Opera Ghost
Chapter Five

Daniel came into Jessalyn's room early the next morning, knocking on her door. Fortunately she was already dressed and ready to start the day. She, Dan and Tony were invited to breakfast with the managers and then would have a more detailed grand tour of the opera house. They also had to get their tickets for that evening performance.

Jess opened the door. "I'm ready.' She said cheerfully. "Let's get something to eat." The group, soon joined by Claudine who was already starting her work running tours that day, made their way through the hallway, up closer to the ground floor. Jess had decided not to tell Daniel or Tony about what she had done last night, or what she thought she saw. But the memories of it still haunted her, the icy cold wind, the strange movement in the tier box. It all seemed as if it were planned to happen. She even then entertained the notion that someone at the opera was spying on them, not wanting them to explore any further in the opera or into any matters of the fabled phantom.

She could not have been more correct. For as the group slowly strolled off to breakfast in the manager's reception room, a shadow followed closely behind them.

He stayed hidden between the large marble sculptures of angels and warriors, almost invisible in the concealing darkness behind them. He watched carefully their every move, hung onto every world of their conversation, harmless as it was.

But these people were not harmless. They were trespassers and they meant nothing but trouble to him. The young man, short but still apparently high in his self confidant seemed the greatest trouble of all. His very manners annoyed him, and the sheer fact that this American thought he could travel into his domain to find the Opera Ghost, was almost laughable as it was stupid. Still, the young man remined him of someone very familiar.

The other gentleman next to him, the tall dark one was no worst and at the same time no better. Apparently he considered himself an expert on this building's particular fashion. Well little did he know. Hopefully if he kept his mouth shut and did not follow his cocky companion's actions, he may remain safe and unharmed for the rest of his trip here in Paris.

The young woman, an employee of the opera, he saw not that much of a threat in her. But she was native and perhaps might disclose some inside information that would have best remained silent. Either way as he saw them flaunting down the corridors as if they owned the place, he regarded them all as pests. Obstacles he thought he had rid himself of long, long time ago.

With the exception of the quite and yet adventurous Jessalyn Greene. Quite a fitting name for a certain woman of her character. She had drawn most of his attention ever since yesterday when the group had first arrived at the opera house, after he had vowed to himself never to leave his sanctuary to wander in the upper world again. But talking of "invaders" into his realm through the gossip he heard, drew him away. And now he found himself watching her every move.

Yet she was still a puzzle to him. Yes, her hair was long, blond and beautiful, even being a shade darker. Her eyes were still a dazzling sea blue, her voice similar, her sweet curious smile to be compared to no one. But she had changed, he noticed now she was much stronger, in her bravery and her will, then when he had once known her so many years ago. She had even dared to wander to the opera house alone, and at night with not even a match to light her way.

He had seen her from Box Five when she had first set foot on the stage, and fled the moment he noticed her eyes had turned in her direction. But she had returned and he watched her play and run backstage as if she were a monkey, without a care if anyone saw or heard her. Even climbing the high ladder that led to the catwalks and beyond. He would have never expected such behavior out her before.Yet she had stopped for a moment, bowed and blew a kiss to the imaginary audience, as if she belonged there on that stage, and all Paris was applauding her mere presence. That gave him hope. Hope that maybe she still remembered.

He stayed watching the group, all of them oblivious to his presence as they finally made their way into the managers' office. Disappointment creased his brow as the door slammed behind them. Ambler and Delauney were amateurs at best, and could no more manage a historical opera house than a circus. They had made poor selections of the season even if they were only ballets to please the public. They had not done a very good job of keeping up the appearance of the place and it seemed the resplendence the opera had in the golden age died a little before him each day. Security was also downsized, which was an annoyance and a blessing to him. They had resorted to hiring drunks as watch man, and relied on their staff to keep an "eye out on things" as it where. Perhaps they didn't think an opera house was not any place that would be raided by anyone of interest. How wrong they were. How quickly they had all forgotten.

So much the better, but the time had come once again for him to control the opera as he once had. He didn't have to make everyone afraid of him, though fear had its advantages. He just had to make them believe.

Make her believe again.

The group had enjoyed a wonderful breakfast of breads and muffins, with tea and coffee to drink. They made small talk with the managers as best they could, including making introduction with the co-manager of the opera, Lucas Delauney. Claudine had to excuse herself early to return to work, but Delauney offered to give the grand tour of the opera after they had all had their fill at breakfast.

As they past corridors after staircases, each site seemed more spectacular than the next, and Delauney explained the history of each item as best he could. Paintings surely worth thousands of dollars hung in the hallways. Pictures of opera stars, early photographs of great concerts and operas adorned each nook and cranny giving visitors something new everywhere they turned. Jess stopped in front of a painting of the great diva, Dame Nellie Melba, admiring its art and craftsmanship.

"It must cost a fortune to keep this place restored and clean as it is." She remarked.

Delauney gave a small chuckle. "Trust me mademoiselle it is." He played with the cuffs of his shirt. "In fact there has been talk among the Academy of Music and the tourist board of actually renovating this entire opera house. Not just the stage but the decor everywhere." He added.

Jessalyn's face dropped. "Horrible. Why would anyone want to change this place? It should be left as it is, it's part of history."

"Trust me mademoiselle, it is not my decision nor to I agree with it. They just think a more modern looking building would appeal to more tourism."

"Well they are wrong." Daniel added finally decided to join in."Besides there will always be a main attraction certain tourists will always come see." He commented trying to sound cool and sly.

"You mean the Phantom?" Delauney asked bluntly, shattering Daniel's efforts. "Yes we do have many of those. They can be rather pesky but they do bring an unusual twist to this business." They turned a corner, walking down another extended long corridor. Jess looked around at how similar this hall was from the previous one and imagine one could get lost in this building very easily.

"So sir, you are telling me you don't believe?" Dan asked sounding shocked.

"In that old ghost story? No. Pure rubbish if you ask me." Delauney relied, as Dan took a step back from him, his head hung low. "But business is business, so if your research in a success M. Payne, we might be able to keep this haunted house the way it is a little longer."

Delauney walked further ahead of them, as Tony stopped trying to comfort Dan in his defeat of pride. If there was one thing Daniel hated, it was not being believed. Professors and students alike had called his dreams nonsense before, but it didn't matter now. He was here in Paris ready to prove them all wrong. "It's okay Dan. Just think, the entire tourist revenue of the Paris Opera House is resting on the success of your study. Think of when its gets published." Tony offered.

Daniel managed to crack a smile. "So in a way the fate of the opera house rests on me?"

Tony nodded. "Guess so. Good luck."

After their almost two hour tour all about the opera house, their guide Lucas Delauney had to excuse himself to return to his work. The group explored and wandered about some more, following strange stairs when they came to them, not carrying where they lead to. Most of the time they landed in a dead end or wandering in a circle. They stopped by the tourist office to see Claudine, before decided to finally go to the box office and chose a seat for that night's performance.

Daniel approached the worker inside on of the ticket booths in the lobby. He cleared his throat and crossed his arms on the counter.

"Ah . . . Bonjour. Mes aims et moi . . . " he started.

The woman behind the glass looked up and gave a quirky smile at Daniel's feeble French. "It's all right Monsieur. I can speak English. How may I help you?" Dan manage to crack a sheepish grin to hide his embarrassment even though he could hear Jess and Tony snickering behind him.

"Well then. My friends and I are on the research team and the management decided..."

"Oh yes the American students." The attendant exclaimed. "Yes M. Ambler informed us to give you a complementary box seat." She pushed out form under the glass, a plastic-covered paper, with the location of the seats in the house. "You can look over this if she like." She explained indicating the chart. "The grand tier boxes are labeled in red."

Daniel rested a hand over the chart, not even bothering looking at it. "No thanks. We've already made up our mind. We'll take Box Five."

Only a slight flinch in the attendant's dark eyes as she stared at him gave any hint that she was startled by his answer. "I'm sorry Monsieur, but I'm afraid I cannot arrange that for you." She said steadily with a colder tone now in her voice.

Jess came up behind him. "Perhaps it's already taken by a season subscriber Dan." She offered as the most logical answer.

Dan whispered to her. "But Ambler said we could sit in any box we wanted." She could see from the upset look in his eyes that he was intent on securing a seat in the Phantom's private box. He turned back to the attendant, trying to be cheerful. "But why not? I mean, I've heard it's the best seat in the house."

The woman raised her hand in front of her in an almost defensive gesture. "I'm sorry, but that box is not open to the public."

"Why?" Daniel questioned, all politeness gone from his tone.

"It is currently being renovated."She replied. The last excuse had even raised suspicions in Jess' mind.

"Renovations?" she inquired.

The attendant turned to address her, the most serious look on her face that Jess had ever seen.

"Yes, that box has had an asbestos problem for many years and we have decided to remove it." She informed them

Behind them, the shadow watched as they where finally turned away in disappointment. He smiled. Well at least some rules were still being enforced.