Chapter 9

Doctor Marcus Gilford was shaking his head while examining Larabee’s x-rays. “You are the only man I know who can be shot twice, take a twelve foot header down the stairs, and come away with no internal injuries or broken bones.”

“I live right,” Chris grinned and then groaned when he attempted to sit up. “Damn, that hurts,” he muttered, slowing his movements.

“You stay put,” Doctor Gilford admonished Chris. “I didn’t say you were not hurt. That knee is in bad shape and I am ordering cortisone for the inflammation. I also expect you to use crutches for the next five days at least,” he sighed. “I suppose telling you to take it easy for a while is out of the question, so I’ll just say be careful instead. You’re going to be sore as hell tomorrow, but I want you to move around as much as possible.”

“I plan to, Doc.” Chris said. “I’ve been thrown by enough horses to know better than to let these muscles stiffen up.”

Gilford nodded, “I’ll be back in a few minutes with your shot and the nurse will get you some crutches.” He grinned, “Try to stay out of trouble until I get back.” The doctor passed Vin entering the examination room on the way out the door and curtly ordered, “Make sure he doesn’t move until I return.”

“Damn,” Vin got his first good look at Chris’s bruised ribs and side. “You sure you don’t need to stay here, at least overnight?”

“Doesn’t matter if I’m here or at home, it’s gonna hurt.” Larabee winced as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.

Vin offered him a hand. “I left Kel with Doctor Landers. It’s obvious she had some kind of anxiety attack today. He said she’s exhausted physically and emotionally and he seems to think he can find out more about her mental state with me not in the room. I reckon you’re gonna have to tell me what happened.”

“He’s probably right.” Chris was breathing heavily by the time he was semi-comfortable again. “I promised not to tell you what she said and I won’t, but you need to tell her what you know. Her biggest fear appears to be your reaction to knowing the truth. Just make certain she knows Tracker told you, not me.”

“It’s past time for me to tell her anyway,” Vin reflected while watching the door to the other exam room down the corridor. He glanced over to Chris. “I know you realize disconnectin’ the GPS tracker in your Ram was a mistake. I ordered JD to reinstall it.” The look on his face dared Chris to object.

Chris nodded, “I suppose if I argue about it, you’ll threaten to low jack my ass.”

“Damn straight I will,” Vin stated emphatically. “Although I might still look into usin’ those trackin’ implants Nathan was tellin’ us about, at least for you and Kel. That way I’d know for certain where y’all are.”

“Like hell,” Chris growled. “You’d have a fight on your hands if you tried.”

“If that’s what it takes, bring it on.” Vin shrugged his shoulders. “You and Kel have aged me ten years just today and ‘M gettin’ damn tired of havin’ to track my family down.”

Chris thought better about shooting back a smart ass comment, Vin was wound too tight to argue with. Instead, he grinned. “That’s a two way street, Brother. I seem to recall you getting lost a time or two.”

“Hell with our bunch, we ought to order at least a dozen or two of those tracker implants.” Tanner changed the subject. “There are a few things you should know. Ezra is goin’ undercover as a history teacher at West End junior high tomorrow,” he saw the questions in Chris’s eyes and added, “it’s a long story and I’ll fill you in later. Guy and Brad are workin’ with the gang unit tonight and Travis will give you the details about Hunter. I figure him bein’ here has to do with the San Antonio unit.”

“Yeah, me too,” Chris answered and then jumped in with both feet. “Listen, Vin, you and Kel both need to come to terms with all that’s happened. I want you to take some time off, and however long you need, it’s yours.” He raised his hand to stop Vin’s protest. “I know we’re shorthanded, but we’ll manage. I realized today my daughter is in way over her head and I cannot stand to see her in so much pain. Fix it and then come back to work.”

Josiah and Nathan had returned from taking the helicopter back to the airfield and joined Vin at the door.

Josiah gave Chris a report. “Ezra had your Ram dropped off at the ranch and then left to prepare for his new assignment tomorrow. We brought Vin’s truck over here. JD was finishing up on the reports when we left the office, and Teaspoon headed back to his hotel. I told JD to go on home once he was done, since I was certain you would refuse to stay overnight.”

Chris nodded. “All I’m waiting on is a shot of cortisone for my knee and then I’m out of here.”

“You were lucky, Chris,” Nathan said after looking at his chart. “I plan to make certain you use those crutches too.”

“I will,” Chris sighed. He saw the change of expression on Vin’s face and knew Kelli was on her way down the hall. She walked into Vin’s waiting arms without hesitation, which Chris was glad to see. “You okay, Kel?”

“Yeah, I’m just tired. Doctor Landers gave me a lecture and a shot of vitamin B.” She gave Vin the written instructions the doctor ordered for her. “Landers said I was fine from today, but he seems to think I need to follow up on a few things. He even made me an appointment with Doctor Weeks for tomorrow afternoon. What about you, Dad?”

Chris gave her a weak smile. “No broken bones or internal injuries, just a strained knee and a lot of sore muscles. It’s nothing that won’t heal in a few days. I’ll feel much better after a good night’s rest.”

“You do remember that Dottie’s gone and the kids are at our house, don’t you? If you want to sleep in your own bed, they can stay with us,” Kelli offered.

“If it’s all the same to you, I think I’d rest better at your place. I have a need to be close to all three of my children tonight,” Chris watched her reaction and was pleased to see her smile.

“I already talked to Max,” Vin told them both. ”She and Walter are expecting you. They have supper waitin’ for us, and are plannin’ to stay over in case you need help with Grace and Cody.”

“Then it’s settled. All I need is Doc to come on with that shot and we’re out of here.” Chris was suddenly anxious to see his babies.

Doctor Gilford heard the tail end of Larabee’s words. “If you good people would clear the room, I can arrange it.” He lifted the syringe he held in his hand. “Or this stubborn jackass may come to his senses and let me admit him.”

“Get on with it Doc,” Chris ground out between gritted teeth when Doctor Gilford moved his leg. “A few aches and pains won’t keep me away from my kids.”

“Very well,” Gilford said as he injected the cortisone into Chris’s swollen knee.

“Daammmm…” Larabee’s bellow echoed down the corridor.

Vin chuckled as he made his way to the bedroom, thinking about Grace and her daddy. Once the toddler got past her initial fear of seeing her father’s display of colorful bruises, she shadowed Chris the rest of the evening. Repeatedly asking why his skin was purple. It had taken much longer to get her and Cody settled than expected. Chris had to read them two stories before they went to sleep and then he passed out from exhaustion. Andi and Jason sidetracked Vin’s plans for time to talk with Kelli. They were excited about their Uncle staying over and having their normal bedtime extended by an hour. Finally, they were tucked into their beds and asleep.

Standing at the door, Vin watched his wife for a few moments, before making his presence known. He had been aware for a good while now, how the stress was affecting her physically, but until today, he had not realized how deep she had buried her fears. She had just stepped out of the shower, her red tresses still damp and she was wearing only a robe. If only loving her could make things right, they would not have a problem. Unfortunately, it was not enough. They did not make love anymore, they had sex, it was good and physically satisfying, but they had lost the intimacy between them. He missed it. Observing her as she wearily sat down at the vanity and stared into the mirror, Vin knew he could not fix everything in one night, but he could put one of her fears to rest.

He came up behind her, tenderly wrapped his arms around her and said softly, "Kel, it's time for us to reclaim our lives."

"I know.” she sighed, “I haven’t been fair to you. I practically forced you to take Jason and Andi on sleigh rides, carolin' for Christmas, skiin', ridin' at Cait's indoor arena, and everythin' else, while I’ve hidden away here in the house with the boys. I just…, I can’t get to where I need to be." She leaned back against him.

"Baby, we need to move forward." Vin's eyes met hers in the mirror." I was hopin' you'd talk to me before now, but you haven't been able to do it. I reckon it's why you're still havin' nightmares and have this obsession about stayin' close to Bren and Trey. You’re holdin' yourself back from me,” he sighed, "and except for your defense tactics last Saturday, you have not so much as raised your voice to me or the kids in weeks. Not even a little glare.”

"I…." she started, fighting back tears, remembering how badly she treated him. “I guess Chris told you how I screwed up today…how I panicked…what I said….”

“Chris didn’t break his promise to you, but then he didn’t have to. It was Tracker who told me what you and Trey went through.”

Looking at Vin's reflection through tear-filled eyes, she asked, "He told you everythin'?"

“He told me right after we found y’all." Vin's eyes met hers in the mirror. “I probably should have pushed the issue sooner, but I wasn’t sure what to say to you. I thought I was fine once I had y’all home, but lately I’ve been havin’ nightmares about losin’ you to that damn river. Maybe it’s because we’ve been pullin’ apart instead of working together and I could feel you pushin’ me away. For both our sakes I think it’s time we talked openly about what happened.” Vin did not want to force her, but he could not let her continue to shut him out. "You need this … we need to be us again. I want all our intimate moments back, but you have to talk to me."

"What do you want to hear?" Kelli closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "That I should have reacted faster… paid more attention instead of lettin' my guard down? How it was my fault Ice was able to kidnap us? Need I remind you that I held a gun on you? Even worse, after all the times I swore how much I trusted you and would wait forever for you to find me, if need be, I folded." She shook her head. "Forever turned out to be less than a week and I was ready to end it for me and Trey. My lack of faith cost us the life of our unborn child,” she choked back a sob. “I can’t blame you if you hate me for it, you should. How can I expect you to forgive me when I can't forgive myself?"

"Look at me." Vin waited until she opened her eyes and turned to look at him. “I could never hate you, Kel, and there is nothin' to forgive. Hell, blame me for not findin' y'all if you want. The truth is I would not have found you in time if Cowboy and Tracker hadn't intervened. They sent Sarah to Chris and she led us to the cemetery. It's the only reason you and Trey are still here." He cupped her cheek and said, "We'll never know why we lost the baby. It could have been for a lot of reasons, but it was not because of anythin' you did or didn't do."

"I never blamed you."

"I never blamed you either."

"Not even…?'

"Not for a second. You have nothin' to ask forgiveness for." Silence prevailed while Vin watched her struggle with her emotions. Assisting her to her feet, he drew her close, whispering softly, "It's not gonna happen overnight, but it's time to start forgivin' yourself and let go. I love you. Nothin’ you say or do is gonna change that." He brushed the tears from her face. "Our kids are safe and healthy. We," he tilted her head to look her in the eye, "survived hell and nothin' else matters. Together we can handle anythin' fate wants to throw our way."

Kelli laid her head on his shoulder, but he heard her muffled response. "I love you, Tanner."

He was pleased to hear her call him Tanner again; it was something she rarely did anymore. “We’re gonna put the ugliness of what Ice did behind us and take whatever steps are necessary to reclaim our future.” Tightening his hold on her, he walked her over to their bed, removed her robe, and tucked her in. Vin reached for the light and waited to see if she would object. When she nodded, he turned it off and slipped into bed beside his wife, gathering her close. “We’re gonna be fine, Baby. I promise,” he whispered.

“I’ve missed you.” Kelli was well aware they had not been connecting like before. Yes, they had sex, but something had been missing. With her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, she realized what it was…She was to blame for breaking their emotional link... “God, Vin, what have I done to us?”

“We only took a detour,” he held her tighter. “Ice is responsible for what happened to us, not you. The only thing we’re at fault for is waitin’ so long to talk about it. Instead of sharin’ our feelin’s, we kept silent and paid for it by bein’ locked into our own separate hells.” Brushing his fingers through her hair, he whispered throatily, “It’s time we start healin’…our love will pull us through… ”

For the first time since he had rescued her from that dark hole, they talked…really talked about all that had happened. They shared the fears and anxieties each had experienced during those bleak days, well into the night. Vin told her how the kids reacted when she and Trey went missing. Most importantly, they finally talked about the baby and allowed themselves to grieve together for the loss of their unborn child. Exhaustion eventually claimed Kelli, but Vin stayed awake for a while, content to listen to her heartbeat and feel the warmth of her body nestled against his. Tonight they had turned the page on a dark chapter of their lives and it was time to begin a new one. The distance between them had vanished and after two months of being afraid to sleep in the dark; Kelli was resting soundly without a light on. Tomorrow they would see Doctor Weeks and then discuss counseling. Whatever was ahead for them, he was certain they could handle it because they would be facing it together.

Once Ezra was certain that both Kelli and Chris were reasonably okay, he turned his attention back to completing the preparations for his role as a junior high history teacher. It usually took him a good week to put a persona together before he went on an undercover assignment, but he did not have that luxury this time. He had managed to accomplish several things before the call came in from the office to aid in the search for his missing teammates.

Gaining the position as a substitute teacher had been a piece of cake and he was on the schedule to begin his new duties tomorrow morning. He then went to work to acquire the necessary props for his new assignment. A new wardrobe was essential for his new role, and while Wal-Mart was not his venue of choice to purchase apparel, he forced himself to endure the mortification and forged ahead.

He was also adamant about finding an alternate mode of transportation. He was not going to let The Silver Bullet suffer the indignity of being abused, like the vehicles owned by other teachers at West End Junior High. Besides, she was far more expensive than most history teachers could afford. That situation he remedied quickly with a stop at Bob’s Used Cars. Almost immediately he had set his eyes on a lime green Chevy Nova. It was in pristine condition, and Ezra successfully bartered with the car lot dealer for a fair price.

Weary by the time he finally made it home, Ezra unloaded the bags of clothing and shoes he had purchased earlier onto the foyer floor, and shrugged out of his jacket. He called out, “Barbara, I’m home.”

“In here,” Barbara yelled from the family room.

Following the sound of her voice, he found her sitting on the sofa reading legal briefs. It was then Ezra filled in his wife about the incident involving Chris and Kelli. When he saw her face pale, he was quick to assure her that both of them were okay, although Larabee had suffered some minor injuries.

Satisfied, Chris and Kelli were okay, Barbara leaned forward, her curiosity overflowing. “Now, are you going to tell me what’s in those bags?”

“Tomorrow, Ezra Standish ceases to exist and Finnias Prescott is born.” Ezra gestured dramatically toward the pile of clothing bags. “Would you care to have a preview of whom your husband is about to become?”

“Absolutely,” she smiled. Ezra kissed her quickly on the lips and stood up. Gathering the clothing bags, he disappeared into the bedroom. It was several minutes later when Finnias Prescott appeared in the living room.

Barbara giggled when she got her first look at her husband’s ‘Finnias Prescott’ persona. Ezra had parted his thick down the middle, and slicked it back away from his face with gel. He wore a set of wire-framed glasses whose lenses appeared to be at least an inch thick, and had masking tape over the nosepiece.

Instead of designer clothing, which he was partial to; Ezra was wearing clothing purchased off the rack. He wore a cream-colored blazer, crisp white dress shirt without the usual frills he preferred, yellow tie, and tan slacks. White tennis shoes completed his outfit.

“I am aware that my current attire is less than desirable, but comical wasn’t quite the effect I was going for.” Ezra wore a chagrined look upon his face.

“I’m sorry darling, but you could almost be a double for Robert Carradine’s character in the ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ movies,” Barbara tried to look repentant, but her wide smile gave her away.

Ezra frowned at her. “I do not resemble Robert Carradine in any way. He’s older, shorter, and far less debonair than I am.” He pulled her to her feet and grinned. “Let me demonstrate.” Finnias Prescott vanished and Ezra Standish enjoyed the remainder of the evening with his wife.

JD was bone weary by the time he reached home. He stayed late at the MCAT office to gather all of the preliminary reports from the State Troopers regarding the incident out at the Carter property, including any and all scraps of information on Lorene “Bitsy” Fowler he'd dug up on CASSIE.  Chris would want the information A.S.A.P. It seemed as if lately he was spending more hours at work than anytime he could remember. His obsession about trying to break Lady Ice’s code on top designing the modifications on CASSIE for the new units was time consuming. Trying to juggle all of that with his regular duties, the needs and demands of a pregnant wife, and the lack of sleep from reoccurring nightmares about his experiences at the hands of a crazy woman, left him exhausted.

“I was beginning to wonder if I should send out a search party for you.” Casey greeted JD at the door with a sizzling kiss, which sent a temporary burst of energy coursing through his body.

“Maybe I should come home late more often if you're going to greet me like this.” JD's eyes appreciatively scanned over her scantily clad figure.

“The twins are asleep, Nettie retired early, and we have the rest of the night to ourselves.” Casey's hands caressed her husband's back, before lowering to squeeze his backside. “Are you hungry? I left a plate of food warming in the oven for you.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I grabbed a burger earlier.” JD kissed her lightly on the cheek, before disentangling himself from her embrace and moving over to the telephone. “You go on into the bedroom and I'll be there in a couple of minutes. I have to make a quick call. “

“All right,” Casey disappeared into the kitchen, where she took care of turning off the oven and storing his plate in the refrigerator, while JD picked up the phone and dialed Buck's number.

“Buck, I need to tell you what happened today...”

When the short conversation with Buck was over, JD felt terrible. There was no mistaking the inkling of disappointment in his brother's voice. He hated telling Buck news this way, but was certain he would have crumbled and given away too much if he had done it in person. It felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He wanted to tell Buck everything, but his confidentiality agreement with MCAT, prevented him from discussing the unit's business with non-team members. Like it or not, Buck's decision to leave the unit, placed him outside the information loop.

Never before had his loyalty to any of his brothers, especially Buck, interfered with his ability to keep the team's actions confidential. “Damn, this sucks.”

“JD, are you coming?” Casey's voice broke through his reverie, reminding him she needed his attention.

“Thanks, JD,” Buck said as he hung up the phone. “Damnit,” he cursed aloud.

“Bad news?” Inez reached over to stroke his cheek.

“Yes…No…Hell, I don’t know.” Buck took her hand and turned to face her in bed. “JD just got home from running reports at the office and wanted me to know what happened today. Chris was shot and then he and Kelli were trapped in an underground bunker, the team went after them and the house exploded, almost crashing the helicopter they were in and no one bothered to call and tell me until now. If JD hadn’t told me I guess I’d never know.”

“Chris is …”

“Oh, he’s okay; he was wearing a vest and won’t even stay overnight at the hospital, but damnit they should have told me! I mean…I haven’t been off the team so long they could forget me,” he sighed. “I still care….and I…”

Inez heard the thread of hurt in her husband’s voice. “When were they supposed to tell you? Call you at the school between classes? Or perhaps they should have stopped while they were trying to rescue Chris and Kelli to keep you informed?” She knew Buck was concerned, but he made a choice and he was now realizing the consequences of his decision. “You wanted to get away from the stress this kind of situation causes. You left the team voluntarily; they did not throw you out. Are you having second thoughts?”

“Second thoughts…no, but I suppose it’s going to take some getting used to. You know, not being in on the action.” he covered her with the comforter and drew her close. “Go back to sleep, I’m fine.”

“Love you,” she whispered while she snuggled into the warmth of his arms.

“Me too, Darlin’,” he said softly. His body was tired, but his mind raced with unwelcome questions. None of which he wished to share with Inez, at least not now. Leaving the team was what he wanted. Wasn’t it? Of course it was. He wanted to be able sleep peacefully at night without worrying. He could leave it all behind. Couldn’t he? He was doing what he wanted, what he chose to do. So why was he lying awake thinking he should have been with his team today?

Vin stood at the kitchen window watching the sunrise over the distant mountains and except for the gurgle of the coffeemaker, the house was silent. It would not be for long, but for a few minutes, he enjoyed the solitude, which companioned the beginning of a new day. Hearing the unmistakable sound of an irregular gait coming down the hallway, accompanied by a thump-thump, he reached for two cups.

“Mornin’, Chris,” he said without turning around. “Grab a chair and sit. I’ll bring your coffee over.”

Chris maneuvered himself onto a chair, leaning his crutches against the wall. “I thought I’d be the first one up. What has you out of bed so damn early?”

“Wanted to watch the sunrise,” Vin answered, balancing two cups of coffee as he crossed the kitchen. Placing one in front of Chris on the table, Vin pulled out another chair and sat down. “Hell, you look worse this mornin’ than you did last night. Bet it hurts like a sonofabitch.”

“Worse,” Chris grimaced as he shifted his leg. “Is Kel okay?”

“She had a good night, got up with the boys at four, and then went back to sleep.” Vin took a sip of his coffee. “Her doctor’s appointment isn’t early so I thought I’d get the kids off to school before I wake her.”

“I want to know what the doctor says. She may be grown, but I still worry about my eldest.” Chris hesitated to pry, but he had to know. “You two have a chance to talk?”

“Yeah, we did,” Vin smiled, “a real talk about everythin’. It might take some time to get rid of all the crap Ice left behind, but we’re ready to take on the future…together.”

Chris nodded, “At least something good came out of yesterday’s disaster.”

“Near disaster,” Vin corrected him. “Miraculously no one was killed in the blast, you and Kel are safe, and our team is intact.”

“Speaking of team, JD left me a message on my cell. He called Buck and filled him in on yesterday’s events, but didn’t tell him about Ezra going undercover.” Chris raised a brow.” Did you give Buck a heads up?”

Vin shook his head. “Buck’s not on active duty, so I didn’t think I should broadcast MCAT business.” He grinned, “Besides, I was a little busy yesterday and I figured he’d find out soon enough.”

“You have a mean streak, Tanner.” Chris laughed. “Buck won’t thank you for it, but I wish I could be there to see his face when Ezra shows up as Finnias Prescott.”

“Casey…honey…I’ll be late for work,” JD protested, but she had her mind made up.

She pouted. “At least come over here and kiss me goodbye.”

He walked toward her, his smile widening when she pushed herself up and 'walked' on her knees across the bed to greet him. As he bent to kiss her, Casey sealed her lips to his and in seconds had her tongue rammed inside his mouth. Taken a little aback, he gasped, but recovered quickly. His wife's hands were pulling at his shirt. Clearly frustrated by her slow progress she tore at his buttons. Breaking away from the kiss, JD was shocked.

"Casey!"

She pulled his shirt open and ran her hands over his chest. "Shut up and kiss me, Dunne."

Shaking his head, he was already thinking of excuses for being late for work…again.

Chris watched his young agent yawn for the umpteenth time.

“Are we keeping you up, JD?”

Dunne sat up, ignoring the grins from around the table. “Uh, no…sorry, Chris.”

The phone in the center of the conference table rang, Josiah answered.

“Hello, sweetheart, yeah, just a minute.” He waved the phone in the air. “JD, it's for you, Casey.”

Not quite alert as he tried desperately to figure out what Chris was asking him for, he pointed. “Can you put it on speaker?”

“JD?”

“Hi babe, I'm kinda busy, what can I do for you?” He answered, still searching through pages of printouts.

Casey giggled. “Well…I think it's more what I can do for you. This morning was some of the hottest sex we’ve ever had, and tonight, stud, I have even bigger plans…”

JD would never be able to recall the exact moment Casey's very private conversation filtered through to his brain. With a squeal, he lunged across the table, which resulted in all his papers flying into the air, his water spilling and him almost damaging himself in a delicate area on the edge of the table, his fingers snatched up the handset. He grunted out his reply.

“Case…can I call you back?” His actions had him prostrate on the tabletop as he moaned with the pain from the body parts that had suffered as he crashed down onto it, “Ouch…”

He kept his eyes closed as he lay there, not wishing to see the expressions that were causing the silence in the room.

“Dismissed.” Chris pointed to his young agent, “JD, my office…now!”

With Chris's voice echoing in his brain, JD could hear chairs scraping and papers shuffling. It was only when the door closed and he realized he was alone, could he hear the laughter out in the bullpen. He pushed himself up and straightened his clothes. Walking out into the bullpen, he looked at all the faces staring at him and flashed a lopsided grin.

“What can I tell you? I'm just too darned irresistible.”

They all laughed and the tension eased. Entering Larabee's office, he wondered if that line would work on Chris.

Buck knew he should be preparing for his first class, but he was still rankled about the phone call from JD last night. One part of him was angry that no one bothered to call him right after everything had gone down, and the other was confused about why it bothered him so much. He was not so far out of touch he couldn’t offer his expertise with bombs and maybe help them in other ways, even if he was no longer a member of the team, but they hadn’t asked. Even if they didn’t want his help, he was still family, damnit. The least Chris could have done was make certain someone let him know he was at the hospital.

“Hey, Coach,” Bill Patterson greeted him when he walked in the office. “Did you hear the news?”

Shifting his attention to the present, Buck realized Bill was talking to him. “What news would that be?”

“The school district nixed having cops come in here to question the teachers. At least the head office knows we can handle our own problem without the useless interference of law enforcement.”

Buck bristled at the crude insinuation about law enforcement being ineffective. “Considering everything I’ve seen since I've been here, it doesn't appear to me the school is really doing anything to control the problems. Maybe they should reconsider their decision.”

“Trust me, if these kids see cops in here, it would only make the situation worse.” Patterson told him. “The last thing we need, or want are cops nosing around.”

Knowing Chris was the one who wanted to set up the interviews with the teachers, Buck could imagine how Larabee was taking the rejection. More to the point, what would he do about it?

Finnias Prescott, a.k.a. Ezra Standish, arrived punctually at the junior high school for his first day of teaching. Wearing the outfit that he had modeled for Barbara the evening before, he could not help giving his image a once-over in the rearview mirror of his Chevy Nova. Looking at his slicked back hair, the tape on his glasses, bow tie, and the out of style clothes reminded him of Barbara's lilting laughter when she referred to him as a character out of the distasteful 'Revenge of the Nerds' movie. He did not resemble Robert Carradine by any stretch of the word, but he grudgingly agreed the persona he had created did lean toward being nerdy.

He sighed and grabbed the handle of his briefcase, before opening the car door. The moment he heard the click of the door mechanism catching to hold it in place, all traces of Ezra Standish disappeared. Finnias Prescott started walking toward the front entrance of the school. 

Once inside the building, he headed straight for the office. He had an appointment with the principal to sign some paperwork, and pick up a class syllabus, as well as find out the location of the room he would be using to teach his students.  The old crone behind the reception desk acknowledged him with a disgruntled expression on her face, which didn't change the entire time he was waiting for Principal Morgan to see him.

Fortunately, his wait was not a long one, and the meeting with the principal was an even shorter affair than he expected, due to a fight breaking out on campus. Morgan practically shoved Finnias out the door, so he could assist security in breaking up the fight and insure the proper punishment for the combatants’ involvement. Calling out his thanks to the harried principal, Finnias scanned the map of the school he'd been given for the quickest route to his classroom. Once he was orientated, he slipped the missive into his briefcase, and started down the hall in the general direction he needed to go.

Lunchtime rolled around and a frazzled Finnias, who thought he had prepared himself for the experience of teaching junior high kids, had already discovered he was grossly mistaken. Not only did he need someone to interpret the garbled slang language they used, but also he had to dodge a flurry of spitballs, fight for them to hear him above the noise pollution, and valiantly ignore several slanderous labels attached to him by the students. He sought out the cafeteria, hoping to find something that was edible, and to rest up for his next two classes.

Finnias was standing in the food line, gazing down at the mysterious looking lumps floating in a pool of brown goop, when a familiar voice reached his ears. He covertly glanced around and located Buck entering the cafeteria with another man and walking toward him. Not wanting to give away his identity just yet, he hurriedly made his food selections, paid for his lunch, and carried the tray of food over to a table in the far corner. This position within the cavernous room, gave him the opportunity to observe what was going on around him and kept him out of the crunch of the student body and prying eyes…almost.

Bill Patterson lifted his tray and scanned the room, noticing a lone figure sitting at a table in the back. He elbowed Buck and grinned. “It looks as if another poor soul has been sentenced to Purgatory.”

Buck followed Patterson's line of vision and had to stifle his surprise. Even dressed in the comical getup, he would know Ezra Standish anywhere. What the hell was Ezra doing here? Why hadn't JD told him to expect Standish? “He looks like he's in need of a crash course of how things work around here. What say you and I go fill him in?” Buck maneuvered his way through the crowded room and over to the table where Standish was sitting.

“Mind if my friend and I join you?”

Finnias stilled as he recognized Buck's voice. He glanced up from his tray of food with a welcoming smile, “Not at all.”

“Finnias Prescott,” he answered, his voice high pitched and annoying. He studied Buck's face and felt a sense of unease fill him at the widening smile on his friend's face.

“Did your mom hate you or something?” Buck smirked. Leave it to Ezra to pick out a name as pompous as he could act sometimes.

Shrugging his shoulders, Finnias mumbled, “Maybe. We don't talk much.”

“I know we just met and all, but can I give you a couple of pointers?” Buck did not wait for Ezra’s response, “Teaching the students here is hard enough without you giving them anymore ammunition to work with.”

Finnias pushed on the nosepiece of his glasses and cleared his throat.” I assure you, Sir, I do not know what you mean. I've only just arrived here today.”

“You think I’m too sophisticated for these students?” He asked earnestly.

Buck almost spit out the water he was drinking and then laughed “Sophisticated? These kids will chew you up and spit you out. You won’t last ‘till the end of the day.”

Bill, who had been following the exchange between the two men, chuckled, “I think what the Coach is trying to say is that you need to toughen up.”

“The children I have met so far do seem to be a bit rambunctious. Perhaps, I should take a few pointers.” Finnias looked at Buck. “What would you suggest?”

“Deepen your voice, wash that silly oil out of your hair, and get some decent clothes for starters.” Buck instructed. “Maybe, then you can get some of ‘em to take you seriously.”

“While I appreciate your help, I fail to see how what I wear has anything to do with academic lessons. I believe what these children need is proper instruction and will proceed accordingly.” Finnias stood, picked up his tray, and nodded. “Good day gentlemen, I am certain we will be seeing one another again.”

“Your call, Slick, see ya around,” Buck shook his head as he watched ‘Finnias’ leave. He did not know why Ez was here, but he sure as hell planned to find out.

Chris was in misery. He hurt everywhere and those blasted crutches were a pain in the ass. No one had any lead on “Bitsy” or Carter. Additionally, with Buck gone, Ezra undercover, and Vin off with Kelli, the work was piling up on his desk and he still had a meeting with Hunter. He had spent the past two hours in Travis’s office going over plans for the new units and prepping for his new role as Assistant Director of MCAT Operations. Apparently, it was not enough for him to be Commander of one unit, now he had the added responsibility of overseeing three. Granted, it was a supervisory position and he would not have to be involved in the day-to-day running of the teams. Each would have their own SAC, Special Agent in Charge, and thanks to Hunter’s role for the Texas unit, Chris would not have to travel back and forth to San Antonio. Nevertheless, their success or failure was on his shoulders. Slowly making his way back to his own office his dark mood preceded him and everyone moved out of his way.

Josiah stopped going over the intricacies of the criminal mind when he realized he had lost Teaspoon's attention. The profiler glanced up in time to see Chris finally make it to his office and winced as the door slammed shut behind the MCAT CO. “Did someone forget to mention that Chris is a tad bit temperamental at times?”

His question focused Teaspoon's attention on Larabee. Teaspoon found it amusing to observe the other MCAT agents give their CO a wide berth as he awkwardly maneuvered himself through the bullpen to his office. It was apparent by the scowl on Larabee's face the man was in a sour mood. Given the multitude of injuries he had sustained in the incident at the Carter place the day before, he was certainly in a world of hurt and should have been taking it easy at home. Instead, here he was working, and while Teaspoon admired Larabee's dedication to his job, he could not help shaking his head at the foolishness of youth. He answered Josiah, “No, but I think I just got my first glimpse.”

“Hunter, you haven't seen or heard nothing yet,” Josiah corrected with a wide grin. “Larabee’s been known to bring grown men to their knees with just his glare.”

Teaspoon chuckled. “That must be a sight to see.”

“It is.” Josiah agreed, “So long as Chris's anger isn't directed at you. Now, where were we...?”

As the other man started back on his diatribe regarding the criminal mind, Teaspoon heard Larabee bellow, “Hunter, my office.”

Josiah looked up from his paperwork and grinned. “Ah, the Larabee summons. Don’t worry; usually his bark is worse than his bite.”

“Usually?” Teaspoon asked. “What about the other times?”

“You don’t want to know,” Josiah shook his head. He was smiling though while he watched Hunter exit the room.

Hunter barely sat down before Chris began. “I’ve read your jacket, and agree with Orrin about your qualifications. You obviously have the experience to lead, and you’re more than qualified to handle putting a team together.”

“I hear a ‘but’ in there,” Teaspoon’s brow arched as he leaned forward in his chair. “Just spit it out, Larabee. What is it you think I don’t know?”

Chris studied the man in front of him for a moment before answering,” Your history of military service, being a DPS Officer, and a Texas Ranger is excellent. However, they all have one thing in common; they are all traditional, established institutions with defined procedures. MCAT is…different. We have a lot more flexibility and room to maneuver than any other agency outside the CIA. More than that, being an MCAT agent is not just a job, it becomes a way of life. Our work affects our families, disrupts normal routines, can be extremely dangerous, and is one of the most important positions any of us will ever have the opportunity to hold. We push the envelope hard, and often. The past three years have taught me that the only thing to expect is the unexpected.”

Teaspoon nodded, “After bein’ here for only a few days, I already sensed that. I have also followed your progress since MCAT began. You’ve been through the fire and fought against many obstacles, some from within your own team. Yet you’ve managed to create an extraordinary unit. While it is well organized, successful, and imposin’. This is a team of agents who really want to make a difference, are the best at what they do, and who care about one another. You, Sir, are responsible for that and it’s what I hope to duplicate for the Texas team.”

“I was fortunate enough to start with a core team consisting of men who are the best I’ve had the privilege of working with.” Chris stated proudly.

“Team seven,” Hunter acknowledged. “Their reputation is legendary. I may not be able to duplicate them, but I’m positive I can come damn close.”

“Then let’s make it happen,” Chris answered. He liked the attitude he was hearing from Hunter, but seriously doubted he could ever come close to matching his ‘Magnificent Seven‘. “Do you have anyone in mind to lead your Charlie Team?”

Grinning, Teaspoon reached across, picked up a folder from a pile on the corner of Chris’s desk and passed it to him. “As a matter of fact, I do. I took the liberty of leavin’ his file here this mornin’. His name’s Sam Cain.”

“I’ve already read his file and I approve of your choice.” Chris picked up a stack of folders, passing them to Teaspoon. “Josiah has already selected some possible candidates. These personnel files should give you a good start in finding who you need. In fact, I think you and Sam should begin putting your team together as soon as possible.”

Teaspoon nodded. “I’ll have these couriered to Sam so he can start readin’ through them. I still plan on stayin’ here until the end of the week.”

Setting Sam’s file on top of his in basket, Chris agreed, “Stay as long as you like and talk to whoever you need to, but there are a few pressing matters I need to tend to.”

Teaspoon relaxed. “Those pressin’ matters, personal or work related? Anythin’ I can help with?”

“Work related, and I’ll take whatever help you can give.” Chris shook his head. “Guns and gangs, never a good combination, but someone wants to push it. I want that someone.” A knock on the door interrupted him. “Enter.”

“Chris I…,” JD stopped when he saw Teaspoon. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were busy.”

“Come on in, JD. What have you got for me?”

Handing Chris a stack of folders, he explained, “The forensic report on the bomb is on top along with a detailed workup on Lorene Fowler. I also finished the backgrounds on everyone who works at West End Junior High. The ones I thought you would be interested in are listed first and then the rest. I duplicated a set for Ezra. He said he’d pick them up on his way home.” JD fidgeted while he debated with himself about saying more in front of Teaspoon.

“What else?” Chris prodded.

Taking a chance on igniting the infamous Larabee temper, JD blurted out, “Chris, you look like hell and should be home resting. We can handle things here and Josiah is ready to take you to the ranch.”

His first impulse was to snap and say he was fine, but his body said differently. Sighing deeply, Chris nodded, “Tell Josiah I’ll be out in five minutes, and JD…thanks for putting in the extra time on this one.”

JD nodded, not sure how Chris knew he had put in the extra hours last night, but not surprised that he did. Chris always found out everything, one way or another. “If I find out more, I’ll give you a call.” He left to give Josiah the message.

Teaspoon observed the interaction between Larabee and Dunne and laughed. “I was certain you were too stubborn to give in, but I’m glad you decided you weren’t superman after all.”

“Stubborn, I’ll admit to, but not stupid,” Chris grinned. “Another twenty-four hours and I’ll be fine. Have JD give you a crash course with CASSIE. It’s been an invaluable tool for us and will be for you too.” He gathered the files he wanted to go over with Vin and prepared to leave.

“I think I’ll do just that,” Teaspoon stood. “Let me carry your briefcase, so you can concentrate on those crutches.” He followed Chris out of the office and handed the case to Josiah. “See y’all tomorrow.”

Chris and Josiah headed toward the door while Teaspoon sought out JD.

Chris hobbled into the family room and stopped in the doorway, observing his badass sharpshooter, playing chase with Bren, Trey, and Cody while they crawled across the floor. The babies giggled when Vin pretended to catch them before letting them go for another round. Jason, Andi, and Grace ‘helped’ and cheered the boys on. Grace spotted her Daddy just as Jason caught sight of Uncle Josiah and they ran across the room to meet them.

“Daaaaady,” Grace shouted, launching herself at her Dad. It was only due to Josiah’s quick reflexes that she did not throw Chris off balance.

Swinging her up to his shoulders, Josiah held on to Grace while Chris maneuvered his way to a comfortable chair and sat down, handing Jason his crutches. “Okay, little one, now you can tackle your daddy.” Sanchez set the child onto Larabee’s lap, hugged Jason and said, “Looks as if the babies are giving your Dad a run for his money.”

Jason grinned, “Yep and the boys are winning.”

“Y’all wanna stand there and yap all day?” Bren and Cody were sitting on Vin while Trey was pulling at his hair. “I could use a hand here.”

“I’ll help Daddy,” Andi laughed and joined the boys, piling on top of Vin.

“Ump,” Vin grunted.

Josiah took mercy on him and picked up Cody and Bren, one under each arm. “You’re on your own with Andi and Trey.”

Vin began tickling Andi and Trey stopped pulling his daddy’s hair to watch his giggling sister. Taking advantage of the reprieve, Tanner rose to his feet with Andi to sweep Trey up into his arms. “Thanks, Josiah, I was outnumbered and going down for the count.” He looked over at Chris, who had his hands full with Grace and laughed. “She’s got your number, Cowboy.”

Chris jostled Grace into a sitting position before he answered, “You’re one to talk. Letting little babies get the better of you,” he grinned, “big bad Tanner my…”

“Careful, little ears are listening,” Josiah cautioned, tilting his head in Andi and Jason’s direction.

Max walked into the room, taking in the disorderly results of playtime and shook her head. “Land’s sake, it looks like a war zone in here.” She began issuing orders. “Jason, take your sister to the den and set up the playpen for me, please. Vin, Josiah, take the boys in there and Grace, you may help me with your brother.” Holding out her hand, she was pleased when Grace climbed down from her father’s lap and took it.

“You look after Cody, honey, and I’ll be there in a little while.” Chris watched Grace walk out with Max.

Vin and Josiah returned within a few minutes and began to straighten the room.

“How did you end up with all the kids, Vin?” Chris asked.

“Kel was worn out by the time we left the doctor’s office.” Vin tossed an armload of stuffed toys in the toy box. “I made her take a nap when we got back while I kept the kids occupied.” He sat down in the chair next to Chris. “Doctor Weeks put her through a battery of tests, and no, we don’t have the results yet. She did say Kel was run down physically since she…,” he changed his words because Josiah was present. “…Since October and gave her a couple of shots.”

“I guess it’s a good thing I talked to Cait and postponed our dinner.” Chris really did not mind, he’d rather not be on crutches when he took Cait out for the first time anyway. “When do you get the results?”

“Hopefully tomorrow, if not we should have them by Thursday for sure.”

“Did the doctor suggest counseling?” Josiah asked.

Vin sighed, “She mentioned it, but Kel is reluctant to the idea. It was hard enough for her to tell me what was wrong. I’m not sure she’d talk to a stranger at all.”

“If I can help, just say the word, “Josiah offered.

“I will,” Vin nodded and then changed the subject. “So, what did I miss today?”

Chris shifted his sore leg to a more comfortable position. “I brought some files home that we can go over after dinner, plans for the new units, and backgrounds for the personnel at the school.”

“I thought you came home early to rest and heal,” Josiah commented.

“I’ll rest and let Vin do all the work,” Chris chuckled. “That is if he’s not too worn out from his workout with the babies.”

“On that note, I’ll say goodbye,” Josiah stood up to leave. “Chris, try to rest and Vin, call me anytime if you or Kel need to talk. “

Once Josiah was gone, Vin stood. “Unless you need somethin’, I think I’ll go check on Kel.”

“Nah, I’m good,” Chris leaned back in the recliner and closed his eyes. “Think I’ll take Josiah’s advice and rest a bit.”

It was not often that Vin heard Chris admit he needed to rest up and heal. The fact he did suggested he was hurting worse than any of them thought. He stoked the fire, then took an afghan off the couch and covered Larabee with it before leaving the room.

Buck finished putting up the last of the sports gear in the equipment room and locked the door. It had been a lousy practice and he reckoned he was to blame for at least part of it. The kids were mouthy and complaining, but no more than normal. He was in the foul mood and at a loss to explain why. He was not angry exactly; maybe aggravated was a better description or it could just be frustration. Yeah, he was the one who wanted out of MCAT, but it was not the Garden of Eden he expected it to be. Seeing Ezra in the cafeteria was a surprise, but it was enough to make him realize he had essentially cut himself out of a big part of his friends’ lives. He wanted to leave all the bad behind, however, in the process he’d left the good too, and a huge part of himself. *Damnit, it wasn’t supposed to feel this way.*

“Hey, Coach,” Bill Patterson’s voice snapped Buck back from his moody reflection. “I can close up here so you can go on home to your family.”

“Don’t you have someone to go home to?”

“It’s just me. I’ve not been fortunate enough to find my significant other…yet.” Bill grinned. “That doesn’t keep me from having fun looking though.”

Buck nodded; he did have some serious thinking to do and was anxious to get away from here. Patterson was his assistant and he should take advantage of the help. “I’ll see you in the morning then.” He gathered his papers, stuffed them in his briefcase and headed home.

Bill waited until he was certain Buck was gone and then made a phone call. Waiting for an answer, he searched through the Coach’s desk. He found that it paid to be careful and knowing Buck used to be a cop, he was taking no chances. If Wilmington was, who he said he was there would not be a problem; if he wasn’t… then he would just have to handle it. The same way he did with the last coach.

“This better be important,” was the only greeting he received.

“It is,” Bill lowered his voice. “I arranged another meet, midnight tonight at the usual place. Cash deal and the target is already selected, guaranteed to make tomorrow morning’s headline.”

“Got it. The heat’s been turned up thanks to Bitsy, so stay alert.” Before he could answer, the connection ended. Bill snapped his phone shut and grinned. A few more deals like this one and he could retire a rich man.

Captain Richards zigzagged through the chalk lines on the ground as he approached Brad Jamison and Guy Saunders, the MCAT agents on loan to him for the night. “Run me through it.”

Guy flipped open his notepad and began to read. “The club closed at two, about twenty customers exited the building, and then all hell broke loose. According to the surviving witnesses there were at least one to two hundred shots fired, probably by semi-automatic Mac-10s, from a passing vehicle. The vehicle seen leaving the perimeter was an older model dark-colored Ford sedan, and there were four to six occupants in the car, depending on who you ask. Nine victims were dead on the scene; seven sent to the emergency room, three of them critically wounded. Forensics is on the scene and we have statements for everyone who was present during the incident. Your sergeant is at the hospital with the victims and the rest of your men are canvassing the area for additional witnesses. Notifications to the next of kin are pending verification of identities.”

Richards nodded, “I guess it’s my job to stall the frenzied media people I passed on the way in.” he sighed. “My men can finish up here, you two leave your reports on my desks and then you better call your Commander before the morning paper hits the street. This has the Lobos written all over it. We’ll follow the gang trail, but I’ll need MCAT’s help to find the source of the weapons and to identify who is selling them to these gangs. We have a war on our hands, gentlemen, and I’m afraid it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.”

Chris sat at the Tanners’ kitchen table with a cup of coffee in his hand and his aching leg propped up to relieve the pain, which had kept him awake for most of the night. Sitting in the quiet of predawn, his thoughts drifted back to the first time he met Vin over a dozen years ago. He had known immediately they had some sort of spiritual connection and that the young man would somehow be a very important part of his life, little did he know then how big a part. Not only had Tanner become his best friend, partner, and confidant, he was the man who brought his eldest daughter into his life, and was the father of his grandchildren. Chris chuckled aloud; fate sure had a way of getting his attention. He was now convinced more than ever he and Vin had a long history of crossing paths and their children shared the same destiny.

“What’s so funny this time of mornin’ Cowboy? Vin walked in with Trey nestled against his shoulder and headed toward the coffee pot.

“Actually I was thinking about you,” he smiled.

“Shit, what did I do now to keep you awake?” Vin balanced his cup and sat down, trying not to wake Trey in the process.

Chris made eye contact. “Your friendship has always meant a lot to me and I have considered us brothers of the spirit for a long time. However, until this morning I hadn’t realized that when I met a scrawny ass Texas kid so many years ago he was going to be responsible for such a pivotal turning point in my life.” Chris shook his head at the obvious look of confusion on Vin’s face. “When we met I thought the best part of my life was buried with Sarah and Adam. You not only gave me your unconditional friendship, you brought my lost daughter to me. I’m sitting here in a home filled with three of my children, a niece, nephew, two beautiful grandsons, and a man I’m proud to call my friend and son-in law. It’s a long way from where I was back then.”

“Hell, Chris, I’d say that was a two way street fate sent us down.” He raised his brow. “What set you off in that direction?”

“I don’t know.” Chris shrugged. “My knee’s giving me fits and I couldn’t sleep. I spent most of the night reading ‘Legends of the Quest’. Much of what I read hit home and got me to thinking. Apparently our forefathers were just as stubborn as we are and also had very strong opinions about family ties, justice and the power of destiny.”

Vin was silent for a few moments and then nodded. “I had my doubts about the instructions Tracker and Cowboy gave Ezra, but the more I’ve read and seen, the more it makes sense to me.” He took a drink of coffee before continuing. “The letter they left for Kel is dated for January eighteenth. She wouldn’t have been ready to read it before that and somehow they knew it. Bein’ trapped underground with you evidently breeched the emotional wall she’d been buildin’.”

“Guess the lessons they wanted us to learn are ongoing.” Chris hissed when he moved his leg. “Damn thing hurts more now than it did to begin with.”

“You’d best get it looked at ASAP.” Vin told him

“Don’t have time,” Chris countered. “Guy called a while ago and told me about another drive by, which so far has left nine dead. We need to find the supplier of those weapons and the ties to the death of John Lopez. Plus, I still have to work out the details on the new units for Travis…” Chris sighed. “Why the hell I agreed to take this on now, I don’t know.”

“We got a good start on the plans for the new units last night and the team is already workin’ on the weapons supplier. Ez has the school covered and there’s nothin’ I can’t handle for you while you see a doctor.” Vin grinned. “As to why you’re takin’ on Travis’s project… you know how to build a damn efficient team and MCAT makes a difference because of your leadership skills, the same way Team Seven did.”

“Maybe,” Chris smirked. “Or maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment. Green recruits, attitude adjustments, hotheads, and know it alls. Remind me again about why I do this?”

“Cause you love bossin’ us all around.” Vin laughed, remembering the ‘adjustments’ team seven had to make when Chris put them together. “Besides, we gave you great experience.”

Chris snorted, “The way I remember it, you all did your best to try my patience.”

Kelli walked in with Cody and commented on Chris’s remark, “Patience? You might be a lot of great things, but bein’ a patient man is not one of ‘em.” She handed Cody and a bottle to his dad. “I peeked in to check on him and he was awake, laughin’ when he made his toes wiggle.” She laid her hand on Vin’s shoulder. “Bren’s finally asleep; you want me to take Trey?”

“Nah, he’s fine.” Vin wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her closer for a kiss.” I’m goin’ in to the office today. I need you to make sure Chris gets to the doctor to take a look at his knee.”

“No problem,” she said and smiled at her dad. “I’m still fragile as far as he’s concerned, he won’t give me any trouble.”

“Does he get a say in this?” Chris grumbled.

“No,” Kelli and Vin both answered.

“As soon as I have some coffee, I’ll take Trey and you can get dressed for work.” Kelli went over to the counter and reached for a cup.

Sighing deeply, Kelli turned to face Chris. “You know, I don’t have to hear y’all thinkin’ to know what you’re sayin’.” She moved closer to stand beside Vin. “I know it will take time to heal all the hurt, but Vin has already taken care of my biggest fears. Whatever else comes, we can handle it.”

Chris recognized the look of determination on her face and knew she had reached her own turning point. He nodded, “I’ll call Doctor Gilford and set it up. Vin, you need to talk to Captain Richards first thing.”

Vin stood. “Got you covered, Cowboy.” He leaned over toward Kelli and whispered, “Love you, Baby. I’ll put Trey down. You get ready for the rest of our brood.”

Kelli watched him walk out and checked the time. Andi and Jason would be up any minute and Grace would be right behind them. “I’m gonna start breakfast, Dad. When Max comes in she’ll take over and then I can handle Cody while you spend time with Grace.”

Chris reached out and grabbed her hand before she moved away. “I know it wasn’t easy for you to tell me your fears, but I’m pleased to know you trusted me enough to do it.”

Kelli nodded, “Vin’s not the only terrific father in this family. You’re pretty terrific, too.” Their conversation was cut short when Andi and Grace’s giggles were heard coming down the hallway.

Finnias Prescott dismissed his first class, picked up his briefcase and headed to the teacher’s lounge. His free class was second period and he planned to spend the time getting to know his fellow staff members. After reviewing the files JD had provided for him, he now felt he knew more about the West End Staff than Principal Morgan did. Wanting to keep an eye on several of the teachers, he fervently hoped to avoid Buck for a while. The students gave him enough grief about his appearance and he did not need to hear it from Wilmington too.

Standing just outside the doorway for a few moments, he heard bits of conversation coming from inside.

“You heard what happened last night?”

“Yeah, not that I’m surprised,” a second person answered.

A third voice chimed in, “I wouldn’t doubt it was some of our students involved. Maybe we should talk to the police…you know…tell them what’s really been going on around here.”

“No way I will,” the first person spoke again. “Coach Willis was going to do that before the holidays and look what happened to him. Brutally stabbed and left for dead in his office.”

“Easy there, Slick,” Finnias felt the hand fall from his shoulder and whirled around to face a smiling Buck Wilmington.

“I think you just took ten years off of my life.” Finnias commented in a soft voice that only Wilmington could hear.

“Like I need him to tell me how to stay alert,” Ezra mumbled, taking a few moments to get back into character before he followed Buck.

It only took a moment for Finnias to match the faces of the three men he had been eavesdropping on to the roster of staff names in the personnel files he had studied meticulously. Affixing a warm smile on his face, he walked over to the table where Buck sat talking with the other three men. Their conversation halted at his approach, and all four men focused their attention on him. He read amusement in Buck's face, but the other three men wore similar expressions of disapproval on their faces. Finnias resisted the urge to straighten his glasses and smooth the wrinkles out of his shirt.

“I'm Finnias…,” he began by way of introducing himself, but he was cutoff in mid-sentence.

“We know who you are,” Jon Winters, the oldest of the three men, said gruffly. “Sit down, take a load off Finnias. I'm Jon, metal-shop, and these two yahoos on either side of me are George, English department, and Marvin teaches math.”

“Do you know, Buck Wilmington here?” George asked, nodding his head in Buck's direction.

“Slick and I met the other day in the cafeteria,” Buck spoke up before Finnias could answer.

“He gave me some pointers on how to survive being a junior high teacher,” Finnias said wryly. He deliberately avoided looking at Buck, who had a damn smirk on his face when the other men laughed.

“Listen to whatever he told you,” Marvin urged. “You're going to need it here at West End. Things have taken a definite downhill slide over the years that I've been teaching Math. With all the problems happening recently….” Jon elbowed him and Marvin quickly changed what he was about to say. “Listen to him,” he reiterated before he shut up.

Vin ambled into Josiah’s office, paced in front of his desk a few times and finally dragged a chair over to sit down facing the profiler. “I just got off the phone with Captain Richards. He thinks someone is tryin’ to start a street war and ‘m inclined to agree with him.”

It did not take any profiling skills to know Vin had a burr under his saddle about something, but Josiah was ready to hear him out before he probed for answers. “Carter is the only one we know of who would stand to gain from it.” Leaning back in his chair he continued, “We know he has the weapons to sell and the escalating violence between the gangs insures more profit for him.”

“Exactly,” Vin nodded. “Somehow he’s gettin’ to the gangs and my money says it’s through the schools. The question is why?”

“I talked to Paul Willis, the coach who was stabbed at West End.” Josiah shook his head. “At least I attempted to talk with him. He refused to discuss anything having to do with the school. The man is terrified and I don’t think anything we can do will change his mind.”

Sitting silently for a few moments, both men mentally reviewed the facts they did know. Vin shifted in his chair and then said, “I think Carter has another agenda. Maybe he’s stirrin’ up the gang activity as a cover for somethin’ bigger.”

“It’s possible,” Josiah pulled a folder from a pile on his desk. He opened it and found what he was looking for. “We first crossed paths with him when we were ATF. Back then he had strong ties to a major arms dealer. If I remember…” he stopped to read for a moment. “Yes, here it is. Carlos Chavez. Wasn’t he allegedly connected to the group in Florida that was tapped for flooding the overseas black market with weapons a few years back?”

“Yeah, he was,” Vin answered before he stood, “Thanks, Josiah. I believe we’ve been lookin’ at the wrong end of this. I need to see JD.” He strode out of the room without further explanation.

Josiah shrugged, having no idea what it was he had done, but glad to see Vin had worked out whatever was bothering him. He chuckled to himself, “Glad I could help.”

“Surely you have a regular doctor you can see.” Kelli glanced over at Chris while she drove. “Did it ever occur to you to go to an actual doctor’s office instead of the emergency room?”

“Hell, Gilford is as close to being a regular doctor for me as anybody.” He stretched his leg out as far as he could to ease the pain in his knee. Once he was comfortable, Chris decided to have some fun at his daughter’s expense. “Better check your speed. We don’t need you getting a ticket on your record.” He grinned. Kelli had been fussing ever since he told her they were going to the emergency room to meet Doctor Gilford instead of seeing an orthopedic specialist. Truthfully, he was pleased to hear her gripe about it, she seemed more like her old self than she had in a long while. He deliberately baited her about her driving, hoping to invoke a fiery reaction.

“I’m goin’ the speed limit,” she snapped. “You just concentrate on watchin’ the scenery and leave the drivin’ to me.”

“All right, but I’d hate to be the one who tells your boss you got fined for breaking the law.” He faked an exasperated sigh. “You know what a hard taskmaster he is about sticking to the rules.”

Kelli burst out laughing, “Right, and I’m the Queen of England. The only rules you care about us followin’ are Larabee’s rules and I think you make them up as you go along to test us.” It was when she heard Chris snicker that Kelli realized he was intentionally attempting to rankle her. Shaking her head, she turned her attention back to the road. “You’re bad when you’re bored. I hope the doc gets you back on your feet soon.”

“Me too,” he answered as she pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. Chris checked his watch and commented, “We’re early. Gilford said he couldn’t see me until one and it’s only twenty ‘til now.” Stopping her from pulling up in front of the door, he told her, “Go ahead and park, I can use my crutches.”

Luckily, there was an empty space not too far from the entrance. Once Kelli parked and turned off the ignition, she turned in her seat toward Chris. “Since we have a few minutes I…” she hesitated for a moment. “Before you decide if you’re goin’ to let me come back to work I think you should know I haven’t been completely honest with you.”

Chris frowned, recognizing the serious tone of her voice. She might be using the pretext of coming back to work to frame her thoughts, but he sensed this was about something more personal. “I’m listening,” he said.

She fidgeted with the straps of her bag and took a deep breath. “The other day when we were trapped, I panicked, and I didn’t tell you everythin’.” She shrugged her shoulder. “I didn’t know Tracker had told Vin about what happened during the time we were imprisoned. I thought if he found out, he’d be disgusted with how I behaved…. I didn’t want him or you to know I was careless about mine and Trey’s safety…”

He interrupted her before she said more. “Kel, it could have happened to any one of us. Hell, I let my own brother kidnap me, not to mention Brad Cleaver abducting me before that. No one blames you.”

“I do,” Kelli said softly.” If it were only about bein’ taken, I reckon I could get past it easier, but…” she chewed on her bottom lip. “I didn’t handle myself well at all. Tracker kept tellin’ me that you and Vin would come. I always promised Vin I would wait for him no matter what, or how long it took.” Sighing deeply she continued. “I didn’t wait, I gave up. In fact I didn’t even have enough courage to do that right…I asked Tracker to end it for me and Trey, even gave him the gun Ice left to do it with…”

“And he refused, thank God,” Chris whispered, pushing back the knot of emotions welling up inside him.

“Yes, he did, but I knew Trey could starve to death when I got sick… I couldn’t feed him much longer, and I was terrified when I thought about the possibility that he might be left alone.” Kelli looked up to face her dad. “You’ve always said I was strong and a survivor. The truth is I was scared most of the time and bluffed my way through bad situations usin’ my temper to make people think I was fearless. My lack of courage cost us the life of our unborn child and while Vin says he doesn’t blame me. I do blame myself. So, you see I’m not as strong as you thought, and if you don’t want me back as an agent I understand.”

Chris reached out and cupped his hand to her cheek. He was wise enough to know Kelli was not asking him to accept her back as an agent. She was a child who felt guilty and was looking for forgiveness from her parent. “We all have fears and inner demons to fight,” he sighed. “Lord knows I’ve fought enough of mine.” Shaking his head, he remembered the pain that usually accompanied those demons. “Honey, I won’t pretend to know what it was like for you and Trey in that hellhole, but I do know from experience that admitting how you feel about it is the right step to take.”

Kelli risked meeting his eyes and asked. “You’re not disappointed with me?”

It had taken twenty-five years for her to come into his life and he was not going to lose her because of her insecurities about him, or an attack of Larabee guilt. Shaking his head, Chris searched for the right words to say. “You are my child and I love you unconditionally. Nothing you can ever do will change how I feel.” He had to swallow the lump in his throat before he could continue. “I have no illusions about who you are. After reading every report ever written about your work, I know you were a damn good officer, but you lived on the edge way too often for too long.” He tilted her chin upward. “I also know you risked enduring all the pain you spent years hiding from when you let Vin past the defensive walls you’d built to shield you from it. You both have accepted the good and bad parts of the other without reservation. To bare your emotions and fears with each other like that, young lady, takes a helluva lot of courage. To move ahead in spite of your doubts, shows strength.”

Silent tears trailed down her cheeks and Kelli threw her arms around his neck. “I love you, Dad.”

Chris held on to her while he composed his emotions. He knew how hard it was to reach out for help. When those damn pills took over his life, he had fought admitting it for too long and almost lost everything he cared about in the process. He vowed that Kelli would have the support she required. Leaning back to look at his eldest child, he wiped her tears away with the ball of his thumb and smiled. “You have Vin and me to stand with you and we are going to get through this.” Flashing his famous ass-kicking grin he said, “As for work, it may be a while before you’re out in the field, but you have an understanding boss. With the new units forming I could use some help, and there’s plenty to keep both of us busy.”

“You’re sure?” Kelli asked.

“Positive,” he answered and then looked at his watch. “Now that we have all this straight, you can help your old man out of this truck.”

Kelli nodded. “You’re not that old…yet, but I will help.” She got out and went around to the passenger side, holding his crutches until he was able to take them. Together they headed inside to see Doctor Gilford.

Throwing the magazine she had been reading back onto the table, Kelli stood up and stretched. Dr. Weeks had called and given her the result of her tests. Kelli called Vin, both relieved to find out her physical problems were not serious and easily remedied by taking vitamins and hormones supplements that she could pick up on the way home. Glancing at her watch, she realized Chris had been in with the doctor for over an hour and she was beginning to worry. Even taking time for x-rays, he should have been finished by now. She was on the verge of going to look for him when she saw Chris exiting the examination room. He was still listening to whatever Doctor Gilford was saying, but the look on his face told her he did not like what he was hearing. She immediately moved to meet him in the corridor when she observed the doctor go off in the opposite direction.

Falling in step beside him, she paced herself to match his slower movements. Kelli did not want to pry, but Chris was not forthcoming with any information. The longer he was silent the more concerned she became, until finally she could not stand it and had to ask, “Dad, are you okay?”

Normally he would keep his problems to himself, but Chris realized he and Kelli had reached a new level in their relationship today. The tumultuous path they had been traveling on, while attempting to find their way to being a real father and daughter, found solid ground and she had opened up to him completely. It was only fair for him to do the same. He stopped and leaned on his crutches. “It appears the fall I took did more damage than we thought.” He sighed. “According to Doctor Gilford and the orthopedic specialist he called in to consult, either I have surgery now or risk being desk bound permanently.”