Hello everybody! And welcome back to the next chapter of New Beginnings.
Anyways… Seems Arnawa has an evil plan in place… yet her prize has escaped… Christine's voice is being hunted down by Arnawa's raven Dementris. Christine and Erik are aware of each other now. And finally Amelia and Charles are talking about the past.
I should have mentioned this the past few times, I do not own Phantom of the Opera nor any of the characters pertaining to POTO story.
Anyways… Onwards! And enjoy!
Chapter 6 Discovery
"Did you hear something Charles?" Amelia asked, interrupting Charles' tale.
"No. I didn't." Charles answered, slightly annoyed that she had interrupted. "Why do you ask?" He questioned her.
Amelia frowned, "I swear I just heard the cry of a woman. It sounded jagged and sorrowful. And it came from there." Amelia pointed to the opera house.
Charles' annoyance evaporated into shock and curiosity. "From the opera house?! How can that be? There was no one around here to get into the opera house without us seeing them appear in this courtyard. Unless…" Charles' statement died as the sight of a raven flew by madly with a streak of light in front of its beak. Amelia and Charles watched as the raven catch the small ball of light above the opera house and disappear behind it in a blur of feathers.
"What was that all about?! That was… unnatural…" Amelia observed.
Charles gasped, horrified, and went pale, "That raven was the witch's pet and servant, Dementris. Somehow, she had given him the ability to speak and a sentience due to a raven demon years ago. That ball of light must be related to either the supposed cry you heard in the opera house or it was a new victim the witch was able to kill."
Amelia paled to the point where her ivory shirt was darker than her. "I believe it may be related to the cry I heard. Cause as that Dementris raven flew by with that ball of light, I heard singing from the light." Amelia paled further, "And it sounded like the song 'Think of Me'."
Charles brought his hand to his head, feeling lightheaded considering the new developments. The witch must have made a deal with Christine at some point in the past. What we just saw means somehow the witch lost Christine's voice, causing it to fly towards her persona. It must have gotten close enough for her to regain some of her voice to cry out like that. Amelia sat down as well, taking some deep breaths as well.
Charles quietly spoke, "That must have been Christine you heard. My theory is that the witch lost Christine's voice that she had gained in forcing Christine to make a deal with her. Somehow the witch lost her 'grip' on the stolen voice and it traveled here causing you to hear Christine to cry out. By what we don't know." He looked up to the window to find it empty.
Amelia followed his gaze to the window, blurting out, "Does that mean we should try to at least locate the hidden passage in the opera house to her room there?"
Charles was quiet for several minutes, thinking. Amelia waited patiently for him, knowing that a few more minutes were like seconds to him. Finally, he spoke up, "Yes, but not for long. It's midafternoon and we shouldn't linger here after 5:30pm."
"Then come! We need to get inside and look around ASAP!" Amelia turned to the opera house.
However, Amelia barely got a step before she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She turned to meet Charles' anguished eyes. Before she could get a word out edgewise of protest, Charles held up his hand for silence, "I would give everything to come with you, youngling. However, the witch placed a curse on me, preventing me from going into the opera. Regardless of the reason, I am barred from going inside there." Charles hung his head and closed his eyes. As a tear slid down his check, he continued, "I… can't even go rescue my daughter from her silent prison. She must feel so lonely in that room… Alone… for over a century…"
Amelia didn't know what to say. She looked away, saddened. Feeling empathy for the older, broken man, she stepped towards him and hugged him. He hugged her back, sobbing. They stood there, like a father and daughter who were reconciling a past wrong. After about five minutes, Charles quieted and pulled away from Amelia, restored.
Charles, without meeting her empathetic gaze, sighed, "I… I apologize, Amelia. But I do greatly appreciate your compassion and your hug. They were restorative in nature."
Amelia smiled, "You're welcome Charles. Anytime."
Letting out a half-hearted chuckle, Charles turned to face the opera house again, with a frown, "Well back to business… Although I cannot enter myself, I have a solution for this." Turning away, Charles whistled.
Moments later a falcon appeared above the stables, screeching in its own beautiful way. Amelia watched as the falcon flew down and over their heads, passing about 50 feet away before turning back and landing on Charles' outstretched arm. Coming out from the stables' dark shadows, Amelia gasped as a man stepped out into the light with the accompanying glove to Charles' glove that the falcon was perched on. The man was obviously of Arabian descent like his ancestor, Amir Dessan, the Persian who was friends with the famous Phantom, Erik. He approached Charles and Amelia in a rapid walk, and Amelia noticed his handsome, fit, and knowledgeable physique.
Jerking away to hide her blush, Amelia crossed her arms and looked at the sky. The man stopped in front of the two and took the falcon from Charles as the two shook hands. The Persian turned to Amelia, who turned back to face him. He smiled and held out his hand, which she took in her own. "Hello, you must be Amelia Hansdotter, Charles was telling me all about you this morning. My name is Omar Dessan, descendant of Amir Dessan the Persian." He had seen her blush from earlier before she looked away.
"Yes, Omar is Amir's descendent, yadiyada whatever. Omar is my comrade and friend. And as pesky and annoying as his ancestor Amir. And from what I know just like him as well. Except that he is his own person and is living in modern times. Sometimes I wish I could be rid of him for how mother-like he is towards me." Charles added sarcastically.
Omar threw back his head and laughed, "Oh Charles you know without human contact you'd never survive. Besides you don't have very many friends to get you out of that hole you call a home where I know you'd keep yourself holed up for the rest of time if you chose to do so. Plus, without me, your life would be as dull as a chair in the corner of a museum's forgotten corner. But that's beside the point here, I am an agent to the French and US governments. There were some springs pulled for me by Charles and some others that I was able to be in such a position. I am also director and leader of operations in the special cases department here in France at the present."
Charles growled out a laugh as he rolled his eyes, "Yes Omar, you pesky Persian. Without you, I'd be rotting in some nursing home broken and half brain dead. And your position is much more than what you just said it is. Amelia, Omar doesn't give himself enough credit. Omar is the best there is in the French/US special operations department. Plus, he had the training of a Green Beret and the intelligence of a scientist all in one."
Omar blushed and looked up and away his head in embarrassment, scratching his head, "Charles, stop. You sound just like my father bragging to my extended family on my accomplishments when I was in Persian (present day Iran, Asia Minor/Middle East) two months ago. If my parents heard you, they'd be gushing all the more on me as well."
Charles roared with laughed, "Admit it Omar, you are well rounded, and your family is proud beyond the moon!"
Amelia laughed with Charles while Omar smiled in embarrassment. Omar was handsome and intelligent just by the way he held himself. Hmmm… He's just like the man of my dreams. Amelia blushed when that thought passed into her head. After she and Charles got their laugher under control, Omar asked, "Amelia you ready to go explore the opera house?"
Said person shook her head and turned to Charles, "Are you going to be alright out here by yourself?"
Nodding, Charles gestured to the big building, "Go, I'll be fine. Besides even I come upon anybody here, they'll leave me alone. Most around here leave men who are alone here to themselves."
Amelia nodded hesitantly and Omar handed the falcon back to Charles, "By the way Amelia, the falcon is name Raja. She has been very helpful during my time here. She and Charles will keep an eye out for the witch." Omar said as they went to the opera house's front doors.
Omar and Amelia unsurprisingly found the doors to be jammed after so many years of being unused. Omar and Amelia took turned to ramming their bodies into it before it gave way to their hard hits. Charles watched as the two disappeared into the building's interior after the door fell to the ground. Turning away from the haunted building, Charles walked over to the fountain again to sit down. Raja climbed to perch on his should as he pulled out his phone. Dialing a number, Charles waited. Moments later, a voice answered, "Hello? Phil Chagney speaking."
"Hey, Phil! It's Charles…"
~ Inside the Opera House
Omar and Amelia walked into the derelict building's entrance and both noticed the state of it. Amelia remembered the book, the play, and the movies and the described architecture of the building underneath all the destruction and dust from the last 130 years. Omar went ahead of Amelia, past the pillars, to the grand staircase. He picked up a candelabra to find all the candles still in their original holdings. He lit the candles and passed the candelabra to Amelia and Omar picked up another for himself.
"I wonder where we start to look…" Amelia wondered.
"I don't know about you, but shouldn't we make out way to the highest floor where you heard the scream?" Omar asked, a hint of sarcasm teasing in his voice.
Amelia rolled her eyes as she let out a half laugh. Amelia looked around and made her way up the stairs to the second floor, saying, "Perhaps the best way upwards is to the stage. It usually is built up to the highest levels of the theater. Depending on whether the theater in two or five stories high, the stage hands need all the levels of the building to be able to working the stage's different gears and pieces needed for different plays."
Omar chuckled, "You'd make a good consultant for an architect, Amelia."
Amelia paused to look at him, "Thanks?"
Omar smiled, "No. But good try."
Amelia laughed, "Thanks for the encouragement. So how did you come to know Charles, Omar? And why are you stationed in France as a US/French agent?"
Omar became serious, sighing, "That's a long story, Amelia. A very long story."
"Please call me Ame. It's my nickname. Besides go on, we're alone, and we'll be working together for what I believe is going to be a long time Omar. So it's best to get to know each other."
"Alright, Ame. If you don't mind… As I said earlier, I am from the Iranian region of the Middle East, what was originally Persian way back in the days of my great, great, great grandsire, Amir. I had come to France intending on studying law and doctoral work here as there has been some tension between my parents and I on my choice of women, even though my relationship with them is good now. I had been studying here for several years when I started pursuing a relationship with a young French, Christian woman. My parents threatened to have her harmed if we pursued marriage. Even though we were over 1000 miles apart, they didn't have ways to harm her, even with my connections with the French and US governments. But I am sure they'd find a way. That's where Charles came in the picture."
"Charles? What does Charles have a play in your life?" Amelia asked as they walked to the top of the staircase and over to the auditorium's interior. The stage was in such states as the entrance was. As they walked towards it, Omar paused.
Sighing, Omar continued, "My ex fiancé and I stay in contact with because of Charles. Charles helped is to stay in contact with each other when my parent threatened to harm her. He has connections here in France which I am now part of. Like him, I am also under oath. So, don't get me wrong, there are things you will not be able to know. But anyways, Charles is our connection now. Since that time two years ago, Jessica and I have now become just good friends. She is now married, and she and her husband have granted me godfather status to their son. Other than that, I work alongside with Charles in the special circumstances/operations department… What about you Amelia? What about your life and work experiences?"
Amelia frowned, as she and Omar climbed to the stage's level from the orchestra pit. Once on stage, Amelia answered, "I work at an University in the Midwest. I specifically work on genetic engineering and plant research. I am also working on a master's program there as well. Besides that I am loving life, with a good sister, and parents in the Midwest region."
"Wait… do you have anyone special to look forward to return to?" Omar smirked at her as they approached a ladder to the upper levels. As Amelia started to go first, she caught his teasing smirk.
Blushing, she shook her head, "No I have not yet gotten lucky to have a boyfriend in my life. Yet my sister has her boyfriend Johann though."
Omar nodded, hiding his blush as she turned her face upwards as she climbed. Intelligent and attractive. And she is very pretty, with curves all in the right places. That outfit shows her body really well. I wonder if I could ask her out on a date. But what would my parents think? Omar thought as he started climbing the ladder as well.
They didn't speak until they climbed to the opera's top floor. Both were winded because of the four-story climb from the stage. Once at the top, they paused to catch their breath. The top floor was a short hallway with four doors branching off it.
"I'll take the two doors on the left, and you the two on the right. Just give a shout if you find anything. Kapish?" Omar asked.
"Kapish!" Amelia smiled. Omar disappeared into the first door on the left. Amelia found nothing of interest as it was all in shambles. Even a detailed look around the room revealed nothing. Going to the second room, Amelia found much the same, pieces of furniture and props in broken states. Yet as she turned to leave, she noticed the wall to her right out of the corner of her eye, she caught the very slight outline of a door. Going over to the spot she found, she inspected it more thoroughly. Ah ha! I truly did see a secret. Putting her ear to the door's smooth surface, she tried to make out any noise.
At first she didn't hear anything, but after a few moment she heard the gentle sound of breathing. That, in itself, unnerved her to no end. "Omar! I found something! Come! Quickly!" Amelia shouted as she desperately tried to find a way to open the door.
"Which room are you in?" The sound of Omar's voice came, as he neared.
"In the second room." Amelia said, still looking over the door. Moments later, Omar joined her near the wall.
"What'd you find?" Omar asked.
"A secret door. It was partially hidden behind a wall decoration. The sound of someone breathing is on the other side." Amelia explained, as she tried to find any discrepancies in the door's surface.
Omar placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to stop, "If you said there was someone breathing, we should be much more cautious in preceding with opening the door. If whomever is beyond the door may be hostile or not. When we do open it, I'll go first. I have much more training than you do and it'll keep us both safe."
Amelia nodded after a moment to think. She backed away from the door, allowing Omar access to it. He, with his training, was able to kick the door several times with success. It soon came loose and was swinging on its hinges. Omar went through the door with gun drawn, looking around as he moved forward. Amelia followed. Inside was another room, yet… Its appearances seemed lived in still.
What caught Amelia and Omar's eyes sent shockwaves through them. There on a nicely made bed was a young woman… Christine Daée.
