Chapter 19

It was the talk of the town, the arrival of inspector Javert in Nassau. It was a pirate town after all, and everyone knew that. But to have the inspector over, to have him and his men walk through the streets? Everyone was suddenly reminded that no one was invincible. It was just a matter of time before the first arrest. Suddenly everyone seemed a lot more well behaved.

Grantaire knew the Mussain wouldn’t set sail for a while. Even though leaving Nassau and staying as far away from Javert as possible sounded like a well thought plan, it simply was impossible. By arriving Javert had put a lockdown on the harbor. No ship was to leave this place unless they had his immediate approval. Anyone who did would be arrested without second thought. And as a pirate ship, with one of the most famous crew? You certainly couldn't afford to have them searching the ship.

The town, once so welcoming, became grim. People became cautious around each other, especially after the first arrest. The first hanging. It was a sign from the inspector. Criminals weren't tolerated in this town, and if the mayor wouldn’t do anything about it, the inspector would.

Grantaire didn't see the crew for almost a week, even though he knew they were in town. He went to visit Gavroche every day. Most days they just played cards, as Grantaire had no idea what to talk about with the boy, but the current events. Gavroche seemed to know quite a lot of what was going on in town.

But on day seven, he finally saw Joly again. Of course he understood. For Gavroche’s safety he couldn’t be linked to Enjolras and the crew. For his own safety he needed to keep his distance. It was no different than before the Mussain had arrived, when they were somewhere out on the sea.

Except that it was.

Every breathing moment he thought about the kiss. Even when someone knocked on his door, he thought it would be Enjolras. And when it turned out to be Joly, some part of his brain still searched for Enjolras. Like he would be hiding in the bushes.

It felt so ungrateful, especially since his friend was here. He liked Joly, was really glad to see him, but he wasn’t Enjolras.

Closing the door behind him almost felt like a secretive meeting. Maybe it was, as Javert's men couldn’t know they knew each other.

"What brings me the pleasure of your company?" He asked Joly when they were both settled with a beer. Jokingly, but also seriously. Why would Joly come to him?

“Can’t I just visit a good friend of mine?” Joly asked, quasi-offended. They both knew that that wasn’t the real reason for a visit.

“But you’re right, I’m not just here for, as you called it, the pleasure of your company, even though it really is a pleasure to see you again,” Joly continued. “And just to be clear: I’m staying here all evening for the pleasure of that same company.” Once inside no one knew Joly was here (right?), so they could catch up.

“As you know, Javert is in town.”

“It was hard to miss,” Grantaire said. It had been the talk of the town.

Joly grimassed. “Yeah, he has… quite an influence on Nassau. We’re pretty sure he has come to overthrow the mayor in his quest to clear the world of all criminality, and that would be bad news for us. The acceptance of the mayor is the reason Nassau can flourish like it does.”

“Okay?” Grantaire had literally no clue where this was going.

“Also Javert has put Enjolras on house arrest, which is the reason I’m here. Enjolras can’t physically leave the house without being labeled enemy number one, with the threat of hanging. None of us has spoken to him in a few days.” This was a lot more interesting for Grantaire. Apparently it wasn’t common news, as he hadn’t heard any gossip about it.

Or maybe people were just too scared to whisper about it.

“The mayor needs a way to contact Enjolras. You’ve seen first hand the kind of way Javert treats people like us. Hanged like nothing more than ordinary criminals, always under the threat of the so called law. I know you saw the execution. Everyone did, and no one said anything while a person there paid for crimes he didn’t commit.”

“And why does the mayor need Enjolras?”

The mayor and the pirate. Somehow it didn’t make sense, even when they had a common enemy: the men in blue patrolling the streets. Grantaire was pretty sure that the mayor was supposed to abide to the law. He was also pretty sure Enjolras and Les Amis definitely didn’t do that.

“I think you know why. If anyone can get people to follow them to the end of earth, it is Enjolras. Don’t tell me I’m wrong. I’ve seen the way you look at him. It’s what he does, speaking to others until they give him everything.” Was it that obvious? Did they know about the kiss? (About the kisses?). Or was it all a game for Enjolras, getting people to follow him, even people who rather die fighting than quietly follow him.

“The mayor needs Enjolras, just as Enjolras needs the mayor’s support. Together? Together they will be an unstoppable force.” Grantaire could imagine. With the power of the mayor and his funds, and the way Enjolras seemed to mesmerize anyone he met, it seemed unlikely anyone would be able to step aside and watch from the sideline.

“You’re talking about revolution,” Grantaire said.

Joly nodded. “Yes, we’re talking about revolution. Because with Javert in town, there is no easy way to get out of this. He has the government’s full support and full funds. It’s only a matter of time before he has enough power to actually arrest like half the town. And I’m pretty sure the noose will be busy then.”

“And what do you need from me then?” Just as Enjolras had asked him to look after Gavroche, Grantaire was sure Joly hadn’t just come to talk to him about revolution. They needed him for something. Something dangerous, with Javert and his men watching the town like a hawk. It would be best to step down, to watch from the sideline, but it was as Joly said: if Enjolras spoke, no one would be able to watch from the sideline. Everyone would be forced to choose a side.

Enjolras had already spoken to Grantaire.

“We need you to be the communicator between Enjolras and the mayor.” Yeah, that sounded like it was really easy, with Enjolras under house arrest and the mayor under constant surveillance.

“Like what, you want me to climb through a window in order to reach Enjolras? Perhaps Éponine would fit better.” And yet he would try if that was what was needed in order to reach the captain.

“No, they need someone to bring Enjolras his food. We need you to be the errand boy. They will track down any record of you, and we need you to be angry. To hate Enjolras with anything you got, for the kidnapping, for the way he has dumped you here to look after yourself.” He had been angry, right? He had hated Enjolras. He could give this show.

“And then?”

“And then you meet with your old friend Éponine. It’s nothing new, two friends sharing a drink. It’s nothing illegal. She will meet with Marius, and Marius with his lover of course. And who would think anything about a daughter visiting her father?”

Wait, what? Cosette was the mayor’s daughter? “I thought Cosette had broken with her adoptive father?”

Joly laughed. “Well… kinda? She has chosen the sea, the Mussain. But why do you think the mayor allows us to be here? He and his daughter are still pretty tight the moments she is in Nassau. They just don’t tell anyone that.”