Jim Ellison leaned out slightly from his hiding place to
check the darkened alley once more, his gun pointing up, ready in his right
hand. He scanned the area, pupils dilated. His hearing turned the corners
and followed whispers of sounds, but there was nothing new to see or hear,
or to smell for that matter. Frustrated he leaned back into the narrow doorway
and caught himself when he registered the muffled squeak from his partner,
Blair Sandburg. He glanced down at the figure that was squeezed between
his chest and the rusty door of the old building and mumbled, "Sorry".
Blair uselessly tried to compress his body back against the door and
tilted his head up as he hissed, "Jim, this is ridiculous. I can't
help you like this. Let me hide in that other doorway. I can get over
there in two seconds if you will just let me by." He made a tiny
movement, as if testing the possibility. But Jim instantly lowered his
left hand and latched onto the door handle, effectively blocking off Blair's
only possible escape route. "Stay where your are, Sandburg",
he said in a low growl, " and stop fidgeting". "I'm *not* fidgeting, I'm trying to breathe." "This doorway
is too shallow to hide both of us, Jim. I am wedged in here like a damned
sardine. It is absolutely *not* necessary to be crammed in here like this",
he hissed. Jim motioned for silence and tried to identify the faint rustling he
heard coming from the alleyway. He relaxed a fraction when he realized
it was the scampering of rats and returned his attention to his softly
muttering partner. "Sandburg, you will stay exactly where I can control your movements.
I explicitly ordered you to stay in the truck, and I told you why I wanted
your butt out of the way. You disobeyed, and that put us in this situation,
so now if you're uncomfortable, tough shit." His voice was quiet
and measured, but icy cold as he continued, "You should be thinking
up good reasons why I shouldn't shoot you myself." Blair went still and his eyes widened unconsciously as he wondered if
Jim was really as angry as he sounded. He blinked rapidly in the dark,
trying to see his partner's expression and though Jim's face was close
enough to feel his breath on his face as he spoke, it was just too dark
to see. He decided that discretion was the better part of valor. He would
be still and quiet and just hoped that he wouldn't pass out from the shallow
breaths that he was taking. Jim stifled a smile as he felt Blair become motionless. Still listening
for sounds from their quarry, he was now almost sure that they had escaped
through some other exit from this alley. But he would continue to wait
here until the backup units arrived. He realized with surprise that he
was not upset that the culprits had gotten away. He felt only relief and
a loosening of the grip that had tightened around his heart when he realized
that Sandburg had followed him into the alley. In those few minutes past, he had whirled behind him and grabbed Sandburg
by the jacket and propelled him into the doorway and then flattened himself
against the younger man. He had acted instinctively, unsure if anyone
lurked in the darkened alleyway and determined that they would present
the smallest possible target to anyone with murderous intentions. And
then when his senses confirmed that the coast was clear, he continued
to keep Blair confined in the doorway. Jim fully expected the return of
the two unsuspecting armed men back this same way. He had no intention
of trying to guess where his wayward guide might be. He wanted Sandburg
close, he wanted to be between Sandburg and those men. He knew too well
the cold bloodedness of the two suspects that they had trailed to this
deserted section of town. His heart contracted convulsively again with anger, ...or was it fear?
'Damn Sandburg', he thought, 'Why doesn't he ever listen'. It was then that Jim realized suddenly why, even now that the danger
was gone, he didn't step away from Blair,. He wanted to keep feeling Blair's
heart beat against his chest. He was comforted by his guide's scent rising
strongly to surround him and by the soft touch of his hair against his
chin. He felt Blair's breath on his neck and his warmth reminded Jim that
all was well. Jim cocked his head listening to the converging police cars still several
blocks away. In a few minutes help would be here.