This is a special wed story showcasing Susan’s Cross over of Once Upon A Time in Mexico with The Sentinel; other stories in this series are exclusive to the fanzine.
Cross over story
Once Upon a Time in Mexico X The Sentinel
In Mexico CIA Agent Sands gambles on elaborate plan that will result in him being able to leave the country with several million on Mexican currency, the result is carnage. On the ‘Day of the Dead’ he is betrayed and blinded, during the course of the day his Sentinel abilities come on line, and he is able to kill the men that blinded him.
, He’s a dangerous immoral and psychotic killer; his own Agency posted him to Mexico to keep him away from DC. He’s a loner but his life changes when he bonds with Freddie Morton a 21-year-old student at Rainer University.
Rejected from the Guide Programme she never through she would bond.
Greg Lewis a former FBI agent acts as liaison between Sands and both the CIA and FBI. His job is to help Freddie keep Sands balanced and concentrating on the job in hand. Sands is infamous for his concept of “balance” usually achieved by the business end of a gun. In Mexico he is known to kill a chief for cooking his favourite roast pork dish too well, by killing a good chief he retains the balance with the really bad ones. No one ever said the Sands was totally sane, just that he is good at the job he does.
Jim and Blair have taken the newly bonded pair under their wing, attempting to help smooth out the problems life is throwing at them, at the same time working with them on various missions, that affects the City of Cascade.
Part One.
Alistair Campbell was an ox of a man. An expatriate Scot, he had become a Captain in the Baltimore Police Department. During his time, there had been one case that had haunted him. He had taken a personal interest in the development of the young police officers in his department. And when one of them turned bad, he saw it almost as a personal slight. Years later he had received a file through the post. The message was cryptic; the killer he had thought locked away in an asylum, was on the loose and was killing again.
The trail had taken him to Cascade. It was then that he knew the very people that should have joined him in his hunt were blocking him. In the end it had taken him to Dr Morton and his wife and through them to his prey.
He had arrived on their doorstep and being law-abiding people, they had let him into their home. Over coffee, he had opened the file. “I had this picture emailed last night from Baltimore PD,” he paused, can you recognise this person?”
Mrs Morton took the picture from Alistair, looked at it and passed it silently to her husband. “He looks impossibly young in this one, and of course his hair is short and he doesn’t have his dark glasses.” She looked up from the picture.
“That is my daughter’s sentinel.” Dr Morton said and then added. “But then you already knew that, didn’t you?”
Alistair nodded, “you have no idea how dangerous this man is, and from what I have seen and heard recently, he is seriously unbalanced.” Seeing their expression he added, “Sheldon Jeffery Sands, was sent to an insane asylum.” He paused. “Okay that might not be the politically correct term for it, but that is where he was, and it was for life. The examining doctors said that there was little chance of him making a full recovery.”
“What did he do?” asked Dr. Morton.
Alistair had told them. It had lead to a chase to a team building camp, and there he had found the real murderer of the women, during which Freda Morton had nearly died. She could only be saved if Sheldon Jeffrey Sands was put back in the asylum where he belonged.
******
Alistair returned to the Morton household; this time Freda’s parents let him in without question. “This is the second time she had nearly died because of him. This had to stop Mr Campbell.“ Dr Morton said as he waved him to a seat. “We are ready to listen to you.”
Alistair opened up the file and laid it on the table.
“He was originally charged with the murder of four women. I now know that he was only guilty of the death of his partner. Now what I want to know is how Sands got out of there, and who covered his tracks.”
He saw the way husband and wife exchanged a look, and then pushed harder. “Sands will kill and keep killing and next time it might be your daughter. Remember he killed his partner. I am sure that she trusted him right up to the moment that he pulled the trigger.”
“He…” Mrs Morton began to cut in.
But her husband shook his head. “His behaviour had been erratic.“
Alistair nodded then said, “Sands is a sexual predator. We have reason to believe that he was bedding his partner before he killed her.” Alistair saw their expression; the last was a fabrication but he could see that it was a way in. The family was already unsettled and all he had to do was give them a reason to distrust Sands further.
When he left two hours later, Alistair had recruited the two most important people in his campaign to bring Sands down. This time the little bastard wouldn’t escape; he would spend the rest of his life in a padded cell.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Ellison / Sandburg Apartment.
The sun was streaming through the window, and through the open door on the veranda there was a warm gust of wind.
Blair Sandburg was sitting across the table from Freda Morton, and took a sip of his coffee. “So where is Sands, or should I be looking over my shoulder?”
“He’s downstairs in the apartment cleaning his guns, and refining his theory of balance.” She saw the look on Blair’s face, and shook her head. “It’s keeping him occupied.” Then her face clouded. “You’re not scared of Sands are you?” She saw the look on Blair’s face. “But he’s my sentinel.”
“He’s your sentinel, Freddie.” Blair smiled to reassure her. “That is why he doesn’t scare you; but have you any idea of how the idea, of Sands in blessed protector mode affects everyone else? Most of the population go hunting for a kevlar vest.”
Blair took another sip of his drink. “We have talked about the sentinels; now is the time to talk about the guides, and Freddie we need to talk.” He paused. “Back at the hub you were upset and worried about Sands and another guide.”
Freddie looked down and stirred her coffee. She looked miserable.
“I don’t have… “She trailed off still looking at the cup. “I am not good enough for Sands. He needs someone that can keep him alive, and I have been really lucky up to now. How long before I make a mistake and end up with him dead. He needs more than I can give him. Can’t you… “She trailed off, not looking at him.
Freddie felt Blair cover her hand and sensed him leaning into her.
“Look, all guides at the beginning think that they are not good enough for their sentinels. We have doubts and they never go away. After all, we make a mistake and it can be them that pay the price. But you have to understand that you’re only human. This other guide that you saw, what do you know about him?”
“Sands won’t talk about him. I think it must be from the ‘Day of the Dead’. He well…you can understand why he won’t talk about it. But this El. He’s everything I am not; you should see him handle a gun. He’s… I…“ Freddie trailed off. She had fleetingly met Blair’s gaze and he had clearly seen the tears running down her face.
“What if I could arrange lessons for you?”
“Greg tried that. He showed me how to use a gun, and when they attacked I used it and Blair, I think I killed someone!” The tears flowed even more. “At the time I had to protect Sands, but now sometimes I wake up and I can see that man coming towards me.”
“There is no way that you should have had to kill someone. I am sorry.”
Freddie looked up. ”It’s not your fault.” She gave a sniff.
“Have you spoken to Sands about this?”
Freddie choked back a laugh. “I can’t speak to him. How can I? It’s just not a problem with Sands.”
“He is your sentinel and will only want to help you regardless of his own feelings. Trust your instincts with him. You did when you agreed to bond with him, and every night when you take him into your bed; you reaffirm your connection with him.
Blair pauses, seeing Freddie blush. Every night she went to bed with a man who could send a lot of hardened agents running and screaming into the night, yet she blushed when he said she shared a bed with that self same sentinel.
But then if she saw some of the things… Blair pushed the thought away for later.
“Sorry. You know I didn’t mean it that way. Like I said, what if I could arrange a lesson on gun handling; and if I do that, you speak to Sands. Remember, he is your sentinel, and he’s not going to laugh at you.”
Freddie dabbed her face with her hanky. “Thanks.” She squeezed his hand, and got up. She had a sentinel to talk to.
Blair switched off the white noise generator. Now it was up to her. He would have a chat with Jim about the rest.
0-0-0-0-0-0
“Enjoy your talk with Sandburg, Freddie?” Sands drawled as he looked up from the automatic he was cleaning. That was the thing about Sands; he never acted as if he was blind.
“Yes.”
She saw the look on his face change and he sniffed. He could smell the salt of her tears. “What the fuck did Sandburg say?” He was on his feet.
“Nothing.”
He was in front of her in three strides, his hands reaching out to cup her face. His thumbs stroking under her eyes, feeling the wetness on her cheeks.
“This is nothing?” he snarled.
“We talked.” She reached up and her fingers curled round his wrists. As he started towards the door, “Sands please,” she burst out crying. Releasing his wrists, her hands ran up his arms and she clung to him.
For a moment his hands just floundered in the air, as if he wasn’t sure of how to touch her; then he hugged her close with her face pressed to his throat, her tears soaking his shirt, her body heaving as the tremors shook her.
0-0-0
Later Freddie sat on the sofa, a drink in her hands, Sand’s arm was around her and he was holding her close. “So talk to me.”
“I can see his face.”
“Sandburg?” Sands sounded puzzled.
“The man I shot; the one that broke into the apartment at Christmas. I sometimes wake up seeing his face. I killed him. I read the report. One of them died of a .38 bullet. I shot him in the head.” The tears slid down her face.
Sands took a deep breath. He was about to say that he couldn’t see what the problem was; but this was Freddie and she was his guide, and he didn’t like to see her hurting. “Freddie, you had no idea if he was going to kill us. You protected yourself and your sentinel; he got in the way and you removed a threat. That’s all.”
“How do you?” Freddie’s voice was muffled as Sands pulled her close to him.
“Immoral Sociopath, remember?” Sands put in levelly as he stroked her hair. His lips brushing her forehead.
He felt her chuckle against his throat. “You always have to remember that it’s them or us. For you taking a life is the last resort; you’re a good person Freddie. For me,” he shrugged “the balance had to be maintained.”
“Can you teach me?”
“To maintain the balance, sure kitten.” He rocked her gentle as he monitored her heartbeat, as it slowed into sleep. As sleep claimed her she thought she heard him say, “My kitten will have the sharpest claws.” Then his lips brushed her forehead again.
Tomorrow he would speak to Sandburg and find out what had happened to her in the apartment. Whatever their talk had been about, it had frightened Freddie and he wouldn’t allow that.
0-0-0-0-0
There was a knock on the door and Blair opened it and took a step back. Sands stood there. “Are you going to invite me in Chief?” Sands drawled.
“Right.” Blair opened the door to allow the other sentinel in.
“Mind telling me what you said to my guide that made her cry?” Sand’s tone was flat, which even to Blair meant that Sands was royally pissed off.
“She had some issues she needed to talk over.”
“It’s good that you didn’t lie to me.”
Blair nodded. “We need to talk about Freddie and someone called EL” He saw the slender sentinel freeze slightly.
“And where pray did you get that name?”
Blair tensed. It was said just a little too calmly for his liking. Even so he said.
“Freddie said you met him in Mexico and she’s convinced herself that he would make a better guide. That he could protect you.“ He paused. “All guides have a time when they are scared that they’re not good enough to protect their sentinel. Hell I did with Jim. He’s a cop and a good man. He needs the best, and many of them didn’t think a longhaired hippy wantabe was good enough for him. For Freddie there is the fear that if she fouls up, she is going to get you killed.“
Sands swore short, sharp, and colourfully.
“So who is this El?”
There was a long pause,“ The biggest damn Mexican you ever seen.” But he made no attempt to explain the cryptic remark.
There was a long pause as Sands hand rolled one of his cigarettes and lit it, spitting out a strand of tobacco that had come loose.
“So how do we help her?” Perhaps one of only a few times Sands let his concern about Freddie show.
‘We’ he changed it to. “I think that it might be best if we get her some sort of training. It might cover what she has already learned; but what we are doing is boosting her confidence here. We both know that Freddie is an intelligent girl, and that she has shown herself to be an excellent guide. She just needs to get it on paper.” Blair stopped and looked at the man in front of him. “The main problem is that she was rejected as a guide, and for that reason, doubts herself more that most.”
Sands tapped his cigarette ash onto the wooden floor, and a smile touched his lips. “A little ash that’s all, calm down Sandburg, before you have a fit, or is Ellison such a hard ass as that?”
“That he likes his home clean, then the answer is yes.” Jim put in as he hung up his coat. He knew that Sands had heard him arrive even if his sudden arrival had made Blair jump.
“Got any ideas Ellison?” Sands knew that the other Sentinel had been eavesdropping since he had entered the building; he knew he had because he would have done that if someone had been speaking to Freddie.
“The Sentinel and Guide Programme at the Academy. It was launched about two years ago as a means of introducing guides to the police force. They would get a good grounding in police procedure and gun handling, so they would be better able to back up their police sentinel. Also some guides are interested in their own careers and use it as an opportunity to meet an unbonded sentinel who shares the same career aims as they do.
I think we can get her and Blair into the course. It’s only a few weeks long as a taster and then hopefully she is going to okay.”
Sands looked thoughtful as he rolled another of his cigarettes. Blair shook his head. Sands chained smoked and getting him to stop was going to take more than a local by-law.
“Get the paperwork going. I’ll handle the Agency, and we’ll give it a go.”
It was then that Blair realised what Jim had said and looked up. “Blair, what?”
“Well, you wouldn’t like her to go through it on her own, would you?”
Sands gave an evil chuckle. Jim turned to his fellow Sentinel. “I don’t know what you’re laughing about. In the case of bonded guides, the sentinel has to do the course as well.” He paused for dramatic effect. “Welcome back to the thin blue line, Sands.”
0-0-0-0-0
Blair looked at the front door and winced. His head still ringing from the way the door had slammed on Sands’ way out. “Well that went well, Jim. I never quite heard the police academy described that way and with hand gestures as well. You know, I could do a paper on Sands’ use of local dialect and language. I picked out a couple of dead languages as well as three living ones, and a colourful use of anatomy.”
Jim patted his guide on the back. “I think we best give Greg a heads-up on this. He’s going to need it.”
0-00—00
The house was in a residential area of Cascade. The house dated from the 50’s at a time when front and back lawns were common and not an oddity.
In the back garden, Greg Lewis was enjoying his time off with his family. His oldest girl was twelve and the oldest boy was ten years old. He was enjoying a game of baseball in the back garden with them.
The doorbell rang and Selma Lewis went to answer it. She opened the door. The man had his back to her. With a slender build, he was casually dressed. Then he turned to face her, his smile was stunning.
“Greg Lewis household?”
“Yes.”
The man put a gloved hand out. “Sands, I am one of Greg’s partners.”
For a moment she hesitated, then she smiled. “Greg has spoken about you; please come in.”
Greg caught the baseball as he saw his wife come out of the garden and threw it back to his children.
“Greg, there’s a Mr. Sands here for you.” Greg missed the ball, as it was hit back to him, and his wife Selma was unsure what to make of his expression.
“I let him into the front room.”
The former FBI agent quickly reassured her. “It’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting him; he was working on a report.”
“He seems a very charming young man.” She put in.
“Oh Yeah, he is.” He tossed the ball back to his eldest girl with a promise to rejoin the game and made his way back into the house, and his partner.
Sands was seated in Greg’s own chair, legs crossed, one foot swinging to music only he could hear. “Hello Greg. I am sure you don’t mind me dropping by. It’s the first time I’ve visited. You know I could take it personally that you never invited me before.” His tone was lighter. “I might think you didn’t want me to know where you lived.”
“You know the rules Sands. I have my down time just like you and Freddie.” He came to a halt as he saw the shake of the head and the wave of a hand towards the other chair in the room.
“Ellison is going to arrange for Freddie to do a Sentinel Guide course at the Police Academy. Of course we can file this under interagency co-operation; but then you already knew that didn’t you?” His tone changed to one of sweet reason and his smile was just a bit too bright, which gave Greg a icy shiver and he kept a close look at just where Sands’ hands were. As if sensing it, Sands shook his head. “Don’t’ worry Greg. I am not that pissed off. You’ll know when I am.”
The older man decided that when confronted with a sentinel that could read your heart like Braille, it was best to keep it as near to the truth as possible.
“Jim rang last night, we talked it over and I made a few calls. Would it surprise you to know that your instructors at the Farm still remember you Sands? Something about shooting a fellow student?”
He saw Sands’ lips twist into a smile. “Fun days, Gregory,” he drawled. “But you were explaining your involvement.”
Greg glanced towards the door and waved his daughters to go straight into the dining room. He didn’t want them anywhere near Sands.
“I was invited to lecture at the academy a couple of years ago and Jim thought it was a good idea if I took them up on the idea during the three weeks you and Freddie are there. Keep the body count down to single figures.” Greg suddenly cursed as he realised that he had said it out loud.
Sands laughed, “I am not a psychopath, Gregory. I just have a very unique way of viewing the world.”
“R i g h t.” Greg drew the word out slowly. It was only then that he realised that his interaction with Sands since his bonding had rarely been alone. Nearly always Freddie had been acting as a human buffer between them, and she was fluent in Sands’ speak. “Jim is going to be on the course as well, with Blair, but he’s also taking a couple of classes as guest lecturer so it looks like you’re covering both guides some times.”
He saw Sands’ eyebrows shoot up above his dark glasses, as Greg added “It seems he trusts you with his guide Sands, and we’re talking about a guy that put at least two of his colleagues down on their ass for looking at the kid the wrong way.“
Sands didn’t answer. If anything, he looked thoughtful. So Greg continued. “I’ll have the paperwork sent to your apartment, and as far as the other students are concerned, you are a federal agent and you do know me.”
At that moment Mrs Lewis came in. “Greg, dinner’s ready. Perhaps your partner would like to stay; it’s pork.”
“Err no.” Greg looked like a deer in the headlights. “I…”
“Roast Pork?” Sands asked.
“Yes, do you like it?” Mrs Lewis asked, coming a little closer. It was such a shame he was such a good-looking young man and to be blind. She felt an almost maternal surge as she saw how slender he was. He needed feeding up.
“Love it, Mrs Lewis.” He put hand out to Greg and patted his arm. “I am sure this is one meal I am going to enjoy.” He heard the heartbeat increase, then added. “But not too much, or Freddie would kill me.”
“Why?” Mrs. Lewis asked.
“She worries about my diet.” Sands answered turning his considerable charm on her, as he reached out to take her hand. Moving smoothly from husband to wife. “Lead the way Mrs L”
Greg rolled his eyes, and followed on after them. Selma didn’t know it, but she was dancing with the devil.
0-0---0-0
Blair and Freddie were sitting together in the dark blue sweatshirt and pants training dress of the Academy students. Blair looked around him and did the math. There were six in their group. Ted and Mark were a rookie sentinel and guide pairing. John and Daniel were sentinels looking for guides and a career. Then there was him and Freddie, who was looking anywhere but at the people around her, as she fiddled with the textbook in front of her.
All together, they had six weeks to learn all they would need to pass out of the Academy Sentinel and Guide training programme, and hopefully give Freddie the confidence she’d need.
The first week of the course was the nuts and bolts basic, including self-defence. In the second week, Sands would be joining them, and Jim in the third week. It was half way through the day that Blair knew they had a problem. Daniel had taken to Freddie, and seemed hell bent on trying to befriend her, a near lethal mistake once Sands joined them.
Day three
6.00 o’clock
Blair parked his car and looked across at Freddie. He frowned as he put his hand up to touch her face. She pulled backward and seeing his concern, she added. “It’s sore, that’s all. Dan didn’t mean to do it.”
“Sure” Blair echoed “that guy reminds me of an overeager puppy. As they got out of the car, he looked up to the apartments. “How are you going to explain that to him?” There was no need to say ‘who’ he was.
“With a bit of luck he won’t notice.”
Blair rolled his eyes. “Freddie, he’s a Sentinel.” He made it the question and the answer in one.
“Maybe he might miss it. You never know.” But it was going to be wishful thinking.
Sands was sitting on the sofa. He was chain-smoking by the look of the number of cigarette butts in the ashtray. “Enjoy your day?”
“Yeah, some, hard work.”
“One day a cop and already she can’t put one sentence together.” Sands drawled, as he leaned forward to put out his cigarette as he got up.
Alone his eyes aching, Sands had forgone his glasses by pushing them up on his head, and the empty eye sockets were exposed.
This never frightened Freddie; if anything it made her more tender towards him.
It was then that he froze and turned very slowly towards her. Freddie took a step backwards. “I best get changed; must be stinking up the place.” She tugged at the sweats and started towards their bedroom, only to be caught by an arm and pulled back to face him. He let his glasses fall into place.
His other hand caught the front of her sweatshirt, and she was nose to nose with him. Freddie tried to push him back a step but it was fast getting into a tug of war with her sweatshirt. But for all his slender build, Sands has a wiry strength and he was hard to budge.
“It’s nothing Sands; please.”
“Nothing,” he mused. “Then why the fuck can I smell someone’s scent all over you? A man’s scent. Who the FUCK HAD HIS HANDS ON YOU?”
“A sentinel.” There was a pause. “A sentinel, bonded?” He asked, his tone very calm.
“Err no, unbonded. He’s looking for a…” Freddie bit her lip; she was digging someone’s grave with every word she uttered. “He didn’t mean any harm.”
Sands, with his grip still on her sweatshirt, dragged her to the door pulling his glasses down to cover his mutilated eye.
Mrs Sherman, their neighbour, came out of her door, her mouth dropping open as she watched Freddie being tugged past her.
“Are you alright Freda?”
“Fine!” Freddie flushed bright red, as she was tugged along the corridor.
0-0-0-0-0
Blair was backed against the wall, his sentinel right in his face. He had one hand pressed to Jim’s chest. “Easy big guy, no need to get angry, he didn’t’ try anything. He just wanted to know if I was free; that was all. I set him straight.“
Jim leaned in and aggressively scented at the smaller man’s hair and throat. “Then why do you stink of his scent?”
He broke off as he started towards the door, turning fast to level a finger at Blair. “Don’t even think of moving chief; we are not finished yet.”
The sentinel yanked the door open to find Sands standing there with Freddie in tow. Her sweatshirt was riding up as he dragged her along.
“Sands I have a situation here.”
“And I have Swiss cheese here, Ellison. Freddie has been with an unbonded Sentinel. What kind of fucking academy is this state running when they let unbonded sentinels get their hands on a claimed guide?” He gave her shirt a shake.
Jim suddenly saw the bruise on her face, “Sands you didn’t?”
“What?” He hard the harsh hostility in Jim’s voice.
“Her face.” Jim put a hand out to examine the bruise but she flinched. “She’s got a bruise under her eye.”
“The fuck!” Sands spun around releasing his hold, reaching for her, this time Freddie stood still. She knew that it would only make matters worse.
“And what is this, nothing?“ His fingers brushed her face; he could feel the heat from the bruise under her eye.
“I zigged when I should have zagged.” She tried for a light tone, and knew that it was a losing battle when she saw the look on his face.
“So why pray where you zigging and zagging, Miss Morton?”
“It was self-defence class and the sentinel, err…” she saw the look on his face darken, “err, boy, err…” Freddie shrugged as whatever she said, it was only going to make it worse. She dropped her head forward. “It was an accident.”
Jim turned back to Blair. “Unbonded, Blair?” He raised an eyebrow.
Blair shifted slightly as he felt Jim’s gaze settle on him. “Dan and John are unbonded, but they haven’t tried to bond or…” He paused. “Look, we did self- defence and that was all.”
“We put this right tomorrow; no one does this to Freddie.”
Keeping his grip on her shirt, Sands was dragging her to the door, muttering away to himself, and what he planned to do the sentinel who had hurt her.
“Err, Sands, you can’t kill someone for an accident.” Freddie managed to insert as she caught his arm and tugged him to one side so that he didn’t collide with the door to the apartment.
Softly so that she only just caught what he said. “I can.”
Blair smiled at his sentinel. “Whoa, that was intense man. Sands really has a possession problem, I… “ He trailed off as he saw Jim looking at him, hands on hips. “And where do you think you’re going, Chief?”
Blair made a vague motion towards his bedroom; instead he was caught by both shoulders and pointed towards the shower, and then propelled in.
“Err, can’t we talk about this?” He twisted around to look at Jim and saw the expression on his face and gave up. It looked like Freddie wasn’t the only one landing in hot water tonight.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Freddie took her bath, soaking away the scent of the other sentinel. She had not showered at the academy. Unlike the other students, they were not living on site because of being near their sentinels. The door opened and Sands was standing there; habitual cigarette burning in his hand, shoulder against the doorjamb. “This unbonded sentinel, Dan?” he made the name a question.
“He’s looking towards a career in the police and looking to bond, but once he knew I was bonded he backed off. He just happened to get paired with me.”
“Right.” He drawled softy and took another pull on his cigarette then he moved to sit on the edge of the bath, reaching his free hand into the bath water to swirl it with his fingertips.
“Warm?”
“Fine.” Freddie had to remind herself that Sands was blind because the way he was tilting his head now, it was as if he was looking straight at her. His lips twitched into a smile; one of the ones he reserved for her. He trailed his hand along the top of the tub and then reached out to her, burying them in her hair and then moving to cup her face, his thumb brushed her lips as his fingers brushed lightly on the bruising, careful not to inflict pain. “So how did this happen, and Freddie,” he paused, “the words zigged instead of zagged should not be about to leave your mouth.”
A mischievous smile touched her lips. She didn’t want to go there and it would be an ideal time to take his mind of the subject.
She reached up, her wet fingers rubbing his thumb and forefinger.
“Now what do you want, Miss Morton?” She saw one of his eyebrows arch as he pulled his glasses down only slightly, not enough to show the mutated eyes. Then he pushed them back.
“My Sentinel.” She guided his hand over her face so it brushed across her lips. The look on Sands face was like the cat that had gotten the cream.
“Bond with me, Jeff. Now.” She nipped his palm.
He brought his hand to his face and licked the bite, tasting her on his skin.
“My kitten has sharp teeth.”
“Meow.”
0-0-0-0-0—0
Blair was pinned to the bed; his sentinel was looming over him, as he leaned in to scent at his throat, the constant growling vibrating through the powerful body. This was going to be a claiming that was toe curling. The bond was, the feeling of being cherished above all others. A sentinel made the vow with all their senses; a guide could only make it with words. The bond was a guide’s way of cementing the bond.
Sands looked up from where he was laying. He tried to move, but he was tied down; looking across the room he recognised Barillo, and his bitch of a daughter. He had loved her or as near as he could come to love. And she had betrayed him. The sound of the drill brought his head around, and all he could focus on now was the drilling coming towards his face. Hands with long manicured nails held his face still and just as the world went black, he saw her face and the look of satisfaction.
Sands woke with a start, pushing away from the person holding him, as he screamed at them to let him go, but even as he did he was grabbing for the gun. Freddie bailed out of the other side of the bed and kept her head down and her face buried in the carpet as he waved the gun around, head whipping back and forward, trying to fix on the ghosts from the past.
Finally he sank down on his knees, the gun still in his hand, the barrel now touching the ground. His breathing was fast and shallow.
Looking up, Freddie called out. “Sands you still standing?”
Slowly he lifted his head. “Yeah, still standing,” and he was. Under his breath but loud enough for her to hear, he muttered, “I am Sheldon Jeffery Sand, Central Intelligence Agency, I cast the shapes and let them fall.” It was his mantra and repeating it reinforced just who he was.
“Sands,” she called him again. This time she got a shaky answer. She watched as he put the gun on the floor and only then did she go over to him. Kneeling next to him, she pulled him into her arms, tucking his head under her chin, and holding him close.
This had happened before, and Freddie had learned how to handle him. What he needed was to bury himself in her scent. To surround himself in her and to know that there was another reality outside of the pain and humiliation that that bitch had inflicted on him. His voice slowly dropped to a whisper and his grip on her waist eased. Reaching up with one hand, she snagged the quilt and pulled it down and around them both as he slowly melted against her.
Gently, Freddie’s hands moved over him, under the quilt, letting her touch keep him grounded. It had been a while since he had had a nightmare like that. But since Alistair Campbell’s appearance had brought back his past, the nightmares had come back with a vengeance.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Blair drained his orange juice. He had never been a breakfast person until he had gained a 6 foot 2, mother hen, with a lethal line in blessed protector instincts. He looked down at the scrambled eggs and the buttered toast; he pushed his plate away, only to get it pushed back at him. Looking up he met the steady gaze of his sentinel, with a sigh he took a bite of the toast. He just hoped that Freddie was getting on better than he was.
Upstairs in the Sands Morton Apartment, Freddie put the breakfast plate down in front of her sentinel. He was sitting smoking one of his habitual cigarettes. She took a mental deep breath. Given a choice she would stay at home and spend a sentinel day with Sands. They had bonded on waking, long and slow, and he had been reluctant to let her go in the morning. She had even ended up in the shower with him, which had been a first.
She took a slip of her orange juice, watching over the rim. Sands was in blessed protector mode, and twitchy as hell after last night, which were all very bad things as it usually meant that Sands was trigger happy, and that could have very lethal results. She took another sip, wondering if she could some how get him to let her go on her own, back to the academy. As if reading her mind, he stubbed out his cigarette, drained his coffee and reached for his coat.
“Ready?”
Freddie just knew it was going to be a long day.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Freddie pulled up into the car park, and looked across at her sentinel, “Sands?”
Her sentinel turned and looked at her, the slight tilt of his head showed that he was focusing all his senses on her.
“Ready kid?”
“Yes.”
She got out of the car waiting for Sands to follow suit. She gazed around the car park and did a mental roll call of the cars. There was no mistaking Jim’s truck; it looked like she wasn’t the only guide to be escorted to the police academy this morning. Freddie was suddenly reminded all to clearly about her mother taking her to school in front of all her peers. Only instead of her mother, it was her sentinel, and Sands wasn’t as even-tempered.
Just then Daniel called out to her and the younger sentinel hurried over to her.
“Look about yesterday, I didn’t mean to, you know I, Ufff.” The breath came out of his body in one gasp, as he hit the side of the car. One arm was trapped against the side of the car and the other pushed high up his back as Sands hissed in his ear. “In the future keep your hands to yourself, or otherwise next time I’ll tear your arm off and shove it so far up your…”
“Sands!” Freddie caught his arm, and tugged at it. “Let him go, please Sands.”
Her sentinel smiled, not the best sign. “Now we understand each other, I don’t have a problem, do you?” He pushed the hand a little higher, and got a gasp of pain as a reply.
“Sands,” she swore, and got a smile in return as he quipped. “Language, Miss Morton, or I might have to wash that pretty mouth of yours out with soap and water.” But he hadn’t released his hold and if anything he pushed it to almost breaking point.
“Danny.” She appealed to the younger man, prompting him to make his apologies.
“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Freddie, sorry Miss Morton,” he quickly added as the pain flared and his arm was on the point of breaking.
“I didn’t mean to attack your bond.”
Just then Sands let him go and the younger man sagged against the car. Sands reached out and caught her hand. “Glad we’re on the same page, inter department co-operation,” he drawled. “I just love that.“
Taking her hand, Sands tugged her away with him, only to be pulled to the left. He tried to pull her back, but she snapped. “You’re heading in the wrong direction.”
“Lead on McDuff.”
0-0-0-0-0
Danny was rubbing his arm, staring at the departing pair. “Are you all right?” He didn’t have to turn to know the scent of Blair Sandburg, his nose flared to get the scent of the guide and he was smiling broadly as he turned and came nose to chest. Gradually he looked up into the ice-cold blue eyes, and hard but handsome face of an older man. He had the feeling he was weighted up and found wanting.
A hand came up and pressed him back against the car, he didn’t bother to fight it. “Listen to me unbonded, the only reason you’re still in this class is because I think you’re not really a threat but just stupid. Make sure I am correct.” The big man released his hold, if you could call one palm resting lightly on his chest a hold. “With me Chief?” Jim said over his shoulder.
And for the first time he saw Blair Sandburg as the older man shepherded him away. Two threats in ten minutes. He might just have to get transferred out of this course.
Sergeant Johnson looked down at the files in front of him. “Sentinel Detective James Joseph Ellison, Major Crimes,” and a smile touched his face. He remembered Ellison; in fact he had been one of his instructors when he had fast tracked through the academy, after leaving the Rangers. Ellison had graduated the top cadet of his year, and his records set on the shooting range were still unbroken. Since then he had been Officer of the Year two times, and had an arrest record that some would have killed for.
He had been bonded for the last two years to Blair Sandburg.
Blair Jacob Sandburg BA, MA and a PhD candidate at Rainer University,
he had an inner strength that was showing through. No matter what was thrown at him, Sandburg kept going. He had been training the kid for the last week, and had to admit he had revised his ideas on him. When he had first seen the multicolour clothing, the long hair, he had been concerned the kid looked like any number of students he had busted from the campus over the years for drugs, a real flake. But Sandburg had proved to be a good cadet and his devotion to his sentinel was unfailing.
Johnson turned his attention to the other file. Opening it up he read the name on the file. Sheldon Jeffery Sands, he studied the picture, “just who are you?” Johnson said softly. Looking at the picture he had a feeling that had saved his life more than once during his time on the streets. A quote came to mind, ‘something evil this way cometh’.
Sands had graduated from Baltimore Police Academy top of his year. Johnson read through the report. It appears he had been recruited as a Federal Agent after only a year on the streets. A Sentinel, he had been blinded a year ago while working in Mexico, and had adapted well enough to still be a field agent. His guide was Freda Morton. A few scant pages and so much missing.
Johnson tapped the file with his finger; the feeling hadn’t gone away. There was something about Sands, which didn’t jell. But then again he would reserve his judgement until he actually met the agent.
He turned to the next file that was colour linked to Sands.
Freda Alexandra Morton, 21 years old, she answered to the name of Freddie. She was young but lacked confidence. She needed help and that was what he was going to do, give her the tools that would give her the confidence. But how the two of them could have met and bonded was a mystery to him. He knew a little of the selection progress and there was no way a sentinel councillor would have ever dreamt of putting them together.
Just then the door to his office opened and Greg Lewis was walked in. With a broad smile, he got to his feet and shook hands. Law enforcement was a small world and he had met Greg before, and been impressed with him. Unlike some FBI agents he had met, Greg was all for working together, and not isolating the local law officers.
Greg took a seat then leaned forward and took Sands’ file off the desk, and for a moment looked at the picture. “As you know I work with Sands and Morton. Sands is a little,” Greg paused, “protective of Guide Morton, and he has a rather off-beat sense of humour, other than that, he’s a good man.”
Johnson leaned back in his chair. “Why does that for some reason make me nervous?”
“Because you have the same instincts as me, but I stand by what I say. As long as those unbonded sentinels have the sense to keep away from Blair and Freddie then we won’t have a problem. If it helps, tell them that Freddie and Sands are a couple.”
Johnson grinned, “and Ellison and Sandburg? The kid I can believe swings both ways, but this is Ellison we’re talking about.“
“Just tell them it will be hard to qualify without a head, and Ellison with take it off at the neck, if they get too close.”
0-0-0-0-0
Johnson looked at the two newcomers standing in front of him. He warmly shook hands with Jim Ellison, but when he put his hand towards Sands, he saw the shake of the head from the young woman. It appeared that Sands didn’t like to be touched. He made a mental note and then made the formal introductions to the others in the class, stressing their connection to the two guides. Then turned back to the black board. He had been told that Sands read Braille, and had had the work translated, but by the way he pushed the Braille machine away he wasn’t going to be taking down any notes on the lecture. But then he didn’t have to; Freddie was seated next to him. It seemed she was going to do the paper work for the both of them.
Half way through the lectures, the door was thrown open and two armed masked men burst in. Bullets took them in the chest, throwing them backward into the wall. The impact knocking the wind out of their bodies.
The rookies had thrown themselves to the floor; Freddie and Sandburg were behind their sentinels. Ellison had yelled at them, his gun out, but he had fired as they had brought their guns around, but even as his bullets had taken them, they were already being jerked back by Sands’ shots.
Johnson was by the downed men’s sides. He breathed a sigh of relief as they began to move as he tore the kevlar vests open.
“What the… “
Sands slid the gun back in his shoulder holster, his jacket moving enough to show that it was one of a pair that he wore. Greg Lewis came barrelling through the door, his eyes going from the downed men to Sands.
Freddie was holding his arm, and she was talking to him. Greg rolled his eyes. He had warned against the mock attack, but Johnson until now didn’t know whom he was dealing with. Ellison had yelled the warning, but Sands hadn’t bothered, just removed a threat to his guide.
Later Johnson looked from one Sentinel to the other, and back again, Ellison’s face showed no emotions, he remembered that look from the academy. Sands was smirking, and there was a hyper energy running through him that made him go cold. It was then he knew that Sands was reading his heartbeat; he was getting pleasure from the fact that the adrenaline was still running through his body. That had been a close thing.
“You will give me your weapons Agent Sands.”
The sentinel shook his head, the smirk becoming a grin. “Fuck off, Johnson. There is no way you’re taking these off me,” and his hand brushed the automatics.
“You could have killed those men.”
“You should know better than to crash in on us like that.” He cocked his head to Jim, “you in on that one Ellison?”
“No, and I am with Sands on that one. I didn’t think you would try a stunt like that Johnson.” Jim shook his head. “You don’t really understand Sentinels do you? There’s a little thing like Blessed Protector Mode, and when that gets a hold of you, you don’t think logically. All you know is that you have to protect your guide.”
“It’s never happened before.” He knew he was being defensive.
“That’s because it’s the first time you’ve pulled that stunt with a bonded pairing.”
Jim turned towards the door; a clear indication he thought the talk was over.
“You coming Sands?”
The dark dressed Sentinel nodded, and followed him out, his senses wrapping a round Jim allowing him to follow the older Sentinel out of the room without the need of a helping hand.
Johnson sat down in the chair, and took a deep breath; somehow he knew that he was going to be earning his money with those two.
The end of part one.
Once Upon a Time in Mexico is available on DVD from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com.