"Bonjour, Monsieur Durand , il est bon de vous revoir . Comment allez-vous?" Bright green eyes looked over the top of the newspaper as it was noticed that someone had sat down at the circular café table opposite to herself. Flicking the paper and folding it, a casual glance was sent its way as it was set to one side. With it now out of her hands, it allowed Liesel to idly fold her hands together and pull her painted red lips into a welcoming smile without the gesture being hidden behind the paper. "My, my dear Maurice, you do not look at all well...whatever is the matter?" 

The mousy haired man sitting opposite her fidgeted as if uncomfortable before placing a hand to his mouth and coughing quietly. Though seemingly wishing to be discreet, he was not succeeding. His sharp dark eyes flicked over everything and anything, and everyone that was near. And there was a lot near. Honestly though, the man couldn't be anymore obvious if he even tried. Liesel looked at her scarred hands, the frostbite from years before had left numerous criss-cross patterns on some parts of her skin and fingers, folding her hands in her lap, she smiled sweetly. She was trying to reassure him, that he was fine. But with the way he was acting, it was like he expected to suddenly be jumped on. Not by her, no.

Sitting outside enjoying the sunny Parisian day, Liesel thought that anyone could enjoy such a thing. Evidently not. She may be soaking up the last of the summers warmth, Autumn was drawing ever closer but her company did not seem to share the sentiment. Liesel looked around, the small café where she had agreed to meet Maurice was amongst many others. There was nothing particularly special about this place. Really, Liesel was ignorant to it even existing before she passed it one day last week and decided then and there that this would be the place to use to meet the man still shifting in his seat. The table she was sitting at was situated underneath a red canopy. There were at least another five tables circulating hers.

"Could we not sit inside?" Maurice's voice tore her from her thoughts. Liesel looked away from the square nearby and looked to him.

Her vivid green eyes blinked, languidly, almost bored like. "Why?" She so easily replied, even her tone matched her expression. "Scared?" She smirked slowly and reclined in her seat. Fear was an interesting concept that she'd tried years to smash down and get rid of. She forgot how easily people got scared. Through her life, she'd faced enough fearful things to face it head-on, no questions asked and deal with the situation as it unfolded. She had no intention whatsoever to move because some human was terrified of being outside. She was enjoying the late summer breeze and people watching. Everyone seemed so busy. She really wondered where they needed to be in such a hurry. She certainly had nowhere to be which would result in her rushing around so much.

"It is...should I say, unusual and daring to share this information in such a public open place." Maurice said while leaning against the table and looking up at her.

Liesel sighed, the man did look rather petrified she had to admit, she felt pity for him really. With a sigh she gestured a hand to the nearby door. "After you, by all means, Monsieur Durand." Watching him stand she slowly followed. She brushed her shoulder length auburn hair over her shoulder as she trailed after the man. Might as well put the man out of his misery and allow him to get his wish.

Sitting in a back corner booth, Liesel watched as Maurice pulled something from a briefcase. He had been clutching the briefcase so closely to himself that Liesel had quite overlooked it even existing. The man wore all dark clothes and the briefcase blended in well with him. Shaking her head she leaned forwards when he placed an envelope on top of the red checked table cloth. "I will not go into detail, just know this was a task to get."

"Well done, I'm proud of you," Liesel smiled widely and opened the envelope. Her eyes seemed to brighten as she flicked over the information in front of her. "Clever boy." Though Maurice was easily older than her, she after all was only just heading into her early twenties. Maurice was clearly mid-thirties. Yet for the slightest of moments he looked like he took pride in her compliment. Liesel smiled, people were so easy to please.

"My payment..."

Liesel's face dropped then. Her casual smile disappeared and a blank mask fixed itself on her face. People were so easy to please, and yet so demanding. "Quite, apologies, dearest Maurice, I had almost forgotten!" Liesel recovered from her moment of displeasure and picked up her handbag. Turning it over and undoing the clasp she easily slipped her hand in and pulled an envelope of her own out. "Do treat your wife to something, don't spend it all on yourself. My thanks again, and goodbye...I doubt that we will ever cross paths again." Liesel slid out of her seat and smiled at the man one last time before picking up the envelope he had given to her. Slipping it under her arm she walked briskly out of the café. Sliding dark sunglasses on, she looked left and right before simply walking onwards. She had nothing else to do today, so she decided to aimlessly wonder. Her small heeled shoes clipped the grey concrete Paris path she found herself traversing. Frowning she tilted her head to the side and looked over her shoulder.

Why was that idiot following her? Pouting and letting out an irritated sigh she picked up her pace and slid into a nearby alley. Leaning against the wall she watched as the slight frame of Maurice Durand passed. Tensing at the sight of a concealed gun in his hand, Liesel gritted her teeth. "Oh Maurice, dearest...you, a double agent? That's unfortunate." Liesel shook her head and moved out of the alley and followed him. A few people looked at her oddly. A finely dressed woman coming out of a dingy alley was something that was not seen every day.

Rolling her eyes, she ignored those around her and smiled slowly. Rushing she clasped a hand to the arm, with the hand carrying the gun and smiled sweetly. "Hello again, you look like you have a purpose. Maurice, a purpose which involves bodily harm...may I know it? You see, I ask because I too am on a mission to do bodily harm to another...I know what another driven person looks like." Tightening her hold on his arm, she gave a satisfied smile when the feeling of electric travelled from her hand and to him. He gave a groan of pain and twitched slightly from discomfort. A minor electric shock was harmless. "Come, I am meeting a dear friend of mine here. I am sure he'd like to meet you too! I have told him much about you, not that he cares..." Liesel pouted and easily tugged in the direction she needed to go in. 

It wasn't until catching a glance of the watch on Maurice's arm that she realised she actually had a purpose, and she needed to be somewhere...and she was running late. "I would say I was the caring one out of the two. But quite frankly, I could not rightly give a damn. Someone sent you to shoot me, I wish them luck, I mean...it's not wholly creative is it? But whatever, I digress. I had hoped you were genuinely what you appeared to be. Clearly not, which isn't good...for you, I mean." Liesel explained as they walked into a tree filled park. Benches were situated underneath some of the trees, whereas a few were seated near the fountain which took up a small section of the park in the centre. 

For the most part the park was shielded by trees and flowering hedges. It was secluded, peaceful and yet beautiful in its simplicity. Noticing a reclining figure sitting on one of the benches underneath a tree, Liesel couldn't help but smile. Maurice gave a groan from her, "Sorry," she hadn't realised that in her excitement the shock which was still going through him heightened. He almost fell from the sudden spike in electric searing shocks which coursed through him, yet because Liesel still clutched onto him he remained standing, though he did lag with dragged steps.

As if finally noticing two figures approaching, a newspaper was quickly lowered with a simple flick of the wrists. "I don't remember asking you to bring company."

"Don't be like that, Erik." Liesel said while readjusting her hold on Maurice while the other hand readjusted on her handbag.

Erik sighed and hung his head for a moment to process this before flicking his gaze up at them. His blue eyes narrowed at Maurice's pained expression before his eyes travelled down the man's arm to where Liesel's hand was holding. Looking to his other hand, Erik raised an eyebrow. "Well you weren't as discreet as you led on, was you?" Liesel went to reply only to get a hand held up to silence her. "You seemed to have attracted someone's attention." Erik gestured his hand to the gun. With concentrated effort he managed to wrestle it out of the man's grip. Having it now in his own grasp, he turned it over and shrugged.

"Pitch a guess." Liesel said dryly. "I'm rather sure there's a few collaborators out there who have their own little spies hidden everywhere, like Maurice here, the trusty double agent."

Erik looked between the two. "With that being said you bought him with you because?" He prompted though a part of him thought he'd regret asking.

"He was following me. What would you rather me do? Allow him to catch me and shoot me in some disgusting back alley, or bring him here...to see you, because I know you love meeting new people." Erik just looked at her blankly. Liesel smiled and let go of him. Maurice slouched to the floor. Erik simply looked down at the recovering man. He still shuddered now and again. Liesel rocked on her heels with an innocent smile on her face. Truthfully, he could easily admit that through growing up with the girl, he did not imagine her to be so sneaky and devious looking, or behaving. 

With a sigh he pocketed the gun, patting his knees he stood up slowly. Brushing himself down he looked to the man on the floor. "You follow us, you'll regret it." Erik moved past his kneeling form and looked down at Liesel. He'd always had height superiority over her, but the distance grew even more as they grew up. She now only just reached his shoulders so she had to crane her neck slightly to look him in the face. She raised an eyebrow at his words and actions. "I'm not going to shoot the man in broad daylight." Erik rolled his eyes and walked past her. Liesel sent a smile at Maurice and a wave before turning on her heels and walking briskly after Erik.

"We better hurry."

"What else have you done?" Erik frowned as they joined the busying streets. He wouldn't be surprised if she had done something else. She often had a habit of that.

Liesel smiled and twiddled a piece of her hair while grinning mischievously. Erik looked at her seriously, he didn't like that look at all. "The money I gave him for payment is fake. Or at least the top bill is real money...the rest...no."

"Liesel," Erik sighed and shook his head, she looked at him with wide eyes expecting the worst. Lectures were something she never enjoyed listening to. Even more so if they came from him. "Well, I suppose I should congratulate you for that."

"Eh?"

Erik smiled and simply placed an arm around her shoulders. "How else are we expecting to live without money?" He smiled at the obvious. Liesel blinked and let out a noise to show she'd followed what he was saying. The two walked in silence then, he kept an arm around her to stop her from being bustled or separated from him by the native Parisians. Frowning slowly however, he looked down at her. Liesel's face was fixed in a thoughtful, yet wistful expression. It was a look he hadn't seen for quite some time, not since the suggestion of possibly separating them back at that Polish converted hospital got mentioned. Separation never happened because...well, the two of them kicked up enough fuss that there was little option but to allow them to stay together. That and they had already been through so much together, the bond they had was not one to get so simply severed. "What is it?" Erik asked at length, listening to the city noise before glancing at her and hoping to stop her looking so deep in thought.

"I had hoped that he was being honest." Liesel admitted, sounding somewhat ashamed of her words as she sighed quietly and shook her head, inwardly despairing how silly and foolish she could've been for a split second.

"You know how people are, Liesel." Erik paused and smiled sadly down at her. "You shouldn't be surprised that he lied." Crossing the road he placed his hands in his jacket pockets now letting her go.

She shot a sideward look to the brunette male beside her. More often than not, Erik was right. "Even still...I...forget it..."

"Don't look so dejected, Liesel. He was just one man...one man who probably got promised more than we could pay to kill you. I hate to say it but one of those days has come."

"Excuse me?" Liesel turned and looked at him confused as they came to stop at the doorway to the hotel which they were staying in.

Erik leaned back against the brickwork behind him and smiled slowly before reaching out and opening the door. "I told you so."

"Hey! Erik! Hey!" She exclaimed and walked into the building following hot on his heels. All she got from him was a low laugh, he looked over his shoulder at the irritated look which was being sent up at him. But as soon as she was caught out, Liesel's face turned and she smiled instead. "Fine! I give you credit, that was needed."

"Stop trusting strangers so easily. As this has shown, it has dire consequences. If you weren't so quick off the mark, you would surely not be here now." Erik said blatantly. He had learnt quite a while ago that being so blunt was the way to get through to Liesel, as harsh as it was, it more often than not worked.

----

Inventory:

Hello, Mister Durand, it is good to see you again. How are you? – Bonjour, Monsieur Durand , il est bon de vous revoir . Comment allez-vous?

Edited: 7/June/2019

Reedited: 13/August/2021