Note: This takes place in my "Sevens Investigations" AU, and is a crossover with 21 Jump Street.
Buck: (incredulously) Since when do we help out cops, Chris?
Chris: (sharply) If you'll recall, we spent a couple of years as cops, Buck.
Buck: And, we became P. I's to escape the red-tape, as you'll recall.
Vin: Don't worry, Buck. . . Tom Hansen's an old buddy of mine; he says the "Jump Street" program's pretty relaxed.
Josiah: 'Sides. . . we ain't cops, so we don't have to follow regulations same as them.
Doug: Tom?
Tom: Yeah?
Doug: This friend of yours. . .
Tom: Vin?
Doug: Yeah. . . He's okay?
Tom: Yeah. . . I trust him; and he says his partners are the best.
Doug: If you say so, man.
Tom: What's the matter with you? You've been all edgy ever since Fuller brought us this case.
Doug: (shrugs) I'm not edgy. . . Somethin', though. . . Somethin' feels. . . (gropes for the words to explain, but can find none) Ya know what I'm sayin'?
Tom: Yeah, we all get that sometimes. . . But, I wouldn't sweat it, man. This case. . . no biggie. . .
Doug: (uncertainly) Whatever, Hansen.
There was no more time for talk, as they approached the office of "Sevens Investigations", and went inside. After introductions went around, they decided to start planning strategy.
Chris: Your main thing's undercover work, right?
Doug: That's all we do.
Chris: (nods) Well, according to this report, there's practically a junior mafia at this place. . . Drugs, prostution, weapontry. . . You name it, it's there. They know it goes on, they just don't know who's doing it, or who's in charge of the whole shebang. (flicks a glance at Tom & Doug) Now, we're gonna start out brutally honest here, so there'll be no problems later on. . . We were called in, I'm guessing, because we don't have to follow quite as many regulations as you do. Nonetheless, we are a team here, and will act as such. Understood?
Even though something in his attitude irked him, Doug nodded only seconds after Tom did (well, they didn't see Tom elbow him in the ribs. . . ) . The assignments seemed fairly simple, even routine for Hansen & Penthall. . . they were to play brothers like they always do. Only, this time, JD was to be their brother, too. Josiah was to be an Enviornmental Science teacher, Nathan was to teach Health, Ezra was to teach English Litt. , Buck was in charge of Band, and Chris & Vin were gym coaches. It all seemed pretty routine. . .
Doug: (quirks an eyebrow at JD) What's got you grinnin' like a chessy cat?
JD: Well. . . One of the girls liked me, and invited me to a "private party" here. . . Figure I can get some names, anyway. . .
Tom: Yeah? That's quick. . .
JD shrugs.
Claudia: (sing-songy) Oh, JD. . . Come on, honey. . . Let's not keep my friends waiting. . .
JD: Um, okay. . . Oh, hey, Claudia; these are my. . . brothers, Tom and Doug.
Tom: Hey.
Doug: Hia.
Claudia: (unimpressed) Hello. (grabs JD's arm) Come on, darlin'.
They go, and Tom & Doug go to the empty band-room. . .
Buck: You let him do what? !
Tom: Keep your voice down, Willmington.
Buck: (quiter) Are you nuts?
Doug: If you didn't think he could deal, why put him on the case?
Buck: (through gritted teeth) He can "deal" just fine; I just don't see why in the sam hill you would send him alone into what may be a drug den. . . Even if all three of ya went, there'd be a risk. . .
JD didn't know what to make of the room he'd been taken to. It was huge, and had about a dozen or so guys, and nearly twice as many girls. Claudia introduced him, and led him to a chair, sitting on his lap. From her earring, she removed a vial of something and put it in a glass pipe. . .
JD: What's that?
Claudia: Sweetcakes, you need to relax. . . It's just a little smack. . .
JD: Well, do ya have to do it in my lap?
Claudia: (not moving) What's your problem?
JD: (taking the unlit pipe from her, and placing it on the table) I'm alergic to smoke.
Claudia: Oh, poor baby. . . That's okay; I'll just have a drink, then. . . (grabs a six-pack of wine-coolers) Want one?
JD: (grabs one, making sure it was unopened) Yeah, I reckon. . .
Surveying the scene before him, JD tried not to get physically ill. There were girls doing. . . various things. . . for money or drugs. . . Guys snorting cocaine. . . He knew he needed to be there for the case, but. . . he just really wanted out. . .
The only thing JD could think of to describe this place was a 70's B-flick!He was getting a total migrane from the loud music, the marijuana smoke, the 3 wine-coolers he'd put away, Claudia's annoyingly strong perfume. . . Why did she have to sit right there? ? ? Fortunately, he'd talked her into sending someone to get Tom and Doug. . .
Ezra: (reading from a small book) Antigone was the daughter of Oedipus, who---
He is suddenly cut off as 2 large boys from the "party" came into the room.
Ezra: May I inquire as to the nature of this intrusion?
Guy1: (confused) Huh? We just come to get the Hendersons.
Guy2: Tom and Doug Henderson, come on.
Ezra: We are in the middle of a lesson. I would kindly ask that you---
Doug: Don't sweat it, teach. (looks knowingly at him) He's probably got something for us.
Ezra: (confused) Oh. . . Well, all right. . .
JD finally convinced Claudia to get up as he went slowly towards Tom and Doug.
JD: Um, can you excuse us a minute?
Claudia: (huffs) Okay.
They go outside the room.
Tom: You don't look so good, man. . .
JD: (rubs his eyes) Just a little headache. . .
Doug: You drunk?
JD: Nah. . . I only had a bit. . .
Tom: Find out anything?
JD: Ain't figured out the head yet, but. . . (shudders) things goin' on in there. . .
They go back in, and Claudia allready is pouring them margaritas.
Claudia: Here ya go, boys. . . bottoms up. . .
Meanwhile. . .
Chris: Buck, Ezra, calm down!
Buck: They been gone a long time, Chris.
Ezra: And, those two ruffians just barged in to get them. . .
Vin: (quietly, concerned) JD was allready there alone for a while when that happened, right?
Chris doesn't say a word, but something flickers behind those ice-blue eyes. . .
Doug woke up in a strange room, all alone. Everything was fuzzy. . . and he had this headache. . . Where were Tom and JD?
Doug: Tom? Tom? Where are ya?
Claudia: Tom can't be here now. . .
Doug: (tensing) Where is he? What'd you do to him?
Claudia: You'll see, Doug. . . You'll see. . .
Doug: (angerily, stumbling weakly) Where is he? !
Claudia: With your other brother, JD. . . I thought they'd be more fun together. . . I have something seperate in mind for them. . .
Josiah: This don't make any sense. . . We've gone over every room in the school. . .
Ezra: (musingly) Unless. . .
Buck: "Unless", what?
Ezra: Unless there's a secret room, not mentioned in the blueprints.
Vin: This is an old building. . .
Nathan: Where would they keep a place like that?
Tom rolled over weakly, making him notice the restraints on his wrists. What worried him was JD, laying still and barely breathing beside him.
Tom: (trying to inch closer) JD!JD!
He placed hand on his cheek, and was alarmed at how hot and clammy it was.
Tom: Oh, God. . . you're burnin' up. . . HEY!Somebody get in here!We need some help here!
Claudia: (sticking her head in the door) What?
Tom: What'd you give him?
Claudia: Why?
Tom: I think he may be having an allergic reaction. . . (desperately) Do something!
Claudia: (shrugs) I don't know anything about that. . . Maybe Jeff can look at him when he gets here. . . (slides out of door and shuts it)
Tom: (vainly at the closed door) HEY!
JD: (moans) Buck?
Tom: (sympathetically) Sorry, kid. . . but, I'm sure he'll be here soon. . .
JD: (confused) Where is he? What's wrong?
Tom: Well. . .
JD: (finally noticing the restraints) What's goin' on? !
Tom: (soothingly) Shhh. Shhh. We'll be okay. . . Someone'll come get us out soon. . . I promise. . . (whispering to himself as he brushes the bangs from JD's forehead) I promise. . .
After searching well into the dark, they began to realize with a sinking sense of dread that Ezra's assumption was wrong. . . This. . . place. . . may not even be on school grounds. . . If it was, they certainly did an excellent job of cleaning up after themselves.
Nathan: Maybe we oughta call the cops now?
Chris: (tightly) We can handle it; we'll find 'em.
Buck: Cops'd just get in the way of us "handling" it when we do find 'em, eh Chris?
Chris: Ah. . . let's just focus on finding them first, okay, Buck?
Jeff: What seems to be the problem here?
Claudia: Jeff, he says the other one is having an allergic reaction to the mickey I slipped in his margarita.
Tom: Why else would he be burning up with fever?
Jeff: (backhands him) Watch how you address her!
Tom just sat back and tried not to get queasy at the coppery taste in his mouth.
Claudia: Jeff, honey?
Jeff: What?
Claudia: (pouting) When are we gonna have the "real" fun with them?
Jeff: (grins like a schoolboy) Soon. (pulls a hypodermic out of his coat-pocket)
Tom: (apprehensively) Wha-what's that?
Jeff: (calmly) Just a little something to calm you down.
Tom: Oh, I'm perfectly calm. . .
Jeff just ignores him and uses the wrist restraints to hold him slightly still. But, he still struggles and has to bite back a cry of pain as the needle is stabbed into his arm. . .
Doug woke up on a couch in the P. I. office, completely confused as to how he got there.
Doug: Hansen?
Nathan: Easy now. . . (firmly pushes him back down) Lay still.
Doug: No. . . Where---
Buck: (scared) You mean, you don't know?
Doug: (frustrated) Why would I? I mean, I was put in a different room than him and JD. . . The last thing I remember was that Claudia chick telling me she had "seperate plans" for them. . . I don't know where I was, how I got there, or how I got here.
Josiah: We found you in a ditch not too far from the school. Unconscious.
Doug: I. . . they musta slipped me somethin'. . .
Ezra: (green eyes clouding over) Did this. . . Claudia give any indication of what these "plans" may be?
Doug: (miserably) No. . . She wouldn't tell me. . . Wouldn't even let me see 'em. . .
Vin: Don't make sense she'd take 'em, especially and lettin' Penthall go. . .
Buck: Unless she knows.
Chris: How could she know?
Buck: (shakes his head) You know how people get when they're suspicious. . . Why would she just up and kidnap people? Somethin' just don't gel.
Chris: 'Less their plans include business. . .
Buck: (stiffening) Business?
Chris: (looks at Buck) Um. . . just forget I brought it up.
Buck: No, I wanna know what you meant, Chris.
Chris: Well. . . if they did find out, lotsa drug-dealers'd pay to get revenge on the types that put them away. . .
Buck: And, if they didn't find out?
Chris: (bleakly) Then, I honestly don't know. . . But, we'd better pray we find 'em fast, regardless. . .
Jeff: Claudia?
Claudia: Hmmm?
Jeff: You're not startin' to fall for the little one, are ya?
Claudia: No!Don't be silly. . . This is all business, right?
Jeff: (nodding slowly) Of course, darling.
Claudia: Um. . . well. . . I'd. . . better go check on them. . .
Claudia looked at the two men lying side by side, restrained to the unusually large bed. Through their fevers, they didn't notice her entrance. . . She almost laughed at Tom's earlier diagnosis. . . allergic to that little pill. . . no, it was the same think making him sick now. . . the concentrated fever. . . too bad their victims had to be so cute. . . Oh, well. . . price you pay for test-subjects. . . She quietly exited.
Tom: (weakly) JD? Ya still with me, kid?
JD: (groans) T-tom?
Tom: Yeah, yeah, it's me.
JD: Where are we?
Tom: I don't know. . . But, someone'll come and get us soon. . . I hope. . .
JD: (barely audible) Wish. . .
Tom: Wish, what, JD?
JD: Buck. . . he knows what to do. . .
Tom: (soothingly) Yeah, yeah, I know. . . We'll get ya to Buck as soon as we can. . .
Not knowing what else to do, Tom decided to maybe distract him, in hopes it would make him slightly more lucid. . . Or, at least, he'd know better how to keep him calm. . . Tom realized that he'd been injected with the same thing JD had, something to make them both sick. . . But, for some reason, he wasn't getting all that much of a temperature, and JD was delirious from the fever. . .
Flash back to 10 years earlier. . . A small boy, around 9, lying in a room, cheeks flushed with fever. An older boy, maybe 17, comes in and places a hand on his forehead worriedly.
(young) Buck: Heya, kid. . .
(young) JD: (voice raspy) Hey. . .
(young) Buck: Shhh. . . gonna make that sore-throat worse. . .
He helps him to sit up on the pillows, and drink some ginger-ale.
(young) Buck: There ya go. Feel better?
He nods slightly, and leans into his cousin's shoulder. . .
Flashback to now. . .
JD: (weakly) T-thanks. . .
Tom looked at him, surprised. He almost responded, but quickly realized he wasn't even aware of his presence. His eyes were distant and glassy. . . He just hoped the kid wasn't dying. . .
Penthall grimly surveyed his surroundings. He did not belong here with these 6 cowboys. . . He looked around the office and wondered bemusingly if it was decorated by the A-Team. . . These men were good. . . good, hell, they were the best at what they did. . . He just felt. . . out of place. This wasn't his place. He belonged in the small, dingy, brick office, with Fuller, Hoffs, Ioki, Booker, and Hansen. . .
Doug: (thinking) Where are ya, partner?
Tom may have managed to hold off longer than JD, but, the fever had finally taken hold. He was still lucid, but he knew it wouldn't last long. . . He also knew he had to fight this as long as he could, until help arrived, because JD was already too far gone to be of any help in an escape attempt. . .
Chris: Ya think we oughta call Full---
Doug: (vehemently) NO!
Vin: No?
Doug: (admittingly) I. . . A few minutes ago, I was chomping at the bit for them to come and take over, but. . . I been thinkin'. . . Protocal sometimes gets in the way of what's important. . . And, Hansen's been missin' too long for me to think somethin's not terribly off. . .
Well, I can still remember,
when I was just a kid.
When friends were friends forever,
and, what ya said, was what ya did.
Well, it was me and Teddy and Bobbie.
We cut each-other's hands.
Held tight to a promise only brothers understand.
Tom was getting really scared now. All he wanted was Penthall, cracking those stupid jokes, telling him everything was gonna be okay. He looked over at the kid. He guessed he still wanted Buck. . . Things were starting to get swirly now. . . JD looked as if someone'd lit a match under his cheeks, and felt that way at touch. . . What Tom didn't know, was he was getting there faster than he realized. . .
Oh, we were so young.
(So young. )
One for all and all for one.
(All for one. )
Just to show that the river's gonna run.
Blood on blood.
One on one.
We still would stand when all was said and done.
Blood on blood.
One on one.
And, I'll be there for you,
'till kingdom come.
Blood on blood.
Buck: You feel it, too?
Doug: Yeah. . . (shakes his head) Somethin's just not right. . .
Josiah: Patience, brothers. . . I am quite sure they're just fine.
Ezra: (thinking) Care to make a wager on that?
Well, Bobby was our hero,
'cause he had this fake I. D.
When I got busted stealin' cigarettes,
well, Bobby took the rap for me.
Well, they knew this white-trash girl;
we each threw in a $10.
She took us to this cheap motel,
and turned us into men.
Nathan: (as if reading the southerner's thoughts) Don't go givin' up on 'em, Ezra. . . We'll find 'em okay.
Ezra: (with effort) Whoever's in charge of this. . . travesty. . . had better hope so.
But, we were so young.
(So young. )
One for all and all for one.
(All for one. )
Just to show that the river's gonna run.
Blood on blood.
One on one.
We'd still be standin' when all was said and done.
Blood on blood.
One on one.
And, I'll be there for you,
'till kingdom come.
Like blood on blood. . .
Yeah. . .
Nothing looked right to JD. For some reason he couldn't focus, and he couldn't remember where he was. Worst of all, he could barely move, and he didn't know why. When Claudia came towards him with a drink, it looked to him like an apparition. Though it seemed impossible at this point, he turned another shade of pale. . .
JD: (weakly) Help. . . Buck. . .
But, that was all he could get out. Mercifully, he blacked out. . .
Now Bobby's an uptown lawyer.
And, Teddy's a medicne man.
Well, me, I'm just a singer,
in a long-haired rock-and-roll band.
Through the years and miles between us,
it's been a long and lonely ride.
Oh, if I got that call in the dead of the night, I'd be right by your side.
Blood on blood.
Like blood on blood.
Yeah.
Just like blood.
Yeah.
Blood on blood.
(Blood on blood. )
Like blood.
We were brothers.
Like blood on blood.
One on one.
We'd still be standin' when all was said and done.
Blood on blood.
One on one.
And, I'll be there for you,
'til kingdom come.
Like blood on blood.
Yeah!
Blood on blood.
Like blood on blood.
Blood on blood.
Blood on blood. . .
Claudia: Jeff?
Jeff: (absently) Hmmm?
Claudia: Um, shouldn't we test the antidote now?
Jeff: No. . . I wanna see how long they can survive this. . . the next set of test subjects will get the antidote tested on them.
Claudia: We have to do more tests?
Jeff: I thought you believed in the movement?
Claudia: I do. . . but. . .
Jeff: But?
Claudia: I. . . it's different when you have to see them. . . watch their progress. . .
Jeff: Oh. . . Well, don't worry, Claudia. . . (gives her a quick peck) It's all going to be over soon.
All driving in a large van, they were on their way. Doug had remembered about Claudia, but, it had taken a while to track her down, considering she hadn't been living at home for 3 months. Her parents had no idea where she was, so were no help whatsover. They finally found some students that Doug recognized as being in that room, and offered them a deal to find out information about her. As it turned out, Claudia was dating some psycho named Jeff, who was trying to take over the world by chemical/germ warfare. They'd even heard him talking about some kind of concentrated fever he'd come up with; they just weren't sure if he'd perfected it yet. . .
Buck: (wildly) Chris, them kids. . . they said he ain't perfected it yet. . . What if---
Chris: Don't go borrowin' trouble, Buck.
Doug: (shakes his head) This Jeff character sure got those kids under his spell. . . they actually believe his spiel.
Vin: (musingly) Easy to do when ya got a ready supply of drugs. . . Sorta like instant brainwashing.
Finally, they burst into the house and kicked the door in, guns held high. Jeff managed to escape out of the window, but Claudia was not so fortunate. . .
Buck: Where are they?
Claudia: I-in there. . .
All except Josiah, who was given the job of subduing her, raced into the room. Josiah was not far behind, though; leading Claudia along in her handcuffs. . .
Buck: (brokenly) K-kid?
Claudia: (tears streaming down her face) I'm sorry. . . I was only tryin' to help Jeff. . . I was planin' to give 'em the antidote. . .
Buck: (takes a step towards her) Where is it?
Claudia: (snuffeling) In my jacket-pocket.
Buck retrieved the 2 hypodermic needles, and went to JD and Tom to administer the drug.
Buck: Will it work?
Claudia: I hope so!
Doug: (shocked) You hope so? !Lady, my partner is lyin' in that bed fightin' for his life and all you can say is "I hope so"? !
Claudia: (falls to her knees) How could Jeff leave me? He betrayed me. . .
Ezra: (grabs her and shakes her) Listen to me!Will the antidote work? ! (shakes her again) Answer me!
Claudia: Y-yes, it should. . . it's never actually been tested on---
Chris: Never been tested? !
Claudia: (whimpering) They were the first test-subjects. . . Jeff wanted them to be the ones to see how long they'd live, but. . . they were too pretty to die. . .
Chris: (disgusted) Now we can call the cops.
Tom woke up in a sterile hospital room. After they'd realized they weren't contagious, and that the antidote was working, they moved Tom and JD out of quarantine and into private rooms. Tom wasn't quite sure how he got here, but figured it was better than that room at Claudia's. . . He looked over at Penthall asleep in the chair and grinnned.
Tom: (shaking his leg gently) Hey, partner.
Doug: (waking up) Huh?
Tom: Wake up, Penthall.
Doug: Tom?
Tom: Yeah. . .
Doug: You're okay?
Tom: Yeah; I'm gonna be fine. . .
JD felt odd. As if something was pressing on his eyelids, making them want to stay shut. And, wherever he was smelled like medicine. . . Forcing his eyes to open, he saw the worried face of Buck looking over him.
Buck: JD?
JD: (whispery) Huh?
Buck: You're awake. . .
JD: (pulls himself to a sitting position and grins) Yeah, I think so. . .
Buck looked at him in shock a moment and broke out grinning, too.
Buck: (affectionately) Smarty.
The next day, while waiting to be sprung, Fuller came to visit them all.
Fuller: (annoyed) Protocal was not followed here.
Chris: We don't gotta follow any "protocal"; we're Private Eyes.
Fuller: Penthall is not. . .
Doug: Look, I. . . I didn't have a choice. . .
Fuller: Well. . . fortunately for you it worked out. . . we caught Jeff.
Buck: Where is---
Fuller: On his way to the state penitentiary for holding. They've been looking for him for a long time. . . So, you two are okay?
JD& Tom: Fine.
Fuller: Well, good. . . (clears his throat) Uh, anyway. . . good work on the case. . . Hansen, Penthall; take a couple days vacation. (leaves)
They all looked at him in shock. They had been afraid of an INS investigation, or worse. . . But, at least it was over. . . They all attended the trial, and were witnesses. Since Claudia had felt sorry in the end, and decided to be cooperative, and they realized the extent of her brainwashing (after all, she was just a 16 year-old kid), they decided to help her. Anxiously, they awaited the judge's ruling. . .
For attempting terrorist acts against the U. S. and possibly other governments, Jeffrey William Jakobs was convicted and sentenced to serve 5 consective life sentences in the federal penitentiary in New York. Claudia Jane Swenson was charged as an acessory, but, as a minor, she was sent to the juvenille home in Nebraska, where she shall remain until such time as she is 18, and then is to serve the remainder of her sentence, 3 years, in the Nebraska state penitentiary.
THE END
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