Stranger Than You Dreamt It
Chapter 12- Turnabout isn't Very Fair.
Lestrade leaned against the lamppost across from The Rose et Masque Rouges. She knew Holmes wouldn't approve of her idea, but so far they haven't gotten anything out of the elusive Mademoiselle Noir. Lestrade hoped that maybe Erika was just wary of men. Maybe she would talk to another woman. There was something about sharing your secrets with another female, a sort of natural understanding. The only draw back was trying to reach the singer. Lestrade couldn't just walk into the club, not with half the Parisian Criminal underground sitting in those chairs.
Lestrade sighed as she stared at the door of the club. Hopefully her quarry would emerge soon. Lestrade stretched her muscles from her standing there waiting. So far she hasn't seen hide or hair of anyone in the club.
She continued to lean against the post waiting for something to happen. As she stood there her thoughts clicked over to when Holmes related what happen in the tomb. It seems there was some really bad blood between the two. Lestrade wasn't sure who the bad guy in this feud was. She wanted to blame the Count. The evidence seemed to point in his direction. Everything he had done was low and cowardly.
Lestrade berated her self for falling for his charade. She should have known better than to fall for his honeyed compliments and false pretensions. It was hard to not feel like a fool when she woke up in the hotel room. She let her guard down and had to depend on a masked man to help her. A man she was sure was connected to Erika. Lestrade couldn't remember much in her drugged state except the man carried her to safety.
Lestrade owed him a debt and indirectly owed Erika. That was why she was waiting and watching. Holmes was currently trying to dig up a DNA file on Erika. He wanted to check something out. Lestrade crossed her arms as she waited. He was being very quiet about what he was thinking. When she cornered him in the hotel room, he begged off saying he needed more evidence than he had.
Lestrade sighed softly as she watched the street. It was fairly busy on this part of the Rue Scribe. Down the street was a small bazaar littered with what Lestrade was sure was illegal trade. She would love the break it up but it wasn't her jurisdiction.
She watched as a young girl ran into the club. Must be one of the dancers late for rehearsal, Lestrade shrugged to herself. She kept an eye out for her quarry. At some point, Erika had to leave the club to go home and Lestrade would follow her there.
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Nadir leaned against the doorway, masked by the shadows. He watched the Yardie closely. He knew her on sight from the dossier that he built on her. It paid to know all there was on the players of the game. After all, that was what the Phantom paid him for.
Of course, his loyalty to the Phantom wasn't about money. He smiled as he reflected on his childhood. The Khan's and the Noir's were good friends, tracing all the way back to the original tragedy. Despite what the book stated, the original Persian only wanted to stop Erik from doing something that would blow his perfect cover and the world he built. In the end, Erik still won Miss Daae's heart, only after they confront the horrible mess that they made the first time around. After that, The Noir line still stayed hidden below the Opera House, watching over it. And the Khans watched over the Noirs as it was in the beginning.
Nadir took that duty very seriously. Erika was his best friend and Nadir refuse to let her be hurt again. He often cursed himself for being fooled by the Count like Erika was. Nadir saw an end to the hostilities, not the beginning of a more deadly round of the feud. Not that Nadir cared for the De Chagny line. In fact after the brutal murder of Erik, Nadir wanted to kill the Count himself. Instead he tended to Erika's wounds, both physical and mental.
Erika blamed herself for her father's death. It was easy to see it eating away at her during the six years she went into hiding. It was during that time, she began to plan their downfall. As the De Chagny began to grow in strength in the underworld, Erika watched their movements with a predator's eye waiting to strike. Nadir smirked, she was an excellent strategist. She would strike the De Chagnies at odd moments slowly undermining their power or she did until Moriarty returned from the dead. All of the major crime families began to back Moriarty in hopes he would picked them to run the Parisian Underworld.
Erika was intrigued by the Professor much to Nadir's chagrin. He remembered the day he cemented his hold over the underworld with the theft of a few masterpieces from the Louvre. Erika was sitting in her family's antique black chair, listening to the details of the crime. She smiled slowly and proceeded to find out what she could about the man. She tried to arrange a meeting but Moriarty already headed back to England to topple their government. Erika was very disappointed that he chose to stay there and retaliated by beginning to undermine his authority in Paris.
Nadir smirked then Erika heard a whisper in the Underworld about Moriarty's ambitious plans to kidnap the President's daughter in America. The wheels were already in motion for The De Chagnies that Erika felt a need for a change in directions. She was already in hot pursuit with every intention of blowing Moriarty out of the water. Nadir had listen to the details of Erika's adventure in America and had to grin at her acting ability. She almost convinced him that she felt nothing for the Professor, that she wasn't attracted to the man. She was cool and calm about it except for the fire in her eyes whenever he came up in a conversation or rumors.
Nadir didn't like it although Moriarty was certainly a better match for her than the Count ever thought of being. Unfortunately, he was out to destroy her plans of revenge. Plans that seem to have gone greatly astray since the Count brought in the detectives and then Moriarty had to show up to defend his territory. Nadir didn't like the fact that Count knew she was alive and was now gunning for her. And now she had a tail in the form of the Yardie.
"Is she still out there, my friend?" Erika asked with a grin as she walked up to Nadir.
Nadir grumbled an assent. He should have known she would be amused by everything. Personally, He wished she would act a little more seriously about everything. He thought the attack in the crypt would have been enough to make her be more cautious. However she went forward with a grin and determined to make things work her way. Nadir sighed as he surveyed his friend. She looked pleased with this development.
"Need I remind you that the detectives will arrest you once they learn what you are up to?" Nadir stated.
Erika waved her hand, "They can most certainly try. Now has the Count's tail showed up yet? I figured he would put a watch on me."
"No, it hasn't. He just prefers to put a bounty on your head and lets others track you down." Nadir remarked sarcastically.
"Come now. If the detectives really wanted me, they would have arrested me by now. The same goes for The Professor." Erika grinned as she moved away.
"I think you put too much stock into his control." Nadir sighed remembering the few times he watched the Professor react to Erika's temptations.
Erika turned and smirked at Nadir, "He wants to kill me, Nadir. If I distract him from his task long enough, then I'm content."
Nadir was about to say something when a young redhead skidded to a halt in front of Erika. Erika smiled warmly at the breathless teen. Melissa Giry was the daughter of the old Dance mistress at the club who set up the dancing for all the numbers. Melissa took a deep breathe and looked Erika in the eye.
"Mama received a note meant for you, Miss Erika." Melissa stated solemnly.
"Who is it from?" Erika asked warily as she took the envelope.
"We are not sure, but it's from the underground."
Erika frowned as she opened it, "Merci, Melissa. I'll take care of it. Give your mama my love."
"Oui, Miss Erika"
Erika waited until Melissa ran out of the club before she pulled out the message. Her eyes scanned the message a few times. Well, Professor Moriarty certainly gets to the point. It seems the gig was up so to speak. He was calling her out for a final showdown. Erika tapped the sheet of paper against her lips as she thought of what to do.
"Well? What does it say?" Nadir asked.
"It seems the Professor has discovered the Phantom's identity and is demanding an audience with me at the Opera House."
"I don't like it." Nadir stated firmly, "You are not going."
"I don't think the man is giving me a choice. If I fail to show he will set out to kill the Phantom post haste." Erika stated amused, "It seems I really must go."
"Erika, this isn't the time for games."
"I know it isn't. But If I can keep Professor Moriarty at bay while we deal with the Count, then life will be a little easier to deal with."
"You have a lot of faith in the fact that you can handle the Napoleon of Crime."
"I think we can come to an agreement. I have a meeting to prepare for. Be a dear and keep on eye on my tail if you will, I don't want her to go anywhere. She will prove to be quite useful."
With that said, Erika walked towards the backstage area. So the Professor was stooping to threats now. Well, two can play that game. Of course, Erika wouldn't threaten him physically. It was best to let him continue to think of her as a helpless young woman running from her past. In truth Erika was done running. Now she ready to fight.
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Lestrade shivered as she looked at the intimidating façade of The Opera House. Despite the afternoon sun, it still looked very formidable. However Lestrade saw Erika slip into the building, or at least she thought she did. It was every hard to tell since the figure she followed didn't look like Erika at all, but a young man. Except there was something about how he moved that didn't seem right to Lestrade.
Maybe it was the fluid, almost cat-like grace that the young man possessed or the curly brown hair that peeked out of his cap. Either way, Lestrade was suspicious and started following the man. All the way to the Opera House. Even now, As Lestrade watched him slip inside; she saw the clear blue eyes that resembled Erika's.
You aren't losing me that easily, Lestrade thought to her self as she crept up the drive to the front of the theater.
Lestrade slipped inside and looked at the deserted lobby. Before in the darkness, she didn't see the various gods and goddesses from Greek and Rome Mythology scattered through the lobby or the magnificent grand staircase that show patrons to the various balconies and boxes. Lestrade gaped at the discarded beauty of the place. She couldn't understand why anyone would leave a place like this and let it rot away.
She wandered around until she reached a small hallway. A smile flitted across her lips at the faded rug and beautifully carved wall scones. A child would have a glorious time reveling in their dreams here. Lestrade reached out a hand to touch the one of the wall scones that revealed a gorgeous scene with Apollo chasing the nymph Daphne.
Two voices floated out of a near by room to her ears. They were conversing very rapidly in French. Lestrade crept towards the door they were coming from. Soon they stopped talking. Lestrade froze thinking they heard her. Her frozen state became a tense state when she heard the sound of fighting.
Erika's voice rang out loud and clear, "You can tell the Count he can find another girl to toy with. This one is done with his tricks."
The male voice made no reply. Instead she panted and grunted as its owner fought back. Lestrade pulled out her ionser and cautiously approached the door opening. The wall she was pressed against suddenly shook with the force of a body hitting it. Lestrade let out a breath and peeked around the door way.
What she saw was the closest that she ever saw to an avenging angel. Erika stood there looking disheveled from the fight. However an unholy light gleamed in her eyes. In her left hand was a slender sword. She stood ready to fight. Lestrade stepped more fully into the doorway, keeping an eye out for the other participant in the fight.
"Miss Noir…" Lestrade stated softly, before a beefy arm grabbed her.
Lestrade struggled and tried to hit her attacker. Nothing landed and he had the gall to laugh at her. Lestrade's eyes narrowed at the mocking tone in his laughter. The man twisted her wrist with the ionser and kicked it out of sight. Erika's own eyes narrowed giving them a deadly look.
"I suggest you drop your sword, Mademoiselle Noir. Or I'll slice this pretty neck." The man laughed as he pushed a vibro-knife against Lestrade's throat.
Erika stared at Lestrade for a moment. Her eyes revealed an inner struggle with in her soul. Lestrade shook her head to convey the message of not to do it. The man tightened his grip on her to prevent her from moving anymore. For an extra measure he twisted her wrist. Pain raced up her arm. Lestrade closed her eyes and bit her lip to prevent herself from crying out. Erika's eyes narrowed further.
Lestrade's eye snapped open at the sound of a steel clattering against the floor. She stared at the now unarmed Erika. Erika's eyes were focused on the man who held Lestrade. The man chuckled as he pointed the knife at Erika. Lestrade noticed that the knife had a dart shooter in the hilt. Before she could stop him, he shot it at Erika's neck.
"Good night, Mademoiselle Noir." He laughed as he dragged Lestrade away.
Erika stood there in shock. Hesitantly she pulled the dart out and stared at it dumbfounded. Lestrade watched as Erika slowly walked to a desk. She pulled out a small vial of clear liquid.
"Your employer forgot that I have antidotes to all known poisons in this place." Erika grinned as she drank down the vial.
Lestrade froze as she heard Erika's voice. It wasn't light and musical as it had been the last few times she heard it. In fact this time it was darker and deeper like a man's voice. Exactly like the man's voice who rescued her from the tomb. Lestrade stared Erika in shock. Erika raised the vial in a mock salute.
Lestrade's shock gave the man the edge he needed as he threw her into a heavy wardrobe. He slammed the door on her and locked it. Lestrade was soon in case in the dark. She banged on the door with her shoulder or her legs. She stopped as she heard something shatter.
The man gloated, "It wasn't poison Mademoiselle. It was a sedative that The Count De Chagny had made that is sped up by your little herbal medicines. He knew what you were going to do. Now you have an appointment with him. Probably the last one you will ever have again."
Erika swore in a thick, drugged voice. Lestrade continued her assault on the wardrobe. However the door refused to give to her protestations. Growing tired, Lestrade finally gave in to something that she slowly realized she was going to have to do. Raising her wrist com, she radioed Holmes for help.
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Moriarty rubbed his eyes as he looked away from the computer screen. He had to stop being distracted from his goal. It was dangerous when you let you attention waver, no matter how pretty the distraction was. Right now that was all Erika Noir was, a distraction. He needed to concentrate on her boss, The Phantom.
Moriarty stared at the screen. His heart nearly stopped when he removed the Phantom's mask and Erika stared at him. It was unthinkable that she was the Phantom. But was he thinking that because it made her willing to be his enemy? He had to destroy the Phantom to prove he was still in charge.
But who was the Phantom? He had three suspects right now. But he didn't have proof which one was the Phantom, just assumptions and tidbits. He pulled up a picture of each person. Erika, Nadir and Ruelle appeared on the screen. Moriarty studied at each picture with a detached interest. He needed to think his way clearly through this puzzle.
When he opened his eyes they settled on Ruelle, The Count of De Chagny. Moriarty could see how Erika could fall for the handsome Count. However His eyes seem to be very cold looking. They had an icy detachment that Moriarty saw in The Phantom's Eyes that burn into him on the stage. The Count was certainly clever enough to pull off some of the Phantom's schemes and it was no secret that he wanted a more powerful role in the Underworld. The problem was Erika. The Phantom was something to Erika, like a lover or a protector. Plus it was obvious Erika despised the Count. That kind of loathing and hate wasn't the kind that one could fake. It was akin to what Moriarty felt for Holmes and Lestrade.
Moriarty shook his head Ruelle was a very unlikely candidate but there was still a possibility. Now Nadir was a stronger possibility. The Phantom was a close friend to the Noirs and Nadir seems to be that with Erika. He seemed to be watching over her every move. Moriarty also learned through the Underworld intelligence network that Nadir was trained as a very skilled fighter in several deadly forms. Nadir certainly was good at intimidating people to keep their noses clean at the club. He could easily be the Phantom except for one thing. Nadir was dealing with The Count when The Phantom stole Erika away.
This left only Miss Noir herself. Moriarty studied Erika's picture. She was the best candidate. Her eyes were the exact shade as the Phantom's with the same expressions. According to The Phantom, to kill him was to kill Erika which could only happen if they were the same person. Zed, he even caught her in the Phantom's clothes in the Theater. But the difference in their voices with no visible aid was difficult to account for. He simply couldn't explain it. Moriarty needed more information, he needed to learn more.
Rubbing a hand over his tired eyes, he wracked his brain for possible answers. Nothing was forth coming. As he tried to reason things out, fatigue crept up on him. He had been working for almost twenty four hours straight, looking for his answers. He needed a rest. Slowly he lowered his head to the desk and began to lightly doze with Erika waiting in his mind.
"Master!" Fenwick shouted, causing Moriarty to shake off the last of his dream. So close he was so close to catching her.
"What is it?" Moriarty growled angered that his lackey was displaying such timing.
"There is a man on the monitor. It is the Phantom's man, that Arabian man from the club. He is demanding to speak with you." Fenwick informed.
Moriarty stared at his lackey in surprise. Nadir Khan? On the vid phone? That was odd. How did the man even get the number to this hideout? Only Moriarty's most trusted men ever knew how to reach directly. He certainly didn't trust Erika or Nadir with the number. Wanting to get to the bottom of the whole mess, Moriarty brushed by his lackey and marched to the vid phone.
Nadir's face was waiting rather impatiently. Annoyance and concern mixed in his eyes as he pinned Moriarty with a glare. Moriarty never seen the bodyguard looking more dangerous. Moriarty stopped in front of the vid phone. The two stared at each other in silences, battling silently for dominance.
"Where is she, Professor? " Nadir snapped finally.
Moriarty blinked in surprise. He wasn't expecting that. "Excuse me?" He replied in shock.
"Erika. Where is she? What have you done to her?"
"I haven't seen Erika all day. I have been busy with work. I do run a criminal organization you know."
"I was there when she received your note to meet." Nadir growled, "She left an hour ago and hasn't been back. What did you do to her? If you have hurt her, Professor, I'll make sure you rue the day you were made."
"You can certainly try Mr. Khan. However I have not left my office all day. I certainly never made plans to meet Erika.
"It was a mutual thing. You claimed to have learned the Phantom's identity and if she refused to meet you, then the Phantom would die."
"And naturally she rushed out to save her precious Phantom." Moriarty growled viciously, "God, I hated that man."
Nadir blinked at this, "You don't know who the Phantom is?"
"No I don't. If I did I would be paying him a visit and free Erika for myself."
"So Erika isn't with you?"
"If she was, do you really think I would be talking to you?"
Nadir sighed then frowned, "This is very bad. Mon Allah, I wish she would listen to me once in a while."
"She might be where ever she was meeting me. Isn't this a problem for your Phantom to solve?"
Nadir gave Moriarty a very baleful look, "And she thought you were intelligent. The Phantom is currently MIA. And I'm at the Opera House right now. I was nearly spotted by the Detectives as they hurried out."
"So Erika was caught?"
"Not by them. They were alone." Nadir frowned as he looked off screen and groaned, as he stared at a small piece of a vial. It was jagged, showing it was shattered from a bigger bottle. Moriarty cleared his throat bringing Nadir's attention back and motioned to the vial.
Nadir frowned, fighting over how much to reveal. Finally he sighed, "It's an antitoxin. Erika has them hidden all over the place in case she is poisoned."
"Poisoned?" Moriarty repeated. Was that even a possibility? Of course it was he used poison himself to achieve a mean. It would be natural for Erika to consider poison a threat to her person. Moriarty thought to himself about the mysterious disease that was rumored her mother died by. Was she poisoned and Erika was only preventing it from happening? Was it another of the Count's tactics?
Moriarty stared at Nadir and asked his next question, "Mr. Khan, Why would Erika fear poison? Did the Count use it on her before?"
Nadir looked at him in surprise and then smiled, "I see she wasn't being too overconfident in your abilities. Oui, it is a favorite technique of the De Chagnies."
Icy chill crept up Moriarty's spine, "I think I know where Erika is. If I find her, I want an audience with the Phantom."
Nadir hesitated, "I will see it done. But where is she?"
Moriarty glared at Nadir as if to say isn't it obvious. Instead he turned and ordered Fenwick to get the hover car ready and began to recharge his ionser. He knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant task. Since when did he rescue maidens from rogues? Hell, by all rights he was a rogue himself. Attraction be damned, The De Chagnies were normally very loyal. A little voice spoke up in his ear. It reminded him that Ruelle had constantly disobeyed him when he told everyone to leave the Phantom and his lot to the Napoleon of Crime. Moriarty agreed and temporarily convinced himself he was doing this to teach Ruelle a lesson.
Moriarty looked back at a patiently waiting Nadir and stated before he cut the connection, "She is currently in the lion's den."
A/N: The question is will anyone survive it? Moriarty as the good guy looks in to her Coffee mug What the hell did Dino give me?