Before Erik and Laya had even left the boat, Erik was already giving her instructions. "You can't talk and you have to watch where you're going. You have to be as quiet as possible and walk lightly. Whatever I say goes, no questions asked, okay Laya?" Erik said.
"Okay, daddy." Laya said. They got to the end of the water and Erik picked Laya out of the boat. "Now Laya, this is it, if you don't think you can do it, stay in the boat."
"I can do this." Laya said. "I'm not a baby dad, I'm 5 years old."
Erik laughed. "Okay Laya, no more talking." Erik said and Laya closed her mouth.
Soon they were in the catwalks over the stage. Carlotta was singing and the ballet girls were dancing away. It took Erik only minutes before he decided on his first job as he heard an unpleasantly familiar voice, Raoul.
"I want those seat removed and a section added over there." Raoul instructed to a contractor. He had decided that the Opera house needed some remodeling.
"What about that?" The contractor asked. "I never see anyone in Box 5."
Raoul looked up at the always empty Box 5. He sighed. "Leave it."
"Why, Monsieur?" The contractor asked.
"I don't pay you to ask questions, I pay to rebuild the Opera house." Raoul snapped. "That box is owned by a friend of mine and it will be kept, and kept empty for his use."
Erik smiled. He grabbed a piece of paper out of his pocket and dropped it in Raoul's direction. Raoul picked it up and read it.
Raoul,
Do not fear for Miss Daae. The angel of music has her under his wing, as
well as their two beautiful daughters. Do keep your distance.
Your obedient servant,
O.G.
Raoul looked around, but could see nothing. He walked off the stage knowing that someone was watching him from above. Erik smiled and turned to his daughter. He pointed forward and Laya caught on that this was the way he wanted her to go.
Laya began walking, but when she came to an 4 way cross in the catwalks, she looked to her left and jumped.
There was a man there, he looked to be about 30 and must have been a stagehand. "Hey now," he said laughing, "How did you get up here?" Laya began backing up to her left as the man reached for her.
Erik stepped behind the man and wrapped his Punjab lasso around his neck. He tightened it and pulled the man back, away from his daughter. He pushed the man to the ground and tightened the lasso just enough to make the man lose consciousness, it was far too early to be killing people. When his body stopped moving and he lay there looking almost lifeless, Erik checked his pulse to make sure he was still alive. When he realized he was, Erik turned to Laya.
"Laya, go back to the boat, I'll be there in a few minutes." He said in his normal voice.
"But…"
"NOW." Erik said sternly. Laya gave him a sad face and then walked away. Erik felt horrible for letting his own daughter see him like that, but seeing a man advancing on her like that just sent rage throughout his entire body. He was her father and his fatherly instincts had kicked in.
He began walking back to the boat where Laya was waiting. When he got there, Laya began calling him frantically. "Daddy! Daddy!" She yelled.
Erik smiled a bit; it was obvious that he hadn't scared her with what he had just done. "What is it Lay?" He asked.
"Look what I did!" She yelled holding up a rat hanging from a rope, a dead rat.
Erik's jaw dropped. What had he done to his daughter? "That's, that's great sweetie." He said grabbing the rope and throwing the rope and the rat into the water. "But don't tell your mother."