Trust Laurie to find the one LAX employee whodidfit the notion ofbigoted, racist America.He was nose-to-nose with a burly,shaven-headed cop who looked as if his last nerve had been snappedand his last line crossed.Sasha spread his hands wide to showeveryone that he was harmless.Laurie turned to meet him.Hispupils were dilated, a wild lostness in them.“Sasha!What did theydo to you?”
“Nothing.A routine, random check.Back down, okay?Comehere.”
Laurieallowed himself to be towed away.The officer glanced between himand Cheung, as if at once relieved by this intervention and alittle disappointed.“Good timing, Li.I'm one hair off chargingLord Fauntleroy here with disturbing the peace.”
“Yeah.Hernandez said to let it go, though.The check on MrPetrica was negative, and this guy's just a bit high-strung,apparently.”
Sashapushed Laurie down onto a plastic bench.He knelt in front of him,took hold of his arms and gave him a shake.“You hear that?You'reacting like a racehorse stuck in the stalls.What's wrong withyou?”
“They pulled you over for nothing.”Laurie could barely speak.“You were there and then you were...gone.”
“That's how it's done.They're not about to argue it out infront of hundreds of people at the desk.”
“But you just went with them.”
“The sooner you go, the sooner it's over.Anyway, why should Imake a fuss when I've got you to kick down the walls for me?”Sashaput a hand to Laurie's cheek, where the angry flush had died topallor.“Listen.It's annoying, obtrusive and it makes you missyour bus.But I'm pretty sure it isn't unfair.Or racist for thatmatter—not this time.”
“I've never been so tempted to play thedon't-you-know-who-I-amcard.”
Sasha chuckled.“That would've been lovely.No offence,sweetheart, but you've only appeared in a few London theatres,andBlood Moonhasn't started filming yet.They wouldn't have had aclue.”
Lauriesmiled unwillingly.“Thanks.”
“You're very welcome.Are you back with me?”
Lauriesat up.He ran unsteady hands across his hair.“I think so.Whatgot into me?”
“You were jumpy before we set off.You hit the in-flight drinkspretty hard, you know.”
“And I was airsick.That's never happened to mebefore.”
“Well, the turbulence was bad.”
“I've been a right little bundle of joy, haven't I?”
Sashalooked up at him in relief.This was his Laurie—sweet,self-deprecating, bright with amusement at the world's foibles andhis own.That version had vanished from Sasha's view at Mrs G'swedding, just after Dracinsky had taken Clara home.He hadn'treappeared during the frantic days of packing that had followed.Sasha had lived at vast galactic distances from a feverishstranger.“You were a charming travelling companion, I'll say thatfor you.”
“God, I'm so tired.I just want to sleep.”
“I bet you do.”Sasha pulled the dark, troubled head downtoward him.He planted a brotherly kiss to its brow, then anuninhibited one to the startled mouth.He kept one eye on officersCheung and Maguire.He'd cleared them of colour prejudice, but sawno reason not to check out their tolerance for other civil rights.“Come on.You've worn yourself out making trouble.Let's get out ofhere, if they'll let us.”
“I think I'd better apologise to...”
“Sergeant Maguire?”
“How do you know his name?”
“They have tags.Read them.”Find out,even if it's just a passing cop, or your father's driver, becausenobody, nobody wants to be ignored.“Okay,go apologise.But walk slowly, show him your hands, and for God'ssake don't reach into your jacket to give him yourcard.”
***
By thetime Laurie emerged into the arrivals hall, he was drained andabsolutely lost.The international terminal was not much biggerthan the one at Heathrow, but he had expended everything that madehim feel human, individual within his skin.He was nothing, wasn’the?A temperamental nobody who had almost got himself and Sashashipped off to Guantanamo Bay.
Heraised his chin.Up ahead of him, a handsome young man was adroitlythreading the crowd.He was chatting to his family around him.Fromhis accent and his confidence, Laurie guessed that he was areturning citizen, not looking at his surroundings because he’dseen it all a hundred times before.Laurie took him incarefully—his smile, his demeanour, his calm.
Sashaglanced up at him.“That's better.”
“What is?”Laurie tightened the arm he'd kept round Sasha’swaist since they'd escaped.Laurie would be okay now, not homesickor freaked out or terrified.The young American held himselfjustso,walkedwith assurance justso...
