Myhr Der Part One Breezing into her office Catherine walked straight to her desk with the firm resolve that nothing would stop her finishing the pile of files Joe had plonked there the day before. Nothing but nothing was going to make her stay beyond five p.m. this day. She simply would not be late for another date with Vincent for anyone. As she saw Joe heading her way out of her eye corner Catherine groaned, if he attempted to shove more files onto her she would let him have it. Ready for him, she tried to ignore his advance, showing him a steadfast concentration that she hoped would suffice to turn him in another direction. But Joe was not fooled and he continued to advance, disregarding her pose completely. He knew she was trying to avoid him. “You seen the papers this morning Radcliffe?” Catherine pretended not to hear him. She continued to write faster, furiously now. Joe put a hand onto hers, “Morning Radcliffe, you had a lousy night or something?” A ghost of a smile touched the corners of her mouth, he was teasing her and she wasn’t immune to his tactics. She raised her eyes, settling the pen down onto the pad in front of her, “Morning Joe.” She smiled a smile that reached her eyes, “Yes I did have a late night, but it won’t affect my work.” “I didn’t say it would besides I’ve never seen you scribble so fast. Got a hot date tonight?” Catherine drew her brows together, “Why do you say that Joe?” “Oh come on Radcliffe. You come in early like you couldn’t sleep or something and the way you are taking a machete to these files, what is a man supposed to conclude? You aim to leave on the dot of five am I right or am I right?” Catherine’s eyes creased at the corners, “You’re right Joe.” She laughed. “Well I don’t mean to spoil your plans Radcliffe...” she didn’t give him a chance to finish. Though he carried no files, she jumped down his throat, “Oh no you don’t Joe. I’m not taking any more files this day and that’s that. You try to hand me any more and I swear I’ll walk out of this office and never come back!” Her furious green eyes flashed fire. Joe backed away holding up his hands in defence, “Hey hey, calm down Radcliffe. I wasn’t about to hand you any more work, not this morning anyway.” His eyes twinkled with mischief. Catherine glowered at him, “Okay, okay” he teased, “Not this afternoon either. I just wanted you to know that your prime suspect got his comeuppance last night that’s all. The papers are full of it this morning.” “What do you mean my prime suspect?” Catherine drew her brows together. Always she had to feign ignorance when something like this happened, and it had happened all too often since Vincent had become her guardian angel. “The guy you suspected of being the murderer, well someone got to him last night.” Joe waited for his information to sink in. Cathy as always remained beyond suspicion. Joe suspected at times like these that she was a very good actress as well as a very good lawyer. Somehow her cases always came up trumps. “Do they know who killed him?” Catherine asked. Joe had known what she would say word for word and he mouthed the question with her, silently mind. But this time he had a definite answer. He almost gloated, this time he would see a different expression cross her face. “Actually yes.” He told her and almost rejoiced by the look on her face. But the response was short-lived and not quite as he’d expected. First horror crossed her face and then a stunned expression giving way to fear, and then he thought that she might start screaming or something. “Radcliffe? You all right?” He wished now he had said nothing. Her eyes were filled with something he could not put a name to. Anxiety sure, there was that, but he didn’t ever think he had seen anyone more scared. Her question when it came startled him. “Who?” It was all she could say and that word by itself cracked in her throat. Joe didn’t want to tell her and at that precise moment he would have loved to have walked away and spare her anymore anguish, but she caught his arm suddenly and shook him furiously like a puppy with a rag doll. “Joe tell me!” Joe shrugged, why the big deal anyway? “Seems some guy in drag did it.” Catherine’s heart plummeted. She could barel y say the words, “In drag?” “Yeah some kind of cat uniform.” “A cat?” Catherine’s mind was spinning. It couldn’t be Vincent. It couldn’t. She had left him in the tunnels safe and sound, and she would have heard something from Father by now surely if it had of been him? Shaking her head Catherine told Joe, “That’s impossible.” “Is it? You tell me Cathy?” He didn’t know why he’d said that, but he suddenly had the distinct feeling that Catherine Chandler knew far more than she was prepared to say. Perhaps she had always known. When Joe thought back to the amount of cases she’d been involved in where the victims had been ripped to shreds, he lost count of how many there had been. At least for once someone had been caught red handed. Joe almost laughed at his own pun. Red handed, that was a good one. Caught with blood on his hands. Only this time perhaps that didn’t quite ring true. The papers had revealed that though someone had been arrested, someone dressed as a cat complete with claws, no blood had been found on him from any of the victims. Joe spread the morning’s paper onto Catherine’s desk, “Read it for yourself Radcliffe. Do you know this guy?” There was a photograph. And Catherine almost collapsed with relief to see that it in no way did it resemble Vincent. A good likeness true, but more of a lynx than a lion. “No Joe. I don’t know him.” “You want to interview him Cathy?” Catherine looked up at Joe the question in her eyes if not on her lips. “Hey I know you got a lot of work to shift by five o’clock Cathy, but if you want to go and see this guy I’m sure I could take some of this pile off your hands.” “Why would I want to interview him?” Catherine felt there was something she was missing here. Joe shrugged, “Thought perhaps we could go together.” He told her. Secretly he hoped that by going with her he might be able to detect whether or not she knew the guy. “I can handle it alone, unless you really need to come. But I just wondered why you thought I should go at all?” “Well it was your case Radcliffe, I just thought you would want to know why he killed your suspects that’s all. Maybe he knows something that you don’t?” “And you think he’ll tell me?” “Who knows?” Joe tried to remain indifferent like he cared neither way, but Catherine knew him better than that. “Give Joe. What’s really on your mind?” “Look at his picture again Cathy. You sure you don’t know him?” “I’m sure Joe.” “Could you swear to that on the Bible?” “Joe?” Catherine looked at her boss hard “Don’t you believe me?” “I want to Radcliffe. But hey even you can’t deny that there have been an awful lot of unexplained deaths around the city where the victims have been ripped to shreds. Nor can you deny that every one of those cases have been ones that you have been working on. I think you know more than you let on Cathy. It’s just a hunch, but someday soon the cops are going to start to think the same way. So do you know this guy or not?” Catherine did not need to look at the photo again, it wasn’t Vincent and that was all that mattered. “I don’t know him Joe. I’ve never seen him before, and if you happen to have a Bible in your pocket, fish it out and I’ll swear on that too.” Her temper rose and Joe believed her. He didn’t want to do, but he did. Catherine was telling the truth he knew it, she didn’t know the guy that the police were holding. But then if he didn’t kill all those people, then who did? And what’s more to the point did Cathy know who the real murderer was? Joe would stake his life on it that she did, but hey when it all boiled down to it, shouldn’t the guy be getting a medal rather than the electric chair? After all it was thanks to him, whoever he was, that the streets were a whole lot tidier these days. A whole lot of scum had died beneath his hands that was for sure. “Okay, okay” Joe backed away, “I believe you Radcliffe. Come down off your high horse, boy Radcliffe if looks could kill I’d be dead.” Joe attempted a smile to soften his words, and Catherine relented and smiled back. “All right Joe I’ll interview the guy. What’s his name do you know? The papers don’t say.” “He calls himself Myhr. I think Myhr Der would be more appropriate under the circumstances.” Joe laughed and Catherine joined him, “Oh Joe, trust you. Look I’ll just tidy my desk and then I’ll go down there. Did you really want to come?” “No it’s okay Radcliffe, I’ll await your report.” He didn’t need to go now, he was pretty certain that Cathy did not know the fellow. And she wouldn’t reveal anything to him now by his being there in the remote chance that she did. She was too good an actress he knew that. Going with her would be to waste his time. Valuable time too. “Right then I’ll go within the hour.” Joe knew he’d been dismissed and walked away. He felt troubled but there was nothing he could do about it. As he had told himself moments ago, could he really blame who ever it was that protected his best investigator? He knew the answer to that because he loved Catherine Chandler too. *** *** *** A little over an hour and a half later Catherine was being shown into an interview room and a man she had never seen before was led through a door in the opposite wall handcuffed to a police officer. “Can we dispense with the cuffs?” Catherine asked the officer adding, “And you?” “He’s a murderer madam, I cannot leave him alone with you.” “Then can you handcuff him to the desk and leave us? This interview must have privacy.” The officer nodded. He wasn’t pleased about it, but he knew full well that suspects often opened up when there were no police present. “I’ll be right outside the door so if you need me just shout.” He told Catherine as he handcuffed the suspect with one hand to the desk and the other to the chair. When he had gone, Catherine attempted to tell the suspect who she was but was spared the chance. “You’re her aren’t you?” He asked, “You are always with him right?” Catherine regained her composure remarkably quickly, “What do you mean? I don’t understand?” “Oh come on. I’ve seen you together. He protects you doesn’t he, just as he protected me once?” “I’m sorry.” Catherine tried to remain cool “I don’t know who you mean.” “Should have guessed the protection would go two way. I should have guessed your loyalty to him. Don’t worry I would never say anything. That guy is my hero. Don’t suppose you could tell me his name?”br> “How about you telling me about yourself and let’s keep to the facts at hand, eh?" The man nodded, “What do you want to know?” “Your name would be a start?” “As would yours.” He replied. “I’m sorry, you are right. My name is Catherine Chandler. I’ve been assigned to your case.” “I know I requested you.” “You did?” Joe had said nothing. No wonder he thought she knew the guy. “Then if you knew my name why did you ask?” “I knew your name from news reports connected to cases where he’s ripped the victims to shreds, but I have never seen you before. I wasn’t certain it was you they’d send.” “Despite your questions.” “Yeah despite my questions. So you do know him?” “I never said that.” “You didn’t have to.” “Then we are at odds, you know who I am, but I don’t know who you are. Can you tell me?” “My name is Myhr.” “But that’s not your real name?” “It is. And don’t go wasting time checking. I had my name changed by deed poll years ago. There is nothing to connect me to any other name. Myhr it is and Myhr it will stay.” “When did you do this, and why?” “I told you he saved my life. I saw him, and I wanted to copy him. He’s my hero. I couldn’t take his name because I didn’t know it but Myhr is a derivative of my old name and so I used that.” “Was it Frank?” “Very funny Miss Chandler. You seem surprised? Well its not the first time that someone has asked that question. Some have even gone as far to say my name was once Frank Gold. I must admit I have thought about using that. Have I lost you?” “Somewhat yes.” The fellow smiled at her, “You know the two wise men?” Catherine nodded and smiled, “Of course, I get it, one brought Frankincense and Myrrh and the other brought Gold.” He smiled too. “Nice touch don’t you think?” “I think Mr Myhr that it would go more in your favour if you used the name Frank Gold than the name of a cat.” “Why? Don’t you see, if they think I am nuts I would get a lighter sentence?” For the life of her, and she didn’t know why, Catherine actually laughed out loud. The door at the opposite end of the room opened and the officer peeped in “You all right Miss Chandler?” “Yes I’m fine, Don’t worry.” “I heard a noise. Were you laughing?” “Me laughing? What do you take me for? I’m interviewing a murder suspect here.” The officer closed the door, his face perplexed. He could have sworn he’d heard her laughing. The moment the door was shut again, both Catherine and Myhr broke into suppressed laughter. “I like you.” Myhr told her when they had both caught their breath, “And…” he went on pausing before continuing, “You and I both know that I am not a murderer. You and I both know that he killed those men, and by the look on your face you know that. You do know him don’t you Miss Chandler?” Catherine denied knowledge of that.br> “Its okay Miss Chandler I know you can’t say anything. But hey I’m not about to expose him either. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be here now. I owe him my life and I’d do anything to protect him just like you would, but hey I’m not about to carry the can for his crimes. You’ve got to get me out of here Miss Chandler. You know I am innocent.” It was the first time he had spoken seriously and Catherine knew he was right. “Don’t worry Myhr I promise I’ll get you free. I don’t know how right now, but I promise you won’t go down for this.” Myhr nodded, “If I can help I will, just let me know what I have to do.” “When I know how you can help I promise you can do something. Now can we just go over the facts for the benefit of my report?” Catherine opened her pad and picked up her pen. “You know about as much as me, you were there. I only know what happened afterward.” “How do you know I was there?” “Wasn’t you?” “Did you see me?”br> “No. But I presumed.” “Then don’t presume Myhr it can get you into a whole lot of trouble.” They glared at one another for long moments. “You were there.” Myhr told her adamantly, “You had to have been there just like you were there all those other times. He protects you. If he was there so were you.” “Prove it.” “I don’t have to do. I’m not telling anyone. This is between you and me. You know he did it, you know he killed them all, and I’m not carrying the can for all the deaths this city has seen these past three years, not even for him. But I tell you Miss Chandler I would never ever tell anyone about him. My hero he is, and my hero he stays, but I don’t want to die for his crimes.” Catherine nodded she could understand that. “He wouldn’t expect you to.” She whispered, and Myhr’s eyes lit up. “So you do know him?” “Yes.” Myhr exhaled a huge sigh of relief “I knew it. Who is he? Where does he live? Where did he get such a great disguise?” Catherine could have almost cried with relief. He thought Vincent wore a mask! Her relief wasn’t missed, Myhr was too intelligent “I take it that is a disguise?” He asked doubtfully. Catherine did a very good job of convincing him even Joe would have been impressed. Her face registered complete and utter surprise and humour, "Are you kidding? Do you think he really looks like that?” She laughed out loud. Somehow Myhr believed her for he laughed too. “Guess it was a dumb question?” “Just a bit.” She laughed heartily now, more from relief but this time very careful that he did not notice. The opposite door opened again, for a certainty it was laughter. The officer looked around the door, he caught their reddened faces, but he shut the door again without comment. Catherine laughed harder, holding a hand tightly to her mouth to drown out the sound. Her laughter bordered on hysteria, brought about by relief. She could hardly breathe. “It wasn’t that funny?” Myhr looked at her quietly wondering again. Catherine detected his interest, “It was.” She told him, “You didn’t see the officer’s face.” Myhr grinned he understood now. Catherine took a deep breath, “This won’t do. I really must get this report made up. Can we start with the third degree?” Myhr smiled. He liked this woman, she was fair and she had humour. She was also very beautiful he could understand why his hero felt the need to protect her. “Yes. Fire away.” “So you heard a sound. That’s what the papers say. What sort of sound was it. Do you know?” “Yes and so do you. You could describe it so much better.” Catherine nodded, “Did you tell the police how it sounded to you?” “Some of it. I didn’t tell them that it sounded like growling though. I told them there was a strange sound that was muffled by the sound of a blood-curdling moan. Like when someone has their hands around a victim’s throat but wetter if that makes any sense. I could hear the sound of bubbling, squelching if you like. Obviously it was blood-letting. There was a scuffle, people screaming, “What is that?” And then that sound again, and again, and then nothing. All went quiet. I knew then that it was okay to look.” “Why did you look?” “As I told you before he saved my life once. I knew those sounds, but it was the first time I had been in the vicinity to hear them again. Oh I’ve looked, and I have followed the papers, I have even tried to follow you.” “Wait a minute you said you didn’t know what I looked like?” “I didn’t. That’s not what I meant. I haven’t followed you literally, what I meant was I followed the cases you were assigned to. I tried to be one step ahead of you all the time, doing my own spot of detective work and last night it paid off. I was there before you were Miss. Chandler and I heard everything. You were set up too do you know that?” Catherine paled, “Tell me what you know?” “I’m not the first person to have worked out that our mutual friend works for or with you. Other people have grown suspicious. That guy you were supposed to meet, well that wasn’t him that died. He was in the car watching from the other end of the alley. That’s how the police arrived in time to arrest me. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Irony what? The first time I actually get one step ahead of you, and I drop myself right in it. Literally. The guy called the cops the moment he saw his men fall, and they thought it was me.” “The report says that you had no blood on you to connect you to the crime. I would have thought that was enough to cloud any suspicion of your involvement?” “It should have been. But that guy in the car had run footage of the whole event on a video camera and left it for the cops. The whole episode is on there. Your friend is seen ripping those guys to shreds, and in the semi-darkness I was mistaken for him. You can’t blame them when you think of it. I was there, he wasn’t. I was dressed as a cat claws an all and the victims had been caught on camera being shredded by something resembling me. But how I came to have no blood on me or beneath my claws beats them silly. And I can’t tell them can I? I mean if I said it wasn’t me they would assume I had an accomplice who did do it, someone I know. They would assume we go out in pairs dressed like cats.” “So you told them you had been to a fancy dress party?” “It was true enough. I did pop into one, mainly for the alibi if ever I needed one. I never believed I ever would. Still though someone noted when I left and as it coincides with the time of the deaths I could still have done it. But I would never have had the time to discard the bloodied gear and change into clean stuff even if I had of hung around to do so. The police can’t work it out. They are completely baffled, but that damn video grounds me. With that as evidence I am denied bail.” “Its going to be a tricky one Myhr, but you won’t carry the can for this I promise. Look I’ll come and see you tomorrow okay, hopefully I’ll have a plan by then.” “You’re going to see him?” “Yes.” “Give him my regards.”br> “You can say that, even though you are in this mess?” “As I said before Miss Chandler. I owe him my life. I never got to thank him, and I wish him well. Tell him that, tell him hi from me?” Catherine nodded, “Yes I’ll tell him. Now I’ll see you tomorrow.” “I’ll be here.” *** *** *** Catherine’s mind was troubled as she made her way from the county jail and hailed a taxi back to her office. She couldn’t for the life of her find a way out of this one but she knew she had to think of something. Joe was waiting for her when she got back, and that worried Catherine too. He seemed to be taking a larger than life interest in this case, more so than ever. It began to worry her. “So Radcliffe what did you find out?” he asked even before she had taken her coat of. “Actually nothing more than the papers have reported Joe. But I’m going to see him tomorrow.” “He agreed to that?” “Yes. And why didn’t you tell me he had requested I defended him?” “Didn’t I tell you that?” “You know damn well you didn’t.” “Cathy!” Joe spoke sharply, “So I forgot okay?” “No but I’ve got a feeling you are going to tell me though.” He grinned sheepishly trying to appease the woman. It worked, her anger evaporated, “Oh Joe I’m sorry.” “Want to talk about it Cathy?” They stared at each other long and hard. Catherine knew that Joe suspected she knew far more than she was letting on, and as much as she would have loved to have confided in him, now wasn’t the time. She shook her head, “No its all right Joe, don’t worry I can handle it.” Joe wasn’t convinced but he knew Cathy of old. When she wanted to do she could be so tight-lipped about something especially if that had anything to do with personal stuff. “All right Radcliffe but I expect you to keep me up to date on this one okay?” Catherine nodded, “Now are you going to get me a cup of coffee or do I have to wait here until my tongue drops off?” Joe burst into laughter, “That’ll be the day Radcliffe.” He laughed harder at the look of menace that she issued, but was pleased to see the corners of her mouth twitch with mirth. He went to fetch her coffee obediently. He was her boss but he’d be her lap dog any day. *** ** *** br> At five p.m. she was off, and Joe did not attempt to delay her. He watched her go and wondered many things but refrained from saying anything witty. Her aura gave off the distinct impression that he might get his head bitten off if he’d tried. Her expression was serious and she had looked troubled ever since her return from the county jail. So he watched her go without saying a word, wishing he could see inside her head for not the first time. Catherine stepped out into the receding sunshine, smiling wistfully at the orange and pink glow that heralded sunset was near, and headed straight for her apartment. It was a long walk, but she felt like walking, besides she needed to deliver a message. She stopped only long enough to drop a message rolled inside a ten dollar bill to a Negro playing a trumpet on a street corner and with a quick smile she hurried on. As soon as she was gone he snatched up the bill and gathered his things before hurrying to the nearest deposit spot to drop off the note. The note was picked up by a helper and handed from one man to another until it finally found its way to its destination, handed by father to son deep in the tunnels beneath the streets. Vincent took the note to his chamber to read it in peace. Vincent, Don’t come to the balcony toinght meet me at the threshold at 7 instead There have been some developments after last night and I need to see you and Father urgently. Catherine. Vincent’s heart hammered painfully against his ribs. He had felt and wondered at Catherine’s anxiety all day. He had absolutely no idea what she needed to say to him and Father so urgently, but he knew that whatever it was affected him. Nothing else would make her so frantic with worry, and that in turn worried him greatly. *** *** *** When Vincent met Catherine at the threshold less than two hours later he could see by the grim set of her face that something was very wrong. He held open his arms and she went into them willingly. “Oh Vincent this feels good, I’ve needed this all day.” “Something has happened?” He asked her gravely. “Yes.” “Tell me?” “Last night when you...” She paused knowing how he hated reminders of his killings. “When I killed those men?” “Yes.” She hesitated trying to form the right words unwilling to hurt him further. “Go on?” “You were seen.” She felt him stiffen against her. “Have you seen today’s papers?” “No.” “Vincent someone filmed you killing those men.” Catherine flinched when Vincent’s drew in a sharp breath. She could almost picture the images as they raced through his mind. She hastened to reassure him, “They know nothing of you Vincent don’t worry.” He calmed a little then. “Come Catherine we must go to see Father before you tell me anything else. He has been anxious since I showed him your note.” Catherine nodded, grateful when Vincent threaded his arm around her waist to walk towards the home chambers, grateful for his support. She suddenly felt very weary. In fact if she were honest with herself she had felt like this for some time now. This latest event just secured the feeling and made her face it. For so long Vincent had protected her and the man that called himself Myhr had proved to her something that had niggled for some time. People were noticing people were connecting those very strange deaths with her. Even Joe had implied it. And she knew that so long as she continued with her line of work then Vincent would protect her. A year ago she might have questioned her loyalty, a year ago she might have balked at the idea of choosing between her job and Vincent, now she knew there simply was no contest. She could live without being a lawyer but she couldn’t live without the man she loved. It was time to move on. In fact it was time to move Below but what would Vincent say to that? They arrived at the home chambers having walked the distance very much each to his own thoughts. Vincent listened in to Catherine’s turbulent emotions trying to establish a reason and afraid to know if everything he thought of was correct. He was afraid now, and waited anxiously as Father bade her good evening and watched impatiently as Father poured her tea. Vincent took a cup himself and was dismayed to find it rattle in the saucer, what was worse Father noticed it too, and his shrew eyes asked a million questions. “So Catherine?” Father began when everyone was settled with a cup of herb tea, “Please tell us what’s going on?” Briefly she outlined to him the things she had told Vincent earlier and then continued, “They have arrested a man found on the scene.” Both Father and Vincent spluttered on their tea and looked at her in amazement. “Its true.” Catherine told them. She drew a deep breath, “This man was in costume he had been to a fancy dress party, and heard the commotion and went to look.” She didn’t think at this stage it would be appropriate to tell them that Myhr thought of Vincent as his hero. “Ordinarily the arrested wouldn’t stand especially as the fellow had no blood stains on him or any flesh beneath his nails, but for that video. I’m afraid that implicated him as being the killer, and he has been refused bail.” There was silence for some moments, finally Father asked, “What would you have us do Catherine?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer. “I don’t know.” Catherine surprised him. “I really don’t know Father. Obviously Vincent can’t give himself up, but neither can an innocent man face the death penalty. I’m afraid the police are linking all the unexplained deaths to him. If found guilty he will go down for the lot just so those files can be closed.” Vincent sucked in a breath this was making him feel sick. He was to blame and another was suffering. And though he was no coward there were too many reasons why he could not turn himself in. Catherine understood that and so did Father, but it didn’t make him feel any happier. They were all three quiet for some time, when Catherine told them, “There is something else.” Father and Vincent looked up at her instantly, “I hoped to say nothing.” She told them, looking apologetically at Vincent, “This man, this Myhr he has seen Vincent before.” Father snatched a lung full of air and was about to retort when Catherine turned to Vincent and told him, “Apparently you saved his life once Vincent and he has searched for you to thank you ever since.” Father nodded he could understand this, and his anger evaporated. “Do you have any ideas Catherine, do you know what we should do?” Vincent asked. “I have ideas Vincent yes, but as to whether or not you should do them is up to you.” She watched him carefully anticipating his response, but Father beat him to it. “Is it dangerous?” “To Vincent?” “Yes.” “Possibly. But I can see no other way, and it would mean...” Father cut her short, “Just tell us what you have in mind.” Catherine collected her thoughts together, “As it stands this fellow is in the county jail and cannot be seen without going through the correct channels. Short of knocking down several walls and drawing the maximum attention to himself Vincent would not get away with setting him free, that way.” Those last two words had Father and Vincent looking from one to the other, they had caught her drift. “You expect Vincent to free him?” Father’s voice rose. “That’s about it.” Catherine told him. “Flippancy doesn’t become you my dear especially in these circumstances.” Catherine apologised, “But don’t you see there is no other way. This fellow is going to the electric chair for crimes he did not commit, just because he wanted to thank Vincent for saving his life. What irony huh?” Vincent had listened to the exchange and drawn his own conclusions, “Catherine you said as it stands it cannot be achieved that way, is there another way?” “You aren’t seriously considering this!” Father fumed. “Vincent I forbid you!” Vincent stared at his father without comment, before turning back to Catherine and awaiting her answer. “If there was some way to get him into the security prison, you know the one they took Kanin to and if they allowed him to use the yard for exercise, I believe we could pull it off.” “You’d involve yourself?” Father was surprised. “I’m not letting Vincent do this alone.” Her words were so determined that they brooked no argument. “I haven’t all the details Vincent, but I believe from things Kanin told us about the place that it could be possible for one such as you to get in there. Who would think that someone would try to break into prison after all? The security is on the inside not on the out. Though there are cameras of course, but that’s the beauty of it Vincent, the way you look is taken for a disguise.” Father leapt from his seat, “And that’s the worst idea I have ever heard. If Vincent were caught and they found it was no disguise what then? Huh? Have you thought of this, well have you?” “I’ve thought of nothing else Father, but what else can we do? Can you think of another way? Because if you can I’d like to hear it?” Catherine snapped back. “All right so let’s assume we play it that way.” Father strutted around his chamber sarcastically, “And lets assume that nothing happens, that Vincent very cleverly breaks into the prison, and equally as cleverly smashes through a wall to help the fellow escape, then what?” He spun on Catherine his eyes glowering at her, “Then what!” He snapped, and was about to go on, until Catherine cut him dead, “I know I know!” She jumped to her feet, “I’ll be in there and I will help give him the time he needs. But the cameras will have picked it all up, they will see Vincent do all of that, and we have only mere minutes to pull it off, and Father I know, I know what your fears are.” “Oh you do do you?” Father snapped. “Yes. I do understand the implications of this Father. This man Myhr will be unable to walk the streets or show his face again, and will have no alternative but to live down here in the tunnels. You have to offer him sanctuary Father, and Vincent will have to stay Below for as long as it takes the authorities to worry about some other matter. And as for me...” Her words trailed away, and both Father and Vincent looked at her long and hard neither saying a thing, waiting for her to continue. She did so slowly, “If we do it this way, if we pull it off, I know it implicates me and I too will need sanctuary down here, but that won’t matter,” she averted her eyes from Father’s and looked at Vincent only, “Because I was coming anyway.” She whispered. Vincent gasped, but before he had time to argue Catherine went on, “I love you Vincent and I don’t plan for you to risk your life or the lives of the people that rely on you just because you have to rescue me. I can live without my life Above, but I cannot live without you. I’m coming Below Vincent and I won’t take no for an answer.” Father looked from one to the other of them. Well that was unexpected but he had to admit not entirely unpleasant. In fact he could get quite used to the idea but what of Vincent? His son hadn’t spoken and Father found the look on his son’s face quite interesting. Catherine hadn’t said another word, she felt a trifle silly, she hadn’t meant to come out with her plans like that, it wasn’t the time. Or was it? She stole a look in Vincent’s direction, surprised to find him looking at her a stunned expression on his face. She could almost hear his mind ticking over. Catherine smiled impishly. There they had been discussing ways to break an innocent man out of prison and there she was pledging her undying love to a man that probably had no idea she felt that way about him. Well not enough to contemplate giving up everything she had recently held dear just to be with him. She stole another look in his direction, he was still watching her and Father watched them both with a mischievous look upon his face. “Did you two want to go somewhere and discuss the finer details of this latest proposal.” Father laughed, huh proposal, now there was an apt word if ever there was one. He looked from one to the other of them and saw Vincent shuffle as if to stand. Vincent hesitated, then reaching out a hand to Catherine, he told his father, “I think you are right. Catherine and I will be in my chamber if you should need us.” Catherine took his hand but was unable to look at him, she still felt decidedly silly and a little afraid too. She wanted no argument on this for she had made up her mind. This latest incident had just brought it to a head. In silence she allowed Vincent to lead her to his chamber not quite knowing what to expect, she trembled slightly and Vincent squeezed her fingers. He understood, of course he would, he would have felt her turbulent emotions through their connection. Three years on and sometimes she still had difficulty accepting the strength of their Bond. Once inside he turned her to face him and she shivered when he drew her into his arms. It wasn’t until that moment that she noticed that he too was trembling. Neither spoke. For long satisfying minutes each drew strength from the other, and then Vincent drew back slightly to look into her eyes, “Catherine.” The way he spoke her name as always melted her heart. “When your father died...” she knew what he was going to say, she finished for him, “I asked you then if I could live in your world. And then when I let you down and decided I needed to go back I asked if there would ever come a day when we could be together, really together.” “I remember.” Vincent told her softly, letting her take the lead now. “And you said that when we could confront the fears and move through them there would be that possibility.” Vincent nodded. He found it difficult to breathe. He had dreamed of this moment for so long. Though he still had doubts and fears he knew that he loved her and nothing else mattered. “Vincent I’ve done a lot of thinking lately, and I have confronted my fears. They were nothing like the fears you hold. Mine were in turning my back on the life I have led, on my friends on my career. Vincent I came to accept that those things are meaningless by themselves. Oh I love my friends but even they would understand how I feel if they knew. I meant what I said Vincent I love you, and in loving you I can live without all those other things, but I cannot and will not live without you.” Vincent looked into her eyes, and he read her heart through the Bond. He found no doubts within her, she spoke from the heart and she meant everything. He drew her close against him breathing deeply of her hair, holding her tighter than he had ever held her before. She felt so good against him. For long moments they were happy to stand in silence, just being together enjoying this new closeness was a delight in itself, but bit by bit both became aware of the close proximity of the other and finally Vincent held her at arms length and started to speak. “I still have fears my Catherine. But they are my fears, and I know that with you here by my side we can tackle them together. If you are certain Catherine, if you are really certain then I would love to have you live in my world.” Catherine collapsed against him and had not realised her anxiety until that moment “You doubted I’d agree?” he tilted her face to meet his. “Yes.” “Oh Catherine.” He drew her back against him, “Oh my love, surely you know I am incomplete without you?” He looked back into her eyes “I love you Catherine.”br> Catherine’s whole face lit up and she exhaled a sigh of pure pleasure, before hugging him closer to her, tighter and tighter needing the contact, needing to feel him closer than she had ever felt him close before. “Do we have a future Vincent?” She asked him still somewhat nervously. It wasn’t unknown for him to run rather than face his fears. But he stood his ground sure of her now, sure that she wouldn’t let him fall if he spoke of monsters and dragons and the dark side of himself. “With love Catherine, anything is possible.” They held one another tighter, happy to stand that way, conscious of their bodies moulding and revelling in every moment of it. He felt her softness, the curves he had caught only glimpses of through her satiny gowns as she had stood upon her balcony, and he marvelled that one such as she could love one such as he. She felt his hardness, the strength of the man. The undulating muscles rippling beneath her hands and against her thighs, his arousal pressed tightly between them. Never had he allowed such contact before between them and Catherine delighted in it. Everything would be all right. They would have a future. They would have their happy life, but right now there were other things to discuss. An innocent man depended on them for his freedom. Catherine knew it, Vincent knew it and no amount of joy in one another at that moment could stop the thought stealing its way into their happiness. Vincent drew away and lead her to a chair in his chamber seeing the sense of distance between them for the time being. Her nearness enflamed him as it always had, but in light of her declaration more so this night. He wanted her and she knew it. That thought almost made him die with shame but the love in her eyes calmed his rapidly beating heart. To be continued in part two.