-Thirty Minutes Later Outside Cascade
Jim parked his pick-up truck in a small clearing by a picnic table. Chris parked the rental car next to it. They all got out and gathered around the table.
"Are you sure about this, Captain? I mean if I had enhanced senses, wouldn't I be having those zone out things?"
"I understand how hard this is to believe, Runt. I didn't want to believe it myself when Sandburg first explained it to me. But I was doing some thinking and some remembering last night and I think you might be. Sandburg thinks that since you never had a reason to block them the way I did that maybe you've always had your senses, just not at full force."
"I know it sounds strange, Vin," Blair spoke up as he rummaged through his backpack. "Believe me, man, I had a hell of a time convincing Jim and he was having sensory spikes all over the place. It is possible you just have above-average sight. It's possible you're only a partial Sentinel with 3 or 4 senses. And it's possible you're an undeveloped Sentinel who just needs a trigger or for your Guide to show up. Just hear me out, let me do a couple of tests." He pulled items out of his bag, waving one on occasion to emphasize a point. "If I'm wrong, then fine, you're not a Sentinel and we spent a nice morning in the woods. If I'm right and you are a Sentinel then it's imperative we find out who your Guide is." Blair had his back to Chris and Vin as he finished digging through his bag, lowering his voice until 'who your Guide is' was said in a whisper only a Sentinel could hear.
"Why would it be impera-whatever that I have a Guide? I've gone all my life without one. And I ain't a Sentinel," Vin declared. He frowned when he noticed Jim and Blair grinning at him and Chris giving him an odd look. "What?"
"You heard all that?" Chris asked.
"Of course I did. Didn't you?"
"No. He was whispering half the time."
"Well, I'd say hearing is above normal," Blair smiled, making notes in his book.
-Cascade Grand Hotel
"How do the screens look?" asked John Peters, head of hotel security, as he entered the office.
"Everything's just fine," answered the guard sitting behind the monitor console. As Peters walked towards him to take a look, he flipped a switch underneath the console. Three screens, which had previously shown men working on something in different parts of the basement flickered for a second then, showed empty hallways.
Peters came around the console and nodded at the clear screens. "Good. Looks good. I don't expect anything to happen with so many law enforcement agencies running around here, but better safe than sorry. Especially with the break-in at that ATF agent's room last night. Captain Banks seems to think we might be a target for something, but you'd have to be a fool to try and take a hotel full of cops hostage. Make sure Johnson, Michaels, Smith, and Fielding do their rounds. I want this place as secure as can be."
"Don't worry, sir. It is."
"It's my job to worry," Peters said with a nod and left the room. The man flipped the switch and smiled when the men on the screen gave him the okay sign. Everything was falling into place.
-Outside Cascade
"Okay, let's try your sense of touch," Blair said, taking out a blindfold.
"What's that for?" Vin asked, leaning away from him.
"This way you can't see the objects."
Vin looked uncertainly from Blair and the blindfold to Chris and Jim.
"It's not too bad, Runt. Just remember to not concentrate too much on any one sense at a time."
Vin sighed and nodded, ducking his head so the shorter man could tie on the blind fold. He blinked a couple of times not liking the closed in feeling he got. A hand wrapped around his wrist and he immediately identified Chris.
"Easy, cowboy. Take deep breaths. I'm right here."
He nodded again, sucking in several ragged breaths. The feeling receded a little. "I'm ready. Let's get this done with so's I can see again."
"Okay," Blair said, taking his other hand and guiding it to the first object. "What's this?"
Rubbing his fingers over the soft object, Vin smiled. "Fur. Synthetic rabbit fur."
"Cool. You can tell it's synthetic?"
"Yeah. Ain't got the same feel as real fur. Ain't as coarse."
"Cool, and this?"
Vin rubbed his fingers over the new object. "It's a kinda paper. That Egyptian stuff?"
"Papyrus? No, similar. Try a smell."
Vin felt it brush against his noise and he took a tentative sniff. "Smells like rice. They make paper outta rice?"
"Yep. In China. Now, can you tell me what's written on it?"
Frowning, Vin moved his fingers over the paper, feeling the texture of it, the nuances of the ink as it dipped and thickened then thinned. Each stroke varying from the one before it. He felt the sloping swirls of each letter, and where the ink bled deep into the rice paper. It was amazing the slight differences he could detect in each stroke.
Vin suddenly found himself blinking up at the sky, rocks digging into his back from lying on the ground. Jim, Blair and Chris hovered over him anxiously. "What in hell happened?" he demanded.
"You zoned, Runt," Jim answered.
"You alright, Vin?" Chris asked, helping him to his feet.
"I zoned? But I was feeling the paper and the letters." Vin frowned at them. "It weren't but a few seconds."
"Afraid not, man." Blair shook his head, his hands shoved in his pockets. "You were out for almost ten minutes. Me and Chris were doing everything we could to get you out of it."
"Ten minutes?" Vin whispered, horrified. "How'd...How?"
"I knocked you over and the blindfold came off at the same time," Jim answered with a shrug. "Having my other senses suddenly hit brings me out of mild zone outs if Blair isn't around."
"Yeah, the sudden stimulation of a sense, hey," Blair stopped mid-sentence to glare at Jim. "You've been having zone outs while I'm not around? Why didn't..."
"It's been over six months since the last time it happened, Chief. It's no big deal."
"No big deal," Blair spluttered. "You and I are gonna have a talk about what's 'no big deal' when we get home, mister," He said angrily, poking Jim in the chest for emphasis.
"Guys," Chris interrupted before Blair could really get into it. "What about Vin? You said as his Guide I would be able to bring him out of one of these things fairly quickly. Why didn't that happen?"
"Well, actually I said *if* you were his Guide you would be able to. I was hoping you were. It looked like you might be, but you gotta realize, man, that I'm guessing here." Blair took a step back when Chris glared at him. "Look, I'm doing the best I can. I told you, I've only known two full-blown Sentinels. Jim and that crazy bitch, Alex Barnes. It's not an exact science and for the most part I'm running blind here. I could only guess that you were his Guide from the way you two interacted. Jim and I meeting was like total coincidence. Vin, I know up until now you didn't know you were a Sentinel but it the past couple of years have you noticed any kind of increase in your senses? Maybe sounds or smells or the feel of something bothering you just a little bit more than they used to? Allergic reactions that seemed to get worse?"
Vin shrugged, trying to think back. "I don't know. I mean, maybe. I had ta change my laundry detergent again, and I gotta wash new clothes 5 or 6 times afore I can wear them, instead a 2 or 3. Maybe things I see or hear have been a little sharper but I ain't never paid much attention."
"How long ago did you first notice this?"
Vin shrugged again. "Coupla years ago. Maybe a few months after I joined the team."
"So, it's gotta be somebody on the team. We just have to figure out who." Blair shrugged. "For now though we should probably keep going with the testing, figure out some of your limits. We just have to be more careful to watch for the beginnings of a zone out."
Chris looked at Vin who was looking very uncomfortable about the whole thing. "It's up to you, Vin."
"I'll be keeping a watch on you, Vin. I'll know as soon as you start to zone," Jim reassured him.
"I guess so, if ya think it's important, Captain?"
"Yeah, I do, Runt."
"Alright. What's next?"
"Cool." Blair pulled a plastic bag with some fruit out of his backpack and a thermos. "This here is a special blend of fruit juice I like to make. I used some of these fruits. I'll let you have a taste of them so you can identify them. This is..."
"Ya got a mango, a kiwi, a papaya, elderberries, an apricot, and a tangerine there."
Blair and Jim looked at him startled while Chris just shook his head with a smile.
"You eat these kinds of fruit?" Blair asked, still surprised that the Texan had been able to correctly identify them.
"Not exactly. Ezra likes mangoes and kiwis. Josiah eats kiwis and papayas. Miss Nettie makes a great elderberry pie. Nate likes apricots. And JD's got a thing for tangerines. I've tried'em all at some point. Mangoes and kiwis are pretty good, though the kiwis gotta be real fresh. Ain't too fond a papayas and apricots. I love Miss Nettie's elderberry pies, and tangerines are okay."
"Uhm, okay. Well, then why don't you take a sip and let me know what's in it?"
Taking the thermos, Vin took a careful sip and winced. "Ehk, went a little heavy on the papaya. Got some kiwi and some tangerine in there too." Vin took a second sip. "Dropped some mango in there too. Probably by accident."
"Mango? No, I didn't put any in there."
"Ya sure? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I'm tastin' a hint a mango in there."
Jim took the thermos and took a swallow. He grimaced too. "He's right, Chief. You put a little too much papaya in there and there is just a flavor of mango."
"Fine," Blair grumbled, taking the thermos away from them. "I like papaya."
"What's next?" Vin asked with a smirk at Blair's grumbling.
-Cascade Grand Hotel
"So, gentlemen, did you find that lecture as mentally stimulating as I did?" Ezra asked Trent and Carlos as they exited the conference room. Carlos blushed since they both knew he'd fallen asleep.
"It was kind of interesting, but the presentation..." Trent shrugged.
"Lacked a certain 'joi de vive'? Energy?" Ezra suggested with a smile.
"Yeah," Trent nodded. "Half the time I thought someone should check his pulse to make sure he was still alive."
"Agent Brooks can be a bit monotonous. The next seminar shouldn't be as bad. Methods of Communication While Undercover, also known as How Not To Blow Your Undercover Agent's Cover. As one of the ATF's more successful agents I've been asked to sit on the panel. It starts in about ten minutes."
"Great. That's plenty of time," Carlos said with a grin.
"Plenty of time for what?" Trent asked his partner suspiciously.
"I noticed a Krispy Kreme across the street and wanted to go get some."
"I'm afraid there really isn't enough time," Ezra said looking at his watch. "I have to be there early to go over some things with the seminar leader."
"How about if I meet you guys there? It shouldn't take very long. What room is it in?"
"Were you paying any attention at all this morning, Carlos?"
"What?" He looked from Trent to Ezra then back to Trent. "What?"
"No one's supposed to go anywhere alone. Something about two psychopaths out there?" Trent reminded him.
"I know, but it's not like I'm a target. Nothing's going to happen in the few minutes it takes me to get a couple of donuts."
Ezra hmphed in derision, shaking his head as he turned away. "Do as you wish, Mr. Sandoval. I have a seminar to attend in room 215. Mr. Malloy?"
He didn't wait to see if Trent was following before heading down the hallway. Trent glared at Carlos. "I don't think this is a good idea, Carlos. Moran *hates* me. He's already gone after Tommy. There's a good chance he'll go after you too."
"You worry too much, hermano. No one is going to kidnap me in broad daylight in front of a hotel filled with cops, FBI and ATF agents. It would be suicide."
"Carlos."
"I'll pick you up a glazed jelly donut," Carlos said over his shoulder, turning towards the main lobby.
"Don't take too long," Trent called after him, then hurried after Ezra.
Carlos watched Trent jog to catch up to Ezra then headed to the main lobby. He was only going to be gone a few minutes. What could happen in that time?
* * * * * * * * *
"Do we really need this doo-hicky thing of yours, JD?" Buck asked as they stepped off the elevator on their floor.
"Yes, Buck. I need my PDA. The whole point of my seminar is using a PDA for coordinating communications and data. It's pointless to go to the seminar without a PDA," JD said, turning sideways to avoid the cleaning cart in the hallway.
"Uh-huh. I remember when we didn't have all this high-tech hooey," Buck said, using his key card to unlock the room door. He didn't see JD roll his eyes at him. "We had to rely on good old-fashioned know-how and gut instincts. Nowadays anyone can listen in on anyone."
JD ignored his friend's grousing since Buck was always one of the first to help him with his high-tech hooey. He headed straight for his suitcase. "It should be in here. I can't believe I forgot it this morning."
Buck smirked as he flopped down on his bed. "Oh yeah, you always remember everything, like your wallet."
"Shut up, Buck. I forgot it once."
Buck just looked at JD.
"Oh, alright so I've forgotten it a couple of times. I'm not that bad." JD sighed and sat back on his heels, looking around the room. "Where is it?"
"You sure you brought it with you, kid?"
"Yes, I'm sure. I remember packing it in my bag between my X-men boxers and my BU t-shirt. I don't remember unpacking it, but maybe I did." JD rose to his feet and headed into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.
"Tell me you don't use that thing even in the bathroom, kid? Maybe we need to get you into some sorta 12-step program or something."
"Ha ha, Buck. Very funny," was JD's muffled response. "Can't a guy take a piss in peace?"
A knock on the door drew Buck's attention.
"Housekeeping," called a young feminine voice with a slight Spanish accent. Buck was on his feet in a flash. He flung open the door and smiled at the young Hispanic woman standing there, a stack of towels in her hands.
"Well, hello there, darlin'. Come on in. My friend and I'll be outta your way in a minute."
"Gracias, Senor," she said as she moved past him into the room. Buck followed her.
"You need a hand there, darlin'?"
"Gracias, Senor," she said with a smile, turning around to face him, "but that won't be necessary, Agent Wilmington."
Buck took a step back in shock when he suddenly found himself facing a silencer. "What the..."
She fired and Buck's hand immediately flew to his chest and the dart sticking out from it. She smiled as he slumped to the floor. "Night-night, Agent Wilmington."
Hearing the lock on the bathroom door, she moved quickly into place behind it.
"I still can't find it, Buck," JD said as he came out of the bathroom. Catching sight of Buck, he stopped in his tracks. "Buck?"
Before he could do anything else, pain exploded in the back of his head and he slumped to the ground unconscious. With quick movements she disarmed both men, then pulled a set of cuffs from her apron and cuffed JD's hands. She stepped out into the hallway, took a quick look around then backed the cart into the room. A roll of duct tape was produced and she bound JD's legs and gagged him. A bit of maneuvering and she got JD over her shoulder in a fireman's hold. She dumped him into the laundry portion of the cart, shifting some sheets to cover him.
Using a hand towel, she pulled out a pink envelope marked Ezra Standish and placed it on the floor next to Buck. She started to leave then turned back and removed the dart from Buck's chest. Grinning, she pushed the cart from the room and down the hallway to the freight elevator.
* * * * * * * * *
Carlos glanced at his watch again. He was going to be late getting back for Ezra's seminar. Who would have known Krispy Kreme would have such a long line in the middle of the morning? He chuckled at the thought of hordes of cops, FBI, and ATF agents descending on the donut shop from across the street. Another glance at his watch and he debated just leaving. The line moved up and he saw that there were only two more people ahead of him besides the person at the counter. He decided to wait just a little longer. He'd only be a couple of minutes late.
* * * * * * * * *
Five vans marked Executive Catering pulled up to the hotel parking garage gate. The lead van rolled down the window as the guard stepped out of the booth. The two men eyed each other for a moment then nodded and the guard waved them through.
Each van went to a different level of the garage. When they were all in position a cell phone rang in the first van.
"Alpha here," said the man who picked it up.
"Everything's in position, sir. We are green."
"Our targets?"
"The seminars started five minutes ago."
"Good. Activate on my mark." He looked at his watch, waiting until the minute turned, then, "Mark."