Rainier University Apartments 26 Sept
AJ stretched and rolled, luxuriating in the queen sized bed. Briefly, she wondered woke her. The raucous call of the telephone reminded her. With a low growl she grabbed the receiver and pulled it to her ear.
"Aloa?" Her eyes remained firmly closed as she waited for the voice on the phone to form a picture of its owner.
"AJ? This is Blair. What time do you want me to pick you up?" Blair spoke rapidly. "I promised we could go pick up whatever you needed today."
The man was way too awake for her point of view. She smiled, picturing him, hands moving as he talked. Behind him, she could hear another man speaking softly, saying he'd speak to Blair later. "It's Saturday afternoon already?"
"Yeah. I guess I woke you up. I'm sorry, I..." The anthropologist's voice was contrite.
"No hay de que." No worries. Murmuring into the handset, AJ sat up and looked around for the clock. She stared blearily at the alarm clock she'd forgotten to set. "I told you to call me around now. I didn't expect to sleep this long. I'll be ready by the time you get here."
"Are you sure? You could go back to sleep and call me when you wake up."
"Thanks, but I'll be fine. Come on over. The door will be open when you get here." AJ hung up the phone and grimaced. If she hurried, there was time for a quick shower and a maybe little work before he got to the apartment. She pulled herself out of bed, wincing at the sore muscles that fought for her attention. She'd been on the road too long to really appreciate the comforts of civilization. She still needed to unwind. Maybe she'd get a break and get to relax during this assignment.
Blair stumbled as he entered the apartment and froze in shock. Where he remembered a large, spacious living room, was a large pile of crates. He could barely get the door fully open and step into the narrow entranceway. Carefully closing the door, he took off his coat and began to hang it in the closet. With a rueful chuckle he realized just how well trained Jim had him, he was actually getting accustomed to hanging his coat up instead of tossing it on the nearest surface. He turned back to the living area.
"AJ? Are you in here?" He called out, peering at the label of one of the crates. It was still nailed shut; customs seals in place, and delivery label firmly attached to the top. The name on the crate read Zelinski. She'd had the artifacts delivered to the apartment? What was going on?
"Have a seat, if you can find one." AJ's voice came from beyond the pile of crates.
Blair decided he had to be imagining the sheer enormity of the task before him. He closed his eyes, but the crates were still there when he reopened them. The crates were piled four high and stretched from wall to wall, with only a narrow aisle through them. He pulled out his glasses and settled them on his nose; the crates didn't disappear like he'd half hoped they would. Finally accepting their reality, he shrugged and began carefully slipping through the narrow aisle.
A small oasis was formed by the coffee table, which held a pair of crowbars, a box cutter, pen, notepad, and other assorted items. AJ looked up from her perch on the arm of the sofa and raised an eyebrow at his amazed expression. She looked around at the crates and smiled briefly at him. Capping her pen, she laid a notepad down wearily.
"When did these get here?"
"They were delivered right after you left yesterday." AJ yawned and stretched. She tucked her pen behind her ear and shuffled through a set of invoices. "I haven't gotten much done with them though."
"What's in them? Artifacts for the exhibit?" Blair peered into the open crate at her side. With gentle hands, he pulled out a pottery urn. The markings on the vase looked familiar, but the urn was too small to contain a human body. "It looks like an amaru urn, but it's too small."
AJ looked up at it before checking her notes. "Yeah, that's what it looks like. I still have to check a couple of old journals to see if Zel noted where he got it. But I haven't found the crate of journals."
"So this is all for the exhibit?" Blair looked around the apartment again.
"I don't know yet. I've got to sort through the stuff and figure it out." AJ sighed tiredly and ran her fingers through the packing material of the crate next to her. "Some of this is his personal stuff, some of it is for the exhibit, and some of it is junk."
"Don't you have a master list? Or some kind of note system?" He looked at her in disbelief.
For a moment, AJ's fingers stilled and she looked up at the man peering down at her, eyes wide. Then she looked away, a muffled chuckle sounding from between her tightly clamped lips. She pulled her pen from behind her ear and wrote a couple of notes. Then the pen dropped onto the table. A slow shudder traced her spine as she wrapped her arms around herself. Rich, warm, vibrant laughter pealed through the apartment as AJ lost her battle against the it.
Blair watched in amusement as she laughed; part of him knew that the tense woman needed the release.
After several minutes, AJ regained control, and wiped tears from her face. "My uncle? Take legible notes? Be organized? Oh, Sandburg, he keeps all his notes in his head, never on paper. I take it you've never worked with him?"
Smiling wryly, Blair sat on the corner of the table. "No, I never got the pleasure. I always wanted to join one of his expeditions but the timing never worked out."
AJ looked up at him and froze, all the laughter in her eyes disappearing. The sudden ice cold fury made her eyes turn a slate gray. "Who did that to you?"
Blair blinked in confusion, trying to understand the cold fury she was projecting. After a moment, his hand crept up to his neck, covering the marks there. At her small nod, he grinned in relief. "This? It was an accident."
"Sorry. I ..." Her golden skin turned pink as she blushed. "I mean... I thought... mm."
"Don't worry about it. It was kind of cute... the idea of you going after... oh man. You are as bad as the guys at the station the day I came in with a hickey from Sam." He grinned eyes and hands dancing enthusiastically. A light pink tinge touched his cheeks as he thought of the very thorough questioning Jim put him through. It was worse than anything his mom had ever done. Now it looked like he had another person worrying about him.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you had a lady friend. I'll try to keep a low profile, so I don't get in the way." AJ returned his happy smile, her eyes warm again. Mentally she told herself to get a customs dictionary. She was definitely going to need it here.
"Umm, AJ First off, this is not a hickey... it's a bruise. It was made by an accident." He rushed his words, trying to find a gentle way to correct her misunderstanding. "Secondly, you're not going to be in the way. The ladies I date, well, they know I work at the U and they'll understand. I'll tell them about the exhibit and it won't be a problem."
"Again, I put my feet in my mouth."
"That's okay, it happens. Would it be all right if we met up with my roommate later? I think you would really like him." Blair smiled. "He loves Cage's work."
"What is his name?" Fortaleza turned, focusing tightly on Blair. Watching and waiting for the answer.
"Jim Ellison." Blair answered quickly, a bright smile flashing across his face. "He's a really nice guy, a little gruff sometimes. But I think the two of you will hit it off."
Perfect, she had wondered how to get an introduction to his roommate. Then it clicked. Blair's roommate was the same man. He had to be. That meant that there could only be one sentinel in Cascade and he was someone she had heard about. It also meant that the guide in front of her was technically family. She began to smile happily. Maybe life was going to be easy for a change. "Jim Ellison? The soldier who held the Chopec pass? I have heard so much about him and what he did."
"He's kind of..." Blair began. It hadn't occurred to him that Fortaleza would recognize Jim's name or be so delighted to realize that Jim was in Cascade.
AJ smiled sadly and finished his sentence. "...reticent? Shy about it? I will not bother him, I just need to deliver a package the Chopec asked me to bring. When it arrives, I'll let you take it to him. I understand what he went through back then. It is not easy to lose that many friends at once. I know better than to say or do anything to cause him pain."
Blair nodded. He was relieved that she understood what Jim went through. He was also happy that she wasn't put off by the fact. "I'm glad it doesn't bother you."
She looked at him curiously. "What? The fact that he survived and the others didn't? That was a matter for the spirits to decide."
Blair started to speak but the closed expression on her face made him change his mind. He looked around the room. He had a feeling that the subject was closed.
"Do you have any coffee? I'd love to get started." The researcher in Blair was itching to start working. He glanced into the kitchenette, wondering how much time he could put in today. AJ's answer brought him up short because for a moment he had forgotten why he was there on a Saturday.
"Not yet, I have to pick some up." The young woman stood slowly, moving cautiously between the crates. "I have some tea I brought with me, if you want it."
"Didn't they leave any supplies?" AJ shook her head and he winced. He hadn't had a chance to check before dropping her off the day before; she'd insisted that she would be fine with whatever was available or in the bag he'd packed. "I need to take you shopping. "
"You are supposed to be my assistant, not my personal servant." The wry words were spoken flatly. "I don't believe in turning research assistants into slaves."
Before he could respond to her comment, she stretched again, yawning. The ominous rip that sounded made her grimace. One hand flew to her shoulder where a worn seam had let go. Blair winced at her expression. He definitely needed to get her over to the store like he'd promised. She shook her head, "OK, I admit it, I need to go to the store."
"Do you have a list of what you need?"
She nodded and pulled out a list. "It's pretty long. Do you mind?"
Blair took the list and looked it over carefully. "This reads like supplies for an expedition."
"I'll need the same basics as I would on an expedition, right?"
"You missed a couple of things that you'll really need for the winter weather, some of the other stuff, well, it's not needed." Blair reached for the pen. Quickly and neatly he crossed off a few items before adding some others. He reread the list and looked over at the silent woman. "What kind of supplies will you need for your photo lab?"
Startled green eyes met his. "Photo lab? But..."
"Easy, it's okay." Blair's hands reached out to soothe, but she shied away nervously. He made a mental note to himself not to crowd her. "Since Zelinski can't be here to lecture in the senior seminar, you've been drafted as an assistant. You've made a name for yourself taking pictures of artifacts, dwellings, stuff like that. It's not as big as Cage's but you're known for your anthropological and archaeological pictures. That's what the dean wants you to share."
"I can do that." She mused quietly. "I have to go to a specialty store for the photography supplies."
"How do you get supplies when you're not in the US?" Blair's curiosity was piqued as he watched her formulate her plans. "I mean, it's not like they have the things you'd need in some of the places you've been."
"I have everything sent to me. I use the Internet for supply lists." She grinned at his shocked look. "I'm not a total barbarian."
"Now, my foot is in my mouth." He chuckled.
"Even steven?" She held out her hand. He took it and nodded. It had been a long time since he'd heard that expression.
"Do you think we can get it all done this afternoon?"
"Yeah. Not a problem." Blair skimmed the list again. "The U will supply some of this stuff."
"I'd prefer to get it myself." AJ's voice was tense. "I don't like owing an institution."
He looked at her and shrugged. Blair could almost understand AJ's comment. During the days when he'd been traveling with his mother, he'd met people like her. They were the ones who were constantly on the move, never settling even briefly. They survived mainly on a barter system and debts were freely given, accepted and paid, in exchange for survival. At least, between people. None of them seemed to like dealing with institutions. "Yeah, I can understand not owing the U. But, that leaves them in debt to you."
AJ smiled brightly. "Yeah, but that I can live with."
"Do we need to do anything else before we head out?" Blair asked, as he studied the clay pot from the crate again.
"Just figure out when we are working together." AJ watched him quietly. The reverence and care with which he handled the pot was evident both in his movements and his expression. She would have to be very careful with scheduling . It was obvious that he would wear himself out trying to keep up with the exhibit as well as his own work. "According to the information the Dean sent me, you work with me twenty hours a week. I need to know when you are scheduled to work with your research subject so we don't have any conflicts."
"My schedule is pretty flexible. I can meet you anytime you want." He picked up a spare pen from the table and grabbed a notepad from the table. He wrote a detailed description of the pot and his estimation of it's identity. "Are the crates labeled?"
"Yes, check the other side. Each has a year and box number." She pointed to the inked markings. "I'll bend to your schedule. I can catalog anytime. The thing I'll need the most help with is making the arrangements for the exhibit itself. I've never done one before."
Blair finished writing the information about the pot and set the pot on the table. "I know how to do that part, so we should have no problems. You do have an idea of what Dr. Zelinski had planned with the exhibit?"
"Yes, I do. We'd debated this exhibit for the past few years. He wanted to show the world how modern, western civilization has impacted the people." A pensive look crossed her face. "I'm pretty sure I can recreate his plans. I have his proposal and the details he sent the dean, so I have a starting place."
"If you know what he wanted, we should be able to get the rough idea drawn up fairly quickly. The cataloging will take up most of our time." Blair looked around at the crates, trying to estimate the amount of work it would take to categorize the contents. "When do you want me here?"
"You can show up whenever you have time." AJ watched him again, noting his movements and mannerisms. The obvious desire to work with the artifacts was blunted by the desire to be elsewhere. Or maybe it was the desire to be with someone else, like his sentinel. "You tell me when you can be here. We'll make that the schedule."
"My schedule can get real hectic, real fast. I'm an observer with the Cascade PD. My hours with them are sporadic." Blair tried to explain, not knowing if he could make her understand exactly how hectic his life could get.
She waited thoughtfully; maybe the guide has bonded fully with his sentinel after all. That would make life easier for her, but not by much. It wasn't as if she didn't have any ideas as to who his sentinel might be, and if she was right, Blair was in good hands. Her main concerns were the strength of the bond and protecting the Guide/Sentinel pair. Everything else, even Zel's work, was secondary. Damn, she knew she'd missed something, but what was it. "I can be here and awake from dawn to midnight. Write me a list of times you want to be here, and it'll be done. No working on the weekend unless it's an emergency. Deal?"
"It's a deal." Blair smiled inwardly. Jim had been worried that this assistantship would make it harder than ever for them to work together at the PD. From what AJ had just said, it sounded like this would be perfect. "Does that mean no working today?"
"If you don't mind taking me to the store, I'll let you go as soon as we get back." At Blair's half reluctant glance at the pile of crates, AJ relented. "I'll let you tackle a crate if you want. But I don't want to rush, and I don't want you to be working much tonight. It's the weekend and you didn't get much warning that I was coming."
Blair had to chuckle at that. "I can do that. Ready to go? The sooner we get to the store, the sooner we return."
"Anxious to see inside the crates?" At Blair's embarrassed grin she nodded. "I understand. I like going through them myself."
Several hours later found Blair loading packages into his car. AJ was deftly reloading the camera that seemed to live around her neck.
"I can't believe that man actually thought I was..." Blair grumbled, as he placed the last bag in the trunk. "I mean, I don't look like I'm that desperate!"
"Well, between the worn jeans, fingerless gloves, stubble and long hair you look like the people I've read about, living on the streets. So he thought you needed a handout, it was kind of funny."
"But he didn't have to be so condescending if he thought I was..."
She grinned at him, still chuckling. "What's even better, is that I have it on film."
"Oh, no you don't. I want that film." He stopped trying to arrange the bags in the trunk. At his growl she backed away warily, one hand sliding into her open coat.
"Um, Blair, what are you doing?" Her half grin never faltered as she slipped around the car, trying to escape the snow in his hand. "I don't think that is a good idea."
"Promise that picture never sees the light of day!" He weighed the snowball thoughtfully, watching her.
Wide eyes stared at him, keeping the snowball in view as she backed up again. "I can't do that. It's perfect blackmail material."
"AJ.." Blair growled, trying not to laugh at her expression. As her eyes darted away, looking for an escape route, he threw the cold, wet, snowball.
"Ugh! That's cold!" AJ glared at him, laughing as she spat snow. Her gloved fingers brushed more snow from her face. "Okay, I won't use it without your permission. In fact, I'll let you have a copy of everything you're in. Deal? Just don't throw any more snow at me!"
"Deal." Blair answered happily. He knew his eyes were as merry as hers. "We'd better get over to the grocery store before it closes."
"But it's still daylight."
"It's Saturday, AJ" Blair watched as comprehension dawned. "The only place that has anything like what you're used to buying is a little specialty store. They close early today."
The two young people were still laughing and talking a mile a minute as they went through the store. They quickly grabbed the basics and a few special items for AJ's kitchen, pausing at the produce area.
"Hey, AJ?" Blair called out. She raised her head from where she was deciding between different kinds of fruit. He held up an odd looking root. "Is this what you were looking for?"
"Yes. That's a malanga. Makes a great meal. Grab a small one for me, please."
Blair looked at the hairy root and frowned. He nodded to himself as he bagged it. "And Jim says I eat weird things."
"It's not that bad." She grinned at him from the other side of the bin. "I thought you said you were adventurous."
"I am, but I usually don't eat things that look like giant mustaches." He grinned to himself.
"Right... but you said you like trying new food."
"I do, but this is not food, it's wood."
"I'll prove to you it's food. In fact, I'll teach you how to cook it."
"Sounds like a plan." He tossed the bag at the cart.
AJ's eyes widened as she saw the armed man appear behind Blair. She barely had time to yell, "Blair! Duck!"
Blair instinctively obeyed her order. Hitting the floor, he stared at her without comprehending as she scrambled behind a bin. Just as he decided it was some weird joke she was trying to pull, a shotgun blast fragmented the top layer of fruit in the bins. Pale green eyes watched him as she froze on the floor next to him. Pieces of fruit and malanga rained down over them. Down stuffing from the filling of her parka floated slowly around them, attesting to the closeness of the shot.
AJ let her eyes roam over the anthropologist. Please, her mind prayed frantically, please don't let him be hurt. I'm supposed to protect the Guide from sacrifice. Don't let me lose him to something this stupid. She sighed in relief as she realized that he was unhurt. She measured the distance to the man with the shotgun and knew it wasn't time to fight -- not yet.
"Did I get your attention?" A surly voice came from behind him. They stayed frozen on the floor as booted feet approached. Blair closed his eyes as the muzzle of the weapon dug into his spine. If it wasn't for bad luck, he wondered if he would have any luck at all. "Get up, both of you."
Slowly, they stood, Blair staying between the shotgun and AJ. Behind him, he could hear her fumbling with her zipper. After a moment, she slid her hand into his. With firm movements, she placed a pair of cold objects into his hand and closed his fingers around them.
"Come on, girlie. Don't hide behind your boyfriend." The man was huge, easily six foot eight or taller. Blair stared up at him; even Simon Banks would be dwarfed by this giant. AJ peered up at him as she passed the anthropologist. As she got closer to the gunman her nose wrinkled and her skin blanched. He leered at her, chuckling when she moved away skittishly. The man taunted them. "Think he can protect you? Move it, both of you. Head to the registers, now!"
The barrel of the shotgun dug into Blair's side as he was maneuvered forward. Beside him, he could feel AJ trembling, but he couldn't do anything to reassure her. A quick glance at her told him that she was furious rather than afraid. Blair worried about it; he didn't need her going off halfcocked. When her eyes glanced at him, he shook his head. She nodded in acknowledgment, her eyes accepting his decision, at least for the moment.
At the front of the store, a second gunman was emptying the cash registers. His shotgun was pointed at a small group of people crowded together in a corner. He glanced at the approaching group and began yelling at their captor. "Hurry up! Time's running short!" He turned back to the larger group of captives.
"Which of you is the manager?" The man behind them spoke forcefully, his shotgun still digging into Blair's back.
An older man stepped forward. He looked around, heart in his eyes as he took in the two men's attitude. "I am."
"Good. You can open the safe for us," the man said in a calm voice, which frightened Blair more than if he had been shouting.
The large man pushed Blair and AJ into the other people and grabbed the manager's arm. Then he hustled him into the office area where they could hear him ordering the man to open the safe. The man who'd been ransacking the registers leveled his weapon at them as he walked over to the windows to watch for trouble.
A muted flash of light caught Blair's attention. The lens of AJ's camera peeked at him from the open front of her torn parka. His eyes widened as he realized she had turned it on. Very faintly, he could hear the occasional click of the shutter and the whirl of advancing film. She raised her eyebrows at him, as if silently asking what he'd expected. Blair was amazed at the fact that he hadn't noticed her movements to keep the two thieves in sight of the camera.
Blair looked around, trying to see if the police had arrived yet. As busy as this store was, someone was bound to report the sight of armed men fairly soon. That was if none of the cashiers had pushed one of the silent alarm buttons. He knew that soon his friends would be arriving. Once that happened, he wanted to be able to do whatever his partner needed him to. Jim would be furious at him for being in this situation, his reaction to the thieves would be even worse. He just hoped that they arrived before things got ugly.
The sound of raised voices, echoing eerily from the office, made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Beside him, he felt AJ tense, coming to attention. He had a bad feeling they were about to run out of time.
From the office came the sound of a shotgun blast and a muted thump as something or someone hit the floor. AJ closed her eyes and swallowed harshly. The other captives murmured and one began crying. Blair winced, imagining too clearly what had happened. When AJ's eyes reopened they met his. He could almost read the preparedness there and it bothered him.
Blair took the chance to glance at his hand. AJ's stance beside him hid the objects from anyone else's view. A pair of small wooden darts, the tip of each encased in a leather sleeve rested in his palm. He raised his eyebrows at her as she shrugged wordlessly.
AJ leaned her head on Blair's shoulder, watching the gunman. Her voice was low, almost too low for him to hear. "Curare. If you get a chance, it might save us."
He slowly shook his head, eyes widening as he realized what she meant. He glanced over at their guard and back to her. "No, we need to let the police handle this."
Her green eyes narrowed and then she sighed. Her head nodded against his chest, hiding her words and expression from their captors. "For now, I wait. But if it gets ugly, you drop fast!"
"AJ," he murmured. There was no way he wanted to take on two shotgun-wielding maniacs.
"Tommy! The cops are here!" The man at the window bellowed. "One of the bitches must have tripped an alarm!"
The sound of chambered rounds brought the hostages' eyes to the front of the store. AJ glanced at Blair and shook her head, eyes frightened but calm. Her lips moved soundlessly. "Too far away."
"Everyone on your knees!" The one named Tommy, yelled.
AJ and Blair fell to their knees along with the rest of the hostages. For once, the outspoken anthropologist decided that silence was the better part of valor. The fact they had already killed one man meant that trying to talk them down was not a real possibility. Then too was the fact neither man wore a mask; the hostages were witnesses to the murder.
The older man approached the group angrily, cursing his partner. He stopped in front of the kneeling captives and studied them for a moment. He pointed to AJ and Blair with the shotgun. "You and you, come with me."
Her head bowed, AJ obeyed. As Blair stood, he saw the thin leather caps fall to the floor. Damn, Simon and Jim were going to be pissed at them for this. But he couldn't see any alternative. The men had already killed one person. Their faces were plainly visible so they couldn't leave any witnesses. This was going to be the only chance they had. With his fingertips, he gently pulled the caps off his darts as they were marched to the window.
"Tell me what you see." The man forced AJ to her tiptoes, his hand wound deeply into her hair, fingers biting into her scalp. Lines of pain formed on her face and she became even paler.
"I see cars with flashing lights and lots of men hiding behind them." AJ's melodic accent stopped as the man slammed the shotgun barrel into her side. Her breath wheezed out in a rush and she gasped, trying to breathe. Her eyes blazed furiously before she lowered her eyes submissively.
"How many cops?" he demanded.
"Cops? Cops are what you call policemen?" The puzzlement in her voice nearly made Blair smile. If it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, it would be almost amusing. The best part was he didn't think she was faking, she really didn't recognize the word. "I think there are ten, maybe fifteen now."
"Damn!" The man pulled her around, dragging her back into the store. "Tommy! Pull back!"
For a moment, both men had their shotguns pointed up, away from each other as they discussed their options. Blue eyes met green and the decision was made instantly. Each of them gripped their darts tightly. Still watching each other's eyes they moved at the same moment, jabbing backwards with the darts.
"What the..." Tommy couldn't even finish his question. As the curare streaked through his bloodstream, AJ whirled. One hand kept the shotgun pointed safely at the ceiling as she pulled it from his grasp. The large man fell in a heap at her feet. She turned to see Blair's captor hit the floor. They grinned at each other in relief.
The other hostages, realizing they were free, began dazedly scrambling to their feet. They looked around, searching for another threat before rushing to the door. Their hands raised, the panicked people ran out of the building en masse. As he heard the bullhorns frantic shouts, Blair winced. He just hoped someone from Major Crimes was out there; he didn't want to try getting his ID out right now.
"Put the shotgun on the counter over there, AJ." Blair's voice was soft, as his actions echoed his words. Even as she followed his directions, police officers burst into the store.
"Get your hands on your heads! Kneel! Do not make any other moves!" The first of the officers yelled.
"We were hostages." Blair spoke quietly, obeying the orders of the men with the pistols. "Look, call Captain Simon Banks of the Major Crimes department. I'm..."
"SANDBURG!" The deep bass roar of his captain brought a smile to his face. "What are you doing in the middle of another hostage situation?"
"Well, Captain, it's like this..." he began.
"Never mind. Just fill out the paperwork and I'll read it later." The big man cuffed Blair's head. "I should have known that if something went down just off campus you'd be involved. Get up."
Blair grinned and turned to AJ. The sight of her pale, panicked face made him freeze. He followed her eyes to the police officers that stood over the unconscious robbers, their weapons drawn. The fixed look of terror in her eyes made him move quickly to stand between her and the sight of the uniforms. A short blurb from the information he'd found about Fortaleza's past clicked into place. One of Zelinski's anthropological expeditions had been detained during a South American coup and Fortaleza had disappeared from sight for over a year. The look on her face made sense if accepted the idea that she had been imprisoned for at least part of that time.
"AJ?" The sound of Blair using his Guide voice brought Simon to a stop. He watched silently as the younger man gently touched her arm, trying to get her attention. "Come on, AJ It's not what you think. This is Cascade. The police are on our side. They don't attack civilians, they protect us. Come on, there's no reason to panic."
Her eyes slowly moved up his body to meet his eyes. Her panic was barely held in check. He watched as she read his soul through his eyes; read that he trusted these people with his own life as well as hers and finally nodded. If he wanted her to trust them, he had to show her that trust. He almost could hear the little voice in her head as it spoke, Sandburg was the one with the experience with the Cascade PD. Follow his lead. After a long moment, he saw her nod her acceptance.
Blair kept his gaze on her face, but his words were for the police captain standing behind her, ready to grab her if she panicked. This was not a situation for panicky civilians, not with weapons already drawn and held at ready. He wasn't sure when the captain had moved into place, he had been concentrating too hard on reaching through AJ's panic.
"Sir, are there any female officers present? AJ could probably stand to have someone escort her to her apartment on campus. The officer could get her statement there."
"I think that's a real good idea, Sandburg. I'll have Megan take her home." Simon pitched his voice low, soothing the frayed nerves of the tense young woman.
"AJ, you need another new coat." Blair pulled her to her feet, still blocking her view of the uniformed officers. His hands moved slowly and gently as he removed her parka and looked for blood. She focused on him and shook her head, smiling slightly.
"It missed me. Just got the coat." The music in the voice was faded, almost inaudible. Shock was reflected in her eyes and the weary slump of her shoulders. "Can we go now?"
"One of my friends will take you to your apartment." Blair explained slowly. "I have to stay here and fill out paperwork. Besides if I'm not still here when Jim gets here, I'll be in more trouble than I care to think about. I'll come over to your place with your stuff in a little while."
Simon was proud of the way the kid handled the situation. Even he could tell the woman was very close to collapsing or worse. In this kind of situation, if she lost it, someone could easily get hurt. He lifted a hand and summoned Megan to them.
Blair looked down and scanned her briefly, judging her ready to be passed on to the Australian officer. He pulled off his own coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. "AJ, this is Megan, she's a good friend of mine. She'll take you home. I'll be by in a couple of hours. OK?"
"I'm fine." The too soft voice answered. Mechanically, she reached for her camera and rewound the film before removing it. Her eyes were still focusing on something he couldn't see as she handed it to him. "They may want this."
"Please, as a favor to me? Let her take you home?" Blair watched her, his hand white around the film. He couldn't quite understand her panic now of all times. He'd gotten so accustomed to policemen that he almost never gave them a second thought. He handed AJ's keys to Megan, knowing she'd take care of the pale photographer. The address was on the tag so they wouldn't have any problem finding the apartment.
AJ looked at the other woman and nodded. She murmured. "'Ta bien."
"Now, are you going to explain this to me?" Simon asked quietly as the two women walked away. "I thought you were working on a special project for the Dean."
"Fortaleza is the project, Simon..." Blair began only to be cut off.
"Simon! Have you seen Blair? His car is..." The worried voice of Detective Ellison intruded. The sentinel stalked into the store and stopped upon seeing the two men. The pale blue eyes scanned his partner from head to toe before stating the obvious. "Where's your coat? You're going to freeze!"
"I'm fine, Jim. Not a single new bruise." Blair grinned at his sentinel. He knew that Jim had already gone over him with his senses, making sure that he was unhurt. "Everything turned out fine."
"What were you doing here?"
"Fortaleza needed a ride to the store, so I brought her here." He gestured at the two men being hauled off by a mix of police and paramedics. "Unfortunately for us, my timing was as good as ever."
"Speaking of that, Sandburg," Simon interrupted, hoping to keep from hearing the whole story. He knew the younger man, and he knew his often long-winded explanations. "I want the short version of how you and your friend managed to knock those two out."
"You did that?" The pale eyes turned laser sharp. The man's nostrils twitched, as if he was trying to smell something vague. "I. . . curare! Where did you get curare?"
"It was a gift from my new boss?" Blair knew he sounded hesitant, but he had to get back to check on Fortaleza. Once the dean heard about this fiasco, he was going to be out of job and warned to stay away from her. He wanted to make sure that she was all right before he had to go back to teaching classes. Then he saw the gaze that Simon had locked on his throat. Shit! This was not the time for that discussion. Not again. If he thought Jim was an overprotective mother bear, he didn't want to even try handling Simon. And if Simon realized that Jim had zoned on him and left bruises... nope. He was getting out while the getting was good. "Look, Simon, I'll write up a quick statement. I'll flesh it out later if you need me to. Okay?"
Both of the older men watched in amazement as the anthropologist slipped between a pair of departing police officers. After a moment, the Captain turned to his detective and smiled. It was not a nice smile, either. "I want an explanation, Ellison. What did you do to Sandburg this time?"
"What?" Ellison's back straightened, his bearing tense.
"I saw those bruises, Detective." The bigger man's voice was cold. "And he said that he didn't get any new bruises."
The sentinel went white. His whisper was part pain and part fury. "I would never deliberately hurt Blair. You know that, SIR!"
"Then find out who gave those to him and make sure it stops." Banks' eyes were furious. The words he spoke were soft and deadly. "I don't care how consensual the Kid says it was. If his new lady friend leaves him enough bruises that he has to justify them to you then there are too many! I don't want to risk losing him again!"
Simon didn't wait for a response. He turned on his heal and stalked out of the store.
The meaning of the words soaked in and Ellison stared after his captain's retreating back. He knew that the big black man had a soft spot for his partner, but to worry that much about him. He wondered briefly what Simon would say if he told him the truth, that Jim had caused the bruises while zoned on his guide. The Captain would probably throw him in lock-up for the weekend. With a slow, thoughtful grin, the detective walked out of the store. He was bemused enough to completely ignore the reporters that crowded around the area as they tried to get a story. He couldn't wait to tell Blair about Simon's conclusions. He knew the younger man would get a laugh out of it.
Jim Ellison stared at the television. He hadn't seen much of Blair in the past 24 hours. Ever since Blair's phone call the day before, they'd been too busy to really talk. Before they'd been able to at least talk about the changes that this new assignment would cause, Simon had called needing Jim to cover a stake out with Connor. After that, Blair had been busy with Fortaleza.
Yes, they'd had long talk late Friday night into Saturday morning, about Jim's reaction to the Calim'a. Then while the sentinel slept, the guide worked. He'd spent the entire night working, spending his time rewriting the notes for the classes he was giving up, typing up notes about Jim's reaction to Calim'a herbs, and doing research for the exhibit. After finally falling asleep from exhaustion, Blair hadn't stirred when Simon had called needing the sentinel's assistance. When Jim returned, Blair was gone again. Of course, he had seen Blair, briefly, at the crime scene, but the kid had slipped away before Jim could catch him.
The sheer rapidity of the transition bothered him, setting off little alarms deep within him. He'd learned a long, long time ago that when things moved too fast, trouble almost always followed. The question in his mind was whether or not Fortaleza was the source of the trouble. Of course, with Blair's track record where trouble was concerned, the trouble could be coming from anywhere. He really wanted to meet the woman, so he could judge for himself.
They had planned on meeting for dinner so that Blair could introduce him to the anthropologist. Unfortunately, there had been that fiasco at the grocery store. Blair had vanished after explaining he needed to help a friend who'd been there and was still shocky from the hostage situation. He should have been there to protect Blair. He hadn't even gotten a word in before Blair had disappeared.
He wondered briefly what had happened to Fortaleza. She had disappeared faster than Blair. He wondered exactly when she'd given Blair the darts. If Fortaleza hadn't given those darts to his Guide, they would probably still be trying to negotiate with the robbers. Or all the hostages would be dead. From the sound of the confused explanations he'd gotten, the robbers had been using Blair and the visiting anthropologist as shields. Jim shuddered at the mere thought of loosing his Guide like that, whether from friendly fire or under a criminal's gun. He'd have to remember to thank her for his Guide's life.
Blair had gone to the station and filled out his report on the store incident, riding with Rafe since Jim had needed to speak to Simon about another case. Then, before Jim could say anything or ask any questions he'd run off, leaving a message saying he needed to see if Connor had been able to calm Fortaleza. Jim had read the report Blair had filed and couldn't believe the sketchiness he found there. The younger man had filled out the bare minimum and then left, promising to finish it on Monday. Definitely not normal, especially for his partner.
The sound of a key in the door made him look up, interrupting his musings. Blair tossed his keys into the basket and shrugged out of his jacket. As soon as it was hung on the rack, he made a beeline to the couch and curled up on it.
"Hi, man." The tired anthropologist murmured before laying his weary head on the armrest. "Sorry about today."
"How's your friend?" Jim let his eyes drift across the younger man, confirming to himself that he was safe. His senses were quietly grounding themselves on his Guide. Touch, smell, hearing, sight, they all locked onto the younger man, resetting themselves. Everything about his Guide was unique and so damn necessary to the Sentinel. Deep inside, the bond between them calmed and firmed -- strengthened.
"AJ? She's fine." Blair's voice was calm as he stirred under the gentle touch of the other man. "Turns out that she doesn't particularly like cops. Brings up bad memories, real bad ones."
Jim didn't respond to that comment. "I'm just glad you got out of there okay.
"Jim..." Blair forced himself to speak. He faced the shuttered blue eyes that peered at him. "I'm fine. Everything worked out."
"Maybe. I want to run a check on Fortaleza."
"You mean you haven't done that already?" Blair was astonished. He thought it was standard procedure at this point."
"No. When I said I trust you I meant it. That means I don't investigate your friends without asking you first." Jim's words were quiet, his face almost too calm. But Blair could see the tightened jaw. "But with your record for choosing women."
"AJ just got here, Jim. She didn't cause that heist. I'm not interested in her as anything more than a colleague."
"Right, Chief. I know you. Sooner or later you'll start dating her and then..."
"Jim!" Blair was indignant. "I don't think about sex and relationships all of the time. Listen to me, man. Between AJ and me there is just no chemistry. None. Nada. Zip. And if it isn't there, nothing is going to happen."
"Fine. I believe you, Chief. But if it ever comes to that point, I want to know."
"I promise I'll talk to you first. Happy?"
Jim's only response was to throw a pillow at the younger man. Tired as Blair was, he still had enough energy to lob it back at his sentinel.
A growl awakened her. Sitting up, AJ reached for the knife she had left by the bed. When she saw the two visitors she closed her eyes. Reopening them, she met the spirit animal's gazes. They glared at her, menacingly.
"Go away." she muttered at them.
The wolf bared its teeth at her. The panther coughed menacingly.
"I'm not here for them." AJ whispered, bringing her empty hands to her lap. "The prophesies say I have to be here. It's time."
Both animals growled, but it was no longer at her.
"I'm no threat. I won't be telling anyone about the Shaman or the Guardian. You have my oath."
Satisfied the two large animals turned away and walked into the wall. She watched them go before getting out of bed. Moving slowly in the dim moonlight she went to her bags and pulled out a heavily decorated bag. Using only her memory and her sense of smell, she opened packets of herbs. It was time to begin a purification ceremony. With the first step in her quest taken, the easy part was over.
"Santificado fui, santificado soy, santificado siempre sere." Her words were soft as she lit the incense.
AJ stretched and rolled, luxuriating in the queen sized bed. Briefly, she wondered woke her. The raucous call of the telephone reminded her. With a low growl she grabbed the receiver and pulled it to her ear.
"Aloa?" Her eyes remained firmly closed as she waited for the voice on the phone to form a picture of its owner.
"AJ? This is Blair. What time do you want me to pick you up?" Blair spoke rapidly. "I promised we could go pick up whatever you needed today."
The man was way too awake for her point of view. She smiled, picturing him, hands moving as he talked. Behind him, she could hear another man speaking softly, saying he'd speak to Blair later. "It's Saturday afternoon already?"
"Yeah. I guess I woke you up. I'm sorry, I..." The anthropologist's voice was contrite.
"No hay de que." No worries. Murmuring into the handset, AJ sat up and looked around for the clock. She stared blearily at the alarm clock she'd forgotten to set. "I told you to call me around now. I didn't expect to sleep this long. I'll be ready by the time you get here."
"Are you sure? You could go back to sleep and call me when you wake up."
"Thanks, but I'll be fine. Come on over. The door will be open when you get here." AJ hung up the phone and grimaced. If she hurried, there was time for a quick shower and a maybe little work before he got to the apartment. She pulled herself out of bed, wincing at the sore muscles that fought for her attention. She'd been on the road too long to really appreciate the comforts of civilization. She still needed to unwind. Maybe she'd get a break and get to relax during this assignment.
Blair stumbled as he entered the apartment and froze in shock. Where he remembered a large, spacious living room, was a large pile of crates. He could barely get the door fully open and step into the narrow entranceway. Carefully closing the door, he took off his coat and began to hang it in the closet. With a rueful chuckle he realized just how well trained Jim had him, he was actually getting accustomed to hanging his coat up instead of tossing it on the nearest surface. He turned back to the living area.
"AJ? Are you in here?" He called out, peering at the label of one of the crates. It was still nailed shut; customs seals in place, and delivery label firmly attached to the top. The name on the crate read Zelinski. She'd had the artifacts delivered to the apartment? What was going on?
"Have a seat, if you can find one." AJ's voice came from beyond the pile of crates.
Blair decided he had to be imagining the sheer enormity of the task before him. He closed his eyes, but the crates were still there when he reopened them. The crates were piled four high and stretched from wall to wall, with only a narrow aisle through them. He pulled out his glasses and settled them on his nose; the crates didn't disappear like he'd half hoped they would. Finally accepting their reality, he shrugged and began carefully slipping through the narrow aisle.
A small oasis was formed by the coffee table, which held a pair of crowbars, a box cutter, pen, notepad, and other assorted items. AJ looked up from her perch on the arm of the sofa and raised an eyebrow at his amazed expression. She looked around at the crates and smiled briefly at him. Capping her pen, she laid a notepad down wearily.
"When did these get here?"
"They were delivered right after you left yesterday." AJ yawned and stretched. She tucked her pen behind her ear and shuffled through a set of invoices. "I haven't gotten much done with them though."
"What's in them? Artifacts for the exhibit?" Blair peered into the open crate at her side. With gentle hands, he pulled out a pottery urn. The markings on the vase looked familiar, but the urn was too small to contain a human body. "It looks like an amaru urn, but it's too small."
AJ looked up at it before checking her notes. "Yeah, that's what it looks like. I still have to check a couple of old journals to see if Zel noted where he got it. But I haven't found the crate of journals."
"So this is all for the exhibit?" Blair looked around the apartment again.
"I don't know yet. I've got to sort through the stuff and figure it out." AJ sighed tiredly and ran her fingers through the packing material of the crate next to her. "Some of this is his personal stuff, some of it is for the exhibit, and some of it is junk."
"Don't you have a master list? Or some kind of note system?" He looked at her in disbelief.
For a moment, AJ's fingers stilled and she looked up at the man peering down at her, eyes wide. Then she looked away, a muffled chuckle sounding from between her tightly clamped lips. She pulled her pen from behind her ear and wrote a couple of notes. Then the pen dropped onto the table. A slow shudder traced her spine as she wrapped her arms around herself. Rich, warm, vibrant laughter pealed through the apartment as AJ lost her battle against the it.
Blair watched in amusement as she laughed; part of him knew that the tense woman needed the release.
After several minutes, AJ regained control, and wiped tears from her face. "My uncle? Take legible notes? Be organized? Oh, Sandburg, he keeps all his notes in his head, never on paper. I take it you've never worked with him?"
Smiling wryly, Blair sat on the corner of the table. "No, I never got the pleasure. I always wanted to join one of his expeditions but the timing never worked out."
AJ looked up at him and froze, all the laughter in her eyes disappearing. The sudden ice cold fury made her eyes turn a slate gray. "Who did that to you?"
Blair blinked in confusion, trying to understand the cold fury she was projecting. After a moment, his hand crept up to his neck, covering the marks there. At her small nod, he grinned in relief. "This? It was an accident."
"Sorry. I ..." Her golden skin turned pink as she blushed. "I mean... I thought... mm."
"Don't worry about it. It was kind of cute... the idea of you going after... oh man. You are as bad as the guys at the station the day I came in with a hickey from Sam." He grinned eyes and hands dancing enthusiastically. A light pink tinge touched his cheeks as he thought of the very thorough questioning Jim put him through. It was worse than anything his mom had ever done. Now it looked like he had another person worrying about him.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you had a lady friend. I'll try to keep a low profile, so I don't get in the way." AJ returned his happy smile, her eyes warm again. Mentally she told herself to get a customs dictionary. She was definitely going to need it here.
"Umm, AJ First off, this is not a hickey... it's a bruise. It was made by an accident." He rushed his words, trying to find a gentle way to correct her misunderstanding. "Secondly, you're not going to be in the way. The ladies I date, well, they know I work at the U and they'll understand. I'll tell them about the exhibit and it won't be a problem."
"Again, I put my feet in my mouth."
"That's okay, it happens. Would it be all right if we met up with my roommate later? I think you would really like him." Blair smiled. "He loves Cage's work."
"What is his name?" Fortaleza turned, focusing tightly on Blair. Watching and waiting for the answer.
"Jim Ellison." Blair answered quickly, a bright smile flashing across his face. "He's a really nice guy, a little gruff sometimes. But I think the two of you will hit it off."
Perfect, she had wondered how to get an introduction to his roommate. Then it clicked. Blair's roommate was the same man. He had to be. That meant that there could only be one sentinel in Cascade and he was someone she had heard about. It also meant that the guide in front of her was technically family. She began to smile happily. Maybe life was going to be easy for a change. "Jim Ellison? The soldier who held the Chopec pass? I have heard so much about him and what he did."
"He's kind of..." Blair began. It hadn't occurred to him that Fortaleza would recognize Jim's name or be so delighted to realize that Jim was in Cascade.
AJ smiled sadly and finished his sentence. "...reticent? Shy about it? I will not bother him, I just need to deliver a package the Chopec asked me to bring. When it arrives, I'll let you take it to him. I understand what he went through back then. It is not easy to lose that many friends at once. I know better than to say or do anything to cause him pain."
Blair nodded. He was relieved that she understood what Jim went through. He was also happy that she wasn't put off by the fact. "I'm glad it doesn't bother you."
She looked at him curiously. "What? The fact that he survived and the others didn't? That was a matter for the spirits to decide."
Blair started to speak but the closed expression on her face made him change his mind. He looked around the room. He had a feeling that the subject was closed.
"Do you have any coffee? I'd love to get started." The researcher in Blair was itching to start working. He glanced into the kitchenette, wondering how much time he could put in today. AJ's answer brought him up short because for a moment he had forgotten why he was there on a Saturday.
"Not yet, I have to pick some up." The young woman stood slowly, moving cautiously between the crates. "I have some tea I brought with me, if you want it."
"Didn't they leave any supplies?" AJ shook her head and he winced. He hadn't had a chance to check before dropping her off the day before; she'd insisted that she would be fine with whatever was available or in the bag he'd packed. "I need to take you shopping. "
"You are supposed to be my assistant, not my personal servant." The wry words were spoken flatly. "I don't believe in turning research assistants into slaves."
Before he could respond to her comment, she stretched again, yawning. The ominous rip that sounded made her grimace. One hand flew to her shoulder where a worn seam had let go. Blair winced at her expression. He definitely needed to get her over to the store like he'd promised. She shook her head, "OK, I admit it, I need to go to the store."
"Do you have a list of what you need?"
She nodded and pulled out a list. "It's pretty long. Do you mind?"
Blair took the list and looked it over carefully. "This reads like supplies for an expedition."
"I'll need the same basics as I would on an expedition, right?"
"You missed a couple of things that you'll really need for the winter weather, some of the other stuff, well, it's not needed." Blair reached for the pen. Quickly and neatly he crossed off a few items before adding some others. He reread the list and looked over at the silent woman. "What kind of supplies will you need for your photo lab?"
Startled green eyes met his. "Photo lab? But..."
"Easy, it's okay." Blair's hands reached out to soothe, but she shied away nervously. He made a mental note to himself not to crowd her. "Since Zelinski can't be here to lecture in the senior seminar, you've been drafted as an assistant. You've made a name for yourself taking pictures of artifacts, dwellings, stuff like that. It's not as big as Cage's but you're known for your anthropological and archaeological pictures. That's what the dean wants you to share."
"I can do that." She mused quietly. "I have to go to a specialty store for the photography supplies."
"How do you get supplies when you're not in the US?" Blair's curiosity was piqued as he watched her formulate her plans. "I mean, it's not like they have the things you'd need in some of the places you've been."
"I have everything sent to me. I use the Internet for supply lists." She grinned at his shocked look. "I'm not a total barbarian."
"Now, my foot is in my mouth." He chuckled.
"Even steven?" She held out her hand. He took it and nodded. It had been a long time since he'd heard that expression.
"Do you think we can get it all done this afternoon?"
"Yeah. Not a problem." Blair skimmed the list again. "The U will supply some of this stuff."
"I'd prefer to get it myself." AJ's voice was tense. "I don't like owing an institution."
He looked at her and shrugged. Blair could almost understand AJ's comment. During the days when he'd been traveling with his mother, he'd met people like her. They were the ones who were constantly on the move, never settling even briefly. They survived mainly on a barter system and debts were freely given, accepted and paid, in exchange for survival. At least, between people. None of them seemed to like dealing with institutions. "Yeah, I can understand not owing the U. But, that leaves them in debt to you."
AJ smiled brightly. "Yeah, but that I can live with."
"Do we need to do anything else before we head out?" Blair asked, as he studied the clay pot from the crate again.
"Just figure out when we are working together." AJ watched him quietly. The reverence and care with which he handled the pot was evident both in his movements and his expression. She would have to be very careful with scheduling . It was obvious that he would wear himself out trying to keep up with the exhibit as well as his own work. "According to the information the Dean sent me, you work with me twenty hours a week. I need to know when you are scheduled to work with your research subject so we don't have any conflicts."
"My schedule is pretty flexible. I can meet you anytime you want." He picked up a spare pen from the table and grabbed a notepad from the table. He wrote a detailed description of the pot and his estimation of it's identity. "Are the crates labeled?"
"Yes, check the other side. Each has a year and box number." She pointed to the inked markings. "I'll bend to your schedule. I can catalog anytime. The thing I'll need the most help with is making the arrangements for the exhibit itself. I've never done one before."
Blair finished writing the information about the pot and set the pot on the table. "I know how to do that part, so we should have no problems. You do have an idea of what Dr. Zelinski had planned with the exhibit?"
"Yes, I do. We'd debated this exhibit for the past few years. He wanted to show the world how modern, western civilization has impacted the people." A pensive look crossed her face. "I'm pretty sure I can recreate his plans. I have his proposal and the details he sent the dean, so I have a starting place."
"If you know what he wanted, we should be able to get the rough idea drawn up fairly quickly. The cataloging will take up most of our time." Blair looked around at the crates, trying to estimate the amount of work it would take to categorize the contents. "When do you want me here?"
"You can show up whenever you have time." AJ watched him again, noting his movements and mannerisms. The obvious desire to work with the artifacts was blunted by the desire to be elsewhere. Or maybe it was the desire to be with someone else, like his sentinel. "You tell me when you can be here. We'll make that the schedule."
"My schedule can get real hectic, real fast. I'm an observer with the Cascade PD. My hours with them are sporadic." Blair tried to explain, not knowing if he could make her understand exactly how hectic his life could get.
She waited thoughtfully; maybe the guide has bonded fully with his sentinel after all. That would make life easier for her, but not by much. It wasn't as if she didn't have any ideas as to who his sentinel might be, and if she was right, Blair was in good hands. Her main concerns were the strength of the bond and protecting the Guide/Sentinel pair. Everything else, even Zel's work, was secondary. Damn, she knew she'd missed something, but what was it. "I can be here and awake from dawn to midnight. Write me a list of times you want to be here, and it'll be done. No working on the weekend unless it's an emergency. Deal?"
"It's a deal." Blair smiled inwardly. Jim had been worried that this assistantship would make it harder than ever for them to work together at the PD. From what AJ had just said, it sounded like this would be perfect. "Does that mean no working today?"
"If you don't mind taking me to the store, I'll let you go as soon as we get back." At Blair's half reluctant glance at the pile of crates, AJ relented. "I'll let you tackle a crate if you want. But I don't want to rush, and I don't want you to be working much tonight. It's the weekend and you didn't get much warning that I was coming."
Blair had to chuckle at that. "I can do that. Ready to go? The sooner we get to the store, the sooner we return."
"Anxious to see inside the crates?" At Blair's embarrassed grin she nodded. "I understand. I like going through them myself."
Several hours later found Blair loading packages into his car. AJ was deftly reloading the camera that seemed to live around her neck.
"I can't believe that man actually thought I was..." Blair grumbled, as he placed the last bag in the trunk. "I mean, I don't look like I'm that desperate!"
"Well, between the worn jeans, fingerless gloves, stubble and long hair you look like the people I've read about, living on the streets. So he thought you needed a handout, it was kind of funny."
"But he didn't have to be so condescending if he thought I was..."
She grinned at him, still chuckling. "What's even better, is that I have it on film."
"Oh, no you don't. I want that film." He stopped trying to arrange the bags in the trunk. At his growl she backed away warily, one hand sliding into her open coat.
"Um, Blair, what are you doing?" Her half grin never faltered as she slipped around the car, trying to escape the snow in his hand. "I don't think that is a good idea."
"Promise that picture never sees the light of day!" He weighed the snowball thoughtfully, watching her.
Wide eyes stared at him, keeping the snowball in view as she backed up again. "I can't do that. It's perfect blackmail material."
"AJ.." Blair growled, trying not to laugh at her expression. As her eyes darted away, looking for an escape route, he threw the cold, wet, snowball.
"Ugh! That's cold!" AJ glared at him, laughing as she spat snow. Her gloved fingers brushed more snow from her face. "Okay, I won't use it without your permission. In fact, I'll let you have a copy of everything you're in. Deal? Just don't throw any more snow at me!"
"Deal." Blair answered happily. He knew his eyes were as merry as hers. "We'd better get over to the grocery store before it closes."
"But it's still daylight."
"It's Saturday, AJ" Blair watched as comprehension dawned. "The only place that has anything like what you're used to buying is a little specialty store. They close early today."
The two young people were still laughing and talking a mile a minute as they went through the store. They quickly grabbed the basics and a few special items for AJ's kitchen, pausing at the produce area.
"Hey, AJ?" Blair called out. She raised her head from where she was deciding between different kinds of fruit. He held up an odd looking root. "Is this what you were looking for?"
"Yes. That's a malanga. Makes a great meal. Grab a small one for me, please."
Blair looked at the hairy root and frowned. He nodded to himself as he bagged it. "And Jim says I eat weird things."
"It's not that bad." She grinned at him from the other side of the bin. "I thought you said you were adventurous."
"I am, but I usually don't eat things that look like giant mustaches." He grinned to himself.
"Right... but you said you like trying new food."
"I do, but this is not food, it's wood."
"I'll prove to you it's food. In fact, I'll teach you how to cook it."
"Sounds like a plan." He tossed the bag at the cart.
AJ's eyes widened as she saw the armed man appear behind Blair. She barely had time to yell, "Blair! Duck!"
Blair instinctively obeyed her order. Hitting the floor, he stared at her without comprehending as she scrambled behind a bin. Just as he decided it was some weird joke she was trying to pull, a shotgun blast fragmented the top layer of fruit in the bins. Pale green eyes watched him as she froze on the floor next to him. Pieces of fruit and malanga rained down over them. Down stuffing from the filling of her parka floated slowly around them, attesting to the closeness of the shot.
AJ let her eyes roam over the anthropologist. Please, her mind prayed frantically, please don't let him be hurt. I'm supposed to protect the Guide from sacrifice. Don't let me lose him to something this stupid. She sighed in relief as she realized that he was unhurt. She measured the distance to the man with the shotgun and knew it wasn't time to fight -- not yet.
"Did I get your attention?" A surly voice came from behind him. They stayed frozen on the floor as booted feet approached. Blair closed his eyes as the muzzle of the weapon dug into his spine. If it wasn't for bad luck, he wondered if he would have any luck at all. "Get up, both of you."
Slowly, they stood, Blair staying between the shotgun and AJ. Behind him, he could hear her fumbling with her zipper. After a moment, she slid her hand into his. With firm movements, she placed a pair of cold objects into his hand and closed his fingers around them.
"Come on, girlie. Don't hide behind your boyfriend." The man was huge, easily six foot eight or taller. Blair stared up at him; even Simon Banks would be dwarfed by this giant. AJ peered up at him as she passed the anthropologist. As she got closer to the gunman her nose wrinkled and her skin blanched. He leered at her, chuckling when she moved away skittishly. The man taunted them. "Think he can protect you? Move it, both of you. Head to the registers, now!"
The barrel of the shotgun dug into Blair's side as he was maneuvered forward. Beside him, he could feel AJ trembling, but he couldn't do anything to reassure her. A quick glance at her told him that she was furious rather than afraid. Blair worried about it; he didn't need her going off halfcocked. When her eyes glanced at him, he shook his head. She nodded in acknowledgment, her eyes accepting his decision, at least for the moment.
At the front of the store, a second gunman was emptying the cash registers. His shotgun was pointed at a small group of people crowded together in a corner. He glanced at the approaching group and began yelling at their captor. "Hurry up! Time's running short!" He turned back to the larger group of captives.
"Which of you is the manager?" The man behind them spoke forcefully, his shotgun still digging into Blair's back.
An older man stepped forward. He looked around, heart in his eyes as he took in the two men's attitude. "I am."
"Good. You can open the safe for us," the man said in a calm voice, which frightened Blair more than if he had been shouting.
The large man pushed Blair and AJ into the other people and grabbed the manager's arm. Then he hustled him into the office area where they could hear him ordering the man to open the safe. The man who'd been ransacking the registers leveled his weapon at them as he walked over to the windows to watch for trouble.
A muted flash of light caught Blair's attention. The lens of AJ's camera peeked at him from the open front of her torn parka. His eyes widened as he realized she had turned it on. Very faintly, he could hear the occasional click of the shutter and the whirl of advancing film. She raised her eyebrows at him, as if silently asking what he'd expected. Blair was amazed at the fact that he hadn't noticed her movements to keep the two thieves in sight of the camera.
Blair looked around, trying to see if the police had arrived yet. As busy as this store was, someone was bound to report the sight of armed men fairly soon. That was if none of the cashiers had pushed one of the silent alarm buttons. He knew that soon his friends would be arriving. Once that happened, he wanted to be able to do whatever his partner needed him to. Jim would be furious at him for being in this situation, his reaction to the thieves would be even worse. He just hoped that they arrived before things got ugly.
The sound of raised voices, echoing eerily from the office, made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Beside him, he felt AJ tense, coming to attention. He had a bad feeling they were about to run out of time.
From the office came the sound of a shotgun blast and a muted thump as something or someone hit the floor. AJ closed her eyes and swallowed harshly. The other captives murmured and one began crying. Blair winced, imagining too clearly what had happened. When AJ's eyes reopened they met his. He could almost read the preparedness there and it bothered him.
Blair took the chance to glance at his hand. AJ's stance beside him hid the objects from anyone else's view. A pair of small wooden darts, the tip of each encased in a leather sleeve rested in his palm. He raised his eyebrows at her as she shrugged wordlessly.
AJ leaned her head on Blair's shoulder, watching the gunman. Her voice was low, almost too low for him to hear. "Curare. If you get a chance, it might save us."
He slowly shook his head, eyes widening as he realized what she meant. He glanced over at their guard and back to her. "No, we need to let the police handle this."
Her green eyes narrowed and then she sighed. Her head nodded against his chest, hiding her words and expression from their captors. "For now, I wait. But if it gets ugly, you drop fast!"
"AJ," he murmured. There was no way he wanted to take on two shotgun-wielding maniacs.
"Tommy! The cops are here!" The man at the window bellowed. "One of the bitches must have tripped an alarm!"
The sound of chambered rounds brought the hostages' eyes to the front of the store. AJ glanced at Blair and shook her head, eyes frightened but calm. Her lips moved soundlessly. "Too far away."
"Everyone on your knees!" The one named Tommy, yelled.
AJ and Blair fell to their knees along with the rest of the hostages. For once, the outspoken anthropologist decided that silence was the better part of valor. The fact they had already killed one man meant that trying to talk them down was not a real possibility. Then too was the fact neither man wore a mask; the hostages were witnesses to the murder.
The older man approached the group angrily, cursing his partner. He stopped in front of the kneeling captives and studied them for a moment. He pointed to AJ and Blair with the shotgun. "You and you, come with me."
Her head bowed, AJ obeyed. As Blair stood, he saw the thin leather caps fall to the floor. Damn, Simon and Jim were going to be pissed at them for this. But he couldn't see any alternative. The men had already killed one person. Their faces were plainly visible so they couldn't leave any witnesses. This was going to be the only chance they had. With his fingertips, he gently pulled the caps off his darts as they were marched to the window.
"Tell me what you see." The man forced AJ to her tiptoes, his hand wound deeply into her hair, fingers biting into her scalp. Lines of pain formed on her face and she became even paler.
"I see cars with flashing lights and lots of men hiding behind them." AJ's melodic accent stopped as the man slammed the shotgun barrel into her side. Her breath wheezed out in a rush and she gasped, trying to breathe. Her eyes blazed furiously before she lowered her eyes submissively.
"How many cops?" he demanded.
"Cops? Cops are what you call policemen?" The puzzlement in her voice nearly made Blair smile. If it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, it would be almost amusing. The best part was he didn't think she was faking, she really didn't recognize the word. "I think there are ten, maybe fifteen now."
"Damn!" The man pulled her around, dragging her back into the store. "Tommy! Pull back!"
For a moment, both men had their shotguns pointed up, away from each other as they discussed their options. Blue eyes met green and the decision was made instantly. Each of them gripped their darts tightly. Still watching each other's eyes they moved at the same moment, jabbing backwards with the darts.
"What the..." Tommy couldn't even finish his question. As the curare streaked through his bloodstream, AJ whirled. One hand kept the shotgun pointed safely at the ceiling as she pulled it from his grasp. The large man fell in a heap at her feet. She turned to see Blair's captor hit the floor. They grinned at each other in relief.
The other hostages, realizing they were free, began dazedly scrambling to their feet. They looked around, searching for another threat before rushing to the door. Their hands raised, the panicked people ran out of the building en masse. As he heard the bullhorns frantic shouts, Blair winced. He just hoped someone from Major Crimes was out there; he didn't want to try getting his ID out right now.
"Put the shotgun on the counter over there, AJ." Blair's voice was soft, as his actions echoed his words. Even as she followed his directions, police officers burst into the store.
"Get your hands on your heads! Kneel! Do not make any other moves!" The first of the officers yelled.
"We were hostages." Blair spoke quietly, obeying the orders of the men with the pistols. "Look, call Captain Simon Banks of the Major Crimes department. I'm..."
"SANDBURG!" The deep bass roar of his captain brought a smile to his face. "What are you doing in the middle of another hostage situation?"
"Well, Captain, it's like this..." he began.
"Never mind. Just fill out the paperwork and I'll read it later." The big man cuffed Blair's head. "I should have known that if something went down just off campus you'd be involved. Get up."
Blair grinned and turned to AJ. The sight of her pale, panicked face made him freeze. He followed her eyes to the police officers that stood over the unconscious robbers, their weapons drawn. The fixed look of terror in her eyes made him move quickly to stand between her and the sight of the uniforms. A short blurb from the information he'd found about Fortaleza's past clicked into place. One of Zelinski's anthropological expeditions had been detained during a South American coup and Fortaleza had disappeared from sight for over a year. The look on her face made sense if accepted the idea that she had been imprisoned for at least part of that time.
"AJ?" The sound of Blair using his Guide voice brought Simon to a stop. He watched silently as the younger man gently touched her arm, trying to get her attention. "Come on, AJ It's not what you think. This is Cascade. The police are on our side. They don't attack civilians, they protect us. Come on, there's no reason to panic."
Her eyes slowly moved up his body to meet his eyes. Her panic was barely held in check. He watched as she read his soul through his eyes; read that he trusted these people with his own life as well as hers and finally nodded. If he wanted her to trust them, he had to show her that trust. He almost could hear the little voice in her head as it spoke, Sandburg was the one with the experience with the Cascade PD. Follow his lead. After a long moment, he saw her nod her acceptance.
Blair kept his gaze on her face, but his words were for the police captain standing behind her, ready to grab her if she panicked. This was not a situation for panicky civilians, not with weapons already drawn and held at ready. He wasn't sure when the captain had moved into place, he had been concentrating too hard on reaching through AJ's panic.
"Sir, are there any female officers present? AJ could probably stand to have someone escort her to her apartment on campus. The officer could get her statement there."
"I think that's a real good idea, Sandburg. I'll have Megan take her home." Simon pitched his voice low, soothing the frayed nerves of the tense young woman.
"AJ, you need another new coat." Blair pulled her to her feet, still blocking her view of the uniformed officers. His hands moved slowly and gently as he removed her parka and looked for blood. She focused on him and shook her head, smiling slightly.
"It missed me. Just got the coat." The music in the voice was faded, almost inaudible. Shock was reflected in her eyes and the weary slump of her shoulders. "Can we go now?"
"One of my friends will take you to your apartment." Blair explained slowly. "I have to stay here and fill out paperwork. Besides if I'm not still here when Jim gets here, I'll be in more trouble than I care to think about. I'll come over to your place with your stuff in a little while."
Simon was proud of the way the kid handled the situation. Even he could tell the woman was very close to collapsing or worse. In this kind of situation, if she lost it, someone could easily get hurt. He lifted a hand and summoned Megan to them.
Blair looked down and scanned her briefly, judging her ready to be passed on to the Australian officer. He pulled off his own coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. "AJ, this is Megan, she's a good friend of mine. She'll take you home. I'll be by in a couple of hours. OK?"
"I'm fine." The too soft voice answered. Mechanically, she reached for her camera and rewound the film before removing it. Her eyes were still focusing on something he couldn't see as she handed it to him. "They may want this."
"Please, as a favor to me? Let her take you home?" Blair watched her, his hand white around the film. He couldn't quite understand her panic now of all times. He'd gotten so accustomed to policemen that he almost never gave them a second thought. He handed AJ's keys to Megan, knowing she'd take care of the pale photographer. The address was on the tag so they wouldn't have any problem finding the apartment.
AJ looked at the other woman and nodded. She murmured. "'Ta bien."
"Now, are you going to explain this to me?" Simon asked quietly as the two women walked away. "I thought you were working on a special project for the Dean."
"Fortaleza is the project, Simon..." Blair began only to be cut off.
"Simon! Have you seen Blair? His car is..." The worried voice of Detective Ellison intruded. The sentinel stalked into the store and stopped upon seeing the two men. The pale blue eyes scanned his partner from head to toe before stating the obvious. "Where's your coat? You're going to freeze!"
"I'm fine, Jim. Not a single new bruise." Blair grinned at his sentinel. He knew that Jim had already gone over him with his senses, making sure that he was unhurt. "Everything turned out fine."
"What were you doing here?"
"Fortaleza needed a ride to the store, so I brought her here." He gestured at the two men being hauled off by a mix of police and paramedics. "Unfortunately for us, my timing was as good as ever."
"Speaking of that, Sandburg," Simon interrupted, hoping to keep from hearing the whole story. He knew the younger man, and he knew his often long-winded explanations. "I want the short version of how you and your friend managed to knock those two out."
"You did that?" The pale eyes turned laser sharp. The man's nostrils twitched, as if he was trying to smell something vague. "I. . . curare! Where did you get curare?"
"It was a gift from my new boss?" Blair knew he sounded hesitant, but he had to get back to check on Fortaleza. Once the dean heard about this fiasco, he was going to be out of job and warned to stay away from her. He wanted to make sure that she was all right before he had to go back to teaching classes. Then he saw the gaze that Simon had locked on his throat. Shit! This was not the time for that discussion. Not again. If he thought Jim was an overprotective mother bear, he didn't want to even try handling Simon. And if Simon realized that Jim had zoned on him and left bruises... nope. He was getting out while the getting was good. "Look, Simon, I'll write up a quick statement. I'll flesh it out later if you need me to. Okay?"
Both of the older men watched in amazement as the anthropologist slipped between a pair of departing police officers. After a moment, the Captain turned to his detective and smiled. It was not a nice smile, either. "I want an explanation, Ellison. What did you do to Sandburg this time?"
"What?" Ellison's back straightened, his bearing tense.
"I saw those bruises, Detective." The bigger man's voice was cold. "And he said that he didn't get any new bruises."
The sentinel went white. His whisper was part pain and part fury. "I would never deliberately hurt Blair. You know that, SIR!"
"Then find out who gave those to him and make sure it stops." Banks' eyes were furious. The words he spoke were soft and deadly. "I don't care how consensual the Kid says it was. If his new lady friend leaves him enough bruises that he has to justify them to you then there are too many! I don't want to risk losing him again!"
Simon didn't wait for a response. He turned on his heal and stalked out of the store.
The meaning of the words soaked in and Ellison stared after his captain's retreating back. He knew that the big black man had a soft spot for his partner, but to worry that much about him. He wondered briefly what Simon would say if he told him the truth, that Jim had caused the bruises while zoned on his guide. The Captain would probably throw him in lock-up for the weekend. With a slow, thoughtful grin, the detective walked out of the store. He was bemused enough to completely ignore the reporters that crowded around the area as they tried to get a story. He couldn't wait to tell Blair about Simon's conclusions. He knew the younger man would get a laugh out of it.
Jim Ellison stared at the television. He hadn't seen much of Blair in the past 24 hours. Ever since Blair's phone call the day before, they'd been too busy to really talk. Before they'd been able to at least talk about the changes that this new assignment would cause, Simon had called needing Jim to cover a stake out with Connor. After that, Blair had been busy with Fortaleza.
Yes, they'd had long talk late Friday night into Saturday morning, about Jim's reaction to the Calim'a. Then while the sentinel slept, the guide worked. He'd spent the entire night working, spending his time rewriting the notes for the classes he was giving up, typing up notes about Jim's reaction to Calim'a herbs, and doing research for the exhibit. After finally falling asleep from exhaustion, Blair hadn't stirred when Simon had called needing the sentinel's assistance. When Jim returned, Blair was gone again. Of course, he had seen Blair, briefly, at the crime scene, but the kid had slipped away before Jim could catch him.
The sheer rapidity of the transition bothered him, setting off little alarms deep within him. He'd learned a long, long time ago that when things moved too fast, trouble almost always followed. The question in his mind was whether or not Fortaleza was the source of the trouble. Of course, with Blair's track record where trouble was concerned, the trouble could be coming from anywhere. He really wanted to meet the woman, so he could judge for himself.
They had planned on meeting for dinner so that Blair could introduce him to the anthropologist. Unfortunately, there had been that fiasco at the grocery store. Blair had vanished after explaining he needed to help a friend who'd been there and was still shocky from the hostage situation. He should have been there to protect Blair. He hadn't even gotten a word in before Blair had disappeared.
He wondered briefly what had happened to Fortaleza. She had disappeared faster than Blair. He wondered exactly when she'd given Blair the darts. If Fortaleza hadn't given those darts to his Guide, they would probably still be trying to negotiate with the robbers. Or all the hostages would be dead. From the sound of the confused explanations he'd gotten, the robbers had been using Blair and the visiting anthropologist as shields. Jim shuddered at the mere thought of loosing his Guide like that, whether from friendly fire or under a criminal's gun. He'd have to remember to thank her for his Guide's life.
Blair had gone to the station and filled out his report on the store incident, riding with Rafe since Jim had needed to speak to Simon about another case. Then, before Jim could say anything or ask any questions he'd run off, leaving a message saying he needed to see if Connor had been able to calm Fortaleza. Jim had read the report Blair had filed and couldn't believe the sketchiness he found there. The younger man had filled out the bare minimum and then left, promising to finish it on Monday. Definitely not normal, especially for his partner.
The sound of a key in the door made him look up, interrupting his musings. Blair tossed his keys into the basket and shrugged out of his jacket. As soon as it was hung on the rack, he made a beeline to the couch and curled up on it.
"Hi, man." The tired anthropologist murmured before laying his weary head on the armrest. "Sorry about today."
"How's your friend?" Jim let his eyes drift across the younger man, confirming to himself that he was safe. His senses were quietly grounding themselves on his Guide. Touch, smell, hearing, sight, they all locked onto the younger man, resetting themselves. Everything about his Guide was unique and so damn necessary to the Sentinel. Deep inside, the bond between them calmed and firmed -- strengthened.
"AJ? She's fine." Blair's voice was calm as he stirred under the gentle touch of the other man. "Turns out that she doesn't particularly like cops. Brings up bad memories, real bad ones."
Jim didn't respond to that comment. "I'm just glad you got out of there okay.
"Jim..." Blair forced himself to speak. He faced the shuttered blue eyes that peered at him. "I'm fine. Everything worked out."
"Maybe. I want to run a check on Fortaleza."
"You mean you haven't done that already?" Blair was astonished. He thought it was standard procedure at this point."
"No. When I said I trust you I meant it. That means I don't investigate your friends without asking you first." Jim's words were quiet, his face almost too calm. But Blair could see the tightened jaw. "But with your record for choosing women."
"AJ just got here, Jim. She didn't cause that heist. I'm not interested in her as anything more than a colleague."
"Right, Chief. I know you. Sooner or later you'll start dating her and then..."
"Jim!" Blair was indignant. "I don't think about sex and relationships all of the time. Listen to me, man. Between AJ and me there is just no chemistry. None. Nada. Zip. And if it isn't there, nothing is going to happen."
"Fine. I believe you, Chief. But if it ever comes to that point, I want to know."
"I promise I'll talk to you first. Happy?"
Jim's only response was to throw a pillow at the younger man. Tired as Blair was, he still had enough energy to lob it back at his sentinel.
A growl awakened her. Sitting up, AJ reached for the knife she had left by the bed. When she saw the two visitors she closed her eyes. Reopening them, she met the spirit animal's gazes. They glared at her, menacingly.
"Go away." she muttered at them.
The wolf bared its teeth at her. The panther coughed menacingly.
"I'm not here for them." AJ whispered, bringing her empty hands to her lap. "The prophesies say I have to be here. It's time."
Both animals growled, but it was no longer at her.
"I'm no threat. I won't be telling anyone about the Shaman or the Guardian. You have my oath."
Satisfied the two large animals turned away and walked into the wall. She watched them go before getting out of bed. Moving slowly in the dim moonlight she went to her bags and pulled out a heavily decorated bag. Using only her memory and her sense of smell, she opened packets of herbs. It was time to begin a purification ceremony. With the first step in her quest taken, the easy part was over.
"Santificado fui, santificado soy, santificado siempre sere." Her words were soft as she lit the incense.
