DISCLAIMER: The characters Blair Sandburg and Jim Ellison, as well as the Sentinel
concept belong to Pet Fly Productions and Paramount.  I just decided to take them out to
play.  I promise to send them back in when it gets dark :-).

Blair's Theory of Relativity
by Laura F. Schomberg

Blair was edging his way down the plane's aisle behind Jim, when the detective stopped
suddenly, causing Blair to almost bump into him.  He looked up to see Jim open an overhead
hatch before tossing his bag inside.  Jim turned back to the kid, his hand held out for
the young man's carry-on bag.  Dropping his right shoulder, Blair caught the straps of his
backpack before it hit the floor and handed it to Jim. He then ducked under the
detective's arm to slide into the aisle seat.
 
"Move over, Chief," Jim said, lightly kicking Blair's leg.  

Blair sighed and moved over to the window.  "Man, I hate the window seat.  Most of the
time we're too high up to see anything interesting, and when we aren't the view makes me
ill."

"Sorry, Blair."  Jim sat in the aisle seat, pointing down his long legs.  "But there's
not enough room for my legs.  Just close the window."

Blair, who was hooking his seat belt, sighed and reached over to jerk down the window
blind.  "That's not going to help."

Jim shrugged and settled into his seat, hooking his belt.  Neither man spoke until the
plane was in the air.

******************

Blair twisted in his seat, turning away from the window.  Nudging Jim, he said, "Tell me
again why you decided to bring me."

"I thought you wanted to meet some of my relatives.  See if they were . . . ," Jim
paused, looking for a word that wouldn't give any secrets to prying ears, "like me."

Blair shook his head.  "That's not why, man.  You were all set to take this trip on your
own until last week.  What made you change your mind?"

Jim shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  He knew Blair would just keep bothering him until
he got an answer.  He just didn't think the kid would like the reason.

"All right.  You want to know why I asked you to join me."

Blair nodded.

"My mother asked me to bring you."

"Your mother!?!  I've never even met her.  Why would she want me to go with you?"

Jim turned, looking for the stewardess.  Maybe if he got a beer or a little wine it would
make this trip go faster.

"Jim?"

"Cause you're about Squirt's age.  When Squirt told her mom that I was coming she called
my mom.  The two of them aren't happy that she's not married yet."

Blair didn't like where this conversation was heading.  "What does that have to do with
me?"

Again, Jim shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  "I told you.  You're about her age.  Mom
asked me to introduce you."

"What?!?"

Jim shrugged.  "I keep telling mom that if the kid is happy she and Aunt Sue should just
leave well enough alone but they just can't believe that she's happy."

"So what you're saying is that this is some sort of cross-country blind date."  Jim
nodded.  Blair slammed back into his seat.  "This sucks, man."

******************

Jim decided to twist the knife as the direct flight to Miami came in for a landing.
Turning to Blair he said, "Cheer up, Chief.  You'll like Zoe."

"Zoe?"

"My cousin.  She's 28, very intelligent, a marine biologist,  and she's got a great
personality."

"Great personality, huh?" Jim nodded.  "That means she's a dog."

"Better watch what you say about my favorite cousin."

"Then tell me I'm wrong."

"You're wrong.  She's beautiful," Jim said, settling back into his seat.  "But then
again, she is my favorite cousin so I could be biased."

"I'll say.  If she's so beautiful why does your mom have to get you to set her up?"

Jim shrugged, unhooking his seat belt as the passengers prepared to disembark.  He
remained seated, waiting for the other passengers to clear out of the aisle.  Blair
unhooked his belt and stood, bouncing on his feet, antsy to get off the plane.

As soon as the people in the aisle had slowed to a trickle, Jim stood and quickly stepped
out, moving slightly back.  Blair brushed past him as he opened the overhead compartment
and pulled out their carry on luggage.  Jim tossed Blair's backpack to the younger man who
caught it easily before turning around and walking off the plane. Jim followed close
behind.

Entering the waiting area, Jim quickly scanned the people waiting for the passengers to
disembark.  Hearing a female voice call his name he turned and dropped his bag.  The
young woman who had called him ran forward and flung herself into his arms.  He pulled her
into a tight hug, lifting her off her feet.  

"You look great, Squirt," Jim said as he released his cousin and gently pushed her away.
 
Blair stood behind Jim, staring at Jim's cousin.  He realized that Jim hadn't been lying
when he said his cousin was beautiful.  She was about Blair's height with long, slender,
tan legs.  Her hips were loosely encased by cut off jean shorts.  As Blair's eyes tracked
up her body he noticed her dark green tank top with the slogan "Save Our Everglades"
emblazoned in white across her chest and her thin, tanned arms.  Her long, dark blonde
hair was highlighted in gold.

Jim turned to Blair, one arm around his cousin's shoulders.  "Zoe, this is my friend
Blair Sandburg.  Blair, this is my cousin Zoe Baker."

Zoe stepped forward, her right hand reaching out to shake Blair's hand.  For the first
time, Blair noticed her eyes, pale blue with just the slightest hint of gray.  "You have
Jim's eyes."

Zoe turned back to Jim who was chuckling.  "Actually we have Grandfather Simpson's eyes.
Jim, did I tell you he called last night? He wants his eyes back."

Jim walked over to Blair.  "Come on kids.  Let's get our luggage and get out of this
airport."

Zoe stepped between the two men and tugged on their jackets. "Take those things off
first.  It may be October but you're in Florida now.  The temperature today is a humid 86
degrees."

******************

Zoe led the two men through the airport's parking garage.  As they walked, Jim and Zoe
discussed various members of their family. Blair trailed behind them, almost forgotten
in Zoe's enthusiasm to catch up on family gossip.

"I never figured you for a gossip, Jim," Blair broke into their conversation.

Jim cast a glance back at Blair and shrugged.  "Zoe brings out the worst in me."

"Thanks a lot," Zoe said, lightly slapping Jim on the shoulder.  "It's not my fault no
one tells me anything."

Zoe turned around and started walking backwards.  "So tell me Blair, what do you do?"

"I'm an anthropologist.  I'm working on my doctorate right now."

"An anthropologist?  Uh, I figured you had to be in narcotics or something like that."

"Watch it," Jim said, grabbing Zoe's arm and pulling her closer to him.  "You almost
walked into a car."

Zoe turned back around.  Looking back over her shoulder she said, "I just never figured
Jim knew anybody who wasn't a cop."

"Well, we sort of found a common interest."

"There it is," Zoe said, pointing to a battered, blue Suburban.  

"You're still driving that piece of junk."

Zoe turned to Jim.  "Why buy new when this one does everything I want?"

Zoe pressed a button on a key chain.  The car responded by flashing its lights and
emitting a beep.  "Careful where you put your bags," she said, opening the rear door.
"Some of the equipment in there is very fragile."

Jim and Blair stored their bags in the truck.  Jim then moved to get into the front seat
while Blair got in the back.  Zoe slid into the driver's seat before turning to look at
the others.  "Here's the game plan.  We're going to stop at the grocery story and the
drug store before heading to the boat."

"Why do we need to head to a boat?"

"Jim didn't tell you much about where you were going, did he?" Zoe asked,  looking at
Jim.  He turned to study the car next to Zoe's.

"No.  I think he's getting back at me for the last time I took him somewhere."

"We have to take a boat to get to the key."

"Just how far do we have to go before we get there?"

"Two hours, by boat," Zoe said before turning the key in the ignition.  

"This sucks," Blair muttered under his breath.

"What?" Zoe asked.

"Sounds great," Blair replied, trying to sound excited about the
upcoming boat ride.

******************

Blair passed a grocery bag to Zoe who placed it in the oversized cooler aboard the boat.  
He was still surprised by the relationship between Jim and his cousin.  They seemed to
bicker quite a lot but it wasn't until Blair had stepped in to offer a solution to who
would pay for the red meat Jim wanted that he realized the bickering was actually good
natured teasing.  Only when they started to load the boat did the teasing stop.  
 
"I always figured that any relative of Jim's would have a nice, common name," Blair said
as he handed over another bag.  "How did you end up with the name Zoe?"
 
Zoe paused, brushing her hair back.  "My father's a Brit.  He and the rest of my family
lived in England until two years before I was born.  For some reason I was never told, my
parents let my older brother, Jack, name me.  He picked his favorite female tv character,
some companion from the show Dr. Who."
 
"Dr. Who?  I remember that show."
 
"I could never get into it myself."
 
Jim walked down the dock carrying a grocery bag in one arm and a small box under the
other.  "This is the last of the things in the car," he said as he stepped on the boat.
 
Zoe took the grocery bag, pointing to a corner near the back of the boat.  "Did you lock
the doors?"
 
"Of course."
 
"Good."  Zoe leaned over, letting her hair hang down over her face. She grabbed it with
one hand, twisting it as she straightened. Picking up a Florida Marlin's baseball cap
from its resting place next to the cooler, she pulled it on over her hair.  "Let's
motor."
 
******************
 
Jim leaned back against the boat's windshield.  "So, Squirt, how've you been?"
 
Zoe leaned back in her seat, gently steering the boat with her fingertips.  "I've been
great.  Really.  I don't know why no one believes that."
 
"We just worry about you.  You're pretty isolated out here."
 
Zoe didn't respond.  
 
"Have they caught the guys yet?  It's been over a year."
 
"They were pirates, Jim.  You don't catch pirates.  I really don't want to talk about
Allen and his friends."
 
Shrugging, Jim looked toward Blair on the deck below.  He was leaning over the railing.  
"I guess Sandburg doesn't have his sea legs yet."
 
Zoe twisted in her seat, trying to see Blair.  "Who asked you to bring him?"
 
"Why do you think someone asked me to bring him?"
 
"Oh, please."
 
Jim chuckled.  "Mom asked me.  You mom asked her.  I decided it was easier to do what
those two wanted than to argue with them."
 
Zoe snorted.  "An unbeatable combination.  Here, take the wheel. I'm going to see if I
can help your friend.  All you have to do is keep an eye on the coast."
 
"Yes, mom.  I've done this before.  Remember?"
 
Zoe got up, keeping one hand on the wheel until Jim could slide into her seat and take
over the controls.  She released the wheel and quickly brought her hand up to smack Jim
on his forehead.
 
"Hey!"
 
Leaning close, Zoe said, "Just don't hit any other boats, kay?"
 
Jim nodded, chuckling.  
 
Zoe climbed down the stairs to the deck below.  She looked over at Blair before turning
and heading into the cabin.  When she came out, she was wearing a straw hat and carrying
a can of ginger ale.  
 
"Here," she said, extending the can of soda as she approached Blair.  "Drink this.  It's
cold and it'll help calm your stomach."
 
Blair turned dubious eyes to Zoe.  
 
"Trust me.  Just take sips and you'll feel better."
 
Taking a deep breath, Blair reached forward to take the can from Zoe.  He popped the top
before taking a long draft of the soda. Almost immediately he clutched at his abdomen
and leaned over the rail, expelling the contents of his stomach.
 
Zoe quickly stepped closer and started rubbing Blair's back.  "I said sips.  Try it
again."
 
"No thanks, man.  I don't think so," Blair said, rubbing his mouth.
 
"Use the soda to rinse your mouth out and then take a couple of sips.  You'll feel
better."  
 
Blair took a deep breath and then followed Zoe's instructions.  He was surprised to find
the nausea he had been feeling start to recede. "It's working."
 
Zoe dug into her pocket and pulled out a pair of wrist bands. "Here, put these on your
wrists and they'll help with the motion sickness."
 
"Do they work on pressure points?" Blair asked as he put on the wrist bands, positioning
the two metal studs on the veins below his thumbs.
 
Zoe nodded, taking the straw hat off her head to reveal her baseball cap underneath.  
Blair couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. Grinning, Zoe dropped the hat on top of
Blair's head.
 
"Keep this on, too.  It'll help, also."
 
"Thanks," Blair said.  He was already feeling better.  "Say, who's driving the boat?"
 
"Jim," Zoe said, pointing over her shoulder.  "It's not hard.  You can try your hand at
it later if you feel like.  All you have to do is keep an eye on the coast."  Zoe pointed
across the railing that Blair had been leaning against before turning and heading back to
Jim.
 
Blair looked out over the railing.  He couldn't see the coast.  An idea began to take
shape in his head as he turned to watch Zoe climb the ladder.  
 
******************
 
Blair climbed the stairs to join Jim and Zoe.  "Is this the island?" he asked, pointing
to the mass of land building in front of the boat.  
 
"Yes, this is My Key."
 
"My Key?"
 
"Well that's what Mr. Hanover, the owner, named it."  Zoe reached down and picked up the
radio's microphone.  "Zoe to Shane. We're heading in.  How are things over there?"
 
"Hey Zoe.  I've been waiting for you to call.  Before you come in, can you take a quick
once around the key?"
 
"Sure.  What am I looking for?"
 
"Probably nothing.  I just saw a strange boat earlier today.  The crew seemed to be
awfully interested in what was happening here."
 
Zoe slowly turned the wheel till the key was on the port side of the boat.  She pressed
the button on the microphone.  "Did you call the Coast Guard?"
 
"I'll tell you about it when you get in."
 
"That bad, eh?  We'll be pulling up to the dock in about fifteen twenty minutes."  Zoe
placed the microphone on top of the radio.  
 
Jim placed a hand on her shoulder.  "Want to tell me what that was about?"
 
"Probably nothing.  We get the occasional tourist who tries to steal coral from the
reef."  
 
"Why would this Shane guy not want to tell you what the Coast Guard said over the radio?"
Blair asked.  
 
Zoe scanned the surrounding ocean, not answering Blair's question.  

"He's probably worried about someone else getting the message," Jim answered.  
 
"That doesn't sound good."
 
Jim shook his head.  Both men joined Zoe in scanning the waters as she circled the
island.  
 
Coming back to the dock, Jim headed down the ladder to handle the mooring lines.  As the boat pulled in, Jim tossed the line to the tall, blonde man standing on the dock.  He easily caught the rope and lashed the boat in place as Zoe cut the engine.  
 
Leaning over the rail, Zoe yelled down to the man on shore, "We didn't see anything,
Shane."
 
Shane nodded and jumped onto the boat.  Blair and Zoe quickly climbed down the ladder to
join Shane and Jim on the deck.  Zoe briefly introduced the men to each other before
opening the cooler. Pulling out a bag and handing it to Shane, she asked, "So what did
the Coast Guard have to say?"
 
Shane sighed.  "It's not good.  Apparently there has been an increase in the drug
activity near here.  They won't be able to patrol the waters near here like they've been
doing."
 
Zoe blew air out of her mouth as she continued to unload the cooler, passing bags to Jim
and Blair.  "Wonderful."
 
"What's the problem?" Blair asked.
 
Jim turned to him before answering, "If it gets too hot in one area the drug runners will
shift their position.  That's why Shane was worried about that boat he saw earlier."
 
"Right," Shane said, handing his bag back to Zoe before he stepped off the boat.  

Zoe then passed the grocery bag back to him and reached for Blair's bag.  "Let's just get
the boat unloaded.  It's getting late."    
 
******************
 
They gathered in the kitchen of the small house quickly putting away the groceries they
had bought in Miami.  Zoe tossed a cantaloupe to Shane, wheezing slightly as she said,
"Geez, Shane. Why'd you dye your hair again while I was gone?"
 
"Decided to help the sun out."  Shane put the cantaloupe on the counter before quickly
walking over to Zoe.  "You okay?"
 
Leaving Blair standing next to the refrigerator, Jim crossed the kitchen to Zoe's side.  
She was shaking her head, gasping for air, when Jim forced her out of the room to sit at
the table.  "Asthma," he stated.  He turned to see that Blair had followed them out of
the kitchen.  "Stay with her," he ordered before heading toward Zoe's bedroom.  
 
Blair kneeled in front of the woman struggling to breathe.  He placed a hand on her knee,
offering comfort, when he heard Shane exit the kitchen.
 
"I can't find her spare atomizer," the blonde man said as he started to head for the
Zoe's bedroom.
 
"Jim's checking in there," Blair said, stopping Shane.
 
He came behind Zoe and began to massage her shoulders, quietly telling her to relax.  
Blair watched, surprised, as Zoe's panic eased.  
 
Jim came out of the bedroom, trotting over to his cousin's side, shaking a yellow
atomizer.  Blair moved to the side allowing Jim to drop in front of Zoe.  
 
She grabbed the atomizer from his hand, quickly raising it to her lips. Pulling a puff
into her lungs, she sat still for a moment, holding her breath.  After slowly releasing
her breath, she said, "Thanks."
 
"Better?"  Zoe nodded, taking another puff.  "Any idea what set it off?"
 
"I might."  Jim looked up at Shane.
 
"We've got a stray cat on the key.  It got in the kitchen this morning.  Took me ten
minutes to chase it out."
 
"That shouldn't have caused her reaction," Blair blurted.
 
Turning to him, Jim said, "She has a severe allergy to cats."
 
Blair decided not to push the issue.  His mother was severely allergic to cats so he knew
what sort of reaction that could be expected.  He added this scene to the list he had
started on the boat.  

******************
 
"Shane, tell me about that boat you saw earlier," Jim said, sitting down next to Zoe.  
The group had retired to the porch overlooking a small lagoon after dinner.
 
"Don't start, Jim," Zoe commanded.  "You're here on vacation, remember?"
 
"But if there are drug runners out there . . . "
 
"The coast guard will deal with them.  The last thing Shane and I need once you leave is a bunch of pissed off drug runners with revenge on their minds."  Shane nodded in agreement.  "Besides, we're more likely to have problems with divers stealing the coral."
 
"What do you mean?"  
 
Zoe turned to regard Blair.  "We have a very fragile reef trying to survive less then a mile off the coastline.  Unfortunately some people seem to think that if they take just a piece it won't hurt the reef."
 
"Trouble is that all those people taking  'just a piece' are what destroyed the first
reef," Shane added.  
 
"What about what happened to Allen?" Jim asked.  
 
Zoe sighed as she stood and walked over to the porch railing. When she didn't respond,
Blair asked, "Who's Allen?"
 
"He worked here with Zoe before me."
 
"What happened to him?"
 
Zoe leaned on the railing, staring out as if looking for something on the darkening
horizon.  "He and some friends were killed by pirates."
 
"Drug runners," Jim corrected.  
 
Shane shook his head.  "Uh-oh."
 
Zoe spun around, anger flashing in her eyes.  "What do you call a group that attacks a
defenseless boat on the open seas, kills the crew, and takes the boat for one run before
scuttling it?"
 
"Drug runners."
 
Zoe sighed.  "Jim, the runners you deal with in Cascade are the same type that they deal
with here.  They don't want to draw any more attention to their operations than
necessary.  Pirates don't care.  They're out for the big score.  And they do exist down
here."
 
Jim shook his head, raising his beer to his mouth.  It was obvious to Blair that the two
had been arguing about this ever since Allen had died.  
 
"If there were no witnesses and no evidence how do you know it was pirates?"
 
"Because, Blair, there was no distress signal.  Boats rarely go down without a distress
signal of some sort any more."
 
Blair wasn't convinced.  "Are you sure?"
 
"Yes.  The only people who think differently are those crackpots who believe in the
Bermuda Triangle."
 
"You don't?"
 
"Hell, no!  That stupid Triangle is being blamed for any missing boat that those idiots
can attribute to it, ignoring the facts surrounding the disappearances."  Zoe took a
couple of steps toward Blair.  "Most of the boats sent out distress signals when they
started to go down.  The ones that didn't were probably hijacked by pirates."  Stepping
even closer she added, "The governments encourage that crap about the Triangle to draw
tourists."
 
Blair shook his head.  "Why would they do that?"
 
"Pirates aren't good for business the Triangle is.  I bet you believe in the Triangle."
 
"I don't know," Blair said, as Jim and Shane both got up to move away from the argument.  
"I mean, boats have been disappearing in the Triangle since before drugs got to be such a
big problem.  And what about that squadron of planes that disappeared?"
 
Zoe looked down at Blair, incredulous.  "Well at least you didn't mention the Mary
Celeste."
 
"Of course not.  The Celeste was found near the Azores."
 
"You know for a researcher, you sure didn't do much research on this," Zoe said.   With a
quick shake of her head she turned, heading back to the rail.  Half way there she stopped
and spun on the seated man.  "We came through the so-called Triangle.  Did we get lost?  
No, because we kept an eye on the coast so we could correct our course because of the
very swift Gulf Stream.  The Gulf Stream has been known to take ships way off course
without the pilots even figuring it out.  That combined with the fact that the water in
that area is five thousand feet deep, makes it nearly impossible for rescue ships to find
the idiots who don't know what they are doing.  My friends did."  
 
Zoe took a deep breath before continuing.  "As for flight 19 it only had one," she said,
raising her index finger, "experienced pilot.  Did you know that he was hung over?"
 
"Uh, no."

"His name was Lt. Charles Taylor and when his compass went out he decided to
navigate by using landmarks.  Landmarks which he wasn't familiar with having just been
transferred to Ft. Lauderdale. After hitting the Bahamas and thinking they were the Keys
he had the ships fly north and then east, out over the ocean."
 
"But the planes did loose radio contact early in the flight," Blair stated, gamely
standing his ground.
 
"Oh please.  They didn't but the pilot was too stubborn to switch to an emergency channel
and as a result the signal was full of static. To make matters worse, a storm struck the
lost planes, reducing their visibility to next to zero.  Crew members were heard to tell
Taylor to head west but he ignored them and they stuck to military discipline and stayed
with Taylor."  Zoe shot an accusing look at Jim.  
 
He shrugged, saying, "I'm not a part of this."
 
Turning back to Blair, Zoe continued, "When the planes finally ran out of gas they were
most likely over the Continental Shelf, which is thousands of feet deep.  In the storm
the planes would have sunk like stones."  Her tirade over, Zoe took a deep breath and
strode into the house leaving a stunned Blair in her wake.  "I'm going for a swim," she
tossed over her shoulder.  "Anyone want to join me?"
 
"A swim sounds good," Jim responded before following his cousin into the house as if
nothing had happened.  
 
Blair turned wide eyes to Shane.  The blonde man shrugged and quickly entered the house.  

***************
 
The beach was bathed in the pale light of the old moon.  Two men sat on the beach,
watching, as well as they could, the two people swimming in the ocean.  Neither man was
certain how the swimmers could see anything in the dim light.
 
"I've known Zoe almost a year," Shane said to Blair.  "She's always liked to swim at
night but only when the moon was full."
 
Blair turned to the other man.  "When did that change?"
 
Shane pondered Blair's question for a few seconds, trying to pinpoint when Zoe's habits
had started to change.  "About three months before I went on vacation, I guess.  She just
started swimming even when the moon was only half full.  When I came back, she was
swimming nearly every night.  Even when there was no moon at all."
 
Blair shifted in the sand, turning to face Shane.  "How long were you gone?"
 
"Almost two months.  I went to visit my parents in Jacksonville. While I was there, I
got appendicitis.  Came back here almost three weeks after I had originally planned."
 
"When did you get back?"
 
"Two weeks ago."  Shane climbed to his feet, brushing the sand off his clothes.  "I've
got to get up early.  See you in the morning."
 
"Wait a minute," Blair called as he got to his feet.  Shane stopped, waiting for the
other man to catch up to him.  "I'll go in with you."
 
Shane shrugged.
 
"Was Zoe alone while you were gone?" Blair asked as they walked toward the house, one
hundred fifty yards from the shore.
 
"Yeah, she was."
 
Blair nodded to himself, certain that the theory he began developing on the trip from
Miami to the key was accurate.  He planned to discuss it with Jim as soon as he finished
with his swim.
 
******************

Blair waited up anxiously.  When he heard Jim enter the bathroom that joined both rooms,
he got up and walked over to the door. Knocking, he called, "Jim?  Can I talk to you for
a minute?"
 
Listening at the door, Blair heard the running water being turned off.  He stepped back
as Jim opened the door from the inside.  The older man entered the room, toweling off his
hair.  
 
"Something wrong, Chief?"
 
"No. No.  It's something great, actually."
 
Jim stopped drying his hair and turned questioning eyes on Blair.  
 
Blair grabbed Jim's arm, pulling him over to the bed.  "Sit down. Sit down.  Man, this
is really great."
 
"I wouldn't think you'd be so excited after Zoe cut into you earlier," Jim said, sitting
on the edge of Blair's bed.
 
"If what I'm thinking is right then your cousin can yell at me anytime."  Pausing to take
a quick breath, Blair rushed on, "I think Zoe is like you."
 
"Of course she is, she's my cousin."
 
"No, Jim.  I mean I think she's a Sentinel."
 
Jim gave Blair a doubtful look.  "I don't think so."
 
"Let me finish.  When you were driving the boat, could you see the coast?"
 
Jim nodded.
 
"So could Zoe but I couldn't.  And tonight, when you were swimming could you see?"
 
"Yes."
 
"So could your cousin but there was barely enough light for Shane and me to see you two.  
Forget swimming."
 
"All you've shown is that she has better then normal eyesight."
 
"She has a better sense of smell too, Jim.  She shouldn't have had an allergic reaction
to the cat that got in earlier today.  It was only in for a few minutes and Shane told me
he swept out the kitchen to get rid of all the cat hairs.  Only someone with a heightened
sense of smell would be able to tell that a cat had been there at all that day."
 
Jim sat on the bed, considering what Blair had just said.  "What about isolation?  You
told me that the time I spent in Peru and then again on that stakeout had something to do
with my abilities coming out."
 
Blair spread his arms out to his sides.  "That is the easiest thing of all.  Most of the
time the only people on this key are Shane and Zoe.  You, yourself, weren't alone but
living with the natives when you were in Peru.  And Shane was gone for about two months
recently, leaving Zoe all alone."  Blair stepped back, certain that Jim would see the
logic of his theory.  
 
Jim stood and began pacing in front of the bed.  Rubbing a hand on the back of his neck,
he said, "I don't get it.  When my senses started kicking in, I was jumping out of my
skin.  Why is she so calm?"
 
"She may not even realize what's happened to her."
 
"You've lost me."
 
"Think about it Jim.  When you were in Peru, your abilities probably came on line slowly.
 You may not have even realized it yourself.  It wasn't until you were on that stakeout
and they hit you full force that you noticed them."
 
Jim continued pacing.  Finally he turned to face Blair.  "Okay. Let's say I buy this.  What do we do now?"
 
Blair shook his head.  "Tell Zoe, of course."
 
Jim grimaced.  "Have you already forgotten what happened when you discussed the Bermuda
Triangle?"
 
"No, but this is different."
 
"Zoe won't think so.  And if you think I took your story badly at first just try using
that same line with Zoe.  She'll kick your butt all the way back to Miami."
 
******************

Morning came and Zoe had seemed to have decided to ignore yesterday's argument with
Blair.  She had spent the first part of the morning instructing the young man in scuba
diving before finally taking everyone out to the reef.  
 
When they came back, Shane took everyone over to a small lagoon behind the house.  
Neither Shane nor Zoe would tell the two men from Cascade what they were waiting for as
they sat on the dock. Shane slapped the water several times until first one then two
fins entered the lagoon.  
 
Laughing at the stunned expressions of the two men sitting on the dock, Shane had pointed
to a nearby bucket, encouraging them to feed the dolphins.  He had then shown them how to
get the dolphins to take them out for a swim.  Both men were enthralled by the quick
acceptance from the wild animals.
 
When they headed to the house in the late afternoon, Shane went toward the boat house,
mentioning taking a once around the island. Walking into the house, Blair decided that
this was probably the best time to discuss Zoe's Sentinel abilities.  
 
"I have what?!?"
 
"Heightened senses.  Sir Richard Burton first discovered people he called Sentinels in
his work with pre-civilized people."
 
Jim put a hand over his eyes, shaking his head.  He knew what would happen next.
 
"So I'm some sort of freak."
 
"No.  No.  Not at all.  Matter of fact it's perfectly normal," Blair started.
 
"In pre-civilized cultures."
 
"Well yes, but . . ."
 
"Get out!" Zoe yelled.  She turned and started to storm out of the room.
 
Blair rushed forward and grabbed her arm.  "If you'll just let me finish."
 
Turning on Blair, Zoe jerked her arm out of his grasp.  "I don't believe this.  First
that crap about the Bermuda Triangle and now you tell me I have super powers.  I don't
want to hear anymore. Get out!  And I don't mean just out of my home, I want you off
this key."
 
Jim chose that moment to step forward and intervene.  "Zoe, listen to him.  Blair knows
what he's talking about."
 
She spun on her cousin.  "And I suppose he told you the same thing."
 
Jim nodded.
 
Zoe took a deep breath, trying to calm down.  "Pack your bags, Jim.  I want both of you
off this key as soon as possible."
 
"Wait a minute.  Where will we go?"
 
"Miami."  Zoe turned, heading to the radio next to the door to the kitchen.  "I'll have
Shane take you back."
 
"But it's going to be dark soon," Blair said,
 
"Well, if Jim is everything you say I am that shouldn't be a problem. Should it?" Zoe
tossed over her shoulder as she turned on the radio.
 
Jim reached an arm around Blair's shoulders and gently turned him around.  "Come on
Chief.  Let's pack."
 
Blair allowed himself to be led back to his bedroom.  "I'm sorry Jim."
 
"You forgot what I told you," Jim said as they walked.  
 
"I know, man.  I guess I got distracted thinking that, if she let me, I'd have two
subjects for my thesis."
 
Jim opened the door to Blair's room, allowing the younger man to pass in before following
him.  He shut the door and quietly said, "Take your time packing.  Zoe tends to cool off
quickly.  Then, if you want, we can try again tomorrow."
 
******************

"Shane, come in.  Come in, Shane."  Zoe took her hand off the microphone button and heard
nothing but static.  A puzzled look crossed her face as she adjusted the two-way radio,
turning to the other channel which they used.
 
"Shane, come in.  Shane . . ."  Once again her call was greeted by static.  Concern
filled Zoe as she slowly put the microphone down. She turned and glanced back toward the
bedroom Jim and Blair had entered.  Hesitating, she took a couple of steps in that
direction before making up her mind and changing directions, quickly running out of the
house.  
 
She stopped at the trellis beside the front door, part of her previous partner's failed
attempt at a garden,  and nimbly climbed it to the roof.  Standing on the roof, she
scanned as much of the ocean as she could see, looking for the boat Shane had taken out
for his trip around the key.  As her eyes penetrated down the path between her home and
the boat house, she saw Shane's boat being lashed to the dock, but not by Shane.
 
She also had stunning proof that Blair had not been telling tall tales as she had earlier
believed.  The boat house was more than 150 yards from the house.  In the gathering gloom
Zoe realized she shouldn't be able to clearly see the dock.  She definitely shouldn't be
able to see the five men who were now getting off the boat, one of them pulling Shane
roughly to the dock and into the small house.
 
"Zoe," she heard Jim call as he came out of the house.  Grabbing the eves, she flipped
over the side, allowing her feet to slam into the wall before dropping to the ground
beside Jim.  
 
"We've got problems," she said, pulling him back into the house.  
 
"What's wrong?"  
 
Zoe looked over to Blair who was standing in the living room, his bags at his feet.  "You
were right," she said.  "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
 
"That's the problem?" Jim asked.
 
Shaking her head, Zoe said, "No. I just . . . I couldn't reach Shane on the radio so I
went outside to look for his boat."  Speaking quickly she continued, "I saw it over at
the boat house."
 
"Then he's back."
 
"No.  I mean yes, but he wasn't alone.  I saw five men with him but there could be more.  
And Shane wasn't with them willingly."
 
"You saw all of this?"
 
Zoe nodded.  "But I shouldn't have been able to see it.  The boat house is 150 or so
yards away."
 
"It was your Sentinel abilities," Blair enthused.
 
"I hate to change the course this conversation seems to be taking but we have to get
moving."
 
"Sorry, Jim," Blair and Zoe said in unison.
 
"Zoe, where was Shane when you last saw him?"
 
"One of the men was taking him into the boat house."
 
"We only have one gun . . ."
 
"You brought your gun," Blair interrupted.  "On vacation to your cousin's home and you
bring your gun?"
 
"We have guns," Zoe stated before Jim could respond.  "Two in the house and another one
hidden on the boat."
 
Jim turned to Zoe in surprise.  When she simply shrugged, he said, "Get them."
 
Zoe ran over to the bureau the radio sat on and quickly opened the door.  She reached in
and pulled out the guns and brought them back to Jim.  He took one and checked it before
handing it to Blair.  

"Jim, what am I going to do with this?" he protested.
 
"The safety's off, just aim and pull the trigger."  Turning to Zoe he asked, "Is there
another way to the boat house?"
 
Zoe frowned.  "Yeah through the trees that line the path.  But it's not an easy trail.  
It's gotten really overgrown."
 
"Do you think you could get Shane out of the boat house?"
 
Zoe quietly nodded.
 
"Good.  Take Blair with you."  Seeing the protest in Zoe's eyes, he added, "He may come
in handy.  There are things about these abilities of ours that you don't understand."
 
"All right."  Zoe took a deep breath and turned to Blair.  "Let's go," she said before
walking to the back door.
 
"Jim, you're going to be by yourself."
 
"Go on, Chief.  Help her get Shane and then come back here."
 
Blair nodded.  Handing his gun back to Jim he said, "You're going to need this.  I'm
liable to shoot myself."  Without giving Jim a chance to respond, Blair turned and ran
after Zoe.  
 
******************

Blair followed Zoe and crouched beside her at the corner of the house.  She put a finger
to her lips before pointing toward the trees. Blair shook his head.  He couldn't see
what she was pointing to in the gloom.    
 
"Follow me," she mouthed.  With Blair close behind her, she stood and ran for the trees.  
She led him to the alternate path before stopping, grabbing his hand, and placing it on
her shoulder.  Zoe hefted the machete she had taken from the kitchen and they started down
the path.  
 
They had been walking for seventy yards when Blair stumbled into Zoe for the third time.  
Zoe, who had been doing her best to slice through the overgrowth quietly, turned to Blair
and whispered, "Would you watch where you're going?"
 
"How?  I can't see a thing."
 
Zoe started to respond when she dropped the machete before putting one hand over Blair's
mouth and the other at the back of his head and pulling him to the ground.  Blair pulled
the hand from his mouth.  
 
"What is it?" he whispered.  
 
"Shh.  They're close by."
 
"I don't hear anything."
 
Zoe took her hand away from his head, a look of confusion on her face.  "I thought I
heard men speaking.  They sounded so close."
 
Blair nodded.  "That was your Sentinel abilities kicking in."
 
"Damned annoying.  How does Jim deal with hearing or seeing something that seems close
but isn't?"
 
Shrugging, Blair said, "He doesn't always realize it either.  Could you make out what the
men were saying?"
 
"Easy."  Zoe nodded.  "They were talking in Spanish.  One of the men was complaining
about leaving a man behind to guard Shane."
 
"Just one?"
 
Zoe nodded.  "Let's go."    
 
******************

After closing all the storm shutters on the house, Jim went through the drawers in the
kitchen, looking for something he could use against the invaders.  There wasn't much,
just some knives, and a couple of heavy pans.  He almost shouted when he found the spool
of fishing line.  
 
Tossing the spool up and down in his hand, he went to the back door.  Pulling the hammer
he had found earlier out of his belt and fishing some nails from his pocket, he cut off
some of the fishing line and strung it across the door.  Satisfied that no one would be
able to see the trap, he placed several forks, prongs up, at about the place a man's
chest and face could be when he fell.
 
Jim picked up a small paper bag and then reached into a cabinet and pulled out a glass.  
Putting the glass in the bag, he quickly slammed the bag against the counter, shattering
the glass.  He grabbed another glass and repeated the process before turning and leaving
the kitchen.  
 
Crossing quickly to the front door, he set up the same trap he had used at the back door,
substituting the broken glasses for the forks. Zoe and Shane believed in the Key West
tradition of hard wood floors with only the occasional throw rug and for that Jim was
glad. The hard wood floor would inflict more damage then carpeting.
 
Jim dropped back into the deeply shadowed corner near the front door and waited.  There
were only two ways into the house and each was set up to at least slow down if not stop
two men.  

******************

Zoe pressed the machete into Blair's hand when they reached the edge of the trees near
the boat house.  
 
"What . . ."
 
Zoe shook her head and said in a low voice, "I've never had good aim when it comes to
throwing that thing."
 
"What do you have in mind?"
 
She gestured to the boat.  "Give me, oh, one minute to get into position in the boat then
create a distraction."
 
Blair shrugged.  "Like what?"
 
"I don't care.  Just get the guy they left behind to come out of the boat house," she
whispered before quickly crossing to the water. She slipped in without a sound and began
swimming to the boat.  
 
Counting slowly to himself, Blair watched her as long as he could. She was out of sight
before he could say "ten one-thousand."  He counted to eighty one-thousand to be safe
before stepping out of the trees and walking over to the dock.
 
"Shane," he yelled.  "Hey man.  Dinner's ready!"
 
He waited a few seconds before starting to yell again.  "Come on, man!  It's getting
cold!"
 
Blair couldn't see the door to the boat house open but even he could hear the sound carry
in the otherwise quiet night.  He didn't know where Zoe was or what she was planning but
he hoped she did something soon.  Blair stood his ground, waiting for something to happen.
 
******************
 
Zoe quickly swam to the boat and climbed in from the back.  She quietly moved to the cabin.  
Briefly going in, she came out with a harpoon gun that had been hanging on the wall.  She moved to
the side of the boat, dropping to her knees and out of sight as she heard Blair's shouts.  
 
She held her breath until she heard the boat house door opening.  
Looking over the side, she prayed that the man coming through the door wasn't Shane.  The first
thing she noticed was the man's dark hair.  
 
Grateful her prayers were answered, Zoe slowly straightened up and aimed the harpoon gun.  
Willing her eyes to stay open, she squeezed the trigger.  Zoe tossed the gun to the side, it's one
shot spent, as the harpoon found its mark.
 
******************

Blair was stunned when the man coming toward him suddenly jerked and fell to the dock.  He ran
forward and dropped to his knees beside the fallen man.  He gasped when he saw the harpoon
which had pierced the man's throat, then turned to see Zoe jumping off the boat.  
 
Zoe dropped down next to Blair.  "I didn't want to let the others know where we were," she said, her
voice shaking.  She reached a trembling hand toward the man's chest then quickly jerked it away.  
"I've never killed anyone before."
 
Blair put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him.  "It's okay.  These guys are probably planning to kill all of us anyway."
 
Zoe nodded, her eyes tracking back to the dead man.  Blair took her chin and gently turned her face
away from the sight.  
 
"Zoe.  We have to move.  Is Shane still in the boat house?"
 
Zoe shook her head.  "How can I know for sure?"
 
"Just relax and listen."
 
She took a deep breath and slowly released it, willing her body to relax.  Tilting her head and
closing her eyes, she listened for Shane's heart beat, the only way to know for sure if he was still
alive.  
 
"I can hear his heart beat," she said excitedly.  Her eyes suddenly flew open and she said, "There's
another heart beat in there."
 
"I thought they just left one man behind."
 
"That's what I heard them say."  Taking another deep breath, she strained to pinpoint the locations
of the heart beats.  She frowned, when it seemed that both heart beats were in the same place and
then laughed in nervous relief.
 
"What's so funny?"
 
"It's that damn cat," Zoe said.  "Its heart beat is way too fast to be a human's."
 
Blair chuckled as he stood.  "You stay here.  I'll get Shane.  We don't have your asthma medicine."
 
Zoe nodded as she stood.  She watched Blair enter the boat house before walking to the end of the
dock, as far away from the cat as she could possibly get.
 
******************

Jim crouched in the shadows, listening to the men approaching the house.  He stretched out his
arms as he watched the open door.  A single man hesitated in the doorway before taking a step into
the room.  Jim lowered his eyes and watched as the man's foot caught on the fishing line, sending
him crashing to the floor.
 
The man screamed as another man also tripped and landed on top of him, forcing glass further into
his face, neck, and chest.  The second man scrambled to his feet, firing wildly into the dark room
while a third man leaned down and felt for the line across the door.
 
Jim aimed his gun and shot the man firing into the room.  Turning quickly, he shot the third man
who was straightening up after pulling the fishing line away from the door.  He was aiming for a
fourth man but held off firing as the man pulled back out of the house.  
 
Hearing the man move around the side of the house, Jim moved forward, checking the men still in
the house.  The first man he checked, the one who was firing into the house, was lying dead on top
of the first man to enter.  Jim rolled him off of the man and was surprised to find him unconscious,
either he passed out from the pain of his injuries or the dead man had struck him in the head.  
 
Jim took the guns from the men he had checked and tossed them into the center of the room.  He
then turned to the remaining man, moaning next to the door.  Quickly he grabbed the man's gun
and threw it behind him to join the others.  He was leaning to check the man for other weapons
when he heard a sound coming from the kitchen.  
 
Turning he aimed for the door separating the two rooms, his finger preparing to squeeze the trigger.  
He jerked the gun up when he recognized Shane's blonde head coming through the door.  
 
Quickly, he crossed the room and pulled Shane through the door.  "Are you all right?" he whispered.  
 
Shane nodded and held up a gun.  "We retrieved this from the boat.  
Luckily they didn't search it very well."
 
"Where are the others?"
 
"Zoe told me to be careful coming in here because you had set a trap at the door and then she took
off around the house.  Blair followed her."
 
"Well that's just great," Jim complained before trying to use his hearing to pinpoint their location.  
He heard one person edging toward the kitchen door.  Then he heard a quiet scraping sound on the
roof.  
 
******************

Blair had followed Zoe around the house and to the trellis.  After climbing the trellis to the roof, Zoe
motioned toward the back of the house.  Blair nodded and they both quietly crept along the roof.  
 
Zoe dropped to her knees at the edge of the roof, pulling Blair down beside her.  She put a finger to
her lips as she listened to the sound of the man below them, walking along the wall.  Using her
hand to indicate where the man was and what direction he was taking, Zoe prepared to jump off the
roof.  Blair nodded and watched her disappear over the side.
 
Zoe landed hard on the ground, choking back a scream as her ankle gave way beneath her and she
fell.  The man who had been edging toward the kitchen door turned and jerked his gun up, taking
aim on Zoe.  
 
Blair, leaning over the roof, saw Zoe fall.  Acting quickly, he dropped over the side, landing on top of
the gun man as he pulled the trigger.  The man's shot went wild, striking the wall near Zoe.  
 
Blair's actions sent both men crashing to the ground.  Jim charged out of the house as Blair rolled
away from the gunman and dashed to Zoe's side.  Jim moved quickly to the man's side as he got to
his knees, shaking his head.  
 
Placing his gun at the man's head, Jim said, "Drop your gun and put your hands up."  
 
The man did as he was told and Jim pulled fishing line out of his pocket to tie the man's hands
behind his back.  Once he had accomplished his task he turned to Zoe and Blair.  "Quick thinking,
Chief.  You two okay?"
 
They nodded.  "Zoe twisted her ankle but it doesn't look too bad."
 
Jim kneeled down next to his cousin.  "Just what did you think you were doing?"
 
"Trying to help you out.  It's not like I've never jumped off this roof before."
 
"You've dropped off the roof.  It's different then jumping."
 
"Where's Shane?" Zoe asked, trying to change the topic.
 
"Inside.  He's keeping an eye on the men who got in the house."
 
"We need to call the Coast Guard," Zoe said as Blair helped her to her feet.  
 
"Already done.  What about the man who was guarding Shane?"
 
Blair glanced at Zoe.  "He . . . won't be causing any trouble."
 
******************
 
After the Coast Guard had taken away the intruders, everyone had agreed to leave the clean up till
the next day.  Zoe, Jim, and Blair had spent part of the past night discussing Zoe's new found
abilities.  She still wasn't sure how these talents would affect her life but she was certain she
wouldn't be able to keep them a secret from Shane.  Jim, knowing full well how difficult it was to
keep a secret from someone you were working closely with, agreed and had suggested that Blair
explain the new situation.  
 
Blair, enthusiastic about his new task, had finally wandered off to bed, leaving Jim and Zoe alone.  
They talked about how learning about his Sentinel abilities had effected Jim.  In the morning, Shane
and Blair found the pair, sleeping on the sofa, Zoe's head pillowed against Jim's well-muscled chest.  
 
Zoe now sat in a chair, her leg propped on a stool, and directed the clean up efforts.  She had been
more than willing to help but the others insisted she stay off her ankle.  
 
"Shane, you missed some glass in the corner."
 
"I can't see any."
 
"Trust me, it's there."
 
Shane walked to the corner Zoe indicated and shined a flashlight on the floor.  He dropped to his
knees and picked up the sliver of glass that reflected in the light.  Turning back to Zoe, he asked,
"How did you see that?"
 
"I'm still not too sure.  You'll have to ask Blair to explain it to you, later."  
 
At the sound of his name, Blair turned.  "I never did hear why those men attacked us."
 
Shane shrugged.  "There's an airstrip on the other side of the key."
 
"I don't remember seeing it the first day when we went around the island."
 
Jim tapped Blair on the shoulder.  "We were looking at the ocean, remember?"
 
"Oh, yeah."
 
"Anyway," Shane continued, "these guys wanted to use it to make a delivery of drugs.  They didn't
think the key was big enough to do that without making us suspicious."
 
"And that's why they attacked."
 
Shane nodded.
 
Zoe got up and limped toward the front door.  Jim quickly crossed to stand in front of her, blocking
her path. "Just what are you doing?"
 
"Going for a swim.  You all are done here.  Want to join me?"
 
"You can't walk one hundred fifty yards to the water on that ankle."
 
Zoe looked up at Jim.  "I'm going for a swim.  Try and stop me."
 
Jim shook his head.  "Oh, I wasn't thinking of stopping you."  

Before Zoe had a chance to react, Jim leaned over and picked her up, tossing her over his bare
shoulder.  She pounded on his back, kicking, and shouting at him to put her down.  
 
Jim turned to Blair and Shane.  "Going to join us?" he asked, before turning around and walking out
of the house.
 
The two younger men turned to each other, grinning.  "We don't want to miss this," Shane
commented as he left.  

"Best blind date I've ever had," Blair said to himself as he followed Shane out of the house.
 
The End

Author's Note: Well, everyone was wondering if any of Jim's relatives, past or present, might have the same abilities and this was just my take on the issue.  What did you think?  
 

Like the story?  Hated it?  Let me know what you think. Laura

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