Chasing Fate (Sentinel & Guide)

Chapter 18

  [FYI these next few chapters are not edited yet. I'll fix them later]

At exactly 7:59 AM, police cheif Harley cleared his throat outside of the front door. As a sentinel knocking was unneeded. The one inside had heard their team loud and clear for the better part of the night. He of course had his own listening sentinels on rotation to make sure there wasn't sound of any scuffling or the smell of blood, but both sides had managed to keep their cool.

Behind him, Bess and Torres waited as neutral parties, guns left at the car. They had backup and the house was surrounded in case everything went south, but it was best to be as non-threatening as possible in such a tense situation.

The beat of a helicopter passed overhead. The news wasn't just local anymore. He swore he could see a cameraman hanging out of the door of it as it passed over head. The television was plastered with headlines since the early morning crew got wind of it. Half of Bent Valley had crammed themselves into the road to get a better look at this mess. The other half were already gossiping on Twitter and every grandma's phone tree had spread the news halfway across the continent by now.

The governor as well as the national NOGS director had been on the phone since five to chew his (and Bess') ear off . Now to top it all off, the Senior Alpha Prime and Major Guide of the region were arriving by ten AM to get a first hand look at this maximum level shitshow.

Murphy had one hell of a law.

The lock jiggled as the sentinel fiddled with it, opening wide to let out Fate's massive Akita who only deigned to give him a cursory sniff before running off to do his morning constitutional, unperturbed.

That was a good sign. Beau had the wisdom of many animals in determining if someone was a threat. If he gave this sentinel his stamp of approval and hadn't torn his throat out, then this Jack Hammond couldn't be all that bad.

The sentinel, Jack, stood a head and neck above his respectable 6 foot frame, absolutely dwarfing Bess and Torres. His shoulders took up the entire door frame so that he had to tilt a bit to get through the secondary doorway.

Inside, Fate was crouched in her ancient papasan chair, her face contorted in what could only be described as a huge pout. Torres sent him the mental image of his eight year old granddaughter doing the same, and he held back a smile. This was far more serious than denying a cell phone to a third grader.

Four more chairs were set up in the small space. Jack settled himself on a stool facing the door, slightly forward from Fate. Every line of his figure was ready to spring into action, the very picture of a young sentinel guarding his bondmate. Torres pushed forward, as a guide he was the least threatening to a tense sentinel. He took up the empty seat beside Fate, while Bess and Harley closed the door and lagged in to complete the circle.

"This is quite the situation we have on our hands," Torres began gently. His tanned and weatherbeaten face was mild and welcoming. Fate shrunk further into the bowl of the chair, silent.

Torres continued on, unperturbed, "I'd usually say congratulations on your new bond, but this isn't usual. Mr. Hammond, my name is Inigo Torres, and this is my bondmate Harley and our local NOGS director Bess. You spoke with her on the phone last night?"

Jack nodded, "It's good to put a face to the voice."

"Well Mr. Hammond, may I call you Jack?" Torres' voice switched to consummate professional as he placed his laptop on the low coffee table, "Jack, we need all of the facts of what happened last night. We've gotten the statement from Peter White, now we need yours."

"Well first off, his name is Breton Pace," Jack's entire demeanor had changed at the mere mention of the rival sentinel. Rage radiated off of him in waves. Harley leaned forward, ready to step in, but Torres was an old hat at dealing with testy sentinels.

"What do you mean?"

"The bastard had the nerve to introduce himself before c-choking MY guide" Jack's face was growing red from the rage. Behind him, Fate had squinted her eyes shut as though in physical pain.

"Calm yourself sentinel," Bess' voice rang out immediately, "Your emotions aren't all your own."

Jack's attention immediately whipped back to Fate. His rage transformed into worry, causing her to jolt again before he could collect himself and calm his mind. Fate let out a gasp when the tide of emotions broke, opening her eyes and fixating Bess with her stare.

"I need the dosage, Bess," she pleaded, "I don't care what happened. I don't want this."

Hearing her rejection out loud almost tipped Jack into another emotional spiral, but the memory of pain he caused managed to keep him on even keel. He didn't want to lose her so quickly after she'd been found.

Bess bit her lip, looking down at the small case she kept in her hands, "Torres, what's the read of their connection?"

"Bess, you can't be serious!" Fate unfolded herself from the chair, "I was in shock! He..they...No one was supposed ot be on my property! I-I have the right to reverse this!"

Now was Bess' turn to raise her voice,"Fate, I've known you for five years. I've watched you seclude yourself away up here and turn into a shell of a person on dampeners instead of even thinking about getting better! You continue to deny yourself and for what?"

"I want to be my own person! Is that a crime because of one active gene?"

"Torres, read their connection," Bess ordered, "I won't willingly help her commit murder-suicide. If the bond is still weak, I'll let her have the dosage. But if it's set, Fate, it's beyond anything we can do."

Fate was silent, sullen as Torres stood to place his temple to hers. It was a connection of guides, a special read that could assess their relationships. Two guides could link up and know everything they needed to know about the other's family, friends, lovers, bondmates. It was a phenomenon studied for decades and only barely understood.

Most importantly, it held up in court.

Jack's hand gripped the chair as he felt the world spinning. He couldn't tell if it was his own heart beating out of his chest or hers. She was serious about wanting to break the bond, to the point of being more than willing to die. He could feel it in his soul. He only hoped that she could feel how much he would do to keep her from that.

The silence stretched on for what felt like hours, but it was only seconds before Torres stood back and turned to sit down.

"The bond is very solid. It's one of the strongest I've ever seen, Fate," Torres said, reaching to comfort her by the hand. She pulled it back and crumpled into the chair, covering her face. jack could smell the salt of her tears coming to the surface from where she'd bravely held them back.

"I'm sorry Fate, but this is beyond a surface bond. Your connection is stronger than anything I've ever read. This is the type of bond that can't be reversed...not even in death"