Chapter 4
' Angel of Music '
Kristy hurried down the darkened tunnel, the confiscated boom box in her hand. She hated stealing from her grandmother, but she had to listen to the cd she had taken. Again, as she continued down the earthen tunnel, sounds and noises attacked her hearing, sending chill bumps up and down her spine. Finally reaching the room she had discovered earlier, Kristy sat the machine on a old wooden barrel, flipped it on ( thank goodness her grandmother had batteries in it), and inserted the cd.
The room was suddenly encased in the shrill notes of a huge pip organ as the overture began, filling the room with a mysteriously, haunting melody. Kristy listen as Christine began singing.
' In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came,
that voice which calls to me and speaks my name.
And do I dream again, for now I find,
The Phantom of the Opera, is there, inside my mind......'
Kristy felt a cold numbness engulf her, as she listened to the Phantom sing to his beloved.
' Sing once again with me, our strange duet,
My power over you grows stronger yet.
And though you turn from me, to glance behind
The Phantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind.......' (1)
" If you are here, please say something." Kristy looked into the shadows that covered the room.
" I need to know that you exist----please?" She felt a single tear cascade down her cheek as she lowered the volume on the cd player, and listened, but the silence was her only answer, and she dropped to the dirt, her arms wrapped around her waist, sobbing uncontrollably. After a moment, she looked into the darkness once again, " Am I ...going...crazy?"
Somewhere in the shadows, a low sigh escaped between soft lips, as a half-masked face lowered. " No, my angel..." the voice was a whisper even to his own ears," I am very much real.....and here with you...." Erik slowly moved from his position of observation and disappeared into the blackness that sheltered him.
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Evey watched from the doorway of their bedroom as V sat, searching through the large wooden trunk at the foot of their bed. " V, what are you doing?"
" I, my dearest, am in the process of looking for something that I cannot seem to find." He replied as more and more objects were placed upon the floor. " Ah, here it is...." He took the leather strapped pouch in his hands, and looked up at Evey.
" Ok, " Evey began, " what's going on in that brilliant mind of yours?" She walked toward him, taking a seat on the foot of the bed.
" I believe I have thought of a way to keep Erik safe, and to give the museum and university a deal they will not be able to refuse." He smiled up at her, a twinkle in his eyes.
Evey looked at him, a confused expression passing over her face. " What are you talking about?"
" Evey my love, we are about to buy and re-open the London National Opera House." V replied as he rose to his full height.
" Huh?" Evey scrunched up her face in the most delightful way, and V just had to chuckle. " What are you talking about? How are we going to buy an opera house-----we don't have that kind of money-----even if you are the most famous terrorist in England!"
V chuckled again as he untied the pouch and pulled out a small black book, and handed it to her.
Taking the book, she turned it over in her hand. " This is an account book for Allied Bank of the Philippines.......(2)" She looked at him.
" Open it." He smiled at her.
Evey turned a few pages, then grabbed hold of the closest poster leg near her hand. "Oh...my.... bloody.....hell....." She gasped glancing at V, who grinned at her, " This account has over 500 million pounds in it!"
" Correct, " V took a seat beside her, " the last withdraw made from Chancellor Sutler's private government account." He took a deep breath, " And I am about to pass it on to both honorable institutions in payment of the land and the opera house building that sits on it. I do believe the museum and university should have enough funds to keep them going for some years to come with this amount."
" My god V, " Evey gasped jumping to her feet, " Do you realize what we could do with this money?! We could build a new museum annex----the university could build more classrooms....."
" Evey, slow down, my love....." He paused as he drew her into his arms, " Take a deep breath, remember your asthma."
" Oh V, I'm just so excited....." She looked up into the dark eyes, and threw her arms around his neck tightly. " I love you so much." She ran her hands over the scarred head. " You know, " she smiled at him, as she took his face into her hands. " You're my phantom....." She caught his lips with hers as his hands landed gently on her hips.
" If I am the phantom, it is because man's hatred has made me so. If I am to be saved it is because your love redeems me.(3)" V husked close to her ear as he dropped soft kisses upon her neck.
Evey laid her head against his chest and listened to the strong heart beating beneath the black silk shirt he wore. He was truly her phantom, and god help any one who tried to change that. Sighing, she closed her eyes and melted in V's arms.
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Kristy pulled herself from the dirt, brushing her jeans off. Reaching over, she hit the repeat button so she could hear the song again. After a few times listening to the song and lyrics, she began singing to the music. Closing her eyes, she imagined she was Christine, and her Phantom was singing with her. It took her a few moments to set up the right voice pattern, but soon she was singing as if she had been born to it. It may have helped that she attended The Churchill Center for Operatic Studies since the age of 6----something her mother and father demanded of her, but Kristy's heart was never part of her parents great plan for her. She had been born with a god-given talent, something her mother had always impressed upon her, and now, she was beginning to think she may have taken the wrong path after all. She stopped the disc, gathered her belongings up and began the long journey toward the upper levels.
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Evey watched as V put the final touches on Penway's face. " Can you do me a favor?"
V caught her eyes in the mirror. " What's that my love?" He stuck the small brush into a vial of liquid thinner to keep the glue from setting.
Evey bit her bottom lip shyly. " Can you loose the beard? It's rough."
V turned in his chair. " Why haven't you spoke to me about this little annoyance before?"
She shrugged her shoulders, and watched as V rose to his feet, pulling his vest over the dark blue shirt he wore. " How long will you be gone?"
" I hope to meet you at the museum for lunch, if possible. My solicitor will have to make the proposal to both, and wait on their reply." V answered, " but, I think it will happen quickly."
Evey grinned. " I'll give it two hours."
" You are so sure of your superiors?" He glanced at her as he pulled the black knee boot on smoothing the pants leg over it..
" I'm sure they won't pass it by, if that's what you mean." She said as they headed for the kitchen .
V pulled out one of the chairs and took a seat as Evey handed him a cup of hot tea. " I also had another idea."
Evey placed the plate of biscuits in the middle of the table, and sat down opposite V.
" What's that?"
He sipped the tea carefully so not to get the latex skin wet. " I want Erik to manage the opera house."
" Do you think he'll do it?" Evey asked spreading butter and jam on one half of the biscuit and handing it to V.
" He's more qualified that anyone else I know. " V replied.
A soft expression covered Evey's face. " What happens if he doesn't stay?"
" What would make you believe he would not?"
" What if he just----- poofs!-----back to his own time, V?" Evey studied the man before her. In all their time together, he had never questioned destiny or fate's 'butting in' as she had called it. Now, she was beginning to wonder if fate had somehow intervened in their lives those years ago.
" I am quite sure that will not happen." V answered, looking at her.
" How can you be so certain? " Evey picked up the rest of the biscuit and popped it into her mouth.
" Because, " he paused, looking at his hands, then continued, after taking a deep breath. " because, I am still here." He studied her, then slowly reached over and took her hand in his. " That November fifth night Evey, I truly did die in your arms."
Evey stared, this conversation was not going the way she had expected. " Do I want to know what you mean by that?"
" As you already know, I do not believe in consequences, and near death experiences are not unheard of......... but " He stopped to gather his thoughts. " something happened that night Evey, a spirit----it seemed a spirit--- appeared on the train as I lay on my brier----suddenly, I was engulfed in pain, and I sensed I was not alone. " He rose from the table, and began to pace. " A bright light shone in my face, and I head a voice call my name. You can imagine the surprise I received when I opened my eyes and saw a figure smiling down at me."
Evey watched as V moved to stand next to her. " A figure?"
" Yes, a woman standing within a bright light with hair as white as snow....."
" Grandma, huh?" Evey tried to break the tension that seem to be filling the room.
" No, this being was ageless.......she knew me Evey, she knew all about me....." V tilted his head toward her.
" What do you mean, she knew you?" Evey asked looking up at him.
" My name, my life----everything." He walked into the main room to stand by the piano, caressing it gently.
" Your name----your true name?" Evey repeated breathlessly, following him..
" Yes." V replied trying to read Evey's emotions through her eyes. " My true name is Stephen Penway----and when you see me as that personality, it is what I truly looked like before Larkhill---except a little older now." He stopped, looking at Evey with a new passion for life. " She brought my memories back from the abyss."
Evey's hand went to her mouth as she tried to understand everything V was telling her. "Oh, V.....why didn't you tell me before now?"
" Because, I always thought that it was some type of hallucination brought on by the trauma------I never thought about it until Erik described the figure he had seen at the Opera Populaire that night in the labyrinth." V explained, " And I realized, that I too, had been given a second chance at happiness with the woman I truly loved more than life itself." V embraced her.
" So, " Evey began as she reached up to touch the latex mask gently. " This is actually you....Stephen Penway?"
" Yes, my love." V replied as the blue contacts he had changed into locked with Evey's dark amber eyes.
" My god, you are beautiful." Evey whispered as she brought his lips to hers just as the gallery security system went off.
" Are you expecting someone?" V looked toward the gallery doorway.
" No." Evey replied.
He grabbed his knife belt from the piano bench, raising a finger to his lips.
Evey watched as he disappeared behind the kitchen archway. Then stood in front of the door as it began to open. " Kristy?"
" Dr. Hammond, I'm sorry to bother you, but we found something this morning. When one of the cellar walls was demolished to run new electrical wiring through, an apartment was discovered-------it was fully furnished and equipped.(4) There's speculation that it could have been Sutler's underground bunker."
" Sutler's bunker has been found?" V said as he joined them.
" Good morning, Dr. Penway." Kristy smiled at him. Penway had to be the most handsome man Kristy had ever met. Evey was truly lucky----and she had told her that at the wedding, where she had been one of the bridesmaids." They think so." Kristy glanced down at the old leather case she held in her hands. "But, that's not the reason I 'm here, " She handed the case to Evey. " this is why I came."
Evey took the case from her hands and walked into the kitchen, laying it gently on the table. It was definitely old, the leather had deteriorated in some places, and the bindings that had held the bag closed, had long ago, rotted away. " What in the world....." She began as she reached in and pulled out a large amount of papers, semi-binded together. Evey held them gently in her hands as she peered at the cover. " he....." She paused, squinting at the letters that were barely visible on the front of the book.
" May I try?" V asked as he took the papers from Evey's hands. " Looks to be some type of manuscript." He moved toward a brighter light. It took but a moment for him to realize what he held in his hands, and turned toward Evey and Kristy, his face expressionless. " This is the original musical score for Andrew Lloyd Webber's, 'Phantom of the Opera '.
" What?" Evey questioned as she took it from his hands and laid it out on the table. " Oh my...."
" Cool!" Kristy grinned, " I found a box full of cds down in the tunnels a couple days ago." She saw Evey's head pop up and look at her. " I turned them all in, honest------well, maybe except for one " She reached into her jacket pocket and handed the cd to Evey.
" The movie soundtrack." Evey spoke softly as she laid it down next to the music. " What is going on? Did Sutler have all this?"
" It was his favorite book-----" V was interrupted by Kristy.
" And he did have the Old Peacock torn down and rebuilt as the Paris Opera House." Kristy chimed in.
" The man was insane......" Evey broke off.
" He was the Chancellor." Kristy replied as she spat the word out like dirt.
" Speaking of the Opera House, I have to get going." V grabbed his jacket and pulled it on, then kissed Evey. " I'll meet you at the museum for lunch."
Evey walked to the door. " Be careful, Stephen."
" I will my love." He smiled at her, " See you later Kristy."
" Bye, Dr. Penway." She called back as the door closed behind him.
" Kristy, " Evey looked up from the table, " did you find anything else?"
" Yes, there was one other thing, " She reached down into the cloth shoulder bag she carried. " I found this sticking out of an open compartment in the back wall-----I got to it before anyone else...." She took out another large leather satchel and handed it to Evey. " It's Don Juan Triumphant.(5) I found it among Sutler's private papers."
" So it was Sutler's private apartment, then?" Evey asked as she carefully untied the package. The condition of this bag was absolutely unbelievable-----he had definitely taken great care of this---- elements of oil still existed on the soft, pliable leather. What shape the contents were within the bag, was a completely different story.
Kristy watched as Evey opened the bag carefully. " It's in perfect condition-----like the music was wrote only yesterday. The only thing I can figure out is that he must have had it stored in a moisture controlled environment---then moved to the apartment. There's no telling how long it's been there."
Evey nodded her head as she pulled the papers from the bag, spreading the music before her. Looking at the different scores, she slumped into the chair, staring in astonishment at what lay before her.
" Dr. Hammond, are you alright?" Kristy asked, laying a hand on her shoulder.
" All these years, " she began, " I thought it was only a book-----the Phantom----" She looked up at Kristy, " I guess Stephen was right, sometimes legends can turn out to be true."
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V walked up the steps of his solicitor's building. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the door open and walked inside toward the elevator, pushing the floor designation, he waited as other people crowded onto the car. Even now, he still had problems being around a large group--- and he smiled to himself----the vigilante was still alive and well! The elevator stopped on the fifth floor and V exited walking down the hallway toward Lindley's office, pausing outside for a brief moment before opening the door.
" Dr. Penway, what a pleasant surprise." A middle aged woman looked up from her desk to greet him. " It's been far to long. Does William have an appointment with you today?"
" No, Sarah, he does not, I'm afraid to say, but I do have a marvelous business proposition to talk to him about."
Sarah smiled at him. " You know how William loves your surprise visits." She picked the phone up. " Mr. Lindley, Stephen Penway is here to see you."
William Lindley sat up straight in his chair, " Stephen's here? Well, send him in Sarah, send him in." He grinned as he hurriedly straightened his desk. Stephen Penway was his largest client---wealth wise, and he always looked forward to seeing him. He rose from his chair and pulled his jacket over his youthful frame. Lindley was still a youngster—only 33, but with a mind as sharp as a tack when it came to financial dealings. Something that made his clients very pleased, and also very rich.
" Stephen...." He greeted extending his hand to V who grasped it firmly.
" Hello, William. I hope you and the family have been well." V smiled at the man as he took a seat.
" Quite well, Stephen----and you, how is married life treating you?" William grinned at his friend. It had been quite a shock when he had been informed by Stephen that he was going to marry none other than the notorious Evey Hammond, the feared companion of the terrorist known only as 'V'. But things always had a way of working out----his friend was happy, and that was all that mattered.
" It is quite an experience." V chuckled as he laid his hat and cane on the chair beside him.
" What brings you by today?" William asked moving back behind his desk and into his leather chair.
" William, I have a business proposition I want you to see to for me." V replied, as he reached into his inside coat pocket, and laid a small black book in front of him. " I want to buy the old London National Opera House."
Lindley's mouth dropped open.
" I want you to contact Oxford University and the New London Museum of Art and Antiquities. Tell them you have an anonymous buyer that would like to purchase the building and land----with future plans of restoring the opera house and re-opening it to the public once again. This should be a large enough sum to complete the deal." V pushed the bank book to him.
Lindley picked it up with shaking hands, but looked at V before opening it. " How soon do you want this done?"
" As soon as possible."
Lindley opened the book, and began feeling light-headed as he looked at the numbers wrote in black ink.
(1)' The Phantom of the Opera ' , musical lyrics copyrighted 1991 by Andrew Lloyd Webber
( 2) Allied Bank of the Phillipines,(UK) PLC
114 Rochester Row
Victoria
London
SW1P 1JQ United Kingdom I am using this particulair bank because it is the closest to Victoria Station, where, somewhere in the area, I assume the Shadow Gallery is.
( 3) According toa website I visited for references, an article appeared in a newspaper , in 1907, when a cellar wall was torn down, an apartment was really discovered in the underground of the Paris Opera House. I thought this would be perfect for Sutler's underground bunker.
(4) ' The Phantom of the Opera ' by Gaston Leroux
(5) ' Don Juan Triumphant ' is the name of a fictional opera written by the title character in the novel ' Phantom of the Opera '. In the musical adaption,the concept is expanded as an opera within an opera.