7777777
The office seemed to come to life, as Megan and Joel headed for the building security office to check tapes. H, Rafe, and Blair took off for the daycare center. Simon sank down into his chair, trying to decide which would be scarier, facing Jim Ellison or the Magnificent Seven.
"This doesn't make sense, they just couldn't have disappeared," Rafe stared at the brightly colored room and the obviously distraught daycare staff.
"Their stuff is gone," Blair said as he stalked over to the plastic crates. Blair asked the children if they knew what happened to the twins.
"Ms. Rosemary, said they had to go in time out," a bright eyed little girl pointed to a separate room. Blair stalked over to the door and looked over the empty room. Walking over to a second door, he tried the knob only to find that it was locked.
"Who was watching the boys while they were in time out?" H asked.
"I thought they were with Rosemary," Stacie was close to tears.
"I just left for a minute," Rosemary admitted.
"A child is never supposed to be left on their own," Mrs. Murphy glared at the teacher. "We will discuss this later."
7777777
"Megan called, they didn't go out the front and they haven't showed up on any of the security cameras. We have someone on all the doors," Rafe spoke to the distracted Sandburg.
Blair flopped down on the floor and glared at the door into the play area. H glanced at Rafe, who only shrugged as Blair huffed and glared at the ceiling.
"Blair, what are you doing?" Rafe asked.
"Trying to think like the twins," Blair explained. Jumping up, Blair walked over to the second door and examined the knob carefully. "Damn they're good," he snickered.
"What?" H demanded.
"The lock's been picked," Blair chuckled.
"Come on, Hairboy, they're just little kids," H growled.
"Who've had some very unusual teachers," Blair reminded him.
"Hey, does one of you have a key for this door?" Rafe asked the daycare staff.
Opening the door revealed a storage closet with wooden shelves and no exits.
"They aren't here," H pointed out.
Rafe soundlessly pointed to small footprints on one of the shelves.
"Vent." Blair climbed up and lifted the cover off. "Tell Simon, they're in the duct work." Blair gulped.
"So, we just wait for them to get tired and come out." Rafe sighed.
"These things have sudden drop offs, fans, and who knows what else," Blair paled.
"I'll get blue prints," H groaned.
"I'll call maintenance and find out what we're dealing with. Blair, these are smart kids, they'll be OK," Rafe comforted.
"I need a flashlight," Blair demanded.
"Hairboy, what are you up to?" H demanded.
"I'm going after them," Blair explained.
H and Rafe were still arguing when Lillian Murphy handed Blair two flashlights.
7777777
"Hey, guys, come on and lets talk this out," Blair called as crawled down the duct work. Blair called and crawled, for what seemed like hours. "All right guys this isn't funny. Come back right, now," Blair ordered. Hearing a banging off to his left, Blair sped up only to fall into a down shaft to the basement level, getting wedged in a bend. "Oh man this is so not good," Blair exclaimed. He was wedged with his hands over his head so he couldn't reach his cell phone. "Hey, guys, you want to help me out, here?" Blair called in desperation. "Ah, man, Jim's gonna kill me," he sighed. Getting as comfortable as possible, he waited for rescue.
Simon had given up waiting for news and was impatiently pacing the hallways and offices. He was stalking through the bullpen, once more.
When Rhonda hissed, "Jim's on line 2." She made a sympathetic face.
"Wonderful," Simon growled.
"Hey Simon, could you dig my notes on McAleese out of the file and fax them over? Nobody in the bull pen is answering their phone," Jim growled.
"Yeah sure, Jim," Simon breathed a sigh of relief.
"Simon, what's wrong with Blair?" Jim asked softly.
"Blair's fine, Jim," Simon assured the sentinel.
"Simon, tell me what's wrong right now," Ellison demanded.
"The twins are missing," Simon admitted. "They escaped from daycare."
Simon flinched, as silence came from the other end of the line.
Rhonda cringed, as she waited for the explosion.
"Did you call them?" Jim asked in a strained tone.
"Of course, we've been calling down every duct in the building." Simon yelled.
"No, Simon did you call them on the phone?" Jim asked.
"Phone?" Simon asked softly.
"The boys both have cell phones. Vin wanted them to be able to contact him, if they needed to." Jim explained. "Stay on line Simon. Let me call," Jim soothed. Jim took a deep breath and dialed a number, on his cell phone.
"Dumont," Beau answered.
"Beau, where are you?" Jim demanded.
Simon stared speechlessly at his office door.
"We'th in Unca Thimon'th office. We couldn't find ya er Unca Blair, tho we figured Unca Thimon, would know where ya wath," Beau explained cheerfully.
"Would you go tell Uncle Simon where you are? He's worried about you," Jim ordered.
"Thure." Beau went to the door, followed by Dev. "Hey, Unca Thimon, where ith everybody?" Beau asked.
I need to talk to Simon, he shouldn't use that kind of language in front of Rhonda and the boys. Ellison grinned to himself, unabashedly turning up his hearing so he could listen over his phone.
Simon took the cell phone out of Beau's hand.
"Thank you Jim. Now I'm going to kill them," Simon growled and hung up the phone.
"Rhonda, would you please call everyone, and tell them that the twins have been found?" Simon ordered.
"We wathn't lotht," Beau denied.
Simon wordlessly tucked a boy under each arm, and kicked his office door closed behind him.
"Yer right, Dev. He'th got that vein in hith forehead that throbth jutht like Unca Chrith," Beau said calmly to his brother.
"Boys." Simon sat the children down firmly in front of his desk. "We are going to have a conversation about responsibility," Simon began calmly.
At the end of the lecture, Simon was holding two tearful little boys on his lap, as they promised not to wander off and scare the big folks any more.
"Captain," Megan knocked softly on the door and stuck her head in. "We can't find Sandy, Sir," she informed Banks.
"Oh, hell, now what?" Simon moaned softly.
"Dev, kin ya find Unca Bear?" Beau asked.
Simon's breath caught, as he recognized the familiar tilt to the curly head. The blue eyes were unfocused. Just like Jim. The truth slammed home to Simon. Beau was speaking very softly and rubbing Dev's shoulder. They're just babies. Simon cradled the tiny sentinel and his guide protectively. God please watch over them. Simon prayed, his heart aching for the pain his friends had suffered through, and these children would face.
Dev's eyes cleared and he signed rapidly.
"Uh Oh, Unca Bear'th thuck in a duct in tha bathement. He wan'th Unca Jim, ta come get him," Beau told Simon.
"Is he hurt?" Simon asked faintly.
Dev signed some more.
"Thome thcrapeth and bruitheth, no blood though," Beau translated. "Unca Thimon, we didn't want nobody ta get hurt." Beau said in a dismayed little voice.
"We will be discussing this latter boys. Right now we better go get Blair," Simon said.
"Kay," Beau took Simon's hand trustingly, as he climbed down off his lap.
I need to have to talk with Blair. We need to protect these kids, someway. Simon looked down into the innocent faces. Glad you're Larabee's problem. One Sentinel and guide is enough.
Dev tugged on Simon's hand, getting him up and moving.
"Come on Watcher," Beau ordered.
"Watcher?" Simon frowned.
"Yer Unca Jim'th Watcher didn't ya know that?" Beau looked startled.
What the hell is a Watcher? Simon wondered, as he followed the pair out.
4:32 pm
Jim arrived back at headquarters, in time to watch the heating and air conditioning people disassemble a section of duct work.
"Blair?" Jim asked as he walked up to Simon and a group of assorted officers standing around the parking garage, watching the crew work.
"Yeah," Simon chomped down on his unlit cigar.
"Oh, man! Jim is that you, big guy?" Blair called calmly.
"What are you doing in there?" Jim asked with a smirk.
"Dev and Beau took off through the ducts, and I was afraid they'd get hurt, so I came in after them and I thought I heard them and was moving too fast and I slid down the duct and, well, I got stuck," Blair finally wound down.
"We wath only in tha duct long enough ta get ta tha thecurity room. Maybe twenty feet er tho," Beau responded calmly.
"How'd you get in there and why did you want to get in there in the first place?" Simon asked.
"We tooked the grate off with our kniveth. Dev let me down on ta a dethk at the other end. I got a garbage can fer Dev ta thtand on." Beau told of the Great Escape, ignoring the pleased smirk Simon was giving the building security supervisor, the one who had ignored Simon's complaints about lax security.
"Why'd you want in there?" the weasely little man demanded.
"Tho'th we could find out where Unca Jim wath. We figured we could find him on the monitorth. Ya really need ta work on yer thurvallienthe camerath. They'th a 90 thecond period, when tha thairwell ithn't obtherved. That'th plenty a time ta get underneath tha camerath, 'fore they thee ya. Ya really need ta put weight triggered thenthorth in tha duct work, it'th too eathy ta get around tha building in them. Yer computer thytem'th awful out a date," Beau lectured.
Jim caught Simon's cigar and handed it back, when Simon's mouth fell open at the rundown.
The Police Commissioner had walked over in time to catch Beau's recommendations. "So you're the two dangerous criminals, who escaped a highly secure lockdown?" Craig Matthews chuckled.
"Mithter if tha' wath high thecurity, you've got problemth," Beau grinned as he shook hands.
"What started all this, son?" Matthews lifted Beau up and sat him on the hood of a cruiser.
"Mth. Rothemary and I had a divergenthe in interethtth. For thome unfathnabile reathon, the dear lady took extheption ta my actionth. Thhe thoothe ta incartherate mah thibling and mahthelf. Devin and I conferred on tha entire thituation and determined it would be in our betht interetht to bring the thaid incartheration to Cap'n Jim'th attention." Beau explained.
Soft chuckles escaped the surrounding adults. "Are you sure they're not Sandberg's?" someone whispered.
"That doesn't explain how you know about the security system?" the Commissioner prodded.
"Ah that'th eathy. Unca Buck and Unca JD taughted uth" Beau smiled angelically.
"That would be ATF agents Buck Wilmington and JD Dunne, Sir" Jim explained.
"So that got you young men past the security system. Can you tell me how you got past close to a hundred assorted police personnel?" Matthews hid his grin from the mischievous youngsters.
"Tad'th teachin' uth ta not be theen. If yah act like yah belong thome plathe people don't 'thee' you," Beau answered casually.
"Their father, Vin Tanner, another ATF agent. He works with Dunne and Wilmington out of Denver," Jim shuffled his feet as the Commissioner turned to look at him.
"Tanner? That's familiar. Chris Larabee's team? Tanner's the sharpshooter?" Matthews looked over at Jim, who nodded. "Dunne and Wilmington?" Matthews looked at Jim.
"The team's surveillance specialists," Jim looked up as Blair hurriedly limped over.
"So, young man, why are you here?" Matthews asked in amusement, as some of his most effective people looked . . . uncomfortable.
"Thome da...ng defenthe attorney put Tad and our Uncath in tha hoothcow. Tho Tad athked Capt'n Jim ta keep uth 'till he gotted thprung," Beau fussed.
The commissioner looked over for an explanation. "Defense Attorney Milton has sequestered all of ATF team 7. They aren't allowed any contact with the outside or each other. Normally they take turns with the boys. Tanner called me, since we're close to Seattle," Jim explained.
"My name is Craig Matthews, I'm the Police Commissioner here in Cascade," Craig introduced himself.
"Mah brother, Devin Blue Dumont, I'th Beau Jameth Dumont" Beau introduced themselves. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintanthe."
"How old are you boys?" Matthews asked curiously looking at the tiny escape artists.
"We'th four," Beau answered.
"When you two turn 21, come and ask for a job here in Cascade. We can use a couple of smart fellas like you." Craig suggested.
"I'th thorry, but Unca Chrith thayth iffen we ain't in prithon, the ATF hath firtht thot thinthe they trained uth," Beau apologized.
"Glad to have met you two" Matthews laughed as he walked off, shaking is head in dismay.
Simon's glare encompassed the twins, Jim, the limping Blair, a group of laughing uniforms, and maintenance people.
"Go home, and take those trouble magnets with you," Simon told Jim, waving at Blair and the twins. "Just take them home, PLEASE," Simon growled.
"Yer comin' ta thupper ain't ya Unca Thimon?" Beau asked as he tugged, on Simon's pants leg.
"Yeah, I need to discuss some things with all of you," Simon agreed, unable to say no to the sincere request.
"Jim," Rafe fiddled with his jacket button. "Daycare won't let the boys come back," he whispered.
"All right," Beau and Dev exchanged high fives.
7777777
The Loft, Monday evening
The door opened as Simon raised his hand to knock. Shaking his head, he laughed to himself. One of these days I'll get to knock. Dev stood in the doorway looking up at the laughing man.
"Hi, Dev," Simon said. I'm going to have trouble identifying them when Dev's black eye fades away. He paused in surprise, as the standoffish twin lifted his arms to be picked up. Simon swung the boy up in his arms. Dev grinned, wrapping his arms around Simon's neck. Banks was taken completely by surprise at the soft kiss Dev planted on his cheek. Dev laid his head down on Simon's shoulder. He's purring.
"Jim?" Simon asked softly.
"He decided you're safe and he likes you, Simon."
Blair chuckled at the strange look on Simon's face.
Beau was sitting on Blair's lap, watching cartoons.
Jim was stirring pots on the stove.
"Fantasia?" Simon asked as he settled into a chair, still cuddling Dev.
"Yeah, this is quite possibly the first music video." Blair indicated the animated screen.
"What brought this on?" Simon indicated the child in his lap.
"It seems that Uncle Simon did his watcher thing, today," Blair looked at Simon with a speculative look in his eye.
"I only talked to them. What do you mean . . . Watcher?" a frown of confusion marred Simon's face
"It seems I missed something in my sentinel studies," Blair explained. "It's more than a sentinel/guide bond. Before a sentinel comes fully on line, it takes the sentinel, the guide, and a watcher," Blair smiled calmly at the off balance watcher. "Warrior, shaman, chieftain," Blair prodded. "I'm going to have to do some research."
Jim took in the contented family scene in front of him as he reviewed what the boys had told him of today's contretemps. According to Beau, Rosemary, took a truck that Dev was playing with and gave it to another child. When Beau protested, she grabbed him hard enough to bruise. Dev got between them, so she put both boys into time out. There's no debating the bruise. The blue-tinged fingertip-shaped marks show up clearly in the pictures. Not to mention that, if boys' calculations are correct, they had been locked in that room for over an hour, unsupervised! There are cameras in the daycare, so we need to get the film to verify their story. I'll see if Simon can get someone to do a little investigating, but now is not the time. I'll talk to Simon later after the boys are asleep, no need to upset them again.