Chapter 1: New Arrivals and Weather Adjustments
Rainier University, 27 August.
Blair stared at the E-mail in shock. To confirm his first impression,
he reread it. The contents remained the same. He almost couldn't believe
his eyes. If this was a joke, it was not funny. He read the words aloud:
From: Rovers INC.
To: Blair Sandburg @ Ranier University Cascade Washington.
Professor Stoddard recommended you to our organization as a Research
Assistant. After reviewing your credentials, Rovers INC. would like to
offer you an associate membership. As an associate member, you would have
unlimited access to our research library, member chat sessions and research
engines. Due to your publishing history, I would also like to offer you
a research grant. You would be required only to assist members who are
without your specialized knowledge of hypersensitive perception. Attached
you will find a prospective of Rovers INC. as well as a brief overview
of the nature of your grant. If you have any questions, please contact
our office. If you would like to accept the associate membership and the
grant, please contact us via E-mail and we will send the paperwork to you
via courier.
S Marshall Johnson.
Blair grinned to himself as he crossed his fingers. He'd heard rumors about
Rovers Inc. but had dismissed them as just that, rumors. Now he wondered
just how much of those rumors had been true. He could almost believe the
idea of an organization dedicated to ESP, but the fact that they included
hyper senses -- senses that belonged to sentinels -- in their research
surprised him.
He read the grant prospectus and froze. The amount couldn't be correct. He checked it again and knew he was either dreaming or had just won a karmic lottery. The amount was enough for him to actually be able to make ends meet and then some. Oh, please, let this be real, he thought dazedly.
He opened the next attachment half expecting to find out that this whole thing had been a joke. The cover sheet from a well-known and exclusive firm on the east coast, banishing his fear. Then he started reading the prospective and his loud whoop of exaltation startled the students walking past his office. Blair Sandburg had his acceptance posted within minutes.
Jim looked up as his partner danced into the loft. His blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he threw his backpack onto the couch, chuckling gleefully as he read the notes in his hand. As his body spun around, his face alight with joy, his hair flew into his face, blinding him. Reflexively, Jim reached out and caught him with gentle hands before they collided.
"Easy, Chief." Jim's voice was amused. "I take it this is good news?"
"The best!" Blue eyes met blue eyes as Blair shook his hair out of his face. He leaned into Jim's hands, relishing their strength and warmth. "Rovers Inc. sent me some fantastic information on extra-sensitive perceptions. It's great stuff."
"Who's Rovers?"
"A research group I met on the Internet." Blair's eyes were firmly on his notes, not noticing the growing tension in Jim. "They mention 'hypersensitive' or 'extremely sensitive' perceptions instead of sentinel abilities. I don't know if they even about sentinels, but then again there's this obscure comment over -- "
"Whoa! They know about sentinels?" Jim's face had hardened as he interrupted his young friend. "Do they know about me?"
Blair's face softened as he turned his full attention to Jim's face. He dropped his notes, ignoring them as they scattered across the living room. His hands came up and grabbed Jim's shoulders. "No, they don't know about you. You know I've never told anyone about your senses. My advisor knows I found a sentinel, but that's because of my dissertation subject. He doesn't know that I'm studying you."
Jim leaned down, resting his forehead on his friend's, reading him. Deep blue eyes looked up at him, worry clouding them. The pallor of Blair's face, the tension in his body, the scent of his apprehension all underscored his words. Jim relaxed; he knew he could trust Blair. It was much more than that; it went beyond trust; it was a belief that went bone deep. Knowing that he wasn't
that great with words, but needing to express his trust in his guide, he shrugged and looked down at his partner.
"I trust you, Chief. You hold my life, my sanity and my soul in your hands," he whispered, watching the smaller man.
"Oh, man, that is so beautiful. Sometimes I think you have the soul of a poet." Blair's voice had dropped an octave, his eyes wide as he took in the meaning of the words. "You know I'll never betray your trust. I would never do anything to betray you."
Memories of the bitter words he had thrown at his guide just a few months earlier blasted through Jim's mind. He winced at the thought. Faced with another sentinel in his territory, working with his guide, had made him lose control. Fearing Blair and fearing for him as well, he had thrust his guide away, using the most biting words he could think of at the time. All he had done was hurt his guide and get him killed.
"Jim! Don't go there... I'm right here. I'm alive. We're together and Alex is gone." The tightly spoken words whispered through the sentinel's hearing. With a sharp shake, he pulled himself back to the present.
"I'm here, Chief." Jim looked at his guide. The younger man was crouched close to him, one long fingered hand holding onto the one that was resting over his throat. When had they fallen? "I didn't mean to --"
"Hey, I understand. You didn't mean to zone and I know it. We've talked it out. Alex is done and gone. We're okay. Right?" The dark blue eyes were pleading.
"Yeah. We're okay, Chief." Some days it was still too close to the surface. Today was one of them. The feeling was strong enough that he could almost taste the water from the fountain.
"Do you want to see the paperwork I brought home?" The enthusiasm wasn't there any more. Instead he could hear a hesitation in the words. "I thought you might like to see it."
"Only if you translate the big words for my Neanderthal brain." Jim teased, getting a startled grin in return.
Rainier University 11 September early am.
The office was quiet as he checked his clock. No appointments scheduled for this afternoon; no classes; the staff lunch was canceled; this was looking good. Maybe, after his next class, he could just leave and work at home. Jim wasn't expecting him at the station today as he'd expected several of his students to stay and ask questions about their papers. Of course, since they
hadn't, he had been free to check his E-mail.
Blair rubbed the back of his neck as he considered the Rover's E-mail thoughtfully. The data was far different than he had expected, but he could extrapolate from it some very interesting tests for Jim's senses. A knock on the door made him curse quietly. Not now. He hadn't finished reading this one and he didn't want to lose his thoughts.
"Sandburg! Just the man I want to see." The voice boomed through the office. A tall, barrel-chested man strode rapidly in, followed by Blair's advisor.
"Dean Jamieson, good morning. What can I do for you?" Blair stared in shock as the two men came in and shut the door. He thought frantically but couldn't think of anything he'd done to merit the attention of the Dean and the Head of Anthropology. Regretfully he shut down his E-mail, closing the new document that Rovers had sent him. Maybe he could get back to it later.
"How would you like to take a break from teaching classes? Say for the
rest of the semester?" The Dean settled himself into a chair, watching
him carefully. Blair found that having those keen brown eyes focused on
him was disconcerting. The man was notorious for noticing things people
didn't want him to see, and Blair was hiding lots of secrets from the University.
Secrets he
didn't want discovered.
"I, well, I mean, why would I take the time off? What would I be doing instead?" He thought quickly. After a moment an ugly suspicion crossed his mind. "I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"
"You're fine, Blair. It's an opportunity for you to excel. You've heard about our coming collaboration with the Etterman Museum, Blair?" His advisor spoke up from the corner of the room, where he was examining an African mask. The professor turned and raised an elegant eyebrow.
"Of course. It's going to display pre-Columbian art and current tribal culture of the Andean mountain tribes. The work is by Dr. Abraham Zelinski." Blair's eyes lit up as he began delving into his memory for information about the coming show. Grinning mischievously, he added. "It's quite an academic coup to have the man himself retiring from the field to come here. This show is going to document the thirty-five years of his research in the Andean mountain ranges."
"Not too bad." The dean spoke softly and nodded to his colleague. "Go ahead and tell him."
"Dr. Zelinski has been struck down with a serious tropical disease and has been admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. It seems they have a Tropical Disease Center there that's quite adequate for treating him, so there is no fear that he will be... oh I'm digressing again." The professor smiled ruefully at Blair. At the Dean's impatient snort, he continued. "We've convinced his assistant, Alex Fortaleza, to come here and set up the collection for Dr. Zelinski. The thing is he insists on having you help with the work."
"Me?" Eyes wide, Blair stammered slightly. He looked from one man to the other, searching for the joke. "Why me?"
"To quote the E-mail we received in response to our query, 'if he can survive Borneo, the American West and all the other digs he's been on, he can survive me'. " The dean chuckled gently at the stunned look on the younger man's face. "There was also a mention that Fortaleza liked several of your papers. If you want the job, it's yours. We'll find someone to cover your classes."
"But I have ..." Blair was up and pacing. How could he refuse this offer? This was seriously important, as in something he could not turn down, not without losing major points with the university.
"Sandburg, this is ..." The Dean's words were quiet, but there was a hard note in his voice.
"I have to make arrangements for the classes, and my notes are, well..." He saw the older man watching him, tracking his movements and sat down. "What about my research and my work with the Police Dept.?"
"Fortaleza said that he will not interfere with any times you set for research. It seems he likes schedules to be kept whenever possible."
Blair nodded. This sounded like it might work, if, that is, the criminal element of Cascade decided to take a vacation. He licked his lips, not realizing that his eyes told the other men he'd just accepted their offer. "When do I start?"
"Great. Fortaleza will be waiting for you in my office at five o'clock sharp. Vice President Chesterfield is picking him up at the airport now. They'll go to lunch on the way in from Seattle." The Dean stood and laid an envelope on Blair's desk. "This has the key to his apartment in the Commons and access keys to the Etterman museum and his office down the hall. You need to give him the local tour and make sure he gets settled. Monday, you begin working exclusively with him on Zelinski's exhibit. Greg will take over your classes."
Blair raised his eyebrows. This had to be one of the fastest set ups he'd ever seen at the university. The very speed of the arrangements made something occur to him. "Um, is the apartment ready? You know, supplied? If Fortaleza just arrived, he may want to spend the weekend resting and ... Well, the visiting faculty apartments are nice but unless he knew to bring his own stuff, kind of bare."
The two men looked at each other, frowning. The dean thought quickly. "I'll have Martha prepare a voucher for the one of the local stores. Do you think you can arrange to take him there?"
Blair nodded helplessly. There went the weekend. If he refused, he knew he could kiss his job good-bye. He was in enough hot water with the department for his missed days, change of subject, inability to keep up with school and the PD. This he didn't want to mess up.
His advisor handed him a paper with all the details written down. The two men stood and turned to leave. "If you get a chance, take some time to reacquaint yourself with the material."
"Yes, sir, I will." Blair couldn't believe it. Part of him railed at the time that this was going to take, but part of him was dancing at his good fortune. Chosen to assist with the displays, he'd be able to handle and examine closely some very rare artifacts. He smiled happily as he turned to his bookshelves.
He knew he had a book on the collection. Finding it, he glanced at the cover, recognizing a name on it. He opened the book and read the introduction. The co-author and the main contributor and illustrator was E. Alex J.Fortaleza.
Then he saw the name of the photographer for the book, K.A.J. Mentally he whistled, even he had heard of K.A.J.'s photography. He checked the biography. K.A.J. , pronounced 'Cage' according to the blurb, admitted he really had liked working with Fortaleza on the site and would love to work with him again.
He looked from one name to the other and grinned. He wondered briefly about that. If there was a connection it would be great, he knew how much his partner liked the photographer. He shoved it into his backpack. He had things to get done before he had to get over to the dean's office.
Blair didn't even look as he dialed the station while pulling up his E-mail again. With rapid fingers he began printing up the E-mail he'd been working on as he waited for the line to be answered.
"Ellison." Jim's voice barked. He had to smile as he heard the big man's voice.
"Hey, Jim, I'm going to be late tonight." He could imagine the detective sitting up straighter, concentrating on what he could hear over the line. "I just got an unbelievable offer, man. The Dean came down personally to make it."
"It had better be an offer about anthropology, Chief." He could hear the smile on Jim's lips. "I don't think the new dean is your type."
"Cute, Jim. What do you know about Cage and E. Alex J. Fortaleza?" Blair bounced slightly on his toes as he pulled another book from the shelves. The same names were on it.
"I like Cage's photography, Chief." The sentinel was listening carefully, waiting for the punch line. "You know that, you gave me the book of his Peruvian jungle pictures."
"Did Fortaleza do the text of it?" Finished packing his backpack, Blair pulled up the library interface and began a search. It didn't take long before he was printing out a list of books that Fortaleza had written or co-authored. Then he printed the even smaller list that were solely by Zelinski.
It looked like Zelinski and Fortaleza had worked together for a while but not exclusively. The interesting thing was that Fortaleza always used Cage as his photographer. Okay, maybe not always, but definitely 12 out of 12 times that Rainier had purchased one of the books Fortaleza co-authored, Cage was listed as the main photographer. Blair's grin got wider.
Jim thought about the book, trying to remember the cover. "I'm not sure. The other names on it are... A. Fortaleza and A. Zelin or something like that."
"Well, if I'm right, I'm going to be working with the same Alex Fortaleza who did the text for Cage's book. And Cage has done the photographs for at least a dozen other books with him."
"Okay." Jim was confused. "I think I missed something here."
"The Dean wants me to work exclusively with Fortaleza to set up an exhibit at the Etterman Museum." He could hear the little wheels turning in the other man's head. "Maybe, I'll be able to introduce you to Cage. But I won't be able to get home this afternoon because I've got to catch up on what their work. That means the rest of today I'll be either in the library doing research or in the office trying to understand it."
"I understand. I have to help at a stakeout and that may make me late too. I doubt I'll be able to make lunch either." Jim sounded down. It wasn't the first time this week that they'd missed each other because both were too busy to get home. "I was hoping to see you before I left. I'll miss you again."
"Yeah, sounds like it. This has been a really bad week. Are your senses acting up? I'll wait up for you, man."
"I'm fine, Sandburg. You need sleep more than I need to talk to you about my senses. I'll see you sometime this weekend."
"Call me if you need any help, Jim. I'm serious."
"I promise." Jim answered before disconnecting the phone.
Blair looked at his notes, trying to figure out exactly where and when Fortaleza had first appeared. If only he'd been able to locate a picture of the man. For the past few hours he'd researched everything about both Cage and Fortaleza. Something about the photographs and illustrations just made him think there was a secret there. Almost as if the two men had been
laughing at each other and the rest of the world while they worked on the heavy book. He had been certain there was something he was missing.
The fact that they always seemed to be at the same place and the same
time had convinced him that they had to either be a couple. That or they
must at least have a very interesting history, something almost like the
one between him and Jim. All he'd been able to find were Fortaleza's papers,
Cage's pictures, and a list of sites they were known to have visited. No
pictures of
either man, no biological information. How was he going to recognize
him?
Blair sighed as he closed the book and laid his head on the table. If he closed his eyes, maybe the thoughts whirling around his brain would finally coalesce into something coherent. He was certain of his theory, now if only he could prove it. He knew the two were linked together by some common factor. He just had to find it.
A thought occurred to him, one of those random little things that annoyed his friends as disparate pieces of information linked together to form a new hypothesis. Rovers was listed as a contributor to the last expedition, the one that had delved into Incan use of the temples for astrological predictions. He booted up his computer and logged onto the Internet. Quickly he called up the lists of Rovers Teams and compared the locations and times to the list he'd already compiled.
He shook his head and looked again. Cage was a photojournalist. A good one, specializing in South and Central America with a couple of jaunts around the world under his belt. Excluding those two trips, Cage was not always with Fortaleza, but he was always within fast reach one of the moving research teams.
He double-checked Fortaleza's movements. Damn. There it was again. The same pattern. He shook his head in amazement. The two were in the same areas most of the time. But they were never in two different places at the same time, so it was very possible that they were both present at each location. There was always a research team near by. Therefore, one or both were involved in Rovers, Inc. Time for him to check the idea with someone who would know.
Blair glared at the computer in frustration. He couldn't believe what he'd just found. How could the information be restricted? It wasn't like he was asking for specifics. He'd just noted that wherever Cage. or Fortaleza was, one of Rover's traveling research groups appeared. So he'd asked, through E-mail instead of over the chat line, if one of them was a member. The response was instant and furious. Well, he thought, if I can see the obvious, other people can too. If they want to keep it a secret, then they need to cover their tracks better.
A chime sounded on the computer to announce an incoming E-mail. He opened it wondering what Rover "S" was going to say now. He grinned as he read: Sandburg, We knew you were smart, but you are the first person to make the connection between K.A.J. and Fortaleza, much less their connection to Rovers Research. I apologize for my compatriot's response but it was due to surprise. We request that you keep the knowledge quiet, as both of them have made impressive enemies in South America. Since you are to work with Fortaleza, we are very impressed. Both are known for their hermit-like avoidance of others. If you ask Fortaleza, you may get introduced to K.A.J. There is no information that we can release on either K.A.J. or Fortaleza that you have not already accessed through public resources, or through your access to non-restricted sources here. S. Well, that was a bit more cryptic than most of the notes he got from them, but he hadn't expected even that much after the first response he'd gotten.
Blair glanced at the clock as he shut off the computer. Jim hadn't made it for lunch and he couldn't call him either. Why did he have to go off on a stakeout this afternoon? With the weather forecaster predicting an unusually early snowfall, he didn't want to drive his car over to the commons, but it looked like he didn't have much choice. He looked out at the heavy gray clouds. This was definitely not good. The phone rang. Nope, not good at all.
"Hello?" Blair's voice was tense, waiting.
"Hey, Chief." Jim sounded tired even over the phone. "Simon and I can't leave yet. Our relief called in sick, so it'll be at least seven or eight before I get back. Will you be okay running Fortaleza around in your Volvo?"
"Yeah, man." Blair forced cheer into his voice. There was no point worrying the Sentinel with things that couldn't be changed. "We'll be fine."
He decided to pass on his new information because Jim was an avid fan of Cage's pictures. "Jim, remember what I said about Cage and Fortaleza?"
"Yeah, you thought that they might show up together or something since they work together a lot."
"I think that Fortaleza and Cage might be ... well, more than they seem. Everywhere that Fortaleza goes, any site, expedition or dig, Cage takes the photos. There are a couple of references to Cage without Fortaleza, but none the other way around." Blair's words were drifting off as he studied his notes again. "Even when Fortaleza went to Asia to study the some of the most reticent tribal peoples left there, Cage was there. Since the people refused to allow pictures of themselves, all of Cage's pictures are of the scenery."
"So they work together and travel together. That just sounds like they're a friends or maybe a couple." Jim grinned over the phone at his partner. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"
"No, there isn't. It's just a little too perfect."
"I think you've been hanging around me too long, Chief. You're starting to sound like a suspicious cop."
Blair laughed. "No way, man. Look I've gotta run. I'll talk to you tonight."
"See you then, Sandburg." Jim hung up the phone, still grinning at the thought that Blair was becoming a cynical cop.
Blair headed into the Dean's office. He was a little early, but he figured that was better than being late. Martha smiled at him and handed him another envelope.
"Just remember to hang on to all the receipts, Blair. Otherwise, we'll have accounting all over us." The older woman smiled at him. "I think you'll like this semester. Fortaleza has already set the staff on its ear."
"What did he do?" Blair asked, curiously. In all the years he'd known the dean's secretary he'd never seen her quite so smug.
"You'll see." She smiled as she picked up her purse. She checked that the door to the dean's office was locked and that her computer was off. "Chesterfield just called. They're running a little late due to the ice in the pass but Fortaleza should be here shortly. I have to leave, so just pull the door closed when you go."
Blair couldn't help it. In the short time he waited for Fortaleza, he kept coming up with farfetched reasons for Martha's comments. They ranged from Fortaleza trying to smuggle drugs into the country to Fortaleza being the quintessential loud mouthed grad student who had insulted Vice President Chesterfield. Sometimes he hated his own curiosity and imagination. He knew that he was probably making a mountain out of a molehill, but he couldn't seem to stop. When he thought of all the odd bits of information he'd gotten, it only made it worse.
"Excuse me, are you Blair Sandburg?" A warm voice interrupted his wild musings. He looked up to find a pair of silvery green eyes staring at him. The one thing he hadn't contemplated was the fact that Fortaleza might be a woman.
Instantly, he understood the lack of information he'd come across. Working with a photojournalist who had taken some of the most beautiful as well as the ugliest pictures of South America, and having the world know she was a woman, would have been dangerous. If they had known, she would have been an instant pawn against the man. As it was, the Latino macho culture would work in her favor since none of them knew who she really was or that she was involved with Cage.
As an anthropologist being a woman wasn't too big a deal. Some of the
tribal peoples might be a little put out that a woman was studying them,
but most of the tribes she had studied had been matrilineal. Those that
weren't matrilineal, were known to have adopted Fortaleza. There wouldn't
be any trouble with them because they had accepted her. Neither would they
betray
that trust by telling the authorities her secret.
In fact, Blair thought they would probably enjoy having kept that a secret from 'civilized' people. His thoughts were broken as he caught the meaning of the vest and recognized the patterns on her vest, naming the tribes that she had studied. By wearing it like that, she was claiming their protection, sneaky but effective. That one there... it couldn't be.
"You've been studying with the Calim'a? I thought they'd chased away every anthropologist who went near them. Or killed them." His voice trailed off as he looked back up at the young woman. "I didn't see anything about them in your papers."
"I was introduced to them through another tribe, who vouched for me."
A bright smile spread over her face, forcing him to refocus on her features.
High cheekbones melded into an oddly arresting face. The burnished gold
skin was tinted with a faint rose. Light brown hair coiled around her head,
forming a smooth frame for her face. "I haven't finished my study, so I
haven't
published yet."
That sounded like something he would have said, Blair thought. "I understand that completely. I have the same problem on a couple of papers myself."
"Did my request for your assistance disrupt your schedule?" The woman's voice was warm. The accent was unusual though, not matching what he expected, a touch of British enunciation mixed with a hint of Spanish musicality. He wondered where she was from. He'd ask Jim after he introduced them; use her accent as a test for his hearing.
"No. It's an honor and I can't wait to get my hands on the artifacts." He grinned sheepishly and stuck out his hand as it occurred to him that he'd never confirmed his identity. "I'm Blair Sandburg. Glad to meet you. I love your work."
"Call me AJ. I love your work, too." Her hand met his in a firm, brief clasp. "The paper you wrote about the tribal structure within the Yanamamo clans was absolutely fascinating. When I realized that I had a chance to work with you, I jumped at it."
"Your friend's photographs give almost much detail as one of my papers." Blair was deeply touched that she knew about his papers. He stopped his mental meandering when he noticed her shivering.
"So, you figured it out. Most anthropologists are too busy with their
own work to even notice." She grinned wryly. Dressed in jeans so worn as
to be nearly white, a thin cotton work shirt over worn green T-shirt and
a heavily patched and embroidered cameraman's vest, goose bumps had quickly
and thoroughly covered her arms. A lightweight jacket was draped over her
arm.
Only her feet, encased in military style boots, looked warm. "I forgot
about winter weather when I agreed to come. I guess I've lived in the jungle
too long."
"Do you have anything else you can change into, something warmer?"
"Sorry, no. I thought winter started later, so I put my sweaters in a box and had them shipped from Manaus." She shrugged philosophically. Her next words made him chuckle slightly, proving that the young woman was both intelligent and observant. "And I wasn't about to borrow anything from Chesterfield."
"I can understand that. Our first stop will have to be a store. Then your apartment." Blair winced internally as he shrugged out of his jacket. He'd feel the cold much less than she did. Once again he blessed Jim for giving him a set of old fashioned long underwear. They may look a little corny, but they kept him warm even without his coat. He held it out to her with a smile, watching her take in the layered shirts he wore and decide he was right. Too bad he couldn't call Jim to pick them up in his truck. It was far warmer than his car, but the detective was unavailable. "Do you have anything else?"
She took the jacket, placing first her camera bag and then her backpack on the floor beside a silver case. Shrugging into the jacket, she looked at her bags. "Just these three."
Blair nodded and picked up the silver case. It was heavier than he'd expected. At his look, she grinned at him.
"It's more photo equipment." She explained quickly at his silent query.
"I didn't know you were a practicing photographer too. I thought it was just a hobby or something you only did on expeditions."
"I shoot all the sites, tribes and artifacts for any expedition I'm on. Sometimes Cage helps, but only on the biggies. I can carry it." She offered, slinging her backpack onto her back. At his instant negative head shake, she nodded, grabbing the camera bag.
"Are you ready for cold? It's going to snow tonight."
"Snow? I haven't seen snow in a long time." AJ's voice was soft, holding tones of reverence and memory. The look on her face was a curious mixture of fear and anticipation. "I didn't think you got much snow here."
"Not usually, but the weather this year's been a bit crazy." Blair had to admit. Cascade was usually cool and rainy during the fall, not cold and snowy. "They're blaming El NiƱo."
"Of course. That's the root of all weather problems lately, no?" She met his eyes and shrugged. "I guess I'm as ready as I ever will be."
"Come on then." With a reassuring smile, he turned and headed for the exit. Behind him followed a doubtful looking photographer.
Once in the Volvo, Blair turned up the heat. Beside him huddled AJ, her teeth chattering madly. The half-frozen glare she sent him made him chuckle.
"I did warn you about the cold." Her mock growl at his comments made him laugh harder. "It'll be warm in here in a minute."
"It's okay." The lilting voice trembled. "I'll survive."
"Which store do you prefer? We have Walmart, K-Mart, Target..." The dazed look she gave him made his words freeze.
"I have no idea. Chain stores aren't real big in South America, at least
not the areas I tend to frequent. I always shop in small
stores or mail order." Her eyes met his, cold, fear, and desperation
all mingling in them. The irises had dilated until nearly disappearing.
Her voice was soft, almost inaudible to him. "Blair, except for very short,
as in two to three day visits, I haven't been in the US for nearly twenty
years."
Blair felt his jaw drop. Just the thought of staying away that long - the things he'd have to do without, the people he'd have never met, it made him shudder. "Where have you... I mean, you look too young to have lived so long outside the US. And what about your career?"
Laughter rang out as she measured the shock and astonishment that flooded his face. For a moment, all the tension that he'd noticed was gone and there was genuine delight etched across her features.
"Oh, I just love your face!! May I photograph you? Every nuance is there to be read in your eyes and your expression!" Her words ran together, her voice still tinged with delight. For a moment, her eyes held an almost childlike delight. "Even Cage would love taking your pictures."
"But I ... never mind." Blair felt the heat rising in his face. He shook his head and put the car into gear. As he began to back the car out of its parking space, he glanced over at his passenger. Like a lithe feline, she was sprawled out, trying to absorb the warmth radiating from the heater vents. Her eyes drifted shut as the car warmed before springing open so she could watch the scenery pass.
Blair cautiously maneuvered the car into traffic. A quick glance out of the corner of his eye showed her staring out the window. The silence was unnerving so he started asking questions.
"Where have you lived? I've read papers of yours that are written about tribes all over the place. And then there are your findings and pictures."
"Can I give you the digest version?" She turned back to face him. For the first time, he saw the tired lines around her eyes.
"How long did it take you to get here?"
"I left the group in the jungle ten, no eleven days ago and arrived in Lima eight days later. I think I have been in the air 23 hours." She watched him do the math. She'd been awake and on the move for longer than that.
"Digest version is fine."
"I promise, I'll flesh it out for you later. Most of my time has been spent in South and Central America. I've also worked a couple of archeology digs in Australia, a year in Zimbabwe and Kenya. Then there was last year's tour of Asia. Enough information?" The tension in her eyes belied the soft words.
"For the moment, yes. But later I will want details of all the people
you've studied. It'll make a fascinating story!" He smiled at her confusion,
it looked like he had done what Jim always complained he did, lost his
listener. The yawn that surprised her decided him. AJ needed to rest. He
figured she could wear his spare coat for a few days until he took her
shopping or got her a
car or something. He headed for the loft so they could pick up a few
things for AJ. He doubted that the U had realized that Fortaleza would
pack this light.
"This is where I live. I'm going to grab a jacket and a couple of things for you and then take you to your apartment. Why don't you come in, it'll just take a minute and it's warmer?" Blair spoke softly, watching as AJ became fully aware of the surroundings.
"Okay." She spoke quietly as she opened the door and followed him.
Blair noted the fact that Jim's truck still wasn't back, as they entered the building. Briefly he wondered when his partner would return, but dismissed it. He'd known there would times he wouldn't see much of the detective from day one of this semester. He was so used to being at Jim's side through thick and thin that it was unnerving not to be. He sighed quietly as he unlocked the door to the loft.
"Grab a seat, AJ." He told her as he pulled a duffel bag from his room.
She looked around and decided it would be too dangerous to comply. She
might fall asleep and then he'd want to insist she stay. Instead she stood,
watching him curiously as he began tossing a few things into it. "This'll
just take me a minute. I know the U doesn't provide everything you'll need,
so I'll
lend you some things until we can get you to the store."
"Blair." AJ tried to interrupt his work. "As long as it has a roof, walls and a place to sleep, I'll be fine."
"Well, I guess you could just at hotel for the weekend. That way you
wouldn't have to borrow anything." Blair knew he was pushing, but some
instinctive part of him was rearing its head. He'd learned the hard way
not to ignore that instinct. He grinned impishly, throwing in his best
pout as her eyes rolled. He could almost see the thoughts that were flashing
behind her silver green
eyes. "Hey, I'd worry. The dean said you were my responsibility until
you Monday morning. Then you get to be the boss."
AJ studied him. It was rare that she instinctively trusted outsiders
or strangers, but she did trust Sandburg, somewhat. She watched him watch
her and react to what she wasn't saying. Even exhausted she hadn't been
able to sleep in his presence. Since her instincts were being as stubborn
as the young man smiling at her, she had to shake her head. Blair's smile
flickered
slightly as he read the decision and he turned back to stuffing a blanket
into the duffel bag before she could say the words: "I'll borrow your things,
but I want to go to the apartment."
Oh, yeah, she had definitely found the guide. But her instincts said
he was no longer seeking. Bonded, maybe, maybe not. She wasn't going to
know that for sure until she met his sentinel. If they were bonded, it
was a fairly new thing. New enough to qualify as dangerous for her to be
around the pair of them. No, she didn't want to interfere with them. She
only wanted to be
around if they needed her particular brand of protection. AJ found
herself praying her dreams were wrong.
A chill ran up her spine and she had to fight a curse. She needed to get the king knife away from here and locked up... it had recognized Sandburg too. She could feel its awareness as it turned the skin of her back cold. The aching chill that suddenly crawled up her spine and the pain that crept in its wake startled her. It was far too awake to ignore. The thing was supposed to be dormant. How on earth had it been woken? It had been dormant when she picked it up in Mexico, hadn't it?
"Here's a coat you can keep for a while." AJ looked up at the sound of Blair's voice. While she'd been debating with herself, he'd finished grabbing the things he felt she'd need, including his spare coat. Wordlessly she stripped out of the one she was wearing and pulled on the drab olive seaman's coat he offered.
Blair kept talking, "I'd let you keep this one, but it was a gift and --"
AJ smiled. Definitely newly bonded. At least she didn't have to worry on that regard. She spoke softly, forcing him to stop speaking so he could hear her words. "It's okay. I understand. Thank you."
"Well, let's get you to your apartment and then you can rest." The young man pulled on his coat as he spoke. "Do you think I could go over to the office so I can get started on the cataloging? I promise not to damage anything."
"Blair, the school trusts you. I think I can trust you with any of the artifacts. If you want, bring a crate here to work on it. Just don't overwhelm yourself." AJ shook her head as she followed him down the hallway. She knew she was younger than the grad student, but she didn't have his kind of energy. Guides must genetically have energy, because every single one she'd met was the same way, always in motion or always busy. If he wanted a crate he could have it, just as long as she got to sleep.
Jim paced the floor slowly. He glared out through the glass doors, watching
the falling snow. Blair was late, really late. If anything had happened
to the younger man, he'd never forgive himself. He should have lent him
the truck this afternoon. It was bad enough that he'd been on edge since
the moment he'd stepped into the loft this evening, but not knowing his
partner's
whereabouts was grating on his nerves.
He felt like he'd let Blair down. When the younger man had wanted company to pick up the anthropologist/photographer, he'd had to go on that long, unproductive stakeout. He had to admit that he'd been hoping to meet the man whose photographs of the Andes he admired so much. For years he'd admired K.A.J.'s work, he even owned a book of his South American prints. Sometimes when he was thinking about his time in Peru, he all he needed to do was pull out that book and stare, remembering the jungle, seeing it again.
The sound of Blair's engine froze Jim in mid-stride. He focused his hearing on the parking lot. The younger man was happily humming as he unloaded something from his trunk. Jim forced himself to calm down. Jumping on his partner the moment he stepped through the door would probably not be a good idea.
Minutes later, the loft door opened and Blair staggered inside. His arms cradled a large wooden packing crate. It's weight made him tilt, overbalanced.
"Here, let me take that, Chief." Jim stepped forward and took the crate from the other man's arms. He froze as the unusual scent overwhelmed him.
The memory of the forest at evening filled his head. The scent of night blooming jasmine, chayote vine and red heart ferns filled the air. On the edge of his hearing he could hear the hunting cough of a jaguar. The crisp scent of fresh ozone made his nostrils tingle.
In his mind's eye, he could see the rich black loam that nourished the plants around him. The brilliant greens and muted shadows of the triple canopy rain forest sheltered his soul, nurturing the hidden reaches of his psyche. The sweet, thick scent of a familiar herb taunted his memory.
He heard the roar of an annoyed panther and a low rumbling growl. As he began focusing on the sound, the rhythm of drums echoed through the trees. It was accompanied by the voice of his guide.
"Jim, come on, man. Come back to me." His guide spoke softly, but firmly. Just below the concern was fear. Something had frightened his guide. Jim's consciousness raced towards the familiar voice. "Come on, Big Guy. Follow my voice. Shut out everything but my voice. Don't leave me alone here."
With a single lithe move, Jim was on his feet, gun drawn. He had to find whatever had made Blair so upset, so awfully pale.
"Easy, Jim." The rich voice was much calmer, rapidly returning to normal. "Jim, what happened? What were you zoned on?"
He shook his head, focusing on his guide. Blair's color was returning. His eyes were still wide, but not from panic. As he listened, the heartbeat fell back into its normal rhythm. Instinctively, he reached out and pulled the smaller man into a strong embrace.
Blair's scent was wrong. The top layers were confused. The mingled scents of all the places he'd been, all the people he'd run into were easily stripped away. But not the other scent. Another person's scent overlaid his scent strongly. Not quite to the point of overpowering the unique scent of Blair, it was heavily interlaced with Blair's normal mix of herbal shampoo and soaps.
Blair's gentle hands pushed him back. He could barely focus on those blue eyes. He felt the skin of his friend's hands brush across his cheeks, but it was faint and fading.
"You're still zoning." The words fell from the guide's lips but they were meaningless to the sentinel. He buried his nose in Blair's neck. He inhaled deeply, finding only the familiar scent of his guide. More words hit his ears without making sense. "Oh man, you're probably zoning on AJ's scent. Let me get out of my jacket."
Jim felt and heard himself growl as Blair stepped backwards, freeing himself from the harsh grip of the sentinel. His eyes narrowed as he watched every move the younger man made. First, the jacket and then the upper two layers of shirts hit the floor. When Blair spread his T-shirt clad arms wide, Jim pounced.
"AJ is not a threat, Jim." He heard the velvety voice speak, its words
finally making sense to his brain. One of his hands threaded itself through
the long curls, his fingers gripping tightly to the soft strands. The other
hand stroked a path across Blair's throat, confirming its knowledge of
every gentle ripple of skin found there. He breathed in deeply, accepting
the rich musky
scent of his partner's skin.
"Jim?" Blair's voice broke. "Look at me. Please."
Reluctantly, the big detective broke off his study and looked up into Blair's eyes. The concern and the worry there made him swallow tightly.
"I'm okay, Chief," he murmured. Suddenly he remembered the scents and where he had smelled them before. "She's from the Calim'a, isn't she?"
"How did you know?"
"I met one of their shaman when I lived with the Chopec. He used the same herbs for a cleansing ceremony." Jim's voice was distant. With smooth, economical grace he began to pace. "Every time Incacha and their shaman got together, the scent drove me nuts. Incacha ended up sending me away while they worked together."
"Were they the enemy?" Blair whispered, hoping against hope that they were friends.
"No, they were allies. In fact, they still are."
Blair thought quietly about his sentinel's words. His mind raced, cataloging
Jim's reactions and behaviors that night. He'd have to warn AJ not to meditate
to that herb but otherwise, it sounded like she and Jim would get along.
He grinned to himself. He was definitely going to have to speak to AJ and
find out what went into that ceremony. He wanted to make sure that he knew
what kind to avoid in the future.
AJ shot awake, flames burning in her mind. With a muffled cry, she raced for the bathroom, her stomach protesting the half-remembered dream.
It was several long minutes later that she stumbled past the crates littering the apartment to find her backpack. She quickly pulled out a sealed box and broke it open. She mixed pinches from several herb pouches and began brewing the soporific tea.
Storm Page
Storm Chapter 2
