“I just ran into Brian in the corridor. Apparently you’re little run-away escaped.”
“I know.”
Director Keating stepped into the cool inner office of the Sentinel. “And?”
Silence.
“Hello! I need information please!”
“So do I.”
Tony sighed. He felt strangely guilty for his rough outburst. Such loud words were out of place in this ordered, balanced room. The only oddity was the single burning candle centered along the top of the workstation. “Sentinel. I lack your fairly annoying habit of knowing without asking so could you please fill in the finer details for the mere human?”
Sentinel’s elegant fingers danced lightly over the touch-panel keyboard. “I’ve been trying to patch together Mr. Mclean’s past, trying to find a way into a very complicated young man.”
“Is he being uncooperative?”
“No, not uncooperative. But resistant.”
“For my money it sounds like the same thing.” Tony sat down in the chair next to Sentinel’s. He saw school reports, medical records and arrest sheets scroll by, compiling a biography of what seemed like a fairly sad life. “You seem to be a magnet for these types.”
Kevin actually smiled at that.
“Why don’t you just … you know … read him.”
“Two reasons. His mind is too fragile. I tried last night but only discovered enough to know that this was necessary. If I had pushed harder I could have hurt him. And then Howie sedated him. The scanning … it frightens Howie.”
“That’s the other reason?”
Kevin nodded.
Tony rolled his eyes. “Oh great, I’ve got the softie from hell right here!”
“You better not say that where people can hear you.”
“What is this? Is it a family thing to sneak up on people and try to scare them to death? Is it genetic?” Tony asked as he looked around at the now grinning face of Brian where he stood by the door.
Brian laughed. “Hey maybe we should look into that, don’t you think Kev?”
Kevin stood up, running a finger along his brow. “You’ve tracked to where AJ is heading?”
Brian sighed. “There’s no fun in bringing you good news, I can’t surprise you with it. Yes, he seems to be winding his way get back to the old scrapyard just like you suspected. Plus he’s picked up a tail.” At Kevin’s raised eyebrow, he amended: “Another tail.”
“The Order.” Tony concluded.
“I’m leaving.” Sentinel said as he walked out the door.
Brian had to run to keep up. “I’ll have back-ups meet you there.”
Sentinel slowed his pace to accommodate his shorter cousin. “Brian what is he wearing?”
“Huh?” Brian blinked.
“His clothes. He can’t be dressed warmly as we never told him where his old clothes was and I doubt very much he was going to risk the time going through the closets.”
Brian stopped dead in his tracks. “You knew he was going to flee.”
“Yes.”
“And you let him? Knowing he would run blindly and without thinking?”
“Yes.”
Brian stood where he was, indecision shadowing over his light features. “Kevin … how? Why? He could get hurt … it’s cold … he’s …”
Sentinel stood where he was for a moment, then walked up to Brian and gently put his hands on Brian’s shoulders. “Brian he isn’t alone. I told Roger. That is why he’s on AJ’s tracks so fast. He was there right from the beginning.”
“But why? You kept telling him that he could trust you. And now you’re using his fear to … lead you?”
All signs of Sentinel melted away as Kevin looked Brian straight in the eyes. “Brian, remember when I said to you that sometimes I had to do things that you couldn’t understand but that were important. And that I never did any of those things without good reason?”
Brian nodded. “Yes.”
“This is one of those times. Do you trust me?”
Brian nodded again, feeling bad. “Yes,” he whispered. “I’m sorry …”
Kevin shushed him with a gentle finger across his lips. “It’s okay. Now what’s he wearing?”
“The stuff we … you … gave him last night.”
“Call Howie. Tell him where to meet me and tell him to bring warm clothes … and I think a few heating pads. And a footbath.”
Brian shook his head, smiling wonderingly at his cousin. “How can you always do that? Think of even little things like that?”
“Not always. Just when it’s one of you.” And with that Sentinel turned around and accelerated down the hall.
