They don't belong to me. I would like them nicely wrapped and mailed to me one a month. I promise to take very good care of them. I'll feed them, and walk them and clean up any messes...Wait a minute...Never mind I'll just sneak 'em out and play with them then put them back when I'm done.
I make no money off them. I can dream.
Once more if it's in italics it's thoughts. /If its between the backslashes it's telepathy or it's close cousin/.
THE SEARCH IS ON
ATF Team 7 offices secondary location
Chris sat in one of the ugly hard plastic waiting room chairs distractedly he considered his chair. It wasn't quite yellow but definitely not green. What ever color it was called it was still ugly. Four Corners Mercy Hospital was the location of this torture device. The other four members of his team were pacing, praying, staring into space or pretending to read. All of them were waiting for news on their sixth man.
It looked like an old keystone cop movie. How can that many trained agents screw up a bust so badly. Damn glad we have Vin now. We'd have lost agents without his rifle. Chris sighed and looked carefully at each of his team determined to protect them better than he had Buck.
His worried gaze settled onto the object of his most concern JD. The dark haired agent was pacing continuously around the room. Each time a door opened his head would whip up. When it wasn't news on Buck he'd duck his head and continue walking. The kid's doing better than I expected. Chris breathed a little sigh of relief.
Josiah was wedged into one of the chairs. His face calm and eyes closed. His lips moved silently while the click of his rosary was faintly heard. You keep praying Preacher. Maybe he'll listen to you. Wait a second a rosary? I thought Josiah was raised as a Methodist?
Next Larabee turned to the medic. Nathan was sitting quietly while flipping the pages on a magazine. Since when did you want a Harley, Mr. Safety? Chris almost smiled. The magazine was a sales catalog for a local Harley Davidson Motorcycle Dealer. Of course it would help if you turned that catalog right side up. Nate's worried but not too bad. So he wasn't trying to protect us earlier, when he said Buck would be fine.
Chris' eyes darted worriedly trying to find Tanner. A soft rustle and the missing man slid into the chair next to him and sprawled bonelessly. How in hell does he disappear like that. Come to think of it how in hell can he look comfortable in these chairs.
"Chris, ever'body's fine," Vin drawled softly.
"Buck isn't," Chris growled.
"He will be. A little tender but alright," Vin responded peacefully.
"We need better intel," Chris snarled angrily.
"It weren't tha intel Cowboy," Vin answered calmly.
"Something sure went to hell," Chris snapped. Vin simply held the furious gaze till Chris calmed down.
"So if it wasn't the intel. What the hell happened out there?" Chris demanded.
"Wrong man fer tha job," Tanner answered without heat.
"What do you mean by that?" Chris stiffened glaring. He couldn't believe Vin was blaming Buck for the mess.
"It ain't Buck's fault. Yah got a hell of a team, Chris. But none of us is a chamaeleon," Vin answered..
"Chamaeleon?"
"Yah need a real undercover agent," Vin pointed out.
"I've been looking. I haven't found anyone I'd put on the team," Chris sighed tiredly while running a hand through his hair..
"Maybe if we all helped look we might find that chamaeleon," Vin suggested.
"It's my job," Chris scowled.
"Yeah it is," Vin agreed. Chris hesitated calming down a moment. Vin wasn't being confrontational he was offering options.
"It wouldn't hurt to let Josiah look over the files," Chris muttered.
"Preacher's good at picking through folks heads," Vin agreed.
"JD could do a little digging find out what's not in those personal files," Chris' shoulders dropped as the tension released. He began to think things through. "Buck and Nathan ...yeah, you all can go through all that shit. Then we can try to find a keeper," Chris settled back with a sigh much easier now. /When did you get so damn smart Tanner./
/'Bout tha time I joined up wit' tha Army, instead of being stupid 'nough ta join tha Navy./ Vin's mental voice was full of laughter as he teased the ex-SEAL.
Tanner stood and walked past Nathan. Reaching out he turned the catalog right side up. A faint whisper of words had Nathan chuckling. Tanner paused by Josiah long enough to exchange nods. Reaching JD, Vin handed him some bills. JD shifted a few moments then nodded and left. Vin began to pace. Chris stared in bewilderment at the by-play.
/What are you doing Tanner/
/Keepin' JD busy./
/Why are you pacing/
/'Cause JD ain't./
Chris simply shook his head. It makes perfect sense to you, I guess.
Josiah stood and stretched before wandering over to stand by Larabee. "Is something troubling you Brother?" the preacher's son asked.
"Why is Vin pacing?"
"Because JD went after drinks," Josiah rumbled.
"That's suppose to make sense?" Chris demanded.
"No, not to us. Vin is pacing because it was important to JD," Josiah grinned. Chris just shook his head in disbelief.
JD entered and began to hand out drinks.
"Milk?" Larabee questioned.
"Sure it's good for you and will protect the lining of your stomach," JD smiled shakily.
"Thanks I need something to calm it down," Chris admitted. Josiah simply took his milk with a smile. Nathan took his milk but glared at the two remaining drinks.
"Chocolate," he huffed.
"It's better for us than old coffee or a coke," JD reminded.
JD fell in step and offered Vin his as he paced by.
"Thanks JD but I cain't drink milk," Vin smiled.
"It's lactose free. I noticed when you bought ice cream the other day," JD offered the milk again.
"'Preciate it JD," Vin took his milk. Vin stopped walking as JD picked up speed slightly. The young agent drank his milk while he paced.
"Milk," Chris snorted in amusement.
/Does a body good./ Tanner wandered over.
"The boy's fine Chris," Josiah calmed.
"Yeah I got that, but milk it's ...," Chris trailed off. Josiah curiously studied the two men's interaction.
/Sissy/ Vin smirked. Chris snorted a little milk at the input and had a coughing fit.Nathan was on his feet immediately and on his way over.
/Shit/
/It'll give him some'at ta do./
"I'm fine Nathan. Just swallowed wrong," Chris choked out.
/Buck's comin'./ Vin finished his milk and left the room. Vin came back just in time to hand Buck a carton of milk as he came through the door.
"Milk?" Buck spluttered indigently.
"It'll keep your old bones strong," JD bounced over.
"I'll teach you about old bones," Buck scowled. "Just remember Kid you need to drink plenty of milk. Your bones aren't set yet. After you loose those milk teeth and get you some grown up ones. I'll teach you why the ladies like my pearly whites," Buck chuckled and emptied his bottle.
"Just bruises I told you so," Buck held out his paperwork to Nathan.
"Better safe than sorry," Nathan replied unrepentantly.
"Procedures Buck," Chris reminded. "On the job injury. Now I have to go write a report on how you fell on your ass," Chris growled. "You could have been hurt," Chris turned serious.
"Yeah it started to get ugly," Buck agreed quietly.
"Let's head back to the office. We need to go over the bust and figure out why things went wrong," Chris said.
/Kin tell yah what went wrong. Buck fell on his assets./ Chris chuckled at what Vin had ... said.
"Their doing that spooky talk with out moving their lips thing again," Buck grumbled. Vin tilted his head slightly and licked his lip.
"Buck when didja have yer ears checked last?" Vin asked softly.
"What?" Buck blinked.
"Yah didn't hear me an Chris talkin'?" Vin asked loudly. He had worried look plastered on his face. Amused looks were exchanged it looked like Vin was up for a game of Buck baiting.
"You didn't say anything," Buck snorted.
"Sure they did Buck," JD never missed a beat picking up on Vin's teasing. Josiah pursed his lips and nodded.
"Buck did you hit your head when you fell? Have you told the doctor your having hearing problems?" Nathan demanded joining in on the fun. Buck stared at his team mates. Everyone stared back.
"There's nothing wrong with my ears," Buck scowled.
"Yah rekin it's 'cause yer gettin' old?" Vin demanded loudly.
"There's nothing wrong with my ears. You all didn't say anything," Buck bellowed back.
"Then why's yah yelling?" Vin asked oh so sweetly.
"There is hearing loss as you age. Constant exposure to loud sounds can do it to," Nathan informed the rest of them.
"He plays Jimmy Buffett and Elvis awful loud," JD reminded.
"That could do it," everyone agreed. Wilmington was still protesting as they headed for the parking lot. Nathan was talking about scheduling him for hearing tests. JD offered to check out hearing aids for him. Chris grinned faintly at the by-play and followed them out.
"You do good work, Vin," Josiah looked over. At Tanner's questioning look. "You have gotten their minds off the bust."
"Was jest stirring up Buck," Vin said innocently.