TANGLED WEBS

PRESENT DAY

“Sweetie, are you sure you don’t need me there?  I can be on my way in an hour.”  Naomi Sandburg’s voice held more than a hint of pleading.

“Mom…Naomi, I’m fine,” Blair Sandburg calmly replied.  “Really.  I know you don’t approve of western medicine, but the antibiotics are doing their job.  And Jim’s making me take it easy.”

Naomi actually bit her tongue to refrain from delivering her opinion of her son’s lover.  “I’m sure he is,” she finally spoke.

Blair sighed.  “Mom, Jim and I have to work things out between us.  And we will.  But we don't need either an audience or a referee for that…we just need time.  Besides, I’d rather you visit when I’m back to full health.  Then the two of us can run Jim ragged.”

“I hear that.”  Naomi forced a chuckle.  “Promise me you’ll call if you get worse?”

“I promise.”  Blair crossed his fingers, then crossed his eyes for good measure.  He ignored the startled look that Jim Ellison gave him.  “I’ll talk to you in a few days.  Okay?”

“Okay, sweetie.  I love you.”

“Love you, too, Mom.”  Blair hung up the phone then ran both hands through his hair.

“How much trouble am I in?” Jim nervously joked.  When Blair looked at him in confusion, he added, “From Naomi.”

“Well, I won’t say there might not be sage in your future the next time she comes to visit,” Blair slowly smiled.  “But she’s okay.”

Jim nodded and reserved comment.

------------------------------

Naomi angrily stalked from one side of her hotel room to the other.  “I knew it!  I knew that jack-booted government-blessed killer would hurt my baby!”  Furiously, she flung open the balcony door and stepped onto the balcony and into the cool air.  For once, the magnificent view of the Swiss Alps didn’t amaze and calm her.  “Drowned!  He let my son drown!”

Ignoring Blair’s explanation that Jim had revived him, Naomi wrapped her arms around her body.  “We were wrong, William,” she muttered.  “They need to be separated.  Your son may not be endangered but mine is!”

Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked back into her hotel room.  She carefully shut the balcony door behind her.  “I need to think.  I need to be calm.”  She gracefully sat down on the floor in front of the fireplace and assumed a comfortable meditative position.  “She murmured under her breath.  “Somehow…someway…I’ll free you from that pig, Blair.  You will be free.”

Naomi closed her eyes and sought inner peace.  It took longer than normal, but she eventually relaxed and felt her spirit rising from her body.

“What do you seek?”

Startled, Naomi opened her eyes and looked around.  She saw a blue-tinted jungle and slowly got to her feet.  “Where am I?”

“What do you seek?”

She turned to face the man who spoke.  “Who are you?” she asked, taking in his native appearance.  ‘Whoever you are, you certainly belong here.’

The man widely smiled.  “Yes, I do belong here.  My name is Incacha.”

Naomi respectfully bowed her head.  “I am Naomi.”

“I know.”  Incacha studied her for a brief second.  “What do you seek?”

“Enlightenment.”

Incacha’s smile faded.  “Really?”

Naomi found herself looking away.  “I seek to free my son.”

“The young wolf.”  Incacha inwardly chuckled at her look of astonishment.  “He is known to me.  I passed to him The Way of The Shaman.”

“Blair is a Shaman?”  Naomi slowly shook her head.  “But he’s so young…”

“Does age determine wisdom?” Incacha sternly rebuked.  “You seek to keep the Shaman from his destiny.”

“His destiny is not with Jim Ellison!” Naomi argued.

“You know all, yet you seek enlightenment?” Incacha mocked.  “You seek not enlightenment, Naomi, but justification for your own selfish desires.”

“It’s not selfish to protect Blair from himself!” Naomi protested.  “He just can’t see what’s best for him!”

“And you can?” Incacha demanded.  “Your agreement to not interfere with your son’s decisions left a bad taste in your mouth, didn’t it?”  He openly smiled at her surprise.  “You will find no ally in William Ellison for your plans to separate your son from his protector.”

“Protector!”  Naomi dismissively shook her head.  “He wasn’t protecting Blair when he allowed Blair to drown!”

“Every Shaman must walk the path of death and rebirth,” Incacha gently pointed out.  “You know this, Naomi.  Do you believe that your son could avoid that and still remain a Shaman?”  When she stubbornly refused to look at him, his voice grew colder.  “Is your jealousy of him so great you would destroy him?”

“Jealous!  You have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Do I not?”  Incacha took several steps towards Naomi.  “You have spent much of your life seeking what you call ‘Enlightenment’.  You encouraged your son to seek enlightenment.  He has sought it and become a Shaman while you still search in vain.  Because his path differs from yours, you seek to pull him back to you.”  He stared into Naomi’s eyes and repeated.  “The path he walks is not yours!”

“Blair’s path is not to be Jim Ellison’s shadow!” Naomi shouted. 

“You are ignorant!” Incacha sternly replied.  “Because you wish to walk separately from others, you wish to force your son to do likewise!”

“My path is the path of freedom!” Naomi argued.  “I am free to seek truth and enlightenment!  I am free to help others in their struggle against tyranny and oppression!”

“Yet you seek to deny your son his freedom to choose!” Incacha pointed out.

Naomi stubbornly glared at him.  “I should have gone ahead and separated them months ago!  No one would have been hurt then!”

Incacha’s lips twisted into a parody of a smile.  “Is that a fact?”  His right hand flashed upwards and covered Naomi’s face before she could move.  “Look at what would have happened.”

TWO MONTHS AGO – ANOTHER POSSIBLE LIFETIME

The two people sitting at a corner table in the Cascade Hilton dining room eyed each other warily even as they politely gave their dinner orders to the waiter.  They sat silently until the wine was brought and poured into their glasses.  When the waiter walked away, the red-haired woman finally spoke.

“I was surprised to receive this invitation.”  Naomi Sandburg sipped the wine and nodded appreciatively.

“I thought it best to get to know one another,” William Ellison casually answered.  “Given that our sons are…such close friends.”

The two eyed each other again, then both slowly smiled.

Naomi leaned back in her chair.  “I can see the family resemblance…between you and Jim.”

William gently placed his wineglass on the table.  “Thank you.  I’m afraid I don’t see a resemblance between you and Blair, though.  He must resemble his father.”

Naomi’s eyes flickered for a moment, then she leaned forward.  She placed one elbow on the table and rested her chin in the palm of her hand.  “How long shall we play this little game?”

“As long as you wish,” William conceded.  “Or we can get down to business.”

“And what exactly is our…business?”

“Our sons, Ms. Sandburg.”

“Call me Naomi.”

Serious talk was postponed by the arrival of their dinner.  The two talked of places they’d been, discovered a mutual dislike of Paris and a mutual love of Rome.  William spoke of seeing the northern lights in Alaska and Naomi recounted a story of celebrating the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge.  They disagreed on music, art, and politics but with little rancor.  They agreed they preferred as little government intrusion into personal lives as possible but for different reasons.

As they relaxed before desert, William changed the subject.  “I have to believe that you’re not completely happy about your son’s involvement in Jimmy’s career.”

Naomi raised an eyebrow upon hearing ‘Jimmy’ but refrained from commenting on it.  “No, I don’t like Blair’s involvement with the pi…police department.  It’s too dangerous.  Besides, I raised Blair to be a child of the world.  He’s been too long at Rainier and in Cascade.  That can’t be good for his spiritual well-being.”

“Well, spiritual well-being aside, Naomi, I’m in agreement but for different reasons,” William admitted.  He leaned forward.  “You know what Blair’s dissertation is about.”

Naomi’s eyes narrowed as she thought.  “I see.”  She sipped her tea and slowly nodded.  “It makes sense.”  She waved her left hand in apology.  “No pun intended.”

William nodded.  “I worked very hard to protect Jimmy when he was a child.  So no one would know about his…abilities.”  He glared across the table.  “Now your son comes along and is including Jimmy in his dissertation!” he hissed.

“Which wouldn’t be happening unless your son agreed to it!” Naomi hissed in return.

William forced himself to calm down.  “The point, Naomi, is that this has to stop.  Too many people know what Blair is writing about.  There’s no way he can protect Jimmy.”

“And when it becomes known, every criminal will try to eliminate Jim which will put my son in mortal danger!” Naomi pointed out.

William stared across the table at Naomi.  “I take it, then, that we’re in agreement.  Those two must be separated.”

Naomi nodded then frowned.  “Blair’s work has to be discredited,” she murmured.  “As you said, too many people know about it already.  Some dangerous criminal would try to take Blair to force Jim to do…well, anything.”

“And probably has already tried,” William sourly added.  “Have you kept up with their cases?  Hardly a couple of weeks go by without them being involved up to their eye-teeth in some dangerous nonsense!”

Naomi glared across the table at the older man.  “Tell me,” she demanded.

She was barely able to eat her dessert, hearing about mob hitmen, falling elevators, nerve gas, and foreign assassins not to mention bank robbers and murderers.  Finally she pushed her plate to one side.  “How do you know all of this?  Surely these things would have been reported outside of Cascade!”

“Some were suppressed due to national interest.  Others took place outside of Cascade.”  William shrugged.  “I’ve made it my business to know what happens to my sons.”

Naomi’s eyes narrowed.   “I raised my son to be an honest, ethical, caring man.  From what I hear, you didn’t have much to do with raising either of your sons.”

William coldly smiled.  “From what I’ve heard, neither did you, Naomi.  Now, we can sit here and trade insults about parenting skills…or the lack of them…or we can figure out a way to save our sons.”  He motioned at the waiter.  “More wine?”

Naomi took a deep breath then released it.  “No.  Whiskey.  Double.  Neat.”

When their dessert plates were removed and their drinks arrived, they sat closer together to plot.  William would use his influence at Rainier to pressure Blair to complete his dissertation.  Naomi would cultivate someone in the publishing industry with few ethics and a lot of greed who would be willing to leak the dissertation which Naomi would send.

“Are you sure Blair will deny his work?” William frowned.  “I don’t understand why he would do that.”

Naomi smiled.  “As I said, I raised Blair to be ethical.  Once Jim’s identity has been compromised, he has no choice.  Besides, he’ll do it to protect Jim if nothing else.”

William’s eyes narrowed then he slowly nodded in agreement.  “It’ll be hell for a while,” he pointed out.  “Are you sure you’ll be able to do your part?”

Naomi firmly nodded.  “Blair has no business being in Jim’s world.  He’s…blinded by some sort of hero worship.  He needs to be free.  The world is his home.”

William drained his glass to prevent himself from commenting.

Naomi suddenly smiled.  “Did I sound convincing enough?”

William slowly chuckled.  “I think Blair will believe it.  I suppose it doesn’t matter if Jim does or not.”  He removed his wallet and motioned for the waiter.  Placing his credit card on the table, he spoke.  “Too bad we didn’t meet earlier in life, Naomi.  I think we could have been quite successful together.”

Naomi thought about it while the waiter took William’s card.  Then she shook her head.  “Not enough trust between us.”  She patted his hand.  “We know each other for what we really are.”

William grunted in reluctant agreement.  “Play your part carefully, though.  Blair’s not an idiot.”

“I know how to handle Blair,” Naomi assured him.  “Not once has he ever considered where the money came from for our travels.  Granted, we didn’t travel first class, but it does take money to travel and rent places to live.”

“You mean you didn’t travel first class when Blair was with you,” William pointed out.  “And the only reason Blair hasn’t asked questions is that he doesn’t really want the answers.”

Naomi frowned.  “You could be right,” she admitted.  Then she shrugged.  “But Blair will never believe that I’d willingly or deliberately betray him.”  She sighed.  “Even if it’s for his own good.”

Two blocks away, a man, dressed entirely in black, sat in the front seat of a black SUV and slowly nodded.  “You’re right, Naomi.  He’d never believe it.”  He drummed his fingers on the dashboard as he considered various possibilities.  “It’s a go,” he finally decided.

The man behind the steering wheel silently nodded.  He waited until the passenger spoke again.  “Now.  He’s walking her to her car.”

The SUV’s powerful engine came to life as the driver pulled away from the curb.  They passed William and Naomi then pulled into the curb as the passenger pulled a ski mask down over his face.  Gun in hand, the passenger quickly exited the SUV and faced the two people who stopped in sudden shock.

The masked man raised the gun and fired once at Naomi and once at William.

Naomi crumpled to the sidewalk, a bullet hole in her forehead.

William fell to one knee, then fell sideways onto the sidewalk next to Naomi.

The masked man dismissed Naomi, knowing she had died immediately.  He stood over William, watching as the older man’s left hand convulsively shook.  He quickly aimed and fired a bullet into William’s head.

Ignoring the screaming from two women who were exiting the hotel, he ran back to the SUV and jumped inside.  With a powerful roar of the engine, the vehicle pulled back onto the street and disappeared into traffic.

The passenger removed the ski mask and dropped it and the gun into a duffel bag at his feet.  He ran his right hand through his short-cropped hair and took a deep breath.

“Regrets?”

The passenger glanced at the driver and shook his head.

“None about what just happened.  The aftermath…”  He shrugged.  “I’ll live through it.”

The driver’s lips merely twitched.  “Good luck,” he sardonically offered.  He kept his eyes on the road as the passenger changed from his all-black outfit into jeans, blue t-shirt, and tan jacket.  The black outfit was shoved into the duffel bag which was zipped shut.

Ten minutes later, the driver slowed the SUV as they approached a shopping center.  The passenger opened the door and got out.  Before he closed the door, he stared at the driver.  “Everything will be disposed?”

The driver glanced at the dashboard clock.  “Within thirty minutes, this vehicle is scrap metal.  Mask, duffel bag, and gun are in an acid bath.”

The two men stared at each other for several seconds, each appreciating the efficiency and professionalism of the other.

“Be seeing you.”  The passenger shut the SUV door.

“Most likely,” the driver nodded.  He pulled back onto the street and disappeared into the darkness.

The man slowly walked across the parking lot and into Home Depot.  Inside, he took his time looking at the plumbing supplies, trying to decide which faucet would look best in the bathroom.  He stiffened when his cell phone rang and closed his eyes.  Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes and pulled out his cell phone.  Opening it, he answered.

“Ellison.”

“Jim.  It’s Simon.  Where are you?”  Jim’s superior officer rapidly spoke.

“Home Depot.  Jefferson Shopping Center.  Why?”  Leaving the plumbing supply area, Jim Ellison began walking towards the front of the store.

“Where’s Sandburg?”

“Home, I think.  Simon, what’s going on?” Jim demanded.

Simon Banks sighed.  “Hell, there’s no good way to say this.  There’s been a shooting.  Get…”

“Sandburg?!” Jim demanded, breaking into a run towards his truck once he cleared the front doors of Home Depot.

“No…Sandburg’s fine.  I’ll send Joel to the loft to get him.  Joel!  Sandburg’s at the loft!”

“Then what…” Jim began.

“Jim!”  Simon yelled.  “Stop and listen to me!”

“Yes, sir.”

Simon hesitated then spoke.  “There was a shooting about twenty minutes ago.  In front of the Cascade Hilton of all places.  Two victims.  It’s…Naomi and your father.”

“What?”  Jim leaned against the side of his truck.  He scanned the surrounding parking lot to make sure he was clearly visible to the security cameras.

“I’m sorry, Jim.  They’re both dead at the scene.”

“I don’t…Naomi and…Naomi and Dad?”  Jim began pacing.  “God, Simon…this is going to kill Blair.  I gotta get to him…”

“Joel will get him.  I need you here when he arrives.  Can you drive or do I send someone?”

“No…I can drive.  I can’t just…wait here.”

“Carefully, Ellison.  Do you hear me?  I don’t want to give Sandburg any other bad news tonight.”

“Understood, Captain.”  Jim closed the cell phone and slowly got into his truck.  He took another deep breath then started the truck’s engine.

The street in front of the Cascade Hilton was blocked by police cars.  Jim parked his truck and walked towards the barricades.  He flashed his identification to a patrol officer.  The young man’s eyes widened sympathetically as he waved Jim through the lines.

Simon immediately spotted Jim and walked towards him.  “Joel just called.  They’ll be here in just a few minutes,” he quietly spoke.  “Jim…I’m sorry.”

Jim nodded and walked towards the sidewalk. 

“Jim, don’t do this,” Simon urged, even as he walked with the detective.

“I gotta, Simon.”  He stopped and stared down at the dead bodies of William Ellison and Naomi Sandburg.  “What…tell me what happened, Simon.  Before Sandburg gets here.” 

“Two women leaving the hotel heard gunshots and saw a man standing over the bodies.  They saw him fire a second shot….” Simon grimaced.  “…into your father’s head.”

“Can they identify the shooter?” Jim quietly asked.

“Male.  Dressed all in black.  Ski mask over the face.  Gun was in his right hand.”

“Well, that’s a lot of help.”  Jim rubbed his face.

“Naomi died instantly,” Simon muttered, glancing over his shoulder.  “I think the second shot was to make sure your father was dead.”  He looked back at Jim.  “I didn’t realize they knew each other.”

“Neither did I,” Jim admitted.  “Blair never mentioned it either…and he would’ve if he’d introduced them to each other.”

“They had dinner in the hotel restaurant,” Simon continued.  “That much we do know.”

“MOM!  MOM!”

“Sandburg.”  Jim spun around to intercept the shouting man.

Blair Sandburg had pulled away from Joel Taggart’s grasp and was running towards the bodies lying on the sidewalk.

Jim grabbed his partner and swung him around.

“Blair, look at me!”

“Let me go!  MOM!”

“Blair!”  Jim roughly shook the younger man.  He made sure he caught Blair’s eyes with his own.  “No.  Don’t.”

“It’s my Mom, Jim…my Mom….”  Blair wiggled to get out of Jim’s hands.

“I know, buddy, I know.  It’s my Dad, too.”

Blair suddenly stopped struggling.  He blinked several times as tears began running down his cheeks.

“C’m here.”  Jim roughly pulled Blair into his arms and hugged him.

“Momma,” Blair moaned softly into Jim’s chest.  “I want my momma.”  His hands fisted into Jim’s clothing.

“I know, Chief.”  Jim lowered his head to Blair’s shoulder.  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.  “I’m so so sorry.”   He closed his eyes and tightly squeezed the younger man.  "Christ, I'm so sorry."

PRESENT DAY

Naomi stumbled back and then slowly sank to the ground.  “No,” she muttered.  “That wouldn’t happen.  Jim wouldn’t hurt me or his father.  He wouldn’t.”

“He will do whatever is necessary to protect his Shaman,” Incacha assured her.

“This proves nothing.  Nothing at all.”  Naomi tried to take a deep breath.  “You’ve shown me nothing to prove that Blair would be better off with Jim than with me.”

Incacha knelt in front of Naomi.  “Have I not?” he gently asked.  “Did you not learn that there are consequences to each and every action?  The man you call Jim Ellison will do anything to protect your son…protect all those he considers part of his tribe…and that includes you, Naomi.  But if anyone tries to hurt or remove his Shaman, he will do whatever is necessary to prevent that from happening.”

“All you’ve shown me is that Jim is truly a stone-cold killer,” Naomi bitterly pointed out.  “Blair needs to be protected from Jim.”

Incacha sadly sighed.  “Then we have nothing more to discuss.  What you saw is what would have happened if you and William Ellison had agreed to interfere with your sons’ lives.”  He slowly stood.  “Consider this, Naomi.  You have spent many years seeking Enlightenment but never found it.  Perhaps that is because you have wanted Enlightenment as you define it…not as it truly exists.”  When she looked up at him with anger in her eyes, Incacha shook his head.  “You will seek all the days of your life, but you will never find Enlightenment.  I hope you realize what will be lost if you persist.”

“I will have my son safe from Jim Ellison!” Naomi shouted as Incacha walked away.  She screamed in frustration when his last words floated back to her.

“It is not about you, Naomi.”

----------------------

Shuddering violently, Naomi opened her eyes and jumped to her feet.  She staggered slightly even as she wildly looked around.  Her breathing slowly calmed as she found herself in her hotel room high in the Swiss Alps.

She slowly sat on the comfortable couch and lowered her head into her hands.  Even as she tried to remember her vision, the details were slowly fading away.  All she could remember was the stern warning not to interfere with Blair’s life.

But she was his mother.  Wasn’t it up to her to steer him in the right direction?

Something inside Naomi rebelled, and she raised her head.  “Everyone must walk their own path,” she murmured.

Shakily she got to her feet and walked to the balcony door.  Staring out into the darkness, she asked herself if she even knew what was the right course of action.

Finally, Naomi turned around and wearily walked towards the bedroom.  She would leave tomorrow and travel to Sedona.  It had always been a place of peace and calm for her.  She would meditate and think long and hard about what to do.  Then she would visit Blair and make her decision.  And that decision would be in Blair’s best interest.

Wouldn’t it?

June 2011

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