THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

CHAPTER 5

by Peg Ray

 One hour earlier…

Catherine was anxious for Vincent to appear while she was waiting Below. Her face lit up as his massive form appeared, and she felt his energy through the bond. She rushed into his arms for a much-needed hug without saying anything.

He obliged her with loving arms that closed around her in his familiar protective stance. He felt her melt against him as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly to control her concern that was flooding the bond.

“Tell me.” The familiar words were whispered in her ear.

Catherine pulled out of his arms and stepped back to explain. “There is something major going on with the steam system outside Smythe’s bookstore. Con Ed has the street blocked and numerous workers are assembled in the area. When I was in the bookstore, Kristopher Gentian showed up and told me that your community was in danger. He even insisted that I buy these two tunnel reference books to give you.”

She offered the books to Vincent as he tilted his head.

“Kristopher has appeared Below to Devin as well. I consulted with Narcissa, and she indicated he was warning us of danger, but as usual no pertinent details were offered. It seems that we are warned and need to take some yet unknown preventive action to remain safe. What exactly did he tell you?”

Catherine’s eyes focused to the side as she recalled the conversation. “He said the community was in trouble and something about the activity out on the street was nothing compared to what you would have to deal with Below. He said he marked some pertinent information in the books. The next thing I knew, he was gone. I am worried for all of you.”

Vincent reached out to her and gathered her in his arms. “Don’t worry. We have always dealt with threats to the tunnels and have managed to employ strategies to maintain our safety. This notice gives us a head start on what we need to investigate and find a solution for before any serious damage occurs. Thank you for letting us know.”

“Be safe.” Catherine whispered as she reluctantly let him go and watched him as he disappeared from her view.

* * *

Vincent left Catherine at a run with the tunnel reference books in hand. He needed to find Mouse and choose a place to meet that would not garner the attention of the tunnel residents to prevent the potential for any panic. Jamie was the first person he encountered at the nearest sentry post that was just changing guard. He was out of breath from running as he pulled her aside. Speaking in a whisper, he asked her to find Mouse and have him meet him in Cullen’s workshop. Then he asked her to get Father to meet them there as well.

He made his way to the workshop and called out. Cullen invited him in and met him with a quizzical expression.

“May we use your workshop for a meeting about the steam leak problem?” Vincent wanted to wait for the arrival of the others before going into details.

“Of course.” Cullen was bemused at the request but gestured for Vincent to sit on a work stool.

Instead, Vincent paced in silence until he heard the others nearby. Father, Devin, Jamie, and Mouse came bursting into the shop.

 “Jamie said news is bad. Very bad.” Mouse was hopping back and forth on each foot in agitation.

“Vincent, what was the message from Catherine that has such dire consequences?” Father looked expectantly into worried blue eyes.

“I fear you may be more worked up than is necessary at this point. I did not mean to imply that the situation is dire, as you say.” Vincent looked over at Jamie, who had been the catalyst for the escalated anxiety of the group.

“I’m not sure of the impact yet, Father, but there is a situation that needs to be evaluated. The city and Con Ed workers have blocked off an entire street in the West Village located directly over some of the outlying tunnels. She said that there is a flurry of activity in that area and she is concerned that while they are troubleshooting underground, they may end up going deeper into the tunnels and discover a route to us. She provided us with some reference books that may offer insight.” Vincent’s voice was calm in an attempt to lower the panic in the room.

“I’m sure the city doesn’t want a repeat of the steam system explosion in Gramercy Park last August. They will be on high alert to prevent a recurrence of that disaster. They’re still cleaning up the mess Above months later.” Cullen had immediately grasped the severity of the situation.

 “Let’s read over these references and see if there is anything that may be of use to us to plan our next course of action. We will also need maps of the tunnels that are in this area.” Vincent went to map of the city that was hanging over the workbench and pointed out the area Catherine had identified.

Mouse nodded and left to retrieve the tunnel maps.

Vincent hesitated as though weighing his next words before continuing. “Devin and I recently spoke with Narcissa, and she said that we are all in danger.”

Father let out an exasperated sigh and said, “We cannot put stock in that old woman’s rantings. If she cannot be bothered to be specific about the danger or threat, then it is no more than mere words. We need to focus on what we do know and take the necessary precautions to prevent our discovery.”

Vincent glanced over at Devin and knew that he could not add that a ghost had participated in the warning about the danger facing the community. He would need to keep that information to himself.

“The threat may be more than mere discovery during the repairs, Father. Remember the explosion last August? The depth of the crater was only fifteen feet deep, according to the newspaper accounts, but there were no deep tunnels in that area. The area below this work crew has numerous tunnels in the layers above us that could possibly collapse in the event of an explosion. Such an event would be catastrophic beyond the mere discovery of our home.” Vincent let his words settle in the minds of those in the workshop. The silence was deafening.

“As I see it, we have two problems with which to contend. The first is the steam pipe leak in our home tunnels that is compromising the structural integrity of the walls and upper tunnels in that area. The second is the risk of discovery as the Con Ed crew in the West Village seeks to make the steam system repairs to prevent further problems.” Vincent paused to read the room.

Mouse immediately returned with the tunnel maps and the group set about studying the maps and the two books to decide a course of action.

* * *

Catherine decided that she would go back to the area by the bookstore and see if she could find out anything about the exact nature of the problem the work crews were trying to solve. She changed into slacks, a sweater, and a jacket and put on comfortable boots before grabbing her wallet and keys. She then headed outside to hail a cab. She directed the driver to drop her off two blocks before the area where the road was blocked.

She popped into a bodega on the corner and bought a loaf of bread and a bag of chips so she would have a prop for being in the neighborhood. She casually crossed the street and made her way down the two blocks to the area that had been blocked to traffic. She stood outside an occupied phone booth and surveyed the activity to see if she could spot someone who could give a concerned citizen some information.

Then she saw him. A tall, dark-haired man wearing a green hard hat was speaking on a walkie-talkie. He looked to be the one in authority at the scene. He was standing about fifteen feet away from her at the edge of an open manhole. The conversation appeared to be an ongoing two-way dialog. The man’s body language told her he was exasperated with the situation. She decided to wait a few minutes after the conversation had ceased before approaching him.

She was counting on her attractiveness and smile to gain access to him for the facts. There was nothing wrong in using her natural gifts to get the information she needed to aid her underground family.

Catherine approached the man slowly and he gave her an appreciative perusal as she stepped up next to him. She remained smiling.

“Can you please tell me what is going on to cause such a commotion?” Her voice was soft and sounded concerned as the resident she hoped he thought she was.

“Well, ma’am, it’s just some unexpected steam system leaks in pipes that are close to a hundred years old. They will have to be replaced. We’re still assessing how large an area is affected before we shut down this part of the system from the East River Generating Station for the time needed to ensure we can effect all necessary repairs. There is no safety issue, but businesses in the area will be inconvenienced for an unspecified period. There is nothing for you to worry about.” His voice was reassuring.

Catherine thanked him for the information and walked two streets over to hail a cab to take her to Central Park. She wanted to impart this information to Vincent in person.

* * *

Catherine made her way to Father’s study and was surprised to find it empty. She had heard the sentry’s announcement on the pipes of her arrival as she made her way toward the home tunnels. Vincent’s absence to meet her or even greet her once she arrived had her concerned.

Geoffrey appeared at the top of the steps and shyly said, “Hi.”

She smiled and asked where she could find Vincent, who suddenly appeared as his name was spoken.

“I’m sorry, Catherine. I have been tied up in a meeting to determine what steps we are going to take regarding the steam pipe issues.” His body language was very apologetic as he gazed at her.

“No apology is necessary, Vincent. I just wanted to tell you that I went to the West Village and spoke with the foreman of the Con Ed crew about the problem. He told me that the hundred-year-old pipes in that area were failing and that they are identifying how much piping needs to be replaced. They will be shutting down the steam system in that area as they make the repairs. He said there is no danger.” Catherine hoped this information was useful.

“We have sent Cullen and Kellen to survey the tunnels around that area to make sure that all false walls are intact to prevent any accidental wandering by the repair crew. They left about thirty minutes ago and likely will not return for about eight hours. We are anxious to hear what they will report. And thank you for the information you got from the crew. It appears to be good news for now.” He stepped closer to her to give her a hug.

She closed her eyes and soaked up the warmth he was providing both physically and emotionally. There was nothing in her life like a Vincent hug.

“What have you determined to do about the steam leak in the home tunnels?”

She brought him immediately out of his reverent musings back to reality.

He released her and walked over to sit in the chair he always used in Father’s study. “We need to find the shut-off valve for the steam pipes in question and shore up the walls and ceilings in the affected area before we can proceed with replacing the pipes. Mouse is on an expedition above to procure the materials. Father insisted that it must be finding, not taking. He sent Jamie along as insurance.”

Both chuckled at the thought of how this mission might be going. “How about joining us for dinner, Catherine? You know you are always welcome.”

“I’d love to, Vincent.” She reached for his hand as he stood up to walk her to the dining hall.

* * *

When Vincent returned from escorting Catherine back to the basement of her building, he decided to check with Father to see if Cullen and Kellen had returned.

The patriarch sat at his desk poring over the tunnel maps and reference books. “Ah, Vincent. No, I’m afraid they haven’t even been spotted yet by the farthest sentry position. I am certain they are doing a thorough inspection to ensure our secret remains hidden from Above. Patience is something we will need to get us past these latest crises.”

Vincent smiled wryly. “I assume that Mouse and Jamie are also still on task, since I have heard nothing on the pipes.”

“Yes, I’m afraid that is so. Devin was looking for you earlier. He asked that you meet him in his chamber.” Father smiled at his son before going back to his reading.

Vincent started the trek to the guest chamber occupied by Devin. He knew that his brother was exhausted from lack of recuperative sleep so he hoped he might be taking a nap after dinner.

When he arrived at the chamber he called out for entrance.

“Come in, little brother. Just the person I needed to see.” Devin was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head held in his hands. “I think I am going crazy.”

Vincent sat beside him and placed his hand on his shoulder. “What brought this on?”

“I saw that guy with the ball cap again and he refused to speak with me. He just looks at me with a goofy grin. Creeps me out! Then he vanishes while I am looking at him. Seriously, Vincent, I think I need to leave or lose my mind. I gotta get some sleep.” Devin’s posture showed he was at his breaking point.

“Why don’t we get a cot and set it up in my chamber and you can sleep there with me. I can see what is causing you to be unable to sleep, and if the ghost shows up again, I can deal with him. How does that sound?” Vincent’s compassion for his brother was the same as when they were young.

“Thank you, Vincent. I will owe you big time for this.” Devin had yawned his answer.

A very tired Devin followed Vincent to the storeroom, where he grabbed a cot. The two made their way to Vincent’s chamber and made up the cot. Devin was so tired he immediately went to bed. Vincent decided to write in his journal to catch up on the events of the day. He kept one ear tuned to the pipes for word on both teams currently working on the steam pipe problems.

Finally, he decided to call it a night and closed his journal. He noticed that Devin was restless on the cot, as though he was having a disturbing dream. He debated about waking him when he looked to the door of the chamber to see Kristopher smiling and tilting his head towards the cot as he watched Devin.

“Kristopher, what are you doing here?” Vincent whispered the challenge to the ghost as it vanished from view.

He looked back at Devin, who had stopped his agitated movements and appeared to be resting comfortably now. He shook his head as he wondered what was going on.