SquidgeWorld Archive

The Loft
September 11, 2001
9:00 A.M.

Blair awoke around eight o'clock, washed, dressed, and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. While cooking he turned on the television to see what was on, when he heard a loud sound. Looking up he sees that a plane had crashed into one of the twin towers, which at first he thought was an accident. But then they showed a second plane going into the second tower, and then another plane going into the Pentagon.

A minute later the news man came on and says, "What you have just seen is two planes crashing into the twin towers at around 9:40 EST. and 39 minutes later another plane hit the Pentagon."

"Oh my god, oh my god!" Yelled Blair.

"What's wrong Chief?" Jim asked, when he heard Blair yelling.

"Air planes hit the twin towers around 9:30 a.m. EST and then 39 minutes later another one hit the Pentagon." Blair said, trying to say calm.

"When?" Jim asked, coming over to the couch.

"I was watching television, when the news came on. It said that two plains struck the twin towers and one hit the Pentagon. Then they showed what happened, it was horrible." Blair said, trying not to cry.

With out saying a word Jim went to the phone and dialed a number.

"Who are you calling?" Asked Blair.

"Steven, he had a meeting in New York I want to see if he's all right." Jim said, dialing Steven's number.

"Hello." A voice said.

"Steven, where are you?" Asked Jim.

"I'm stuck in New York. Nothing is coming in or going out. "I'm thinking of driving back home." Steven answered, while watching t.v.

"Do you want me to come and get you." Jim asked, also watching TV.

"No, I've decided to stay until I know something about my friend." Steven answered, trying to stay calm as he watch the attack over and over again on the television.

"If you need anything, give me a call." Jim said, before hanging up.

"How's Steven?' Blair asked, while watching TV.

"He's staying until he knows what happened to his friend." Jim answered. "Why don't you call your mom?"

"She's fine, she's in Mexico right now." Answered Blair.

"That's good." Answered Jim. "We should do something."

"We can give blood, donate food, or clothes." Blair answered, taking out his computer.

"We'll go tomorrow." Jim said, sitting down trying to figure out what was going on.

"We should go to New York and help." Blair said, out of the blue..

"Are you sure?" Jim asked, surprised. "People might find out about my abilities."

"Jim your abilities are not the issue here." Blair said; trying to understand what was happened.

"We should talk to Frank in the FBI." Jim said, just as the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Jim, this is Steven."

"Steven, what's wrong?" Jim asked, hearing Steven's heart rate.

"I called Sally to tell her that I was all right. She told me that Dad was on one of the plans that hit the towers." Steven answered, in a deadpan voice.

"What do you mean he was on one of the planes?" Jim asked, trying to catch his breath. "Is she sure?"

"No, but Dad had a meeting with someone in New York." Steven answered, trying to stay clam.

"That doesn't mean anything happened, Steven." Said Jim. "He could have missed his pane."

"I know, but he's not answering his phone." Answered Steven.

"Steve, we're coming to New York." Jim said, making up his mind.

(What happened that Jim has decided to go?) Blair thought, trying to read Jim's body language.

"I'll met you at the hotel" Steven said, felling numb.

"We'll be leaving in two hours." Jim said, before hanging up.

"Jim, what happened Big Guy?" Asked Blair.

"My father might have been on one of the planes that hit the towers." Jim answered, going up the stairs to pack. (Dad I swear who ever did this will pay!) Picking up the phone he dialed Frank Ellto of the FBI.

While Jim was talking with Frank, Blair was packing for their trip to New York when he thought of Simon. They should really let him know they were going to New York to help out any way they could.

Walking out of his room Blair says, "Big Guy, we should call Simon and tell him we're leaving for New York."

When there was no answer, Blair went upstairs, "Jim, Big Guy?" Blair asked, walking up to him. When he reached Jim he saw that he had zoned. "Jim listen to my voice, come back man." Going into guide voice.

A minute later Jim comes out of his zone out, "What happened?"

"You zoned." Answered Blair.

"Why you sorry, it's been a strange day and it's affecting your senses." Said Blair

"I know, but for some reason I fell guilty." Said Jim.

"Why should you fell guilty, it wasn't your fault." Said Blair.

"I know, but I just can't help but fell guilty." Said Jim.

"Jim man, the reason you're felling guilty is that your country was attached." Answered Blair.

"I guess you're right. Let me call Simon." Jim said, walking toward the phone.

"Hello." Simon answered, with a tired voice.

"Simon, this is Jim I'm just calling to tell you that Blair and I are going to New York." Jim said, picking up crying in the background.

"Do you think it's the right thing to due?" Asked Simon.

"We do, especially when I fell so guilty." Jim answered, still hearing crying in the back ground.

"Simon, who's with you?' Asked Jim

"Joan came over after learned what happened." Answered Simon.

"Did she know anyone?" Asked Jim.

"A friend of hers worked in one of the towers. She tried to call her cell phone, but there has been no answer" Answered Simon. trying to comfort his grieving ex-wife.

"We're going to New York, if you give me the woman and we'll look it up." Jim said, hearing Joan crying in the background.

"Do you think you should reveal your abilities to the world?" Simon asked, not really caring at the moment about Jim's abilities.

"Are you sure you want to go to New York, and expose your abilities to the world?" Simon asked, trying to comfort Joan.

"We're sure. Maybe with my abilities we can find someone alive." Answered Jim.

"They have dogs for that." Said Simon.

"Yea, but dogs don't talk." Jim answered, trying to smile.

"Do you want me there?" Asked Simon.

"Only if you want to come." Answered Jim.

"I want to come." Simon said, looking at Joan.

"Ok, we'll met you at the airport." Said Jim, before hanging up.

****

Meanwhile, Blair was on his phone talking with a friend who worked for the NYPD, "Man what's it like Tony?" Asked Blair

"The towers fell around 9:25 am and no one can get near the site until the fire is out." Tony answered, trying to keep the tiredness from his voice.

"How many people are they saying died?" Blair asked, still trying to comprehend what happened.

"They're saying around six thousand, but no one will know for sure until we know who was in the buildings and who escaped." Answered Tony.

"Tony, Jim and I are coming to New York, we want to help." Said Blair.

"We'd like your help. "I'll meet you at JFK airport." Said Tony.

"I should go and finish getting ready, talk to you later." Blair said, before hanging up.

"Is everything read?" Jim asked, seeing that Blair was off the phone.

"Yea, my friend will met us at JFK airport." Answered Blair.

"Simon's coming with us." Said Jim.

"That's fine Big Guy." Blair said, finishing his packing.

When the guys were ready they drove to Simon's home picked him up and then drove to the airport. They arrived thirty minutes later, hoping they would be able to get a flight out of Cascade heading to New York.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" Asked the Customer Rep.

"Yes, we are wondering how we can get to New York?" Asked Jim.

"I'm sorry sir, but no flights are allowed near New York." Answered the Rep.

"Is there any way to get to New York." Asked Blair.

"People are driving to New York." Answered the Rep.

"Do they make any exceptions to police officers." Simon asked, showing his id.

"I'm sorry sir, but their not letting anyone in New York by plane." Answered the Rep.

Taking out his cell phone Blair calls his friend in New York to see if he could do anything on his end. While Blair was talking to his friend, Jim and Simon were watching television for the lasts news.

"Can you believe what is going on?" Asked Simon, watching the news broadcaster.

"I want to know how they could get through security?" Asked Jim.

"Hopefully we'll get answers soon." Said Simon.

Blair walked up to them with a sad smile, "We'll have to drive to New York, they're not letting any planes into or out of New York.

"Lets get started then." Simon said, getting up.

"Excuse us, officers." A voice said, from behind them.

Turning around they see two men with dogs standing there, "What can we do for you guys?" Asked Jim.

"We just flew in from Canada on a private plane, but they wont let us continue on." Said the man with the German Shepard.

"We are you going?" Asked Simon.

"To New York, our dogs are trained to sniff for live people." Answered the man with the Golden Retriever.

"Sure, I'm Jim Ellison, this is Blair Sandburg, and Simon Banks." Jim said, introducing his friends.

"Hi, I'm John Gorder and this is my friend Frank Peterson." Said John.

"And your friends?" Asked Blair, petting the dogs.

"This is Blue and Frank's dog is Blondi." Answered John, petting Blue.

"Nice to meet you guys." Blair said, petting the dogs. "lets get going guys."

They walked to Jim's new 4x4, got in, and began their long journey to New York with a dreadful felling in the pit of their stomachs. The drive to New York took them seven and a half days non-stop with all five of them driving. When they arrived they were meet by a block aid, where they had to show their ids and tell them what they were doing in New York.

When the guards found out that they were cops and were here to help with the search they let them pass through. As they drove through the streets they were all so stunned from the devastation that they could speak from shock. Driving up to the base of operations they all got out and went to look for who could help them.

Five minutes later they found a Coronal, Coronal we're here to help." Said Simon.

"And you are?" Asked the Coronal.

"Sorry, I'm Captain Simon Banks, this is Detective Jim Ellison, and Blair Sandburg from the Cascade PD; we're here to help." Answered Simon.

"We have all the people we need." Said the Coronal.

"Coronal can we talk in private?" Whispered Blair.

"Sure, come with me." The Coronal said, walking toward a tent.

Walking into the tent Blair began to explain why they were there and about Jim's abilities, which the Coronal wanted to see. They were showing the Coronal, Jim's abilities when someone walked in.

Turning around they saw that it was Mayor Rudy Guiliany, Coronal what is going on?"

"Mr. Mayor this is Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg, and Simon Banks from the Cascade they have come to help." Answered the Coronal.

"Thank you gentlemen for wanting to help, but we have enough." Said the mayor.

"Mr Mayor, you should know that Mr. Ellison has some very unique abilities." Said the Coronal.

"What are these abilities?" Asked the mayor.

"Mr. Mayor, Jim is a Sentinel who has five enhanced senses." Answered Blair. Then he began to explain what a Sentinel was and what they do. He then explained about guides and their role sin the sentinel's life.

"We'll let you have some time to look, but then I want you out of there when you're tired." Answered the mayor.

"Mr. Mayor, I want to stay as long as we can." Said Jim.

"Mr. Sandburg, from what your friend just told me if you stay to long you'd get sick. Take two hour and then come back here." Said the Mayor.

"Meanwhile, I want you all to rest." Said the Cornonal, before leaving.

It was three hour later after they had rested that Blair, Jim, and Simon went to Ground Zero to begin their search for live bodies. They were searching along with the rescue dogs for at least two hours, when they were told to take a break. An hour later they began to search again, but with all the smoke, dust, and smells had Jim zoning out. Deciding that they wouldn't be able to help anymore Jim and Blair went to rest.

"We have to do something if we can't help at Ground Zero." Said Blair.

"We could always help the people who are looking for their family members, give clothes and food to the workers." Said Simon.

"I think that's the best thing we can do." Jim said, hating himself for not being able to help with his abilities. He also hated that he zoned-out every time he tried to use his senses.

Deciding that they would be better at helping by giving out food or helping the families of the victims. After talking with the Coronal they were assigned the task of getting information from the families. With their information they looked for William Ellison's name on the roster of people who were missing or presume died. This took them at least two months, then they were sent home when other people came to help. But before leaving they received a call from Sally saying that William missed his flight to New York so he had to drive home.. After everything that happened he had to drive home with out the change of calling any one..

What they learned in New York is that helping is the best medicine for what happened and to never give up.