A Note From the Author: Thank you to those who read and reviewed (ShiningWishingStar and Glitter Queen of the Ice Show). I appreciate it!

Chapter Two: Time to Act

It was late at night and most of the residents of the Opera Populaire were asleep. Meg knew that this was her best chance to execute her plan. She wanted to sneak down to the Phantom's lair and search around for another possible exit to explain the disappearance of the Phantom and his captives. But, she would have to be very careful.

The authorities had forbidden anyone from going back down to the levels below the opera house. However, few people knew about the secret passageway that could be entered through the mirror in Carlotta's old dressing room. Meg wasn't one-hundred percent certain that it led to the lair, but something deep down inside her soul told her that it did. She knew it was the safest way for her to try to reach the lair. Meg and her mother were the only members of the Opera Populaire who knew it existed, though Meg suspected Christine knew as well. Whether Christine knew or not, Meg knew the authorities did not know and were not likely to stop her.

Meg tiptoed stealthily towards the dressing room. Her years as a ballerina had given her much experience in walking quietly, which allowed her to reach the dressing room door without making a sound. Meg crept into the room and toward the mirror. She cautiously pulled the mirror aside and stepped into the hallway. It was dark and dreary. There were puddles of dirty water on the floor. Small rats skittered through the puddles and into cracks in the walls. Meg struggled to keep her composure at the sight of the passageway. She was frightened by the rodents and disgusted with the filth, but she knew she could not allow a hallway to keep her from finding Christine. I did it once before, I can do it again...I will do it again... Meg assured herself.

As Meg journeyed on, the past crept into her mind. She remembered the first time Christine ever told her about the strange tutor who taught her friend to sing. Meg had trouble believing that an angel of music existed, but she knew Christine was sincere and wouldn't lie about something that serious. Meg had longed to know more about Christine's angel, but Christine never truly explained. Meg had always sensed that Christine didn't fully understand her teacher herself.

Meg reached the waterway that wound its way through the catacombs of the levels below the Opera Populaire and emptied into the lake in the lair. As soon as she saw it, she knew she was on the right track. As with her previous journey to the lair, there was no boat for travel through the waterway. Meg had no choice but to wade her way through the stagnant water until she reached the lair. As she did, her mind slipped back in time. Christine's latest disappearance was not her first; Meg unwillingly thought of the first night Christine had disappeared from the opera house. She had looked all over the opera house for Christine and was unable find her friend anywhere, though she did find the secret hallway behind the mirror. She remembered lying awake in the dormitory late that night, tears streaming down her cheek as she worried about Christine and pondered what might have happened to her dear friend. She could still see her mother stroking her hair lovingly, assuring her that Christine would be all right.

"Christine is a strong, brave girl, Meg. She will return to us. You mustn't think so negatively." Mme. Giry had told her daughter.

Meg was not convinced. She had heard all of the horrible rumors about the Phantom that circulated around the opera house, especially those told by the stagehand Joseph Buquet. Meg had feared for Christine's life that night.

"But, now is not the time to worry about that," Meg said aloud, forcing her remind to return to the present. "If I want to find Christine, I need to focus."

As she continued on her way to the lair, Meg shuddered and shook the memory out of her mind. However, she couldn't stop her mind from wandering to the next day, when Christine returned. She remembered the mixed feelings that overwhelmed both girls that day. Meg was happy to see her best friend, but frightened by the look on Christine's face. Christine looked lost in another world and was reluctant to speak to anyone. It took a long time for Christine to fade back into the "real" world and her normal personality. She never did tell Meg, or anyone else, exactly what happened while she was gone.

As Meg waded through the dismal catacombs, images of the past flew through her mind rapidly. Meg saw the performance of Il Muto during which everything went wrong. She could still hear the diva Carlotta's cracking voice and cries of horror as the entire audience, cast, and crew laughed at her. She could still see the faces of the other dancers when Joseph Buquet was hanged. She saw the masquerade ball, at which the Phantom mysteriously appeared, then escaped in a ball of fire and smoke. She saw the horrifying night of the first performance of Don Juan Triumphant. Then, her most painful memory appeared and lingered longer than the rest. Meg saw the moment in which she reached the lair and found that it was empty. She felt her heart breaking all over again as she remembered realizing that Christine was gone and might never return. All of these images flooded Meg's mind and made her head ache.

Finally, Meg reached the lair. Again, there was no one there. Nevertheless, Meg wasn't ready to give up. She searched around the lair, just as she had done during her previous visit to the gaudily decorated cave. This time, though, she had more time and chose to take advantage of it. However, she struggled to find the miraculous discovery she expected, the discovery that would lead to Christine, Raoul, and the Phantom. Meg tried not to lose hope, as she feared that her search would be as fruitless as the last one. She knew her mother had said the Phantom was a genius and a magician. How can I possibly figure out how he escaped and where he went? Meg wondered. I'm just a young chorus girl...

Meg looked at a cluster of three mirrors, two of which had broken glass. She remembered them from before, but decided to investigate more closely. What happened to them? Who smashed them, and why? She asked herself. Meg examined each mirror carefully. A thick red curtain covered the third mirror. She was suddenly very apprehensive. It's just a mirror. Meg told herself. There's nothing behind this curtain but a sheet of glass. Meg slowly began to pull the curtain away from the mirror. Though it was still mostly covered, Meg could see that the mirror was nothing but a gold frame. The glass had been completely shattered and the frame was a doorway to another desolate hallway. This is it! Meg's mind raced. This is what I've been looking for!

As Meg pulled aside the rest of the curtain to reveal the entire mirror, she suddenly felt the presence of a rope around her neck. She tried to scream, but the cry was stuck inside her and it could not escape. Meg's heart seemed to stop beating and her breath caught in her throat.