Vin watched the big man move smoothly around the room. For someone of his size, his appearance, Tiny could be surprisingly unobtrusive when he chose to be. He prowled without being oppressively intimidating, but at the first hint of any kind of issue, he was immediately very much present. A simple reminder he was in the room was more than enough for most patrons to either settle down or leave voluntarily. The few that resisted served as stellar examples to anyone with similar delusions as they found themselves landing hard on the pavement.
But for all of that, there was a gentleness underneath; always deferential to the ladies and courteous to the gentlemen. Vin had never heard the man raise his voice in anger. Or curse. Or utter any kind of threat. He didn't need to. If he had known what happened one night a couple of weeks earlier after Ezra had been stabbed in an alley way, he might not have viewed the man as a gentle goliath. Chris and Buck had figured out the cause of Rodriguez's 'accidental' death but saw no reason to share their conclusions.
He smiled as he saw Tiny making his way toward their table. "Good evening gentlemen." He gave JD the same cautionary stare he'd been giving him nightly since the young man had started dating Casey. JD tried to offer a brave smile in return. He nodded to Chris and Buck before turning his attention. "Is there something I can help you with Mr. Tanner?"
"No, sorry Tiny. Didn't mean to be staring. I just cannot shake the feeling that I know you from somewhere, but I don't see you as someone I'd forget meeting."
"Can't say that I can tell you any time we might have met up."
Chris couldn't help but note the evasive nature of the answer. "Tell me Tiny, what's your full name?"
"Everyone just calls me Tiny, sir."
Evasive again, this time enough to draw Buck's attention away from the young lady he'd been watching at the bar. "Now you can't tell us that's what's on your birth papers."
"Don't have any."
"Baptismal?"
Tiny smiled at their growing curiosity. "If we had any, they were long since lost. Folks just call me Tiny. If you'll excuse me."
Vin watched him walk away, more certain now that there was something he was missing. A vague image tickled at the corner of his memory, but nothing seemed to prod it.
"He fits around here, don't he?" Buck was saying. "Every bit as mysterious as our friend Standish can be."
"They work at it." Chris observed. "Adds to the sense of adventure here. Of doing something forbidden."
JD thought back on what Casey had told him. "They got a right to their secrets. Everybody does."
"Strange talk from a reporter."
"No, he's right Chris. Everybody's entitled to a few skeletons in the closet." Buck concurred quietly.
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"Your friends are downstairs."
"I was not aware I had friends." Ezra answered him with a wry grin, which Tiny returned.
"Buckets of them. No matter how hard you try."
Ezra pushed back from the desk in his office, feeling a slight twinge from the still healing wound in his back. Between not going to the hospital, and not resting as much as Nathan had ordered him too, the injury was slow in healing. He leaned back cautiously into the leather seat. "Which of these men of clearly questionable judgement have joined us this evening?" He was fairly certain of the answer.
"The detectives. And the youngster what's sweet on Casey."
"Who's is sweet on her, not 'what's'."
"Sorry Mr. Standish."
Ezra sighed lightly. "I do wish you could try to be somewhat less formal in addressing me."
"You're the boss. Besides, it's how you talk to most people."
"After all this time, I think you have earned the right. In private at least."
"Doesn't feel right when I'm working, and it's easier to be consistent about it." He returned to his original comment. "They were asking about you. Wondered if you were coming down."
"Please extend my apologies to them. It has been a long day, and the soft pillows and deep comfort of my bed is calling to me."
"I'll have Casey let them know."
Ezra heard the hesitation. He always did. "Is there a reason you do not wish to meet with them?"
"No, not really." He knew without having to see it the skeptical look that would be on his boss's face. "Mr. Tanner was looking at me tonight. Seems to think he knows me from somewhere."
"Damn. I thought that might come to pass." He leaned forward, resting his arms on the desk. "I trust you made the effort to dissuade him of the notion."
"Told him I couldn't say that we had met."
That brought a grin. "Excellent response Tiny. Not a lie, yet not the full truth."
"Doubt it will stop him from thinking on it. Got the other curious as well. They were asking my name."
This was a little more than expected. "Perhaps I should go down to meet with them. Take their minds of the subject with some cards, or other diversion."
Tiny shook his head. "Don't think we need to worry tonight. If he hasn't remembered me up to now, I don't imagine that's gonna change." He paused for a moment. "You ever think about telling him?"
"No. There is no need."
"I can't see that – "
"No Tiny. I prefer to maintain my privacy. You know that. Until, unless, there is no choice, I think we should keep our initial encounter with Mr. Tanner to ourselves."
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Vin sat in his small room, staring out at the few spotlights that highlighted the businesses below him. The apartment was much, but usually served his purposes well enough. All he need was a bed, along with a few drawers for his somewhat limited wardrobe. He'd fashioned a hiding place for his rifle under loose floor boards. That covered the necessities. The neighbourhood suited him. A spot around back to leave his motorcycle, a short walk to the offices, a local diner and a '5 and dime' for anything else. Now that Nettie was in town, it was nice to be close enough to the boarding house to be able to drop by there for the occasional lunch as well.
The room was perfect, except for on nights like this when he couldn't sleep. Then every noise, every light, every movement, seemed magnified. All conspiring to keep him from drifting off. All keeping his mind alert. And when this happened, and did more often than he liked to admit, he set himself a goal to try to tire himself out. Some nights, he switched on the small desk lamp and worked on his reading. He'd found some early readers in a second-hand shop and figured he could teach himself from those. It wasn't working, and the frustration grew to a point sleep would be impossible, so he'd stopped doing that at night. Or at all. The books were tucked away, he assumed to never be used again.
Tonight, he worked on a different puzzle. Tiny's claims to the contrary, Vin was certain they had met before. Or at the very least, encountered each other. But where? He couldn't come up with a logical reason for the man to hide it, unless something illegal was involved. It would have to be pretty big, since he openly worked in the speakeasy now.
His travels since the end of the war had let Vin see a sizable part of the country, and he'd run up against more than his share of unsavory sorts. He'd made it a point of remembering those faces. That was just a matter of survival more often than not.
Survival. The word triggered a sensation. A faint stirring of a memory that slipped away as quickly as it had arrived. He stretched out on the bed again, trying to loosen some of the stiffness from his aching back. He was going to have trouble moving around tomorrow morning if he didn't relax. The twinges, the spasms, all unneeded reminders of the explosions that had separated him from his squad. Had started the whole spiral.
No. He wasn't going there tonight. Enough on his mind without bringing those nightmares in to the mix.
He lay back again, trying to will himself to fall asleep.
In a nearby neighbourhood another man sat staring out his window as well. His problem was not remembering, it was trying to forget. Trying to forget the circumstances, and everything that had surrounded that first encounter. Not that doing so would change anything. Since the moment he had seen Vin Tanner he had been preparing for the eventuality that questions would be raised. As that moment seemed to draw closer, he could not form any plan to avoid it.
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Late at night, when most of the street was deserted, remained Ezra's favourite time to walk. The casual partiers were home for the evening, and the serious drinkers and gamblers were, for the most part, still at the tables in their preferred establishments. He could wander aimlessly if he chose to, with little concern for running into others. It astonished him that so many people accepted the notion that he was a social being. Someone who needed to be in the presence of others, generally as the centre of attention. The truth was solitude was much more to his liking. The pleasure of relaxing with a good book. The calming benefits of a late-night stroll. Or the sensations of simply sitting with a brandy watching the dancing embers in a fireplace. All were high on his list of preferred activities. Now that Inez was back in his life, or at least back in his world, he hoped to include her in some of those activities, but as yet, she was not ready to move in that direction. He had waited this long, he could wait until she was ready.
His tranquility was unexpectedly disrupted by the sound of familiar voices behind him. Larabee, Wilmington and Tanner were following. Not deliberately, he expected. More probably merely on their way back, likely from some work-related activities, given the hour. He debated briefly turning onto a side street to avoid having to interact with them. Even more than usually, he was not feeling particularly social this evening.
"Standish – that you?" Wilmington's voice boomed down the street.
"Quiet Buck!" Vin admonished. "You got any idea what time it is?"
"Oh – right." They had caught up to Ezra, as he had stopped to wait for them.
"Gentlemen. I trust your evening has been productive, since it was obviously not terribly entertaining."
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you were not at my establishment."
Chris shook his head in wonderment. You had to admire the ego of the man. "Yeah Standish – it was productive."
"And tiring." Vin added. "So, if you all will excuse me, I'm headed home."
"Us too." Buck confirmed, as the men headed off in different directions. Buck and Chris stood at the far corner, waiting for a late-night delivery truck to pass.
"Of course. I trust you will all find time on another evening to favour us with your company at The Ace?"
Vin turned back to acknowledge the invitation, continuing to walk toward his destination. He stepped off the curb, mind elsewhere and unaware of the approaching car whose sound was drowned out be the truck. Chris looked up in time to see the vehicle swerving and bearing down on Tanner.
"Vin – look out!"
Tanner turned barely in time to register the car and make a leap to try to go over it. It almost worked, as he felt his hip caught on the side mirror and he was tossed to the ground several feet away. The car continued to swerve, the driver obviously intoxicated, until it came to rest against another parked car.
Ezra reached Vin's side first and knelt next to the unmoving man, reaching tentatively toward the neck. Please let this not be as bad as it looks. It took only a couple of seconds for him to slump in relief as he felt the strong steady beat beneath his fingers.
"Mr. Tanner? Can you hear me? Vin?" A soft moan came in response, and Ezra allowed himself to relax as he helped the man roll onto his back. The grimace and groan reminded him to take things slowly. "Steady there my friend. You've been hurt, as I am sure you can tell. Take it slow and we will get you some help."
Vin froze in place, the words echoing in his head. It couldn't possibly be? He had to confusing matters. He looked up, but Ezra's attention had been diverted as Tiny came running into the alley.
"You OK Boss?"
"Fine, but our friend here needs some help. Can you lift him carefully?"
Tiny grinned. "Don't see why not."
"No." He shouted, sitting up and ignoring the pain that stabbed at him. The words, the scene, all brought memories flooding back and cemented them into place.
"Mr. Tanner. Please. You shouldn't be moving."
"Vin? You hurt?" Chris and Buck were running toward them, relieved to see their colleague sitting until they got a look at his face.
"You were there. You both were there."
Shit. He should have been more careful. Kept his distance.
"He is confused gentlemen. Perhaps he needs to go to the hospital."
"I'm not confused. I remember you now. Remember you both." He turned to Chris. "These two were there when I got hurt. They took me away from my unit. There're the ones that got me court-marshalled."
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They moved away from the scene, knowing the noise and commotion would attract onlookers, and this was not a discussion anyone wanted to have in public. The club was closer, but the men wanted to go to the agency, so Ezra followed. Tiny was less than assured of his boss's safety at this point and would not be refused in is intention to join them. "I'm part of this." was all he would say.
Vin turned to face Ezra as soon as the door closed. "I'm right. You were there." He turned to include Tiny. "You were both there."
"You should sit Mr. Tanner. You may be injured."
"Answer me."
"Yes, you are correct. I was there."
"Why? How?"
"Fate. Happenstance. Lady Luck. Take your choice."
Chris agreed with Ezra on one point, and moved a chair behind Vin, gently forcing him into it. "Sit your ass down before you fall on it. We got a time for the answers in a minute. Do you need us to call Nathan – or an ambulance?"
"I'm fine Chris. Be sore tomorrow, but I'll live."
"Which is more than I can say for Standish if he doesn't start talking." Buck growled. Tiny started forward but paused at Ezra's glance. It didn't keep him quiet.
"Tanner would have died without Mr. Standish. You got no call to threaten him."
"And the reason he wasn't returned to his unit?" Ezra didn't answer Chris. "Or to command. Shit Standish. All you had to do was take him a couple of miles back and nobody would have ever thought he'd deserted."
"There was no choice in the matter. I left him in the care of people I could trust."
"You were military?" Ezra didn't answer him. "Standish?"
"My status is not a matter that can be discussed." The military mindset was coming back to Larabee.
"You have to understand Mr. Tanner. I could not do more at the time – there would have been far too many questions. And there were people in the resistance who might have paid for my actions. There were informants, double agents, in the ranks. I could not risk that."
"What about Vin? He damn near paid with his life. Deserters get shot." Buck was enraged and not the least bit reluctant to show it. Ezra waved Tiny off. If these men felt he had punishment coming to him, he was not about to have anyone run interference.
"I monitored the situation as soon as I was able to. I can only offer my word of honour to you that I knew that would not happen, and I am fully aware how little regard you have for my word, or my honour."
"Got that right. Honest to God Standish, never seen anyone so good at playing both sides of the fence. Sure you weren't one of them double agents?"
Ezra's effort to stop Tiny had no effect his time as he brushed past his boss and force Buck to take several steps back. "You got about 3 seconds to take that back before you find yourself unable to talk again."
"Tiny, that's enough." The big man didn't move. "Tiny." Ezra took in a breath. "Sergeant!"
"I told you then Mr. Standish. You can't pull rank on me when you aren't in the army. That hasn't changed, and I am not done here."
"Fine. But you should be aware that both Mr. Larabee and Mr. Tanner are armed and will likely do you significant harm if you fail to step away from their associate. I am certain Mr. Jackson would prefer not to be pressed into duty again."
Vin moved next to Buck. "This is my battle Buck, not yours."
"Don't care."
"Let's hear him out." Buck didn't blink. "Buck, they damn near executed me because no one would listen to my side of the story. Letting the same thing happen here would be pretty damned –", he paused, unable to come up with the term.
"I believe the word you seek is 'ironic' and it is apropos."
"You were with military intelligence?" Chris asked. "Heard a bit about that near the end."
"No, nothing so formal."
"You heard the walking wall here Chris. Standish wasn't military. Didn't even sign up." Buck snarled. Tiny moved another step in.
"OK, enough. Everybody is going to sit down, now." Vin was fed up with this. "I want to know what happened. You want to help me Buck, then shut up for a couple of minutes."
"Tiny, please. Do as Mr. Tanner has asked." Without releasing his glare, Tiny took a step back, but didn't sit.
Buck pulled a chair around, turning it backwards and straddling it. "This better be good Standish."
"I did not serve during the war as you men did. I was not accepted into the service."
"Look healthy enough to me." Buck challenged him.
"I won't presume that was intended as a compliment. The military had other reasons for determining I was not worthy of a uniform, and I do not question their judgment on that." He waited for further comments, and when none came, he continued.
"Through various – connections – I had, it came to my attention there were other ways my talents could be of service. Ways that did not conform to the standards and morals of a traditional military process. There is no point in your asking for details of who was involved, or how I ended up in Europe. I will not share that information."
"Just cut to the chase here Standish. How did you end up getting Tanner into so much shit?"
"I was simply in the right place at the right time. Close enough to be aware of the attack Mr. Tanner and his squad were caught up in, but sadly not in a position to do anything to stop it. When I found him – we found him – injured, I determined it was essential to insure he was left in the hands of the resistance members whose mission it was to aid Allied troops behind enemy lines. Tiny carried him to a hide-out."
Chris interrupted the narrative. "Why not take him to his squad? Or another US squad?"
Ezra gawked openly. "You do recall what was going on at the time, do you not. A mile in a battle zone might just as well be the other side of the globe. No one would have survived. I took the steps I deemed prudent at the time."
"You set him up for desertion! How was that helping?"
"It was not my intention –"
Buck was on his feet again. "What the hell did you think would happen? All you had to do –"
"He couldn't Buck." Vin spoke for the first time since the story started. "There was no one left to turn me over to, was there?"
"Not in the immediate proximity, no."
"You hadn't found me, they'd have taken me prisoner – wouldn't they?"
"More likely left you do die." he answered softly. "I went back to see if any others had survived, but…" he didn't finish the thought.
Chris sat quietly for a moment, processing all of this. "Let me get this straight. You were working, outside the military, behind enemy lines, to rescue US soldiers."
"Any allied soldiers. I was not particular about the flag on their shoulders."
"Why?" Buck asked.
Ezra looked at him with a blending of hurt and anger. "Why? What do you mean – why?"
"What was in it for you Standish? For the life of me, can't see where you were making a profit in this."
"That's it!" Tiny was on his feet again, advancing faster than anyone could stop. "You got no right. He's a goddamned hero and nobody wanted to admit it because he had a criminal record. Tanner would be dead. I'd be dead. Dozens of men would be dead without his help, and no one gave a rat's ass about it."
"Tiny – you're fired. Get out."
"You want to know why he didn't let anybody know about where Tanner was?"
"I said get out!" Ezra's command was ignored.
"'cause he was too busy leading the Germans away from the resistance team. Saving their lives. Got caught doing it too. Never told them a damned word about any of it."
The three men stared at him. "You were questioned?" Chris finally asked. "By German intelligence. Shit."
"I am not certain questioned is the term I would use. They were most anxious to know who amoung the locals were defying the occupation."
"Shit." Buck echoed Chris.
"Yes. That sums it up nicely."
"By the time me and some of the other fighters found him a week later, Mr. Standish was in bad shape. You want to know the first thing he asked? If the American soldier was all right. If he got back to his base."
"I will not say it again Tiny – you should leave, now."
"Can't order me out if I'm fired boss." He offered a side smile to him. "You keep forgetting that every time you do it." He turned back to the others. "Something else he probably doesn't want to you know – he made sure a message got to the base commander saying you hadn't run from anything. By that time, it was too late, and you were already on trial. Don't know why it wasn't enough to stop it, but he tried."
It all made a very sick kind of sense to Vin. "My commander didn't want me around. I was a reminder of a mission he screwed up. Wanted me dead so it wouldn't hurt him. I'm guessing what you did kept them from putting me in front of the firing squad though."
"It should have been more. I simply could not risk more lives. Once I knew you were discharged, there seemed no point in taking that chance." The dejection in his voice was evident. "I didn't know what else I could do."
"You did enough. More than most would." Vin stood up and went over, standing quietly beside him until Ezra finally looked at him. "Would you stand up Ezra?"
Puzzled, and not entirely sure what he should be bracing himself for, Ezra did as asked. Vin reached out and took his hand, shaking in solemnly. "It ain't enough but I don't have your way with words. Thank you."
Ezra surprised them with what could only be described as a shy smile. "You are most welcome."
Buck scratched at the back of his neck. "I don't get it Stand – er– Ezra. If you did nothing wrong," he hesitated at the tightening he could see in Tiny's posture, "since you did noting wrong, why keep all this secret?
"It is a period I do not chose to discuss."
Chris understood. "All of us did stuff we'd just a soon be happier to forget Ezra. It was a war. We were soldiers."
"You were soldiers."
"Sounds to me like you should have been. You were due that recognition."
"Very little that I did there should be recognized. Or even acknowledged. I was due nothing gentlemen. Now, if there is nothing further that needs to be said on this matter, I would far prefer the incident be dismissed." Ezra walked quickly toward the door not looking up to make eye contact with Buck, who pulled it open.
He still had a dozen questions. They all did. Now was not the time, but he dearly hoped that opportunity would come. "Standish? Ezra. OK if we come by The Ace tomorrow?" Buck wouldn't have blamed him if the answer was no.
"Certainly. Your table is reserved, as always. Good night gentlemen."
Tiny favoured Wilmington with a small grin. "See you tomorrow evening, Mr. Wilmington."
Buck closed the door to find Chris and Vin smirking at him. "Looks like you lucked out. Think the 'walking wall' is gonna forgive you – this time."
"Reckon that was when they met – over there?"
"Can't say, and after all of this, I'm not sure we're ever gonna get that story. Damn shame. Bet it's a good one." Vin stood stiffly. "Bet he's got a lot of good ones."
Chris thought back to a couple of Ezra's comments. "Yeah. Likely a couple of pretty bad ones too."
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Ezra walked quietly toward home. This was not close to the peaceful stroll he'd had planned. He sighed. Why in god's name did he even bother making plans. When he sighed a second time, he heard a faint cough behind him.
"You OK boss?"
"I am not your boss. If you recall, I fired you."
Tiny laughed. "Yeah, but that was only the first time this week, and the third for the month. So, I'm ok – right."
"Yes. You are OK. As am I. Go home Tiny. Take tomorrow off as well. In fact, take the next day as well. You should be spending that day with your wife, especially as it is your anniversary. I will arrange for a dinner for you at The Grand Inn. My compliments, of course."
"You don't need to do that."
Ezra finally turned to look at him. "Need has nothing to do with it."
"How'd you remember? I mean I forget that stuff most of the time."
"Remembering things is not a problem for me Tiny. Forgetting things is another matter all together. I am fine to get home on my own. Good night Tiny."
He didn't want to leave him on his own. He'd seen that look before. That haunted, sad look. The look that always preceded the nightmares. He knew what was going to be happening for the next few nights, and why Ezra didn't want him around. He also knew there was no point in fighting with him. "Good night – boss. You call me if you need me."
Ezra watched him walk away and turned back towards the club. He neared the block and turned left instead of right. There was not point in going home. There would be no sleep tonight.
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The End