Chapter 23 – Erik's Plan.

Erik wrote the address on the envelope. He was careful not to seal it with his trademark wax skull as it was not supposed to be him who had written it. He hoped that Carlotta would fall into his trap.

He would need Antoinette to post it now. However he wasn't so sure she would do it this time as he had accidentally dropped his previous letter to her on her head.

She will have gotten over that. This needs to be done. I won't allow it to wait. Now I have to go back up to her office.

So, for the umpteenth time that afternoon, he headed back up to the surface but this time Porsche accompanied him. She walked around the edge of the black water as he rowed the boat across it and then leaped up onto his shoulder, balancing there as he walked on up the passageway.

Erik was in luck. Madame Giry was in her office this time. He paused hoping she wouldn't fly off the handle at him about the letter.

He opened the secret doorway that led into her office and stepped in quietly. She had obviously heard him, for no sooner had he taken one step towards her, she looked up sighed and said: "What do you want?"

Erik stopped and thought about this quickly.

Apologise; at least that way if she is annoyed with me I can put things right before I ask her to post the letter.

"To apologise for dropping the last letter accidentally on your head."

"The real reason Erik?" She said, still not looking up.

She wasn't annoyed with him thank heavens. If she was he would have known, she would be far more coldly polite with him than this.

"I need you to post this letter for me today, please Antoinette." Erik said.

"Oh, Erik can't you see I'm busy. I have lots of paper work to do as well as worry over the fact that my ballet dancers are not giving it 100 effort!" She replied, her voice tired and strained.

"Then tell your ballet rats to improve or I will get them."

"Hmm, I do not know if that will work Erik."

"Oh it will, trust me on that. If they believe that I exist. After all, if they hear me but do not see me, then I will fit the description of what a real ghost is like." He whispered slyly.

"I will not have you terrorising my ballet dancers, Erik!" She retorted.

"Who said I would terrorise them? I meant merely that I should have a word with them, so at least when you tell them 'The Phantom of the Opera will get them' they know you are not joking." He told her a faint note of sarcasm and glee in his voice.

"Whatever you like. Where is this letter?"

Erik pulled the envelope from out of his cloak pocket and dropped it on the desk.

Madame Giry picked it up and read the address.

"No skull? And why are you writing to Carlotta?" She asked suspiciously.

"That is not of your concern. Please do not ask me anymore on the subject." He told her.

Madame Giry simply nodded in response. It was not up to her to pry through his business and so she wouldn't ask him any more on the subject. She would probably only worry if she knew the full story.

"Fine, I will post it now." Madame Giry got up but as she did so Porsche, who Erik had completely forgotten about, jumped up onto the table.

Madame Giry gasped in fright and tripped over her heel, she was thankful for Erik's quick reflexes and reactions, as he caught her as she fell.

Great, will she post the letter after that?

She pulled herself upright with help from Erik. Opened one of her desk draws and pulled out a brush and raised it ready to throw it at the cat.

Erik grabbed her wrist gently to stop her from releasing it. "Porsche will hate you should you throw that, and I will not be too happy to see her hurt either." He said softly.

"Erik!" She sounded angry now. "I will post your letter but you must promise me that you will keep your cat away from me!"

"I promise. I'm sorry I forgot that she…" He started.

"I don't care! I have told you repeatedly to keep that cat away from me!" She snapped.

"And I will!" Erik said his voice becoming louder. But he knew there was no point in arguing as this time, like most others, she was probably right.

She picked up the letter and said calmly. "I will go to post the letter now. I hope that it does not cause any trouble."

"It will not. I promise you. Thank you Antoinette." He turned and headed back for the secret doorway.

"Erik." Madame Giry called after him.

He turned to face her.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She said pointing at Porsche who was sitting upright looking at her evilly.

Erik walked over, scooped the cat up in his arms and carried her through the doorway out of sight.

-

The ballet rats had their dormitory up on the top level. Girls aged 12 to 14 were all in one room. Some of the older girls like Christine and Meg had their own rooms as they were older and needed some privacy. The younger girls were usually sent home for the night, as they only had classes and did not always perform in productions.

It was around 8 o'clock; the time the girls went to bed and lights out at 8.30. Erik knew Madame Giry was worried but he had watched them for a few minutes before dropping the letter and had noticed that some of the girls were not putting all their effort in. As they either found it too hard or tiring. He knew Faust was a difficult piece for the actors but not so for the ballet.

He could hear some of the girls whispering to one another when he went to the dormitory about 8.20 that evening. They were complaining about how the piece was too difficult and how Madame Giry was always shouting at them for nothing.

He heard two of the girls who slept in beds next to each other whispering to one another.

"Madame Giry is being so silly over this. We do our best but we always get shouted at."

"Yeah I know, the silly old bat!"

"She thinks she knows everything. I bet we could do it fine if it wasn't for her being so critical all the time."

Erik became very annoyed by what these two were saying about Antoinette. He decided that maybe if the same words came from the Phantom of the Opera they would never say such things again.

Clearing his throat silently he threw his voice into the room.

"I'm sure Madame Giry knows exactly what she is doing." He bellowed, voice echoing round the room.

There were frightened whispers and one of the younger ones screamed.

"My eyes do not lie; some of you have not been putting in all your effort."

Again more whispers.

"Do not forget that this Opera house belongs to me, and I expect you to all put in your best effort or I may have to speak to you in person. Do you understand? And should anyone say anything bad about Madame Giry then they will have me to answer to!"

All of them made loud jitters and shuffled about in their beds. Erik was just about to leave, satisfied that he had made his point clear when a young voice spoke out.

"You will not hurt any of us! We do our best!"

Erik recognised the girl with dark hair and blue eyes to be young Zurie Beaumont.

"The angel of music will protect us!" She shouted triumphantly.

All the other girls were silent and did not move. Zurie however got out of bed looking around and continued.

"You do not scare me! Ghosts do not harm! So leave us alone you devil!"

Erik smiled. The child had a lot of guts to stand up to him like that, no one else ever had. "You dare oppose the Opera Ghost?" He asked.

"Yes I do! You claim this place belongs to you. No it does not! So leave everyone alone!" She shouted.

Erik paused before answering her. "You are brave Mademoiselle Beaumont. But I was not speaking directly to you. Madame Giry does her best for all you ballet girls. You should be a little more polite and be thankful for it. That is all I have come to say. Bon nuit and I look forward to your rehearsal tomorrow with great anticipation." He whispered coolly before leaving them to whisper among themselves.

Young Zurie is quite a character. She will do well in my opera house as long as she does not answer me back too often.

Having taken care of things, all he needed to do was prepare for his meeting with la Carlotta at midnight that night. He was hoping that this meeting would go according to plan.

-

Erik was going to head back down to his lair to finish off some more of his Opera, 'Don Juan Triumphant', when he heard a voice singing. He smiled as he realised where it was coming from.

He approached the mirror to see Christine standing there spinning around and singing one of the songs from Faust. She was singing it with the passion that he had told her about and it really moved him.

"Brava, Brava, Bravisima!" He whispered.

Christine turned round and ran towards the mirror. "Oh, Erik, I was hoping you would come to visit."

"It was your beautiful voice which led me to you. You are going to give your best performance yet."

Christine blushed slightly. "Merci monsieur."

"Was it a good rehearsal today?" He asked.

"Yes. It went better today. Why don't you come out from behind the mirror?" She replied in a child like way.

"It is late my dear. You need your rest and I have some important matters to attend to but I will say goodnight to you properly."

With that he stepped out into the room after the mirror slid into the floor and embraced Christine in his slender, muscular arms. They kissed each other passionately before parting.

"Erik, will you sing to me? Please."

Erik scooped her light, frail body in his arms and walked over to the bed and laid her down gently. He brushed a single strand of hair out of her eyes. She smiled sweetly at him. She was reluctant to let go of his neck.

He lowered his head so that their lips met again. He pulled away soon after and began to sing 'Music of the Night'.

Night time sharpens heightens each sensation…

Darkness stirs and wakes imagination…

Christine felt hypnotised by his voice, like she was on cloud 9. Waves of pleasure hit her as his voice reached her ears. With each passing verse, she could feel herself being pulled into dreamland. She did not want to fight it. She gave into his voice, the music and the darkness that shrouded her mind. She could not work it out but there was something about the song that was more than just music.

Help me make the music of the night…

Erik looked at Christine's sleeping form. He tucked her underneath the covers. He could not tear his gaze away from her. He wanted to stay with her to protect her from any evil that there may be in the world.

His thoughts were bought back to Carlotta. After tonight she would never come within 10 miles of the Opera house. He would make sure of it.

"Goodnight my angel, pleasant dreams." He whispered, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Porsche stepped through the mirror just as he was about to leave.

"Porsche, would you please take care of Christine for me?" Erik asked the cat.

Porsche jumped onto the bed and curled up on the pillow beside Christine. Erik smiled and nodded at the cat before swiftly entering the passage before the mirror closed behind him.

Christine sighed in her sleep and mumbled. "Erik?"

Porsche put her head down but kept her yellow eyes open, watching her masters loved one settle and sleep soundlessly.

-

It was pitch black in the stables. The horses were asleep and the stable where Massort had been buried under the straw was empty. No one had found him to Erik's relief. He bent down and uncovered him, pulling his collar down so he could see the angry red mark he left around his neck when he had killed him.

He went out into the main part of the yard where he hid in the shadows, waiting like a predator ready to catch its prey.

Two minutes past midnight; she was late! Erik could see his breath steaming in the cold night air. His ears caught the sound of faint footsteps making their way towards the stable entrance which he had conveniently left open for her.

There was a loud trotting sound, the shape stopped. Erik had unusually sharp vision in the dark. He could see as well as hear that it was La Carlotta.

She was carrying a bag which Erik assumed contained the money. This would make a nice little bonus added to the 20,000 francs he had already received that month.

"Monsieur Massort?" The shadowy figure asked.

Putting on a hoarse whisper he answered. "Do you have the money?"

Carlotta threw the bag in front of her. "It's all there, the eight thousand that you asked for." She made one of her childish giggles. "Was her death slow and painful? Or did you put that vile girl out of her misery quickly?" She said with joy.

"You will see the details in the newspaper tomorrow." He replied.

"Then that's everything, Au revoir monsieur." She whispered happily.

Carlotta turned to walk out when a gloved hand clamped over her mouth and a voice whispered in her ear. "There was no death, toad. But I will show you what happens to those who dare to threaten Miss Daae's life."

He dragged her roughly into the stable where the hired assassin lay with his dead eyes staring up at the wooden ceiling and his body slumped on the hay. The livid mark around his neck was very visible.

"They end up dead." He hissed menacingly.

Carlotta struggled and tried to tear the hands away from her mouth so that she could scream. Looking at the assassin whom she had hired and was laying dead on the floor before her was frightening. The fact that she was in the Phantom's grasp terrified her that she would end up the same way.

"You will never break free, the more you squirm the tighter my hold will be."

Carlotta stopped struggling. Erik slowly removed a hand from her mouth. "Go on then." He taunted. "Scream."

Carlotta opened her mouth but found that no sound would come out. It only came out in very quick gasps.

"What's the matter? Lost your voice?" Erik whispered mockingly.

Carlotta kept gasping, but managed to choke out the words. "A – Are y-y-ou going to k-k-k-ill me?"

With that Erik pulled out his noose and threw the loop over her head. Carlotta winced in fear as he began to push her towards the ground. She landed on her knees looking at Massort's limp, dead body.

Erik really wanted to kill her. He heard voices shouting in his head.

Kill her. Don't be soft. Show no remorse, it was her who ordered that Christine be killed. What would you have done if the assassin had succeeded? Hm? She may try it again. His own voice was telling him.

Carlotta began to weep, saying something in Spanish. It sounded like she was praying. This made Erik's heart lurch. Then another voice spoke in his mind, the voice was Christine's.

Please Erik, You promised me you would never kill again. Please let her go, for me. You're not a bad person and you do not have the right to take away another person's life.

Erik looked down again at Carlotta who was weeping harder. This time she spoke to him.

"Well, if you are going to kill me please get it over with." She whispered between sobs.

You promised her. If you love her you wouldn't betray her.

Erik took in a deep breath, bent down and covered her mouth again. But placed a hand on her back, making sure she wouldn't stand up. "If I let you go, you will never return to the Opera House. You will leave Paris and never return. If you do not obey this warning I will not spare your life next time. Do you understand?"

Carlotta nodded, her breathing becoming rapid.

"No one else is to know about this little event, if anything should happen. I will find you. That's a promise." He told her firmly.

Erik removed the lasso from around her neck and uncovered her mouth. "Au revoir." He whispered.

Carlotta heard a swishing sound and spun round but could not see anyone and the 8,000 francs had gone missing too. Shakily, she got up and walked carefully out of the stables. The Phantom of the Opera was real indeed and he had spared her life. She was not stupid enough to disobey him.

When she was completely out of sight Erik re-emerged. He was satisfied that Carlotta would disappear out of his life once and for all. He picked up the body of the dead Massort and walked out back down to his lair.

He reached the lake, heaved the body into the boat and rowed out into the middle. He placed the body gently into the water and let go. He watched his latest victim sink until he could not see him.

He rowed the boat back to the shore and went to his room where he sat down on the bed. He was thinking whilst counting the money which Carlotta had brought with her.

I let the toad go. Should I have done? I think she understood my warning. It was a promise so I will do what I have to should she dare show her face again.

Erik counted the money. It was all there. His thoughts turned to Christine. At least she was safe. And hopefully would never find out about today's incident.