The Other Path ~ Season 1
By Thomas Mc

Authors Note : As usual, I wish to thank those responsible for the Beauty and the Beast Scripts and Transcription Project which again saves me from the frustrating days it would take to recreate some of the dialog from this episode. As before Vincent and Catherine's marriage will have a noticeable influenced on the plot of this episode.

Shades Of Grey

Catherine opened the door to Joe's office just as a dart whizzed by, sinking into a dart board mounted on the wall next to his door with a solid "thunk". She jumped back then laughed and cautiously re-opened the door. She saw Joe seated with his feet propped up on his desk, a frown on his face. "You wanted to see me?" She asked as Joe dropped his feet to the floor.

Joe sat up straight and waved her in. "Yeah. Come on in, shut the door."

Catherine stepped into the office, closing the door behind her. "What is it?"

Joe stood up. "The Avery case."

Catherine noticed a newspaper picture of Max Avery pinned to the dartboard. The look of frustration that crossed her face matched the one currently being sported by Joe.

Joe continued speaking as he stared at the picture on the dartboard. "Max Avery is as dirty as they come. I know it, you know it, the guy who sells the hotdogs across the street knows it, only nobody can prove it. We've already talked to Waldrop, Snodgrass and Mertens, and a dozen others that we know damn well have paid him off to keep their buildings going. You know what we got?" Joe made a "zero" sign with his thumb and forefinger. "Zip." Now he turned his attention to Catherine and his scowl softened. "The chief detective on the case wants me to talk to you." His look took on a hint of the apologetic. "There's one major developer who hasn't yet said no . . ."

Catherine was one step ahead of Joe. "Are you really going to ask me to go to Elliot Burch?"

Joe shrugged. "Gimme a break, Radcliffe. Do you think I want to do this? The head detective heard on the grapevine that you had a connection to Elliot Burch so he came to me and pushed me to speak to you." He sighed in resignation. "Just have a little talk with Burch . . ." He shrugged again. "It couldn't hurt to ask."

~ o ~

Jacob shook his head as he looked at the half assembled pieces of Mouse's latest creation. He reached out and touched the nearly new looking machine parts and frowned. "Where did you get these parts?" He scowled at mouse. "You know our rules about stealing from 'Above'."

Charles stepped out from behind a shelf full of random gadgets. "He didn't take them." He stepped up next to Mouse and rested his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Elliot Burch donated them. When he saw the sketch that Mouse drew of this device he was fascinated by the idea of a fully self contained portable rock drill." Charles grinned. "In exchange for the drawing he donated the parts so that Mouse could try to build his new 'gizmo'." Charles chuckled. "Elliot already has his research department working on a more commercial version of Mouse's invention."

Jacob looked at Charles in surprise. "Elliot Burch knows about Mouse?"

Charles shook his head. "Elliot has never met Mouse but, shortly after he engaged my firm to represent his company a few months ago, I told him of an uneducated young man that has a flair for mechanical engineering. I've shown him some of Mouse's designs." Charles glanced over at the boy. "And he knows that the designer goes by the name Mouse."

Jacob harrumphed. "Well, just be careful with that thing. Don't go knocking holes in all the walls down here."

Mouse shook his head vigorously. "Mouse careful."

Vincent stepped forward. "I thought that mouse and I could test it out tomorrow on that tunnel wall where you wanted to cut a new shortcut from the children's dorms to the dining chamber."

Jacob looked at Vincent. "Well, just be careful." He gave another dubious glace at Mouse's contraption.

At that moment Ellie burst into the chamber, a look of alarm on her face. "Father . . . come quickly . . . It's Eric . . . he fell."

Jacob looked at her in concern. "Fell? Where?"

Ellie grabbed Jacob's hand. "In the maze . . ."

Jacob frowned at the upset girl. "You know how dangerous the maze is!" Jacob shook his head. "That whole area is saturated with ground water. The walls are unstable, there are warnings posted everywhere and I know that Mary has told you a thousand times to stay away from there."

Ellie looked at the ground on the verge of tearing up. "We were playing hide-and seek . . . Kipper told him not to climb up there, he told him . . ."

Vincent knelt and placed his hand on the girl's shoulder. "It's all right Ellie. Can you take us to Eric?"

"Yes." She shook her head vigorously.

Jacob spoke as he turned to follow. "I need to get my medical bag."

Charles touched Jacob's shoulder. "I'm coming with you. Vincent you're much faster than us, fetch Jacob's bag and meet us at the entrance to the maze."

~ o ~

Vincent had arrived at the Maze a minute ahead of Ellie, Charles and Jacob. Ellie led Vincent Charles and Jacob through a passage partially blocked by wooden barricades. "It's this way . . . right through here . . ." Several yards into the Maze Ellie started to crawl though a small side passage, then turned with childish impatience to the three men looking askance at the small passage. "It's only a little crawl . . ."

Jacob shook his head in exasperation. "Only a little crawl . . ."

Vincent glanced at Jacob uncertainly. "Father, are you sure you can make it?"

Jacob nodded. "Yes." Then he got cautiously down on his knees and followed Ellie into the hole. Charles was on his hands and knees right behind him and Vincent followed the two older men shaking his head at the stubborn determination of both men.

~ o ~

Catherine sat across the expensive executive desk from Elliot, her eyes straying to a thick file sitting on that desk between them. "It is important to us but I don't want to push you into this, Elliot. I know that this could cause you no end of problems if you get involved."

.

Elliot nodded. "I know." He indicated the thick file. "It's all here . . . every threat, every bribe, every kick back, dates, times, amounts, names of all their go betweens. It's enough to put Max Avery away for twenty years." Catherine started to reach for the file but Elliot stopped her. "Not yet . . . Please . . . there's something I'd like to say first." Elliot leaned back in his big leather office chair, looking her in the eye. "I'm not really doing this for you. I've known about Maxwell's attempts to get some of the other large contractors to talk and I knew that he would eventually come to me. I've had that file prepared and waiting for several weeks now. I've dealt with a dozen Max Avery's since I began and not because I've wanted to. Maybe in your life your choices have been always black and white but in mine they are always gray." His eyes softened and he cocked his head a bit as a half smile played across his lips. "Then again, after seeing Vincent, I suspect your world may contain a few gray areas as well." Elliot's face became serious as he stood and began to pace the room. He paused before the large window and gazed out of it for a moment then, with a sigh, turned to face Catherine. "I wanted to create, I wanted to build . . . and I found that it was easier . . . and cheaper to play ball with the Max Avery's of this world than it was to fight them." He walked back to desk and sat down, looking intently at Catherine and tapped the file with his finger tips. "My attorney advised me to shred this file a few months ago." He pushed the file towards Catherine. "I got a new attorney."

Catherine took the file, looked down at it a moment then looked back up at Elliot. "Why, Elliot?"

Elliot responded calmly. "Because I'm not one of the bad guys Cathy . . . no matter what others may think."

Her eyes softened. "I know that, Elliot. I've known that since you helped Sophie and Mischa." She paused and frowned. "It might take us months, even years to put Avery away; until then you'll have every kind of nightmare you ever imagined. Avery plays hardball."

Elliot nodded. "Yes, that is true. Avery's in a position to cripple four of my current projects. Not to mention the bad press this will generate." He looked down at his desk and sighed. "He'll cost me millions of dollars." Elliot then looked up at Catherine. "But when it's over the city will be rid of him and so will I!" His voce got very quiet and hard edged. "I can play hardball too."

~ o ~

Jacob, Charles and Vincent were crawling through the small tunnel passage trying to keep up with the young girl who was urging them to hurry. Jacob was feeling the ache in his hip getting more pronounced. Unaware of the way sound was amplified by the walls of the narrow tunnel, he was grumbling to himself about getting too old for this type of activity.

Charles had heard and responded just as quietly. "You and me both."

From just ahead Ellie inquired a little more loudly. "Father, are you OK?"

Vincent replied from the back. "They are fine Ellie; just a little slower than you kids."

Seconds later they emerged from the narrow tunnel to find Eric lying on the floor. Kipper was beside him holding up his injured leg. Ellie scurried out of the tunnel and rushed over to Eric. Jacob and Charles emerged next and Charles assisted Jacob to his feet. Vincent emerged last and, with one glance at Jacob to see that he was OK, moved quickly over to kneel beside Ellie and Eric. Seconds later Jacob arrived on the other side of Eric from Vincent and Ellie

With Charles help, Jacob knelt and began to examine Eric. "It's alright Eric, don't worry we're here to help. Let's see. What's the problem, this ankle?" He looked up at Vincent. "Can you bring the lantern over a little closer so I can get a better look?" Vincent quickly retrieved the lantern that was sitting on the floor and held it up near Eric. "Now how did this happen?" Jacob inquired of the chamber in general.

Kipper spoke up in response. "He fell . . . He was climbing up there." Kipper pointed up to a ledge above their heads. "The rocks broke."

Charles placed his hand on Eric's shoulder to distract him from the pain in his ankle while Jacob examined it. "These stones are not as strong as they look Eric." He nodded toward the rock wall in question. Here and there it glistened from the moister that was leaching out in spots. "See how damp the walls are? The same water that carved this maze continuously eats away at these rocks."

Jacob jumped in a bit sternly as he wrapped a bandage tightly around the ankle. "Which is precisely why none of you should be down here in the first place. You're a lucky boy Eric, it's a very bad sprain but I don't think anything's broken." He nodded to Kipper and Ellie. "Now I want you two to help him up, very gently now, and try not to put any weight on it. Alright?" As the two children helped Eric up, Jacob encouraged them in a much gentler voice. "That's it, that's right . . . good."

As Kipper and Ellie helped Eric up they were startled when a few rocks fell around them. Jacob looked worridly around as Charles assisted him to his feet. Jacob glanced at the children. "I want this place sealed up, it's just too hazardous . . . children are down here playing . . ."

More rocks fell and everyone looked around, nervous, frightened.

Charles spoke urgently as he handed Jacob his cane. "Come on quickly, get out of here. Hurry on, kids . . ."

Just as the children reached the narrow crawl way, a large column of rock, that supported the ceiling, broke loose and fell toward the same opening where the children were starting into the small tunnel. Vincent leapt over to the opening and caught it before it could crush Kipper.

Kipper looked back. "Vincent . . ."

Vincent grunted from the effort to hold up the heavy stone. "Go quickly!" He ordered through clenched teeth.

Kipper hesitated. "Vincent!"

Vincent roared at them, galvanizing the children into motion and they hurried out. The chamber shook as more pieces of the ceiling rained down around the three men. Charles had rushed over and was attempting to help Vincent hold up the column as the children disappeared into the small tunnel.

Vincent called out. "Go Father!"

At that moment the walls around them started to collapse. Vincent pushed Charles away as the rock column shifted and broke free.

~ o ~

Catherine frowned. Something was wrong. Vincent was worried.

Elliot noticed her distracted state. "Cathy, is something wrong?"

Catherine's eyes grew wide as she felt a sudden fear shoot through her. Vincent was afraid. Then she felt a sudden pain that caused her to wince and close her eyes. Then it was gone. She no longer felt any emotions from Vincent. With sudden understanding, her eyes open. "Vincent!" She called out in a frightened whisper. The next instant she was up and running for the door leaving a confused Elliot sitting at his desk.

~ o ~

It was very dark, the only light a small patch of flame on the floor where the oil from the smashed lantern had spilled. The only sound was the shifting of a few small pebbles and the sound of coughing. Then the small patch of oil burned out, leaving the cavern in darkness.

Charles looked around himself in the deep gloom. "Jacob . . . Vincent . . ." He heard coughing. "Jacob . . ." There's a groan. "Jacob!" He cautiously felt his way toward the sound and soon felt a hand. "I'm here Jacob. I'll get you out." He started blindly moving the rocks. He jumped when he heard rocks shifting behind him.

With a groan Vincent pushed away the stones that had landed on him and carefully stood up, shaking off the dust and rubble. He looked around himself. In the deep gloom he could just barely make out different shades of dark gray. He spotted movement and realized that the two slightly lighter shapes on the floor were Charles and Father.

Jacob had heard his friends voice in the darknes and felt the rocks being moved. "Charles?" He coughed from the dust in the in his throat. "Vincent . . . the children?"

Vincent responded as he knelt down beside Jacob and Charles. "They were well up the tunnel when it collapsed, I'm fairly sure that they're safe." Vincent laid his hand on Charles' shoulder. "Let me do that, I can see better in the dark." He eased Charles over against a wall.

Charles responded. "I can't see anything at all."

After a few minutes Vincent had Jacob free of the rubble and checked him for injuries. Once assured that there were no broken bones Vincent gently shifted Jacob to a more comfortable position next to Charles. Jacob smiled weakly, as he reached up toward the general direction of Vincent's face. Vincent grabbed his hand and pressed it against his cheek.

Jacob coughed then sighed. "Your eyes are astonishing; in this blackness I'm blind."

Charles voice came out of the darkness next to Jacob. "Jacob, how do you feel?"

Jacob gave a wry, weak smile that only Vincent could barely make out. "I've been better."

~ o ~

Several members of the tunnel community gathered around the collapsed entrance to this part of the maze.

Jamie shook her head in despair. "My God … look at this; it's even worse than Kipper said."

Winslow stared at the pile of rubble. "Can we clear the tunnel?"

Jamie frowned shaking her head. "Even if we clear this hole, that crawl space is twenty feet long. Once you're in there's no room to turn around and swing a pick."

Sarah looked around at the others, desperation in her eyes, as she spoke. "There must be something that we can do. We can pass out the stones hand to hand."

Winslow shook his head. "One rock at a time, they'd be dead for sure by the time we reached them."

Mary glared at Winslow. "Don't say that, they're not dead and they're not going to die." Her voice dropped as she remarked to herself. "Jacob is alive. He has to be"

Winslow frowned. "There's gotta be another way in."

At that moment Catherine came running up the tunnel toward them. "What happened?"

Samantha, Mouse and Kipper arrived at that moment. Kipper had his arms full of rolled up maps.

Mouse quickly looked over the situation and announced his opinion. "Can't get in that way. Take too long. Other way in. Quicker."

Winslow grabbed for the maps. "Where?"

Mouse shook his head. "Not on maps." He pointed to his head. "Mouse knows." He then took off followed by Catherine, Jamie and Winslow.

The rest of the tunnel residents began to laboriously move the rocks away from the opening while hoping that Mouse would find a better way.

~ o ~

In the deep darkness Charles was sitting against the wall next to Jacob and looking blindly in his direction. Vincent was kneeling on the other side of Jacob, a worried frown on his face as he stared down at the man who had raised him. Gently Vincent finished wrapping the makeshift bandage around Jacobs head.

Jacob gazed vaguely into space through half lidded eyes mumbling. "Hmm . . . it's a long way, Vincent." His eyes drifted shut.

Vincent laid his hand on Jacob's shoulder and shook it very gently. "Father?" At Jacob's lack of response , Vincent shook him a bit more urgently. "Father! You must stay awake, you may have a concussion."

Jacob's eyes slowly fluttered open. "I feel very faint . . . very sleepy."

His mind relieved for now by Jacob's response, Vincent settled himself more comfortably. He could just barely see the worry in Charles' face through the deep gloom but he could clearly sense the fear and concern in Charles' mind. He sensed confusion with a hint of unfocused concern from Jacob.

Charles spoke insistently. "Just keep talking, Jacob."

Jacob shifted his position and carefully shook his head slightly as he answered a bit irritably. "Alright, alright . . . if the head injury was very severe I wouldn't be lucid. And I am lucid . . . aren't I?"

Vincent had seen Jacob wince as he had shaken his head. "So far . . ."

Jacob frowned in the general direction of Vincent's voice. "So far? Well in that case I shall recite from Virgil on the hour just to make sure."

An amused half smile played across Charles' face. "Then I'll be asleep."

Jacob laughed as he glanced in the direction of Charles's voice. "Heathen . . ."

At that moment there was a rumble and more rocks started falling, Vincent threw himself on top of Jacob and Charles to shield them.

~ o ~

As the group following Mouse stopped the others stared at the solid rock wall in despair.

Winslow growled angrily. "What is this?"

Mouse Pointed to the rock wall. "Wall thin. Drill. Blast. Quicker."

~ o ~

The rumbling ceased and Vincent pulled back from his protective position over Charles and Jacob. He paused, listening to the very faint sounds of digging in the distance. "They know we are here. They are coming for us." His attention shifted to a new direction. "Catherine is with them. I can feel that she's near." He projected emotions of well being then echoed the emotions of Jacob and Charles to her as well. "I have let her know that we are all alive."

Jacob blinked. "Catherine? She's here?"

Charles responded. "It makes sense. Their bond is stronger and deeper than either of us could begin to imagine. You know that she would come the instant she felt that something was wrong."

Jacob reached out blindly, brushed Vincent's vest and grabbed hold. "As if both your destinies were inextricably linked." Jacob sighed. "I know she will find a way to us . . . to you."

Charles responded, a wistful smile on his face. "As if your hearts, in their search for union, would transcend time and space, circumvent the laws of physics and probability."

Vincent merely smiled.

~ o ~

On the other side of the rock wall Catherine smiled, as she addressed the others. "They're all alive. Father is hurt but he's alive and awake."

Winslow looked up at her in surprise. "How could you know that?"

Catherine responded. "I can feel Vincent. He feels the emotions of Father and Daddy and he was able to pass on what he feels from them to me over our bond."

~ o ~

Jacob started talking to the gloom, his gaze far away. "One June afternoon, nearly 40 years ago, I was walking along 57th Street. As I approached 5th Ave, I saw the loveliest woman I had ever in my life seen. She was walking toward me in a summer dress, a soft breeze was blowing, she was . . . a vision. She wasn't merely beautiful; her eyes were beaming with intelligence and humor, full of life. Her gaze met mine for a moment, and left me . . . utterly speechless. I knew then that this was the woman I'd searched all my life for. Before I could even think of doing anything, she'd . . . she'd stepped into a cab and was gone." Jacob looked downward. ". . . gone."

Vincent looked at Jacobs contemplative face. He looked more alert than a minute ago. "What did you do?"

Jacob looked up in Vincent's direction. "Oh, I tried to find her. I went back to the same corner the next day and the next. A day never went by when I didn't think of her and wonder.

Charles cocked his head looking in the direction of Jacob's voice. "I hope that's not the end."

Jacob smiled to himself. "Well, a year passed by. One day, I was walking along 57th when a cab drew into the curb, and out 'she' stepped, at almost the same spot. A year later we were married."

Vincent and Charles responded simultaneously. "Margaret!"

Jacob gazed into the distance and his smile brightened. "Yes . . . Margaret." Then he faced Vincent. "So you see, Vincent, I too know of miracles."

Charles remarked. "That's a wonderful story, Jacob."

Jacob nodded. "Well, I wanted you both to hear it."

Charles was now looking out to another time and place as he began to speak. "I remember a beautiful summer day at the beach out on long island. The whole family was there. I was out in the water with my cousin. He was trying to teach me how to body surf." An amused grin spread across his face. "I had finally managed to catch a wave and I was flying along when I ran headlong into someone and went under. The next moment I came up sputtering and indignant when I heard a girl's voice roundly chastising me to watch what I was doing. The next moment I wiped the water from my eyes and found myself looking into the most beautiful pair of green eyes I had ever seen. For a while the rest of the world faded away and only that soaked angel's face remained until my cousin dragged me back to the present."

Jacob nodded knowingly, a hint of sympathy in his voice. "Caroline?"

Charles nodded. "Caroline picked up the techniques of body surfing very quickly. Within a very short time the three of us were flying along with the waves and my destiny was sealed."

Jacob grimaced as he shifted uncomfortably. Vincent tried to settle him into a better position. "Are you in much pain?"

Jacob responded with a groan. "Enough . . ."

At that moment more rocks begin to fall. Vincent again covered Jacob and Charles with his own body in order to shield them from more harm. Seconds later it was again quiet.

Jacob frowned as he looked at the dark that enclosed them. "It looks bad doesn't it? There was so much more I wanted to tell you."

Vincent reached out and gently squeezed his shoulder. "Father, the three of us will walk out of here together. I promise."

~ o ~

Jaime, Catherine and some others went with Mouse back to his chamber. Once there Mouse went straight to an irregular pile of objects beside his cluttered workbench. He started shifting parts as Catherine and others looked on.

Winston looked on uncertainly. "This is a machine?"

Mouse shook his head. "Not yet, will be. Not here, there. Come on everybody help." He pointed to a box on the workbench. "Jamie, give the box to Catherine." He pointed to the pile of parts on the floor. "Need help. Assemble in maze."

They were soon carrying the parts through the tunnels, following Mouse until he stopped them.

Mouse scanned the blank rock face for a moment then pointed. "Ok good, ok fine. Here."

They set down their burdens then started to help Mouse assemble the machine. About an hour later Mouse pulled a starter cord on the assembled drilling machine and it started running. Guarded smiles spread across the faces of the others as Mouse grabbed a pair of mismatched handles and forced the bit into the rock face. The tunnel was suddenly filled with the sound of metal grinding on stone.

~ o ~

The three trapped men all looked up at the faint sound of drilling that wafted through the deep gloom.

Charles grinned. "I believe I hear the sound of another miracle in progress. Mouse must have completed that drilling machine he's working on." He frowned. "But why are they drilling?"

Vincent thought a moment then responded. "The passage we came in through must have completely collapsed so they are trying to drill through from another direction."

Jacob looked in the direction of Vincent's voice a moment deep in thought. "I think the greatest miracle of all, Vincent, is you and Catherine. The two of you have made the impossible happen, over and over again. You two brought Margaret back to me. You brought Devin home and helped us reconcile many misunderstandings." There was another pause as Jacob glanced over in the general direction of Charles. "You introduced me to Charles, one of my two best friends."

Charles cleared his emotion choked throat. "Jacob, it was you, Vincent and these tunnels that saved me." There was another pause and Charles cleared his throat again. "I was drowning in my sorrow over the recent loss of Caroline. Then I saw Vincent playing with Cathy in that hidden culvert. The next thing I see you coming out of that drainage tunnel and before I knew it you had brought us down to these tunnels. I gained a wonderful new extended family and I learned to hope again. That was the real miracle."

No one spoke for several seconds and the sound of drilling filled the pause.

Finally Vincent spoke. "I think the real miracle is Catherine." He smiled to himself. "Everything that you both have mentioned has been because of her."

The sound of drilling stopped and the dark silence closed in.

After about a minute Charles spoke. "Why have they stopped?"

Vincent shook his head, though no one could see it. "I don't know." At that moment the drilling sound resumed.

~ o ~

Mouse was concentrating hard as he pushed against his machine. The near defining noise filled the chamber and there was a thin haze of rock dust hanging in the air. Where the drill bit touches the stone, there was only a small hole. Suddenly there was a loud clanging noise and Mouse was thrown back from his machine.

Catherine and Jamie both rushed over to the young man's side. Catherine was the first to speak. "Mouse, you alright?"

Mouse shook his head in exasperation as he stared at the broken drill bit. "No good, no good, no good!" He kicked the machine. "Three bits ruined . . . three inches of hole."

Catherine felt her heart squeeze with worry. "We have to keep going."

Mouse thought a moment. "Could go above, find what's needed . . . construction shack maybe big job no time."

Catherine's brows furrowed. "What, you need more gadgets? Tell me what you need maybe I could get them."

Jamie responded. "We need tungsten carbide drill bits?"

Mouse nodded. "Need explosives,"

Catherine nodded mostly to herself. "I know a man who might be able to help."

Mouse looked at Catherine doubtfully. "Must be sure, no time to waste. I come. Show what's needed."

Catherine responded. "I'm sure this man can help! Let's go!" She jumped to her feet.

Jamie and Mouse also jumped to her feet. Jamie looked dubiously at Catherine. "Is it safe?"

Catherine nodded. Dad told me that this man has seen some of Mouse's designs and wants to meet him.

Jamie looked at Catherine in surprise for a moment then Mouse remarked. "Ok good . . . ok fine!" The three of them hurried out of the chamber.

~ o ~

Elliot Burch was pacing with a glass of scotch in his hand a worried look on his face. When Cathy had bolted from his office she had been scared. He knew that the documents that he had given her would mean real trouble for him but that was currently the furthest thing from his mind. He mind kept revolving around her actions and what it could mean. He finally stopped and sat down to work on some plans when the phone buzzed.

Elliot sighed in exasperation, picked up the phone and spoke. "Listen I thought I told you that I didn't . . . of course I'll see her, send her in."

The next second Catherine walked through the door followed by two very strange looking young people. Elliot barely gave them a glance as he jumped up and rushed around his desk responding to the look on Cathy's face. "Cathy what's the matter?" He noticed the dusty appearance of all three people. "What happened to you?"

Catherine jumped right in. "Elliot, I need a favor . . ."

Elliot reached out to take Cathy's elbow. "You look shaky, come on . . . sit down, I'll get you a brandy."

Catherine shook her head, too agitated for a polite response. "I don't need a brandy! What I need is your help."

Elliot released her elbow and nodded. "Tell me what you want."

Catherine reaches into her pocket, pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Elliot. "I need these items."

Elliot looked at the list and his eyebrows shot up. "A tungsten carbide drill bit? Explosives and detonator?" He looked up into her face again, taking in her dust covered appearance. "You've given up the law for hard rock mining?"

Catherine shook her head. "Please, Elliot, there is no time. Daddy and Vincent were caught in a cave-in."

Elliot frowned. "This has something to do with that mysterious 'Below' doesn't it?" Catherine merely nodded. Elliot grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. "I can get you what you need but you need to take me with you." He noticed the defensive look on the three faces before him. "Look you are going to need plastic explosive to do this right. I know how to handle the stuff. I can help."

Elliot picked up the phone.

"Hi, its Elliot Burch, give me Jack, quick." . . .

"Jack, I'm coming down with some friends. We are going to need a few things on the Q.T." . . .

"Thanks, we'll be there shortly." . . .

He hung up the phone and wrote something on the list and headed toward the door. "He'll be expecting us. Jack will get us what you need." The four of them exited the office.

~ o ~

In the quiet dark, Vincent, Charles, and Jacob all were worried. It had been nearly an hour since the drilling sound had stopped.

Charles inquired into the quiet dark. "Why aren't they still drilling?"

Vincent responded. "Catherine went 'Above' for some reason but she's now on her way back. They'll soon be drilling again. They will break through, then this will be no more than a memory."

Jacob's breathing was becoming labored. "Vincent, it's very hard to breath."

Vincent felt Jacob shiver and gently pulled him into his embrace as he responded. "Help is coming."

Charles reached out blindly and gripped Jacob's arm when he made contact. "Jacob, please stay with us."

Vincent spoke again. "Father, listen: To see the world in a grain of sand . . ."

After a moment Charles spoke, his voice strained with worry. "Listen Jacob: To see the world in a grain of sand . . . What's the next line?"

After another pause Jacob finally responded. "And Heaven in a wild flower . . ."

Charles sighed and continued. "To hold infinity in the palm of your hand . . ."

Jacob responded weakly. "And eternity in an hour . . ." Then he passed out in Vincent's arms.

A short time later Vincent was wiping Jacob's face with a cloth. Jacob was awake again but his breathing was still labored. He shook his head as he began talking. "We haven't much air left, no use fooling ourselves."

Charles shook his head in denial. "You mustn't lose hope, Jacob."

Jacob shook his head. "I haven't much time left, Vincent."

Vincent felt himself choking up. "Father, please . . ."

Jacob interrupted. "No, please listen to me. Our world must continue, a lot of good and trusting people depend on this place . . . it's all they have."

Charles could feel the sting of tears threatening. He gulped and replied to his friend's plea. "Our world will continue, my friend, and you'll live to see it for many years to come."

Jacob responded. "If I don't, both of your voices will be needed."

Vincent closed his eyes as he rejoined. "Ours is not the only voice."

Jacob coughed. "Yours are the truest, and the strongest, promise me you'll keep . . ."

Vincent placed his finger to Jacob's lips. "Shhhh Father . . ."

Jacob feebly pushed Vincent's hand away. "No, no . . . please, please promise me you'll keep our dream alive."

Vincent and Charles replied simultaneously. "We promise."

Jacob relaxed slightly as he began to ramble. "It won't be without sacrifice . . . The colors . . . I think I miss the colors most of all. They've even began to fade from my mind's eye . . . I wish you could have seen the blue of the Pacific under a summer sun, the green of the grass at Ebbetts Field. I will always remember the fall leaves blazing orange and yellow out at you lake house Charles . . ." His eyes became unfocused as peered into memories. "It was you that gave that to Vincent . . . and, that one time, to me."

A single tear slid down Charles' cheek as he interjected. "That was Cathy's doing. She was the one who came up with the idea of annual fall trips to the lake house for the tunnel kids. She wanted to show it to Vincent so she came up with the idea."

Vincent stroked Jacob's fevered brow. "But I have seen them, all Father, no child ever had a better guide. Your words painted pictures that I will never forget. You took me around the world, Twain's Mississippi, Kipling's India, Jack London's Klondike. You made them come alive for me."

Jacob passed out again and Vincent felt tears on his own cheek as he continued to hold him.

~ o ~

As Mouse fitted the shiny new drill bit into the chuck, Elliot stared at the machine in wonder. His trip down into this seemingly magical place had been an exhilarating revelation. To think that all of this wonder was right below their feet and no one even had a hint that it existed. Cathy had introduced Mouse and Jamie to him on the way down. Jamie reminded him a lot of a younger version of a female engineer that his company often employed. It was Mouse however that he found fascinating. The young man had the makings of a brilliant engineer but there was something wrong with his communication ability. Elliot suspected some form of brain injury but he refrained from asking.

Winslow stood back looking with suspicion at the extremely well dressed stranger that Catherine had brought down into the tunnels. Catherine had introduced the man as Elliot Burch and vouched for his integrity but Winslow was still unsure.

On their way back down they had stopped at the collapsed opening and Catherine had convinced those still working there that Mouse had a better way in and needed their help. She had also sent Sarah to the surface to fetch Doctor Peter Alcott, claiming that Father had been injured. Winston just hoped that she knew what she was doing.

"Mouse set down his tools with a satisfied grunt. "Ready." Then he pulled the starter cord and the machine roared to life. Mouse and Jamie then, a second later, Catherine and Winston leaned into the machine as it began to grind its way into the rock wall. After a couple of seconds Elliot knelt beside them and added his strength to the force being applied to the drill.

Being much stronger and sharper, as well as being able to handle the far greater force being applied by all five people pushing against it, the new drill bit chewed away at the rock at an impressive rate.

~ o ~

Vincent smiled with relief as he sensed Catherine's presence. A few minutes later the dark chamber was again filled with the muffled sound of the drill. "Catherine!" He sighed.

Jacob stirred. "Hmm? What?"

Vincent responded to Jacob. "Catherine. She's returned, they're drilling again." He took Jacob's hand. "She is feeling much more confident. We'll be out of here soon."

~ o ~

Mouse rolled the plastic substance into a ball the way Elliot had told him then shoved it into the hole. He reached for some more but Elliot stopped him.

At Mouse's inquiring look Elliot responded. "That's all you need. This stuff is very powerful. We don't want to blow up the whole wall. We could injure ourselves and those on the other side of that wall, and possibly cause another cave-in. We just want to fracture it . . . turn it into rubble that can be easily scooped away." Elliot handed Mouse the detonator cap. "Press this into the plastic."

Mouse took the object grumbling. "Mouse knows. Put the stuff in the hole, put in the gizmo, set it off with the other gizmo, read all about it."

Elliot grinned to himself. "Right. That's perfect. Now take these wires and connect them to that . . . other gizmo." He looked over at the others. "The rest of you get behind those columns." He moved over beside Mouse. "Perfect." He placed his hand on the young man's shoulders. "You want to set it off." The young man's happy grin was all the answer he needed. "Everyone take cover!" He called out.

Mouse glanced over at Catherine. "Vincent and Fathers safe?"

Catherine nodded. "Vincent is several yards away from that wall. Father and my dad are with him." She noticed the quizzical look on Elliot's face and gave a quick explanation. "Vincent and I share a kind of mental link. I always know his distance and direction from me. I'll explain later."

Elliot's left eyebrow rode halfway up his forehead then he shrugged and turned his attention back to mouse. "Take one more, quick, look around to make sure everyone is safely sheltered from the blast. Always double check when using explosives." He paused while Mouse obediently glanced around. "Now press the button."

There was a slightly muffled BOOM! And the air was filled with rock dust. When the dust began to clear it reveled that a large area of the rock wall had been turned to rubble. Everyone there moved forward and began scooping out the loose rubble. In no time at all they were through. The wall had only been about eight feet thick at this point. Ten yards away they saw Vincent, Jacob and Charles leaning against the far wall and blinking into the relatively bright light streaming in through the new opening.

Vincent peered into the bright opening where he could discern many silhouettes. One figure ran ahead of the rest calling out his name.

"Catherine!" Vincent responded.

The next instant Catherine was in his arms and they hugged.

Vincent broke momentarily from their hug. "Father is badly hurt."

Winston and Elliot came over to them carrying a stretcher between them. Vincent stared at Elliot in surprise.

Aware of Vincent's expression, Elliot responded. "Cathy told me you were in trouble and, against my better judgment, I came 'Below' to help."

They set the stretcher down beside Jacob as Mouse ran up and knelt beside him. Catherine reluctantly released Vincent and knelt beside Charles. Her face creased in concern as she took his hand. "Daddy?"

Elliot also knelt down beside Charles. "Sir, are you hurt?"

Charles shook his head. "No, I'm fine, but I could use a bit of help standing up."

"Of course, Sir." Elliot responded as he and Catherine helped Charles to his feet with a slight groan.

"These old bones don't handle cold hard floors as well as they used to. Thank you . . ." He blinked as he finally took in the identity of the young man. "Elliot?" He paused glancing around. "When did you find out about these tunnels?"

Elliot chuckled. "Just a few hours ago."

Vincent and Winslow picked up the stretcher and they all headed out of the maze.

Sarah nand Doctor Alcott were waiting for them when they arrived at the tunnel infirmary.

~ o ~

A few hours later Vincent and Elliot entered Jacob's library to find Jacob sitting at his desk, peering into a large, ornate brass kaleidoscope A wide white bandage surrounded his head. He seems unaware of Elliot and Vincent's presence at first.

Vincent called softly to him. "Father . . ." Jacob lowered the kaleidoscope and looked up at Vincent. He frowned as his gaze swept over Elliot. Vincent continued. "Am I disturbing you?"

Father sighed and set the kaleidoscope aside. "No. I was . . . hmm . . . no, no . . ."

Vincent lightly touched the kaleidoscope. "I remember when Mouse first made this for you . . . his tube of colors . . . all the colors we lacked . . . colors from the world above . . ."

Jacob glanced again at Elliot then smiled fondly at the kaleidoscope. "I was afraid he'd stolen it. But he promised me solemnly that he'd made it himself. He was ten years old at the time. I was very touched." He gave a little chuckle ". . . then I found out that he'd stolen the parts."

Jacob and Vincent both chuckled at the memory. Elliot snickered.

Jacob turned his attention to Elliot. "I do not believe I have met you."

Elliot stepped forward. "Elliot Burch, Sir. It is a rare privilege to meet you." He reached out his hand and Jacob, after a moment, took it. "I have always been very proud of my accomplishments in the world above." He released Jacob's hand and glanced around at the library chamber. "But I feel unusually humbled by the amazing world that you have created down here." He paused a moment. "I must head back to the surface very soon because of a business crisis that will probably be occupying most of my time for the foreseeable future but I hope that when things are settled that you will allow me to come back for a visit."

Jacob nodded. "I believe we can allow that."

Vincent stepped in. "Catherine went by Mary's to pick up Edward. She and I will take Elliot back up 'Above' with us."

Jacob nodded then watched the two very different men walk out of the chamber. Just after they disappeared through the doorway, he heard Elliot's voice faintly from the tunnel beyond. "This bond you and Cathy were telling me about . . ." As their voices faded away Jacob gingerly shook his head then picked up the kaleidoscope.

The End (of episode 12)

'Beauty and the Beast' and its characters are owned by Witt-Thomas Productions and Republic Pictures. No infringement on copyrights is intended. This story is presented merely for the enjoyment of fans. Original concepts and story elements may be used by other authors as long as appropriate credit is given.