One Day in the Forest

Four Bears Camp
Angeles Crest National Forest
California

The sun peeked through the gloomy clouds to shine on Four Bears camp, nestled in the mountains of the Angeles Crest forest. The camp was composed of a General Store, a few vehicles and six small canvas cabins. Two young men dressed in jeans, windbreakers and baseball caps emerged from their tiny cabin and headed towards the General Store for breakfast.

JD Dunne and Rafe Mosely looked around the little cabin that served as the main office for the camp. Mary Travis, who ran Four Bears, also lived in the back of the store. She was currently stocking the newspaper bin with a recent issue of the "Los Angeles Times" when the boys walked in to get breakfast.

"How are you two today?" she asked them, her bright blue eyes shining.

"Fine," said JD. "We're thinking of heading out on the Skull Rock trail today," he added as he picked up some Power Bars and fruit from one of the baskets on the counter top.

"That's a nice hike," Mary replied. "It should take you about 2 hours," she added as she watched Rafe rummage for food in the two refrigerators she had set up in the back of the shop.

"Round trip?" asked Rafe as he poked his head out from behind the door to look at the blonde woman. His light brown hair poked out in multiple directions from underneath his hat.

Mary looked back at him and smiled, "one way."

Rafe gaped at his college roommate pleadingly as he shut the door to the refrigerator. He held three cold sub sandwiches.

"Oh come on!" said JD, flustered. He pulled off his hat and ran his hand through his thick black hair. "I bet even Ms. Travis' 6 year old son Billy can do it, why can't you Rafe?"

Rafe shook his head and said, "I'm just not cut out for this stuff JD. You know I love the city."

"Yeah well, I came here to get away from Los Angeles, all right?" replied JD with determination.

Rafe shrugged his shoulders and looked over at Mary, "Ms. Travis? Can Billy really do the trail?"

She nodded and smiled, "in fact, he even named it," she added with a bit of pride.

Rafe groaned as JD laughed at his friend's sudden expression of dread.

The screen door to the cabin jingled to life as another camper entered the little room.

"Morning Josiah," Mary said with a warm smile.

"Mary," said the tall man, tipping his baseball cap.

"Hey!" Rafe exclaimed, "you're that spiritual guide guy! I've seen you on TV all the time!" He could barely contain his excitement.

JD forcibly nudged his friend, "Rafe, gees. You of all people live in LA! You even grew up there, you'd think you'd be used to seeing people from TV occasionally. Sorry Mr. Sanchez, he's a little excitable," JD said turning to Josiah to give him a sheepish grin.

Josiah cast a knowing glance at Mary and then smiled at JD, he was impressed with the youth's particularly calm demeanor. Then he turned to Mary, glancing briefly at Rafe, whose light brown eyes twinkled and said, "he's sort of like your little Billy huh?"

Mary and JD giggled as Rafe's face dropped.

"Josiah, this is JD and Rafe," she said introducing them. "These two boys came up here to get away from the city and UCLA," she said with a quirk of her eyebrow.

Josiah let loose a low easy laugh, he too pulled off his baseball cap and scratched at his curly, short cropped, graying hair. "I come up here myself, every six months to get away," he explained, turning his cap in his hands.

"From your followers Mr. Sanchez?" JD asked the big man, in astonishment.

"No, no. From the city too," Josiah smiled. "Mary's really good about keeping things quiet, so I come up here every now and then," he rumbled happily.

"Oh, it's beautiful up here," stated JD appreciatively.

"That it is," agreed Josiah, as he watched the two younger men who seemed barely twenty-one.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get going on that Skull Rock trail," interrupted Rafe grumpily. "I hope I have enough food," he said to no one in particular as he took the loaded bag of sandwiches that Mary had just packed for him.

JD shook his head and pulled his hat back on.

"Boys," Mary added as they were leaving, "don't be out too late, I hear the sunshine won't last long." JD nodded, smiling briefly at Mary and Josiah as he followed his friend out to the trail head.

Federal Bureau of Investigations
Washington DC
Assistant Director Orin Travis' Office

"Morning Nora," said Chris Larabee as entered the front office. "5:30's a little early for you isn't it?" he questioned.

The young auburn haired woman just gave him a nervous smile. "Agent Larabee," she replied in greeting, "you can go right in."

Chris nodded back quickly, remembering the urgency in his supervisor's voice when he called his apartment earlier. He knocked lightly on the AD's door before hearing the invitation to enter office. Closing the door gently behind him, Chris turned to see the AD sitting as if lost in thought. The shades were drawn, casting long pale shadows across the furniture and the older man seated at his desk.

"Sir?" Chris asked in worry.

AD Travis looked at him then. He'd just called the tall blonde agent a half an hour ago, and here he was. Already dressed in the usual dark suit and tie the FBI was known for. "You did good work on the Anderson case Agent Larabee. Chris," he added as an afterthought and grew silent again.

Chris studied him for a moment, noticing the dark circles under his bosses' eyes, the slight frown and rumpled clothing. He asked, "when was the last time you slept Orin?"

The AD smirked. "Does it show that much?" he asked back.

Chris nodded.

AD Travis sighed heavily, "it's my grandson Chris. You know my son died two years ago." Chris nodded, feeling his own loss of his son Adam and his wife, Sarah. "I got a warning, the men that killed him are going after my daughter-in-law and my grandson. 'Retribution' they say." He looked at Chris with sad tired eyes. "My son Steven and I put their murdering drug boss, Stewart James in prison and they want to kill what's left of my family," he said bitterly.

Chris watched as the AD put a framed picture he'd been holding of his son and his family back on his desk. "Is that why I'm here?" he asked.

The AD nodded, "off the record, I need a favor Chris. You're the best; you're whom I trust. I need you to go and protect them both. I'll send backup when you get there."

Chris exhaled softly and brought his hand up to rub his chin. "Consider it done," he said.

Later, same day
Ranger Station 12 (Special Search and Rescue Unit)
Angeles Crest National Forest

Chris walked into the tiny ranger's office. He'd opted for more comfortable clothes, since he anticipated spending the next few days camping. Jeans and a flannel button down shirt, and he almost felt normal. Lydia McCaffrey, head Ranger of Unit 12, Search and Rescue, greeted him.

"So what interest does the FBI have here, Agent Larabee?" Lydia asked curiously as she brushed a stray piece of her curly light brown hair out of her brown eyes.

"I'm actually here to help a friend," Chris replied cryptically.

When he offered no more, Lydia gave up and decided to get him on his way. He was giving her the creeps just by looking at her. She pulled a green ranger's jacket over her khaki uniform. "Give me a minute, I'll get you set up," she told him as she left the room to talk to another ranger.

Chris nodded and studied the office equipment. Maps of different ridges and mountain slopes adorned the office walls. Computers, phones, radios, normal office equipment darted the desktops. One computer screen drew his attention. It was a map of a slope with a red dot moving slowly along it. It looked to Chris to be a type of Global Positioning System.

Lydia noticed his interest.

"This a GPS?" he asked.

Lydia nodded, "we've got one on our ranger out there, so she knows where she is and so do we. Our link up to the Satellite comes in real handy. Gives us a chance to keep track of our trails and roads, especially with the number the weather has been pulling on us."

Chris nodded back and followed Lydia as she grabbed her hat and guided him outside the station. She then led Chris to a sheer rock wall located next to the office.

"Tanner!" she yelled and noticed Chris didn't even flinch. His hazel eyes watched her steadily.

"Yeah?" came a voice from above and Chris looked up to see a man with long hair in a tank top and khaki shorts, hanging on the stone wall, 15, 20 feet up.

"Get down here," Lydia said.

"Yes Ma'am. Be right down!" yelled back the man.

They stood watching his descent. "He's not using any equipment," Chris noted, not hiding his amazement.

"Never does, just a bag of chalk powder and climbing shoes," Lydia said matter-of-fact.

When he finally joined them, Lydia started, "got a Fed here needing you to take him up to Four Bears. Vin Tanner, this is Agent Chris Larabee." She watched as the two shook hands instantly getting along.

Vin looked at her and said, "weather's not gonna be good for much longer."

She smiled then. "I know. That's why you're taking him up," she said chuckling at his expression as she left them.

Vin just shook his head and then turned to Chris and said, "I'll change and get my gear."

In a few minutes, they were off, bumping along the road that led up to the camp in Vin's 4 wheel Jeep. Vin glanced over at Chris, "mind telling me what you're here for?" he asked conversationally.

Chris eyed him curiously and saw that Vin now wore his Ranger uniform. Trusting his instincts about Vin's competence, he decided to fill him in on the purpose of his trip to the mountains.

Vin nodded in understanding of the information that Chris was giving him concerning Mary. "We'll be there within 45 minutes," informed Vin, showing his own concern.

Chris looked at his watch, 4:54pm. "Should be fine," he said, hoping that he was right.

1 mile from Four Bears Camp

Two figures moved stealthily in the darkening forest. The rain had started to fall. The first figure spoke in a whisper, "their ETA is 1 hour." The second figure nodded back, then took aim and fired a silenced shot at his target.

Ranger Station 12

The red dot on the computer screen blinked along a slope that was part of a common trail in the Angeles Crest forest. Lydia had been checking on it every 15 minutes. As she turned away to handle a distress call the red dot disappeared.

Four Bears Camp
General Store

"Momma? When's Dr. Jackson and his family getting up here?" asked Billy who had been watching the rain. He pulled his blond head away from the window to look at his mom.

"I don't know honey, looks like we're going to have a big storm soon. Maybe they'll be delayed," Mary said as she looked out the window too.

"Does that mean I won't see Olivia or Samuel?" the boy asked disappointed that he wouldn't get to see his playmates.

"You'll get to see them honey. Just not as soon," his mother said soothingly.

JD and Josiah entered the shop once more, shaking the rain from their coats. They spent some time talking to Mary and Billy. JD filled them in on his trail hike with Rafe and Josiah told them of tales of his shows. Their conversations were interrupted when they heard a gunshot. The four of them looked out of the little window of the cabin and saw a man shoot Rafe dead on. JD's scream of anguish was quickly cut off by Josiah's hand over his mouth. The two men, Mary and Billy quickly ducked out of view. When they peered out again, they saw two men. One held another man at gunpoint, but in the sudden darkness of the storm, it quickly became unclear what was going on.

"Billy," Mary grabbed her son. "Stay here, you know how to use the radio, remember? Call Lydia, tell her what's going on."

Billy's eyes went wide as he nodded frantically. Mary unlocked the closet and pulled out two rifles. She looked at both stunned men. "JD?" she asked looking at him.

The boy searched her eyes briefly and nodded and took one rifle from her. "You don't live in LA and not know how to use one of these," he said flatly.

Mary looked at Josiah next. He took the gun from her, and asked, "you keep these for hunting right?"

She looked at him grimly. Something in the way Mary looked at both men told them that she had expected this.

He responded by saying, "I was in the Vietnam War. I can do this. You should stay back here."

Mary didn't reply and went to the closet again. She pulled out another rifle, and Josiah saw that she was intent on joining them.

The two figures in black stood waiting for their presence to be noticed. The boy they had shot earlier was not quite dead, but soon would be. Their captive struggled.

Josiah exited the General Store slowly, making his presence known. He surreptitiously slipped the rifle next to him so that it leaned on his leg, happy that he wore a loose coat to help hide the gun. He raised both arms trying to show them he was unarmed and stood at the top of the steps.

"What can I do for you gentleman?" he asked, trying to take hold of the situation.

"Where's the Travis woman and the boy?" asked the first figure.

"What do you want?" asked Josiah back.

"We want to see her and the boy. If she doesn't come out, Dr. Jackson here will pay the price," he said.

Mary stood inside the cabin with her fist balled up, and her knuckles turning white.

"Why you?" asked JD quietly.

"Long story," she said quickly. "Stay with my son, keep him safe. If I don't come back, see that you both get through to the Ranger Station." That was all Mary said before she stepped out the door, not affording JD the chance to stop her.

She stepped out behind Josiah and descended the stairs. Mary pulled her raincoat tightly around her with one hand and gripped the rifle in the other.

"What are you doing?" Josiah asked in a harsh whisper.

She ignored him and instead spoke to the men, "let Dr. Jackson go please, he has a family."

Pleased that Mary had finally appeared, the second figure asked snidely, "what about your son? Isn't he your family?"

"Yes he is. But so was my husband, and you took him away. I won't let you get my son too," Mary spoke with determination.

Half a mile from Four Bears Camp

"It thought you said your Jeep was trustworthy?" asked Chris as he pulled his pack from the back of Vin's Jeep.

"Guess I was wrong," Vin said sheepishly.

Chris shook his head in mild amusement as the duo stepped lightly through the rain.

Ranger Station 12

Lydia returned to the computer screen to find that the red dot had disappeared. Another ranger entered the small office and she nodded a frustrated greeting. "Have you heard from Greer?" Lydia asked with a worried frown. When the ranger shook his head back negatively, she picked up the radio and attempted to contact her.

"This is Station 12, Greer, come in," Lydia said. "Greer? Come in please," she tried again. "Terry? You all right out there?" Lydia sighed when she got no response after several minutes of trying.

"Anything?" the other ranger had asked.

Lydia shook her head when another call came in. The radio crackled and buzzed, as a young boy's voice could be heard. "This is Four Bears, Lydia? Lydia, it's me, Billy. Ma and me need help Lydia, please!" came Billy's urgent call.

Lydia quickly picked up the radio, "Billy? Honey? It's Lydia, what's wrong?"

"There are bad men here Lydia, send help, please!" Billy rushed on.

"Billy -- " but Lydia was cut off, the lights and the radio panels went out briefly before the spare generator kicked in. "Great!' she moaned. She tried the radio once more, flipping the switches and turning the knobs, "Billy, Billy? Are you there?" There was no response and Lydia breathed an exasperated sigh. "What -- " she started to ask when the door was suddenly, violently kicked in. A group of men with guns rushed in and quickly moved to detain Lydia and two other rangers, ruthlessly beating them and knocking them out cold.

Four Bears Camp

"What's she doing?" asked JD, muffled through the door.

"Distracting them," Josiah said appraisingly as he watched as Mary bravely confronted the men, "did Billy get through?"

"No, is Mary's distraction working?" JD asked.

Josiah watched, then replied, "yeah."

"So what do we do?" JD asked growing impatient.

"Reinforcements are here," Josiah said quietly. "Be ready when I say so, where's the boy?" he asked as he heard the muffled sounds of JD's movement behind the door.

"Locked in the closet," said JD, "he wouldn't keep still."

Josiah smiled.

Outside of Four Bears Camp
Camp Parking Lot

Chris and Vin ended up hiking for half a mile to camp. When they heard the gunshot they hurried their pace and quietly approached, hiding among the few cars in the lot.

Chris scanned the camp and quickly evaluated the situation. Vin surreptitiously made eye contact with Mary and Josiah. Once Chris was sure everyone would relatively know what to do, he acted.

+ + + + + + +

"Now!" yelled Josiah as he and JD came leaping from the steps of the General Store, guns in hand.

Chris stepped from the shelter of a car and took out the first man easily with his gun. The second man quickly shoved Dr. Jackson aside, hitting the black man with the butt of his gun. He reached for Mary, but instead of using her as a shield from the anticipated gunfire, she dropped her gun and tackled him, knocking his weapon free. Chris, Vin, Josiah and JD held their fire, and watched in awe as Mary proceeded to kick the attempted attacker's butt. Even in the rain, Mary was able to move with force, delivering swift and deadly kicks to render the man useless. When he was finally fallen she looked up at the shocked expressions of the men surrounding her.

Mary ignored them and rushed over to Nathan.

"Nathan?" she asked helping him to sit up.

"Yeah?" he asked groggily, reaching up to rub his hand behind his head.

"Are you all right?" Mary asked giving him support as he tried to stand.

He coughed. "Just got the wind knocked out of me," he said, straightening his raincoat.

"Where's Rain? The kids?" Mary asked concerned.

Nathan gave her a small smile, "thankfully trapped in Diamond Bar."

Mary nodded back, relief evident in her features.

They both turned to see JD sitting hunched over his friend's prone form. Josiah was with him. Nathan hurried over to see if there was anything left he could do but he had seen earlier where the bullet entered and with the amount of blood loss, there was no hope for Rafe.

"I'm sorry," he told JD after looking over the body.

JD sobbed as Josiah laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

+ + + + + + +

A few minutes later, they had the body of one of the assailants and Rafe put into one of the empty cabins. The surviving attacker was bound and gagged as he was tied to a chair. Chris, Josiah, Vin and Nathan stood in the canvas cabin waiting for Mary to check up on Billy. She left him with JD, who promised not to lock him in the closet again.

When she entered the cabin, Josiah looked at her with a questioning look.

"What?" she asked the big man, "I took kickboxing lessons. A woman's got to know how to protect herself," she replied sensibly, knowing exactly what the spiritual leader was going to ask.

"I thought that was what the rifles were for?" he said ruefully.

She shook her head and turned to Vin as he asked her, "you all right Mary?"

Mary looked at him and smiled. "Vin! Don't ever let me tell you that you don't visit enough," she said.

He smiled back and gestured towards Chris, "this here is Agent Larabee."

Mary also gave him a smile and then a questioning look, "Orin sent you? We could've handled it ourselves."

Chris just gazed back at her, even in her drenched state she was as beautiful as he remembered from the AD's picture. He smiled slightly and said, "I can see that." Then his look turned serious, "but Orin asked me to."

Mary nodded back in acknowledgment, knowing full well that there was no stopping Billy's grandfather from feeling the need to protect them.

Nathan cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "What do we do with him?" he said indicating that the second attacker was already gaining consciousness.

"I'll handle it," said Chris as he looked at the doctor.

5 miles from Four Bears Camp

"Aw man! I can't believe they messed with all the cars!" groaned JD as he, Josiah, Nathan, Vin, Chris, Mary and Billy hiked through the dark wet forest.

"Believe it. They're professionals," Chris said, silently cursing himself for not anticipating the action sooner.

"Are you sure about their numbers?" asked Josiah.

"Yes, they're pissed off. They wanted to be sure to make Orin suffer and they're not taking any risks." Chris paused and looked ahead to Vin, "are you sure this is the easiest way back Vin?" The rain had started to fall heavier.

"Yup," he replied confidently. "We should be at the main roadway in 20 minutes. Even in this weather. El Nino messed up several trails but this should be the easiest way back," he informed them.

"How's Billy?" Chris asked Mary, who had been carrying the little boy in her arms for part of the way.

"Cold!" the boy replied.

Nathan and Josiah chuckled.

"Here, let me take him," said Chris. He could tell Mary was about to protest, but Billy's reaching hands indicated that he wanted a lift from Chris. Mary handed him over.

"We'll be there soon honey," said Mary in an attempt to comfort the boy.

In a Semi carrying Buck Wilmington, 2 time Long Beach
Auto Racing champion and his formula racing car "Beavis"
Angeles Crest Freeway

Virgil gripped the steering wheel tightly and looked up at his reflection in the rearview mirror. Noting the wrinkles and gray hair, he knew he was too old to be doing this type of stuff. He watched in envy as his boss dozed in the seat next to him and decided not to give him the chance to sleep. He figured that if he had to stay up and drive the monster of a truck in the horrible weather they were having on slippery, winding roads in the mountains, he should have someone keep him company.

"So tell me again why we took this route?" Virgil asked loudly knowing his question would have the desired effect.

Buck jumped in his seat and said, "Virgil! Hell, I was just about to - look out!"

Virgil slammed on the breaks and nearly jack-knifed on the slick roadway. Thankfully, he wasn't driving too fast; they didn't tip over and managed to stay on the road, though blocking two lanes.

Buck climbed out of the cab and approached the six people in parkas standing in the rain. "Gees! What are you people doing?" he roared, as he flailed his arms about in exasperation.

Chris smiled at the familiar dark haired, mustached face man in a racing suit and stepped up to him. "Buck," he said nodding. "A little wet out for you isn't it?" he asked as he handed Billy off to his mother.

Buck looked at him confused, "Chris? What in the world?" And then a huge smile broke out on his face.

"You two friends?" asked Vin, noting the friendly exchange.

Both men turned to him and nodded. Buck the taller of the pair, had a silly grin still on his face while Chris was completely the opposite and serious.

Chris looked back at Buck and then the Semi. "We could sure use a lift," he said.

Just as Buck was about to answer, a car screeched to a halt behind them. A man dressed in a very nice trench coat walked up to them surveying the situation. He raised a hand up to his forehead to shield himself from the falling rain.

"Do you people need help or do you just feel it is your purpose to block the roadway with a Semi-truck in the middle of another Southern California rain storm?" he said grumpily in a slight southern accent.

Buck, gave him a look and walked over to Virgil to tell him to move the truck off to the side of the road.

Vin, having recognized their newest visitor, decided to greet him, "Councilman Standish."

Ezra looked at Vin and let a devilish smile play upon his lips, "if it isn't the local Eco-terrorist Vin Tanner."

Chris who'd been listening to the whole exchange asked, "Eco-terrorist? This something I should know about Vin?"

Vin smiled easily in response to Chris' question while Ezra arched and eyebrow.

Suddenly there was a loud rumbling and Buck had to yell, "watch out!" to get everyone out of the way.

High on the hillside, a mass of rock, and mud came sliding down, crashing down upon Ezra's red Jaguar XJ8 sedan.

Ezra stood stock still, a withering look on his face, his arms outstretched in a confused stance. "Son of a -- " he began to cuss.

"Hey!" yelled everyone back at Ezra. "The language in front of the child here!" indicated Buck as he gestured towards Billy.

Ezra shook his head and slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Could it get any worse?" he asked no one in particular.

Chris surveyed the situation before him. His mission to look out for Mary and Billy had quickly involved way too many bystanders, and now he felt responsible for all of them.

Buck had not seen his good friend in a few years but surprised himself at still knowing how to read him. Sure that Chris was feeling guilty about the situation, and how is seemed to be getting further out of hand, he stepped in and yelled, "all right, everyone on board the truck!"

In the Semi, Chris pulled out his cell phone from his pack and glanced at Buck in question. He needed to know if the walls of the truck were going to interfere with the transmission. At Buck's thumbs up, Chris dialed the number for AD Travis' office.

Once he informed the AD of their current situation, he handed the phone off to Mary and Billy. Then he and Vin gave directions to Virgil on how to get to the station.

Buck played host and got everyone towels and blankets to dry off in. The space in the back of the truck seemed big enough to hold the group of them, despite the car. Buck smiled as he watched JD sit in his car seat and Vin looked 'Beavis' over.

Ranger Station 12

Drug Boss, Lucas James stood watching the bound rangers struggle before him. His thin brown lips stretched into a cold smile as his dark eyes showed no emotion. He turned to exit the station house, where he was met by one of his men.

"Sir? They're gone," he reported uneasily.

"And Coltrane, Fowler?" Lucas asked back, referring to the two men that he had sent up to the camp earlier to handle Mary and Billy.

"Coltrane's dead," he said. "Fowler's badly beaten and barely conscious, there was no sign of anyone else. We found a body, but it wasn't the boy's."

Lucas sighed and thought of his Uncle Stewart and what had started the chain of events now taking place. Going after an Assistant Director of the FBI was granted no easy task. But AD Travis, in Lucas' eye, was not getting off so easily.

Wilmington Semi

Chris stood drying off with Mary and Billy in a corner. She had found a place to sit and she held Billy in her arms.

"I was sorry to hear about your wife and son Agent Larabee," Mary said softly, stroking Billy's hair as he fell asleep in her lap.

Chris nodded slightly as he watched her, her golden hair was gathered in ponytail and loose wisps clung to her damp cheeks. "Thank you," he said tiredly. "Orin also mentioned your loss -- " he trailed off suddenly seeing a spark in Mary's clear blue eyes. He immediately picked up on what she was thinking.

"That old goat," Mary sighed as Chris chuckled lightly. Billy began to stir in her lap.

"What is it Momma?" he asked sleepily as he rubbed his eyes.

Chris smiled at the boy.

"Nothing sweetheart," Mary said soothing her son back to sleep. She looked at Chris a little embarrassed and they shared a small smile.

"Orin always had ulterior motives," said Chris appraisingly.

Mary gave him a look. "I guess that's why he's the AD," she said jokingly, another smile playing upon her lips.

+ + + + + + +

Nathan, Josiah and Ezra sat back on one of the benches, hunched in blankets and towels. Grateful for the chance to sit and finally dry off. Josiah, suddenly unable to get the rocking motion of the trailer off his mind, began to feel nauseated.

"Head down between the knees Josiah," said Nathan, noticing Josiah's sudden pallor. "It should help the motion sickness," he said knowingly.

Josiah looked at Nathan and smiled gratefully, complying and doing as instructed.

+ + + + + + +

Ezra stood and strolled over to Vin, seeing a window to confront him. "So, Mr. Tanner, ruin any logging companies lately?" he asked.

Vin looked at him menacingly his blue eyes flashing, "look Ezra - "

"Councilman Standish," Ezra said unflinchingly, interrupting Vin's tirade.

"Ezra," Vin stated, not giving in to Ezra's preference of title. "I was not responsible for what happened to the Eagle Bend Company. I work for the government, remember? I was helping to stop those Eco-terrorists. Besides, what's this I hear about you accepting funds for your campaign in California from Las Vegas?"

"That's unfounded Tanner. That donation came from a wealthy family who happened to reside in Las Vegas but has now relocated to our fine Southern California," Ezra said defensively, smiling slightly at their verbal duel. He always liked Tanner for that particular reason.

Chris walked over and watched the two men. He could tell it was all in fun. Vin never really hid the smile that played in his eyes and Ezra? He figured Ezra was a politician and would know who his enemies were and who weren't.

Looking at the group of people, Chris exhaled loudly and placed his hands on his hips. "Gentleman? Mary?" he said getting everyone's attention. "I think it's time we fill everyone in on what exactly is going on here and formulate a plan."

Ranger Station 12
Wilmington Semi

The Semi slowly made its way up towards the station house. Vin watched closely and suddenly felt that things weren't right. "Hold up," Vin instructed Virgil.

"What is it?" asked Buck, peering through the window with his driver.

"Something's up," said Vin simply.

"How do you know?" queried Chris as he studied the younger man.

Vin looked at Chris and said, "I just do."

"Great," said Ezra, rolling his eyes.

Chris trusting Vin's instinct quickly assessed the situation, "Mary, you stay here with Billy and Virgil. Gentleman, I'm gonna need some help." Josiah, Nathan, Buck and Vin readily volunteered. Chris then looked at Ezra. "Councilman Standish?" he questioned.

Ezra seeing that they in fact needed all the assistance they could get, suddenly gave in. "Wonderful. I can see the headlines now; 'Councilman Standish Killed in Angeles Crest Forest from Drug Ring Attack,'" he snorted to himself and then looked at his 'colleagues.' "Okay, what do you suppose we fight them with?" he asked, his green eyes sparkling with the challenge.

Chris anticipating the request pointed over to the corner of the truck with his thumb, where they stacked five rifles.

"You think those are enough?" asked Ezra incredulously.

"Chris and I have our service weapons," supplied Vin.

Ezra gave Vin a look of disbelief, "they gave you a gun?"

Vin's only response was a smirk.

The group was silent a moment and then Ezra asked, "how many people did you say there were?"

"Ten," said Chris.

"And when did you say your back-up was coming in?" Ezra asked again.

"30 minutes," replied Chris evenly.

"Seems fair, doesn't it gentleman?" asked Ezra with a rakish smile and a wink.

Vin shook his head and Josiah and Nathan chuckled. Buck looked at Chris and smiled, thinking how extraordinary it was to finally see his old friend again under the current strange circumstances. And then he suddenly found it odd that JD had been so silent the whole time.

"Kid?" he asked concerned.

JD looked up at Buck and then the others, his deep brown eyes blinking. "You guys remember a movie a while back about seven cowboys?" he asked out of the blue.

"What are you saying JD?" asked Nathan.

"Just that, the resemblance is uncanny," JD said defensively.

The seven men all look at each other curiously.

"I don't see it," Chris said flatly.

"Me neither," said Buck shaking his head and rubbing his mustache in the process.

"Nonsense, I don't even like 'Westerns,'" said Ezra, putting in his .02 cents.

Ranger Station 12

With directions from Vin and Chris, the seven men exited the truck silently and stealthily moved up to settle themselves along the perimeter of the Ranger Station. The rain still fell, although not as heavily as earlier, and yet showed no signs of letting up. Buck and JD positioned themselves behind a few trees and rocks. Vin found himself near the rock wall he had been climbing earlier in the day. Chris and Ezra sought shelter next to the power and utility shed a few feet away, while Josiah and Nathan took refuge behind one of the ranger vehicles.

There were eight men so far as they could see, and Chris waited till he had some idea of where the remaining two were. When they finally emerged from the station house, he sprung into action. With dead accurate aim, he shot the man nearest him in the knee. The man collapsed in a heap, gripping his knee and screaming.

"FBI!" yelled Chris. "Drop your weapons! Now!" he said bringing his gun to bear on the men standing before him.

Lucas quickly motioned for the men around him to stop, "hold your fire," he told them. "Agent Larabee," he said somewhat surprised.

"Lucas James, I hear your Uncle's doing fine in prison. It'd be best if you just gave up now," suggested Chris confidently.

"And you're here to stop me right? For old man AD Travis?" he asked dubiously.

"I believe so," Chris replied calmly, his hazel eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You? Alone?" Lucas asked in disbelief.

"I didn't say I was alone," said Chris with a wry smile. Then gunfire erupted and Chris dove for cover, slipping through the mud and clipping another man in the knee with his gun.

+ + + + + + +

Vin sneaked out of his spot and cold cocked the man that covered the station house door. He saw Lucas start to edge his way through the gunfire back to the ranger office.

"Going somewhere?" he asked as Lucas approached him.

Lucas glared at him and brought his rifle up to fire. Ezra saw this and before Lucas could even pull the trigger, Ezra shot him in the shoulder. Lucas let his gun fall from limp fingers as he dropped to his knees, screaming obscenities.

Vin looked over at Ezra, grateful and amazed. "Nice shooting," he said

Ezra smiled. "I actually wanted to hurt him more," he said in his southern drawl.

Vin snorted and shook his head.

+ + + + + + +

Meanwhile, Nathan and Josiah took down a few others, mostly placing careful shots that weren't fatal but indicative of their professions.

"Nice shooting Josiah," Nathan said with a bit of relief in his voice.

Josiah smiled back. "And you?" he questioned playfully, "both healer and destroyer?"

"At this point, just a 'wounder,' " said Nathan with a grin. Then looking at the crumpled men he added, "I hope."

"Amen Brother," Josiah added comfortingly as he reached out and patted Nathan on the shoulder.

+ + + + + + +

JD and Buck on the other hand, had their hands full with the remaining three. They managed, despite JD slipping on some mossy rocks and spraining his ankle. Buck aimed for the attacker's legs mostly, just to slow them down and not necessarily kill them. He remembered seeing too many dead men with Chris in the Middle East, he didn't need to see it again. But then the older man suddenly found that his gun was jammed due to the rain, and he had now become the target of one of the attackers. That is until JD used the butt of his rifle to knock the attacker unconscious.

Buck winced at the sudden 'crack' he heard, and as he took the scene in, he suddenly broke into a smile of relief. "Thanks Kid," he said as he reached out to helped JD to stand steadily.

+ + + + + + +

When things finally settled down, they gathered the men into a circle. JD, Buck, Josiah and Nathan waited, guns drawn on their captives, while Ezra and Vin dragged their two over and Chris forced his two to hop into the circle. Lucas looked back at all of them sullenly. Buck collected the weapons and erupted into a hearty laugh when he finally saw the 'reinforcements' that Chris had referred to earlier, drive in.

"Boys," he said addressing all of them, "I've never been so happy to see the Military in my whole life!"

Chris smiled lightly, silently relieved that he no longer had to involve any of them.

Ranger Station 12
Next Morning, Sunrise

The rain had finally stopped giving way to a beautiful sunrise, rich with golden hues. Military helicopters now hovered above while personnel still milled about. The alleged 'militia group,' as they were called, were led away. Chris figured the press didn't need to know about the vengeful attack by one of the country's deadliest drug rings on one of the Assistant Directors of the FBI.

A Medic tended to the two rangers and Lydia who sustained nasty cuts and bruises from their captivity. The body of one of the two attackers from last nights' events was put in a body bag, as well as Rafe's, while other Medics tended quickly to the 11 injured men. Nathan pitched in and also checked out JD's ankle. Military personnel had also recovered the body of the young female ranger, Terry Greer, who had been out the day before.

Otherwise, everyone made it through the ordeal relatively unscathed and Chris shook his head in wonderment at his fortune.

+ + + + + + +

Mary expressed her thanks to the group gathered around the ranger's office, apologizing for getting them all involved.

Ezra was the first to speak up. "Don't suppose I could impose on you to vote for me Ms. Travis?" he asked slyly.

"Sorry Councilman Standish. The nearest polling place is 50 miles away," she replied with a knowing smile.

"Well how about Absentee voting?" Ezra asked, ignoring the warning looks he was getting from Chris.

Mary just smiled and shook his hand as she went off to say goodbye to the others.

+ + + + + + +

"Mr. Tanner?" Ezra said coming to stand next to Vin as he watched the military folk buzz about.

Vin looked at Ezra and stuck his hand out. "Councilman Standish, thank you for saving my life," Vin said.

"Well, don't mention it Tanner. It's been a pleasure," Ezra said happily.

"Been all mine," Vin said shaking his hand heartily. The two knew they would meet again.

+ + + + + + +

"Nathan, Josiah? It was nice meeting you," Chris said, "and working with you."

Nathan nodded while Josiah gave Chris a knowing look. "We'll see each other again soon enough," he said.

The three men smiled at each other and then Nathan and Josiah shook hands with Buck and JD who had hobbled up to all of them.

"You coming back to Four Bears with us JD?" asked Nathan.

"No," JD said solemnly, "Buck here's taking me up to get my stuff so I can arrange for Rafe and call his family."

Everyone nodded in sympathy and Mary reached out to hug him.

+ + + + + + +

"I'll see you Buck," Chris said a little wistfully. Remembering that when he last saw Buck, Sarah and Adam were with him.

Buck looked at him and smiled, "that a fact this time Chris?"

Chris softened a bit at his teasing, "I got a reason to this time Buck."

"Besides me?" Buck said with a hearty laugh, then sobered, "it's about time friend."

"Yeah it is," Chris said looking at Mary as she stood waiting with Billy, Nathan and Josiah. Buck turned and left with a smile on his face as Mary started to make her way over to Chris.

+ + + + + + +

"Agent Larabee?" Mary asked tentatively.

Chris looked at her and smiled. "Chris," he said encouraging her use of his first name.

"All right. Chris, when Orin plans on visiting next month, I hope you know that I want you to come out with him. To visit Billy and me," she watched him contemplate her request as another smile spread across his handsome face.

"I was planning on it," he replied simply then reached out and took her hand. "I'm glad you asked."

She smiled and nodded back. "Me too," she said as she turned and walked with him towards the Jeep that would take her back home. Vin had offered to drive them back to Four Bears.

Chris opened the door for Mary and stuck his head in. "Billy? You'll take care of your momma, right?" he asked the young child nestled between Nathan and Josiah.

The little boy nodded vigorously and smiled. "Sure Chris," he replied a little tiredly.

Chris smiled back and helped Mary get in before walking over to the driver's side to talk to Vin.

"Vin, great working with you," he said smiling easily.

Vin chuckled and said, "don't go planning any more of these adventures Agent Larabee."

"I'm not expecting to," said Chris with a quiet laugh.

Vin arched an eyebrow and extended his hand.

Chris took it and shook it amicably and said, "I'll be seeing you."

"Count on it," Vin replied easily.

The End