Special Agent Ezra Standish squinted against the fluorescent lights in the ATF office, and gently brought his hands to his head trying to subdue the massive headache that was forming behind his eyes. A cacophony of hoots and hollers broke the stillness of the Thursday afternoon as the other six members of team seven talked about their plans for the upcoming three day holiday weekend. Buck was the first to speak up. The ladies' man had a date, naturally, with a woman he had met at the coffee shop. JD was planning to attend a local three day comic-con event being held in Denver. Chris and Vin were planning a relaxing weekend of hunting and fishing in the Colorado Mountains, and Nathan had made plans with his girlfriend Rain to go to a medical seminar. Josiah was planning to fly to Los Vegas and assist the FBI with a particularly unique profile on a serial killer.
"Hey Ez, what are your plans for the weekend" JD asked, apparently he had realized that Ezra was not participating in the conversation.
"My plans Mr. Dunne are to retire to my residence, and enjoy a much needed respite. I may choose not to abandon the comforts of my bed except to acquire sustenance for the entire weekend." Ezra replied.
JD absorbed this quietly then after a moment, apparently spend translating in his head, he cried, "You mean you're just gonna stay in bed all weekend?"
"I believe that is what I just said, yes. I am currently suffering from a migraine, and experience tells me that the only way to get rid of it is rest and quiet." Nathan perked up at that.
"Ez, you sure you don't want anything for that headache?" he asked.
"Quite sure. I already took Excedrin, and I believe the best thing for me would be to sleep it off." Ezra replied calmly.
"Alright, whatever you think is best."
Ezra tried to focus on the report he had been typing. As soon as it was finished he could hand it in to Chris and be done for the day, starting his weekend a bit early.
Soon enough he had finished, and handed the report in. Ezra headed to the parking garage where his jag waited. Soon he would be home. Truthfully he had made plans to spend the weekend with Maude, but she had called earlier that morning to tell him that she was held up, and would not be able to make it. He didn't know why he felt disappointed, he had known there was a very good chance she would cancel on him, and it wasn't like it had never happened before.
Still maybe the disappointment he felt was due to the fact that even though he had told the other six that he wasn't doing anything, none had offered to allow him to accompany them on their plans. True Buck couldn't be expected to take him with on his date, or Nathan to the medical conference, he probably would have turned down Chris and Vin had they asked him to come with them camping, but he could have accompanied JD to Comic-Con though that wasn't exactly his thing, and he could think of plenty of things he could do in Vegas while Josiah assisted the FBI. Granted he had told them he wasn't feeling well, but by morning he should be fine. He didn't actually expect them to offer, but it would have been a nice gesture.
Arriving at his apartment, Ezra unlocked the door and went inside, and after carefully hanging up his suit, he collapsed on the bed, giving in to the arms of Morpheus.
Ezra was awakened several hours later by the ringing of his cell phone. "Agent Standish" he answered groggily. The voice on the other end of the phone said something that made him sit up, all traces of sleep vanishing as he hurriedly dressed still cradling the phone between ear and shoulder. As he hung up the phone Ezra's mind was racing. Team 7 had been tracking a known felon named Michael Danielson who they suspicioned was running a gun smuggling ring through Denver. And Ezra had just gotten a tip that Danielson was going to be boarding a train headed to Canada in one hour planning to take guns across the loosely protected border. Quickly Ezra called Chris to let him know he was going to need backup. Chris said that since half of team seven was out of town he would call AD Travis and arrange for team six to be Ezra's back up. Ezra agreed to meet them at the train station. Five minutes later Ezra was in his Jag on the way to the rendezvous
Ezra sat in the parking lot of the train station waiting for the other team to get to the train station. He was debating with himself whether or not to scout inside while he waited when he recognized Danielson getting out of a car and go inside. Quietly Ezra got out of his own car and followed his target. Danielson checked in at the ticket counter, then headed down a side corridor. Ezra followed discreetly, and watched as Danielson entered the menus bathroom. Ezra paused for a moment then followed. As soon as Ezra entered the bathroom he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned just in time to see Danielson swinging a large pipe at his head. Ezra tried to move out of the way but the pipe caught his left shoulder, sending a streak of fire down his arm. The pipe swung again, but Ezra's reflexes were dulled by the pain and it he caught a glancing blow to the head. Ezra felt the target kicking him in the stomach and ribs as he blacked out his last thought was to wonder how he had been made.
