Sorry for the delay folks...I'm in the process of moving into my newly aquired house...(a three story victorian with stained glass windows and wood flooring...eek! I'm in love with it!) so between packing up my apartment and dealing with moving, it's been a rough week! I haven't forgotten about this though...don't worry!

Enjoy!

Nico


Erik had never spoken to as many people as he just had as he rushed out of the Opera House.

He stopped person after person, demanding if they had seen a woman fitting Christine's description…she must have been with others…maybe she had been struggling…or perhaps limp and lifeless in someone's arms.

The last thought caused Erik to shudder.

Finally, a handsome looking couple pointed out a sleek limo that was pulling away from the curb in front of the lavish theater.

"There were three of them," the husband told Erik. "One had a blindfold covering her eyes…and I would say she fit the description of the woman you are looking for."

"Are you certain?" Erik asked frantically, already rushing to his own waiting limo.

"Positive," the wife called after him.

Erik hurried into the limo, sitting in the passenger seat, much to his driver's surprise.

"Follow that limo," Erik demanded a bit harshly.

The driver looked over at him and hesitated only for a moment before flooring the gas.

"Pay no mind to the laws of traffic," Erik said impatiently as the driver slowed at a yellow light that the limo in front of them had plowed through.

"Sir, I already have six points on my license…" the driver said warily.

"I will take full responsibility for any repercussions," Erik said quickly. "Now drive!"

The limo driver, a young man of about 23, looked at Erik again.

Then, a mischievous smile spread his face wide.

His foot hit the gas. Hard.

For some time, they tailed the limo which held Christine…through winding alleyways…down crowded streets…

It suddenly occurred to Erik that whoever had Christine was aware that he was following them.


"Who is that?" Carlotta demanded loudly, looking out the back window of the limo while still pointing the small gun at Christine. "Why are they following us?"

The second part of her question was aimed at Christine, who, in her heart, knew that it was Erik who was tailing so closely behind.

"I have no idea," Christine lied.

"Driver!" Carlotta shrieked. "Lose him!"

Carlotta's driver nodded once and then began to swerve in and out of traffic, causing both Raoul and Christine to clutch at the limo seats for stability, while Carlotta laughed manically.


"Slow down," Erik said suddenly. "Keep your distance."

The driver looked over at Erik. "We will lose them," he said.

He was right, Erik realized. The limo in front of them was progressing much to fast…and would not stop until they had lost Erik.

Erik looked out the window at the parked cars lining the streets.

An idea suddenly formed.

"Stop the car," Erik said suddenly.

"What?" The driver asked, puzzled.

"Stop the car, now!"

The driver slammed on the brakes. Before the auto came to a complete stop, Erik was out and running towards a small red sports car.

The driver watched in fascination as Erik quickly punched out the driver's side window, leapt into the driver's seat, fumbled around with the starter…

And then suddenly peeled away from the curb, in hot pursuit of the mysterious limo.

The driver let out a long breath, his adrenaline still thumping.

He would forever wonder what became of the man that had just been sitting in his limo.

The man with the scars twisting across half of his face.


Erik winced as he grinded into third gear. Researching driving and actually driving were two completely different things, he now realized.

Despite his inexperience, Erik had managed to keep up with the limo in front of him, which had slowed down considerably, its passengers believing they had lost Erik.

He smiled.

It was only a matter of time before he found the people who had dared to take Christine from him once again…

And killed them.


Christine was in complete despair as the limo pulled up to a large apartment house.

Carlotta's driver had managed to lose the limo following them.

And with that loss came Christine's realization that she only had moments to live.

Carlotta was watching her, a smile playing on her lips.

"Do you think that was your lover, Christine?" She asked coldly.

Christine did not answer.

"Raoul, come to think of it, we should have allowed that thing to follow us," Carlotta mused. "Then he would have been able to watch as we made her pay."

"Carlotta," Raoul said, sounding tired. "If we murdered her in front of him, I don't think that would do much to get him to sign over the paperwork."

Carlotta opened her car door. "We could have threatened her, gotten the signature under duress, and then killed them both," she replied. "Of course that's what I meant."

Carlotta pulled Christine roughly from the limo, shoving her in the direction of the apartment.


Erik watched this occur from a dark corner directly across from where the limo had stopped.

His body raged as he struggled to be patient, forcing himself to sit in the car and wait until they were inside…to wait until he could ensnare them.

His blood boiled as he watched that cursed Emily emerge from the limo.

But what nearly made him vomit…what nearly made him lose the small fraction of control he had mustered…was the sight of Edwin coming from the vehicle.

It seemed his truest confident had turned against him.

But why Edwin? It didn't make sense! Where had he met Emily…what did they want with Christine?

Erik waited for several more moments, quietly observing his surroundings.

A large tree sprawled up to a window that had just lit up.

Three figures moved within the room, appearing as shadows behind the silken drapery.

The slightest figure he recognized as Christine.

Thinking quickly, Erik got out of his stolen car, his body moving rapidly to the window.

It seemed an element of surprise would be the perfect beginning to his ambush.