Disclaimer: The Sentinel and One West Waikiki belong to their respective creators.

This is a prequel to Twin Deception. As always comments are always welcome.


Seeing Double
By Trish


"Come on, Simon. You've got to have someone else who can do this." Jim begged. He looked for support from his partner.

Simon held back a laugh; the young observer was radiating excitement. Jim wasn't going to get any help from his young partner. The Captain could almost see his detective's plans for a quiet weekend flying out the window.

"Sorry, Jim, but you are the best qualified for this job."

The big detective collapsed back into his chair groaning. Muttering under his breath. "All I wanted was a quiet weekend, just vegging in front of the tube, but nooo."

"Quit gripping, it'll be fun." Blair added. "You might even learn something." The younger man grinned.

Jim glared at his traitor of a partner. "You don't know what it's like. For every good lecture there will be ten mind and butt numbing sessions."

Blair looked at him in disbelief. "I'm a student, remember? I know boring." He shook his head. "There are so many cool things to do and places to see."

"And trouble to get into." Jim muttered. He gave a deep sigh, knowing that between Blair's enthusiasm and Simon's unmoving stance, he would be attending the Interstate Crime conference in San Francisco and, if his partner had anything to say about it, he would enjoy himself.



Jim watched as Blair ran himself ragged over the next few days. He was trying to get all of his university work caught up not wanting any obstacles in his way preventing him from attending the conference. The younger man only made a nodding acquaintance with sleep during the forty eight hours before their flight.

The big detective fully expected the younger man to crash on the plane. Blair had other ideas. He was busily checking out the landmarks and things to do in the city by the bay. He had downloaded them off the net and was starting to develop an itinerary for their stay. Every few minutes he was nudging Jim to get his opinion.

"Hey, this looks like it could be fun." Blair laughed turning the screen in order for Jim to see.

Jim wearily turned to look once again. He had vetoed a majority of the sites the younger man wanted to see. Reminding him of their limited spare time once the conference sessions were over. "What did you find, Chief?"

"Just check it out." Blair pointed at the screen. "And we will be able to fit it in our schedule, I checked."

Jim looked at the monitor and was pleasantly surprised. His partner had found a car show, and not just any car show it had vehicles ranging from a model A to the newest prototypes. "Works for me." The big man said with a smile. The younger man's enthusiasm was infectious.

Blair relaxed, he had finally found something they would both enjoy doing.



Mack was happy to finally reach the hotel. Five hours on an airplane, trapped with a half dozen screaming kids, was not his idea of fun. The airport was even worse; first he was directed to the wrong section of baggage claim and then after waiting for an hour, learned that his luggage had been put on the wrong plane in Honolulu. His bags were winging their way to Australia. He was just grateful that he had at least a change of clothes in his carryon.

The taxi ride from the airport was an event in itself. The driver looked like a refugee from an asylum and his driving skills... Mack felt several years older when he got out of the cab. He walked into the hotel and made his way to the registration desk.

"You have a registration for Lt. Mack Wolfe, right?" He asked getting the clerk's attention. The woman behind the desk looked up and did a double take. She could have sworn that the man in front of her had already checked-in.

"How do you spell Wolf?" She asked.

"W O L F E, it's not that difficult." Mack said impatiently.

The clerk took one last look and checked the computer screen. "Yes, sir, I found your reservation. You are in room 457. Just take the left-hand bank of elevators. Do you have any bags that need to be brought in?" Mack glared and shook his head before turning toward the elevators.

The exhausted Lieutenant breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator doors closed. He leaned against the back wall, watching the numbers change. Mack was unaware that he had been watched by an old and very dangerous enemy.

"Well, well. Mack Wolfe, long time no see." The watcher said to himself.

Mack pushed himself out of the elevator when the doors opened and followed the arrows to his room. As he pushed in his key card, the door to the room next to his opened.

Mack looked over and saw the back of a young man with long curly hair. He didn't care who they were, he just hoped they would be quiet. Mack planned to get plenty of sleep before the conference sessions started in the morning. He closed the door behind him, threw his bag into a corner and collapsed onto the bed. By the time he had toed off his shoes, he was asleep.



"Come on, Jim, you can put everything away later. I'm starving."

"Hold your horses, Sandburg. This will only take another minute." Jim said as he finished unpacking and hanging up their clothes.

"If it wrinkles, no big deal." Blair answered trying to convince his partner to leave the unpacking for later.

"Right, no big deal, until you need a shirt tomorrow and have to skip breakfast because you had to iron it in the morning." Jim shook his head.

Blair laughed knowing his partner had a point. "Okay, you win, besides I shouldn't complain about having valet service." He ducked as a pillow sailed past his head. Laughing he helped unpack and tossed his bag into the closet. "I think it's time we checked out the local night-life."

"You planning on painting the town red, Chief?" Jim asked with a smile. "I bet you will get your stomach full and be ready to hit the sack right after."

Blair chuckled. "You're probably right." They left the room in search of a good meal. Neither man noticed the eyes tracking them as they left the hotel.

"Well, well, it seems you have a friend. This will make our game more interesting." The watcher smiled to himself. "I will deal with you tomorrow."



Mack awoke to the sound of the room phone ringing. He fumbled with it almost dropping it on the floor. "What."

"This is the front desk with your wake up call." Came the anonymous voice

"Thanks." Mack felt disoriented by the absence of the sounds of the waves crashing on the beach. It took a few moments for him to remember where he was. He relaxed back onto the bed as he made the connection between the hotel room and the conference he would be attending. He took his time getting ready.

The scene next door was a bit more chaotic.

"Okay, Chief. You need to get your butt out of bed. The conference starts in an hour and you are going to attend." Jim hauled the cocoon of blankets off of his hibernating partner. "Even if I have to pick you up and throw you into the shower myself." Blair slowly uncurled, sleepy eyes blinking at the light.

"What time is it?"

"Time for you to get your lazy butt out of bed." Jim answered trying not to laugh at his barely conscious partner.

"Okay, okay I'm moving." He sat on the edge of the bed trying to convince his body to move.

"I'm ordering breakfast so get a move on." Jim directed the younger man to the showers, and placed a call to room service.



"Come on, Jim, let's go." Blair grabbed his backpack and a room key and stood by the door.

"Just a minute, Chief." Jim pulled on his jacket and they headed out the door. They stepped into the crowded elevator. Blair excitedly looked over the program for the days events as the elevator descended.

"Whoa, did you see this?" He pointed out a line on the program. "They are demoing a new forensic chemical sniffer." Jim noticed the look on his young partner's face and mentally groaned. //Tests.//

With out missing a beat Blair continued. "I wonder how you would do against the machine. I bet you'd win." Jim just shook his head indulgently knowing that no matter what if Blair asked he would go along with his guides request. But he did reserve the right to complain every step of the way.

The elevator doors opened and Blair looked up stepping out into the corridor. He glanced curiously around, coming to a sudden stop, causing his partner to crash into him.

"What the hell?" Jim asked. "What's wrong?" he noticed a jump in his Blair's pulse rate.

Blair stared for a minute and shook his head. "Man, I must not have gotten enough sleep. I thought I just saw a guy who looked like you."

Jim gave him a light shove to get him moving again. "Come on Chief, let's get moving or we'll miss the first session. He pointed to the first session he spotted on the list.

Blair looked at him in disbelief. "You mean we really have to go to the lecture on proper search and seizure?"

"I don't want to hear it, Sandburg. You're the one who told Simon that you were off from the university for two weeks and had all of my paper work caught up."

"How was I to know that he was looking for someone to send to this convention?"

"You mean the museums are no longer worth it?"

Blair laughed knowing he would never win this argument. "Okay, I got your point, boring meeting here we come." Jim was chuckling as they entered the room. He began to feel uneasy, he looked around but was unable to identify what was causing the threatening feeling. The big detective shrugged and joined his partner.

The watcher in the shadows smiled. "Enjoy the next twenty four hours, Lieutenant Wolfe. Finally I will get my revenge."

Mack had blown off the Search and Seizure lecture in order to hit the beach. He wanted to check out possible surfing sites for the next few days when he would have more time. He only had a couple of hours before the lectures he really wanted to attend.

He returned to the hotel with only moments to spare. His attention had been distracted by some of the local inhabitants strolling along the beach. He had struck up a conversation with a group of women who were also attending a convention in a hotel just down the street from Mack's. He slipped into his seat just before the speaker entered the room. He crossed his arms and sat back looking around the room. Towards the front he saw the curly-haired man from the room next to his. He watched the young man moving in his seat, talking to the guy next to him, his hands moving a mile a minute. It looked like he was talking just as fast. When the lecturer entered, the young man stilled and focused forward.

Blair was disappointed, the lecturer was so boring he was having a difficult time staying awake. He started glancing around the room.

"Will you sit still?" Jim whispered.

"Sorry, man, this is just so boring." He said as he started looking around again. Jim was amused by the bored antics of his partner. Truth be told, it was the only thing keeping him awake. He became concerned when the younger man's pulse and breathing changed.

Mack saw the long haired man fidgeting in his seat and watched as he glanced around. He was surprised by the reaction when the younger man spotted the Hawaiian detective.

Blair's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. "Oh man, I don't believe it."

Mack looked behind himself trying to see what had caused such an extreme reaction. When he didn't see anything he looked back in time to see the man the kid had been talking to turn in response to an elbow in the ribs. When he turned, it was Mack's turn to react. It was like staring in the mirror. The lookalikes stared at each other, oblivious to the rest of the room.

Blair was trying not to bounce in his seat with the excitement. He was grateful the lecture was ending. He nudged his distracted partner to his feet and gently pushed him in the direction of his double. They stood a couple of feet apart. Blair looked back and forth between the pair noting the small differences and committing them to memory. He didn't want to confuse the two of them even by accident. When it looked as if they had both zoned, he took matters in his own hands.

"Hi, I'm Blair Sandburg and this is Jim Ellison." Blair said holding out his hand.

Mack blinked and looked down at the young man standing in front of him with an expectant look on his face. "Uh, hi. Mack Wolfe." He shook Blair's hand, glancing back at Ellison.

"Unbelievable." Was the only thing Jim could think of to say.

"Where are you from?" Blair asked steering the two men out the door and toward the hotel restaurant. He felt food might help the dumbfounded men.

"Hawaii." Mack answered.

"We're from Washington state, Cascade." Blair motioned to the hostess that they needed a table for three and tried not to laugh at the double tack from the hostess.

The trio settled in to lunch and, with Blair's coaxing, began sharing their histories and were surprised to find quite a bit of common ground. The younger man was amazed by the similarities in the two men's lives. Both former military, leaving the armed forces to become law enforcement officers. Both divorced. It reminded Blair of the studies of twins who had been separated at birth. He resolved to do some further checking into the Hawaiian detectives background.

Lunch went quickly and it was soon time to return to the conference. They made plans to meet for dinner and separated. Mack left by way of the side exit to go to a seminar on DNA evidence collection while Jim and Blair went out the front.

"Can you believe it? He looks just like you." Blair bounced in step beside his partner. "I wonder..."

"Don't wonder too much, Chief." Jim could almost hear the theories running through his partner's head. "Wait until you can get more information." Jim advised the excited young man. Neither man noticed the man watching them.

//Almost time.// The watcher thought. He tracked the two men to the ballroom holding the seminar on Juvenile crimes. He sat outside the room. He had waited for so many years that a few hours didn't matter. His vigil was rewarded when Wolfe's companion left the conference room and headed for the nearest restroom.

Blair, taking the opportunity to stretch his legs, didn't notice the man following him until it was too late. He felt someone come up behind him and recognized the sickening scent the instant before his nose and mouth were covered by a chloroform soaked cloth. The struggle was brief before unconsciousness claimed the younger man.

Jim waited periodically checking his watch. An uneasy feeling taking over when ten minutes had passed with no sign of his guide returning. He started to search with his hearing. The familiar heartbeat was no longer in range. The big man shot out of his seat and started searching. When he walked into the restroom he caught the scent of the chloroform. "Damn it Chief, we can't even go to a conference without trouble."

Mack was sitting trying to stay awake when he heard a page for him to go to the front desk. Ignoring the annoyed looks from the lecturer he made his way out to the front desk. "I'm Mack Wolfe, you paged me?" He asked the front desk clerk.

"Yes sir, this message arrived for you it is marked urgent." The clerk handed him an envelope.

"Thank you." Mack said absently, turning and opening the envelope. He stopped in shock as he read the note inside.

I have something that belongs to you.
If you want him back go to Giradelli Square
Wait under the sign. I will contact you in
Three hours with further instructions. You must
Follow them to the letter or your friend dies, along
With half of the city.
Mackenzie

"Oh, shit." He pushed away the memories that tried to push into his mind. Mack knew he had to find Ellison. He was not looking forward to telling his lookalike that his young partner had been taken by a ghost from Wolfe's past.

"Ellison, I'm glad I found you. We need to talk."

"Not now, something has happened to Sandburg." Jim started to brush past him.

"I know."

Jim wheeled around and pushed Mack against the wall. "What do you mean, you know?" He demanded. "What's happened to my partner?"

"He's been kidnapped." Mack tried to explain with his back against the wall.

"How do you know what happened?" Jim shouted.

Mack held up the note. "Read this, dammit." Jim grabbed it out of his hand and quickly scanned the piece of paper.

"How does this Mackenzie guy know you?" The Cascade detective asked releasing Mack.

"Seven years ago when I was an MP, we had a problem with security in the munitions area. They found munitions missing during a routine inspection. I was part of the investigation team." Mack stopped and thought for a moment. "We had an informant from the munitions company, everyone was so thrilled to have someone on the inside that they didn't double check. To me things didn't feel right. Everything he did sounded off. You know what I mean? He didn't know things he should have and too much of what he shouldn't. I started checking him out. I watched him closely and my surveillance paid off. We caught him red handed selling missiles to one of our home-grown militia groups. I watched his court-martial. I've never seen colder eyes on a human being in my life. As he was hauled out he threatened everyone involved with the investigation. He should still be in prison."

"Obviously he's not. Now, I think it would be a good a good idea to find out how he got out and do it before you have to be at Giradelli Square." Jim said through clenched teeth glaring at Mack, worry for his guide coloring his actions.

The two men hit the phones trying to track any information on Mackenzie before the deadline.



Blair regained consciousness slowly. His first impression was one of cold. He forced his eyes open and glanced around the dimly lit room. When he tried to move he realized that one hand was cuffed to the radiator under the boarded up window. He struggled to sit, having to move in small increments due to the pain pounding his head. The room was empty except for a chair in the corner and the radiator he was attached to.

//I can't believe it. My bad luck is in full force even when we are away from home.// He reached with his free hand into his pocket searching for his pocket knife. It was awkward but he managed to wiggle it out of his back pocket amazed that it hadn't been taken by his kidnapper. He opened it to the thinnest blade. He worked the tip into the keyhole on the cuff. He had played around with Jim's cuffs, practicing unlocking them in the past, under the theory that you never knew when you might need to know how. He worried the lock until he heard footsteps outside the door. He hurriedly hid his knife, looking up as the door swung open.

"So, little man, you finally decided to wake up."

"Who are you and why am I here?" Blair demanded.

"Curious, aren't you?" The man walked closer. "I'm Arthur Mackenzie, and you are here because you are Mack Wolfe's special friend." He shook his head. "Never figured Wolfe to be that kind of a guy." Blair looked at him in confusion for a moment before the innuendo sank in. The younger man shook it off.

"Why are you after Mack? What did he do to you?"

"He ruined my life. So I'm going to destroy his." Mackenzie said with a smile.

"Man, you are a real nutcase. How do you think you are going to destroy his life?" Blair scoffed.

"First, I'm going to have him running around the city defusing a few surprises I've left for him. Then when he thinks it's over, I'm going to lead him to you so he can watch you die slowly, before I kill him."

Blair took a deep breath. //Just once I would like to go somewhere and not be caught in the middle of a crisis.//

Mackenzie pulled out a cell phone and dialed.



Mack hung up the phone. He turned to the worried detective and explained what he had learned. "Mackenzie escaped during a routine prisoner transfer between the prison and the local hospital. He took out two guards, one of them is dead and the other is in a coma." A clerk stepped up and handed him a fax. Mack glanced at the list. "It looks like he is leaving a trail of bodies. Oh, man."

"What is it?"

Mack handed him the list. "A majority of the names on the list are members of the team who either arrested him or prosecuted him."

Jim looked over the list. "it doesn't look like he has left many out."

"Yeah, there are only three of us left."

Jim looked at his watch for the hundredth time. "Come on Wolfe, it's time." As they had prearranged, Mack headed out first catching a cab with Jim following behind in a rental car with sunglasses and a ballcap pulled down low.

Mack stood under the sign waiting. "Good boy, Lt. Wolfe," said the man watching with binoculars. "I may just let you see your little friend alive and in person again before you die." Mackenzie laughed to himself. He watched as a kid handed a note to Wolfe telling him to return to the hotel for further instructions.

An angry pair of detectives returned to the hotel. When Mack entered he was called to the front desk and handed a cell phone and a note. Jim stood near him and read over his shoulder.

This will be our only means of communication
Do not lose this phone. Turn it on and wait.


The two men looked at each other. The Sentinel barely hanging on, every instinct telling him he needed to be out searching for his guide. His detective side telling him to wait for more information.



Jim turned up his hearing when the cell phone began to ring.

"You are being such an obedient boy. Good thing you are following directions." Mack growled deep in his throat. Jim motioned for him to calm down.

Mack took a deep breath and asked. "What do you want, Mackenzie?"

"I want you to pay. I've left surprises for you all over the city. You have the next six hours to find them all. You know what I can do. Follow the directions in the note waiting at the front desk to the letter and you just might get little buddy back."

"You son of a bitch, let him go. He doesn't have anything to do with what happened in the past." Mack argued.

"Maybe not, but he is my insurance policy." Were Mackenzie's last words before hanging up.

Jim had tuned out Wolfe and Mackenzie's words and focused on his barely audible guide.

{Jim, I sure hope you're listening. This guy is a real loony toon.} Blair whispered just loud enough for his Sentinel who he prayed was listening to hear. {I'm in a room that faces out onto a street. The window is boarded up and I didn't get a chance to see anything I woke up here. I heard a cable car ten minutes ago, it sounded like it was going up hill. I'm okay for now, but he is planning to kill me no matter what Mack does. He is going to be leaving for a while. He wants to watch Mack jump through hoops.}

Mackenzie turned toward the younger man and when he noticed his lips moving he back handed him into the wall. Jim clenched his jaw tighter when he heard his guide being struck. He could hear Mackenzie tell Blair that he might as well pray now because he would be seeing his maker soon enough. Jim could hear the younger man's heartrate increase at the threat. He stood immobile until Mack disconnected the phone.

Mack rushed over to the desk to collect the note with the instructions. "I can't believe it. That bastard has planted bombs all over the city."

"Bombs?" Jim hadn't listened to the conversation between the two.

"Yeah, he said that if I defused all of the bombs, Sandburg will be my prize."

"How are you supposed to find them in a city this size?"

Mack absently checked his gun and pocketed an extra clip. "He gave me directions to the first bomb. I will get directions to the next one there." He started to head out the door. He stopped and looked at Jim. "You coming, Ellison?"

"Come on, Mack, if this guy is as smart as you say he is, he will have the sites under surveillance, right? And who knows what he would do if he saw two of you."

Mack leaned against the wall. "You have a point. Do you have some kind of a plan?"

Jim nodded. "I'm going to check with the rental agencies to see if one of them have a property listed for Mackenzie. That would be where he's holding my partner."

Mack agreed knowing he was running out of time. "Sounds good." He patted Jim on the shoulder. "Good luck. I've got your cell number, I'll keep in touch." Mack left heading for the rendezvous point downtown.

Jim breathed a sigh and called the cable car company trying to locate the route of the cable car Blair had heard. After ten minutes of being put on hold and passed from one department to another and just before he reached the extreme limits of his patience, someone finally came on the line who knew what they were talking about.

He managed to pinpoint the location within a four block direct line. He ran out of the hotel and hailed a cab having given Mack the keys to the rental car. He quickly gave the cabbie directions and sat on the edge of the seat for the twelve minute drive to the street. He gave a fifty to the cab driver.

"Wait here." He ordered.

"Hey, man, if I get a call I'm out of here."

Jim glared at him. "If you're here when I get back I'll double it." The detective said before walking away.

He stood on the sidewalk and tried to focus his senses. As he walked along he listened for the heartbeat that was as familiar as his own. The pain increased in his head as his hearing took hits from every passing sound. Without his guide he was unable to completely filter out the unwanted sounds. Suddenly it was there, the heartbeat faint at first but growing louder as Jim drew closer. He smiled as he heard the litany of complaints from his guide.

"It is just too damn cold. Why can't I ever get kidnapped and stashed somewhere warm? Nooo, I get stuck in basements or rooms with no heat. Cold is my life and it sucks big time. Come on, Jim. Get a move on. My toes feel like they are about to fall off. My butt is getting numb sitting on this cold floor. Do we hear a running theme here? Cold, cold, cold."

"I hear you, Chief." Said the voice from the doorway. "Is now soon enough?"

A brilliant smile lit the younger man's face. "Hey, Jim! What took you so long?"

"The trail of bread crumbs was pretty thin, Chief." He quickly picked the lock using his sense of touch. He helped Blair to his feet and checked for injuries. He could feel the heat from the multiple bruises but couldn't find any broken bones or internal injuries. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." The younger man answered trying to stretch without causing himself too much pain. "Ow, ow, ow, man that hurts. He said as the circulation returned to his legs.

"Chief." Jim gained his attention. "Do you know where Mackenzie is going?"

Blair shook his head. "No, he just said he was going to watch Mack run around like a rat in a maze." He thought for a moment. "Maybe he left something in the house that will give us an idea of what he will do next."

"Stick with me, Chief." Jim warned. "He has the whole house booby-trapped."

The house was sparsely furnished with only two rooms showing any sign of habitation. They searched the first with no luck. They checked out the second and were about to leave empty handed when something caught Jim's eye.

"What the..." He walked over to the wall.

"What is it?" Blair asked. Watching Jim push a display cabinet away from the wall.

"This has been moved recently." Jim explained as he looked behind the cabinet. "Bingo." He said with a smile pulling out a map that had been taped to the back. He unfolded the map and they saw the locations of all of the bombs were marked in along with the timetable. Blair looked over his partner's shoulder.

"Wow, talk about finding the mother load." The younger man said excitedly.

"Okay Chief, this is the plan. I'm going to go to the last bombs location after I get you to the hospital." Jim said as he folded up the map, missing the look of determination on his guide's face.

"Wrong. I am going with you." He held up a hand to forestall argument. "Don't even try to talk me out of it. I'm going and that's final."

Jim realized that it would be of no use to argue. If he tried to force the issue the younger man would just follow in a cab. "Okay, but stay close and if you start feeling bad you let me know."

"Yeah, sure. Let's get going." Blair pulled at his Sentinels arm.

"We need to go and get a car." Jim told him as they walked to the still waiting taxi. " We don't need to have an audience."



//Damn, this is a royal pain in the ass.// Mack thought as he disarmed the second bomb. //I hope Ellison finds his partner soon.// He clipped the last wire and reached under the now disarmed bomb for the directions to the next one. And was off again. He kept one eye out for Mackenzie as he dialed Ellison's Cell-phone.

"Hey Ellison, how's it going?" Mack asked stress evident in his voice.

"Mack, where are you?" Jim asked.

Mack looked around. "I'm really not sure, on my way to the third bomb is all I know. Have you found out anything about Sandburg?"

"You could say so, he's sitting right beside me."

"I'm looking forward to finding out how you did it. Right now I have to get to the corner of Castle and Fourth."

"That's the third bomb right?"

"How did you know?" Mack asked with surprise.

"When I found Sandburg, I also found your bombers planning map."

Mack was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. "How many more are out there?"

"According to the map there are four more." Jim answered. "We will meet you at the fifth bomb's location. We will get the last pair."

"When you get to number five be careful to stay out of sight. Mackenzie has been tracking me and is probably close to where ever the bomb is."

"Don't worry we will stay out of sight and follow him as he follows you to six."



Mackenzie watched as Wolfe defused bomb number five. //Two more to go.// He thought to himself. He had been enjoying making the detective scurry around the city. He was looking forward to watching the big man's face as he saw the younger one die in front of his eyes. He knew the rest of his plan would be torture for the detective in the hours before his death.

Mack felt more relaxed as he followed the directions to the sixth bomb's location. Knowing that he had back up had reduced his anxiety level. He tried to spot the other detective once he had found Mackenzie trailing him. //Man, those guys are good.// He thought, unable to see anything even when the road emptied for a moment. He had no way of knowing that Ellison was watching him from four blocks away.

Mack went through the motions of defusing the already inert bomb. When he turned it he was surprised to see the directions weren't to the last bomb.

Congratulations Wolfe. You have found the last bomb.
If you want to find your little friend go to this address.
1223 W. Samisen St.
You may find him alive.

"That Son of a Bitch." Wolfe said realizing that Mackenzie had planned to detonate the seventh bomb no matter what he did. The detective played along wanting to get Mackenzie to a place where he could be trapped without putting anyone else at risk.

"Where the hell is he going?" Blair asked his partner."

"Looks like he received new instructions, Chief." They trailed behind Wolfe at a safe distance. Jim quickly recognized the route they were taking. "He's going to the house where you were held." The Sentinel mentally replayed his entry to the house and the multitude of traps he had been able to bypass. He knew the Hawaiian detective would quickly find himself in trouble. As if on cue, the cell-phone rang.

"You still with me, Ellison?"

"Yeah, We're right behind. He's directing you to the house I found Sandburg in. We aren't sure what he's planning so be very careful. The house is full of traps."

"No problem." Mack answered, confident he could handle it.

Jim looked at his partner. "He doesn't think he's going to have any problem." He said in disbelief. Blair shook his head. Jim continued. "I don't know what Mackenzie's plans are but part of it includes Wolfe being trapped in that house."

Blair thought for a moment trying to picture the room he had been held in. He closed his eyes and starting from the he had been chained in he mentally looked from left to right. //There.// He remembered the camera in the opposite corner of the room. "I don't think Mackenzie is planning to kill Mack right away. I think he was planning to kill me and make Wolfe watch." Blair paused. "He will want to cause as much pain and suffering as possible."



Mack entered the house with caution. Gun extended, stepping carefully, checking for trip wires. He managed to get within two feet of the last door in the hallway when he broke through an electronic beam. He heard the instant the trap was sprung, and felt the dart hit his right leg just before he passed out.

He awoke in a room with a TV monitor in one corner and a camera in the other. Mack struggled against the chains binding him to the chair bolted to the floor.

"So happy you could join me, Lt. Wolfe." Mack looked around and spotted a speaker hanging on the wall.

"Where is he, Mackenzie? Why isn't Sandburg here?" Mack demanded curious to know what lie the madman would tell.

"Oh, I am so sorry." Mackenzie said with false sympathy. "While I was gone, he must have tried to escape and managed to find one of my little traps."

Mack played along hoping that Ellison and the kid would show up soon.

"You son of a bitch. You killed him. He never did anything to you." Mack yelled at the camera.

"No, I didn't kill him, he killed himself." Mack could hear the underlying anger in the former officer's voice.

"What are you going to do now?" Mack said angrily.

"I was going to let you watch your young friend die slowly in front of you, but he has robbed me of that pleasure. I'll just have to move on to part two of my plan. You're going to watch a block of Chinatown go up in a blaze of glory. I want the burning buildings and dying bodies to be the last thing you see before you die." The monitor was turned on. "Pay close attention." Mackenzie began to laugh the insanity clear in his maniacal laughter. Suddenly the laughter stopped. "NO, no. This can't be happening, I planned everything down to the letter. It should have worked. It should have worked." Mack could hear his captor talking to himself. He knew it would only be a few minutes before Mackenzie made an appearance.

"Come on Ellison, now would be a good time."



Jim had managed to keep Mackenzie and Wolfe in sight with his guide's help. Blair kept his hand on Jim's arm and a steady stream of comments to keep him grounded. Neither man saw the driver blow through the stop sign until it was too late. The car impacted at the left rear of the rental car rendering it useless. They climbed out of the car and surveyed to damage. Jim could hear the driver of the other car moaning.

"He going to be okay?" Blair asked as Jim checked the other guy.

"Yeah, Chief, looks like he was just knocked unconscious. But I don't feel anything life threatening. Blair filled the 911 operator in on Jim assessment and they left a bystander in charge of the scene and took off on foot.

"How far?" Blair gasped as they ran.

"Just one more block. I can see the house."

They stopped outside the house to catch their breath and give Jim a chance to check out the situation.

"Can you hear anything?" Blair asked quietly.

Jim held up his hand. "He knows you're gone. He just told Mack that you died trying to escape."

"That's harsh." Blair muttered knowing that if it weren't for his Blessed Protector the scenario would be so real.

"Damn, he knows the bomb's been defused." They looked at each other and entered the house with Jim taking the lead and Blair following close behind.



Mack watched the door open slowly. The muzzle of a gun leading the way. The detective struggled harder against his restraints in a fruitless effort to free himself. Mackenzie stepped through the door.

"Well, well. I'm looking forward to our next few hours together." Mack watched a Mackenzie laid out his collection of tools. "I don't know how you managed to spoil my plans but you will pay for it on piece at a time."

"I don't think so." Came a voice from behind Mackenzie.

The bomber turned and stared at the door in disbelief. "I don't believe it. I told you no company. I..." His voice trailed away as Jim stepped into the light. The moment of distraction was all it took for Blair to get behind his former captor and knock him out.

"Took you long enough, Ellison."

"Complaints, complaints." Jim said as he searched the unconscious man's pockets for the keys to Wolfe's chains. He tossed them to Blair.

"I just don't like close encounters with death." Mack pulled his arms out of the loosened chains and rubbed his wrists. Blair chuckled. "What?" Mack asked.

"I can definitely relate." Blair said as he helped Mack to his feet. They called in the San Francisco PD to take Mackenzie off their hands.

The trio spent the next several hours answering questions and filling out paperwork.

"Man, I am, like, so glad to get out of there." Blair said as they left the police station. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving."

"I could eat." Jim said and Mack echoed.

They decided to hit the hotel restaurant so they would be close to their rooms. As they entered the hotel the desk clerk called Mack over to the desk.

"Mr. Wolfe, you have some messages." He handed Mack a two inch stack of messages. Jim and Blair looked on in disbelief.

"There you are." A female voice said from behind them putting her hand on Jim's backside. He quickly turned and faced her and the rest of her crowd. As he turned Mack came into sight.

"Hi." Mack smiled and waved. The woman turned bright red. The double take from the group was priceless. Mack made a date to meet them later. Blair was almost doubled over with laughter. Jim took him by the arm and hauled him into the restaurant. As they were being seated at the table Mack started chatting with the waitress. Jim and Blair watched in amused disbelief.

Jim looked at his partner and mouthed. "Table leg."

Blair gained everyone's attention when he fell off of his chair.

END