Rousing himself from the memories, Ellison turned from the window, his gaze falling on the still form in the hospital bed. Despite the still present oxygen tube, Jim found the gentle rise and fall of Blair's chest somewhat comforting. Once again he had come too close to losing Sandburg. Determined to end this before Lash could strike again, Ellison straightened, his rigid countenance speaking volumes.
"Jim!" Banks called again, this time more forcefully.
Blinking, Ellison turned towards the voice to find Simon standing in the doorway to Blair's room.
"Are you all right?" The captain asked, concerned.
"I'm not the one who was nearly killed," Jim spat out with barely concealed anger.
"How's the kid doing?" Simon inquired softly. Stepping further into the room his gaze fell on Sandburg.
"The doctor says he has a concussion. They want to keep him overnight for observation." Pale blue eyes turned to Banks, the anguish within their depths almost palpable. "He stopped breathing, Simon."
"What the hell happened out there, Jim? And don't feed me some bullshit about it being an accident." Pinning the detective with a determined glare, Banks said, "Don't you think it's about time you told me what's really going on."
Ellison sighed, resigned. "All right, but you're not going to believe it. And the only reason I'm even telling you is because if something happens to me, I want you to promise that you'll keep Blair safe."
"Of course I will," Simon sputtered indignantly. "Now will you just tell me what is going on?" And as Ellison explained Simon's brows arched incredulously upwards.
=================================================================
The sound of voices slowly penetrated the cocoon of darkness surrounding him. Indistinguishable, Blair tried to open his eyes to see who was speaking, but his eyelids felt leaden and his efforts proved unsuccessful. So instead, he tried to focus on the voices, a task made all the more difficult by the pain reverberating through his skull. But the hushed tones held an ominous, urgent quality that set his instincts on alert. So he concentrated, pushing past the pain until finally the voices became recognizable.
"Come on, Jim." Banks was saying. "You honestly expect me to believe that a dead man is responsible for everything that's happened?"
"I know it sounds crazy, Simon, and normally I wouldn't believe it either. But I've been having these dreams..." Ellison's voice trailed off and Blair felt a momentary surge of panic.
The captain's voice brought him back into focus. "Jim, if you're right about this then how do you expect to fight him?"
"I haven't figured that one out yet," Ellison wryly admitted.
"And yet you're determined to do this?"
"I don't have a choice, Simon. If I'm right, Lash will just continue his reign of terror."
"Well then, at least let me go with you. Any one of the detectives at Major Crimes would be happy to keep an eye on Sandburg."
"NO!" Ellison was adamant. "You promised me, Simon."
"I don't like this, Jim. The kid's going to skin me alive when he finds out."
"Then don't tell him."
Blair heard the resigned sigh. "NO!" His mind screamed and yet he was unable to verbalize the word, for once again darkness was descending and the voices grew further and further away.
"JIM!" Simon called as the detective opened the door. Ellison turned. "You'd better come back alive. I don't want to have to break the news to Blair that you're dead."
"I'll do my best, sir. You just worry about Sandburg. Lash has already tried several times to kill him and failed. If I don't come back there's nothing but you standing between him and Blair."
"And I'll be waiting," Banks solemnly replied.
A quick nod of thanks and Jim disappeared out the door.
"Not that I know the first thing about ghost busting," the captain muttered, his gaze falling on Sandburg. "Ah, what the hell. With these two, nothing should surprise me anymore."
"Captain Banks?" A voice called, startling Simon. Looking up he recognized the nurse in the doorway.
"Yes, Suzanne?"
"Your office called. The police commissioner would like you to contact him right away. You can use the phone in the visitor's lounge.
"Thank you," Banks acknowledged the message and, with a parting smile, Suzanne left. Once again his gaze fell on the sleeping man. Sandburg was down for the count. Surely the kid would be all right for a few minutes while he returned the commissioner's call. And anyway, he'd only be a short distance away. Justifying his decision, Simon headed towards the lounge.
As if doused by ice, cold water, Blair's eyelids snapped open. Uncertain as to what had startled him awake, the detective searched his memory, gasping with realization as he recalled overhearing his partner's plans. "Damn it, Jim," he groaned. "You can't do this alone..."
Removing the nasal tube, Blair pushed the bed covers aside and gingerly climbed out of bed. One hand going to his throbbing skull, he carefully made his way over to the closet. Opening it, Blair was relieved to discover his clothes, ID and badge. His wallet and gun however appeared to be missing. Jim must have taken them for safe keeping, he thought, pulling the clothes from their hangers and dressing as quickly as his injuries would allow. Easing himself into a nearby chair, Blair donned his socks, then grimaced with distaste as he slipped his feet into still damp shoes. The jacket came last as he went to the door and cautiously peered out. Luckily the coast appeared to be clear, but he couldn't shake the sensation that Simon was lurking somewhere nearby. Slipping out of the room, he quickly made his way down the hall and into the nearby stairwell.
Even though his room had only been on the third floor, Blair was breathing heavily by the time he reached the ground level. A rolling cough erupted from deep within his chest and Blair found himself holding onto the stair rail for support until the cough subsided. Oh, man, this is not good, he thought, but the condition of his lungs was the least of his worries at the moment as fear for Jim drove him onward. Trying to appear as inconspicuous as possible he exited the stairwell, made his way across the lobby of the visitor's entrance and through the sliding glass doors.
Once outside he paused, uncertain how to proceed. He didn't have a car and, even if he had some money, the bus lines didn't travel to the docks. That it was also raining didn't help matters any.
Just then a cab pulled up to the curb and its passenger disembarked. Without thinking, Blair caught the open door and climbed in.
"I'm Detective Sandburg with the Cascade PD," he explained, displaying his ID. "I've got an emergency and need to get to 666 Mariner Road as quickly as possible. I don't have any money on me at the moment, but if you contact the station tomorrow they'll make sure that you're fully reimbursed for the fare."
Examining the proffered credentials, the cab driver gave a quick nod. "Hang on," he said turning back around and he stepped on the gas.
With a relieved sigh, Blair sank back into the seat. The pounding in his head had eased a bit, but inside he was like a coiled spring, his thoughts consumed with worry for his partner.
His patience stretched just about to the breaking point, Simon once again glared at his watch. Damn! If he'd known the commissioner was going to keep him talking this long, he never would have left Sandburg alone.
"Yes, sir," he replied placatingly as soon as he could get a word in edgewise. "I understand and I assure you I have my best man on the job... Yes, sir it is. In fact, Ellison is following up a lead," Banks rolled his eyes, "even as we speak... I will, sir. Just as soon as I know something definite. Good ni..." Simon winced as the phone on the other end was slammed down mid sentence. "That went well," he commented sardonically.
Keenly aware of just how long he'd been gone, Simon hurried back to Blair's room, his brows pinching with concern when he discovered the bed empty.
"Sandburg?" he called. Striding over to the bathroom, he knocked on the closed door. "Blair, are you in there?" Receiving no answer, he opened the door and peering inside, found it empty. "Damn it, kid, where are you?" Turning, his eyes fell on the closet. "No, don't tell me..." the captain muttered, shaking his head. Crossing the room, he yanked open the closet door, his growing suspicions instantly clarified when he found it empty. He knew exactly where Sandburg had gone. "Oh shit," he groaned. "Jim's gonna kill me." Maybe he hadn't gotten to far. And with that thought in mind, Simon hurried out the room.
"Are you sure this is the place?" The cabby asked doubtfully a short time later.
Sitting up, Blair glanced out the window. "Yeah, thanks," he said popping open the door and climbing out.
"You want me to wait?" The driver called out.
"That won't be necessary. Thanks again for your help," Sandburg replied, then slamming the door he turned, the cab and its driver instantly forgotten.
Hitching his collar against the pouring rain, Blair eyed the ominous structure, lit this time at night by only a few scattered security lights. Feeling as if he was running out of time, he quickly made his way around the perimeter of the chain linked fence until he came to the main gate. Stopping as another round of coughing nearly doubled him over, he waited for the worst of it to pass then squeezed between the narrow opening in the chained and padlocked gate. Recalling the route they had taken the last time they were here, Blair started picking his way across the treacherous, rain soaked ground.
Nearing the structure, he came to an abrupt halt. There, just a few feet ahead, a man laid crumpled face down in a pool of water. JIM! His mind instantly screamed. Fearing he'd arrived too late, Blair raced towards the figure.
Heedless of the large puddle, he dropped to his knees beside the apparently lifeless form and, grabbing a hold of it, turned the body over. The audible gasp of relief at the unknown face of a security guard staring up at him brought on another bout of coughing and Blair doubled over at the effort of his lungs expended trying to exude themselves from his body.
Eventually the cough subsided, leaving him feeling spent in its wake. The pounding in his head had also increased in intensity, no doubt in retaliation for his excessive activities. But he couldn't afford to worry about that right now. Jim, not to mention Lash, were still out there somewhere.
"I'm sorry," Blair whispered, gently closing the dead man's eyes. Then, taking the dead man's gun, he climbed to his feet and stumbled towards the building.
Stepping inside the steel and concrete frame, Sandburg shuddered. It felt as if the temperature had suddenly dropped twenty degrees.
The perimeter security lights cast intermediate patches of shadows and light within the structure, their glow diminishing the further inside Sandburg traversed. Intent on finding Jim, Blair failed to notice the shadow he cast on the far wall as he quickly passed through one of the lit areas. Nor did he see the shadowy figure that followed behind a few seconds later.
Almost to his intended destination, Blair stopped. Weapon ready, he cautiously peeked around a concrete pillar when suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder. Startled, he whirled, raising his gun.
"Whoa, Chief. It's only me," Jim said, raising his hands.
Releasing a pent up breath, Blair slumped in relief and holstered his weapon. Then, without warning, he reached out smacking Ellison on the arm. "Damn it, Jim," he groused. "Don't sneak up on me like that."
The older man glared. "I wouldn't have to if you'd stayed in the hospital where you belong. And don't try and tell me you feel fine," he added before Sandburg could protest. "I can see the pain in your eyes and hear the congestion in your chest."
Blair scowled. Sometimes it sucked having a sentinel as your best friend and partner. "Okay," he admitted. "So I've had better days. But you can't do this alone, Jim. Don't you see, Lash has been trying to separate us all along."
"Divide and conquer," Ellison commented thoughtfully.
"Exactly," Blair agreed. "We're dealing with an unknown force here, Jim. The only way we stand even half a chance of defeating Lash is if we face him together."
Ellison grimaced. "So," he relented, "have you figured out a way to send him back to hell or wherever it is he came from?"
"Me?" Sandburg squeaked, eyebrows rising. "This is way beyond my area of expertise. Besides, you're the one who has premonitions and can see and talk to his spirit guide."
"Well, if you expect me to know what to do then we're in deep shit." Came the sarcastic reply as Jim visually scanned the surrounding area. "I'm not sure he's even here. I've been here for a while now and haven't seen anything suspicious yet."
"Trust me, he's here," Blair said with conviction. "I found the security guard, dead, face down in a puddle. How much do you want to bet that the cause of death will be drowning."
"Damn," Ellison muttered, then cast a worried gaze towards his partner who had begun coughing. "Are you sure you're up to this?"
Adamantly shaking his head, Blair fought to get the cough under control. "Doesn't matter," he finally croaked. "We have to stop him, now, before somebody else winds up dead."
"There's a good possibility that the someone could be us, Chief."
"Come on, man," Sandburg retorted with a look of admonishment. "You gotta think positive. There's enough bad vibes around here as it is."
Ellison knew his partner wasn't as optimistic as he pretended. The rampant heartbeat and minute tremors were a dead give away. "Okay," he said, smiling gently. "Where do we begin?"
Blair glanced around. "I'm only guessing here, but if I'm right, then that mysterious crack in the foundation is the passageway between his world and ours."
"Let's do it then." And with a warning for Sandburg to stay close, Jim took the lead.
The crevice didn't look any different to Blair. At least what he could see of it in the near dark. "I can't see a thing," he grumbled. "I wish we'd thought to bring a... " A small light clicked on, illuminating the immediate area... "flashlight," he finished lamely, casting a glare in Ellison's direction.
"Always be prepared. That's my motto," the older man quipped.
"You're a cop, Jim. Not a boy scout," Sandburg retorted.
Shrugging, Ellison knelt to examine the crack. Reaching out, he carefully touched the fissure, while unconsciously steeling himself against another mental onslaught. Instead there was no reaction. Frowning, he pulled his hand away.
"Anything?" Blair questioned, looking hopeful.
"Nothing," Jim replied, shaking his head and rising. "Are you sure this is the right place?"
"Do I look like Shirley MacLaine?" Sandburg shot back, nerves make the retort sharper than intended. "Sorry," he apologized with a sheepish grin.
Ellison waved it off. They were both on edge.
"Damn it!" Blair cursed. "I know he's here. I can feel it. Why don't you show yourself?" he shouted, eyes darting about as if he expected Lash to appear out of nowhere. But instead of a response, there hovered only an eerie silence accented by the steadily falling rain.
"You wanted to be me," Sandburg tried again. "Well here I am, come and get me," he taunted.
"NO!" Jim yelled in warning, but it was already too late. Suddenly a brilliant, bluish white light erupted from the crack. Unprepared, the harsh glare seared the sentinel's sensitive vision. Raising an arm to block the light, Ellison turned his face away.
"Sandburg? Chief?" He shouted, fear setting his nerve endings tingling.
"Jim!" He heard the strangled gasp.
Then, as suddenly as it first appeared, the light faded. Blinking furiously, Ellison tried to see beyond the remaining brightness, which seemed to have burned its way into his retinas. Unsuccessful, he tried picturing a dial in his mind and imagined turning the dial down until finally the light diminished and his sight returned to normal. And what he saw had Jim fearing for his sanity and Sandburg's life.
They were in the large cavern from Jim's dream. And just like in the dream, a large, dark pool stood before him. Only this time Sandburg wasn't dead; yet. Lash however was in the process of making the sentinel's worst nightmare come true.
Blair lay face down, half in, half out of the water as Lash held the struggling man's head beneath the surface. Struggles that were growing weaker by the second.
In one fluid movement, Ellison pulled his gun and trained it on Lash. "LET HIM GO!" The words, though softly spoken were deadly in their intensity.
Slowly, the blonde headed man turned, his pale brows rising with amusement as he sited the weapon. "What?" He asked. "You think you can kill me? I'm already dead."
Squeezing the trigger, Jim fired. Watching with satisfaction as each of the five slugs tore through Lash's chest. The body jerked and his hold on Sandburg was broken.
Released, Sandburg erupted from the pool. Coughing and sputtering, he pulled himself from the water's edge.
"You all right, Chief?" Ellison inquired, casting a quick glance towards his partner.
Still coughing up water, Blair merely nodded.
With an enraged cry, Lash sprung to his feet and whirled to face Ellison. "You shouldn't have done that," he hissed and, with a wave of his hand, the detective's gun was wrenched from his grasp.
Eyes widening, mouth dropping open in surprise, Jim's glance flickered from Lash to the gun now laying a few feet away and back again.
Shaking his head, the apparition made a tisking sound. "I could have told you it wouldn't do any good," he commented as if talking to a dim-witted child. "I was trying to make his death quick and easy," the maniacal gaze hardened. "But now, thanks to you, he's going to die slowly and painfully."
A slow smile crept over the crazed features. Raising his hands, Lash began twisting them, as if wringing out a wet garment and, on the ground beside him, Blair began choking.
Face contorted with pain, Sandburg clutched at his throat, trying to claw loose the invisible band constricting his airflow.
"Please, don't!" Jim pleaded, taking a step forward.
"Ah... ah... ah," Lash warned, waggling a finger in Ellison's direction. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. That is, unless you want me to snap his neck like a twig instead. I can, you know," he boasted. "Being dead has given me powers beyond comprehension."
"Then why kill Sandburg?" Jim demanded, his worried gaze going to the man in question. Eyes screwed shut, lips parted in an unvoiced cry for help, Blair's pallor was taking on a ghastly bluish hue.
"Because I can be him," Lash stated matter-of-factly.
"Be me instead," Ellison blurted out in desperation.
Lash cocked his head to the side. "Now why would I want to do that?"
"Because," he said, choosing his words carefully, "if you become Sandburg you'll be nothing more than a has been anthropologist and a second-rate cop. But, if you become me, you can be a sentinel."
His eyes narrowed, "A sentinel?" Lash questioned, intrigued in spite of himself.
"Let Sandburg go and I'll tell you," Jim said, his tone noncompromising.
Not even daring to breathe, Ellison could tell the psycho was mulling over the proposition. Finally, Lash's hands fell to his sides and Blair collapsed like a rag doll. Jim could hear the gasping breaths of his partner and longed to rush to the younger man's side. Instead, he held his ground, gaze focused solely on his adversary.
"All right, Detective. I've let him go. Now tell me," Lash demanded.
"Jim, no, don't," Blair rasped, his expression fraught with fear.
"It's someone who's five senses are genetically superior to that of your average man," he replied, ignoring the unspoken plea. "I can see, hear and smell things no one else can. My sense of taste and touch are also beyond normal parameters."
"Jim, you can't," Sandburg croaked, struggling to his feet.
"SHUT UP!" Lash bellowed and with a flick of his hand, Blair was hurled aside. Crashing into a boulder, he crumpled to the ground.
"Don't hurt him!" Ellison yelled, his face contorted with anger, his body fairly vibrating with suppressed rage. Breathing heavily, he forced the anger back down. Spreading his arms in a non- threatening manner he said, "Leave him alone and I won't fight you. You can be me."
Eyes alight with insanity and the thirst for even more power, Lash gestured towards the pool of water.
Jim cast an anxious gaze towards his injured partner. Barely conscious, Sandburg's normally vibrant blue eyes were clouded with pain, and blood trickled from a cut just above his right brow. But at least Blair was still alive.
Silently, Ellison cursed his sentinel abilities. For while they had aided him once before in finding and saving his partner from Lash, they'd left him ill prepared for dealing with the supernatural creature the madman had become. "I'm sorry, Chief," he murmured.
"I'm waiting," Lash said, clearly growing impatient despite the sing-song quality in which the words were delivered.
Turning back, Jim stared straight ahead and expressionlessly walked to the edge of the water.
"Kneel," Lash ordered.
Behind them, Jim heard Blair groan softly. Jaw clenched against the overwhelming desire to strike out, Ellison knelt.
"Are you all right, Chief?" Lash said, mimicking the detective's voice and mannerisms. Laying his hand on Jim's head, he began stroking the short-cropped hair. "See," he boasted. "I can be you." Suddenly his hand clamped down on Ellison's neck and he forced the sentinel face down into the pool.
At first Jim fought the natural urge to struggle, but as his lungs became depleted of air and he experienced for the first time the actual horrors of drowning, panic set in. But by then it was already to late. As Lash's supernatural strength effortlessly held him down, the man's maniacal laughter filtered down from the surface to mock Ellison's flailing attempts to break free. Eventually Jim's vision began to grow dark and he knew the end was almost near. I'm sorry, Chief, he thought.I didn't know...
The sound of a jaguar's cry broke through Blair's semi-conscious state, bringing him fully awake. Immediately his gaze sought out Ellison and his eyes widening in horror at the sight of Lash attempting to drown Jim.
"NO!" He yelled in denial and, propelling himself to his feet, Blair launched himself towards Lash.
Both men hit the water with a resounding splash and, as a life and death struggle between the two combatants began, Ellison broke free of the water, chest heaving as he coughed up the vile liquid.
Sandburg fought, fear and anger egging him on. But between his injuries and the recent near drownings, his strength was quickly waning. Lash's hands clamped around his neck in a vice-like grip and he was forced backwards beneath the dark water. Blair bucked once, twice and suddenly he was free.
Sputtering as he broke the surface, he was surprised to see Jim's arm wrapped around Lash's neck as he clung like a leech to the man's back. Reaching back, Lash clawed at Ellison's cheek, leaving bright tendrils of blood in their wake. But the sentinel's grip was tenacious and he refused to let go. Face suffused red with anger and a primal scream emanating from his lips, Jim forced Lash's head beneath the surface and held it there. Muscles bulging from the strain, he countered the specter's struggles until, finally, they ceased. With a grunt of satisfaction, Ellison shoved the body away and watched it sink.
The threat averted, Jim wearily swam over to where Sandburg was barely treading water. His partner's face was blank with exhaustion and, even as he watched, Blair's eyes closed and he slipped beneath the surface.
"Whoa! It's all right. I've got you," Jim said, snagging the sinking man and hauling him back to the surface.
Wrapping his arm around Sandburg, he started towards the bank. Blair was too weary to offer more than a token assistance of a few half-hearted kicks. Finally Ellison sensed the shoreline beneath him and lowering his legs, half dragged, half carried Sandburg from the water until they stood in it merely knee deep.
"You okay, Chief," Jim asked, his worried gaze searching his partner's face even as he reached up to touch the still bleeding cut above Blair's eye. The younger man hissed and flinched away.
"Sorry," Jim apologized softly.
"It's all right," Blair said, his own gaze coming to focus on Ellison's face. Seeing the scratches, his brow wrinkled with concern. "What about you?" he asked, reaching up to lightly trace the deep gouges. His hand came away red with blood.
"I'll live, thanks to you," Jim replied, smiling gently.
Slowly the two men clasped their bloodied hands together as dark blue orbs met sky blue irises in silent communication. The combined blood merged to form a single bead which trailed off to splash into the pool beneath them. The droplet began to grow and expand, spreading outwards like an oil slick on the water.
Spotting the strange occurrence, Ellison frowned. "Come on, Chief," he said, gripping the smaller man tighter and prompting him towards the shore. "Let's get out of here."
"What is it?" Blair asked as Jim's growing concern communicated itself. Looking around for the source of the alarm, Sandburg gasped in surprise at the crimson water surrounding them and picked up his pace.
Stumbling onto the dry safety of the water's edge they turned, Ellison's firm hold on his partner the only thing keeping the exhausted man upright.
"What the hell is going on, Jim?" Blair questioned anxiously as the scarlet stain continued to expand, covering the entire surface of the pool.
"I don't know, Chief," Ellison cautiously admitted. "But..."
Suddenly, Lash erupted from the water. Eyes blazing with anger, face contorted with rage, "You're both dead!" He screeched.
Without even pausing to consider what effect the water might have had on the weapon, Blair shoved Jim aside and scooping up Jim's discarded gun; fired. The bullet struck the surface of the water, igniting it into a wall of flames. Screams of agony echoed throughout the cavern as the flames quickly engulfed Lash and continued to race across the bloody waters. As the fire grew larger the heat built, driving Ellison and Sandburg back even further from the water's edge. Smoke rolled over them, causing their eyes to sting and their lungs to burn. Blair had doubled over coughing when Jim noticed a sudden change in the air pressure surrounding them. Fearing an explosion, Ellison bellowed a warning and tackling Sandburg to the ground, covered the smaller man with his body.
And around them, the world went white...
Eyes closed, arms covering his head, Jim felt the brightness surrounding them fade. The temperature, hot and suffocating only moments before, was now cool and damp. Cautiously, he lowered his arms and opened his eyes. They were back at the construction site.
"Jim?" Came a groan of complaint from beneath him.
"Sorry, Chief," Ellison replied, rolling off his partner. "Are you all right?" He asked peering down with concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I could use a hand getting up though," Blair ruefully admitted.
Carefully, Jim helped Sandburg to his feet, one arm remaining securely wrapped around the unsteady man.
Blair glanced around, noticing their surroundings. "What happened?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, Chief."
Worry filled eyes locked onto Ellison's. "Do you think Lash is finally gone?"
Jim glanced to where the fissure once etched the concrete foundation only to discover that it had disappeared completely. "I think it's a pretty safe bet to say yes." Turning back to Blair he smiled gently. "But even if he does come back he'll find us waiting for him."
"Yeah," Sandburg readily agreed, returning the smile with confidence. "Lash should have known better than to try and take on a sentinel."
"Or his guide," Jim added. "So, whadda say, Chief. You ready to get out of here?"
"More than ready, man. This was just a little too weird."
Slowly, they began making their way outside, Ellison supporting the still unsteady Sandburg.
"Has been anthropologist and second-rate cop, Jim?" Blair questioned with a hint of annoyance at Ellison's earlier comment.
"Well, I didn't want to make you sound too appealing, Chief," Jim said reasonably. "Living with you I only have to worry about wet towels on the bathroom floor. With Lash, there'd be dead bodies littering the bathtub."
"Hmmm," Blair replied with a purse of his lips. "You've got a point..."
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