Warning:...Um...again, not sure there is any...yet.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything you recognize.

Chapter 4 – The Commissioner's Revenge

The Commissioner of police, Mifroid, was standing in the Entrance Hall of the Opera Populaire. Mifroid was still upset over the Opera Ghost's disappearance. He knew that the ghost wasn't dead, despite the unknown charred body that had found. The commissioner thought that, perhaps, since the Opera House had been restored that meant that maybe the ghost had as well. He had heard about the auditions taking place all last month here. With all that activity and people going in and out, someone was sure to have heard or seen the Opera Ghost.

Mifroid, at first, thought that he should tell the new manager that he was here and was going to look around a bit, but then decided against that because Monsieur Leroux might get suspicious of him and prevent him from doing his investigation.

He would find this Phantom of the Opera! You may have slipped through my fingers last time, but it won't happen again…

XXX

Nicole looked out over the empty seats from the stage and smiled. All of the positions had been filled. They now had all the musicians and a female and male lead singer. The rehearsal for a play that had been a personal favorite for the community was already underway. But since it was December twelfth, she reasoned that it would be better to have the traditional New Year Eve's Masquerade Ball before another Opera was started.

She looked down again at the letter in her hand. It was the first letter she had received from her parents in months. And an invisible hand squeezed her heart when she realized how much she missed them. It was addressed to her counter part, Nicolas, because neither one of them wanted to be caught if someone opened her mail.

It contained greetings and congratulation. They said that even the small town they were living near was getting exited about the Opera Populaire's re-opening. She knew they were proud of her but also worried.

She, herself, was anxious. Every day the thought of being caught haunted her at least once.

At that moment, a strong draft of wind whipped across the stage and blew the letter out of her hand. She watched in surprise as it continued to be carried on the wind and saw it land on one of the catwalks above her.

Nicole groaned in exasperation. Just my luck… Even though the catwalks made her uneasy she knew she had to get that letter back. It was probably the only letter she was going to have from them for awhile. Better get it now before another gust comes along.

XXX

Erik was walking aimlessly around. He had nothing really important to do. He was just thinking about what he could be doing when he heard a shuffling of foot steps. He continued walking toward the sound through the quiet and main part of the theater to the catwalks. There he found him, Nicolas Leroux.

The man appeared to be reaching for a piece of paper at the end of tone of them. Erik could tell he wasn't used to walking on moving ground by the way he was crouching and the shifty way he moved.

All of a sudden, Nicolas slipped and before he could even think, Erik lunged toward him, grabbed the manager around the waist and using his other hand grabbed a low hanging rope. Erik used it to slide down toward the stage floor away from the treacherous catwalks.

When their feet touched solid ground, he finally had time to wonder why Monsieur Leroux had weighed so little or why it had felt so good when he had been pressed so tightly against- NO! I'm not attracted to men! It was just…it happened in the heat of the moment…

Erik then cursed himself for thinking about the heat that he had felt coming from Nicolas.

Nicolas, meanwhile, sat right down and put his head between his knees. Erik could hear him taking deep breaths.

"You do not like heights I take it?"

Nicolas looked up. "No, it's just catwalks I can't stand."

Just then a voice broke out that made them both jump, "Freeze!"

Erik turned to find the commissioner of police pointing a gun in the middle of his chest.

Nicolas was the first to recover of the two, "What's going on here?"

Mifroid looked at the new manager and snarled, "Police business!"

Nicolas persisted in a more concrete answer, "Tell me what this man has done!"

"This 'man' has committed arson, murder, and a few other illegal acts." Then the commissioner looked at Erik, "Turn around, hands behind your back!"

Erik just glared at him.

"Do it!" Mifroid shouted.

Nicolas gently touched Erik's arm, this made him turn his gaze from the commissioner towards him.

"Just go along with it for now. I'll think of something."

Erik saw the pleading in Nicole's eyes and nodded. He trusted this man, which was a first for him.

Doing as Mifroid ordered he turned around and had his hands handcuffed. Then he was shoved roughly off stage. They were leaving the Opera Populaire…

XXX

Nice cliffhanger, eh?

Next chapter:...Awww, why spoil it for you?