Roachia 03 Before Dawn Read online

  BT didn't care about either. He dashed over to the table. "Sam!" he called out, helping to slide the younger man out into the open. He could barely hear Evan call for medics on Rafe's radio.

  "Blair," Sam whispered. Trembling from shock, he wrapped his arms tightly around BT, burying his face into the other man's neck.

  Returning the embrace as he tried to comfort the shivering figure, BT softly whispered, "It's okay now Sam, you're safe. You're safe." He glanced over Sam's shoulder to see Jim signal that the Roaches were dead.

  A muffled sob rose from the precious one he held. "They said you were dead, Blair. They said you were dead!" The voice cracked as the body shook harder.

  BT tightened his arms, resting his cheek on the soft, fine hair. He gently began rocking, hoping to soothe. "I'm not dead. I'm right here. Everything is going to be all right. I'm right here. I'm right here."

  In what seemed like both a lifetime and a moment, BT dragged his eyes upward when Jim gently tapped his shoulder. Jim mouthed, "Let me check his leg."

  Briefly, BT tightened his hold, then whispered, "Sam, let's have your leg checked out." Still shivering, Sam allowed BT to turn him around, finally resting his head on BT's chest. Protectively cradling Sam's body, BT's own face turned pale as he realized how much blood was flowing from the thigh wound. He rubbed Sam's arms, trying to calm him.

  Jim quickly grabbed the aid supplies Rafe pulled out of the kit, using them to apply pressure as he elevated the wound. While the kid should be lying flat, Jim gauged that he needed BT's closeness at that moment more. He studied his patient's pale face. Sam looked to be in his late teens, his straight brown hair a couple shades lighter than BT's thicker curls. Brown eyes gazed back at him dully in pain and shock. "It's going to be okay, Sam. I just need to slow down this bleeding. The medics should be here soon, then we'll get you to our Doc to be patched up."

  Sam nodded his head at the large man. He tried to stop shaking, but his body wasn't cooperating.

  "It's okay, Sam," BT softly soothed. He stared across the room a moment, trying to gather his thoughts. Something was wrong here, but his faulty memory wasn't saying what. Finally, he asked, "Sam, why were you working for these guys?"

  Sam drew a shaky breath. "I was trying to find the traitor. Didn't know there'd be two of them, and that they'd both be Roaches."

  "But why?" BT persisted, trying to grab hold of elusive memories. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

  Sam gently squeezed the hand holding his. "A few days after ... " Sam paused, not wanting to bring up that subject yet, "Well, this guy approached me. Said they suspected that there was a traitor who was giving the Roaches vital information on what buildings to bomb and which scientists to take." For a moment, Sam paused to soak up the warm presence he never thought he'd feel again. It helped him to handle the pain throbbing from his leg.

  "What guy?" BT questioned. Something else was wrong here, but he wanted to find out who was behind this stunt.

  "Colonel Richards," Sam replied hazily. "He said they had pinned it down to a couple a possibilities, including Michaelson's group. They needed someone to get a job with him and keep an eye out for anything suspicious. He figured I was young enough not to be suspected."

  "Didn't you have any backup?" Jim quietly asked. He was fighting his own anger at the thought of a teenager being used to search for a dangerous traitor.

  "No, Colonel Richards thought that would give me away." Feeling cold and increasingly light-headed, Sam nestled deeper into BT as Lt. Janson draped a blanket over them.

  "Why did you agree to do this?" BT questioned, still feeling like he was missing something, something vital. He soothingly stroked back a lock of hair from Sam's face.

  Fighting to concentrate on his words, Sam softly answered, "Because there was no one to talk me out of it."

  In a flash of noise and activity, the medics arrived one step ahead of Major Banks and Taggart. Sam was lifted up off of BT, checked, strapped to a stretcher, and whisked out the room. BT followed, racing to keep up.

  Jim entered the waiting area to find BT pacing. "Any word?" he asked when he caught up.

  BT shook his head. "No, not yet."

  "How are you doing?" Jim studied the pale face.

  "Okay, just feeling scattered." BT took a deep breath. "That's Sam, Jim. The one from my dreams."

  "I gathered that," Jim replied. "Did you catch what he called you?"

  BT blinked. "He, he called me Blair."

  Jim smiled. "Yeah, he called you Blair. Think that just might be your name?"

  A faint answering smile crossed the younger man's face. "Yeah, that's my name. The minute Sam said it, I knew. I didn't even have to think about it."

  Squeezing his friend's shoulder, Jim assured him, "In a few hours, he can probably help jog your memory some more." Seeing BT's worried frown, Jim continued, "He's going to be fine. I don't think the slug hit the bone, so Sheree should have no trouble patching him up. He'll just need some time to recoup."

  "I know," Blair stated softly. "But there is something wrong, Jim. I don't know exactly what, but I can feel it."

  Jim didn't respond. He, too, had caught Sam's hesitation. What wasn't the teenager saying? He looked up as one of the medics entered.

  "BT?" he asked hesitantly. When Blair turned around, the tall blond explained, "The guy's in surgery now. Sheree will come out when she's done, but she wanted me to give you this. We found it when we were prepping him."

  Blair silently took the picture, staring at it.

  "Thanks, Tom," Jim replied. He glanced over his friend's shoulder. The picture was of Sam and Blair, a couple of years younger and wearing floppy hats and light shirts for hiking. Standing between them with his arms looped over their shoulders was an older man in his late thirties, early forties. His light brown hair, warm brown eyes, and fine features were very similar to Sam's. His pride in the young men on either side was obvious. Jim could almost feel the joy and love radiating from the smiling faces.

  "It's Dad," Blair whispered. He fought to keep from shaking. "He's the one who told me Keegan stories and showed me the plans. Sam's my brother. He's my Dad."

  He is BT's Dad, Blair's Dad. Where is he?

  "Something's happened to him," Blair stated, unknowingly echoing Jim's thoughts. "He'd never let Sam get involved with this. Sam said there was no one to talk him out of it. He thought I was dead. What happened to Dad?"

  Jim could think of a few possibilities, all of them bad. He again tried to comfort the younger man by squeezing his shoulder. "I don't know, but Sam can tell us when he's on the mend."

  Simon and Rafe entered the room. "Any word?" Rafe asked. He had liked the quiet young man even before he had realized the teen was BT's Sam.

  Blair shook his head. Jim quietly answered, "Sam's in surgery right now."

  Nash, Joe, Harvey and Evan entered in time to catch Jim's words. "You said his name is Sam?" Joe asked. "I thought his name was Shaun Maxwell."

  "Some Colonel talked him into going undercover to find a traitor," Rafe explained, trying to keep his anger under control.

  "That kid? Hell, he can't be much more than 18," Nash exclaimed with heat. "Whose dumb idea was that?"

  "A Colonel Richards," Major Banks answered. "I already have calls out to find him. Jack's going to make sure he gets his ass chewed out for this one."

  "I want a shot at him, too," Blair interjected. Jim and Rafe traded glances. They'd never heard such cold anger in their friend's voice before.

  "Do you know this Sam, BT?" Harvey asked.

  "Yeah, I've been trying to remember him for weeks now." He sighed, again staring at the picture. "He's my brother."

  The others exchanged startled glances. Jim protectively rubbed his friend's shoulder. "They found a photo on Sam before taking him into surgery. It's of Sam, BT, and an older man who BT has identified as their father."

  Simon glanced over BT's shoulder to view the picture. "Do you remember his name, kid? Rafe said your name is Blai
r. Do you remember your last name?"

  Blair slowly shook his head, feeling another headache coming on. "No, just that he's my dad and Sam's my brother." He handed the picture to Rafe to see.

  "It's a beginning, Blair," Rafe told him comfortingly, studying the picture.

  Nash took a glance at the photo, then nearly tore it out of Rafe's hands to get a better look. "Ah, hell," he exclaimed in disgust, running a hand through his hair. He caught everyone's attention, including Blair's.

  "Who is it?" Evan asked.

  Nash looked into Blair's guarded eyes, not wanting to hurt him. "It's Jeff MacGregor." Now it was time for Jim to run his hands through his own short hair. Harvey, Joe and Evan traded worried looks.

  "Jeff MacGregor," Blair softly repeated. "My name is Blair MacGregor." He took the photo back from Dr. Branson. "What happened to him?"

  "He is one of the scientists the Roaches abducted," Nash sadly answered. "I'm sorry, Blair."

  Blair turned abruptly away from everyone. He walked over to the corner and quietly leaned his head against the wall. His father was missing, perhaps dead, perhaps going through the hell Jim had said Blair had gone through. A tear slid down his face. He just wanted to see his dad, to hug him, to remember him. If he felt that way now, what had Sam gone through the past few months? Blair was chilled at the thought of how alone his brother must have felt. Even injured and without memory, he had had people there for him. Just how scared and alone had the grieving Sam been in order to think hunting for a traitor was a GOOD idea? How long did that Colonel wait before approaching his younger brother?

  A large, comforting arm draped itself over his shoulders. His friend, his protector, his sentinel was there. Even more grateful for his friend's strength, Blair softly said, "Thanks, Jim. Thanks for being there for me."

  "Always, kid," Jim stated, gently ruffling the short curls with his other hand. Pain lines were again forming across Blair's forehead. Jim wasn't sure if it was due to emotional strain or another headache. "I am here for you and so are the Panthers. We will sort this out. I promise."

  As Blair leaned into his friend, drawing strength, Jim opened his hearing.

  "...loved those two boys dearly. In fact Bartok, a colleague of ours, said that if it wasn't for the signs of struggle, he and half of Jeff's friends would have suspected Jeff had left for Sealand to search for his son."

  "He was planning to go into Sealand after the invasion?" Simon questioned in disbelief. "MacGregor would have been too valuable to risk in a lost zone."

  Nash sadly chuckled. "Wouldn't have stopped him, especially with his son missing. Besides, Jeff knew how to take care of himself. Bartok was more afraid of what Jeff would find than of the Roaches catching him."

  "Do you know who we should contact about these two?" Simon asked.

  "No," Nash replied, "but I have a suspicion they'll be hunting us up."

  Evan laughed softly. "Man, Willis must have had a cow when he saw our message."

  "Joe?" Inger Domingez had entered the waiting room and zeroed in on her husband. "What is going on? Someone said there was a problem with the accountants."

  "I'd say," Joe replied, "Michaelson and his assistant Griffin were Roaches."

  "Joe!" Inger admonished. "Just because you don't like them doesn't mean you should insult them..."

  Jim pulled back and refocused on his guide. The next couple of days were sure to be hectic, especially if someone did come for Blair. Hopefully, his young friend was strong enough now to handle it. Hopefully, who ever it was wouldn't take his guide away.

  Next morning

  Jim glanced into the infirmary room. Sam was sleeping peacefully, his bandaged leg propped up. In the bed across from him, Blair was curled up on his side, the light blanket Jim had draped over him the night before still in place. Jim gazed at the young men, the words of the panther returning to him, Three on this side possess both the seeds and the knowledge of the guides. Jeff MacGregor, in telling his two sons 'Keegan' stories, had kept the knowledge of the guides alive. In spite of what Dr. Mike had said, was there Keegan blood in their family?

  The panther had also said the other two besides Blair were 'fighting evil'. Chasing down a traitor that turned out to be Roaches in disguise sure qualified. Now Sam was under his protection, too. Did that mean that Jeff MacGregor, in spite of all fears of his friends and family, was still alive, fighting the Roaches? For Blair's sake, Jim hoped so. He also hoped he could continue to keep the two young men safe.

  Blair stirred, slowly becoming aware of his surroundings. He glanced over to Sam, making sure the events of last night really did occur. His brother was right here and very real. With a quick inventory of his memory, he had to admit there were still more holes than anything else. Yet he now knew his name and remembered the closeness he felt with Sam and with his Dad. That was enough for now.

  Spotting Jim standing in the doorway, Blair sat up and grabbed his boots. Walking quietly so as not to disturb his brother, he followed the sentinel out the door.

  "Why don't we get you some breakfast?" Jim suggested, studying the younger man's face. The pain lines had faded, but Blair still looked a little wobbly.

  Blair shook his head as he slid on a boot. "I don't want to leave Sam alone."

  "We have that covered."

  Just then, Rafe strolled into the hallway. "Hi guys. You ready for breakfast?" Blair gave him a puzzled look. Rafe returned a smile. "Jim and I figured Sam shouldn't wake up alone."

  Blair was about to thank him, when a commotion around the corner caught their attention. Focusing his hearing, Jim frowned. "Damn! Katts is back."

  "What?" Blair asked, eyes wide. "I still don't remember anything about the Roaches."

  "He's here for Sam. Sounds like Colonel Richards is here, too. Amy and Tom are trying to head them off, but I don't think it's working."

  "Damn," Rafe repeated. "What do we do?"

  "Call up Simon, and let him know what's going on. Then you and Blair stay with Sam. I'll run interference."

  "I'm going with you," Blair stated grimly. "I have a few things to say to Colonel Richards."

  Jim exchanged a bemused glance with Rafe. "All right. Let's go."

  "The patient just had surgery last night. He needs his rest," Amy stated firmly, wishing Dr. Jackson was there. The men didn't seem to think they needed to listen to the slim nurse. If Tom hadn't been there to back her, they'd already be to Sam's room.

  "Mr. Maxwell is under Colonel Richard's authority. We will see him now!" Katts demanded.

  "Problem?" Ellison stood behind Amy and Tom, his steady, cool gaze trained at the Dr. and Colonel.

  Dr. Katts glared back. He was still furious at how the Captain and his unit had kept him away from the Sealand refugee. "What is your business here, Captain?"

  "I'm security. You will go no further without authorization from the young man's doctor."

  "I am Maxwell's commanding officer. I have the right to see him."

  Blair focused on the man who put his brother in danger. "Colonel Richards?" he asked, pausing for the Colonel's nod. "His name is Samuel MacGregor, though you already know that. I want to know why he is working for you, considering he's underage."

  The Colonel waved him off. "That young man is a near genius. He is quite capable of undercover work."

  While Jim's eyes narrowed at the new information on Sam, Blair plowed on. "His intelligence doesn't make him any older. Anyone under 21 needs parental permission to join the services and I know damn well you didn't get permission for this. Hell, is this even official?"

  Red crept into the Colonel's face. "He is an orphan. He didn't need permission and he was eager to join."

  Blair nearly lost it. "Orphan? No one knows that yet. Eager? Hell, when did you approach him? How many days after the Sealand attack? How many days after Dad disappeared? Did you even give him a week before laying out how he could get back at the Roaches? Did you even allow him a chance to tell anyone what he was doing? You preyed on him. There
is no way you're seeing him today."

  Katts jumped onto his next target. "What right do YOU have to say anything! Twice now you have been in the same location as Roaches masquerading as humans. Are you giving them directions on how to find our most important people? Are YOU human?"

  As Ellison took a protective step in front of his ward and opened his mouth to defend him, another loud voice interrupted. "DOCTOR KATTS! Are you still trying to step over your bounds?"

  Everyone turned to see a large black woman, dark eyes snapping with anger. Behind her was Dr. Mike, an amused expression on his face.

  Katts turned to face her. "What are you doing here, Ms. Colton?"

  "That is DOCTOR Colton to you. I am here on both personal and professional business. I will certainly not allow you to accuse this young man of being a Roachian."

  "What?" Major Banks asked as he entered the hall. "I can assure you that young man's blood is as red as mine. We certainly saw enough of it."

  Dr. Katts ignored the officer. "Dr. Colton, I am TRYING to search for traitors here! I would think that you of all people would understand that. In fact, we are here to debrief Sam MacGregor."

  "Sam is here?" Tess Colton questioned. "What is he doing here? We've been searching for him the last three months! Why does he need to be debriefed?"

  "Colonel Richards over there talked him into going undercover searching for traitors," Ellison stated innocently, suspecting he was dropping the matter into the perfect hands. He waited for the explosion.

  "WHAT!" Tess turned toward the Colonel. "You talked an 18-year-old into going after a ROACH!" The colonel nearly cringed.

  Katts jumped in again. "We must use any means necessary to weed out the traitors among us. That is why we need to debrief MacGregor and interrogate this young man as soon as possible."

  " 'Any means necessary', " Dr. Colton parroted the man snidely. "I'll show you 'Any means necessary'. As Sam's guardian, you will NOT be allowed to see him until I say so! And I suggest you lay off this young man, or you will have some explaining to do to General