I like to thank Becky for her transcripts.

Spoilers for Warriors, Blind Man's Bluff, and Smart Alec.

This story is a sequel to: Stacey

Jim picked up phone in the kitchen. "Thank you, Simon? ... Where? ... All right. I'll be there in twenty minutes." After hanging up, Jim poured himself some coffee. "Don't take your coat off, Chief. We got a body at Bayside Park and the Captain's requested that you be there."

Blair, who just went to the bakery for bagels, took the phone and redialed. "Rhonda, get me Simon."

Jim took a bagel and cream cheese from the paper bag while Blair was on the phone.

"He's on the phone," Rhonda said.

"I'll hold," said Blair. They were discussing contractor fees first. Blair was a private contractor and Simon would have to learn that.

Simon said, "Sandburg, I expect you at Bayside Park in twenty minutes."

"First things first," said Blair. "Ten dollars an hour."

"You charged me five when you provided protection for Ms. Neumann."

"I included sleep time. I'm willing to go for fifteen an hour. I have a masters in anthropology and a minor in psychology. Check the yellow pages. You won't get an expert for less."

"Sandburg, you drive a hard bargain. Ten dollars an hour and gas for that truck of yours." That was nice of Simon to throw in gas since Blair didn't mention it.

"Agreed. See you at the park." Blair hung up the phone. "Jim, have you scheduled any morning appointments?"

"No, my first appointment is eleven-thirty," Jim said, getting his wallet and jacket.

"Good, I'll drop you off after the park," said Blair.

Jim and Blair meet Simon in the park. Simon walked them over to a body of a man on the grass. Man had a handcrafted dart sticking out of his neck.

"Victim's been I.D.'d as Bud Torin, vice president of Cyclops Oil. Apparently, he was walking his dog," explained Simon. "Motive doesn't appear to be robbery. Cash was still in his wallet. What I wanted you to see was the cause of death. M.E.'s preliminary report suggests that the victim went into almost instant paralysis."

"You recognize it?" asked Jim.

"Yeah," said Blair. "Looks like it could be from the La Montaa region in Peru."

Simon stared at the dart. "Well, that toy in his neck would put this into your area of expertise, wouldn't it?"

"Well, uh, yeah. Yeah, it would." For ten dollars an hour, Blair should have tried to sound more certain.

"Great. Sandburg, I expect a full report on my desk." Simon muttered something. Blair could ask Jim was he said later. Simon walked down the bike path toward his car.

Blair leaned down on the grass. "Yeah. It looks authentic, but who would use a blowgun in the middle of Cascade?"

Jim kicked dirt between his sneakers. "You got me."

Blair examined the dart a little closer being careful not to touch it. Any research time that he spent to find out which tribe made the dart would be added to his invoice. Jim helped Blair up as they walked away from the body. "Let's get you to work. By the way, what did Simon mutter under his breath?"

Jim said, "Ten dollars."

"What does he care?" Blair said, guiding Jim back toward the truck. "It's the city's money."

"I think it's a matter of pride, Chief. He was getting your advice for free."

"I have to cut into my research time to identify that little dart of his," explained Blair. "He should be glad I don't charge him more. By the way, you're scheduled to have a hearing test done in Blumenthal's office on Thursday at 2:30. If you have any appointment scheduled, let me know."

"Actually, I'm seeing Patti at 2:15."

"Just great. I have to reschedule with Blumenthal."

Jim said as they continued to walk down the bike path. "I can cancel my appointment."

"No, no, it was my fault. I'll reschedule. How about sometime between 2:15 and 5 o'clock Friday? Neither of us has classes during those hours."

"I'll tell Harv not to schedule any appointment during that time."

"Good." Blair let out a long sigh. "How about I get you to work before my nine o'clock class?"

After his class, Blair researched marking on darts against different tribes in the La Montaa region. After he found a match, Blair called Simon from the library. "I'm having a hard time understanding why a Chopec Indian, one of the last primitive people left, is going to up and travel 5,000 miles from a rain forest in Peru and land here in Cascade."

Simon explained, "Torin was carrying a gun. He had a permit for it."

"Fired recently?" Blair continued to jot down notes.

"There's an empty shell in the chamber, but no sign of the slug." Simon explained. "Now his right hand tested positive for powder, but the forensics lab will have to do a full test on it."

The Chopec Indians were the tribe that rescued Jim. Blair would have to ask Jim if he had any clue why one of his former tribe members would come to Cascade, the land of rain and coffee shops. This case made no sense. He needed to go home and mediate on it. While he was mediating to Australian aborigine music, it came to him. Bud Torin worked for Cyclops Oil; Blair would get all his questions answered there.

Blair wrote his starting time in the agenda then looked up Cyclops Oil in the phone book. He wasn't going to have Simon claim his invoice for services rendered wasn't professional. He didn't push the buttons to hear the recorded messages. Once he got into the computer network, he would have to fight to get a live person.

After fifteen minutes, he finally got the receptionist. "Martha, Cyclops Oil. How may I help you?"

"I'm Blair Sandburg with the Cascade PD," he explained. "Was your Vice President Bud Torin in South America recently?"

"Yeah, he was down there overseeing our operations," said Martha. "Got back about six weeks ago. They said he was killed by some kind of blow dart."

Blair wrote down six weeks. "Can you put me on the phone with your supervisor?"

Blair got the voice mail for Gerard Spalding, Cyclops' president. Blair left message after the beep. "I'm Blair Sandburg. I need information about Bud Torin regarding South American operations." Blair left his cell phone number and hung up. Talking to voice mail was never very satisfying.

A few hours later, Blair's phone rang. "Hello, Janet Myers. Blair Sandburg," said the female voice. "I never thought I'd hear from you." Cyclops Oil was the last place he expected Janet to be working because she was heavily into environmental causes.

"I was calling about Bud Torin. I got voice mail. I can't believe I'm speaking to a live person. You."

"Bud dying like that. What a nightmare," said Janet. "Why don't we meet for a late lunch?"

"You pick the place." Blair took down the directions and made more notes. He didn't even tell her why he was calling about Bud. No bother, they would discuss that at lunch.

They ended up at a Chinese restaurant where they could have a long talk over dim sum and tea. Janet laughed. "Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me you're a cop now?"

"No, no, I'm not a cop. I'm more like an advisor to the police," Blair said, not sure what his role was, but as long as Simon continued to call him for work, he could use the extra bucks. "I don't get a gun or a badge or anything cool like that, you know. But about you? I mean, who would have thought after chaining ourselves to redwoods that you'd end up working for an oil company."

"Actually, I'm vice president in charge of environmental affairs. You know, the company's handling of those issues set a standard for the industry."

Blair ate a squid dumpling. "Well, you've changed a lot. Doesn't mean I don't like the change."

"Thanks. Torn jeans or business suit, underneath I'm still the same person." Janet smiled at him.

Blair smiled back. "I'm still sorry I never got to find that out first hand."

"Sorry. Engaged." Janet drank more of her tea.

"I'm married." Blair wanted to order an entre. Where was the waiter when he needed him? It was nice Janet was engaged.

"I don't see a ring."

Blair never called himself married, except online. It felt good though. "We didn't have a ceremony."

"With your mother being a free-spirit, I can see you not being up on the establishment. Working as an advisor to the police." Janet drank some tea. "So what do you want to know about Bud Torin?"

Blair drank some tea. "Well, how would he end up in Bayside Park with an dart made by an native from the La Montaa region?"

Janet looked at him oddly.

"What I mean is did he do anything down there that would piss off a native tribesman enough to kill him with a signature dart?"

"I don't know, Blair." Janet smiled at him some more as she played with her chopsticks. "I'd probably have to get access to some pretty confidential materials."

"All I'm asking you is to pay a little attention to your company's involvement down in Peru." Blair didn't want to get his old friend in trouble. "We're just trying to find Bud Torin's killer."

Janet ate the last squid dumping. "I'll see what I can do."

"Good, good. Let's talk about more pleasant things like that new beau of yours."

After his lunch meeting, Blair went to Major Crimes to look at the satellite photos of the La Montaa region. Blair pointed out to Simon. "This here's the Yucayali River which means that this town here is Pucallpa. All this land here is Chopec territory."

Simon asked, "Hey, uh, what's this line snaking through the jungle?"

Blair took out a magnifying glass. "What line are you talking about?" Through the lens, Blair saw what looked like a newly cut road, not a good thing. More roads, more development, less rain forest. When his cell phone rang, Blair gave the glass to Simon. "Hello."

"Blair, can you talk?"

"Uh, yeah, Janet, how you doing?"

"I checked the inventory records of our Peru operations. A lot of big equipment has disappeared over the past several months. There are inconsistencies in the payroll records, but they're written off as accounting errors. I also found a couple of references to a company I've never heard of before, Hale Corporation."

Blair looked at the photo spread on Joel's desk. "Well, I'm just looking at a satellite photo of the La Montaa region and it looks like there's roads cut right in the middle of the rain forest."

"La Montaa?" repeated Janet. "That's not possible."

"Janet, I'm looking at the picture right now." Blair could now see the road without a magnifying glass now that he knew what he was looking for. The road was like mocking him.

"No. There's an oil field underneath that region, but it's protected by environmental laws. It can't be exploited." Janet sounded very upset.

"Well, then somebody's breaking the law."

"Let me do a little more digging. I'll get back to you."

Blair wanted to tell her not to bother, but his phone went dead. He needed to call Jim and tell him he was on his way home. He couldn't believe how late it was getting.

Jim and Incacha are talking in the loft when Blair got home. A man in a linen skirt and red face paint was in his living room. Blair sat on the sofa and listened to Jim and Incacha talk or argue in Quechua. Blair had spent time with the tribes of that area, but he didn't know the language well.

When a break happened, Blair took advantage of the momentary pause. "Uh, I recognized, um, 'shaman', 'the great village', but what's uh, uh, what's 'Enqueri'?"

Jim explained, "'Enqueri' is my Chopec name. He wants to know if you're gonna be my spiritual guide in the city." Enqueri was a pidgin of Jimmy. The Chopec didn't have a "J" sound in their language. Blair knew from his linguistics class that Enqueri was a pidgin of Jimmy (not Jim or Ellison); no matter how far removed it sounded from the original name.

"Tell him that I learn from him," Blair said, pointing to himself then Jim. "He learns from me. It's more like a partnership."

Incacha laughed a little.

"He doesn't buy that, does he?" Blair smiled for Incacha's benefit. A smile was universal.

Jim spoke Quechua.

Blair asked, "What did you say?"

Incacha walked further into loft and began exploring.

"I said, 'my house is yours. Look around.'" Jim explained, "He said he and four other Chopecs stowed away on a freighter. They came to Cascade in search of the Chief of the Great Eye."

"What's the Great Eye?" asked Blair.

"Cyclops Oil," Jim explained. "The Great Eye has been responsible for the death of several of his tribesmen. It's been cutting down forests, killing the water and land with its black poison. He's afraid the Chopec are going to vanish forever. They've come here to capture the Great Chief to bring him back to stand trial in front of the tribal elders."

Blair asked, "Well, do they even know who they're looking for?"

After Incacha gave a newspaper clipping with Spalding's picture on to Jim, Jim handed Blair the picture.

"Gerard Spalding." Blair put the picture by the stereo system. "If the Chopec catch him and actually get him back to Peru, what then?"

"For killing their land?" said Jim. "They'd probably kill him."

Blair didn't like the way this conversation was heading. "What about Torin?"

"They confronted him in the park, hoping he'd lead them to Spalding. Torin pulled out a gun and shot one of them in the shoulder. Incacha hit him in the neck with a dart from his blowgun." Jim shrugged his shoulders. "Self-defense."

Blair asked, "What are you going to do?", watching Incacha examine the loft.

"Legally, I have to call the police," said Jim.

"Jim, you can't do that." Blair said, "Prison environment will kill him."

Incacha accidentally turned on stereo system, causing Blair's didgeridoo music to start to play. Incacha said something in Quechua.

Jim laughed.

Blair could use a joke. "What did he say?"

Jim translated, "Earth music."

"Yeah," said Blair

Incacha spoke more Quechua, getting more excited as he spoke.

"He says he needs me to help the tribe capture Spalding," Jim translated. All of Blair's evidence pointed to this man. What was he going to tell Simon? Jim could get them both arrested for withholding evidence.

"Jim, you got to tell him that you can't just go around capturing people," Blair said. "We have laws."

Jim spoke Quechua then translated Incacha's words. "There is no American law. There is no Chopec law. There is only justice. I was accepted into the tribe as a Chopec. That's where my allegiance lies. My people are in jeopardy. My obligation is to help the people, stop the killing, and save the land." Jim spoke in Quechua to Incacha. "I just told him that I will help stop the killing, but there will be no capturing Spalding or anybody else."

Incacha spoke Quechua.

Blair said, "He doesn't look convinced, Jim."

"He just said he can't believe these words are coming from me." Jim, pointing to his eyes, spoke to Incacha. "I just told him I can't see."

Incacha spoke Quechua then walked away from Jim. A moment later, Jim yelled several sentences in Quechua. Incacha backed away further. Jim just stood there a moment before walked over to stand in front of Blair.

Jim explained, "He said a sentinel will always be a sentinel -- if he chooses to be. And I told him, I can't be a sentinel and watch over the tribe because I can't see. I haven't seen in nine moons. He refuses to listen."

Blair picked up his cell phone. "Hello."

"It's me, Janet," she whispered.

"Hey, Janet." Blair said over the phone. "How you doing?"

"We're talking about a huge operation in a protected reserve."

"Okay, remember, the most important thing is physical evidence."

"I'm printing out pages of it. What they're doing down there is completely illegal."

"Janet, are you still in your office?"

"Yeah, but it's just me and the cleaning crew," said Janet. "Listen, Blair, I've worked for this company for three years. I can't believe they've lied to me the entire time. Worse than that, they made me a part of their lies. Look, can you meet me at my car in the company garage? I still have the Mustang."

"Same Mustang?" Blair liked vintage cars. "Wow. Remember when we took that up the coast to the anti-nuke rally? Top was down, wind in our hair. It was beautiful."

"What about Incacha?" whispered Jim.

"Uh, Janet, look. We can be there in 15 minutes. Okay. Bye." Blair hung up. "Looks like she found a paper trail a mile long."

Blair looked around the loft to realize Incacha's gone.

"Check the rooms," said Jim.

"He's gone," said Blair. "Let's meet up with Janet."

Blair got in the driver's seat of the Ford Expedition. Jim closed the passenger seat door and buckled himself in. "We're going to get arrested for aiding and abating," said Jim.

"He ran off." Blair zoomed off to get to Janet before someone pulled a Silkwood. "What are we supposed to do? You're visually impaired and I was on the phone. I don't duck tape my friends."

"That's not what I've heard." Jim smirked.

"Only if they ask me real nice," Blair teased. "Begging and saying please helps."

"I'll remember that."

Blair handed Jim the phone. "Call Simon and tell him to get Janet Myers under police protection." Blair wished he had Jim's maniac driving skills, oops, defensive driving skills. Either way, Blair didn't know how to speed like a bat out of Hell and not get himself killed in the process.

When they get to Cyclops Oil, Janet isn't at her Mustang. Then fifteen minutes haven't passed, yet. It was only eleven since Janet called. She could still be getting the evidence printed. Blair said, "You stay by the Mustang. I'll see what's keeping her."

Blair went into the main lobby to see Janet carrying a briefcase. "I'll help you with that."

Janet gave him the briefcase. "Thanks."

"Jim is by the mustang."

"Who's Jim?" she asked.

"Jim's my husband," said Blair. "We spent so much time talking about your beau. You never asked about mine."

"Blair, I should have realized. No ring. We were tied to a tree and went on rallies together and you never tried to undress me. No one is that polite." Janet opened the truck to the Mustang while Jim protected her with his body.

"I saw something out of the corner of my eye," said Jim. "More felt it. Leave the Expedition. Let's get the hell out of here."

Janet got in the driver's seat and Jim and Blair into the small sports car. "Where to?"

"How about Tony's house?" Blair said, from the backseat. Tony was Janet's fianc. "I trust Jim's feelings. You shouldn't be alone tonight."

"Hi, Janet," said Jim. "Blair told me that you and him helped save an old growth forest."

"And, hopefully, the papers in the trunk and in the mail to several organizations and the police will help us save a stretch of rain forest." Janet said as they drove out of the parking lot. "Jim, I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before. I sort of was in a rush."

"Your safety comes first," said Jim.

"Are your feelings on the mark?" asked Janet.

"More times than I like," said Jim.

"Jim doesn't see," Blair explained. "He more like senses motion. He can also hear heartbeats."

Jim suggested, "Why don't we stay the night? The four of us can watch a movie."

"No way," said Blair. "The last time we watched a movie you kept on asking me what was going on and neither of us enjoyed the movie."

"You can watch a movie with Janet and Tony. I'll listen to NPR," said Jim.

"No, you don't. You aren't going to make me feel guilty because you're the odd man out."

Jim then folded his arms like a cigar shop Indian. "Just get a talkie flick that you don't need to see the action to understand."

Janet giggled. "Blair, you're right you're married."

"See what I have to put up with," said Blair.

"Me," said Jim. "I was being amiable. He turns everything into a song and dance."

"Kevin Smith's films are supposed to be all audio," Janet said.

"As long as we don't get Chasing Amy," Blair said. "A faggot chasing a dyke; that's a relationship bound to go nowhere."

Jim said, "Now we have to see it."

"We rent that. Heavy Metal all week." Blair said, "Metallica, Guns and Roses, Twisted Sister."

"Chief, it's your ears," said Jim. "Janet, did you leave an email trail?"

"Sure did," said Janet.

"Good," said Jim. "Killing you wouldn't plug their information leak. We just have to keep you safe until they know their ship taking in water."

"Keep me safe?" said Janet. "You can't see. I don't care how good your motion detectors are."

"If you are with three other people, you won't be easy target," Blair said. "I'll feel better once we reach Tony."

"Jim, what's your area of expertise?" Janet asked.

"Police, ex-military, CIA," Jim said. "I've been told I'm a dangerous man."

"Blinded in the course of duty?" Janet asked.

"I got chemicals in my eyes," Jim said. "I had the stuff on my hands and a car flashes its headlights at me."

"Half a second of carelessness," Janet said.

"That's all it takes," Jim agreed.

Janet said, "So you don't want to see a movie. And Monopoly is out."

Blair shouted from the backseat. "Are you challenging me?"

"The tree-hugging grad student is going to beat the executive vice president of environment affairs in Monopoly?"

Jim said, "That sounds like a challenge to me."

In the morning, Janet drove Blair to the Cyclops Oil parking lot to get the Ford Expedition.

Blair hugged Janet and said, "Be careful."

"You do that same," said Janet.

"I would feel better if I follow you out of the parking lot," said Blair. "And, please, stay away from Cyclops Oil until the tension valve releases."

"You got it." She hugged him, again. "I plan to stay from away from this place. Jim isn't the only one getting creepy feelings."

Blair followed Janet's Mustang out of the parking lot. After seeing Janet turn off a couple miles down the road, Blair went to Harv's Gym to get Jim. Blair explained to Harv, standing at the front desk. "I'll helping the police with a case involving primitive weapons, and Jim let the suspect escape last night."

Jim walked over to Blair and playfully rubbed his head. "I let him escape? I seem to recall there were two people with him."

"I was on the phone," said Blair. "Let's explain it to Simon together."

Jim took Blair's arm. "Agreed. Harv, I could be awhile."

"What did you do?" asked Harv.

Jim bowed his head. "Aided and abated a alleged murderer."

Harv stayed behind his desk. "Go."

Jim put an arm around Blair's waist as they walked out of the gym and to the truck. Blair put his arms around Jim's shoulders. Simon couldn't be too angry with them. He hoped. At least, he found Bud Torin's murderer. Then he let him escape, so much for working for Cascade Police ever again.

Jim and Blair went to Simon's office and closed the door. Jim sat down while Blair said, "We found Bud Torin's murderer?"

"Is he down in booking?" asked Simon.

"No," said Jim. "Uh, he was in the loft, but, uh, he's managed to slip away, Captain."

"Slip away?" yelled Simon. "Jim, you let a confessed murderer, a primitive one at that, escape?"

"Incacha and I got to talking and the phone rang," explained Jim.

"This Inchaca is Chopec Indian," said Simon.

"Incacha, sir," said Jim. "His name is Incacha. And he's already confessed to me with a strong claim of self-defense."

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't string you both," Simon stated.

"Jim's blind and I was on the phone," Blair explained. "Jim had told Incacha, 'Me casa es su case.' It's bad form to leave without saying 'Adieus' or 'Hasta luego.'"

"So he isn't only a murderer but he's rude," said Simon.

"I think it was self-defense," said Jim. "I know I should have called the police as soon as he told me about Bud Torin, but he used to be my shaman. I feel some loyalty toward him."

Simon said, "Misplaced obviously. Get out! I don't want to see you two, again."

"What about my pay?" said Blair.

"You are lucky I don't throw the two of you in the slammer."

Before Jim and Blair had a chance to leave, Joel came into Simon's office. "Hey guys. Blair, I found this in my mailbox this morning." Joel handed Blair a large envelope. "Sandburg, Taggert. I guess it's all the same to the mailroom."

Simon said, "Sandburg's mail's been showing up all over the station. What, is this from a woman, too?"

"It looks like it," said Joel.

"These are from Janet." Blair took the papers out of its envelope and onto Simon's desk "These are copies of the documents she said she was going to get to us. Check them out."

Simon said, "It looks like they violated every law on the book. That doesn't get you off the hook for losing Incacha. Sandburg, see Vera about getting paid."

"Thank you, sir," said Blair.

"Don't thank me," said Simon. "These documents speak for themselves."

After Blair saw Vera about turning in his invoice, he met Jim in front of the station. Blair put a hand on Jim's back and massaged out some of the tension. "We better get home. Harv won't want you around until tomorrow."

Soon after they arrived home, Jim left to get some fresh air and fruit and bread while Blair paced around the living room while listening to didgeridoo music. Blair, finally, climbed on the sofa and got in lotus position. He was about to close his eyes when someone banged on the door.

Blair went over to the door and opened it. "Hello?" Seeing Incacha on the floor bleeding, Blair dragged the man to the couch and put a blanket on him. Then he phoned for an ambulance.

Blair phoned Jim afterwards. "Incacha is here. He doesn't look good. The farmer's market can wait." Blair sat next to Incacha on the couch. "He'll be soon."

Incacha spoke Quechua.

"You don't understand a word I'm saying," Blair said. "Good, Sandburg, talk to hear yourself speak."

Jim burst in through the door and went over to crouch near couch. Jim places hand at top of Incacha's neck.

"Ambulance is on its way," Blair explained.

"Enqueri," whispered Incacha.

"Incacha," Jim said then continued to speak Quechua.

Incacha spoke more.

"They, they captured Spalding," Jim translated "They're taking him to some boat that leaves tonight."

"Who shot him?" asked Blair.

Jim and Incacha talk. Then Jim translated. "From the description it sounds like Mitch Yeagar. He followed Spalding and the Chopec." They talk some more. "They're taking Spalding to a forest in the sky."

Blair asked, "What the hell does that mean?"

"I don't know," said Jim.

Incacha talked softer.

Jim's voice cracked with sadness. "He-he wants me to become a sentinel, once again to help save the tribe. He refuses to understand that I'm blind."

Incacha grabbed Blair's arm.

"Hey, hey," yelled Blair in alarm.

Incacha spoke some more.

Jim choked back the tears. "He passes over the way of the shaman to you. He wants you to guide me to my animal spirit."

"Jim, ask him how I do that," said Blair. "I don't know how to do that."

"Incacha, Incacha!" cried Jim. "He's gone, Blair."

Blair rested an arm around Jim's shoulder and kissed his cheek. "I'm so sorry, man."

While forensics was in the living room examining the body, Jim and Blair stood by kitchen. Blair had both his arms around Jim, holding him. How was he going to guide Jim to his animal spirit? He wasn't a shaman just because a dying man said so.

"Whoa! Listen to me," yelled Jim. "You are not taking this body to the morgue. I will arrange for-."

Blair grabbed into Jim tighter as the former detective started toward main room.

"Blair, there are rituals!" Jim said pushing Blair's strong arms off him. "There are things a Chopec must do to prepare a body after death. Now, you know that."

Blair continued to hug Jim. "Yes, I know that. Of course I do. But right now these people have to do their job."

One of forensics people took a picture.

"Hey, no photos!" yelled Jim. "I'll break every. Stop those cameras!"

Blair grabbed Jim again and hauled him back into his arms.

"I want these people to understand!" Jim tried to push Blair away, but the little guy only squeezed harder. "I want this man respected! You tell these people! I want this man respected!"

"I'll call Simon," Blair said, "He'll take charge of the body."

Jim pushed Blair's loving arms off him. "That's not gonna work."

"Jim! I need you to listen to me!" Tears rolled down his face as Blair returned to holding onto Jim.

"What the hell are you going to do? You going to tell me to calm down!" Jim needed to know he wasn't alone. Incacha was his friend, his shaman while he was in Peru, Jim's spiritual leader. Jim needed to get his emotions out because holding in emotions was unhealthy and led to ulcers, strokes, and heart attacks.

Blair wasn't going to tell him to calm down. "No. Cry, scream, rant. Just let Forensics to its job."

About two hours later, Simon finally arrived, "Sandburg, here's your check. Thirty hours pay should cover everything including staying with Janet Myers last night. I'm sorry about your friend."

"You wanted to arrest him," said Jim.

"He killed Torin," said Simon.

"Thanks for the money," said Blair. "It will help. Jim was threatening to break cameras. I don't know what got into him. You afraid they were going to steal Incacha's soul onto a roll of film?"

"No." Jim blushed. "I was upset."

Blair took Jim's hand. "You can't be threatening the police. You aren't a cop anymore. They were just doing their job."

"Jim, Blair, I have some bad news," explained Simon.

"Spill it," said Blair.

"The three Chopec warriors were found dead in the greenhouse. Spalding was found in the same greenhouse bound and gagged."

Jim said, "Incacha was talking about a forest in the sky."

Blair put an arm around his shoulders. "You couldn't have known which greenhouse."

"We don't know who shot them and Spalding isn't talking," explained Simon.

"Was Spalding blindfolded?" asked Blair.

"No," said Simon.

"Then he knows who did it," said Blair.

"Sandburg, justice works differently for people who don't think a three hundred dollar check is a lot of money," said Simon.

"I worked hard for that three hundred dollars." Blair rested his head against Jim. "Jim, I'm sorry about your friends."

"They won. Cyclops Oil will have to pull out of Peru pending an investigation. The embarrassment of having the company president seen with three dead warriors will cause their stocks to plummet," explained Jim. "Incacha and his warriors will be seen as martyrs by their people. They died, saving the land from The Great Eye."

"Only you could put a happy end to this story."

"They set out to stop The Great Eye from killing their people and destroying their land. They were successful in their goal. Their memories will be honored by their people," said Jim. "You're the anthropologist. You're usually the one explaining these things to me."

Tomorrow was Friday and Blair took Jim to Blumenthal's office. Reading a book, Blair waited in the hallway while Blumenthal gave Jim a hearing test. After twenty minutes, Dr. Blumenthal opened the door while Jim was taking the headphones off.

"He's for real," said Blumenthal. "It was like being in a room with Matt Murdock. Jim, you aren't Sam Hughes?"

Jim got out of his chair. "I wish I had his sight."

"Sam Hughes is a composite," said Blair. "I wish I found a sentinel with all five senses. I did find one Mounty with three. Most of the cop stuff is based on him and my work with Jim before he went blind."

"Jim, could hear like that before you lost his sight?" Blumenthal asked.

"No, I had good hearing before I lost my vision, but I never heard dog whistles and echoes."

"He gets his ears cleaned and he starts screaming about pens echoing." Blair teased. "I gave him earplugs to wear to sleep. He dropped the earplugs and winced from the echo."

"Blair, if you don't mind what three enhanced senses did the Mounty have?" asked his advisor.

"Hearing, sight and smell," said Blair.

"No wonder when I read your dissertation I felt I was in Canada. Mr. Ellison, thank you for your help. I'll see that you remain anonymous," said Blumenthal.

Jim shook the lady's hand. "Thank you."

Blair thanked Blumenthal and said his good-byes. Blair put an arm around Jim. "No more testing. I promise."

"Let's see what Janet and Tony are doing tonight," said Jim. "Maybe, the four of us can go out and celebrate."

"You don't sound like celebrating."

"Since I had an appointment to see Blumenthal, I decided to have the doctor test my vision."

"And?" Blair asked as they left Hargrove Hall.

Jim stood behind Blair and put his hands over Blair's eyes. "I'm never going to see any better than I see now. Let's say all my cones and rods work, but the information isn't going from the bipolar cells to my optic nerve because of damage due to the Golden. We don't know if the Golden damaged the bipolar cells themselves, the ganglion cells or the optic nerve fibers. What we do know that my visional field is full of holes. I see a blur because the brain likes wholes and fills in the blanks. I only notice the blind spots when I try to look at a face or read a book."

"Did your doctor tell you all this?"

"Not all of it. She did finally test my visual field and found that I have random blind spots. People with macular degeneration or glaucoma have patterns of damage. My visual field is full of cracks. I will never be able to see a human face, again."

Blair put his hands over Jim's hands. "I can't know what you are going through. I know once you take your hands away I will see you. The doctor told you close to a year ago that she couldn't treat nerve damage. You now know what you are up against."

"Incacha died, wanting me to return to being a Sentinel and protect the tribe. His warriors died because I couldn't protect them."

"You can't blame yourself."

"I'm fucking blind. My vision isn't coming back. Why did Incacha put his faith in me?" Jim put his arms around Blair's waist.

"The same reason he laughed at me when I said we have a partnership."

"I let him down. I was so wound up in my grief that I didn't even try to find a forest in the sky."

"You can't save everyone. You saw the laser sight pointed at Danny and you couldn't prevent him from getting killed. You aren't Superman."

"What good is having these enhanced senses when I can't even save my friends?"

"You kept Steve safe when Pat wanted to pour him into the next pillar and you kept one drug-crazed maniac from getting gunned down by a garage full of police officers, which I'm especially grateful. You have your moments. I'm sorry about Incacha."

"I'll miss his witticisms. I'll have to find someone else to call me stupid."

"Alec went back to Canada."

End Old Friends by Athena: athena@fateordestiny.com

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