Disclaimer
:Not mine, no money, don't sue.
Thank you.
For a more detailed disclaimer see First Impressions
Author's Notes:
When I first wrote the first part of this story, I was so happy to finally FINISH IT that I didn't do my homework, the geographical information in First Impressions is WRONG. The Atlantis Resort is on the East Coast of Miami Beach, not in Miami. All I can say is 'OPPS'. I will try to correct it before I offer the finished story arc to be archived somewhere. My apologies to the people who live in Florida I am chartographically impaired.
High Priestess Lunatic
Getting Blair is Half the Fun
A Sequel to 'First Impressions'
Blair was driving 95 miles and hour down 16th street. Occasionally he glanced to his rear view mirror, to make sure the towering Atlantis Resort that dominated the skyline from Collins Street was growing smaller, and nobody was chasing him.
"Only I could save the day and still end up with the cops after me," Blair lamented. "Exactly what did I do in my last life to warrant this?"
~ Your state of affairs is direr than you imagine my Shaman ~ Silver intoned ominously.
"How the hell can my situation get more dire, huh? I am the main story of the six o'clock news. CNN is broadcasting my face all over the world. In a 120 different languages people are asking each other: who the hell is that guy with the dogs? Damit! Where is that fucking map?"
Blair rummaged with one hand in the space between the seats looking for his map of Miami and Miami Beach, and drove with the other hand. Blair dug the crumpled map from between the stick and his bucket seat. He folded it with one hand in his lap in to a manageable rectangle.
"The cops are going to drop kick my butt from here to Kansas for assaulting one of their own. Not to mention what'll happen of that Air Force guy finds me. He'll drop me out of his stealth bomber right into the CIA's butterfly net."
Blair put the map on the flat part of the steering wheel and held it in place with one hand. He glanced down again and to the right and left out the windows. "Where is Althon Road? I have to turn on Althon to get Dabe Blvd, and Venetian Way? Silver help me out here, look for Althon road."
~ The one who attacked you is a Sentinel ~
"Isn't that just the cherry on cake?" Blair threw up his hands, and then hastily put them back on the wheel when the car swerved over the double line.
"I just ticked off the member of the Fraternal Order of Jackbooted Thugs most prone to bouts of psychotic bouts of territorial over possessiveness! Do you have any good news for me Silver or should I pull over and start looking for some nice leafy hemlock now?"
~ He follows the Path of the Panther. He will take your escape as a challenge and personal insult. He will hunt you to the ends of the Earth to regain honor. ~
"I said good news Silver. Good news."
~ This is an advantageous opportunity, my Shaman. In the days of old, when Sentinels existed solely to guard Shaman the followers of the Panther's Path were highly prized companions because of their loyalty, courage, and tremendous ability as warriors. He would max an excellent primary guardian ~
"We've been over this Silver. I don't want one or several Sentinels. I don't want ANY Sentinels. I don't care what they did in the days of old, in the nineties bonding to a Sentinel is like a bad marriage without the possibility of divorce."
~The old ways have been forgotten by this latest generation, who think their place is two paces behind the Sentinel. These guides ~ Silver said the title contemptuously ~ do not know their own worth. You will have to teach these, they are wolves, not sheep. You must show them the true way.~
"Says who? I don't have do anything except pay taxes and die. Even if I was willing to give seminars on shamanship what makes you think I would even consider taking on that Neanderthal back there as my sentinel? Do I have a masochistic streak only you can see?"
~ You must lead by example, my Shaman. How can you teach them to stand as equals in a relationship you have never experienced? ~
"How can a Catholic priest be a marriage counselor?" Blair shot back. "But it doesn't matter does it? I'm never coming forward. I like my life just like it is: PRIVATE. I refuse to be the main attraction of an eternal media circus. I wouldn't be able to pick my nose without the world knowing."
~ You think only of yourself ~ Silver snapped irritably. ~ What of the others? Who think their sole worth and function lies in catering to the needs of their own guardians? Who do not know the purpose they were born for? Who never achieve their potential. Never know full enlightenment? ~
" I've got nothing to do with their lack of enlightenment, and for the record they aren't slaves or huddled down trodden masses. They are well-paid government employees. I am Blair, tax paying private citizen, college professor and occasional metero-mancer. I am responsible only for myself."
~*~*~
"M-E-D-M-A-N? And from the rainy state of Washington too? Well let's see if my friends at the DMV can unravel your secret identity Mr. Medicine man." James picked up his jacket from the ground where he dropped it retrieving his cellular phone from the inner pocket.
He punched in numbers with his thumb then held the small telephone to his ear. "Hi Tammy, it's James Ellison. I need you to run down a plate for me. M-E-D-M-A-N, yeah that's right. I can hold for it."
James hummed along with grunting strum of the guitars in Steppen Wolf's "Born to be Wild". Bobbing his head to the beat of the music James jogged off toward bushes on either side of the covered carport where Blair had thrown his handguns while he waited for Tammy to return to the phone. The bushes were miniature azalea planted on the perimeter of a large elliptical pond with statues in a fountain.
Blair had thrown the .357 magnum over the bushes, and into the water. James could see where the gun had chipped the ear off one of the fat mermaid baby statues as it sailed past. The gun lay just behind the statue beneath a water lily, amidst the quarters, pennies, nickels and dimes that littered the bottom of the fountain.
Sighing with resignation, James held the phone between his shoulder and his ear, bent down on one knee to untie his boots then removed his socks and rolled up the cuffs of his blue jeans pants legs one at a time. He tested the water temperature with his toes, the water was warm like the rest of Florida, so he stepped in.
As James waded over to his pistol through the calf deep sunken fountain pond, Tammy came back on the line braking into the James' wailing declaration that he too was born to be wild. James was pulled back from his temporary lapse of propriety when he heard Tammy chuckling softly on the line.
"Nice, very nice," she purred. "We should get together, and give your neighbors a reason to call the cops."
"Ms. Walker that is hardly professional," snapped a nasal voice.
"Mr. Centbury?" Tammy squeeked. "You're monetoring my calls?"
"The district attorney and I had an interesting conversation involving you Mr. Ellison," Centbury continued ingnoring Ms. Walker. "It would seem that a certain case was nearly throwin out because you magically extracted information of the department of moter vehicles without filling out any forms. Ms. Sanchez was quite put out, and informed me that I might find myself legally liable for the securty breach should it happen again. It is for that reason that I am going to have a talk with your captian, Mr. Ellison and I am firing you, Ms. Walker. Now say good buy to James, Ms. Walker."
"Goodbye James," Tammy said tearfully befor hanging up.
" Next time, just come in and fill out the proper forms and have the signed off by myself and your superior. Cutting corners only causes problems. Goodbye Detective Ellison. "
+_+_+
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