Disclaimer: I make no claims to the characters in the following story. I recieve no money or other recompense from these writings. they are intended solely for the purposes of entertainment


A Matter of Destiny

knoteach

Part 1: Arriving

Newly transferred ATF Agent Ezra Standish looked exhausted as he flagged down a cab to take him downtown.

The last six months had been hell for the young undercover agent. First Chrittendon was released on a technicality. He had done nothing wrong, but because he had been the man under, he was blamed. Like it was his fault the judge's secretary couldn't type the damn search warrant correctly! A few weeks later the rumors started…Five months after that with several more injures on his record, and one of those by friendly fire, Ezra was almost ready to throw in the towel. If Maude hadn't called, he might just have done it, but he wasn't about to give her the satisfaction.

Then a second chance by the name of Chris Larabee showed up in Atlanta.

Ezra sighed as he watched the scenery rush by the car window. If only things could be different here. If only the past would stay in Georgia. He doubted it. Personally he gave eight months before the redoubtable Mr. Larabee got sick of the whispers and started trying to get rid of him. Ten at most. It would start with the shifting of schedules, so that he would not be in the building when the rest of the team was. Ezra shifted, stretching sore muscles and working stiff joints. He had lost track of how many times he had been pushed against a wall by suspicious co-workers, how many bruises he had received in out of the way places. Never where anyone would have to take note of the altercation, but by enough different people that he knew it was probably common knowledge it was happening.

Ezra was still pondering his situation when the cab pulled up outside his apartment building. He had been assured by the building manager that his furniture had arrived and been set up two days ago. Walking in with the luggage he had flown with, he nodded. He'd shift things around, but it looked like everything was here.

Walking into his bedroom, Ezra set down his bags. For once Ezra was too tired to care about how it would look to be taking a nap in the middle of the day, he just found a box marked 'linens,' opened it, and pulled out a blanket.

Without bothering to actually make the bed, Ezra laid down and covered himself with the blanket. Ezra had been given one week to get to Denver, and the FBI had waited until last night to decide they needed more input from him on the last six cases he had worked. It had taken eight hours to satisfy them that he had not withheld any information from them on the cases. That had left him with two hours to get home, pack, and get to the airport in time for his early flight.

Even as Ezra relaxed into slumber, he hoped Larabee wouldn't try these kinds of tricks on him. In that instant before sleep, Ezra's heart wished that he could have found home. For a place to belong.