by AJ

Part 1

Vin Tanner was drunk. He was off his nugget if the truth be told, but as Chris Larabee looked at his best friend trying to make his way back into his chair while he actually giggled about his predicament of finding himself on the floor, he could only smile and shake his head in wonder. It was just too darned refreshing to see the always wary Tanner let his guard down so completely. Chris had refrained from drinking, content tonight to watch his team fall apart around him in a progressively loud and boisterous heap. God knew they deserved it after all that had transpired over the last month, ending only this day with the case being confirmed to go to trial despite lawyers attempts at everything under the sun to prevent it. All the work they had done to bring Victor Lornikov to justice was going to pay off.

Chris had worked out several hours earlier that the way Vin was heading, intentionally, was to drunken oblivion when a third bottle of whisky had come out and Vin had thrust his glass forward for more, even though he was already well on his way to a hangover from hell. And even though he knew he should be upset that this was the middle of the week, he knew his team would turn up tomorrow morning at the office, head's splitting apart at the seams or not. He also knew Vin hadn't been drunk in the entire time he'd known him and wondered if he'd forgotten what it would lead to the next day. He sure could handle his drink though, it had taken a lot to get where he was now. Josiah and Nathan had bowed out several hours ago.

Buck and Ezra were laughing raucously at the sight of Vin trying to claw his way back to the table. Buck put out a hand to try and help but found that the tears that were pouring from his eyes from laughing were obstructing his view. Ezra didn't even attempt to help, he was too busy laughing at the rare sight of Vin, an ungraceful mess unable to hold his seat. It was a good thing Inez had left and given them a key so she didn't have to see this display.

"Help me damnit!" Vin said in frustration, scowling in one instant only to flash his lopsided grin the next. He may as well have been climbing Kosciosko for all the progress he was making in getting back up to the table. The task was beyond him, his ability to co-ordinate his limbs having long since fled. Finally he slumped to the floor in defeat and once there, thought he may as well make the most of it and lie down, his head resting nearly under the seat of Buck's chair. That's when the room started to spin. He squeezed his eyes tightly closed, which only seemed to make the room spin faster, even though he could no longer see it he could still feel it moving . . . and that's when he heard a loud rumble of noise from the chair above, followed by more laughing from Buck, a devious kind this time.

"Buck?" Vin asked hesitantly from his place on the floor.

"Yep Junior?" Buck was still laughing.

"You wouldn't shoot a man while he's down wouldjya?"

This had Buck and Chris both laughing hard. Ezra, thoroughly disgusted at Buck's lack of respect for him, quickly pulled his coat up to cover his nose and mouth.

"Good God, Mr Wilmington! You could have killed Mr Tanner."

Ezra suddenly slid down to the floor to join Vin. "Stay low, my friend, it is the safest position at present," he said confidentially.

Vin, already feeling seedy, was not unaffected despite Ezra's assurance that he was safe from Buck on the floor and wrinkled his nose in offense. "Jesus Buck, that's fucked up. My head is hardly a foot from yer ass."

"Dared I not leave ye presence, albeit I was like to suffocate." Ezra quoted to Vin and was astounded to hear him mutter back, "So felle a blaste hath ne-er mine ears saluted, nor a stench so all-pervading and immortal."

Buck just continued laughing, he found it all hysterical and was extremely pleased by the response his was getting. "Immortal? Damn! That's an achievement!"

Vin knew Ezra was still looking at him in shock. "I read, Ez."

"Yes but Mark Twain?", Ezra thought to himself. He wasn't really surprised that Vin had returned his quip, and he had long since learnt not to underestimate the extent of his knowledge or his talents, but he was still shocked every time Vin did something like that.

Chris had pushed his chair back several feet from Buck and now wondered aloud, "JD . . . where's JD. Did he come back . . .?"

Buck turned to the men's room where JD had headed what seemed like hours before. He staggered to his feet and went to investigate. When Ezra and Vin remained on the floor, settling in, it seemed to Chris they would likely sleep there if left to it.

"When Buck brings JD out from pukin’ his guts up, we're goin," Chris announced. At Ezra's protest he said, "Don't think any of you are getting out of work tomorrow, this is self inflicted." Buck came out practically carrying a very green JD. "Look what I found messin’ up the toilets," he announced, making his way over.

"God kid you're gonna be sorryer'n hell tomorrow." Chris said, almost sympathetic. He looked down at Vin who had conquered his spins and was beginning to snore. "Lets go boys," he said, "We're outta here." He hurled Ezra and a protesting Vin up and began to head for the door.

Vin wanted nothing more than to be lying flat and moaned and complained the whole way through the locking up process and on to the carpark. Still laughing, Buck followed, Ezra stumbling into him with every step as they supported JD between them. They didn't get past the first bushes in the carpark when JD heaved the contents of his stomach to the wind, successfully spraying Ezra and Buck in his initial powerful throw.

"Damn!" Buck said, not the least perturbed in being sprayed in vomit. "That was damned impressive . . . see that Ez?"

Ezra, on the other hand, drunk or not, was aghast. "See it? I fucking felt it on my face! My jacket . . . shoes!"

Chris looked up at Ezra in shock. Buck had stopped staring at the back of JD's head to turn to Ezra as well.

"Ezzzz . . ...?" Vin asked.

Silence.

"Chris?" Buck asked.

"I heard it Buck." Chris said, his lip curled in wry amusement.

"Ezzzz.?" Vin asked again.

"What is it, Mr Tanner?!." Ezra said shortly.

Buck could not contain himself, JD forgotten he toppled Ez to the ground in a wrestling maneuver he figured the WWF would be proud of. "Ezrraaaaa . . . You . . .." He couldn't stop laughing and Ezra was unable to get up from under him.

Vin was sagging against Chris, hardly standing on his own. He wanted to laugh loudly but was unable to let out more than a quiet chuckle for that was all the energy he had left. His face showed his amusement but he was beyond anything else.

Buck let loose with a full belly roar that had Chris laughing too.

"If you are laughing at my expense I'd like to know the reason for it!" Ezra said angrily. He was now past happy drunk making a rapid transition to tired and cranky drunk . . .

"You said . . .. Fuck . . . Ezzrrraa," Vin said very . . . very softly, still smiling broadly.

"I did not! I most certainly did not!" Ezra said indignantly. "You cannot - FUCK SAKES!"

JD had regrouped and turned to see what all the noise behind him was about and proceeded to throw up just as violently as he had the first time in the bushes, his projection quite remarkable and managing to cover both Buck and Ezra's sprawled legs. Achieving such power was not uncommon on a first attempt, but to pull it off twice.. that was just impressive.

Chris and Vin were disgusted and yet fascinated at the site, wanting to look away but strangely unable to. Vin began to make a kind of strangled laughing sound and even snorted at one stage, while Chris, too, was unable to stop the laughter that took him over. This was just too damned good. Where the hell was a camera when you needed one?

Ezra finally managed to extricate himself from Buck who seemed unaware that his legs had been showered in vomit. He got to his feet and looked down at JD in disgust. "How is it possible that the contents of your stomach are not yet depleted?!" he asked him, clearly traumatized.

JD just blinked up at him innocently, beyond feeling responsible for his actions. "Did you say fuck . . .. Ezzzzzz?" he slurred looking at him in a blurry haze.

"C'mon, we can't stay here all night feeding the plants," Chris urged, trying to prevent another ten minute debate.

Buck was getting to his feet and trying to get JD up as well. "C'mon! Up! Help me Ezra, you just gonna stand there throwin' filth outta that gutter mouth o'yours while one of your teammates is down?"

Ezra did not reply, for once beyond words at the torment of having been thrown up on . . .twice. He moved to help as Buck overbalanced, tumbling sideways into Vin and forcing Ezra forward, directly onto JD's recently upchucked dinner.

Ezra landed hard before he sprang to his feet with surprising swiftness shrieking like a banshee. This set Buck and Vin off again as Chris looked to the stars for guidance. Ezra ran off to who knew where swearing loudly in a multitude of languages while Chris managed to get Vin up and moving to his truck with Buck and JD tagging behind.

Just as they got settled Ezra returned, soaking wet and shivering. Chris immediately knew that he'd shoved himself under a tap and just chuckled as he started the car. Vin immediately fell asleep, settling himself in the passenger seat and snoring almost the second his eyes closed. Chris didn't think he'd heard him snore before, but knew that some people were prone to do that when they'd been drinking. He'd been keeping an eye on the recently injured sharpshooter all night for signs of fatigue or pain, but thought Vin was recovering remarkably well for a man who had almost been killed only a month before. In his rearview mirror he could see that Buck was trying to position JD upright while Ezra kept nudging him into Buck and was desperately trying to warm himself. He put the heater on to help take the chill out of the air.

A block from Ezra's apartment Buck asked JD if he wanted him to cook him a big greasy steak or some bacon when they got back and was rewarded with JD attempting to leap across the seat for the door and Chris slamming the brakes and pulling over, having watched the scene unfold in his mirror. As the car stopped Buck opened the door and for a moment, it appeared that JD would actually make it to the pavement, before he again projected another good effort that covered Buck, part of the seat and a good portion of the inside of the door.

Vin had woken up and was craning his neck to see. "Damn JD, that's a fuckin talent you got there kid! Gotta be some sorta record for hurlin' . . ."

"At least for consecutive distance hurling" Ezra added, thoroughly appeased now that Buck had been covered in JD's vile stomach contents.

"How much did you fucking EAT?!" Buck asked, not laughing now. He was so stunned and appalled that he was unable to move.

Chris flicked the heater off in a snap, unable to handle the warm air and the smell from the back seat and opened his window, sticking his head out. He was angry beyond words but could think of nothing other than getting them all out of his car as fast as was humanly possible.

"Buck's fault . . .." JD mumbled and Vin thought he looked like he might actually cry so great was his misery.

They dropped a sleepy Ezra off and continued on to Buck and JD's building. Chris had not said one word since the car-vomit scenario and Vin could not for the life of him stop smiling.

As Buck made to drag JD out Chris snapped at Vin, "What the fuck are you smilin about?!", which succeeded in setting Vin off to laughter again.

"Don't blame me, Cowboy, I'm not the one who threw his guts up all over the back of your car," he said.

Now outside and supporting an awkward JD, Buck made as if to speak to Chris when Chris held up his hand, showing that he did not want to hear a word from him. Vin chuckled as Buck's mouth opened in protest and Chris pulled away, fast.

"Chris . . ..?" Vin started after five minutes of silence. He had not stopped grinning the entire time, chuckling every now and then as he replayed the scene in his head.

"Not a word . . . and stop that damned chuckling Beavis!"

Silence.

"But -"

"Not . . . a . . . word," was the reply through clenched teeth.

Part 2 - next morning.

"Dyin Chris . . . leave me alone.. I'm dyin . . ..."

"Get up Vin, you're going to work don't even think about it! We've gotta meet with the judge this mornin' don't forget."

Vin groaned and crept further into the womb-like quilt. It felt as though his head had just touched the pillow when Chris had come in and flooded the curtain drawn room with light. Chris ripped the quilt off in one jerk and frowned at the towel still wrapped around Vin's waist under the covers and his hair still wet from his haphazard shower the night before. It caused a picture to flash into his head of Vin lying on a river bank, his wet hair plastered to his face and blood soaking into the sand beneath him.

Shaking the thought off, Chris left him there and called over his shoulder as he headed for the door, "we leave in 15, get up Vin!"

"Fuck you." Vin said, his head under the pillow and his voice muffled.

"Heard that, get the fuck up."

"Dyin . . ..."

"You don't get up buddy you will be." Chris called back.

"Ball-breakin sonofabitch.." Vin said in a voice he hardly heard himself, yet Chris yelled back from the kitchen, "Heard that too, who you callin' a sonofabitch?" and Vin heard the laughter in the voice.

Vin kept his sunglasses on as they entered the building and was reminded by a security guard to remove them before he could go in to the elevators. When they got to their floor only Ezra was missing, but he didn't have to be hungover to be late.

"Hey Junior!" Buck called loudly causing Vin to wince in pain as the voice splintered through his head.

"Shussssshhhh Buck.. Jesus there aint no call for a man to be that loud . . . ever . . ." Vin said quietly and walked to Chris's office where he promptly threw himself on the couch there and let out a loud sigh.. damn it was good to be horizontal again.

"Where's JD?" Chris asked stormily, his eyes watching Vin get settled for the day on his couch. "The judge'll be here soon. He wants to talk to us about the trial."

Buck was trying to look busy and Josiah chuckled. "Our young friend has spent the better part of the last half hour driving the porcelain bus." He indicated the direction of the men's room with his head.

"How the hell can he still have anything to throw up?" Chris wondered aloud.

"More just painful heaving I'd say," Nathan contributed.

Chris looked at Buck, "Well I don't care how sick he is, or you either Buck, my truck's downstairs and waiting to be restored to factory new."

"Aww Chris.. it wasn't my fault-"

"How did them greasy steaks go last night, Bucklin?" Vin called out innocently.

"Damn Vin! Where's a friend when you need one? See if I back you up next time you-"

Chris cut him off as he walked to his office. "Buck. My car. Now. Vin, get the fuck out."

"Aww Chris . . ."

"Out!!" Vin dragged himself out of Chris's office, mumbling about the injustice of it all the entire time.

Chris couldn't help but smile as he watched his scruffy best friend walk out, bitchin' the entire way to his desk. He was still walking a little stiffly but, hangover aside, he was returning to his former excellent health more with each day. A slight frown came to Chris's face as he again thought of the event's of the past month. Yes, Victor Lornikov definately had it coming for the trouble he had caused his team...

One month earlier...

"OK boys, meeting." Chris said simply, heading to the boardroom and knowing his team would follow.

JD looked up, a hint of frustration on his face having forgotten the meeting set for that morning, which Buck quickly picked up on.

"Whatchya been doin there all mornin' kid?" Buck asked, moving to come behind JD's PC and take a look for himself.

Alt Tabbing like there was no tomorrow, JD flicked the screen to a report he had started earlier saying, "Report on the evidence we found at the site yesterday, and get away Buck, it's damned rude to come up behind someone's computer!"

Not deterred in the slightest Buck stayed where he was and studied the screen, but could see nothing amiss, just a half written report. Ezra, curious, moved in beside him and checked out the screen. He saw the flashing yellow box in the bottom right and new instantly what JD was up to. Buck, unashamedly computer illiterate beyond the database program they used to store information and write up reports, never looked at the bottom windows menu. It was only because JD had been a smart ass a few months back and hidden the bottom menu bar from him that he'd noticed it had even existed when he'd gone to open his database program from the start menu as he did habitually every day and it was gone. JD looked up and met Ezra's smirk with a frown.

"I do believe I would like a generous portion of sushi for lunch today.. only I wish it would be delivered right to my desk, I feel a mite weary and do not wish to venture out for my midday repast." Ezra said with a straight face.

As Buck turned away to look at Ezra, JD's eyes narrowed and he gave him a small nod over Buck's shoulder, affirming that he would get Ezra his damned lunch. Satisfied, Ezra merely smiled smugly at Buck and made his way to the boardroom.

JD ushered a reluctant Buck from behind his desk and pushed him towards the meeting.

"Damnit Ezra knows somthin', c'mon kid that's just not on! What were you doin' on there?"

"Geez, Buck, you're paranoid as hell. Ezra's just tryin' to stir you."

Buck wasn't so sure. He would find out what JD had been hiding, that was a given.

They entered the boardroom to find Ezra taking a seat next to Josiah and Nathan. Chris was handing around case notes for everyone.

"Where's Vin?" JD asked, his mind still back at his computer.

"He's comin', he's stopping past the evidence room, there's some things we need to take a look at from the bust yesterday."

"Sooo.. Ez, I was thinkin', if ya really feel like sushi today I wouldn't mind steppin' out for a bit, got a hankerin' for some myself." Buck said quietly to Ezra, his eyebrows raised innocently at JD who had started to instantly sweat.

"You don't even like sushi Buck! And it aint fake-like gourmet sushi either, it's the authentic stuff that you hate so much!"

"Now, JD, I don't know where you got that impression. I guess it's a taste you aquire with time.. and I suddenly have a cravin' for it."

JD's mouth was open, further protest about to come out as he looked in disbelief from Buck to Ezra, who merely sat with a smug expression, knowing that he would benefit greatly from this, when Vin came in carrying a large canvas bag.

"Mornin' fella's," he said, dumping the bag in the middle of the table. "Ya'll didn't start without me I hope."

"Not at all, Mr Tanner, JD was just offering to buy lunch and I was thinking sushi might be nice, perhaps you could ask him to purchase some of that Teriyaki Chicken you like so much."

Vin looked at Ezra and then JD who was looking a mite nervous, followed by a frustrated Buck and the twin grins on Josiah and Nathan, who were, as always, content to sit back and watch as the scene unfolded before them. Chris was writing some notes on the whiteboard.

Summing up the situation accurately from only quick glances around his friends faces, Vin grinned at Ezra before turning to JD and saying, "That'd be right nice of ya JD, if ya could bring some rice with that too? And a coke'd be great."

"Anything else?" JD said tightly, throwing a dirty look at Ezra for blackmailing him like this.

"Ummm..Mars bar'd be good."

"OK let's get to it. Vin show the boys what you got."

"Geez Chris, now that'd sure take some time, you don't just wanna see the stuff in the bag here?"

Ignoring him, Chris took his seat and raised an eyebrow, although there was a slight curve to his lip. It felt good to see Vin so relaxed amongst them. These days it seemed the illusive tracker was really starting to come round. He was happier than Chris had ever seen him and seemed content and almost at peace, although there was a definite far-away look that Chris still caught in Vin's face every now and then, that showed he was still unable to ever forget the hard life he had led and put his demons truly to rest.

Teasing JD forgotten for now the team turned to Vin who was taking several guns out of the bag he had brought in. They had raided a storage house yesterday on an anonymous tip and had found only one small case of guns. The guns had not been particularly well hidden, almost as though someone had wanted them to be found.

"OK boys, theses are the guns that were in that crate yesterday," Vin said as he passed them around for the team to look over.

Josiah whistled appreciatively, turning over a semi-automatic rifle in his hands. He had never seen one of this make before. Buck, too, was looking over a similar weapon.

"Jesus, where the hell did these come from?" he asked.

"That's precisely the question, Buck." Chris said. "We have no more information about the mystery guy that called this in, but it is plausible that he wanted us to find these." Chris was thinking out loud, "Almost as if he was giving us a sample of what's out there at the moment."

"But why? There must be something in it for him." JD said.

"Unless he just wants to help get them off the street." Josiah said, ready to believe the caller could be a man of morals.

"Are these by chance the same weapons that were reportedly used in the gang raid two days ago in Purgatorio?" Ezra asked.

"We'll have the report back soon as to weather these were the same guns or not, but it seems likely that they were, so we can assume that they are definitely on the streets already." Chris said, frowning. That particular raid had happened close enough to Vin's territory to give them all a scare. A gang from outside of Purgatorio had raided the hangout of one of the local gangs and 4 boys had been killed as a result.

"What's the plan, Chris?" Nathan asked.

"For now, we just check around a little. We have no leads here. Just keep your eyes open, I just wanted to let you all know what we found. We have to get ready for the delegate conference tomorrow and we have to get a roster set with team six and go over the delegate list."

"Damnit can't the FBI handle the security on their own? Hate workin' with them bastards," Buck mumbled.

"It's only three days, Buck, we'll survive. You don't have to talk to any of 'em." Chris said, not angry at Buck's unwillingness, reluctant, as he was himself to work with them. "We've got a lot of work to do checking over the files of the private security that most of the delegates will be bringing with them. May as well get started on that now. I've given each of you a rundown on the attendees, have a look through them."

Each man turned to his file and began flicking through photo's of delegates with listings of the number of security agents they were each bringing.

"Hey check out Buck's brother here!" JD said excitedly, holding up a picture of a huge man with a closely cropped head that really did look a lot like Buck, but managed to make his moustache look like a 70's porn stars.

There were chuckles around the table. Buck read the man's title, "Albania. Head of security for Murat Eckrishà that's an Albanian name? Coulda fooled me!"

"The resemblance is striking." Ezra noted.

"Yeah Buck, a little more effort you could curl your mow into that shape and get into the movie business," Josiah agreed laughing.

Buck smirked, "Well the good Lord knows, Josiah, he gave me the right equipment for it."

"Yeah, you should borrow my hat and keep the merchandise covered up, Buck." JD said, scooting out of Buck's reach before the words had even finished shooting from his mouth.

After a few more moments Buck held up a photo of an outlandishly overdressed woman who had seen younger days and said, "Ez, you're mum's going too?"

Amongst the laughter Ezra said, "Very witty, but slandering one's mother is never good form Mr Wilmington."

"Damn," Vin said quietly.

"What is it?" Chris asked.

"This guy here, Victor Lornikov?" He held the photo up of a dark little man looking hard at the camera.

"What about him, ya know him?" Buck asked.

"He's Russian. He's been tied to several large illegal drug dealings, long suspected of corrupt activities in other areas as well as the drug trade." Ezra supplied thoughtfully, a slight frown on his face. "I find it somewhat disconcerting that our esteemed government would let such a miscreant into our fair country knowingly."

"These delegates are given liberties that allow them to carry out fairly free lives, there are many that take advantage of that fact for their own gain," Nathan added.

"What else?" Chris asked, suspecting there was more to this man by Vin's reaction to him.

"I was involved in a mission once that stumbled into some of Victors' dealings." Vin said, still slightly uncomfortable talking about his past life. Although they new Vin had worked in special operations during his time with the government, Vin had never given any specifics. He probably wouldn't have, even if he had been allowed to discuss his missions with them.

"In Russia?" JD asked, eyes wide. He couldn't help it, he was intrigued by the things Vin had done in his life. The fact that he had been in a special operations unit caused JD to have a touch of hero worship for Vin.

"Yeah, Russia." He said, brushing over it, "We kinda stumbled onto him, we weren't there for him, but it turned out he was runnin' guns to the Russian mafia and had a tidy chemical lab on the side - more like a sweat shop than anythin' else. He's one bad egg this guy, don't know how the hell he ended up a political delegate," he said.

The guys were silent for a moment. Vin rarely spoke that many words in one hit, for him to take the time to do so meant he thought that it had to be said.

"JD, when we're done here, see what you can dig up on him." Chris then turned to Vin, "Will he remember you?"

Vin shook his head, "Nah.. I really just saw the aftermath that he left after he fled." Vin's voice had gone quiet, remembering the destroyed warehouse where Victor had been running his operations. He saw again the concrete floor, riddled with smashed equipment and dead bodies everywhere. Victor had killed the desperate people that he had forced to work for him and shot through, no doubt to take up operations somewhere else.

"OK, Lets look over the rest of the attendees and the conference agenda." Chris said.

It was well after five that they finally finished arranging their schedule for the next three days and coordinating it with Team Six. Nathan, Josiah and JD were going to take the first shift the next day and the rest of them would take the night watch. The day would start with an early breakfast and finish up with a wine cruise from the hotel's dock, returning late into the night. JD had promised Casey he would take her out for her birthday so had opted for a day shift, although Buck had wanted him to go along on the cruise with him.

They headed down to the bar for a few beers before heading home to get an early night. Chris, Vin, Buck and Ezra were still going to spend the day at work seeing what they could pull up on the illegal guns they had found.

*****

"Wanna take a break and get some lunch?" Chris asked Vin, moving to where the sharpshooter had his feet up on his desk and was studying his screen intently.

Vin blinked to clear the image of the screen from his eyes and looked up at his best friend. "Sure, where's Ez 'n' Buck?"

"They'll be back any sec, we can head out then if you want."

"OK. The boys checked in lately?"

"Not since an hour ago. They should be at the luncheon now, JD was getting pretty bored. Not much action with all those stuffy suits walkin' around talkin' big I s'pose."

Vin grinned, "Well if there is any, JD'll find it."

Buck and Ezra returned, arguing their way through the office.

"I declare, you are the most un-politically correct person to walk this earth." Ezra said, sounding annoyed.

"Ez, sometimes people appreciate blatant honesty-"

"I assure you, Mr Wilmington, no woman alive would appreciate that kind of blatant honesty!"

Buck looked up to Chris who just held up his hand, "I don't wanna know. C'mon," he said to Vin as he moved to leave. "We'll be back in a bit, gonna get some lunch."

"Heard from the boys?" Buck asked.

"Not for the last hour." Chris stated again. "Not much happenin' except a lotta hot air by the sounds."

"Hmmph," was all Buck said, he expected no less.

"You know, delegates do have a certain purpose in their occupations," Ezra said, looking at Buck, "Forget it," he said, seeing the sarcastic comment already forming on his friend's lips.

Dinner

"Hey Vin heads up, 12 o'clock," Buck said with a barely perceptible move of his lips.

Vin looked up at the sound of Buck's voice in his right ear. A tall, immaculately dressed brunette was heading his way in a forrest green suit and matching shoes. She was stunning.

"What do you see Buck?" Chris said through his mike.

"Dinner." Buck said back, smiling to himself.

"Definitely dessert," Vin said quietly.

Chris raised an eyebrow at that. Vin being the consummate gentleman he never really bantered with Buck like that. He wanted to see this woman for himself.

Vin remained standing near the bar, very much aware of the woman in the green suit as she came to stand beside him to order a drink. Damned if he didn't want one himself. Although they were dressed as all the other attendees in black tie for the nights events, they were there as obvious security, not pretending to be anything but.

"Mr Tanner, I do believe you have an admirer." Ezra spoke, positioned across the room from Vin, only a few feet from Buck at the moment who was standing by the entrance to the large room where the pre-dinner drinks were taking place before the cruise started.

"Damn," said Chris, still stationed out of the room in the corridor.

"Can I get you a drink, cowboy?" came a low, very feminine voice.

Vin looked up, startled to meet a pair of eyes that matched perfectly with the green suit. Buck barely suppressed a loud guffaw of laughter and Ezra nearly choked on the sip of water he was just taking when the woman's voice carried through Vin's mike she was that close to him.

Chris did a quick entrance to the room to check her out before turning around and walking back out, annoyed that he'd agreed to take the outside surveillance. "Go Cowboy!" he chuckled under his breath.

"I'm on duty ma'm, otherwise I'd be much obliged."

"Ooh.. how mysterious.. Nonsense, let me get you something, no-one has to know, it can be our secret."

"Really, ma'm, I appreciate the offer, but I'm fine, thankyou."

With another long look at the man before her, the woman gave a slight shrug and left, not looking back.

"Strike one, Junior," Buck said.

"Night's young, Bucklin."

Vin finally found a quiet spot at the front of the boat, away from all of the noise and commotion below deck. The large boat was travelling on a fairly small river, narrow but deep and he could make out the bank of the river and the thick trees along the shoreline. There were people milling around, but none ventured to the front. For a bunch of stuffy suit's, these people sure could party on. Close to two thirty in the morning and the boat didn't seem to be showing any signs of winding down. The music was still loud and the people were still drinking freely.

"What's happenin' boys?" Chris asked, moving through the crowded dining room towards a door he could see leading outside. He needed to report in to Josiah who was waiting on his call.

"Can't take anymore Chris, haven't been this bored since . . . damn.. haven't been this bored period." Buck said with much self-pity.

Chris knew Buck was still positioned near the bar, he'd seen him a few minutes earlier.

"Not long now, Buck. Thought you were keepin' an eye on Vin's woman."

"Yeah she disappeared a good half hour ago."

Chris frowned a little at this as he made his way outside. "What do you mean disappeared?" he asked.

"Well she hung around the bar for a while, didn't talk to no-one except that Russian guy, Victor, then went outside.

"Ezra you seen her? Where are you?" Chris asked, getting out his phone.

"Still near the band on the lower deck." Ezra said. "Nothing except the slow and painful death of Jazz to report here." Ezra met the eye of the trumpet player and knew he'd been heard. He'd purposefully waited for the music to stop so that the music assassin could hear his comment. He had to get out of there, the band were picking up their instruments ready for another onslaught.

"Vin?" Chris said, waiting for Vin to check in as he began to dial Josiah's number on his phone.

Vin was still leaning on the railing, looking out across the inky water of the narrow river to the shore, when he heard Chris say his name, wanting a response. He sighed, about to tell Chris he was coming in from the upper deck and turned to find the beautiful woman from the bar standing right before him. It unsettled him a little that he hadn't known she was there. How long had she been there?

She stepped closer still and asked "How about that drink now, cowboy?" in her soft, low voice. She was holding out a glass of champagne to him and sipping her own with her other hand.

Chris stopped dialing. They had all heard the woman's voice clearly through Vin's mike, meaning she was very close to him.

Vin looked at the woman a moment longer before reaching out and taking the glass she offered.

"That was a no, right?" came Chris's voice in his ear.

"Sure," Vin said, smiling.

Buck chuckled. This night had been getting progressively more boring by the hour, now things were looking up.

"Twenty says she leaves in another minute," Ezra stated.

"Thirty gives her five minutes," added Buck.

"Fifty say's he leaves the boat with her." came Chris's quiet voice.

Vin's eyes widened in surprise. Was Chris giving him the go-ahead to pursue this? It wasn't unusual to be encouraged to go after a beautiful woman, but he was on the job tonight. It was almost a challenge the way he had said it.

"Something wrong?" the woman asked him. "Did you want to be left alone?"

"Now, Junior . . ." Buck said, smiling, thoroughly enjoying himself. "..Here's how ya gotta play this son. You just listen to ol' Uncle Buck here, leverage off the wisdom my animal magnetism provides me . . . you gotta-"

"No . . . I was.. just realising I don't know your name," Vin covered. "And I just wanted to get away from all the noise, it's starting to create a painful buzzing in my ears."

"Shhh Buck, Jesus . . ." Chris said.

"I am Tiana Lornikov, and you are Vincent Tanner," the woman said directly.

Vin tensed at the name. "You do your homework, Ms Lornikov."

"I like to be thorough, Mr Tanner."

"Vin, please."

She was studying his face, silently probing with her eyes, trying to get some sort of angle on him, Vin thought. She was stunning. Utterly perfect skin glowed in the dim moonlight and her eyes were bright despite the darkness.

"You are a beautiful woman, Tiana." He said honestly.

Tiana snapped her eyes to his. She was accustomed to being called beautiful almost every day of her life, for one reason or another. Her vast fortune being the most obvious reason, she thought. But this was utterly sincere, and it caught her off guard. Suddenly she closed the distance between them, taking the step forward that separated them and kissed him passionately, wrapping her perfectly manicured fingers around his neck.

Vin hesitated a moment longer before a moan parted his lips, more a deep growl of hunger, and kissed her back, pulling her closer as she backed him onto the railing.

Chris, Buck and Ezra remained silent for once. Something in the noise Vin had made kept them from making any cracks about the situation. Vin had had so much pain and loneliness in his life, he deserved a moment of pure passion if it came his way. They were all government agents, but they were men above all. Besides, there would be plenty of time for paying out on him later.

Just as Tiana had Vin's hair free of the band that tied it back from his face and he deepened the kiss even further, there came the sound of a gun being cocked behind them. Vin froze, still breathless from the kiss but shaking himself out of his longing quickly as he heard the deep voice of a man, thickly accented.

"You are nothing but an expensive whore, my dear wife."

Vin felt Tiana tense in his arms, her whole body instantly rigid at the sound of the voice. She hadn't heard the gun, but the sound of the familiarly deep Russian accent was enough for her to realise she was in trouble and send a shiver of fear down her spine.

"Meetin' anyone else with a gun here on the upper deck you wanna tell me about?" Vin asked softly, his mouth shielded from view by Tiana's head.

Chris hadn't heard the man's voice but had heard Vin's call for backup loud and clear. "Let's go Buck, Ez." he said, already stepping up a ladder to the next level.

"Holy shit!" Buck said, pushing his way through the crowd.

Ezra, too, found a ladder and made his way hastily to the upper deck. "I'm coming up from the back, moving around the closed bar," he said softly.

"I have been extremely lenient towards your indiscretions, Tiana, but surely you digress in your choice of victims these days." He looked derisively at Vin, "You shame me with this lower-class peasant."

Vin remained silent but held the man's gaze. He had stared at countless pictures of this man and had often pictured him in real life, but seeing him in the flesh made him want to go for the man's throat in one heated movement. Was this woman really his wife?

"You never cared before what I did, why bother now?" Tiana said angrily, turning in Vin's arms to face her husband.

"You used to be amusing to me, Tiana, now you serve no purpose at all." He raised the gun higher towards her head, looking again at the man with the long hair in disgust, intending only to flick him a disdainful look before getting this over and done with, but finding his gaze held by a pair of intensely bright eyes, clear with a burning anger despite the dismal light.

"You mean now that you are up for re-appointment?" Tiana spat in disgust, feeling Vin's weight shift and positioning herself so that she prevented him from moving in front of her.

"I must say, I think I will receive much sympathy when you are discovered dead . . ." Victor said, no emotion reflected in his voice whatsoever.

Vin saw Chris come up on the deck behind the man and Ezra and Buck move around the cabin to take position and again moved to step out from behind Tiana.

"I see you Ez," Chris whispered. "I'm behind you - 8 o'clock. Buck?"

"Right beside you," Buck murmured back.

They were close enough now to make out Victor Lornikov, holding a gun to the beautiful woman with the same last name, his wife? Vin was trying to move out from behind her but was held back as she shifted her body to block him.

Tiana suddenly knew, in a moment of total clarity, that she was going to die. It was more than the impassive look of death on Victor's face, more than a primal fear that she felt. Despite the security men she saw moving in, she just knew that she had seconds to live. Knowing that, she also knew that she wasn't going to let him kill the innocent man trying to move out from behind her.

"Let me by," Vin said, so soft she barely heard him.

Suddenly she turned and looked at him, her eyes bright and alive, yet reflecting her sorrow all the same.

"No. I will not let you die for a momentary lapse of reason that I forced on you."

Vin looked at her, sensing that there was so much more to this woman than she ever let people see. He was astounded to realise that despite her obvious beauty, or perhaps because of it, she did not believe that he could possibly want her for herself. So deeply moved was he by the look of utter desolation in her eyes, he reached up and softly grabbed her chin, tilting her head upward to look at him. He wanted her to see the truth of his words.

"It was voluntary, Tiana. I answered your request willingly. There is so much more to you than your beauty, I can feel that," he said, his eyes so intense that she felt them burn through to her very soul.

Suddenly she was not afraid anymore. Somehow those words that she hadn't even realised she needed to hear set her free in some way. She gave him a soft, sad smile then. It was a smile that showed her deep thanks and gratitude for his words whilst it reflected her regret that finally, she had found someone that knew her, only to be ripped away from him cruelly. What had started as a game for her had turned into something she never thought possible. He had turned it around on her when he had looked into her soul with his intense, beautiful eyes. When he had taken her in his arms so passionately, she had known that it wasn't a game to him. This was a man to share herself with in every way and she wanted to weep at the injustice of it all. She could only repay him in one way.

Victor watched as his wife stared at the scruffy man and for some reason let her have the few seconds it took to say her final goodbye. It was the least he could do. After all, it wasn't really her fault he had to kill her.

Although it was dark and Chris was standing in shadow, he could feel Vin's gaze on him and looked his way. Sure enough the tracker's face was angled towards him, illuminated by the lighting on the deck. Vin's face gave nothing away as he again looked back to the man in front of him holding a gun and tightened his grip on Tiana, ready to dive for cover.

Chris opened his mouth to yell "Drop your weapon" just as the little man dove to the side and opened fire, the silencer on his weapon ensuring that the shots were not heard by anyone besides those present on the deck.

Time seemed to hang as the three agents saw the woman's body jerk repeatedly with the impact of the bullets, reeling back into Vin and taking both of them over the railing and into the water below. They had lost their clear shots of Lornikov when he had dived to his left and opened fire, obviously knowing that he was being watched.

They stepped out of their respective covers and swung their weapons to where they had seen the man go, prepared to fire on him just as they saw him move out from behind a panel, turning to them and lowering his gun in surrender.

Victor Lornikov met the eyes of the men he knew had been behind him, he had seen the widening of Tiana's eyes as the men had come up to the deck. On his left was a man that he instinctively knew was the leader, it was in his face, in his body language and in the way the other two men were looking to him for instruction.

"ATF, throw down your weapon." Chris said, wanting to shoot this man, wanting any excuse to shoot him.

Victor knew the man in black wanted to take him out and a small smile pulled at his lips as he obeyed the command and threw his weapon to the deck, satisfied at the frustration evident on the blonde man's face.

"Buck-" Chris said, moving forward.

"Got it," Buck said, moving in to apprehend the man.

Chris had his jacket off before he got to the rail and quickly kicked his shoes off as he scanned the water trailing behind the boat. There was nothing. No movement, no reflection of moonlight off've pale skin as he leapt over the side to the dark water below.

As he surfaced, gasping at the freezing shock, there was a splash beside him and he briefly exchanged a look with Ezra as he began swimming back the way the boat had come.

When Vin had hit the water he'd lost his grip on Tiana and was pulled under, struggling against the weight of his clothes and shoes to reach the surface. When his face hit the air he took a deep breath, shocked by the icy coldness of the river. He quickly scanned the surface and ducked under again, frantically searching for the woman that, only moments earlier, had been kissing him freely as he held her in his arms.

The river was very narrow at this point and he wasn't far from the bank. Jagged branches and roots from large trees jutted through the water, catching on his clothes and threatening to ensnare him. Again and again he surfaced and ducked under, until finally he saw a pale outline under the water and moved closer. He discovered Tiana's face, merely inches bellow the surface. He reached a hand out to the lifeless eyes that seemed to be staring back at him and saw the hair that fanned around her face, reaching upwards towards the air that was only inches above the ends. Rather than recoil at the sight, although knowing that it was hopeless, he tried desperately to free her clothing from where it was snagged by a branch. Only when his lungs felt as if they might explode did he move to kick back the short distance to the surface, only to find himself trapped by another sharp branch that had torn into his jacket, holding him down. He tried to tug it free, willing himself to resist the panic that was taking over in his urgent need for air. His fingers tugged at the stubborn material, scraping into the sharp wood that refused to let him go. He felt blackness creeping in, a moment of sickness followed by a pervading sense of calm. His body gave in, there was no oxygen to support his desperate attempts at survival. As the water swirled around his vision, growing darker still, he found Tiana's lifeless hand and grabbed onto it. He could still make out her face and his last thought was that he was not afraid to die. The moment before he lost consciousness he felt only a sense of peace.

Chris and Ezra searched desperately along the river for any sign of Vin or the woman. Chris remained in the water and Ezra climbed out to the muddy bank, scanning the river from the shore. The boat had stopped up ahead and they could see its lights in the distance. If only they had more light to see by back this way.

Buck grabbed the man he recognised as Victor Lornikov from the photo's they had looked through the previous day. He remembered what Vin had said about him and alerted security, announcing that there were four people overboard, three being ATF agents and that he was holding Victor Lornikov who had shot his wife. He knew the two agents from Team 6 would arrive first, being not far away.

Suddenly the little man smiled smugly and Buck nearly punched him in rage.

"What the hell are you smilin' at you little fuck?" he snarled angrily.

"You have nothing. I have done nothing wrong. I came across your friend with my wife and he attacked me, they were plotting to kill me," he said, smiling all the while.

"You little . . ." Buck gave in and punched him, hard, in the face. "You just shot your own wife down in cold blood." Buck said, seething. "You really think you will get away with that?"

"I have already gotten away with it." Victor's smile grew despite the blood streaming from his nose.

Buck was just about to punch him again when he saw the man's eyes dart behind him and heard footsteps approaching. He turned, saying "'bout time boys-" but was cut off by a sharp blow to the head and he fell in an unconscious heap to the decking.

"Throw him over." Victor ordered to his bodyguards, getting out a pristine handkerchief and holding it tenderly to his nose. He had ordered his men to stay back. He had wanted the satisfaction of killing his wife himself and hadn't wanted them to interfere, but had known they were there, backing him and just waiting for the right opportunity. "And hurry, he has alerted security, they are on their way."

They dumped the body over and hurried away, knowing they would be long-gone before the agents could get a handle on the situation and start a search.

Chris was exhausted. It had been a long night and didn't appear to be anywhere near over. He ducked under yet again, eyes straining in the black water and hands reaching out for anything that might resemble a human body. With every second that went by, he knew Vin's chances were getting slimmer, but he would not stop until he found him. He broke the surface again to the sound of Ezra's excited shout.

"Over there! By that overhanging tree. There!"

Chris turned and saw the large tree on the bank up ahead that Ezra was madly pointing to. Its roots extended out into the water to disappear beneath the surface and with a renewed surge of energy he forced his tired limbs to move.

Ezra ran to the tree and began to crawl out on the massive, jagged roots to the flash of white cloth that he had glimpsed. Chris got to them first. He groped through the entangling roots and sharp branches and felt long hair swirl around his hand. Moving in close to it he ducked under and could make out the woman's sightless eyes in the pale moonlight. He fought the sharp branches that clawed at his clothing, cutting into his flesh as he moved. He knew he couldn't help her, had known she would be dead when he had seen her body wracked with bullets before she had gone over. He continued groping along the wood until he reached another body. "Dear God, no," he thought, his hand snaring in Vin's hair only inches from the surface. He grabbed his arms and began to tug him upwards, only to realise he wasn't moving. He popped up to take a breath and Ezra grabbed his shoulder.

"He's snagged, help me pull him up." Chris said and went under again.

Ezra leant his upper body into the water, his legs hooked through a branch, grabbing onto Vin's shoulders under the surface and pulling with everything he had.

Chris quickly felt around for what was holding Vin under and found a sharp branch entangled in his jacket at the back. It took more precious time to free the material and then he gave a mighty shove to Vin's back, pushing him up. He was right behind him as he again hit the air to see Ezra pulling Vin up to the bank. He dragged himself out and followed, hearing the sound of a boat approaching.

Ezra laid Vin out flat, checking for signs of life as he pushed his coat back. "No breathing, no pulse," he said matter of factly.

He tilted Vin's head back and started with two quick breaths to his mouth. When there was no result Chris dropped down next to them and immediately began CPR, measuring his hand's on Vin's chest and starting to push life back into him with carefully measured pulses as Ezra continued to breath into Vin's mouth. The boat they had heard approaching pulled up to the bank and a spotlight lit the area.

"Identify yourselves!" came a shout from the security boat that had been following all night.

"We're ATF!" Chris called distractedly, absorbed in saving his friends life. "We need a chopper out here, we have a man down."

The three federal agents on the security boat moved fast to radio a chopper in for medical assistance and then moved to help with the injured agent, grabbing the extensive medical kit kept on board.

"C'mon pard, breathe," Chris said, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Breathe, now damnit!"

Vin was dreaming he was still under the water. He could see Chris and the rest of the boys looking down at him from the surface above and knew they couldn't see him. It was too dark, there were too many branches. The roots seemed to be moving, snaking out towards him and wrapping around his body. He struggled with everything he had and then stopped, seeing the beautiful face of Tiana before him, peeking out from a gap in the vines and branches. Her eyes were two black holes in her pale skin.

Chris and Ezra jumped back at the violent burst from Vin. He sat practically upright and coughed a stream of water from his mouth and nose, gasping for breath and most obviously still caught up in what had happened in the water.

"Nooo . . ." he wheezed breathlessly.. "noo . . . she.."

"Shhh.. Vin just breathe ok buddy? Breathe, that's it..you're ok, you're not in the water now, your safe cowboy . . ." Chris soothed.

Vin continued to cough water from his mouth and it took all of his concentration to force air into his lungs. He was forgetting something, he thought.

Ezra was patting his back, rubbing to help ease his coughing as well as try and lessen the chills that were making Vin shiver as he fought to get his lungs working again. They were all soaking wet but it occurred to Ezra that the water on Vin Tanner's back was warm. He looked down at his hand and was shocked to see the dark liquid covering his palm.

"Oh my God," he said. He shoved his hand out to Chris, "I think he's been shot."

Chris looked at Ezra's hand sharply and said, "Help me get his jacket off," already starting to peel it off from the front.

Two of the security agents from the boat approached and one knelt down with a medical kit, pulling bandages out. It was difficult to separate the jacket from the soaking shirt and skin underneath but they wrestled it from a still gasping Vin and immediately saw the blood that was still pouring into his shirt, unable to cling to the wet cloth and running in rivulets down his body.

Chris ran his hand along Vin's shirt, peeling the material back and finding two bullet holes, one right below his heart and the other just above in his left shoulder. "Fuck!" he turned to the security agents, "did you call that chopper?" he said roughly.

"Yessir, ETA 3 minutes." The man standing back a little said.

The other agent began packing the wounds to stop the bleeding. "Which agents are you?" he asked.

Seeing Chris was growing more and more distraught, Ezra spoke up. "I am agent Standish, this is Captain Larabee and Agent Tanner," he indicated Chris and Vin with his hand.

The man packing the wounds looked up to his fellow agent before saying, "then Agent Wilmington is still unaccounted for. Best notify the other patrol," he called back to the remaining agent.

Chris and Ezra looked at the man sharply.

"Agent Wilmington is unaccounted for? What do you mean?" Chris said.

"The initial alert came from Agent Wilmington that there were four overboard, three ATF agents included. When security got to the deck there was no sign of him. He'd disappeared."

Buck had regained consciousness the second he had hit the freezing water and had dizzily made his way to the bank. Pulling himself out of the water he sat for a moment, regaining his breath and holding a hand to his bleeding head. He saw the boat stopped up ahead and began to contemplate whether to swim back to help Chris and Ezra or go back and chase down Lornikov. Truth be known he didn't think he had the strength for either and so was much relieved to see a security patrol boat heading his way. He stood groggily and waved an arm to get their attention.

"Agent Wilmington?" a voice called out.

Buck waited until the engine was lowered before answering, "In the flesh! Have you found the rest of the boys?"

"They are a bit further up, chopper's comin' in to take them out," a voice called.

Buck still couldn't make out faces, caught as he was in the glare of the spotlight. They helped him into the boat and sat him on a bench, throwing a thermal blanket around his shoulders.

"Did they get Lornikov?" he asked, starting to shiver now that his body was relaxing.

"There was no sign of him," an agent told him. "When the backup you requested arrived there was no-one there, including you."

Buck swore. "Damnit all to hell! They knocked me out and musta thrown me over. Little Prick!" he fumed for a second, shivering more. "Are they searching the boat?"

"As we speak, but so far there's no sign of him or his security men."

"I can't help back on the boat there. Take me back to my team." Buck said, scowling in frustration.

+ + + + + + +

Vin coughed, choking on the liquid still spilling from his mouth. They turned him to his side and he continued to cough, spitting water to the earth. When he settled they turned him back and Chris saw the blood on his lips.

"Jesus . . . Jesus, damnit where's that chopper!" he said, almost a plea.

Ezra, too, saw the blood and closed his eyes briefly. He hadn't even realised that Vin had been shot.

"Dead . . . Chrisss.. she's dead." Vin gasped, in obvious agony but refusing to lie quiet.

"Shh.. Vin I know." Chris said. "I saw her Pard, it's OK."

"Eyes . . . black.. eyes." He said, coughing again so suddenly they barely had time to move him.

"Shh.. Vin c'mon. Just lie quiet now. Just breathe OK? That's all you gotta worry about now. Breathe.."

"Lornikov's wife's dead?" One of the agents asked.

"Yes," Chris said. "She's in the water beneath that tree." He indicated the tree they had found them. "Be careful the roots don't snag you," he added, remembering the events of just moments before.

Chris could feel Ezra's questioning look. "I found her just before I got to Vin. She was already dead," he explained.

"She was probably dead before she hit the water." Ezra said quietly.

Shock from the freezing water and gunshot wounds together with rapid blood loss were causing Vin to begin shivering violently. One agent ran back for blankets as the second boat pulled up. Chris and Ezra didn't look away from Vin, still helping to keep him calm while still trying to stop the bleeding, so they didn't notice Buck until he spoke.

"What the hell happened to him?" Buck said in shock to see Vin on the ground, apparently losing a lot of blood if the soaked bandages together with the once-white shirt that was now tainted crimson were any indication.

"Buck!" Chris said, looking up. "What the hell happened?!"

Buck sat next to them, still wrapped in the blanket as an agent returned to put blankets around Chris and Ezra and one over Vin's legs.

"They got the drop on me." Buck practically spat, listening to Vin's ragged breathing in growing alarm. The blood on his lips didn't escape his notice either, but looking at Chris he realised he probably needed the distraction of hearing his story.

"After you jumped over I called Team six and alerted security. I was holdin' him when his bodyguards jumped me from behind. They threw me over and I woke up when I hit the water. Patrol picked me up, they reckon Lornikov has done a disappearing act, they're still searchin' the boat up ahead."

"Fuckin' little weasil!" Chris spat.

"What about the woman, and what the hell happened to Vin?" Buck said, unable to wait for the explanation any longer.

"She's dead." Chris said, and when it appeared he wasn't going to elaborate Ezra explained.

"They look to be getting her out of the water now." He indicated back to the tree and Buck turned around to look at the agents dragging a body from the water. "It's the same spot we found Vin." Ezra continued. "It appears he did not escape the bullets our Russian enemy intended for his wife."

"Godamnit when they find him I'm gonna fuckin' kill the little prick." Buck spat.

As the sounds of the helicopter approached Vin renewed his coughing, the sound painful to their ears. Again on his side he gave a low moan of agony and desperately tried to clear his mouth for air. It was harder this time, the water seemed to just keep coming and he felt himself drifting again to the blackness that had brought him such peace earlier.

Chris could see Vin's body relaxing as the coughing died down to raw breaths being pulled in roughly and exhaled quickly. He was choking. Chris looked in growing fear at the large amount of blood pooling from Vin's mouth and shoved his fingers inside to clear the airway. He barely noted the flurry of activity around him as the helicopter landed in a clearway beyond the treeline and agents began running to prepare for their departure. After a painful moment when it appeared Vin had stopped breathing again, there came another jerk of his chest as he gasped in a desperate breathe of air and again coughed.

Chris leant back a little in temporary relief and looked up to see more men approaching with a gurney. Looking down again he saw Vin's eyes opened a crack and looking right at him.

"What is it Pard? Help's here, you're goin' to the hospital."

"Tiana?." Vin breathed the name out on a gasp.

Chris chose his words, "They're getting her now. They'll take care of her."

Vin closed his eyes again. He knew she was dead. He'd never forget the image of her black eyes looking back at him. Only now when he closed his eyes and saw her face, it seemed to have an ethereal glow surrounded by total blackness . . . and the deep pits that were her eyes stared back at him again and again.

+ + + + + + +

The flight seemed to take forever for Chris, Buck and Ezra as they all watched Vin for any sign of distress. They didn't talk to each other the entire way to the hospital, each lost in their own dark thoughts, although the noise of the loud helicopter didn't really allow for talk anyway.

Chris broke the silence only once to ask the pilot to get a message to their partner, Agent Sanchez, updating him of the nights events, before falling silent again. His eyes never left Vin the entire time and his hand never let go of his. Vin's hand felt cold and he was still shivering, although not as violently as before. Chris didn't know whether that was a good or bad sign.

Vin was in a kind of limbo. He knew Chris was holding his hand and was very close to him, but wasn't able to open his eyes or communicate in any way. He was cold, too. Colder than he had ever felt before. Every breath was a battle and it was all he could do to hold back the dark, metallic liquid that collected in his mouth and not choke. He was beyond the pain in his chest. He just seemed numb now, too cold to feel the gaping holes that had been torn through his body. The shock his system had felt at having foreign objects slam into it, invading everything in their path, had subsided to an empty dullness that left him on the outer brink of awareness, fighting not to overcome pain, but to live.

As the pilot announced he was approaching the roof and alerted the hospital staff they were coming in, Chris looked closer at Vin's face. There was a slight frown marring his brow and he leant closer on the floor as Vin's chest gave a slight jerk and Chris realised he was again choking, too weak to even cough.

Ezra was right with him turning Vin to his side as Chris tried desperately to clear his airway again. Vin wasn't frowning now, his face seemed relaxed and they realised he wasn't breathing.

"Fuck . . . Ez he's-"

"Turn him back." Ezra cut a distraught Chris off, rolling Vin over to his back and putting his fingers to his neck. He still had a pulse but had indeed stopped breathing.

As the chopper landed Buck leapt out to shout to the emergency staff who were already running towards them to hurry and Ezra once again started breathing for Vin while Chris spoke encouraging words, never thinking for a moment that Vin couldn't hear him.

"C'mon!" Buck shouted at the team of doctors and staff as they approached the still circling blades with caution. One of the team approached him, asking if he was alright and Buck immediately turned the man towards the open door and guided him forward.

"You'll have to move back now." The doctor said, moving his head in the door.

"He's not breathing." Chris said, still looking at Vin.

"C'mon boys! Get the hell outta there and let `em see to him - hurry up!" Buck said loudly.

The pilot had opened the door on the other side and was tugging on Ezra's sleeve. Ezra stopped his breathing and looked up dazedly.

"C'mon!" The pilot urged, "Let the doctor's in!"

Ezra blinked and immediately sprang to action, guiding Chris from Vin's side to make room to get Vin out.

"Let's go Chris!" Ezra said sharply.

Squeezing Vin's hand briefly Chris jumped out behind Ezra and they made their way round to the other side where they were pulling Vin out and already loading him on a gurney to take inside. Chris stumbled as he moved to follow and Buck and Ezra grabbed him to steady him. The words the medical team were saying as they wheeled Vin away seemed far away to him and he allowed himself to be pulled along towards the building.

They followed Vin inside but were stopped as they pushed him to a large lift and were directed to an examining room. Chris began to protest to the nurse who was obviously in charge but she firmly informed him that his friend was being moved straight to surgery and he could not go in but would be kept updated throughout. She told Buck to sit and that a doctor would be right with him to check over the injury to his head and insisted that Ezra and Chris take hot showers and change into the hospital greens she would supply if they intended to stay - for hygiene's sake if nothing else. They wouldn't let Chris anywhere near Vin and the life-saving surgery he needed whilst he still carted the filth of half the river on him, so he reluctantly agreed.

"Ez, I know you're tired too, but could you find a spot where you're allowed to call from your phone and ask Josiah to bring some clothes for us. I can't face talkin' at the moment," Chris said.

Ezra looked at Chris a moment in shock before nodding briefly and walking out of the room. Chris Larabee just asked him to do something? Asked? Sheesh, he must be losin' it. God knew he was tired. This was one of the longest night's he could ever remember having. He couldn't stop the feeling of dread as he remembered using the mouth-to-mouth skills that he thought he would never have to utilise. He breezed through the first aid course every year but had never really given a thought as to what it might feel like to have to actually breath into someone who couldn't breathe themselves. Especially if that some one was one of your closest friends.

Buck remained silent as the doctor examined his head. She had dealt with Buck and the rest of the ATF boys before and was surprised by their silence. When these guys were in they were usually loud and demanding, but were somewhat subdued tonight. Buck answered her questions with the briefest of answers until she finally pronounced that he would be ok, telling Chris to watch him for signs of concussion to which Chris gave her a distracted nod.

Josiah had sprung to action the minute he'd hung up from getting the call that his four teammates were on their way to the hospital, one agent being seriously wounded. He ran around grabbing clothes and pulling them on, dialing Nathan as he did so. He was in his car minutes later to pick up Nathan, dialing JD as he drove. He got the call from a worn out Ezra as he waited for Nathan to come out.

"Sanchez," he said curtly, it was the early hours of the morning after all.

"Mr Sanchez, it's Ezra. Are you by chance coming down to the hospital?"

"Just getting Nate and JD, won't be much longer. Do you guys need somethin' ?"

"The hospital staff are insisting we wash the filth and deluge of the river from our skin and we are in need of clothing if we are to remain here."

"What's the situation there Ez? Who's down? The message I got told me only that there had been shots fired on the boat and that four members of the ATF were being lifted to County. I asked questions but the operator had no more information than that, she said the call came from the pilot of the helicopter but he had been brief."

Ezra sighed deeply, he could hardly string coherent sentences together he was that tired. "Vin's been shot. He's in surgery. It's a long story, tell you when you get here," he said and hung up the phone before Josiah could ask him more questions.

When he got back to the examination room Chris was in the shower and Buck was lying on a bed, having showered and donned the charming green hospital attire. His eyes were closed but he was not sleeping, Erza knew. He didn't think that any of them would be sleeping that night, not until they knew Vin would be alright.

A nurse came in then and Buck sat up a little at her voice. She was an older lady and very stern looking.

"What is the news of Mr Tanner?" Ezra asked.

"Your friend is still in surgery. He was shot twice in the chest. One of those bullets has perforated his left lung. The surgeon's are working to repair the damage."

"And now the full version," Buck said to her, his gaze not wavering from her severe expression.

"At present there is not much more to tell. When we hear any more on how it is going, you will be the first to know, I assure you."

Seeing Buck's expression still relentless in his pursuit for answers her face softened a little. Just as Chris came out of the adjoining bathroom freshly showered and also in the greens, she said to Buck, "Your friend lost a lot of blood. There was quite a bit of time between his being shot and getting to help. They are doing all they can to repair the damage and stabilise him."

She was silent a moment, choosing her words. "They have had to restart his heart once already, getting him through surgery will be difficult, but it is too early to draw any conclusions."

Buck looked at her sadly, "Thankyou for your direct answer," he said sincerely. He looked up to Chris who was still in the doorway, staring at the nurse but not really seeing her. Buck was glad Chris had heard her. They needed to know where things stood.

The old nurse looked at Ezra sternly before leaving them alone. "It's going to be a long night, son, you need to lie down before you fall down," she said. She wrinkled her nose a little at him, "and you should get a nice hot shower as well."

Ezra sat down on the chair nearest him with a thud. He replayed the words, "Getting him through surgery will be difficult." For a nurse to admit that much to them, he figured the situation must indeed be dire.

Chris was thinking the same thing. "C'mon Vin," he prayed silently, "keep at it buddy, don't let that fucker beat you."

+ + + + + + +

Vin had felt himself being wheeled over the rooftop, not really aware of where he was but feeling the cold night air all around him. He heard the voices about him and felt the oxygen mask go over his face. He wanted it off but could not speak. He heard Chris's voice, raised and angry and then it was cut off and there was silence. He felt the ground moving and suddenly there were a million voices at once all around him. He heard a deep, soothing voice above him, "Agent Tanner can you hear me son?" Son. Why did people always call him son? He wasn't anyone's son.

"Vincent? Can you hear me? My name's doctor Ericson."

Vin felt himself be lifted and moved, felt hand's removing his shirt, but for the life of him couldn't get his lips to move. He was surprised when he made out the kind face of the doctor above him and realised his eyes were open. The doctor looked from where he had been examining the wounds and saw Vin's eyes looking glazedly back at him.

"Hey there. We're gonna fix you up now, just take it easy."

Vin closed his eyes and tuned them all out again. He felt warm hands on his chest and after what seemed like a long time, felt a needle sink into his arm and was out in the next few seconds.

+ + + + + + +

It was a long wait after the initial report from the nurse. The examination room was large and could accommodate many patients at once. It was obviously a quiet night for them to be put up there. Buck remained on the only bed while Chris and Ezra laid out on two of the examination tables. Ezra found it surprisingly comfortable, but thought fleetingly that he could probably sleep up a tree, he was that tired. He was amazed to realise that he had fallen asleep when he heard Josiah's deep voice talking to Chris.

"You wanna tell us what happened?"

Ezra opened his eyes and saw that Buck was asleep and Chris was sitting up, facing Josiah. Nathan and JD were in chairs, also facing Chris.

"Not really." Chris said on a sigh. Damnit he was tired. He'd laid down and though he might be able to catch some sleep when the room had fallen into a quiet hush and he heard the deep breathing of his partners, but it wasn't to be. Again and again he thought of finding Vin in the water, remembered the feel of his long hair floating through his hand. When he'd sputtered his first water logged breath he'd been so relieved that he'd wanted to cry, but then Ezra had held out his hand, showing the blood that was pouring from Vin's back. He thought back to seeing Vin and the woman hurled over the side of the boat and hadn't for a second realised that his friend had been shot. Vin had been behind the woman, obviously the bullets had passed through her despite her effort to shield him. Damnit! He closed his eyes. He couldn't tell the story just yet.

"Hey Ez!" JD said enthusiastically, seeing Ezra pull himself up. Any distraction from Chris's agonized face was a welcome one, he thought.

"Ezra, you OK?" Nathan asked, moving over. He'd never seen Ezra look so pale and drawn.

"I am fine, thankyou Mr Jackson. No worse off than our compatriots."

"What the hell happened?" Josiah said, turning to him, hoping he might shed some light on the situation.

Ezra threw a glance at Chris and noted his tightly closed eyes. He realised it was up to him to tell them what happened. Maybe it would distract them all a little from the wait.

"At about 2.30 this morning the party was still very much in swing, besides the Jazz band of course, who had not a musical bone in their fingers..." Ezra caught Chris's sharp look at that, before he saw his face relax slightly and he closed his eyes again.

Chris knew what Ezra was doing. He had been about to tear him apart for making light of the situation when he had looked harder at Ezra and seen the exhaustion and worry plain on his face.

"..I had decided to find a more appropriate location on the vessel by which to observe our drunken quarry, when Mr Larabee asked us to report in. Mr Wilmington and myself both audiably confirmed our state of boredom, however Mr Tanner had company up on the deck."

"Who was he with?" JD asked.

"We believe the lady who approached Mr Tanner was Mrs Lornikov, Victor Lornikov's wife, although Vin did not know that at the time."

Josiah and Nathan looked at each other and JD's eyes grew wide. Vin and Victor Lornikov's wife?

"Tiana Lornikov approached him twice on the boat. We believe she was Victor Lornikov's wife." Ezra restated. "She followed Mr Tanner up on the deck and we heard her offer him a drink."

Chris took a deep breath. He remembered the conversation, remembered practically daring Vin to take up the woman's obvious offer. Victor Lornikov's wife . . . Had he signed Vin's death sentence when he'd told him to go for it?

"Shoulda seen that woman. Damn she was fine."

All eyes turned to Buck, no longer asleep on the bed. His eyes were closed but he had been listening to the conversation. He, too, wanted the distraction from the endless wait.

"What happened then?" JD asked, caught up in the story now.

"Well, it appears Mrs Lornikov was rather forward in her pursuit of Mr Tanner and, well-"

"How are you all doing in here?" All eyes looked up to see the nurse that had entered earlier.

"How is he?" Chris asked, his voice catching slightly in trepidation.

The nurse gave the smallest of smiles. "Mr Tanner is out of surgery, they are moving him to intensive care now. The doctor will be down in a little while to talk with you, but he is confident that the surgery went well. We need to keep a close eye on him for a while."

"Can we see him?" Chris asked.

"Once we have him settled we will come and get you."

"Thankyou."

She left again and Buck smiled for the first time since early that morning.

"Yes!" he said. "That boy's a fighter that's for sure."

JD grinned back at Buck, it was contagious. The tension seemed to lift a little from the room. They knew he was still critical, but he'd made it through the surgery, that was a step forward.

"So what happened with Vin and the woman?" JD asked, turning back to Ezra. He knew Vin was no monk, but it was hard to imagine him playing up on a job.

"Yes, Ezra, I gotta say I'm a little curious as to what Brother Tanner was up to on deck." Josiah said with a slight smile.

"Well . . . nothing untoward, I assure you." Ezra said, uncomfortable all of a sudden with this part of the tale.

"If groanin' and pantin' aint -untoward- as you put it." Buck said, still smiling. He had let Vin have his moment on the boat, but he had known all along he'd hassle him about it later.

Nathan turned to Buck and raised an eyebrow, showing his disbelief.

"You don't believe me?" he said back. Another thought came to him then. He looked up and saw Chris looking at him, his face slightly more relaxed since the nurse had come in. "That reminds me, Chris, you won the bet."

Chris's jaw tightened.

"What bet?" JD asked.

"I gave the woman a minute to walk away from Vin, Buck bet on five minutes, and our esteemed Captain correctly bet that they would leave the boat together." Ezra said.

+ + + + + + +

Finally the doctor came and his smile told them much. Not daring to let go of his fear yet, Chris remained silent.

"I am Doctor Ericson, I performed the surgery on your teammate, Agent Tanner." He announced.

"How is he, Doc?" Buck asked, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

The doctor took in the anxious faces and realised that the young man he had just patched up was more than just a teammate to these men.

"Your friend pulled through remarkably well," he said. "Our biggest fear was blood loss, but he is now stabilising well. The wound to his shoulder was clean, there is some resulting muscle damage there but it will heal in time. We were able to remove the second bullet, which was still embedded in his back. It passed through his left lung, though, which is where the most serious damage has occurred. We have repaired the damage but have to monitor it now for any signs of blood present."

At their still frowning faces he smiled more brightly. "Your friend is extremely lucky boys, it will be a while, but he is going to pull up ok."

It took a while for them to register what he had said, but when they finally did, there was much heartfelt relief. Chris just sat with his eyes closed, accepting the words whilst Buck whooped loudly and the rest all grinned like kids at their own birthday parties.

+ + + + + + +

Vin was seeing Tiana's face again. This time, she was a doctor, leaning over him.

"Are you with us, Mr Tanner? Can you hear me?"

Vin opened his eyes and tried to focus on her face. He tried to say her name but couldn't.

"Take your time, honey, no rush. Keep your eyes open, that's it."

Vin blinked several times. The room was spinning around him and he couldn't focus on her face. He felt a strong hand grip his right one and turned his head slightly.

"It's alright Pard, you're OK," came the familiar voice of his best friend. "Just open your eyes for a minute so's we know you're ok."

Vin put everything he had left into obeying the request. His eyes felt like sandpaper as he opened them a fraction wider and tried to focus on the dark faces looming above him. He couldn't breathe properly. Something wasn't right, his throat felt thick and clogged. Suddenly the face on his left came into focus and he believed for all he was worth that he was looking at Tiana. Her eyes were intense as they looked back at him. Why was she looking at him like that? What was she expecting from him?

Chris saw the confusion in Vin's face and squeezed his hand a little. "Vin? Look at me buddy," he said, concern etched on his serious face.

Vin kept his gaze on the woman, his eyes bright but dazed. "Tiana?" he tried to say, but the sound did not get past his throat.

"Mr Tanner, you are in the hospital. Don't try and talk. I am Nurse Westoby."

Vin blinked. What was she saying to him? He closed his eyes for a second and tried to concentrate. He tried to push the sick feeling in his stomach back to gather his thoughts and focus on what she was asking him. He opened his eyes again. This time he saw Tiana more clearly. Only she was dead this time. Her eyes were dark holes in her face and her skin was luminescent. Her hair hung damp and looked like seaweed moving about her face. He recoiled from her, a small sound of horror coming from him as he tried to move back on the bed.

"Easy Vin, easy! It's just the nurse buddy! You with me?" Chris said, anxiously trying to calm his terrified friend.

Vin didn't hear him. He blinked several times but each time he saw her face again and again looming above him. When her hand reached out he came undone, trying with everything he had to get away but restrained by a now frantic Chris.

Monitor's beeped alerts and brought medical staff running. Chris held him as they sedated him and continued to grip his arms until he relaxed, his body succumbing to the drug. When Vin's eyes closed and his breathing, still raspy and shallow, evened out some, he stepped back and took a deep breath.

"It's a natural reaction to the shock and the drugs, I'm afraid." The nurse said to him.

Chris didn't look away from Vin, there was a sheen of sweat on his friends face. "He's never good with drugs," was all he said.

Over the next few days Vin continued to wake up with visions of Tiana so real that they scared a year off his life every time it happened. Gradually, though, he was becoming more lucid as they lessened his dose of morphine and then nausea set in, leaving little room for any other thoughts.

Although the staff knew the basics of what had happened to him, they had not been given any details as to where or how it had happened, or who the shooter had been.

Chris had called Travis immediately upon hearing Vin would be alright and found that the Judge was already aware of everything that had been going on. He had organised to keep Vin's stay at the hospital under wraps and had been busy all that morning of the shooting ensuring that every measure was taken to prevent Victor Lornikov from leaving the country, or from getting to his men again.

Chris stayed at the hospital, keeping a watch over Vin and for anyone that may mean him harm, while the rest of the team continued on with their conference schedule. They had a personal reason to be there now. They wanted to find Victor Lornikov and hanging around the other delegates was a good place to start.

+ + + + + + +

Buck and JD entered Vin's room with a dejected slump to their shoulders. The two remaining days of the conference had turned up nothing on Victor Lornikov's whereabouts. He had vanished, a ghost. It had been a long day and they had gotten the late shift, meaning the rest of the boys were probably long home by now. Moving in the doorway they paused at the sight of the five other members of the team all in the one small private room they had finally moved Vin to.

"Thought you boys'd called it a day." Buck said, moving in to take a look at Vin.

"Thought we'd take a look at Vin's new room." Nathan said, smiling slightly at Buck's surprised face.

"How'd the wrap up go?" Chris asked from the chair next to Vin, the same spot he'd been for the past two days.

"Straight as. Nothin' at all on where he's shot off to. The man seems to have kept to himself. Everyone knows him or of him, but has never had any dealin's with him. The man's a phantom."

Moving closer to peer down at Vin's closed eyes and pale face, Buck was relieved to see him without quite so many tubes and devices hanging off him.

"How's Vin doing?" JD asked, moving in beside Buck.

"Better. He's woken up a few times now." Chris said softly.

Buck took a seat wearily. "I don't know where this is goin' Chris."

Chris looked up at him. "What d'ya mean Buck?"

"Victor must know we aint gonna let this go. Three federal agents watch him gun a woman down, his wife, in cold blood, taking out a fellow agent as he does it and he thinks we aint gonna come after him? Are we not a threat to him? Why hasn't he come after us?"

Ezra looked up from the paper he had been reading in a seat by the window. "I must agree with Mr Wilmington, this bastard's seeming indifference to the situation is confounding. I fail to see how he can believe that we would allow this miscarriage of justice to prevail." Ezra put in.

"Because he know's we can't touch him." Chris cut them off.

It was Buck's turn to stare back at Chris. "Now what do you mean?"

Chris sighed, looking again at Vin, so relaxed in his sleep. The past couple of says had been rough on him. He knew Vin was having a hard time with Lornikov's wife being killed and knew he even blamed himself a little for not having saved her. He wanted this to be over. They all wanted closure. Unfortunately, sometimes things were more complicated than anyone wanted them to be and powerful men sometimes got away with things that other men would never be able to comprehend.

"Judge has been workin' on this non stop." Chris told them all. "Victor really is into some serious shit. They've been watchin' him for years now. Everyone seems to know what he's up to... including his own government."

Nathan swore.

"You saying he has their support?" Josiah asked darkly.

Chris sighed again. "I'm saying there's a lot more to this than tracking a man down and shootin' him. It's a political mess. Even if we find him, there's a good chance he will be extradited back to Russia and dealt with there."

"You mean let off there." Buck said darkly.

"You think I like this?" Chris said, suddenly angry. "You think I want to see the man that shot Vin and left him like this get off scott free? I wanna get that fuckin little bastard and snap his fuckin' neck! But we gotta be patient on this one. We aint gonna find out nothin' by chargin' in, we gotta play the game a little, and for me to admit that, you know I got no Goddamn choice!"

There was silence as Chris's frustrated and uncharacteristically long outburst fell away.

"You're gonna give yerself an ulcer Larabee."

Chris looked sharply at the source of the Texan drawl. Blue eyes looked up at him and he took in the slight smile on the lips, calming down instantly. The rest of the team had all heard the voice and were smiling themselves. Aside from Chris, not one of them had heard a word from Vin since his surgery and Chris had only heard a few mumbled words, usually as Vin was waking from a restless sleep.

"Hey Cowboy. You listenin' in on people?" Chris asked quietly, his whole face softening as he regained his perspective with Vin's scratchy words.

"Hard not to . . ."

"Shit Vin, sorry." Buck said, feeling bad he'd woken Vin up.

"'Sallright Bucklin . . . had enough a'sleepin' anyways."

Buck laughed. "Jesus you only been here two days, Junior, already you had enough?"

Vin smiled back then, "Two weeks tops, I'm outta here."

"I'll take that bet, Mr Tanner, I say three weeks-for fourty dollars." Ezra put in.

"I say eighteen days, for fifty." Buck returned.

"Brothers, don't you think your bettin's seen enough trouble lately?" Josiah asked.

Chris looked down, his face heating slightly in guilt.

Seeing this, Vin grabbed his arm, chuckling softly. "How the hell is this your fault?"

Chris looked at him. "I shouldn't have challenged ya, pard."

"Woulda done it anyway."

Chris smiled then at Vin's defiant face. Nobody else in the room was surprised. Josiah gave his head a slight shake, he couldn't help but be fascinated with the silent conversation that passed between them. These two were connected by a bond greater than man, for that he was sure.

Suddenly Vin's face became serious, his blue eyes hardening as they looked at Chris.

"He'll get what's comin'. Whether it's here and now or some other time, he'll pay his dues."

Chris didn't respond, simply nodded once in acceptance of Vin's words. Vin had made himself Victor's personal judge and jury, Chris could see it in his eyes and he totally understood. He would be there to back him however he chose to play it.

Two Weeks Later.

It had been a long and tiring session but finally the day's therapy for his shoulder was over and he was ready for a long sleep before any of the boys turned up. He could feel himself getting stronger with each day. His shoulder and chest still hurt, with sharp pains constantly reminding him that he wasn't done healing yet by a long shot, but he was getting there faster than anyone had hoped. He thanked Theresa, the therapist who had been working with him over the last week and stood up from the chair near his bed to answer the call of nature.

"I'm just going to write a couple of things down while it's still fresh." Theresa told him. "Do you mind?"

Vin moved to the bathroom saying "Go ahead, don't bother me none."

Theresa watched him move in and close the door behind him. The last true gentleman on earth, besides her dear husband of course, she thought, smiling to herself. Straight away she caught a picture of her little boy in her mind and knew she could never give up her family, not even for that man behind the door who had never complained or shown his discomfort over the two weeks she had been working with him, just looked at her gratefully with his beautiful blue eyes holding back his pain. She knew no details of what had happened to him, only knew she was dealing with two gunshot wounds and could get no more information out of him about it.

"So how's Joey?" Vin called from the bathroom and she could hear the tap running.

"He's OK. Been trying to get the cast off his arm and still scared of trees, but it hasn't hurt his mouth in any way, he still talks a hundred miles an hour."

"Yeah, I know someone like that... Do we have a session tomorrow or is that it?" Vin asked, turning off the tap and searching for the hand towel.

After a moments silence Vin frowned slightly. "Theresa?"

He heard a muffled sound and his whole body tensed. Jesus who was out there? He tried to sound calm as he positioned himself near the door. They were waiting for him to come out.

"Hey Theresa, I'm just gonna take a shower. I'll speak to you later if you're gone when I get out."

Vin reached over and tuned the shower tap on then leaned back against the wall. He banked on whomever it was to get frustrated and come in after him. He didn't have to wait long. He watched the handle turn and the door push open. A hand pushed the door until he saw a head pop through. It was all Vin needed. Lightening fast he reached out and grabbed the man's wrist from the doorknob and yanked him into the bathroom. As the man was propelled forward Vin shifted his weight and stepped to the side, shoving him from behind and into the cabinet. He slammed down on the man's gun arm and snatched up the weapon, pointing it at the much larger man's head and snarling softly, "You wanna die?"

He yanked the man's jacket and shoved him towards the door. "Don't fuck with me I've had enough of this place, I'll kill you and walk right outta here not givin' a damn." He paused, holding the man in the doorway and took a deep breath to push away the dizziness that was threatening to take hold. He knew what he could expect out there and didn't want another bullet hole in him just yet, he had too much to do.

"You're going to hell little man."

Vin looked at the man who had snarled the words back at him in Russian. Suddenly he smiled and saw the man's eyes widen in shock and fear at the coldness that he saw staring at him from ice blue eyes.

"Maybe, but not before you." he replied, taking a deep breath and pushing the man violently out of the doorway, turning and raising his weapon at the same time.

Theresa had watched the two men enter the room and had known immediately that they were not friends of Vin's. She had met most of them over the weeks and liked every one of the protective bunch. These men in dark suits were bad, she could feel it. When they had drawn guns and motioned her to remain silent she thought to warn Vin but had found a hand clamped at her mouth and a gun pressed to her head as one of them moved behind her. She could only watch helplessly as the other man moved to the door where Vin could be heard talking to her. When he asked her about a session tomorrow she had tried to call a warning but the hand over her mouth muffled her cry. She almost wept when Vin hadn't paused but had moved on to tell her he was having a shower. They could kill him easily in that vulnerable position.

Just when tears had started to spill over her wide and frightened eyes she saw the man moving in towards Vin be yanked quickly inside the door. Seconds later she heard a deeply growling voice and then the man reappeared, a gun to his head. The man behind her pressed the gun more firmly to her own head and she held her breath. She was bait here, he would use her to kill Vin.

Suddenly the man before her was shoved aside and in the blink of an eye Vin appeared, gun raised and firing a single shot before anyone could think what had happened. She felt the gun to her head fall, brushing her shoulder before it rattled to the ground.

Vin saw the man behind Theresa start to fall and turned as the man he'd shoved aside came at him. He raised his gun again but found himself being shoved back against the wall.

+ + + + + + +

Chris approached Vin's room smiling. He'd just spoken to Vin's doctor who was so happy with his progress he believed Vin would be OK to go home in a few days, although he wasn't going to be doing much for a while. Moving down the hallway he heard the loud crack of a gun firing and heard a woman scream. His legs reacted instantly, pounding the last few meters to the room where the shot had sounded. Vin's room. He forced himself to pause at the door and look cautiously into the room. His eyes took in Vin's therapist, a man on the floor by her chair not moving and Vin bailed up against a wall by a huge man in a suit matching the one on the floor all in the blink of an eye. He leapt to action, drawing his own gun and rushing the man pinning Vin.

Vin was struggling against the pressure on his neck from the big Russian's arm pinning him to the wall. His chest was on fire and as much as he fought like hell, he knew he didn't have the strength to match him. In a last ditch effort he drew his knee up sharply, connecting with the man's groin and felt the pressure leave his throat as he drew in a long, shaky breath that screamed through his chest but met his brains' demand for oxygen. Preparing for another futile onslaught he looked for the Russian and grinned when he saw Chris on top of him, pinning him to the ground and pounding him with punches that would have knocked out a smaller man in one go.

Thinking the fight won, Vin took a step forward only to see Chris be suddenly flipped over to his back, staring dazedly at the huge man now pinning him from above, the blood caused by his own punches now splattering down on his face. The Russian got one punch in before he heard a cry of "Get off him you bastard!" screamed in his own language, before he fell to the ground in an unconscious heap, unaware of the man looking down at him still holding a telephone in his hands shakily.

Vin's knees gave out and he sank to the ground beside Chris. He dropped the phone, hardly remembering snatching it up off the table by the bed, unable to hold onto it now that the adrenaline rush was over and it clanged to the hard floor with a resounding clash.

Chris, panting hard, looked up at Vin through his one good eye. He was still shocked that the man had managed to flip him over, it had happened that fast. He grinned when he saw Vin was OK and saw Vin's own grin flash back at him through a bloody lip. He turned his head and looked past Vin, his eyes meeting those of the man on the floor, appearing wide and surprised by the neat hole that was between them.

Not able to think quite clearly yet after receiving the big man's ham- like fist to his head and still letting the blood raging through his veins calm in its own time, Chris's smile widened and he said to Vin, "You speak Russian?"

Vin, still catching his own breath, laughed softly. "Just the bad bits."

Somehow Chris knew Vin was playing it down. He would bet his one good eye Vin spoke fluent Russian and didn't know why he was surprised by that. He wondered what other languages Vin spoke that he didn't know about.

"You nearly had him there," Vin said with a mischievous look.

Chris scowled at him, allowing him to change the subject. "Like a fucking tree fell on me."

Suddenly remembering Theresa Vin turned to her painfully, trying to restrict the movement of his upper body.

"You OK, ma'am?" Vin asked her, concerned by her pale face and unfocused, wide eyes.

She gave a slight nod but that was all.

"Theresa?" Vin said again, as if talking to a spooked animal, "Look at me now."

Slowly Theresa blinked and turned her face to the sound of Vin's calm voice. She found his eyes, looking at her with such calm understanding that she instantly burst into tears.

"Damnit," Vin said softly.

"Son I gotta teach ya to please a woman right, not be makin' her cry just talkin' to her."

Chris and Vin looked up to see Buck and Nathan enter the room, their faces trying to take in the scene around them. Doctor's and nurses were pushing past them, everyone trying to make sense of the bodies strewn all over the floor and the woman crying in the chair.

"What the hell happened?!" Nathan said, trying to decide who needed help first.

"I think Lornikov isn't as indifferent as we'd thought." Vin said, his voice husky and strained.

Chris looked at Vin then and really studied his face. "Yes, but what changed to make him pay attention?" he asked softly.

Vin sighed and leaned back against the wall behind him. "I mighta provoked him some I guess." He said quietly, "I kinda called in a few favours, had someone dig around a little for me over at my old outfit."

"Dig around a little?" Chris said in a deceptively calm voice.

"Just wanted to see if anyone knew anythin' we didn't that's all."

"You couldn't even wait 'til you were outta the hospital before you got into it? What the hell do you think you can do from here?" Nathan asked him, kneeling down next to him now that he could see that the doctor's had found the other man dead behind the woman and were talking to her soothingly, giving her an injection, a sedative most likely. She was clearly in shock.

"Hell I just asked a few questions, got the ball rollin' a little. It's not like I challenged him to ten rounds or somethin'!" Vin said, getting annoyed now. He was damn tired and didn't think he could take much more at that moment. "I just wanted him to know it wasn't over."

Chris sighed, trying and failing to sit up. Damn that man had a fist like an iron club. "Well it look's like he got your message Vin, whatever the hell it really was. I think you got your answer, too."

"Yeah, well, maybe he don't wanna confess all just yet, but we got us someone who might," Vin said with another grin, indicating the big Russian still unconscious on the floor by Chris with his chin.

Chris looked at the giant fallen man. "That we do. Think I'll let him sleep it off for awhile though," he said grimacing at the pain pulsing behind his swollen eye.

"What's that noise?" Nathan asked suddenly, looking about the room.

"What noise? I don't hear nuthin'," Buck said, frowning.

Nathan was silent a moment and then there came the sound of a very faint ringing. Vin's eyes narrowed in concentration. He'd heard it that time.

Chris looked around him, trying to push himself up. Again there came a soft ring. Still a little dazed Chris grabbed the phone by Vin's legs, the handset resting out of the cradle already, and held it up, studying it intently.

Buck laughed. "I don't think it's that Chris, you'd better lie back down buddy."

Again there was a faint ring and Vin turned to the body behind him, crawling over a little and lowering his head to listen harder. After another second he began to pat the man's coat pockets and dug a hand into one, pulling out a phone. He turned to the others, smiling slightly and raising his eyebrows as if to say, "What do you think? Nothin' ta lose here."

He pressed the answer button and put the phone to his ear, preparing to speak a language he hadn't had to speak in some years.

"Hello?" he asked, not looking at the shocked faces he knew Buck and Nathan would be wearing.

"Adrikov, you have done your job?"

"Yes." Vin said, for lack of anything better to say. He wanted to keep his answers very short, he had no idea what sort of voice the now dead Andrikov had had. He would have bet anything that the very deep voice he was hearing was Lornikov himself. What if there was some sort of code word he was supposed to know? He waited for the voice to speak again.

"Good, you are lucky you finally managed to do something right. Where are you now?"

"Heading back." Vin said.

"What is wrong with your voice?" The man asked.

Alarmed, Vin tried to sound more muffled, "It was not easy, I think maybe the little bastard broke my nose."

"But you got him, yes?"

"I got him, yes." Vin said.

There was a brief pause and then Vin heard it. The sound of a boarding call. Clear as day he heard the American accent call boarding for Flight 668 and for Passengers to proceed to gate nine immediately.

"Alright, hurry up and get here, we leave soon."

"On my way."

A figure moving discreatly through a crowded airport suddenly stopped, his body tense. Lornikov gripped his phone harder and frowned, something did not feel right. "You are alone?" he asked softly.

Vin swallowed the panic in his voice. Idiot! he thought to himself, madly scrambling for the other fallen man and leaping onto him, patting down his pockets.

"No, of course not, we will be right there."

Another silence.

"Who is with you now?" came the question as Vin flipped open the man's wallet, scanning it frantically and hoping to God it was right.

"Andrea is with me, of course," Vin said, trying to put a note of annoyance in his voice.

Lornikov relaxed a little, that sounded like Andrikov. "I will see you."

Vin ended the call and looked up to his teammates, all staring at him intently.

"Well?!" Chris nearly burst.

"It was Lornikov."

"You're sure?" Nathan said sharply.

"As sure as I can be. They're at the airport, I heard the boarding call for Flight 668."

"Doesn't mean he's getting that flight." Buck said, still trying to get over hearing Vin speak fluent Russian like a native to the country.

"No, but it narrows it down some don't it Buck?" Chris said impatiently.

"Call it in, alert all departments, get the airport security onto it but don't let them raise suspicion... if that's possible," he said sarcastically, knowing how incompetent they could be.

Vin began to pull himself up.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?!" Chris said, grabbing Vin's leg and holding him down.

"Don't start, Larabee, I aint missin' this, no way in hell-"

"Are you going along." Nathan finished for him.

Vin continued to try and stand.

"Vin, the longer you fuck around here the longer it'll take to get this happening." Chris said.

Vin looked at him and sat back down, pissed off as hell that Chris was right. He heard Buck calling the details in, gathering men together to apprehend Lornikov and silently fumed, trying to calm his racing heart.

Buck hung up and turned to them then, "I'll start headin' down there and make the rest of the calls on the way. The ball's rollin'." He gave Vin an intense look, almost a pledge in his tone, "He aint gettin outta this state."

Vin nodded to him, acknowledging the vow as Buck hauled Nathan up and they both fled the chaotic room.

Vin sighed, trying to release his frustration at being left behind.

Chris gave Vin's leg a squeeze. "We'll get him, Vin. You gotta let the rest of the boys take care of this, now. There'll be plenty a'time to pay your respects to Lornikov later."

Vin leaned back on the wall again. He wanted to go so badly it hurt, but he knew he wouldn't make it. Chris was right about one thing though, he'd be catching up with Lornikov real soon, that was for certain.

+ + + + + + +

Buck was confident that everything was in place. He had called Josiah and asked him to contact JD and Ezra to meet at the airport and there were that many teams of agents, security and police on the alert, he was sure that Lornikov was not getting on any damn plane. As he veered the car around a truck that was sticking out too far waiting to move into the traffic, he pictured Vin's face as he'd last seen it. Blue eyes looking up at him, drilling into his very soul with their intensity. Then, in nothing more than a simple nod of his head, Vin had handed him his faith and his trust that Buck would get the job done. Buck could not face failing Vin in this. He wanted to hand Lornikov over to him so that Vin could put to rest his need for vengeance.

"Buck," Nathan said in a calm voice, placing a hand on his friend's arm.

Buck blinked, "What?"

"Killing us won't help us get to him in time."

Buck looked down at his speed, eased off a fraction from the pedal. "Sorry Nate.. I want this guy."

"We all do. Let's just be smart about it, not go rushing into an all-out firefight where there's too many people around."

It took fifteen minutes to get to the airport. Buck flew into the parking area, seeing JD already waiting next to his bike and practically threw the car into a loading zone, leaping out. He saw Ezra and Josiah pull in as his phone rang.

"Wilmington." He said shortly.

"Mr Wilmington, Bruce Adamson here, Airport Security."

Buck waited for more from the lazily drawled voice, but there was nothing more forthcoming.

"Go on," Buck said impatiently.

"I have been asked to relay all information to you personally."

And not one damn bit happy about it either, Buck thought, judging by the tone of the man's voice. "Spit it out Adamson!"

Adamson seemed to take an even longer pause, not appreciating Buck's tone himself.

"We have a private jet waiting for ground clearance. We do not know as yet who the official registered owner is, but we do know its final destination is Moscow."

"How do we get to it?" he said, already moving towards the main entrance, knowing his team would be directly behind him.

"Two of my men are stationed at Gate twelve, awaiting backup. We have been told the plane is awaiting two more passengers."

"It has to be it. Don't clear that plane. Tell your men we're on our way and don't let anyone through that gate until I get there. I don't care who they say they are, head of the FBI, fucking KGB, Triads, Ku Klux-whatever! You hear me?"

"Yessir. Loud and clear sir!" was the drawn-out reply.

Buck missed a step and moved on, frowning. Sarcasm, lowest form of wit, he'd deal with the insolent noodle in airport security later, he had other things to worry about.

Just outside the doors Buck stopped to gather the team together. Team Six were approaching and he could see FBI agents heading their way over from inside the building. He waited until Team 6 was close enough, waited for the quick nods of greeting to be exchanged and started in.

"OK, we're heading to gate 12 where airport security is waiting to lead us to a private jet heading for Russia. I'm assuming that's Lornikov's plane, but it could be a coincidence. We still need to check the place over incase he's trying to head out on a public flight."

"Oh shit, Buck, it's Everett." JD said softly, seeing the FBI leader walking towards them in his usual man-on-a-mission style.

"I believe I can be of assistance here." Ezra said, moving past them to head off the agent bearing down on them. "You guys head for the gate, I'll send Everett looking through the building.

Buck threw Ezra a grateful look, the domineering FBI agent would have delayed him unforgivably if he'd caught up to him. "OK, boys lets go see what we've got," he said.

They moved inside and straight past Everatt who was talking and gesturing heatedly to an infuriatingly calm Ezra. Ezra caught Josiah's eye as he moved past him and Josiah gave him a full smile and a wink in appreciation for what he was doing. Placing himself in front of a jackass like Everett was showing true selflessness, Josiah thought. He'd had a few run in's with the egotistical idiot a few times before.

Ezra watched his team walk past and bit back his frustration at the man before him, demanding to take charge at once. With absolutely no idea what was going on or why, he was demanding non the less. He would catch up to them as soon as he dispersed Everett and his men in the other direction.

"You think he's gonna be on the plane?" JD asked Buck, walking quickly to keep pace.

"Damned hope so, JD." Buck said. "They're waitin' on two more people, I'm assuming that's our guys back at the hospital."

Airport security headed them off as they moved towards the long isle of gates. Two officers approached and stopped before them.

"Agent Wilmington?" A young officer asked.

"That's me," Buck said, turning the man around and prodding him to walk with them, not stopping. "Show me to the gate, son."

"I'm afraid the plane has taken off, sir."

Buck almost fell over. He stopped dead, gripping the kid's shirt in a fierce hold. "What the fuck did you just say?" he said, imploring him with his eyes to change his words to something else.

The kid swallowed reflexively and looked at his partner for support. "I said the private jet has taken off, two minutes ago it was cleared for take-off."

"Son, we were told it was awaiting more passengers." Josiah said in a calm voice that did not betray his inner anxiety.

"This is bullshit!" JD said, moving to step past them. "It can't have gone!"

"Wait, kid, you can't go in there now, there's another plane moving in." The other officer said, moving in front of JD.

JD drew himself up. "Who you callin' kid? You look younger'n me for God's sakes! Move outta the way."

"Gentleman what is the delay here?" Ezra asked, moving up to Buck's side and gripping his arm discreetly.

"They say the plane has already left." Nathan told him.

"Nonsense, planes don't leave that fast, we have just been informed it has not been cleared for take-off." Ezra said, attempting to rationalise with the two young officers before him.

Buck looked at Ezra, trying to read the message in his eyes and the reason for the grip on his arm. Something wasn't sitting right with the gambler.

Ezra couldn't define it yet but something definitely did not strike him as right about the two kids. They seemed somewhat nervous. If there's one thing Ezra Standish knew it was how to read people's faces.

"We can't let you through," The first officer who'd spoken up finally said, taking a stand against the men. He was being paid damn well to head these people off. It was more money than he'd make in several years and he didn't plan on messing it up. When the Russian man behind gate 12 had approached him with the deal he'd taken it, but knowing he didn't have the balls to go through with it alone, he'd gotten his friend and fellow officer to help him, having to split the money.

Buck's eyes narrowed and he stepped forward, but Ezra held him Back.

"Boy's, I don't think you have any idea what you have walked into here. Any money you've been offered is not going to be worth your lives here today." At the uncertainty he caught in their eyes he pushed on. "Let me assure you, the men on that plane are not going to be sticking around to give you any money regardless of what happens in the next few minutes. They are not taking off and if you don't step aside now you will be arrested for interfering with official police action and conspiring against the United States Government."

At the official tone and words, the boys looked at each other quickly and moved aside to let the men pass without further word. The agents stepped past, JD throwing them a disgusted look as he did so.

Nathan mouthed to Ezra, "Official police business? Conspiring against the Government?" to which Ezra just smiled.

JD was well past the officers when he turned to look back, only to see them reaching for the gun's in their holsters.

"Look out!" he cried, drawing his own gun and firing at the officer closest to him.

All men turned, weapons drawn and pointed at the two uniformed men. The two men stared numbly at the eleven guns all pointed at them, seemingly daring them to move.

"Drop the weapons, boys," Buck said softly, not wanting to spook them further into doing something stupid.

JD was relieved to see them drop their guns to the floor and that he'd merely clipped the guy's arm, as he'd intended to do.

"Nice shot, kid." Buck said. "You wanna take care of them?"

Annoyance flashed on JD's face for a second before he said. "Got it," and watched his team move off. Someone had to apprehend the officers and he couldn't let Buck be delayed any longer. With any luck he'd find someone to turn them over to and catch up in time for the action.

"Wait," Ezra said, calling them back again. He hadn't moved, his eyes on the men's uniforms. "I believe I have an idea." He turned to Buck with a raised eyebrow.

Buck looked from Ezra to the two officers, about the same size as JD and Ezra and then back again. He understood immediately what Ezra was getting at.

"Could be a plan." Josiah said, standing next to Buck.

"You got a jacket, kid?" Buck asked the injured one.

"Yeah, why?"

"JD take him to it and get changed, you'll need it to cover the blood on the shirt. Ezra go with them and take the other one's uniform, we'll meet you at the gate." Buck turned, but not before seeing the wide grin on JD's face. He hoped he didn't live to regret it.

Finally they reached the gate and stopped at the tunnel that would lead down to the tarmac. Buck's phone rang and he grabbed it.

"Wilmington."

"Mr Wilmington, Bruce Adamson again."

"Spit it out Adamson we're kinda busy here." Buck had to stop now to find out what the man wanted, to go any further without checking it out would be dangerous.

"I have just heard you have apprehended two of my officers, I cannot tolerate you coming in and-"

Buck closed the phone, turning it off as he put it in his pocket and didn't give it another thought as he checked out the passage before them, currently empty.

+ + + + + + +

Vin hung up the phone in frustration. It had been over half an hour and he hadn't heard a word. Back again in his bed he had nothing to do but think about what was happening at the airport.

"No answer?" Chris asked from the chair by the bed. He was leaning back, holding an icepack to his swollen eye, his other eye closed.

"Nope."

Chris removed the pack and sat up, looking at Vin with his good eye. "Relax Cowboy, you're gonna give yourself an ulcer."

Vin looked at him sharply and saw the smile on his face, willing him to be calm. He couldn't help the slight smile that crept to his lips in response as he said, "Twenty bucks says you get one before me."

For once Chris didn't disagree, "You're probably right for once, Tanner."

+ + + + + + +

Turning at footsteps behind him, Buck saw Ezra and JD coming and was impressed by how authentic they looked. They carried themselves with complete confidence, although JD looked a little self satisfied, Buck had to think. On inspiration he turned his phone on again, calling Adamson back and motioning for JD and Ezra to listen in.

"Adamson? Wilmington here." Buck didn't wait for the man to respond. "I need you to radio the plane and tell them that there is a problem with their clearance. Tell them that there was some suspicious activity sighted at the rear of the plane and that you are sending two security officer's down to make sure that everything is OK. You got it?"

"I cannot just-"

"Do it now. I'll hold 'till you're done." Buck said threateningly. He waited while he heard the man radio the plane and heard him say he was sending men in now. "Thankyou," he said tightly, again turning off his phone. The last thing he wanted was it ringing while he was trying to stalk Russian criminals.

Buck turned to Team Six. "OK, you guys find another gate and head down to the ground, we can't all come barging down this one. Ezra and JD'll try and get into the plane, see what the score is. Josiah, Nathan n' me will go down this ramp and wait for a signal from them to confirm he's on there. Wait for them to signal before you move in. Watch your backs boys, these guys play dirty."

Ezra pulled his hat down low, he couldn't take the chance that Lornikov might recognise him from the boat. "And tuck your damned hair in JD, what sorta scruffy security officer you s'posed to be?" Buck said as Team Six moved off to take positions on the ground. He tried to fix JD's hat over his hair.

JD slapped Buck's hands away in annoyance. "I got it Buck, leave me alone," he said, tucking the loose strands of his hair under the hat.

Buck was about to say more when he felt Josiah's hand on his elbow, gently telling him to let JD be. He knew Josiah was right, now wasn't the time to be mothering JD, but damned if he could think of a better time! He watched them move off down the ramp and prepared to follow down to where Josiah, Nathan and himself could get a good view of the door of the plane.

Team Six got to the ground outside through the neighbouring gate and circled round to the small, private Jet docked at gate 12. They found positions facing the plane's open door and waited. They could see two guards posted by the steps leading into the plane.

JD and Ezra walked calmly down the ramp and across the short strip of concrete to the mobile steps used to board the small aircraft. JD was sweating beneath the uniform that fit him perfectly. His heart was hammering so fast he thought Ezra could probably hear it. He was experiencing the unsettling effects of an erratic blending of churning stomach acids and excess adrenaline. He knew Ezra could talk himself out of any situation, but still . . . he'd seen what had happened to Vin and if Vin Tanner could be taken down, there was nothing to say he and Ezra couldn't be.

Ezra eyed the guards at the foot of the steps as they approached, taking in their massive size and impassive expressions with a veiled glance from beneath the brim of his hat. "We need to ascertain that everything is alright before your clearance can be granted," he said, reaching the guards with JD at his side.

"Everything is fine. You may go and tell your people to clear us." The guard on Ezra's left returned, his accent so strong Ezra struggled to understand him.

"It is just a formality, but we are required to take a look inside." Ezra said firmly.

"There is no need for that. Go now." The second guard said, speaking as though to annoying gnats.

"I'm afraid we cannot do that. We must board the plane first."

The first guard touched his ear and Ezra realised he had an earpiece in.

The guard's expression did not change as he looked at them both. "You may go inside now."

Ezra didn't look at JD as they climbed the narrow steps and entered the doorway. For a moment they stood still to get their bearings before moving through a drawn curtain to find a luxury interior of plush seating and all the creature comforts one could dream of for travelling.

It was all JD could do not to let his jaw drop at the sheer opulence of their surroundings. Then he noticed something else about the seating. It was all empty.

Ezra too realised something was seriously wrong. "Hello?" he called out, moving to the rear of the plane. He walked through another curtain and found a small kitchen and toilet, all empty. As he was moving back in to the main cabin he heard a banging sound and looked past JD to see the door shut.

JD, too, turned at the noise. "Ez?" he said hesitantly. Something was wrong here.

Ezra began to grow alarmed. He moved quickly to the door and tried the handle. Locked. In frustration he gave it all of his strength but it was clearly locked somehow from the outside.

JD had moved up behind Ezra. "What the hell is goin' on?!" he said in frustration.

Ezra turned from the door and moved to go and search the cockpit. He opened the small door and peered inside cautiously. No-one. They were the only people on the damn plane. He saw it then. A mess of plastic and wires sitting on one of the vacant chairs. They had not even attempted to disguise what it so blatantly was. A bomb.

"JD . . ." Ezra said in a hushed voice, backing out of the small chamber.

"Ez?"

"We gotta get out. Right now. Move!" He turned and gave JD a little shove.

"What is it? Is there another way out?" JD asked, forced along by Ezra's hand at his back to the rear of the plane again.

"There's a bomb, and I don't know but we'd better find one!"

+ + + + + + +

Buck, Josiah and Nathan all stopped near the end of the ramp and laid low. They could make out the two guards and watched as Ezra and JD approached them. After a minute of quiet words, they were allowed to board and they saw them climb the steps and move through the doorway.

"So far so good." Buck said.

"Don't jinx it Buck, for God's sakes." Nathan said.

"What are those guards doing?" Josiah asked.

The guards were conferring with each other, heatedly it seemed. They watched as one of them turn and climbed the steps.

Buck's body tensed, not sure what the man was intending, then saw him grab the door and slam it firmly, flipping several heavy latches closed. "What the hell?" he said in confusion.

The guard walked down the steps and spoke with his partner again. From the way he held his finger to his ear they could see he was listening in on an earpiece. The guards stood still a minute longer before suddenly turning and running for the other side of the plane.

Running from what? What the hell did they know? Buck wondered.

"Jesus they locked them in!" Nathan exclaimed, starting to rise up.

Josiah and Buck leapt to their feet also and they started to run the rest of the way to the ground. Just as they reached the end of the ramp and hit the concrete, a massive blast shook the ground. The shock and subsequent heatwave sent them flying backwards and they landed in a sprawled heap at the entrance to the gate ramp. In shock, they all looked in horror at the sight before them. The plane was engulfed in flames, the rear end all but blown away by the devastating explosion.

+ + + + + + +

When JD and Ezra had reached the end of the plane they had searched frantically for any way out.

"Aren't planes loaded from the rear?" JD asked, his eyes looking everywhere at once.

"I'm not certain whether a plane of this size . . ." Ezra stopped suddenly, staring at a small hatch, partially concealed by a cupboard. "How did we miss that?" he said, moving over quickly.

JD moved in to help. The small hatch was in the kitchen area, well hidden behind a cupboard. He assumed they did not use it but had built the kitchen in front of it to utilise the space. It certainly looked difficult to get to.

Ezra tried to stick his hand behind the cupboard to find a latch but there wasn't enough space. In frustration he kicked out harshly at the side of it and was surprised to see it move before settling back. He kicked again, watching as it moved with the impact before once again falling back in place. Adrenaline pumping now he kicked out at it, once, twice, three times.

JD could only stand by and watch as Ezra kicked the hell out of the wood until it finally came free of the hinges that had already been broken and moved out of its spot. He helped Ezra toss the useless pieces aside and they saw a small handle on a hatch barely big enough to squeeze through.

Ezra tried the handle. Locked, but he hadn't expected anything to go his way now. Quickly pulling his set of skeleton keys from his pocket, he deftly inserted one and jiggled the lock.

JD heard a small click within seconds and Ezra turned the handle and flung open the door.

"Go JD!" he said, grabbing JD by the jacket and hauling him toward the open hatch.

JD had no time to protest as he was propelled toward the open space and flung himself out, diving headfirst for the concrete that was a sizeable distance below and turning at the last second to take the impact with his shoulder. Immediate pain shot through him as he felt the socket shift unnaturally and not settle back. He hadn't gotten himself off the ground when Ezra came hurtling towards him, landing hard on his right ankle but flying into JD who took the brunt of his fall.

+ + + + + + +

Team Six watched in astonishment as they saw two bodies fall from the opposite side of the plane to land underneath it. They noted the uniforms and assumed it was Ezra and JD. They were deciding whether to move in or not, having not received any signal from the men, when they watched them drag themselves up, leaning heavily on each other and struggling away from them at a hurried pace, away from the plane. The next thing they saw was a huge fireball coinciding with a massive boom as the plane was blown to bits before their eyes.

+ + + + + + +

JD and Ezra were moving as fast as their injuries would allow and managed to put in the distance it took to escape the full impact of the explosion. As the plane erupted in an awesome spectacle of fire and airborne metal, they were thrown by the blast and lay tangled on the ground.

Ezra opened his eyes first and looked at the plane they had so narrowly escaped from, the tail where they had just seconds before been standing now gone and engulfed in flames. He frowned. He had clearly seen the bomb in the cockpit, yet the front of the plane was completely intact. He turned to look down at JD who was just coming around with a groan.

"Are we alive?" JD asked hoarsely.

Ezra gave a small smile. "It would seem so."

JD groaned again and looked at the plane. After a second he, too, frowned. "Why is the front still there? Jesus, I thought we'd run away from the bomb but it was in the back?"

Ezra shook his head. "I cannot understand it myself. I have no forthcoming explanation."

+ + + + + + +

Buck snapped to it with a hoarse shout of "Nooooooooo!" and began running towards the wreckage, Nathan and Josiah right beside him. As they approached the burning shell they were intercepted by Team Six.

"We saw them drop out the back just before it blew up." They were quickly informed.

Buck continued to stare at the flames and tried to move forward again. Josiah gripped his arm firmly.

"Brother did you hear them? They got out, they were not in there. Buck!"

Buck blinked. Could it be true? How the hell could they have gotten out of that? He turned on the ATF agents before him. "Then where the hell are they?" he demanded.

Jeffrey Dalton was not intimidated by Wilmington. He had known him a long time and he knew how close Buck was to JD, so he calmly said, "They moved off around the other side, just before it went up."

Buck took this in and ran, barely aware of the pounding steps thundering behind him.

+ + + + + + +

By the time their teammates came running Ezra and JD were sitting up, watching the still roaring fire as if they were gathered around a bonfire roasting chestnuts.

Buck paused in his flight, overcome with relief to see them sitting up and obviously ok. Nathan reached them first.

"Are you hurt?" he began checking for injuries.

"We're ok, Nathan. Ezra's hurt his ankle and I think my shoulder is dislocated, but we made it!" JD said, so happy to be alive and still not down off his earlier rush of excitement.

"What the hell happened?" Buck asked, his concern making his words gruff as he watched Nathan probe at JD's shoulder and saw JD's face contort in obvious pain.

"When we entered the aircraft it was completely vacant." Ezra explained. "The door was locked from the outside, preventing us from exiting the cabin. When we surveyed the cockpit we found a large explosive package and so hurried to the rear to find an alternate means of escape. There was a small concealed hatch that we managed to exit through, although the concrete did not prove particularly welcoming."

Ezra was tired and hurt, it was evident in his voice, but still Buck had to persist in finding out what the hell went wrong. "You say you found a bomb at the front of the plane Ezra?"

Ezra frowned again. "Yes, or so I thought. Perhaps it was not a bomb after all."

Josiah was frowning too. That didn't make sense.

"Perhaps it was some sort of triggering device?" Cobey Bratley from Team Six asked. "Maybe it activated the real bomb at the back when you entered the cockpit?"

"I doubt it, son," Josiah said thoughtfully. "That bomb was likely activated manually when the guards were sure they could get away in time."

"We'll know more when the investigations team looks everything over." Dalton said, "In the meantime, where the hell did they go?"

+ + + + + + +

Vin couldn't take it any more. What the hell was going on out there? For all he knew, everybody could have been killed and Lornikov safely on his way back to Russia. Chris was laying back in the chair, his eyes closed and his breathing even. Vin could almost believe he was asleep, but he knew better. He could see a calendar pinned to the wall by the bed behind Chris's head. Friday the 13th. Great, that was all they needed. Vin wasn't a particularly superstitious man, but that didn't seem like a good omen.

Damn, he was so tired. It had been a long, hard day and he could feel his body giving out, refusing to keep up with his frantic mind. He closed his aching eyes wearily, deciding to rest them for a moment. Only a few seconds had gone by when he felt, rather than heard, a presence at the doorway of the room. He looked up to meet the cold, steely eyes of the object of his vengeance since he had been thrown into the freezing river, sent overboard by the impact of Tiana's beautiful body slamming into his under the impact of deadly bullets. His hand reached instinctively for a weapon, anything, but there was nothing within reach.

Chris jerked his eyes open at the sound of a low chuckle across the room. Sitting up he found the source of the grating noise and his heart missed a beat as his whole body was slammed into overdrive.

"We meet again, lowlife." Lornikov said in Russian to Vin, four men moving past him to create a dominating presence in the small room.

As Lornikov and his men moved in to secure the room, closing the door behind them, Vin exchanged the briefest of looks with Chris, but it said much. They were fucked, being the most dominant message. However they played this, it was pretty obvious who had the power here. So, not men to remain idle under dire threat, both leapt to action at the same time.

Taking out the highest rank was the first priority, so Chris slid his gun free and aimed at Victor in one clean move. He didn't count on the quickness of the men who, sworn to protect their leader and taking that role further than most paid men would, leapt in front of Chris's gun in defense of the little man. Chris still managed to get a shot off and hit what he hoped was the biggest man. He watched, his mouth slightly open, as the man barely flinched at the hole in his shoulder, nor at the second hole made by Chris's rapidly fired second shot that got him lower in the chest. Chris didn't manage a third shot as his body jerked back into the wall behind him, his useless arm dropping the gun instantly. One of the men came over, pointing his gun at him and kicking his fallen weapon out of reach before picking it up and moving back.

Knowing Chris would gun for the little leader first, Vin had leapt for the closest man the second they had broken eye contact. Not having a weapon, he had tackled the much larger man, trying to use the element of surprise to at least knock him down and away from Victor to give Chris a better shot. It was like hitting a concrete wall. Vin thought he'd probably done more damage to himself than anything else as he was flipped over onto his back and was looking at the bed from the opposite view, having landed with a hard crack on the floor. He heard gunfire from Chris's side of the room and ignoring his protesting body, tackled the trunk-like legs of the man who had dropped him and succeeded in knocking him off balance. He leapt up and punched the unstable man's head with everything he had, dropping to his knees and grabbing his wrist as he felt the bones in his right hand crack under the force. His only satisfaction was in seeing the man lying next to him, not moving in the slightest. He started to rise to begin another attack but felt a gun pressed to the back of his head.

"Back on the bed, now." Lornikov said to him.

Vin rose, resisting the urge to nurse his rapidly swelling hand. He did not want to show this man any weakness that could be exploited. As he sat back on the bed, Lornikov urging him with his gun up against the backboard, he turned to Chris, seeing him clutching his upper arm, which was pouring blood. Something else registered then. The fact that he had been addressed in Russian led him to wonder if Victor knew that it had been him on the phone earlier.

Chris kept his eyes on Lornikov and the three remaining men. He assumed Vin had managed to take the one he had been grappling with out because he was no longer standing. The man he had shot was still standing, however, applying pressure to his wounds with a towel but otherwise unaffected.

As the men spread out around the room, one stationing himself at the closed door, Vin matched Lornikov's icy stare with a look that was bordering on insolent. His right eyebrow was raised slightly despite the overwhelming odds facing them. Surely all of the noise, not to mention gunfire, had been heard outside the room?

"What, no questions for me Tanner?" Lornikov asked, moving closer to the bed and looking down at his man sprawled on the floor.

Vin remained silent. Despite his passive expression, his mind was working furiously. What the hell was Lornikov doing here?

"Not even about your friends at the airport?" Lornikov studied the man in the bed, watching in satisfaction as his question caused his face to flinch minutely, but tellingly all the same.

"What the hell happened to them?" Vin finally spat in English. He wouldn't play on this man's terms and he wanted Chris to follow the conversation.

"Ahhh, this is better. I knew it would not take much to bait you! It's lightens my heart to know you can speak the mother language. It puts you slightly above the rest of your ignorant race." His face darkened a little, "No matter how you aquired this knowledge."

Vin wanted to wipe the smug look off the man's face.

Switching to English Victor turned to Chris, "I must say he fooled me on the telephone earlier. I suspected something was wrong, but he was quite convincing." He was pacing a little now, obviously he had this planned out and was loving the control he had. He appeared like a man without a care, with all the time in the world on his hands.

Suddenly changing topics, he started with enthusiasm in his voice, still talking to Chris, whom he recognised as the leader from the boat. "You American's have a most excellent Police system here." He paused for effect. "I would think that a criminal arrested for attempting to murder a government agent in his hospital bed would not be allowed a phonecall. But your country is so nice, it lets people cry for help, and warn people if somebody is trying to hurt them." With that he looked back at Vin, his face again darkening, belying his light tone. -Like you have tried to hurt me-, his look said silently.

Chris's eyes flashed to Vin who was still staring hard at Lornikov. He could see the clenching of Vin's jaw, the only sign he was about to explode. Chris's own jaw ached from holding in his anger. Somebody had allowed this scum to be tipped off. Somebody on their own side had betrayed them.

Victor stopped moving and looked at Chris again. "Of course, I can understand your need for revenge. I took one of your men down." He turned to Vin again. "But you.. this need to avenge a woman's death, a woman you just met. A whore at that, beautiful, but a whore still. This I do not understand."

Still Vin said nothing. His eyes flicked to the other men in the room. He desperately wanted to see how Chris was doing but did not want to show Lornikov that he particularly cared.

Victor resumed his pacing and spoke to Chris. "I am surprised a man with Tanner's background was even allowed into your unit, Captain Larabee."

Vin's eyes flashed sharply back to Lornikov. He could see then that this man knew everything there was to know about him, and he was going to use it to hurt him.

"I know all I need to know about him, Lornikov, so keep it to yourself." Chris said, needing to prevent Vin from succumbing to Victor's attempts to get him to do something stupid. The man was looking for the smallest excuse to start killing them. He intended to kill them anyway, unless some minor miracle happened, but Lornikov wanted them to know it was Vin giving in to the bait that would bring the ultimate end.

Lornikov was quiet. Suddenly, he turned slightly to one of his men and put out his hand, not taking his eyes from Vin. Without a word the man handed him a knife.

"I have heard you are very good with a knife, Agent Tanner. I was told that you killed many of my countrymen with a weapon just like this."

Vin's expression still did not change, but this was getting worse by the second. If this man knew half the things he'd done while on his long mission in Russia and planned to take revenge for them, he was fucked.

Chris straightened up in the chair, prepared to take action again before he let Vin be sliced up by this obsessed psychopath.

With a flick of his eyes Victor indicated that his men restrain the blonde agent, who was clearly not going to sit still and let him torture his friend.

Chris started to struggle as he saw them pull out handcuffs and managed to get a punch in as his wrists and ankles were secured to his chair. The men did not react in any way, paid him little attention as they stepped back and moved to Vin.

Vin knew if they tied him down too, he and Chris would have no chance. As the man snapped the metal around his injured hand he struck out with his left, the blow not as powerful as it could be, hampered by the recent bullet wound, but catching him on the side of the face and causing him to take a step back. The sudden agony in his right shoulder caused him to jerk back and he found Lornikov leaning over him, pinning him to the mattress with the knife buried deep in his flesh.

"You are impulsive, Tanner. You should have learnt by now that is not a good thing to be."

"Fuck you, you little prick." Vin gasped.

Chris strained against the metal binding him to his chair but it was useless. He could feel blood dripping from his wrists as the metal bit into his skin.

Ignoring Vin's words, Victor continued. "You and your men caused me a great inconvenience when you destroyed my warehouse."

"You destroyed it yourself," Vin returned in Russian, "You killed your own people."

Chris knew Vin did not want to him to know about anything that had happened in Russia. So did Lornikov apparently because he continued with his use of English.

"Ah, but you killed many yourself. How many innocent people were killed by you and your comrades?"

Vin tried not to think about his words, he never wanted to think about all the things that had gone wrong over there. All of the times they followed their orders with no questions asked.

"You had no right to interfere in my country." Victor continued angrily.

"You love it so much stay there, keep the fuck out of ours." Vin returned in English also, and Chris's lip turned up slightly in appreciation of his friend's defiance.

Victor gave a small chuckle also, but followed it with a rough and sudden twist to the knife still embedded in Vin's flesh.

Vin was not prepared and could not prevent the sharp cry of pain that escaped as he tried instinctively to move back from it, pushing himself into the mattress beneath him, trying to back away from the knife relentlessly pinning him.

Chris bit back his cry of protest. It would do no good. Victor would only play on it if he said anything, making it worse for Vin. Their only hope was that someone came along, and soon.

Victor leaned in close to Vin's face, so close that Vin felt his lips brush his ear and the hot expulsion of his breathing on his skin. It was almost intimate, and somewhat terrifying. Vin had heard many horrific stories about Victor Lornikov and they all had the same outcome. He was a sick, perverted man who enjoyed hurting people very much. The last place Vin wanted to be was at his mercy.

"I had finished my business in your country. I was trying to leave but you prevented that, did you not? I was willing to let you all live, forget you ever annoyed me in the first place, but you persisted in drawing my attention."

Chris could not hear the words the Russian was speaking, but he could see Vin's body tense and his chest rising more rapidly than before.

"And now your team is all dead," Victor said, leaning back.

Vin could not control the sudden leap of his heartrate. "No. You are lying." he said, dread taking hold, his voice shaking slightly.

"What is it, Vin?" Chris asked, unable to stop himself.

"Nooo!" Vin said, looking into Lornikov's eye's and knowing it was true. He began to fight his restraints in renewed effort, both shoulders protesting the movement but he did not feel the pain. He felt nothing but a need to kill a man like he had never felt before.

Lornikov moved from the bed, smiling at his work. Again he turned to one of his men and was handed a small case. He placed it on the table, out of Chris's view and began to fiddle with what was inside.

Vin turned his head but couldn't see what Victor was doing either. The red haze that had consumed him was starting to fade. "What the hell did you do to them?" He asked him.

Chris knew then that he meant the rest of the team and his own breathing quickened.

Lornikov did not look up from his task but said for both men's benefit, "Let us just say that I require a new plane, and there is little chance of any bodies being recovered from what is left of it."

Vin turned to Chris then, their eyes both shocked, trying to accept the news. Both felt as if they had stopped breathing. Their pain was a live, open thing, connecting them both and surrounding them. They understood each other better than mere brothers ever could and felt each other's agony in their very core.

Chris broke the eye contact to slam his head back into the wall in anger, emitting a small growl of frustration. He closed his eyes and quickly prayed that it wasn't true. Had his team all walked into a trap and been killed? Had Lornikov sat back and planned the whole thing, taking his time and ensuring each and every one of the witnesses that were causing him grief were taken out? His eyes were still closed when he heard a small gasp from Vin and looked up at Vin's pale face. He looked past him then to see what had caused him to drop his guard and display his emotion's so blatantly. Victor Lornikov was facing Vin, his face like death itself, as he held a small syringe filled with an orange tinted liquid and moved towards him.

Vin tried to settle the panic rising within him. "You touch me with that you're a fuck'n dead man."

Lornikov laughed mockingly at the show of bravery before his face again sobered. "Then I am a dead man."

+ + + + + + +

"We need to get them to a hospital." Nathan said, finishing his examination of Ezra's ankle and turning to Buck. "His ankles not broken, but most likely fractured, and JD's shoulder is definitely dislocated."

"Mr Jackson is completely correct," Ezra said, starting to pull himself up.

Josiah reached down and helped him stand, supporting him as he adjusted to using one leg.

JD looked up in shock. "What are you saying? We need to find Lornikov and his men right now!"

"Precisely, Mr Dunne, which is why I suggest we make haste at once." Ezra said.

Josiah spoke up before JD could protest further. "Ezra's right, if they set us up, they are gonna go after the rest of the team."

JD's eyes widened then in understanding. "Jesus! Let's go!" he said as Buck grabbed his good arm and helped him up, pulling out his phone as he did so.

+ + + + + + +

"Leave him alone damnit!" Chris said, struggling again. "Just walk out of here, we sure as hell can't chase you! Just go the hell back to Russia."

Lornikov paused. "I have already tried this, but you persued me, remember? I cannot be sure you will not do so again."

The phone rang then, the sound shrill in the quiet room. Lornikov paid it no heed as it continued to ring. He lifted Vin's arm, searching for a vein to make sure the drug worked quickly.

Vin began struggling again, he wasn't going to make this easy for him.

"You move around, it will hurt more." Lornikov said calmly, but turned to one of his men with a look of frustration.

The man stepped forward and held Vin's arm tightly in place above his head, pushing it into the headboard where it was still chained.

"Damnit! Don't fucking put that shit - Fuck you you little Russian prick!" Vin said desperately as he felt the needle jab his arm, non- too gently.

Chris yelled in frustration, the gun pointed at him still threatening, but he couldn't move anyway. "What the fuck is in it?" he demanded to know.

Victor calmly pushed the liquid through the needle slowly, wanting to make sure it was done right. "I do not know precisely." He said, surprising Chris by answering his question. "It was designed to kill a man and look completely natural. Although the death is not entirely pleasant . . . a side effect which was never rectified."

Chis jerked on his wrists. "You fuckin' animal! There's no need for this shit. Leave him the hell alone!"

The phone finally stopped ringing as Victor pulled the empty syringe out and stepped back a little. "It's a little late for that now."

+ + + + + + +

Buck had hung up the phone in frustration. "There's no answer in Vin's room. No answer at the desk either. Damnit!" He increased his pace, trying to be as careful as possible with JD's arm.

"Lornikov think's we're dead. That's on our side at least." JD said, trying to keep up with Buck's fast pace.

"Still doesn't mean we'll get there in time. I need to call for backup." Buck said, dialling on his phone again.

+ + + + + + +

Victor turned away from Vin and put the needle back in the case, handing it back to the man who'd provided it.

Chris looked at Vin who was now silent, having accepted the situation resignedly. "Vin?" he asked roughly.

Vin turned his head to Chris. What could he say. They both knew they weren't walking out of this one. "What about him?" Vin said to Lornikov tiredly, the fight now gone from his voice and indicating Chris with a slight movement of his chin.

Victor moved to Vin's side again and sat on the bed near his chest, moving him over a little to accommodate him. "We will take him out of here. They will find you dead, but have no explanation. He will be our insurance out of the country."

Vin closed his eyes. Chris had a chance then. He started to grow warm, feeling the hot liquid weaving its way through his veins. It was almost pleasant, the feeling that was taking hold. It seemed to touch each part of him and move on, leaving an almost euphoric feeling in its wake. His breathing grew faster. This definitely wasn't the worst way to die, he thought.

There was a groan from the floor as the fourth body guard started to come round. One of his partners moved to help sit him up and within another minute he was standing, swaying slightly before righting himself as if nothing had happened.

Damned these boys are solid, Chris thought, glancing at the man. He turned back to Vin whose eyes were still closed. What would happen? Would it be quick? Jesus he really was going to die! "Vin!" he said suddenly, not ready for Vin to go. It wasn't going to happen like this! Vin just closing his eyes and giving out.

Victor leaned forward, he'd been studying Vin's face intently, watching the look of rapture that had enveloped him. He was intrigued. He respected this man, despite his status as enemy, he had to be impressed by his talents and the things that he had done. When he had first seen him on the boat with Tiana, he had thought him nothing more that a scruffy, unimportant man. He had been more than surprised by the information he had received on him. He wanted to know everything about the man whose arms his wife had died in. He may have killed her, but it didn't mean he hadn't loved her. She was his and this man had touched her. He felt powerful at that moment, to have brought such a man to this. The look on his face was his doing and it fascinated him. He could almost feel what the man was feeling, so involved was he. He leaned closer still and pressed his cheek to the agents own, feeling the heat there and the fast breath against the side of his face. This was beautiful.

The four Russian guards behind him averted their eyes. They were used to their leader's eccentricity and perverse ways, but they did not have to witness them. They could almost feel sorry for the man in the bed.

"Get the hell away from him you sick fuck!" Chris said in outrage.

Vin was beyond knowing what was happening outside of his body. His mind felt loose and could not hold on to anything except a feeling that was building to a point of total ecstasy. His breathing grew faster still, it felt like he'd always been like this, but was in actuality only a minute.

Victor knew when Vin started to change. He felt the body stiffen next to him and a small groan fall from the open lips. He'd known the good feeling was only temporary, he'd played a part in the drug's development himself, approving new research directions as the development progressed. He'd used it before, too, on a few occasions.

Vin felt the heat flare in his body and then a sudden surge of pain in every part of his flesh. He groaned and began to writhe with the agony, trying desperately to escape it but completely at its mercy.

Victor grabbed Vin's face in his hands and whispered to him gently, "Can you feel that, Tanner? Can you feel it all through you? I put that there, that is me working its way through you. Ride with it, let it take you . . ."

Chris was yelling now, Vin was dying, an agonising, slow death right in front of him and he couldn't do a thing for him. "Leave him the fuck alone! You sick little fuck'n asshole get the hell away from him!" He continued to yell until one of the guards stepped forward and clipped him to the side of his head with his gun and lost consciousness for a moment.

Vin was beyond thought now. The pain was all consuming, his body drenched in sweat and his breathing laboured. He was making small, groaning noises in his throat and Victor was drinking it all in with satisfied pleasure. He watched the hard jaw grinding against the pain, the eyes closed tight and the lean body writhing next to him, the wrists pulling at the chains above his head and felt somewhat euphoric himself.

"Relax now, Tanner," he said, rubbing the man's jaw with his left hand and placing a calming hand on his chest. He could feel the rapid heart beating erratically beneath his palm. "Let go now. I release you."

Vin could hear the soothing words still through his haze of agony. He felt the pain begin to subside and his body relaxing.

"That's it, let go now." Victor felt the breathing slow right down, all movement now stopped as the body finally gave in beneath him. He was still alive, and would remain so for a while yet while they tried to figure out what the hell was wrong with him, but he was already a dead man. He took a deep breath and sat up. It took another minute to bring himself out of the deep involvement he had felt emotionally in killing the agent before he quickly forgot about it and moved on to the next task. He motioned to his men who released Tanner's wrists, wiping the blood from the abrasions caused by the metal, and placed them under the blanket that they pulled up to cover him. He looked like he was in a deep, peaceful sleep.

They then turned to rouse the other agent who was now semiconscious and trying to straighten up in his chair. Uncuffing him they hauled him to his feet, dragging him to the door before he could make any protest.

Victor turned to him before the door opened. "We are going to walk out of here right now. You so much as breathe too loudly to draw attention and I will kill you, understand?"

Chris blinked at the little man before him, quickly getting his wits back. He turned to look at Vin. My God, was he dead already? He took a step forward but was jerked roughly around.

"Understand me Larabee, you're coming now or I shoot you on the spot. You might be useful in getting me out of the country, but it is not essential."

Chris met his eyes then, his own promising retribution. Did this man not realise that in killing Vin, he no longer cared whether or not he lived or died? He would take Lornikov out, regardless of the consequences to himself. As they moved out the door he took one last look at Vin. He had no time for grief, his mind was consumed in killing the man guiding him away from the body of his best friend.

+ + + + + + +

As the rest of the members of Team 7 and Team 6 entered the hospital, they were met with the police and FBI Agents that they had called for. They had run into Everett when leaving the airport and he had taken off with his men to get there first. Buck didn't care, as long as someone got there to help his friends.

When they reached Vin's floor they found the hallway completely empty, having been evacuated minutes before. Staff had reported gunshots from Vin's room and sounds of fighting and called security. Too many gunshot incidents in emergency had led to new rules stating security must be called in to deal with the situation rather than handle it themselves.

They reached the nurses station outside of Vin's room and took positions, securing the area. Everett and Buck moved forward to approach the room and saw the door open slightly but no one appear. They immediately backed up and held up their weapons. Ezra, Josiah, Nathan and a one-handed JD did the same, along with the other agents in the area facing the door.

Buck tightened his hold on his gun as he saw Lornikov step out, holding a gun to Chris as he peered cautiously around, stunned into immobility as he saw the arsenal of weapons, all aimed at him. He moved to re-enter the room.

Buck caught Chris's eyes a moment and knew that if Lornikov got him back inside that room, he wouldn't see his friend alive again. This was their one chance to end this. He squeezed the trigger on his gun and watched Lornikov stumble to the side, caught by the bullet to his chest.

Chris had read the intent in Buck's eyes and dove out of the way the second his gun fired, hearing the return fire that followed from the doorway and then a brief succession of shots from the agents that had greeted them at the door.

The area fell silent. Chris looked up to see Lornikov down with two of his men on the floor next to him. Two others had surrendered their weapons.

"Chris! Jesus! Are you alright? Where's Vin?" Buck said, running over.

Chris pulled himself up by grasping Buck's legs and Buck helped him the rest of the way up. "They gave him somethin'. I don't know what . . . I think he's dead . . ." Chris turned to Ezra who had rushed over with the rest of his team. "Get a doctor in here now, tell `em Vin's been given some sort of drug that's supposed to create a natural looking death."

Ezra moved off to immediately carry out the order.

Chris moved up to Lornikov who was being handcuffed, still fully conscious despite several bullet wounds. Chris grabbed his shirt, forcing his face right into the man's space. "What the fuck did you give him? I'm not lettin' you out of here alive `til you tell me. This has nothin' to do with the law, I will kill you dead right here and now. What the fuck was in that needle?" He growled, giving him a violent shake to emphasise his point.

Chris didn't care about his job right then, but Buck did. The whole room had heard him threaten the Russian man and whilst the ATF agents in the room would back him, he knew that Everett and the rest of the FBI agents wouldn't.

"Let him go, Chris."

Chris did not spare Buck a glance. He dug his finger into a bullet wound on Lornikov's arm and said again, "What was in that needle, asshole."

Lornikov laughed in his face, despite the pain. His laughter fell away then and he looked at the agent before him with a deadly expression. "Now I hunt you too, dead man."

Chris started to ask him again but was pulled back by FBI agents while he watched helplessly as Lornikov was led away. "Damnit!" he cried helplessly. "He's the only one that know's what was in it!" He turned to Buck, "Jesus Buck, don't you see what's happened?"

Ezra came running up then with a team of medical staff right behind him. They didn't stop until they were in Vin's room. Buck followed, pulling Chris along with him and stood back, letting them see to Vin. Chris was fairly sure Vin would be dead by now and was starting to lose his anger and feel numb.

"He's still alive."

Chris blinked. He looked up to the doctor's surrounding Vin and dared to hope.

"What was he given?" were the next words spoken by a doctor who appeared in charge.

"We don't know," Buck answered, standing by Chris's side against the wall opposite the bed, watching the scene intently. "It was supposed to be lethal, whatever it was, and look completely natural."

"Let's get him to emergency," the doctor said then, turning to one of the staff.

Chris was hardly aware as he watched Vin be wheeled from the room and taken to the emergency ward. This was like de ja vu of the scene on the roof only weeks before. Lornikov was going to pay for this. He wouldn't rest until he did. It was now more important to him than anything else in his life.

"C'mon, pard, let's get you looked at."

Expecting a protest, Buck was surprised by Chris's acquiescence. He realised then that Chris didn't expect Vin to make it. Whether out of self-preservation, he did not know, but he already counted Vin as dead, he could see it in Chris's eyes.

+ + + + + + +

The rest of the Team were finally all in the waiting area at once, having waited for JD to get his shoulder reset and Chris to get his arm seen to. The bullet had grazed a decent path through his muscle but was not too serious. He had been back at the emergency waiting area within the hour.

Buck looked at Chris in concern. He had not said a word to anyone after they had patched his arm up. He had withdrawn into himself, ignoring everyone around him. Finally a doctor approached them and they looked up to his face. For an instant they were all suspended in time, reliving the experience of only a few short weeks earlier when they had been told that Vin would be alright. . It was the same doctor that had operated on Vin before. They couldn't help but feel a person could only tempt fate so many times.

The doctor looked at the men gathered around and smiled. Buck instantly grabbed JD, forgetting his injured arm and swung him around, clapping Chris on the back on his way to complete his circular dance. Ezra sat down with a thump and Josiah put his hand on Ezra's shoulder. Nathan, too, was grinning broadly and shaking his head. Only Chris did not react.

The doctor looked at Chris intently. "Are you alright, son?"

Chris looked at him then, still not speaking. The doctor pushed him backwards into the row of chairs behind him. "He will be fine. We got an analysis on the drug quickly and administered a combatant well in time."

"He said it was lethal, that he was dead . . ." Chris said numbly.

"Potentially it was lethal. It had a slight variant in composition, however was not an undiscovered drug." He grabbed Chris's arm, waiting for him to look up. "Your friend will be fine, but will sleep for a while yet. I suggest we get you a room to get some rest. Someone will get you when he wakes up."

The doctor rose then to organise the room, moving off.

"Thankyou, doctor." Chris said, his face reflecting both relief and disbelief at the same time.

The doctor turned, catching his look. "You are most welcome . . . Your friend definitely has someone looking over him," he said, turning away again.

The six men all sat down again, too relieved, tired and thoughtful to speak for a moment.

"I do believe this could be the longest day of my life." Chris finally offered.

Buck smiled again and turned to him. "You could be right there. That boy in there's got a way a bringin' on the action hasn't he?"

"It wasn't his fault!" JD jumped to Vin's defense instantly.

"Settle down kid, never said it was. Just sayin' things is never dull when Vin's around. That aint necessarily a bad thing." Buck was smiling, too happy to care about anything right then.

"One can always find a woman in the midst of calamity." Ezra said quietly.

Nathan turned to him. "You can't blame that woman either, Ezra. It was no-ones fault but that little weasel they took away."

"I was not inferring it was Mrs Lornikov's fault either, Mr Jackson, I was only pointing out that where there is a descent into total disarray, as there has been over the last several weeks, it is not unusual to trace back the events and discover a woman as the catalyst."

"He's right, Nate, you can always trust a woman to bring a good man down." Buck added.

Nathan rolled his eyes. He's teammates were beyond saving.

JD was grinning now, realising finally that in his way, Ezra had been trying to lighten the mood now that the danger to Vin's life was over. "You realise you two are agreeing on something here don't you?" he said to Buck and Ezra.

"I do believe, however, that this particular woman did state from the onset that she did not wish to be held responsible for Mr Tanner's lapse of reasoning." Ezra said quickly.

"Yeah, but Ez.. a woman as fine as that makes a request like that, a man aint got a choice. Brother Vin was only acting in the interests of all men, aint that right Josiah?"

"Well, I aint yet seen a picture of this woman, but if she was as nice as all of you are making out, I guess we can conclude that our Brother was only performing his duty to mankind." Josiah said, smiling himself.

A nurse came out then and announced she would lead them to a room where they could wait.

+ + + + + + +

Chris had gotten in several hours' sleep, with the rest of the boys going home to change and returning with food and beer that they had snuck in. What they didn't know, was that the duty nurse was on to them, but was turning a blind eye to the six gorgeous men occupying a room in her ward.

+ + + + + + +

When Vin finally woke up he found Chris, ever present, at his side. It took a minute to focus and clear his mind, but finally he smiled at the concerned face.

Chris smiled back, the first real smile since Lornikov and his men had barged into Vin's room earlier that day. "Hey cowboy," he said.

Vin's smile faded a little, "You OK?" he asked Chris, remembering the blood from the wound on his arm.

"I'm fine, just a graze. How's the drug problem?" he joked gently, brushing the hair from Vin's face.

Vin looked serious. "Don't remember much, everything allright?"

"You're gonna be fine. Lornikov's been arrested, he isn't leaving the country any time soon. The rest of the boys are fine too. Victor blew up his own plane, trying to take them out, but they made it. They're here, running amuck in one of the rooms."

Vin smiled, picturing them raising hell in the hospital. "Thought I was dead, Chris," he said quietly, seriously.

Chris grabbed his hand. "Well you aint."

"God know's why." Vin mumbled softly.

Chris looked at Vin's face sharply. "What the hell does that mean? None of this was your fault."

"I reckon I nearly got everyone killed today, sendin' `em into a deathtrap like that."

"There's no way in hell you could have known Victor knew. Someone turned Judas there in our own friggin team, you wanna blame someone, blame that person!"

When Vin still didn't look convinced Chris squeezed his hand a little harder, forcing him to look at his sincere face. "For whatever reason your sorry hide was saved, you're still here." He smiled then, "Beside's, the boys are jumping to get in here, there's no time for dwellin' on the why's."

+ + + + + + +

"Today's the day Vin! You must be hangin' to get outta here now huh? Still can't believe you're gettin' out so early, no one can. Even the doctor's are spinning out over it. Reckon Nathan aint gonna let you outta his site for a while though. He's arguin' you should stay a few more days, he thinks you'll be-"

"JD."

JD stopped and turned at the voice from the doorway, Vin still didn't think he'd taken a breath but at least he'd stopped rambling for a minute. He looked up at Chris in gratitude.

"You ready to go?" Chris asked Vin.

"Been ready for days . . . a week in fact." Vin got off the bed and grabbed his bag off the chair.

Chris studied his stiff profile, noticing the way Vin moved gingerly, not moving either arm overly much. He didn't think Vin was quite ready to leave the hospital yet, but knew there was no way they could keep him there any longer. He'd already passed the deadline of three weeks that he had laid down for himself earlier to Buck, but it was not nearly long enough a stay considering the injuries he had suffered. Chis wasn't about to assign him to any work in the near future, though, and Vin had agreed to stay out at his ranch for a few weeks to rest up.

"You need a lift, JD?" Chris asked.

"Nah I got my bike downstairs. I'll see you guys tonight."

"Seeya JD, thanks for keepin' me company while I had to wait," Vin said, waiting for Chris to bite.

Chris just looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "You wanna walk?" he turned to JD then. "And don't let Buck make you late tonight, we're eatin' at seven sharp."

"Buck wouldn't be late for a roast dinner, Chris." JD said, smiling.

"Buck'd be late for his own funeral if he bumped into a woman on the way." Chris said back, grabbing Vin's bag from him with his good arm. His other one was still a little stiff from where the bullet had grazed him.

Vin's mouth was watering at the prospect of dinner. The bland hospital food had been killing him. Even the vending machine snacks he'd managed to sneak in hadn't held up to his desire for `real' food.

Once they got in the car Vin turned to Chris to ask what he'd wanted to know the minute he'd seen Chris's face in the doorway.

"Won't know for a few more days, Pard, so's you may as well just relax and settle in for the night."

Vin closed his mouth, frowning. He opened it again to rephrase his question but Chris cut him off again.

"He's going to trial Vin, stop worrying about it. He's going to jail."

Vin closed his mouth. Chris was right, but Vin had seen the legal system mess things up too many times to have the same confidence Chris felt. Hell, Chris should know better. Thinking about it, he realised Chris knew as well as he did there was still a chance, despite all of the overwhelming evidence against him, that Victor Lornikov could get away with it all. He was being optimistic for Vin's sake. He decided then that he would put it out of his mind and just relax, like Chris wanted him to. He was so happy to be out of the hospital finally that he actually did feel kind of relaxed. Both shoulders were giving him grief, but all in all, he was happy to be alive.

+ + + + + + +

Five days later Vin was sitting out on Chris's porch, waiting for Chris and enjoying the midday sunshine. He was listening out for the phone for the call he was still impatiently waiting on. The debate on whether or not Victor Lornikov would be tried in America or extradited back to Russia had gone on for days. There was worry that it could indeed go on for many weeks, however the political heat surrounding the case had pushed the hearing forward. Lornikov's team of lawyers were fighting desperately to get him back to his home country. Vin didn't have much faith in the legal system. He could only hope that Lornikov would get what he had coming.

Chris had taken the week off to make sure Vin was OK. Vin had been driving him insane since the second day, wanting to go into the office to wait for word. Chris could hardly believe the man had been through what he had, looking at him now. Finally, realising that Vin was never going to stay a day longer in "isolation" as he put it, despite the whole team calling in on them constantly over the week, he had agreed to head into the office to sort out some paperwork and take Vin with him.

"You ready?" he asked, stepping outside.

"Hell yeah!" Vin said, like it was the world's stupidest question.

Chris smiled. He was just thankful Vin was sitting there alive to worry about any attitude he might be giving him.

+ + + + + + +

The boys all jumped up when they entered the office. "Bout time you came to do some work, we been carryin' your sorry hide for weeks now!" Buck said with a huge grin.

"Yeah, guess with me bein' away the level of production goes down a lot, huh?" Vin returned, grinning himself.

Chris guided him towards his desk before heading into his office, "Sit down Tanner," he called out on his way out of the room.

Vin went to his desk, accepting the welcome backs from his teammates gladly. "So whadda you boys been up to while's I was on holiday?" he asked, sitting down.

"Let me recap for you, Mr Tanner. I, unlike the rest of our unruly team, have been working diligently on the imported weapons that are still turning up on our streets-"

"There's been more of `em?" Vin asked, concerned.

"Another bust by Team 8 ended up turning up another case load." Nathan added.

"Damn," Vin said, thoughtfully. "What else?"

"Mr Wilmington is still trying to discover the reason for Mr Dunne's recent and continuing obsession with his computer which extends to the early hours of the morning."

Vin took in Ezra's sudden grin and looked at the blushing JD. Buck was scowling.

"I don't give a damn what he's doin' on there. I don't care if he's workin' as a spy crackin' government codes or hacking into intelligence files . . . I don't give a shit." Buck said unconvincingly.

Vin laughed. Ahh, just like he'd never left. "Hey JD, I never did get that Teriyaki chicken . . ." he said.

"Tanner you know somethin' then out with it!" Buck said, annoyed to hell. He hated being the only one not in on it. "All's I've done for you you sorry-assed, long-haired-"

"Leave him alone Buck, he just got back, he doesn't need you hasslin' him." JD said, trying to throw him off.

"I don't give a damn if-"

"Tanner!" Vin looked up at his teammates smiling faces. They were glad that Vin was back and Chris had someone to vent his moods on again.

"Aww hell.. I aint been back in long enough to have done anythin' yet," Vin complained, not moving.

"Vin get your ass in here, now!" Chris yelled.

Vin grumbled his way to Chris's office, starting his protest before he even got to the door, "What the hell are you-" he stopped dead. Chris had the world's biggest grin on his face.

"Are you serious?"

"Most definitely," Chris replied.

Vin gave a loud whoop and turned around to tell the boys when he saw them heading his way anyway.

"When's the trial set for?" Vin asked, turning back to a still smiling Chris.

"Not for a few months yet." Chris waited until everyone was gathered at the door.

"May we presume good news is afoot?" Ezra asked, noting the wide grins and the lack of tension in Vin's face that had been apparent when he had walked in earlier.

"He's goin' ta trial here boys, few months yet but it's gonna be here. The little wanker's goin' ta jail." Vin said happily. Deep down he knew there was still a chance he'd get off, but this was a major step towards Lornikov's downfall. "Drinks on me tonight boys!" he said happily.

"Vin, you sure you're up to that?" Chris asked, concerned.

"Are you not still on medication, Vin?" Nathan asked.

"One or two won't kill me Nate," Vin argued.

Chris looked at Nathan as if to confirm the sanity of Vin going to the saloon so soon after he'd gotten out of hospital, but Nathan just gave a kind of resigned shrug. Hell, after all Vin'd been through, the man deserved a drink.

"Then I say we close shop and head down there now, boy's whadda you'all say?" Chris said, standing up.

"I say let's get the hell out of here - first drink's are on Vin!" Buck said, turning for the door.

"You know Vin if you're up to this, you're up for work tomorrow," Chris said, putting his arm on Vin's shoulders and steering him out.

"I'll be in, with bell's on," Vin vowed.

Epilogue. Justice Dealt Swiftly.

Vin couldn't take it any more. He had become more and more obsessed with Lornikov's trial as time had gone on. He had not been allowed to attend until he gave his testimony, which he had done just that morning, but he heard reports from various sources that were telling him that a conviction did not look favourable. He was frustrated as hell that he couldn't see for himself what was going on. From all he had heard, Victor had a damn fine team of lawyers and a solid case that was helped along by his status as a delegate to the country. This decision would go beyond that of convicting a man of murder. It was sentencing a foreign man, that had the support of his government behind him, to imprisonment in their country.

He remembered seeing Lornikov's face as he'd told the court everything that had happened, smiling at him mockingly as if to say it was all just a formality, that he was never going to go down for his crimes. He had had to focus on the faces of his friends and teammates in the crowded room to overcome his anxiety at being on such public display.

Now he watched as he sat amongst the crowd, listening as Victor himself spoke from the stand. As he listened to the light questions from the defense lawyers and the almost jovial responses from a murderer who looked like he had not a care in the world, Vin realised that Victor was going to get off. Victor was too smug, even for him. He knew something, had something up his sleeve, that assured him he would be walking out of there a free man. At one point, Victor looked directly to Vin as he told the court how he was being set up. How the American government had framed him and heartlessly sacrificed his wife for political gain, playing on the fact that the average person distrusted all politicians.

Disgusted, Vin stood and left the courtroom, unable to listen any more. He had to get out of there for a while. Chris watched Vin get up and silently leave the room and considered going after his furious friend, but stayed to watch the proceedings. He could understand Vin's anger. He, too, had a feeling that all was not as it seemed. Victor was acting a might too nonchalant for his liking.

JD, too, moved to go after Vin but Buck grabbed his sleeve.

"Let him be, kid. He needs to blow off a little steam for a minute," he whispered.

"Why does he look so damn smug, Buck?" JD asked, also whispering.

"Fucked if I know, JD. Somethin' sure don't seem right though."

Nathan and Josiah were sitting a few rows back, having gotten there later. They had been discussing Victor's body language and attitude, which was utterly relaxed, and could not come up with any conclusion to explain his actions, bar he had a card up his sleeve.

Vin splashed cold water on his face and took a long, hard look in the mirror. What the hell would he do if Victor got away with this? He couldn't explain it, but he felt he owed it to Tiana to make sure her husband paid for what he did. He closed his eyes and pictured her beautiful green eyes, looking at him in sadness before she turned and faced her executioner.

When he opened his eyes again there was a man at the sink next to him, washing his hands. He hadn't even heard anyone come in. There was someone else in a cubicle, he realised then, finally taking in his surroundings. His eyes met and held with the man next to him and he suddenly took in a sharp breath. He knew those eyes. He had only looked into them a few times before, but damnit he would know them anywhere. He had just been thinking of them.

The second man came out of the cubicle and spoke to his friend at the sink in Russian. "Are you ready Demitri?" he asked him, looking concerned and serious.

Demitri studied the man next to him a moment longer. He knew who he was. He'd taken the time to find out everything about that night all those month's ago and about everyone who had been involved. He also knew how hard this man had worked to bring about some sort of justice for what had been done. Although his cousin did not know that this stranger spoke Russian, Demitri did, but he also knew somehow, with absolute certainty, that this man would not interfere with their plans. He was looking at a good man. He almost smiled for a moment, glad that his sister had died in the arms of this man and had not faced death alone. Still looking at the agent next to him he answered his cousin. "Yes, I am ready. Let us bring our own justice to Victor Lornikov this day."

Vin stared at the man staring back at him just as intensely. Then the man's eyes sparkled briefly and there was a slight curving to his lip, before he nodded once, a gesture that Vin interpreted as thanks and that he knew that Vin understood what was about to go down, before he turned and left the room with his friend. Vin's eyes followed him all the way out before he again turned back to the mirror. Yes, ho knew what they were going to do. He also knew that if they didn't do it, Victor was going to walk.

Vin walked back to the courtroom and took his seat next to Chris. Immediately, Chris noticed the change in his body language. Vin was coiled tight, waiting for something to happen. He looked at him, eyebrow raised in a silent request for information.

Vin couldn't meet his eyes. He didn't know if he was going to be able to live with his decision after today and he sure as hell wasn't about to burden someone else with it. He didn't know what Chris would do if he told him either. Better not to put him in that position.

"Vin?" Chris persisted.

Vin still didn't look his way. "I'm OK Chris, just needed some air," he said, deliberately avoiding the question.

Chris frowned, what the hell was this about?

Victor was just laughing at something his defense attorney had said when the courtroom doors burst open and two men ran in, another three standing from amongst the crowd, all with weapons drawn.

"Everybody stay down, we mean no harm to innocent people." One man said, voice thick with his accent.

Chris looked sharply to Vin who was still avoiding his eyes. They had no weapons, how in hell the men had gotten this far with guns was an amazing feat. Quickly they positioned themselves around the room, disarming the guards and one moved to the front to stand directly before Lornikov. In Russian he addressed the man, a short speech that sounded rehearsed to Vin's ears, and when done, he pulled the trigger of his gun.

In a mixture of horror and satisfaction, Vin watched as the man with the beautiful green eyes pulled the trigger of his gun and sent Victor Lornikov to his violent death, a single shot through his forehead transforming his smug expression to one of eternal outrage as he began to protest the moment before the gun went off and ended his life.

Vin was vaguely aware of people screaming, running from the room as the gunmen all fled. He was also aware that none of his team were moving to give chase, although they could certainly have helped stopped the men if they had wanted to try. Finally he brought his eyes up to meet Chris's, lifting his chin a notch in an unconscious show of defense towards what he had done. He was shocked to realised that there was no longer any question in Chris's gaze. As he stared at another set of green eyes, he realised that Chris was not judging him.

Chris looked at his best friend next to him and felt the last of his momentary anger fade away. He wasn't sure about the extent of Vin's involvement, but he could not help but feel that real justice had been served. While he could not say that he approved of Vin's part in the events, to whatever extent that might be, he knew Vin would judge himself for a long time over his inaction that day to stop what had happened, what he knew was going to happen. He worried only that Vin accepted what he'd done, or hadn't done, that day, as being the right choice and could live with it.

"I only just found out, they were in the bathroom." Vin said, wanting Chris to know that it had not been his plan.

"You don't need to tell me." Chris said.

"I want you to know." Vin said. "I had a fair idea. I knew it was her brother."

"Tiana's?!" Chris said in shock.

Vin nodded. "I'm pretty sure."

Chris looked at Vin a moment longer before he asked, "What did he say to him before he killed him?"

Vin's voice was husky and low as he repeated the words that he thought he would remember forever.

"You will pay for your crimes this day. The American law will not bring justice, but the laws of God will. You have killed many people, but Tiana Ivanovski will be the last innocent person that you murder. I will see you in hell you bastard."

Chris took a deep breath.

"Amen to that," Buck said.

Vin looked up, shocked that his friends had overheard him.

Buck didn't say anything else. He could still see Tiana Lornikov's - or Ivonovski's, which he assumed was her maiden name's - body flailing under the impact of bullets as she was sent to her death and did not see what had just happened as much to be sorry for.

"Well it certainly brought an end to our friend's annoyingly self- satisfied display." Ezra added.

JD was appalled. This was the most blatantly brutal thing he had ever witnessed and because it had happened in such a "civilised" and normal setting, it seemed all the more barbaric.

"C'mon, son," Josiah said, putting a hand on JD's shoulder and pushing himself up, "let's see what circus is going on outside and see if we can help any."

JD went with him, eager to get out of that room.

"Maybe I should take a look." Nathan said hesitantly.

Buck looked at him sideways to make sure he was OK.

Vin's bizzare sense of humour pushed forward "I think he's dead Nate," he said.

"I would say that would be a sure bet, Mr Tanner." Ezra added.

"Gonna save a heap in taxpayer fees," Buck said.

"He wasn't going to jail, Buck." Chris said.

"Yeah your right about that, I was getting' the feelin' he'd paid someone off or somethin'." Buck agreed.

"Well he aint gonna be bribin' his way outta this one." Vin said.

"Wouldn't be so sure, that one's probably strikin' deals and slitherin' his way outta hell right about now." Buck said.

"Well if that snake come's slitherin back up here, I wont stop ya from shootin' him." Vin said to Buck, turning his gaze to Chris, still feeling a little defensive of his actions.

Chris held his look again before another taking another deep breath and letting it out. "Yeah, I guess sometimes justice just finds it own opportunity to be delivered when it has to."

Vin let out his own breath, relieved despite his defensive stance. He would have still believed he'd done the right thing, but Chris's opinion was important to him and having his support meant a lot.

Chris put his hand on Vin's arm and said to the rest of the team, "I know I could use a drink after that."

Vin's lip curled in response to Chris's closure of the subject. He was laying it to rest and Vin knew he wouldn't bring it up again.

"We gotta get past all the police and reporters first," Buck said.

"There is an alternate exit to the venue," Ezra said.

Nobody asked how he knew that, just accepted it.

"What about Josiah and JD?" Buck asked.

"We'll call them, they can find their own escape." Chris said, getting up to leave, "and Vin?" Vin stopped and turned back to face Chris, his face still a little strained. "Two drinks only for you, I don't wanna be pickin' up no unholy mess from the floor of the saloon again."

"Aww hell, Chris, I was still on antibiotics and a whole heap'a other shit-"

"Yep Vin, that's what is was alright," Buck laughed.

"Least I didn't have to clean my dinner outta the back seat of Chris's car." Vin grinned at Buck who was now frowning at the change of heat to him.

Chris scowled as Buck protested before Chris could start in on him, "Damnit that was JD's dinner not mine! I was only tryin ta help get the door open."

"Damn car still smells.. gonna have ta sell it." Chris grumbled as they walked towards the emergency exit Ezra had unveiled behind a curtain.

"Yeah not your fault Buck, you was just bein polite offerin' JD a steak and greasy bacon huh?"

Buck cuffed Vin on the back of the head and a slight scuffle ensued. They ended up tackling each other to the wooden floor and rolling, laughing as it got out of control.

Chris was already outside and Nathan poked his head back in. "Are you boys coming or are you going to play around all day?" he asked, frowning when he could only see their legs sticking out from the judges desk.

Vin rolled away from Buck who quickly tackled him, wanting to get the last points in when they both suddenly stopped. They both stared, their faces in the same direction and looking at the wide open eyes of Victor Lornikov, who'd been thrown from his seat to the courtroom floor and now lay only a foot from their faces.

Snapping out of it they scrambled to their feet, dusting themselves off and saying quickly, "Yep I'm ready, you ready?"

"Most definitely ready now," as they hurried to catch up to the rest of the team.

The End