I know you all want to probably Punjab me. My apologies for the long wait, I've been incredibly busy thanks to the insane amount of projects that all seven assignments like to give at once. However, when I went to see the Phantom of the Opera musical last Wednesday (got the cast signature and got to hug the Phantom… sry, I'm still excited about that), I decided it was time to get back on the story. Thanks for sticking with me through the unbelievably long wait.

I remain your humble and obedient servant,

Phantom of the Shadows

Chapter 1

"You know Anna, Paris is the next best thing to the Dominican," Nick told his friend as they stood on the stops of the Paris Opera House.

Anna was just coming out of her shocked state. With a start, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her money. As the friends looked at the money, they noticed that the currency had been changed to the French one.

Nick looked up in shock. "How…"

"I installed a mechanism in the machine that would automatically change the currency of our money to that which is used in our destination." Anna placed her hand back into her pocket, looking for her credit cards. To her dismay, they were not there.

"Shit! Nick, my credit cars are gone! Damn it! Things can't get any worse!"

Suddenly it dawned on Nick that things had indeed gotten worse.

"Anna, um… hate to break it to you but, our suitcases are gone."

The darkness was suddenly filled with such vehement cursing that it would make a sailor blush and paint curl. Nick knew better than to try and interfere and stop his friend. This was her way of venting without taking it out on another human being. Her voice projected easily across the square and over the thunderstorm. After a few minutes, she calmed down and sat down on the steps.

"Oh Nick, I'm so sorry for all this, I really am. I had absolutely no idea I'd get us into such a big mess."

"Anna, don't worry about it. We both have enough money to buy things with and then we can maybe get a job to earn money."

Anna began to perk up a bit. "Nick, I do declare that you are the only one out of both of us who has a functioning brain." She stood up and straightened her soaked shirt. Turning towards Nick, she gave him a small smile. "And once I get enough money, I'm going to watch a performance from Box Five!"

Nick began to laugh. His friend had been obsessed with the story of The Phantom of the Opera since she was a teenager. As Nick looked, he noticed that Anna's eyes had started to sparkle with excitement. Her excitement was contagious. Nick gave a last chortle before he began to sing. "Why so silent good messieurs?"

Anna's smile grew wider and she took up the song. "Did you think that I had left you for good? Did you miss me good messieurs, I have written you an opera! Here I bring the finished score, Don Juan Triumphant" She stopped singing suddenly and peered intently at the shadows. Her eyes grew wide before she shouted "Nick, hand to your eyes!"

Nick had barely gotten his hand to the level of his eyes before a rope fell over his head. The rope settled around his arm and neck, and pulled him backwards. Nick fell heavily, smacked his head on the stone floor and lost consciousness.

Anna sprang forward, trying to get to Nick before the figure in the darkness did. As she reached her friend, she pulled out her pocketknife and cut the rope.

"Who are you?" Anna asked the figure. Lightning streaked through the sky and Anna saw a white mask staring down at her out of the shadows. Ana gave a sharp intake of breath. "Bonsoir Monsieur le Fantome," she said, her voice shaking slightly.

He had been quite restless since returning Christine to the surface and sending his letters to the two fools who called themselves managers and that insolent Vicomte. The day had worn on and had only added to his agitation. They had refused to meet his demands! He vowed vengeance and spent the rest of the day going about the Opera House, scaring the ballet rats and chorus girls and creating minor accidents throughout. As the evening came on, he had tried to compose more for his Don Juan Triumphant masterpiece. However, he couldn't compose for visions of Christine tearing off his mask came unbidden to his mind. After a few hours of failing to compose a thing, he picked up his fedora and cape and stormed out of his layer. He made his way to the street level and stepped out into the Rue Scribe.

It was pouring rain outside, but he hardly noticed. As he made his way to the front of his palace, he heard voices. He stepped deeper into the shadows and slunk around the corner, seeing two people standing on the front steps. He heard a male voice say something that seemed to greatly disturb the companion. What came next shocked him. Yes, it came as a great surprise to him, since even phantoms are allowed to be surprised. The other figure began to curse so vehemently and so loudly that it made him cringe. It was also at this time that the Phantom discovered that he cursing figure was a female. He found it odd that a female not only knew such language, but also was dressed in a certain sort of trousers that only men were supposed to wear. He mad his way closer to the figures that were encroaching upon his territory. As he neared the figures (while still out of sight), their conversation drifted over to him.

"…you are the only one out of the both of us who has a functioning brain… And once I get enough money, I'm going to watch a performance from Box Five!"

The Phantom's anger started to boil again as the male started to laugh at the remark. Take his box! How dare she even think it! That box was his and his alone, and he was not about to allow these two idiots to occupy it. The Phantom was so lost in his private thoughts that he missed the first line that was sung. However, when the female started to sing, her voice drew his attention and he began listening to the lyrics.

"I have written you an opera! Here I bring the finished score, Don Juan Triumphant"

The Phantom gave a sudden start as he heard the title of his opera. His anger began to overflow, how did these two even know about his opera? He decided to get ride of these two fools and just as he threw his Punjab lasso (which he carried on him at all times), he heard the female yell something to her companion, who then raised his hand, thereby making the lasso ineffective. However, the Phantom gave a sharp tug and watched as his victim fell to the ground and lost consciousness. As the girl started forward, he noticed the knife that she had pulled from her pocket. He watched her cut through his lasso and then looked at him. As she asked him who he was, the lightning streaked across the sky, revealing his white mask. He watched with some satisfaction as the girl's eyes grew wide and her hands trembled.

"Bonsoir Monsieur le Fantome."
His satisfaction evaporated and was replace by a small feeling of uneasiness.