****

His eyes and hair were dark against his skin, was all Jim could think. One of those geeky grad students, of course, but he paid that no mind, and merely watched Blair's eyes get darker, and his hair fall down, loose over his shoulders.

A Guide. Really. They had such things for Sentinels, he knew, back in the day, but in modern-day twentieth century America?  What was this kid claiming, and what was he trying to do?

Blair's eyes were almost a perfect black as he talked, and Jim could sense it -- an overwhelming ache in the kid. What was that? Not a Sentinel sense, surely, something more, something -- Jim took a breath and the feeling faded.

Blair looked up, eyes wide, a heartbreaking smile on his face.

Jim promptly catipulated.

"I have my price," he said. "Do you think you could pay -- the rent I charge?"

And Blair knew exactly what he meant.

END