The Return of Alex Barnes

Part 3

By EJKatz

Doctor Mark Richards sat at his desk contemplating his future. He had just finished making an appointment to speak to Detective James Ellison of the Cascade Police, Major Crime Division. For an all too brief moment, he felt a great fear come over him. He knew exactly what Ellison was. He had read Blair Sandburg’s thesis for his Master’s Degree, and he’d figured things out. The amazing arrest rate would seem to indicate the probability of Jim Ellison being a Sentinel. He was pretty sure he knew that the man was coming to talk about Alex Barnes and her escape. He swore softly to himself.

He rose and moved to his medicine cabinet and drew out a small vial of clear liquid and a wrapped syringe. He threw the wrapper into the garbage before filling the needle from the vial. He used only a half dose. He wanted to be calm for when Ellison arrived, not unconscious. Without hesitation he injected the contents into the vein at his elbow. It took a few moments for the drug to work, calming his heart rate and breathing to normal levels. The medication would last for approximately three to four hours. It would be a piece of cake to fool Ellison. He sat back in his chair and waited for his secretary to announce the police detective’s arrival.

*****

Jim pulled into the visitor parking lot five minutes before the appointed time. He was well known for being punctual. Blair often called him anal, but he didn’t blame the guy. Jim was well aware of the fact that he probably was anal-retentive. He liked an ordered life. What was so wrong with that? Just because the student preferred his life to be chaotic and disorganized did not mean that Ellison’s life had to be that way.

He frowned at the thought of Blair. He had been unable to reach him by phone earlier, so he figured his roommate was in class and he would try again later. Right now he wanted to get this interview over with so he could go and find his Guide. He couldn’t even remember if Blair had been home when he had left. He had tried to recall through his senses without results, it hadn’t worked. It was just one more reminder that he needed Blair to make this all work properly.

He stepped out of the truck and made his way into the hospital. His strides were long and unhurried even while his insides were screaming at him to hurry. Something at the back of his mind was warning him, trying to get his attention, but every time he attempted to focus on it to try to figure out what it was, the image of Anna floated through his mind and he forgot everything else. Still, that sense of urgency remained.

He found the main reception area with no problem, having been here several times over the last couple of years, including the time he had come to make sure that Alex was secure. Obviously he had failed Blair in that also. Guilt washed over him, although it didn’t stay long as the image of his Guide was replaced by the image of Anna. He shook his head to clear it. He didn’t want to think about Anna right now. He needed to put his mind back on Alex. He needed to find out where the woman had gone.

“I’m Jim Ellison. I have an appointment with Dr. Richards,” he told the receptionist when he reached her.

“Of, yes, of course, Detective. Please have a seat. He will be with you in just a moment,” the older woman told him, her hand gesturing to the nearby waiting room. He took a seat to wait, studying the woman and his surroundings.

The woman was in her late forties, maybe earlier fifties. Her smile was warm and friendly, her features almost grandmotherly. She exuded calmness and trust, and her eyes sparkled with warmth. He watched her as she rang for the doctor.

Ellison waited in the comfortable waiting room. It was decorated in soft warm pastels, not the usual green or white that hospitals are usually coloured. He hated hospitals for that very reason. The sterility of them reminded him of all the times he had gone to the hospital because of Blair’s being injured. Injured because of him and his work. The guilt of it all crashed in again briefly before it was gone again.

“Detective?” The voice of Dr. Richards was soothing, modulated to reach his patients, Jim mused. He rose and shook the offered hand. “Please come in and tell me how I can help you.”

Dr. Richards’s office was comfortably appointed with rich leather furnishings. A sofa of dark brown leather sat in one corner with an easy chair next to it. A massive mahogany desk with a plush leather chair behind it and two equally plush chairs before it, sat in front of a large picture window. The view from the window was of the fields behind the hospital.

“I gather you are here about Alex Barnes,” Dr. Richards started as he motioned for Jim to take a seat on the sofa. “I can’t tell you how sorry we are that we didn’t notify you sooner. The confusion was over the finding of the body. It took the coroner a few days to determine it wasn’t Alex.”

“What can you tell me her frame of mind, Doctor? I don’t wish to breach patient/doctor privilege, but this may be a matter of life and death.”

“Isn’t that a bit over dramatic?”

“I don’t think so, Doctor. You see, she had already tried to kill my partner several times. She almost succeeded. I intend to make sure she doesn’t have a chance to do it again.” Jim waited patiently for the doctor. He was surprised at how calm he felt. He decerned no deception from the doctor, even as his instincts were telling him otherwise. His senses were reading that the doctor was telling the truth. However, Jim had long ago learned to trust his instincts, and as he listened he tried to hear behind the words. Maybe Blair was finally rubbing off on him. The thought brought a smile to his face.

“I understand. Can I offer you some tea?” The doctor rose and moved to a counter where a teakettle and mugs sat. Jim accepted the offer, leaning back to listen as Richards explained the progress Alex had made.

“As you know, Detective, Alex was brought to us in a catatonic state. It took several combinations of medicines to bring her out. After that, the medication was combined with therapy and she seemed to be doing fine. She has a lot of unresolved issues to deal with, but she seemed to have made progress on her delusions of grandeur and this god complex. She seemed to have accepted that she was human and mortal. She had ceased to believe she had super senses. Her hearing and eyesight was tested, both normal. Whatever had been affecting her was slowly going. Now please don’t misunderstand me, Detective, Alex was no where near ready to be released, but she was making steady progress.”

“Do you think she might’ve been fooling everyone? I mean the woman kills someone and uses the corpse to make good her escape. Forgive me for saying so Doctor, but I am having a hard time believing that no one saw the signs.”

“I really do apologize, Detective. I can only imagine how you feel, but she did have us fooled. You can check with others on the staff and they will all tell you that she seemed to be getting better.” The doctor paused. His hand reached out in a gesture of comfort as he touched the detective’s arm. “I realize that the amount of progress will not be extensive after only a few weeks, however progress varies from individual to individual. I will tell you this, and I hope it helps, but I was nowhere near ready to let Alex go. I didn’t feel she was ready to leave.”

“Thank you for telling me, but no, it doesn’t really help. I don’t think anything will until she is safely in custody again. One more thing, Doctor. Have you any ideas where she might go?”

The man thought for a moment before shaking his head. “She never mentioned any place in particular, but if she is half as intelligent as I think she is then she will be hundreds of miles from here. I do not envy her. I think that when you find her, she will be in more trouble than she is now. Good luck finding her, Detective. If I think of anything else, I will call you.”

“Thank you.” Jim handed the mug back to the doctor who glanced briefly down at the cup, finding it drained.

“Any time. I just wish I could have been more assistance.” He watched as Ellison nodded then left the hospital. When the detective was gone, he quickly washed out the mug before returning it to the stack on the counter. His face was a mask of contented pleasure.

*****

Jim returned to the precinct where he found Simon had been called into yet another budget meeting with the mayor. For a brief moment, he thought there might be something he was forgetting, but since it wouldn’t come to mind he figured it couldn’t be too important. He filled in a report about the interview along with his comments on it. He dropped the printed report into Simon’s in box and left the bullpen. His focus was now set on getting home and preparing dinner for his lovely guest. He smiled fondly at the memories of the night before. He rushed through the building and down to his truck. He was more than ready when the knock sounded on his door three hours later. He pulled Anna into his arms and drank deeply from her lips. Her very presence was intoxicating to his senses.

*****

Blair was in agony. Every muscle hurt, every bone felt broken. His eyes, taped open, stung from the relentless pressure on them. Every time he tried to blink, every time he tried to close them to the visual onslaught, the pull of the tape on his eyelids threatened to send him into unconsciousness from the pain, yet he could not take that final step into oblivion. Images flashed before him, too fast to really see, but he was aware of each and every one. He could feel his heart racing in his chest, his breathing felt hot and hard, like he couldn’t draw enough air. He had long since lost track of how long this had been going on nor was he fully sure what was happening.

As far as Blair Sandburg was concerned, his life was focused on the screen before him. He remembered an injection in his right arm, then blackness, then the images. Words were there, somewhere, but they were obscure. His head hurt and thinking had become difficult. He could not concentrate on anything; his thoughts were nebulous and it seemed as if his mental faculties had been greatly diminished.

It took several seconds to finally realize when the images shut off and the room went completely black. He felt numb, in shock. The darkness remained even as the door opened behind him. Footsteps could be heard approaching, but he was unable to move, to turn, and to see who was there.

“So, Blair. Do you understand the importance of all this?” The male voice asked. “Do you understand that Alex is not the enemy? She is your Sentinel and she needs your help. James Ellison is evil and seeks to kill you; do you understand?

Blair groaned at the words. His head was telling him that this was true, but his heart ached to hear it. Something deep within held onto the notion that James Ellison was his friend, his brother, someone worthy of more than Blair was capable of giving. He moaned in distress. His whole body rebelling at the cold words spoken over his shoulder.

“This can stop, Blair. If you will just accept my words. He has already found a new Guide. He no longer needs you. You are worthless to him. He does not need you any more. Alex needs you. She loves you, and she wants you. Do you understand?

Tears wanted to fall from the eyes held open by force, but the hours of remaining in such a position had dried the ducts until there was nothing left to fall. Still the feelings remained. Why, if Jim didn’t need him anymore, did Blair feel like he was betraying him? Why did it feel like a cycle had been started again? He tried to shake his head, but movement was completely restricted. The attempt hurt, so it stopped before it began.

“Rest for now, Blair. We will continue when you wake.” The prick of a needle in his arm again, then darkness claimed him once more. He didn’t feel the pull as the tape was removed so his eyes could close, they were already unseeing.

“He resists. His will is stronger than you thought.” The man told Alex.

“His will, maybe. But I spent enough time with him to know that he feels very insecure about his worth in Ellison’s eyes. It is that weakness you must use if you are to break him. He will not help until all ties to Ellison are broken,” Alex said with contempt. Her voice was harsh; her anger close to the surface. It had already been three days. The kid hadn’t broken, and he still refused to help her.

For three days they had tortured, drugged, and brainwashed the young Guide. For three days he had held out, even as the sessions got longer and more grueling. He refused to give in to their attempts to force his assistance. His will was strong but it was slowly breaking under the strain of the situation. Their words hurt him badly, cutting through to the core of his insecurities, his doubts. His love for his Sentinel was strong indeed but the facts of his past had left him with doubts of his own self worth and Alex had somehow managed to find this out. Now, she and her friend were using it against him in their diabolical plot to destroy Ellison and gain back something which she was no longer entitled to have.

Alex was furious with the delays. She knew that the longer they had to wait to get the information from Sandburg, the more likelihood of capture. She wanted to lash out and hurt someone. Hurt the ones who hurt her. She wanted her revenge and she didn’t want to wait.

“Are you seeing Ellison tonight?” The man in the white robe asked.

“Yes, I need to keep up with the conditioning. If I stop the treatments he will easily revert back. His senses give him an edge over the drugs. Just like they used to with me.”

“Baby, easy. We will get them back. As long as Ellison is out of the picture we can not be stopped. This one knows what we need, but he refuses to tell us. He will break.”

“He told you he knows? Really.” She purred inhis ear as she rubbed herself against him.

“Yes. He told me. We will get it out of him.” The man responded as she had known he would. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, drawing her close to him.

“Just make sure you don’t kill him. He holds the key to all of this. Without him the text means nothing. I don’t understand it anymore. I used to once, but even that is gone.” Her face crumpled into a look of grief at her loss. She felt the strong arms of her lover wrapping tighter around her, puling her close.

“We’ll get them back for you. Then, you can have your fun and we will go some place where you can forget them and what they did to you. It’ll be just you and me, Babe.” Her lips turned up to his and they met with a flash of kinetic energy. Passion flared between them, racing through their bodies like a bolt of electricity, giving them energy, hope and settling them inside a cocoon of warmth.

“You want to go into the other room?” he whispered huskily, desire deepening his voice.

“Take care of him and I’ll meet you there.” She smiled alluringly, releasing him to walk away. She glanced back over her shoulder and winked. He smiled back as he efficiently removed the restraints. He settled the smaller frame onto the cot in the corner of the room and recuffed him to the bedposts. He made sure the door was locked tightly behind him before he hurried into the bedroom where Alex lay naked beneath the covers.

*****

“Jim, do you have a minute here?” Simon called out as the Sentinel entered the bullpen.

“Sure, Captain. What’s up?” Ellison questioned as he entered the Captain’s office. Simon closed the door and waited until his best detective was seated before taking a seat next to him.

“What’s up?” The comment seemed almost crazy when Ellison asked it so casually. If the situation was any less dire, Simon might have laughed. “Jim, I want you to think really hard here. Where is Sandburg?”

“What do you mean, sir?” Jim looked truly confused. “He’s right where he is supposed to be.”

“I don’t think so, Jim. I haven’t seen him in five days. I know for a fact that he doesn’t have exams right now. His school load was light. At least that was what he told me. So, why isn’t he with you? That is where he is suppose to be isn’t it, Jim?”

“I guess, so. So what if I haven’t seen him? He’s a big boy. He doesn’t need me prying into his business.”

Simon gaped at Jim’s casual and cavalier attitude. Since the two partners had hooked up Jim was constantly on the kid’s case about where he was, what he was doing. Trouble magnet, they had jokingly called him, but it was unfortunately true. Especially since the whole thing with Alex, Blair’s almost death then the Mexico fiasco, the two men had been joined at the hip, if not in actuality, then with their strange mental connection. Not one minute would go by when one didn’t know where the other was. Ellison made certain of that. His greatest fear was that something would happen to Sandburg and he would lose him. It was that possiblity the Sentinel had been unable to live with so he did his best to make damn sure it wouldn’t happen again.

Three days before, they had learned of Alex’s escape from Conover. Simon figured that Blair had been missiing for at least that long though he suspected closer to five. In that time, Jim had done very little to track her down. Of course, there had been little enough to go on. The woman had disappeared from the face of the earth it seemed. But last night, Simon had gone to see Jim and Blair and he thought he had seen her, coming out of Jim’s apartment building. Her appearance had changed, but he was positive it had been Alex Barnes.

“Jim, tell me. Who was that woman coming from your place yesterday. Pretty, red hair.”

“You mean Anna?” Jim asked with a lecherous grin.

“Anna? Jim, are you seeing her?”

“Yeah, for a few days now. Why? What’s got you so upset? My personal life is just that, Simon. Personal, you know?”

“Sure, I know, Jim. But when my best detective starts to date an escaped felon, doesn’t seem to care that his best friend is missing, and generally begins to develop odd behavioural patterns that even this old cop can see, I know something is wrong, and I have to interfere. I’m sorry, Jim. I can’t believe you don’t recognize her.”

“Who? Recognize who, Simon?” Jim queried as he rose to his feet to fill his coffee cup again.

“Alex Barnes. She has changed her appearance some, lost some weight and changed her hair colour, but I am sorry, your Anna is Alex. No doubt about it.” Simon said, backing up out of harm’s way as he did so. He knew that part of the strange behaviour Jim had been displaying was a calmness, regardless of what people said to him, but Simon wasn’t willing to risk getting punched for the comment he had just made.

His words had a stunning effect on his friend. Jim staggered back as if hit. His hand opened and the cup in his hand dropped to the floor, shattering and spilling the hot coffee. His face blanched and his eyes widened. For a brief moment he almost looked like he was going to faint. It was then Simon realized something was seriously wrong with Jim Ellison.

“Oh God, Simon. What have I done?” His voice shook. Violent tremors wracked the already tension hardened body of the Sentinel. “I didn’t…didn’t know. I didn’t recognize her until you said that. I…I don’t understand. What is happening here?”

Simon gripped the shorter man’s arm as he wavered unsteadily on his feet. He led him to the sofa and pushed him gently down. The man was in shock, obviously. He grabbed him a cup of coffee before taking the seat beside him.

“Jim, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to shock you like this, but I thought you would at least be worried about Sandburg. What can I do?” Simon pressed the cup of hot liquid into Jim’s hand. The large fingers gripped the mug, automatically raising it to his lips.

As the hot coffee touched his mouth memories began to connect. The first time Anna had come over, he had done something he had never done before. Well he had, but he had known Lila before and Laura, well that was that pheromone thing that Sandburg had talked about. It wasn’t his fault, but this…this was something altogether different. Even if she had been all over him, he had never slept with a woman like that before. It wasn’t in him. He had always felt that sex was something you saved for someone you truly cared for and he hadn’t known Anna long enough to care one way or the other.

“Simon, how did she get past me like this?” There was a note of deep anguish in the normally controlled voice.

“Jim, I think first we need to get you to the hospital. The only way Alex would have been able to fool you this long was if she was drugging you. Come on.” He took the coffee mug and helped his detective stand. Together they made their way down to the underground garage and into Simon’s car.

Two hours later the doctor returned with the preliminary results. “I am sorry, Captain, Detective. I have never seen this particular combination of drugs. But I can give you an overview of their effects. The first is a powerful neuro-depressant. It prevents mental processes from fully functioning. It was combined with a couple of tranquillizers and something we are unable to identify. From what I can determine, the combined effect would make you confused, forgetful and maybe a little disoriented at times. Already the effects are leaving you, so it is safe to assume that they are not long lasting, and the dose must be kept up or the drug loses potency.”

“Can I leave now, Doc?” Jim asked, suddenly anxious and desperate to get out there and find his Guide.

“Yes, but if you find yourself having any problems, I want you back here right away.” The doctor’s words brooked no argument, and Jim didn’t feel like it anyhow. The guilt from letting five days pass before even noticing his Guide was in trouble was eating away at him. He forced the feeling away as he strode out of the hospital. There would be time enough for that later, after he found Blair.

After Blair kicked him out of his life, forever.

*****

“Damn it all to hell anyway!” Alex swore as she watched Simon Banks and Jim Ellison exit the hospital. She had followed them from the station to the hospital and waited for them to come out again. She was very well aware of why they had gone, and she was just as certain that it had been Captain Banks who had recognized her and informed Jim. As far as she was concerned this would not be a problem. She had planned for just this contingency. She followed the sedan back to the station, knowing full well what her next steps would be. She had to hurry if it was going to work, but there shouldn’t be any problems. It was only a matter of eliminating the enemy.

She waited until she was sure they would be there for a while before she started the car again and headed for the house where her lover waited for her. She grinned with pleasure at the thought of what she planned for the afternoon. She knew enough now that she would not be able to return to Ellison, but it wouldn’t matter, not after tonight.

*****

The door slammed open jolting Blair from his thoughts. He glanced up at the loft door where his roommate stood garing at him.

“What is it with you and this mess, Sandburg? Is it really too much for you to keep this place tidy? Look at this crap. I can’t even walk into my own home.”

Ellison took two steps closer, grinning wickedly as his loftmate cringed back in the face of his rage. A justifiable one by Jim’s account. He had a long day with a rough case and all he was asking for was to come home to a clean loft, and maybe even a hot meal.

“Damn it, Sandburg, clean this up! I’m tired, and I don’t feel like dealing with this.” Ellison walked past him, smacking him on the back of the head, as he headed up the steps to his room where he changed.

“Ow! Hey, Man, relax. I’ll clean it up. I always do. What are you doing home so early? Did you get the arrest?”

There was no response as Blair got up and began pulling his papers and book together. He glanced nervously up at the top of the stairs. Jim had been acting strangely since this case began, and his usual taps and smacks had gotten harder, just like this one. Blair didn’t think he liked it much; in fact, he knew he didn’t.

After placing his things in his room, he moved to the kitchen and began to prepare dinner. He had planned a vegetarian lasagna. Since it was one of Jim’s favorites, he hoped to entice the older man to talk to him about what was bothering him.

By the time the pan was in the oven and bubbling in its own juices, Jim had returned back downstairs. He still wore the scowl, but he nodded his thanks at the beer Blair offered.

“Dinner will be in half an hour. Veggie lasagna.” Sandburg told his friend. “I was hoping we could talk, Jim.”

“Later,” came the brusque reply. Ellison returned to the living room and turned the TV on, effectively shutting down all Blair’s attempts at a conversation.

Blair left it for the time being. Exactly half an hour later, he pulled the pan from the oven. He tested it to make sure it was finished and began serving out two plates. He had set the table, and he called for Jim as he set the plates down.

There were several tense minutes while he waited for Jim to come to the table, but he decided it was best to ignore the bigger man while he was in this mood. He began to eat, slowly.

Jim finally rose as the news finished and took his usual seat. He picked up his fork and Blair watched as he took his first bite.

Jim threw the fork back onto his plate. “Damn it, Chief. What are you trying to do, poison me?” He flung the plate away from him, rising stormily to his feet. “Can’t you do anything right any more?”

He advanced on the smaller man who backed away, knocking his chair over in the process. He held his hand out in a defensive gesture.

“Jim, what’s wrong with you, Man? There was nothing in the lasagna. Come on, talk to me. What’s going on here?” He knew there was fear in his voice, but he had never seen Jim so angry like this before. It terrified him.

“I’m sick of talking, Junior. You are pissing me off big time here! I just don’t know what to do with you anay more. You disobey all the house rules, make a mess of the place, try and poison me with too many spices. What should I do here, Chief, ‘cause I’m at a loss?”

Blair backed up until his back hit the brick wall behind him. Still Jim advanced until he had entered Blair’s personal space, his breath hot and heavy on his face. Blair raised one hand and pressed it against Jim’s chest, trying to push him away.

“Jim, you’re scaring me here. What’s going on? What do you want from me? I don’t understand this.” The words were whisper soft, a gentle pleading to try and get the attention of the angry man leaning against him.

Ellison’s larger hand came up and gripped the smaller one tightly, squeezing and twisting it away from his chest.

“Don’t ever touch me again,” he hissed. He used the grip he had on Blair’s hand to pull him away from the wall, jerking him around until he fell heavily to the floor.

A gasp of pain exploded from Blair’s lips as the floor met his descent with a hard jolt, sending shock waves through his body.

“You are so pathetic; you know that, don’t you? You are weak and totally useless; I don’t even know why I keep you around anymore. It’s not like you help me; I don’t need you. I do, however, need you out of here. I can’t live with you here.”

“You’re kicking me out again? Jim, what have I done? Tell me so I can fix it.” Blair rose to his feet and reached out to touch his Sentinel on the arm.

The blow was unexpected. The fist came from nowhere to connect with his face. He felt the break of the skin on his cheek even as he fell, again. He saw the booted foot coming at him and tried to roll out of the way, but he wasn’t fast enough. It caught him in the chest, knocking the air from his lungs. Twice more kicks landed, and he cried out weakly with the pain. Hands grabbed his shirt, hauling him to his feet. Pain radiated through him as a wave of dizziness hit.

“I said don’t touch me. What didn’t you understand about that, Sandburg? Come on, you’re a smart guy. You have an hour to get out. I want you gone. And don’t worry about guiding me any more. I found someone better.” Jim’s words dripped with venom. Hate reflected from the ice blue eyes, and there was no warmth left in the body that stood rigidly before Blair.

He closed his eyes as Jim threw him to the floor again. He waited until he heard the door to the loft open, then close before he allowed his eyes to open.

It took several attempts and as many minutes to finally get himself off the floor. Tears welled in his eyes as he began gathering his belongings, putting them into boxes. It hurt badly as he carried them down to his car, but it hurt worse as he left the keys on the counter and left his home behind. The emotional pain was greather than anything he had ever had to bear. He prayed he would never have to feel it again.

*****

Part 4

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