Summary: A short follow up to Bridge.

Notes: As suggested by Daniella. Many, many thanks to Kathleen for the beta. References to Switchman. Rated PG for a small bit of language.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Written strictly for fun.

Green Street Bridge

"Then the policeman shouted, 'everybody get down,' and the next thing I knew there was a huge, horrible explosion and the bus started shaking. Everything around us was shaking. It all happened so fast."

Joel Taggert nodded reassuringly at the last tourist. Her pale face was still smudged with grime and her hands trembled slightly as she recounted the events aboard the ill-fated Cascade Harbor Tours bus. As she finished speaking, he scribbled the last bit of information in his notebook. "Thank you, Miss Davies. You've been very helpful." She smiled faintly and turned to rejoin her companions.

Activity on the bridge was finally beginning to wind down. The bomb disposal unit had gone over the bus with meticulous care and the SWAT team had already left the scene. He patted the pocket where he had deposited the video tape he'd taken earlier as evidence. It was practically a miracle no lives had been lost and there was no question in his mind it was all due to the dogged efforts of one Detective James Ellison.

Taggert rolled his head from side to side. The aftereffects of the previous day's bombing at the train station still lingered in his memory, not to mention his shoulders and his back.

"Hey Joel, how you doing?"

He turned his head to see Henri Brown approaching. "Not bad. How about you?"

"I've got the rest of the witness statements. Think we're about done here?"

"Uh huh. I'd check with Simon first, though." Glancing down at his watch, Joel frowned. His stomach was beginning to rumble. He reminded himself to call his wife and tell her he'd be late again. "You wouldn't happen to have a candy bar or something on you?" he asked.

Brown patted his pocket. "You are something else," he chuckled as he drew out a small yellow packet. "I'm afraid all I've got is some gum." He extended a stick toward Joel.

Shucking off the wrapper, he put the gum in his mouth. "Thanks. Say, I just heard the strangest thing."

"Oh yeah?" Henri looked up from his notepad. "Stranger than what happened on this bridge? Man, those people are lucky to be alive."

"Tell me about it."

"Gotta give Ellison credit though. He finally nailed the Switchman." Brown shook his head in wonderment. "Talk about being one tough mother. I heard he wasn't feeling too well the past couple of days either." He looked at Joel closely. "So, what's this strange thing you heard?"

Joel gave him a conspiratorial look. "He says he has a partner now."

"What?" Brown stared at him in disbelief. "A partner? You're kidding me." He leaned in closer to Taggert. "That man's strictly a solo act. He's been that way, since, well, you know."

"I know, believe me, I know," interjected Joel.

"So who's the lucky stiff? No wait, don't tell me. Is it Maynard or Lutzky?"

"Neither. It's you," Taggert deadpanned. He laughed as a look of dismay flashed across the detective's face. "Just kidding."

Henri scowled, folding his arms. "Very funny. So who is it?"

Opening his notebook, Joel flipped rapidly through the pages. "I've got the name right here. It's this kid, Blair Sandburg."

"Sandburg? Who in the hell is Blair Sandburg?"

"He's young, in his twenties, got long hair, kinda like a hippie."

Henri squinted a little against the late afternoon glare. "He sounds like the last person Ellison would want as a partner. Where's he from? Vice?"

Joel shrugged. "As far as I can tell, he's a grad student."

"What?" Brown made another disbelieving noise. "A civilian? C'mon, he must've been pulling your leg."

Snapping the gum in his mouth, Joel thought back to the ambulance where he tried to cajole Blair into giving up his video tape. Ellison had suddenly appeared, assuring the young man he'd get his precious tape back. His words were matter-of-fact, but to Joel's ears there had been something different about the detective's tone. No matter how casually he said it, a partner was not something Ellison took lightly.

"No, I don't think he was. There was something about that kid." Joel paused to look at his notes again. "Witnesses on the bus said he knocked out the Switchman while Ellison looked for the bomb." Not bad for an academic. It would seem he could take action when needed.

Henri lifted an eyebrow. "What does the captain think about this?"

"I doubt he knows yet." Joel spotted Banks, standing off to the side, surrounded by a pack of reporters all clamoring for information. "I got the feeling it's something that just happened."

"How about Lt. Plummer? Does she know?"

Considering how quickly events had escalated over the past forty-eight hours, Joel doubted that as well. "No," he answered. "Probably not."

Brown turned and frowned. "So, what exactly am I supposed to do with this little tidbit?"

"I'd say keep it to yourself, for now."

Donning his sunglasses, Henri tilted his head and stared warningly over the top of the plastic frame. "If I find out you've been shittin' me, Joel..."

Taggert solemnly held his hand up as Brown scowled back. "I give you my word."

As he turned to walk away, he grinned as he heard Henri mutter, "Ellison and a partner. Riiight. And terrorists are gonna take over the PD."

*~ The End ~*

Comments welcomed. AutumnSkies1@aol.com

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