Opposites Attract 

 

     Disclaimer: The main characters are not mine, this is an amateur effort written purely for the fun of it, and no money has exchanged hands, and it is not intended to breach the copyright of Paramount and Pet Fly Productions.

 

     And thanks to my beta reader  for her patience and help.

 

     This story is AU and set in the near future.

 

     Rating PG at the moment but could become PG13 later  

 

     Opposites Attract 

 

     Part One - The Beginning  

 

     The city of Cascade was one of the few havens in a country ravished by lawlessness and violence.  Rainier University had pioneered the study on Sentinels in the late 20th century, and this work had paved the way for the scientific selection of would-be Guides and Sentinels, and through that the numbers had increased.  Now, Rainier was recognized as the Center for Sentinel Studies.

 

     :For Blair Sandburg, the exact moment that he became partners with Jim Ellison would always stick out in his memory.  Ellison was not, on appearances, the type of person he would share anything with, they where like chalk and cheese.  Yet, in one incident, he had felt the link like a warming current that wrapped round them, and it was obvious Ellison had felt it.  Glancing across at his sentinel, Blair allowed his mind to take him back to the beginning, bringing Ellison's experiences into play with his own.  

 

***

 

     It was funny how one moment can define your whole life, and one factor can be that moment.  Blair had been running late for class, juggling a backpack and books, when he had tried to save time by cutting through the transportation area to get to the Anthropology Department at Hargrove Hall.  Too late he had seen the guards with the older, bigger man between them.  The man's attention had suddenly swung to him, and he had been nailed by vivid blue eyes to the spot, books falling to the ground from nerveless fingers.  Like a rush of blood to the head, the enveloping warmth had gone over him, and he had instinctively known he was facing an unbonded sentinel.  Only he was no longer unbonded.  As if everything at that moment telescoped for Blair, he was falling, all other things around him no longer mattered, except for the pair of icy blue eyes that stabbed at him like icicles.  Blair snapped back to the real world as he heard a muttered comment, short, sharp and obscene.  He turned to find one of the trainers standing there, the man's face livid.

 

     "Blair, my office," he snarled the words.  He then turned to the guards.  "Take him," indicating Ellison with a nod of his head, "to the medical secure unit, and lock him down."  He glared at Blair, adding, "And you will come with me now."  When he noticed that Blair had not moved, the trainer grabbed Blair's arm, getting into his face to re-enforce the command.

 

     The Sentinel reacted with an almost feral scream, as his knee caught one of the guards in the groin.  The man gave a yell of agony, as he doubled over, then was caught by a blow to the back of his neck, going down as if he had been pole-axed.  The second guard attempted to restrain the sentinel, and a roundhouse blow took him down.  The Sentinel's hand went behind his back, and the trainer saw the glint of the knife.  He realized his hold on Blair at the same time Blair was already pulling free.  He fell forward abruptly and the sentinel suddenly caught hold of him.  Pulling the smaller, younger man behind him, the sentinel shielded him from the guards that where heading towards them.

 

     The wave of protectiveness that had rolled over the sentinel, the moment they had made contact, was so sharp, it was almost painful.  He knew without knowing how, that he would die to protect the young life that he shielded now.  The young man's hand rested on his shoulder, his voice was low, the tone soothing.

 

     "It's okay, no one is going to stop us.  I know you have to protect me, but no-one here is going to hurt me.  It's all right."  The young man's hand traveled down the sentinel's arm, keeping contact with a light touch.  Long, slim fingers encircled his wrist and then there was light pressure on the palm.

 

     "Give me the knife." 

 

     There was a hesitation, and then the sentinel laid the knife into Blair's hand.

 

     Senses overloaded on his guide, the sentinel was then hit from behind, brought down hard.  The last thing he heard before it all went black was the young man yelling at them to let him go.

 

***

 

     The talk with the trainer had been none too pleasant.  Then there had been the Council to deal with, but he had stood firm with the trainer and would do so again with the council. 

 

     So far Blair had been unable to bond with a sentinel.  They thought that at 25, he was still too young to do so.  They liked their guides to be older than the sentinels.  He had been told he was a strong guide.  He had known with an almost spiritual conviction his sentinel was out there somewhere.  Then, when he had seen the older man, he had felt the bond become solid, and the feeling of becoming whole.  Yes, it was early days, but already it was a strong feeling that would only grow stronger with each physical contact with his sentinel.  Now, these people where trying to stop him going to his sentinel.  His heart had leapt at those two words, "his sentinel", the man had needed his help.  He could feel the pain and anger radiating from him, just before he had been hit.

 

     The oak door to the study opened slowly.  In front of him was half of the senior training faculty.  Of that, a quarter of them wore the gray diagonal stripes on the cuff that showed they had once been sentinels guides.  The others he recognized from various courses he had attended during the four years of training he had received to qualify as a guide. 

 

     The council chair was Dr. Merryweather.  He was leaned back in his chair, fingers interlaced. "Sandburg, this is serious.  I have read your record, you joined the university at the age of 17, much too young in my opinion, but others recognized your natural talent, and that you would become a strong guide.  You graduated top of your year, and it was recommended that you carry on with post graduate courses.  You have even been granted the tenure of Training Assistant, but now all of this is wasted.  Dr. Thorpe has said that you appear to offer no resistance to the bonding with this rogue sentinel.  Now, Dr. Thorpe, can this bonding be broken?"

 

     The trainer shook his head slowly.  "I felt the vibes.  It happened so fast, before I could react. they had made the bond, and it is very strong. even after this very short contact.  To try and force them apart now…" he trailed off. 

 

     Dr. Cusack spoke up.  She was the only woman on the panel, and Blair was one of her favorite students, she had taken this unorthodox young man under her wing.  "so one of our best guides is now connected to this rogue sentinel.  So who exactly is he?"

 

     The trainer gave a dry, slightly nervous cough.  "We have a slight problem there.  His names James Ellison, he's a headhunter.  He started getting erratic, more psychotic and paranoid than the creatures usually are.  A visiting doctor discovered his senses were hypersensitive and had him shipped here for help.  The only trouble was the doctor was less than truthful."  He ground to a halt.

 

     Dr. Merryweather tersely prompted, "Carry on."  

 

     "Ellison was under arrest on the outer rim.  He put a psychiatrist and orderly in the hospital, they're still in traction, and nearly killed a guard when he was trying to escape.  The man should have been heavily sedated for transportation to Rainier, but the doctor didn't want to risk killing him through a reaction to drugs, he had no idea what his allergies would be in this new state.  He thought Ellison had calmed down, accepted the need for him to come here, so didn't recommend that the guards keep him cuffed, so they uncuffed him, they thought he would feel less threatened this way."

 

     Dr. Merryweather grated out, loudly, "The man is a headhunter, and they wanted him not to feel threatened, what the hell did they think they were dealing with?"

 

     Blair cut in.  "A man who was in pain and hurting.  He would never have hurt the guards if they hadn't been ordered to take him away from me, he was just trying to get to me.  He doesn't understand and at this moment, he is running on pure instinct," he paused to let that sink in, "and you all know how dangerous an instinct driven sentinel can be."

 

     He left the words hanging in the air as he looked round at the faces of the Council members.

 

     The Council Chairman looked round and ordered him to wait outside.  From the other side of the oak door, he could hear raised voices.  What he would not have given for sentinel hearing.

 

     Finally the door opened and he was called in.  During his time at the university, Blair had gotten good at reading panels, but this one, he could see no clue as to what they where going to say.

 

     Dr. Merryweather was not pleased, his whole body language screamed that.  "We have discussed all the relevant facts, and it is clear the bond, although sudden, and with no preparation made on either side, is strong.  Therefore, you are bonded with this rogue sentinel for life.  Your task will not be as easy one, Sandburg.  Unlike some of the latent sentinels that come here, the doctor's report shows that he has no interest in being trained, and sees the bonding as a form of," he paused and moved the report pages across the desk, "a form of slavery, reducing them to no more than 'seeing-eye dogs'.  The man has a major attitude problem, and he is also a trained killer.  His service record shows that he was a Black Angel in covert operations, before leaving to become a headhunter.  His record since then shows he has had more lethal force incidents logged against his name than any of the others in his department.  Even his fellow hunters are frightened of him."  Merryweather paused then conceded, "Though they do respect him.  His temper is legend among them.  The psychiatrist's report indicates that he represses emotions to an extent that even the psychic analyst could not breach them.  His emotions are closed off.  That, Mr. Sandburg, is your sentinel.  Dr. Cusack will be your senior advisor, and I suggest that you use her experience."  He closed the file with a sharp click.  "Normally, Mr. Sandburg, the joining of a Guide and Sentinel is one for rejoicing, but I find no joy here.  Finally, you will be suspended for three weeks without pay for the breach of protocol."  He got to his feet at that point and swept out of the room.  Blair stood there almost shell shocked.

 

     Cusack gathered up the file and laid a gentle hand on Blair's arm.  "It's what you have always wanted Blair, right from the very start.  It's a great responsibility, but you are intelligent, and caring, and you will, if you give yourself a chance, be a good guide.  Always remember that a sentinel is a person first and never last."  She handed him the file.  "And my door is always open."  

 

***

 

     In the small cupboard that he called an office, he carefully spread out the file in front of him.  His fingers traced the photograph of his sentinel.  Now he had a name: James Ellison.  In front of him was the man's life, laid out in black and white.  The 18 months of isolation when he had been solo tracking some gunrunners through one of the red zones, this was a classic type of event that would bring the latent sentinel abilities online.  The senses appear to have gone off line when he returned to the city, and then his behavior had started to become erratic.  Previously, Ellison had been bumped from one department to another.  All said how good he was, but the captains had been unable to stomach his attitude, until he had met Captain Simon Banks, who had taken him on and settled him in the 27th Zone Security Unit.  He had been on loan to another zone when the senses had caused the captain there to call in the doctor. 

 

     He closed the file and headed towards the medical unit.  The university didn't have any specially built holding cells, but the medical unit did have a secure area for holding violent patients.  An over loaded sentinel could do a lot of damage.

 

***

 

     Blair approached the medical unit, he needed to make contact, re-enforce the connection with his sentinel.  The good news was that Ellison was from Cascade and had lived his whole life there except for his time as a Black Angel.  Therefore his sentinel's territory would more likely be Cascade.  So Blair would be able to keep on with his tenure with Rainier University, though it would mean an end to expeditions, as he would be unable to leave the sentinel for the months or more needed, but he might be able to keep working as a Training Associate, and finish his Ph.D.  His steps became lighter, as he processed the information.

 

     Due to Ellison being a rogue sentinel, and unpredictable, he was being held in the secure unit.  Jim Ellison sat on the bed.  He had spent the last hour going over the room with a fine tooth comb.  He had located the security camera and audio mikes, now all he needed was a distraction and he was out of here.  He knew Captain Banks would never have gone along with this imprisonment, and the sooner he spoke to him, the sooner this mess could be sorted out.  He rubbed a hand along the side of his head, and winced, Simon always said he had a hard head, and now it had finally worked in his favor.  He gave a wry smile.

 

     Suddenly his head twitched to one side.  There was that noise again, a regular thumping.  He carefully stretched out his hearing, and found it was getting louder by the minute.  It picked up speed as it got closer.  The voices of the guards sounded distorted: "Name?"  "Blair Sandburg, Ellison's Guide."  The words burned in his mind.  Ellison's jaw tightened, he had had time to think it through, this reaction to the kid, it had caught him by surprise.  It had almost been as if he had been watching someone else, but that was going to stop now.  He might need the kid, correction, he didn't need this wet behind the ears kid, a few pointers and he was out of here.  He made the mistake of not pulling back, and soon felt himself falling in a void of shifting images and sensations, as he zoned, he lost control of his tactile senses. 

 

     The voice was too loud, he clasped his hands over his ears, the man's smell was overwhelming, and when he was touched it was as if sandpaper had been drawn over his skin.  He came out of the zone out, and struck hard at the person holding him, causing him the pain.  His fist connected with a sickening thud.  Blair was unconscious when he hit the floor.  The sound of the body hitting the floor finished snapping him out, and a sickening feeling swept through him.  He bent swiftly to check the younger man out.  His heart beat was strong, but already the bruising was starting to come out on his cheek and jaw, he could feel the heat from the bruising.  The pounding of boots as the guards approached the room alerted him, and he was ready for them.  Ellison left the room a few minutes later, walking casually towards the exit and freedom.

 

***

 

     Dr. Jane Cusack waved Blair to a seat.  She was satisfied that the ER staff had let him out, and he hadn't made an escape from the facility, his dislike of hospitals and medical units was well known.  Now she wanted to know what happened.  She allowed him time to collect his thoughts. 

 

     "I entered the room, Ellison appeared to have zoned.  I tried voice contact, and when that failed I put a hand on him, and he came out of it."  Blair shrugged.  "The next thing I know, a fist is coming at me.  I don't even remember hitting the floor."

 

     *Poor Blair, you gain and lose a sentinel in one day, that must be some kind of record.*  Aloud, she said, "After you were knocked out, Ellison took out the two security guards that were coming to your aid.  It's interesting that Ellison did not kill them, actually it's more surprising given his record and his views on guides that he placed you on the bed in the recovery position.  He may have hit you, but he certainly didn't want to risk you choking to death.  The fact that a sentinel has attacked a guide is rare."

 

     "Jane, he didn't know it was me.  He was lashing out, he was frightened, I am sure of that.  I have to go and find him, and re-inforce the bond."  Desperation showed in his voice.  His body language showed that he wanted out of there.  Jane relented and shuffled the papers.

 

     "Go and find your sentinel, Blair, but," the one word caused him to halt in mid-stride, "bear in mind he could be a Dark Sentinel.  They are rare, but Ellison has many of the characteristics of them.  The provisional tests show that he's going to be a very strong sentinel, the speed of the bonding is another pointer to this condition.  Also he used physical violence on you.  I have a couple of texts that might help you."  Gratefully the new guide accepted the folders and stowed them in the backpack.

 

***

 

     Blair soon found himself standing outside Police Headquarters.  The name was sculpted in stone, the new glass and metal structure had been grafted onto the old, as though symbolizing what the security forces where trying to do - create a new beginning out of the decay of the old order.  Blair shook his head, He definitely had to give the anthropology books a miss for a while, he was starting to think like one. 

 

     The officer on duty at the main desk looked Blair up and down, in a critical manner.  What he saw was a young man, mid twenties, with torn jeans, multicolored shirt and a long black coat, and hiking boots, with a backpack thrown over one shoulder.  "And you want to see Captain Banks Department 51."

 

     Blair took a mental deep breath.  "Yes."  The man was driving him up the wall, he had gone through this routine four times already, it was getting stale and he was getting nowhere.  "Tell Captain Banks it's about Lieutenant James Ellison, he's a headhunter."  By the look he got from the officer at the desk he had just made a mistake calling them headhunters.  He plowed on.  "He's missing, and I know where he is, think that will get his attention?"  He allowed his sarcasm to show through.  Blair heard the lift bell go and turned towards it.  When he turned back he was looking down the barrel of a gun, and another officer materialized almost from thin air.  He was slammed against the wall, his feet roughly knocked apart, and he was frisked.  The backpack was pushed through the scanner and only then did the gun move from him. He has manhandled as he was pulled into the lift, and taken to the seventh floor, the home of Department 51.

 

     As the lift door opened, two large men took hold of him and frog-marched him through the double doors into the bull pen.  The place was busy, and they stopped to look at him.  The looks they shot him were all hostile. 

 

     Finally, he was pulled into the office of Simon Banks.  He was a big man, bigger than his Sentinel.  "Sit."  His keepers pushed him down, and handed his ID to the Captain.  "Blair Sandburg, BA, MA, Rainier University Department of Sentinel Studies."  He tossed the ID back so it landed in front of Blair. "So, Mr. Sandburg, what do you know about Lieutenant Ellison?"

 

     "Lieutenant Ellison is a latent sentinel."  If he wanted a reaction, he was disappointed.

 

     "Carry on."  The captain's voice was level  

 

     "He came on-line while working in the Zone.  He was found to have hypersenses and was shipped to the University early this morning."

 

     "And Jim's still there," Banks jumped in.  To the dark man flanking Blair he said, "Henri, I want you and Rafe over to the university now, if they…"

 

     "He's not there, he escaped four hours ago," Blair interrupted.

 

     "So where is he?" Simon demanded.

 

     "That's why I'm here, Captain, if Ellison calls in, he needs to contact me."

 

     "And why should he do that, kid?" Simon asked.

 

     "I am his guide."

 

     Banks grabbed Blair, hauling the smaller man out of the chair, and shook him.  "You little bastard, you bonded with him!  He didn't need a guide, and if he did, it wasn't some skinny little grad student!"  Each word he said was punctuated with a shake. 

 

     Blair clawed at his hand.  "Let me go."  He staggered a little, catching himself as he was pushed away.  "The sentinel/guide bond, it's nothing we can control, it happened." 

 

     "Then tell me, guide," Simon made the name sound like an insult, "why, when he had blocked your kind for so long, he let you in?"

 

     Blair ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes.  "He must have subconsciously needed a guide, and we just clicked."  The younger man was all too aware of how lame it sounded.

 

     Simon caught Blair's arm and pulled him none too gently to the large glass window to the bull pen.  "You never answered my question, kid, why pick you when he could have had any of them as his guide?"  

 

     "They're not guides, Captain, they're cops.  It takes training to be able to handle a sentinel, so they can refine their senses.  You need knowledge of sentinel medicine, and more important, you need a connection.  We bonded."

 

     "And you think you can control James Ellison?"  The captain laughed, it was deep and rumbling.  "You think you can do that, kid?" 

 

     "The name's Blair Sandburg, not kid, and yes, I think I can."  Then he added, "Face it, Captain, I am the only game in town.  Now, any idea where he would go?"

 

     "Jim is covert ops, and if he wants to disappear, he's got the connection and means to do so."

 

     "But Ellison will stay around the city.  If I am correct, this is his territory and he would not leave that for any reason.  Sentinels are creatures of habit, they have territories and they guard the boundaries, protecting them from any challengers."

 

     "Jim's not a creature, he's a cop, Mr. Sandburg."  Simon looked at Blair again critically.  His mind was screaming at him to have the kid carted away as a freak, perhaps running a drug test while he was at it.  He would not last ten minutes with Jim Ellison, the Lieutenant would toss him out of the window in five.  But they needed to find Jim, and do it quickly.  Something was very wrong, and it was not going to get

better until they got to the bottom of it.  Like it or not, the kid, Blair, was a factor in it.

 

     Simon's thoughts were interrupted by the telephone.  He released the kid and scooped up the phone.  "Banks."  He snarled the name. 

 

     "Captain, it's Ellison."

 

     Banks had to stop himself saying the man's name.  "What do you need?"

 

     "The Doctor had me shipped to Rainier, instead of the Cascade Hospital.  I got out, but they're looking for me."

 

     "We need to meet.  5 o'clock at Hudson and Main."  

 

     Jim was about to reply when he heard the noise again, the thumping.  He pulled back, the last thing he needed was to zone out now.  "Sandburg, long haired kid, is he there?"  

 

     "Yes.  How did you…?"

 

     "I can hear his heartbeat, did he tell you we're bonded?"

 

     "Yes."  Banks allowed his hostile glance to fall on Blair.  "But we'll deal with it."  He turned his attention back fully to the phone. 

 

     "Keep the kid out of the way, while we deal with it."

 

     "I can put him in holding," Simon volunteered. 

 

     "No," Jim snapped, "not that, just hold him in the interrogation room."

 

     "Okay, Jim, okay.  Thanks.  See you at five."  Simon returned the phone to the cradle, and turned to the grad student, only he wasn't there.  "Dammit!" Simon swore, then yelled, "Henri, in here, now!"  He pulled one of his cigars out, he had the feeling he was going to need it. 

 

***

 

     Blair's breath was burning in his lungs as he took the stairs down two at a time.  He couldn't wait for the lift, he had to get out, the captain was talking to Ellison, you didn't need to be a genius to know that, and that Ellison would want him stashed away and kept as far away from him as possible, and that, Lieutenant Ellison, was not going to happen.

 

     If he was Banks, he would have tried to take him out of circulation, and the quickest way to do that was to post an APB on him and the car.  So with some reluctance he left it behind him, he had 50 minutes to get to the meeting.  He dug his hand in his pocket, and frowned, his wallet was still on Banks table, but he just had enough money to meet the bus fare.  The bus driver gave him a funny look as he boarded.  He was all too aware that the bruising on his face was now out in full color. 

 

     He shifted slightly to look out of the window, to partly hide the damage from the other passengers, and quickly ran through what he knew.  First, Banks had no idea that Ellison had been med-evaced to Rainier, in fact, they where treating his disappearance as sinister.  He had been at crossed lines with them, he had thought that the university would have notified the police of Ellison's escape and requested a medical APB.  Ellison had bonded, but they hadn't completed the process, and until then the circle was not complete.  So what the hell was going on?? 

 

     Secondly Banks knew that Ellison was a sentinel, and they had been covering for him, to prevent him having to go to the university for bonding, and no doubt they had been acting as temporary guides for him, as the need arose.  If Ellison was partly on-line he could have used his senses to some extent.  They would have been cutting in and out on him, but the chance of a zone out would be low, because of the lack of focus, but now…now he was a full sentinel, those amateur guides would prove fatal to him.  Didn't those idiots realize that he could go into a zone out, and in the worse case he could actually stop breathing, or go so deep he would be comatose, lost for ever in the zone out?  He had to complete the full bonding, and get Ellison to see sense. 

 

     Also, from what he had heard, Ellison had been building an emotional barrier up to block any possible attempts at bonding, but he must have had a strong emotional shell to start with.  He shook his head, he really needed to read through the Dark Sentinel casebook.  It was a very rare condition, and only two had been reported, and the details where sketchy, but any information was a help.  He was jerked out of his line of thought by the bus pulling up. 

 

     Blair grabbed his backpack and piled off the bus.  With a quick glance at his watch, he had about ten minutes to the meet, and two blocks to cross to get there.  The area was a bad one, and he pulled the backpack a little tighter over his shoulder. 

 

***

 

     Simon checked the time for the third time in as many minutes.  He jumped when Jim came up behind him.  How the hell could a man Jim's size move so softly?  It must be a sentinel thing.  Somehow that made him feel happier. 

 

     "Okay Jim, what's going on?  That little hippie freak was in my office saying that he's your guide? What happened, I thought you could block them?" 

 

     "I could, but somehow he got through, I didn't have a chance to block him."  Jim shrugged . 

 

     "This bonding thing, what…"  Simon trailed off, almost embarrassed. 

 

     Jim's smile was one of amusement.  "Simon, it's okay.  It's not as if you're asking about my sex life."

 

     "Well, you hear things about guides, I mean, they're touchy feely all the time, it's not natural."

 

     Jim shook his head.  "The nearest I can describe, it was like a static electric charge running through me.  It was like I was watching someone else.  Also there was a feeling of…"  He trailed off.  "It was like I used to feel for Steven at the start, before dad forced us apart."  The memories were too painful.  Simon laid a hand on his arm.  It was a quick clumsy gesture, but one which was acknowledged, as Jim added, "There was a need to protect the kid."

 

     "Is there a way to dump the kid, you know, unbond you?"

 

     "No, but I figure in a few months, I'll get a handle on these senses, and I can get rid of him.  I am no ones lap dog, and certainly not his."  There was a venom in Jim's words which would have had any one in the office hurrying for cover.  When Jim Ellison had that tone, all sensible people headed for the storm shelters. 

 

     Whatever Jim was about to say was forgotten as Simon saw the way he cocked his head to one side. He recognized it as the familiar listening position.

 

     There it was again, the thumping noise, speeded up, but it was there and getting closer. 

 

     "Jim?" 

 

     He realized that Simon was looking at him in a concerned way.  "The kid's here.  I thought you were taking care of him."  It was almost a accusation. 

 

     "That kid's harder to pin down than the perps, he got past us, at the station."

 

     "Let's make this fast, Simon, the doctor that fast tracked me to Rainier was Dr. Westermann, he had all the paperwork ready to go, as if he knew something was going to happen…" He ground to a halt.  "The bastard set me off, got me to zone."

 

     "What!"

 

     "It's not important in itself, but someone wanted me at Rainier University, and not through the usual channels, and made sure that no one knew about it.  But there are enough sentinels around, so what's special about me?"

 

     "We'll sort this out, Jim.  I've sent Henri and Rafe out to the university today, they haven't reported back yet, but maybe they have some answers.  In the meantime, keep a low profile.  Rainier has not requested a medical APB on you, but it's not to say that someone isn't looking for you.  I'll have Rhonda run a search on Dr. Westermann, see just what we can turn up."  He pushed his cell phone in Jim's hand.   "Use this to contact me, and keep in touch."

 

     Jim was looking off into the dark.  "Do a search on the kid, and lock him up if you can get him.  He's part of this and I want to know how he fits in with it all."

 

***

 

     Blair had ground to a halt, as he saw Jim disappear into the dark.  Banks was there, he was blocking the grad student's way.  The impulse to get to his sentinel was so strong he nearly risked being seen, then he pushed it back, and back tracked the way he had come.  All he could do now was make his way back to the warehouse.  He started on the long walk back. 

 

     He was within a block of home, when the two men who had watched him go past pushed themselves away from the wall.  The smaller younger man was the perfect target, they could have some fun with him first and any money would be a bonus.  The coarse remarks went back and forth between the two men as they made their plans to jump their target.  They never saw the darker shadow detach itself.  A few minutes later, it carried on it's way, stalking it's prey, leaving the men on the ground, without even a backward glance to see if they where still breathing. 

 

     Blair felt a shudder go through his body, for the third time that evening.  He couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.  He hugged the backpack closer to him, and speeded up his pace.  It was with relief that he entered the warehouse.  It was bitter cold, the three gas heaters were unable to warm anything like enough of the living space to make much of a dent on the temperature.  He pulled on another layer of clothes, flinching as he heard one of the rat traps go off in the far region of the warehouse. 

 

     He reached into a food safe and pulled out a caddy of his herbal teas, then turned and automatically took a step back.  He found himself looking straight at Jim Ellison.  His eyes were ice cold , blue chips, but there was something in them, he didn't understand.  one hand still clutching the tea caddy, with the other he reached out to his sentinel.

 

     Jim knocked the hand away hard.  Blair took a deep breath, he was looking at an instinct driven sentinel.  The man that was trying to avoid him had been replaced by the pure sentinel.  He was all too aware that the big man could break him in half.  He eased back away from him, when Jim's hand suddenly lashed out, catching him by the front of his clothes, and hauled him upwards and towards him.  With his other hand he batted away the caddy, then he slammed him down on the over stuffed sofa, winding his free hand into Blair's long hair, pinning him down.  The other hand moved up and pinned his throat.  Jim could now feeling the heart beat drumming through his fingers. 

 

     Blair tried to sit up, but the pressure increased.  He bit back a cry of pain.  Blair's mind screamed that it was not supposed to be like this, they had bonded but final meshing was not supposed to be like this, it was a two way process.  Ellison was a dark sentinel, he knew that with sudden clarity.  They wanted a completely submissive guide.  He would not be that.  He reached a hand up to press against Jim's heart, groaning as Jim's hand wrapped itself tighter in his hair, as his sentinel lent closer, instinctually opening his senses up, to drink in the smell of his guide. 

 

     "No."  He forced the word through the pain.  "Not like this.  Jim, please."  His sentinel stopped, the head tilting slightly as if he was pulling back from somewhere.  He would not be submissive, that was almost his mantra. 

 

     Jim could suddenly smell the fear rolling off the younger man, he could feel the warmth of the bruising under his fingers where he held the man's throat.  He released his hold on the hair, allowed his sensitive fingers to move lightly over the younger man's face.  He could detect a scar, long faded, along the jaw line, the small healed cut from shaving. 

 

     Slowly but surely, Blair reached his hand up, running it up Jim's arm, all the time keeping eye contact with his sentinel, then he moved his hand across his chest to his heart, and rested the palm against it.  He knew that the sentinel would feel the warmth against him.  When the sentinel made no attempt to hit it away, he started with his other hand, running it up the arm, and then up the shoulder to his face.  Concentrating, he willed the connection between them, the pheromones were released, he saw the sentinel inhale deeply, drawing them in, the chemistry in the brain changed, the final part of the bonding was completed, between them. 

 

     Blair's body relaxed, his hand moved again, gently stroking, reassuring him.  He watched his sentinel's reaction, Jim's expression hadn't changed in those few minutes. 

 

     Suddenly he jerked back from the younger man, looking around him as if he was lost.  Jim's anger flared, partly out of fear, he wasn't sure what had happened.  He only vaguely remembered getting here, it was almost as if he was a passenger along for the ride.  He took it out on the only other person there.  He pulled back from the grad student. 

 

     "This is getting old very quickly, Sandburg, I, I don't know what your plans are but they don't include me."

 

     "But they do, man, we're joined, bonded, meshed now, you need me to help you."

 

     "I don't need you, kid, I managed without you before, and I don't need you now."

 

     Blair pulled himself up.  "You're on-line now, and too much input and you can zone.  Those amateurs can't help you, I can."  Jim turned away from him.  His guide caught his arm and hung on.  "You're rare, man, you're a dark sentinel, a real throw back to an…" he trailed off as Jim swung round, the anger was written right across his face.  He swallowed, his other hand coming up, palm out to try and calm his sentinel.  "You're an earlier type of sentinel, they're stronger, faster than the others.  There are only a handful of case histories. You're unique man."

 

     "So what aren't you telling me, Sandburg, your heart just spiked."  He glanced down at his guide's hand, then back to his face.

 

     The younger man released his hold.  "Dark Sentinels have a need for total control over their guide, where as normal," he hesitate over the word, seeing something flit across Jim's face that he could not identify, "sentinels have the control in the hands of their guides, they allow them to keep order from…"

 

     Jim cut him off.  "So I am some kind of control freak, is that it, kid, and yet you still wanted to complete the bonding?"

 

     "Yes."  He tugged at Jim's shirt.  "You're mine, my sentinel.  The holy grail, a dark sentinel."   His voice was excited, he was all but bouncing.  Jim shushed him, his head turning again.  Blair dropped his voice to the guide tone.  "Stretch your hearing, to that first noise, I am here."

 

     Jim found that he followed the voice, reaching out more than he had ever tried to before.  The voice was male.  "You're sure that they're both in there?"

 

     "Yes."

 

     "Okay, we go in carefully.  You have the darts ready, we need them both alive, and unharmed, remember Ellison was a Black Angel."

 

     The sentinel pulled back, he looked round.  "Any other way out of here, kid?"

 

     "There's a back…"

 

     Jim cut him off.  "Any others?"

 

     "No.  What's wrong?"

 

     "Those steps, where are they to?"

 

     "The roof."

 

     Jim grabbed his arm and hauled him to the steps.  Blair attempted to pull free.  "I don't have time for this, Sandburg, there's people out there with dart guns, I'd rather not hang around to find out what they want, so get going."  The trapdoor was stiff, but was not match for a sentinel driven by the impulse to protect his guide, and get out to safety, it opened with a crash.  They crossed the roof, until they reached the edge, there was a six foot gap to the next warehouse.  He saw the color drain from Sandburg's face.  "An easy jump." 

 

     "I can't."  He backed away from the edge of the warehouse.  "I'll wait here, man."  He pulled away from Jim as he put a hand out to him.  "I don't like heights." 

 

     Jim cocked his head slightly.  They were in the warehouse now, it wouldn't be long before they made it up the steps.  "Sandburg, I'll jump and then you follow."

 

     "I can't make it."

 

     "I'll catch you.  Sandburg, I am your sentinel, I won't allow you to be harmed, you have to trust me."  He got a nervous nod in return.  Jim cleared it easy, then he turned back, one foot braced on the ledge, his arms held out ready.  "Come on, kid."  He could hear them on the steps.  "Now!"  The younger man took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on his sentinel, he ran, and jumped, clearing it, but all the same Jim gathered him in, pulling him close.  Jim encouraged him on the way across that roof to the next one.  There was a metal ladder attached to the side, Jim swung out and over, pausing only to help his younger guide down over the lip and safely onto the first rung, then they were down, and lost into the darkness of the night. 

 

     It was only when he was satisfied that they were safe did the sentinel slow the pace, and allow Blair to catch his breath.  "One question, kid.  How come, I was keeping my distance from you, yet I ended up at your place?"

 

     "Instinct.  When we first met, we bonded, it was a deep bonding, but neither of us was ready for it. You tried to protect me from the guards, you remember that?"  He was reassured to get the nod from his sentinel.  "Right, well, on an instinctive level, you had to get to me.  Logically you wanted to stay clear of me, but the sentinel drive was too strong." 

 

     "What did you do back at the warehouse?"

 

     Blair detected the warning tone in his sentinel's voice.  "Normally when sentinel and guide are brought together, both are prepared for bonding, and if it takes place then the next stage is when you," he trailed off, "in lay mans terms, you mesh, become in synch with each other.  The guide's job is to complete the bonding.  With our training we can," he trailed off, not knowing how his sentinel was going to take the next piece of information.  It would be different with a trained from birth sentinel, they were brought up, taught the process, how a guide fitted into their working lives.  Ellison would not understand, and a dark sentinel would not like it , the loss of control. 

 

     "You were saying, kid?" 

 

     "The guide releases pheromones which the sentinel detects, inhales and it changes him or her, it's a chemical reaction, and the bonding is complete."  Ellison just looked at him, turned and then walked away.  Blair hurried after him.  "It's a natural reaction…"

 

     "Shut up, don't say another word. You have to shut up, or god help me, I will do it for you."  Blair lapsed into silence, but kept pace with him, this was his sentinel and he wasn't going to lose him.  Finally, Jim swung round on him.  "So why can't I hear your heart beat, the damn things been driving me crazy since this morning." 

 

     "The bonding was not complete, it would be a reflex action on the part of the sentinel, so they could find their guide.  When you sent out a sensor net, you could find me, you would not even know you were doing it, it was subconscious.  Now place your hand here," he indicated over his heart, "this will keep you anchored until you can start some lessons."  He added quickly, "You have to learn to control your senses, I can do that for you."

 

     Jim hesitated and did what he was told, he flinched slightly as Sandburg's hand pressed against his shoulder again.  "Okay, now open up your senses, just the hearing first.  Picture a dial, starting at 0 then going up to 10.  Move it up slowly until you can hear my heart beat."

 

     "I can hear it."

 

     "Now another dial, this one for your sense of smell.  Tell me what you can smell, filter out the smells around you concentrate on me."

 

     "Shampoo, some sort of herbal stuff, deodorant , stale cigarette smoke."

 

     "You're doing great, that's from when I was on the bus.  Try again."  His sentinels nose twitched, as if trying to identify a smell, a scent, his eyes flew open, he was smelling the scent of his guide, it was a musk mixed with a warm white chocolate smell.  "Now, Jim, settle the dials back to normal."  Blair hoped that Jim never found out what he had just done was imprint his scent on his sentinel, filling another part of the bonding.  "All you have to do now is think about finding me, and your senses will do the rest.  He shrugged away from the hand, he wasn't a tactile person, and he remembered what Simon had said. 

 

     "So what's with all this touching?"

 

     "The bond between a sentinel and guide, is a tactile one," he trailed off, as Jim started walking away.

 

     Jim looked over his shoulder.  "You coming kid?"  With a grin, Blair followed him, catching up to walk level with his sentinel.

 

***

 

     Simon Banks inhaled deeply on one of his cigars as he lent against his car.  It had been 30 minutes since he had received the short phone call from Jim Ellison. 

 

     "Simon, I could smell that cigar half a mile away."

 

     Simon spun around.  "Ellison, what the hell…!"  The anger was more to cover his worry.  "I was getting worried, I thought you weren't going to show."  He trailed off as he saw the smaller figure join them.  He lunged and caught Blair, pushing him against the car, reaching for his cuffs, ignoring the indignant splutterings of the grad student. 

 

     The sentinel felt his guide's heart spike.  "No, Simon, he's with me."  Only the fact that he knew Simon wouldn't hurt the kid had stopped the Sentinel from plowing in to him, for laying hands on his guide. 

 

     Simon's hands had dropped away at the look on Jim's face.  It was only there a second, but it was a look of almost feral anger.  For that split second, he thought Ellison was going to be all over him.  He was damned if he was going to back away from one of his own detectives.  "How did the two of you meet up?" 

 

     Jim didn't even bother to answer, he was still trying to process that himself.  Finally he said,  "Long story, Simon, but someone came over to Sandburg' place, with a dart gun, they were hunting us.  Did you get any information on Westermann?"

 

     "Your Dr. Westermann works for the government.  No surprises there.  I spoke to an old mutual friend, Commander Philip, he owes us for the Grant Job, well, it turns out Westermann is the in-house doctor for the Black's op section.  It appears he's been interested in sentinel studies for the last ten years, and when he saw you, all this plan was put into action."  Simon paused.  "Personally, I can't see what makes you special." 

 

     Blair cut in, "It's the Dark Sentinel, that's what's different."  He glanced at the two older men.  "Look, man, um," he tried to phase it so they can understand.  "Jim is a Dark Sentinel, they're very, very rare, only two have been reported.  The reason this Black ops, as you called it, doctor would be interested is sentinels protect the city, the tribe, most are in search and rescue, fire jumpers, that sort of thing, but a Dark Sentinel could be trained to," he flustered slightly, he didn't have enough information, he would just have to roll with the flow of his idea, and hope they didn't expect facts to back it up.  "A trained killer, an assassin, who is a sentinel, that would be mind blowing." 

 

     Jim swore violently and slammed his fist down on the car, the frustration blocking out the pain.  Blair caught his arm, when Jim looked at him he felt the beginning of fear, then with his free hand, he began to slowly stroke Jim's arm from shoulder to elbow.  His voice was taking on the guide tone, it was soothing him, earthing him. 

 

     Simon reacted, catching hold of Blair, he didn't like the kid all over Jim like that, it wasn't right.  He pulled him away.  "Get your hands off him…"  He never finished his sentence. 

 

     Simon's grip was broken, and Jim's hand latched on him, Jim's voice was chilling, as he stated his ownership.  "He's mine, no one touches him." 

 

     Simon was just about to try and break free, angry that Jim had actually laid hands on him.  "Don't," Blair put in quickly, "it's a zone out, let me."  He moved close again, the tone was the same.  "It's all right, Jim, he didn't mean me any harm, you can let go of him, he's your friend, remember?"  He saw the jaw start to relax, and gently touched his sentinel's face, moving one hand from jaw to throat.  "Concentrate on my voice and my hand and follow me back."

 

     Jim's hold on Simon slowly slackened, it hadn't broken the bones, but it would be heavily bruised.  "You mind telling me what's going on, Sandburg?" Simon demanded  Jim's gaze snapped from where it had been fixed on the grad student, to Simon, that same feral anger was there.  Without realizing he was doing it, he pushed Blair behind him.  The captain saw the younger man give an apologetic shrug.  Keeping his voice from rising, he said, "Okay, lets try this again, Sandburg.  I saw a sentinel zone once at a crash site, he didn't react like Jim did." 

 

     "It's the Dark Sentinel thing, they're a more primitive, aggressive form of sentinel.  They didn't just protect, they would attack, er," he faltered slightly, "they have stronger senses, faster reactions."  He glanced up at Jim, and decided to leave out the fact they were also control freaks.  "The Dark zone out, for want of a better word, means they allow the pure sentinel to come through and they react on an instinctive level, it's maybe nearer to the surface than with ordinary sentinels.  This can be controlled with training, it's just Jim doesn't have the training yet."  

 

     "And you can give Jim this training, this control, Sandburg?" 

 

     "I can help him, Captain.  I might not be his or your ideal guide material, but he will listen to me, we are bonded fully now, and that cannot be broken." 

 

     The feral anger vanished, as Jim slowly came out of the Dark zone out, his senses fixed on his guide's scent close to him, the drum of his heart beat through his fingers, and the gentle pressure of his guide's hand on his neck and face.  He was back, he started to apologies, but Simon waved it away.  "It's okay, we'll figure this thing out together.  Mind telling me what set this off?" 

 

     "I was a Black Angel, you know that." 

 

     "Sure the elite of the elite."

 

     "I was Black ops, Simon, I never really left the service.  I'm a sleeper, I get activated do a job, and then go back to my real life, once in never out." 

 

     "A government…" Simon was cut off before he could finish the sentence. 

 

     "I heard an English counterpart say once that he was a plumber, he fixed leaks.  That's what I do for us, I fix the leaks.  When a plumber goes rogue, I clean up the mess." 

 

     Sandburg was almost bouncing.  "It makes sense, somehow that guy…"

 

     "Westermann," Jim supplied. 

 

     "Right, he knew you were a sentinel, and somehow a Dark Sentinel, and that's what they wanted, to control your bonding, so simple, what better than to bond a 'plumber' to a black op guide!  You would have a," he gave an excited exclamation, "that would be some team." 

 

     "But why would Rainier help them?" 

 

     "Money, don't you see, the university gets government grants, for sentinel studies.  Call this payback.  One job, to isolate a sentinel until bonding, only it went wrong."  Blair continued, "They must have thought that if they could pick me up before we completed the bonding, it could be broken, even thought they should have know the initial bonding was too deep to be broken." 

 

     Simon pulled out another cigar, the first one long forgotten.  "So we have to get you out of here, Jim."

 

     "Can't be done Captain."

 

     "Why not, Sandburg?" 

 

     "Jim's a sentinel, what ever way you slice and dice it, he has a territory and that is Cascade." 

 

     "Stop talking over me, I am not a child or a performing animal, I can speak for myself."  Both muttered an apology as Jim growled, "We need to work a way out of this.  In the meantime we need to keep one step ahead of them, and for that we need information.  I need to nail their source at Rainier."

 

     "You're not going to hurt any one?"  Blair's voice showed his nerves. 

 

     "I am a cop, Sandburg, remember that."  There was a hint of a warning in that.  In the background, he heard Simon explaining something about a Brown and Rafe, the word stonewalled was repeated with some disgust. 

 

     Blair lent against the car, his body was aching, he was mentally exhausted and the jump across the warehouse was catching up on him.  He had a sickening thought that it was Dr. Cusack, it had to be, she was the one who had first mentioned the fact Ellison was a Dark Sentinel, the files were already on her desk.  He hesitated.  He would speak to her first, and tell Jim about it later.  He tried to slow his breathing.  He saw Jim looking at him from the corner of his eye, and allowed his body to slump. 

 

     "Okay, we'll go find a motel in Haven, the kid's out on his feet," Jim said. 

     "Watch your back, Jim, he isn't your partner."  From the car he retrieved Jim's service automatic.  "You might need this." 

 

     "Thanks."  He checked the weapon, and tucked it in the back of his trousers in the small of his back, and pocked the spare shells.  "He's my guide, Simon.  I'll be in touch.  Sandburg," he gave a quick jerk of the head to show they were going. 

 

     "Sandburg," Jim's tone was tolerant, if his guide got any nearer he would be walking in his shoes.  But then the Haven was not the kind of area that someone like Blair would visit.  Jim had first worked it during his time in vice, and he knew the rules.  The weak got trampled, and Blair would be a natural prey for them. 

 

     The hotel was the worst kind, it last had a health and safety check in the last decade.  The receptionist looked up from her magazine, and switched the gum to the other side of her cheek.  "Yeah?"  Her tone was one of total boredom. 

 

     "Room." 

 

     "One or two?"

 

     "One."

 

     She looked them up and down.  "Double beds only." 

 

     Jim slid his arm around Blair's shoulder, pulling him close.  Grinning smugly, "What do you think?"

 

     She gave a disgusted snort, and pushed the key over to them as she snatched up the money and pushed it into the cash box.  The men on the stairs made a comment that made Blair go bright red.  Jim laughed and pulled him a little closer.  The younger man suddenly jolted as he was touched.  Jim was fast, he caught the man's wrist, and twisted.  There was a sickening crunch as the hand broke.  Keep your hands to yourself, the next time will be your neck.  Come on lover."  He tugged Blair up the stairs and into the room.

 

     The younger man backed away. "You're just kidding, right, man?"

 

     "Not my type, Sandburg, believe me you're not my type.  Here, we're just one of many, you start asking for two singles, and that would be something to talk about." 

 

     "Right, now we have that sorted," Blair ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back behind his ear, "you need to set up a sensor net, let me talk you through that."  He indicated a chair.  It was over stuffed and badly stained.  "Okay, Jim, take a seat.  That's it, lean back, rest your hands on your knee, now tell me what you smell."  He saw his sentinel flinch.  "Now tone it down, Jim, using the dials, like last time.  Comfortable?" 

 

     "Get on with it, Sandburg."

 

     "Filter out the smells."  Finally. Jim was fixed on the scent of his guide as a base line, and slowly opened up the others until he had the right level, then the hearing was extended out, until he had his sensors fine tuned.  The soothing tone of his guide's voice brought him to the edge of sleep, but part of his brain was monitoring the slightest noise.  He felt Blair's hand leave his arm, and then the sound of the bed springs bending under his guide's weight.  His guide was in his territory, and the boundaries where secure.  He allowed his guide's heart beat to take him to sleep.

 

***

 

     Blair woke as the light started to stream through the window.  Silhouetted in the window frame was his sentinel.  Jim didn't even turn around.  "Go back to sleep, Chief, it's still early." 

 

     Blair shivered in the cold of the morning, and pulled the blanket round him.  "Are you all right, Jim, your senses?" 

 

     "Working fine, no problem.  Go back to sleep."  It had almost been a dismissal.  Jim had been awake for the last hour.  His senses had told him that no one was attempting to get into the room, but still something was wrong.  He looked across at his guide, he could see that he was shivering with the cold, automatically he had gotten up and pulled the blanket round him, the shivering had stopped, as his sleeping guide snuggled down into the blankets.  Jim was still trying to process his thoughts and feelings. He was a loner, he was used to the type of camaraderie of the military and police.  This was new.  Blair Sandburg was not the type of person that he would have given a second thought of.  Okay, he corrected himself, he would have but only to the point of being the first person at a crime scene that he would have slammed against the wall and frisked, with a drug test thrown in for free.  What did he expect with the long hair, the second hand clothes, the ripped kneed jeans?  But now, suddenly, in 24 hours, all that had changed.  For god's sake, he had woken up because the kid was cold.  He was hypersensitive to him, he would have to learn how to switch the kid off.  That's it, switch the kid off.  He felt pleased that he at least had something under control. 

 

     Blair became convinced as he ate his breakfast in the cafe that he had to get back to Rainier, that the answers were all there, the only problem was that his sentinel was not going to let him go.  How the hell could he give the man the slip?  He slid out from the booth, and headed into the men's room.  There was a window high up.  he climbed up using the toilet to balance on, and then forced the window, and hauled himself out.  There was a sudden pain in his arm, as he caught it on a piece of glass that was cemented in the wall next to it.  He was away. 

 

     Finally he slowed down, he had put a block between him and Jim, he could relax.  He paused only long enough to dig a handkerchief out of his backpack and wrap it around the wound.  He gave a quick look over his shoulder and then turned and collided straight into someone.  He took in the dark shirt and then with dread he looked up into the face of his sentinel.  He was beyond anger.  His eyes flashed dangerously as he caught his errant guide tightly and hauled him into the alley way. 

 

     Blair made hard contract with the wall, his feet were no longer touching the ground.  "Put me down, Jim, put me down."  He struggled to free himself, and was slammed back into the wall for his trouble.

 

     "Listen and listen carefully, Sandburg," the words where ground out, "never try anything like that again, or you will live to regret it, understand?"  He gave a shake to make sure he got the point.  "You're my guide, and you do what I say, or you do nothing." 

 

     The grad student's reply was short and sharp and physically impossible, as he brought his knee up hard into his sentinels groin.  With a cry of pain he had to release Blair and the grad student twisted away from the larger man.  He took off, the sentinel lunged at him, and caught his sleeve, pulling him off balance.  In panic he swung the backpack with enough force into Jim's face for the sentinel to release his hold, and Blair was off.  His heart was hammering, he heard Jim's voice yelling after him.  One word, his name it was an almost primeval scream. 

 

     Through the panic, he tried to analyze what had just happened.  Okay he had run, he needed to get to Rainier to look into what was going on, he had run because Jim would not have let him, oh shit, he ground to a halt, as he saw his actions from the sentinels view point, his guide had taken off, which for a sentinel was bad enough, but for a dark sentinel, a person who needed control, then it would been seen as a betrayal.  God if only he would think before he acted, think through all the angles, he would not be in this position.  He took a steadying deep breath.  Now the only way to show his loyalty was to get the information for his sentinel and avoid getting his neck broken.

 

***

 

     Simon lifted up the phone.  "Yes?"  He moved the phone away from his ear slightly.  "Calm down, Ellison.  An APB on Sandburg, you lost him.  Okay, okay, um, I'll get that sorted, but when this is over we are going to talk."  He put the phone down, and exhaled slowly.  Ellison was angry, and didn't care who knew it, he just hoped for the kid's sake, Ellison didn't catch up with him first. 

 

     Brown knocked and came into the office.  "The forensic people have their report on Sandburg's apartment, there was one print.  We ran it and so did the FBI.  Nothing.  Then I got a friend to run it through the military computer data base.  It belongs to a Michael Pratchett." 

 

     "Put an APB out on him."

 

     "That's the problem, according to his military record, Michael Pratchett died in a helicopter crash during the trade war two years ago.  He was a Black Angel." 

 

     Simon leaned back in his chair.  Great, just great, the Black Op theory was getting stronger by the minute.

 

     "There's another thing, Pratchett was at Rainier University before he joined the Army." 

 

     Find out what he studied, I'm getting a bad feeling about this.  And while you're at it, get a ABP out on Blair Sandburg, he's wanted for assaulting a police officer.  He is not, repeat, not, dangerous, and must be arrested with care, I don't want him injured, minimum force."  Simon didn't want to face Ellison if Sandburg was injured.  On one hand the man was ready to kill the student himself, but would not be pleased if anything happened to the kid.  It was a sentinel thing, Simon was sure.  He rubbed his head to try and ease the stress headache he could feel building.  Why the hell could not life be simple? 

 

***

 

     Blair was heading for Rainier University.  He had started out on this course and was going to follow it through.  Once they got this over with, he could concentrate on building a relationship with his sentinel, doing the things needed to reinforce their bonding. 

 

     He was pulled back violently to the present when the police car suddenly pulled in front of him.  For a moment he was frozen, then a voice in his head yelled *run,* and he was off.  He heard them yell "stop, police!" but he wasn't going to.  The pounding of feet behind him, Blair didn't risk turning around, but kept going, having to hurdle some boxes in front of him.  The car pulled in again, without braking stride, he slide across the hood of the car, his foot hit hard and he felt a burn of pain through his knee.  He caught himself, and forced himself on. 

 

     Ahead of him, two of the buses had pulled up and started to disgorge the students for the start of the day.  Blair forced himself to slow down and match their unhurried pace, trying to calm himself.  He had to make it to Hargrove Hall.  When he approached, he saw the police car, and turned away, swearing under his breath.  Damn it, he needed to get into the office!  He sent up a prayer to all the gods when he saw Dr. Cusack walking across the square.  With a quick glance around he caught up with her, catching hold of her arm. 

 

     Dr. Cusack started, frightened by the sudden contact.  "Blair, what the…" 

 

Please, Jane, we need to talk, now. It's about the Dark Sentinel." 

    

"This way…"

 

     "Not the Hall, the police are after me."

 

     "Blair, what have you done?" 

 

     "Nothing, you have to believe me, but I have completed the bonding." 

 

     The look on Jane Cossack's face was hard to read.  She took him to the administration block, the building was busy.  "We can use Doctor Clark's office, he's on holiday this week."  Thankfully; the grad student settled into one of the over stuffed chair, the pain in his knee was still throbbing. "You're right, Jim Ellison is a Dark Sentinel.  Did you have a chance to read through the files I gave you?" 

 

     I only skimmed them, but he does have some of the same characteristic: a need to be in control, to stake his territory and position." 

 

     "Has he showed any violent behavior?  Blair, has he showed any violent behavior towards you?" 

 

     "You have to understand, Jane, he's scared and frightened, and those feelings are alien to him.  He's got the feeling that things are spinning out of control.  They…"

 

     "Blair, I repeat my question, has he showed any violent behavior to you?" 

 

     "Yes okay?!"

 

     "There is no need to get defensive.  What happened?" 

 

     "He arrived at my place, and threw me on the sofa, and started to scan me.  I managed to stop him and we bonded correctly.  I got him to imprint on me, but he, well, doesn't realize I did it, as such." 

    

"And that is the only time?" 

 

     "He wouldn't have let me come to the campus, so I slipped out, and he wasn't too pleased when he caught up to me."

 

     "But you talked him round?" 

 

     "No, I kicked him in the b…the groin, and hit him with the backpack, and he was one p…disgruntled sentinel when I left.  He must have seem my disappearance as a betrayal.  But I know I can talk him round, he is my sentinel." 

 

     "Now, why are the police after you?"

 

     "I called round the station, to see Captain Banks, Ellison's boss, to make sure they contacted me when he was found, and they took exception to the idea we were bonded.  Why didn't they issue a medical APB?"

 

     "That would have been down to the Council Chairman, Dr. Merryweather." 

 

     "But that is standard practice if a sentinel runs, it's in their own interest that they settle down, they can get back to their own life quicker that way."  Then he added, "Jane, how did you know that Ellison was a dark sentinel?  I mean, you had these files ready for me." 

 

     Jane Cusack moved in the chair to get more comfortable. " I was approached by a Dr. Westermann, he explained he was the consulting doctor on a case of a latent sentinel, and when we had finished talking and I saw the medical finding it was obvious that he was a dark sentinel.  You know how rare they are, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack.  I forwarded him all the information I had. You can imagine how thrilled I was when he said that Lieutenant Ellison was coming to Rainier rather than Cascade Hospital.  Is anything wrong, Blair?" 

 

     The student wanted to believe her story, he liked the woman, she had been his supervisor for the last year, since he started as a TA.  "Do you still have the medical files on Ellison?" 

 

     "Of course, they're in my office." 

 

     "Could I see them?"

 

     "Blair, they are confidential, you can't see them without Ellison's agreement." 

 

     Damn.  The anger was suddenly replaced with a grin.  "I am his guide, Doctor, remember, as such, I am his next of kin, and his notification of injury, and I have power of attorney over him, so I can see those files."    Jane Cusack fought down her smile, the young man was learning.  The smile twitched into life as he added, as an after thought, "I think I'll wait a while before I tell him that one though." 

 

     "I'll get the file, it's in my secure cabinet, and put it on the desk.  You also need access to my computer, the password is Hailstorm.  I have a meeting with Dr. Miller so , I won't be able to help you." 

 

     Blair nodded.  "That's okay, it's better that you're not too involved, I don't know how this is going to go down." 

 

     "If the police are outside the Hall, there is a maintenance walk way between the Archaeology Department building and Hargrove Hall, you could get in that way."  Dr. Cusack seemed pleased with the answer to their problem, then noticed the young man had gone pale. 

"Blair, are you all right?" 

 

     "Sure, it's only four stories up, right?"  Already he could feel the sweat breaking out all over him.  He hated heights. 

 

***

 

     He kept with the knot of students walking to the Archaeology Building.  The police was still sat outside of Hargrove Hall.  He turned into the alleyway, at the side of the building, and saw Jim Ellison standing there waiting for him.  He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.  The grad student swallowed hard and kept walking towards him.  What was unnerving was that the anger was no longer on his face, in fact, his expression was unreadable.  He felt himself pinned by those ice blue eyes. 

 

     "Jim, about this morning, I…"  He found himself cut off.

 

     "We'll talk about that later, Chief, and believe me we will talk." 

 

     Blair hurried to explain.  "Dr. Cusack, she has your medical reports, she's going to leave them on her desk for me and I have her computer password.  What I have found out is that Council Chairman Merryweather is the one that stopped the medical APB being put out on you, so he is possibly the one they're talking to, he was also the one who was against me bonding with you.  Look, can't you get the APB lifted on me, then we could just walk into Hargrove Hall." 

 

     "Sorry, Chief, the cell phone's dead, so unless you want to walk up to the nice officers and give yourself up, we have to use plan B."  With that he looked up at the maintenance ladder. 

 

     Blair swallowed hard again.  "Maybe you could go and get the files.  I'll wait here, I mean they're not looking for you." 

 

     "They're not, Chief, but the other two are, so it looks like it's plan B for both of us.  You first." 

 

     Blair climbed up the maintenance ladder at the side of the archaeology building.  Already he could feel the nausea building up.  All he could do was concentrate on the next rung ahead of him.  It was only because the steps had a protective rail running up the side that he managed it, his hands where gripping so tightly that his fingers where white.  At the top, he pulled himself over the brick parapet and slumped onto the floor, his heart beating like a triple hammer.  His hands where shaking badly. 

 

     Finally he pulled himself up, and made it carefully to the edge of the roof and the maintenance walk way joining the two roofs.  It had a waist high railing but he made the mistake of looking down, and the vertigo sent him stumbling backward.  Jim was watching him with some concern now, as Blair's heart and respiration had begun to get worse, and the kid was beginning to head towards a full panic attack.  To start with, there had been some satisfaction in payback, after all, the kick to the groin had been painful, but this was beyond any payback. 

 

     Jim closed the distance between them, hesitated and then took hold of his arms, "Okay, Chief, breath for me.  That's it nice and easy, you're not going to black out."  He repeated the instructions in a careful, level, comforting voice, and slowly Blair's heart began to return to normal, as his breathing slowed.  "You sure you want to do this?"  He got a nod in reply, Blair still didn't trust himself to speak.  

 

     He got a quarter of the way across the walk way when he froze, he could feel the walkway flexing under his feet.  "It's okay, I'm coming to get you.  Blair's eyes were clenched tightly shut.  "Chief, it's going to be okay, trust me."  Jim made his way across the walkway, and then reached out for Blair.  "Okay, buddy, you're going to have to open your eyes for a minute here, now take my hand." 

 

     "No, I'll fall."  He looked down and another shudder ran through his body.

 

     "Blair, don't look down, keep your eyes on my face, I won't let you fall."  His fingers slowly slid round his guide's left hand, and Blair released his hold reluctantly, and gripped tightly.  "That's it, keep focused on my face, and release your other hand now, that's it, move along, now again."  To Jim, it felt as if his hand was having the circulation cut off.  Finally he pulled his guide to the safety of the roof of Hargrove Hall.  Blair was shaking.  He put a hand on the younger man's shoulder, to try and steady him, and the next minute found himself holding 155 lbs of guide, shaking badly as the reaction set in.  Jim was no good at this sort of thing, normally he had someone else to take the emotional victims or relatives off his hand, but now there was just him, and an instinct deep inside was clawing to get out.  He let it go, and pulled the grad student to him, his arms closed around him, supporting him, until the grad student had calmed down. 

 

     "About this morning…"

 

     "Like I said, we'll talk about that later." 

***

 

     Blair entered the office and stopped dead in his tracks.  There where papers all over the place, and the crumpled figure of Dr. Cusack lay on the floor, blood coming from a split lip, and a nasty bump was rising on the side of her head.  He quickly knelt by her, only relaxing slightly when he felt the pulse in her throat.  He reached for the telephone, to get 911. 

 

     Jim was looking at the desk.  "Someone went through her paperwork.  Let me have look, I was a medic."  Dr. Cusack started to come around, moaning.  "Lay still, you're going to be all right."

 

     As she pulled away from him, Blair caught her shoulder.  "It's all right Jane, this is Lieutenant Ellison, my sentinel." 

 

     "A dark sentinel," she breathed, and reached a hand out to touch Jim. 

 

     Jim caught her hand.  "Lay still until the ambulance comes.  Any idea what they wanted?" 

 

     "The medical file on you and the files on the case histories.  My computer, they down loaded the information, and did something to it, he hit me when I tried to get away." 

 

     "What case files?" Jim asked. 

 

     Blair answered,  "I have a couple of dark sentinel case histories, that's about all we have on the condition." 

 

     Jim's head cocked to one side, the ambulance siren could be heard, and the police would be there in seconds.  Jim caught his partner's arm.  "Sorry we can't wait for them, just lay still." 

 

     "Jim, we can't leave her." 

 

     "It won't help us if the police or those others catch up with us."  Blair tugged him towards his office, but the sentinel pulled back.  "The first place they'll look, Chief."  Latching firmly on Blair's elbow, he steered him along. 

 

     To Blair, the next moments all happened in slow motion.  He sensed the increased tension in his sentinel, and looked down the corridor.  Walking towards them were two men that looked out of place. Blair was pulled behind him as the two men pulled their weapons, and aimed at them.  Jim was faster and as a Black Angel, he was lethal.  He took them both down.  One of their bullets went wide, the other clipped the plaster inches from their head.  Jim was not even trying to disable, both where killed by a shot to the head. 

 

     "You okay, Chief?" 

 

     "Fine."  The voice was shaky, and he could feel the grip on the back of his jacket. 

 

     "Police!  Freeze!"

 

     Jim kept the gun where they could see it.  "Easy, I am a cop, my captain is Simon Banks, Department 51."

 

     The older cop shook his head.  "Lieutenant Ellison, sorry sir, I didn't recognize you to start with. What happened here?" 

 

     "These two pulled a weapon on us."  He walked over after first gently getting Blair to release his terror like hold on his jacket.  He moved over to check the bodies for ID.  Their driver's licenses were out of state, and with sentinel eyes he could see that they where forgeries, state of the art, but still forgeries. 

 

     The younger cop had moved up quietly on Blair, and the next thing he knew, he was being pushed against the wall, and cuffed.  A plaintive "Jim!", brought his attention back to his guide, who seemed to look at him for a moment as if considering.  "Put him in the car, until we get this sorted out, and I want a guard on him, he's a material witness." 

 

     "Jim, you can't do this to me!" 

 

     He turned back to the bodies.  "It's for the best, Chief." 

 

     Simon arrived in time to see Blair being put in the car, and was directed to his officer.  "What happened here?" 

 

     "They pulled their guns as soon as they saw us.  Now, they haven't got the computer disk or the files on them, so, they came back for Sandburg, they must have been waiting inside the hall." 

 

     "How's the kid involved, surely it's you they're after, the sentinel?" 

 

     "No, now it's Sandburg."

 

     "Look, I admit I know nothing about this sentinel business, but if you're bonded…"  It was the first time the Simon had seen Jim crack a smile.

 

     "It's not as if we're picking china or something, don't worry it, accept it, I am stuck with the kid.  This Michael Pratchett was training to be a guide before he dropped out to join the Army.  My guess it that he was the one I was to bond with.  Now, according to Sandburg, Dr. Merryweather was totally against the bonding.  He's a good starting point, and he's high enough up to swing this." 

 

     "But if the kid's your guide, then how can Pratchett be it?" 

 

     "I've Sandburg in the car downstairs, I thought it best to keep him contained.  He's a bit too quick on his feet for my liking.  Since he's the expert we have a chat with him." 

 

     Once outside the building, Simon called the older uniformed police officer over and told them to get Sandburg.  He turned to speak to Jim, when he noticed that something had caught his detective's attention.

Meanwhile, Sandburg was being brought across, when Jim suddenly yelled a warning and brought his guide crashing to the floor but not before there was the sound of a rifle shot.  Jim used his body to shield the younger man, when no more shots followed, he carefully eased up.  Sandburg was conscious, but blood was beginning to soak through his shirt.  Before he lost consciousness, he heard his sentinel calling for a ambulance. 

 

     Jim was on edge, pacing the waiting room in the hospital.  His mood was foul, and no one wanted to go anywhere near him.  He was worried sick about his guide, the sentinel instincts were at their fullest extent, the protect mode was activated.  He had already zoned out twice trying to follow the operation three floors above him.  In the end, Simon has sought out Dr. Cusack, who was being held for observation.  Upon hearing that Blair had been shot, and the problems they where having with Jim, she insisted that she could be of help. 

 

     Simon asked, "You had a sentinel yourself." 

 

     "Yes," she smiled fondly, "Alexander Brent, we were partners for 20 years, until he died.  That was worse then losing any member of my family.  The connection between guide and sentinel becomes stronger through time and adversity." 

 

     Seeing the wedding band, Simon asked, "But you're married?  Surely your husband…" 

 

     "Tony was, or rather is, very understanding, not all people can marry a guide or sentinel.  They have to understand and respect the link, realized that there are no sexual overtones to the relationship, though there is close intimacy.  Sorry, I don't want you to feel embarrassed, Captain, but you must know, if you're to look after Blair and his Sentinel, Lieutenant Ellison.  Alexander was like an uncle to our children, and two of them, Graham and Sally, will be starting at Rainier University next year."  She smiled.  "Blair will be taking them for their introductory course, Alexander look on him like a brother.  The feeling of loss when he died, it was as if half of me died with him.  It look a long time to piece my life back together again.

 

     "From what you described, Lieutenant Ellison is in full Blessed Protector Mode.  It's what we call the protective instinct of the sentinel, it kicks in when the guide is injured or threatened.  In that state, the Sentinel is capable of doing anything, Captain, to keep their guide safe.  It's best if the hospital allow Lieutenant Ellison in to see Blair as soon as he's out of the theater, and then make arrangements for him to spend the night with him.  It's standard procedure for this type of situation, but since their not registered as a sentinel/guide, it's best to warn them.  He will need to be close enough to monitor Blair, without putting too much strain on his senses, he's newly on line." 

 

     "They called Jim a Dark Sentinel, what is it?"

 

     "To be honest, I never thought I would live to see one, they are extremely rare."

 

     "Jim said the kid had some case histories, do you know them?" 

 

     "There are only two.  The first was a female sentinel called Alex Barnes, she was a psychopath or sociopath.  She killed an assistant, and replaced him with a guide, making the guide take the identity of the assistant, Pet Barnes.  She dictated how he dressed and looked, and make him an instrument in her criminal activities.  She also," she paused, then continued, "if it was a woman you would say she was raped.  She used him, when ever she needed sex, he was no match to her strength, and she was vicious.  I've seen his medical file, she also threatened to kill his mother, in the most vile way, if he ever tried to betray her.  It was only when his mother died, that he was able to move against her, and he found another sentinel, a police officer, and after she died, he became that officer's guide.  I have always meant to follow up on their cases together, they made a very good pairing.  This was at a time before the existence of sentinels was publicly accepted. 

 

     "The second pairing was a Thomas Howell, he was a professional hit man.  When he went online, his guide was a anthropology student.  He used his sentinel skills to perfection as an assassin.  His guide tried to escape and he was forced to tow the line.  They died in a police shoot out, after the guide tipped them off.  You see the pattern, a dark sentinel has the need to control their guide, make them tow the line, and often exhibited violence to their guides." 

 

     "Jim would never do that." 

 

     "Blair's admitted that he already has." 

 

     Simon shook his head, "No way, Jim isn't that kind of person, for all his training, as a Black Angel, he only uses enough force to bring someone down, he never uses excess force." 

 

     Dr. Cusack nodded, "We have very little information on them, they are a more primitive, and stronger sentinel than the others around today, and they're emotions are more powerful.  Does he have a need to control things?"

 

     "Well, Jim's always been a hard nose , a loner, and a bit on the anal retentive side.  These senses would have scared the hell out of him, the lack of control." 

 

     "Blair seems to put the incident down as fear driven."

 

     "Believe me, Dr. Cusack, if Jim had wanted to hurt the kid, you would be picking the pieces up, he could break him like a twig." 

 

     "I believe they could become a good partnership."  Simon believed the jury was still out on that one. 

 

     "We believe that Blair was the target."  Jim's voice had made them jump.  He added, "Blair is in recovery, I can go to him once he's moved to his room.  Back at the warehouse, I assumed that they were after both of us, but it was Blair they had been targeting.  I would have been a bonus.  In the Hall, they had targeted Blair, the sniper was after him again.  So, Dr. Cusack, if Blair died, could that wound break the bonding?  What would happen?" 

 

     The doctor was quiet for a moment, then said, "Yesterday, when you bonded, it was already too strong to be broken.  That was discussed at the Council meeting.  Later, Blair imprinted onto you." 

 

     "Imprinted?"

 

     The doctor took a deep breath.  "I am sure he will explain , Lieutenant."  She gave a mental apology to the young guide.  "That made the bonding stronger.  Because it's been less that 48 hours, there is research to show that if a guide dies, the sentinel, under certain conditions and with the help of a chemical reaction, re-bond, the bond is fragile to start with, but does appear to take." 

 

     Jim's head suddenly cocked to one side.  Dr. Cusack noted the reaction, and tugged at Simon's sleeve, "Keep with him!"  At that moment, Jim was heading out of the room, sending a nurse flying, he didn't wait for the elevator, and headed straight for the stairs.  

 

     Jim came flying down the corridor.  The first thing he noticed was the lack of a guard at the door, he hit the door at full speed and it snapped back.  There was a man bent over his guide's bed, the pillow was firmly over the young man's face, his struggling had stopped, he was no longer breathing.  Jim knew he had only minutes to save his guide's life.  The Sentinel plowed straight into the man.  No longer was he a police officer, no longer was he a Black Angel, all he was a Dark Sentinel, and the rage to inflict pain, and destroy this threat to his guide was all there was. 

 

     The man was well trained, he had been a Black Angel, but his blows, which should have brought a man down, seem to be absorbed by the sentinel.  No words came from his mouth, just a deep throated growl.  Finally, he got the opening he wanted and his knuckles hit the throat, he felt the killing blow connect.  He didn't even wait to see the body hit the ground. 

 

     Simon was at Blair's side, he had already started CPR.  "Come on, kid, breath!"  The second time there was a convulsion under him, and with a choke Blair pulled in his first breath.  Simon tried to calm him down, but he was disoriented for the moment.  Then he relaxed under his hand.  "Jim, you okay?" Simon's voice showed his concern, as his officer turned to face him.  This wasn't his friend standing there.

 

     Blair struggled to sit up, then reached a hand out to Jim.  He was talking so quietly that Simon could not hear him, but Jim did.  He moved to Blair's side, placing one hand on the side of Blair's face, his thumb rested against the side of his mouth, the fingers against the throat.  The injured guide put his good hand up, and touched his sentinel's heart, his sentinels hand wrapped round his wrist, feeling the pulse vibrating under his hand.  Then he opened up his senses and took in the scent of his guide, building up the picture as he did before, each sense completing another piece of the picture, the whole that was his guide.  Everything else forgotten. 

 

     Two days later Blair was seated on the side of the bed, waiting to be released from the hospital.  "Hi, Jim, thanks man, it's good of you to pick me up."  He noticed how seriously his sentinel was viewing him.  "Something wrong, Jim?"

 

     "Time for our talk, Chief."  He closed the distance between them so that he was in the younger man's personal space.  "A few rules you need to get straight.  You are my guide, and no one else's, if you are in trouble or frightened, you run to me, and I will protect you.  I won't say that that I will always understand you, or listen to you all the time, but I will protect you, and anyone will have to go through me to get to you, understand that?" 

 

     "Yes."

 

     "Good."

 

     "But you must admit, I have your best…" he trailed off, and put a hand up to wave away another lecture.  "Okay, okay, I get the message, your word is law." 

 

     Jim seemed to view him with a critical eye.  "I would prefer total obedience, but I am not unreasonable, Sandburg, near total is acceptable." 

 

     For a minute, Blair just looked at him, he was half sure that his sentinel was joking but, it was still too early in his relationship to know for sure.  Then he saw the smile, one of pure devilment.  Then he was being helped into the wheelchair.  "One thing, Jim.  What with Pratchett dead, the threats over, right?" 

 

     "Right."

 

     The ex-black op, Black Angel, had that in hand.  He had spoken to his controller, the conversation had been short and to the point: as an assassins assassin, he was too important to lose, and since Westermann's project was already bust, it had now turned, for Westermann, into a fight to remain alive.  Backing for his pet project was now zero, and his source at Rainier University was considered a liability that needed removing.  No one would ever threaten his bonding or his guide again, if they attempted it they would die, just as Pratchett had died.  He had been entrusted with this fragile life, his hand brushed his guide's head lightly, and he would die protecting it. 

 

***

 

     Simon looked up from his desk at the knock on the door.  He rose to greet Dr. Jane Cusack.  Shaking hands, he motioned her to take a seat.  "Coffee, my cousin, has sent me a new blend?" 

 

     "Yes, please, but to be honest ,they all taste like Maxwell House to me." 

 

     He grinned, "A woman after my own heart, now what can I do for you?" 

 

     "I thought you could do with a course of Sentinel 101, Captain.  It might make it all a little more common place." 

 

     "I doubt whether any of it is common place." 

 

     "Lets start with the bonding, it's the thing that most people do not understand.  It brings together the halves of one soul, a rather poetic way to speak, but it's the truth.  During the first couple of months, the guide initiates the bonding, then re-enforces it.  The guide is there to help the sentinel, steer them through the minefield of their senses.  They become empathic to the needs of their sentinel.  They are as much tied to the sentinel, as the sentinel is tied to the guide.  It's a two way process." 

 

     "Why all the touching?" 

 

     She smiled.  "That is the most common question asked.  It's simply because a sentinel is a tactile person, and that is a way of comforting them, and distracting them from focusing on one sense too much." 

 

     "When Jim took Michael Pratchett down, it was as if he was different." 

 

     "Ellison went into what we call the Blessed Protector mode, once he had Blair safe, his guide was able to reassure him, and ground him.  Sentinels can be a bit emotional for the first few weeks, until they settle down with their guide, they are territorial.  Blair was lucky with Ellison being Cascade born and bred, he doesn't have to move out of Cascade.  I am hopeful that he can keep on as a TA, and finish his Ph.D."  She noticed that Simon's attention was in the bull pen.  She followed the line of sight.

 

     Ellison was seated at a desk, scattered over it was various bags.  Blair stood to the side of him, his good hand rested on his sentinel's shoulders grounding him.  Jim said something, and dropped the bag on the desk, and shepherded his guide to Simon's office. 

 

     "Hello, Dr. Cusack."

 

     "Lieutenant Ellison, Blair." 

 

     "No problem, I hope."

 

     "No, she's just here to give me Sentinel 101, she seemed to think I needed this." 

 

     "And she was right." 

 

     "One question, it's possibly stupid but…," Dr. Cusack paused.

 

     "Go ahead."

 

     "When you first bonded, back at Rainier, they said you were a headhunter.  I mean, how does that work?" 

 

     Jim's laugh was easy.  "There are four Lieutenants in Department 51 which are headhunters, that means we have the right to chase a suspect out of Cascade, and as far as they want to go."  He met her gaze levelly.  "Psychotic, I think that's how someone described us.  Maybe in some cases, but not all of them, Doctor."  She colored slightly as she remembered the discussion in the Chairman's office.  Jim's voice had changed in tone to a deadly purr.  "I was sorry to hear about Dr. Merryweather, heart attack, wasn't it?  The stress of all this must have been too much for him.  I hear from Blair that you might be the next Chairman of the Council, sorry, Chairperson, I hope you don't make the same mistake as him, over stretching yourself, it can be dangerous." 

 

     "No, Lieutenant Ellison, I think that advice is well worth following.  I'd best be going Gentlemen.  One thing, Blair, have you decided on the thesis for your Ph.D., now your stepping on as a TA?" 

 

     The smaller man looked up at his sentinel.  "Jim's agreed to help me, my thesis will be on Dark Sentinels."  

 

     "I'll look forward to seeing the outline soon, Blair." 

 

     "You will.  Come on, Jim, you still have to finish going through those bags from the Leo case." 

 

     Simon watched them leave, as Dr. Cusack said, "I will certainly be watching them with great interest.  Don't worry, Captain, I will not interfere, I have no interest in dying.  You did know that Merryweather had no history of heart disease in his family, and that he last medical two days before died passed him as fully fit?  Life's too short to interfere in other peoples business." 

 

     "I think were in agreement, Dr. Cusack."  He turned to watch the new partnership get back to business.  He had no idea where this partnership would take them but it was going to be interesting.

 

     The End  

 

     With thanks to my sister Eileen, for her encouragement, and for believing in me, and to Ophite for allowing me to use the plot of her story Alternate Route, as the Alex Barnes case history.