by Carol Roi
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Fuck! The man's adopted son is the same damn Immortal who tried to kill me twice! I race from the house, slamming the door behind me as I run. The kid died a few months ago, a newborn with no sense of honor. Who trained him? Did he even have a Teacher? Pulling the satellite phone from the glove compartment when I slow the car to a stop at an intersection, I place the call that might get me the information I need.
"I need to speak to the DDO, please. Tell him that Leandra Evans is calling." I'm placed on hold as the man's secretary informs the Deputy Director - Operations that he has a call. The light changes as the man himself answers my call.
"Leandra? What in the hell?"
"Lew, I wouldn't call, but I need help."
"What can I do for you, Eolia?"
"Secure line?"
"Of course."
"I need to know everything you can find out about a Bradley Ventriss, last known location Cascade, Washington. You may want to contact the Archivists on this one."
"What's the story?"
"Let's just say that he needs to be kept track of." I turn onto Prospect Avenue. "I need the information as fast as you can get it to me, Lew." I give the man, my former Watcher and Deputy Director of the CIA, my cell phone number and close down the link. Llewyllyn Huddleston was an honorable man, and a good friend to Azir and I. In fact, it is because of him that Azir and I were able to work for the Company time and time again without anyone ever suspecting that we were Immortals. Hell, he even managed to bury our files so deep, after the fiasco with the agent that went rogue on the Company, that it would take an act of Congress and God to find them. If they haven't been shredded.
Jim's truck is gone. He must have gone in to work early. Hope he got more sleep than I did. I climb the stairs to Diandra's apartment, and as I crawl back into bed I realize I need to get serious about training Jan-Michel and getting myself back into shape. Yes, I want to live. Forgive me, Azir, but I'm not ready to join you in the after-life.
It was nearly noon when Blair got off the elevator at Major Crimes. He'd meant to get an earlier start on the day, but both he and Diandra had overslept. Then they had decided to wait a little bit to see if the streets got any better before heading out on their separate errands for the day. He walked into the bullpen to the cacophony of what sounded like every phone ringing at once. For a split second he considered turning around and walking right back out before he got drafted into answering calls. Too late. Jim had looked up from his phone and spotted him.
Crossing the room, Blair dropped into the chair next to Jim's desk, and waited until his friend had finished his call and switched his phone off before speaking. "Hey, busy morning?"
For a moment Blair thought Jim was going to bite his head off, then his friend's expression softened. "Yeah. I came in early to try and get caught up on paperwork, and Simon stuck me on the phones. Haven't got a damn thing done." He changed the subject, glancing around the room. "Where's your shadow?"
"What? Oh, Dee. She had some last minute holiday shopping to do, and with Lee and J-M staying with her, she needed to pick up groceries, too." Blair looked down at his feet for a moment, then back up at his roommate. "Look, Jim, about last night. I'm really sorry about what happened. I honestly didn't know the two of you were back yet."
Jim shrugged. "It's okay, Sandburg. I shouldn't have snapped at you. Things were tense before you walked in."
Blair blinked in surprise. "Tense? Tense how?"
"I'm not really sure. I think she wanted to take our relationship to another level, and I realized I wasn't ready for that yet. For some reason she took that as a rejection, I guess."
Blair pondered that for a moment, then said, "And I only made it worse. Like I said, I'm sorry. But I think going slow is a good idea. I mean, she really doesn't know you, and you don't know her. And she's probably still dealing with her husband's death, so maybe she's not really sure of what she wants."
Jim looked at his partner, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Any thing else, Dr. Crane?"
"Hmm, uh no, not really." He eyed the computer longingly.
"So did you have some particular reason for stopping by today?"
"Uh, yeah actually. I had an idea regarding the QuestScape break-in I'd like to follow up on."
When Blair didn't continue, Jim spoke up. "And? You planning on sharing that idea with me?"
The anthropologist fidgeted in his seat. "Not right now, Jim. If I told you, you'd laugh at me, so I'd rather just do it, and have it not pan out, and then have you laugh at me."
"Suit yourself. I have to get back to answering the phones." Jim made a face and switched his phone back on. It immediately rang and he picked it up.
Blair took over the computer, searching through the files for mug shots of men whose general description matched Brad Ventriss', then he printed them out. Picking them up at the printer, he was stuffing them in his backpack when Megan Connor walked into the bullpen.
Taking off her winter coat, she tossed it on her desk chair. "Hey, Sandy, how're you doing today? The roads are murder." She made a face, then said, "I'm going to get some coffee. Want to join me?" By the way she was looking at him, Blair knew it wasn't a request.
"Yeah, sure." He followed her out of Major Crimes and into the break room. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"
She poured coffee into her mug and added a liberal amount of sugar. "What in the hell is going on with Dee?"
Blair blinked at her. That was not what he had expected. "Nothing that I know of, why?"
Megan let out a long sigh. "I'm just feeling a little left out, I guess. As far as I knew, everything was fine Sunday night, but I call her up this morning, and she tells me Lee Eolia and her bodyguard are staying with her. Try as I might, I can't come up with any possible reason for that. I can't help but feel that somewhere along the line I'm being lied to."
The anthropologist shook his head. "That's not it at all, Megan. And I'm sure Dee meant to let you know, but things have been a little hectic the past couple days. They're staying with her because LaFollet is a new Immortal." He figured that was safe enough, and not betraying any confidences, since they had revealed Jan's secret to Jim the day before. "She offered to help him train. And of course Eolia was part of the package."
Leaning against the counter, Megan sipped at her coffee, her expression neutral. "Okay, I guess I can buy that. So what's the deal with Jim and Eolia? They were all over each other Sunday. Is he interested in her?"
Once again her question startled him. "Jim likes her, yes. They went on a date last night, but when did Jim's personal life start interesting you? I thought he wasn't your type."
The Aussie's cheeks flushed pink. "He's not. Not really. I mean, it's been a long time. No, that's not what I meant. It hasn't been that long, but a long time since I was last interested in a guy." She ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "I'm not making any sense, am I?'
Blair sat on the corner of the break room table and gave her a grin. "I think I got the gist of it. It's been a long time since you've been attracted to a man, and if you were attracted to a man, it wouldn't be Jim, since he's not your type." A thought struck him. "Oh, no, Megan, don't tell me you're interested in Lee!"
Connor's eyes widened in horror. "Sandy! Definitely not! She's attractive and all, but there's just something about her that bothers me. I can't quite put my finger on it. But just the thought of her being around Dee, around Jim, just sets off all my alarms."
The guide's expression went from amused to serious. "I know what you mean, Megan. I felt the same thing when I met her. I think we perceive her as some kind of threat to our partners. And I did some checking up on her. She's not what she seems. She used to be CIA."
"What! Does Jim know this?"
Blair shook his head. "No, and please don't tell him, not until I have some more proof that she's up to no good. All I have right now are suspicions and a gut feeli
ng, and Jim really, really likes her. I'd hate to mess that up for him if I'm wrong. You and I are both new to this spiritual bond business. Maybe what we're feeling is just a reaction to one of us having feelings for someone outside of our little quartet."
She seemed to consider that for a moment, then spoke, "If that's true, then are you saying I'm paired with Jim whether I want to be or not? Because I don't think I like that idea. Not that Jim's not a nice guy, but he has a lot of baggage, and well, he's a guy! And I'm not so sure I like the idea of my love life being preordained."
"I'll ask Dee later. Maybe she knows something. Oh, by the way, I think you were right about Brad Ventriss."
Frowning, she asked, "What are you talking about?"
"I found one of your post-it notes on the files when I went over them yesterday, about Brad matching the description of Lee's attacker on Saturday. So I asked around down in the morgue, and I think Brad might have faked his own death."
She stared at him. "That was just a wild idea I had, Sandy. I was looking for a connection and that's the best I could come up with. It doesn't mean it's real."
"Maybe not. But it won't hurt to have Lee look at a photo line up. I ran off some mug shots of a couple guys who look similar to Brad. I'm going to show them to her this afternoon, along with Brad's picture. Maybe she'll pick him out."
"And if she does? What then?"
"Then we have a place to start looking. Oh, and please don't mention this to Jim, either." He hopped down from his perch on the table and headed for the door.
"You can count on that. Jim already thinks I'm a little nuts. I'm not going to mention that theory and have it confirmed for him. See you later this evening?"
"Oh, yeah, that's right. Dee said something about you coming over to wrap presents. Guess I'll see you later." Giving her a wave, Blair shouldered his backpack and headed for the elevator.
Damn it, Jan! Keep your damn guard up!" With a forceful flick of my wrist, I send my student's blade flying from his grasp again, and it clatters against the far wall. "What is it with you this morning? I've watched you practice with Azir. You are much better than this."
Glaring at me, my student stalks over to his sword and picks it up. "Maybe I'm just tired, Lee."
"Tired?!" I rush him, my blade aiming for his neck. Steel clashes against steel, sparks actually flying as he finally shows me some real spirit and the skills I knew he'd been holding back. He barely manages to block my first blow, and soon, we're exchanging volleys of blows in honest to the gods combat.
I lose myself to the emotions coming over me, letting the feel of the blade in my hand rule me, the sheer joy of combat engulfing me in its dark embrace.
"You did what?"
"I sold myself to the Coliseum, you, too."
I stare at him, not believing my ears. "Why? For love of the Gods, tell me why!" I pace around the small bathing area, skirting the edge of the shallow pool.
"Because I cannot pay my debts any other way."
"Debts? Meeth, what debts? I thought we were doing okay!" I finally sit down on the lounge next to him, adjusting my stolae around my legs, as I catch a glimpse of something in his dark eyes.
"We were. The mines near Herkuleium have gotten too dangerous to keep the workers in them." His hand reaches up to lightly brush against my upper arm. "The terms of the deal I made with my debtor, our sponsor, are fairly simple. We both fight in the arena for one year. If we survive our, my, debt is paid in full."
"There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?"
"I've trained you well, Eolia. Your skills will see you through the upcoming fights." I stare at him, suspicious of his words. "Or, I can talk to Aurelius, arrange to keep you out of the arena." His hand, so vicious when holding a blade to instruct me in its use, is gentle as it traces the curve of my shoulder, flowing down to lightly caress my breast. "He likes you, you know that. Use that against him."
"Like I did with that bumbling idiot, Praetor Neimus? I'd rather fight in the arena in front of the Emperor." I feel my body starting to respond to my Teacher's touch and, shaking my head, I grab his hand to stop him. "What do you want me to do, Methos?"
"I won't make that choice for you, Little One." He rises off the lounge, pulling me up with him. "Tonight is my last night of freedom before I go to train as a Gladiator. Let's spend it together." I follow him, willingly, to the part of the house where we've slept for five years, as man and wife. Tomorrow, I'll join him in the training; I'll fight in the Coliseum. I'll survive, and make damn sure that he does too.
The training I received at the hands of Rome's best Trainers, and from my Teacher, served me well. I quickly rose to be a favorite of the people, and of the Emperor's. I never lost a match. Neither did Methos, and after our year of servitude was up, he joined the Legions.
Jan-Michel actually manages to get a glancing blow past my guard to rattle my protective head gear. Shaking my head, I clear my thoughts and concentrate on the here and now.
The blade is coming at me from the left. I dodge and roll away from the contact, coming back up to my feet behind my student. Smiling, I kick my right foot out and hit him over the kidney. He stumbles, but he's already coming back at me, his swing wild. I manage to avoid it by somersaulting away.
"Better, Jan-Michel. Much better," I call out as I salute him with my blade. "Ready for a break?"
"Am I ever!" He drops to his knees on the mat, one hand still clenching his practice sword, the other reaching around to rub at the left side of his back. "I can't believe you kicked me."
Crossing over to place the sword I chose for this morning's session back in its rack, I laugh. "You need to learn to use all your skills, not just the ones with steel. If you're smart, after we've rested, you'll come up with a few surprises for me." I step back onto the mat, then instead of walking over to him, I hop into a full Randolph and end up standing right over him. "Sometimes, the only thing that will save your head is doing something your opponent won't expect."
I never see the move. The next thing I know, he's got me pinned to the mat, his body pressing against mine, his blade against my throat. "Like this?" His voice growls in my ear.
"Exactly like that." He made a mistake. My student didn't trap my arms, and he's forgotten one little detail. "Jan? Before you get too comfy, look down." I point with my eyes and watch as he follows my gaze to see my throwing knife placed against his stomach.
"Shit!" He moves off of me, eager to get away from the blade.
I sit back up, laughing as I sheath the sharpened blade in its hidden place on my belt. "Never underestimate your opponent. She may just be sneakier than you." Pulling my feet under my thighs, I rise off the mat and walk towards the kitchen. "Let's get some water, rest a little longer, then we'll try again."
After getting my glass of water, and handing Jan one, I lean against the counter and study my student. There are signs, little ones, that he's more than just worn out from the practice session. "Jan? What happened to you last night? Has it got something to do with why you're tired?"
He avoids my gaze, looking anywhere but at me. "I, uh, followed you and Ellison. I wanted to make sure you were safe, Lee, nothing more."
My tone of voice is cold, almost detached. "Go on."
"I saw Mr. Ventriss leave the Dragon Pearl and, deciding I could trust Ellison to protect you, I followed the man to the Jockey's Club." Something happened at the exclusive club. My student is actually blushing and still avoiding looking directly at me. "I got cozy with him in the bar, said a few things that maybe I shouldn't have, but he was slandering you and I couldn't let him do that."
Oh geez. Even when he's not right by my side, or guarding my back, the former SEAL still tries to protect me. "Let me guess, Ventriss called me a whore, didn't he?" Jan nods in agreement. "I've been called worse, believe me. And it'll probably happen again in the future, so don't let it get to you. I don't."
"It gets worse."
I sigh, wondering where this is going. "So tell me
already."
"I got drunk. Really drunk, shit-faced, totally wasted."
Aw, damn it, Jan. When are you going to learn? Maybe I should start looking for another Teacher for you, my friend. One who will kick your ass when you need it. His next words still my thoughts completely.
"When I came in last night, this morning actually, I got my first challenge. Only they didn't take my head, just ran me through the heart and left me for dead."
"Diandra." How DARE she! He's my student. It was my lesson to teach -- if it needed to be taught. Shit, maybe it did. This is the third time I've seen him suffering the effects of too much alcohol. And I never heard him come home. Maybe I should hand him over to Diandra to teach.