Chapter 10

Severine and Erik's discussion was overheard by Lemieux, or at least that was the name that he went by these days. The real Louis Lemieux was lying in a shallow grave outside of Bayeux. He inconveniently decided to turn down a generous offer from Bertrand to buy his company. His benefactor had provided him with plenty of money to purchase the business, but the man would accept no offers at all. He wanted to pass the company on to his brat, who was allowed to live for now. Bertrand Buquet thought himself to be a merciful man, unless someone crossed him. He warned the child that if he were to say anything to anyone about whom he really was, that he would maim and then kill him, exactly as he had seen done to his father. The boy was terrified of him and stayed silent, even when the Phantom caught Bertrand beating him.

Bertrand was the older brother of Joseph, and looked after him when their father died. He had been the only family that Bertrand had. Together they worked for Philippe and his partner, until the Phantom murdered Joseph, and then displayed his body to the entire theatre in a macabre spectacle. From that day forward Bertrand wanted the Phantom not just to die but to suffer greatly so he would beg to die. He smiled as he imagined the man slumped in humiliation at his feet. His ugly face begging for mercy. At first, Bertrand was prepared to settle for the man dying by the blade of Madame Guillotine. He would have reveled in watching his demonic head fall into the basket, as his life flowed out of him. Bertrand had watched as the Phantom tied up Piangi and while the monster was on stage he finished the job, knowing that the mad Opera Ghost would get the blame. What he didn't count on was that there was a witness to the whole thing, and the Phantom would go free.

Bertrand was also present at the Chateau during the final standoff between the Comte and the Phantom. He had just returned from town, when he saw the final moments play out, where Philippe shot the Phantom. Once again the man escaped justice and lived. He had hoped that the man would die, but he had more lives than a cat. It was at that point that Bertrand decided that dying was too kind a fate for the Opera Ghost. He decided to patiently bide his time and strip him of everything, but first he would let the monster have some peace. He wanted the Phantom to grow soft, and used to his new life. A man with no family had nothing to lose. Monsieur Muhlheim had everything to lose. So for a while he left him alone, unsure of the path that he should take to exact revenge on the man. The year before, his partner approached him. He asked that they meet at the Opera House, where it all began. The man was wealthy and did not mind using his money to help Bertrand scheme.

It was decided that they would ruin his good name first, by sabotaging the Chateau. That activity would kill two birds with one stone because they would have their vengeance on the new Comte as well. They chose Lemieux's company for their scheme because he had no family other than a young son, and he had a sterling reputation. In a stroke of fortune Lemieux had already submitted a bid. It was just a question of getting the other companies not to. An exchange of money with the other bidders was enough to dissuade them from pursuing their bid. Unfortunately Lemieux already was a rich man and would not sell the company, so desperate actions were taken. Bertrand did not feel terribly guilty about disposing of him. It was all done for the greater purpose of ridding the world of a monster like the Phantom of the Opera.

His partner hated the man worse than even he did. The man had fled Persia as a young child. As a small boy he watched as a masked man murdered his father. The assassin never saw him hiding in a corner. His father had accepted his fate and warned his son to stay quiet so that the bad man would not kill him as well. He was a man of royal Persian blood, and the Shah in Shah wanted his father dead so that he could not be a rival for the throne. He sent the masked assassin that everyone feared, "The Angel of Death," to his father's palace. The boy fled with the help of a trusted servant, who knew where his father had hidden most of the family fortune. It was in Istanbul. He lived there for several years until he heard that the Angel of Death had fled Persia and disappeared from sight in Paris. The boy became a man, and eventually befriended Philippe De Chagny. De Chagny told him of this masked man that had been terrorizing the Opera, and his brother, who had fallen in love with one of the singers there. The Persian concocted a scheme which would feed Philippe's passion for young girls, destroy his enemy, and profit from all of it. He hired both Buquet brothers to help them. The Persian paid them extremely well to do his bidding. Luc Benoit was brought in by Philippe to help. The scheme went well until the Phantom got wind of it and started to track them.

Philippe's proclivities eventually backfired, and ruined their scheme. The Phantom and his friend, a Police chief from Persia, closed in on him. Bertrand threatened Philippe that if he revealed anything about his part that he would kill every living De Chagny, including Philippe if he betrayed him. The Comte Noir could see that the man was very serious, and did not reveal anything when he was captured. The Persian disappeared from Paris for four years. He reemerged and arranged a meeting with Bertrand. It was he who formulated the form of revenge to be taken on the Phantom. Bertrand was pleased that soon, the first phase would be complete. He knew that the Phantom did not like or trust him, but it really did not matter if he did. He smiled to himself when Erik told his sister about his fears. If the man only knew what they had in store for him, he would be even more fearful.

The Persian knew much of Muhlheim's history and would use it to his benefit. He wondered how the Phantom had gotten wind of their plot; there was no one there that day, except for some old hag. After they noticed her, they almost killed her but the Persian was not without scruples. He decided that they had revealed nothing important in front of her. Apparently they should have killed her because she had somehow warned the Phantom. No one else but he and the Persian had been privy to that conversation. The Persian would never betray them. The man arranged for Muhlheim's nosy friend to leave France for Persia where he had his contacts there seize the man's nephew. He would have too much on his hands to be of any help to the Phantom this time. The Persian was angry at disposing of Lemieux. He told Bertrand that he should have simply found another company who would accept his offer, and topped the bid. Bertrand had to promise the Persian that he would no longer murder to bring justice to the Phantom, unless there was no other choice.

Erik and Severine returned inside, where Erik began to pack for a return to Paris. The wedding was only a few days off and he wanted to get back to his family. They had also arranged for a funeral service for La Carlotta. Raoul was shocked that Erik would come to Carlotta's aid after she had treated Christine so terribly and hated the Phantom. Erik explained what had happened in Paris and Raoul understood. Whenever Erik bestowed such acts of kindness, he was reminded how far his former adversary had come.

He was glad that Christine had forced him to save Erik from the mob, and that they had come to be friends.

While Erik was gone, Severine confided to Raoul "I had a long talk with my brother and I see the reasons behind his current temperament. Before she died she revealed to Erik that he faced a threat from someone. It has put him on edge; he does not want to burden anyone with his fears but they are eating him alive."

Raoul looked at her a little hurt, "Why hasn't he confided in me? Doesn't he trust me?"

She smiled at him "Of course he does, you are like a brother to him. You and he are closer even than he and Jean Paul. Erik does not want to alarm Christine so he has kept his fears to himself. You know as well as I do that he is a very private man and does not like to express his vulnerabilities to anyone, even his loved ones."

Raoul looked at her "Agreed, but if he did tell us, he could count on our support. He must learn that he is not alone anymore, that he does have friends on his side, besides for Nadir. Since Nadir is in Persia, he should have come to me. I have many contacts in the gendarmerie ever since, I used them to come after Erik, at the Opera, many years ago."

Severine teased "And you did such a good job at apprehending him. He is still haunting you."

Raoul smirked "I have learned since then. I have a friend who is very wily and has taught me a lot about protecting one's self. He didn't think that I did a good job when I attempted to rescue you from Philippe. He claimed that if I had kept a better grip on my gun that he wouldn't have been shot. He called it a matter of public safety that I be taught how to subdue villains."

Erik had been listening, silently, like the Phantom, that he once was.

"It was a matter of public safety fop, particularly mine." He teased. He turned to his sister "Did I give you permission to tell Raoul of what we discussed. If I had wanted it publicized I would have done so myself."

Raoul gave him an angry glance "Don't you trust me?"

Erik raised a hand to silence him "It is not that. I do not need to risk your life to solve my problems. Whoever it is clearly has a bone to pick with me. You have my nephew to deal with and Severine is due to deliver at any time. I did not think that it was the right time to bring such a small matter to your attention."

Raoul looked at him incredulously "A small matter? When there is a threat against you that is only a small matter? What about Christine and your children, my niece and nephew are they small matters to me?"

Erik replied "You have proven my point boy; you are too emotionally involved to help me with this. I do not need some Sir Lancelot to run off and joust with my enemies, just because I have heard whispers of a threat against me. Who would raise your children if something happened to you? Who would take care of my sister and my family?" I have to count on you fop, and I am the last person that you need to worry about protecting. I can do so myself."

Raoul looked at him "I am sorry that you feel that way Erik, but it would not stop me from helping you when you need me. You would not show the same reserve if it were me that was under threat and not you. I am not a coward, or some love struck teenager anymore. I proved it to you when we faced Benoit and Philippe together years ago, and would do so without hesitation again. Your family needs you, not your corpse. You are the one trying to be Sir Lancelot, not me. It is time that you accepted that you are only a man and not superhuman."

Erik chuckled "Well spoken, my dear Comte, very well. I promise to keep you in the loop from now on are you satisfied? I guess that I should congratulate myself on my elevation of the years from monster, fiend, beast and thing to being simply a man."

Raoul smiled "I have not called you those names for a while. I have a new one which I prefer to call you which is friend. You need to call upon your friends to help you especially me."

The former Phantom teased "You are just trying to get me to stop calling you names. I will never fall for that trap. You are still a fop to me and you always will be."

He pulled out the fisherman's hat that had fallen into the Seine it was filthy from mud and slime and dog saliva. He put it on Raoul's head. Severine laughed at Raoul's grimace.

"What's wrong boy, I thought that you would want your property back?" Erik teased.

Raoul took the hat off and flung it aside, "In case that you didn't notice, I reserved the right to still call you a hell spawned demon." he laughed.

"Thank you Comte that has always been one of my favorite appellations. Remember it when you are next on my bad side."

Raoul laughed "I pity the next person that gets on your bad side."

They all laughed. Severine was pleased because she succeeded in both lightening Erik's mood and getting Raoul to understand why Erik was so tense, at this time. She knew that in some ways her brother was still like a child. Erik was a man who had been subjected to more than his share of pain and rejection. She vowed that she would help Erik no matter what perils that the future might bring. She prayed that it was a false warning, but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would stand beside Erik and Christine and face whoever or whatever wanted to destroy them.

Severine looked at both men and asked "Promise me that we will stand together no matter what misfortune is laid at our feet."

Raoul replied "Of course I promise and you know that I am a man of my word."

She turned to Erik "Will you do the same?"

He smiled at her "Of course. You are my family; I would never let anything happen to you."

She looked at them both "Then we have nothing to fear, because both of you are men of honor. I know that you will keep your promises to me and each other."

Erik looked at Raoul "Yes I know that you are a man of your word, long ago when we were enemies, you promised Christine that you would help me escape from the mob. You kept that promise even though you did not want to."

Raoul replied "You have saved my life on more than one occasion."

Severine smiled at both of them. "Good, now if you ever start to mistrust one another always remember this moment. As long as we continue to have faith in one another, we will have too strong of a bond to break."

Severine looked into her brother's eyes and could see that some of the warmth and good humor that had characterized him for the past few years returned. She was pleased with herself for her accomplishment.

The next morning Erik boarded the train to Paris. On the way he thought about his conversation with Raoul and Severine. He realized that he had been allowing himself to be consumed by his old fears and insecurities. For a moment, he had forgotten that he was not alone. He felt warmth fill his spirit as his fears receded. He could not wait to return to his loving bride and family. They would not be parted after this this journey, because he was there to stay for the final few days before the wedding. He loved spending time in Paris, but Normandy was now their home.