Back to Omniscient POV for this chapter ;)

Chapter 8: Let the Madness Begin

Suddenly, Penelope and Peter became aware of eyes watching them. Penelope became afraid and grabbed Peter's hand. "This way!" she cried. They went back into the opera, but behind them, they heard the tortured screams of the phantom.

As they ran across the rigging, they came across another figure. "This way," he guided. Penelope followed his direction, but Peter was skeptical.

"Who was that man?" asked Peter.

"The Drusselstinian. He has always been at the Opera," replied Penelope.

They ran until they made it to Penelope's dressing room. "We shall be safe here. Perry respects my privacy when I am here," she said.

"I should kill him," said Peter harshly.

"He would surely kill you first and I won't have my friend subjected to a death like that. Besides, he couldn't have been following us. He is working."

"Who else could it have been?"

"Our tired, paranoid minds playing tricks on us and nothing more."

"You know," Peter said bitterly, "It was daring of you to have us pretend at being engaged."

"He knew you would be leaving. He told me he wanted you to be as unhappy as he was. Why is this?"

"People are unhappy when they are in love and unsure of being loved."

"I'm afraid I can't answer that now."

"When may you answer?"

"Tomorrow."

"Why not now?"

"I need time, Peter. I—Oh no!" She had touched her hand to twirl the ring on her finger, but found it gone. "If he wasn't invested on killing you before, he will be now."

"Please, Penelope, tell me of the magic that surrounds him that I may free you of it!"

"I can't. I'm sorry."

"Please, Penelope, come with me now. I can save you."

"Tomorrow. You shall have my answer tomorrow."

"Very well. Good night, Lady Penelope." He gave her a small bow and left quickly, his heart near shattering.

That night, Peter couldn't sleep. His thoughts were on Penelope and the mysterious, horrid Perry. "I shall free you, Penelope, I swear it on my love for you that I shall free you from this monster's evil spell."

"Evil spell, huh?" came a voice. Peter dashed to his nightstand and grabbed his pistol. In the darkness, he saw two glowing orbs. It was just as he had seen in the graveyard. Peter suddenly felt cold with fear, but he raised his pistol between the lights. If those are his eyes, then I have my sights directed at his head, thought Peter.

"No need for that, Monsieur de Chagny. Come out onto the balcony with me, we need to talk," said the voice. Peter followed on shaky feet into the dark evening.

The moon was half full and there were no clouds, but since the figure with the glowing eyes was cloaked in black, it looked as if he were still in the shadows. They stood side by side on the balcony. Peter still had his pistol, ready. The figure, without changing direction, extended his right hand to Peter. "I'm Perry."

"I surmised as much," replied Peter, not taking the hand. Perry withdrew his hand.

"Listen to me carefully, Monsieur de Chagny. No matter which of us Penelope chooses, I want your word that you will leave the opera and never return there. Otherwise, if it is your heart she chases after, then there will be no mercy for you."

"A threat?"

"A promise." Perry turned to face Peter, his glowing eyes dimmed in the half light. His face was nearly showing, even past the hooded cloak he wore. Perry turned back to facing forward. Perry continued speaking, "I love her, Monsieur de Chagny and I know you love her as well. There is a part of me that would be happy to let her choose whomever, but the part of me that is dangerous is getting more difficult to rein in. Please, make your decision quickly."

"Gladly." Peter raised his pistol and shot at Perry. Perry gave out an agonized scream and gave a frightening glare at Peter.

"Mark my words, Viscount, this is not the end!" Perry proclaimed before he jumped off the balcony, slid down a gutter, and dashed off, disappearing into the night.

"Come back here, you coward!" Peter called out from the balcony. "Come back and fight!" His shouts and the gunshot had awoken the rest of the house. Phillip came into the room to notice Peter still shouting madly into the darkness.

"Peter! Come inside!" said Phillip, stern but concerned. When Peter was brought in, he was in tears and the things he spoke of made everyone present presume he was going mad.

"It was Perry. I must kill him," Peter said, tears of despair and anger streaming down his face.

"Who is Perry?" asked Phillip.

"My rival and if he is not dead, I wish he were!"

Phillip was struck by this. There were a few servants who had come into the room as well. He made them leave. No one knew what they spoke about that evening, but the servants were certain it was a fight and more than once they heard Penelope's name.

The next day, it was clear that Phillip had heard of his engagement to Penelope and, since they were so far apart in social status, Phillip did not approve of it. Peter had his mind made up. That night, he had carriages ready for his flight with Penelope, but, little did he know, forces greater than him were going to put a stop to it. A struggle greater than any Peter had faced so far was yet to come.

Peter was to meet Penelope that night to hear her answer in regards to whom she chose. Penelope had not been performing to her usual, expected standard that evening. That is, until Candace Sorelli came in. When Candace came in with her flock of followers, all pomp and pride, and giving Penelope this superior look, it made Penelope's blood boil. It was at that point that she began singing far beyond what any of the audience had heard from her before, as if she may have been the Angel of Music.

However, just as she was singing, "Angel in Heaven bless'd, my spirit longs with thee to rest!" The entire opera went dark. It was for a short moment before the lights came back on. When they did though, Penelope was gone. She had vanished. The opera was in a panic.

What had happened?! Had she fallen through a trapdoor? Had she been pulled upward into the rigging? Had she been taken? Peter's expression paled. He was frightened for her, frightened that she had indeed been taken.

After many agonizing moments, Buford came onto the stage with an announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain calm. Miss Penelope Daae has vanished and no one knows how."

Peter took off into a run. Phillip tried to stop him, but Peter would not hear him. Peter began his search, hoping to find a way into the underground. If Penelope had been taken, she had been taken by Perry. He had to get to her!

A few moments later backstage, Rodney, the chorus master was speaking with Baljeet, the secretary, and Buford, the supervisor. They were discussing who could have taken Penelope and of another matter equally mysterious.

"I knocked on their door, but they would not let me in!" said Baljeet, speaking of the managers.

"A singer does not disappear every day! You must talk to them, at least through their door," suggested Rodney.

"I shall," said Baljeet. He dashed away.

"Everything shall get sorted out as soon as Commissary Roger Mifroid arrives," said Buford.

"We need to get over to the pipe organ. Whoever was there could tell us how the stage went dark all at once," said Rodney. The stage, being lit with candles and lanterns, was kept alight by a crew of people.

"We can't find any of the lighting crew! They've all disappeared!" said Buford.

"All of the lighting staff have disappeared?! How?"

Buford shrugged. It was at this point Baljeet returned. "Well? Did you talk to them?" asked Buford.

"Ferb finally answered the door, but I could not get a word in at all! All he cared about was getting a safety pin!" said Baljeet.

"A safety pin?" asked Rodney and Buford, bewildered.

"Yes! He was screaming at the top of his lungs for one. An office boy heard him and, as soon as he got it, he slammed the door," said Baljeet.

"Never mind. I'll go after them myself," said Buford, determined.

"Think about what you are doing, Buford. The O.G. may be keeping them in there. He has more than one trick up his sleeve," said Rodney.

"I'm going anyway! Someone should have told the police everything long ago," said Buford, walking off.

When he had left, Baljeet turned to Rodney and asked, "What does he mean by 'everything'?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," replied Rodney.

"The very fact that you say that means that you know! You are all going mad here!"

"What do you mean?"

"Do not tell me you did not see what our managers were doing during the intermission tonight."

"What were they doing?"

"Are you telling me you are the only one who did not see them? That no one saw what they were doing?"

"I don't understand."

"This new mania they have: they will not let anyone go near them!"

"Oh, so you noticed that."

"I am glad you admit it! Not only that, but they were also walking backward."

"It is odd."

"I went to talk to Phineas, but Ferb was adamant: 'Whatever you do, do not touch him' he told me. Do they think I have the plague?!"

"Incredible!"

"Furthermore, when the Ambassador approached him, Ferb again insisted on him not touching Phineas. Then, Phineas turned around, bowed to no one, and began walking backward. Then, Ferb followed, also walking backward!"

"You know, Penelope Daae isn't the only one to have disappeared tonight. Whatever happened to Cheryl Giry and Isabella Jammes?"

"Ms. Giry has left the opera. As for Miss Jammes, Buford brought her into his office and locked her in. We did not want her disturbing the managers after seeing how they were acting."

It was then that Buford returned. "Ferb finally answered. I told him Penelope Daae had been kidnapped and do you know what he said?" asked Buford.

"What did he say?" asked Baljeet.

"He said, 'Good for her!' and he slammed the door in my face, but not before handing me this," Buford held out his hand and there lay the safety pin.

As they stood there in bewilderment, they heard a voice say, "Excuse me, gentlemen?" It was Peter de Chagny, looking worried and heartbroken. "Have you seen Penelope Daae?" Poor Peter had looked everywhere for her, everywhere for a way to get to her, but with no success. He had come to them in the hopes that she had returned while he had been searching.

Their answer was laughter. So, Peter went away, angry. He had to find her. He went around the backstage, calling her name. "Penelope! Penelope!" If only the shot he had fired at Perry had been fatal, then he would not be searching for her.

The Commissary had finally arrived. "Ah, Viscount Peter de Chagny. Follow me, please," said Roger. "Now, where are the managers?" Baljeet, Buford, and Rodney had gathered around them at this point and, though they knew what was happening with the managers, they kept silent.

"They are in their office," Baljeet finally offered. He led the way.

Buford slipped a key into Rodney's hand and said, "Let Miss Jammes out. There is no need to keep her locked in anymore." Rodney nodded and went off.

When they arrived at the managers' office, they were allowed in. Peter was reluctant to follow, so he remained in the back. Before he went in, he felt a hand on his shoulder and a voice say, "Perry's secrets concern no one but him." Peter turned and was shocked to find the Drusselstinian there. The thin man with wild brown hair put a finger to his lips to signal Peter to be quiet before leaving as suddenly as he had appeared.

Everyone's going mad. On another note, we're less than ten chapters away from the end, so stay tuned. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)