New
Arrivals
Author-Amanda
Titles
Tempus Fugit
by Amanda
Disclaimer: All Sentinel characters and locations are the property of Pet Fly Archive: Yes please Rated: PG.
(tempus fugit: time flies)
A short little vignette (or vinaigrette as my family is wont to say)
"He's a what?"
Blair looked up at Detective Brown from where he sat at Ellison's desk, shaking his head resignedly and smiling. He was expecting some ribbing about what he had to tell them. "He's an anthropologist like me."
Brown grimaced, hiding his smirk and ignoring Blair's outraged countenance. "Ye Gods, not another one! Jim, how you taking this?"
Ellison briefly looked up from the file he was reading. "I'll live. Hopefully his habits won't emulate a certain anthropologist we're all familiar with."
The anthropologist in question then fixed him with a wan smile, preferring to humour the sometimes irascible cop and fully intending to wreak his vengeance later. Ellison smirked and looked at his partner's frown. "What?" he asked innocently.
Brown allowed his own smile to slip through. "You're still braver than me."
Blair hit the detective's arm closest to him. "Shut up. We're not all that bad. He's only staying a few days and Jim, kindly," he emphasised, "said he could stay with us for a few days."
Brown chuckled again and stepped back as Simon joined them. Simon hadn't missed the obvious goings on at the younger man's expense and wanted to join in. He normally leapt at any chance to get one over the anthropologist because, as they all knew, it didn't happen often.
Simon lay another file on the desk. "I've obviously come in late. Who is this guy?"
"We went through undergraduate together," Blair explained, "four years. He's great, you'll love him. Smart as a tack. Tough as nails..."
"A regular piece of hardware," Jim interrupted. Blair shot him a look and he quickly smiled back down at his work.
Blair allowed him his cheap shot and addressed Simon again. "He's been in New Guinea for almost three years doing his PhD. Living pretty rough by all accounts. I've been getting the odd letter but where he was wasn't exactly conducive to mail drops."
Simon rolled his eyes. "Two of them. Is he a health nut like you?"
Blair took all the good natured ribbing in his stride. "He's not a lot like me. He'll eat anything. Well, he did when I knew him. Jim, you may even have someone to go to Wonder Burger with. You'll be surprised, I guarantee it...."
"ICEBERG!"
All four men jumped at the deep shout that tore through the bullpen. All four turned towards the man that had shouted everyone into stunned silence. Three of those jaws dropped. The owners of those jaws had become far too accustomed to thinking of anthropologists along the lines of their resident one.
The man that made his hurried way towards them was taller than Jim with a buzz cut to match. He outweighed any one of them but it was all muscle. Blair jumped off the desk and walked to meet him.
"Jason! It's great to...ooomph." All talk and air was immediately cut off as the big man grabbed him and hoisted him into the air. Blair found he had to forestall his greeting as he was bounced repeatedly up and down.
"Hell, it's good to see you, Blair. Missed you, son." The man had yet to let him go. Blair tapped him on the shoulder, trying to indicate his need for air.
Jason spotted the others and, grinning wildly, changed his grip on Blair and hoisted him under one arm. "Pleased to meet you all. I'm Jason Kendrick." He eagerly pumped Simon's offered hand.
The three detectives looked at Blair's precarious position hoisted under the big anthropologist's arm. Blair looked back at them in embarrassment. Jim noticed that Blair didn't bother to struggle, suspecting that his friend knew it to be futile and any attempt would only serve to embarrass him further in front of witnesses.
"Jason, you can put me down now," came the order.
The man looked at his captive and hugged him again. "God, I missed you."
"I missed you, too. But I mean it. Put me down or I'll have to hurt you."
Jason looked back at the other men, an infectious smile making its way across his sun-tanned face. Brown was beginning to snicker. Jason liked the detective already. "Don'tcha just love him...aaaakh."
Jason released his grip on Blair who, luckily, landed on his feet. The big man rubbed his nose where his friend had hit him.
Blair smiled up at him, straightening his now wrinkled clothing. "Well, I did warn you."
Jason still rubbed at his nose. "Yeah, I'll give you that." The man smiled at him good naturedly. "Got time for lunch? Any of you are welcome to join us."
Jim smiled, nodding. "I haven't had lunch yet."
Brown excused himself, having already eaten. Simon nodded. He wanted to learn of this man that was a total polar opposite of the only anthropologist he'd known so far. The sheer size of the man lent him more towards the type of life Ellison had left behind, not quiet study and theses.
"There's a great little vege place not two blocks away, Jason," Blair piped up. Didn't hurt to try, he thought.
Kendrick wrinkled his nose. "Eeeew, no way. I feel like a burger. Or Nachos. Something nice and disgusting, Blair. I've been eating native foods for a while now and I want something that can potentially kill me."
Blair shook his head, nudging his friend with his arm. "You haven't changed."
"Some things in this universe are constant, Iceberg, and I'm one of 'em. I've got tons to tell you. I've put some twenty rolls of film in and should get them back tomorrow. All my notes went straight to the Uni. but I can show you them later." Kendrick steered his smaller companion towards the door.
"Great! I want to hear all about your life with the Koa. I wanna know anything you can tell me about their culture...." Blair followed his friend out of the bullpen, Jim and Simon tagging behind.
Simon looked at Jim. "I think we'll be learning a lot this lunch hour." He smiled and went to get his coat.
Ellison returned the smile and followed the two anthropologists to the lift. He had the feeling he wouldn't be getting a great deal of sleep for the next few nights. But, then, life sure wasn't boring now he had Sandburg leaping about in it.
**********
"But I thought your studies were to be based on their sexuality and culture?" Blair said into his drink. He watched his friend closely. "What does Rainier say? They didn't care about you changing your topic so late?"
Kendrick shrugged, concentrating on his burger and not meeting his friend's penetrating gaze despite Blair's attempt to draw his eyes. "I decided, while there, that I didn't really want to pursue my first area of study. So, I decided to study the impact of the modern day government on the Koa, instead."
Jim could see that his roommate wasn't going to let this one lie. Obviously changing your thesis was not normally heard of. He also picked up that Kendrick was becoming agitated at Blair's questioning. The bigger man seemed gentle but, like Jim, didn't really like having his decisions challenged. His reasons for changing was evidently a sore point and Jim and Simon watched Blair dig at his friend further, either not aware of the dangerous terrain ahead or not interested.
Blair watched his old friend shrug again and return his attention to his burger. "What happened, Jason?" he asked quietly.
"Nothing, Iceberg. I just didn't want to follow what I first picked. Is that all right with you?" Kendrick's voice rose slightly in annoyance, regretting it the moment the angry words left his lips.
Simon wiped his mouth with his napkin, pretending he wasn't there. He watched Jim carefully. Jim absently watched for any threat, supposedly devoting his attention to his food. Kendrick was still not happy about his motives being questioned. Jim thought again at how unlike Blair this man was.
"Initiation rites?" Blair pressed.
Kendrick threw his burger onto its wrapper on the small table in frustration. He raised his eyes to glare at the smaller man. Blair looked at him in understanding. Kendrick felt his anger melt away. Jim and Simon could almost hear the sound of the nail being hit square on its head.
"Yeah," Kendrick admitted. "I'm not stupid. I knew what the rites would be like but I just....in our culture it amounts to child abuse. I couldn't handle it." Kendrick leant back in the plastic chair. It creaked under his weight shift. "I know we're meant to be impartial and nothing's meant to affect us. We go in and observe and report our findings. The traditions of the people are not meant to be disturbed and criticised. We're not supposed to view alien cultures in a judgemental way. We are to tolerate and report what we find. Well, what I found was...a tradition I couldn't bear to watch, let alone write a thesis about."
Blair nodded. "I understand. It's hard to be impartial when you're so closely involved." He glanced at Jim a moment and smiled at the detective. Jim smiled back, pausing before chewing some more.
"Anyway," Kendrick announced loudly, "how's yours coming? Closed societies isn't it? Are these guys that close mouthed?" He indicated Jim and Simon with his thumb. The mood lifted slightly.
Blair laughed. "A little. I'm not allowed to play in a lot of their reindeer games."
Jim chuckled. "Listen, Rudolph, you go through the training and I'll let you play all our games."
"I bet I was a shock, hey?" Kendrick asked. "You probably thought we're all bookish types like Iceberg here."
Blair looked wounded. "Hey, enough of the bookish type, thank you. I'm no slouch in the physical department, thanks very much. I'll have you know I could probably outrun any of you on flat ground."
"Oh, really?" Jim's eyebrows rose. "Blair, you recall my training? Full pack in bad conditions type training?"
Blair took a swig of his drink. "Yep. I remember. But I carry less weight. You lot carry around too much muscle. I'd be a lot faster than all three of you."
"Bravado. Bluff and bravado. You're full of it, Sandburg." Simon laughed. He could sense the competitiveness rising in a slow boil around the table.
"No, I'm not." Blair shook his head. "You name the area and we'll race. Not a short flat race, a long flat race. Let's see if you have the stamina." Blair waved a piece of lettuce at them, before cramming it into his mouth. "You lot'll be huffing like old men."
Kendrick pointed his drink straw at their challenger. "Old men? I'm only two years older than you, Iceberg. And I can easily beat you. Beat your cop mate here, too."
Jim looked at the anthropologist in surprise. "You're on. Both of you. Hope you like losing, gentlemen, 'cause my dust is all you'll be seeing." Jim chuckled deep in his chest and finished his meal. He looked at Simon, who had yet to say anything.
Simon put up his hands. "Don't look at me. I concede already. But I'll go along to watch and make sure none of you cheat. This oughta be fun." He had the feeling a few other people would like to witness this contest. "How about the cross country run at Daryl's school?"
Blair shook his head. "I said flat race, Simon."
"It's not that bad. I walked through it once with Daryl before he ran it. If anything, you should have even more of an advantage. The natural obstacles should slow these two down."
Blair smiled. "Sounds good to me. Saturday?"
"Fine by me," Jim said around his piece of burger. He was beginning to look forward to the weekend. He hadn't had much planned, anyway. One question he'd been meaning to ask suddenly popped into his head. He looked at Kendrick. "What's with the 'Iceberg'?"
Blair groaned, "Don't get him started. He'll regale you with all types of inaccurate accounts of our undergrad years together."
"Sounds good to me," Simon said around a mouthful, "tell me more."
Blair waved his hands in an attempt to assuage any further interest. "No, really you don't want to know...."
"There was the double date we went on." Kendrick started to laugh at Blair's betrayed expression. "I'm sorry, Blair, I have to tell them this one."
"Jason," Blair growled warningly.
"No, no, they'll see the funny side of it, kid." Kendrick put his drink down, ignoring the baleful look he was being given. "My girlfriend of the time didn't really like my friend here...."
"A female? Didn't like him?" Jim asked, gracing Blair with an incredulous look.
"Jason...." Blair tried again. "Not this one."
Kendrick dismissed him again, looking at the other two men. "She hooked him up with this friend of hers. Well, it was my idea at first. I take full responsibility. Tall girl, well, taller than him anyway, with beeeutiful long black hair. Name of Rosanna, I believe."
Blair put his face in his hands. This was the one story he had long hoped forgotten and now his worst nightmare was being dredged up and paraded before two men who would never let him forget it.
"Anyway," Kendrick continued, "we took in a movie. Blair was quite smitten at first. The two of them made plans to meet again the next night. Well, we dropped my girl, Debbie, off home first and then Rosanna. I waited in the car while Blair walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight."
Kendrick turned to his friend who still held his head in his hands. "What was it that turned you off her again, Blair?"
"You know full well," Blair groaned from behind his hands.
"Ah, yes," Kendrick said, slapping his forehead, "her five o'clock shadow."
Ellison nearly choked on the small amount of drink left in his cup. "It was a guy?" He looked at his partner who was currently dying of embarrassment.
"All six foot of her," Kendrick chuckled. "I've never seen anyone move so fast. He practically launched himself through the window of my car."
Simon suppressed his own laughter. Blair had yet to look up from behind his hands. Ellison clapped him on the shoulder.
"Come on, Blair, surely you've got one just as bad about him."
Blair looked out from behind his hands and managed a smile of thanks at his roommate. "Well, I think I do have one. I became friends with Rosanna and still know her to this day. She was very big about what had happened. She wasn't very pleased with you, as I recall. She thought I knew she was a transvestite and told me she'd hoped I wanted to see her again."
Simon chuckled. He couldn't believe that Blair could be so unsuspecting. "And you had no idea it was a man? Not a clue? Nothing gave it away?"
Blair nodded, thinking they may as well know the whole story now. "For a man of six foot Rosanna had very small hands. Bigger than mine but I didn't think that strange, being much taller than me to begin with." He noticed a broad grin spreading across Jim's face. "What?"
Jim shook his head. "Nothing. You just surprise me sometimes."
"Well, it gets better. Debbie decided she liked me after all and helped me get my revenge. Rosanna said she'd help." Blair smirked at his friend, starting to enjoy this immensely and basking in the revelation he was about to share. "Remember the party where we put you in the closet?"
Kendrick nodded, not sure he liked the sound of what was coming.
Blair started to laugh himself. "I never told you this until now but, it wasn't Sandra we sent in there after you." Blair took in his friend's horrified expression.
"You're kidding me?" Kendrick asked hopefully.
"Nope. You played tonsil hockey for some five minutes. Broke the record."
Kendrick regarded the table a moment and then a smile slowly made its way out. He wagged a finger at Blair. "Watch yourself, Iceberg, I've got your number now and something bigger and better will find its way to you." Kendrick shook his head. "Damn! That Rosanna was a bloody good kisser!"
All four men looked at each in complete silence and then all four began to laugh.
Kendrick wiped tears from his eyes and blew his nose in his paper napkin. "You still know her, you say? Gimme her number, will you?"
All four began to laugh again, clutching their sides, until it became too painful. Blair announced he was off to the gents and left them still sniggering.
Simon recovered his composure first. "You still haven't explained the 'Iceberg'."
Kendrick controlled himself. "It's a nickname I thought up for him in our first year. What you see with Blair is only the beginning. He goes a lot deeper than what you see."
Jim looked at him quietly for a moment. Kendrick had described his friend exactly.
**********
By Friday night the Cascade PD betting pool had most of its money on Ellison. Then some of them caught sight of Kendrick when he came in that day to meet Blair. The betting furiously changed back and forth. Banks had frowned on it but conceded when it was suggested the money go to charity.
Ellison didn't fail to notice the flurry of activity and pinned his captain with a glare.
"I couldn't help it, Jim. I told Taggert. He thought it was great and told Handley in Vice, then I think it went through Traffic." Simon looked around grimly. "It sorta went downhill from there."
"Odds?" Ellison couldn't stay angry with him. He would have done the same.
"So far, you're ahead. Then Kendrick."
"Sandburg?"
"Umm, not many have bet on him. The majority are female, surprise surprise. You may want to know, Carolyn's one of them."
Ellison looked at him askance. "You're kidding me?"
At that moment his ex-wife chose to approach him, having spotted him while walking past Major Crimes. Jim graced her with a cool stare. He, frankly, felt a bit put out.
"Hiya, Jim. Ready for tomorrow? All rested up?" The smile that split her face could hardly be contained. She had a good idea he knew.
Jim couldn't hide his disbelief. "I'm a bit surprised, I gotta tell you. You know how fit I am."
"I know the course, Jim. I've run it myself ages ago. Great hulking men bulging with muscles aren't going to have any advantage. I'm not stupid. He's lighter and faster than you." Carolyn pat his arm. "I'd get some sleep if I were you."
He watched her walk away, open mouthed. He looked back at his captain. "And I suppose you've placed your bet, have you?"
"Yes, indeedy. And I'm not going to tell you who. I don't want either you or Sandburg to get testy about this." At Jim's expression he laughed. "But, I will tell you, it's not Kendrick."
"Your confidence is underwhelming, Sir," Jim said, deadpan.
**********
Simon joined the three of them for dinner that night. Blair and Kendrick were in his room looking over some old books. Jim recalled the expression on Kendrick's face when Blair told him about the police sub-cultures he was studying. The anthropologist could tell his young friend wasn't telling him the complete truth, police culture *not* having been Blair's passion the last time Jason saw him.
Jim had met the grad student's stare nonchalantly when Jason had looked at him questioningly. But Kendrick had said nothing, knowing it wasn't strange to change your thesis when the subjects of your study couldn't be found or aspects of it proved distasteful to you personally.
Kendrick had known Blair was determined to find Burton's elusive sentinels. His friend had been almost manic in his pursuit when they had reached their graduate level and he couldn't see him stopping short now. Kendrick had decided it was none of his business, but he resolved to watch the people that now surrounded Blair. Maybe he had found himself a sentinel, after all.
Dinner proved interesting with Kendrick freeing up a few more secrets about Blair's early years at uni. The man had a wealth of information about their young friend. Simon, in particular, found himself enjoying the historical exploits of the police observer.
Blair countered, when he could, with tales of Kendrick's mishaps but his bigger friend had far more dirt on him. Jim decided that Blair just had more of an uncanny ability to get into more trouble than his classmate.
Simon helped them clean up and, after telling them to get lots of rest for they all had a big day tomorrow, he left for home. Jim excused himself not long afterwards and went to bed. For the next couple of hours he absently listened to the two friends downstairs as he drifted in and out of sleep.
"How far were you into it before you decided to change your thesis?" Blair asked.
Like a dog with a bone, Jim thought. He could hear Kendrick sigh in resignation.
"I was only a month into it when I decided it wasn't for me. And, yes, it was the initiation of the young boys. I couldn't take it, much less write about it objectively. I should have known better. We both knew what the ceremonies were like within other tribes but this one hadn't been studied for more than fifty years."
Kendrick sighed and lifted himself up off the lounge. "You want a coffee, Iceberg?"
Blair had obviously nodded yes because Jim heard their guest prepare two cups.
"I imagine that whoever wrote about the Koa last was a prude and never mentioned the ceremony. Not the type of subject you'd normally read about back in the forties."
"It's OK. I can understand it wouldn't be easy." Blair cleared his throat. "I can see you were shocked to see I had also changed my area of interest."
Kendrick rejoined him on the lounge. "I was intending to ask about that. Couldn't find a sentinel, huh? Not like you to give up."
Blair laughed, a little too nervously, Jim thought. "Yeah, they're not on every corner, Jase. I picked me something a little easier to find. Cops."
"I imagine they are pretty rare."
Jim couldn't see it but Kendrick had graced Blair with a knowing smile. Blair cleared his throat and jumped up out of his seat.
"Water's boiled. I'll get it, coffee wasn't it?"
"Mmmm," Kendrick answered, picking at a piece of lint on his sleeve. He'd allow Blair his secrets.
**********
The morning of the race saw all three men talking congenially over breakfast. Blair was intending to cook them bacon and eggs, knowing the two men would wolf them down but decided not to be so nasty. He endeavoured to win this race fairly, not through cloak and dagger attempts at knackering the rather formidable opposition with a heavy meal.
They had toast and orange juice, not intending to eat again until after the race some three hours later. Jim and Kendrick changed into shorts and t-shirts, putting their sweats over the top to keep warm. Blair decided to wear his sweats during the run.
**********
The day was fine, with a crisp chill to the air and the three of them took Jim's truck to the school. Jim grimaced when the gathered crowd came into view. Blair waved like a celebrity, smiling at them all and lapping it all up. Kendrick leapt out of the car and flexed his arms. A few of the women present fell silent. He was an impressive example of manhood.
Ellison graced them with his usual ice, trying hard not to smile at the shenanigans going on. He supposed it gave them all something to do. He did notice, however, that despite the number of female admirers that Kendrick drew, the majority tended to look his young roommate's way. Suppressing a snigger he peeled off his outer clothing.
Simon approached Blair who was taking all attention in his stride. He looked up at the captain shyly. "I'm going to look a right berk if I lose this, aren't I?"
"It was your idea, Sandburg. Having second thoughts?"
Blair shook his head. "This is going to kill me. I just know it. I may be faster but I'm nowhere near as fit as the two of them." He indicated his opponents with a jerk of his head.
"The bigger they are, Blair, the noisier they are when they fall." Simon smiled to himself, impressed with his variation of the saying. "Besides, how do you know you're no fitter? You don't eat junk food like Jim. And all that native New Guinea food must have weakened him."
Blair looked over at Kendrick. Sure, Simon, he thought. In my dreams. Blair discarded his jacket, handing it to Simon. He approached what he supposed was the starting line because Jim and Jason waited there for him. Standing beside them he started to feel foolish. Kendrick placed an arm around his shoulder, unintentionally emphasising their difference in size and then released him. Blair jumped up and down, shaking his arms in readiness.
"Good luck, Jim. You, too, Jason."
"Thanks, Blair."
Ellison smiled over at his roommate. "Yeah, you too...."
Kendrick and Ellison were looking at thin air. Not a Sandburg in sight. The crack of the starter's pistol echoed around them. Shit, thought Ellison. Blair was already off and running. He'd been watching Taggert, the owner of the starter pistol.
The watching crowd laughed uproariously as the two big men faltered and then took off at top speed, their smaller opponent having got the drop on them. Simon bent over, holding onto his knees, laughing. The look on Ellison's face had been priceless. Taggert watched the contestants fast disappearing, barely holding back his own laughter. He'd bet on Ellison. He shouldn't be laughing.
Blair's feet beat a frantic staccato on the dry ground. He couldn't hear the men behind him but that didn't mean they weren't far behind. His fast start may not do him that much good until he got to the rougher part of the cross country track. He could see the treeline getting closer and, just as he entered it, he could hear one of them coming up behind him.
Kendrick managed to keep up with Ellison and they were closing fast on their smaller friend. They watched him disappear into the brush barely a half minute before they crashed through it themselves.
I had no idea he was that fast, thought Ellison. Blair had beat them to the jump and pulled away all the more further as the moments passed. He decided to allow Kendrick to pull away, wanting to pace himself. The run was long and he didn't want to tire before the end. Narrowly ducking a branch he knew, then, that Blair had the definite advantage. The man's smaller frame would see him under most of the obstructions they had to try harder to avoid. He smiled to himself as he thought that Blair might just win this one.
The track straightened out slightly and Blair could hear someone getting closer. A call of "Lookout, Iceberg!" betrayed who it was. Kendrick pulled up alongside and smiled down at him. Blair waved and watched as his friend put on a burst of speed. He didn't care. Let Jason expend all his energy trying to get in front. Blair hoped in his inner heart that his tactic would work. Slow and steady wins the race, he thought.
Some five minutes into the race he began to reevaluate his bright idea of challenging his friends. Surely, you had better things to do, Sandburg? You're not normally lacking for interesting things to do on a weekend. Shifting quickly to adjust to the twist in the track he decided to bring up his regrets later. Not paying attention now could see him with a broken ankle.
Behind him he heard what must have been Jim. The bigger man caught up and paced himself against his roommate. Jim listened to his heartbeat. Fast, but no problem. Blair wasn't radiating more heat than he deemed safe. The exertion wasn't doing any harm. Vitals checking done, Jim resolved to bring the race to an end now. He could see through the trees to the finish line, the place they had started from, having come full circle.
Putting on a burst of speed he left his partner behind and erupted from the treeline a few seconds ahead of Blair. Kendrick was only a few seconds in front. Jim knew he could easily run down the big anthropologist.
At the finish line the crowd of some twenty cops peered into the sunlight to see who was in front. The runners still had a good minute before the finish line.
"Ellison!" shouted a pleased Taggert. "I think it's Kendrick next."
They watched as Ellison pounded his way toward them. The army training was obviously coming through. He's one tough son of a bitch, thought Taggert.
Murmuring began as people expressed regrets on where they had placed their bets or grew excited as they saw Ellison pushing ahead.
Taggert's mouth dropped and he tapped Simon on the shoulder, pulling his attention away from Carolyn. He pointed.
Blair had passed Kendrick and was fast catching Ellison. They all watched, open mouthed, as the smaller man powered his way past his bigger partner.
Ellison couldn't spare Blair a glance as he took stock of the young man passing him. He was too busy concentrating on Blair's vitals. Too fast, he thought. His heartbeat was way too fast and his temperature was on the rise.
"Blair?" he managed to puff out.
The anthropologist ignored him and put on a final spurt of speed. Ellison and Kendrick didn't have the wind left to catch him. Blair passed the finish line ahead of them by barely five seconds and fell into Simon's waiting embrace.
The police captain caught him easily, vaguely worried by the look in the young man's eyes, but too excited to dwell on it. He had bet on Blair. "Good work, kid! You creamed them!"
He held Blair at arm's length. "Blair? You OK?"
The wild look still hadn't gone from the young man's eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief when Blair finally looked at him. "I won?"
Simon felt Blair torn from his grip. Ellison had seized him and swung him around.
"Are you all right? What's wrong?" the detective panted, all the while trying to get the puffing man in his tight grip to look at him.
Blair smiled guiltily. "Nothing. I'm all right."
Ellison didn't loosen his grip. If anything, he held on all the more tighter. "Your heartbeat's way too high and your temperature...."
"I'm OK, really. I just gave myself that little bit of added incentive." He felt slightly guilty at having worried Jim unnecessarily.
Kendrick's large form loomed over the three of them. "What's up? You all right?" he asked of Blair. His face grew clouded and he peered down into Blair's face. "You did one of your panic runs again, didn't you?"
Blair huffed and sat in the dust. The few people that had bet on him jumped around happily. Brown waved the betting register in his hand and they followed him to give the runners a bit of peace.
Blair looked up at Jim. "Works every time. I just imagined someone was after me and off I took." Blair sliced the air ahead of him.
"Who?" Jim asked. His voice held more than a small amount of annoyance. Kendrick looked at the big man, wondering why Ellison was so pissed off at the tactic that obviously worked.
"Ummm, just Lmmnnn" he mumbled.
"Who?" Jim demanded this time.
"Lash and Brackett. Worked," he puffed, smiling up at Jim. A smile that vanished when the detective reached down for his arm.
Jim hauled him to his feet. "No wonder you won. Come on, let's get dried off." Jim led them back to his truck. Reaching into the cab he pulled out a towel and tossed it at Blair, catching him full in the face. He was annoyed and wasn't worried about showing it. He clenched his jaw and tried to control himself, lest people thought his anger was due to having lost the race.
Kendrick wiped his face on the bottom of his t-shirt and bent closer to Blair's ear. "Who's Lash and Brackett?"
Blair shot a look at Jim, knowing he heard but hoping he hadn't. "Tell you later," he whispered.
Simon decided the air was too tense. "You made me a happy man, Sandburg."
Blair looked up, surprised. It didn't match Ellison's face. "You bet on Sandburg?"
Simon graced him with a long suffering look. "Do I look stupid, Ellison? Even I know he's faster and lighter than you. There's no way I could beat my son on a run like that."
Ellison laughed, shaking his head. "Thanks a lot, Simon. I'll remember that."
Simon rubbed his hands together. "Now, the next one will be with full pack in bad conditions...."
"Forget that!" Blair said loudly, waving his hand at the captain and walking away. He got into the truck and folded his arms. "I'm ready to go home now, Jim."
Jim and Simon smiled at each other. "Maybe you should remember that one when you don't want him to follow you somewhere." Simon suggested.
**********
An hour later saw the three of them showered and sitting in the loft drinking coffee. Blair was hungry and decided on an early lunch, breakfast not having been enough. Simon sat with Kendrick listening to more of their university exploits and Kendrick told him of his time in Papua New Guinea. Jim descended the stairs from his bedroom and joined Blair in the kitchen, assaulting the fridge.
"Beer?"
Blair looked up from the fruit he was chopping up. "Yeah, thanks."
Jim sat it next to him and glanced at the other two men in the loungeroom. Keeping his eye on them he addressed his roommate. "I want to have a talk with you about the race later. Are you still dreaming about Lash?"
Blair continued to chop. "No, not really. It was a tactic I used in school. I used to go in those foot races and imagining the school bully one step behind me lent my feet wings, man. I guess today just jogged my memory and I decided to use it again. I'd have used the school bully but he's long faded into insignificance now."
Jim watched him slide the fruit into a large bowl. He took a swig of his beer. "I still want to talk later."
Blair nodded, still keeping his concentration on preparing lunch. Jim looked at him a moment longer before picking up the bowl of fruit and carrying it to the table, Blair watching his back. Maybe he'd forget the talk. Then he smiled to himself. Not likely.
Jim called them to the table and they enjoyed a lunch of salad, eggs and fruit. Too healthy, Kendrick said but he ate it all the same. He squashed his curiosity about the incentives Blair had used to get that last burst of speed during the race. He was smart enough to see it was a sore point between Blair and his roommate. He'd ask later.
"I've found myself a place through the uni," he announced suddenly. "I forgot to tell you. It's only a half hour from Rainier. I'm sharing with two other postgrads. I can finally get my stuff out of my brother's attic."
Blair grinned around a mouthful of banana. "That's great! I'll help you move. When you wanna do it?"
"Tomorrow? Only if you can be bothered. You must be tired after this morning." Kendrick dug.
Blair shook his head, looking back down at his meal. "Uh uh, less weight, remember?"
Kendrick smiled broadly. "Obviously. I'm knackered."
Lunch completed they sprawled on the two lounges, happy now they had full stomachs. Ellison smiled as Blair sat with his back half against Jason, his legs dangling over the arm of the lounge. He hadn't seen his friend for some years and yet had obviously settled back into the friendship as if it had never been interrupted.
Simon still had plenty of unanswered questions about the younger Blair. "So, Jason, what else did you two get up to?"
Kendrick looked down at his old friend. Blair glared back. Kendrick rummaged through his infallible memory. "Well, there was this one time...."
"No! No more. They have enough ammo already." Blair said.
"I'll just tell 'em about the time we took that goat and...." Kendrick's sentence was cut short as Blair leapt to his feet and grabbed his arm, hauling him up from the lounge.
"Let's get you moved into your new place. No time like the present," Blair said hurriedly.
"But the Vice Chancellor didn't find out it was us! They'd love to hear it, I'm sure...."
"No, no. That can be one for another day. Let's not bore them stiff."
Jim and Simon watched the smaller anthropologist effectively muscle the much larger anthropologist to the door. Blair snatched up his keys and jacket and shoved Kendrick through the door.
"Say goodbye, Jason."
"Aww, come on, Iceberg. The goat came out of it all right...." The rest of the sentence was muffled as they shut the door and went down into the street.
Blair and Jason were spared hearing Jim and Simon's laughter.
FINIS
Liked it? Drop me a line if you can. That race tactic I wrote in really works. Used it at many a school swim meet. Only I used sharks. Never lost a race. Funnily enough, the other day on the news, a swim coach (here in Queensland, I think) threw in a small croc once his kids had dove in. They all made it to the other end of the pool in record time. Someone then said the kids would be even quicker if they threw Gary Glitter in after them.