Justice: “Well….how do you suppose we catch them, exactly? This place is massive. Surely they’d get away….”

Justice bites on his lower lip and shifts on his feet.

Roman: “Yeah, Ina…. This is a theatre…. Those musicians could be hiding anywhere!”

Roman tosses his arms in a circular motion indicating the large empty space surrounding us. The word ‘anywhere’ reverberates off the curved, golden walls and bounces down the rows of seats, echoing back at us.

Ina: “Shhht! Roman. Not so loud….”

Ina puts her finger to her lips. Her large eyes crease together with the urgency of her words.

Roman returns his arms to his sides and flinches to straighten his posture. He puts one finger to his lips, mimicking Ina’s movements as she stands before him.

Luke: “Hey guys, over there….”

I indicate with a hushed whisper and nod over in the direction of the stage. The grand corner of the concert hall is dark without the yellow glow of the stage lights and its deep purple curtains are sealed shut.

Ina: “Look, the curtain is moving….”

Justice: “Someone’s back there…. What do we do?!”

Luke: “We should try and catch them ourselves!…. That’s what John wants us to do, isn’t it?”

I raise my hands in front of my face. I have the gloves John gave me on and rolled up all the way to my elbows…

Luke: “Ugh…. I probably shouldn’t use my ability here… It’d be too risky… But Ina, maybe you can do something….”

Ina: “You’re right, Luke. We can’t risk burning this place down…. But maybe, if you three cover the sides of the stage, I can sneak up on whoever’s behind the curtains….”

Roman: “Alright! Sounds like a plan.”

Roman salutes and begins walking in the direction of the stage.

Luke: “Justice, you go with Roman and cover the left stairway…. I’ll take the right… Got it?”

Justice: “Ahh… Whatever you say.”

With his hands in his pockets, Justice trudges after Roman. To my left, Ina nods to me…

I move to take my place near the right side of the stage. I stand in the shadow of a pillar next to the wooden steps leading up to the platform. The barrier of the thick curtains obscure my view. Just on the edge of the curtain I can see through a thin slit to the backstage. I can’t make anything out except shadows. The lighting is too dim…

Ina approaches from behind me. She disappears into a flickering mass of darkness, and her swift movements blend into the shadows on the walls. As Ina climbs up the stairs using her ability that mimics teleportation, I can’t even hear her footsteps. If Viola and Thaddeus are backstage, they won’t know that Ina is coming.

I make sure to stay behind the pillar…. We can’t mess this up!

I listen…. Ina will let the rest of us know when it's the right time to make a move…

The theatre is too quiet. After the enchanting performance that hypnotized the entire audience, this silence is making me anxious…

Wait…. I hear people talking.

Viola: “Just a few more, Thaddeus…. Just a few more concerts and then those ROA weirdos will let us go with some of the money….”

Thaddeus: “Vampires are very strange creatures….but they also know how to put on a good show! I understand the ROA’s motives don’t fully align with ours however, if we keep working with them, perhaps it will get us closer to our goal!…. Just think about it, Viola!”

Viola: “Oh, Thaddeus…. I want to dominate the world with our music just as much as you do…. But, these ROA people, something tells me…they’re on another level of dangerous.”

Thaddeus: “That's right, well, they certainly are strange…. Viola… Wait…. I think I heard something…. Who's there?!”

In the next moment I hear an erratic sequence of notes play out on a piano somewhere backstage…. That’s it. That’s Ina’s signal. But, Viola and Thaddeus sound like they're standing in the centre of the stage… There’s no way of knowing which side they’ll run out from….

Thaddeus: “Show yourself!”

Viola: “Thaddeus! It must be VLAD. They’re onto us!... Dammit, those ROA fools told us not to worry about them!”

I rush forward to ascend the stairs. I stomp up them two at a time. I know this wasn’t the plan, but I can’t wait for Viola and Thaddeus to make the next move…. I’m the one who needs to be in command of this critical moment!

Justice said to me a little while ago how he’s noticed a change in me since we got involved with VLAD and the other trainees at the Bibliotheca Vampiric. Justice himself hasn’t known me long either, but he says I’m taking more control of my actions….or at least I’m trying to….

Maybe Justice is right. Now is not the time for sitting back idly….but I can’t say I won’t hesitate before making my first move.

I shrug through the curtain blocking the entryway to the backstage and charge forward. I blink as my eyes adjust to the dim, dust filtered lighting at the theatre’s rear.

The pair of musicians don’t even stop to see me enter, they are swift with their movements and are at ready stance to bolt in the opposite direction. Then I see Ina appear from a shadowy corner behind a large bass drum.

Ina: “Get them!”

Ina leaps over the bass drum, her shiny black dress shoes clattering on the floorboards beneath her. She is delicate in her movements but no less nimble. In three of four perfectly graceful strides, Ina runs up to Viola’s side and clasps her hand tight around Viola’s upper arm.

Viola makes a snorting gasp sound and whips her head around to face Ina.

I stand unmoving at the stage’s right side. Thaddeus is just out of my reach. I flinch a bit in an effort to lunge for the criminal pianist, but then I spot Justice bursting through the curtain on the opposite side of the stage. Justice’s pale, round face is stark against the dark violet backdrop and his expression is rigid with panic. Roman stands only inches behind him, all wide mouthed and starry eyed.

The moment to act escapes from me and my motivation is fleeting.

Luke: “Heh?! Justice!”

Thaddeus: “Quick, Viola! Let’s run! I’m afraid the rest of the money and our instruments will have to be left behind though!”

Viola: “We can’t waste anymore time then!”

Viola uses her free arm to smack Ina’s grasp away, and she then uses her musician’s might to shove Ina to the floor with one final note of violence. Ina falls to her knees, her silky black hair falling over her face concealing the grimace from the pain she must be enduring.

Luke: “Ina!”

I jolt forward a couple paces.

Roman: “Haaa! Ina! That evil violinist hurt you!”

Roman bombards his way past Justice and practically cartwheels all the way from the left side of the backstage over to Ina’s side.

Meanwhile, Thaddeus and Viola play in perfect timing. Thaddeus strides ahead to the back of the stage and begins descending a hidden staircase that I failed to notice until now. Viola follows, her white curls whirling against her back as she hops down each step. The pair stand face to face, then Thaddeus moves to open a back door made convenient at the base of the stairs.

I raise my arms to cover my eyes as the shocking brightness of daylight spills into the backstage. In the moments after I lower my arms, Thaddeus and Viola are already gone. They must be making a run for it, already far down some street up ahead!...

Ina: “Ughn… Roman…. I already explained to you…. There’s no logic in stating the obvious…”

Roman: “Oh no… Ina…. Those two got away….”

Ina: “Uhmm….”

Luke: “Ina… Are you alright?….”

John: “Ehh? What’s going on here?…. We didn’t hear from you guys after the concert…”

Just as the four of us are trying to make sense of what has happened, John, along with Dot, Zora and Lilla, emerge from behind the rippled fabric of the stage curtains and into the back room. John has an amused look on his face, the whispers of a smile lingering under his eyes.

Ina: “Your suspicion was correct, John….”

Ina uses both hands to push herself up from the floor. She steadies herself before standing fully.

Ina: “Viola and Thaddeus… They are the ones who have been stealing from wealthy audience members…. Viola is a vampire. She’s been using her music to hypnotize people….”

John: “I see…. So, where are Thaddeus and Viola now?…. By the looks of that back door that's swung wide open and the dejected expressions on all of your faces, I’d say…they got away…. Didn’t they?”

John curls his fingers around the point of his chin.

Justice, who’s standing a healthy distance away from the rest of us, kicks at the floor. He looks at his own feet, his dark hair falling into his eyes. John turns his head to face him.

John: “Hu hu…. Justice, this would have been a great opportunity for you to impress me…. I have to say I’m a bit disappointed….”

Justice: “Haagh?!”

Justice can only manage a disgruntled noise in response to John’s teasing remark. He cringes and starts shaking his head as if there was a spring attaching it to his neck. Justice turns his whole body to face away from the rest of the group, a fair declaration of his disapproval.

John: “Ahh, well then, come on you three. Let’s go! They can’t be very far ahead!….”

John steps to the side and turns towards the others. Dot looks at all of us for a moment, then furrows her brows and walks down to the back door. She steps into the daylight and scans the street ahead of her.

Dot: “Things look clear here, John…. I think we should go that way…”

She turns to us and points towards a street that curves to the left, deeper into the city.

John: “I’ll notify VLAD about the current status of our investigation…. You go and get a head start…”

Zora: “Cool! Finally some real ACTION!!…. Hey, Luke! Watch and learn!”

Zora grabs Lilla by the hand and together, they sprint up to the door. Zora’s athletic strides make her exposed muscles on her legs flex with each movement. Zora advances down the stairs with determined, clunking stomps, while Lilla skips behind her, trying to emulate Zora’s pace.

Dot: “Just a second! You guys!….”

Once the pair make it outside, Zora and Lilla just keep on running despite Dot’s beckoning for them to wait.

John moves to follow them as well, although he seems to be in no rush. He slinks along with his hands in his pockets, rotating his head to give us a word.

John: “Eh…. You four should stay here and wait for the other trainees… Don’t forget. This place is still under investigation….”

Ina: “You can count on us, John.”

Ina nods at him with her hands clasped before her.

John: “Right…. Oh, Justice. Don’t let your guard down… I’m an expert. Even I need to stay alert in case of any…unexpected danger.”

John leaves the four of us alone backstage.

I go over to the back door and pull it shut. I leave my hand on the round metal handle for a moment….

Luke: “Ahh, how pathetic…”

I glance over to Justice, but the comment is directed all to myself….

Luke: “... Huh?”

Justice stomps down the steps and shoves his nose into my face. He has that disgruntled grimace on his face again.

Justice: “Luke! Why didn’t you do anything?! You’re the one who can shoot fire from your hands! You’d think you could find some way to make yourself useful!….”

Luke: “Ugh! Hey…. I’m sorry, okay….”

Ina and Roman are both silent…. I am about to start justifying my apparent incompetence when I hear the metallic clinking of the door handle turning to open…

Me and Justice step back from the door. The door is opening from the outside. The four of us move away so our backs touch the velvety curtain fabric, putting a distance between us and whoever is on the other side….

Roman: “Eehh…. Wha… What’s going on?….”

Ina: “Be quiet…. Someone’s trying to get in.”

The door slowly fans open, letting the brightness of daylight strike through the shadows once again. After the door swings fully ajar, many people start filing through. These people…. They’re the unsightly strangers John often warns us to look out for, and in the centre of them….

Monty: “Heh…. My, this is a surprise. I thought I told you two to get lost, but it seems you’re in our way….again….”

It's that punk who waved the gun in front of me and Justice at the wedding. What’s he doing here?!

Monty: “Well, I guess it wasn’t clear last time… But now…there will be consequences for messing with our business….”

Monty carries two guns now. He holds each of them up, making sure we can see them. He makes eye contact with me….and in the quiet of the moment I hear Justice whisper the man’s name….