Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: The Crest of Secrets

The Dubois estate's study was a fortress of lamplight and shadows, the air thick with the scent of aged leather books and the faint, lingering musk of Henri's pipe, though he sat now with a furrowed brow, his hands clasped tightly. Julien stood at the desk, the engraved pocket watch from the woods glinting under the lamp, its unfamiliar crest—a serpent coiled around a dagger— taunting him with its mystery. The factory attack at dawn, Paul's grazed shoulder, and the scattered rifle parts were a stark warning: the "silent partner" behind Victor Moreau and Fournier was escalating, undeterred by the Ministry contract or Leclerc's support. The note from the banquet—The game's not over—and the rich tobacco scent tied to the mustached enforcer burned in Julien's mind, his past life's losses—Antoine's blood, France's ruin—driving him to unmask the enemy before they struck again. Antoine leaned against the wall, his pistol holstered but his poet's grin replaced by a soldier's edge, honed by Julien's relentless training. Claire sat by the desk, her auburn hair catching the light, her hazel eyes sharp with worry but steady with resolve, her presence a quiet anchor that stirred Julien's heart despite his efforts to focus. Élise paced, her notepad clutched like a weapon, her fox-like cunning already dissecting the watch's clue. The Mark I rifles, repaired and locked down, were safe for now, but the trial delivery loomed in three days, and the "partner's" next move could end everything. Julien held up the watch, his voice steady but laced with urgency. "This crest isn't Fournier's or Moreau's. It's our 'silent partner'—someone with enough power to send armed men and stay hidden. We need to know who they are before Leclerc's delivery." Henri's voice was gruff, his eyes dark with concern. "You're in too deep, Julien. Spies, saboteurs, now this? The factory's barely holding, and you're chasing shadows. What if this crest leads nowhere?" Marguerite, seated beside him, placed a hand on his arm, her calm presence cutting through the tension. "It's not nowhere, Henri. Julien's brought us this far—against Moreau, against Fournier. This watch is a thread. Pull it, and the shadow unravels." Her eyes met Julien's, warm but piercing, as if sensing the weight of his past life's secrets. Élise stopped pacing, her grin sharp. "I know that crest," she said, flipping open her notepad. "Saw it in Papa's old ledgers—trade records from ten years ago. It's tied to a company, Serpent Arms, based in Lyon. They supply steel to the Ministry, but there's whispers they smuggle weapons to Germany. Their owner, Armand de Vigny, keeps a low profile. Rich, connected, dangerous." Julien's pulse quickened, Patrick Arnaud's strategic clarity from 2025 clicking into place. "De Vigny," he said, his voice low. "If he's the 'silent partner,' he's not just after the factory—he's playing both sides, arming France and Germany. That's why he wants the Mark I gone. It threatens his monopoly." Antoine's eyes narrowed, his hand brushing his pistol. "My father's met de Vigny—says he's a snake, owns half the Ministry's loyalty through bribes. If he's your 'partner,' he'll hit again before the delivery. What's the plan?" Julien's mind raced, his soldier's instincts blending with Arnaud's business tactics. "We bait him again, but smarter. Élise, spread a rumor—say we're hiding a new prototype, more advanced than the Mark I, in the factory vault. If de Vigny bites, we catch his men red-handed and tie him to the evidence—Fournier's letter, the watch, the oil. Leclerc can take it to the Minister." Claire's voice was steady, but her hand gripped his, her warmth grounding him. "It's risky, Julien. De Vigny's not Fournier—he won't send hired thugs; he'll come prepared. You need more than a trap. Let me talk to my father—he can get Leclerc to raid de Vigny's Lyon offices." Julien nodded, her resolve strengthening his. "Do it. But stay safe, Claire. I can't—" He stopped, the memory of Antoine's death in his past life choking him. "I need you with me." Her smile was fierce, her fingers lingering on his. "You've got me, Julien. Always." The words were a spark, but the tobacco scent from the watch reminded him time was short. Élise smirked, breaking the moment. "Save the romance for later, you two. I'll plant the rumor through the workers—de Vigny's spies are already inside. Antoine, get your father to Leclerc tonight. We set the trap tomorrow." Henri stood, his voice heavy but resolute. "You're betting our legacy, Julien. If this fails, the factory's done. But… I trust you." Marguerite's nod was silent, her faith a quiet fire. As the family dispersed, Julien lingered with the watch, its serpent crest glinting like a warning. He sent a coded message to Leclerc, detailing the crest and de Vigny's link, urging an investigation. But as he stepped into the hall, a faint tobacco scent—rich, sharp—drifted from the shadows, gone in an instant. De Vigny was watching, and the trap would be a battlefield. With Claire's fire, Antoine's loyalty, and Élise's cunning, Julien steeled himself, his past life's vow to protect them all burning brighter than ever.