Once upon a time (sorry, I've always wanted to start a story that way) there was a man named John Bicknell (thought it was going to be one of the seven, didn't you?). I guess I should give you a description of John now, he's completely insane, psychotic, deranged, etc. In fact think of the most horrible (real or fictional) person you know and times it by one thousand. Hate him yet? Good. Naturally, John has two or three cohorts (we'll say three, the more the merrier), and he only hires people that are like-minded (looting, pillaging, thieving, kidnapping, stealing, fighting, brawling, kicking puppies).
John despises Chris (poor Chris, he really should try to be more warm and fuzzy when he meets people, maybe then he wouldn't always make enemies). I'm sure there's some kind of rational reason (well, as rational as you can get for a lunatic) for this animosity, but I haven't made one up. If you think one is required, feel free to include it into the story.
John figured the best way to get at Chris was through his team members. The plan is to kidnap one member of Team 7 so John and his cohorts can torture him mentally and physically. John had already researched their backgrounds and was now following them around (you would've thought one member of the team would've noticed being followed, but maybe they were distracted). Eventually, John chose Vin. Firstly, Vin and Chris seem to be best friends; secondly, Vin's on assignment with another team (it might take Team 7 a while to realise he's missing, if he hasn't been able to hang out with them as much); and thirdly, it wouldn't be too difficult to mess with Vin's mind (this is John's point of view, not mine).
John had speculated a number of scenarios after Chris, Ezra, Buck, JD, Josiah and Nathan find their missing friend:
Vin could die - leaving Chris so upset he will let his emotions run away with him and he runs straight into the Bicknell's trap without thinking;
Vin could be so badly hurt he could have permanent injuries to leg, arm, brain, whatever - leaving Chris so upset he will let his emotions run away with him and he runs straight into the Bicknell's trap without thinking;
Vin could go crazy from all the abuse, not be able to cope, become schizophrenic - leaving Chris so upset he will let his emotions run away with him and he runs straight into the Bicknell's trap without thinking.
Vin could push them away because of the John's threats to harm them (in very vulgar detail) - leaving Chris so upset he will let his emotions run away with him and he runs straight into the Bicknell's trap without thinking.
Are we seeing a pattern yet?
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As I mentioned earlier, Vin had been working with another team and the bust had gone down early that morning. By the way it's now Friday afternoon, and Vin was on another floor helping the other team helping finish up.
The rest of Team 7 had planned to go out to celebrate something:
The fact that they had gotten rid of Vin for a week;
The fact that Nathan hadn't had to patch up any wounds for at least a whole day;
The fact that Josiah hadn't imparted any of his wisdom on them for a couple of days;
The fact that Buck hadn't whacked JD upside the head for at least an hour;
The fact that JD hadn't annoyed Buck for at least an hour;
The fact the Ezra had actually arrived to work earlier than anyone else that morning;
The fact that Chris was wearing something other than black today.
You can pick any or all of these reasons, the point is they were going out to dinner.
Before Team 7 headed out to the restaurant/bar/club/diner/café/strip joint (you should know the guys pretty well, so I'll let you decide where they go), Buck wrote a note. If Vin returned to his office, hopefully he'd see it and meet them later.
When Vin came down, noticing that the offices was deserted, he found the note in his office (no, it hadn't fallen to the floor for a change). He read the note slowly (he is illiterate), and figured he go home and get cleaned up before heading out to join his friends.
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Vin parked his car on the side of the road opposite his apartment, and as he was crossing the road ready to drive to the restaurant/bar/club/diner/café/strip joint when another vehicle starts driving down the street, hitting Vin. Stunned Vin staggered to his feet and noticed a couple of beefy looking cohorts coming towards him.
By the way, it was getting pretty dark and there aren't too many people hanging around, Vin lives in a bad part of town, so people getting mugged and such isn't an uncommon sight (although everybody who lives there is blind).
Vin was getting a bad feeling about this (he's been followed for weeks, only when he's hit by a car and two guys are attacking him does he get bad feeling, go figure), and pulls his gun. John's men were ready for this and one of them shot Vin in the shoulder, causing our favourite sharpshooter to drop his weapon. Vin was unceremoniously thrown into the trunk, thus completing the kidnapping part of the scheme.
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At the (refer to the above choices, I've written them out twice already), the others are wondering why Vin hasn't turned up. There are a few reasons to discuss, Vin may not have noticed the note, he might not have been able to read it, he got lost, or he just didn't feel like spending time with them. Ezra mumbled something about calling Vin in the morning, to see if he's okay. Chris agreed with this statement. The conversation turned back to whatever these guys talk about when they're not at work, and the evening was flowing along quite pleasantly (despite or maybe because of Vin's absence).
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Monday morning rolled around (don't you hate Mondays, nothing ever goes right) and Vin still hadn't arrived (big surprise there), even after Ezra walked in (late as usual, being early the other day was a once in a lifetime event).
Chris asked Ezra what Vin had said when he called him on the weekend. Ezra looked at Chris surprised thinking that Chris had offered to call Vin. “No, you were going to,” went back and forth between the two men a couple dozen times, which was getting on everyone else's nerves.
Nathan picked up the phone and dialled Vin's number, however there was no answer (what a shock).
Everyone began shuffling nervously, it was all well and good for them not know what Vin did on the weekend (he is a big boy after all), but he was practically never late for work, unless there was something wrong.
Chris and Buck decided to head out to Vin's apartment, but as they were waiting for the elevator the phone rang. Josiah picked it up hoping it was Vin with an explanation (wishful thinking, Vin is anything but audible at the moment). Damn it wasn't Vin, but John Bicknell wanting to speak with Chris. Josiah placed John on speaker phone so everyone could hear.
Bicknell, Chris recognised the voice immediately, was using his most calming tone telling Chris not to worry about his friend as he was dead already. Chris recoiled from the words, the pain evident on his face as he demanded to know where Vin, or at least Vin's body, was. John just laughed and hung up (someone should teach him phone manners).
Chris was ready to go out and rip apart any building they came to first, however JD said he heard noises in the background, and that he thought Bicknell must have been phoning from a loading bay (who needs audio enhancement equipment when you have JD).
All six members of Team 7 began searching.
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Meanwhile, over the weekend Vin had been run over, shot, handcuffed, beaten, his knee had been smashed with a sledge hammer, as well as all the verbal/psychological abuse he'd endured.
Thinking that Vin would probably die soon, John and his men left him in the loading bay (JD's very clever) and went back to their hideout to prepare themselves for when Chris comes looking for them.
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Chris, Ezra, Buck, JD, Nathan and Josiah finally found the correct loading bay, and when the entered they saw Vin hanging from one arm handcuffed (gotta love that) to the railing above him (all his weight is on this arm). The other arm was dangling at his side, blood smeared down his arm and side from the gunshot wound (bleeding has slowed somewhat, it was a couple of days ago). One of his knees is smashed and swollen (sledge hammer incident). The rest of him is bruised and scratched, he may have a couple of broken ribs (actually, he definitely does have a couple of broken ribs). Vin was also unconscious (what a wuss).
The team were horrified and looked quite pale, almost like they're about to faint themselves. Chris snapped out of it first and rushed towards his best friend, this movement prompted everyone else to help, and they got Vin to the hospital as quickly as they could.
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At the hospital, six men were doing their usual waiting thing - sitting, staring, pacing, crying, comforting, hugging - it's a very emotional time.
The doctor only allowed visitors the next day, and even then only one person at a time.
They all visited Vin over the next few days. The sharpshooter was delirious, mumbling almost incoherently. Occasionally he'd beg for them to stop hurting him, or to leave his friends alone, or instruct them on how to bake chocolate cakes (drugs'll do that to you, and Vin is heavily medicated).
Vin took over a week to wake up (too much activity on the weekend). As he opened his eyes he noticed Chris was sitting by his bed. Vin's brains are scrambled (from the beating and medication I'd assume) and he can't remember what happened, all he could feel was incredible pain. “Did I get run over by a truck or somethin'?” Vin asked Chris who was very relieved to hear the husky drawl.
However, his relief diminished when he realised Vin wanted an answer. Chris himself didn't know everything they'd put Vin through (how could he hadn't been there), and seeing as how Vin was still weak he didn't want to upset the sharpshooter. Chris glazed over some of the facts (same as I'm doing in this story), just telling Vin what the doctor had said about his injuries and that he should physically recover in a few months.
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The next time Vin woke the doctor was in the room with him. Vin's heart rate had increased considerably and he seemed unsettled. Vin had been having nightmares, and what Bicknell had done to him had come flooding back all at once, both the physical and emotional pain was becoming unbearable. The doctor increased his medication and suggested bringing in his friends, in an effort to calm Vin down. This was the last thing Vin wanted and he became even more agitated, saying he didn't want to see anyone. The doctor had no choice but to promise Vin that he'd be left alone for a while.
As the doctor walked into the waiting room, he sees the six men enter. He knew what they were going to ask (it's pretty obvious), but waited for the questioning anyway. The doctor told Team 7 that Vin had woken again, but that he is in too much pain and on too much medication to have visitors at the moment (he didn't want to tell them that Vin refused to see them because it would hurt their feelings and he's scared shitless of them).
Chris, Ezra, Buck, JD, Nathan and Josiah were not pleased with that explanation and, being the stubborn sons of bitches that they are, snuck into Vin's room anyway.
As soon as they walked in, Vin went hysterical, thrashing about (as much as his injuries will let him) and screaming for them to get out. As all the machines erupted into a symphony of noises (who the hell writes like this) the doctors, nurses and orderlies all came rushing in pushing the six out the door and working on Vin.
Chris was heartbroken and didn't know what to make of it. The others were feeling pretty much the same. They all had bewildered and hurt looks on their faces. Suddenly, Chris decided if he can't do anything for Vin in the hospital then he'd catch the bastard who did this (it took him long enough - but see the plan worked, Chris was so upset he let his emotions run away with him and now he's running straight into the Bicknell's trap without thinking).
John Bicknell is insane, who in their right mind would want Chris storming towards them his blood boiling, ready to exact revenge. And riling up the five other members of Chris' team wasn't all that smart either. Now they were all after him and his cohorts, I mean they're Federal Agents, they have guns. I guess John should have thought about having six strong, handsome, intelligent (well, sometimes), wonderful, magnificent (naturally), attractive, sexy, adorable, sweet, perfect men with murder in their eyes coming after them.
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One of Bicknell's men caught Chris first (he is their leader after all, he should be in the lead), relieving Chris of his weapons and making the other five men drop their's. But Chris' anger was right on the surface and he couldn't be contained. He pushed back and started fighting with his assailant. Buck, JD, Josiah, Ezra and Nathan all joined the fray, and when it became apparent that our guys were winning, Bicknell grabbed a gun and took aim. As John fired ???????? leapt forward and pushed John to the ground, taking the gun and handcuffing him. (You guys can fill in whoever your favourite Magnificent Seven character is to be the hero. Sorry Vin fans, you can't choose him as he's still drooling in the hospital.)
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When Team 7 returned to the hospital, they headed straight for Vin's room without asking permission, and found it empty. Chris asked the nurse, who has just walked towards them, where Vin was. The nurse checked her chart, “He died.”
Chris would have crumpled to the floor if Buck hadn't quickly caught him.
The nurse looks back down, “Oh sorry, that was the guy next to him. We just moved him upstairs.”
Chris lunged forward and closed his hands around the nurse's neck. Buck pulled him back, wanting to attack the stupid woman himself. Before Buck could reach her, the nurse quickly scurried back down the hall.
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Again Vin became very agitated as Team 7 entered his room (he'll probably have to see a shrink after this), but Ezra's southern lilt managed to pacify him enough before the machines reacted. Vin listened quietly as Ezra confirmed Bicknell was caught and behind bars (I probably should have killed John, now he might come back).
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After a few months, and although he was still limping due to his knee injury, Vin was allowed to go back to work as long as he promised to stick to desk duty for a while.
Ezra walked in late and smiled, things were back to normal. And they could live happily ever after. Well, until the next story anyway.
The End
