# 1 Shades of Gray

Disclaimer: This is entirely a work of fiction, for entertainment purposes only, based on the characters from "The Magnificent Seven." We don’t own them, but if we did we would run away with ‘em and never be seen again. CBS and Co., Trilogy Entertainment, and MGM had ‘em first and do not want to give ‘em away. We only play at this for fun and do not make any money doing it. No infringement of any copyrights is intended. This is strictly a piece of fiction. Any references to locations or people are only for story use and are not intended to depict any real place or person.

MCAT AU: MCAT (Major Crimes and Acts of Terrorism) Yes, it has action, and yes it's Het. Further background and information on the characters of MCAT and the Larabee 7 families can be found @ The Magnificent Seventh Heaven website. @ http://www.tannertexaslady.com/ MCAT: Turbulent Transitions, the foundation series for this AU is complete.

MCAT: Strength & Solidarity – Series of stories which center on the Seven's intrinsic bonds of friendship and brotherhood, forces which have no boundaries.

To Bountyhunter'slady for the awesome collage she created for Shades of Gray.

Notes: Any mistakes are ours. The original characters created for this series belong to the authors who created them. Glossary of Law Enforcement terms used in this series. @ http://www.tannertexaslady.com/Whatdidtheysay.html

Vin Tanner pushed through the swinging doors of the saloon, pausing long enough to scan the room, before strolling inside. Chris was sitting at his favorite table in a darkened corner. The half-empty bottle of whiskey on the table added to the dangerous look on Larabee's face usually warned most people off, but not him. He ignored the signs and ambled over to where his friend sat. Using the toe of his boot, Vin scooted a chair out and sat down.

Chris spent the better part of the evening staring into his empty glass, pondering the events of fate which brought him here. He had walked on the wild side of life for a long time, earning himself a helluva reputation as a man not to cross. Then he met a feisty young woman named Sarah who refused to see him as the man others feared. Instead she chose to give him her unconditional love. For seven short years he experienced the blissful life of having a loving wife and son, before tragedy struck… in an instant his family was gone. The following years were hard for him. Chris wished often for death to claim him.

Providence obviously had other plans, because somehow he survived. Three years ago he crossed paths with a young Texan. Instinctively he knew the instantaneous bond he felt with Vin was one which had evolved over time. They were unquestionably spirit brothers, whose lives had been intertwined by events or deeds more than once. They were joined by five men who also gathered at this place and time to renew the bonds of brotherhood which had only become stronger throughout the ages.

The anniversary of his family's deaths, however, was still a difficult time for him.

"What good does it do a man to know life goes on if he can't hold on to the things that make him happy?" Chris knew Vin was there and spoke without looking up from his glass. "When do we stop allowing fate to deal all the cards?"

Vin chewed on his bottom lip and Chris knew he was taking a moment before he answered. "Not sure Cowboy," was his simple reply. "I've never been able to figure that out myself." He waited until Chris looked up before continuing. "I do know you're not gonna find the answer in that bottle or sitting here broodin' about what's already passed."

"No you don't know! Unless you've walked in my boots you can't understand how it feels to have your soul ripped apart …To have all that is good and pure wiped from your life by an act of evil and not be able to do a damn thing to change it!" Chris took a deep breath, lowering his voice. "Evil survives though, and sometimes a man has to cross into hell where it hides to confront it."

Fire flashed in the Vin's eyes. "I have been where you are, Chris! I've traveled the road of lookin' for answers. You want to know what I found? I found that there is no God damn answer! Maybe our hell is havin' to relive our losses over and over, chasin' the shadows of our past into eternity. I do know this doesn't help." He threw the bottle of whiskey against the wall as memories he had tried to keep hidden for so long flooded his mind and the hurt tore through him like a knife.

Surprised by the venomous anger laced in Vin's words and actions, Chris studied him intently. It occurred to him, there were still parts of his friend's life he knew nothing about. "Who was she Vin?" He asked softly.

Vin swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably in the chair. "She was… the woman I had planned to spend my life with… and the mother of my unborn child…."

The evening sky was painted with soft hues of purples, pinks, and oranges as the sun set over the horizon, silhouetting the majestic mountains in the distance. Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner sat on the porch of one of the two newly built houses looking out over the land of the Larabee-Tanner horse ranch.

It had taken time, and trust, but both of them had eventually allowed themselves to take a second chance with love. They found the strength to lay their individual haunting memories to rest for a while to find a semblance of peace for their scarred souls. As a result, the two old friends now held their sleeping sons in their arms, enjoying the companionable silence between them while their wives tended to supper.

Vin brushed his hand gently over his son’s cheek before looking over at Chris to ask a question. "You reckon these two will understand the connection between Larabees and Tanners?"

Chris nodded. "It's our job to see they do, Vin. My Colton Vincent and your Christopher James will lead the way for future generations."

Sarah Spencer Larabee smiled at her son as she helped him with his coat. When Chris called to tell her that he was held over one more day at the law enforcement conference he had reluctantly attended, she knew Adam would be disappointed. Their son looked forward to the morning ritual he and his father had established over the last three months. Since classes had begun in September, Chris was the parent who always drove Adam to school. Both Larabee males looked forward to the father-son time alone. While Chris was gone, Adam had been riding to school with his best friend and his mother, but today his friend was ill and Adam would have to settle for his own mother's company. Sarah was determined to make it a fun experience.

Through the misty fog of time two figures stood silent as events unfolded that threatened to destroy the legacy they had left for the future Larabees and Tanners. Helplessly they watched as Sarah and Adam perished in a fiery explosion, plunging Chris Larabee into the depths of a guilt-ridden hell.

JD Dunne, CASSIE specialist and supervisor for all computer and communication operations of the unit, was at home recovering from major surgery. The younger agent would be out of commission for at least four more weeks. Chris knew they were lucky JD was still with them. The bullet that had been lodged near his spine for over a year shifted and damn near killed him. Only too aware JD could find trouble without ever leaving his home; Chris planned to keep a close watch on him. Agents Pam Walton and Mallory Sanchez were doing a great job in his absence, but JD's expertise and his unique understanding of CASSIE was sorely missed.

Captain Vin Tanner was on an unexpected assist assignment as a sharpshooter for an ATF team in Santa Fe, New Mexico and had been there for the last eight days. Agent Justin Michaels accompanied him as Tanner's personal backup at Larabee's insistence, and the pair was not scheduled to return to Denver until sometime later in the week. Before Vin left, one of his and Kelli's twin boys caught a cold. Agent Kelli Coulter-Tanner requested an additional day of maternity leave to be at home with Bren just to make sure he was okay, and she would not be returning to work until tomorrow.

Ezra and Barbara left for Italy last week to rendezvous with Maude and her new husband. The Standishs' were not expected to return until the end of the month. Add all that to the loss of Ross Anderson and Paul Roberts and it was enough to convince Director Travis MCAT needed two more agents, at least temporarily. Orrin had a plan worked out which would insure that MCAT would always have another agent or two in reserve, available anytime he deemed their presence necessary.

Chris knew how hard it was for Vin to leave for New Mexico. The boys were barely three months old, and with the one exception of the brothers' weekend retreat last August, Tanner had not spent any nights away from home since the twins were born. *Hell Chris, except for that retreat, you have not been separated from Grace since you came back from California or Cody since he was born….*

The buzz of the intercom interrupted Chris's thoughts. He reached over to answer it. "Yes Gunny."

"Captain Wilmington is waiting to see you, Sir."

Chris looked at his watch. He had forgotten his request for her to send him to his office when Buck returned from giving a deposition to the District Attorney. He chuckled to himself thinking about the running battle of wills which had grown between 'Gunny' Montgomery and Buck. The older woman often tried to mother Vin, and while she was a top notch Administrative Assistant for her Commander, Buck managed to get on her wrong side early on, and managed to stay there. "Send him in."

Buck entered the office and immediately found the most comfortable chair in the room directly across from Larabee's desk. He settled his large frame into it and stretched out his long legs in front of him. Then he grinned at Chris. "One of these days I'm gonna win that woman over to my side."

"Good luck. I think she secretly trained at commando camp. She is a formidable woman."

"You know me Chris, I love a challenge."

"Well then you are going to love this. Travis informed me this morning that we will be receiving new agents on a rotating basis. All of them are supposedly elite personnel from a range of law enforcement agencies. They will be coming to us to round out their skills with our MCAT Unit; insuring we have additional trained agents available when necessary. Six month rotations and the first two will be here tomorrow morning." The Commander handed Wilmington the files on the new personnel.

"In other words, we're going to be doing glorified baby-sitting," Buck grumbled. "Why do they do this to us?"

"Because we are the best, and like it or not we have found ourselves shorthanded, at least by Travis's way of thinking. The 'powers that be' want this, so we will oblige them, to a point. We’ll include these potential recruits in our training exercises, let them observe how we work, and assign two of our agents as evaluators. You know what they want. Make it happen." Chris closed his notebook saying, "One other thing, Buck. They will only be exposed to our standard ops, no mention of shadow assignments around them."

Taking the folders, Buck opened them and scanned the names. "Damnit, this has to be some kind of joke. Brad Garrison is a good man, but Guy Saunders? That man is an ass. He always has been and always will be. Didn't we get enough of him when we worked ATF? Not to mention the last run in that he had with Vin."

As an FBI agent assigned to the Denver office, Guy Saunders had crossed paths with them numerous times. Their meetings had not all been affable, so consequentially there was no love lost between Saunders and the members of Team Seven.

Buck grinned. “Hey do you remember our first assignment as MCAT agents? Who was the lead FBI agent for that case?"

“You know damn well who it was."

It was none other than their old nemesis, Saunders. Unfortunately for him he made some offensive comments to and about Kelli, which Chris delighted in passing on to Vin. Captain Tanner made it his personal responsibility to let the older man know that treating a female agent in any manner except with complete respect was unacceptable.

Both Buck and Chris hoped Tanner made an impression on the man and he would behave while he was here. Remembering how the ladies of MCAT paid another former agent back for his disrespect they knew the women could handle the chauvinistic FBI agent. They were also aware that none of the men of MCAT would sit idly by and let anyone show disrespect for their teammates. Nevertheless, whatever else he was, Saunders was a good agent; he wouldn’t be part of the program otherwise.

"Guy may be a pain in the ass, Buck; however he is an FBI Agent with almost twenty years of experience. You will be in charge of our agent review program. I want you to try and play nice."

"Hell, I always play nice. Only time will tell us how elite they really are." Buck held up his hands. "In the meantime around here they’re rookies, and will be treated accordingly."

Chris rolled his eyes. He knew when Travis told him about having temporary MCAT agents the idea would not be well-received by the others, especially with Saunders involved. Hopefully this program would fizzle out and they could get back to their core unit within a few months. In the interim, it was only a slight inconvenience and it would give the unit an opportunity to teach some of the skills they had gained over the last two years.

"In fact, as of tomorrow morning, you will be in charge of this zoo." Chris handed Buck a stack of files. "Travis is sending me to Washington, D.C. to answer questions about MCAT in front of a senate hearing committee."

"Better you than me, old son." Buck took the folders from Chris. "Why do they want you, and not Travis?"

"Travis was there last week." Chris sighed wearily. He was not happy about being ordered to go to Washington. Nevertheless it was part of his job as MCAT commander and he would have to deal with it. "Now they want to question me about field activities and procedures."

"You know we could say to hell with it all and spend our time on the ranch, raising kids, horses, and hunting for all those abandoned gold mines reputed to be on or near the ranch."

"We could, but even Ezra wouldn't give us odds on finding any of them." Larabee shook his head. "Until we stumble across our gold mine, I have to resign myself to separations from the kids, whether I like it or not."

"Go home." Buck patted Chris on the back." I can handle things here, and you need to spend time with Grace and Cody this evening. "

Larabee nodded. "I think I will." He began to gather the reports he would be taking with him to Washington. "Vin should be back Wednesday or Thursday and with any luck I'll be home by Friday." He added the last file into his briefcase and closed it. "I also want to stop on the way home and check in on JD first, and then Kelli."

"Make sure he's following the doctor's orders. He's been giving Casey hell about taking it easy." Buck stood up. "See you Friday, Boss."

"Remember Buck, play nice with our visitors, and keep a lid on this place." Chris walked out the door with Wilmington at his side.

"No problem. Gunny and I will keep the peace." Buck winked at Gunny and grinned.

Gunny shook her head disapprovingly at him as her only response, and then continued on with her work.

"Yeah, well, just don't have any surprises waiting for me when I return and I'll be happy." Chris headed to the front door.

JD had been sitting in a cushioned chair on the front porch for over an hour and was ready to attempt an escape. It had been over a month since his surgery, and three weeks since his discharge from the hospital. Three weeks equaled twenty-one days of confinement to the ranch, or more specifically, to his home. He could not get more than twelve feet from the front door without Casey or Nettie steering him back inside. He had to admit that spending extra time with Lilah and Daisy was nice, and all the family had been by often to see him. Shoot, Buck stopped by every day and kept him up to date on the latest news from work. He definitely had not been neglected. However he was going stir crazy and really needed to find a way to break out of this well-meaning confinement.

JD smiled as he glanced up the drive that led from the front gate and saw Chris's black Ram come into view. Surely Chris would understand and help him plan a way out. Of course, Larabee was known to be somewhat of a mother hen where his family was concerned, and he rarely let any of them disobey doctor's orders when he was on watch. Come to think of it, he had given him and Vin hell when they started to complain during the numerous times they had been laid up and force to stay with him while recuperating. All hope of assistance disappeared when his memories surfaced. He watched Larabee get out of his truck and walk toward the porch.

Chris dropped into the chair next to JD and propped his feet up, turning his head toward the young man. "I hear you've been giving that lovely wife of yours a hard time about following the doctor's advice."

JD closed his eyes and sighed. *Damnit Buck.* He was the only one that could have mentioned that to Chris. "I guess I've been busted."

"Yep," Chris answered as he dropped his feet, and leaned forward. "Look JD, I know how hard it is to stay at home and feel like you're being left out of things. I sat in my ranch house for months while you guys opened a new MCAT office, went to work every day, and then became involved in one helluva dangerous case. I was frustrated, angry, and disappointed. As bad as it was not to be involved, thinking of the alternative was even worse. If I had come back too soon, I would not only have put myself at risk, but I would have put the people I care about at risk too. That was unacceptable."

JD sighed, shifting in his seat a little to look at the man whose opinion meant the world to him. "I hear you, but damnit there must be something I can do besides sit here and watch the grass grow."

Chris grinned, thinking about that image, sobering again as he spoke. "There is. You can stop worrying about what you can't do and start appreciating what you can do. The fact that you are still around to watch the damn grass grow is a miracle in itself. Love your wife, and those two beautiful babies. Be as glad as the rest of us that you still have a life." Chris put his hand on JD's shoulder and spoke softly. "We know you're not a kid anymore, JD, but you are still our little brother," he leaned in and attempted his best glare. "Furthermore this big brother says you had better behave or he'll have to kick your butt once you're healed."

JD stared at Chris for a few moments, and then grinned. "Okay...okay, I'll do it...I promise, I'll behave, I'll follow doctor's orders." Dunne feigned sincerity. "Besides... I'd hate to see you hurt yourself trying to kick my butt, you being the old brother and all."

Chris tightened his grip on JD's shoulder slightly, smirking as he watched the younger man chuckle and squirm. "That's older, not old, and don't you forget it." Chris gave Dunne a mock glare and mumbled something about insolent kid brothers.

"Yes, Sir," JD answered trying unsuccessfully to hide his laughter.

Chris stood up to leave. "I'll be out of town 'til the end of the week. Do you think you can try to stay out of trouble until I get back?"

"Oh he will, Chris," Casey said, stepping out the front door catching his last remark. "I intend to see that he follows the doctor's orders to the letter."

Chris smiled inwardly as he watched JD mumble something under his breath at Casey's remark. He nodded to Casey approvingly.

"I see that JD is in good hands. I have one more stop to make and then I plan to spend the evening with my children." Chris kissed Casey on the cheek. "See you two later." Chris was smiling as he pulled out of the driveway; Casey knew exactly how to keep her man distracted.

Riding with her children in the afternoons was one of the things Kelli was going to miss once she returned to work. They made a habit of riding together every day with some of the kids from Caitlyn's Reins of Change program. After spending so much time with them over the last few months, it was emotionally difficult for her to even consider returning to MCAT. Making a list of pro's and con's had not helped. On one hand she felt guilty about leaving the twins when they were so little. Even though she would be home for their morning and evening feedings, the young mother still had misgivings. Additionally, with both Jason and Andi in school, she worried about not being available for them when they got home.

It was not a question of needing the money. Adding together her trust fund from Jake's estate, Vin's salary, and the lucrative return on the investments Ezra made for them, they had more than enough to live quite comfortably without her paycheck. Most of all she was concerned about finding the right balance as a wife, mother, and responsible federal agent

On the other hand, she and Vin were blessed by having the best caregiver available with Max watching the kids while they worked. The MCAT office was only a twenty minute drive from home, so they were not that far out of touch and could get home quickly in case of an emergency. Their children would never be with strangers and they were surrounded by a loving, supportive family unit on the ranch. She and Vin also managed to keep their priorities straight since the day they had married. Caring for one another and their family was at the top of that list and took precedence over anything else.

Vin was not much help when it came time for her to make a decision, because he had not tried to persuade her one way or another. He simply said whatever she decided to do, he would support her choice.

Kelli knew her career in law enforcement was more than just a job to her. It was a state of mind, and she had always felt confident that what she did was important. So, eventually it all boiled down to one question. What did she want to do? In the end, it was because of the children she realized she had no choice other than to go back to work, at least for now. Last year she told Vin the only way for them to make a better future for their children was to keep fighting the injustices in the world, and that when good people stopped fighting, evil won. She needed to put action to those words. While it didn't make it any easier for her today, she was certain there would come a point in the future she would quit, and be content to stay at home full-time. It was just not going to be now.

Kelli, Andi, and Jason were walking up from the barn when Chris arrived. The children raced to see who would be first to meet him at his truck and Andi won. She threw herself at him with the absolute confidence of a four-year-old that her Uncle Chris would catch her. "I won!"

Chris gripped Jason's shoulder and winked. "Yes you did, Sugar, but just by a hair. Jason was right on your heels."

"Uncle Chris, when will my daddy be home?" Andi turned her baby blues on him, giving him a look which melted his heart.

"Your daddy will be home real soon, little one. I promise," Chris was pleased to tell her.

"Andi, you know Dad said he'd be home by the end of the week." Jason rolled his eyes and addressed his uncle. "She's asked the same question at least ten times in the last hour."

"Jason would you and Andi go see if the boys are awake for me?" Kelli felt her Dad needed rescuing.

Chris set Andi on her feet and watched as brother and sister ran toward the house. "Thanks," he grinned. "I love 'em, but Andi can sure ask the tough questions."

"She certainly can." Kelli joined her dad beside the truck and leaned against it. "So, what brings Papa Bear out here today? Come to check up on your eldest cub?"

"I thought you might be a little anxious about going back to work tomorrow."

"Am I worried about returnin' to work? No. Am I concerned about bein' separated from the kids? Yes."

"Is Bren feeling better?"

"I took him to the pediatrician's office this mornin' and she said that aside from bein' a little grumpy, Bren is over his cold."

"That's good to hear." Chris laughed. "Grumpiness must be a shared trait of the Tanner men. Vin sounded downright cranky this morning when I talked to him. Filling in for a lost member of a team does not make him too popular there. The good news is that the ATF team has found a permanent replacement for their sharpshooter. Vin and Justin should be able to leave Santa Fe within a couple of days."

Kelli tried to read between the lines of Chris's word. "I know, Vin called me after he talked to you. He is irritated about bein' loaned out to the ATF and would not be doin' it if Travis had not asked him as a personal favor, but you already know that. What's the real reason you're here and don't give me that bull about checkin' up on us for Vin?"

"I have to leave for Washington, D.C. in the morning and will probably be there for the rest of the week. I need you to do a couple of things for me." Chris sighed. "I trust Dottie implicitly with the children's welfare, and I told Grace that Daddy will be away for a few days. Still, if you could maybe stop by while I'm gone and give them a few extra hugs for me I'd appreciated it."

"Dad, you know I will." Kelli knew how hard it had been for Vin to leave the children and he was not a single parent. He had taken comfort knowing she would be here with their kids while he was gone. Chris was going to be across the country and his babies did not have another parent to be with them. She could not even imagine the conflicted emotions he must be feeling. "You said a couple of things. What else do you need me to do?"

"My flight leaves at nine, which means I need to be at the airport by seven at the latest. Think you can give your old man a ride before you go to work?"

"Of course I can. I'll be at your front door by five-thirty. You can buy me breakfast on the way to the airport." Kelli leaned in and gave Chris a hug. "I won't tell you not to worry about them, 'cause I know better. I will make sure Grace and Cody know how much they are loved for you."

Jason came from the house, running toward them. "Mom, Bren and Trey are awake. Max said to tell you they are demandin' to eat."

"Guess that's my cue to go in. You want to join us for dinner?" Kelli asked.

"Thanks, no. I want to spend the evening with Grace and Cody." Chris kissed her forehead. "Hug the babies for me, and I'll see you in the morning." He released his daughter so she could go inside with her son, climbed into his truck and waited until he saw Kelli and Jason enter the house. He then started the engine, and drove home.

"There's no need for you to come inside, Kel. Just drop me off over there and get your butt on to work." Chris pointed toward the front entrance to the airport. He would have preferred to fly on one of the MCAT jets, except neither one was available today.

"In case I forgot to mention it, Dad, thanks for the diversion this mornin'." She pulled her Tahoe into the line of cars waiting to drop off departing passengers. "You knew how hard it was goin' to be for me to leave the house today and in typical Larabee fashion, you decided to do somethin' about it."

Chris was not surprised that she had seen through his motives and smiled. "You're welcome Missy." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Fathers are supposed to look out for their children, no matter how old they are." He opened the truck door and stepped out, reaching into the back seat to grab his valise and garment bag. "See you later brat, take care." He shut the door and watched her drive off before he headed inside. Chris knew his body would be in Washington before noon. It might take a little longer for his heart and mind to join it.

Buck had stationed himself by Gunny's desk to have a good view of the front door. Brad Garrison arrived thirty minutes earlier and had already checked in with him. Garrison had been a great asset to the child trafficking task force and Buck was pleased to be working with the man again. He had a long memory though when it came to anyone that crossed his family the wrong way, and had his doubts about working with FBI Agent Saunders.

Guy Saunders walked in and stopped long enough to scan the room before making his way toward Wilmington. When he applied for the opportunity to be considered for training with MCAT, and then was selected, Saunders knew he had to prepare himself for whatever this unit wanted to throw at him. The seasoned agent also knew he would have to prove how capable he was to the men and women of MCAT, especially to the original Team Seven.

Buck waited until Saunders stopped in front of him before speaking. "Pick an empty desk and get settled. You need anything ask Mrs. Montgomery to help you." Buck indicated Gunny's desk, but did not offer an introduction. "There'll be a team meeting in the war room in thirty minutes."

Saunders nodded and moved past the Captain to search for a place to call home for the next six months. He spotted a desk by the window that did not appear to be in use and walked over to it. The drawers were empty, but the phone worked, and when he hit the start up on the computer the blank screen lit up. Saunders had moved around enough in his twenty year career in law enforcement not to be put off by the lukewarm welcome. He knew that new team members were expected to find their own way to a place with an established unit. He was a patient man and damn good at his job. It may take some time for Wilmington and the others to accept him; nevertheless he was here and had no plans on leaving any time soon.

Josiah sat in his office, holding the phone receiver in his hand long after his conversation with the doctor was concluded. His mind told him that he was experienced enough to handle bad news, but his heart had clenched painfully in response to the doctor's words. Doctor Rivers expected Josiah to accept the diagnosis he had made and he was firm about how his instructions were to be followed. After the turmoil of the last year in all of their lives, things had settled down considerably the past two months. The profiler had hoped that he and the rest of the team could have a period of calm before the next storm hit. Evidently that was not to be, at least for him and his family. His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

He placed the receiver into the phone cradle and straightened up in his chair. "Come in."

Mallory Sanchez slipped into the room. One look at her husband's face told her that he was in emotional pain, and her heart ached for him. She walked around his desk and leaned over him to plant a comforting kiss upon his forehead, before reaching out to stroke his jaw line with her fingertips. "You spoke with the doctor?"

Josiah placed his large hand over hers and sighed deeply. "Yes. The news was not encouraging though."

"I know it's not what you wanted to hear, but we'll get through this together, love. One day at a time." Her blue-green eyes showed her husband her boundless love and deep concern for him. "You are not alone, Josiah Sanchez, and I will not let you shut me out on this."

"I love you Mallory." He kissed her hand. "Now, you need to get back to work and so do I. We'll talk about this later at home." Josiah smiled at the woman that meant the world to him. The smile hid his fear that their lives were about to change. He saw her hesitate and felt a bit of encouragement was in order. "Go on, woman, CASSIE is waiting for you and we have a team meeting in fifteen minutes."

Mallory nodded, kissed him, and then left the room. Josiah watched until the door closed behind her, thinking about how important she was to him, and the difference she had made in his life. She had the ability to make him believe that everything would be all right. He prayed that she was right.

It was eight-thirty when Kelli finally arrived at MCAT. She rushed into the office, stopping long enough to dump her gear at her desk before proceeding on to the war room. There had been a major accident on the freeway as she returned from the airport, and traffic had come to a complete standstill for over forty-five minutes. Even though Buck knew she was taking her father to the airport before she came to work, she hated to be late on her first day back on the job. She hoped to be able to quietly slip into the room and find a seat without attracting any attention to herself. She really should have known better.

"Welcome back, Agent Coulter." Buck grinned when he saw her attempting to sneak into the room. "Glad you decided to join us." He knew he was probably embarrassing her, but he was so glad to see her back at work, he did not care. For a while during those terrible months of strife with the RMR he was afraid that neither she nor Vin would be coming back to the MCAT unit at all. "You can catch up after we're through. You're just in time to get your assignment for the day."

"Shoot, I reckon my timin' is off. I was hopin' to miss that part." Kelli smiled and sat down next to Josiah. She was so pleased to be here today that not even Buck's teasing would dampen her spirits.

"Commander Larabee will be back at the helm Monday Morning. Ezra is on vacation. Nathan is at a seminar for the next three days, and JD will be out for another four weeks or so. That means if you need CASSIE'S help with anything, you need to see Pam or Mallory. Captain Tanner and Agent Michaels should be back with us Thursday or Friday. In the meantime, I want us to try for a quiet week. Bones, you have your team busy already working with DPD, so carry on. Raphael, you take Saunders, bring him up to speed on our current caseload, and familiarize him with our procedures. Alex, you do the same for Garrison. Mark, you and Bandit are expected on the explosives training field in twenty minutes. Selena, you will be working with Kelli, but I need to speak with her first. That's it, you're dismissed."

Josiah nodded to Buck and disappeared quickly from the meeting room. His unusual quietness concerned Buck and made him wonder what was preoccupying his Josiah's thoughts. Saunders and Garrison had returned to the bull pen and Wilmington waited as the other agents stopped to give Kelli a personal welcome back. Once the room was cleared he asked Kelli about Chris. "Did the old man get off okay?"

"Yes, but I had the feelin' he would rather have his teeth pulled than get on that plane."

Buck laughed. "He's just having what Inez would call separation anxiety."

Kelli sighed. "I know all about that." She was already missing Jason, Andi, and the babies. So far she managed to resist the urge to call Max to check on them. She was certain however, before this day was over her resolve not to call would crumble.

"Yeah, I guess you do." Buck sat with his hip hitched onto the table and spoke seriously. "I know it's going to be a long day for you, and Chris did too. He left instructions for me to keep you busy. First off, you need to go down to the gun range and certify. Take Selena with you, she needs some practice. Then I want the two of you to go and interview a witness for the case we're assisting with. I have a feeling she hasn't told us everything she knows." He handed her a folder. "The information you need about the case is in there along with some notes of what I want you to try and find out."

"Sure, Buck." Kelli took the file.

"It's good to have you back Kel. Take it slow and don't try to catch up on everything in one day." He stood." Oh, by the way. I know you're still breastfeeding and that means you'll need a private place to…you know…Use Vin's office, he has a small refrigerator in which you can store what you need to." Buck was not a prude by any stretch of the imagination and loved to tease. However, seriously discussing the private matter of using a breast pump at work with his Vin's wife found him struggling to find the right words.

"Thank you, Captain." Kelli decided to put him at ease by keeping her answer more professional and less personal. "I appreciate your consideration." She already planned to use Vin's office to privately collect and then store the milk she would have to release during working hours. Yet if Buck wanted to think it was his idea, then that was fine with her. "We'll be at the gun range for an hour and then head out to talk to your witness." They exited the war room together and Kelli found Selena waiting for her.

"Hey partner, we have an assignment. Grab your gun and let's get to it." Kelli and Selina wasted little time leaving the office.

Buck scanned the room before he went into his office. Everyone was busy on the work he had given them to do. His eyes stopped for a moment on Josiah's closed door. He wished that Sanchez would share what was bothering him. Still, one thing he was certain of about the profiler, you did not rush him. When he was ready to talk, he would. As he went into his office he said a silent prayer asking for a nice quiet week.

Vin Tanner was past the point of wanting this assignment to be over. He had an urgent need to finish up here and get his butt back to Denver and his family. It was not that he minded working as a sharpshooter again, even though the ATF team he was working with had not exactly welcomed him and Justin as friends. They were wary about Vin and Justin's MCAT status and somewhat resentful they had to depend on another agency to fill in for their lost man. He could understand that, but it did not make the time move any faster.

However, since he had arrived in Santa Fe he had felt uneasy about something, and for the life of him he could not see clearly what it was. The dreams he had been having did not help matters either. He reckoned that calling them dreams was not an accurate description of what he had been experiencing. They were more like visions, consistent, yet sketchy and incomplete. All he knew was they were disturbing, and he had spent any free time he had looking for some answers about what he had was seeing in them.

Hours of searching for a name on the computer, and a trip to the local library had given him some information about the glimpses of images he envisioned. He called Josiah to ask for his assistance in locating an out of print book that might shed some additional light on what he had been able to piece together. For now though, he did not have enough facts to explain why he was evidently seeing something that had allegedly taken place here in New Mexico almost 140 years ago. More importantly, what in the hell did it have to do with him? Simply disregarding his night visions was not an option. Vin learned long ago not to ignore his instincts, even though he may not fully understand them, and the sooner he was home again, the better he would feel.

In the meantime, he still had a job to complete before that could happen. He stood before a table on which lay an assortment of weapons he had spent the last five hours cleaning and checking. With a little luck the meeting they had been waiting for would be set up for tonight and he and Justin could finish this assignment, do their reports, and leave for Colorado sometime tomorrow.

Justin walked into the small room. "So this is where you've been hiding. Not that I blame you, that bunch is a little hard to take on a good day, and right now they are all on pins and needles waiting for their undercover operative to call in. They're all a bit touchy."

"Touchy, hell, I've run across a few rattlesnakes friendlier than they are."

Justin chuckled. "You do have a way with words Captain. If you're about done here, I'll help you store this gear and we'll take off for lunch."

"Hell, I've been through for an hour. I just wanted to stay out of that damn bull pen." Vin was locking up the weapons as he spoke. "If one more person asks me if I'm sure I'm not out of practice, I think I'll shoot 'em."

Justin laughed while he helped Vin. "From what I have seen you do with a rifle, your skill with guns is a natural talent. You could not touch a weapon in fifty years, pick one up, and still shoot better than any man they want to throw against you. I'd trust you with my back anywhere, anytime."

Vin acknowledged Justin's remark with a nod. Even though he had spent most of the last two and a half years in a supervisory position, he knew his shooting skills were still sharp maybe even better than they ever were. The only thing that had really changed for him was he did not feel as pressured to react to others questioning his abilities as he once had. Maybe it was the maturity coming with age, or maybe it was the confidence he had gained as MCAT Captain that made a difference.

Whatever it was, it had saved some of those ATF agents in the next room from getting their asses kicked. It did annoy him, them doubting his expertise, but not enough to raise hell about it. He could almost hear Chris laugh and tell him he was getting mellow in his old age. Vin smiled at the thought. Paybacks were a bitch and lord knows he had given Larabee enough ribbing about his age to deserve getting some smartass remarks thrown back at him.

Vin closed the last locker, turning to Justin. "Tell the CO we're leavin'. I'll meet you at the elevator." Once Justin left, Tanner clipped his pager to his belt and turned it on. He fingered his cell phone, briefly considering calling Kelli to see how she was holding up on her first day back at work. His better judgment took hold though and he resisted that urge as he busied himself with locking up the equipment room. He beat Justin to the elevator by thirty seconds and after a short discussion they decided to have Mexican food for lunch. As the elevator doors closed, they were both hoping that today would be their last day in New Mexico.

Chris Larabee could not remember the last time he had felt this uncomfortable. Hell, that damn press conference last year, as disastrous as it had been, was more fun than this. It was bad enough that he had to come straight from the airport to the capital building without even seeing his hotel room. Now the questions he was being bombarded with had nothing to do with MCAT cases or the details of field work. The only thing these Senators seemed to be interested in was CASSIE. What were its capabilities? Who had programmed it? How many operators were qualified to access its recourses? Who were they and what were their qualifications? Was he given a daily report on the uses of CASSIE? What restrictions were placed on the Agents that used it? JD was the one who should be here fielding these inquiries, not him.

After two years Chris barely knew what the letters in CASSIE's name stood for, much less how it was put together and what the exact specifications of its numerous abilities were. He only knew that JD's unique computer system produced extraordinary results, and if the rest of the world knew what it was fully capable of doing, even MCAT could not place enough security on the system to safeguard it.

Daring to look at his watch Chris saw that he had thirty more minutes of this torture to endure before they adjourned for the day. His first stop when he left here was to find a private area to phone Orrin. He had one question. What in the hell had the Director gotten him into?

Joanne and Adam were sound asleep and Mallory had finished cleaning the kitchen. She dried her hands and went in search of her husband. Finding him in his study, sitting in the dark, she stood quietly in the doorway just watching him. Her thoughts raced back to the first time she had laid eyes on Josiah Sanchez seven years ago. She and Rain had become fast friends after meeting at the hospital one day and that led to her being invited to a get-together on the Larabee 7. There she had seen this big bear of a man, looking as if he could be one of the most dangerous and scary individuals she had ever met, until he smiled at her. At the time she was immersed in her career as an ATF agent, and after her disastrous first marriage the last thing she had wanted or expected was another relationship. Josiah's quiet nature and philosophical outlook on life intrigued her though. The more time she spent with this wonderful man, the more she realized how lonely her life had been. One date led to another and eventually to marriage. Joanne was a bonus neither of them expected, however they welcomed her with loving arms. Having Adam three years later they considered truly a miracle of their love.

Mallory was thankful every day for having her gentle giant to love. He was the rock she depended on in her life. Now he was in pain and needed a safe harbor for his emotions. She was determined to be there for him even knowing he would fight involving her in the battle he was facing. She moved silently across the room to his side, wrapping her arms around his neck, whispering softly to him, "I love you, big guy."

Josiah smiled. He had not believed it was possible for him to be lucky enough to find lasting love after all the years he had spent in one fleeting relationship after another. He had considered himself a fortunate man, gaining six chosen brothers and being a favorite uncle to their children, but he had resigned himself to remaining a single man. Mallory had changed that when she swept into his life like a breath of fresh air and captured his heart, mind, and soul. Joanne and Adam were the additional little miracles they had been given that completed him. His life was almost perfect as far as he was concerned, but now reality had come crashing into their family and he was determined to distance the pain he was feeling from the woman he loved. She was not making that easy to do.

Pulling her down across his lap, he gently traced the delicate features of her face with his fingertips. "You are beautiful."

Mallory knew he was trying to distract her from rekindling their conversation from this morning, but it was not going to work. "Josiah we need to talk about this. I am not going to let you take this on alone."

"Mal…"

"Don't you Mal me. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. You are not going to shut me out, and we will move forward together to get through this."

He saw the determined set of her jaw and the fiery passion in her eyes. Mallory Sanchez was a formidable woman when she made up her mind to do something, and he knew she would not be put off for one second by his façade that all was fine with him. "Okay, woman," he said, before sighing deeply, accepting that it was not going to be possible to go this one alone. "We will talk to Doctor Rivers in the morning, together." Josiah leaned over her and kissed her brow. "Are you satisfied now?"

Looking into his eyes she knew she had won. Whatever happened in the next few weeks and months they would deal with as one. Mallory grinned impishly, "Satisfied, Sanchez?" She gave him a kiss full of love and passion and her voice turned husky. "Not yet love, but I will be."

The Battalion Chief approached the two Marshals with his preliminary report. "This was definitely arson, and we found a single body inside."

"Is it male or female?" Marshal Jones asked.

"Hard to tell at this point, the coroner is in route. Maybe he can tell you more." The fire Chief flipped the pages of his report. "Neighbors say one woman lived here alone, if that helps."

"Thanks, but we're fairly certain it's the Adams woman." Jones waited until the Chief walked away and addressed his partner. "It looks as if our source was telling the truth. I usually hate to see it be one of our own. Although, in this case it will be a pleasure to see one of the mighty MCAT team fall."

JD watched the gathering clouds through the window, and felt a shiver run up his spine. *Relax,* he told himself, *It's just a storm.*

Casey quietly approached her husband, making him jump when she gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Dang it, Casey," JD grumbled. "You're getting more like Vin is about sneaking up on people."

Casey laughed, and then acknowledged the compliment that her husband had just paid her. "Thank you."

She noticed the tension on JD's face, and questioned softly, "What's wrong, honey?"

"I don't know, Case," JD replied, pulling her into his warm embrace. "I guess I never quite understood what Vin was feeling when he would say things just didn't feel right…until now. I have a weird sensation in the pit of my stomach and my instincts are telling me something is wrong. I just don't know what it is."

Casey attempted to reassure JD. "Maybe it's just being away from the day to day action in the office that has you on edge." She grinned. "Either that or the third helping you ate at breakfast is not agreeing with you."

Smiling at the love of his life, JD took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax as he replied, "You're probably right."

"Let's go play with the girls; they can brighten up the darkest day."

Pulling his wife in for a kiss first, JD winked, saying, "Yes they can." Turning away from the window and the ominous storm brewing outside the safety of their home, the two made their way down the hall to join their daughters.

Chris cursed when he heard the phone ring in the other room. He had just stepped out of the shower and was dripping wet. Snatching a towel from the stack of clean ones on the sink, he wrapped it around his waist as he raced toward the phone, and grabbed up the receiver before the ringing stopped. "Larabee," he shouted.

"Travis here, I received your message yesterday, but I wanted to have some answers for you before I called you back. Chris, I was initially told these hearings were routine evaluations of MCAT operations. The same type required of all government agencies funded by taxpayers' money. I did not expect them to be exciting, but they are a necessary evil we have consider a cost of doing business."

"I understand that, Orrin, and I know that part of my job is to sit in those boring meetings and answer questions about our procedures. All of the questions yesterday were about CASSIE, though. I get the distinct feeling this is some damn fishing expedition. There is nothing routine about it."

"You may be right. We have gone to great lengths to keep CASSIE and its capabilities low profile, and there is no reason it should be the focus of the hearings. My sources tell me that Senator Green is the one pushing that line of questions. He is also on a committee overseeing a special investigation in conjunction with the Justice Department concerning the security of government information in cyberspace. While he may be only pushing his personal agenda for political reasons, we can't take any chances this could mean specific trouble for us. I will do what I can to get you out of there ASAP, in the meantime keep your answers vague, and your temper in check."

Larabee took a deep breath and exhaled before he responded to the Director. "Don't make it too damn long, Orrin. I have a bad feeling about this."

Travis had the same feeling, prompting his next question. "Chris I remember early on you told me you ordered Dunne to install a kill switch in the CASSIE's system to keep its unique data from falling into the wrong hands." Orrin hesitated. "Is that still an option if it becomes necessary?"

"It is a standing order, Orrin. JD, Pam, and Mallory are all capable of 'pulling the plug' on CASSIE if it becomes evident its security is breeched, and will do so if the need arises."

"Let's hope it does not come to that. However, I want them prepared for any possibility." Travis would hate for it to happen, but CASSIE should only be accessible to the agents he trusted, and there were not many of them outside MCAT he held in such regard. If Cassie fell into the wrong hands… well he did not even what to think about that scenario. "I'll be in touch, Chris."

Chris slowly replaced the receiver and thought about Orrin's words. If he was concerned enough to need assurance about CASSIE'S security, it meant he knew more than what he was saying. He was glad they had not revealed the details of Camp Larabee to anyone outside the family, even to Travis. JD had CASSIE's twin up and running out there, along with satellite link ups and an assortment of other high tech systems. As far as Travis and the rest of the world knew, Camp Larabee was an auxiliary training center only, and a place they could meet when going to the office was not an option. Larabee intended to keep it that way, just in case

Vin Tanner walked into the ATF supervisor's office and laid his and Justin's reports on the man's desk. "We'll be headin' home now." Last night they concluded their assignment here in Santa Fe. It was an explosive end to a grueling case, and Vin had covered their butts in spite of their open resentment to him being there. He was anxious to leave New Mexico and get back on friendly ground again.

Agent Webster could not bring himself to say thank you for the assistance. He did nod and say, "Good job, Tanner."

It was more than Vin had expected. He exited the office and joined Justin, who was waiting for him with their gear. They had checked out of their motel earlier and nothing was holding them here one minute longer. The two MCAT agents headed to the elevator without saying a word to any of the other agents in the room. The MCAT jet was fueled up and waiting for them at the airport. After ten days away, they were on their way home.

Justin looked at his watch. "We should be back in Denver by noon."

Tanner grinned. "Yeah, and I'm ready for a couple of days of down time with my family."

"I bet you spend all your time with your kids for the next twenty fours hours." Justin knew from his own experience how much you could miss your kids while on assignment. It had always been hard for him to leave when his were little. Now that they were teenagers and not babies any longer, it was a bit easier. He still missed them, but they stayed busy and spent less time at home anyway, so he was used to not having them as dependent on him as they were when they were younger.

"I love my children and I'll spend time with them, but I am in love with my wife and we'll be havin' our own private time together." Vin was a firm believer that the more he and Kelli worked to keep their relationship strong, the better it was for them and their kids. "Kel and I made a commitment to not let the necessary routine of life take away from our time. We work at bein' us first and I know it makes us better parents because we do."

"Congratulations, Vin. You and Kelli already know what took Beth and me several years and a lot of arguing to figure out. If we're good, then the rest of the family is good. We take as much time as possible to get off on our own and our children have never felt slighted. In fact, they respect our choices and want the same type of relationship for themselves one day."

Vin nodded in agreement. He was anxious to get back to Kelli and not just because he missed her. His troubling visions had only increased over the past ten days and if he had learned anything from his grandfather, Treyton Hawk, he knew better than to ignore them. Visions did not just happen; they were coming to him for a reason, and until he knew that reason, he planned to keep a close watch on not only their children, but her too.

The rain kept falling all morning. Yet it did not stop the MCAT jet from gliding down the runway and coming in without incident. Vin and Justin grabbed their gear, thanked Mike, their pilot, and headed over to the MCAT parking lot. Vin made a quick stop at his truck to throw his gear inside and told Justin to go on home.

"I'll turn in our reports; you go on home and spend time with your Beth."

"Thanks Vin, see you tomorrow." Justin opened his car door and slid behind the wheel, while Vin hurried toward the door to the office.

"Damn, you look like a drowned rat," Buck laughed when he caught sight of a drenched Vin as he came through the door. He watched Vin's blue eyes scan the outer office, and knew he was looking for Kelli. "She's not here. I sent her and Selena out to finish up some interviews."

With a disappointed nod in response to what Buck had told him, Vin moved toward his office. He was stopped by Gunny before he reached it. The older woman's eyes lit up for a moment as she and Vin came face to face, the only acknowledgement he knew she would make to indicate she was glad he was back.. "Captain Vin, you get out of those wet clothes before you catch your death. I'll give you five minutes to change and then bring you some hot coffee, just the way you like it."

"Would you bring me a cup of coffee too, darlin'?" Buck asked her using his best smile.

"It doesn't appear to me, Captain Wilmington, that your hands are broken," Gunny replied, and stepped around him.

"Well, neither are Vin's." Buck called after her retreating back, his comment falling on deaf ears.

Vin smiled, listening to the witty exchange between the two MCAT employees as he proceeded into his office with Buck on his heels. "I'd be careful if I was you, Buck. Gunny isn't some young thing you can turn your charm on and get her to do whatever you want her to do." He retrieved a dry set of clothing from the small closet in his office.

Buck grinned at him. "Relying on my charm hasn't worked yet, and besides, if I even tried to use some of my old ways of persuasion on any other woman, young or old, Inez would chop off a certain part of my anatomy I'm particularly attached to and feed it to the birds."

Vin laughed, easily envisioning an irate Inez. Buck certainly towed the line around his fiery wife, and for good reason. He wasn't so certain he would ever want the exotic beauty mad at him either. He went into his private bathroom and shut the door behind him.

"I'll win Gunny over sooner or later," Buck yelled through the bathroom door as he waited for Tanner. "She's still a little miffed because I tried to get her to do my reports when she first arrived here. The woman can't hold that against me forever."

Vin emerged from the bathroom dressed in dry clothes, and he was using a towel to dry his long hair. "I'm givin' you our reports and then 'm out of here. I have some catchin' up to do at home."

The two men heard a slight tap on the door a moment before it opened, and Gunny entered carrying two cups of coffee. "Your coffee, Captain Vin," She set it down on his desk. "I brought one for you, too, Captain Wilmington, but don't get use to it."

"Thanks, Gunny," Vin smiled. He laughed when he turned and saw the shocked look on Buck's face when the older woman walked out the door." Close your mouth, Bucklin, and drink your coffee."

Buck took a drink from the cup and grimaced. "Damnit, she made this your way. It's strong enough to melt steel."

"You gonna complain to her?"

"No, at least she included me, and that's progress."

The door opened again and Josiah walked in carrying a small package. "Welcome home Vin." He handed him a parcel. "I got lucky and the bookstore I use was able to locate the item you wanted."

"Appreciate it, Josiah. How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing, I owe you for Jason's birthday gift you picked up for me, so now we're even." Josiah sat down in the chair opposite Buck. "Since Vin's back and things are quiet around here, Mallory and I need to take a few days leave for a short trip. We'd like to take off on Friday."

"Is everything okay with you, Josiah?" Buck leaned forward in his chair. "Anything we can do to help with whatever has kept you so preoccupied this past week?"

Josiah sighed. "Just approve a week off for me and Mal. It's nothing we can't work out."

"Take what time you need, Vin and I can handle things here until Chris gets back." Buck threw a worried glace toward Vin. "Just remember we're here, if you need us."

"I know that, Buck and if I need you, you'll be the first to know. We'll be fine." Josiah stood up to leave. "We won't be going anywhere until Friday, and should be back by the middle of next week." He left the office without further explanation.

Vin looked at Buck and asked, "Serious?"

"I don't know, he's not saying. I guess all we can do is wait and see what happens."

"Josiah keeps things close to the vest. He'll tell us when he's ready." Vin pulled out the reports from Santa Fe and handed them to Buck. "I'll be in tomorrow. Right now though, I'm goin' to the house. Tell Kel I'll see her at home."

"That's fine, but you might want to take what's in your fridge home with you. Kel left it in there before she and Selena headed out."

Vin opened the refrigerator door and saw the packets he knew contained breast milk. They had at least a three months supply of it stored in their freezer at home, but these were going to be used today. He grinned. "Perfect, I'll have an opportunity to feed the twins this afternoon, which is almost as good as havin' their mama there."

Buck laughed. "I have always considered myself a liberal thinking man when it comes to women, yet talking with Kel about using a breast pump at work had me all tongue tied. Hell, Inez does it and I think it's wonderful, but this was not just any agent I was talking to, it was your wife."

"If it makes you feel any better Buck, I'd be a bit self-conscious talkin' to Inez about it too." Vin placed the packets in his bag. "I know it's natural and I love the fact that Kel decided to do it, but talkin' to Inez or Casey or any of our women about it would seem like an invasion of privacy to me."

"Yeah," Buck grinned, "But between you and me, I wish Inez could breastfeed Tannis forever. I like the fringe benefits."

"You're preachin' to the choir, Buck." Vin laughed. "I like 'em too." He looked around to see if he had forgotten anything. "I am out of here."

Buck stood. "I'll walk out with you, and I promise to send Kel home as soon as I can." The two men parted in the bull pen, and Buck watched Vin leave.

Vin spent the afternoon working on his plan to catch up on the home front. His first stop was at the Well's Ranch to let JD know he was back. As he exited his truck, Vin took a deep breath of invigorating mountain air. There was a certain smell to the world after a cleansing rain when everything had been renewed and refreshed, nothing could compare with.

JD sat on the porch and greeted him warmly. "Welcome home, Vin. How was your trip?"

"It was too damn long as far as 'm concerned. It's good to be back." Vin sat down on the top step.

"I hear you. I hate being away for more than a day of two," JD said. "Although I remember when you and I used every scheme we could think of to wrangle a week off to go skiing, rafting or to sneak off with the bikes."

"Yeah we did." JD grinned. "We haven't done that in a while. You think we're getting too settled in our ways?"

"Buck and Chris are settled in their ways, you and I just found somethin' wild and exhilaratin' at home to keep us busy." It pleased Vin to see JD apparently doing well.

"Speaking of which, have you seen Kel yet?"

"Not yet, she's workin' in the field and I wanted to stop by and see you before I went home." Vin looked at his watch. "I need to get a move on if I want to feed the twins, and then pick up Andi and Jason from school." He stood up to leave.

JD smiled, "Better than biking or rafting ain't it?"

"Damn straight," Tanner grinned. "You take care, JD, see you later."

The next stop on Vin's list was Chris's house. He spent over an hour visiting with Grace and Cody, making sure they both knew that even though their daddy was not physically there, his spirit was with them, today in the form of an uncle who loved them both.

By two he was home in time to give Bren and Trey their afternoon feeding, while Max stayed busy in the kitchen. Sitting in the quiet of the nursery holding his sons, a feeling of peace settled over him.

He thought about the time he had been away. Ten days earlier, his visions started to come to him as a regular occurrence. Often they were obscured by a gray fog, and sometimes he saw only isolated scenes clearly. While he was not certain what had prompted them, he did know the messages being sent to him were important, even if he did not fully understand their meaning. Vin was patient though. His grandfather had taught him that all things were revealed in their own time. Often it was necessary to simply accept the presence of spirits and wait for them to speak to him when the time was right. All he could do was to keep his mind open and read the signs that were presented to him until the veils of mystery were lifted.

Vin was positive the book Josiah had found for him would shed some light on what he was experiencing. It would have to wait, though. Laying his sleeping boys in their cribs, he took one more, long look at them, before leaving to pick up Jason and Andi from school. One thing his visions had convinced him of was that it was way past time for him to tell them about their great grandfather and his teachings. There was no better time than now to start.

Andi was the first to spot his truck. She turned to her older brother with an excited smile on her face. "Jason! It's Daddy!" She took off at a run toward Vin as he stood beside the Silverado waiting for them.

Vin crouched down to catch her in his arms and spin her about for a moment, a welcoming smile creasing his lips. Andi flung her arms around his neck and let out a glee of delight. He felt another pair of arms encircle his waist when Jason joined them.

"You're home!" Jason cried out, hugging Vin tight. He loved the feel of his father's strong hand on his back.

"Yep, Daddy's home, and I thought the three of us might stop for ice cream on the way back to the ranch. Vin smiled as both children yelled their affirmative agreement to his proposal. "Then haul yourselves into the truck and let's go." Once they were securely buckled in, he slid in on the driver's side.

"Is Mom coming too?" Jason asked.

"Mom is still at work, so it's just us," Tanner grinned. "We're the three musketeers today."

"Yay! I like being an usketeer," Andi laughed, unaware that she had just given them a name that they would remember long after they were grown and had families of their own.

Vin found the Tanner uskeeteers a secluded table at the ice cream shop and listened happily to the stories his children had to tell. When they fell silent, he said, “Did I ever tell y’all I’m part Indian? Although they didn’t call themselves that since it was a derogatory name given to them by the white folks. They called themselves the People and the People I come from through my Mama are the Apaches. I thought I’d tell you about them, would you like that?"

“Oh, yes!" Andi said, eyes wide, while Jason nodded eagerly.

“Good. And while I’ll tell you about the People, I’ll also share a story or two my grandfather, Treyton Hawk, used to tell me." ” Vin smiled at his children, hoping that his grandfather’s teachings would help them as they had helped him.

Vin kept their attention for the next hour with his stories. "Okay enough for today. Let's go home and see if your Mom is there."

The FBI team rolled into the Marshals office like a tidal wave with no regard for anything or anyone in their path. The SAC informed the Marshals that they were taking over the investigation into the death of Christiana Adams.

Marshal Jones protested. "We put her into witness protection. That makes the investigation of her murder fall under our jurisdiction."

"Not anymore." FBI Agent Simon Rush slapped a judicial order on Marshal Jones' desk. "I want your files on her now and the name of your informant."

Jones hesitated. Giving them their files was one thing. Giving up the name of the man that tipped them off to her identity being compromised was asking too much. If a dirty cop was going down for this one, he wanted the U.S. Marshal's office to be the ones to do it. He opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled the disk filled with all their information on Christina Adams. "Those orders say I have to give you this, but our informant is confidential."

"You don't have a choice. I have a judge ready to sign off on arrest warrants as we speak and the authority of the Attorney General's office to do whatever is required to make it happen." Rush leaned over and lowered his voice. "You want to get into a pissing contest about who gets credit for bringing down the agent responsible for the leak, bring it on. I promise you'll lose. I want the name and location of the informant now, Marshal Jones, or the next job you have will be issuing parking tickets in Podunk, nowhere."

"We don't even have the coroner's report back yet. Are you sure…?"

"We have it and the dental records match. So, quit stalling. Where are you holding this damn informant?"

"I have two of my men with him at a safe house here in Phoenix." Jones grabbed a pen and wrote down on paper the requested information. "Here's the address." He shoved it in the FBI Agent's hand.

Agent Rush knew he had won. "Fine, my men will relieve them. As of this minute he belongs to us." He gave the order for two of his men to go to the safe house to retrieve their new informant and walked outside. He punched in a number on his cell phone to text a message. "We have retrieved the package. Our party will be in Denver by tomorrow morning."