Inmate 78
disclaimer: M7 characters belong to MGM, Trilogy and Mirisch. No copyright infringement is intended with their use.
This story is the third story in the Aislinn story arch.
It was also written to fulfill a handful of challenges on the old m7 challenge list. One of those challenges was the "Chase Challenge" where I had to use mulitple modes of transportation. So if you find yourself raising an eyebrow and wondering- why didn't they just... That is why. There'll be more explanations of the challenges at the end of the story so nothing more gets spoiler! *grin*! I hope you enjoy it!
"He here yet?"
Vin Tanner looked up from the report he was pretending to work on and met his boss's frustrated gaze. "Nope."
"Damn it." Chris turned back into his office and half stomped back to his desk, flopping back in his chair and turning to stare out the window.
Ezra was in trouble. Vin knew as he watched Larabee's actions that Standish had pushed too far this time. Standish was normally late but nothing like this. Vin glanced up at the clock and frowned. It was almost 11. Ezra always called if he was planning on being later than 10.
"JD!"
Tanner looked up sharply and chuckled as the cardstock and crepe paper turkey that'd been perched on top of Buck's computer monitor went flying towards Wilmington, a suction cup tipped arrow stuck to its pilgrim hat. He shook his head as Buck peeled the arrow from the turkey and tossed it like a missile at Dunne. "Quit shooting Ole Tom. Lucinda gave him to me."
JD snickered but hurriedly shoved the bow and arrow into a drawer as Chris once again popped out into the main office and glared at Ezra's deserted desk. Larabee didn't ask this time, he merely snarled at the group and ducked back into his office again.
"What's up with that?" JD whispered curiously.
"We were supposed to have a meeting about the new case," Nathan answered automatically.
"When?" Vin spun his chair around to face the direction of Jackson's desk.
"10:30."
"Shit." Vin looked back at Chris' office again. Even with Ezra's habits, the man was always on time for scheduled meetings.
"Do you think there's cause for concern, Vin?" Josiah's deep voice filled with worry.
Vin tried not to show his frustration. Since when did every feeling and instinct of his become the rule around here? He wasn't some psychic or anything- didn't they get that? He wasn't always right. "Don't know," he responded without looking at back at Sanchez. "Just ain't like Ez, normally."
"Could be just blowing it off because he's more interested in that pumpkin spice coffee he likes." Nathan tried to conjecture but no one responded. They all knew that despite Standish's lackadaisical attitude he took work seriously.
Larabee's phone rang and Vin found himself leaning back in his chair, straining to hear Chris's side of the conversation. He didn't have to strain much.
"Where the hell are you?" Chris virtually shouted into the phone.
Vin cringed. Least Ezra was okay.
"What do you mean a few days? No, you can't." Larabee's voice carried well in his private office. The rest of the team sat and waited, listening as Chris continued to argue with Standish.
"Get your ass in here, Ezra. I'm not handing this case off to that hotshot Buchanan on team two."
"Standish!" Chris stood up behind his desk.
"Um, excuse me." The softly accented feminine voice caught everyone in the outer office by surprise.
Vin spun around in his chair, his mouth dropping open in shock. "Aislinn." He hadn't seen her since the Rounds case. Ezra'd been in the hospital and she had come, to make sure they were okay and then as soon as he started asking questions…she'd disappeared again.
He heard Chris yelling into his phone again and a feeling of dread grew in his gut. Aislinn stood there, staring directly at him. Her hair was still blonde, but without the magenta streaks. She wore it in a simple ponytail and Tanner realized it was the first time he'd ever seen her without heavy makeup. She was dressed in jeans and an oversized cable-knit sweater. She looked like she was shivering. His eyes swept over her face again, noticing the red-rimmed eyes and the slight quiver of her lower lip.
"Shit."
He stood quickly and pulled her into the break room. Every time she showed up, one of them, specifically him or Ezra, ended up hurt somehow. What was it now? "What happened?" he questioned more harshly then he intended.
She shook her head, unable to find words for the moment. Her midnight blue eyes filled with tears, but she held on and blinked them back. "He needs you," she whispered hoarsely.
Vin groaned. Last time she said that Ezra had barely survived. "Is he hurt? Where is he?"
She pulled back, obviously distraught, as he reached for her. "I can't…" She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I just…you need to know. Please. Go to him." With a soft sob, she spun away and ran from the small room and out of the office.
Vin stared after her. "Well shit." It seemed a fitting theme for the day.
By the time Tanner exited the breakroom the others were waiting, as he'd expected.
"What was that about?" Nathan asked.
"What'd you do to her?" Buck demanded.
Vin shook his head. "Nothing, she was upset when she got here."
He ignored their other questions and went into Chris' office just as Larabee slammed down the phone. "That Ezra?" Tanner asked.
"No," Chris snarled. "That was me handing our newest case over to Buchanan."
Vin raised an eyebrow. "Ezra?"
"That idiot is boarding a plane as we speak." Chris put his hands on his hips, obviously wrestling with his anger. "Told me he needed a few days and basically said 'too bad I'm going anyway' when I said no." He looked up at Vin. "What's he thinking? We're supposed to be sending him under right after Thanksgiving. Now, Buchanan is all gung-ho to take over."
"Let him."
"What?" Chris stopped and stared at Vin.
"Aislinn was here."
"Here? When?" Chris glanced out the wall of windows to the outer office space.
"Minute ago."
"It bad?" Chris' entire demeanor changed from angry to concerned. He knew their history with the mysterious woman and her appearance never seemed to signal anything good.
"Said he needed me."
Larabee stared at him a minute before responding. "Well, shit."
Twenty minutes later Chris was parking his truck next to Ezra's Jag in the long term parking section of the airport. Vin listened to JD on the cell phone. "Just tell me where he's heading, JD," he demanded as they climbed out of the truck and Chris locked it up. They didn't have anything with them save for the small duffles they each kept in their vehicles for emergencies. One change of clothing and a little extra cash and they were set. "Where?"
He weaved around a small Ford in order to catch up with Larabee's determined strides toward the terminal. "Really? Okay. Thanks. We'll let you know when we figure it out."
Vin snapped the phone closed and shoved it into his pocket.
"Where?" Chris asked without looking at him.
"Nashville."
"Nashville?" Larabee's steps faltered a little, he glanced at Vin with a questioning expression.
"Hell if I know. Let's just get some tickets and go."
They made it on the next flight to Nashville with only a little arguing and cajoling with the lady at the ticket counter. "You're lucky you're flying this week and not next," she told them with a small frown, alluding to the holiday and its reputation for being the busiest flying week of the year.
Clearing security was no problem since both had left their sidearms locked up at the office. Both men hated the feeling, but knew they'd never catch up to Ezra if they took the time to go through all the channels needed to keep their weapons with them. As it was they weren't even sitting in the same row on the plane.
Vin settled back into his aisle seat, thankful for the sparsely filled plane and unbuckled his seatbelt as the light above dinged off. He smiled at the older man seated beside him and began to relax now that take off was over. The man in question smiled back and then turned back to the window. Tanner's gaze took in the brand new clothing, the pale complexion and the small prison tattoo on the man's right hand and immediately recognized the man as a recent parolee.
Sensing his scrutiny, the man turned to look at him again. "Hey."
"Hi. Nice view?" Tanner wasn't sure what to say. He normally didn't strike up conversations with total strangers on planes.
"Yeah, haven't seen much lately." The guy grinned self-consciously.
"Been out long?" Vin dove in. There was something oddly compelling about the man.
The man looked surprised but shook his head. "Not really."
"Vin," Tanner introduced himself, extending a hand. Why was he being so chatty suddenly? He wondered.
The man gripped his hand and shook it solidly. "Jack."
They were silent again as Vin let Jack take the lead in the conversation. He glanced across the aisle and forward two rows to where Chris sat and smiled. A small child beside Larabee tossed a whiffle ball into the air, bouncing it lightly against the overhead compartment and chattering on about his pet cat, while his mother seemed oblivious. He saw Chris' posture stiffen and wondered how long it would be before Larabee snatched the ball.
"What takes you to Nashville?" Jack asked beside him.
Vin leaned back in his seat, shifting to find a comfortable position. "Helping a friend."
Jack nodded. "Good reason. What's he need?"
"Don't know." Vin admitted, uncharacteristically open with the stranger. "Just know he needs a friend right now."
Jack smiled at that and nodded. "Lucky man to have someone so willing to help." He said, and then turned back toward the window again.
Vin closed his eyes and thought about Aislinn's abrupt visit to the office. She'd never come there before. There was so much about her that he didn't understand but he knew better than to doubt her. Questions rolled through his mind at dizzying speed.
Why had she been so upset?
What was her connection with him and Ezra?
How did she always know when one of them was in trouble, particularly Ezra?
What was happening to Ezra now?
Sighing heavily, Vin tried to chase the worst-case scenarios from his mind but past images assaulted him all the same. They needed to catch up with Ezra, fast.
TBC...