I Must Go Down to the Sea Again

Chapter 3

In Flames

Megan@Midnight

Sheldon Sands smells like smoke. Not the smell of his hand rolled cigarettes but wood smoke, pure smoke. Sheldon Sands smells like flames. Burning and heat and fire and a hint of cinnamon. It's acrid and distracting and so very hot. He attracts with one hand and repels with the other. One of the others.

Sheldon Sands smells like smoke when he walks into the CIA headquarters in Langley VA. Where he goes time stops. People stop and stare at him. Agent Sands is a well-known figure in the CIA. Everyone knows him, either from working with him or by reputation. Most of the agents who know him personally take a step back out of his way. Agent Sands smiles as he strides through the lobby.

It's four months and three days since the Day of Dead. It's been three dayssince he was called home. It's been two days since he went to a cave on the seashore. It's been one day since he regained everything. It's been ten hours since he stole a silver 'Vette in Wilmington, North Carolina. It's been five minutes since he walked into this building. It's been too long since he walked these halls.

Nearly three years to be exact. Sheldon Sands has always been very exacting in his life. Didn't save him but it's a hard habit to break from. When he l last walked these halls he was being sent to Mexico. Keep the peace, keep control, create balance from chaos. And he did. And for that, his own people left him to burn in the fires of a riot, a failure, a world of chaos. In the dark and alone. And he did.

And now he's going to rise from the ashes. Sands is smiling all the way up the stairs four stories high. He nods to Linda the secretary as he walks past. "Sir, you can't just walk… Agent Sands?" She stares at him as he turns to her. He's been here before, first to be reprimanded and four times for commendations. Linda is still staring at him.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Lin."

"They said you were dead."

Sheldon smiles a little wider. "I was. I got better." When she just stares at him, he turns and walks through the hardwood door. Without knocking.

Paperwork and power. The office reeks of it. James Ross is sitting behind his desk obviously in the middle of something but he jerks his head up when the door opens. "Who do think you are… Sands!"

"Yep, that's who I think I am."

"We though you died in Mexico. Where have you been?"

"My own personal funeral pyre." There's a flash, pain and darkness. Burning agony where his eyes should be. Lancing fires in his arm and leg, the sun soaking into his clothes. Fire covering him, flames inside him. He's being burned alive in the dusty street.

"Have you lost your mind?"

Sheldon Sands smells like smoke and burning. "No." He takes a short bladed knife out of his jacket. "My life." He runs the knife over the papers on the desk. Ross is reaching a hand down presumably for his gun. "Don't do that. I'd hate to have to kill you.

"If you aren't here to kill me, why the fuck are you here?"

Sands slides the knife deep into the wooden desk. "I'm here for my assignment." He leaves the blade in and lifts his hands up, smiling cheerily.

"What?" Sheldon finds true amusement in seeing his boss disconcerted for the first time ever.

"I'm here for my next assignment. I needed to little R and R after the little fiasco in November. But I feel all better now, and I'm here to get my next assignment."

"You must be joking."

"I'm perfectly serious. I know I've been gone a while, but I'm sure I'll be back in the swing of things in no time." Sands keeps the cheery smile on the whole time while he's talking. Freaking out his boss is a bit of well-deserved fun. He's planning a bit more but first he needs his assignment.

"Well…" James is recovering fast. He'd have to in his position. "You realize we'll need you to stay here for while. You known how it is. You have been missing for over four months."

"No."

"What did you say?"

"No. You'll give me my assignment and I'll go away and not mention the fact that on someone's order I was left on my own in the middle of a fucking firestorm. Someone who really could only have been you." His smile's gone a bit colder now.

James is a bit pale now. Sheldon Sands is a dangerous man, very good at what he does and his boss knows it. Sands has thought often that's why he was left to die in good old Mexico. It probably was. "Well, we could use an agent in…"

"Mexico." Sands interrupts. "You could use me in Mexico."

Ross flushes just slightly. Sands is still amused. "Mexico?"

"Mexico." Sands turns to leave and stops. "I'll be here in th morning. You leave whatever you need me to sign with Linda. Oh, and I hope you feel better soon."

"Agent Sands, what the hell are you talking about?" Ross is honestly confused. Sadds pulls his gun and shoots the man twice. One in the right hand, one to the left foot through the desk.

James shrieks loudly. Sands grins. "Do not fuck with me. Ever again." And walks out.

CIA Agent Sheldon Jeffrey Sands smells like smoke and cinnamon. In Mexico he died in the sun, burning to ashes, blood on his face and fire under his skin. In Mexico he will rise again.