Chapter 28: The End Game
Claire cautiously and quickly carried young Charles into Erik's penthouse office, placing him down gently before closing the doors and pulled on a wall candelabra which caused a heavy bookcase to slide in front of it and the young vicomte giggled,
"Do it again!" he encouraged causing Claire to smile and ruffle his hair gently,
"Later. For now, we have stuff to do" she told him gently before moving towards a costume rail that Miss Fleck had brought to Erik's office for his evaluation and found a black leather mask with one of the costumes causing her to frown in thought, closing her eyes.
~ Some time Back ~
Claire had been unhappy when she brought Erik his morning tea only to find him wearing his white half porcelain mask,
"Must you wear that silly thing?" she demanded,
"The trio are showing some potential sponsors around the park today and so I am on edge" Erik mumbled nervously,
"... I'm sorry. If they're showing them around and... I can only assume that you won't be meeting with these potential sponsors... Then why are you wearing your mask?" Claire asked with gentle confusion and watched as her friend rubbed the back of his neck in an embarrassed manner,
"... The mask does not only just hide my deformity... It also helps me to feel brave... Even if I'm afraid. It sometimes gives me the strength to face my fears" Erik told her and Claire could only smile softly before giving him a comforting hug, encouraging him that everything would be fine.
~ Present Day ~
Claire opened her eyes to once again look upon the mask before looking towards the costume rack and grabbed a black trapeze leotard and a matching waistcoat. She went behind a dressing screen before getting ready and hesitantly pulled the black mask over her eyes... She still felt like something was missing as she came out from behind the screen and Charles giggled, rushing over to her holding Erik's black cloak that he had worn all those years ago in the opera house,
"Every hero needs a cape! Like Zorro in the stories my mama used to tell me" he told her and Claire smiled softly, accepting the cloak and pulled it around her shoulders... She took a deep calming breath before kneeling down so that she was eye level with Charles,
"I have a very important job for you. I need you to stay in this room and wait for me. Ok?" she told him gently and he gave a salute with a giggle,
"Yes, ma'am" he replied causing Claire to giggle, ruffling his hair gently before heading off into one of the secret passageways, the secret door sliding closed behind her.
Erik sat in his seat beside Antoinette agitated by the fact that he had no idea where Claire was or what she was planning,
"... If anything happens to her... I'll never forgive myself" he mumbled and Antoinette sighed,
"Try not to worry... Claire is strong. She'll be fine" she told him but Erik couldn't help but hear the uncertainty in her voice,
"Spssssst... Erik" came a voice from below Erik's feet causing him to look down to the little golden air grate screwed into the carpet floor and he sighed in relief,
"Claire, thank goodness... What are you up too?" he demanded quietly,
"Getting you and everyone else out of here before anyone gets hurt" she told him in a quiet but firm tone; Erik looked towards Raoul and Darius whom were pacing around the auditorium, searching for a sign of the woman whom was currently under the floor beneath his feet,
"Keep an eye on them. Just give me a minute" she whispered before retrieving a screwdriver from her satchel and began unscrewing the grate and slowly pushed it aside,
"I'm gonna distract those idiots for as long as I can. You get everyone untied and out of here whilst I do" Claire instructed before putting a pair of scissors at his feet which he quickly grabbed when Raoul and Darius weren't looking but Erik also subtly grasped Claire's hand,
"... Be careful" he told her quietly and saw her smile up at him softly before retracting her hand and slid the grate back in place and headed off to do her part as Erik carefully cut Antoinette's ties and handed her the scissors,
"Release Meg and pass them along. We can't draw any attention until Claire is ready" Erik whispered and Antoinette gave a nod before doing as instructed.
Raoul and Darius kept a careful eye on the rafters above the stage that they had been pacing up and down on,
"Looking for me, boys?" Claire teased from the right side of the stage; Darius turned towards her voice quickly, pulling the trigger of his pistol but that was exactly what Claire had wanted him to do as the she dived out of the way causing the bullet to hit a rope which broke causing the solid fire proof steel barrier to come falling down upon the stage, sealing them off from the auditorium,
"IDIOT!" Raoul yelled angrily and Claire smiled, holding up the leather binder in which Erik's will was kept,
"Ready for my terms?" she asked smugly with a smile upon her face.
Erik watched in horror as the steel barrier came down, he rushed from his seat and up to the barrier and began banging his fists against the steel,
"Claire! Claire!" he yelled again and again... The next sound that came sent a sickening feeling through every stomach in the auditorium...,
"NO!" Claire they heard Claire yell, followed by a very loud... BANG!
Uh Oh! Is Claire ok?! Quickly! Review for Chapter 29!
Kind Regards,
TheAuthor1996