Flip Side of the Coin
 

Jim ushered the last of the partygoers out of the Loft. "I thought this was supposed to be a small dinner party, Doctor Sandburg," he growled in mock anger.

Blair held his hands up in a hapless gesture. "Sorry man, you know the Uni gang. You invite one person and not another, someone gets pissed at you...Then there's the guys at Major Crimes...What did you call me?"

Jim shrugged, scraping another plate into the bin. "Doctor Sandburg. It is your title, you know. Says so on the little piece of paper and everything." He pointed with a fork to the framed certificate on the wall.

Blair followed his gaze and grinned. "Yep, it sure does." Three years and it was finally over. The only that came close to topping that framed piece of paper was the news he had been upgraded to full consultant status at the Cascade PD. With pay.

Life was good.

" 'Doctor Sandburg.' " Jim mused. "Kinda has a nice ring to it."

"Yeah, well," Blair peeled himself off the couch and moved to the kitchen. "Even doctors have to do the dishes."

"I'll do them, junior."

Blair grinned and batted his eyelashes. "Oh sir, you're so kind," he squeaked in an atrocious southern accent.

"Laugh it up. It ain't gonna last." Jim dunked a plate into the sink. "I'll give you a day off, to gloat over your achievements, then it's back to work."

"Yes, master." Blair slid onto one of the barstools, opening the paper.

"So, what's ahead for Washington's favourite Doctor?" Jim teased lightly, putting a cup on the rack.

Blair shrugged. "The usual. I'd like to keep the teaching up at the U - that's gonna be easier now I have my Doctorate. There were a couple of courses I was thinking of taking over the summer - you know, keep the brain active. And of course, there's the thrill of riding around with one of Cascade's finest."

"Getting into trouble..." Jim chipped in, a grin on his face.

"Yeah, well I guess it kinda - OW!"

Jim turned in time to see the anthropologist sway and topple from the chair, glasses hanging crazily from one ear. "Sandburg!" He vaulted the counter and knelt by his friend's side, fingers hunting for a pulse. "Blair? Can you hear me?"

He felt a sting in the back of his neck and slapped at it, surprised when a small dart fell into his hand. Drugged. He staggered to the phone, the space between them growing, stretching impossibly far until the floor came up to met him and there was darkness.

Blair slowly floated back to consciousness. He was in a chair, his mind registered that much. Oh, man. It wasn't the first time he'd woken from a drug-induced stupor in a chair. Well, at least it was a comfy chair. Score one point, at least. He warily cracked an eye open. No dank walls, pretty conventional looking office. Score another point. In front of him was a two way mirror and a tough looking guard with an Uzi. Oh boy. Minus five hundred.

Seeing he was awake, the guard walked over to him, gesturing with his gun.  Blair got to his feet and was directed out into a long, grey  hallway and to a door.  Pushing him through, the guard left.

Blair heard a whimper as the door clanged shut behind him. "Hello?" He took a few hesitant steps into the darkness and walked straight into something metal. "Ow. Dammit." He stretched his hands out, feeling the shape of the object. "A bed. Right." He heard another whimper and forced himself to be still, hands gripping the edge of the bed until his eyes adjusted. "Hello?" he tried again. "Anyone else in here? I can hear you."

Something launched into his chest with a snarl, and the anthropologist brought his hands up reflexively as he was knocked into the ground. "What the hell?!" Blair realised he had his hands full of spitting woman. No, girl - she could hardly have been more than fourteen years old.

The girl bared her teeth menacingly at him, hands clawlike on his shirt, then paused, puzzled. Blair kept himself absolutely still as she leaned forward, sniffing curiously. Keep calm, Sandburg. She's just a kid. Ok, she's the most feral, psychotic-looking kid you've ever seen - but she's still just a kid. He jerked slightly as the girl licked out her tongue to taste his cheek and and she sprang off him, watching warily.

"Well done, Mr. Sandburg." A voice crackled through hidden speakers, making the girl screech in agony and cup her hands over her ears. "Most people who enter a room with Alpha 179 usually end up losing an eye by now." The lights flared on in the room, and the girl screamed again, scuttling across the floor to hide under the bed. "It appears your research was correct. A Sentinel cannot directly harm a Guide."

"A Sentinel?" Blair turned his head to look under the bed. "Hey, turn the lights off, man, you're hurting her!"

The lights dimmed to a dull glow and Blair watched the girl slowly uncoil herself, chanting softly. "What kind of sickos are you, to do this?" he demanded. "And why do you want me?"

"Simple, Mr. Sandburg. We wish you to train Alpha 179."

"Train?" Blair got to his feet, looking blindly in the direction of the Voice

"Precisely. You will remain in this room until Alpha 179 has regained control over her abilities. Then you will be free to go."

Blair waved his hands. "Waitaminute. What do you mean, 'regained?' You mean she could control them before? What happened?"

"Alpha 179 was rescued from her family in Mexico at the age of five. After her relocation to this facility, her skills degraded until they reached the point where she was no longer useful."

"NO LONGER USEFUL?!" Blair exploded, looking at the form huddled under the bed. "You destroyed her control by taking her away from her home, you bastards."

The Voice was unperturbed. "Which is why we require you to return it to her."

"And if I refuse?"

There was no emotion in the Voice as it answered. "You will be allowed to leave. However, we have no use for an insane or semi-functional Sentinel. Alpha 179 will be terminated."

"Easy Jim, take it easy." Strong hands were turning him over, a dark voice soft in his ear.

"S-Simon?" Jim forced the name past a tongue that felt covered in fluff. "Oh Jesus," he gasped, wincing at the pounding in his skull. "Blair!"

"He's not here," Simon supported the detective by his shoulders as he tried to sit.  "I already checked."

"Oh god. We were just-" Jim cut off and closed his eyes for a brief second. "My head," he grunted, hating himself for feeling so weak when his Guide needed him.

"I'll get you to a hospital." Simon helped him wobble into a sitting position. "I'll call the station and have - "

"NO!" Jim winced, then lowered his voice and hearing a notch. "No. I'm fine. I need to look around - clues or something."

"Here Jim," Simon offered his arm and Jim took it, Simon pulling him up. "Just don't do that zone thing on me."

"No problem." Jim took a deep breath - I am relaxed -  then slowly scanned the entire loft, senses on hyperdrive, desperate to find a clue - anything.

"Anything Jim?" Simon was on the lookout for zoneouts, although he didn't have the faintest idea what the hell to do if one happened.

Jim shook his head, frustrated. Then he saw it.

"There."

A tiny dart that had rolled under the couch, hooked in the small fibres of the undermatting. Pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket, he tilted the couch and carefully pulled it free. "It's some kind of dart - that must have been what they used to knock us out." He dropped it into a plastic bag Simon grabbed from a kitchen draw, then tilted it in his hands. "There's a serial number." He focused in on the minuscule numbers, brushing aside everything else until they became sharper....

"Jim! Jim!" Someone was shaking his shoulders. The Sentinel snapped his eyes open and took a deep gasping breath.

"Jim?" Simon was looking at him worriedly.

"8572 T-l75."

Blair crouched down and peered under the bed.

Two soft brown eyes peered back at him.

"Hey," he breathed, almost silently. "My name's Blair. What's yours?" She stared at him, wide eyed, fingers flicking randomly at her sides.

Abandoning all pretence of dignity, Blair sprawled full length on the floor beside the bed. He cushioned his head on one arm as he watched her. "Can't really call you Alpha 179, can I? And since you won't tell me your real name, how about...Alliana? It means tigress." He carefully reached out a hand. Holding it short of the girl, he turned it so she could see the palm and the back, then gently stroked it across her arm. "Easy, easy. I'm your friend. I won't hurt you. I won't let them hurt you." She shivered at the sudden contact, but didn't jerk away.

Encouraged, Blair kept up the stroking for a few moments more, then moved his hand to brush her face. Alliana closed her eyes, mesmerised by the soft brush of skin across skin. Like a cat, she tilted her head, allowing more access.

"Touch." murmured Blair, each word a whisper on a puff of breath. "Can you feel my hand, Alliana? Imagine a wheel, a big wheel for my touch. You turn it one way -" he lifted his fingers slightly so they barely ghosted across her skin. "- and you can hardly feel me. Turn it the other way -" he increased the pressure slightly "- and you can feel every part of my hand." He moved his fingers back down to repeat the soothing patterns on her arm. "I want you to play with it, Alliana. Turn it up -" he saw her face tense, squirming uncomfortably against the concrete floor. "- and down." She relaxed, lines smoothing, those liquid eyes never leaving his face. "That's it, keep it down." Blair reached out with his other hand, gently pulling her from under the bed. She tensed in his arms, and he kept up the soothing litany, each word an almost silent soundless breath. "Shh...it's ok...I won't hurt you..."

Jim stopped by the FBI agent that had annexed his desk. "Walkins.  Any ID on those serial numbers?" He hated the idea of bringing anyone else close to the search for his Guide, but needs must as the devil drives.

Walkins sneered at him.  "That serial number is top secret.  You think we'd hand that kind of data over to a pissant cop like you? Back off Ellison, the case is out of your hands."

Temper snapping, Jim leaned menacingly forwards, gripping the sides of his desk, feeling the edges cut into his hands. "Listen to me, you jumped up little - "

"Ellison!  My office, now!" Simon bellowed.

Jim pushed himself roughly off the desk and stalked towards the Captain's office.

"Later, Ellison," Walkins sang out behind him, grinning.

Jim clenched his fists and walked stiffly through the glass door, slamming it hard behind him.

"Are you finished, detective?" Simon asked dryly.

Jim shook himself. "Sorry Simon. It's just that smug little bastard, every time I see him I get the urge to -"

"We all do, Jim." Simon said sympathetically  "But chewing them out - no matter how good it might make US feel, isn't going to help Sandburg. Any leads?" he asked, leaning back to the coffee maker behind his desk.

Jim shook his head. "None the Feds want to tell us."

Simon handed Jim a cup of coffee and sat back.  "Jim, " he began slowly. "This could be related to your...abilities," he said delicately.

The Sentinel considered it, then nodded. "It fits.  If the government..." he trailed off. If the government has Sandburg... he couldn't finish the thought. Late night X-Files reruns came back to haunt him, along with the thought of never seeing his Guide again. He felt an ice-shroud settle around his heart. "Without the serial numbers, we've got nothing to go on, " he said quietly, voice filled with despair. "They were too good, whoever they were. No prints, no clues, nothing but that dart.  And the Feds don't want to play nice and share. They've cut us out of the loop, Simon.  Completely."

"We still have access to the evidence though," Simon said thoughtfully. "Logged in under your name..."

"Yeah," Jim nodded. "So?"

Simon cast a quick look at the door before continuing.  "Sandburg has a friend at the University.  Ex-CIA.  Some bigshot with computers and hacking - maybe you should try him."

Jim shook his head. "I don't know, Simon."

The captain pointed through the glass to where a Fed had just spilled coffee over the fax machine. "Do you want to leave the kid's fate to them?" he asked rhetorically.

"What's his name?"

"Kelso.  Jack Kelso.  Teaches Foreign Affairs."

Blair watched Alliana as she moved around the room, hands drifting over the walls, playing with her newfound control. She ran her fingers over a rough patch, then brought her hand back and repeated the motion, a smile breaking over her face. Blair bit his lip and nodded encouragingly as she looked over her shoulder at him for approval. Christ, she's just a little girl. He shook himself free of morbid thoughts. Time for the next sense. "Alliana." he whispered. She turned to face him, head tilted questioningly. Blair felt a tremor of excitement run through him. She recognised the name. Good. There was someone inside there. All he had to do was coax her out.

"Alliana, I want you to sit here." He patted the edge of the bed, wincing in sympathy with the female Sentinel as the springs squeaked in protest. "Ok," he slid off the bed and settled on the floor. "We'll do this down here."

Alliana moved over to hunker in front of him, fingers trailing idly over the smooth concrete floor.

"I'm gonna start talking, Alliana." Blair whispered. "Now, I'm going to raise my voice -" he demonstrated, talking slightly louder and she flinched away. Blair reached out and and held her hands in his, thumbs soothingly stroking the backs of her hands. "Remember your touch? I want you to see another wheel. Call this one 'sound'. If I get too loud, I want you to turn it down until I'm not. Ok? Let's start...."

He kept talking for over an hour, gradually raising the volume of his voice, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, always waiting until Alliana had adjusted before stepping up to the next level. Finally, he was speaking at a normal tone, with no sign of discomfort from the girl sitting at his feet.

The speakers crackled in. "Mr. Sandburg."

At the sound of the Voice, Alliana uttered a frightened little squeak and disappeared under the bed again.

"WHAT?" Blair yelled in anger.

"We require an update on Alpha 179's condition."

"Condition?" Blair shouted back. "You just scared the crap outta her, man. She's hiding under the bed. Happy?" He paced the room for a few minutes. "I can't do this!" He finally shouted in frustration. "Not here."

"What is it you require, Mr. Sandburg?" Asked the Voice.

"What do I require?" Blair ran a hand through his hair. "I need space, I need, I need somewhere I can control the light levels. I need a room with a-a WINDOW for chrissakes!"

"Agreed. What else do you require?"

Blair stared open mouthed, then his brain kicked in, racing ahead. "Uhhhh. .. A kitchen. If I'm going to teach her to control her sense of taste, I need to do the food."

"Agreed."

Blair couldn't believe it. "And no cameras or bugs," he pushed. "We're not here for your entertainment."

"Agreed."

"And no speakers. If you want to talk to me, you can come down and say it to my face."

"Agreed. Quarters are being prepared."

"What, now? Just like that?" Blair asked in disbelief.

"This project has been given top priority."

"Top priority? By who?"

There was no answer.

Kelso tapped a few keys and grunted with disgust. "According to the database, the shipment that dart was on was listed as 'lost in transit.' " The ex-CIA looked up at the burly detective. "Whoever they are, they covered their tracks too well."

Jim clenched his jaw and picked up the evidence bag again, feeling the last taste of hope slip away from him. "Thanks anyway," he managed.

Kelso wheeled his chair out from behind the terminal, escorting him to the door. "I'm sorry I couldn't find anything more. I'll try doing some digging around, see if I can get lucky." He paused at the door. "I hope you find him. Blair's a good kid. One of the best."

"Yeah." Jim slipped outside. "I know."

"Aargh." Blair rolled over with a groan. Must have been one hell of a party. His mouth felt full of cotton, and the morning sun coming through that window was way too bright...

Window. He sat up and looked around in surprise as the memories slammed back into his brain.

Wow.

He'd thought the organisation would have moved them to a bigger room, not a whole damn apartment. Noticing he was alone, he swung carefully off the bed. "Alliana?" he called.

He moved around the 'apartment,' opening and closing doors on empty room after empty room. "Alliana? "

Blair finally found her curled up in a cupboard, burrowing her face in the wall to escape the light. Stupid. Stupid he angrily berated himself. After three days in the semi-darkness of the cell, his eyes were still adjusting to the bright light. After ten years and with enhanced sight.... "Alliana, stay here," he murmured softly, closing the closet door again.

Moving around the apartment, he shuttered all the blinds over the polarised glass, then closed the curtains until only thin tendrils of light stole into the room. Then he crouched down and pulled open the closet door. "Alliana?" She crept out hesitantly and curled up on the bed. "That's it, that's good." Blair encouraged. "Now, I want you to see another wheel...."

A little while later as Blair was looking around again, he spied a phone on the bench in the kitchen and picked it up, expecting a voice or something. Nothing but a normal dial tone.

They couldn't be that stupid... Crossing his fingers, Blair tapped in 911, hope rising as the tones bounced back into the handset. As soon as he finished the putting in the final number, the phone disconnected, back to the dial tone. His shoulders slumped. They aren't that stupid. Without much hope, he tried the Loft, then Jim's cellphone, with the same result. As soon as he put the final number in, the phone disconnected.

Looking down, he noticed a computer typed card sitting on the phone. Reading off the card, he tapped in the number. 987-6933

"What is it you require, Mr. Sandburg?" the voice on the other end replied.

Blair gulped. "Uhhhh, nothing. I was just checking the phone." He hadn't really expected an answer.

"Are the quarters satisfactory?"

"Yeah, they're great, thanks." Blair put the phone back down as Alliana tugged on his shirt. "What? What is it?"

She took hold of his hand and dragged him over to the bathroom, pausing in front of the door and looking at him expectantly. Blair turned the handle and pushed the door open and Alliana darted inside, checking out the narrow space before letting him in.

Just like Jim. Blair chuckled. Moving to the sink, he rinsed his face in water from the tap, washing away the last traces of fog. Jim. I have to get out of here. He looked over to where Alliana was running her hands over the smooth tiles. WE have to get out of here. But how? he dried his face with a hand towel and turned to find Alliana staring at the toilet. Reaching out, she pressed the button, cocking her head at the sound of rushing water, a look of fierce concentration on her face.

Blair moved closer. "Alliana?" he looked from her to the toilet. Memory. "What is it?" he probed gently. "What do you remember?" She stood there for a long moment, eyes slightly closed as she sought out the memory. Blair tapped his fingers excitedly as she opened her mouth.

Alliana seemed on the verge of saying something, some half-forgotten word, then the moment passed. Blair groaned in frustration as she turned away, fingers running up and down the smooth plastic of the shower curtain. So close...

She looked back at him, eyes flicking nervously and he patted her on the shoulder. "It's ok," he soothed. "It'll come back. You just need time." I hope.

Alliana licked her lips as she moved up and down the length of the kitchen counter, surveying the dishes Blair had laid out. Everything from mashed potatoes to fiery chilli. She paused for a moment over the last item then jerked back, rubbing her streaming eyes as she sneezed.

"Wait up a minute." Blair sat her down on a stool, crouching in front of her. "Ok Alliana, we're gonna work on your sense of taste. Remember the wheels? The ones we did for your sound and touch?" She squirmed on the stool. "Alliana." Blair put his hands on her shoulders as she tried to slide off. Great. She's gonna be 'difficult'. Last time that had happened, it had taken him three hours to pick up the broken shards of the bathroom mirror.

"Alliana," he said sharply.

With a distressed mewl, she twisted free of his hands and started agitatedly pacing the floor, eyes fixed on the door.

Blair followed her gaze. "What is it? Is someone there?"

Alliana's snarl of reply was synchronous with the knock on the door. She paced the room again, quick, nervous steps, then backed up near the wall, tugging him behind her protectively. With a sigh, Blair eased himself away from the wall. "Who's there?" he called.

"Mr. Sandburg." The Voice. "I wish to speak to you."

"Yeah, well, talk," he called back. "I'm listening."

"I wish to discuss Alpha 179's condition."

Blair looked over his shoulder at the frightened teenager. "Hang on. I'll talk to you out there." He moved to the door. Alliana followed him halfway across the room, tangling a hand in his sweater, trying to hold him back. Gently he disengaged himself. "It's ok Alliana," he soothed, moving forward again.

She backed away, making small distressed sounds as the door opened and he walked through.

The man was a lot shorter than Blair expected, a rotund little man in an ill-fitting suit.  Holding out a hand, he gestured to two chairs set out in the stark corridor.

With a nervous glance to the two marines standing guard, Blair sat, shifting a little in the seat.  The two men stared at each other for a moment, blue vs. green.

The other man broke the contact first. "You have questions?"

Blair nodded. "Yeah. Why? I mean, why is she like that?  What did you do to her?" he tensed in the chair, anger thrumming through him.

The other man shrugged. "Once Alpha 179 was relocated to this facility, we did several tests, took blood samples, and tried to get her to cooperate. Unfortunately, during the initial training period, she became more and more unpredictable and violent. We eventually had to restrain and isolate her from the other trainees."

"Other trainees?" Blair's head was spinning as  he pushed himself out of the chair and started pacing, the Marines following his every movement. 'Easy Sandburg,' he could hear the ghost of Jim's voice. 'Getting mad isn't going to help anyone.' He wrung his hands together slightly, trying to shake some of it off. Restrain. Isolate. Oh God. The though of what Alliana had gone through made him sick. And how many others? He remembered that long walk down the grey corridor. All those other doors. How many other people do they have locked up in here?

"Yes," The man misinterpreted his expression for excitement. "Unfortunately, Alpha 179 is the only true Sentinel within the institute - none of our other subjects have more than three enhanced senses." he stood and moved to stand in front of the anthropologist. "It appears that in order to function coherently, a Sentinel requires a Guide. You, Mr. Sandburg."

Blair clenched his hands by his sides. "You make me sick," he said in a low, dangerous voice. "I don't want any part of this. I'm not going to help you any more."

The man tilted his head. "Of course, if that is your choice. Feel free to walk away, Mr. Sandburg." He smiled suddenly, a cold calculating smile. "Unfortunately we will have to terminate the girl."

"You BASTARD!" Blair launched himself at the man, bringing a fist around. He heard the satisfying crunch of bone as he hit the man's nose, then the soldiers were dragging him away.

"Don't hurt him," the man gasped out, one hand cupping his gushing nose. "We don't have the time to search for another Guide." He straightened, dabbing at his nose with a pristine white handkerchief. "You see Mr. Sandburg, I have the easy part. All I have to do is threaten Alpha 179 and I am assured your complete co-operation. You are the one who has to make the subject more receptive to our commands."

Blair kicked out wildly, trying to free himself. "Her name is Alliana!" he yelled. "She is not a subject! SHE IS A FOURTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL!!" He slipped free for a moment and lunged forward again.

The man danced back, fear on his features. "Put him back inside." The soldiers turned the flailing anthropologist and thrust him back through the door into the apartment.

Alliana was flattened against the wall, fear and anger warring on her face. She pushed herself towards Blair as he stumbled in, tugging him away with a warning snarl at the door as it closed.

"Hey. Shh." He held her for a moment, trying to calm his racing heartbeat he knew must be pounding in her ears. "It's ok." She broke out of his arms and pushed him down on the bed, leaning over him, pinning him down.

"Alliana..." Blair began nervously, trying to sit up.

She pushed him down again, then ran her hands over his head, looking into his eyes. Her hands moved down to his shoulders, searching for something....

Using her senses. She's checking me out, like Jim. Blair relaxed as hands patted down his body, Sentinel touch searching for injuries. Pausing at his hand, Alliana rubbed slender fingers over the bruised knuckles before carefully putting it back down on the bed and continuing downwards. Reaching his ankles, Alliana nudged the anthropologist over onto his back.

Blair rolled over, sighing as her hands ghosted down his back. Alliana reached his jeans and paused. He twisted his head and saw her tug his wallet out of his back pocket. Sniffing it warily, she put it to one side and finished her examination. Satisfied he was unharmed, she let him sit up and crossed her legs, picking up his wallet and opening it curiously. She paused for a moment, staring down at the wallet in her hand, then looking at up him.

Blair moved to look over her shoulder. Alliana was looking at a photograph, one of him and Jim, taken on one of their endless fishing trips. She ran her hand over the smooth plastic covering his image, then reached up to touch his face.

"It's photograph," he explained. "Like a picture. Umm," he tried to think of a parallel the girl would understand. "A drawing." She ran her hands over the image again, then her fingers moved to Jim. "Ah, that's Jim. He's my friend," Blair paused for a moment. "Jim's a Sentinel," he brushed part of Alliana's hair back over her shoulder. "Like you."

She looked up at him with wide eyes, then ran her hand over Jim's image again opening her mouth.

Blair held his breath.

Alliana shut her mouth again and carefully put the wallet down on the bed.

'It is my opinion that the organisation that kidnapped Alliana were operating on half formed theories, with disastrous results.'

Blair looked over to where Alliana was playing with the doors. She did it for hours, turning the handle, pushing the door open, disappearing into the room on the other side, closing the door, then repeating the whole process, squatting with the door half open, turning the handles again, watching the tongue move in and out.

'Take for example, the theory that Sentinel abilities surface in moment of extreme stress, when the body is required to focus beyond the normal range of human ability. The organisation believed that Alliana's abilities could be enhanced by imprisonment in solitary confinement,' he raked his pen across the page, venting some of his anger. 'Instead, they destroyed her control and regressed her to a primal state, where instincts take over from cognizant thought.' The anthropologist pushed angrily away from the table and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. Writing it down didn't make it easier to face, any less horrific. They had taken a five year old child and destroyed her life.

Blair felt a soft brushing at his ankle. Alliana was playing with his socks. Her new obsession. He smiled as sensitive fingers brushed against the soft material, circling the top, dipping inside briefly, then coming out to run down to his shoes. Playing with her senses. She had refused all his attempts to get her into shoes and socks, preferring to go barefoot, scrunching her toes in the soft plush carpet. Blair sighed. At least he had managed to get her into clothes. The shirt and jeans he was wearing when he was kidnapped.

He picked up the pen and began to write again.

'Alliana is exceedingly territorial. She attacks all interlopers into her domain, with the exception of myself, possibly because I am unconnected to the institution, and have attempted to help her.' To guide her. Like I did with Jim. Blair had a sudden image of his friend circling the floor, watching things and dropped the pen.

All of a sudden he felt dirty. He needed a shower. Walking into the bathroom, he stripped and climbed in the cubicle, turning the faucet onto a hot, almost punishing spray. Blair closed his eyes, letting the spray massage his shoulders.

He had almost filled a notebook with his observations on Alliana. Sometimes she would sit for hours, staring out the window. Blair would think she had zoned, but her breathing never faltered, she snapped around the instant he called her name.

At moments like these Blair would crouch beside her and look out the window. "What is it?" he'd ask softly. "What can you see?"

She'd give him a blank, confused look and go back to her endless staring. Blair gritted his teeth in frustration and turned, dunking his head under the cascade from the shower head. It was like there was a wall between them, built up over the years. He had the feeling if he could somehow find the right key, he could unlock the door and reach the woman behind the primal shell.

He didn't notice the door creaking quietly open, Alliana stealing in.

God, this is so fucked up. There had to be some way to reach through that wall. Start from scratch, bring her back from that cold lonely place she had been trapped in for so long.

Alliana crouched by the side of the tub, eyes wide as she watched him.

If he could only find the right key. With another sigh he reached out and shut off the water, then turned to grab a towel. "JESUS!" Blair grabbed the shower curtain, trying to retain some of his modesty. "Alliana!" Rings popped, plastic tore...and a wet anthropologist's feet skidded out from underneath him. With a yelp, Blair collapsed in a swearing heap of shower curtain, wet hair and plastic rings.

Alliana clapped her hands and gave a hoot of laughter as Blair tugged the curtain off his head. Then she reached down, hands patting over his body, looking for injuries, face businesslike - until she got to his groin.

Ten minutes later, one red-faced, very sore anthropologist was phoning through for a children's biology book.

James Ellison was not a happy man.

He finally had his life the way he always said he wanted it. No noise. Being able to have hot showers. Walking through the lounge and finding the coffee table clear of papers. Being able to breathe the air without smelling anything weird. Opening the fridge and seeing leftovers neatly stacked in blue Tupperware. Just the way he always said he wanted it.

And it sucked.

It was the silence that got to him the most. The silence where there should have been a heart beating steadily underneath his own at night.

Blair's heart.

Jim offered up a silent prayer and vowed that he would find Blair safe and keep him that way.

Alliana was staring again. Blair wished he knew what at.

The sun shone warmly through the big glass window, but he felt cold inside.

"..more receptive to our commands" What the hell did that mean? What are they going to do? "We don't have time to find another Guide" What had happened to Alliana's Guide? Her family? How did they even know she was a Sentinel to take her? He shook his head, studying the girl coiled up on the foam mat in front of the window. There were too many questions. Not enough answers. Nothing left but an abused and tormented child, and no way to put it right.

No way to escape.

Jim was alive. Somehow Blair knew that he would know, deep inside if he wasn't. But how long had it been? Days, weeks? If Jim knew how to find his Guide he would have done so long before now.

Blair sighed and looked out the window.  He thought briefly of smashing it, making a break for freedom, then looked back at Alliana.  She was calm in here, but outside in the city, the smells, the sounds...he shook his head.  She had to have more control first.

That's even IF we make it out of here. He saw a guard walk past the perimeter, weapon at the ready.  And if we don't....

Back to the cell.

Alliana tilted her head, eyes closed, basking in the sun. No way, I can't do that to her.

Blair closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for a second before releasing. Chasing his thoughts around like rabbits wasn't going to help anyone. Opening his eyes again, he saw Alliana shift slightly on the mat, briefly bringing up the collar of his shirt to sniff it, then folding it back down, wrapping the sleeves around her. Relaxing in his scent.

Scent. He suddenly had an idea.

"Ok," Blair emptied some herbal shampoo into the sink and viewed the conglomeration squelching in there. It had taken nearly half an hour of fast-talking to get them to buy the exact types of toiletries he used - he couldn't remember what he'd said, some lame excuse about allergies. "Alliana?"

She closed her eyes and sniffed him, then the sink. Making a dissatisfied face, the Sentinel carefully prowled the row of bottles, using her enhanced sense of smell until she found the right one. Picking up the bottle, Alliana carefully tipped a few drops into the mess in the sink, then compared scents again. Finally she sat back, a grin on her face.

"Right?" Blair asked.

She nodded happily.

"Ok." Blair pulled a piece of cardboard torn from his notebook out of his pocket. "I hope this works. Good thoughts, huh?" He dunked the cardboard in the goop, then pulled it out, blotting it carefully on a towel before holding it up. Alliana sniffed it critically and bounced up and down in approval.

Blair walked out into the lounge and put the cardboard out in the sun to dry. Turning, he realised his shadow was still in the bathroom.

"Alliana?" He peered around the door. She was sitting in the bathtub, looking up at him expectantly. "You want a bath?" he guessed.

She nodded, clapping her hands and hooting as she clambered back out. Blair dropped the plug in and turned on the taps, then leaned back, sorting through the bottles by the sink. "Lookee here," he held up a bottle and showed her, grinning. "They even left us some bubble bath." He poured a small amount into the water, chuckling as Alliana squatted by the side of the tub, staring in awe at the growing froth. "Ok, off with the clothes."

Alliana stood and unselfconsciously stripped off the jeans and Tshirt as he dipped a hand in the water. Satisfied with the temperature, Blair stood back and made a gesture. "In you get."

With a hoot of delight, Alliana jumped into the bathtub, water and bubbles sloshing over the sides and onto the floor. Blair surveyed his sodden jeans ruefully, then smiled as Alliana paddled at the water with her hands. Kneeling by the side of the tub, he picked up a washcloth and started washing her face and neck while she tapped happily at the bubbles.

He was maybe halfway through when she began to twist in the tub, slapping at his hands. "Alliana!" he snapped, exasperated.

She screamed and pushed him into the opposite wall, arms flailing in the water. Blair sat up and noticed the reddening in her skin as she howled.

Allergic reaction. Blair lunged across the bathroom and hauled her out of the tub. Alliana screeched and slapped at her burning skin as he reached down and grabbed the plug, letting the water rush out. Reaching over, he threw the cold faucet of the shower on full blast and pushed the shrieking teenager under the water. She twisted frantically under the spray, hands tearing at her face. Blair grabbed her flailing hands in one of his as she tried to jump back out of the shower. "Alliana!" he yelled, trying to make himself heard. Reaching out, he grabbed her chin in his free hand and dropped into Guide mode as the wild eyes locked with his. "Alliana. Use the wheel. The wheel for your touch. Turn it down, you have to - fuck!" he howled as she twisted in his grip, sinking her teeth into his hand.

Alliana gradually quietened under the spray from the shower head, shivering slightly while Blair wrapped his bleeding hand in a towel. After a few minutes, he reached in and shut off the water. Alliana didn't move, just stood there, shivering, eyes two wide, pain filled pools.

Blair held out a towel over his arms. "Alliana," he coaxed softly, ignoring the throbbing in his hand. Part of the trust between them had been broken. He had to let her decide for herself.

After a long moment, she stumbled out of the shower and into his arms, sobbing.

"Easy, easy." Blair soothed gently as she clung to him. He wrapped the towel around her and lifted the girl in his arms, carrying her into the bedroom.

He gently set her on the bed and then sat down next to her. Grabbing the bottle of Aloe Vera from the nightstand, he poured a generous amount into his hands and slowly started smoothing it across the reddened skin.

"Shhh, It's ok, Alliana, it'll make you feel better, see? That's it, just let me help, I won't hurt you..." he kept up the soft mumble, not really paying attention to the words as he spread the coolness across her face, lifting her damp hair over her shoulders. "Shhh."

Finished at last, he gently eased the now-calm teenager down onto the bed, tucking a blanket around her shoulders.  Moving to the kitchen, he gingerly started to unwrap his own hand. The clotted blood made the towel stick, and he pulled it free with a gasp.  He heard a soft echo behind him, and turned to see Alliana watching him mournfully, eyes fixed on the blood-stained towel.

"Hey, it's ok." He crossed the room and sat next to her as she sat up, showing her his hand. "Not bad, I can fix it in a little bit."

Alliana immediately reached out and grabbed his hand, turning it over in hers. Nose wrinkling at the smell of blood, she gently probed the angry marks with sensitive fingers.

Looking from his hand to her own, where the redness was slowly easing, Alliana picked up the bottle of Aloe Vera Blair had left by the side of the bed. Resting his hand in her lap, she carefully poured a small amount into her hand, then began to rub the Aloe into the deep gash.

Blair caught his breath as the torn nerve endings screamed to life, but kept silent. His heartrate spiked, and Alliana heard it. She tilted her head at him, then reached out and put a hand on his chest, over his heart. She looked into his eyes, then down at his injured hand and dropped it as if it burned her. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she began to keen softly as she rocked herself.

"Alliana -" Blair reached out and she jerked away from him, shaking her head.  Blair paused, then held out the blanket, draping it over her shoulders.  Maybe she just needed some time alone.

Moving into the bathroom, he picked up the clothes and placed them on the end of the bed as a peace offering.  One small hand whisked out from under the cover to grab the clothes, holding them possessively to her chest.

Blair sighed and pulled the small first-aid kit from the kitchen  Holding his hand under the water from the tap, he swore quietly, then carefully dried it off and opened the kit.

Working one-handed was difficult, and it was nearly an hour before he had the bandage wrapped properly.  During that time, Alliana had slipped on his clothes and sat cross-legged on the end of the bed, hand wrapped around the end pole, eyes tracking his every move.

With a brief smile, Blair padded over and checked on the cardboard.  After nearly an entire day in the warm sun, it was completely dry.  He viewed with a critical eye. Apart from a faint pinkish tinge, it looked normal. Blair lifted it to his nose, smelling it gingerly. A faint hint of herbal shampoo, barely noticeable. He just hoped it was strong enough for Jim to pick up. To be extra sure, he tucked the cardboard under his shirt before he went to bed.

Alliana slid off the bed as he approached, keeping her distance. Blair stopped short, confused. "Alliana?" He clambered onto the bed and patted her habitual sleeping spot next to him.

Her eyes darted to his bandaged hand and she shook her head. Moving to the foot of the bed, she curled up on the floor. Blair peeked over the edge of the bed. "Come on, Alliana." he coaxed.

The female Sentinel shook her head again and curled in tighter, eyes fixed on the door. The message was clear: She had hurt him. She couldn't trust herself to sleep with him.

But she would protect him.

Blair yawned and blinked in the sun.   Alliana was in front of the window again, she turned and smiled hopefully at him as he stretched, then turned back to her endless staring.  Feeling oddly bereft, Blair slid out of bed and headed for a shower. Pulling his shirt off, he threw it to one side,  the cardboard flipping out onto the floor.

Blair stared dopily at it for a moment, then his brain kicked in and he picked it up, smiling slightly.  Patting Alliana on the head as he passed her on the way to the kitchen,  he pulled a pen out and scrawled a hasty list on the paper before picking up the phone. "Yeah, hello? Look, I need a -" he couldn't believe he was saying it " - herbal bubble bath made up."

"Bubble bath was provided in your quarters."

"I know." Blair had the most ridiculous urge to laugh. "Thanks. Alli - uh, Alpha 179 had an allergic reaction. It burnt her skin pretty bad."

"Is she still capable of functioning?"

Blair shook his head. He couldn't believe these people. "Yeah. Thanks for your concern," he said bitterly. "She's scared of water now, I have to work her out of it. I need this stuff made up - it's hypoallergenic. There's a place down in Cascade that does it special."

"Please list the ingredients."

"No, um, there's too many. I made a list, just take it with you, ok?" He was glad they couldn't hear his heart thumping overtime. This was the gamble. If they tossed it back....

"A lieutenant will be arriving to take your list shortly."

"Thanks. I'll slip it under the door, Alliana's pretty, uh, skittish around strangers." He put the phone down and gave a whoop. Alliana looked up at him questioningly. "We're getting outta here!"

Jim was walking out of the Deli when he smelled it.

Blair.

He turned his head sharply, trying to piggyback his sight onto the smell. He finally spotted the source, a crewcut man in his late twenties, a bag of shopping in his hand. Jim almost dismissed the thought, but the scent was too exact, too unique to ignore. He slipped through the crowds, tailing the man as he walked up the street. The detective paused, nonchalantly looking in a window as the man stopped by a garbage bin, throwing a piece of cardboard in before moving on.

Jim followed the scent to the bin and pulled the cardboard out. Unfolding it, he instantly recognised the sprawling handwriting as Blair's.

Gotcha. Jim carefully folded the note into a pocket and continued following Crewcut to his car. He was parked a few spaces up from the Ford, and Jim casually unlocked the truck, sliding into the driver's seat as Crewcut drove off.

Sitting behind the wheel, the detective counted to ten before putting the truck into gear and backing out. He followed Crewcut's Jeep through the streets, Sentinel eyesight easily keeping track of the vehicle as it left the main town. Reaching down, he pulled out his cellphone.

"Banks."

"Simon. Jim. I think I found him."

"Sandburg? Where?"

"I'm not sure yet." Jim turned the wheel slightly, overtaking another car.

"What do you mean? Have you found the kid or not?"

"I mean I'm following his scent."

He heard the sound of a cigar being spat across the room. "His WHAT?"

"His scent. I know it sounds crazy, but Blair managed to leave me a trail."

"How?" Simon demanded. "No. Don't tell me. Let me get this straight, Jim. If you find the kid, how the hell am I gonna explain it to the Feds? Tell them Sandburg's been spraying the countryside like a skunk?"

Jim tightened his jaw. "Tell them whatever the hell you want. This guy knows where Blair is. I'm following him on the main highway. I'll call when I know where." He disconnected the line, ignoring Simon's protests. Hold on Chief, I'm coming.

Blair stared out the window into the brightness beyond. Please, Jim... The people at the installation were becoming increasingly impatient with his progress with Alliana. Blair knew she had almost full control now, but he refused to tell them that, dodging, obfuscating, outright lying, telling them he needed more time to work with her.

It was incredible, her primal state paradoxically gave her faster control over her senses than Jim had ever had. Maybe that was the key - something about needing her body to react fast when she needed it. A sort of 'Super Sentinel' Sorry Jim, looks like you weren't quite the throwback after all.

He threw himself on his back on the bed with a sigh, springs creaking slightly under the mattress. Alliana turned from her habitual seat on the mat and smoothly uncoiled herself, moving to curl up beside him, like a giant cat. Blair trailed his fingers through the long brown hair, slightly damp and knotted after an impromptu waterfight.

That was the closest to 'normal' he had seen her so far. Eyes lighting up as she giggled, slapping a soggy face washer against his unsuspecting neck. Blair had retaliated with a double handful of water, and the fight was on.

His fingers caught on a snag and he sat up, reaching for the hairbrush sitting by his bed. "Come here, Alliana. Let's get those snags out, huh?" He brushed the smooth locks until they shone again, Alliana closing her eyes and tilting back into his ministrations, enjoying the sensual feel. When he was done, she tugged the hairbrush out of his hand, then shifted around behind him.

"You wanna do my hair? Ok." Blair tucked his legs underneath him as she pulled the brush carefully down the length of his hair. The bristles caught on a snarl, and she put the brush to one side, fingers carefully skittering through the knot, working it free before running the brush through his hair again.

Ten minutes later, she sat back, seemingly satisfied. Blair reached up and ran a hand through his hair, amazed by the softness. "Hey, you did a good job, Alliana," he praised. "You should get a job as a hairdresser when we get out of here."

IF we get out of here. Blair looked out the window. Please pick up on my scent, Jim. he prayed silently.

Jim stayed a mile behind his quarry, eyes easily picking up on the twists and turns the green jeep made as it drove along the highway. Finally the car pulled into a side road, tires bouncing on the uneven surface.

Jim followed him.

Blair backed away from the door at Alliana's snarl. Time to face the tribunal again.

"What do you want?" he yelled out, hoping he put enough 'I'm-pissed-off-so-leave-me-alone' into his voice.

There was an astonished silence on the other side of the door, then it opened.  Blair backed away, hands automatically going to sooth the girl behind him.  Alliana twisted away and slipped to the relative safety of the kitchen as the fat man walked in with an ever-present guard.

"How did you know we were approaching?" The man asked curiously, eyes flicking over the apartment.

Blair shrugged, stepping to block his view of the kitchen. "Alliana -" he stopped, too late.

"Alpha 179 alerted you to our presence?" The man smiled. "Excellent. It appears her training is at an end." He took a few steps closer to the anthropologist. "Well done, Mr. Sandburg. I -"

Blair leapt back in shock as a flurry exploded out of nowhere, knocking the man off his feet. He watched, opened mouthed as Alliana hooked her fingers into the man's face, teeth tearing savagely at his skin. Flashes of his own dissertation flickered into his brain.

/...Sentinels would fiercely defend their tribes.../

Protect the tribe. Oh shit. She thinks - "Alliana!" he hollered. "Stop it!"

She paused, turning feral eyes and blood flecked teeth to face him. Looking down at the man below her, Alliana snorted and slid off him, slow uncoiling to her feet.

To one side, Blair saw the Marine stare in shock at the body on the floor, then raise his gun in shaking hands. "NO!" he threw himself at the man, feeling the white fire burn through his leg as the weapon discharged. Shit, not again. His leg crumpled underneath him.

The last thing Blair heard as he fell to the floor was a snarl and a scream.

Getting past the security was easier than Jim expected. Some sort of flap was on, army types in both civilian and full gear ran through the compound.  With his buzzcut hairdo and military bearing, Jim slipped easily inside the main building.  Walking past the concrete excuse for a reception area,  he pushed a door open and stepped into a long, dark hall. Stopping briefly to place a call to Simon, he tucked the cellphone into his pocket and drew his gun.

Jim moved slowly down the corridor, widening his vision to compensate for the near darkness. Every light in the corridor had been smashed. He came to a junction of three corridors and turned a slow circle, scanning with his hearing for the heartbeat he knew better than his own.

There. Close proximity. Two heartbeats. Blair and someone else.

Zeroing in on the heartbeats, Jim followed the double thumps until he could see them, rounding the corner. Blair was flat on his back, a teenage girl coiled up next to him.

The Sentinel started in shock as the girl snapped her head around and looked right at him a low warning snarl building in her throat . He took a step closer and she tensed back to spring, fingers clawlike against the linoleum. Jim froze in position. "Sandburg?" he called.

"Jim." A soft answer, filled with pain. Jim took another step, and girl snarled louder.

"Alliana. Stop it. Jim's a friend." There was a quiet resignation in the Guide's voice. The girl flowed gracefully upright, sitting on folded knees and reached out a hand to stroke the side of his face. "That's right," he murmured. "Friend."

Keeping an eye on the strange girl, Jim carefully - slowly, moved away from her and knelt down next to Blair and began to examine the injured leg. Pulling out his pocketknife, he carefully slit the bloodied jeans and examined the wound, tugging the rough belt tourniquet out of the way. "Straight through," he reassured, gently probing the bullet wound. "Just like last time."

"Great. Now I have a matching hole in each leg. They could at least have destroyed the same pair of jeans." Blair tensed in pain and Alliana moved forward, putting herself between the two men, challenge radiating from every pore. She growled softly, but relaxed as the Guide put a hand on her back, shifting away to crouch at his side.

"You want to introduce me to your bodyguard?" Jim asked, tearing his shirt into strips.

"Oh." Blair waved a hand. "Jim, this is Alliana. Alliana, Jim."

"Pleased to meet -" Alliana took his hand and sniffed it, giving it a cautious lick before ignoring him. "Kinky," he murmured, turning back to Blair. Watching her out of the corner of his eye, he gave Sandburg a questioning glance.

"Jim, Alliana's a Sentinel. "

"What?" It explained a lot. Something about the girl was too alert for a normal person.

Blair nodded, gritting his teeth as Jim bandaged his leg. "She's been here for about ten years, Jim. They had her locked up in a room all that time. She lost control, she didn't even have a name. They just kept calling her Alpha 179. So I called her Alliana."

"Whoa," Jim held up a hand. "Back up there Sandburg, you mean she's insane?"

"No! Yes. I -I don't know, Jim. I mean, she's got the same skills and the same protective urges as you, but they're all screwed up. She's running on instinct." Blair winced as his partner retightened the belt. "She thinks I'm her tribe." Jim gave him an odd look. "I know man, it's like, totally wacked out, but she's convinced. I'm her tribe and she's trying to protect me," he gave a nervous laugh. "You should have seen her, man. She killed three men on the way here, I mean just 'fshoof', ripped the hell outta them, and then I thought she was gonna go for you, man, can you imagine? It would have been like World War Three!"

"Calm down, Sandburg."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I'm talking too much. I have a tendency to do that when I'm being followed by psychos, have you noticed?" Blair took a deep breath. "Whoa, sorry Alliana, I shouldn't have said that. Calm down, focus, I can do this."

"Take all the time you need, Chief." Jim put a hand on his shoulder. He looked over to where Alliana was pacing the corridor, up and down, up and down, like a giant cat. "Her instincts were good, she picked a good spot. It doesn't feel like they use this part of the building too often."

Blair nodded. "Jim?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for coming, man." Blair said simply, resting his head against the wall.  Jim could get them out of this, they were gonna survive.  He was as certain about that as breathing.

Jim tousled his hair, gently. "Anytime."  They stayed there for a few minutes, letting Blair rest while the twin Sentinels kept lookout.

Jim took the opportunity to study Alliana. The girl constantly kept moving, turning her head sharply at sounds he could faintly hear, stopping every so often to focus on Blair, then pacing back out to watch the hall. A silent shadow keeping vigil.  Briefly he wondered what had happened to the girl, shuddering faintly as he realised it could so easily have been him if not for Blair. His gaze flicked down to study his Guide and he noticed the white gauze around the other man's hand for the first time.  Scooting forward, he picked it up, examining the bandage, picking up the scent of blood. "What happened?" he asked, more to keep his partner alert than anything.

Blair shrugged and opened an eye. "She freaked and bit me."

"What?" Jim looked at the girl sharply.  She smiled coldly at him and bared her teeth. "Sandburg-"

"Don't say it Jim.  You don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to freaking out," Blair said dryly. "Does the phrase 'Joe Friday' mean anything?"

Jim bowed his head briefly, embarrassed.

Alliana stepped back to the pair and tugged on Blair's arm. "Looks like that's our cue to move," the anthropologist sighed, starting to push himself up against the wall.  He whimpered slightly as his leg spiralled pain up his back and Jim stepped forward, taking his weight.

"Here, put your arm around my neck."  Biting his lip, Blair nodded and slung an arm around Jim.  Alliana stepped forwards as Blair cried out, trying to tug him free from Jim, eyes flashing a warning.

Blair put a hand on her shoulder. "Alliana." He reached out and tugged her chin, raising her eyes to meet his. Jim tensed, watching as some sort of silent communication passed between them.

Then Alliana jerked her head briefly in acknowledgement, and helped Jim lift his partner into his arms.  "Jim, man, I can walk." Blair protested as he was lifted into the air.

"Not fast enough." Jim effectively dropped a train on that line of discussion.  He lifted Blair closer, revelling for a moment in the feel of that heartbeat against his.

Alliana reached under Blair and tugged on Jim's belt, urging him to move.  Jim looked down into those eyes, almost black from dilation and nodded.  Whatever the girl was, she had shown she was willing to protect his partner.  And that was good enough for Jim.  "Lead on, MacDuff." he whispered, eliciting a chuckle from Blair.  "What?"

"It's lay on, MacDuff.  Where the hell did you learn literature?"

"Funny, Sandburg.  Anyway, it's not like she can exactly - "  He stopped short.  Ahead he could sense a patch of nothingness.

"Jim?"  Blair whispered, nudging his shoulder.  "What is it, man?"

"White noise generator. Up ahead." Jim replied shortly. "Hey," he hissed at Alliana as she continued on ahead. "Hey, you, get back here."

"Alliana."  Blair whispered as well, the urgency in his voice hampered by the volume.  "Alliana!"

She glanced briefly back at them, then screeched as a powerful flashlight burst into life in front of her.  Shielding her eyes with her hands, she backed away until Blair could grab her shoulder, rubbing it soothingly. "Use the wheel Alliana," he whispered gently. "That's it."

Jim had jerked his head aside briefly at the flash at light, but quickly adjusted, pupils shrinking to mere pinpricks against the assault on his ocular nerves.  Looking past the light, he focused on the figure behind it.

"I always said, 'If you want a job right, don't rely on the military' " a tall blond man grinned, raising a gun.

"Who the hell are you?" Jim hissed, feeling horribly exposed with his Guide in his arms.

"Emmerich Stokes.  The man in charge." The blonde kept his gun trained on the detective as Jim chanced a step closer.

"In a few minutes this place will be swarming with cops." Jim said in a dangerous voice. "The best thing you can do is let us go."

"People have a nasty habit of disappearing around here, Mr. Ellison." Stoke smiled. "And as for letting you go, I'm afraid I can't allow that. Under Mr. Sandburg's tutelage, Alpha 179 has steadily improved and shown...surprising battle skills, to say the least. Unfortunately, it has become quite evident that she is out of control and therefore quite useless without Mr Sandburg. You Mr. Ellison, however, are too old for our purposes, too set in your ways. You are free to leave," his voice hardened. "Please do so. Now."

Jim tightened his jaw. Simon had been right. Somehow this bastard knew exactly what he was. And Blair had paid the price. "I'm taking Sandburg and the girl with me. With or without your permission."

Stokes raised his gun. "I'm afraid I must  insist."

Alliana looked from the gun to Blair, nose twitching at the scent of blood. Shinymetal make loud noise. Shinymetal hurt theGuide. She looked up at Jim. Big mykind can't fight. Alliana fight. Protect theGuide. She snarled and leapt forward. Her weight sent Stokes crashing into the wall at an awkward angle, snapping his neck. His body jerked as synapses fired randomly, finger tightening on the trigger.

Blair cried out as Alliana fell to the floor. "NO!"

Noise.

Pain.

Darkness.

Death.

"Doctor Blair Sandburg was kidnapped and held in an unspecified location," a reporter started and then catching site of Jim wheeling Blair out through the hospital doors, moved quickly over to them. "Doctor Sandburg," she called, "is it true that your kidnapping was somehow related to the subject of your doctoral thesis?"

Blair nodded dazedly, wincing as a slew of flashes went off in his face. "Is it true that the organisation felt your knowledge of 'Sentinels' could somehow help you control another prisoner?" the reporter continued. "What happened to the girl - Alliana? We have heard reports that the girl was killed when Detective Ellison rescued you - can you confirm this?"

Jim shot out a hand, covering the camera lens. "Go away," he said simply. Something in his stance convinced the camera man it would be a good idea to suddenly be somewhere else and he swallowed, swinging his camera down and backing away.

"Thanks Jim." Blair murmured, swinging awkwardly into the truck.

"No problem," Jim replied quietly. Leaving the wheelchair where it was, he got into the truck and started the engine, jaw tightening at the frenzy outside. "Piranhas," he muttered. From the moment Blair had woken up in hospital he had been besieged. Magazines begging for articles, FBI agents pushing for more and more information - this case had captured the world's imagination and shot the anthropologist straight into an unwelcome spotlight. And now this.

Resting a hand on his partner's shoulder briefly in silent comfort, Jim reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a brown folder. "I thought you might like to see this. The FBI recovered it from the records." With the head of the organisation dead, the police had encountered almost no resistance from the people inside.  In fact, they were almost falling over themselves in their haste to betray each other.

Blair read the label taped to the side. 'Alpha 179 - Maria Cortez.' He opened it. A happy-faced five year old smiled out at him. Alliana.

He closed the file and handed it back to Jim, who shook his head. "The Feds already hold the copy. I though you might like the original." He looked away for a minute. "Someone owed me a favour."

Blair nodded and leaned back in the seat, hugging the file to his chest as Jim pulled the car out of the parking lot.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The Sentinel asked softly, eyes watching the road.

Blair nodded. "Every time I saw her Jim, I kept thinking that it could have been you. You could so easily have been her." He stared out the window. "And she could have been like you, if someone had given her a chance. If they hadn't taken her."

He was silent for a moment, watching the trees go past, thinking. "They drove her insane," he said quietly, closing his eyes against the image. "It was just, input, input, input. She lost her controls in there, Jim. It was like her conscious mind couldn't process all the input, so her instincts took over. But she was still in there." Blair stopped for a moment before continuing. "There were just some times, she'd stop and look at something, and I could, I swear Jim, it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds or something. A brief flash of Maria behind Alliana." His fingers tightened on the folder in his lap. "And then it was gone."

Jim pulled the car over to the side of the road as his partner began to shake. "Blair -"

"Oh god, Jim, ten years. I keep thinking about it. If I'd known, if I'd published that damn dissertation sooner...."

Jim leaned over and pulled him into a hug. "Blair. You. Didn't. Know."

"I mean, I think, if she could just have had her control, I could have brought her back. If I'd gotten there sooner, if I had more time, I could have..." he broke off and buried his face in his partners shoulder.

Jim tightened his grip, prepared to hold his partner through this, forever if he needed to. "You don't know that, Sandburg," he soothed gently.

"Yes I do Jim, yes I do. She was just like you. All she needed was someone to Guide her back, teach her how to handle it, teach her -" Blair pulled away, wiping his eyes as he turned back to face the window.

"All she needed was someone to Guide her," he repeated softly. "But they didn't let her have that chance, the chance that you did, with me." He shook his head. "She was just the flip side of your coin, man."

All Content Copyright © 2001 Taleya Joinson
Last modified: November 12, 2010