Fellowship Lost, Ch. 3, Pt. 3

It was difficult for Jay to admit, but he was jealous. He babysat for Asher one morning a week, and had done so since the infant's birth. Scott, on the other hand, saw the boy only sporadically. Still, Ash tried to leap from Treece's arms at the sight of the older, shorter man at Jay's side.

"Hello, little guy," Scott said. "Shouldn't you be napping?"

"Should," Treece answered. "But he has radar. Seems to know when something important is brewing." She attempted to tuck the squirming bundle more securely against her chest. Asher would have none of it. He reached for the Consult, waggling his fingers to be taken. She tipped her face to the baby's and caught his eye. "Can't imagine where you inherited that, can you?"

For a moment, Jay thought Scott would accept Asher's invitation. As usual, his brother only smiled and held up a finger. The baby scowled, grabbed a hold, and tugged.

"He's getting strong."

"You have no idea."

Scott crooked his finger and tugged back. Then he gently disengaged from the tiny fingers.

"Here! I'll take you!"

Jay lifted outstretched arms, but Ash had already turned to nuzzle his mother's neck. Probably figures he can have me anytime.

Christopher Valhailand had fathered three sons that anyone knew of, all by different women. One died of a stroke in his twenties. One became a Consult of The Guild-the youngest ever to be accorded that honor. The third had been kidnapped at age ten and tortured for twelve years by a sadistic murdering bastard; abandoned and un-rescued by his Guild parents.

Was it any wonder Jay had a huge inferiority complex? He'd earned it. Sadly, Asher St. Lucas was doing nothing to dispel it. The third Valhailand son tried to hide his disappointment under a casual shrug.

Treece passed the wiggling baby into his arms. "Yes, puhleeeeze!" she groaned. Then she gestured to the sofa. "I want to hear every detail without distractions." Had she smiled softly as she turned away?

The two men and the baby settled onto the cushions, shoving laundry out of their way as they did. The woman in Blue remained standing midway between them.

"So. You've found them. Minneapolis? A good lead this time, I take it."  

Scott Cairl laughed and shook his head. "Why do I bother coming to tell you in person?"

"So you don't look bad to the troops."

He lifted an eyebrow.

"I mean, what would they think if a little ol' Blue turned out to be stronger than the man in charge?"

"Treece?" He leaned forward and shot a look over his left shoulder and then his right. "I hate to break it to you, but that cat popped out of the bag years ago."

"The best and bitchiest Searcher ever," she agreed.

Everyone grinned, including the baby. Then Treece took control of the meeting again. "Okay. You've got a hit. A good one for a change. What are you going to do about it?"

Scott shrugged. "Don't know. That's why we're here."

Jay shifted Asher to his knee, letting the baby straddle his leg. He jiggled him up and down to a rising chorus of giggles. "I told him. Said you had to be part of this from the start. The last expedition was a disaster. We can't have that happen again."

Scott nodded, his eyes remaining on the Blue who still held court in the center of the room. "You scanned the scene afterwards, right?" It was a foolish question. He knew she had. Jay suspected his brother was working up the nerve to ask the important thing. "I tried to keep the local police and fire investigators out of there as long as I could, but I'm not as strong as I used to be." He spread his hands in apology. "They got to some of the debris before we could get you to the site. Did they muddy the spill?"

Asher whined. Jay had begun to bounce him too hard. He kissed the boy on his curly head and slowed his horsey ride to a gentler pace. Scott's last question had been another waste of time. Everyone with a need to know had read Treece's report.

"Come on, Scott!"

His brother's eyes cut in his direction. Then he propped his elbows on his knees, laced his fingers together, and lifted his gaze to Treece. He looked like a man at prayer.  

"Did they both survive?"

The Blue scowled. "I told you they did. Lorin sprained an ankle. Dina got first degree burns on her hands. I don't know what they may have suffered later: migraines, amnesia, whatever… you know the effects. I could only interpret what they were feeling at the time they escaped."

Scott nodded. Jay's leg stilled. Asher slipped two fingers into his mouth and began to suck.

Treece tapped her foot. "Go on. Spit it out."

The Consult drifted away, leaving a shattered middle-aged man sitting in his place.

"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"

Treece cocked her head in confusion. Asher squirmed around to face Scott. One small hand opened and closed and opened again.

"I mean. To protect my feelings? A well-intentioned lie? Maybe so I would never know?"

Scott grunted as if in pain, then pushed off his knees and slumped against the sagging cushions on the back of the sofa. "Maybe you thought, 'He's getting old. Blacks die young. Let him go from this life believing the best.'"

Jay was afraid to look at Treece. He'd wondered this same thing from time to time. What would he and Scott do if what they feared turned out to be true.

The woman approached, dropping into a squat between them. "You damn Valhailand boys!" She took Asher from Jay's knee and plunked him in Scott's lap. A damp spot was visible on the leg of his black pants. Scott was about to be christened in a similar manner.

"On this baby's life," Treece declared. "I swear… they are alive!" Were there tears in her eyes? If so, she shut them off with a blink and a frown. "Why would I hide it? To be nice? Because I pitied you?" She raised a hand as if to stroke Scott's cheek. Instead, she slapped him lightly. "What about 'best and bitchiest' do you not get, Consult?"

Jay felt the ripple in the air that indicated a wall had fallen. Treece's? Scott's? He wouldn't know because he wouldn't try to read either of their thoughts.

A moment passed in silence. Then Asher laid his head on Scott's chest. The man holding him looked down, straightened and cleared his throat. "All right then," he said as he handed the infant back to its mother.

His shoulders squared. His chin lifted. "Here's what I propose."