"Little Britches" (ATF) Universe

Orrin Travis had finally exhausted his fruitless search. Nowhere could he find the zip disks that housed the information he required. Leaning back in his executive designer chair he stared at the phone on his desk.

"Go on. Ring him," urged Nathan Jackson. "We'll be here all day looking for the disks otherwise and I really don't need to get on Rain's bad side today - not with her family coming to visit."

"Nate's right," agreed Josiah Sanchez. Like Nathan and Orrin he had scoured the offices from top to bottom looking for the elusive disks.

Travis rested his head in the palm of his right hand and sighed. "It's his day off, I can't call him into the office."

"Well, we're not asking you to call him into the office - just a quick call to his home and a simple question and we're outta here," reasoned Sanchez.

Relenting Travis picked up the hand-piece and dialed the Larabee and Wilmington household.

On the second ring the phone was answered.

"Hello," a quiet little voice answered.

"Vin?" Travis asked, confirming the voice on the end of the line.

"Yes," Vin's hushed voice whispered back.

"Is Chris home?"

"Yeah, but he's busy right now."

"Who's calling, Vin?" JD asked.

"It's Mister Travis."

"Vin, is JD there with you?" Travis asked.

"Yes."

"So that means Buck is there too."

"Yup, but he can't come to the phone right now either."

Travis, thinking it was unusual that neither man could come to the phone, proceeded to ascertain the reason why. "Vin, is there another grown up in the house with you?" he asked fearing the worst - that Chris and Buck were being held against their will and only Vin and JD had access to the phone.

"Yeah, there's a policeman here," Vin replied, trying to keep JD quiet.

"A policeman? Why is there a policeman at your house?"

Not wanting to be left out of what was going on Josiah leaned over and pushed the hook button to transfer the phone to speaker.

"He's talking to Chris and Buck."

In the background sirens were heard, causing Nathan and Josiah to exchange worried glances.

"Vin, this is Nathan. Did I just hear some sirens at your house?"

"Yup. That was the fire truck and another police car."

"Three police cars," JD corrected his cousin.

"Why is there a fireman at your house?"

"Is that you Uncle Josiah?" Vin asked on hearing a new voice.

"It is. But why is the fireman there?"

"Oh, he's talking to the policeman and Chris and Buck," Vin answered seemingly unperturbed by what was going on.

Before either man could respond they heard the distinct sound of a helicopter over the phone. It sounded as though it were hovering over the house.

Afraid to ask, Travis shook his head and swallowed. "Vin, that noise we just heard, was it a helicopter?"

"A big helly-chopper!" JD squealed with delight. His enthusiasm quickly quashed when Vin hushed him.

"Yup, it's one of them big Search and Rescue helicopters."

The initial call to find out where the disks were was now forgotten. The activity at the Larabee-Wilmington household seemed to be growing by the minute. First with the police, the fire department and now the search and rescue helicopter. Putting to rest his fears, Travis took a calming breath and counted to three before speaking.

"Vin, why is the Search and Rescue helicopter at your house?"

"'Cause we're playing hide and seek and Chris and Buck can't find us," Vin answered.

~End~

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