New
Arrivals
Author-Suzie
Titles
Eyes of a Raven
by Suzie
Summary: Who saved Jim from the river? #7 of the Wanted series.
Disclaimer: Some of the characters in this story belong to the Pet Fly Productions as part of the television show The Sentinel. I do not claim these characters as my own.
"His presence demands, cries out for, compassion and generosity toward existence itself."
Jim opened his eyes, feeling as warm as he usually did first thing in the morning. Actually, that fact surprised him since he'd been so cold when he'd fallen asleep. Moving slightly, Jim realized that he was tightly wrapped in several blankets inside the sleeping bag. He moved his head and went nose to nose with his still sleeping Guide, whose head was resting on Jim's left shoulder with his left arm flung across Jim's chest.
Jim smiled. "Sandburg?" he whispered.
Blair sighed and mumbled something incoherent while tightening his grip around the Sentinel.
"Come on, Chief. Time to wake up." Jim extricated one hand from the blankets and gently shook the arm across his chest.
Blair opened his eyes and gave Jim a drowsy smile. "Mornin'"
"Good morning," Jim grinned. "Do you think I could maybe sit up here?"
"Hmmm?" Blair's eyes fell shut only to have them spring wide open a moment later. His face red with embarrassment, he scrambled to sit up. "Oh, man... Jim... I'm like sooo sorry! I was just trying to make sure you stayed warm enough last night..."
"It's okay..."
"I mean after you fell in the river and all. You were half frozen...
"Chief..."
"And it got pretty cold again last night..."
"Sandburg!"
Blair clamped his mouth shut. His eyes still wide and his face still blushing.
"It's all right, Blair. I remember what happened."
Blair chewed his bottom lip, looking as if he were waiting to hear something he didn't want to hear.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," Blair replied softly, looking away.
Jim smiled, wondering what had his partner so flustered. Sleeping together in the close quarters of their small *home* had become routine to the Sentinel and his Guide. Every night when he crawled into the sleeping bags that were still zipped together, he would pull Blair's back into his chest. Jim knew how chilled his Guide could get, especially at night, and was happy to share his normally abundant body heat. They had been through too much and had become too close to be concerned about how it might look. Not that anyone would see them.
Sitting up, Jim unzipped the sleeping bag and started to slide out when he looked down at himself. No wonder Blair's worried, he thought as he realized that under the layers of blankets, he was naked.
Jim tucked a finger under Blair's chin and brought his head around to face him. "It's all right. You did what was necessary and I appreciate it... really."
Blair relaxed under his Sentinel's touch and let out the breath he'd been holding with a whoosh. He'd been worried that Jim would be upset at finding himself nude with his best friend wrapped around him, but he was glad to find that he was wrong. Then he took another breath and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Hungry." Jim made sure the blankets were securely wrapped around him as he stood. "I think I missed dinner last night." He found a set of warm clothes and proceeded to dress quickly.
"We both did. I'll go reheat the pot," Blair said as he pushed the sleeping bag away and reaching for his boots.
Jim tilted his head slightly and inhaled deeply. "Smells like it's already hot, Chief." He turned and looked at Blair. "You slept in your clothes?"
"I... um... didn't want to take the time to change. I was concerned about getting you warmed up."
"Oh," Jim said quietly with a smile.
**********
The fire was burning warm and bright as Blair approached. The stew, along with a steaming pot of coffee, sat warm and fragrant to one side of the flames so as not to burn.
Wolf lay just outside the cave's entrance, ears raised, listening... guarding. He turned his head as Blair got close to the fire and rumbled a greeting to the young man.
Blair went to his friend's side as the big wolf stood and shook himself. "Good morning," he said with a smile and buried his hands in the thick fur around Wolf's neck.
Wolf whined happily and licked at Blair's face.
"Raven was here, wasn't he?" Blair asked the animal.
Wolf stared into Blair's eyes, showing him the answer. Yes.
"Raven?" Jim asked, kneeling beside Blair and scratching Wolf's chin.
"He pulled you out of the river," Blair answered.
Jim nodded, remembering a pair of large hands hauling onto the bank. "Is he coming back?" He received an affirmative answer from Wolf. "Good, I'd like to thank him personally." Jim patted Blair on one shoulder as he stood and said, "Let's eat. I'm starving."
**********
The stew was tasty and the coffee hot and strong. Neither Jim or Blair had eaten since breakfast the day before and shoveled in the food like it was their last meal. Wolf curled himself behind Blair and the young man used him as a backrest.
Soon their hunger was satisfied and Jim stoked the fire before setting a pot of water on the flames to use for clean up. He sat down next to Blair and asked, "What have you done with our money?"
"Spent it all on wine, women, and song," Blair answered with a grin.
"Smart ass." Jim couldn't help but chuckle. "I know you've got it hidden, but you've never said where."
"I put it in a plastic ziplock bag and sewed it into the lining of my coat."
Jim raised his eyebrows and grinned, "The lining of your coat?"
"I tried to find a place in here, but no matter what I did I just wasn't comfortable with it. Why... what's up?"
Jim sighed and turned serious. "Well, now that there's someone else around here, I think we're going to need to be a little more careful."
Blair nodded his understanding, but said, "He saved your life, Jim."
"I know, Chief, but we don't know him. Not yet anyway... and it wouldn't hurt to be on this side of cautious until we know a little about him."
"Like why he's up here in the first place?"
"Yep and how curious he is about us. Be careful what you tell him." Jim took the heated water and poured some into the basin that the dirty dishes were stacked in.
Wolf raised his head and let out a sharp bark.
Blair sat up and twisted around to look at the big animal. "What is it, boy?"
Jim focused his senses outside the cave. The scent was the same as the one he'd smelled the day before... a mix of animal and man. Then Jim heard a voice that he vaguely remembered from down at the river. "It's okay."
"Hello!" a voice called as the large black man approached the cave.
"It's Raven, Jim," Blair smiled as he got to his feet.
Wolf stood and trotted out to meet their guest.
"Wolf likes him."
"That's saying a lot, Chief," Jim said seriously. "Wolf is a good judge of character."
**********
The cell phone on the seat next to Agent Sands jangled in the silence of the car. Agent Murphy glanced over from his seat behind the steering wheel as Sands fumbled with the maps on his lap. Finally the phone was snatched up.
"Talk to me," Sands barked.
"This is Marcus. We've just landed at Shively Field," the agent said. "What's our next move."
"Get a car and make your way towards Craig, Colorado," Sands instructed. "But don't take the main roads. They've headed off into the mountains. Take Highway 130 from the airport, then 70 to the border. Meet us in Craig. Check around and see if anyone has seen them. We're close... *very* close. I can feel it."
The phone was clicked off and dropped to the seat as Agent Sands went back to his maps.
A small caravan of cars followed the car driven by Agent Murphy. Twenty Government agents, split between six cars, were driving hell bent for Craig, Colorado.
Agent Murphy had heard the rumors of the nicknames that had been used. Twenty men in black with 'Moe' as their leader, Curly as second in command, and Larry was there because... well, Larry was just always there, he thought, stealing another sidelong glance at Agent Sands who was obsessing over a map that rested on his lap. After this assignment, I think I'll ask for a transfer. Some place where there are no Sentinels or Guides... maybe a nice quiet jungle.
**********
Jim and Blair walked outside as Raven approached with Wolf leading the way. Jim took one look at the big, fur clad man and realized why he was smelling animal and human scents intermingled.
Raven stood well over six feet in height. His broad frame was covered in a handmade fur coat that hung past his knees with a hood that covered most of his face. As he neared Jim and Blair, Raven pushed the hood back with hands encased in thick fur mittens to reveal a *black* face. He was darker than anyone they'd seen before--even Simon and Henri weren't that dark. Large white teeth shown bright in contrast as the big man smiled, and pulled his mittens off equally *black* hands before extending his right.
"Good day, my friends," Raven said happily. "I am glad to see that you are well after yesterday's swim."
Jim couldn't help but smile at the big man as he took the proffered hand. "I'm doing very well... and thank you for your help, Raven."
"I see the small one has told you about me already," Raven grinned down at Blair.
"How could I not, man," Blair said, holding out his hand. "I'm really sorry about the way I treated you, but..."
Raven engulfed Blair's hand in his own. "No need for apologies. You were looking out for your friend... as it should be."
"Yeah, thanks for understanding that and sticking around to help me out. I'm not sure how I would've gotten Jim back here without your help."
"You would have managed... I am sure of that."
"Well, I don't remember *everything* that happened," Jim said, giving Blair a teasing look. "Why don't we go in, have some coffee and talk?"
"I did come by earlier to check on you, but your friend..." Raven pointed to Wolf with a grin. "He wouldn't let me past the fire."
Wolf let out what could only be described as a self-satisfied bark.
Blair kneeled down and ruffled the animal's fur and was rewarded with a lick on the face. "He's become like one of the family." He smiled warmly as Wolf lay down and rolled onto his back.
Jim and Raven started back into the warmth of the cave, leaving Blair rubbing Wolf's belly.
"Thanks for the fire and heating up the food," Jim said.
"Blair cooks up a mean rabbit stew," Raven said, accepting a mug of coffee. "I hope you don't mind that I ate a bit of it last night before I left here. The small one was asleep and..."
Jim held up a hand as he sat down. "Don't give it another thought. We would have offered if we were able."
Raven grinned again. "Thank you."
**********
Blair sat on a blanket on the ground near the fire with Wolf sleeping next to him. Jim was perched on a large flat rock that was jutting from the wall. Raven sat with his back against the cave's wall, not too close to the fire, but close enough.
It turned out that Calvin Tabius (a.k.a. Raven) had been living in the Rocky Mountains since 1976. He was seventeen, living in Alabama with his parents and two younger sisters, when he'd been accused of a murder he did not commit. Rather than face the conviction that was sure to come, as there were *witnesses* that *saw* him commit the crime, Calvin escaped the small jail and ran away. He hitchhiked his way across the country until he hit the Rockies in Wyoming.
"... And this is where I've been ever since," Raven said with a sigh. "I move around these old mountains with the seasons."
"You haven't seen your family since?" Blair asked curiously.
"The next time I talked to my daddy was in the summer of 1980. He told me that the real killer had been caught, convicted, and sent to prison. I was acquitted."
"But you didn't go home?" Jim asked.
"Nope," Raven grinned. "Decided I liked it here. Daddy and Mama, packed everything up... including my sisters, Melva and Tonya, and moved out here. They're living in Rawlins. I spend the winters with them."
"Cool," Blair smiled. "Where does the name *Raven* come from?"
Raven chuckled, "When I was a kid, my Mama always told me I was like a bird... always flyin' around, never staying in one place long enough to finish a thought... and black as a Raven in snow. She took to calling me Raven when I was ten years old."
Blair nodded, happily and Jim chuckled as the three fell silent for several minutes.
"Now... I've told you my story," Raven said, pouring another round of coffee. "You two care to tell yours?"
Blair gave Jim a wide-eyed look that bordered on terror.
"Not much to tell really," Jim said. "Some people are following us and we're trying to stay out of reach. This is just a stopping point. We'll be moving on in time."
Raven nodded his understanding. "Is it the law?"
"No, we're not wanted be the police. They... the people that are after us... they want some information that we're not willing to share right now."
Raven nodded again, "If you need any help, give a holler."
Blair looked at the large black man in surprise.
"You wouldn't be spending a winter up here without a damn good reason. I know how it can be up here and I'm glad to spend winter with my family." Raven stood and stretched. "And there's something about you two that makes me want to trust you both." He eyed them critically for a moment. "Now don't be taking that lightly, because I don't normally trust nobody that ain't family."
Jim stood and extended his hand. "You didn't have to save my life. You could've stayed hidden and we never would have known you were around. I think we can trust each other, Raven."
Raven smiled as he took Jim's hand in a firm grip.
Blair stood up beside Jim. "I'm really glad you were there to save Jim. If there's anything we can do for you, just let us know."
Raven's grin grew as he reached out, bypassing Blair's hand and pulled him into a bear hug.
"Mmmf!" Blair found himself buried in the heavy folds of fur that the bigger man wore.
Jim found himself laughing at the sight, as Blair at first struggled, then gave into the situation and returned the hug.
"I like you, small one," Raven said, finally releasing Blair. "You are brave to protect your friend as you did by the river. You both are honest and good people." He looked back at Jim. "You will take care of him, hear me," Raven smiled.
Jim placed a hand on Blair's shoulder and gave a squeeze. "Don't worry about that. We take care of each other."
"As it should be my friends. I will be on my way now, but I will always be near enough..."
And then the big black man was gone.
**********
That evening, as the two men sat near the fire listening to the wind whistle past the cave's entrance, Jim said, "So, Chief, how much money do we have?"
"A little more than seven thousand dollars," Blair answered.
Jim nodded silently.
Blair stared at the Sentinel suspiciously, "What's going on, Jim?"
"When we leave here, it's going to be on foot."
Blair groaned, "The truck... the storm... oh man."
"Yeah," Jim sighed. "Two trees came down on it and a raccoon was living on the front seat."
"What if we somehow got the trees off?"
Jim shook his head, "Wouldn't help. The cab and engine compartment were smashed." He looked at Blair's dejected statement. "Besides, I told the raccoon he could keep it."
Blair smiled a bit and looked up at his best friend. "Well, we can't have you going back on your word now, can we."
"Nope."
"We'll only have to hike as far as the highway... right? Then we can hitch a ride to the next town and get another car."
"That would be the plan, Chief. But we're going to have to be extra careful. It'll be hard to lose Curly and his gang if they happen to show up before we can acquire a vehicle."
Blair nodded his agreement. "How much longer do you think we can stay here?"
"Hard to say," Jim said. "Spring is coming and that will start some hikers coming into the low lands. We'll have to play it by ear."
"No, Jim, I think it would be better if you used all your senses," Blair said with a mischievous groan.
Jim chuckled and gently cuffed his Guide on the back of the head.
**********
~end~