I do not own any of the characters from The Phantom of the Opera, although I do rather enjoy borrowing them from time to time.

ToryD

Broken Sparrow

Chapter 25

Carla watched as Nadir and Daniel entered Erik's offices. Well what do they have up their sleeves for today, she wondered. Opening her desk drawer, she pulled out her small listening device and fixed it upon her ear. Reaching up she adjusted the volume so that she could hear the ongoing conversation.

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Nadir settled himself into the soft leather chair opposite Erik's desk as he began his update. "So far our investigation has yielded very little. As Daniel already informed you the call originated from a cellular tower in Newark, New Jersey. Why Buquet was there, we do not know. He has no family or friends in the area."

Daniel added to Nadir's information. "We were able to pin point the location of the call to a deserted warehouse district. We have Agents onsite looking for any witnesses or leads. As for the track phones, we found that they were purchased by the Wal-mart stores. We are currently working with their distribution people to find out where the phone that Buquet used was purchased."

Erik looked from Daniel to Brad, "Brad, what about the update on the leak?"

Brad rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand, "So far we have interviewed the entire household staff as well as the security team. Everyone seems to have checked out. I don't think the leak originated on this end. If there even was a leak, it could be that Buquet saw the prep teams in Philadelphia and just got spooked."

Erik leaned back in his chair as he considered Brad's statement. "You're probably right. What do we do now?"

Nadir leaned forward bracing his hand upon Erik's mahogany desk. "The only thing we can do now is follow the cell phone leads and wait for his next move."

Erik pushed violently away from his desk as he rose to cross to the window. "I am sick of waiting for his next move. Why is it that he is the one in control here?" He questioned not really expecting an answer.

Nadir had never seen his friend in this defeated helpless state. Erik was used to being the one in control. For him to be told that he must sit and wait for another man's actions, must be a bitter pill to swallow.

As Erik stared out at the large yacht crossing the Severn River he made a decision to take back control of his and Christine's lives. Feeling the tension leave his body, he squared his shoulders and turned to resume his seat. "I am taking Christine away for a few days. We will be leaving tomorrow." He said in a matter of fact tone.

Daniel looked up sharply at the unplanned development. "Erik, I will need time to arrange security for her. You just can't whisk her away with out consulting me."

Erik turned the full force of his intense gaze upon Daniel. "Yes I can. As of this moment, you will no longer be consulted on any decisions regarding Christine's safety, as you and the FBI no longer have any authority over her. I have left too much up to the FBI only to be disappointed with the outcome. I find that I can only trust my own security team."

Daniel felt as if the man seated across from him had just delivered a knock out punch to his stomach. "I guess I can't blame you with the fiasco that happened yesterday. But Erik, we have a lot of good men and women working night and day on the case. To take her away without any preplanning …"

Erik interrupted the agitated Daniel. "Who said that there was no preplanning? Brad and I have taken all of the safety measures that will be necessary."

Daniel ran a hand through his thick brown hair. "But, you can't…" seeing the determined look in Erik's eyes, he decided that he had better try a different tactic. "Ok, well at least let me know where you are going so that I can contact the field team in the area to assist Brad and his team."

Erik merely shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I have full confidence in Brad's abilities. As to you having knowledge of our whereabouts, I am afraid that that two is out of the question." Erik glanced at his gold watch to see that it was going on 4:00PM; he rose and crossed the room to the doors to his office. "Gentlemen this meeting is now at and end. Daniel, you can liaison with Nadir for updates on the case." With his last dismissing statement, he left the room, feeling more at ease then he had for the last two months.

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Christine dialed Meg's number for the third time in the last four hours. "Meg where are you?" She said aloud. Seeing Daniel in the foyer about to leave the mansion she called to him. "Daniel."

Daniel paused as he heard Christine approach him. "I was just leaving. Is there something that I can do for you?" He questioned in a formal tone.

Christine looked up at him with a puzzled expression on her face. "I was just wondering if you had talked with Meg today. I haven't been able to reach her all day."

"No I have not. Is there something else you needed?" he questioned her without looking at her.

Christine felt as if he was angry with her. "Is everything alright?" She asked him in a hesitant voice.

Daniel looked down into her anxious eyes feeling every bit of the jerk that he was acting. Sighing deeply, he apologized for his behavior. "I'm sorry Christine, I am afraid the stress of the last week is taking its toll." He gave her one of his famous Agent Hottie smiles.

"Don't worry about it. I know how hard you have been working on my behalf." She said as she smiled her understanding. "If you do hear from Meg, please have her call me."

Daniel turned back towards the door, "I expect to talk with her this evening. I'll tell her to give you a ring. Goodbye."

"Thanks, goodbye." She said as she watched him exit the mansion. "Maybe Marie has talked with her." She said to herself as she turned towards the kitchen.

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Erik stood in his study waiting for Nadir to finish with his lecture that had been ongoing for the last forty minutes.

"Erik, you can't just discount the FBI, they are trying to protect the public as well as Christine." Nadir said as he tried to reason with his long time friend.

"Why are you wasting your breath? If I accepted less than excellence in my business, I would not be where I am today. How can I accept any less in my personal life, no I have made the right decision. Christine and I will be better off without the FBI's involvement." Erik stated as a confirmation of his well thought out position.

Nadir sighed resignedly as he accepted that he would be unable to change his friends mind. "At least let me know where you can be reached. I trust that I am still among one of your inner circle."

Erik let a chuckle escape his lips at Nadir's quip, "You can reach me through Brad. He will remain at the mansion. I don't anticipate any problems, but Brad will have access to me at all times." Looking at the disappointment in his friend's face, he smiled slightly. "Ah Nadir, it is not you that I don't trust, it is the people who will be watching you."

Nadir nodded his understanding. "Alright, Brad will have to do. Now how about that drink you promised me?"

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Christine descended the stairs with a concerned look on her face. Why hadn't Meg returned any of her phone calls, knowing that she was being over sensitive she tried to calm her feelings of unease at her friends continued absence.

Seeing that Nadir and Erik had already entered the dinning room, she crossed the foyer to join them. "Good evening Nadir."

Nadir crossed the room to give her a small kiss on the cheek, "Christine, you look beautiful. I hear that Erik is taking you way to some mysterious location."

Christine smiled up into his dark eyes. "Yes, it is so mysterious that he hasn't even told me where we will be going."

Erik crossed the room to help her into her chair. "You will have to trust me when I say that you will be pleased with the location I have chosen."

Christine looked up in to his smiling face, happy to see that the tension of the past week had disappeared. "I do trust you, in all things."

Erik felt a sense of relief that she appeared to be in better spirits this evening. Taking his seat, he decided that he had better tell Christine of his call later this evening. "I am afraid that I will have to attend to some business after dinner this evening."

Christine felt a twinge of disappointment, "Oh, well in that case perhaps I could interest Nadir in a movie?"

Nadir glanced up at Christine as Charles was filling his wine glass. "I am afraid that I also have to report into the precinct tonight." He said with an apologetic look.

Christine sighed, "Well then I guess I will just have to turn in early."

Erik looked towards her noticing the dark circles under her eyes, "I think that would be a good idea. I plan to keep you very busy over the next four days."

Christine raised an eyebrow at his cryptic comment. "Oh really?"

Erik winked in her direction. "Oh yes really." He said in a seductive tone.

Nadir shifted in his seat and cleared his throat to remind the other two that he was still present.

Christine felt a blush stain her cheeks at her wayward thoughts. Erik merely allowed himself a slight chuckle. Yes, he thought to himself he would indeed keep her very busy.

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Carla had just turned off the record button of the last of Erik's security cameras. OK Carla girl, now to go and get Christinebitch. Looking at her watch, she noted that it was fifteen after ten; Erik would be well into the conference call. Utilizing the back stairs as to not arouse any undue attention, she cautiously approached Christine's door.

With her ear to the door, she was please to hear that there were no sounds within the suite. Reaching out she grasped the doorknob and turned it slowly as she pushed open the door to gain entrance. Seeing that Christine was not in the outer room, she walked towards the bedroom portion of the suite.

Christine was just emerging from her shower as she was startled at the presence of Carla seated on her bed. With her hand to her chest, she took a deep breath to calm her rapidly beating heart. "Oh Carla, you scared me."

Carla rose to stand beside the antique bed, "Oh I'm sorry, the last thing in the world that I would do was to scare you." She said as she approached Christine.

Christine felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "Is there something you needed?" She questioned the older woman.

Carla stopped in front of Christine, "Well now that you mention it, there is something that you can do for me." She said in a mysterious tone.

Christine frowned at the strange behavior of Erik's assistant. "Are you alright Carla, you seem to be not acting yourself this evening."

Carla linked her arm through Christine's as she repeated the question, "Am I alright, am I alright? Well to answer you question, I guess you could say that in a few hours I will be more than all right."

"A few hours?" Christine questioned her.

"Yes. Christine come over here, I have something I want to show you on the computer." Carla said as she led the young woman towards the laptop that was hooked up to an inexpensive track cell phone.

Christine kept her eyes focused on Carla's face as she slowly followed her towards the laptop.

Carla was blocking the view of the screen. "Now Christine, it is very important that you remain calm and do not scream. For if you do then I am afraid that poor little Meg will have to die a most painful death." She said with and exaggerated pout upon her lips.

Christine's eyes widened in horror at Carla's words. "What are you talking about?"

Carla smiled, "Oh Christine, please try and keep up, if I have to explain everything to you twice we might not make it in time to save poor Meg." She said with a mocking look in her eyes. "Now one more time, you need to remain calm. Do not make a sound and Meg will survive the night."

Christine began to shake as the fear for her friend's safety took hold of her.

"Ok now I am going to let you see the screen. Are you ready?" Carla asked in a condescending voice. At Christine's nod, she stood aside to let Christine look upon the laptop's screen.

Christine's hand flew to her mouth to hold in the cry of terror that threatened to escape from her lips. On the screen, reflected back at her was a picture of her bruised friend bound and gagged. "Oh God no! Not Meg!" She said as tears filled her eyes.

Carla watched with sadistic pleasure in her eyes at the fear on Christine's face. "Oh I am afraid so. You see Christine, anyone who has the misfortune of loving you always ends up dead." Carla put her arm around the shaking woman. "Now I am offering my services to you in order to save poor Meg, you do want to save her don't you?"

Christine wrenched away from Carla's embrace. "How can you do this? What kind of monster are you?"

Carla feigned a look of hurt, "A monster? Me? Oh no Christine, it is not I that is the monster. No, I do believe that the honor is all yours. Isn't it you who has the blood of four people on your hands. Not to mention a soon to be fifth if we don't hurry."

Christine backed away in horror. "No, please don't hurt Meg. Where is she? Please take me to her." She pleaded.

"So am I right to assume that you are willing to trade your freedom for Meg's life?" she asked as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Christine felt as if she was cast back into the darkness of that fateful night only two months ago. "Yes, I will do what ever you ask, only please don't hurt Meg."

Carla nodded her acknowledgement. Looking towards the computer screen, she exclaimed excitedly, "Oh look Christine, someone new has entered the picture."

Christine knew before she looked who was now on the screen. Unable to resist, she once again turned towards the horror unfolding on the laptop. She felt her blood turn to ice as she saw Joseph holding a large hunting knife to Meg's throat. "Oh God no!" She sank to the floor and began to weep for her friend.

Carla rolled her eyes, "Get up you stupid cow! I don't have time for your hysterics. If you value your friend's life you had better get a grip on yourself and listen carefully."

Christine tried to gain her composure as she knew that she had to be strong for Meg. Rising to her feet, she looked resignedly towards Carla.

Carla relieved that she finally had Christine's undivided attention began her instructions. "Ok, you and I are going to take a walk down to my car, where you my dear will get in the trunk and remain absolutely still and quite." Carla seeing that Christine was only dressed in a robe crossed over to the closet and selected a sweater and jeans. Throwing them in Christine's direction, she continued with her directions. "Get dressed. Just so you know how important it is that we remain on schedule, if I don't have you at the exchange at the designated time, Joseph will slit Meg's throat. And my guess is that you of all people know that he is quite willing and capable to perform such a gruesome task."

Christine was finishing with the zipper on her jeans as she crossed towards the closet to pull out a pair of sneakers. Walking towards the bureau, she withdrew a pair of white socks all under Carla's sharp gaze. She crossed over towards the vanity and sat so she could pull on her shoes and socks. Christine watched as Carla crossed over towards the laptop to disengage the connectors and shut down the machine. As Carla was busy with her task, Christine reached carefully into the top drawer and pulled out the small sapphire flower pin that Erik had given her. Slipping it into her pocket, she was relieved to see that Carla had not noticed her secret addition.

Carla watched as Christine finished tying her shoe. "Well we best be on our way. Now remember, Meg's life is resting in your hands. One false step and your precious Meg will be joining your poor family up on that cliff." She said with a false sense of sympathy.

Christine gave Carla a look of disgust. "I will do what you ask, but know this Carla, Erik will not rest until he finds me. And then you will pay for your evil deeds."

Carla couldn't help but laugh, "Oh Christine you are so priceless. Do you really think that you are going to be around for Erik to find? Oh my dear, surely you are not that naive. No, I am afraid that you have seen your last of Erik." Giving her a sympathetic look, she went on to taunt her further, "But don't you worry about Erik, I promise you that I will be there for him in every way I can."

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A/N I hope that Carla hasn't ruined everyone's day. I promise to try to update as soon as possible so that I don't have to leave you with this sour note. Next chapter our poor Erik will discover his beautiful Christine is missing. Everyone please, please, please review. Thanks!