Disclaimer:
I own nothing (except for any original characters you may find), am making no money off this (kind of like my real life career), and am doing this purely for my personal pleasure (which is the only reason I attempt to write).
Chapter Five
The next day, Blair came in late after taking care of some of the hassles caused by the fire. His vet, however, agreed to board Einstein for him until he could find a new place. He walked into the Major Crimes Division and sat down at his desk, wishing that somehow he could make everything magically better with a wave of his hands.
Jim looked up from his work and glanced over at his partner. Blair looked like hell, but was obviously trying to put up a good front. "How did things go with the insurance people?"
"Assholes. They're all assholes," he spat. "I pay them how much money a year in homeowner's insurance and they have no desire to help pay for the damages. Plus, much of my stuff can't be replaced," he moaned. "How do you replace the ceremonial spear belonging to a cannibal from the South Pacific from the 1800s?"
Jim grimaced in sympathy. Although he was not into artifacts from other cultures like Blair, he could recognize how important the items could be.
"Sandberg!" came a shout from across the room.
"Yes Captain?" Blair replied.
"Get in here damn it!" Simon yelled. "Bring Ellison with you!"
Blair groaned and wearily got to his feet. Jim shook his head and followed his partner into the captain's office and shut the door behind him.
"Blair, what in the hell happened at your house last night?"
"I came home after I got off my shift, then went back out for awhile. I came home an hour later and the whole place was up in flames," Blair explained.
"I got the report from the fire marshal and according to him, it was arson. Who would hate you enough to burn your house down?"
Blair shrugged. "Nobody that I know of."
"Where are you staying? Do you need anything?"
Jim jumped in at this point. "He's at my place until he can get something sir."
"Yeah, I picked up some stuff this morning. Thanks for asking," Blair chimed in.
Simon sized the two men up, he could not prove it, but he knew that they were not being completely open with him at that moment. Their responses were too guarded. However, he trusted them both enough to not push it. "Fine," he said. "What about the case. Any new leads?"
"Not much," Jim replied. We just have a list of the plate numbers off the cars and trucks that come through. Miller and Stan are working on that end, trying to see if that will help tie Gerhardt to drug and or gun trafficking. Right now, Dobson has us working on surveillance duty."
"Fine," Simon said gruffly. "Let me know what comes out of that list. It would be nice if we could get someone in there and have a look- see."
"Anything else Simon?" Jim asked.
"No. Not now. Sandberg, if you don't have anything to do right now, take off and get your affairs in order. Don't be late though for your shift tonight," he said.
Blair half smiled. "Thanks Captain," he said, offering the man a half salute. "Jim, how about I meet you back here at five?"
Ellison nodded. "Sure thing Chief. Watch yourself."
"Always do," he replied, and then he was gone
**********
Blair, instead of doing errands, went over to Methos' home instead. Methos let him in without a word.
"I saw him the other night. He won't leave Holy Ground and I don't know how to get him off without violating the Rules," Blair said, sitting slumped down on the couch. "And on top of that, the asshole had my house torched."
"Hey, I'm fine. Thanks for asking," Methos said sarcastically.
"Sorry man. It's been a crappy day," Blair said. "I've got to figure out how I can get Gerhardt off Holy Ground without violating the rules."
Methos looked at his former student with concern. "You know, for all of the years we've known each other, I never would have thought of you as being a Head Hunter. Is Marie-Francois worth all of this? Do you really want his Quickening that bad?"
Blair was silent for a minute. "Yes. She is. I loved her like no other person in my life. She should have died as an old woman, not gunned down in the prime of her life," he said.
Methos nodded. "Fine. So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know! I was hoping that you would have an idea," Blair said, exasperated.
"Apparently you've gotten stupid in the past few years," Methos replied. "You are a cop now. Get enough evidence on him to get him arrested. Once he is off Holy Ground, he's fair game."
"But I can't force him off. Besides, he knows me."
"What about your partner, Jim was it? Can he go in undercover or something? He doesn't need to know why you," Methos started to say, but trailed off in dismay. "He knows doesn't he? How?"
"I ran into Gerhardt while on stakeout. He saw me but did not see Jim. However, Jim heard everything," Blair explained. "Jim had heard too much to not be suspicious. So I came clean. He does not know about you though."
"Small favors," he groused. "I am sure that anyone that he has ever come into contact with from your past he is now questioning whether or not they are an Immortal."
Blair smiled. "I'll owe you okay?"
You still owe me from 1276, France. Remember Violet? The girl with the limp?" Both of them laughed at that memory.
"So, are you doing anything today?" Blair asked.
Methos looked at his watch. "I have a meeting with the dean at three. Why? You want someone to practice with?"
"If you don't have anything better to do," Blair grinned. "It's been a while since I've had the chance to kick your ass."
"You would think you'd learn after all these years," Methos smiled.
**********
At five o'clock, Blair showed up at headquarters, awake and energetic. The bruises Methos had delivered had healed. He'd also managed to get inside of Methos' defenses and rest his sword dangerously close to his throat.
"Looks like grasshopper has improved with time and practiced," Methos intoned then slammed his palm into the solar plexus of his old friend, knocking the wind out of him. "However, he still leaves himself open, which is going to get him killed if he's not careful."
Blair took Methos' advice to heart and watched his form. He knew that there was going to be a fight between him and the former Nazi. However, he wanted to be the one to survive.
Jim was waiting for him at their desks, going over some paperwork. "Hey," he grunted, not bothering to look up.
"Anything interesting?" Blair asked, sitting down at his desk.
"Anything besides a thousand year old guy having a major grudge against the main suspect in our case?" he muttered.
"Jim," Blair began.
Jim cut him off. "I know. Secrecy and all that."
"Right. How would you like it if I announced to the world that you could see something one hundred yards away that most people couldn't see ten yards away? Imagine what could happen."
Jim grunted in acknowledgement.
"Well, if you don't mind, can I spend another night on your couch? I found an empty town-home in my area this afternoon and ready to be occupied. I just need another day to get the basic stuff and dig my safe out of the ashes that was once my home."
"Sure," Jim said gruffly. "Let's get a move on okay? Spangler needs to get going early. His kid has a dance recital or something."
"Fine," Blair replied and followed Jim out to the car. They made a stop at a fast gas station and fast food joint, getting their food and drinks for the evening.
As they settled in for a long night of observation, Blair asked Jim about the list of license plates that they had accumulated.
"Stan and Miller have a few leads with that, but Simon said that he is going to be sending someone in soon, neither of us though. I think Dan Jackson is the one going in. Hopefully he'll get something."
"I can't participate in taking him off the property," Blair said. "It would be against the rules." Jim nodded in understanding, although he did not.
I own nothing (except for any original characters you may find), am making no money off this (kind of like my real life career), and am doing this purely for my personal pleasure (which is the only reason I attempt to write).
Chapter Five
The next day, Blair came in late after taking care of some of the hassles caused by the fire. His vet, however, agreed to board Einstein for him until he could find a new place. He walked into the Major Crimes Division and sat down at his desk, wishing that somehow he could make everything magically better with a wave of his hands.
Jim looked up from his work and glanced over at his partner. Blair looked like hell, but was obviously trying to put up a good front. "How did things go with the insurance people?"
"Assholes. They're all assholes," he spat. "I pay them how much money a year in homeowner's insurance and they have no desire to help pay for the damages. Plus, much of my stuff can't be replaced," he moaned. "How do you replace the ceremonial spear belonging to a cannibal from the South Pacific from the 1800s?"
Jim grimaced in sympathy. Although he was not into artifacts from other cultures like Blair, he could recognize how important the items could be.
"Sandberg!" came a shout from across the room.
"Yes Captain?" Blair replied.
"Get in here damn it!" Simon yelled. "Bring Ellison with you!"
Blair groaned and wearily got to his feet. Jim shook his head and followed his partner into the captain's office and shut the door behind him.
"Blair, what in the hell happened at your house last night?"
"I came home after I got off my shift, then went back out for awhile. I came home an hour later and the whole place was up in flames," Blair explained.
"I got the report from the fire marshal and according to him, it was arson. Who would hate you enough to burn your house down?"
Blair shrugged. "Nobody that I know of."
"Where are you staying? Do you need anything?"
Jim jumped in at this point. "He's at my place until he can get something sir."
"Yeah, I picked up some stuff this morning. Thanks for asking," Blair chimed in.
Simon sized the two men up, he could not prove it, but he knew that they were not being completely open with him at that moment. Their responses were too guarded. However, he trusted them both enough to not push it. "Fine," he said. "What about the case. Any new leads?"
"Not much," Jim replied. We just have a list of the plate numbers off the cars and trucks that come through. Miller and Stan are working on that end, trying to see if that will help tie Gerhardt to drug and or gun trafficking. Right now, Dobson has us working on surveillance duty."
"Fine," Simon said gruffly. "Let me know what comes out of that list. It would be nice if we could get someone in there and have a look- see."
"Anything else Simon?" Jim asked.
"No. Not now. Sandberg, if you don't have anything to do right now, take off and get your affairs in order. Don't be late though for your shift tonight," he said.
Blair half smiled. "Thanks Captain," he said, offering the man a half salute. "Jim, how about I meet you back here at five?"
Ellison nodded. "Sure thing Chief. Watch yourself."
"Always do," he replied, and then he was gone
**********
Blair, instead of doing errands, went over to Methos' home instead. Methos let him in without a word.
"I saw him the other night. He won't leave Holy Ground and I don't know how to get him off without violating the Rules," Blair said, sitting slumped down on the couch. "And on top of that, the asshole had my house torched."
"Hey, I'm fine. Thanks for asking," Methos said sarcastically.
"Sorry man. It's been a crappy day," Blair said. "I've got to figure out how I can get Gerhardt off Holy Ground without violating the rules."
Methos looked at his former student with concern. "You know, for all of the years we've known each other, I never would have thought of you as being a Head Hunter. Is Marie-Francois worth all of this? Do you really want his Quickening that bad?"
Blair was silent for a minute. "Yes. She is. I loved her like no other person in my life. She should have died as an old woman, not gunned down in the prime of her life," he said.
Methos nodded. "Fine. So what are you going to do?"
"I don't know! I was hoping that you would have an idea," Blair said, exasperated.
"Apparently you've gotten stupid in the past few years," Methos replied. "You are a cop now. Get enough evidence on him to get him arrested. Once he is off Holy Ground, he's fair game."
"But I can't force him off. Besides, he knows me."
"What about your partner, Jim was it? Can he go in undercover or something? He doesn't need to know why you," Methos started to say, but trailed off in dismay. "He knows doesn't he? How?"
"I ran into Gerhardt while on stakeout. He saw me but did not see Jim. However, Jim heard everything," Blair explained. "Jim had heard too much to not be suspicious. So I came clean. He does not know about you though."
"Small favors," he groused. "I am sure that anyone that he has ever come into contact with from your past he is now questioning whether or not they are an Immortal."
Blair smiled. "I'll owe you okay?"
You still owe me from 1276, France. Remember Violet? The girl with the limp?" Both of them laughed at that memory.
"So, are you doing anything today?" Blair asked.
Methos looked at his watch. "I have a meeting with the dean at three. Why? You want someone to practice with?"
"If you don't have anything better to do," Blair grinned. "It's been a while since I've had the chance to kick your ass."
"You would think you'd learn after all these years," Methos smiled.
**********
At five o'clock, Blair showed up at headquarters, awake and energetic. The bruises Methos had delivered had healed. He'd also managed to get inside of Methos' defenses and rest his sword dangerously close to his throat.
"Looks like grasshopper has improved with time and practiced," Methos intoned then slammed his palm into the solar plexus of his old friend, knocking the wind out of him. "However, he still leaves himself open, which is going to get him killed if he's not careful."
Blair took Methos' advice to heart and watched his form. He knew that there was going to be a fight between him and the former Nazi. However, he wanted to be the one to survive.
Jim was waiting for him at their desks, going over some paperwork. "Hey," he grunted, not bothering to look up.
"Anything interesting?" Blair asked, sitting down at his desk.
"Anything besides a thousand year old guy having a major grudge against the main suspect in our case?" he muttered.
"Jim," Blair began.
Jim cut him off. "I know. Secrecy and all that."
"Right. How would you like it if I announced to the world that you could see something one hundred yards away that most people couldn't see ten yards away? Imagine what could happen."
Jim grunted in acknowledgement.
"Well, if you don't mind, can I spend another night on your couch? I found an empty town-home in my area this afternoon and ready to be occupied. I just need another day to get the basic stuff and dig my safe out of the ashes that was once my home."
"Sure," Jim said gruffly. "Let's get a move on okay? Spangler needs to get going early. His kid has a dance recital or something."
"Fine," Blair replied and followed Jim out to the car. They made a stop at a fast gas station and fast food joint, getting their food and drinks for the evening.
As they settled in for a long night of observation, Blair asked Jim about the list of license plates that they had accumulated.
"Stan and Miller have a few leads with that, but Simon said that he is going to be sending someone in soon, neither of us though. I think Dan Jackson is the one going in. Hopefully he'll get something."
"I can't participate in taking him off the property," Blair said. "It would be against the rules." Jim nodded in understanding, although he did not.
