It had been a full month since they had first joined the 4C organization. The uniforms and the code of conduct was a bit unnerving to those who weren't used to it, and it showed in their appearance and behavior. Chris, from the very beginning, would wear his black leather jacket over his uniform. Vin wouldn't wear the full outfit, opting to wear his hoodie instead. Ezra would switch it up from time to time and alternate wearing a cravat or a tie. The others in their group rebelled too but in their own special way.
JD insisted on wearing a hat. The hat itself wasn't bad, but the way the boy wore it didn't flatter him. Buck took to abusing the hat to get JD to toss it, but the young boy was stubborn. Ezra would hold secret poker games and would gamble during breaks. Josiah and Nathan didn't rebel with their clothing, but would take to stealing and hoarding books in their rooms and were constantly in trouble for missing clean room checks and roll call at night.
Other groups in the program took to calling them the black sheep group, or the name used most often, the infamous magnificent seven.
The name didn't bother the boys. Instead they would embrace it.
They were known for breaking plenty of rules and the organization's code of conduct, but in training, they were the best. When they first arrived, they were running on adrenaline. During drills, Chris pushed himself to become the very best. His friends were quick to follow and soon they were the top in their fields.
Chris and Buck took to becoming stronger, mastering in judo, karate and wrestling. They learned how to shoot properly and became great marksmen. Buck didn't care to master in marksmanship and concentrated more on hand to hand combat. Chris on the other hand became an ace shooter and a quick draw.
Vin also took up marksmanship. He wasn't so keen on close range after the warehouse incident, and preferred long range. It took him a while, but he soon became an excellent sniper. He also worked on his tracking skills which almost came natural to him.
Nathan preferred books and medicine. He learned skills in first aid and then first response. If necessary, he could patch up a teammate and even sew up a wound. The organization didn't want him to only study so he learned how to fight with knives. He knew in a gun fight it would be difficult to defend himself, but that only drove him to get better.
Josiah didn't want to get too involved with fighting, but did take marksman lessons. The organization was surprised he didn't use his strength, but didn't push him. Josiah worked on profiling which he would study at night while Nathan read medical books. An interesting turn of events happened when Josiah's sister Hannah, decided she didn't want to be away from him and asked if she could also join the organization. At first Travis was a little skeptical, but Josiah pointed out that she could draw. Hannah took sketching classes and figure studies till she was able to draw from description. Chris was happy to bring her in as their group's sketch artist.
JD didn't at fist know what he wanted to work in and was at first trying to follow Chris. After failing in karate, JD tried marksmanship. He was good, but not as good as Chris. After taking up lessons with Ezra, JD was able to master the computer and became an excellent hacker. So much so that it made the organization relieved that they found him before he went on the illegal track.
Ezra at first wasn't going to participate with the others. After all he was just playing around while he waited for his mother. He heard a few weeks back that Maude had to leave the country for things to cool down after her latest con with a man in political office. JD had asked him about how to use a computer and he taught him a few of the tricks he knew. A week after debating what he should do, Ezra decided to do marksmanship, computer skills and undercover. He figured if he worked undercover, then he would still be working on his con skills so mother would be proud of him when she returned.
The boys sat in a little classroom that they became accustomed to hang out in. It was dull compared to the Playground. Hannah would join them on occasion, but the little girl began to make friends with other girls in the organization and would only visit from time to time. To entertain themselves, the boys would pushed the desks together and play a couple rounds with Ezra's cards.
It was during one of these games that another group walked in on them. Everyone glanced up at the intruders except Chris who was slumped in his desk, staring at his cards.
"Lord, you have no shame. Playing poker in a classroom!" rebuked Stephen Travis.
Stephen, the boys had learned, was the son of Mr Travis the director of the 4C program in the region. He was a bit too nosy for the boys liking. With him was his group, which was made of three girls.
Buck had said earlier when they first arrived how annoying it was that Stephen was in a group of all girls. He'd tried to make advances to the two older girls, but Inez only ignored him and Mary friend zoned him. This made Buck even more irritated at Stephen.
"The Lord don't like you, go away." muttered Josiah. JD snickered and Vin smiled.
"You know I can have you all put on probation if I wanted to." said the young Travis.
"Does it look like we're making an effort to stop you, Stephen?" Ezra said, gesturing to himself and his friends.
"What do you want?" Chris finally asked, looking up for the first time. Chris didn't like the boy as much as the others, but he had formulated a kind of mutual understanding with the boy's father. If he could, he would hold off from punching the kid in the face every time his words were pointed to any of Chris's friends.
Stephen turned his gazed on Chris, straightening his back. He didn't like this boy. He didn't fear anybody, not even his dad. He was strong and wild which spelled trouble. Often he'd question his dad's choice on letting the boys join the program. They were a bunch of misfits albeit skilled.
Chris's cold steel eyes glared at Stephen, making the other boy stumble around for his words.
"The director wants you and the others in the debriefing room." Stephen was finally able to spit out. He silently cursed himself for allowing the boy to get to him.
Chris was playing with the edge of his cards as if he was contemplated whether or not he should get up, he looked to his group. The others were waiting for him to make the first move. Even JD was holding off jumping up and bolting to the door. He could feel the anticipation from them all and he held back a smile.
Chris tossed his cards to Ezra and stood. The others following him. Ezra collected his deck and quickly pocketed them. As one, they walked to the door, not bothering to fix the desks that they had rearranged.
Chris casually walked out the room at a purposefully slow pace to annoy Stephen. As he passed the other group, he saw Mary looking at him with interest. He was to understand that Stephen liked her. She was pretty, but for him there was only one. With that firmly in his head, he walked down the hall.
"Chris, what do you think he wants?" asked Buck, announcing himself on Chris's left.
Chris didn't answer. He was trying to calculate possible reasons why they were being called to see Travis.
"Do you think he has a mission for us?" asked Vin who was on the right. Vin always stood to his right.
He popped a sucker in his mouth and stuffed the wrapper in his pocket. The sound of him sucking on the candy had grown to become background noise to Chris. It was a habit Vin had, that no one had bothered to correct him on. He was happy and that made it worth hearing the occasional sucking noise.
"I hope so, I don't out this hideous uniform everyday just for his amusement." Ezra complained as he pulled at the collar. Ezra fell in line directly behind Chris, almost like he was trying to hide in the taller boy's shadow.
"It probably wouldn't be so tight if you take the tie off you know." huffed Nathan from beside him.
"Appearances are everything." Ezra said and as his hands fell back down to his sides.
They walked the rest of the way contemplating what the man wanted to talk to them about.
As they walked, other groups would shift to the side in order for them to walk down the middle of the hallway. There were whispers, but then again there were always whispers.
Buck would occasionally send a smile at a girl who would giggle and JD would elbow him in his side. This only made the older boy snatch the hat off if JD's head and wave it around out of his reach.
When they arrived, they saw that another group was already present. Travis dismissed them and the seven took their place in the vacated chairs.
Travis sat at the head of the table with a stack of folders in front of him. The boy's waited anxiously for him to speak. Chris, who was never an optimist, trained his features to hide any emotion when JD began.
"Are we finally getting put in the field?" the little boy asked.
The others chide their youngest, but couldn't help the questioning looks in their own eyes.
"No, this is a group review."
The boys slumped in their chairs and all but groaned. Chris crossed his arms.
"We had one last week!" Buck reminded.
"And you probably wouldn't have one this week if you had straighten yourselves out." said Travis before calming himself and starting again, "Look boys, you've done well since you've arrived. You even became the best group in the program. You've mastered and even surpassed levels in your fields."
"I sense a 'but' the size of Canada." mumbled Buck.
"But you also have the most infractions." continued Travis.
"What's that?" asked JD.
"When you do something wrong." explained Nathan.
"I'm sure you're already aware of your infractions since the individual review. Josiah and Nathan, you need to return the books and be present for night roll call." Nathan and Josiah looked at each other guiltily. "JD, stop sneaking off in the middle of the night to the other boys' rooms. Watching movies online illegally is illegal. I don't know how else to explain that to you." JD huffed. "Ezra, the poker games need to stop. I'm not asking you to return the money, but if this continues I will be taking it from you, and your cards." Ezra's eyes got huge and he unconsciously touched his pocket. "Buck, if I hear that anymore of those magazines are in your room, then you'll be on cleaning duty for another month and will have internet and book privileges taken away." Buck laughed nervously as the other looked at him. "Vin, I hear you've been skipping out on your school lessons yet again. How do you expect to keep up with kids your age? I hear you haven't been taking your medicine either." Vin rolled his eyes and mumbled under his breath. "And Chris, I've told you that I don't accept any violence. I heard two days ago you hit someone. You're supposed to be the leader. Have you no control over what this group does?"
Chris glared at the director, but held his tongue.
"I'd prefer if you use your words, Larabee."
Chris looked away, still not going to say anything. If he did then he'd probably say something he'd regret later down the road.
"In any case, until you all get your act together, you will be pushed back from receiving any missions." Travis stood and walked out of the debriefing room.
Once he was gone did the complaints start pouring out.
"This is stupid! Why is he coming down on us? We're doing everything he asked of us. What more does he want? So what if we do a few things on the side. It's not like we're hurting anyone. Well except Chris." said Buck.
"It's not your fault Chris. We know that idiot was harassing Vin." Josiah said with a weak smile.
"I could've handled them." Vin bit back.
"Guys, can we please focus on the fact that we aren't allowed to go on missions until we get our act together." Nathan frowned.
"I don't see what's wrong with our behavior. We're naturally curious and goof off. It's what any guy does." muttered JD.
"So what does our fearless leader want to do about this?" asked Ezra.
The six boys turned to Chris. Chris looked up, surprised but it quickly disappeared in frustration.
"Why should it be my responsibility to straighten you guys out?" Chris growled and walked out.
"It was just a jest." Ezra said softly.
The others sighed in disappointment and slowly went back to their rooms.
The next day was training for marksmanship. All the boys except Nathan were in attendance with others who were in the class.
The boys were grouped together to the side, Chris stood off from the rest.
"Looks like there's trouble in paradise." snickered a boy from group six.
"Honestly that group is the cause of so much trouble. If they weren't so good they'd probably be in some boot correctional camp." scoffed another boy.
"What did you say!" growled Buck. Josiah and Ezra held him back.
"Easy Buck." said Josiah.
"Yeah, keep your disease to yourself. We don't want to end up like you and lose the chance to go on missions. You guys maybe good, but you guys don't have what it takes in the field."
"What did you just say?" said Ezra, pushing Buck out of the way and went after the boy himself.
A fight broke out with Ezra and another boy in the midst of it.
"Chris, do something!" Josiah called urgently.
Chris snapped out of his train of thought and pushed his way through the crowd. The boys gave way to him till it was just Ezra and the boy. He tried separating them, but only got his long arms twisted in the squabble. He had to remind himself that this was Ezra. Ezra never got into fights, he always tried to prevent his clothes from getting dirty.
Chris grabbed Standish by the collar and pulled him back. Ezra pulled away and straightened his clothes. Pulling at his collar to loosen it up.
"You." Chris addressed the boy, "If I ever see or hear about you messing with one of my boys, you won't be dealing with them, but with me."
The boy and his friends retreated to the other side of the room.
Josiah and Buck watched them go.
"I can't stand them." Vin grimaced.
"They have too much time on their hands if you ask me." Buck scoffed.
"I can't wait to cream them in today's match of commando." Vin smiled.
"We usually win our matches." Josiah reminded them.
"Yeah but this time, we should ask that we have two opponents instead of just the one." smiled Ezra, "Larabee has an extra incentive to terminate those guys."
They watched as their leader went back to his spot of isolation.
"Chris," called Vin. He and Buck were the only ones who would dare interrupt Chris's brooding.
Chris turned to the smaller boy.
"Can you ask the instructor to have us go against two teams this round?"
There was questioning in Chris's eyes, but he nodded and went to the instructor. The man in charge was a little surprised but agreed to let it happen.
Team seven was to go against team three and six. Team six had the boys who had badmouthed them earlier. As Chris and the others prepared, they talked amongst themselves.
"Since we're going against twice the amount we usually do then we'll need to work on a strategy."
"I don't think we need to change what's already working. We haven't lost yet." grinned Buck as he played with his pistol.
"Still, I don't want you to get cocky and bungle it up."
"We can't lose. It's improbable no matter how you lay the odds." Ezra said as he loaded his pistol with paint balls.
The boys had won but not after losing Ezra, Buck and JD.
The other teams suffered many casualties and a few bruises.
Chris made an effort, along with Buck and Ezra, to get the kid who was all talk earlier. Chris got him twice in the chest, Ezra in the knee cap, and Buck in the boy's private.
All of team six suffered the fate of their comrade, but not the same extent. They were all rubbing their wounds where the paint hit them.
Team seven laughed amongst themselves while Chris took off his vest and other protection.
"I say that was a solid win." grinned Buck.
"You would?" came Chris's voice from the other side of the waiting room.
The other boy's stopped with what they were doing and looked at Chris.
"Well yeah, we won and we destroyed that boy's self-confidence. Probably even his bladder with my shot." Laughed Buck heartedly.
"We did not win today. It was a lost. Three of you guys died today. Did you even stop to think about that?"
The group was silent.
"It's just a game, Larabee." Ezra said finally.
"Is it, Standish? Cause as I recalled, you threw yourself in the line of fire unnecessarily. We can't cover you if you run out into the open like that!" Chris turned his glares on Buck, "You can't talk about JD getting shot because you yourself got killed and for what, a cheap shot. You shoot to kill. Shooting feet won't save your life!"
"But doesn't it prevent from ending another life?" said JD softly.
"If this were real, you'd be dead!" Chris said before stalking off.
The others watched him walk off. A boy in Chris's way got shoved into the wall for not being quick enough.
"I sometimes wonder at the arbitration and allowing us into this program and the decision to allow Larabee near lethal weapons." said Ezra.
"What?" Buck snapped, "Chris, ain't some mental deranged person!"
"He nearly stabbed Vin!" Ezra pointed out.
Vin dug his hands into his pockets, frowning. Josiah put a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.
"Can we please stop talking like this!" JD begged.
Ezra looked away, a little ashamed of his behavior.
They walked to their rooms to find Nathan waiting up for them.
"Hey, I thought you guys would've been back by now." he called as he approached them.
"We talked." Josiah offered the excuse for the group.
"Did Chris already come back?" asked Vin.
Nathan rose an eyebrow, "Wouldn't he be with you?"
"He went ahead." frowned Buck, and he scratched his head, "Then where did he go?"
Ezra and JD had to go to their computer skills class while Buck had hand to hand combat. Vin was in his tracking skills class, leaving Josiah and Nathan to relax and read their books. After about an hour the others returned. Vin and Buck were the first to arrive since their classes were near each other.
"Is Chris here, he wasn't in class." asked Buck as he walked in the door.
"No, he hasn't come in yet. I haven't seen him all day." said Nathan, putting down his book. Josiah did the same and they both got up.
Just then JD and Ezra walked in.
"Please, you don't have to stand because I walked in. They usually only do it for girls or royalty." Ezra joked as he sat down on the mini sofa.
"Well you definitely ain't royalty, we know that for sure." huffed Nathan.
"Chris hasn't returned yet." said Josiah before the two could start.
Ezra dropped the jokes and became serious.
The whole room became full of nervous concern.
"You don't think he's still upset about what happened in marksmanship class, do you?" asked Ezra.
"Chris does sulk sometimes, but he'd let us know where he was in case something happened." Buck sighed.
Vin ran out the door, the others running after him.
"Where are you going?" called JD as he tried to keep up with Vin's long legs and he power walked the halls.
"To look for Chris."
"Excellent idea. Vin's a tracker, he should be able to find him." said Ezra.
"You're acting like we're in a forest where there are foot prints and broken foliage to help find him." Nathan said shaking his head.
"But Vin is literally a human Chris tracking device. It's like his sixth sense."
As they wondered the hall, they came across Stephen and Mary who walking in the opposite direction.
Buck cursed under his breath, wanting to turn around, or at least have them not stop to talk to them.
"You guys look like an animal with their head chopped off, running around without a leader to guide you." Stephen smirked.
"Actually, if the animal doesn't have a head then it'd be dead." JD remarked.
Buck didn't bother to keep in his laughter.
Stephen didn't seem to care though and kept talking, "It seems you all might have to start thinking of another name for yourselves. It be stupid to call yourselves magnificent seven if it's just the six of you after today."
"What did you do?" growled Buck.
"I didn't do anything. Chris is leaving on his own free will." He smirked and then continued to walk off.
Mary lingered behind.
Buck and the others looked at one another in confusion of what to do next.
She addressed them.
"I heard that the director got a call and asked for Chris to come and see him."
The boys thanked her and headed towards Travis's office.
-Meanwhile with Chris-
Chris slowed down his pace till he finally came to a stop. He knew he shouldn't have been so angry with the others. They were just blowing off their frustration after that boy bad mouthed their group. He even had a little fun hitting him with the paint balls.
It was only when he saw Buck then Ezra then JD get hit, did it actually occur to him what all of this was training them for. The orange paint on Ezra's stomach wasn't paint anymore but blood. The orange on JD's chest was red. The matted hair by wet paint could've had a different ending.
Chris closed his eyes trying not to think about it. These boys had become his family and he'd be damned if that ever happened to any of them. He'd die before it ever happened.
"Chris Larabee." came a girl's voice, shaking him from his thoughts.
He looked up and found Mary standing in front of him. He looked her over in disinterest. He knew it would eventually happen when the girl would approach him. She looked at him enough that Chris would've to be blind not to see it.
"The director would like to speak with you." she continued when it was obvious Chris wasn't going to say anything.
Chris didn't show his surprise. He'd been expecting that the girl wanted to talk to him about whatever it was that made her so fascinated about him.
He gave a sharp nod and stepped around her to continue walking, only this time, to the director's office.
He stepped inside and saw that the room had a chair already ready for him and he sat down. Travis was working on papers so he waited patiently since he didn't have hand to hand combat until later.
Chris had been in the room a couple of times before. His first day, he'd been brought in to go over how things were going to work for him and his friends. He himself was a special case along with Ezra and Buck. They each had a parent out there still. Buck's mom didn't mind him going though. Ezra's mother was still MIA with no way to reach her. Chris however still had his father who was in prison.
Travis finished his writing and set the papers aside to give Chris his full attention.
"Chris, I just want to start out by telling you that I enjoy having you in the program even if you and your friends misbehave. You are all so talented and will move on to do great things." His words fell on deaf ears so he got to the point, "I just received a call earlier today that your father's parole hearing was a couple days ago and that he was given parole."
Chris tried to keep his features from showing that the information affected him.
"I was told that he would like to meet and talk to you. You wouldn't have to be alone and it can be as long as you want, or you don't have to go at all."
"You're suggesting awful strong in me seeing him." Chris said bitterly.
"It's not good to burn bridges. Especially with family."
Chris's hands which were clasped together to control his anger were white knuckled now.
"Is that all you wanted to tell me then?"
"Yes well, and I'd like a response as to whether you'll see him or not."
"Not." Chris got up quickly and left the room. He released the breath that he was unconsciously holding and found an empty staircase to hide underneath while the silent tears fell from his eyes.
How could they let the man go free? The man who was the reason behind his mother's death. The one who abused him. Been the dark shadow that lingered over him. The cause of so many sleepless nights and nightmares. The one who made him believe adults could not be trusted.
Chris stayed under the stairs for twenty minutes, trying to control himself from throwing up. It felt like an eternity by the time he walked out and made his way to class.
When he reached the door though, he didn't go in. Instead he kept going and went out the front door and didn't look back.
If the people who called Travis knew where he was then his father did too. This was the downside of trying to live by adult's rules.
A part of him told him to stop. He thought about his friends and how they'd probably know that he'd gone missing.
He walked down the street to a familiar house and looked inside the drawn back windows.
"Travis! What's going on? Why did you kick Chris out?" Buck yelled angrily as he stormed into the office, announcing himself and the others.
Travis frowned at his sudden guess and what Buck had said, "If you'd just calm down and just ask without yelling then maybe I can understand you and be able to answer your question. What do you mean I kicked Chris out? I did no such thing."
"We can't find Chris anywhere. He didn't go to class and he hasn't been back in the rooms." said Vin.
Travis looked at all the boys and sighed, he didn't know what to expect out of any of them, but he wanted to hit himself for not seeing this one coming. Chris was notorious for running away. Heck the boy could probably write a book about all the times he escaped.
Now Travis was left to try and calm down the boy's worried friends.
"Chris and I only had a conversation that was about his personal life. I cannot tell you boys any of the details, but I will say that it concerned his father."
Buck was the only one who reacted at the news.
Travis noticed.
"What about him?" asked Vin, who didn't know much about him other than he was still alive and Chris never talked about him.
"He wants to see Chris." said Travis simply. He watched as the words seemed to affect Buck.
"Did he?" asked Buck, his features serious.
"I wouldn't know." said Travis. It was true and also a lie. He didn't know if Chris would change his mind and see him, but he had a feeling that running away right after saying he didn't want to see the man would seem impossible that he'd be going to him.
"Ok then." said Buck in his own way of a thanks before walking out.
The others who didn't understand any of it just followed after him.
Vin, who was riding on his heels finally spoke up, "So he's going to go see his dad?"
"I didn't even know he had parents." Nathan said softly.
"We all have our secrets, Nathan." Ezra nodded in understanding.
"Where's he been then?" asked JD.
They all looked to Buck.
"I think it best if we go back to the room first. Maybe he is back now." Buck suggested.
They all agreed and walked back to the room that acted as a lobby area that connected to their bedrooms. It was their own little suite. Chris had asked if they could be placed readily close together and Travis was kind enough to give them these accommodations. It didn't fix the problem with JD needing to sleep with either Buck or Vin though.
Chris waited a little while later before a slender figure stepped out of the house wrapped up in a scarf and coat. She walked on over to meet him.
"My father will kill you if he sees you out here." she chastised.
Chris couldn't help but smile, "How are you, Sarah?"
A/N: So since this was originally supposed to be a trilogy, I'll have to take a different approach to it and break it up into chapters. No more little short stories. Enjoy!