Author's note: I make no money from this, I only own DVDs of some of the shows, and this fic is inspired by Four Military Men by LadyRa on AO3.
Italics indicate emphasis, thoughts if in quotes, titles or written word as a letter.
Their First Meeting
Blair Sandburg was very confused. He wasn't sure if this was a dream or reality as he was half led half dragged through an unidentified building. The young anthropologist tried to go over what he knew for sure. He had pulled an old discarded desk into Artifact Room 3 at Rainier University so he could have some semblance of office space. His new Masters degree allowed him to teach freshman classes as he set about deciding on the topic for and composition of his doctoral dissertation. Blair also recalled picking up the new issue of Time Magazine. The cover story was of a soldier who had recently returned from a disastrous mission that had left him not only the sole surviving member of his unit but had also left him stranded in the jungle for eighteen months. According to the article, the local tribe had taken him in and aided him until such time as the Army arrived to retrieve him. Blair had found himself fascinated by the story and wondering if the Army would even consider allowing a mere grad student to interview the conquering hero. He recalled falling asleep in his commandeered office space only to wake up in a vehicle as it came to an abrupt stop.
Which led to his current predicament of being drug off to God knows where. Finally he addressed the imposing man in the military uniform gripping his elbow. "Um, sir, with all due respect, what's going on?"
The man grunted, "I have a soldier who's 'symptoms' happen to match up to the Sentinel thing you describe in your thesis. Fix him." And then Blair was shoved unceremoniously into a room. A quick look around revealed cream colored walls with a basic Army issue cot, a small folding table and chair, and crouched in the far corner, a feral look in his piercing ice blue eyes, was the soldier from the article sitting on his desk, Army Ranger Captain James Ellison.
Jim Ellison quickly cataloged the appearance of the kid the base commander had just deposited in his room. The short sturdy frame gave no indication of any athleticism and the face indicated mid to late teens. Curly hair just brushing his collar framed a wide forehead, small nose full lips and expressive blue eyes a few shades darker than his own. Surprise registered on the kid's face before he made a fumbling attempt at a salute, "Sir." The soldier started to relax, the kid's heartbeat and woodsy herbal scent soothing to the elder's overstimulated senses.
"Relax, kid, you're clearly a civilian and I'm guessing you weren't told much before they put you in here with me." At the nod of confirmation, Jim continued, "Tell me what you know or suspect and I'll fill in what I can. Go ahead and introduce yourself so I don't keep calling you 'kid'."
"I'm Blair Sandburg, an anthropology student at Rainier University. I just received my Masters degree and the man that brought me here said this had something to do with my thesis. You look like the soldier from the Time Magazine article, Captain Ellison. I was told to 'fix' you but don't quite know how…" the younger trailed off, looking lost.
"Ok that's a start. I am Captain Ellison but for now call me Jim. Tell me about your thesis, I might be able to help you figure out what they think you might be able to do to help."
Blair took a deep breath and slid into what his Heart Brothers called lecture mode. He spent the next several hours explaining Sentinels, individuals who had all five senses heightened. He told the other man how Sentinels would guard their tribe, help locate game, detect disease and even predict natural disasters. About the dangers of losing themselves in a single sense and how they had a companion to Guide them back if they did. About all the stories of these tribal guardians and their keepers he had gathered as his mom dragged him all over the world. About how his greatest wish from the moment he first read Sir Richard Burton's The Sentinels of Paraguay was to find one. He described the dial theory he had developed to help control heightened senses but cautioned that it may not work.
Jim absorbed every bit of information the younger man gave him. He began to suspect that Blair might actually be his Guide based solely on the way his senses calmed in the other's presence. He immediately implemented the dials and even suggested a few tests to conduct much to Blair's delight.
Blair sat as still as he could on the folding chair while Jim sat on the bed, his fingers gently wrapped around Blair's wrist keeping his sense of touch focused on the feel of the younger's pulse as he slowly extended his hearing to listen in on the base commander's current conversation. "How's it looking? Is the kid doing his job?" "Looks like it, sir. Ellison appears to be much calmer now. He hasn't winced or flinched since you put Sandburg in there. I think the dial theory is working," a voice replied. "OK give them a couple more hours then return Mr. Sandburg to his office. Make sure he thinks this was all a dream once we're done with him." "Yes, sir."
Jim pulled back his hearing, focusing on his Guide's eager face. "Did it work?" Blair whispered, keeping his voice low so as to not cause Jim any discomfort. "The commander said to give us a couple more hours then they'll most likely drug us and return you to Rainier. Whatever they use will most likely be in food or they'll pump sleeping gas into the room. We may be bugged," Jim explained, keeping his own voice low before resuming a normal volume. "I can hear what they're saying in the kitchen and the rec hall but I think any centralized command area has soundproofing. Or I might just need to try to expand my range. Anyway I'd say that was a success. Which reminds me, how old are you, Chief?"
"Oh, 19. I graduated high school at 14 and earned my bachelor's degree by 17. I almost transferred to a different college my freshman year before Dr. Stoddard took me under his wing. Still miss my Heart Brothers though," Blair rambled.
"Heart Brothers? I'm not familiar with that term, what does it mean?" Jim was genuinely intrigued by Blair's story even as he filed away the small details, anything to be able to help find his Guide later. His Guide smiled wistfully, "The way I explained it to them was everyone has two families: the one you're born into and share DNA with, family by blood, and the family you choose, family of the Heart. I have three older brothers that I chose and they chose me: my Heart Brothers."
"How did you meet? Do you still talk to them?"
"High school, specifically summer school before senior year. Tony was there or he wouldn't be able to play senior year. He was our school's basketball star, Hollywood level gorgeous and rich. Rodney was a transfer from Canada and a mechanical and scientific genius. We're like 99.9999999999% sure he was working for the CIA. Daniel was in foster care, absorbed languages and knowledge like a sponge and kept real quiet. Then there was me, a short 13 year old world traveler that was, quote, high on life with no brain-mouth filter, end quote." Blair had begun to gesture wildly as he continued, "I think it tripped the teachers and most of the students out that Tony chose to hang out with three geeky little misfits like us. Tony was always the obvious protector and Rodney struck from the shadows, messing with people's cars mostly. I wish I'd never lost track of them."
"I think I understand. The men in my unit were like brothers to me more so then my actual brother. It hurt to have to bury them in the jungle but I didn't want them to be eaten by predators or allow the guerillas to desecrate their bodies. At least your brothers are still alive right?"
"I think so, I'll have to try to look them up, write a letter, call, something, and hope they haven't forgotten me," Blair said, half hopeful, half fearful.
"If you're anything now like you were back then I doubt they'll have forgotten you," Jim replied with a smile. "You've mentioned that you traveled a lot growing up, tell me more about that."
Blair launched into tales of his childhood globetrotting with his mom. Hours passed and a meal arrived and was promptly devoured. Not long after finishing eating, the young Guide began to droop. Jim caught his Guide before he could hit the floor. Fighting sleep himself, Jim said, "I'll find you, kid, I promise. Once I'm cleared I'll find you." Blair nodded and they both succumbed to sleep.
Blair woke at his desk with a start, questioning his own mind. Had he really met Captain Ellison and confirmed that the older man was a Sentinel? And not just any Sentinel, his Sentinel? Had he dreamt the whole thing? Shaking his head, the Guide set about finding his Heart Brothers' addresses and writing them a letter for the first time in five years.
Hey guys,
Sorry it took me so long to write but you know how easily I get distracted. Man I don't know if I had the craziest dream ever or if I actually found a Sentinel. If what I just went through wasn't a dream, not only did I find a real live Sentinel, I swear he's MY Sentinel like I'm his Guide. You know if Dr. Stoddard hadn't taken me under his wing towards the end of my first semester at Rainier, I was about to transfer to Ohio State or MIT or UCLA just so I could have some support. God knows Naomi and her "detach with love" philosophy wasn't gonna do jack shit. And I'm rambling. Anyway I just got my Masters and had grabbed the Time Magazine issue about the soldier who was stranded in Peru for a year and a half. Read it in my "office" and fell asleep. Next thing I know I'm waking up and being drug through some random building. When I asked what was happening I was told that a soldier was demonstrating symptoms that matched what I had described in my thesis, Tribal Sentinels and Guides: a Study of the Tribal Guardians of Myth and Legend Among the Indigenous Peoples of North, Central, and South America. The guy then shoves me into a Spartan room, we talking a cot, a folding table, a folding chair and nada else. Lo and behold the soldier in the room is the same one I was reading about, Captain James Joseph Ellison of the Army Rangers. I probably went into lecture mode when explaining about Sentinels and Guides and oh the dial theory works! Anyway I guess the army decided after maybe a day I wasn't needed anymore, drugged the food and dumped me back at Rainier. Jim promised he'd find me after he was cleared so I guess we'll just have to wait and see if he does. Litmus test for if this whole thing was just an epicly weird dream or reality is if my Sentinel actually comes and finds me. Damn I miss you guys. Hope to hear from you soon!
Your baby brother,
Blair