Disclaimer- Yet again I won nothing of the original material.

Chapter 7

Antoinette Giry knelt down beside the man. "My brother has a bullet in his shoulder. We need your help to remove it."

"How did this happen Antoinette?" Nadir kneeled on the opposite side and began removing Erik's bloody shirt.

" There was a trap set for him. Erik and our opera's main patron are in love with the same woman. Someone took a shot and hit Christine.." she grunted with the effort of turning Erik on his back. "Then they all started taking target practice. The dancers hit the stage floor, crawling off as best they could. The damned aristocrats ran for the doors, which the managers had locked…I've no idea how many people were injured in this melee."

Nadir regarded her seriously. "And what do you risk for keeping him here?"

She began scrubbing the wound. "Everything. The entire building is being searched. I am willing to wager that they will not stop until they find his home below, regardless.." she paused to brush a stray strand of hair away. "It is not safe for him here now."

"There will be no mercy for you either." He took the laudanum and measured a dose. Erik groaned as his head was lifted up. "Drink this."

"Why….Daroga." Erik groggily looked at the man above him. "I daresay it's been quite a while….hmmm." His eyes rolled back in his head.

"How much of this has he had Antoinette?"

"Enough." She gave him an apologetic look. "He was ready to charge out to Christine, consequences be damned."

"Well let's get this over with while he is good and out." Nadir paused as Antoinette handed him a slim bladed knife. "It has been a long time since I have dug a bullet out of a man."

"Nadir….I know of no one else. Erik would trust no one else. Please let's just be done with this."

Nadir held the knife over the candle flame. "And what do we do with him then? I imagine a room this small might bring back some rather confining memories." He took the heated knife and leaned over. "Put your weight over him Antoinette." The tip of the knife entering the wound caused the sedated Erik to jerk.

Madame Giry turned her head away at the sight of the knife and its search. "I have not thought what to do after this." The sounds of flesh, blood and muscle being manipulated paled her. "I know I must keep him safe. His real family failed him Nadir. The thought of what he endured in that gypsy camp haunts me, to be a murderer at so young an age."

Nadir pulled the knife back. "Can you hold the light here and hold him? It's right there by his shoulder blade." As she helped with the requested task Nadir continued. "And what of his other crimes? Are you willing to be pulled down with him? I know what he did for you makes you feel beholden, but there are limits to everything Antoinette." He adjusted his grip on the blade. "Here we go. Hold him while I pull this thing out."

The slug was removed and held up the light. "Yes it's all here. Do you have disinfectant?" At Madame Giry's nod, Nadir motioned for her to stand. "I will finish up here. You should most likely join Meg. Your absence may seem suspicious."

She nodded. "True. I will be back as quick as possible. You saw how to work the door?"

"Yes."

"Then I will leave and contemplate some idea as of what to do next." She slid her hand over the mechanism. "Thank you, old friend. Erik and I are in your debt…again."

Madame Giry walked through the now open panel, turning back to see Nadir hard at work stitching the wound. Closing the door and replacing the picture upon the wall, she hurriedly washed up, pulled a shawl around her, and left to check on Christine.

On the opposite side of the Opera Populaire, a small crowd waited for word on the injured diva. A physician's assistant had arrived and promptly shown Raoul the door. He was pacing the hallway as Meg came up with her bundle of cloths.

"There is no need of those now Mademoiselle." Raoul's voice darkened. "Truthfully if we had had to wait for you Christine may have been gone already."

"Monsiuer le Vicomte, I was doing as my mother requested. Not only was Monsiuer Nadir not available, but I was held up by one of the door guards."

"And where is your mother? She went to find you…from those its obvious she did."

"Maman was exhausted, she went to rest a moment."

"Rest," Raoul's eyes narrowed. "There will be no rest for me until that thing that caused all of this has a noose around his neck."

"We are working diligently on that Monsiuer le Vicomte." Andre's voice seemed overly loud as he and Firmin came to join them. "The search has not and will not be called off till we find him."

"Excellent" Raoul nodded his approval.

"Ahh, monsiuer if we could…" Firmin stammered a bit. Looking over at Meg, he motioned for Raoul to come closer. "have a word with you privately? It has to do with Miss Daae."

With a curt ascent, the three men stepped across the hall. They held their tongues as Madame Giry walked past and joined her daughter in a separate conversation.

Turning on them with practiced aristocratic impatience Raoul asked,"Well Messiuers what is it?"

"The whole evening was planned according to your design." Firmin began. "We now have a numbered of injured who will demand compensation."

"Are you saying what I think?" Raoul was incredulous. These fools thought that he would pay the bill because they failed.

"There's more, Monsieur le Vicomte." Andre coughed nervously. "The guards posted in the boxes were interviewed following O.G.'s ahem…exit."

"So?"

"None of them fired the first shot Monsieur. What will the people say when the papers publish that the Opera Populaire's patron shot the starring diva?"

Before Raoul could retort, the door of the dressing room opened and the exhausted looking physician stepped out. Perusing the crowd, he saw the managers, Raoul, and Madame Giry. Motioning for them to come over, he took a halting breath and began.

"The bullet apparently cut across her neck, and stopped in the right jawbone. It has been removed although I had to take away some severally damaged bone. If infection does not set in, Miss Daae should recover in due time."

"Wonderful news Doctor." Firmin the ever optimist couldn't resist.

"Wait Messieurs…there is one other problem. For anyone else it wouldn't affect their lives dramatically, but an opera singer." He held his hands out in a forgiving gesture.

"Well what is it?" Raoul's patience had disintegrated.

"The bullet has damaged the larynx. Miss Daae will not sing again."