Wandering Child

Chapter 12- Answers & Feelings of Affection

Margaret had reached the airport in record time. Even with the detour she had made to get some rope from the hardware store, tie up Mr. Johnson, and throw him in a worker shed at the city dump, she still reached the airport on time to catch the flight.

But the flight had been delayed due to a malfunction in the plane. This was not what Margaret had planned for. She was yelling at the lady behind the counter for some answers, and the lady didn't seem to be willing to give her any.

"Listen, lady," Margaret said rudely. "I don't have time for your nonsensical jibber-jabber. My daughter is in trouble, and she needs me. So either you get that plane up and running right now, or I get put on another flight to Paris. Either way, I'm going to Paris."

"I'm sorry, ma' am," The woman apologized. "But there's nothing I can do. You'll just have to wait like everybody else."

Margaret was about to give a snotty reply, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see one of the black-clad people from the warehouse. She gave the woman an angry stare and turned back to the woman behind the checkout.

"Listen," She said. "I don't care if-What do you want?" She turned back around because the woman in black had tapped her on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry," the woman said to the flight attendant. "She hasn't had her medicine yet." Then she led Margaret away from the counter.

"I don not require medication." Margaret hissed as the woman half-dragged her out of the airport and to an unmarked van.

"You will if you don't shut up and follow me." Came the angry reply.

As soon as they reached the van, the woman (who was much stranger than Margaret) pushed her into the vehicle. Then the woman shut the door, and climbed into the passenger seat. Seated in the driver's spot was Mr. Johnson. He looked very smug as he started the van and drove out of the airport parking lot.

He drove the van straight back to the warehouse and parked it inside a small shed. The large vehicle barely fit, and it was difficult for Margaret to squeeze out of the van. Margaret was led into the warehouse where she was seated at the head of a long rectangular table with an interesting emblem on it.

As soon as the woman was seated down, all eyes turned to Margaret.

"What's going on?"' She asked nervously. The woman on her left was the one who had brought her, and she shoved a book in front of Margaret. Margaret picked up the book and read the title. The Phantom of the Opera.

"What's this?" She asked, holding the book up questioningly.

"That," Said the man to her right. "Is why your daughter is not at home. She has volunteered to do a job for us. One that is very important."

"And what job would that be?" Margaret asked, somewhat encouraged by the fact that they were taking the time to explain it to her.

"A job that may very well save our lives." The woman to her left said. Margaret prepared herself for a long discussion.

But first, she had a few questions to ask. "Who are you?" She queried.

"We," Said the woman. "Are the Council of Music. We are all deformed and have either been born that way, or there was an accident that caused us to appear the way we do now." She folded her hands together in preparation for a long speech.

"We come from many different cities, and states." She continued. "There are Councils all over the country; Councils that are made up of the young and the old, and those in between. We have all been shunned in our lives, and your daughter has gone on a mission that will allow us to be accepted into society again. For some of us, it will be the first time that other's have accepted us for who we are. For others, it won't be the first time."

"I'm afraid I don't understand." Margaret said.

"I am AM2" Said the man on her right.

"And I am AM1." The woman said. "We all have designating numbers that identify us with our cause and purpose."

"And that would be...?" Margaret offered.

"The Phantom of the Opera." Said the woman.

"Who is...?"

AM1 then proceeded to explain about the Phantom and why Rebecca was in Paris. (A/N: I'm not writing it b/c I'm feeling kind of lazy right now, and everyone already knows why Rebecca went to Paris, and how Erik is involved.)

"So you're telling me that my daughter has gone to France so she can go back in time to bring back a deformed man that you worship like a God because you believe that it will save you?" Margaret asked incredulously.

"Yes." Said AM1

"You got to be kidding me." Margaret said. She did not believe that something like that could be true. However, Margaret didn't know that she was about to find out just how wrong she was.

-

Joey sat down on the damp stone floor. It had been hours. Where is she? She asked. Rebecca should have been back by now. It wasn't like her to be late. Then again, Joey had only known Rebecca for a short period of time. She had no idea what might be happening. For all she knew, Rebecca had already met Erik and he had destroyed the time machine.

Joey stood up. The ground was too hard and it was hurting her butt. AM4 had found a holder and had rested the torch there for the time being. She wondered what the silent young man was thinking.

-

AM4 stood quietly in the dim light. He hated being in this tunnel. It made him think of what life had been like before he had joined the council. Before he had been deformed.

He recalled the first time his parents let him stay up until eight o'clock at night. It had been on his sixth birthday. He had had all his friends over for a big party during the day, and was able to watch a movie until eight at night. It had been a special day.

Unfortunately, a few days later his parents died in a car crash. He had been given up for adoption, but no one had wanted him.

He had tried to commit suicide. As a six year-old boy, he had tried to commit suicide. He had started the fire that had burned off half of his face. He had felt so unloved and so despised. He had prayed for a miracle.

Then, like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day, AM2 had come along. He had brought AM4 to the join the Council of Music. There, he had finally found acceptance. He had finally found something worth living for. He had found love.

The woman he loved had no idea about his feelings for her; he hid them well. But he knew that he would have to tell her the truth at one point or another. AM3 had to know how he felt about her.

He liked her real name better than her designating number. He thought the name, Joleen, to be a very pretty name. And it belonged to someone who was with him at that very moment. He wished he had the courage to speak up, but he was a coward.

If there was one thing he regretted, it was that he had been a coward all his life. He never thought that he would be good enough for Joey. No, she deserved someone much more brave than him. AM4 wished he could say something, anything. Finally, he plucked up the courage.

"You can call me David." He said, and Joey looked up and smiled at him.

A/N: Sorry for such a short chapter, but I wanted to elaborate on some things before getting into more detail on Rebecca's point of view (and Erik's). Review, please!