Opera Ghost

Chapter Twenty-Three

Lucas Delauney looked over his desk at his young American guests who had requested a conference with him. He pushed a piece of paper around with his hand as they spoke. "So you think I need to hire more security for the gala tonight."

Tony Candom nodded, as he'd taken the position of spokesperson for the group. "Yes you have to trust us on this one. We have reason to believe that someone might try to cause a disturbance. Someone who thinks they are the phantom, who might…"

"Wait, you think someone is actually running around as a phantom?" he asked.

"Yes," came a quiet answer. He looked over at Jessalyn, who had been mostly silent and was rubbing her palms on her pant legs. As if her hands were already sweaty. She noticed him looking at her. It was she who had answered.

"The Phantom of the Opera?" he questioned with sarcasm.

"Why not? There are enough loonies running around Paris," she replied quickly.

"Well, then have you seen this person?" he probed further.

"Yes," she said again. They stared at each other as if trying to size up the other. Delauney broke eye-contact first.

"Well, then I guess I have to take your word for it. I've always hired police officers to act as security when we have these big events. We are almost required to. What else do you suggest I do?" he asked.

He saw Tony 'act' as if he was a lost for an answer, but he could tell the young man already knew what he was going to say. "Not much. A couple more officers placed backstage might help, and we would also like to be allowed backstage during the performance."

"All three of you? That's going to help?" Delauney sounded skeptical.

"I believe so," Daniel Payne chimed in. "Look, all we're asking for is some all-access passes so we can be allowed backstage. So that we can make sure anyone else who shouldn't be there…isn't," he hinted. "If the extra security works, nothing will happen and we won't have to worry about a thing. Besides, Jess knows everything about working behind the scenes. She'll keep us in line. You won't even know we're there," he insisted. Delauney glanced back over at Jessalyn, who still appeared very nervous. There was something they weren't telling him.

"I'll need some time to think about it," he said decidedly.

They were running out of time. Jess still wasn't sure what would happen that night. Would she be strong enough to stop what ever Erik had planned? Or maybe nothing would happen at all, as Daniel had said. Fat chance of that though. She made her way through the halls to the managers' office. Delauney had finally agreed to let them stay backstage during the performance. It didn't seem very natural though: when they had first approached him with their plan he didn't believe, and within hours he had changed his mind.

Jess had gone down to collect the passes, and her hands were already starting to become clammy. She was very uncomfortable around Delauney. There was such a mystery in him that she didn't understand, and she wasn't too found of mystery in anyone. She knocked on the door. "Monsieur Delauney," she called.

"Come in," a voice called from within. She pushed open the door and was rather relived to see Ambler in the office instead. He was arranging papers on his desk. "I apologize that I could not come to the door, Mademoiselle Greene, but..." He lifted up the stack of papers so she could see. "I do have my hands busy with the gala, as it were. You understand, I'm sure. What can I help you with?"

Jess pointed to Delauney's desk, where she had discovered the letters. "I was supposed to pick up some things Monsieur Delauney left for us," she informed him.

"Oh yes the backstage passes." He went to the other desk and picked up something off the top. He then handed her three laminated cards with makeshift lanyards made of tie line. "It should be an exciting show tonight."

Jess gave him a weak smile. "Perhaps in more ways than one, sir," she offered. She turned to go to the door.

"Oh but one more thing, mademoiselle," he called after her. She looked over her shoulder, but saw nothing at first. Then suddenly she found both of her hands pulled behind her back in a strong grip. Jess could feel herself being dragged away and before she knew it, she was flung back. Her body hit the back of a rolling office chair. The force threw her and the chair back against Delauney's desk, snapping her head forward violently and then back. She blinked, trying to settle down and find out what had happened.

"Erik?" she whispered. She didn't know why she said it though, it just came out.

Ambler was standing in front of the door, blocking it and looking surprisingly calm. Her hand started to tremble. "What is going on here, mademoiselle?" he asked.

"I d-don't know wh-what you're talking about," she stammered.

"Oh but I think you do," he replied. He pressed his hulking body against the door preventing her from leaving. Jess was petrified and remained in the chair. This once-bubbly, friendly host who had been so kind to them had done a complete one-eighty-degree-turn right in front of her eyes. He had been replaced by this dark sinister man. "There really is a phantom. I know it. It's not just some person you thought you saw," he stated.

"I can't be certain." Jess tried to stand up. "I'm telling you that I don't know." She managed to get to her feet. She looked over at the floor, where she had dropped the passes when Ambler had shoved her. She needed to get them back. He watched her as her gaze fell on them. He knew she wanted them.

"Don't lie to me, mademoiselle. You are not very good at it," he informed her. Jess moved around the other desk and Ambler moved to circle around the desk as well.

"So I've been told," she whispered.

"Don't act stupid. You were given that room for a reason. I've always know he was there. I just needed him to show himself. I needed proof. You were just the bait, but I know you've seen him. He's not a hoax."

"You set the whole thing up?" she was nearly speechless. She couldn't believe it and how did he know.

"Apparently, your friends couldn't take a hint and leave well enough alone. All I needed was you," he gloated. Jess thought for a moment.

"Than it was…you. Did you-you were the one who broke all of Daniel's things. You destroyed some of his most precious things. What did you do that?" she called him out.

"To give him a clue that he wasn't wanted here!" Ambler shouted. With him somewhat distracted, Jess darted from around the desk, running towards the fallen backstage passes on the floor. Ambler grabbed for her, only managing to grab a small part of her t-shirt before she wiggled away from him. Jess lost her balance and fell on her knees, feeling the rug burn and scrape against her skin even through the fabric of her jeans. She shot out her hand, her fingers slipping around the lanyards and finally back into her grasp. Then something told her to look behind her and she reached up her other hand to protect her neck.

Ambler within an instant had her pinned on the floor, his large hands around her neck trying to choke her. She tried to stop him with the one hand protecting her throat as best she could. However, he didn't mean to kill her, not just yet.

"I hope for your sake, nothing happens tonight. I hope nothing goes wrong," he hissed. "But if anything does happen. I'll personally hold you and your friends responsible."

Why? What did he want from her? He was utterly mad…

"Let me go…" she croaked. Ambler reached to take the passes from her outstretched hands. She tried to wiggle her hand out of his reach.

"I'll be watching every move you make from now on, Jessalyn," he pronounced.

"This is all your fault!" she shouted and drove her foot into his stomach. He grunted loudly and fell over. Jess managed to roll away in time to keep from being crushed under him and rushed towards the door. Still knelt over, he laughed at her. Jess pulled on the brass knobs. They merely jiggled and flung back in her hand. It was locked. She turned to glare at Ambler who was still laughing at her as he started to push himself up. "You're crazy." She told him in a hushed whisper. "You're goddamn crazy," she shouted. Jess reached into her shirt and pulled out the necklace she kept her master key on. Ambler's chuckling turned to disbelief.

"What the-?"

She didn't let him finish. Jess threw her key into the lock and twisted hard. Not caring anymore, she recklessly kicked open the door and ran through the hall. Her feet pounded on the carpet and she tried not to cry, but tears started to flow anyway. She could feel her neck burning as if his hands were still holding her. She wondered how far Ambler intended to go just to stop her. How did he know Erik was still alive and why he was using her to bring Erik into the open?

Down the hall, she noticed a crowd of people coming towards her. She guessed that it must be the performers leaving to get supper and prepare for the show. Jess slowed down to a walk trying not to draw attention to herself, and slipped down another corridor. She walked for what seemed forever until her feet led her back to the stage. Indeed the place was starting to clear out as she noticed technicians securing the fly rails and sweeping up. No one seemed to pay any attention to her as she walked over to a large mobile tool chest stored over in one wing. Probably from her jeans and black shirt she looked like one of the technicians. She opened up its creaking door and looked inside.

Jess reached in a first grabbed a mat knife. She checked the blade, it was fresh and sharp. She then pulled out a flat head screw driver and a sliding t-bevel. The bevel was used to measure angles but it had on it a sharp edge that came to a point on its flat silver part. She then examined the array of crowbars, finally finding one that wasn't the size of her thigh. She tucked the bevel, knife and screwdriver into her large pocket and held the crowbar firmly in her hand. She smacked it against her palm. Jess walked back onto the stage, gazing over the open auditorium. All the beautiful red seats were saturated in the light from the chandelier and light fixtures, and the gold and brass was polished and shining in her eyes. It was all so breathtakingly beautiful and yet dangerous and ominous.

Jessalyn turned to stare at Box Five. The curtains were drawn and throughout the long moment she locked her gaze on it, it never moved. Jess let the crowbar lower itself into the loop on her carpenter pants. She tried to feel confident, but she couldn't shake off the weight of responsibility that fell over her and she turned her back on Box Five.

A/N: Sorry guys, but things have been really hectic on my end of life. The show I have been working on a carpenter on has literally consumed me. And now I have to run the show adding on two more weeks to my schedule that I thought I would have off. So I'll keep on trucking cause I hate to keep all my readers hanging.