Phew! I didn't realize so much time has gone since I've posted. So sorry. I'll try to keep up a little better than that in future. Hope you enjoy the next installment. Let me know what you think. Standard disclaimer applies.

Chapter 10

Blair made his way past trees, park benches, and playground equipment toward the lonely figure sitting on one of the swings. He needed to squint to even make out the shadowy profile. It was still dark and the sun wasn't expected to make an appearance for another hour.

"Yadira?" He called softly as he approached the hunched form. Blair sat in the empty swing next to her.

"Blair? I'm so glad you came." Yadira turned toward him. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault you're in this mess."

Blair reached out and touched her shoulder. For the second time in twenty-four hours, he was comforting a woman. "Don't say that, Yadira. It isn't your fault."

"But it is," she wailed, moving away from his touch. "If I hadn't fallen in love with you, none of this would have ever happened. If I'd only stayed with Manuel, that man wouldn't have died." Yadira kicked the dirt under her feet.

"Look, Yadira, Manuel needs help. He takes drugs, doesn't he?" At her nod, Blair continued. "Sooner or later, Manuel would have done something. You have no control over that." It finally occurred to Blair that what he was saying to Yadira was true of himself. He had no control over Manuel Hearne. It was just a moment in time that had gone horribly wrong. Realizing that, Blair began to heal.

"I know." Yadira started to weep. She fumbled with the tissue in her hand. "It's just that--I feel like I could have prevented all of this."

"You couldn't have, Yadira." Blair said with conviction. "What we have to do now is concentrate on finding him. Is there anything you could tell me that would help?"

She looked at him and nodded. "I'll try to help. I really will."

"I know you will." He patted her arm. "We'll find him and get him the help he needs."

"Manuel is...taking drugs. He just started about a month ago. It's really why I broke up with him. I tried to get him to stop, I swear I did, but he wouldn't listen."

"Take it easy," Blair soothed. "You tried and it didn't work. You did the right thing."

Yadira hung her head. "Manuel stole my truck. He--he came by my house and demanded the keys."

"Why didn't you report it, Yadira?" Blair thought of all the time wasted. They might have caught Manuel by now if they'd had that information.

"Because he said he knew he'd made a mistake. That he'd killed the wrong man. Then Manuel promised me he wouldn't be so dumb a second time. He'd kill you if I told anyone."

"I'm sorry he put you through that, but I'm really glad you decided to call me when you did, Yadira. Maybe we can find him now."

"I couldn't take it anymore. I had to do something, but I wasn't sure who to turn to." Yadira looked at him appealingly. "Did I do the right thing? Will you help me?"

"You know I will, Yadira. You really did the right thing. I'll get this information to the proper authorities and we'll find Manuel." Blair tucked a stray piece of hair behind his ear. "You aren't safe. You have to go with me to the police station. They'll take care of you."

"N--no." Yadira shook her head violently. "I can't. He'll find me and kill me. I've already talked to you and I shouldn't have."

"Yadira--"

A yelp of pain interrupted him and he swiftly got to his feet as Yadira toppled backward. Before he could utter a word, Blair was tackled from behind. He fell forward, striking his head on the swing set pole. By the time he landed in the soft earth, he was already unconscious.

Jim felt his partner's body collapse under him. Focusing briefly, he was relieved to hear his friend's heartbeat--strong and steady. His relief turned to consternation as his sensitive hearing heard the distant click of a gun. The discharge of a bullet passing through a silencer moved the detective to action. Swiftly, he turned his head to the girl a few feet away who was struggling to her feet. "Get down!" Jim commanded even as he threw himself over his partner, using his body as a human shield.

The bullet flew harmlessly over their heads. Tracking its movement, Jim heard it embed itself in a tree. He chanced to look up, having already determined the direction from which the shot had come. With his sensitive sight, he was able to discern the lone figure of a man. Hearne, he thought, matches the photos we have of him. Cursing, he wondered where the hell his backup was. He had called for it on the way to the park.

His body still covering Blair's, Jim reached for his gun and aimed toward the clump of trees that Hearne was using as a hiding place. The killer hadn't managed to hide himself that well in the dense green foliage. At least he hadn't been able to hide from a Sentinel.

"Freeze! Police!" Jim shouted.

It did no good. In answer, Hearne jumped up from his hiding place and sprinted for a nearby Nissan pickup truck.

Jim fired off a warning shot, but the suspect ignored it and jumped into the vehicle.

Carefully taking aim, the detective was about to let a bullet fly when the thunderous roar of a truck engine assaulted his sensitive hearing and he dropped his gun to clutch at his ears. Wincing, Jim was still able to see the truck with Hearne in it, speed away. "Damn it!" He muttered and reached for his fallen gun.

Suddenly, his nostrils flared. The metallic smell of blood threatened to overwhelm him and he quickly looked down at the still body that was partially tucked under him. Terror flooded Jim's system as he moved to his knees next to Blair and gently turned him over. The Sentinel moved frantic hands along his friend's chest, arms, and legs, looking for bloody wounds. Jim knew that the younger man hadn't been hit the first time. Ever since tackling Blair to the ground, he had been monitoring his vital signs, making sure he was okay even as the bullets started to fly.

Jim sighed in relief as his frenzied examination of Blair confirmed that no stray bullets had hit his partner. That, however, didn't explain the strong coppery smell of blood. If it wasn't Blair, then who was it? Jim turned suddenly to Yadira Larson who laid still, her hands over her head.

"Yadira?" He called softly.

Slowly, she looked up, the fear in her eyes illuminated by tears. "Is--is it over? Can I get up now?"

Jim nodded, quickly scanning her body for injuries. "Let me see what happened to your arm."

Yadira sniffed. "I'm all right. The bullet just, you know, touched my arm." She looked doubtfully at her right arm as she held it up for inspection.

Without the burgeoning light of day, Ellison would have still been able to see that Yadira's wound was superficial. The bullet had only creased her arm. He knew it hurt, though, having gone through a similar experience not too long ago.

"Take it easy, Yadira. The police are on their way. Can you hear them?" At her nod, he continued. "They'll get you an ambulance and take you to the hospital to get that looked at. I know it hurts, but just hang on."

She nodded. Already flashing blue and red lights were signaling the arrival of the police.

Jim turned from her and sighed. He knew he should be more worried about Yadira, but at that moment the only person he cared about was Blair. Looking down at his friend, he noticed the sooty eyelashes in sharp contrast to the pale face. The Sentinel frowned at the bloodied cut marring Blair's forehead. Withdrawing a handkerchief from his jacket pocket, Jim wet the tip of it with his tongue. As he applied the moistened cloth to the cut, Jim heard Simon approach and kneel down next to him.

"How's he doing?" The captain asked, brushing some of the moist earth which clung to Blair's cheeks.

"His heartbeat is strong, but he still hasn't come to, Simon." Jim propped the younger man on his crossed legs. He shrugged helplessly. "I don't understand it. He should have snapped out of it already."

Simon patted the detective's shoulder. "Don't worry. It'll be all right. I've already had an ambulance called and it'll be here soon."

Jim nodded. "Thanks, Simon." He looked over at the girl who was being attended by a couple of detectives. "Make sure she gets looked after. She's had a bad scare."

"No problem, Jim. We're already taking care of it. In fact, Ms. Larson's has already given us some info concerning her stolen car. We've got people looking for Hearne as we speak."

"Good," Jim murmured. "Why won't he wake up, Simon? What's taking so long?"

"I don't know, Jim. The medics will be here soon. Just hold on."

Ignoring his captain, Jim concentrated on his friend. "Chief? Come on now. Wake up."

"He'll be okay, Jim. Looks like he just banged his head." The captain's voice was gruff. "The EMTs are here."

"About time," muttered Jim. "That has got to be the slowest response time ever."

TBC