Broken

An arm stretched fruitlessly through the iron bars.

"Come on Sandburg wake up."

A soft moan floats through the air as the young guide begins to stir.

"That's it Sandburg keep going," a voice encourages gruffly.

Blair blinks in the dim light as he rolls toward the gruff voice. "Si'm? wh' 'im?"

Simon closes his eyes and says a quick prayer of thanks as Blair's eyes focus on him.

"Tired. Want 'im." Blair's eyes begin to droop only to jerk open a moment later.

"No! Stay with me kid. Don't go to sleep. I think you have a concussion."

"Where?" Blue eye's scan the dark echoing room seen through the cage wall.

"Kincade's goon squad grabbed so we couldn't testify at his parole hearing. I only woke up about an hour before you. As to where we are ... all I know is that we are in the mountains and I think this used to be an old lumber mill." Simon was careful to keep his voice steady and his eyes averted from the third cage hanging behind Blair.

Blair rubbed his eyes and tried to gather his scattered thoughts. Something was missing. His mind felt like there was a jagged hole where only peace should be. Something had broken. What had broken was just on the edge of his mind but he refused to bring it closer. It was bad he knew that.

"Si'm. Where Jim?"

Simon closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. How do I tell him.

"Blair, you need to be still. Kincade's goons worked you and.... Worked you over pretty bad. We have been here about two days but I can't be sure."

"Jim?"

Simon stared into the distance. "He managed to kill three of the bastards with his bare hands before they finally got him pinned. They beat him badly...."

"Finish."

Forcing himself to meet the tortured eyes on the young man he sometime thought of as a second son. Simon Banks gathered his courage and told the truth. "They beat him too badly. He never woke up."

"NONONONONOOOOOOOOOOOOO...." Hysterical heartrending sobs echoed throughout the building. He knew what was missing now. Knew what caused the jagged hole. The price was too high. The pain too much. He was broken and knew it. The sobs stopped as peaceful certainty filled him. Blair opened his eyes and stared in Simon's.

Simon say the good-bye and heard the last breath.... He knew it was futile but had to try. "Please God NO BLAIR! Don't do it please we can't lose you both. Stay Dammit stay."

*********************
Day 3 Early Morning Cascade Mountains
*********************

Simon jerked awake as noise and light suddenly flooded the building.

"They're in here"
"We found them."
"Get those lights in here..."
"Watch your step...."
"Captain? Captain Banks? Sir?"

Simon Banks looked into the relieved faces surrounding him. Watched as the Detectives of Major Crime gathered around him and saw the joyful smiles as they waited for a crew to lower the other to cages.

"Wonder why Hairboy isn't yelling down at us? How bad are he and Ellison hurt, Cap?"

Simon's usual loud gruff voice was so soft that they had to strain to hear him."Ellison... Jim died the first day we were here. Blair followed late yesterday."

Major Crimes turned as one to the two cages that had just come to rest on the floor. Too Late. They had been too late and the heart and soul of the unit lay in broken proof that they had failed.