Summary and Warnings are detailed on the summary page
"You're sure?" Even as he asked the question, Dan Slater knew that the answer would be confirmed. He was, after all, repeating himself.
GDP Officer Curtis checked the manifest in her hands. "Yes, sir. 200 cases. An entire month's production run: apparently it's cheaper to ship it all at once rather than have two or three smaller shipments. Most of the cases were going to be transported to other centers once they'd reached Cascade, sir."
Dan nodded and for a brief moment he looked around the paper-covered walls of the dispatch office at the GDP plant while he mentally reviewed the case. "Two hundred cases of ready-to-be-distributed dampener disappeared into thin air, along with the driver and the guard. Damn. Why does Claydove always take his vacations when something like this happens?" He shook his head. "Any news about the crew or the rig?"
Curtis turned and yelled, "Martin!"
"Ma'am?" A man in his mid-thirties instantly popped his head around the door.
"Any news from the forward team?"
Martin shook his head. "No, ma'am. Shall I call and ask them?"
Curtis nodded curtly and turned back to face Slater. "As soon as the alarm was raised, I pulled the personnel files on the driver and the guard, both check out as one hundred per cent loyal, both had been in the service a long time, sir."
Slater nodded. "Have you checked out the black market yet? Any rumors from our sources there?"
Curtis turned to yell again but Martin had anticipated her request and was standing in the doorway with a sheaf of papers. He passed them to her. "The hills are making communication difficult but as far as I could understand, they've not found anything yet, sir, ma'am."
Curtis nodded in dismissal and then a further thought occurred to her. "Has anyone spoken to the families yet?" She turned to Slater and explained, "I asked them to be brought up here."
Martin waited patiently for Curtis to bring her attention back to him and then shook his head. "No ma'am but I took the liberty of asking the Plant commandant to accommodate them in the guest quarters. One of the medics here is trained in counseling so she's attending them now." He paused for a little and then asked hesitantly, "I hope that was acceptable, ma'am."
Curtis smiled patronisingly. "Of course it was, Martin. You can go now, if you hear anything, you can interrupt us." Martin nodded and then closed the door behind him.
As Curtis was going through the sheaf of intelligence reports, Slater asked, "How is he doing?"
"Hmmm... who?"
"Martin."
"Oh, Guide Martin?" Curtis focused her attention back on the reports Martin had brought in. "The dampener's working well, he seems to be stable." She sighed. "Frobisher was a damn fine officer, the unit's really missing him. Martin helps a little but when it comes down to it, sir, he's just a guide." She asked, "When are we going to get a new sentinel/ guide pair in the unit, sir? We really need one; I'd even be prepared to lose Martin if that meant we got a functioning pair in return."
Slater studied Curtis's carefully neutral expression as she looked back down at the intelligence reports. After a moment or two, Dan shoved his thoughts about guide prejudice to the back of his mind and re-focused on the more immediate and urgent problem. "Anything?"
"None sir, black market's quiet, the GLA are relatively quiet, there are hardly even any whispers about Sandburg or the Clan either." She tapped the papers with an expensively manicured finger. "All the signs are that the black market is doing nothing unusual at all, the prices don't indicate either a shortage or oversupply. Indeed, the comment is that the market for a change is in perfect balance."
Slater snorted. He didn't put much faith in the intelligence reports the GDP received on the operation of the relatively small but thriving black market in dampener drugs.
"Sir?"
Slater shook his head, "Nothing, lieutenant, nothing." He rubbed his face and sighed as he realized that he had a lunch meeting with Sandburg; he'd arranged it last week to look at ways Blair could contribute to the education and training of Guides. Damm, he'd forgotten to cancel it when he was called out of his office by this mess.
"Sir?"
Slater sighed, he hadn't realised that he'd spoken aloud. "I need a phone line to Cascade." He paused wondering whether to speak to Blair directly but decided against it, he gauged that the less the Clan knew about this matter the better. Hopefully, the rig and its contents would be found soon and the whole matter could be forgotten about once new security arrangements for the transports were in place. "My office, I just need to tell my secretary about an appointment I forgot to cancel."
Curtis didn't ask for further details, she turned to the door and yelled, "Martin!"
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Mancini checked his watch as the station wagon turned off the highway. He had just enough time to take a dampener before they reached the remote school that served as his retreat. He patted the breast pocket of his jacket for the small bottle he'd used earlier and grimaced when he found that the bottle wasn't there. A quick scan of the interior of the car showed that it wasn't there. It had obviously dropped out earlier, probably when he'd undressed in that girl's apartment. Mancini stretched and smiled, he hadn't even needed to pay for his afternoon's entertainment, one smile and that was all the persuasion the girl had needed. And given the amount of other illegal pharmaceuticals he'd seen lying around the apartment, when she found them she'd just drop them in the trash. Anyway, Mancini thought, there were plenty more where that bottle had come from. Mancini idly calculated the profit he could make both from the deal with his black market partners and the other hundred cases they didn't know about.
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Sean closed up the Ivory Snow case and patted it. It was as the man had promised him, one hundred per cent genuine and fresh. And all obtained with little risk to himself or his business partner. Sean picked up the case and moved it to the side of the old workshop that David had found to run their 'business' from. As he carried the second case over, Sean speculated on how much profit he could make from this initial sample alone. The move into the dampener black market had been suggested by David when they began to realise how overrun with dealers the Cascade drug market actually was. Sean's musings were interrupted by the noise of a car driving up outside. Sean placed the case he was carrying on the floor and withdrew his gun from where it was stuck in his waistband. He moved to what served as the front door and peered through the spy hole. Shaking his head when he saw that it was David, who wasn't due here at all today, Sean quickly opened the door.
He bundled his younger partner through the door and then locked it behind him before sticking his gun into his waistband at his back. "What are you doing here?" demanded Sean.
David looked around him. "Have they been?"
Sean moved to the rickety table that served as a desk and sat down in the camp chair behind it. "Yes." He inclined his head in the direction of the Ivory Snow cases. "They brought two cases as samples. Want to know when we can take delivery of the other ninety eight."
David blew out his cheeks. "I don't like it."
Sean watched his younger partner pace up and down. "What's the matter?"
David waved his hands. "The GDP, man, the GDP! They're pulling in everyone they can get their hands on in the GLA!" Rubbing his greasy hair, David continued, "nearly got caught myself at Janet's except for the fact I had to head to the roof for a cigarette."
Sean shrugged his shoulders. "What do we care about whether the whole GLA get taken in, no one knows anything, do they David?" Sean watched his business partner carefully.
David shook his head vociferously. "No! I'm not even a member anymore. Janet is just a bit of fun besides she's the one that tells me what's happening." David smiled. "I think she's trying to get me back involved."
Sean grinned. David's loose-mouthed GLA girl friend was their main source of information about who needed dampeners and who was desperate enough to pay for them on the black market, no questions asked. "So what's the worry?"
"Don't you see? We've kicked over a hornet's nest with getting involved in this heist! I've heard all sorts of tales about the correctional center, even seen the videos..."
"Calm down David. You're normal, I'm normal, we ain't going to get sent there. There's no evidence that we have anything to do with the heist. Anyway, its only a hundred cases."
David licked his lips. "No, I'm sure it's more than that. The GDP weren't being subtle, I can tell you."
Sean considered that for a moment. "You sure no one saw you?" David nodded. "Any moves on our competitors?"
"Shanks thinks he's seen someone tailing him."
Sean snorted. "Shanks wouldn't have a clue about who was tailing him or not, he's so high."
"What if they call the Police in?"
Sean shook his head. "The GDP having to admit to the police that they've lost cases of dampener? They wouldn't want the information becoming public." Sean smiled confidently as David seemed to relax a little.
"What if they locate this Mafioso? He'd rat us out!"
Sean shook his head and smiled again. "Mr Mancini has a lot more to lose than we have. I doubt that he'd take the risk."
"Whaddya mean by that?"
Sean tapped his nose. "Need to know, David, need to know. Just like any of our customers, they won't rat us out either, will they?"
David relaxed. "No, no they wouldn't."
Sean leaned forward, across the table. "Now that you're here, we need to discuss the plan."
David dragged an old wooden packing case across the floor and sat in front of the table. "How is he going to deliver the cases to us?"
"He's going to deliver them to a lock up and let us have the key and location within the next couple of days." David opened his mouth but Sean continued, "His cut is to be delivered to the bank account that will be supplied to us by the Banker."
"This banker guy, Sean. How can we trust him, he could be the GDP or Police or feds or anyone."
Sean snorted, "The GDP being this imaginative? The police or the feds wouldn't have the balls to disrupt the GDP like this. I think he's on the level. I spoke to him this morning; he wants to cut another deal, an even more lucrative one. This was just a run out to see if we were up to it. Mancini's more than happy with the relationship." Sean stared hard at David.
"When? Is it wise, another deal right now?"
Sean stated, "He didn't say when, just that he was looking for the opportunity." Sean put his hand up to forestall any more questions. "Now lets get back to the here and now."
@@@@
Blair pushed the disconnect button and popped his phone back into his jacket pocket. He turned to Jim. "That was Naomi."
Jim took his attention off the traffic and gave his guide a 'no kidding' look and then turned back to the heavy morning traffic.
Blair smiled at his sentinel. "She's coming into town later." Jim mumbled something but kept his gaze fixed on the traffic. Blair elaborated on the conversation he'd had with his mother. "She's working with an old acquaintance of hers. Roger Courcy, you know that environmental guy, first eco-businessman."
Jim noted acidly, "I believe he has some trendy views on Sentinels too."
Blair winced internally but knew Roger's well-known views would come up sooner or later. "I really do believe he was misquoted..." He changed the subject back to his original theme. "Did you know when he was younger he had some sort of heart problem and when the surgeons offered him the latest high tech valve, he turned it down. He chose to have a more eco-friendly but basic valve instead. He's a man that sticks to his word. Apparently he's got a very distinct heartbeat because of it. He ticks. You'll be able to hear it better than most, just listen out for it when we meet."
Jim sighed as traffic ground to a halt. There would be a wreck somewhere up ahead; it had rained heavily overnight for the first time in several days and the road surface was greasy. After checking the truck was in park, he turned to Blair and asked, "What part of the sentence, 'Sentinels are a genetic throwback and as such should be bred out of the population' was misquoted?"
Blair shook his head from side to side. "Look Jim, he'd just lost the last of his family, a sentinel was involved, you can't blame the man."
Jim just gritted his teeth. "Naomi's welcome as ever but I'm sure that this Roger Crouchy---"
"Courcy."
Jim waved a hand. "Will not want to visit the home of someone whose genetic makeup is deficient. Understood?"
Blair felt rather than saw the Dark Sentinel emerge. He smiled and nodded, and linked with Jim. He didn't want the sentinel to take out his frustration on an innocent member of the public. Just then the traffic started moving. The rest of the ride to the department was silent. Blair was sure his mother would call as soon as she landed at Cascade; he'd make sure Naomi knew to tread carefully with Jim andthe other clan sentinels, since they took their lead from Jim.
@@@@
"Ellison, Sandburg, my office now!" Simon's voice reached them as they stepped out of the elevator.
Blair muttered, "Simon must have heard us coming. Can Sentinels develop that late in life?"
Jim smiled a little, just enough to crack the grim expression he'd carried since the conversation about Roger Courcy, he whispered, "Nah. I heard the desk sergeant call up as we were going into the elevator. All Simon has to do is keep calling from when he guesses we'll be there."
Blair whispered back as they swiftly walked along the corridor. "Can you hear who else is in the room?"
Jim raised an eyebrow and asked, "Like who?"
Blair stated, "Dan Slater or ..."
Henri called out to them as the pair passed. "He's been calling out for the last three minutes. What kept you guys?"
Jim snapped, "Blair decided to chat up the new girl in records, he kept the elevator on floor three for the longest time."
"No such luck, Henri, the doughnut cart got stuck in the doors on floor one. Spilled most of its contents all over the floor."
As they both entered Simon's office, they both grinned at Henri's moans about missing the morning doughnuts. Ellison heard the slight catch in Blair's throat as he saw that Whitlow, the head of Vice, and Niven and Tina all stood waiting for them. He gave a nod to Niven and Tina and as he greeted Whitlow, he drew Blair to him, shielding him. He waited a few seconds until Blair's heartbeat had died down and then asked his boss, "Simon?"
"Its okay, Jim. Nothing to do with... Just something odd came up last night and it may concern the clan as well as Major Crimes so I thought you'd want to be in on it." Simon waved a hand over to the conference table. "I think we'll be more comfortable over here."
The six all took seats at the table and once everyone was seated, Whitlow nodded at Niven who took a file from his case. "Jim, Blair, Captain Banks. We raided an apartment down on Sixth and Park yesterday evening. We were looking mainly for films, magazines, photographs."
Niven stopped and looked at Blair and then returned to studying the files, Tina sent Blair a glance of support. Blair nodded at her. Tina placed a hand on her sentinel's arm. Once Jim had finished tracking the glances and touches, he too touched Blair and gave him a quick smile of support.
Once the silent exchange had taken place, Niven carried on. "We found what we expected and a small collection of largely minor narcotics and then there was this." Niven produced an evidence bag containing a small tablet bottle from his briefcase. He passed it to Jim who had held his hand out.
Jim looked at the bottle, which appeared to be a standard pill bottle except that the label didn't carry a name, only a serial number.
"Hers?" Jim knew that he wouldn't have to ask anything more; everyone in the room would catch the implication.
Whitlow was about to say something in reply but Niven jumped in. "No. She's been tested and was tested again last night down at Cascade General."
Jim felt the small twist in Blair's emotion echoing through their bond at Niven's statement.
"The lab confirmed the nature of the medication. The interesting thing is the fingerprints on the bottle," stated Whitlow.
Jim looked at the fingerprints, a thumb and forefinger on the bottle and the same arrangement on the lid. "Who?" Whoever it was had been stupid, if the GDP had got their hold on the bottle, the person would now be in their custody.
Whitlow smiled as if he'd got the cream. "A Mafioso, Gerry Mancini."
"Gerry doesn't sound very Italian..." commented Blair.
"The Mancinis married into Chicago WASP blood," supplied Jim. He added, "Gerry's the eldest son, right?"
Whitlow nodded. "We just got his file from Chicago an hour ago. He's a piece of work. We've made copies." Tina distributed the copies to each of the Major Crimes men. She reconnected with Niven she sat down. Whitlow picked his copy of the file up and touched it with his fingers. "As you can see this man is a piece of work, suspected of kidnapping, larceny, extortion..."
"Jim!"
Jim didn't need to hear Blair's exclamation; he'd already seen the familiar name halfway down the sheet. He commented mildly, "He's never been arrested or charged with anything."
Whitlow shrugged. "A known associate of his was killed during the Courcy kidnapping, and he's on wanted lists in six states."
Jim looked at Blair who shrugged slightly and then at Simon. "Simon?"
"He's not suspected of any involvement in your case?" asked Simon.
Whitlow shook his head. "We're sure. The syndicate in question has been tracked for the last six months."
Jim commented, "I haven't got any active cases right now, Simon."
Simon hesitated for a moment and then said to Whitlow, "I think we'll take this end of the investigation over. By the way, why did your prisoner have contact with Mancini?"
Niven said, "She picked him up in a bar, yesterday, she claimed no money changed hands."
Jim looked down at the grainy picture on the table; he looked like a cold son of a bitch. "I suppose it was his magnetic personality?"
Niven chuckled. "Well she did say..."
Simon intervened, "Where've you got her?"
"Downstairs, Interview room two."
"Federal agencies been informed?"
"I talked with them on the phone earlier," Whitlow said. "They're too busy right now to be interested in the possible sighting of a mobster in downtown Cascade. I got the feeling that while they would be interested in any eventual arrests, they won't get involved. Simon, do you mind? I have a meeting with the mayor at ten."
Simon stood up. "We'll take it from here. I'll keep you informed."
The meeting broke up, Niven and Tina leaving with Whitlow. Once the door was shut behind the group from Vice, Blair asked, "Jim do you think...."
Jim sighed; he knew that Blair would be thinking about the names. "A bit of a coincidence, don't you think?"
Blair gestured with his hands. "Freakier things have happened. Naomi did say that Roger was coming to town on some sort of business with the university. I think he's funding a new institute at Rainier or something."
Simon interrupted Blair's enthusiastic description with a loud cough. "Is this something directly pertaining to this file? Or is this a sentinel/guide conversation?"
Jim clenched his jaw together and stared at Blair who returned the stare.
After a few moments of this staring match, Blair dropped his eyes and then cleared his throat "Naomi, that's my mother," Another loud clearing of the throat. "is coming to Cascade with an old friend of hers, Roger Courcy."
Simon looked at Jim in surprise. "I'll get the file on the Courcy kidnapping."
Jim nodded and tapped the file. "In the meantime we'll interview this girl," Jim glanced at the rap sheet Niven had included in the file, "Yolanda, downstairs."
"This could all be something and nothing, he could just be passing through, could be waste of police time," commented Simon.
Jim shook his head. "Courcy arriving here at round about the same time as we find Mancini's fingerprints on a bottle of dampeners? I don't think so Simon. Something's going on in my city."
Jim ignored Simon choking on his coffee; he was too intent on moving to the door. He even ignored Simon's shouted, "Something had better come out of this detective. And I want that pile of paperwork finished off, too!"
@@@@
"You know, Jim, this may be one of those six degree things."
"Six degrees?"
Blair turned from the computer screen, where he searching the Internet for articles on Roger Courcy's latest activities, to look at Jim. Waving his arms he said, "Haven't you heard of the six degrees theory?"
Jim looked up from the Mancini file. "Wasn't that a pop group or something?"
Blair rolled his eyes. "No. That was the Three Degrees. Six degrees as in you can trace connections to anything from anything by six steps." Blair took a breath and opened his mouth to explain further but Jim held up a hand. "You can explain it later, Chief. Get your coat."
Blair stood up and asked, "Where are we going?"
Jim smiled coldly. "Didn't Yolanda say that when she saw Mancini yesterday afternoon the guy was in a very good mood?"
Blair stopped putting his coat on. He creased his brows up and thought slowly out loud. "Yeah... but what..."
"What happened yesterday evening?"
"She got raided." Jim just patiently stood there. "Oh, with us?" Blair said, "I got home early, well on time actually, we played some ball."
Jim smirked. "Just why did you get home on time?"
Blair frowned. "Because I had time in my lunch hour, Dan Slater cancelled... something urgent had come up..." Blair turned his blue eyes on Jim. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Jim shrugged. "Maybe this eight degrees theory of yours has something in it, Chief."
Blair shrugged the rest of his coat on, he shook his head and corrected his sentinel, "It's six, six, Jim." He paused. "So we going to pay a social call on Dan Slater?"
"Well I'm sure his office is always open to Senior Sentinel Prime and the Guide Prime, don't ya think?"
Blair thought about it for a moment and then smiled as he worked out what Jim was up to, "it has to be doesn't it?"