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Endangered Species
NOTES: One of the reasons I never worked on this story was because of Saul. I've had this in my mind for awhile but was not sure how to start it then Saul wrote her wonderful series where Jim and Blair are kidnapped. There were similiar parallels in my story to her series, and I didn't want to be accused of palgarism. However, I've decided the similiarities are not so great and that mine does have drastically different take. So I decided to write it, and finally figured out how to start it. Ending it won't be much of a problem either, I have that mapped out. Getting to it might take awhile especially since I will continue to work on The Black Horse, Crash Landing and The Prince's Sentinel. I might be persuaded to work on others, but we'll see. _____________________________________________ Blair Sandburg peripherally noticed the dark limo that drove slowly down the street coming up from behind him. He was walking down the sidewalk heading toward the bus stop. His car, unreliable, had broken down, and Blair didn't want to bother his roommate, Jim Ellison, whom he knew was at home taking it easy after a long week at work. It wasn't until the limo stopped ahead of him, and the door opened to allow a big man in a nice dark suit to exit the vehicle that Blair noticed the limo. The man closed the door and waited as Blair continued to walk now more cautiously toward the bus stop which was a few blocks away. He wasn't surprised, but terribly fearful when the dark suited man stepped into his path, blocking the way to the bus stop. Blair turned on his heel to walk the other way only to find his exit blocked as well by two big men in dark mirrored shades, and black suits. "Mr. Sandburg." The voice came from the other man who had come out of the limo. Blair turned to look at him trying to decide if this was a mafia kidnapping or a government. "Hey guys, look, I think you made a mistake." Blair said trying his boyish smile on them. It didn't work. "I think you need to look at something Mr. Sandburg, something important." The man gestured to the limo. Cautious, and nervous Blair moved to look into the limo as the big man opened the door. He gasped in shock at what he saw. On the floor of the limo between the two bench seats covered in a thick blanket that showed only his head and face was Blair's roommate, Jim Ellison. Jim was unconscious, though Blair saw now injury that would have caused it, which meant in Blair's mind that they had drugged his sentinel. "Get in, Mr. Sandburg." The man said from behind him. Blair had no choice. They had Jim, and might hurt him if he didn't cooperate. Therefore, Blair entered the limo and seated him on the floor beside his friend. He reached out and touched Jim's face glad to feel that the skin was warm, and felt the hot breath on his hand from his friend's mouth. The men stepped inside the limo as well seating themselves on the bench seats. The door shut and the limo drove away. The man who had spoken reached down with one beefy hand and grasped Blair's shirt and hauled him into the seat beside him. "He'll be fine, Mr. Sandburg. You'll both be fine." He was preparing an injection. "Why are you doing this?" Blair asked not sure he wanted the answer nervously eyeing the syringe. "To save yours and your sentinel's life." The man answered as he rolled up Blair's sleeve and inserted the needle in Blair's arm. The sedative did its job, and Blair slumped down on the seat joining Jim in drug induced slumber. Blair woke up sometime later still inside the limo. He was laying across one of the bench seats. On the other one the three dark suited goons sat. Blair looked down and noticed Jim still laying on the floor covered in the blanket. Blair sat up and the light blanket over his shoulders fell to his waist. "Awake I see, Mr. Sandburg. Would you like something to eat?" The man asked. He noticed that the limo wasn't moving, but he still felt the motion of movement that felt to him like being on a boat. He looked back at Jim who was still sound asleep. "Why is he still out?" Blair asked, "How much did you give him?" "Not to worry, Mr. Sandburg. He's been out for a while, but the drug we used was developed specifically for his kind, and will do no lasting damage. I cannot have Ellison awake and fighting, he could injure himself or one of us." "What do you mean one of his kind?" Blair asked. "You know exactly what I mean, Blair. Let's not play games. Now do you want something to eat?" Blair shook his had. Despite the fact he was hungry, he would not accept their food. "Where are we going?" "Right now we are on a ferry that is taking us to an island. From there we have a flight to catch." The man answered without really answering the question. "How long do you plan to keep Jim under?" Blair demanded. "Until we reach out destination." The man answered. They did not drug Blair again, and Blair slid down from the seat to kneel beside Jim. He reached out and stroked Jim's face and short brown hair speaking in a low, soft voice. "Hey, Jim you need to wake up man. I need to take out these bad guys so we can go home." The sentinel did not even stir beneath Blair's touch. Eventually the ferry landed and the limo drove off. The windows were tinted so that Blair could not see out of them, so he had no idea where they were. The limo drove for a few hours, and then stopped. Blair could hear the roar of jets taking off and knew them to be at an airport. The men opened the door to the limo and stepped out. Other awaited them, men dressed in white and one women. They brought over a gurney, and lifted the unconscious sentinel from the limo and placed him on the gurney still wrapped in the heavy blanket. They used straps to secure him to the gurney. One of the men hauled Sandburg gently from the limo, and forced him to follow. They made their way to a small private jet, where they loaded the gurney with its precious cargo onto the plane. Blair followed. On the plane, the nurses hooked up an IV to Jim's arm. There was also a catheter tube snaking out from beneath the blankets. They secured the gurney to the plane so that it would not move during turbulence. Blair tried to go to Jim, but the man holding his arm refused to let him. Instead he steered Blair to a seat. "What are they giving him?" Blair asked. "Its just a saline solution to keep him from becoming dehydrated." The man said. Once everyone was seated, and buckled in the jet took off. The flight was long. Trays of food were brought, but Blair refused to eat. He looked at Jim every so often, worried for his sentinel. They continued to keep him sedated throughout the trip. Eventually the jet landed, but where Blair had no idea. The man in the suit came to him with another syringe filled and ready. Blair struggled to keep the man from injecting him, but the other man held him tight while the drug was injected into him. Blair's eyes slid closed as he again succumbed to the drug. When Jim first regained consciousness he was aware of the weight on his back. A familiar smell and heartbeat told him that the weight was Blair, laying sprawled over Jim's bare back, Blair's chest hair tickling his skin. The heartbeat and respiration told him that Blair was okay, only deeply asleep. The faint odor of drugs told him why Blair slept so deeply. Despite the weight, Jim was comfortable. The touch of skin to skin coming from his guide was soothing. Always it was Jim who initiated touch, patting Blair's head or shoulder companionably. Blair rarely reached out to touch Jim. He shifted a bit, and felt Blair's slack penis slip in between Jim's ass cheeks. It should have freaked Jim out, but instead the sentinel remained lying passively beneath the sleeping Blair waiting for his guide to awaken. As he waited he stretched out his hearing, piggybacking sight onto it so that he could map out their surroundings. They were in a cell, three walls were stone, while the fourth was iron bars with a food slot in the middle of the barred door. Inside the cell was a shower, sink, toilet, metal table with two round seats attached to the table, and the cot that he and Blair currently laid upon. He extended beyond the cell to find other cells, some occupied, some not. In each occupied cell were two people, asleep, one lying on top of the other as he and Blair were. The ones on bottom were either male or female, while the one on top was always male. Jim went away from the cells and found guards dressed in black camouflage uniforms carrying batons, and air rifles. They had soft soled boots that made no noise on the iron grate catwalks. The place of cells was like a prison with two levels of cells reached by iron grated stairs, and lined with the catwalks. In the middle of the building was a picket with windows all around, and was manned. Inside the picket were TV monitors that showed the entire prison. On the first floor was a door that led into a hallway. He was blocked from going further by white noise generators, but knew there was more beyond the door. He returned to himself grateful not to have zoned. Blair was still asleep, but the drugs were beginning to wear off if Blair's shifting was any indication. Jim waited patiently beneath the squirming guide. Blair moaned as he shifted, and Jim felt Blair's penis growing hard from the stimulation of movement between Jim's ass cheeks. Table leg, Jim thought with a smile. He pushed back with his shoulders, and said, "Wake up, Chief." "Hmm, what, where." Blair's eyes opened and he looked around sleepily. Then he looked down realizing that he was naked, and hard and laying on Jim's bare back. He also realized Jim was naked as well. He slowly got up, embarrassed, and stood beside the cot, his hands covering his groin. Jim looked at him making sure to look at Blair's eyes, "Hey, Chief, its alright, not your fault." "I'm sorry, Jim." Blair said. "Like I said not your fault. How did they get you?" "They drove up in their limo and showed me that they had you, then hauled me into the limo. " Blair explained as he looked around for something to cover himself with. He found nothing, not even a blanket. He shivered. The air was a little cold to his liking. Jim stood up and went to the iron bar wall, and looked out gripping the bars with one hand. A few seconds later a guard came up the stairs and passed by their cell, and stopped. It surprised them both when the young blonde haired guard smiled at them. It was a friendly smile, not sadistic. "Awake are we?" The man said. He took a handheld radio from his belt, and spoke into the mike. "8092 to 8005." The radio cackled back, "8005 go ahead." "Cell 178 is awake." The guard said. "10-4, I'll contact the Warden." The radio cackled back. The guard clipped the radio back on his belt and looked at Jim and Blair. "The warden, is this a prison?" Blair asked. "No, its not." The guard answered. "What is this place?" Jim growled. "The warden will explain. I am not authorized to do so. I can tell you that you are safe, and that no medical experiments will be performed on either of you. Figure that will ease your mind somewhat." Jim listened to the man's heartbeat and knew him to be telling the truth, as he knew it. The man was just a guard, he could not be aware of everything that goes on. Blair shivered and hugged his arms to himself. The guard frowned. "Are you cold, Guide Sandburg." Blair looked up startled at the address. Jim narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Then he looked at Blair, and noticed that indeed his guide was cold. Blair didn't have a good tolerance for lower temperatures. "Yeah, I am kind of cold." Blair answered. Before the guard could say anything, however, two men came up the stairs. One was a doctor wearing the white coat and green scrubs. He had red hair, and freckles with glasses perched on his nose. The other was an older man, stone gray hair, gray eyes, and big. He easily stood at 6ft 4 inches tall, and was in excellent condition. They stopped in front of the cell. The guard saluted the older man who returned the salute. "You can go now, officer." The man said. The guard nodded, then said, "Sir, you should be aware that the guide is suffering from cold, but the temp is normal for the cell." The man nodded, "I'll take care of it." The guard nodded then left returning to his duties. The man turned his attention to the occupants of the cell. "My name is Warden Halloway. This is not a prison for criminals. You have committed no crimes. This is a sentinel/guide training facility. Your government sent you to us for training." The older man said. "What if we don't want training," Jim said. "You will receive training. You will not be allowed to leave until you have graduated from the academy. It will be up to you how long that will take." The warden looked at Blair who was behind Jim. "Most guides have an intolerance to cold. I will have a blanket brought later." He directed the statement to Blair. "Huh, thanks." Blair said unsure if he should talk. The warden nodded, and then turned to Jim, "Sentinel Ellison please place your arm through the slot. Dr. Vaughn will be taking a blood sample." "And if I don't?" Jim asked. "Then I will call for a response team, and they will hold both you and your guide down while the doctor takes the sample. Do you really want to subject your guide to that." Jim looked at Blair, then complied, placing his right arm through the slot. The doctor quickly went to work placed the rubber tie around Jim's bicep, then inserting the needle, and taking the tube of blood. He then removed the needle and the rubber tie. He placed a cotton pad over the entry wound, and Jim bent his elbow to hold it in place removing his arm from the slot. The warden nodded, "Good. I'll have someone bring you some trays. I am sure you are hungry. They'll bring the blanket then as well. When you are done eating just place the trays on the tray slot. Then the lights will be turned out and you should get some real sleep. I am sure I don't have to tell you why there is only one bed." Jim just glared at him, but the warden said nothing, not fazed by Jim's glare. He and the doctor walked away, and headed down the stairs. Jim followed them with his sight and hearing. They did not speak as they went down the stairs and toward the door. The door buzzed and the two of them entered the hallway, and were blocked by white noise generators. Jim could go no further. "I don't like this place, Jim." Blair said. "That's an understatement, Blair." Jim said back. "Do they really expect us to sleep like..like we were when we woke up?" Blair asked. Jim nodded in answer. "Oh man." Another guard showed up a few minutes later carrying two trays. He placed the trays on the food slot, and they took them. Under the covers were some roast beef with gravy, potatoes, corn, peas, and two cartons of juice each. They settle down at the tables, and after Jim sniffed the food for any drugs finding none, they dug in. The food was still hot and filling. The guard came back to get their trays sometime later, and handed over a blanket, which Blair took eagerly wrapping it around himself. At that moment the lights in the cell turned off leaving only the light from the picket to illuminate the room. They both looked at the bed. Jim shrugged, "Its no big deal to me, but if it bothers you I'll sleep on the floor." "And catch pneumonia or something. I don't think so. If its no big deal to you, then I can deal." "Are you sure?" Jim asked. Blair nodded. A few minutes later found them asleep on the bed, Blair draped over Jim's back, the blanket laying over them both. They slept through the morning routine. The light in there cell was not turned on when the others where because they were still recovering from the sedatives. They were allowed to sleep a few hours longer. Eventually they woke up on their own. Blair woke up first, and headed to the toilet leaving the blanket draped over Jim. He used the bathroom, then washed his hands in the sink. He wanted to shower but there were no towels, or soap to do so. As he was washing his hands, Jim stirred. The sentinel yawned, and scrubbed his hand over his short hair. He stood up allowing the blanket to fall back on the cot. Nude he walked over to the toilet, and took care of his business. Blair went back to the cot and wrapped the blanket around him. When Jim was done, the sentinel sat down on the round seats at the table. The lights in the cell turned on slowly going from dim to normal within a few minutes time allowing Jim to adjust. A guard came to the door. He placed two towels on the slot along with some soap and shampoo. There were also two pairs of silk boxers placed on the towels. Jim stood and took the items placing them on the table. "You go first, Chief." Jim said as the shower turned on. "Thanks, Jim." Blair said. He removed the blanket and took one of the towels, the shampoo and the soap and went to the shower. There was no curtain, but Jim kept his back to Blair to give the guide a semblance of privacy. When Blair was done, he dried off and put on the smaller of the two boxer shorts. Jim then took his turn in the shower. When they were both done, the guard came back and wanted the towels back. They returned them, the guard taking them through the slot. Another guard returned with breakfast trays. The trays held three stacked buttermilk pancakes with syrup in a little package, two sausage links, oatmeal, and a carton of milk and a carton of juice. They ate the food silently, and when finished placed the trays on the slot. They then sat down at the table to wait. They didn't have to wait long. The warden returned with the doctor at his side, and three guards. "Sentinel Ellison turn around and place your hands through the slot." The warden said. Jim looked at Blair remembering what the warden had said the day before, then complied. He felt the metal of the cuffs around his wrists and heard the snick of them being locked in place. He stood up, and the cell was opened. Two guards grabbed Jim's arms gently but firmly and led him from the cell. The other guard took Blair's arm. They followed them out of the cell and down the stairs. Blair took the moment to look around, noticing the other people locked in the other cells. "They're all sentinels and guides." Blair said shocked as the realization hit him. "Yes, they are. All sent by their governments for training." The warden said. "What training?" Blair asked. The warden smiled, "Training on how to be guides and sentinels, of course." The warden answered. They reached the bottom of the steps, and they were led to the door that buzzed open. They entered a hallway with doors on either side. They hit a T-shaped crossway, and turned left. At the end of the hall was a door with the word "Infirmary" written in red letters on the glass. They entered the door. Jim was seated still handcuffed on a stool. The guards hovered over him while a nurse place a blood pressure cuff around the sentinel's arm, and then place a thermometer in his mouth. The guards led Blair through another door. The two guards with Jim held him down in the seat when he tried to get up to follow Blair. "Easy, sentinel. Your guide is safe." The warden said. "Let the nurses take your vitals." Blair nodded, "I'm okay, Jim." He said before the door was shut. The doctor stayed in the room with Jim, while the warden went through the door Blair had disappeared through. A few seconds later a white noise generator blocked out Blair's heartbeat, and Jim again tried to get up, but the guards held him down till the doctor could administer an injection. The drug was light sedative that only made him docile. Of course the drugs ruined any readings they could take from him. Fortunately they had gotten his blood pressure, pulse and temp before his protest. The doctor instead took some blood samples. In the room, the guard guided Blair to a seat. The warden sat down opposite him. "Blair, I have a question for you and for the sake of your sentinel you must answer it truthfully." "What are going to do to him?" Blair asked suspiciously. "We will do nothing. His health is in issue here." Blair nodded, "Alright, what do you want to know?" "Blair, are you homophobic?" Blair's eyes widened as his jaw dropped, "What!" "The question is simple, Guide Sandburg, are you homophobic?" The Warden asked again. "NO, of course not!" Blair was surprised by the question, and the seriousness of which it was asked. The warden stood up suddenly and began to pace in front of the desk his hands clasped behind his back. He stopped, then looked at Blair, "If you aren't homophobic, then why are you touch starving your sentinel?" "What are you talking about?" Blair asked. "I'm talking about the fact that your sentinel is dying!" the warden yelled startling Blair whose face went pale from shock. "D-dying, what do you mean dying!" "Exactly what I meant. Your sentinel is slowly dying because of what is called touch starvation. Surely you've read Burton's book." "Yes, I have but I don't remember anything like that in there." "You don't remember how the bond is strengthened?" the warden sat down and spoke patiently as if explaining to a child. Which irritated Blair no end, "Yes, I know, touch strengthens the bond, but it never said that lack of it would kill him." The warden sighed, "You are right, it did not specifically say that. But I need to know why you felt it necessary not to strengthen the bond." Blair hesitated, "At first, I guess I just thought I'd be the researcher, and that I could help him find a guide among the men and women he worked with. Then later, it became too much…I just didn't think I could handle it." "You were afraid of the responsibility. You were afraid that you would fail him." The warden surmised. Blair nodded. "You are his guide. That much is certain. By refusing to strengthen the bond, you are touch starving him. Some years ago we had a sentinel and guide team here whose sentinel was also touch starved. Unlike you, the guide was extremely homophobic. He refused to touch his sentinel more than he felt was necessary. The bond is not always sexual, but it can be. The sentinel died slowly in agony. There was nothing we could do. We tried. We would sedate the guide, and allow him near his sentinel, but it didn't work. The sentinel had been touch starved for too long. I pray your sentinel is not that bad off." Blair swallowed around the lump in his throat. He believed the warden, something about the man's voice, the insistence, the sincerity, but Blair believed. "What can I do?" The warden smiled, "Good, you are willing to help your sentinel. Don't feel that you will fail him. This school will teach you everything you need to know about sentinels." "How, how is that you guys know?" The warden leaned back in his chair, "It started during World War II. I assume you know history better than most. You know of the Windtalkers?" Blair nodded, "You used the Navajo language as a code because Japan was breaking every code you used before." "Exactly. During World War II we got wind of a special project that Hitler was trying to start. Hitler was into the occult, fascinated by it actually. Some of the older Windtalkers got wind of this, that Hitler was planning to build an army of sentinels. To use sentinels in his Eugenics projects. The Navajo shamans came to the Allies, and told them about sentinels, and asked us to stop Hitler from using the sentinels. The Allies of that time did, and the Navajo shamans began teaching the sentinels and guides we rescued here on this very island safe from Germany and Japan. We built the facility to house them, and we found more sentinels and guides among our own soldiers. We sent them here. The shamans taught some of our people what they needed to know to teach sentinels and guides. Eventually this place was built bigger, and now nearly every country sends their sentinels and guides to us to train. Not every country mind you. Some countries such as Iraq and Iran, North Korea and China do not, but the other countries have secretly kidnapped sentinel and guides from those countries, and sent them here, then allowed them the choice to return to their homeland, or to become a citizen of another country." "And our government kidnaps us and sends us here. So after we graduate they'll have us all trained to do their dirty work." The warden shrugged, "You are not the only American sentinel and guide. They have many others. Many already trained and working in different fields. It is not as bad as you think." Blair reserved judgment on that. "So how do I help Jim?" The warden pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Blair. "We've had this before, and the teachers made this out. It's a schedule you should adhere to. You won't begin training until the doctors and teachers say that the bond is strengthened enough that the sentinel is out of danger." Blair took the paper and looked at the list. 0500 hrs: breakfast. 0510 hrs shower wash your sentinel using bare hands and soap, no washcloth. The rest of the list was more of the same, massages, touches and rubs. It didn't bother Blair to do all that, but he wondered if it would bother Jim. "I'll do my best." Blair said. "Don't worry about your sentinel. He will find the touches soothing, and will not fight you." The warden said with certainty. The Warden stood, "Let's go finish this physical and get you two back to your cell." He flipped off the white noise generator. Blair stood and walked first out the door. Upon seeing Jim laying asleep on a gurney, Blair went immediately to his side. "What happened?" the warden asked. "He started to struggle not long after you disappeared behind the door. I'm assuming it was after you turned on the white noise generator." The doctor answered. The warden nodded, "He's a little on edge right now, and we'll be extremely protective of his guide." Blair stood at the gurney one hand stroking Jim's lax arm. "Are you done with him?" the warden asked. The doctor nodded. "Finish up with Guide Sandburg then if you would and we'll take them back." Holding the list in one hand, Blair sat down in the chair. The doctor took his vitals, listened to his heart and lungs, looked into his eyes and ears, then drew some blood. When they were done, Blair walked beside the gurney as it was pushed by an orderly back to their cell. They took the cage elevator to the second floor, the three guards with them. When Jim groaned, the guards became more alert, but the sentinel did not wake up. At the cell, the orderly and two of the guards transferred Jim from the gurney to the cot laying the sentinel on his stomach as he had been laying on the gurney. They removed the handcuffs, then exited the cell with the gurney. The other guard released Blair's arm allowing him to enter the cell. The door was closed and locked. Blair went to Jim and sat down beside him on the edge of the bed. One hand reached out touching Jim's face. Soon Blair was petting Jim's head, carding his fingers through the soft short brown hair. Is he right, Blair thought, are you really dying because I was too afraid to be your guide. Blair was afraid the warden was right. Even in a drugged sleep Jim was practically purring beneath Blair's touch. Under Blair's hand, Jim slowly came to wakefulness shaking off the last of the sedative. Blue eyes looked up at Blair, "Are you alright?" "Shouldn't I be asking you that." Blair said. "I'm fine." "That's good, when that white noise generator was turned on, I was afraid of what that warden was going to do to you." "He didn't do anything except make me think." Blair said. And scare me to death, he added silently. Jim looked at him curiously, "Think about what?" Blair studied Jim's face for a moment, then glanced down at the paper in his hands. "The warden told me how this place came about." Blair said then told Jim the story the warden had told him of windtalkers, Hitler, and Eugenics. "In all my time in Covert Ops I never even heard a rumor of this place." Jim said. "They've kept this place well hidden." "If my mom and her friends had ever heard of this place they would have protested against it. " Blair added. "I'd be there with her for this one." Jim joked. Blair looked at the paper clutched in his hand again. Jim noticed the paper, "What is that?" He asked. Blair hesitated, then said, "The warden gave it to me. He says we have to do what it says." "Oh he does, does he?" Jim sat up and took the paper from Blair. "I don't think so." He made as if to tear the paper but Blair grabbed his wrist. "No wait, there's more." Blair said. Jim waited looking at his guide. Blair's heartbeat was racing. Blair released Jim's wrists and the sentinel dropped his hands in his lap, the paper clutched in one fist. Jim waited looking at his guide. Blair's heartbeat was racing. "He said…he said you were dying." "We're all dying, Chief." Jim smiled. "Its not a joke, Jim. He says you're dying because of me." "Why because of you. He shouldn't be putting that on your shoulders." Jim said angrily. "He was right. I've been doing it wrong. I wasn't sure if I wanted to be a guide. I've always been able to just up and leave anytime I wanted. And I knew if I became your guide, I wouldn't be able to. "But you are my guide." Jim said confused. "Not really, not fully. In Burton's book it said that the bond between sentinel and guide is strengthened and completed by touch, and not just the sentinel touching the guide. It comes more from the guide touching the sentinel." "What do you mean by touch?" Jim asked. "Not sexual touch, at least it doesn't have to be. Skin on skin contact, that's what it needs. Because I didn't want to be committed to the bond, I didn't touch you enough and therefore you are touch starved." "Touch starved, There's such a thing?" "They had a sentinel here before whose guide was majorly homophobic. Wouldn't touch him at all. The sentinel died slowly and painfully." "Do you really believe this?" Blair nodded, his heart still pounding, "I do. I don't know why, but I have a horrible feeling that they are right." Jim looked at Blair for few minutes then nodded, "Alright. If you believe then I'll believe it. What do we do?" "Exactly what is on that list. The warden said that we wouldn't be starting any classes until the bond is complete." Jim looked at the list in his hands. His eyes widened as he read, "Holy shit, they have us doing everything but kissing and fucking." "Its pretty intimate, " Blair agreed, "Can you handle it?" "I can but can you?" "I can, I will handle it.." Blair answered firmly. Jim handed the list back to Blair who studied it more than he had before. "It say at about this time we should sit on the bed and…" A few minutes later Blair was seated on the bed, his back against the cement wall, legs stretched out before on the mattress. Jim lay curled up beside him, head in Blair's lap, chest resting halfway on Blair's thighs, and Jim's knees pressed against Blair's calves. Blair's hand stroked Jim's head, neck and shoulders, bare skin on bare skin, the bonding had begun. They stayed that way for over two hours, shifting a bit to stay physically comfortable, while reveling in the comfort of the bond humming between them. Like harp string being plucked, the bond was a string tied to their hearts and souls, and while thin, it seemed to gain strength with each pluck of the guide's hand. They stopped when lunch was brought to them. People dressed in scrubs delivered the food on tray carts, while the guards watched over them. Lunch consisted of turkey and Swiss sandwiches on rye bread, tomato soup, and a salad. A plastic bottle of fruit punch juice completed the meal. They sat down at the table, still wearing only the boxers that were brought to them earlier, and ate silently. They came back for the trays sometime later, and Jim handed them over. The guard checked the trays, then looked straight at Jim, "Now, let's have the fork back." He said. Jim said nothing. Blair had watched Jim hide the fork in the cell, and now waited to see what would happen. "Come on, Sentinel. If you don't give it back, we'll be forced to use a team, take you both down, and then search the cell. And if we don't find the fork in the cell, we'll take you both done for complete searches. You don't want that for your guide do you?" Blair knew that these men would use Blair to make Jim obey, and he wasn't surprised when Jim gave in, and handed over the fork. If it had been Jim alone, Blair knew that Ellison would have endured it all, but because Blair would be right alongside him, Jim would not risk it. Not for something as small a fork which may or may not give them a chance for escape. The guard nodded, and took the fork placing it on the pile of trays on the cart. Then he and the man in scrubs walked away. "What's your list say now?" Jim asked his guide. "More of the same." Blair answered. Jim nodded, and they went back to the cot, situated themselves like before, and meditated into the rhythm of the bond, and the stroking of Blair's hand. After dinner, stir fried chicken and rice, the men in scrubs came with the guard to hand over some towels, soap, razor, and shaving cream. The guard also made them hand over the boxers, which they did after a moment's hesitation. "You'll get another pair in the morning." The guard said. Following the list, they both got under the shower, and Blair used the soap to lather up Jim's body. He stayed above Jim's waist, and below his mid thighs as he soaped up his sentinel. When he was done, Jim took the soap and lathered up the area Blair had avoided. While he rinsed off beneath the warm spray, Blair soaped himself up ignoring his half hard dick, refusing to let it take control. Jim stepped out of the spray, and used one of the towels to dry off, while Blair rinsed off his own body. After they were both dry, they shaved. Jim sat still, while Blair lathered on the shaving cream. Blair was careful as he shaved Jim's face making to sure to get all the stubble. When he was done, he used the towel to wipe off the excess cream, then while Jim laid down on the bed, Blair shaved his own face. The guard and nurse's aid came back for everything, and Blair handed over the towels, razor, soap, and shaving cream. The guard checked the razor to make sure the blade was still in it, then nodded. The two of them left to get the supplies from the other cells. Blair picked up the blanket from the foot of the bed and draped it over himself as he settled down to sleep over Jim's back. He maneuvered the blanket to cover them both, then with his check resting on Jim's upper back, they both fell asleep. The next day after breakfast, three guards, and two orderlies dressed in scrubs came to the cell. They handed over two pairs of boxers, which Jim and Blair put on. The guards then handcuffed Jim's wrists through the food slot, then escorted them to the infirmary. Waiting for them was Dr. Vaughn and Warden Halloway along with a few nurses dressed in blue scrubs. Jim was led over to a stool, and seated upon it, the two guards hovering over him prepared to take him down should he try anything. Blair was escorted over to a chair where he sat down facing Jim. The first thing Dr. Vaughn's nurses did was take more blood from Jim's arm. "Why do you keep taking blood from him? Blair asked the doctor figuring it couldn't hurt to ask. "To check the progress of the cell deterioration." The Dr. answered. "What!" Blair exclaimed gaining his feet quickly only to be forced back into the chair by the guard. The two guards on Jim held his arms and shoulders to keep him from attacking the guard that had touched Blair. "Yes cell deterioration." The warden answered. "Its how we knew he was suffering from touch starvation. Eventually it would have reached his internal organs. Hopefully, we have stopped the deterioration now that you are cooperating." Blair sat in the chair in shocked silence. "Don't put that one him. He didn't know and it isn't his fault." Jim growled. "You are right. He did not know. Not that he does, however, any further health problems can be laid at his feet." The warden was adamant that they would not lose another sentinel to touch starvation. "I'll do whatever I have to do." Blair whispered loud enough for everyone to hear. The warden nodded. He would expect no less. The physical that had been interrupted the last time was continued. Jim was examined from head to toe. Ears, eyes, nostrils, heart, lungs, and stomach were all checked. He also received an exam to check for hernias, as well as a prostate exam. The guards had to hold him down for that one. He was not very cooperative at all, in fact. The warden only shook his head, and the doctor clucked his tongue in irritation. When it was over they were taken back to their cell. There they followed the list, and laid down upon the bed as they had the day before with Blair stroking Jim's back, head, neck, and shoulder as if he were stroking a cat. Jim reveled in the feel of it, and gradually turned up his sense of touch. Eventually, Jim fell asleep with his head in Blair's lap. Blair smiled, and continued to stroke his sentinel's bare skin. Jim was awakened when lunch was brought, and the two of them sat at the table and ate. Jim did not bother to try and hide any utensils, and the guard was pleased with that. Some minutes after lunch was taken from them, the warden came to their cell with three guards. "You'll be happy to know that the deterioration has stopped. However, he is still in danger should you stop the touch therapy. We will be able to tell when the bond is complete when your sentinel begins to produce a certain brain chemical. In a few days if you keep up the touch therapy we will take a sample of spinal fluid to check for this chemical. We will continue to check every four days thereafter until he produces the chemical." The warden explained. "And when he does?" Blair asked. "Then you will begin classes." The warden answered. "Now, I have come to ask wether or not you wish to go the dayroom. There will be other sentinel/guide pairs there. It has a television, some games, and a large plexiglass window that shows the small garden we have." They both nodded. Anything to get out of the cell for awhile. Jim was handcuffed, of course. Two of the guards escorted him, while the other escorted Blair. The dayroom turned out to be a large room. The warden had been correct about the window. It was large, and on the other side was a garden with a water fountain and pond. In the pond were decorative fish swimming lazily. The garden was surrounded on all sides by huge buildings. The television was on, and several people sat at tables playing chess, checkers, or scrabble. All were dressed in only boxers, or for the women, shirt and shorts. The door was opened, and Blair went inside, and Jim followed after the cuffs were removed. The door was then shut and locked behind them. The others in the dayroom had looked at the newcomers, then returned to what they had been doing. "Sooo Jim wanna play some chess." Blair chuckled. End Part 8 January
7, 2003 They stayed in the dayroom for a few hours playing a
couple of games Blair stood up angrily, ignoring his nudity and the blood
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