A STITCH IN TIME

"YOU'RE TOO LATE, ELLISON!"

"Shut her up," Ellison growled as he walked past Felicia D'Amour.

"I KNOW MY RIGHTS!"

Ellison spun on his heel and walked back to the restrained woman.  Using every inch of his height, he leaned down and glared.  "Be silent," he hissed.  Turning back around, he saw the worried eyes of his Guide.  "I've got a rotten headache and that shrew's screeching isn't helping," he muttered.

"Why do you have a headache?"

Ellison's blue eyes narrowed.  "There's something around here...some sort of high-pitched frequency.  It's just out of my range, and it's making me more than a little pissed off!"

Part of him was gratified to see his colleagues finding excuses to put some distance between themselves and an angry Sentinel.  The Guide, however, merely frowned in thought.

"Captain!  I think you better see this!"

Ellison looked up to see his Captain rapidly walking down the dimly lit hallway.  "That doesn't sound good," he muttered as he followed.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

"Simon?"  Ellison edged around the man standing in the doorway of a large room.  Seeing the large device across the room, his eyes widened.  "Is that what I think it is?"

Captain Peter Simon angrily slammed his fist against the nearby wall.  "That's an illegal time machine!"  He glared at the techie who was eyeing the computer printout.  "Has it been used?"

"Oh, yeah," Daniel Banks nodded, almost in fascination.  "It'll take me a while to decode all the coordinates."

"You've got fifteen minutes," Simon ordered.

"Excuse me?" Daniel looked up in surprise.

"Someone has used has used that illegal time machine to go God knows where and God knows when to do God knows what!" Simon yelled.  "WE don't have much time here!  Now get to work!"  Turning around, he nearly knocked over the diminutive woman standing behind him.  "Dammit, Li!  Stop sneaking up on me like that!"

Li Ho politely bowed her head.  "My apologies, Captain," she softly spoke.

Jayson Ellison grinned at his Guide.  "One of these days, Li, you'll be just a grease spot on the floor when he runs over you."

Amusement twinkled in Li's dark eyes.  A beautiful woman of mixed Asiatic ancestry, she stood 4'11" in bare feet and weighed in at just over 90 lbs.  Yet, Jayson had seen his Guide competently put big strong men (including himself) flat on their asses without even breathing hard.  "At least we know what's causing your headache."  She nodded towards the machine across the room.

"Ellison!  Ho!"

Jayson chuckled.  "He cracks me up when he yells that."  Managing to hide his smile, he joined his Captain in the hallway.  "What's up, Captain?  We come looking for a drug laboratory and wind up with an illegal time machine. Is that how they're smuggling the stuff in?"

"You wish," Simon grunted.  "THAT would be simple."  He glared at the woman standing between two of his officers.  "According to Ms. D'Amour, you've become quite a nuisance."

"Really?" Jayson grinned.  "I've been called worse."

"Far worse," Li solemnly added.

"It seems Ms. D'Amour acquired the services of a renegade techie," Simon continued.  "He acquired enough equipment on the black market to construct that machine in there."

"To do what?" Jayson frowned.  "Go back and stop us from making arrests or stopping their shipments?"

Li shook her head, her long dark hair swirling around her shoulders.  "No one has that sort of precise programming.  Not even the World History Organization."

Jayson slowly walked down the hallway towards Felicia.  "What did you do?" he quietly asked. 

"You bastard!" Felicia seethed.  "You killed my son!"

"He was dealing to school kids!" Jayson shouted.  "He pulled a gun and took a little girl hostage!  He made his choice!"

"And I made mine!" Felicia triumphantly smiled.  "I sent the best assassin my money can buy back in time."

"Where's that damned renegade techie?" Simon shouted to his officers.

Felicia laughed.  "You'll find him in my office with a bullet in his head.  I knew he'd never withstand questioning."

"Captain Simon!  I've got it!" Daniel gleefully shouted as he joined them.  "Whoever used the machine went back to the third week of May 1998."

"Where?" Simon snapped.

"Here.  Cascade," Daniel reported.

Jayson grabbed Felicia by the arms and shoved her against the wall.  "What have you done?" he demanded.

"There's so little public knowledge about you, Ellison.  The Sentinel Foundation saw to that."  Felicia's dark eyes glittered in anger.  "Even less is known about your parents.  But your grandparents..."  She threw back her head and laughed.

Jayson wrapped one hand around her neck.  "You bitch!" he shouted.

"Ellison!"

"Jayson."

As always, the calm voice of his Guide cut through Ellison's rage.  He stepped back and turned away from the shivering prisoner.  "We need to go back, Captain.  Now."

"This is something for the Travelers," Simon argued.  "They'll have a team here by tomorrow."

Jayson angrily shook his head. "We don't have time, Captain.  You said it yourself.  Besides, I know my grandparents.  I know what story will work with them and what won't.  And there's a lot of stuff about them that never made it into the records that I learned about as a kid."

Simon stared at the younger man for a few seconds.  "Banks!  Get me period clothing and suitable identification for two United States Federal officers.  Contact the Travelers.  Tell them we need it within an hour.  They'll know what local museum to contact."  He stared at the other officers.  "Get her out of here!" he pointed to Felicia.  "Everyone else, I want this place turned inside and out.  We need to know whatever we can find out about this
assassin."

Li put a hand on Daniel's arm.  "The Travelers have probably detected the use of the time machine.  They may be able to narrow the transmission time for us."

The young techie nodded with a grin and walked away.

"Damn, I hate time travel," Jayson groaned.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~
 

Jayson grinned at his reflection.  "Jeans.  I haven't worn them since I was a kid."

Li glanced at her own jeans and frowned.  "They're uncomfortable," she complained.

"You gotta break 'em in."  Jayson patted his Guide's shoulder.  "Like new shoes."

"Jayson, this is not a nice little stroll down memory lane," Li reminded him.  "We need to find the assassin and stop him without making any contact with your grandparents."

Jayson shook his head.  "Won't work, Li.  My grandfather was a very powerful Sentinel.  I'm a Sentinel.  He'll know I'm close by.  That'll be enough to rattle his cage."

Li frowned.  "You pose no threat to him.  It's possible he won't even know."

Jayson chuckled.  "Never in my entire life was I able to put anything over on him."  He reached for the .32 calibre weapon and examined it.  "These things are complete relics."

"Which is why you've been authorized to take your own weapons in addition to those."  Simon leaned against the doorway.  "In public, you'll use those if necessary."

Li smiled.  "You have worked a miracle again, Captain Simon."

Simon snorted.  "I pointed out the assassin wouldn't care about the niceties of non-intervention.  Hell, his whole purpose in going back in time is to interfere.  The Travelers are shaking in their boots about this whole mess, by the way."

"They'll survive."  Jayson sighted down the weapon and shook his head.  "Just like my grandparents will survive."

Simon stepped away from the doorway and took a packet of papers from his pocket.  "Your identifications.  You're Federal Officers after an international assassin.  All very hush hush and off the official records."  He glared at Jayson.  "You know enough about Jim Ellison's past to make it believable."

Jayson nodded.  "How close in time are we going to get to the assassin's arrival?"

"The best they can put it is 6 to 12 hours ahead of him," Simon admitted.

"Close enough."  He glanced at his reflection again and nodded.  "C'mon, Li.  It's time you met the family."  With a chuckle, he walked away.

Simon slid a small flat package into Li's hand then followed Jayson.

Li opened the package and sighed.  Her partner would never learn that he wasn't as sneaky as he thought he was.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Simon Banks glanced up when he heard the elevator door softly open then close.  Looking through his open door, he wondered who else was unlucky enough to be working past sundown.

He quietly slid the upper right hand desk drawer open and let his hand rest on his back-up gun.

A young man in his early 30's followed by a young woman with Asiatic features stopped just inside the bullpen and looked around.

'So many good memories.  I gotta go visit Rafe when we get back.  It's been too long.'  Jayson frowned when Li lightly touched his arm then nodded.  He turned towards Simon's office, stopping when he saw the man sitting behind the desk.  Taking a deep breath, he walked into the office.  "Captain Simon Banks?"

"Yes."  Simon slowly nodded.

"I'm Agent Jayson Ellis and this is my partner Li Ho."  Jayson produced his identification, holding it out for Simon's perusal.  Li did the same.

"And what Federal agency are you with?" Simon asked, sitting back in his chair.  He nodded towards the chairs on the other side of the desk.

"One that doesn't seek public attention," Li quietly answered.  "We are here on a mission of great importance, Captain."

Jayson managed not to smile when he saw Simon relax.  Li's gentle voice had soothed more than one savage beast.  Content to allow his partner to take the lead in the conversation, he indulged in enjoying the company of a man he'd long respected...enjoyed hearing a voice long silenced.

"One of our agency's mandates is to cross national and international boundaries to capture assassins and terrorists," Li calmly explained.  "In the course of one such investigation, we obtained confirmed intelligence that one such assassin, Etienne Rochambeau, had been hired to perform an assassination here in Cascade."

"Against who?" Simon demanded.

"Detective James Ellison."

"An international assassin is here to kill Jim Ellison."  Simon stared at the two people sitting across the desk from him and narrowed his eyes.

"Detective Ellison, during his time of service in the military, made some powerful enemies," Li pointed out. 

"That was a long time ago," Simon pointed out. 

"Politics change," Li shrugged.  "A man who was a threat ten years ago is considered a patriot today."  Her dark eyes met Simon's.  "And while that is regrettable, it is also a reality."

Simon sighed.  "What can you tell me?"

Li handed Simon three stapled pieces of paper.  "This is all we know about Rochambeau.  He is one of the best assassins available for hire.  Sometime in the next 6 to 12 hours he will make his move.  Our job is to protect Detective Ellison and his partner."

"Sandburg?"  Simon looked at them in surprise.

"If Rochambeau cannot get a clean shot at his target, he will move against someone close to Detective Ellison."  Li smiled.  "Would Detective Ellison not put himself in danger to rescue his partner?"

Simon rolled his eyes.  "You really don't want to know the answer to that question," he grumbled.  He reached for the phone and dialed a number. "Sandburg?  Are both you and Ellison home?  Good.  Stay there.  That's an order.  I'll be right over.  And stay away from the windows."  Hanging up the phone, he closed the desk drawer and stood.  "Let's go before Ellison gets out of the shower and calls back."

Jayson hid a smile as he got to his feet.  'I miss you, Uncle Simon.  Thank you for everything you did for me.'

~~~~~~~~~~~

Li threw Jayson an anxious look as they approached the door of the loft.  Her partner's  face was blank but Li had learned long ago to look past the obvious.  The continuous shifting of his eyes from left to right, the slight hesitation when stepping off the elevator (a device Li was very happy to exit), and the tiny movements to force his muscles to relax all told Li that Jayson wasn't in complete control.

Simon had barely raised his hand to knock when the door was opened.  "Ellison, I wish…" he growled.

"Yes, sir.  Sorry, sir."  Jim Ellison briefly smiled.  His blue eyes flickered past Simon to study the two people standing behind the police Captain. "Come in."

Li slightly bowed her head in greeting as she passed.  She nodded again in respect when she saw he didn't automatically dismiss her as a potential threat.

Jayson didn't look at Jim as he slowly entered the loft.  He looked around, trying to match what he saw with his childhood memories.  'It looks so different.  I guess they haven't bought the place next door.  Now that's weird…knowing that someone else is living in my place.  Well, I guess it's not my place yet.'

"Jim, this is Jayson Ellis and Li Ho," Simon introduced.  "They're with a Federal agency."  His cell phone ran and he excused himself to the balcony.

Li nudged her partner who finally turned to Jim and held out his hand.  "It's an honor, Captain Ellison."

Jim studied the young man for a few seconds, then took his hand.  "Detective Ellison," he corrected.  He looked past the younger man and smiled at the figure who joined them from the kitchen.  "My partner, Blair Sandburg."

Jayson turned, then hesitated.  ’Granpa Blair.'

"Hey, man!  Nice to meet you."  Blair extended a hand that Jayson slowly took.  "Can I get you guys anything to drink?"

"Nothing for me, thank you," Li quietly answered.  When Jayson silently shook his head, she quietly sighed then pulled him to one side.

Blair looked at the two Federal agents then at Simon on the balcony.  Then he grinned.  "This is looking more and more like a junior high school dance.  Everybody's sticking to their own little corners."

Jim grunted.  "This had better be worth the interruption.  I had plans for tonight."

"Now, now."  Blair patted Jim's arm as he passed the older man.  "Play nice."  He walked back into the kitchen and began putting on a pot of coffee.

"I do play nice, Sandburg," Jim quietly protested as he followed.  "It's not my fault the Feds don't play by my rules."

Across the room, Li pinched her partner's thigh.

Startled, Jayson glared down at the petite woman.  "What was that for?"

"To get your mind onto business," Li sternly whispered.  "Remember why we're here."

Jasyson quickly wiped his face with both hands.  "I know."  He started to say something else, then glanced towards the kitchen.  "Later, okay?"

Li nodded as Simon reentered the loft, closing the balcony door behind him.

Simon glanced at the two Federal agents then into the kitchen.  He rubbed the back of his neck then motioned for Jim and Blair to join them.

Jayson inwardly grinned.  'Poor Uncle Simon.  Always in the middle.'  Not wanting another pinch or worse from his partner, he put those thoughts out of his mind.

"Jack Kelso confirms their agency exists and that two agents named Ellis and Ho are listed as operating agents." Simon glanced at the two Federal gents as he sat on the smaller couch.  "The descriptions match."

Jayson glanced at Li who slowly smiled.

"My compliments to Mr. Kelso," Li quietly spoke.  "He continues to live up to his reputation."  She saw Blair's concerned look and shook her head.  "We have no interest in Mr. Kelso or his activities."

"More power to him," Jayson muttered as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

Jim and Blair slowly settled on the larger couch.  "What's going on, Simon?"

Simon nodded to Jayson who looked at Li.

Promising to have a long talk with her partner, Li studied the two men on the couch.  "As we informed Captain Banks, an assassin named Etienne Rochambeau has been hired to kill you, Detective Ellison.  Our assignment is to prevent that.  We are to capture Rochambeau if possible.  Neutralize him if we are not." 

Glancing around the open loft, Simon frowned.  "It would be best if we were to take both of you to a safe house."

Jim glanced at Blair who started shaking his head.  "No.  No.  And may I even more strenuously state NO.  I'm not going to any safe house," the younger man firmly spoke.

"Don't be ridiculous, Sandburg," Simon warningly growled

"No safe house would protect them," Li calmly interrupted.  "We don't know what contacts Rochambeau has or how much access he has to confidential information.  His past record, however, indicates he has nearly a limitless supply of the latter."

"There are people we trust," Simon argued.

"Who would need to purchase gasoline, food, as well as other items," Li pointed out.  "Their routine would be disrupted.  Other officers, perhaps not so trustworthy, would need to cover for the ones you trust."  She quietly withstood Simon's furious glare.

"She has a point, Simon," Jim slowly admitted.  He gave both Federal agents a sharp look.  "That assumes we can trust you."

"We're all you've got," Jayson irritably shot back.

"And that's debatable."  Jim got to his feet.  "When it comes to our lives, I know who I can trust.  And that doesn't include a couple of anonymous Feds!"

"We know more about Rochambeau than you ever will!" Jayson hotly shouted, taking two steps closer to Jim.  "I don't intend to let him add the two of you to his resume!"

"I can protect Blair and myself" Jim shouted back.

"For how long?" Jayson pointed out.  "Rochambeau prides himself on his disguises and his planning.  He can afford to wait."  He paused, then slowly smiled.  "You plan on hiding out forever at that special fishing spot in the Cascade National Park?  You know the one.  Ten miles into the park from mile marker seventeen…beside that huge flat rock…a half-mile from the double waterfall?"

Both Simon and Blair got to their feet.  Simon wedged himself in between the two angry men while Blair tugged on Jim's arm.

Li put two fingers into her mouth and blew.  The high-pitched whistle caused the four men to stop and look at her.

Jayson irritably rubbed his left ear.  "Owww," he complained, giving his partner an angry glare.

"My apologies," Li smiled.  "But too much testosterone upsets my nervous system."  She looked at Blair.  "Would it be too much trouble to ask if you have any tea?"

Blair stifled a laugh.  "Sure.  Coffee's probably done, too."

Li turned to Jim.  "Hiding is not the answer.  According to our information, Rochambeau will strike within the next 12 hours.  He has another commitment in the Middle East that he must complete in a few days.  If we don't stop him now, we might never get another chance.  Our contacts in the Middle East are completely inadequate to catch him there."

Jim stared into Li's dark eyes and found himself calming down.  Glaring once again at Jayson, he curtly nodded.  "But we will figure out a plan together," he stressed.  "We aren't blindly putting ourselves into your hands."

"That was never an option," Li assured him.  Her lips twitched in amusement when Jim snorted.

"I'll get the coffee and make some tea," Blair offered.  "Simon, are you staying?"

"Why?  You need another referee?"  Simon glared at both Jim and Jayson.

Li studied both men.  "If they have decided to act like grown adults and not children, I believe your refereeing abilities will not be required."

"I'm on speed dial, Sandburg," Simon grunted.

"We'll be fine, Simon," Blair assured the older man.  "I think Li and I can keep them from tearing each other apart."

Li's dark eyes sparkled in amusement.

Suddenly Blair frowned.  "Oh, man!  If we're going to be stuck here all weekend, I need to run by Hargrove and get some stuff for my thesis.  I've got an important meeting with my Committee next Thursday."

Jim's eyes narrowed then he looked away.

"Why didn't you bring it home today?" Simon irritably demanded.

"I had plans for tonight, Simon!" Blair bristled.

Jim saw a look pass between the Federal agents.  "Oh, no!  You're NOT using him as bait!"

Jayson flushed.  "I wish you'd believe me for once!  The last thing I want is for anything to happen to either of you!"

Li put a restraining hand on his arm.  Jayson glared at her then walked away to study the books in the nearby bookcase.  She frowned, then turned to the others.  "I believe it would be better to choose our battleground.  While sitting and waiting would be safer, I believe it would be in the best interests of all concerned to try and draw him out."

"That's risky," Jayson grimly warned, not turning to look at his partner.

Jim looked irritated at not being able to say the words first.

"So is waiting," Li quietly replied.

Jayson sighed.  "She's right."  He slowly turned around and smiled.  "Sorry.  I'm not exactly objective about this assignment."

Li saw Blair's curious look and turned to Simon.  "Captain Banks, you mentioned there were people you could implicitly trust. Are they people who will follow orders without question?

"No," Simon grinned.  "But they won't ask many questions."

"Good enough," Li smiled in return.  "I suggest we set a trap.  If Mr. Sandburg…"

"Blair," the young anthropologist immediately corrected.

Li smiled widely at him.  "If Blair will consent to go to Hargrove Hall very early this morning, we can hope that Rochambeau will choose then to strike."

Jim slowly nodded.  "There would be no one around if we get there early enough," he admitted. He looked at Blair.  "It's your call, Chief.  Say the word, and we're out of here."  He glanced at Jayson.  "Maybe camping and maybe not."

Blair took a deep breath, then slowly nodded.  "Let's do it."

"Captain, have your people in place around Hargrove Hall by four tomorrow morning," Li briskly ordered.  "I'll leave it to you to place them.  Please tell them that Jayson and I will also be in the area."

"What if he's watching now?" Blair asked.  "Won't he suspect something?"

"We'll leave with Captain Banks," Jayson replied.  "A few blocks away, we'll get out of the car and make our way back and slip in through the back of the building."

"Although Rochambeau prefers to make his kills public in order to prove his reputation, there's always the chance he would make an exception in order to complete his assignment," Li pointed out.

Simon slowly nodded.  "I guess it's as good as we can plan."  He glanced at Jim.

They waited until Jim slowly nodded.  "Just remember.  Rochambeau is your responsibility.  Our safety is mine."  He glanced at Jayson who smiled.

'And mine, Granpa Jim.'

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you think he can hear us?" Li asked as they slowly walked the dark streets of Cascade towards the loft.

Jayson slightly frowned.  "If he's concentrating."  He grinned at his partner and started speaking in rapid Quecha.  "Granpa Blair taught me Quecha.  For some reason, Granpa Jim could speak it fairly fluently but had problems translating it into English very quickly."

Li clasped her hands behind her straight back.  "Is there a reason you and he are so antagonistic?  I had the impression you had a positive relationship with them."

"I do…did."  Jason sighed.  "My dad was such a mess, Li.  A lot of it wasn't his fault. Hell, maybe none of it was.  But every time I screwed up, Granpa Jim saw my dad in me.  All I ever wanted was his respect.  I'm not sure I ever got it."

Li's dark head was bent as she studied her partner's words.  "And Blair?"

 

Jayson's eyes lit up with pleasure.  "Even when I screwed up so bad that Granpa Jim had to walk away or explode, Granpa Blair would find a way to make my worst mistakes seem like a learning experience for both of us."  He shook his head.  "It's…strange to see them so young."  He glanced at his partner.  "Do you think Granpa Jim is reacting to my being a Sentinel?"

Li inwardly smiled as she realized Jayson had slowed his pace to match hers.  Their footsteps echoed in the night air.  "It's possible," she admitted.  "Or you could still be trying to gain Ellison's respect."

Jayson sighed as they reached Prospect.  "I really hate time travel."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay, Jim, I figure one of them can take the futon and the other the couch for a few hours."  Blair stopped in the doorway of his room and stared at the other man sitting on the couch.  "Jim?  Don't you dare start zoning on me now!  Not with those two Feds around!"

Jim slowly raised his head.  "They're speaking Quecha."

"Who?"  Blair looked around in confusion.

"Ellis and Li."  Jim slowly got to his feet.

"You were eavesdropping?" Blair demanded, hands on hips.  When Jim didn't answer, he stepped forward.  "Well, don't just stand there!  What did they say?"

"You mean besides having a low opinion of my ability to translate rapidly spoken Quecha?" Jim sorted.  "They know there's a possibility I could hear them from here."

Blair paled.  "Shit!  Do you think this is all a scam to grab you?"

"Ellis keeps calling me Granpa Jim and you Granpa Blair."  Jim had to grin.  "I think you're the favorite one, by the way."

"What?!"

"And they mentioned time travel," Jim finished.

Blair stared at him for af ew seconds.  "That's it.  We're outta here."  He started for the stairs.  "If they have any inkling that you have hyperactive senses, we can't trust anything they're telling us."  He suddenly turned around.  "Did you say time travel?"

Jim suddenly turned as he heard the sound of a footstep on the balcony.  He heard Ellis shouting a warning even as he saw a shadow move towards the window.  Lunging towards Blair, he yelled, "DOWN!"

Blair was already on his way down when Jim slammed into him.  Something flew over their head and landed on the stairs.  Blair looked up to see a small, neat hole two steps above his head.

Just as Jim looked over his shoulder, he heard the front door being thrown open.  The shadow moved backwards then disappeared over the side of the balcony.

Jayson and Li edged into the room.  The small woman glanced at the stairs then followed her partner towards the balcony.

"He's gone," Jayson disgusted reported.  "Son of a …"

"He's using a laser," Li calmly interrupted, studying the small hole in the glass of the balcony door.  She saw Jim and Blair getting to their feet.  "Are either of you hurt?"

"We're okay," Blair shakily answered.  "Right, Jim?"

"Yeah."  Jim's eyes narrowed as the two Federal agents stepped back into the loft.  "Looks like your timetable was just a little bit off," he spoke in Quecha.

Jayson and Li glanced at each other.  Jayson grimaced, feeling much like he did when he was fourteen and had been caught drinking beer.

"We should have been more circumspect," Li quietly admitted.  She saw Blair staring at the hole in the stairs.  "It was made by a laser weapon.  Small.  Easily concealed in the palm of a hand.  But deadly nonetheless."

"It's probably pointless to ask, but is there any change that you're going to tell us the truth?" Jim coldly asked in English.

"There is an assassin who is intent on killing both of you," Li replied.  "Is that not sufficient?"

"Not without trust."

"You know, I thought it was me!  Remembering through the eyes of a child!" Jason exploded.  "I thought it would be different as an adult!  But you just can't let go and trust anyone, can you?"

"Jayson! That's enough!"

Jayson shrugged out of Li's grasp.  "You're feeling overly defensive and territorial, aren't you?  Just like I am.  YOU feel the need to protect your Guide.  Just like I do.  But I also feel the need to protect the both of you, and little cooperation would be appreciated!"

"I don't need to cooperate with you to protect Sandburg," Jim yelled.

"But you don't protect him!" Jayson yelled back.  "You've been drifting apart, haven't you?  You both mentioned having plans tonight. You planned to try and figure out what's pulling your friendship apart.  But you won't.  And three months from now, another Sentinel comes to town and you let Granpa Blair die!"

With a roar of rage, Jim lunched forward.  He grabbed Jayson by the arms and slammed him against the kitchen island, bending him back over the countertop.  "That's a lie!"

"He dies!" Jayson angrily hissed.  "You throw him out, and Alex Barnes drowns him!"

"Jayson!  That's enough!  Be silent!"  Li stood behind them, her dark eyes angrily flashing at her partner.  "You have done enough!"

"Oh, God."

Jim released Jayson and turned to see Blair slowly dropping to the floor.  He watched as Blair looked up at him.  "You throw me out?"

"No!"  Jim quickly walked back to his partner and knelt next to him.  "Never…ever.  Blair, I swear to you…"

"You pack everything he owns and tell him to leave."  Jayson's voice was eerily calm.  "Barnes tries to kill you but fails.  She succeeds with Granpa Blair."

"But you revive him."  Li briefly looked to Jim with reassurance.  "Blair survives."  She shot her partner an angry glare.  "We will talk about this later, Jayson.  You have seriously compromised our mission."

Jayson suddenly looked down at the floor.  "I know," he murmured. 

Slowly, Jim helped Blair to his feet and steered him towards the stairs.  "We'll be back down in a little while.  That's when I want to hear the truth."

The two Federal agents silently watched as the two men walked up the stairs.  Then Jayson turned to his partner.  "I'm sorry, Li.  I just couldn't help it."

Li studied the tall man for several seconds.  "Perhaps we underestimated the negative effects of putting the two of you together in a stressful situation."

Jayson ran a hand through his short-cropped dark hair.  "It's always been like this," he admitted.  "But I thought I'd gotten over it."  He glanced at the stairs for a few moments.  "I'll keep watch on the balcony.  Whatever needs explained, do it.  I'm not fit to judge what should or shouldn't be told."

Li put a hand on his arm.  "We will succeed, Jayson.  I have no wish to work with anyone else."

Jayson barely smiled, but nodded.  Patting her arm, he walked towards the balcony door.  Quietly sliding it open, he stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"C'mon, Blair.  Stretch out for a few minutes."  Jim urged his partner to lie down on the bed.

"What's going on?" Blair asked, eyes wide.  Sighing, he kicked off his shoes and crawled onto the bed.  Sitting in the middle, legs folded beneath him, he rubbed his face with both hands.  "Sentinels.  Time travel.  Assassins.  I need to wake up."

"Blair…" Jim sat on the side of the bed.

"They knew about our secret spot in the forest!" Blair hissed, dropping his hands.  "They know stuff they shouldn't!"

"Assuming they're telling the truth about everything," Jim cautioned.

"And if they are, you're going to throw me out," Blair quietly accused.

Jim saw the desolation in the other man's blue eyes.  Slowly and deliberately, he pushed Blair backwards until the younger man was lying on his back.  Straddling his partner, Jim covered Blair only letting part of his weight rest on the smaller man.

"Hear me, Blair Sandburg.  I was going to roll the dice tonight and gamble everything I have by telling you that I love you.  Not just as a partner.  Not just as a best friend.  Not just as a Sentinel.  But just as me…Jim Ellison."

"I love you, too," Blair whispered.

"And I don't care what anybody says.  As long as I have breath in my body, I will never leave you or let anyone take you from me."  Jim lowered his forehead to Blair's.  "Understand that, Blair.  Know that.  How could I ever throw you out?  You're so much a part of me that I'd be throwing out the best part of my soul."

Blair slid his arms around Jim.  "I wouldn't go," he whispered.  "I couldn't go."

Slowly Jim rolled to his side.  Gently pulling Blair against him, he tucked the younger man's head under his chin.  "Rest a little.  Then we'll sort this all out."

"Do you believe them?" Blair murmured.

"Do you?" Jim countered.

Blair slowly raised his head and stared at his partner.  "There's a theory that time is not confined like a river in its channel.  I believe that everything in our future can be changed."

Jim gently pushed Blair's head back down.  "Rest."  Smiling when he felt Blair's arms sliding around his waist, he gently rubbed the younger man's back.  "I love you," he whispered.  "Nothing will ever change that.  I swear."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside, Jayson Ellison stared out at the darkened city of his youth.  'I swear, too, Granpa Jim.'  His eyes narrowed as he stared at a shadow in the building across the street.  He slowly smiled.  'You're mine, Rochambeau.'

~~~~~~~~~~~

Barely a half-hour later, Jim and Blair walked back downstairs to find Li sitting at the kitchen table. 

Li looked up, seeing how Jim ignored the closed balcony doors.  She smiled at Blair.  "I hope you don't mind.  The tea is delicious."

"Not at all," Blair smiled in return.  "I think I need some coffee, though."

Li nodded towards the full pot.  "I thought so.  Again, I apologize for the intrusion."

Jim sighed as he sat at the table.  "Cards on the table.  What's going on?"

Blair placed a mug in front of Jim and sipped from his.  Glancing at the balcony doors, he frowned.  "Isn't he going to join us?"

Li gently snorted.  "He knows he is in…how do you put it?…deep shit with me."  She smiled when Blair coughed in surprise.  "Therefore, he thinks it's best to stay away from me until he figures out a way to get back into my good graces."

Blair sat down.  He started to say something, then looked back at the balcony doors then at Li.  "He's a Sentinel."

Li nodded.

"And you're his Guide."

Li nodded again.

"And you're from the future," Jim sarcastically added.

"Yes."  Li sipped her tea, watching as the two men exchanged glances.  "We have not lied.  We are here to stop an assassin.  From our time."

Jim snorted.

Blair put a hand on Jim's arm.  "Let her explain.  That laser weapon she mentioned earlier is enough reason, isn't it?  So is what you heard earlier."

Jim took a deep breath, then released it.  He curtly nodded at Li.

Li placed her mug on the table and folded her hands.  "Sentinels are public knowledge in our time.  Thanks to your work, Blair."  She smiled at Jim.  "And yours as well."

Blair grinned in delight.  "You mean people finally find out about Jim?  The kind of man he is?"

"Sandburg," Jim growled in embarrassment.

"I could give you a quick history lesson," Li offered with a smile.  "But the facts are that Jim's Sentinel abilities become public knowledge.  Your work and research, Blair, makes it possible for Sentinel/Guide teams to exist and work."

"Without government interference?" Jim quickly asked with narrowed eyes.  "Or are you two actually Federal agents at all?"

"We are," Li nodded.  She hesitated.  "In our time, Jayson's and mine, the world is trying to recover from a decade of famine and natural disasters.  And while the majority of the world is committed to helping one another and sharing available resources, there are those who seek to profit by others' misfortunes."  Her dark eyes shadowed.  "And there are those who seek to make themselves powerful at the expense of others."  She took a deep breath.  "There was a horrible world wide plague…carried on the wind.  Before it was identified, nearly ten percent of the world's population had died."

"Dear God," Blair murmured in shock.

"By the time a treatment was discovered, another ten percent had died," Li softly continued.  "Because of the urgency, the medicines used to defeat the plague were distributed without the usual long-term testing."

"And the cure was worse than the disease?" Jim asked.

Li shrugged.  "Who is to say?  All I know is that if you took the full treatment, you became addicted to that same medicine.  People have killed for those pills, believing if they didn't take them regularly then they would die a horrible painful death."

"And if they did take the pills long-term?" Jim prodded.

"They became psychotics."

"Jeez."  Blair ran a hand through his curls.  "Let me guess.  Black market.  Smugglers.  Drug lords."

Li nodded.  "One of the most powerful is Felicia D'Amour.  She controlled the supply and distribution for the entire West Coast."  Glancing at the balcony, she allowed herself a smile.  "Until Jayson arrived.  With his Sentinel abilities, he was able to discover many of the distribution points and couriers over the past six years."

Jim grunted.  "I can imagine how happy the locals were when the Feds showed up."

Li smiled in amusement.  "Jayson is a native of Cascade.  It helped smooth ruffled feathers.  Mine, too, as a matter of fact."

"Wait a minute."  Blair held up his hands.  "Has Jayson been a Sentinel all his life?  Where were you?  Did he have another Guide?  Can Sentinels have more than one Guide?"

"Whoa!"  Jim put a hand on Blair's arm.  "How about letting her choose one question to answer first, okay?"

"Sorry," Blair grinned.

"According to your research, Blair, a Sentinel can have more than one Guide.  But for each Sentinel, there is a special Guide," Li admitted.  "And vice versa."

"Like Incacha and me," Blair slowly nodded.  "He guided you when you needed it."

"But you are my guide," Jim firmly added.

"And you're Jayson's special guide," Blair mused, looking at Li.  "Who was his first Guide?  He…she must have taught him well."

"You did," Li acknowledged, her dark eyes now twinkling.

"Me?"

"Is that why he called Blair 'Granpa Blair'?" Jim curiously asked.

Li hesitated.  "Sometime in the future, the two of you will become guardians to a teenage boy.  He was abused by his mother…abandoned by his father.  He trusts no one.  He might have been a Sentinel if the abuse hadn't destroyed much of his soul.  That man is Jayson's father.  Jayson's parents die when he is a young child.  The two of you are his grandparents."

"Damn."  Jim abruptly rose to his feet and went to the sink.  Dumping the cold coffee, he poured more into his mug.  "Let me guess," he said as he finally turned around.  "Blair's the nurturing one.  Once I found out he had Sentinel abilities, I held him up to an impossibly high standard."

Li's dark head tilted to one side.  "That's debatable."

Jim snorted.  "Hell, I turned into my father, Chief."  He ignored Blair's murmured protest and glared at Li.  "He pretty much admitted it."

Li studied her folded hands for several seconds.  "Jayson has always held both his grandparents in the highest esteem.  His pride in both of you is no secret."  She raised her dark eyes.  "He has often told me that one reason he is so good at what he does was because of the teachings he received as a youngster from the two of you.  And that when the darkness threatens him, he simply remembers the good things he learned from you."

"Darkness?" Blair frowned.

Li hesitated.  "It's not unusual for sons to rebel at some point."

Blair softly groaned.  "What did he do?"

Again Li hesitated.  "All I am permitted to say is that Jayson received some specialized training from the Federal government."

Noticing her uneasiness, Blair glanced at Jim who was grinding his back teeth together.  "I guess we can figure out what sort of specialized training, huh?"

Muttering under his breath, Jim glared at the closed balcony doors.  Then he froze.

"Jim?  What…?"  Blair turned in his chair.

"He's gone," Jim snapped as he quickly walked towards the balcony.

"What?!"  Blair demanded.  He got to his feet, but found Li running past him towards the now-open balcony doors.

Jim looked over the side of the balcony towards the street then upwards towards the roof.  "Where the hell did he go?"

"More importantly, how did he go?"  Blair looked around in confusion.

Li slammed one delicate fist onto the concrete wall.  "Damn him!  When I get my hands on him, I will flay the skin from his body!  I will use his balls as marbles!"

Blair's eyes widened and Jim looked impressed.

Li turned to look at them.  "He's gone after Rochambeau!  He's doing his lone wolf act again!  I should have known he was gone!"

"Lone wolf?  Jeez, he is like you."  Blair glared up at his partner.

Jim irritably shrugged.  "It's not your fault, Li.  I didn't even think to check for a heartbeat when we came downstairs."

"You're not his Guide!" Li snapped.  "I am!"  She glared out into the darkness.  "You have much to answer for, Jayson Ellison!" she hissed.

Jim silently herded Blair and Li back inside.  He closed the balcony door.  "He must have seen or heard something," he guessed.

"Shouldn't we try to find him?" Blair worried asked.

Li hesitated then shook her head.  "He knows where we will be in a few hours."  She glanced at the clock.  "He'll catch up with us there."

"Why did this D'Amour woman send Rochambeau back here to kill us?" Blair asked, wearily sitting on the couch.

"Because she continually tried to kill Jayson in our time and always failed," Li answered, sitting on the stairs.  "Her son was killed resisting arrest.  He'd grabbed a young child as a hostage.  Jayson had no choice but to kill him.  After that, she began concentrating on assassinating him."  She tiredly smiled.  "There isn't much known about Jayson's childhood.  And most of his adult life is classified.  There isn't much known about Jayson's parents."

"But there is about his grandparents," Blair slowly nodded.

"If Rochambeau kills either or both of you, the time line is changed," Li quietly explained.  "Jayson doesn't become the man he is.  Perhaps he isn't born at all."

Jim rubbed the back of his neck.  "I don't like this."

Li softly laughed.  "Neither does Jayson.  He hates time travel."

Blair stared at her in awe.  "You guys can actually travel in time…Oh, God…think of all the things you can see!"

"See.  Observe.  Not interfere."  Li frowned.  "Could you watch without interference the rise of a tyrant to power knowing all the deaths his ascension will cause?"

Blair nodded.  "Yeah, I know.  But still…"

Jim had to smile at the dreamy expression on his partner's face.  Then he glanced at Li.  "Your people did something to plant the information that Kelso found."

Li silently nodded.

"And you're here interfering because…" Jim prodded.

"Because Jayson Ellison is a man we cannot afford to lose," Li quietly answered.  "There will be repercussions.  But our defense is that we are trying to prevent the time line from being disturbed in the first place."

"You can't let us remember any of this, can you?" Blair suddenly challenged.  "All that stuff that Jayson was talking about.  All that you've told us.  You can't let us remember any of it, can you?"

"No."

~~~~~~~~~~~

After Li's admission, Jim had taken Blair back upstairs while the Federal agent had waited in the silence and dark of the living room.  Hardly any words had been spoken when Jim called Simon at 3:30 in the morning.  Assured that Major Crimes would be in place, Jim thanked Simon and disconnected the call.

Blair looked at Li, who stood partially concealed by the shadows in the kitchen.  "I'm sure Jayson's okay."

Li briefly smiled.  "He will be until I get my hands on him.  He's worse than any of my children."

"You have kids?" Blair smiled.

"Six."

Both men stopped and openly staring at her slim petite body. 

"You have six kids?" Jim questioned.

"You look…great," Blair added.

Li smiled.  "I've not seen them for almost a year.  They would have been too much of a tempting target for D'Amour.  Once this mission is completed, I will take Jayson by the scruff of his neck; and we will have a nice long visit with them."  She suddenly chuckled.  "My oldest daughter will like that.  She has a crush on Jayson."

"How old is she?" Blair asked, as they headed for the front door.

"Sixteen."

The two men paused in the doorway.

"What did she do?  Start having kids at the age of nine?" Blair hissed at his partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~

From his vantage point on the roof of the Administration building, Jayson scanned the dark campus.  'I know you're here.  Thought you lost me, didn't you?  Thought going through all those noisy clubs would throw me off, right?  Wrong.  You're here…and so am I.'

Jayson's blue eyes flickered towards the fountain in front of Hargrove Hall.  For a few moments, he indulged in the fantasy of destroying the fountain.  Then he shook his head, knowing that would be considered far too much interference.

His eyes flickered towards the small grove of trees that separated the area of the Humanities buildings from the science labs.  He slowly smiled.  'Gotcha'

~~~~~~~~~~~

The ride to Hargrove Hall was made in silence.  As they entered the silent University grounds, Jim slowed the truck, allowing Li to quietly get out.  Jim slowly accelerated as the Federal agent disappeared into the shadows.

Blair took a deep breath.  "What are we going to do if this doesn't work?"

Jim shrugged.  "I guess Jayson and I will go hunting."  Glancing at Blair, he reached over and squeezed the younger man's hand.  "As far as the other stuff he was saying, it will not happen.  Understand?"

Blair squeezed Jim's fingers before releasing them.  "I hear you."

Jim came to a stop in front of Hargrove Hall.  He took a deep breath.  "I love you, Blair Sandburg."  Before Blair could reply, Jim had opened the door and was getting out of the truck.

Uneasy, Blair opened his door and followed Jim up the steps.

Jim waited as Blair pulled out his keys for the front door.  Looking back at the darkened campus, he saw Li running towards the nearby trees.  He turned around and pounded on the door of Hargrove Hall.

The door was quickly opened, and Henri Brown stepped outside. 

"Watch Sandburg!" Jim snapped, reaching for his weapon.  "Sandburg, you stay here!"  Without waiting for an answer, he ran towards the trees.  He heard Blair squawking as Henri pulled him into the safety of Hargrove Hall.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Li entered the small wooded area, her weapon drawn and activated.  Barely breathing, she cautiously edged forward.  'Where are you, Jayson?  We are really going to discuss this lone wolf act of yours when we get home.'

Suddenly, she heard a buzz just behind her left ear.  Just before she was paralyzed, she identified the noise as a stunner.

Smiling, Rochambeau took the small weapon from Li's hand and pocketed it.  Wrapping one arm around Li, he pulled her off her feet and held her against him.  Placing his own weapon just under her chin, he softly called out.  "Show yourself, Ellison!  I know you're here.  You wouldn't let your little Guide get too far away from you."

Jayson stepped out from the shadows, his weapon activated and pointed at the assassin.  "You know better than to hurt a Guide.  It really pisses off the Sentinel."

Rochambeau chuckled.  "I'm afraid I'm going to have to put this mission in the loss column.  But I'm going to take your Guide here back with me.  She's my insurance that you'll be a good little Sentinel and let me make the jump home.  She'll be fine when the stunner wears off."

Jayson shook his head.  "Can't let you do that, Rochambeau."

The assassin's dark eyebrows rose.  "So far, I've got nothing against you, Ellison.  This was just a job, nothing more.  Don't make it personal."

"Too late.  It got personal when you attacked my Guide."

Rochambeau shoved the muzzle of his weapon further info Li's neck.  "You can't make the shot to stop me," he pointed out.  "You fire at me, my automatic reflexes kick in, and you lose your Guide."

Jayson's head tilted to the right.  "There's a spot in the middle of your forehead.  If I hit it precisely, you're paralyzed just like you'd been hit with a stunner.  'Course, you're also dead in a few minutes."

"And you think you can make that kind of a shot?" Rochambeau mocked.

"I once saw an old man make that kind of a shot," Jayson explained.  "Someone attacked his Guide.  Held him prisoner, just like you're doing.  So I learned to make that shot."  Jayson smiled at his Guide.  "Don't move, Li.  It's cool."  Jayson's finger tightened on the trigger, sending a laser beam towards the assassin.

Jim arrived in time to see a bolt of energy hit the assassin in the forehead.  He watched as Rochambeau flew backwards, releasing Li who limply rolled towards Jim.  Instinctively, Jim ran to Li, who was moaning and starting to shake.

Jayson walked over to Rochambeau and rifled his pocket to remove Li's weapon.  Taking a small disc from his jacket pocket, he knelt next to the mortally wounded assassin.  "You should have known better," he muttered.  Staring into the dying man's eyes, he hissed.  "The same people who trained you, trained me."  He gently pressed both sides of the disc then dropped it on the assassin's chest.  He then quickly ran to where Jim was helping Li to her feet. 

Jim saw the air around Rochambeau shimmer as though reflecting heat on a hot summer day.  The next thing he knew, the assassin had disappeared.

"Li?  Are you alright?"  Jayson carefully tilted his partner's head upwards and stared into her eyes.  "Anything scrambled?"

"Only what you call your brains when I get a chance," Li moaned.  She raised a hand and rubbed the side of her head.

Jayson saw Jim staring at the empty ground where Rochambeau had been lying.  "He's gone.  I sent him back to our headquarters."

"Is he dead?" Jim coldly asked.

"If the shock of traveling back didn't kill him, he won't survive but for a few minutes," Jayson admitted.

They turned to see Simon and Rafe making their way through the trees.  "Over here, Simon," Jim called.

"Did you get him?" Simon demanded, looking around.

"He's been taken away," Jayson assured him.  "The extraction team is already on their way back with him."  He saw Simon's anger start to build.  "I'm sorry, sir.  It has to be this way.  But I can assure you, he won't be back."

"And how can you do that?" Simon demanded.

"He's a good shot, sir," Jim crisply answered.  He holstered his weapon and began walking back towards Hargrove Hall.

"Are you okay?" Rafe asked Li.

"I will be fine.  Thank you."  Li assured him.  She smiled at Jayson who slid an arm around her as they followed Jim.  "Now I understand who influenced your manner of dressing as you do," she whispered.  "Even I know enough about men's clothing to know he didn't buy those pants and shirt in a discount store."

Jayson chuckled.  "I'll have to introduce you when we get back."  Giving his Guide another hug, he looked over his shoulder.  "We'll be leaving now, Captain."

"We need to speak with Jim and Blair first," Li gently added.  "I'm sure Jim will need some assurances of his own that this assassination attempt will not be repeated."  She turned to stare up at Jayson.

"Yeah, I forgot about that," he sighed.  "Guess I was just anxious to get home."

Jim pounded on the door of Hargrove Hall.  "Open up, Brown.  It's over."

The door was opened a crack.  Henri glanced out, then opened the door wider.

Blair slipped between Henri and the door and walked outside.  "It's over?" he asked Jim.

"Yeah," Jim nodded with a sigh.  "The kid's one hell of a good shot."

A hundred feet away from the open door of Hargrove Hall, Jayson Ellison slowly smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~

"I don't like it!  Nobody messes with my mind!"

Jim Ellison crossed his arms across his chest and defiantly glared at the two Federal agents.  The door to Blair's small office in Hargrove Hall was locked, the building silent for a few more hours.

Jayson eyed his Guide.  "Li, c'mon.  We don't have to do this."

Li steadily glared at her partner.  "If we leave matters as they are, Alex Barnes will not lead them to the Temple of the Sentinels.  That knowledge will be lost.  We cannot afford for that to happen.  You know that better than I."

"Temple of the Sentinels?  You mean…it actually exists?"  Blair's blue eyes widened in eager surprise.

Jayson rubbed his hands across his face.

"Oh…that's not something we're supposed to know now, right?"

Jayson shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.  "I thought I could stop some of the bad things from happening," he muttered.

Blair slowly put a hand on Jayson's arm.  "I understand."  He suddenly smiled.  "I guess Jim and I did a pretty good job.  You're a good man, Jayson Ellison."

Jayson's eyes suddenly watered.  "It doesn't hurt.  I swear," he whispered.

Blair nodded.  He turned to Jim, then led him to the couch.  "Do you really love me, Jim?"

"What the hell kind of question is that?" Jim angrily shouted.  "Of course, I do!"

"Then let them do what they need to do," Blair quietly urged, pulling them down onto the couch.  "Our love will survive."

Jim wrapped his arms around Blair, tucking the smaller man protectively against his own body.  "Fine."

Blair raised a hand and gently caressed Jim's cheek.  "Our love will survive."

Li reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the small package their Captain had given her.  "Wait outside, Jayson," she urged.

Jayson shook his head.  "No, it'll be better if we do this to them at the same time."

Li hesitated then opened the package and handed him one of the two small dark green discs.  She was surprised when he walked over and knelt next to Jim.  She took her place kneeling at Blair's side.

Blair smiled at her.  "Six kids, huh?"

"Yes."

"Cool."

Li smiled then respectfully bowed her head.  "It has been my honor to meet both of you.  You will live long in my memory."

Jim turned to look at Jayson.  He stared into the Sentinel's blue eyes, then slowly nodded.  "Blair's right.  You're a good man."

Jayson closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  "We are telling you the truth, Granpa Jim.  Neither of you will be harmed."

Jim suddenly smiled.  "We know.  I know."

Jayson opened his eyes and nodded at his partner.

Blair bit his lip when the cool disc touched his left temple.

"Close your eyes," Li softly ordered.  "Relax."

Cradled in Jim's strong arms, Blair obeyed.  "Love you, Jim," he whispered.

Jim closed his eyes and hugged his partner close to him.  "Love you, Blair," he whispered.

The last thing Jim remembered was the touch of the disc against his right temple and his grandson's voice.

'Protect the Guide, Granpa Jim.  Protect the Guide.'

November 2003

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