Chapter 1: Collision
Moving slowly through the knee-deep snow, the mountie gently pushed him forward.
"You better walk faster, there's a snowstorm coming."
He sounded determined but friendly.
"It's the clearest sky I've ever seen. How do you know?", asked the captive.
"I can smell it. Come on"
The other one just shook his head and continued stumbling through the snow, wondering how the mountie managed to walk without any difficulties. It was incredibly cold, something that he hadn't taken into consideration when preparing his plan. Suddenly the mountie stopped and shielded his eyes from the brightness reflected from the snow. He looked across the vast white landscape.
"Ah there it is. Not far anymore", he announced then moved on, followed by the stumbling captive.
Almost fifty minutes later, they finally reached the cabin that was the local R.C.M.P. detachment. A handful of four wheelers converted to snow quads were parked in front of the porch. They went inside. Pleasant warmth replaced the bone-chilling cold. A bunch of mounties looking at them as if they were from another planet. But his mountie didn't seem to care.
"Fraser!", one of the female officers exclaimed when she spotted them. She came over and glanced at the captive, then turned to Fraser again.
"I think there has been a fax for you", she announced and pointed to the chief's door
Fraser nodded and turned to his captive. "You come with me."
The chief's face expressed exactly the same strange look when he saw Fraser and his captive coming in.
"Who is that?", he asked carefully.
"I caught him illegally trying to hunt down a moose."
"A moose?", the chief repeated in disbelief.
"That's right, sir."
The captive stood next to Fraser staring at the ground and said nothing.
""Fraser, it's 53 below. Nobody has left the detachment for three days unless they really had to. And you walk around out there just like that to arrest people for hunting down moose?!"
Fraser nodded. "Illegally, sir."
The chief frowned and looked at the captive again. "He's a boy, Fraser! Not older than fifteen"
"Sixteen and a half actually", the boy remarked.
"He had a weapon", Fraser added.
The chief turned to Fraser again hastily. "Oh really?"
"Yes, sir. If I may show you…"
He rummaged around in his pocket for a moment then took out a wooden slingshot.
"You must be kidding me, Constable!"
"No sir, actually I…"
"Constable Edwards", the chief suddenly yelled whereupon the same woman came in that had talked to Fraser before.
"Ah Constable Edwards, would you please take this boy to his parents. They're probably worried already."
"Of course, sir."
"I run away from home to hunt down a moose, you know?", the boy mumbled while he was being led outside. "My dad said that…"
The door was closed before he could end his sentence. Now Fraser and the chief were alone.
"Well then", the chief began. "A fax came in a few hours ago."
Fraser had an odd feeling of déjà vu. He stood patiently while the chief took the fax from his desk and handed it to him. Apparently they're looking for a qualified officer for someone as some kind of escort to…"
---
"Chicago?!", a baffled voice was heard from the office.
"Chicago", affirmed the dark-haired man across from him.
"But that's….why Chicago? And why me?"
"Because they've especially requested you."
He couldn't believe it. He hadn't been to Chicago in years and he certainly didn't want to ever go back. He had some very weird memories of that city. He was still deeply in thought when the door was opened and a woman came in. "Ok, he's gone", she explained. "You can go on whenever you're ready."
"Thank you Anna", the man behind the desk responded. Anna looked at him in confusion because she obviously hadn't addressed him. But since the other man didn't react at all, she just frowned and left.
As soon as she was gone, the dark-haired man walked around the desk and looked at the other one. "Alright, look. I have to go now. Your flight leaves at 9.25 tomorrow morning. Don't miss it. We've organized an escort. You'll meet him at the airport. He's coming all the way from the Northwest."
The dark-haired man smiled and left the room. A few minutes passed before Anna came back in.
"Uhm, I don't want to rush you, but they're waiting. We can't reschedule rehearsal again."
Finally he reacted and looked at her. She wasn't sure he also saw her though.
"Please Geoffrey", she added, smiled encouraging and left.
---
When Fraser left the cabin the snow storm had already begun. Thick snowflakes, falling from the sky were swirled around by a wind constantly gaining strength. Next to the quads, Constable Edwards was sitting in her Jeep, together with the boy, trying to start the car. The motor gasped for a second, then died again.
Fraser walked placidly towards the car and opened the driver's door.
"Motor won't start", Edwards explained, looking desperate.
Fraser glanced at the boy then at her again. "I could take him to his parents."
Edwards shrugged. "If you don't mind."
"Oh no.", he waved at the boy who got out of the car and walked up to him.
"Very well", Fraser said. "What's your name?"
"Simon."
"Simon, very nice."
Simon smiled. "Yes, after Simon Fraser."
Fraser couldn't help but smile as well. "Ah, I see."
Followed by Simon, Fraser began to walk towards a small shack next to the cabin.
"Do you like dogs, Simon?", Constable Edwards heard her colleague ask while they disappeared into the shack.
---
Geoffrey walked out of the theatre. Rehearsal had been a nightmare again. One week left and his Earl of Kent was a drunken asshole who refused to wear pants during his appearances. But what did he expect, it could only get worse. His Hamlet with Jack Crew had been a huge success. That was impossible to top anyway. Crew, who had been in Chicago to promote "Moving Target", must have spread the word. What an idiot. Now they wanted him, Geoffrey Tennant to go down there and help with this years Shakespeare festival. Unbelievable. Geoffrey sighed and got into the car. One minute later he was on his way home in order to pack some things. At least King Lear would be somebody else's problem for a while.
The next morning had started very busy. Geoffrey had already been on his way to the airport when it occurred to him that he had forgotton to pack his Twelfth Night. So he had to drive all the way back. Now, back at the airport he glanced at his watch nervously. 8.46, he'd better hurry. He wasn't exactly sure where to meet his escort. All that Anna could tell him was that he was a mountie named Benton Fraser. "Benton", Geoffrey mumbled while dragging his suitcase behind him through the towards the Air Canada check-in desk. "What a stupid name."
"Good morning, sir", the woman behind the desk greeted him, smiling way to cheerfully for this early hour. "If you would put your suitcase on there please…"
"No", he replied abruptly. "I'm still waiting for someone."
"Oh ok", she replied and asked the next potential passenger to step forward. Geoffrey turned around and scanned the hall. Couples with children, single men and women trying to avoid eye contact, an old man with no leg. Geoffrey was just thinking about how he might have lost it when someone from behind him called his name. He turned around and saw a man about his size and about his age. The man was wearing a red RCMP uniform.
"Geoffrey Tennant?", the officer repeated.
Geoffrey stretched out his hand. "You must be Constable Fraser", he asked.
"Yes. Pleased to meet you."
They shook hands. The mountie didn't seem to have a suitcase. Instead he carried a huge backpack. He had obviously been waiting already.
"Well, I think we should check-in", Fraser noted, took Geoffrey's suitcase and put it on the assembly line.
Next, they had to go through security to get on the plane. Fraser got through smoothly. Geoffrey however had to go through three times until they finally discovered what caused the security system to go off. The artistic director carried a whole bunch of razor blades in his coat's pocket. Of course they took them away.
"Razor blades?"; Fraser asked puzzled when they moved on.
The other one just shrugged. "Sucking them helps me calm down", he explained as if he was talking about candy.
Fraser walked beside him in silence.
"I hate to fly", Geoffrey added trying to explain himself.
---
When they were ready to be boarded, Geoffrey was nowhere to be seen. He had excused himself to go to the washroom. That had been 20 minutes ago. Fraser waited five more minutes for the artistic director to show up. When he didn't, Fraser decided to go look for him. He passed the long line of people who couldn't wait to get into the plane, just to go on waiting in there.
The washroom looked deserted. The mountie checked every cubicle. Only the last one was occupied.
"Mr. Tennant, is that you in there?", he asked in a low voice.
"Uhm yes, Constable", replied Geoffrey. "I'll be right there. It's just that I lost my glasses and they fell into…" ah never mind, I'll be right there."
"Do you need help, sir?"
Some chattering was heard from inside the cubicle.
"Nah, that's ok Constable. I'm fine."
"Of course. Okay, I will wait outside", Fraser promised, then left.
Another five minutes later, Geoffrey eventually showed up and they were the last to line up.
"Did you get your glasses back, sir?", Benny asked kindly.
Geoffrey raised an eyebrow and looked at him as if he were crazy.
"Glasses?", he said. "What glasses?"
"Well, the glasses that you said fell into the…"
"That's nuts! I don't even wear glasses."
"Ah", said Fraser. Slowly but surely he was getting a little suspicious regarding this man's sanity. He knew what was said about Geoffrey Tennant. Of course, he had no right to judge this man on account of what was being propagated by the media.
They were assigned two seats in the back of the Airbus A319, right in front of the lavatory. Fraser didn't mind, Geoffrey, of course, did. So he kept swearing like a trooper throughout the entire flight. They were somewhere near the border when after a "You see that, this guy is doing it on purpose. He went 10 minutes ago. Asshole!" followed by a "Can't these idiots hold it for a few hours?!" , Fraser managed to turn to his companion and smiled, saying: "They're going to dispense peanuts soon."
"What?", Geoffrey said in a strange tone.
"See the small wagons?", Fraser explained. "I love peanuts."
---
This was just horrible. Of all the seats in this damn plane they got the ones right in front of the goddamn lavatory. Richard must have done that on purpose. Probably an act of revenge for that little….incident… in the bar last week. On the other hand, wasn't it Anna who got to book flights and such things? Anna wouldn't do it on purpose, Anna was great. Unless of course, Richard had had a finger in the pie. Oh great, another passenger who had to use the lavatory. Geoffrey sniffed.
"Can't these idiots hold it for a few hours?!", he complained, addressing Fraser.
When he turned to the aisle again, Oliver was standing there, next to Geoffrey's seat.
Geoffrey sank into his seat, tipped his head back and clutched the armrest as if he were expecting the plane to crash.
"It's a sin that you didn't book me a seat as well", Oliver greeted Geoffrey. Geoffrey closed his eyes.
"They're going to dispense peanuts soon", he heard Fraser's voice.
When he opened his eyes again, Oliver was still there.
"God, he's so polite and decent", Oliver remarked.
Geoffrey frowned. "What?"
"…I love peanuts."
"The mountie", Oliver explained. "I like him. Somehow I think he'd make a great Horatio."
"Well, I don't."
---
"You don't?", Fraser repeated in confusion. Just now he noticed the unusual way Geoffrey was sitting in his seat. When he looked at him, Geoffrey returned to a normal position."Peanuts", the director replied.
"Oh you don't like them?", Fraser asked.
Geoffrey just shook his head.
Benny decided it was easier to leave Tennant alone for a while. So he just nodded and leaned back in his seat. As he was staring at the empty seat in front of him, Ray Vecchio appeared without warning. He now occupied the seat in front of Fraser and had turned around in order to be able to talk to him.
"You know Fraser, I think this guy is nuts", Ray noted shrewdly.
Fraser nervously started to scratch his forehead.
"You must admit he's probably a madman. Wouldn't surprise me if he's going to cause a riot in here."
More nervous scratching.
A flight attendant appeared with a small wagon and the peanuts.
"Come on Benny", Ray continued. "Being dead isn't as crowded as you might think. You gotta talk to me every now and then."
"This isn't a good moment", Fraser responded to Ray.
"Oh I'm sorry sir. I'll come back later", the flight attendant apologized and moved on.
Geoffrey frowned. "I thought you loved peanuts."
"Oh I do love peanuts", Fraser replied. "It's just that I…well I wasn't talking to…"
Fraser coughed slightly.
"Have I mentioned that I saw your Prince Hal?", he quickly changed the subject.
Geoffrey looked puzzled. "Well no, but..."
"I only heard about your Hamlet though."
Geoffrey chuckled. "Everybody seems to have heard about that."
He fell silent.
"I think it's also the reason why they got me an escort."
He fell silent again.
"Madness in great ones, must not unwatch'd go?", Fraser quoted.
Geoffrey ran his tongue along his lower lip and grinned insanely.
"Well", Fraser said. "It's not like I'll be by your side all the time. So don't worry."
"Right. I heard you'll be staying at the Canadian consulate?"
"That's right, sir."
"Interesting. And why would you do that?"
"I used to live at the consulate."
Geoffrey laughed out loud. "You lived there? And they call me mad?!" he paused. "What the hell does a mountie do in Chicago anyway?"
Now Fraser ran his tongue along his lower lip.
"Oh, that's an intriguing story you might enjoy. I first went to Chicago on the trail of the killers of my father and for reasons that don't need…"
Just then, the flight attendant came back.
"Would you like some peanuts now, sir?, she asked shyly.
"Certainly", Fraser said and took the little bag she offered him. "Thank you kindly ma'am."
Geoffrey declined an offer, so she moved on.
"Thank you kindly?!", Geoffrey repeated. "A simple 'thanks' would have done, don't you think?"
Fraser carefully opened his bag of peanuts. "Possibly. I'm sorry, sir."
The director watched him eat.
"Yeah right, well never mind."
Silence.
"You know, when I was a kid, I wanted to become a mountie", Geoffrey added after a while.
Fraser was positively surprised. He wasn't sure what to say. But Tennant seemed to be wanting to talk, so he talked.
"Really?", he replied. "What happened?"
"I ended up playing one on stage and fell in love. With the stage, with a woman…so I stayed."
Insecure silence followed.
"I liked the uniform", the director finally said.
Fraser almost smiled and ate the last peanut.
"I'm sure it suits you", he said.
Tennant shook his head vehemently. "No no, believe me. I can't wear hats."
---
Geoffrey was really glad when they were finally back on the ground. Humans just weren't supposed to fly. He walked down the gangway next to Fraser. Now they'd have to pick up their stuff at the luggage carousel and then find his hotel. What was it called? He just couldn't remember. Was it a Best Western? No, Inn something, some kind of 'Inn'.
"Fraser", he said and looked aside. The man was gone. What the…?
Geoffrey stopped and turned around. "Fraser?", he said. People were passing by, looked at him but kept walking. Then he spotted the red uniform and the striking hat."
The mountie was crouching next to a little girl, talking to her.
"Benton", Geoffrey tried once more while walking back to them.
When he got there, Fraser looked up at him.
"This is Lucy. She seems to have lost her parents", he introduced the little girl.
"Right", the artistic director responded, smiling that insane smile. "Too bad. Let's go."
Geoffrey moved on.
Fraser jumped up to stop him. "Don't you think we should help her?", he asked.
"No. We have to get our luggage."
Geoffrey moved on.
"But sir. It will only take a few minutes. We just have to take her to the next information desk. I'm sure her parents are already waiting there."
Geoffrey finally stopped. "Alright, if you can't help it. But if they aren't, too bad."
"Understood."
Fraser nodded happily and took the child by the hand. Once again, all the other passengers were already gone and they were the last coming out of the gangway. Fortunately the information desk wasn't far and Fraser had been right, the girl's parents were already waiting and couldn't thank them enough for helping their daughter. Geoffrey however, literally dragged the mountie away to the luggage carousel.
There were still people at the carousel, looking out for their suitcases and bags. Fraser found his backpack pretty soon while Geoffrey had to wait a little longer. When it eventually showed up and he was ready to move on, he noticed that Fraser was gone once more. This time he was on the other side of the carousel, helping an old woman with her suitcase. Then he helped a man, then another woman.
"Hey, are you done? You can't help everyone, come on, let's go", Geoffrey yelled whereupon Fraser wished that woman a good day and joined Geoffrey.