Léon's heart was racing as he listened to Alexandre's hushed conversation. He couldn't make out the words, but the tone was unmistakable - urgent, secretive, and more than a little menacing.
As Alexandre hung up the phone, Léon felt a chill run down his spine. Who was Alexandre talking to? And what were they discussing?
Alexandre turned to him, a mask of innocence on his face. "Sorry about that, Léon. Just a business call."
Léon raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "At midnight?"
Alexandre shrugged. "I have associates all over the world, Léon. Sometimes I have to take calls at odd hours."
Léon wasn't convinced, but he let it drop. For now.
As they finished their coffee and left the café, Léon couldn't shake the feeling that he was being lied to. That Alexandre was hiding something from him, something big.
He tried to push the thoughts aside, to focus on the beauty of the city around him. But the feeling lingered, gnawing at the back of his mind like a rodent.
It wasn't until they stumbled upon a small, underground club in the heart of Le Marais that Léon finally began to uncover the truth.
The club was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of smoke and sweat. Léon felt a thrill of excitement as they pushed their way through the crowd, the music pulsating around them like a living thing.
As they reached the bar, Alexandre leaned in close, his voice shouting above the music. "I'll get us some drinks, Léon. Wait here."
Léon nodded, his eyes scanning the crowd as Alexandre disappeared into the sea of bodies.
That was when he saw him - a tall, dark-haired man with piercing blue eyes, watching him from across the room.
Léon felt a jolt of recognition, but he couldn't quite place the man. Where had he seen him before?
As the man began to move towards him, Léon's heart started racing. Who was this stranger, and what did he want?
But before the man could reach him, Alexandre appeared out of nowhere, a drink in hand and a look of warning in his eyes.
"Let's get out of here, Léon," Alexandre said, his voice low and urgent. "Now."
Léon hesitated, unsure of what was happening. But as he looked into Alexandre's eyes, he saw something there that made his blood run cold.
Fear.
