Boot

Many thanks to Cee for the edits.

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Chapter 11

Jim paused at the entry to the bullpen as he saw the group clustered around his desk. As well as Edwards and David, Niven, Lisa and Karl, Harvey and Jon were waiting for him. Jim glanced around the bullpen and saw that the rest of the Major Crimes personnel had chosen that moment to congregate around Joel's desk, away from the group of anxious sentinels. Jim noted the closeness of both Karl and Jon to Niven. The Clan was looking after their own he noted with a grim sense of satisfaction. Seeing that the group had now noted his entrance and had turned as one to greet him, Jim made his way to his desk.

Edwards spoke for them as he greeted Jim formally. "Prime."

Jim nodded at Edwards and stated, "Break room." The others nodded and began to make their way to the room. Jim crossed to Blair's desk and opened the large bottom drawer. After sifting through the clutter that seemed to follow his guide everywhere, Jim retrieved a white noise generator. He'd been careful to ignore the existence of the illegal object in Blair's drawer up until now, now he needed it. After checking that the batteries were in working order, he made his way to the break room. As soon as he had closed the door, he switched the generator on. Jim looked at Niven who was already seated. The older man looked as though he hadn’t slept very well at all. "How are you doing?"

Niven ran a hand through his hair. "Senses are fine. Karl and Jon have been helping me. Just worried, that's all." He looked up at Jim, "The baby's picked up on the stress, neither Tony nor I got much sleep last night. He's at home, but he wanted to come. He's worried as hell."

Jim sat down in front of Niven and said, "I know. We'll get them back. Tina will be fine;, Blair wouldn’t let anything happen to her."

Edwards waited until Niven had nodded and then said quietly, "The weatherman is forecasting it to start clearing tonight."

Jim turned his steely gaze on his deputy who returned it evenly. Jim glanced at Lisa, who shifted on her feet nervously. Jim snapped at her, "What's the matter?"

"Prime, I can understand not going out last night but…." She looked away from him, at the floor.

Jim bit back the angry reply that formed in his mind and, after a moment's reflection, he said, "They are okay. They're going to be okay."

Niven looked up at him and commented forlornly, "I can't feel her at all."

"The dampeners, remember? They'll probably have given them dampeners; that's why we can’t feel them."

As Niven nodded, Harvey asked, "What dampeners?"

Jim explained, "Two weeks ago, there was an armed raid on a shipment from the GDP processing plant in Upper Cascade. Two hundred cases of dampeners disappeared overnight. The guards didn't make it."

Edwards frowned and asked, "Why is this the first we're hearing about it?"

"It's been kept a low key investigation." Jim rubbed his face. "The GDP, Slater, requested that we didn't make it a Clan matter, so its been kept within the confines of Major Crimes." He looked at Niven. "In fact, we wouldn't have known about it all if Vice hadn't stumbled on a clue."

"What was that?" asked Edwards.

Niven replied, "We found some tablets during a raid for pornographic material. There was a clear fingerprint on the bottle. When we found out who it was, Whitlow brought the matter to the attention of Major Crimes."

Lisa asked, "Who was it?"

Jim took up the explanation. "A Chicago mobster called Mancini. He's suspected of being involved in numerous crimes, such as kidnapping and extortion, but there's never been any concrete proof. I've been trying to follow up any information we can get on him since then."

"If you've got a fingerprint, why didn't you arrest him?" asked Karl.

"Because before we realised it, he was back in Illinois with an iron-clad alibi."

Edwards commented, "The coroner's report indicated that the guide had been dampened before he was shot. You think the dampeners came from the GDP raid?"

Jim nodded. "I'd say it was likely, wouldn't you?"

David questioned, "Was that why you were in Canada yesterday? Chasing up leads?"

"Yes, someone in the Witness Protection Program had some information on him." Jim looked at the group before him; they deserved to know. "The person I interviewed indicated that Mancini is known to be a guide."

Edwards shot a glance at the white noise generator and then commented, "I presume you mean known by the Mafia rather than the GDP." Jim nodded slowly. Edwards asked, "Is this person sure?"

"Sure as having seen him in the flesh, no. She overheard a conversation where it was discussed. It appeared to be pretty common knowledge within the families."

"You think he was using the dampeners when he was in Cascade?" asked Harvey.

Jim shrugged. "I don't know. We questioned the woman he was with; she didn't notice anything special about him. She said he acted normal. It was after the raid, so he might have had a meeting with his buyers and then gone on for a beer or two. We don't know." Jim looked at Harvey and asked, "I know it’s a long shot, but each drug batch has an individual chemical signature doesn't it?"

Harvey thought for a moment before answering, "Not as such, but we should be able to confirm whether the tablets and the chemicals in Jonas's blood come from the same factory around the same time. Might take some time though."

"Get on it. I want all the information we can get."

Harvey just nodded her understanding and looked over at Jon. "Let's get going." When Jon had joined her, she turned to Jim. "I'll call when I know how long the tests are going to take." She didn't wait for Jim's acknowledgement before she was out the door.

Once the door shut, Edwards shook his head. "The GDP are going to have a field day with this when they find out about Mancini."

Jim nodded. His time back at the loft had been mostly spent on the balcony, some of it focusing on the case but also on the political ramifications of there being a guide on the loose that was, at the very least, a witness to regular violence. "I know, but that isn't our primary concern right now. We've got to find them first." Jim paused and then voiced the other conclusion he'd come to overnight, "The security around the seminar was excellent. Whoever did this must have had access to the plans at some point."

Edwards raised his eyebrows slightly and then nodded. "I agree. Hunter would never have approved the plans if he didn't think the security was good enough. By the way, speaking of the Shield, when is he due back?"

Jim ruefully shook his head. "He's not going to be back any time soon. He and Sarah stopped an attempt to poison the convention he was attending. The CDC are holding them under quarantine until they are sure they weren't contaminated." Jim had to smile at the very soft 'damn supercop' that came from Lisa. "So sorting this mess will be down to the Clan that is here."

Edwards nodded. "Lisa, protect the Senior Prime." The SWAT officer moved to stand behind Jim's shoulder.

Jim said to Edwards, "Jonas was guide to George Smith. According to the files, Smith is a SWAT and riot control specialist. Do you know him at all?"

Edwards shook his head, "Not personally, just by reputation, which is excellent by the way." Edwards was puzzled, "Why do you ask?"

"Because I want to know why it was his guide that was killed, that's all," Jim answered.

Edwards shrugged. "Maybe he struggled? Jonas would have had some self defence training."

"Perhaps. Look into it anyway." Jim saw David looking pensive. "David?"

David jumped as he realised the Prime had spoken to him. He glanced sidelong at Edwards and then asked, "If Mancini is a guide, then he wouldn't have survived this long without a sentinel - even with dampeners. So do we know who the sentinel is?"

Jim shook his head. "I've been told who the sentinel 'was' but … I don't know for sure who it is 'now'. I'm speaking to someone who may be able to give me a lead this morning."

Edwards said, "So we get this information and then what?"

Jim stretched, looking for a moment like his spirit animal: sleek, alert and ready to kill. He smiled, his teeth seemingly changing for a moment into the fangs of the Panther. Then he refocused on the group. He said simply, "Justice."

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Blair looked around the room that served as their cell. Dan, next to him, was still sleeping. Mark, over in the opposite corner, was doing some push-ups, Tina, on the far side of Dan, was sitting, knees drawn up to her face. Blair had to smile. Adam looked as though he was meditating; Blair made a mental note to have a conversation with the young guide. Martin was quietly shredding one of the labels off the mineral water and occasionally wiping a tear off his face. Blair got up and moved across to Martin and asked, "You okay?"

Martin glanced at Blair and sighed, he wiped his face and said, "Sorry. I…" He gestured at the water bottles. "Silly really. Just these bottles are the same brand as Lawrence used to have. We went through so many brands and then we found this."

Blair smiled slightly. "Yeah, Sentinel's can be so picky can't they?"

Martin nodded. "It's weird. I think I'm doing okay, and then something crops up and I get reminded about him all over again."

Blair concentrated on the water bottles. It was an expensive and relatively hard to locate brand. He knew because he'd tried it on Jim but the taste hadn't suited him. Blair bit his lip; if he was right, the woman he'd met had at least two hyperactive senses, taste and hearing. He looked at Martin and asked, "How did she strike you?"

Martin frowned and looked over towards Tina. "Tina?"

Blair rolled his eyes slightly. "The medic."

Martin paused for a moment while he thought, and then he commented, "About as high in the hierarchy round here as a guide is in the GDP. There was a blanket on the floor in one corner, a bottle of this water. She didn't look as though she'd had much sleep."

Blair prompted, "Anything else?"

"Frank, the guy with the scar, just called her girl all the time. She was afraid of him too; every time he spoke, she jumped. She wouldn't look anyone in the eye, not even me. The weirdest thing though, happened just before I left with the Commander to come back. She stopped what she was doing and said to Scarface that she'd have to go upstairs. Then she left like a bat out of hell."

Blair raised his eyebrows and asked, "How did Frank and the others react?"

Martin blew out a breath. "They all just laughed. It wasn't a good laugh if you know what I mean." He paused and said, "One thing, blonde isn’t her natural color. I noticed when she was bending over the Commander that her roots were dark. How does that help us?"

Blair stretched and said quietly, "I'm not sure yet." He wondered whether to mention what he suspected about her senses. "I think she's the weak link. I, we need to know more though. What we really need is to get someone close to her." Blair dropped his head onto his knees and started working on a plan to get one of them close to the medic.

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Mancini groaned and buried his head in his pillow. The usual post dampener headache had turned into one of his rare post dampener migraines. It hurt even to think. Besides, the dampeners washing out of his system had also stripped his barriers. So on top of the migraine he could feel the fear, hurt and lust that were present in the building. Mancini focused on his breathing to keep from vomiting. Where was she? She should be here at his side, strengthening his barriers, shielding him, keeping him well; wasn't that her job?

Suddenly he felt her link in and then felt her warm, gentle hand on his neck. He relaxed as he felt his barriers strengthen immediately. The hand massaged his back just as his father's masseuse had taught her. Mancini moaned slightly in pleasure, "That's much better."

He didn't seek to check the levels of her senses; he didn’t have the energy for that or a bonding - 'maybe later.'

After a while, when his barriers were nearly back at normal levels, he heard her speak, "You still feel sick?" Mancini focused on his body and nodded. Meg continued, "I can give you something. The doctor showed me the dose and everything a few weeks ago."

Mancini nodded absently, not really registering what she was saying. He rolled over so that he was facing upwards, squinting against the dim light, "Will it make me sleep?" Meg nodded. Mancini paused and then asked, "What's the weather doing?"

"Wind's still up. Heavy rain. You'll be out for a few hours at the most."

Mancini thought for a moment. If the weather was still stormy, then there would be no one on their trail. He'd told Sean to activate the homing signal this coming evening and, until the buyer arrived, the cargo was nailed down tightly. "What about the one that was injured?"

"He needs to get to a real doctor, but I managed to get some fluids into him and some splinters picked out of his wound. I got the bleeding stopped. I'll go and get the injection."

Mancini held a hand to his temple; the headache banished by Meg's massage was coming back. He grunted, "Okay. Give me the injection." Mancini waited until she'd come back to the bedside and, then pulling on her hair, he pulled her head so that her eyes were level with his. "I don’t want you anywhere near Mr. Crook, do you hear me?" Once she'd nodded, Mancini continued, "I saw how you were with him in the kitchen. I don't want Frank to tell me anything I don’t want to hear. Understand?" Again she nodded. "Just do as Frank tells you. Your leash is in its usual place; take it with you when you go downstairs."

When she'd taken the leash from the hook on the wall, Mancini leaned back and was distracted from the sting of the injection by thoughts about his share of the sale price from the cargo. Mancini fell asleep wondering whether once the homing signal was activated, he should actually act to increase his profit. For once all was right was with his world.

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Jim slid into the booth seat opposite Donna James. He signalled the waiter and asked for a coffee and a doughnut. That task performed, he smiled at Donna. "I'm sorry I'm late; got a little caught up in things."

Donna leaned back in her chair. "Not a problem, Prime. I believe you do have a lot on your plate right at this moment in time."

Jim smiled ironically. "Just a little. Anyway, call me Jim."

The journalist folded her hands together and came straight to the point. "Alright, Jim. What can a lowly hack do for the Senior Sentinel Prime?"

Jim sat back as the waiter delivered the coffee and doughnut. As he waited for the waiter to go, he assessed the journalist. He knew she was single, early thirties; hair was dyed blonde, overall quite attractive in an understated way. Jim stirred his coffee and said, "Captain Banks gave me your file of papers yesterday. Very interesting read. The draft article was very good. Did you ever get it published?"

Donna shook her head. "No."

"Who stopped you working on it?"

It was Donna's turn to sit back. "My editor at the time didn't think it would be a good idea. I was in my first job at the time, so I took his advice."

"But you kept the files, you must have felt that it was important."

Donna smiled, although Jim noted it didn't reach her eyes. "Anyone would think that you are a detective, Jim." Her smile died. "Actually, I made a stupid error. I forgot who was a major shareholder in the paper."

Jim raised his eyebrows. "Courcy?"

"You are a detective!"

Jim cocked his head and asked, "Think he was trying to hide something?"

Donna bit her lip while she considered the question. "Roger Courcy was and still is a man very protective of his privacy. " Jim fidgeted with the napkin and then looked out of the window. It was Donna's turn to query, "You investigating Courcy?"

Jim curtly commented, "Investigating connections."

Donna raised her eyebrows and nodded to herself. "Ah, connections. Like a dampener heist that the GDP are trying to keep under wraps?" Jim raised his eyebrows in reply. Donna continued, "Curtis isn't exactly the most subtle of investigators. Anyone who has any connection with the GLA knows something went on, only takes a little digging to find out exactly what. And then a friend back in New York told me about your department's request for a file about a seven year old kidnapping; there is obviously a connection somewhere."

Jim looked at the journalist, deciding it was true what they said about journalists having a nose for a story. Donna's nostrils were flaring. He asked her, "So what do you think it is?"

Donna took a few moments to answer. "I would say that Cascade PD came into the possession of some identifying evidence that made them request the kidnap file." She watched Jim for his reaction. "Am I right?"

Jim leaned forwards. "You could say that. Yes."

"Mancini?" Donna asked.

"We found his fingerprints on what we believe to be part of the consignment."

Donna smiled and stated, "So that's why you're interested in Courcy. He's in the city; Mancini's in the city. Some guides have been taken in the most bloody manner possible. So, to come back to my original question, Prime, what can a poor lowly journalist do for you?"

Jim put up his hand and turned his attention to the street. Despite Lisa being parked outside the diner, he'd still been scanning the traffic and had now seen the same grey car with a bent fender at least twice. 'Cheapskates GDP, could get the fender repaired.' He drew Donna to him and said, "I told Curtis you were an old girlfriend."

Donna instantly leaned over the table. "Really? I'm sure I can cope with that."

Once Jim was satisfied that the car had gone, he broke apart from the journalist and sat down again. "You can tell me all you know about the Courcy kidnapping, make sense of your files for me."

"What's the deal?"

Jim spread his hands; he knew the information he wanted wouldn't come without its cost. "What would your editor give for a feature article on my Clan?"

Donna smiled, this time genuinely. "He'd give his right arm, but I like mine, so I'll give you the information you need."

Jim settled down and concentrated on the journalist as she started to go through all the information she had accumulated over the years. He didn't want to think about what Hunter and Edwards would say when he told them what the price had been.

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The first thing that Dan saw was a big pair of blue eyes looking down at him. He blinked at them for a few moments, trying to remember where he was and what happened. Then the sharp ache in his shoulder forced the memories into sharp focus. Moaning in pain, Dan tried to sit up.

"Hey, not so fast there. Let me help."

Dan looked at Blair, "Blair…"

Blair smiled reassuringly at Dan, "It's okay. Do you want some water?" Blair turned away to ask for water, but he turned back as Dan's hand caught in his jacket. Blair asked, "What is it, Dan?"

Dan coughed, his throat felt terrible. All of him felt terrible. But Blair had to know. "There's a Sentinel here."

Blair nodded. "I thought she was. We have a plan to check though."

Dan shook his head and then regretted it. After a few breaths he said, "She did what Hunter did. I don't know, I woke up and she and a guy with the scar were there. I panicked but somehow…" Dan swallowed again, "She did that warm blanket thing that Hunter did."

Blair's brow furrowed, "Warm blanket?" Then the penny dropped, "She linked in?" He moved to prop Dan up against the wall.

Dan nodded. "I felt, I could feel … the next thing I knew was that she was…."

"Did she link in?" repeated Blair gently.

"I don't think so. I felt so weak and so protected, I.…" Dan paused and commented, "It didn't seem as directed as Hunter. She was just trying to make me feel safe, I think."

"What do you feel like now?"

Dan tried to smile but it turned into a grimace, "Shoulder aches like hell." He licked his lips. "Nothing emotionally, I mean that's all normal. I'm not …."

Blair shook his head. "I don't think so. Hunter said you were just latent. Its probably a temporary spike, you were under extreme stress. You know, like some people have spikes in their senses or strength when they're under extreme stress?"

Dan nodded relieved. "Thought you'd better know. You said something about water? What time is it?"

Blair said, "Mid morning, I think. They took all our watches from us. Martin brought you back at breakfast time."

"Everyone here?"

Blair shook his head and gave Dan the bad news. "Jonas. They shot him back at the bus."

Dan winced and sighed heavily.

Blair turned around for water to see Martin standing there, his expression unreadable. Martin proffered the bottle of water. "Here. I saw Commander Slater stir."

Blair reached for the water, automatically saying, "Thanks." He held the water bottle to Dan's mouth and let the man take a few swallows. When he'd had enough, Dan pushed the bottle away and closed his eyes. Blair tucked the blanket around Dan and stood up.

Mark sat down next to the commander; "I'll keep an eye on him, Prime."

Blair didn't acknowledge Mark; he was looking to see where Martin had gone. Seeing that he was standing over by the door, Blair went over to him. He leaned up against the door and commented in a low voice, "I didn't hear you behind me."

"After being bonded for seventeen years, you learn to become invisible," Answered Martin bitterly.

Blair swallowed and asked the vital question, "How much did you overhear?"

"Enough."

Blair laid a hand on Martin's shoulder. "It's not what it seems. He hasn't got enough…."

"To be taken away from his parents, bonded to someone he doesn’t know?"

Blair closed his eyes and counted to ten. He then stared levelly at Martin. "What are you going to do?"

"When? Now? You think I'd tell our 'hosts'?"

Blair relaxed. "We'll sort this out when we get out."

Martin snorted. "Might as well write my will then."

"Why?"

Martin looked away. "I've heard the rumors. The GDP is full of them about what happens when people cross the Clan. Although Sentinel Ellison was nothing like I'd imagined him to be."

Blair grinned briefly. "Believe me, Hunter is everything you've heard and worse." He regretted his joke when Martin's face paled and his eyes narrowed a little. Blair reached out to touch the man, "Look, don't worry, it wasn't your fault. We'll work something out. You won't be at risk from the Clan."

A muscle in Martin's jaw twitched as he whispered, "But you don’t want the GDP to know."

Blair nodded and then said, "We've got to concentrate on the now."

Martin blew out a breath and then said, "There's one question we have to find the answer to. If there's a Sentinel here, who's the guide?"

"That's why we need to get closer to the sentinel." Blair's gaze focused on Tina. "I think a woman's touch can help there."

Martin followed the direction of Blair's gaze and grinned. "Frobisher always said one thing worse than a guide for gossiping is a female guide and a female sentinel together."

Blair grinned a little and then sobered, "I'll go and have a word with her."

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Curtis smiled at the technician as he packed up his bag. "Thanks for installing the phone lines so quickly."

Hayes shrugged, "If it'll help you get Blair back, nothing is too much trouble."

Curtis fixed her grin on her face; she would have preferred the technician to say that nothing was too quick for a member of the GDP. She watched the technician leave her temporary office and then sat down at the desk. Maybe something like this would be hers soon, once she'd cracked the case and made Ellison look foolish in the bargain. Then maybe some sanity would come back into the world and the emancipation of Guide rights would come to an end. She glanced at her watch, thirty minutes to go before check in time. Time to dream.

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Hayes headed down to the basement level and to the room that acted as the exchange for the police department. Quickly accessing the relevant ports for the additional lines in the conference room, he wired them in to make them active and then he added an accessory the GDP didn't ask for - a tape recorder. He checked that there was a tape in place and then switched it on, ready to record any calls made to or from that line. Satisfied that his installation was in order, Hayes packed away his tools and signed off the relevant work sheet. Once he'd spoken to Ellison to confirm that his request had been fulfilled, it would be time for his next job.

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