A few weeks ago Chris would've thought you'd mad if someone said he'd be taking in two kids to live with him in his small room. He transformed it so that Vin was able to put in the air mattress they had bought for him and JD to share. Really though, Vin slept with Chris because JD seemed to be able to take up the entire mattress by sprawling out.
Chris now came into the room, bearing groceries.
JD was the first to greet him.
"Hey Chris, you're back already!" the little boy latched on his side. Making Chris struggle to keep his balance.
"Uh, yeah I was only down the street and was only getting milk."
"Is Buck coming today?" JD asked, ignoring Chris's answer to his previous comment.
"He does come everyday." said Chris, pulling free and walking over to his mini fridge and put the milk inside. When he closed the door again, he saw Vin sitting behind it, staring at him.
"So did you find us another hit yet?"
Chris sighed, he really didn't know how he got into this situation.
"You know I never find the hits. That's usually Buck. I'm just the man with the plan."
Vin grunted and sat down on the air mattress.
"I'm bored, and we haven't had one since the Ritz hotel last week."
Chris was about to point out the fact that there were times when they didn't do anything for months and it wasn't mission after mission when there came a hasty knock and Buck walked in.
JD flew to him and Buck lifted the little boy in the air before setting him down again.
"How are you doing, kid?"
"Good. Did you have school again?"
"No we had today off. I was spending the morning with a date I had at a coffee shop." he grinned and rubbed his nose.
Chris shook his head at his friend.
"Buck, do you have a hit for us yet?" asked Vin, looking hopeful.
"Not yet. I haven't heard any good things that are in need of us relieving them of their money."
"It doesn't have to be a money job. I'm just bored."
"Well you can look in my notebook of jobs then and see if you can find one you like."
Buck pulled out a notebook from his backpack and handed it to Vin.
Vin opened the book and was met with pages of writing.
"How is this organized?" he asked after flipping a few pages.
Buck looked at his book over Vin's shoulder and pointed, "The red pen is money jobs but the ones with check marks mean we've done them. Blue is drug dealers. Green is random."
Vin looked over the book. There were plenty of greens and a few blue ones.
Chris looked over Vin's shoulder and pointed at a green for Vin to look at.
He knew the boy had a hard time reading and Buck's handwriting didn't help. The one he pointed to was one he had written down and was clearer to read.
"So who were you with today?" asked Chris.
Buck looked up from scanning the book, "Who? Oh I was with a girl who I met on the street. She had missed her bus so I said I would sit with her till the next one."
"And does this girl have a name?"
"Jenna."
"Well I'm glad you at least got her name."
"Oh I didn't just get a name." Buck grinned and held up his phone.
"You got her phone?" frowned JD.
"No, I got her number."
Chris laughed to himself and sat down on the mattress.
Buck continued on his description of the girl while Vin ignored him and tried to read the book.
A knock comes from the door and everyone stops what they were doing.
Chris had went over with the younger boys that during these times they had to be careful in case it was an adult looking for kids like them that were living on the streets.
Chris pulled out a water gun and quietly crossed the room to stand closest to the door.
"Seriously?" Buck laughed quietly.
"It had pepper water in it." he defended and then turned to the door, "Come in with your hands up."
A boy walked in with his hands dutifully up. He looked a little exasperated, but kept quiet. He rose an eyebrow to the water gun.
"Seriously?" he drawled.
"It has pepper water in it." said Chris again, ignoring Buck who was snickering behind him, "What do you want?"
Vin frowned, "Wait you know this guy?"
Vin didn't recall Chris mentioning another person who was coming by and the boy looked real fancy with his suit and tie.
"We robbed his parents and those other people at the Ritz." Chris explained as he lowered his gun.
"How did you find us?" asked Buck.
"With some difficulty."
"I'll say, it took you a week to find us." Vin deadpanned.
"What do you want?" asked Chris.
"The money, or what's left of it."
"I don't have my share anymore." said Chris.
"Me neither. I never had so much candy in my life." grinned Vin.
"You kids blew fifteen hundred dollars in one week." he pinched the bridge of his nose, "You guys are terrible with money."
"It's dangerous around here to be carrying that kind of money." Chris shrugged unapologetically.
"So you just spent it all on Little Debbie's? You could've done so much with that kind of cash!"
"Hey! Little Debbie's is good." Vin pouted.
"I like them." JD agreed.
Ezra sighed, "So you don't have any of the left?"
Chris looked at Buck, "You still have some of your share?"
"Yeah."
"Can I have it back?" asked Ezra.
"No. I use that money when some creep tries to buy my mom. I out buy them so I can spend some time with her."
"You can do that without money. All she has to do is say no."
"Easy to say that when you know nothing about what we're going through. You getting your money is more important than me getting time to spend with my mom?"
"Yes, it kind of is."
"Well I guess you have your answer."
"Yes?"
"No. It means no."
"You're acting like you're an innocent kid who just wants to spend time with your mother. In actuality you're a thief if not something worse."
"Yeah, go ahead and condemn me. It's not like you're the first to say that to any of us. Not everyone can live like you."
Ezra squared his shoulders but didn't say anything.
Vin interrupted their conversation
"Chris, what about this one?" he asked, pointing to the one he had been reading.
Chris looked over it again, "You want to do this one?"
Vin nodded. He wasn't able to understand most of the words but he understood some of the keywords that this was a kidnapping matter.
Chris pulled it from his hands and addressed the group.
"This was one that I had put in last month. I didn't know if we should do it or not so I put it under green. There's been a case of kids going missing at a local social service for foster kids that is partnered with a church. I think it's worth at least looking into. It's not like the last one." Chris looked over at Ezra who stared at him. "There will be no money, no guarantee that we won't get caught and put into the system ourselves. I won't ask you to do something you aren't comfortable with or that would put you in harm's way."
"But these kids need us. We might well be their only hope." Buck frowned.
"Why not just get the cops involved?" asked Ezra.
"That would require us talking to them when Vin, JD and I are runaway kids. They would silence us and put us in foster homes. We have no evidence to support our claims even if they actually did agree to talk to us."
The room was quiet as they looked at each other.
"Fine, I'll go too." said Ezra finally.
"If he's going then I am too." JD said eagerly.
"No, it's too dangerous." Buck shook his head.
"I'm not going to sit here while you guys go off and have adventures without me. I want to be apart of it."
"I guess that makes five of us then." smiled Chris.
"You're okay with JD and this new kid coming with?" frowned Buck.
"We might need all the help we can get."
The next day Chris told everyone to meet him at the playground which was a frozen yogurt place down the street.
It was a popular place where kids loved to hang out after school with each other.
Vin and JD arrived together and were soon followed by Buck. Ezra arrived ten minutes afterwards and they all sat down in silent observation of each other.
Buck looked suspiciously at Ezra.
"Is there something I can help you with, Buck?" Ezra asked, saying Buck's name slowly and with a hint of tone.
"Why are you here? You don't care about these kids." frowned Buck.
"I'm not pretending to understand you. I would appreciate if you would not to do likewise."
"Then please explain why you're here then."
"I don't have to explain to you of my reasons for helping."
"Well I'm not going to be working with someone I can't trust."
"Calm down, Buck." came Chris from behind, announcing his arrival. "Why are you helping Ezra? Is it because you're bored and want to do something and your mother doesn't care where you're at?"
Ezra's face didn't falter and Chris continued, "I was able to observe in that short encounter that your mother has her priorities on things...that are what you would you call small and comes in paper form."
"My mother does care a lot about money which puts me in a bad situation seeing how she lost not only her money but the people she was playing with. They all seem to think I had something to do with it thanks to you." he said to Chris, "And they are a little more than hostile. My mother has gone into hiding for a bit to wait it out."
"You saying she left you?" asked Vin.
"She left me behind to find the money that was lost."
"And you're going to meet up with her after you recovered it?" asked Chris.
Ezra sat up straight in his chair.
Chris knew without the boy's excellent poker face that the boy had been left behind and he was trying to cover up the fact that he probably didn't know where she was. His mother could easily make up the money she lost, and she probably wouldn't be coming back with what happened so there wasn't any point in leaving her son.
"Do you need the money to help you with your travels to find your mother?"
Ezra rose an eyebrow.
"If so then this isn't the job you're looking for."
"I know it isn't, but like you said, I'm bored, and since you had so much fun and laughs at my expense I think I'd be fair if I can participate."
"Fair enough."
"Chris, you're sure?"
"We can't stop him. If he wants he can report us."
Buck frowned at Ezra who remained cool.
"Let's get to the point of our meeting which is a debriefing."
"Is that necessary?" asked Vin.
"Yes, because what we're doing is not only dangerous for the people we are trying to help, but for ourselves. Now the place we're going to need to uncover some information on is the social service building. In there we'll need to find out information of the kids that went missing. So far from what I've been able to gather, it's been young boys and girls. There isn't a particular race or age either that makes a pattern for us to follow."
"So how do we find this information?" asked JD.
"I'll break into the building at night to retrieve any information I can find on the missing kids. If I'm lucky the files will still be there somewhere."
"You can't go in there by yourself!" Vin said angrily.
"It's better if one person does it and I'm used to doing this kind of thing. I will need you for a different part of the mission."
"What would you like the rest of us to do?" asked Ezra.
"It all depends on what I find. If I come back with nothing then we'll need to think of another way to find out where they are taking the kids."
"I bet that if we follow one of them in their car then they could lead us right to them."
"That's too dangerous. The surest way we'll be caught."
"And what you're doing isn't dangerous?" asked Vin.
"It's the plan."
"And once the plan is set, it mustn't be changed during the middle of execution." finished Buck.
"Look, I know that's how you used to work when it was just the two of you, but there's no need for you to be all lone wolf." Vin frowned.
"It's not about me being a lone wolf, it's about what I think is the quickest way to find the information."
"And you don't think any of us can get that information better than you?" Vin bit back.
Ezra tried to hide a smile.
Chris saw it and frowned, "Think you can do better than me, Ez?"
Ezra frowned at the horrid nickname.
"I'm not sure about your skills at stealing, but I'm very confident in my own. You have excellent plans which I respect. Your job in the Ritz hotel makes me well aware that you're an excellent leader and I will not doubt your plan if you wish to find the information yourself."
"Lord, you could've just said 'no I'm good'." Buck grunted.
"Vin, I'm going to do this job. If you don't like it then you don't have to participate in the job at all and can go back to the room."
"I'm in." Vin muttered under his breath.
"Ok then. I'll do this tonight and see what I find. We'll meet back here tomorrow same time.
Chris sure hoped he knew what he was doing. It had been awhile since his last solo mission and his last break in.
Walking fast, he approached the back of the building and flatten himself against the wall.
He had done a ride by earlier to see if there were any cameras or things he needed to be aware of before tonight.
There was a camera in the front and the back of the building. The camera would take thirty seconds before it was back on him.
Once the camera was in between him and the other side he signalled to the other side.
Vin appeared out of the dark and ran under the camera.
Once the camera was on the other side, Chris ran to meet Vin under the camera.
Giving the younger boy a boast, Chris helped him to reach the camera.
Vin used his and Chris's gum that they had been choosing to immobilize the camera.
Once Vin was back on the ground did Chris dismiss him so finish by himself.
Chris bent down at the lock and began to pick the lock.
The girl at his school, Sarah, would disappointed at him, Chris thought to himself.
The lock gave way and he slipped inside the dark building.
He had been in here so much he knew his way around to the office he was looking for.
Looking at the front, he remembered the first time he arrived her at seven.
A frighten boy who didn't know what was going to happen to him. Feeling as if everything was his fault. Confused. Depressed. Exhausted.
Continuing through the room he saw the bench that he had sat on so many times whenever he was returned from his foster home.
A frighten ten year old who didn't understand what he did wrong. Hiding the bruises that were inflicted, thinking that they were his fault.
An older Chris coming in with more bruises and cuts on his arms. Anger in his eyes, no guilt left to feel because he knew it wasn't his fault. All he could feel was hate for everyone and everything except Buck, Buck's mother, and Sarah.
Sarah, he couldn't remember the last time he saw her.
Chris shook his head and went into the main office where they held all the foster kids' files.
He took the time to first get his and set it out before looking for the ones of missing kids.
They wouldn't be under missing like him. They would shove them in back where no one looked. The kids were placed under the 'most difficult children' section where most people wouldn't bother to take home with them.
He looked for things that the social workers would use to help personalize their file.
His was marked with all the homes he stayed at and the problems they had with him. The times he was arrested while in the system and Chris's personal favorite, their psychological analysis on him.
He found at least seven in the past month of kids who were in the 'black spot' that didn't seem to belong there.
He picked up the files and his own before stealing his way back to the exit. Before he left, he took one more look at the corner where he was struck across the face by Sarah's dad.
A lump formed in his throat and he walked out.
Signaling Vin they undid the gum on the camera and made their escape.
He made a detour through Sarah's neighborhood and saw through the window that she was sitting at the dinner table with her family playing games with her parents and siblings. They were probably playing Monopoly.
Chris sat on his bike and watched her for a few minutes before riding away. From Sarah and the place where he used to call home.
Chris had asked Ezra that night to help him do some research on the names he found.
"Aren't you curious at all as to why I volunteered, Larabee?" Ezra asked as he typed on his computer to look up the information.
"Not really."
Chris rose an eyebrow. He knew Ezra was always dressing to impress and spoke a little funny besides his accent, but the formality was what threw him. As far as he knew, he didn't address the others by their last name.
Ezra worked undisturbed while Chris let his mind wander. Ezra looked up from his typing.
"Are you uncertain of going through with this?"
"No."
Ezra looked at Chris in the eyes before nodding.
He moved the computer so that Chris could see too.
"This is what I have so far. The files didn't give me much to work at but there is something equivocal about some of these boys that have gone missing. A mister Jackson and Phillips were taken the same day and were taken to an area that is two blocks from one another."
"Where exactly?" asked Chris, leaning in to get a better view of the map.
"Well technically the places don't exist. This address is made up and the closest I could find were these abandoned buildings."
"Then we'll look there." Chris began making his way to the door.
"Larabee." called Ezra, stopping the other boy, "It's not too late to get the police involved."
"I won't stop you." Chris said before closing the door.
There was a hint of uncertainty as Chris sat in front of the group present. He knew he was supposed to have come with a plan already formulated, but there were so many variables and things that could possibly go wrong.
"So what's the plan, Chris?" Vin asked eagerly.
"To tell you the truth, I don't have a plan. I don't have any idea how we're going to get in or what we're going to find once we get inside. Everything is up in the air."
"Larabee, if you're worried that we can't handle this then you're just doubting our capability. We can do this, but first you need to believe that." Ezra said with his arms crossed.
Buck and Vin looked up at Chris.
Chris sighed and nodded, "Ok then. I don't have a very solid plan and there might be changes once we're inside, but we've come this far and we can't back down now."
JD rose his hand, "Can I be apart of this mission"
Chris was about to say no, but the kid was so eager to please and to help that he sighed and caved, "Okay, JD, but you have to stick with one of the others so as not to get lost."
JD grinned and nodded enthusiastically.
"Alrighty then, here's the plan."
Ezra sat on the roof with Vin, preparing to breach the warehouse.
"You know, if someone were to tell me that my mother and I lost our money to kids with walkie talkies and dresses, then I would've called them mental."
Vin, who was uncoiling the rope stopped and stared at Ezra, "Who told you about the dress?"
"Buck. I'm surprise you actually wore it." Ezra grinned.
Vin glared at the other boy before mischievously raising an eyebrow, "I bet that if I can make Chris show any sign of affection tonight then you have to wear the dress and see what it's like."
"Larabee doesn't seem like the kind of guy to show affection." Ezra nodded, "How big does it have to be?"
"It can be a thank you or even a hug."
"That seems like something he may do though. What if it's something out of the ordinary."
"Him hugging or even thanking someone is out of the ordinary."
"But in this instance it could happen. I'll only do it if it takes me by surprise."
"What?" Vin protested.
"And if you lose you can don on your dress again since I didn't get to see it."
Vin glared at Ezra, "Fine, for the whole day, even outdoors."
They shook hands, "Agreed."
*Are you guys paying attention?* came Chris's voice over the talkies.
Ezra flinched, "He can't hear us right?" he whispered.
"No, you have to push the button in order to hear us." Vin said as he pointed to the button before answering Chris.
*We're here and are moving into position.*
Vin made a slip knot over the small chimney and threw the rope over the side of the building.
Putting on his gloves and slinging his dart gun over his back, he started to shimmy down the rope.
Ezra turned his computer on and watched the feed from everyone's cameras.
*Buck, you there? There are two guards if you can see them. They are headed over to where Vin is at. I need a distraction.* he said into his walkie talkie
When he didn't get a response he looked down and forgot he didn't push the button. He swore and repeated himself, this time doing it correctly.
*Roger that* came Buck.
Buck and JD were waiting over by the fence with their bikes.
JD carried the wireless radio while Buck sat on his bike with a flashlight attached to the front. He turned it on.
The men saw the light and began to walk over.
Buck began to ride and JD pushed the play button on the radio.
The sound of a motorcycle began to play as they rode alongside the fence.
The men drew closer as Buck circled a couple times before Ezra gave him the signal to turn it off.
JD turned off the radio and Buck hie flashlight.
The men stopped and stared at where the light and noise had came from, but dismissed it and walked back.
Ezra ran to the side and pulled the rope up so it wasn't hanging off the side anymore where the men could see it.
Once he was back to his computer, he scanned the feed to get a bearing on where everyone was at.
Chris was still waiting for him to give the signal for him to go.
He knew that the boy was anxious with only Vin inside by himself and needed to keep him from charging in and compromising everything.
*A few more minutes, Larabee. Give him a few more minutes.*
Ezra looked at Vin's feed and watched as the younger boy made his way through the building. He had to switch it to night vision and waited for Vin to say if he found anything.
"Come on, Vin." he muttered to himself.
Vin could feel his heart beating hard in his chest as he looked around the corner. He could hear the faint sounds of voices but couldn't understand what was being said. He peek around the corner and let the camera he was wearing see as well.
Two pairs of eyes were better than one and Ezra could probably see better with hsi night cam while Vin was staring into the darkness for the most part.
He knew he only had a few minutes to find any evidence whether or not the kids were in this place or not before Chris pulled the plug.
He had begged Chris to let him do this, and he didn't want to disappoint.
Crawling on all fours, he crept as close as he dared to the room and parked himself outside the door to listen. He knew that Ezra was probably listening too when he pressed the walkie talkie button.
"We need to send the next shipment soon or else we'll have the authorities breathing down our backs."
"Someone's definitely looking into what's happening. The files were stolen last night which isn't good."
"We should move them tonight and have them ready to go first thing tomorrow."
"I'll tell Magnus to start loading up the kids."
Vin shuffled away from the door just in time for the door to open and two men walked out.
Vin shadowed the one who was walking down the corridor that he hadn't gone down yet.
A few times he felt his heart drop and he pressed himself against the wall when the man stopped and looked around.
Eventually they made it to a room that the man unlocked and went in. Vin slipped in after him and was met with rows and rows of cages filled with kids.
Vin was horrified and tried to hide his gasp.
*Oh my God.* breathed Ezra.
*What is it?* asked Chris impatiently.
Ezra had to pull his eyes from Vin's feed to answer the talkie, *It looks like there's going to be something that we weren't anticipating on.*
*Should I go in?*
*Not yet.*
Chris cursed under his breath as he lay in his position ready to attack.
He peered into his scope where he was following the guards outside with the end of his dart gun.
*Hurry it up, Standish because my trigger finger is getting cramped.*
Ezra sounded exasperated on his reply, *Exactly what do you expect me to do?*
Chris didn't reply but waited for his turn.
He knew he was risking a lot by sending Vin alone. He just didn't want to regret his decision.
Vin waited to the man spoke with the guy he figure to be Magnus and then leave.
Once Magnus began unlocking cages did Vin act. He pulled out his dart gun and fired, making sure to hit flesh.
The man's hand pulled the dart out and looked around. Vin held his breath, thinking it didn't work. The man started to walk in his direction but then fell to the ground after he was shot again.
Vin quickly got up from his position and grabbed the keys from the man.
He pulled out his talkie, *I got the keys. We're good for phase clean up to commence.*
Vin frantically began unlocking cages and told the kids to keep quiet.
About ten minutes later he had them all huddled together in a large group and he ushered them back through the hallway.
*Ezra, where's my escape and what's keeping Chris?*
"Working on it." said Ezra as he threw the rope back over the edge and through the propped open window.
*How far am I from Vin, Ezra?* asked Chris.
"You do know I can' the in two places at once right?" Erza said as he rushed back to his computer to see what was happening.
"Vin, there are two people headed your way."
*Thanks.* came a whispered response.
*Ezra, where is he?" hissed Chris.
Ezra threw his hands up, "I can't tell you like I have a diagram of the building."
Chris had shot the men outside with his darts and ran to find Vin.
He picked the lock to the door and slipped in easily enough. There was a guard but he quickly silenced him, grateful for the karate he took last year. He dislocated the man's legs and punched him in the throat. The man was sprawling on the ground when Chris left him.
Keeping his finger on the trigger, Chris made his way through the building.
Buck, always the getaway man and in charge of watching JD was peacefully waiting outside when he saw a car pull up. He used his dart gun scope to get a better look. Cops.
He pulled out his walkie talkie, "Uh Ezra, are you looking at my camera feed? Cause you might want to."
Ezra blew out a breath as he switched to Buck's camera feed. Sure enough he found it worth looking at.
"Chris, Vin, you're about to have company soon and lots of it. You need to bail now."
*But we're so close. I see the rope.* came Vin in an almost desperate tone.
"Chris, you're the closest to the cops. You need to find an exit. No time to be tiptoeing. Quicken the pace."
*On it.*
Chris began to sprint. Ever so often he would hear shouts and people running after him.
Soon he had a two person tail on him.
Shoot, he couldn't have them find Vin and the kids. Chris spun on his heels and began shooting at them.
One man fell but the other dodged his darts and grabbed the gun out from his hands.
Chris used what momentum he had left and wrapped himself around the man's neck and brought him man however was still moving and peeled Chris's hands away.
Chris looked around for his gun but it was too far away.
"You shouldn't look away from your opponent." came a gruff voice and Chris turned just in time to see a fist come at him.
For a while he was on the floor dazed with the man towering over him.
"I think I remember your face. You were in the files."
Chris panicked and kicked himself off the floor before diving to his gun.
Turning quickly, he released four darts in the man's chest before the man fell completely.
His breath still shaky, Chris got up and continued to run, his legs however felt like jelly and he swayed.
*Chris are you alright?* came Ezra over talkie.
"Yeah." he grunted, "Am I close to Vin?"
*Like I said I can't really tell, but I think this hallway looks familiar.*
"Okay."
Chris was careful as he looked around the corner into a room.
His eyes widen when he saw Vin with a man holding him in a headlock.
Something inside him snapped and his stomach dropped.
He walked into the room, exposing himself to the man.
"Chris," hissed Vin, "What they hell are you doing?"
Chris eyes burned with fury as he began to walk towards them, his pace becoming a little faster with each step until he was in a dead charge and screaming at the top of his lungs.
He promised himself that he would never go back into that dark moment of his life. Never to use it again unless it was absolutely necessary. His hand gripped the knife as he charged at the man holding his friend.
He could feel the weight of it in his hands. The heat of the times he used it to defend himself and the guilt of ones he loved.
Chris felt nothing but uncontrollable rage as he lunged at the man who was still standing there. With a quick movement however, the man put Vin right in front of him to act as a shield.
Chris faltered. He was going to fast to stop before stabbing him, and too close to actually switch movements.
He saw Vin's eyes get big before squeezing them shut.
Chris dropped his knife just in time before he punched the boy in the stomach with his fist.
Vin doubled over, but Chris kept going.
He moved his left hand to grab the man by the neck and then wrapped his other arm around to pull it down and slam into the ground.
Chris reached for his dropped knife while he still held the man.
Vin reached over and put a hand over his, "Chris' don't."
Chris looked up and saw that Vin was hurt, but it was all his fault because he wasn't thinking. He could've killed his friend.
He nodded and picked up the knife, but put it away in his pocket.
Vin darted the man and they escaped through the window with the last of the kids.
The cops were now beginning to swarm the building but Vin and Chris had the kids sit at a safe distance where they would be found.
"Hopefully things will turn out better for you." said Chris before turning to go.
"Wait." said one boy who hadn't joined the group of kids. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." said Chris in a low voice.
"Triple Threat is here to help." VIn said enthusiastically but then frowned, "I guess we can't call ourselves that anymore though."
Chris smiled and the two walked off to meet the rest of the group who were waiting for them.
"Ezra, what happened to you? You were supposed to be telling me what was happening. Why didn't you tell me Vin was in trouble?"
"I was so busy watching you because you were trying to fight off that man and it looked like you lost so I was trying to decide what to do. By the time I was looking at Vin's camera, the feed was covered by the man's arm."
"It doesn't matter. The mission is over and I can sure use a rest after receiving Chris's fury in that punch. It felt like he reached my spine."
"Sorry about that. I kinda lost control."
"Yeah, what was that all about?"
Chris rubbed the back of his head, "I've had my dad abuse my mom when I was little. One time it was in the kitchen. I was washing dishes and had a knife in my hand. I imagined myself stabbing him repeatedly, but instead I did nothing. I was too scared to move. After she died about three months later and my old man was thrown in prison, I would always carry that knife so the next time anything happened like that I wouldn't hesitate."
"Good thing you hesitated." Vin laughed to throw off some of the seriousness.
Chris threw an arm around him and the others, "You guys are like family to me and I swear I will do everything to protect you."
JD laughed, "You sound like a dad when you said that."
Chris bristled, clearly offended but then realised that it wasn't an insult.
JD jumped into his arms and gave him a hasty and wet kiss on his cheek.
Everyone held their breath, not sure how their leader would react.
Chris smiled and gave a kiss on the little boy's forehead and ruffled his hair.
"I do believe you owe me a day wearing a dress, Ezra."
Ezra was still in shock to even utter a response.
Chris grinned and looked at the others, "What? Do you all want one too?"
The other boys laughed and ran away. Ezra still in shock almost got a kiss before he snapped out of it and ran too. Chris laughed.
He knew that Vin probably let him hear the bet and since the boy had already had ten minutes of humiliation he figured that Ezra wearing the dress for the whole day would be like their initiation for him into the group.
The next day was a day to relax. They all gathered at the playground again to go over last night. To say what went well and what didn't go as planned.
Ezra didn't like that he had to wear the dress in public, but he took it in stride. To his embarrassment however, he had some boys walk up to him.
The others were holding their sides they were laughing so hard.
"Excuse me," said a boy who interrupted them.
They looked up and there was an african american boy looked down at them.
"I remember you." said Vin, "You were one of the kids last night."
"Yes, I just want to thank you again."
"You're welcome, but shouldn't you be back with the social service people?"
"I didn't go back. I ran away after you left. I don't actually have a place to stay right now."
"Chris?" pleaded Vin.
JD and Buck had the same smile on their face.
"You can stay with us I guess. What's your name?"
"Nathan Jackson."
"Welcome to Fabulous Five!"
"It's six now." Ezra clarified.
"Stupendous Six!"
"Still don't like." muttered Buck.