The evening sky was a swirl of black and blue behind the stark white, intricately domed government building downtown. Governor Chagney popped open a bottle of brandy to toast his successful campaign in his ornate office on the top floor. The formal ceremonies were over hours ago, and he was finally done with phone calls and interviews for the day. He felt he was long overdue for a chance to unwind. He looked down at the newspapers strewn across his desk with headlines such as "Phil Chagney Wins Presidential Nomination!", "Phil Chagney Snags the Party Win!", and "Chagney Wins Party Nomination Amidst Controversy!" He frowned at that last paper- the City Enquirer- and tossed it into the rubbish bin just like all the other negative press from them he'd received over the past few years.
He took a shot of, in his mind, a hard-earned victory. "Today the governor's office, tomorrow the Presidency!" he chuckled to himself and poured another glass full. The dim lighting in the mahogany paneled room made him feel more in the mood than usual, and he desired some company to share it with. He walked over to his desk and buzzed over the phone for his secretary.
"Miss Buquet," he said in a smooth rich voice, "did you take care of that little matter we discussed last night? And also, would you care to join me for a drink in my office?"
"Yes, the pest problem you wanted to be rid of should be taken care of tonight. And I'd be delighted to have a drink with you, Mr. Chagney." responded a husky voice on the other end.
A few moments later the rich, cherry wood doors to his office swung open and Miss Buquet sauntered in across the forest green carpet. She tossed her thick, dark brunette locks behind her tan shoulders as Mr. Chagney handed a glass to her. Her chocolate colored eyes were heavily lidded in lust as she perched on the edge of his desk right in front of where he was standing and kicked off her black stilettos.
"Josephine, you look so incredibly sexy in that little red dress you're wearing. I couldn't keep my eyes off you during the after party."
"I noticed. I was wondering when we'd get our chance to have some more fun tonight." She purred as they clinked their glasses together in a toast and then drank their shots. They set their glasses down, and as he stepped up to the edge of the desk to kiss her neck, she wrapped her long, slender legs around his waist and grabbed his shirt collar. "Mmm, Phillip darling, let's walk over to my place tonight. It's just around the corner. The desk always leaves me so sore the next day."
"Josie, you know I'm not going out walking anywhere tonight," he said as he kissed her neck, "especially knowing the Phantom Strangler is out there. He could easily kill us both if he felt inclined to do so."
"Well then, you should install a bed in here somewhere behind the wall, or build a secret room so we can at least spend the night fucking each other in comfort." she said as Phillip continued to kiss her neck and rub her shoulders as he grinded his hard length up against her. She moaned and kissed his neck.
"You're right-" he agreed in a low tone, "after we're done here, I'll call for Remy to give us a ride and you can spend the night at my place- in my bed with me."
"No sleeping in the guest rooms anymore?" she asked coyly. "I didn't leave that big of a mess on the sheets the last time I stayed over."
"Mmm, no, it's not that." he said in between fevered kisses. "You deserve to sleep in pure comfort tonight for all the hard work you've done for me over the years."
"Ah is this a reward for all of those 'extra long hours' I always give you that are filled with all my sweat and tears?" she teased.
"That," he answered her as he kissed her again, "and all the guest rooms are still taken."
"All of them? What about Raoul's old room?" she asked while Phillip kissed down her neck. "I thought he wasn't due to move back in until around noon. That's plenty of time for me to sleep in his old bed."
"Ugh." Phillip paused and scowled. "He said noon, but knowing that dunder-fop, he'll show up at the crack of dawn."
"Of course. Well, I'll keep you company all night since everyone else will be asleep." She unzipped his pants and reached into his boxers and gave him a squeeze. He reached up her dress to take her undergarments off, but found there was none. He raised an eyebrow at her, and she smirked coyly.
"I never put them back on after our quickie in the limo ride." she said. "I knew I was going to get more later on. I just didn't think it'd be this late."
"Mmm, I was busy today. But I know you're always willing to stay late for me." He said as he began to rub her warm slit before sliding in two fingers. "That's why you're the best." He murmured as he teased her. She gave a moan and he kissed her again before pulling out his fingers.
"I'll make it up to you with a little vacation time." he said as he pulled out his hard length and rubbed it while he watched her take off her dress. "I have to go out of town soon for that party fundraiser I told you about last week. Care to join me out west in the mountains for a little skiing and a lot of sex?"
"Sounds promising. But I'd prefer to skip the skiing part altogether and just have lots of sex." She said as she tossed her dress aside and started to give him a hand job, but Phillip was impatient, and put his hands on her hips and greedily pulled her onto his thick cock instead. "Ohhh!" she breathed loudly as she shouted out his name. "Damn, it always feels so good when we fuck like this!"
"Mmmm, tonight Josephine, I want you to feel on top of the world with me." he said as he thrust into her roughly. "After all, we're in this together for the endgame plan, aren't we?"
The city was quiet, and a single star shone above as a shadowy figure leaned against the wall inside the bell tower of an old stone church that was nestled amongst tall skyscrapers and modern condos.
Even in darkness, the lanky man clad in all black could see as well as a cat- his eyes shone a dangerous shade of golden topaz. His black half-mask covered most of his face, except for the lower portion around his mouth. The wind blew a crisp chill and he buttoned his cloak up so it wouldn't billow around him
Finally, his target approached. Except she wasn't alone, and that was a problem he hadn't anticipated. A young lady walked alongside an old man. Her blue heels click-clacked on the sidewalk as she nervously looked around, while the steady beat of the old man's wooden cane tapped in time with their steps.
The shadow slinked down out of the church bell tower like a deadly spider, trying
to think of another way to finish this job discreetly. Any witness to what he was about to do to his target would be disastrous, and he hated leaving loose ends. He paused to listen to their conversation- if he couldn't complete his objective, he could at least play the role of a spy. He could always sell the information to various clients… along with his latest endeavours in his niche musical underground scene. Being a monster of many talents had its advantages.
"Ah Monsieur Valerius, thank you for walking me home. I am so scared of the Phantom! You are a true gentleman." she said in a small, and heavily French-accented, voice.
"It was my pleasure, Jammes. Everyone deserves to feel safe, and hopefully one day soon, this city will be rid of that menace." he said as he patted her shoulder. He gave a warm, comforting smile to her and she gave a small hopeful smile back in return.
"The pleasure is all mine!" Jammes smiled. "You are a wonderful teacher and you have taught me so much about politics, writing, reporting... I can never thank you enough for giving me this job opportunity. But hopefully after all this gets published," she said as she shifted the satchel, "everyone else in this city will thank you too!"
The lurking shadow's eyes glimmered at the satchel in Jammes' hands as the two said their goodnights. He realized the bag's immense value, and he couldn't let something like that slip away.
The old man had turned to walk away and the young woman had slid the key into the lock and turned the handle. The fiend knew this was his chance to get what he needed, and he pulled his hood over his long, ink colored hair and gave a wicked smile.
The nighttime hunter swooped down behind his unlucky prey as quietly as he could, but made a slight scuffle noise on the ground with his shoes. The young lady heard it, and rushed to get inside in a panicked frenzy, but before she could get her body over the threshold of the open door- his arms were around her!
The satchel fell out of her hand and onto the ground with a THUD. A long, gloved hand covered her mouth and nose, trying to suffocate her. She was so frightened, she was frozen with terror. She couldn't even scream for help as the door remained open a tiny bit, held in place by her foot.
Luckily, Mr Valerius had heard the thud noise and came back. He quickly hit the assailant in the back of the head with his walking cane. The attacker momentarily let go of Jammes, holding his head in pain, and clumsily tried to grab the bag on the ground. Mr. Valerius used the hook of his cane to pick up the satchel by the short handle and tossed it inside the open door before the foul villain could reach it.
"Get in and call the police!" He told her firmly. "And stay inside- do not come back out!"
"But what about you?" she said with tears in her eyes.
"Do not worry about me- it is the bag he is after." he replied in a soft, fatherly tone. "Call for help and stay safe, Miss Jammes."
Jammes darted in and shut the door behind her- hearing a loud click as it locked just in time. The angry assailant got up from his doubled over position and banged on the thick glass door as she scooped up her bag and ran upstairs. He snarled in frustration. He whipped around to take out his anger on that accursed old man, only to find the elder already turning the corner at the next intersection. The attacker followed the man on his route home, but kept to the darkness to do so.
Mr. Valerius had to slow down, he hoped his short sprint had put some distance between them. After all, he wasn't as spry as he was when he was sixty. He knew he would be safe if he could just get inside. He would have used the intercom, but no one was home tonight to buzz the door and let him in. He wheezed a little as he pulled out his keys to get in the security door. His hands were shaking, and he missed the lock once- no, twice- as he finally got the key in and turned it.
"You think you are safe, old man?" A dark whisper hissed as it grabbed Mr Valerius by the wrist and silently pinned him up against the door. "You cost me the target of one of my best customers. So you will be my victim tonight, and I expect you will bring me a most handsome reward."
"You are the victim here, Phantom." Mr Valerius boldly stated. "You just haven't realized it yet."
The Phantom gave a deep chuckle. "And how am I the victim when you are the one who is helpless? There is nothing you can do to stop me from killing you."
"Because I know who hired you, and I can prove it. You are only a pawn in all of this. Please, listen!" he said as the Phantom tightened his grip. "Let me go and we can both win against our common enemy-"
"No one tells the Phantom what to do!" he quietly raged as his free hand pulled out a blood-red rope and wrapped it around Mr Valerius' neck. The old man wheezed as the Phantom tightened it. "I am the deathly terror that rules this city. I am the mastermind of it all!" He shook a little as he tightened the rope, taking out his burning aggression on the old man's neck. "I have instilled the people with fear and it is I who decides their fate! AND NO ONE CAN STOP ME!"
Mr Valerius gasped for air as the rope was coiled tighter around his neck. "One day," he coughed hoarsely, "your reign... will end." he sputtered out as he desperately tried to breathe. The Phantom seethed with anger and pulled the remaining air out of Mr Valerius with one last tug on his rope as the church bells down the street began to toll the midnight hour.