Merciful Angel
Within The Opera Populaire's manager's officeRaoul knocked on the door.
"Come in." Firmin called rubbing his neck.
"You sent for me?"
Raoul asked not noticing the dark figure of the Phantom in the corner
"Um… Yes Monsieur Viscount."
Andre smiled nervously eyes on Raoul and not the O.G
"Well."
Raoul demanded he had more important places to be at the moment then stuck in the office of the managers and Madame Giry.
"Madame Giry has come here to make a very serious claim." Firmin started
"Of course we don't believe a word." Andre added for good measure.
"And what is the nature of this claim?"
Raoul inquired nodding to indicate Madame Giry's presence.
"The nature of this claim boy." a fourth voice hissed voice as cold as ice.
"You took something that was mine and I want it back."
Erik moved out from the shadows to take his original sit by Antoinette.
"Me have something of yours."
Raoul scoffed sounding bravery then he actually felt.
"Don't play games with me boy." his voice still a hiss.
" Four days ago directly after the Christmas Gala a little boy no older then 5 years made his way from the stage towards this very office. Only he along with his twin brother never made it here. On their way a shot was fired. One child went down and the other whirled around to see his brother fall. Screaming was heard. I grabbed the boy that had been shot not knowing at the time the other boy was his brother. I took the boy to my home and cared for him taking care of the bullet wound and other injuries. When he woke he told me a very interesting story. Would you like to guess as to what the story was about?"
The manager's office was deadly quiet. Madame Giry had tears in hers that were fighting to spill down her cheeks. Both managers were trying their best to fully understand the situation. But it was the faces of Erik and Raoul that spoke more then words ever could. Raoul's face paled for a moment before becoming flustered. Erik had the look of murderous rage on his face. A look that very few saw and would never want to see again in their lifetime.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Raoul denied
"It would be prudent Monsieur if you didn't hold your tongue." Madame Giry's voice dripping with distain and anger.
"Do you know who I am? Who my family is? How dare you make such claims!" Raoul shouted hoping to be intimidating.
"You are a dead man if you don't spill DeChagny."
Erik snarled Raoul's last name escaping from his lips like the vilest of curse words.
Raoul's eyes wandered around the room the managers Firmin and Andre looked sympathetic but afraid. Madame Giry had a look that her girls knew so well: one of server disappointment. Slowly his eyes made his way to the Phantom the man known as Erik whose very posture made him feel queasy.
"Christine was supposed to be MY wife. Mine. Not some deformed freak posing as an angelic music teacher. When I became Patron and found out that Christine was here.
"After she sung on stage mind you." Giry mumbled
"That Christine was here. You see we had a history. As children we were playmates. I rescued her scarf from the sea after that we were inseparable until the unfortunate passing of Gustave Daae. To see her again after all that time brought back many welcomed childhood memories. I was hoping that she would still remember me. You recall gentlemen, that that was the night you wanted to introduce the two of us. Well I went into her dressing room received warmly enough. We spent some time reminiscing over our childhood I told her to get dressed I would be taking her out to celebrate. I left to prepare my carriage. When I returned I found her door locked and not one but TWO voices in her room. One Christine herself. The other him" Raoul stopped catching his breath.
--In an Unknown Location…
Clothed in a deep purple cloak, the body of a woman made its way through the streets. She was neither poor nor rich, but she had an air about her that suggested a harsh life. The gentle wind shifted and revealed the woman's dress, which had thus far been hidden beneath her cloak. It was a dark black mourning dress with red roses embroidered into the sides. Her head was hung as though she no longer wished to see the sun, however it snapped up when someone addressed her.
"Madame! Madame, please come forth, see the most terrifying things, the Skinless Man, or perhaps the Winged Beast or may haps the Devil's Spawn is more your fetish?"
The woman had been ignoring the man, continuing her journey to nowhere; but when the salesmen spoke of the last attraction, she turned and placed several francs hurriedly into the man's palm. She completely ignored the other attractions and stopped only when the sight of a small cage came before her. There were several people around her, but her eyes remained locked on the show.
Gustave was shaking again. He knew what was coming; he could see the people gathering to watch him be tortured. His manager appeared and roughly grabbed his arm and thrust him forward into the dim light. Suddenly, a voice cried out…
"RELEASE HIM! RELEASE HIM AT ONCE!"
Gus knew that voice…but it couldn't be! It had to be his overly active imagination. Yet, the form before him couldn't just nearly be an enigma…wearily he tried to call out…
"Mommy…"
Christine hadn't counted on being anywhere near a dump like this one, but the man out front had said, 'Devil's Spawn.' She knew that the chances of it being Erik were slim to none, but she had to try. She wasn't expecting this though, she never expected Gus her little boy, the one she was positive had died alongside his brother in a barn fire. The second she had seen his wounded and terrified form she had ripped the cloak from her head and desperately ordered her precious son's freedom. She heard him call for her and tried that much harder to fight against the two strong arms that held her back.
"I will pay you whatever you want!"
That got the men's attention. Quickly, she was steered into an apparent 'lead' tent where she was told to wait for Gustave's manager to appear and converse with her. She waited only a few minutes before the man came and took a seat in front of her.
"You say that you will pay anything woman?"
"I will pay whatever it takes to get my son back."
The man's eyes widened briefly, however he resumed his calm visage and smirked as he thought up a great price for the boy.
"Well, he is worth quite a lot…how high are you willing to go?"
"I told you as high as it takes…"
Christine was getting annoyed; her fierce green eyes were narrowed in rage and sparkled that deadly spark that warned all she was pissed.
"Unfortunately Madame, this boy was given to us by a Viscount also, he came with the instructions that he is never to be sold. So I'm terribly sorry Madame, but I'll have Hans here lead you out."
Christine couldn't even protest as she was violently jerked from her seat and led away. Despite this loss, she swore to herself she would find a way to get Gus out.
--Back At the Opera Populaire…
"This, man," Spat Raoul, "Was alone speaking to my Christine! Speaking to her in such a deceiving, maniacal voice, one, which I have no doubt tricked Christine into thinking she was in love with you."
Erik sprang forward to attack Raoul, but was held back by the manager's and Madame Giry.
"Ha! You see! See his violence! He comes to attack me! He is obviously lying about everything!"
"I beg to differ Monsieur Viscount…"
Four heads snapped toward the direction of the new voice. The small form of Jean stood leaning casually against the wall, his amber eyes narrowed in murderous rage, but his face holding a smug look upon it. Raoul wasn't expecting this and backed away paling as Jean stepped fully into the room.
"Go on Monsieur, tell them all of how you showed up and Mum shouted at your face and proved how much of a moron you are. Tell them of how you tried to kill me, twice now isn't it? You must be quite pathetic if you can't even kill one…little…boy…"
Raoul suddenly drew his rapier, which always hung loyally at his side. He charged forth, his insane blue eyes already slashing the boy to ribbons. Raoul was just about to hit him when a powerful fist knocked him off course and into the nearest wall. Low and angry, Erik's voice filled the air.
"Does anyone else disagree to calling the police?"
Three fearful and one smug heads shook no.
End Chapter 17
A/N: WOOT! Yes faithful readers, CHRISTINE'S ALIVE! To clarify, Christine had only entered the circus because she thought that perhaps it was Erik. She doesn't believe he is dead because looking at things rationally showed her that it is impossible for Erik to be caught so quickly. Also she ASSUMED that Jean and Gus are dead. What happened to her will be revealed in Chapter 18! Thanks formore content in this chapter goes to mikabronxgirl. Please Review!
