Part 6
Buck sat in the lazy boy chair leaning back with the leg extensions out. His ankles still hung over the edge. Nathan snored on the couch and JD slept curled in front of the empty fireplace in a bed roll. Jackson and Wilmington woke him every two hours and asked him questions. At first, JD shot up disoriented searching for Ezra and reaching for a non existent gun. Those first few times had worried Buck but Nathan had assured him it was normal. It had been a rough few days and the last one had been terribly burdensome on JD. The abuse to the kid's face and head though ugly was not irreversible. JD's psyche suffered more than his physical body.
In the grey haze of twilight sleep, Buck heard Chris cross the open room toward the master bed room. Wilmington had not regretted his earlier words to Chris.
When JD had given his statement, Chris had stood by his agent's side. He had backed the kid . The simple pat on the shoulder and "Good job, JD," had done more for Dunne than any official commendation or pain medication. The kid had practically glowed. Wilmington smiled at the memory of JD's face burning crimson with a healthy mixture of pride and embarrassment when he had finally pulled himself together and exited the kitchen.
Buck had simply nodded his head to Chris in thanks. Buck had then further embarrassed the kid with his good natured remarks as Larabee left the house to check security for himself.
Now, in the winter blackness of five in the morning, Wilmington watched as Chris slid across the main room to the hall. Instead of heading immediately for the master bedroom, Larabee disappeared toward the spare room.
Josiah's snores vibrated behind the closed door.
Chris quietly pushed open the slightly ajar door. The leader of team seven leaned into the room letting his eyes adjust to the darkness.
Diablo raised his head from the small of Standish's back. Chris held up his hand silently telling the dog to stay.
Josiah slept in a chair, his feet propped on the bed, his back to the wall on the far side of the bed. A sig rested on the night stand within easy reach of the profiler.
Larabee quietly slipped into the room to get a glimpse at Standish. Chris paused at the sound of a cocking gun.
"Jist me Josiah," the leader of team Seven had not even noticed the big man move.
"Shouldn't startle a man like that Brother," Sanchez rested the gun back on the night stand.
Larabee nodded in agreement and kept moving to the side of the bed Standish slept curled.
"He wake up at all?"
"Blinked a few times, mumbled for JD, couldn't make out anything else," Josiah nestled back down in the chair closing his eyes. "Moved around some" Josiah paused and finally added, "JD did a good job."
"I know."
"You tell him?"
Chris sighed and dropped his gaze to his shoes with a half smile, "Yeah." Was he the only one who did not see the need to congratulate JD?
"Good." There was a pause and the sounds of Josiah settling back in his chair, "JD packs a Hell of a punch," Sanchez soft chuckle rumbled across the room.
Chris smiled nodding. He could just make out the new bruises on the side of Ezra's jaw.
Larabee kept his attention on his undercover agent. He reached out a tentative hand, to reassure himself, perhaps to reassure Standish? Larabee hesitated then curled his fingers into a loose fist and let it fall to his side. He stared at his agent for a moment longer before turning and leaving the room as silently as he had entered.
Josiah watched him, wondering why it seemed so difficult to show open concern.….
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He blinked, noticed his fingers curled slightly before his face and blinked again. He unfurled his fingers. They moved slowly and stiffly almost creaking with the hesitant methodical use. One hand shifted slightly off the other and flopped to the mattress. It was then Ezra came to some startling realizations.
He could see. More importantly he was awake though grudgingly so if he were to listen to his body. Even more surprisingly, no duct tape ensconced his wrists.
Ezra furrowed his brow. Lids dragged heavily across dull eyes. With undo effort, he blinked and continued to focus on his free hands. He had two. Good.
Something warm pressed against his lower back. It puzzled him somewhat, but he wasted no time on it. He couldn't see it so in truth his befuddled mind immediately forgot it.
He drew in a deep breath, feeling his ribs expand and collapse with drugged apathy. The chore of breathing seemed too much. Thank goodness for reflex.
If his wrists were free perhaps his ankles were uninhibited as well. He considered moving for a moment or two. After a bit, he successfully shifted an exceedingly heavy leg. The upper leg moved and slipped to the mattress with a settled thud. It would not be moving again any time soon.
His kidnappers had gotten sloppy. No blind fold, no bindings and he was awake.
Ezra sighed again, dragging in another slow deep breath. His ribs collapsed easily expelling used air. It seemed, he should do something about his situation.
He blinked staring dumbly at his slightly bent fingers. Perhaps escape. Yes, he would make his escape and find the others….JD…had been standing in the rain…..JD?…Mr. Dunne would get him to safety …..
Ezra's eyelids fluttered closed, despite his half hearted attempt to keep them open. He just needed a moment, a few minutes, and then he would make his escape…..Find JD and perhaps avoid getting cold and wet…
Chris sat forward in the rocker Josiah had abandoned a half an hour ago. He watched silently as Standish moved again. With some amusement, he watched as Standish opened his eyes, wiggled his fingers and shifted a foot. The amusement fizzled when Ezra drifted off again.
Nathan had explained earlier, in the kitchen, it would be a day or two before Standish beat what flooded his system. He had been dosed long and heavy. It would take some time for him to get all four cylinders back on track. Buck had chuckled and said they had been waiting for years for that to happen.
Chris smiled at the recent memory.
The grey light of a rainy morning bled dimly through the house windows. Rain still slanted against the house but without the punishing wind driven force of last night.
The others had already made and cleaned up breakfast. JD sat in the office adjacent to Larabee's room working on the computer. He was tracing a Peter Montague.
Josiah and Nathan relieved two of the men standing watch last night. Vin and Buck spent the morning cleaning and checking weapons. Chris didn't bother questioning their actions.
The team worked best together if they kept busy. Tranquil down time put pressure on their relationships. Pranks normally reared their heads. He stretched twisting his torso working the kinks from cold stiff muscles. Larabee had had no intentions of sitting in a rocking chair watching one of his men sleep. Josiah, however, had other intentions. Somehow the older agent coerced Chris into filling a turn at watching over Ezra.
Chris rubbed his face and sighed. He grew tired of waiting. He had his fill of waiting for Schwans to make his next move, weary of waiting for someone else to find the kidnappers, and certainly tired of waiting for Ezra to completely wake up. Damn man would sleep until the next scheduled holiday if he could get a way with it.
Larabee, in a classic fit of impatience, leaned forward and nudged Standish's raised shoulder non to gently. It was time to get moving.
Nothing happened.
"Come on Ezra, time to wake up," He prodded Standish's shoulder with a little more vigor.
Chris did not expect much of a reaction. In fact, knowing his undercover agent such as he did, Larabee never suspected Standish could move with any speed from a semi-conscious state.
When the fist smashed into his jaw and sent him backward, he was shocked. The blow was not enough to hurt him, stun him, yes, with its suddenness but certainly not damage him. It was the off balanced head butt to the side of his cheek that crashed him to the ground.
That did hurt.
Larabee reached for his battered face as a groggy terribly unbalanced body tried to step over and around him and make for the door.
The grey clad sweat legs nearly made it. One foot lifted and came down with hopes of contacting the floor. Instead, a wobbly heel settled heavily on the meaty calf of Larabee.
Chris let out a yelp and rolled away from weight. Standish already swam in a maelstrom of ataxic disorientation and rolled with the sudden movement crashing to the floor.
Both men started a mad scramble.
Ezra dug his fingers into the wood floor and tried to crawl his way free, occasionally snapping a back heel at anything that grabbed at his leg.
Larabee rolled onto his stomach and latched onto Standish's leg only to get his hand kicked.
"Gawd damn it! Ezra calm down!" Chris leaped onto all fours diving onto Standish's lower body trying to pin the escaping man. He clutched to sweat pant material trying to gain purchase.
He received a glancing bare foot to the side of the head for his trouble.
"Ezra! Damnit! Cut it out!" Larabee kept his head tucked low and settled his weight on the flailing legs effectively pinning Standish.
Ezra didn't hear any words. He only recognized someone shouting and suddenly finding himself trapped again. He would not go down without a fight. This was his one shot to get away. No more duct tape, no more blind folds and no more dark holes.
An image of JD swam in his vision. JD telling him it would be ok. He'd take care of everything. "JD!" Ezra's scream rent through the morning air without him realizing he articulated anything.
He had to find JD, wait for his head to clear and then help Mr. Dunne…do whatever it is Mr. Dunne does….
Ezra flopped left and right. He kicked and struggled with his legs while digging his fingers into the wood floor trying to pull himself from the maniac trapping his legs.
He needed to escape, get away. He would not be held against his will again. A determined roar boiled from the depths of his chest, "Nooo!"
He lashed back with his foot and hit something soft and moveable. An audible gasp of pain issued from somewhere behind him. Unfortunately, the grip holding him fast tightened instead of loosening.
Larabee squeezed his eyes shut and lost his wind. Oh God, Oh God… he was going to die…and then he was going to kill Standish.
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JD bolted from his chair at the first thud and cry. He dashed into the hall following Buck and Vin. Both men had their guns drawn as they barged into the guest bedroom.
Diablo lay on the bed staring back at them. On the floor clawing to escape, lay Standish with Larabee curled across his lower legs.
Chris was not looking to spry. A sheen of sweat covered his suddenly grey features.
"Geezus, Ezra," Buck knelt down in front of the struggling agent. Standish had his shoulders raised and hunched over his elbows trying to draw himself closer to the door frame.
"Ezra, pard', relax its us," Vin holstered his weapon, looked to Larabee, cringed and then turned his attention back to the undercover agent that apparently did not see them.
Buck grabbed one of Ezra's wrist's, to loosen the blanched grip on the floor. "Come on Ezra wake up….its us."
The words did not register but the touch did.
Standish lashed out with his 'free' hand and slapped Wilmington's hand away. Realizing his captives were back in numbers, Ezra rolled onto his side and swiped at Buck's leg. He knocked Wilmington's foot out from underneath himself and had the taller man trying to capture his balance by dropping his hands to the floor. Ezra snapped his head up just barely missing the underside of Buck's jaw.
"Easy Ezra….come on take it easy," Vin dove into the fray and quickly wrapped his legs and arms around Standish's upper body trapping the arms. "Its us Ezra….come on…its us," Tanner clenched his teeth when the back of Standish's head slammed his sternum.
"Its me, Ole Buck," Wilmington tried to smile reassuringly, "Vin and Chris too….Hell Ez…JD's here."
Standish continued to wiggle and fight despite the sudden loss of physical freedom. Nothing registered. Just more hands and bodies trying to keep him prisoner. Voices called to him, tried to smother him with false patience, just as they had that night they took him from in front of his apartment.
All he had to do was escape and find JD. It seemed so simple. JD was in the rain…in the dark…holding them at bay. He just had to find JD.
"JD!"
JD suddenly snapped to life. The others were making things worse by fighting, "Geezus, guys let'im go….back off!" Dunne knelt in front of Ezra as Buck shuffled out of the way. "Hey Ez, right here," JD grabbed either side of Standish's head and held it still forcing the undercover to look in his direction, "I'm right here, Ez…See? Its me… JD…ya alright….promised ya I'd make sure you'd be alright."
Dunne watched as Standish blinked slowly. Muscles gradually lost some of their tension and he sagged against Vin. Vin nor Larabee relinquished their grips. They had played too many card games with Standish, not to be weary of a bluff.
"JD?" The thick drawl drew out the initials. JD stood in the rain…he kept the shadows at away…The dark image kept replaying in his mind.
"Right here Ez, Buck and Chris and Vin too," JD smiled a little and made a point to look around the small guest room. "Yer in Chris's guest room…remember? Last night?…" JD shook his head and chuckled a little, "I mean early this morning?…you remember any of it?"
Standish now leaned heavily against the sharpshooter. The dilated eyes searched the room, resting on Buck for a moment and then the dog on the bed. Muscles quickly lost their strength and endurance. Limbs became too heavy to move. With the immediate excitement over, malaise flooded his system causing him to slump further.
He focused on the black dog on the bed, trying to make sense of where it came from. He did not own a dog and neither did his kidnappers. Did JD own it?
"Is that a dog on my bed?" He closed his eyes tiredly trying to resist the lethargy that tugged at him.
"I don't remember you renting this room out," Chris hissed still tightly curled in his spot down on Standish's lower legs.
"Yes, well," Ezra paused trying desperately to catch his breath and make sense of his surroundings. Last he remembered was driving home from the office, then the dark hole and some rain. JD standing in the rain…. Now Larabee's house….. "If you gentlemen would be so kind as to release me…"
"You gonna quit trying to run?" Vin didn't want to risk an injury like Chris's. Standish merely nodded his head.
Chris simply rolled off Standish's legs and Vin unclasped his arms and legs.
"Thank you." Ezra closed his eyes and felt himself teeter to the side.
JD and Buck easily grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feet. For a moment, the world turned black and white spots danced and swam in his vision. He suddenly felt lightheaded. JD was talking to him from down a long tunnel….asking him if he wanted to lay down.
"No, just stood to fast," He did not bother wrestling his arms free of either grip.
JD and Buck waited a moment and could tell when Ezra's vision cleared. Color came back to his face and his legs took more of their own weight.
"You boys going to be alright in here?" Wilmington cringed gazing at Larabee. Chris still lay curled on the bedroom floor, his knees to his stomach. Tanner sat leaning against the wall and simply nodded.
"Maybe bring back some ice for Chris," The sharpshooter did not bother hiding his mirth.
"Shut up, Vin," Larabee breathed out.
Tanner leaned against the bedroom wall, "Ya probably deserved it," The sharpshooter stared at his huddled friend and squinted in accusation, "knowing you….ya probably woke'im up before he was good n'ready…." Vin sighed, "Dumb Larabee….really dumb."
"Shut up," Chris squeezed his eyes closed against the abusive burning.
Tanner laughed, "Make me."
"Oh I will," Chris cinched himself tighter around his cupped hands, "later."
Buck and JD walked behind Ezra as they headed for the kitchen. Occasionally one or both of them would side step in time with Standish or grab his elbow when his balance faltered or he headed straight for a piece of furniture or wall.
"Whoa there pard'," Buck gently latched onto Standish's arm and carefully redirected him away from the corner of the pool table. Damn were his eyes even open? Nathan wanted them to get some Gatorade into Ezra when he woke, no better time than the present.
JD grinned as he grabbed Ezra's other elbow to keep the undercover agent from swiping into the pool rack on the wall. The slight maneuver had Ezra hooking his heel with his other foot and stuttering slightly in his walk. His legs bent like soft rubber. "Easy Ez."
For his part, Ezra merely shuffled his feet along occasionally crossing his legs when his course was suddenly redirected. He concentrated on the kitchen door and figured the swaying of the room would eventually fall into synch with the swirling in his head. So far no luck.
Just as the three of them reached for the door, the door exploded in toward them.
"Federal Agents!…..On your knees!" face shielded helmeted agents stormed the living room from the kitchen and front door. Weapons were brought to bear on Buck and JD.
Both JD and Buck froze keeping their hands still and in plain sight.
"Ease down! Ease down," A muffled voice commanded, weapons hesitantly dropped and relaxed stances assumed.
"Mornin' boys and girls," Buck smiled tightening his grip on Standish. He noted the tension in the flexed muscles under the sweat suit.
"Jeezus Wilmington, what the Hell was going on in here?" The leader of the guard detail removed his helmet, "it sounded like someone stormed the place."
"Hell no," Tanner grinned slipping out of the bedroom, "Larabee got his panties in a knot and woke Ez up before he was good and ready," Vin slid into the living room quietly chuckling at the men armed for war. Anyone trying to storm Larabee's place today would be in a world of hurt. The sharpshooter patted Standish's shoulder on his way by, "Ain't that right Ez?"
Ezra flinched at the touch, "JD?" the low hesitant question only reached the immediate three surrounding the undercover agent. The southerner stared at the two dark blue clad agents that barred the kitchen door, blocking an avenue of potential escape.
"Right here Ez," Dunne tightened his hold, "You're alright, They're the good guys." JD tried to make eye contact with the half hooded gaze. Standish merely nodded heavily.
Buck and Vin easily read the apprehension and confusion. Damn if Nathan wasn't right about the effects of the sedation. Ezra's ability to process information seemed to have stalled. JD's very presence made all the difference. Especially now, with a group of heavily armed individuals hidden by helmets, enshrouded in blue jump suits, facing them with weapons.
"JD," Buck motioned with his head toward the kitchen door. Get him out of here. If they pushed Standish now, the squirrely son of a bitch might just pull another disappearing act. Or at least try.
O'Grady caught Tanner's look and nodded, "Ok boys, let's go back and secure the area,"
Jim tossed a smile in Standish's direction, "Hey, Reb, you get tired of these ugly cusses, ya come on out and work with us." Ezra stared at the agent with a confused expression and a half smile that seemed unsure.
"Who you callin' ugly O'Grady?" Larabee's low voice snaked from the guest bedroom.
Buck quickly whispered the natures of Chris's injury, loud enough to get the whole room to laugh.
"Reb, you get all your oars in the water and I'll buy you a beer." Jim O'Grady laughed again and herded his men toward the doors, "Oh Larabee, I heard they're looking for a new solo act for the Choir at Sanchez's church."
There was a pause and finally, "You're a dead man O'Grady…A dead man."