Chapter Five

The next day during work, Cathy experienced a strange feeling, as if someone was close by; watching her. As she completed her tasks, the strange feeling made her feel uneasy. She was constantly looking over her shoulder, but no one appeared suspicious. Less than one hour before her lunch break, she hurriedly wrote a message for Vincent. It read:

Vincent,

I need you to meet me on the balcony tonight. There is something very important I must discuss with you. Please be careful.

Catherine

She handed the message to a helper on the street just outside of her office building as she walked to her car. She was going to meet Jenny for lunch since she had finally gotten in touch with her. Catherine's car was parked in a deserted parking lot next to her office building. As she neared her car, she felt that peculiar feeling again. She turned to look behind her, but saw no one following her.

When she stepped into her vehicle, abruptly two tall men in black suits approached on either side of her car. Catherine began to roll down her window to ask what they wanted, when suddenly the man on her left put a gun in her face.

Cathy screamed and quickly put the car into reverse. The gun fired, taking out Catherine's windshield. Cathy quickly sped through the huge parking lot, swerving to avoid parked cars. As she attempted to make her escape, the two men with guns shot at a man who was getting out of his van. The men stole the large orange van so that they could chase after Cathy in her car.

They began shooting persistently until the glass of her rear window shattered. Catherine swiftly turned the corner, ran from her car, and rushed toward the elevator that would once again take her back into her own office building. She pressed the button to open the elevator doors, but it would be a minute before the elevator would reach the sixth floor then return to the lower level.

"Come on! Come on!" she cried, but the elevator was starting down ever-so-slowly.

She heard the sickening crash as the van hit her own car and then the two men scurried out. They were swiftly approaching her. Just then the elevator doors swung open and Cathy stepped inside. The doors went closed before the two men could grab Catherine.

"Dammit! We let her get away!" one of the men shouted.

Catherine pressed the button to the sixth floor where her own office was located. She gave out a sigh of relief when the doors came open and there stood John Moreno.

"Ohhh, thank God, Moreno-!" Catherine exclaimed, but her words trailed away when two armed guards appeared on either side of Mr. Moreno. Mr. Moreno stepped away, allowing the two guards to reach out for Catherine. Her mind whispered Vincent's name as the two men drug her away.

~*~o~*~

Father was the one who brought the message from Above to Vincent. Vincent had been in his chamber reading the poetry of Shakespeare when Father entered. "Vincent, this just arrived for you," Father said, handing the slip of paper to his son.

Quickly Vincent unfolded the paper to disclose Catherine's message. He stood up swiftly, his eyes widening at her words. "It's from Catherine," Vincent explained. "I must go to her tonight."

"You're going Above?" Father asked with concern. "Are you certain you're feeling up to it? I could send a messenger.'

"No, Father. I am going," Vincent said firmly. "I must get on with my life. It is time."

Father knew not to argue. It would do no good. Whenever he had witnessed that determined look on his son's face, he knew there would be no way to change his mind. "Alright," Father said with a heavy sigh. "But be careful, Vincent."

~*~o~*~

At the very moment Father and Vincent spoke, Catherine's apartment was being searched. Four men were scouring Catherine's belongings from top to bottom. Not one inch of her apartment was to be left untouched by their inspection. Orders were to search until the book Hanlan had given to Joe just before the explosion was found or until any clue was discovered that could lead to the book's whereabouts.

At six o'clock that night, the four men put in a call to The Boss. "The apartment has been thoroughly searched. There is no sign of the book. However, we did search other books on the premises and we discovered something quite peculiar," said Jonathan Pope, The Boss's right hand man.

"What is that?" The Boss demanded.

"Many of her books contained writing on the opening page. The messages said : To Catherine, With Love, Vincent. Her records we have compiled do not account for this man Vincent. Perhaps if we were to find him, he could lead us to the book."

"Perhaps he can," The Boss agreed.

~*~o~*~

It was late in the evening, just as the sun was setting in the western sky, when Vincent made his way onto Catherine's balcony. There was darkness inside her apartment and when he approached the French doors, he suddenly knew she was not at home.

He attempted to stare through the glass, but the glare of the city lights reflecting on the windows blocked his view of the apartment within. "Catherine, where are you?" he whispered, his voice trailing into the wind.

He stood there a few moments, willing her to come, but she did not. Where was she?! Her message had been urgent; perhaps she had fallen into some kind of trouble. With their psychic connection severed, he was unable to tell if she were in any danger.

Suddenly as the sun sunk deeper in the sky, he got a glimpse of the apartment within. "Catherine!" Vincent cried out, bursting through the French doors and nearly tearing them off their hinges.

He searched every room thoroughly, but Catherine was no where to be found. Her lovely little home was in a state of great disaster, yet very few of her possessions appeared to be broken. As he walked through the living room toward the doorway of the balcony, Vincent noticed something which was setting on the mantle of the fireplace. He recognized it to be a framed photograph of Catherine and her late father. He reached out, taking the picture for himself. He knew Catherine would not mind.

Where was she? And why was their bond severed? How would he ever find her?

As tears shone in his blue eyes, Vincent returned to the balcony, staring off into the night. He'd find her. He would turn the world upside down and he'd find her. He had to get his Catherine back where she belonged - in his arms.