Disclaimer: I don't own any Sly Cooper characters; they belong to Sucker Punch. The idea of Phantom of the Opera belongs to its rightful owner(s).
Claimer: I own all of my original characters.
This chapter made me want to pull my hair out! I wrote it at least 5 different times and it didn't help that I've got writers block -_- I know how I want this to go but it's the actual getting it typed and flowing is what I'm stuck on. And I'm thinking it's starting to effect how my chapters/stories come out due to the fact I've had an extreme drop in views of my latest stories. I'm hoping this chapter will break that barrier and I can get things flowing again. I also don't know if the people that are reading this story are actually like it so please read and review and let me know what you think so I can make it better and let me know if you think 1this story is good so far. Thanks!
Chapter 4: A Second Mask
I stared at Bentley's computer screen, waiting for the grapple-cam image to focus. After I had retuned to out hideout and told Bentley about what I had found, he had managed to outfit his grapple-cam with a rather small camera that we could use to spy on Ramona, the phantom, or both. We'd decided to plant one of the grapple-cams in the phantom's sewer lair to see if we could pick up anymore additional information. He also figured that using the grapple-cam would be easier and more efficient than a regular camera for numerous reasons. First of all, it was smaller and less noticeable and second, Bentley could move the camera from his computer so I didn't have to go all the way down to his lair to install it. Shortly after my spying session on Ramona and the Phantom, I snuck down to the sewers and placed a camera while the two of them were still on the ground level and I wouldn't get caught. After being almost hung the last time I was in the Phantom's lair, it certainly something I wanted to avoid.
I shifted in my seat and yawned while Bentley still attempted to get the screen to focus. While he worked on that, I read the note from the Phantom over and over again, going over what could happen if we were caught snooping and trying to get Ramona back. The note said specifically 'But I do warn you, make NO attempt to see her again… I will keep my eyes open for any sign or you and if these demands are not met…a disaster beyond your imagine will occur.' Ramona was his prize so he wouldn't harm her, would he? Or would he do something to her to get back at us for trying to steal her back? Then again, he could do something completely different that could affect the entire city, as I thought about how only a few months ago he burned down the opera house. Even though they rebuilt it, the memory of the charred remains of the building still remained in everyone's mind. Whether we were caught or not, Ramona's life was on the line and we were on a time crunch. She never said what day the wedding was, but the weekend was only two days away and if we got to her after they were married it'd be too late to do anything. If we got to them before the wedding, we'd have a chance to break his trance over Ramona and hopefully put an end to his reign over the city.
I put the note in my pocket after Bentley finally had the camera up and running on his computer. The grapple-cam was resting on one of the staircases that led to the main chamber of his home. Bentley clicked a few keys on is laptop and the camera shot out a claw that attached to a wall at least ten feet away before sending the camera to where the claw had attached to the wall. He kept this up until the grapple-cam had made it halfway down the staircase Ramona and I had climbed the last time we were down there. He kept the camera near the roof so that incase the Phantom or anyone came by the small camera wouldn't be seen. He kept the camera moving in an attempt to find the main chamber. We had no idea if anyone was down there but even if they were there or not then we were going to keep it running down there, hidden in the ceiling, to keep an eye on the Phantom. The camera was equipped with sound so we could hear what was being said if anyone was there. My ears perked and Bentley and I gave each other a glance when we could hear talking a few feet from the camera. I rested my elbows on my knees and kept my eyes glued to the screen. He eventually maneuvered the camera into the main chamber and the tail of a raccoon could be seen going into the sleeping chambers on the far wall.
Bentley shot the camera across the room and silently pulled it into the sleeping chambers. We soon learned the tail belonged to the Phantom and he was carrying something in his arms. Just like the last time we had met, the man always wore Victoria era clothing, granted it was nothing more than a poofy white shirt and a pair of dress pants, but it still wasn't the latest fashion statement of Paris. Bentley zoomed in to see what he was carrying but we still couldn't figure it out. We didn't want to move the camera to chance us getting spotted. Seeing in his lair with a camera was a challenge due to the lighting. Everything was candle lit and not very bright.
"What's he carrying?" I muttered. Bentley shrugged and zoomed in again. The Phantom turned and placed a sleeping Ramona in a bed that could only hold someone as small as her. Bentley turned up the volume on the camera so we could hear what he was saying.
"You're making this difficult for me, my dear," he knelt down beside her as he spoke softly to the unconscious raccoon while brushing her bangs away, "your will power is strong and keeping you under my thumb is getting harder and harder. But don't fret my love, once we say our vows you'll believe whatever I want you to." he gently and slowly stroked his finger down from her ear to her jaw line. I felt my paws clench into fists as I watched him stroke her face with is fingers while she slept, "Such a pity that raccoon won't leave you be until this weekend, your life could depend on it," my ears perked at his comment, "You have the face of an angel and it would be a great shame if something were to happen to it," he turned to the nightstand next to the oddly shaped bed and grabbed something off of it, "But then again," he paused as we watched him place a white mask similar to his over the left side of her face, "having a bride with a face like mine wouldn't be so bad, makes a man with a face like this not feel as peculiar looking." The mask was formed to fit on her face perfectly and I knew that whether we were caught or not he would do something to make her wear it. That's when I remembered what Bentley had told me about his childhood and how his father had disfigured his face with either fire or acid. He removed the mask from her face and replaced it before kissing her softly on the lips and pulling a satin rope that caused a curtain to drape over the bed. He blew out the candles before exiting the room.
Bentley moved the camera to follow the Phantom back into the main chamber. The camera followed his every move and we watched as he threw open another curtain that revealed two mannequins. One had a wedding dress and veil adorned on it and the other held his outfit for his wedding. He straightened both outfits for a while as he muttered to himself quietly. I felt the jealousy rise within me as I thought of Ramona being forced to stay down there with that maniac. We would get her free before they were scheduled to be married and I was determined to stop him, even if that meant having to go to the police.
"Ramona, my dear," he said to himself, "Saturday afternoon you will release me from my solitude forever and will be known for all eternity as the Mistress of the Opera and wife to the Phantom." He strolled from the dress and suit to another room of the chamber and I turned away from the computer screen. Saturday afternoon is when he would spring his trap and we would spring out own trap before he ever got the chance to wear that suit.
Like I said before, I wanted to pull my hair out with this chapter! But I finally got it to where I wanted it and left it to mystery. And again like I said before, I'm not sure if anyone is actually enjoying this story. So please give me some feedback and let me know how this story is turning out. And sorry for the short delay on updating, something was wrong with the site and I couldn't upload at all.