusion before slowly nodding yes upon realizing that was the answer Grantaire was looking for. Grantaire spoke a few words to break his accompaniment of Cosette and took the boy by the shoulder and directed him into the Café well ahead of the other three. Sybil made a move to follow, but Courfeyrac took that opportunity to take Cosette's arm as well to lead them at a slower pace into the Café Musain. Sybill and Cosette both grew worried upon noticing the odd behavior. It was then that they realized that they did not truly know their companions.