The Other Path ~ Season 1
By Thomas Mc

Author's Note:

Because of events in the story "The Road Not Taken" and events in earlier episodes of 'The Other Path' this episode will have nothing to do with the subject of the original episode of this name. However, the events in Episode 20 will most defiantly have an effect on this episode. Because of the final length of this episode, it will be broken into two parts.

Anyone familiar with the Crocodile Dundee movies will note that I have drawn extensively from the 'Crocodile Dundee II'. Movie but I have added Vincent, Catherine, Devin and Carol into the mix. They will naturally alter some of the action as well as the results to some extent.

And, just for fun, this episode will also include a nice little surprise for Vincent.

Ozymandias – Part 1

Catherine and Vincent were in the kitchen preparing a light lunch. It was Saturday and after all of the excitement of yesterday's early morning rescue of Sue Charles from the drug king pin Luis Rico, they had both decided to sleep in late this morning. Later this afternoon Catherine was going to meet with Sue and Mick to go over their deposition for Monday

"I give it a month." Catherine suggested in an amused tone of voice.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Vincent responded with a quirk of his eyebrow.

Catherine shook her head. "In all the time I've known him, Joe's affairs have rarely last longer than that."

Vincent chuckled, "They were both sending out some pretty strong emotions yesterday morning, and Sammy is still riding an emotional high this morning."

At that moment the front doorbell sounded, and a second later Sammy came bounding noisily down the stairs. "I'll get it." She called out as her feet hit the ground floor with a thud. Then she ran to the front door as Catherine and Vincent both leaned out of the kitchen to see the action at the front door.

Sammy pulled open the front door and Joe Maxwell stepped into the entry. Sammy threw her arms around Joe in a very enthusiastic hug. A few seconds later she called out. "Joe and I are going out for dinner and a movie." She giggled then continued. "Don't wait up." She called over her shoulder as they exited.

After the door closed, Catherine glanced at Vincent and grinned. "On second thought, I believe you may have something, there."

Vincent merely grinned back at her, showing his rather prominent canines.

"She's acting like a giddy teenager with a first crush." Catherine shook her head and chuckled. "Hard to believe that she's only a few years younger than you." Her expression softened as she looked into Vincent's unique blue eyes. "But then again I know exactly how she feels."

They were interrupted by a slight whimper from the playpen set in the corner of the room.

"He wants attention." Vincent stated simply.

Catherine picked up Edward from his playpen and gave him a big hug. "Who would have thought I could get so much joy out of simply holding a baby?" She glanced over at Vincent, her eyes shining. "This is a magnificent gift you have given me . . . second only to the gift of yourself."

Vincent reached out and pulled her down into his lap and put his arms around both mother and child. "It can't be as great as the gift you have given me . . . a perfect happy life."

~ o ~

Catherine exited the cab in front of Sue Charles' apartment building. Like Catherine, Sue lived across the street from Central Park though this building was on the, slightly less expensive, east side of the park. Sue's apartment was on the North-West corner of the building. Catherine stopped in front of the North side entrance and glanced up at the balcony, from which Mick had strung the assassin up by his feet and questioned him. She glanced to her left at the dense foliage in this part of the park.

Hidden somewhere in that thick greenery, Vincent was keeping his eye on her. Little Edward was currently in the care of two teenagers from the tunnels. Catherine had told him that it was not necessary, but he had insisted that until Rico was put away for good, he was going to stay as close to her as possible.

Catherine stepped up to the temporarily patched door to Sue Charles' apartment. She paused a moment to look at the damaged and hastily repaired door. It was a very graphic reminder of how dangerous Rico and his gang really were. It served to strengthen her resolve to see that he and all his minions were put away for a very, very, long time. She reached out and knocked.

A minute later, the door opened, and Mick stood there frowning. Almost immediately his eyes lit up. "Catherine, come in." He stepped back to allow her entrance. Police officer Johnson was standing by the door and nodded to her as Catherine stepped into the apartment.

Inside the apartment Sue was sitting at the dining table talking to FBI Agent James McClendon. Sue looked up as Catherine approached and smiled. "Hello Cathy." She glanced over at James. "You didn't tell me about Vincent's FBI connection." Her expression darkened. "We were just talking about what happened to my ex' in Columbia." She let loose a deep sad sigh. Then, after a moment her expression lightened. "Somehow the subject of Devin came up which, eventually, led to the subject of Vincent."

In the back of her mind Catherine noted that Mick had started calling her Catherine right after he met Vincent for the first time. Sue, however still called her Cathy. Catherine came over and sat at the table. "I just dropped by to see how you were doing after your little ordeal."

Sue looked up as Mick stepped over beside her then reached out and took his hand. "I'm doing fine, thanks to Mick." She smiled up at him then she turned her attention back to Catherine. "And tell Vincent that we both appreciate his help in my rescue."

Catherine returned Sue's smile as she replied. "I'll be sure to tell him."

~ o ~

Down in the park, Vincent was distracted by a large four-door sedan coming down the street. It rounded the corner on squealing tires and screeched to a stop. Four men piled out of the car and raced into Sue's apartment building. Malice radiated from the four men like a heat lamp.

Vincent projected a warning to Catherine then, heedless of the danger, sprinted across the open street and into the apartment building.

The driver of the car saw a flash of movement in his rear-view mirror. He turned and caught a glimpse of billowing cloak as a large figure disappeared into the apartment building. He suddenly got a feeling that things might be starting to turn bad. His heart began to pound as he wrestled with his need to stay put until the team returned and the desire to get out of there as fast as possible.

~ o ~

Catherine looked around with a worried expression. A couple of seconds later her expression changed to one of startled surprise. Vincent had sent her a warning and now he had entered the building. This could only mean that serious danger was on its way here. "Someone's coming! . . . Everybody get down!" She ordered. James glanced at the expression on Catherine's face then he drew his gun and quickly moved over near the door. A second later Officer Johnson, following McClendon's lead, drew his gun and moved back away from the door. Sue and Catherine ducked behind the kitchen counter just as Mick stepped up behind McClendon and drew his knife.

James glanced at Mick then did a perfect double take as he took in the sheer size of the knife in Mick's hand.

"Just in case you need backup." Mick remarked quietly.

James shook his head and returned his attention to the front door.

With a loud shotgun blast, the door suddenly swung open. Two men charged into the room and started to turn their weapons toward Agent McClendon and Officer Johnson.

The agent and the officer fired at the same time. The front two men both went down. The other two men retreated into the hall and began firing through the open doorway. McClendon and Johnson took cover just out of the path of the hail of bullets passing through the open door. They were out gunned and unable to reach the two Uzis laying on the floor near the door.

A second later a loud terrifying roar followed by two shrill screams were heard from the doorway followed by a few thumps then an eerie silence. Officer Johnson glanced over at Agent McClendon who was looking back at him with a very speculative expression on his face. The next second Johnson saw a frightening apparition appear in the doorway. He gulped and his hand shook in reaction to what he confronted. It was a living breathing lion-man, its eyes ablaze with rage.

The tableau held for a second then Johnson was startled by the sound of The FBI agent's voice. "Vincent, I'm a bit surprised to see you here."

Johnson glanced over in surprise to see Agent McClendon putting away his gun. Then he heard the lion-man speak. "Hello, James." The confused officer's eyes swung back to the lion-man in surprise at the sound of his voice. "I saw those four heavily armed men arrive and I had to act."

"Vincent?" Catherine called out as she moved swiftly toward the door. "You took a terrible risk coming up here in the open like this." To add one more surprise to the maelstrom that Johnson's mind had become, Catherine threw her arms around the lion-man, hugging him tightly, and he responded by gently wrapping his arms around her.

Officer Johnson lowered his weapon and looked on perplexed as Sue and Mick joined the group at the door, apparently unaffected by the appearance of the lion-man that James and Catherine had called Vincent.

From her spot within Vincent's embrace Catherine turned her head toward Johnson. "Officer Johnson, I would like you to meet Vincent Wells." Her eyes turned toward Vincent. "Vincent, I would like to introduce you to . . ." She got a puzzled look and her gaze switched back to Officer Johnson. "Ahhhh, I've known you for a couple of years now, yet I don't know your first name."

Officer Johnson began to blush. "Well, uhh, actually it's Cyril." He shrugged. "I got teased a lot as a kid, so, I generally don't mention it."

Vincent responded. "Cyril seems like a perfectly acceptable name to me. It comes from Greek origins meaning Lordly or Masterful. Saints Cyril and Methodius are the most celebrated saints in the Bulgarian Orthodox church, and icons of the two brothers can be found in every one of their churches." He glanced around at the dumfounded looks on the faces around him then shrugged. "Looking the way I do, I didn't get out much and Father's library contains a very eclectic range of books."

Catherine and Sue laughed, Mick and James chuckled, and Officer Cyril Johnson relaxed.

"By the way, there is a fifth man waiting in a blue car parked in front of the building. Assuming, he hasn't left by now."

James nodded to Vincent then addressed Cyril. "I'm sure somebody is already calling 911 but you need to call this in." He turned his attention to Vincent. "The police and probably a few alphabet soup agents will be showing up here shortly, so you had better make yourself scarce."

The lion-man nodded acknowledgement to James then, much to Cyril's surprise, kissed Catherine rather passionately. . . and she was apparently returning the kiss.

A moment later they broke the kiss then Catherine turned Vincent toward the hallway giving him a half shove. "Go on now. Get outta here."

The lion-man quickly disappeared down the hall.

Catherine caught the look Cyril was giving her and shrugged. "What can I say . . . I'm in love with my husband." She smiled at him then turned toward James. "Now what?"

James cocked his head. "We wait for the authorities."

Cyril belatedly returned from his stunned state, (Her husband?), and pulled out his radio to report on the attack.

Agent McClendon told Cyril to cuff the two, still alive, hit men and drag them into the apartment. While Officer Johnson was doing that, James grabbed a handkerchief then collected all the dropped weapons and deposited them in the bedroom.

After deciding that the crime scene was secure, James moved over to the balcony and looked down on the street below. He could easily make out the blue car that sat idling in front of the apartment building. The others came over to join him. Four pairs of eyes observed the street below, waiting to see what would happen next.

Five minutes later the blue car eased away from the curb and drove down the street away from the park. It was fifteen feet from the intersection when several police cruisers with lights flashing rounded the corners at each end of the street. The blue car was trapped.

Guns drawn, police officers poured out of the cruisers. Half of the officers closed in on the blue car. The other half headed for the front building entrance

The next moment a black SUV pulled up at the park end of the street. Two men in dark suits stepped out of the SUV and showed some kind of ID to the officer that had intercepted them, and then the two men headed toward the apartment building entrance.

~ o ~

Sue, Mick, and James were seated at the dining table. Cyril was conscientiously standing guard near the ruined front door. The coroner was on his knees examining the two dead bodies. DEA Agent Brannigan stood in the middle of Sue and Mick's apartment overseeing the scene as three officers escorted the two still living hit men out the destroyed door. One of the two hit men was babbling something about 'The Creature' as he was led away.

Brannigan shook his head. "One of the thugs we arrested at Rico's place last night practically begged us to take him in. He was gibbering some nonsense about a lion-man; probably angling for an insanity defense." He glanced at the now empty doorway. "And now that mook is going on about a creature. I think those idiots have been dipping into their own product." He turned his attention back to Sue and Mick. "As I was about to say, early this morning Rico and Miguel both escaped."

Catherine responded a bit hotly. "You had them in custody, surrounded by federal agents. How could this happen?"

Brannigan shook his head. "He had inside help. Rico has access to a lot of hidden cash." His face showed a combination of anger and embarrassment. "I swear to you we will find the culprit that helped them, and he will be dealt with." He paused to get his emotions under control. "In the meantime, I can put you under protective custody. Rico will keep coming. He isn't going to walk away from a several-hundred-million-dollar drug empire."

Catherine remarked. "No offense but the DEA's record on this case has been less than stellar. And you weren't very much help an hour ago"

Brannigan sighed. "I didn't expect things to happen so fast."

"I have my own resources and my success record is unbroken so far." Catherine responded. "I think I can hide them more effectively than you can."

Brannigan shook his head. "That may be more difficult than you think. Rico knows of your involvement in his downfall. In fact, he also knows about your involvement in the downfall of Shin Li Chiang." Brannigan looked at Catherine and a hint of respect flashed across his face. "Chiang was his biggest customer at the time. Rico's organization suffered a major hit when Chiang went down. You are currently number three on his hit list."

"Irrelevant, I am just as adept at making myself disappear." Catherine shot back.

Mick spoke up. "I don't want to spend months or even years hiding and hoping Rico is eventually caught." He glanced at Catherine. Catherine, I believe that you can probably protect us, but I know that I can." He glanced around. "But not here … somewhere that I can see him coming."

"What do you have in mind?" James asked.

At that instant the phone rang. After a moment of surprise, Sue answered it. Soon she was smiling as she hung up the phone. "Catherine, your father's limo is downstairs. He wants all of us to meet him and Joe at his place."

Catherine glanced inquiringly at Brannigan.

Brannigan shrugged. "I have your statements. That's all I need from you for now."

~ o ~

When Sue, Mick, Catherine and James entered Charles Chandler's home they were met by Charles, Joe Maxwell and Vincent.

Charles hugged Catherine tightly. "Cathy, I'm so glad that you're safe. Vincent told us about the attack." He released Catherine and looked over at Maxwell.

Joe spoke up at Charles' implied invitation. "I received word this morning that Rico had escaped and had put the three of you at the top of his hit list. Apparently, he has recently realized that Catherine has been a thorn in his side for several years without him ever being aware of it. It would be wise for the three of you to disappear until this Rico is captured. Maybe you can take Sue and Mick below."

Catherine responded. "I already suggested that earlier, though Sue is a journalist and Father would not be happy to have her below. But Mick suggested that he had a better idea."

Everyone turned their attention to Mick. He cleared his throat and began to speak. "I was planning to take Sue and Catherine back to Walkabout Creek with me. I have a fairly large piece of property out there and I'm on very good terms with the Aborigines that live there. When Rico finds out where we went and comes after us, I will have had a couple of day's advanced warning and I could see him coming from miles away. Most important, the encounter would be in my own back yard, giving us a huge advantage." He glanced around at his audience. "Also, the Australian Outback has very liberal self defense laws and Rico would have no inside contacts among the locals."

Vincent spoke up. "Your idea seems sound enough but if Catherine goes with you, I will not be there to protect her."

"You are welcome to come too, Vincent."

Catherine jumped in. "That's impossible. It's not like Vincent can hop the next flight out to Australia."

After a few moments of silence Charles spoke up. "I may have a solution to your problem. You remember several years ago; Vincent flew to your rescue when Steven Bass grabbed you?"

After a moment Catherine nodded and Charles continued. "I'm sure I can get Hubert Bradford to arrange for all of us to be flown to Australia on that same private jet."

Catherine saw Vincent's eyes light up for just a moment at the mention of the idea. To this day, he still talked fondly of that experience.

~ o ~

As the on-call pilot for Hubert Bradford, Trent Cole had made many unusual trips including the one several years ago that he would never forget. That was the last time he had been given such restrictive orders. His passengers had turned out to be Charles Chandler, a large unidentified black man, and a larger unidentified and heavily cloaked figure that turned out to be a very scary looking ... lion-man. The sight of that creature pacing restlessly in the center aisle of the jet still occasionally haunted him in disturbing dreams.

This time he would be making a much longer trip all the way to Australia. When he had brought up the fact that there was no co-pilot, he had been told that Charles Chandler had his license and limited time on similar jets. The requirement that he stay in the cockpit was going to be unworkable. If nothing else, there was the occasional required restroom trip.

Trent glanced down at the clipboard he was holding. His unofficial passenger list included, Charles Chandler, Catherine Chandler, Sue Charles, Michael Dundee, and a Vincent Wells. Only Charles Chandlers name was on the official list required for international flights. All the names on the unofficial passenger list were, more or less, familiar to him, with the exception of Vincent Wells. He knew that Catherine Chandler was the daughter of the same Charles Chandler that had been on that strange trip several years ago. He paused to wonder if Ms Chandler was aware of that creature that had been traveling with her father that time. The flight instructions had stated that if any complications came up, they were to be addressed to Ms Chandler or her father. He would discuss the cockpit restriction with them after they were airborne.

Trent's thoughts were interrupted by movement, caught out of the corner of his eye. He looked out the window at the six figures approaching the boarding stairs and froze. Among the group was that same massive heavily cloaked figure from the last time he had transported Mr. Chandler. 'Oh No not again.' Some man in a suit that he didn't recognize was also included in that group. He suspected that the man in the dark suit must be Vincent Wells, but why was the creature with them. Was the creature also going to be on this trip? The manifest had only specified five passengers.

All six mounted the ramp and entered the plane. A few minutes later there was a knock at the cockpit door. Trent peered through the spyhole and saw Charles and the man he didn't know standing at the door. He opened the door. "Hello mister Chandler. What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to make sure everything was ready for the trip." Charles remarked.

"The aircraft is fueled up, checked out and ready for the flight . . . However, there is one small problem."

Charles frowned. "What is the problem?"

Trent took a breath then spoke. "It's the length of the flight. New York to Sidney Australia is a very long flight. Spending the entire time in the cockpit will be impossible."

Catherine had approached the front and commented. "That could be a problem."

Trent looked at the unidentified man. "I understand that you want to maintain your privacy and I will do my best to be as unobtrusive as possible, Mister Wells."

The man shook his head. "It is Mister Wells' privacy that we are concerned with, but I am not he."

Charles jumped in. "This is FBI Agent James McClendon."

Trent blinked twice then his gaze shifted to the cloaked figure sitting with his back to them. Every one's gaze shifted to follow Trent's gaze then Charles continued. "Mister Wells has very good reasons to want to maintain his anonymity."

After processing this information, Trent shook his head then responded with a hint of an exaggerated German accent. "I See Nothing ... I Know Nothing ..." He paused a moment then shrugged and continued in a more normal voice. "... I especially don't know nothing about anything as absurd as a lion-man."

Catherine, James and Charles all stared back at Trent in shock.

After a moment Trent continued. "I didn't say anything last time and I won't say anything this time either . . . Hey, I would like to keep my pilot's license. The authorities frown on giving commercial pilots licenses to crazy people." He shrugged. "I fully sympathize with the character of Sergeant Schultz in that old TV show I watched as a child."

"What our pilot is saying makes perfect sense to me." Came a commanding voice from the passenger compartment as the cloaked figure stood up and turned around to reveal the lion-man that Trent remembered from before. The lion-man approached the group. "The name is Vincent."

The lion-man stopped beside Catherine Chandler and put his arm around her. Then, to Trent's great surprise, Catherine put her arm around the lion-man's back and leaned into him.

Catherine looked up into Vincent's face a moment then looked back at Trent. "It seems that the decision has been made. You are welcome to leave the cockpit."

James turned to Charles. "Well now that that is cleared up, I think that I should leave so that the five of you can be on your way. You have a long flight ahead of you."

After a quick round of goodbyes, James exited the plane. Twenty minutes later they were airborne, and New York City was rapidly receding to the rear.

Like the last time, Vincent was occupying most of the time looking out the window at the constantly changing landscape or cuddling while in quiet conversation with Catherine. Mick and Sue were similarly occupied. When Charles was not in conversation with the other four, he was quietly reading his book. Trent had left the cockpit door latched open and would occasionally glance back at the passengers he was carrying on this trip. Each time he caught a glimpse of Catherine Chandler and the lion-man, Vincent, cuddled so close to each other he would shake his head in wonder and return his attention to his instruments.

~ o ~

It had been about an hour after they had passed the coast and now all that could be seen from the windows was the sea below and the sky above with a slightly hazy horizon line separating the two. Vincent had abandoned the outside view and was now engaged in conversation with Charles, Sue, Catherine and Mick.

Trent came back and joined in the conversation.

After a few minutes Vincent's curiosity got the better of him. "Who is flying the plane?"

"George is." Trent answered with a smile.

Vincent glanced back toward the open cockpit door. "George?"

Trent chuckled. "The automatic pilot." He responded. "We are well outside of the normal air traffic lanes, so we have a clear sky all the way to Hawaii."

"Oh." Vincent responded dubiously.

Trent looked at Vincent in thought for a moment then inquired. "Would you like to come up front to visit the cockpit?"

Vincent blinked twice then his face lit up like a child on Christmas morning. "Yes . . . if that is allowed."

Trent led Vincent to the front of the aircraft and, after adjusting it for Vincent's size, had him sit in the copilot's seat. The rest of the passengers clustered near the cockpit door and watched as Trent explained to Vincent the intricacies of flying a twin-engine private jet. Vincent absorbed Trent's words like a sponge.

There was a moment of silence as Trent observed Vincent eagerly examining all the instruments then he spoke. "We are currently carrying more than enough fuel. Would you like to try to fly her for a few minutes?" Vincent looked up at Trent and his expression was all the answer that he needed. Trent glanced back at the surprised faces of his other passengers. "Everybody, get strapped in. Vincent and I are going to have a little fun."

After a moment of stunned silence everyone scrambled for their seats. Trent flipped off the autopilot and proceeded to talk Vincent through a series of gentle maneuvers. Once he was sure that Vincent had fully grasped the basics and could be trusted, he crossed his arms. "OK, Vincent, now that you know what you're doing, have some fun with it."

At first Vincent was very tentative but, at Trent's urging, he became bolder. Catherine could feel the glee radiating off of Vincent like a space heater. Soon she and Sue were making comments about 'boys with their toys' and giggling over the way Vincent and Trent were happily putting the plane through its paces.

After about an hour Trent talked Vincent through the procedure of getting the plane back on its original course and setting the autopilot. Then a smiling Trent and a gleeful Vincent came back to join the others.

Once they were seated. Trent announced. "For someone who has spent so little time in the air, Vincent seems to have a natural feel for flying." He clapped Vincent on the shoulder then continued. "Our little joyride cost us a bit over a half-hour but since we have the trade-winds with us we are currently a bit over an hour and a half ahead of our projected flight plan. We should be landing in Hawaii in about six hours for refueling, then on to the second half of our journey. One of my worries about this trip was that I would be making such a long trip without a co-pilot." Trent glanced over a Vincent. "It turns out that I will have two very capable pilots available to me during this trip."

Catherine could feel the surprise and pride that Vincent felt at Trent's declaration of confidence in him. She projected her own pride back to him.

Trent glanced at his watch. "It's getting late and I'm sure we are all getting hungry. Anybody here know how to cook?" Trent cocked his head.

Catherine and Charles both looked at Vincent. Charles spoke. "Most of us can get by but Vincent is probably the best cook among us."

Trent nodded and showed Vincent and Catherine to the galley at the back of the plane. It turned out to be very well stocked. Vincent and Catherine managed to throw together a pretty impressive late meal for everyone.

After the meal Trent showed them how to use the aircraft's VCR system. The tape library contained over a hundred movies, including a number of children's movies. The passengers ended up watching a Disney movie and a James Bond movie.

~ o ~

As Trent approached the Hawaiian airspace, he contacted the main tower, announcing their arrival and his intention to take a couple of loops in the standard aerial tourist routes before landing. It wasn't long before all of his passengers had their noses glued to the windows. Trent made a point of getting as close as he dared to the Mauna Loa Volcano which was currently engaged in its usual fiery display. There were a lot of Oooohhhs and Aaaaahhhs coming from the passenger compartment as he swung around the volcano. Then he swung past a plume of steam where a flowing lava tube opened to the sea. He circled each island in turn so that his passengers got a good look at every one of the major Hawaiian Islands.

After a complete circuit of the islands, Trent lined up in the landing queue for Honolulu until it was his turn to land. The plane touched down just as the sun disappeared below the horizon. An hour-and-a-half later he was back in the air with a full load of fuel and fresh supplies for the galley.

Less than an hour after takeoff the passengers had all settled in for the night. It wasn't long before nearly everyone was sound asleep.

~ o ~

Catherine was awakened by a gentle shaking of her shoulder. She looked up to see her father leaning over her with his finger across his lips and nodding to the left. She glanced in the indicated direction to see the pilot was sound asleep. She sat up looking nervously back at her father to find him pointing at the front of the plane. She glanced forward to see Vincent sitting in the pilot's seat. Charles shrugged at her look of inquiry. "I woke up just a few minutes ago to find him sound asleep and Vincent flying the plane."

As they were looking curiously at each other, Vincent came out of the cockpit with a self-satisfied grin. He glanced at Charles and Catherine and answered their unvoiced questions. "Trent had been awake for a long time and was nearly out on his feet. So, I've been keeping watch while he got some rest." He turned and gave Trent a gentle shake to wake him up.

Trent yawned, sat up, and looked expectantly at Vincent.

"We've just come within sight of the coast and, according to the instruments; we are dead on course for Brisbane. So, I came to wake you up." Vincent told him.

"Thanks, Vincent." Trent responded. "You're as good as any co-pilot I have ever flown with." Trent stood stretched and went up to the cockpit. A few minutes later the plane banked right, and Trent announced that they would be passing about fifty miles north of Brisbane and they should be arriving over Walkabout Creek in under two hours just after sunrise. They would be landing as soon as he located the abandoned airfield that Mick had told him about.

~ o ~

At the small deserted air strip near Walkabout Creek Wally, Devin and Carol rested in the shade of a temporary canvas pavilion that they often provided for the comfort of their customers. Their attention was drawn to the high-pitched whine of jet engines. They watched as the private jet came in for a landing.

There was a moment of panic when it looked like the jet was going to crash into the cluster of trees at the end of the dirt runway. The whine of the engine decreased in pitch and increased in volume and the plane managed to come to a halt just thirty feet short of the trees. By the time they reached the jet, it had turned around and the hatch was opening. A few seconds later, steps unfolded from the doorway.

Mick and Sue were the first to exit the plane. They were greeted by happy cries and hugs all around.

After a couple of minutes Mick got their attention to make an announcement. "We brought a couple of friends with us. We will be spending some time out at Belongamik." He drew their attention to the open hatchway where Vincent stood looking out at the vista before him.

Three jaws dropped to their maximum limit.

Wally gasped as a spurt of fear shot through him and he took two quick steps backward.

Carol gasped in surprise then broke into a huge grin.

Devin took two steps forward, his eyes wide with surprise, and exclaimed. "Vincent?! You're here?!"

Wally glanced toward Devin in surprise. "Your lion-man stories were true?!" His gaze returned to the apparition that currently filled the hatchway.

Devin glanced over at Wally and absent-mindedly rubbed his fingertips over the three scars on his cheek then dropped his hand. With a shrug and a grin, he announced. "Not entirely . . . Wally, I would like you to meet my little brother, Vincent."

Vincent began to descend the ladder and Catherine stepped up to the vacated opening. Devin blinked and smoothly continued. "… And his wife, Catherine?"

Catherine followed Vincent down the stairs and the two of them met Mick and Sue. Devin and Carol joined them as Wally continued to stare in disbelief. Charles leaned out of the hatchway and enjoined all of them to be careful and look out for each other. Then the stairs raised, and the hatch swung shut. Everyone moved back away from the airplane as the engines revved up. A minute later the jet was disappearing to the southeast. Charles, as the only official passenger would be going on to Sydney where he would be spending some time with an old friend from his Law School days.

Eventually Wally became accustom to Vincent and joined in the conversation about their past histories together.

The next morning Wally, Devin and Carol, headed back to Walkabout Creek to oversee the business and watch for any signs of pursuit. The rest headed northwest to an area Mick referred to as Belongamik.

~ o ~

"T…the w…word has been sssspread." The very nervous henchman barely managed to stammer out. "No o..one has seen them for th…th…the last f…five d…days." He shrugged helplessly.

Rico slammed his gun down on the table, causing everyone in the dingy old warehouse office to jump. "Where are they?!" He virtually shouted. "I spent years building my empire and no low-level nobodies are going be allowed to bring it down." He speared each of his surviving minions with an icy stare. "Triple the reward. I want those three found … NOW!" He picked up the gun and cocked it. The henchmen scrambled to exit that office as fast as they were able.

Rico stared at the rapidly disappearing backs of his few remaining loyal henchmen until only he and Miguel remained in the office. Rico shook his head and looked over at his top lieutenant while producing a snort of disgust.

Using the kidnapping as an excuse, the feds had rapidly descended on his organization like a plague of locusts. The resulting raids had decimated the north-eastern arm of his drug empire and they were starting to close in on the west coast branch. He still had the larger Columbian part of his organization but that was very little help to him right now. His absence, however, had emboldened the Columbian officials and they were starting to nibble at the edges of that operation. He had to find and eliminate those three witnesses and escape from this hell hole of a warehouse. Then he could deal with those Columbian officials and begin rebuilding the New York and California branchs of his empire.

He tossed his gun carelessly back onto the table. He had heard rumors about this Chandler woman's uncanny ability to make witnesses suddenly disappear from the face of the earth then make them reappear just as suddenly when needed. Once he got his hands on that woman, he was going to force her to tell him how she did that before he eliminated her. That knowledge would come in very handy once he got his empire rebuilt.

Then his mind drifted to when he had been bragging to Sue Charles about how much power he wielded, and she had called him 'Osmandius' … or something like that. For some reason his mind kept going back to that moment. He didn't understand what she had meant by it but there was something about the derisive way she had said it that unsettled him. He resolved that after this was over, he would have one of his minions find out what that word meant.

Rico leaned his chair back with a deep sigh of frustration. Once he got his hands on those three, he was going to make them wish they had never been born.

~ o ~

It had been over a week since the cops had invaded Rico's home and still no news about the three people that occupied Rico's mind, to the exclusion of everything else. Sue Charles, the nosy reporter whose ex had taken those damning photos of him. Catherine Chandler, the New York ADA and, it turned out, general thorn in his side for much longer than he had ever realized. Michael Dundee, the Australian Outback hick that had dared to break into his home to rescue that annoying reporter. Damn them all.

He paced the dirty, empty warehouse like a caged tiger. As long as those three remained alive, Rico was left dangling with an uncertain future. No matter what it took, he would find those three and destroy them in as messy and painful a way as he could devise. Then he would rebuild his empire and he would make sure that no one would ever dare oppose him again. His rebuilt empire would make him more powerful than ever. People would remember his name for centuries to come. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Miguel barged noisily into the warehouse.

"We've found them!" Miguel exclaimed, triumphantly. "They're in Australia . . . someplace called Walkabout Creek."

"Are you sure about that?" Rico asked after he had calmed down.

"Yes." Miguel nodded. "It was verified by one of our people in Brisbane. The Chandler woman's father disappeared at the same time as she and her friends. He was reported to be in Sydney two days ago. One of your men in Brisbane tried to get to him but he was too well protected. Our man did overhear him saying that his daughter was in someplace called Walkabout Creek."

It took Rico a moment to recall what he had in Australia. There was a small group of a half dozen attempting to set up operations in Brisbane. Getting a foothold in Australia was proving to be difficult and it was going very slowly. "Get us transportation to Australia, whatever the cost." Rico ordered. "Then get hold of my people in Brisbane and tell them to be ready for our arrival."

~ o ~

At a small private airport, inside of an unassuming hanger in a row of similar unassuming hangers, a very expensive, private jet quietly sat, being fully fueled for an extended flight. The owner and the pilot stood nearby, grousing about being required to make this particular flight. From what Bert had overheard, they were not happy about it. Bert clearly heard the owner tensely remark, to the pilot's complaint, that he felt the same way but there were certain individuals that one did not say no to. Bert shifted all his concentration to the fuel gage on the side of the large tanker truck just before the owner nervously glanced over at him.

A minute later Bert shut off the pump and disconnected the fueling truck. He got the owner to sign the invoice, and then stepped up into the driver's seat. He exited through the overhead door located next to the main hanger doors and headed to a small jet sitting outside another hanger. This was a smaller order and it didn't take him long to complete that transaction.

As Bert climbed back into his truck to drive it back to the fuel depot on the other side of the airstrip, the quiet was shattered by a loud noise as the massive doors on the hanger he had left earlier began to slide majestically open. Ten hard looking individuals entered the large opening.

A shiver ran up Bert's spine as he recognized the two individuals in the lead, from this morning's newspaper. Bert tried to suppress his nervousness and did his best to ignore the group as he was driving past the opening hanger doors. Soon he had left Hanger Row and he breathed a sigh of relief. If anyone had been aware that he had recognized Luis Rico and Miguel in that group, they would have killed him on the spot. He wondered briefly if the owner of the plane knew who he was dealing with.

As Bert parked the fuel truck back at its home at the Fuel depot, he saw the jet pull out of the hanger and head toward the end of the runway. He glanced back at the closing hanger doors. He thought he saw a shadow on the floor of the hanger just before the closing doors obscured it, but he couldn't be sure. It was already past the end of his shift and he liked staying alive, so he decided to ignore it and keep his mouth shut. He would head home and forget what he saw.

At the main gate Bert's conscious was pricking him and he stopped to report that there seemed to be something very suspicious about the way the people in Hanger 3 were acting. Feeling a little better about himself, he drove home. Let the airport authorities deal with it.

~ o ~

FBI Agent James McClendon stared down at his table at a local coffee bar in deep contemplation. Just an hour ago he had been informed that a long-range private jet had been stolen and the owner left dead on the hanger floor. According to the confidential report, the jet had been fully fueled and the flight plan said it was about to leave on a flight to South Africa.

It had been two hours since the initial discovery and still no more information. Even the plane's ID beacon was silent and all of the aircraft currently showing on radar had already been accounted for. James was worried. There were too many unknowns about this affair. Who had killed the owner and stolen the jet? What were their intentions? All appropriate authorities had been notified but, unless they located the jet or discovered the 'who' and the 'why', there was very little that could be done.

James had a bad feeling about this particular incident. One of his most disturbing nightmares involved a fully fueled jet in the hands of a group of suicidal terrorists. He again shook his head in frustration over the lack of information. The next moment he looked up as a very young street urchin walked right up to him. The boy held out his hand begging for a couple of dollars so he could buy himself some food. Fighting the urge not to crack a smile, James reached into his pocket and pulled out a five, handing it to the boy. He recognized the boy one of those from the tunnels of 'Below'.

The boy thanked James enthusiastically, grabbing his outstretched hand with both hands. The urchin took the five and quickly exited the cosy shop just as the barista brought James a fresh cup. James looked down at the folded slip of paper that the boy had left in his hand. He opened it and read the message it contained.

James ,

Sorry for the cloak and dagger but I know that I am being watched and I fear that you may be watched as well. It appears that Rico left his hideout sometime early this morning . Unfortunately, just as you had predicted, he has apparently evaded th traps . Later this morning he was spotted near La Guardia Airport but he disappeared before the police arrived.. I'm afraid that he may have found out where Catherine and the others went and is now trying to find a way to get to Australia . The situation may already be out of our hands . I just hope Dundee knows what he is doing .

Joe M.

James shook his head. He had half expected this. Then it hit him. Could Rico be involved with that missing jet?

Rico fancied himself as the equivalent of an ancient emperor. He thought he commanded so much power that he could do whatever he wanted and get away with it and, so far, no one had been able to stop him.

The track record of the DEA against the more powerful drug cartels was fairly dismal and the government in Columbia seemed to be easily corrupted or intimidated. Rico did wield a significant amount of cash and influence. He also suspected that Rico had more than one mole in various law enforcement agencies.

James frowned down at his table contemplating the reports on the missing jet and Joe's note sitting side by side on the table. Shaking his head, James pulled out his fancy new cellular phone and made a call that he had hoped he wouldn't have to make. He had known all along that it was a vain hope considering their adversary

~ o ~

For most of the last week Catherine, Vincent, Mick, and Sue had been spending their time in a small, slightly run down but still reasonably comfortable, cabin located about a hundred miles from Walkabout Creek. The cabin belonged to Mick, but he only used it on very rare occasions. It also had a short-wave radio that Mick and Devin were currently using to keep in touch.

This morning the message that they had been half expecting came through. "The rat escaped and might be in the back yard." Translation: 'Rico was loose and probably on his way to Australia.' It was time for them to go. Though nobody knew about the cabin, this was not where Mick wanted to make his stand.

In short order, the Jeep, that had been modified to handle extremely rough terrain, was packed, and they were on their way North-West, deep into the Australian Out-back. When asked where they were headed Mick told them that it was a region called 'Belongamik'.

After a several hour's drive, Mick left the trail and they were soon jostling their way over extremely rocky ground.

Mick brought the off-road vehicle into a relatively smooth area then came to a stop close to a ridge of rocky hills. Directly in front of them, blocking the road, stood a group of about a dozen very dark-skinned individuals.

Mick looked back at Vincent and Catherine. "We have to get out. We'll be on foot from here on."

Catherine looked at the group of Aboriginals, all armed with two or more spears each, and then looked to Vincent who nodded his head. "I do not sense any hostility." The four of them got out of the vehicle as the group of aboriginals approached.

The Aboriginals all stared at Vincent but other than raised eyebrows or wide opened eyes and/or mouths, they showed no other reaction to him. Vincent could sense an overwhelming air of surprise and awe with just a hint of fear coming from them. There was also a significant element of curiosity and deference mixed in as well.

Mick began speaking to them in a language that Catherine and Vincent did not recognize.

Vincent cocked his head in curious amusement. "I sense surprise, curiosity . . . and . . ." Vincent paused in surprise. ". . . And respect." Vincent shook his head in astonishment. "and . . . there is only the barest hint of fear."

Mick looked over his shoulder at Vincent and smiled. "They believe that you are a guardian spirit, here to protect this region of the Outback."

One of the Aboriginals spoke in English with an accent that matched Mick's. "You look very much like a guardian spirit to me." Some of the other Aboriginals nodded and several of them made quietly voiced comments in their incomprehensible language.

Catherine laughed and added her own evaluation. "Well, you can get very spirited at times."

Vincent turned red under his fur both from her statement and from the erotic emotions she projected to accompany her words.

Mick spouted off some more of their language that included Vincent and Catherine's names. Suddenly Catherine came under scrutiny as intense as what they were affording to Vincent. There was much more of the intense incomprehensible babbling among them.

Mick chuckled then informed Catherine. "They can barely believe that you would dare to become the mate to a guardian spirit. They are not quite sure what to make of you."

Catherine stepped closer to Vincent and linked elbows with him. "What can I say, I have very discriminating taste."

This also generated additional chatter and a few giggles from the three females in the group.

"We had better get moving. We have a long way to go and a lot to do." Mick remarked.

Seconds later they all headed west together following the edge of the low mountain ridgeline. After a few minutes of conversation half of the Aboriginals took off running in various directions and soon disappeared into the bush of the Australian outback.

~ o ~

Wally was relaxing in the local watering hole when Devin and Carol sat down at his table.

Devin leaned in close and spoke quietly. "I just got word from Charles that the drug lord that is after Sue, Mick, and Cathy, may be on his way here. If this is true, then he should arrive sometime in the next two days."

"How did they find them? What should we do?" Wally inquired in a worried voice as he looked around nervously.

Devin laid his hand on Wally's forearm to calm him and hold his attention. "There was always a good chance that they would be found. In fact, we were expecting it. Fortunately, we have plenty of warning, so they won't catch us unaware. I've already sent a message to Mick. You and Carol are going to go out to Belongamik where you are to meet up with the others at that cave just west of Mick's hunting shack. You know where that is, right?" At Wally's nod, Devin continued. "Mick wants you to take that old beat-up Range Rover … the one we don't use anymore. Once you get there head south for about five minutes then turn west and make for Jabba Point." Devin handed Carol an oval piece of wood with a thick piece of twine wrapped around it. "If you get lost just call for help with this. Someone will come find you." He gave her hand an extra squeeze then grinned wickedly at Carol and Wally. "I will stay behind posing as a long-time enemy who hates and fears Mick, and is willing to lead an armed party to where Mick is hiding." His wicked grin got wider, and his eyes glinted with mischief. "Mick and I will lead them a merry chase through the outback around Jabba Point while Mick and Vincent pick them off one by one."

Wally nodded then exited the bar. After a few more quick words Carol left.

Devin downed a couple of beers accompanied by a lot of barely audible grumbling. Finally, he stood up and went over to have a few words with the rough looking female bartender then following a nod of understanding from her, he also left. By tomorrow morning it would be generally acknowledged that there had been a nasty altercation between Mick and Devin a short time ago and Devin was particularly bitter about it.

~ o ~

Ozymandias – A Poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley
I met a traveler from an antique land
Who said: `Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, with sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear -
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.'

~ o ~

TO BE CONTINUED

'Beauty and the Beast' and its characters are owned by Witt-Thomas Productions and Republic Pictures. 'Crocodile Dundee' and its characters are owned by Paramount 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.