Part 4

Jim laughed a little, watching Blair descend with tightly focused eyes. The ladder, as the building, was still so new, there was very little buildup of grease or dirt to slip on. Still, he didn't take his eyes off his partner until he had pried open the doors of the 43^rd floor and stepped inside. Concentrating his injured vision that intensely was exhausting, and his eyes began to burn again.

"Do you really think Nelson killed Mr. Conner?" Jessica leaned back from her vantage point and stepped farther away from the open doors. "Why would a security guard kill the owner of a building?"

Jim kept looking down the shaft, waiting for Blair to reappear. "I don't know. Right now, he's our only suspect. That's all we have so far. At least until we get some answers." The doors below them opened and Blair's head appeared.

"No good, Jim, they're locked."

Jim glanced at Jessica. "How do you feel about heights?"

She shook her head violently. "No, I'm sorry. I can't. I couldn't do that."

Jim sighed, glancing back down the shaft. "Sandburg, keep going to the 42^nd. I'll stay up here."

"Keep going, he says. I'll stay up here, he says."

Jim smiled, knowing Blair knew full well he was able to hear from up there, and would be keeping a close watch on him. "Be careful."

"Be careful, he says."

Jim watched closely, forcing his eyes to focus as Blair returned to the ladder, then slowly made his way down another flight. The doors opened easily and he went inside.

"I'm sorry about all this," Jessica said, watching Jim. "I mean, the mace, and the elevator. I just can't handle heights."

"You can work on the 49^th floor of a building, but you're afraid of heights?"

"Yeah. Silly, isn't it? If I'm in a building, surrounded by walls and stuff, I'm okay. But get me on a roof, or try to stand on anything higher than an office chair, and I just get dizzy."

"No good!" Blair stuck his head back through the doors, calling up to them.

"Keep going." Jim called back.

"Keep going. At this rate I'll be in the lobby soon." Blair was still mumbling, and Jim just shook his head.

"So, tell me, Detective...If it's not prying into police secrets or anything, just how did you figure Mr. Conner was murdered?"

Jim didn't take his eyes off of Blair until he was safely inside the 41^st floor. "It's pretty complicated, really."

"Well, we're not going anywhere anytime soon." She was leaning against the wall next to the open doors, watching Jim. "I mean, just to pass the time. I understand Mr. Conner did all of his business via computer. I envy the man, no paperwork. But, in Stocks, you still need a paper trail for the accountants. Personally, I'd love it if we could just do everything in cyberspace and save all the trees."

"Still nothing!" Blair called up. "I suppose it's the 40^th?"

"If you can't get in from there, I'm coming down." Jim watched as Blair once again reached the ladder and began to descend. At the 40^th floor, he had to stand on the penthouse elevator and climb through the escape hatch in order to reach the doors. He watched his partner enter the elevator, then focused on the sounds emanating from the 40^th floor. He could pick out Blair trying to open the doors to the stairwell with no luck. "Listen, I might have to go down there with my partner. You can stay up here, maybe in one of the offices, and we'll come up for you when we get into the stairwell."

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Detective."

Jim had been so tightly focused on Blair four floors down, he hadn't heard the safety come off of Jessica's gun. The gun that was now pointed at him from just out of reach.

"That's right. You didn't really think Nelson had the brains to pull this one off himself, did you?" She reached out with one hand. "Now, please hand me your gun, very slowly, and your handcuffs."

Jim reached slowly behind him, pulling the gun out by the handle. "So, what's in it for you?" He twisted the gun in his hand and held it out to her, handle first.

"Oh, about 10 million in Swiss accounts." She reached out and took the gun. "Now, the cuffs. Put them on, with your hands behind your back."

He took out the cuffs, and placed one around his left wrist. "You got his account numbers and passwords? Then why hang out here?" He secured the left wrist, then put his hands behind his back and secured the right.

"Turn around." Jessica reached behind his back and tightened both wrists, then shoved him towards the stairwell doors. "That dipshit partner of mine didn't get the codes. Not yet, anyway. So, we have to go spend some more time upstairs, going over the security cam's video."

Jim walked back to the stairs and heard a set of keys jangle in her hand. "So, you've had keys to the stairs all this time? Then why the ruse? What's Nelson up to?"

"Stop right there." Jessica pulled on his shirt and then pushed him to the wall so she could unlock the doors. "Okay, start down, then go in at the 40^th."

Jim entered the stairwell and started down, listening for any sign of Blair farther down. Was he trying to get back up the shaft, or did he realize what was happening? Where was Nelson? "So, what now?"

"Just keep going. I've got some work to do upstairs, and don't need any interruptions."

"How did Nelson get you talked into this?"

She laughed, "What makes you think he's in charge? Because he's the man?" She laughed again, pushing Jim in the back to get him to hurry up. "Please. The man's a moron. Couldn't even keep his job as a cop. Nelson's been useful to me, nothing more. He said he could see Conner's codes from the camera angle, and I believed him. Foolish on my part, I can see now. But, the tape is still good, we just need more time to work on it." They had reached the 41^st floor and she pushed him again, trying to hurry the pace.

Jim was focusing harder now, not paying much attention to what Jessica was saying. They were only one floor up, he should be able to hear Blair. "I guess you jumped the gun a little, killing Conner before you had the codes."

"Just hurry up. My unfortunate choice of partners is coming back to haunt me before I'm even done with the job."

They were at the 40^th now, and Jim stopped at the doors when Jessica pulled on his shirt. He could see through the glass window into the corridor, but from that far down, he couldn't see the elevators around the corner, nor could he see any sign of Blair.

"Inside." Jessica pushed the door open, then pushed Jim into the hall. "Now, to the elevators. We just need to keep you in one spot for awhile, so we can work undisturbed."

Jim started down the hall. He couldn't see around the corner, but he was able to pick out a heartbeat. Then another. As they came into view, he could see Blair standing next to the second bank of elevators that would lead to the lobby. Standing beside him, pointing a gun at his head, was Nelson.

"What took so long?" Nelson demanded, shoving Blair forward as they approached.

Jim could see his hands were behind his back, but he looked unharmed.

One of the elevator doors had been opened and she pushed Jim inside. "How do we keep him in here?"

"I can lock the doors and secure this car in place. He won't be going anywhere until we come back for him." He looked up at Jim and smiled. "Then, we'll finish the job."

"You haven't learned, have you Nelson?" Jim asked, looking down at the shorter man. "It wasn't enough to get kicked off the force, now you want to spend the rest of your life in jail?"

Nelson laughed. "I'll be spending the rest of my life on some sunny beach somewhere, sipping a Margarita and thinking of how I beat the great James Ellison." He stepped around from behind Blair and handed Jessica his gun, then grabbed Blair by the shirt collar and pulled him across the hall to a second elevator. Jim could see another set of handcuffs, securing Blair's wrists behind his back. "Here, take the Boy Wonder upstairs." He shoved Blair into the waiting car and motioned for Jessica to enter. When she did, he retrieved his gun and stepped back to Jim's elevator, inserting his key into a slot next to the wall. "Now, just hang tight. Once we get into those files, which I'm sure we will, I'll send your partner back down to meet you."

Jim watched as he turned the key, shutting both doors. He didn't need Sentinel hearing to detect the locking mechanism slide into place, securing the car. He listened, waiting for Nelson to join the others in the second elevator and begin to ascend. Once they were lifting, he started to work his wrists back and forth, trying to get one hand out of the bracelets. Nelson had secured them tightly, and Jim couldn't get any leeway with either hand. Dammit, come on. He knew Blair would be killed, they both would be, as soon as Nelson and Jessica no longer needed potential hostages. He'd have to get out of the cuffs, and get upstairs, before they got into those files.

*****

Blair fell hard into the leather couch as Nelson shoved him down. "Move, and you're dead." Nelson snarled, shoving his gun into Blair's face for emphasis.

"Get over here and get these files open!" Jessica shouted at her partner from behind Conner's desk.

Nelson slowly backed away, then turned and pulled a small tape from his jacket pocket, placing it into a machine Jessica had retrieved from the secretary's office. Blair watched as Nelson inserted the tape, and began to scrutinize the video as it played back.

Blair's heart was racing. He knew when they opened the files, and found what they wanted, both he and Jim would be killed. Neither one of these two had much to lose. They had already killed a man, and kidnaped a police officer, not to mention Blair. He had to stall for time. Jim would need some time.

"Which one of you killed Conner?" Blair asked, shifting to a better position on the couch.

"What does it matter?" Jessica asked, walking slowly towards him. "We're both in it up to our necks. What's two more?"

"So you must be the brains, huh?" Blair remembered seeing Jim work two people against each other before, but somehow, he wasn't sure he was doing it right.

"Shut him up!" Nelson yelled from the desk. "I can't think with that brat here."

"You shut up! Just get those codes, I'll deal with him," Jessica shot back.

Blair watched them both, trying to determine just how much of a partnership there was. It was obvious each was using the other, but which one could be set off? Jessica was standing there, pointing a gun in the general direction of Blair's chest. But Nelson...Nelson Blair had dealt with before. He hadn't thrown any punches, but stood there, watching, while several men attacked Blair...stood there watching as he was beaten---struck again and again...Blair shook himself of that memory and tried to concentrate on what he had to do.

"You trust a guy who couldn't even keep his job as a cop?" Blair asked, looking at Jessica. "The man got thrown off the police force. What kind of person does that make him?"

Jessica laughed slightly and had opened her mouth to reply when she was shoved aside by an enraged Nelson. "I told you to shut up!" Before Blair could react, Nelson fisted both hands in his shirt and pulled him up off the couch. "Or I'll shut you up myself! Permanently!"

Nelson had removed one hand and was pulling his gun from its holster when Jessica's hand

came out and stopped him. "Wait, you idiot! Not until we have the files, and we're halfway to

Switzerland or something." She let go of his arm, then pulled a scarf from around her neck.

"Here, shut him up if you have to, but don't kill him. We might need him later."

Blair flinched back as Nelson removed the other hand from his shirt and reached out for his head. He tried to pull away, and even entertained thoughts of slamming Nelson to the floor, until Jessica's gun entered his view. He froze, staring at the barrel of steel that was mere inches from his nose.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time." Nelson wrapped the scarf around both fists, then shoved it roughly into Blair's mouth, forcing it inside. He tied it tightly behind Blair's head, almost cutting off his air for a moment. Once gagged, Blair was shoved again to the couch.

"Now, get those codes!" Jessica demanded.

******

Jim glanced around the elevator, desperately trying to find something he could use. He spotted the utility panel and noticed a screw that wasn't tightened completely. Working on the screw from behind his back, Jim was able to get the panel to swing open, exposing a network of wires. He had to turn around and investigate the mess before he spotted the one grounding wire he was looking for. He then turned back around, with a mental picture of the wires, and used that to guide his hands through the tangle, and grab the exposed ground wire and pull it off its lead. Once done, he was able to work the exposed copper into a point, and began to pick the lock on the cuffs. It took the better part of three minutes before he was successful. Once free of the cuffs, Jim didn't even try the locked door, but reached up and flipped open the emergency panel, climbing out on top of the elevator. Once out and on top of the elevator car, Jim paused, focusing tightly up through the shaft. He could make out voices, faintly, coming from above, but he couldn't make out any words from that distance. "Hang on, Sandburg." Jim found the ladder built into the shaft, the same ladder Blair had come down on, and began to ascend as quickly as he could. Two floors from the top, he paused again, hanging from the rungs as he listened.

"That's it, just three more." Jessica's voice could be heard clearly from above. "No, you idiot, look here. He's got his right hand on the number pad."

"I see it, I see it." Nelson's voice had an edge of irritation as he answered her.

Jim continued up, slowing down slightly as he reached the top floor. He hadn't heard Blair's voice at all, but he knew better than to jump to conclusions. Still...Jim reached the doors to the penthouse floor and carefully moved from the ladder to the tiny ledge in front of the doors. He took each door in hand and pulled gently, separating the doors slowly at first so as not to alert the pair in the office down the hall. Once open, he moved into the hallway and crouched down. The voices were much clearer now, so Jim switched his concentration off of the conversation. He had to breathe in the steady, rhythmic pattern Blair had taught him in order to filter through the voices and listen for only the sounds he wanted to hear. Slowly, the voices blurred into the background, and first one, then another, and then one more heartbeat could be heard. Jim breathed a sigh of relief and continued down the corridor, careful not to be heard.

When he reached the now-locked door to the stairwell, Jim saw once again the open utility panel, with its exposed wires. From there, he could rise up to his feet and still not be seen by the occupants of Conner's office. Jim examined the wires quickly, spotting the three that were still attached behind the sabotaged main lines. He backtracked to the first open office he found and hurried inside, rummaging through the few desks he found. nothing. There was a janitor's closet at the far end of the office so he hurried to it, finding only mops, buckets, and an assortment of bathroom supplies.

"That's it! They're open!" Jessica's voice rang clearly down the hallway. There was no more time. Jim grabbed a pair of rubber gloves, and broke the handle off one mop, then rushed back down to the panel. It was now or never. He put both gloves over one hand, took the plastic handle in the gloved hand, and carefully placed the pole behind the three wires that connected the top floor to the emergency generator. He gave one pull, and the entire floor was blanketed in utter blackness.

*****

"What's that!?" Jessica shouted.

"Ellison!" Nelson exclaimed.

Blair tried to move off of the leather couch where he had been pushed, but Nelson was there too quickly, grabbing his shirt and pulling him up. He tried to protest, to let Jim know where he was and what was happening, but he couldn't get a sound past the gag. He realized Jim could see in the dark, but he was unarmed, and both Nelson and Jessica had guns of their own, as well as Jim's.

"I can't see anything!" Jessica shouted again.

"Shut up! He can hear you," Nelson replied in a hushed whisper. He pulled Blair in front of him, shoving a gun into his ribs.

Blair heard motion, but he couldn't tell if that was Jim, or Jessica moving away from the desk. The office was pitch black. Where was Jim?

"I'll kill him, Ellison!" Nelson announced, shoving the gun harder into Blair's ribs.

Jessica cried out from across the room. There was a thud, and movement off to the right.

"Ellison!" Nelson spun around, forcing Blair with him, and fired into the darkness.

Blair winced, trying to pull away. Nelson fired again, blindly, and Blair used that distraction to spin around, forcing Nelson's gun hand up with his shoulder. He turned to push the man down, trying to give Jim enough cover to rush him, but Nelson recovered too quickly. Blair couldn't see in the dark, but the fist that slammed into the side of his head struck his earlier injury dead on.

Blair's head was spinning. He fell, landing hard on the plush carpeting. He fought to stay conscious through the searing pain, and tried to roll away from Nelson. There was someone else there, struggling. Blair could barely hear through the ringing in his ears, but he was sure there was a struggle going on, somewhere. Sounds were fading, and he felt as though he was beginning to fall. It was dark. Too dark to see, and he was falling now. Falling down the shaft, towards the elevator car below. Just as he thought he should be hitting the car, he heard an explosion nearby.

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