Title: Guardian Search
Rating: Teen
Fandoms: Magnificent 7, The Sentinel, CSI Miami, NCIS, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Without A Trace
Disclaimer: I own nothing of these fandoms, only the universe in which the stories take place. This universe is open to all.
Prologue
Judge Orrin Travis called ATF Agent Christopher Larabee, Agent in Charge of ATF Team Seven, into his office because it was the best place to give him bad news. Not that the news he had to give the man really was all that bad, but Larabee and his team weren't going to take the information well and it was simply prudent to reinforce the fact that he was the boss. The slight blond man dressed all in black was slouched down in one of the two chairs in front of the Judge's desk. Chris could get away with acting like a schoolboy called into the principal's office because they both knew that he respected Travis.
But Chris also knew that being called into Travis' office meant trouble. Someone, probably one of his boys, was up to something and he was going to take the heat. He had spent the time he had taken going up to the Judge's office planning on how to redistribute it depending on who had gotten him into trouble this time. "I know how you and your team feel about conferences and seminars Chris," Travis began, (it was useless to beat around the bush with him), "but there's a big one coming up next month and it's being held here in Denver. Actually, it's more than one. The convention center is going to be full of EMT's, CSI's and cops from all over; including from outside the US, for an entire week."
"Why are you telling me?" Chris asked suspiciously. He had a sinking feeling that the Judge was going to make him go or worse, he was going to make him take his boys. Team Seven was hands down the best ATF team in the nation, routinely racking up a 90% arrest and conviction rate or better. Even with all of their medical expenses and paid time off for medical leave and the like, the bean counters liked them too because their cases and convictions also came in on the bottom end of the cost scale. However, none of that changed the fact that they were the biggest bunch of hooligans and troublemakers that it had ever been Chris' misfortune to know, not that he'd let anyone else call them that. Sending them to a conference, even one here in their own home town was sure to cause trouble as they had the worst luck in the world. They had never been able to go anywhere without running into some type of criminal, which usually led to at least one of the boys being hospitalized.
"Because according to this report you gave me," the Judge picked up and rattled a paper at Chris, "if there are any other Sentinels at this conference Tanner will be able to sense them and that could cause territorial problems. The last thing I want to deal with is an overly territorial Tanner." The quick glance between the two men acknowledged the fact that Vin Tanner, while normally an extremely laid back and easy going man, was also one of the most dangerous men they knew. There was no telling what effect having his territory invaded would be. His reaction to Sentinel Ellison in Cascade hadn't been that bad in the beginning but he had been tense and usually when Tanner got tense, someone died.
"We have cops coming in from all over the world. The fact that Denver has a Sentinel and Guide team has already hit the grapevine, even if we have been able to keep just who it is out of the news. The departments, agencies, etc. that are sending people here are sending their best hoping that Dr. Sandburg and his partner will be here training Tanner or if not, that Tanner can identify if any of them are Sentinels and send them on to Dr. Sandburg even if they don't know who Tanner is. As there's a good chance that there's going to be at least one Sentinel coming if not more, I want Tanner there and Standish with him. Any Sentinel that he senses will be told and sent on to Dr. Sandburg if they aren't already identified, to get them out of Denver as quickly as possible. We've also got so many different types of cops coming from all over that there might be a few Dr. Sandburg has already seen. I'm sure they'll be letting Tanner know they're coming into his territory if they already know that they're Sentinels."
Chris grimaced. The Judge was right. With modern communications the way they were it had taken less than 24 hours for the news about Sentinels to travel around the world. Rumors were spreading faster than the speed of light all over the country and from exchange officers back to their home countries as well on how to spot who might be a Sentinel. While he was sure that most of the rumors were just wild speculation, he didn't doubt that any international police conference held in the US would be flooded with men and women whose bosses hoped they were Sentinels on the off chance that Dr. Sandburg and Sentinel Ellison or another pair would be there.
He nodded at the Judge conceding the point. It would be best to have Vin aware of the potential problem before it became one. Having Ezra close by would only help to keep Vin calm, both from the aggravation of knowing that his territory was being invaded and from any possible claustrophobia attacks that came from being in too large of a crowd. And if any of his men had to go through such a trying situation, he wanted to be able to run his own brand of interference. He idly wondered if he could get away with carrying more ammunition than normal.
"And no shooting people," Travis warned, with a hidden smile. He'd had decades of practice in dealing with tough men like Chris, none of them tougher than his own partner, and all of them had pouted without knowing it when faced with a situation where they couldn't take or use their favorite weapons on people that they knew were going to deserve it.
Illya had been particularly bad in the old days, but then the man had been an assassin before becoming his partner. In fact, knowing Illya he still carried his weapons with him at all times, even though it went against what would be expected for his job as a medical examiner; his choice as a retirement position. There had been an instance three years ago when a terrorist had snuck into his morgue disguised as a corpse. Illya hadn't been armed as he'd stripped down to his scrubs to perform the autopsy and his assistant had paid the price. The Judge had spent nearly a week with his partner right after that, battling the guilt and rage that Illya had felt over his helplessness in that situation.
"If you say so Judge, but I'm not going to promise not to threaten them with it," Chris said, his dismay growing as he contemplated needing to corral his men into this job. They'd do it for Vin and Ezra, but the results were not going to be pretty.
"Just as long as I don't have to deal with you being up on charges for shooting someone I'll be happy, and send Standish up as soon as you get a chance. I need to have a word with him," Orin said before dismissing Chris. He was just glad that it was Chris' job to organize his men. He knew that Team Seven respected him, but trying to get them to do something that they didn't want to do took a special touch, one that usually needed to be backed up by the Larabee glare. While the glare didn't faze him, he simply couldn't copy it. He'd spent too many years training himself to be the one people turned to in order to escape Illya's icy stare.