Chapter 2

JD yawned drowsily as he woke up. It took him a few moments to realize he was back in the world of living. He also realized that his headache was gone and he no longer felt that he was going to lose what was in his stomach.

Nathan had been right; all he had needed was some sleep and some time to unwind. Groggily, he got out of the bed he used when he stayed at Chris's house. He felt better and better as he walked down the stairs into the kitchen.

Ezra and Vin looked up from the kitchen table when the teenager hit the last step that led into the kitchen.

"Look who has decided to join the world of the living again," Vin smiled. "You feeling better kid?

"What time is it?" JD asked.

"About five o clock. you slept for a few hours," Vin answered. "Ya hungry?"

Before JD could answer, his stomach made a loud rumbling noise that echoed through the kitchen.

Both men laughed.

"I take that as an affirmative," Ezra asked.

JD nodded his head sheepishly.

"You're in luck," Ezra answered. "Josiah made a pot of chili before he left. I believe it is still warm." The man got up from the table and began getting dinner ready for his adoptive nephew.

"Hell kid he must really have missed you," Vin whispered in his ear. "I don't think I've ever seen him actually offer to serve anyone."

JD chuckled quietly as he sat down at the kitchen table. He realized how quiet it was.

"Where did everyone go?" he asked.

"Some people from Washington wanted to talk to Ebbi," Vin responded.

The dark look passed between Vin and Ezra did not go unnoticed by JD.

"Why?" JD asked, looking expectantly between the two men.

"It's a long story JD," Vin answered with a long sigh.

"Which I'm sure you want to hear," Ezra added with a sad smile, setting the bowl of chili and a glass of milk on the table. "Let's just say that the people at your school are not the only ones who are less than trusting of our dear friend."

"You mean because of the connection between her and the terrorist?" JD asked, flabbergasted. "Didn't she tell us once that there are like a million people in Afghanistan who have the same last name as her mom? That is something like Smith in the US?"

"Maybe not a million," Ezra answered with a quiet chuckle. "But you see the ridiculousness of his all."

"That's so stupid!" JD yelled. "I would have thought that people who work for the government would know better."

"One would think," Ezra responded, his voice as heavily laced with sarcasm.

" How she got the bruise on her face?" JD asked, noticing another dark look between the two men.

"What happened?" JD pushed. "Did she get it during some mission or something?"

"No JD, one of the our guys gave it to her," Vin answered.

"Was she trying to take Buck on again?" JD asked, but noticed that there was no humor in the older mens' eyes.

"She was being interviewed…" Ezra started to say.

"Interviewed?" Vin scoffed. "That was a damn interrogation!" Vin got a little red around the ears when he realized that he just swore. He looked at JD and then at Ezra.

"Sorry Ez, I know we're not supposed to swear around him."

"I'm afraid I'm fighting a losing battle on that front," Ezra sighed. "What with what he watches on TV and spending entirely too much time around you cretins."

Vin took a drink of Coke and belched.

"Excuse me. Still not sure what that word means Ezra, even though you keep calling us that."

"It means Mr. Tanner….. Oh never mind," Ezra answered with a sigh. He turned to JD. "There was a man from the NSA who did not like the answer Ebbi gave to him and he slammed her face into the table." Ezra's voice was quiet, but JD saw his face cloud over.

"What?" JD yelled, slamming his hands on the table. The glass and the bowl teetered dangerously, but managed to stay upright. "Weren't you guys telling me that you and Chris and the others, even though you are a special team, aren't even allowed to touch suspects? That Travis and whoever the other guys in charge of security made sure that torture was never an option. "

"Well to be fair kid," Vin chuckled. "Chris and Josiah are so darn intimidating that we usually don't have to do much to get them talking," but he added, getting serous again.

"You're right though, we're not supposed to touch anyone. The way Heart explains it, that's the Agent from Homeland Security that was in charge of talking to Ebbi….Oh knock it off Ezra," Vin turned to look at the other man who had tightened his lips. 'I agree that we need to try and keep the kid out of it as much as possible, but Ebbi's like a sister to him, and I know he's like me. He isn't taking too kindly to somebody hurting his family." Besides he added with a smile, "the way he knows his computers, I'm sure he'd try to hack into some computer program or something to find out."

"Alright continue," Ezra answered, but he still did not look happy.

"Like I was saying, the way Heart's story goes is that it was never an interrogation so therefore what happened can't be considered torture. He says the desire to bring justice to the families at the base was so strong that he got a little carried away."

"Bullshit," Ezra said under his breath. "Everyone knows that bigoted son of a bitch wanted on to Team Seven from the beginning and he hates everyone who is on it now. The fact that Ebbi is Afghani and a woman is driving him mad. I bet he was just waiting for an opportunity to…"

"Who's revealing too much information now Ez?" Vin asked with a smile. Ezra looked he was going to try and say something, but decided against it.

"And this is the guy from Washington who wants to talk to Ellie again?" JD asked.

"Unfortunately yes," Ezra answered.

"How can you do that?" JD exploded, lunging out his chair. "How can you let him talk to Ebbi again? You are supposed to be her team! You are supposed to protect each other!" JD felt bad when he saw the guilty look pass between Vin and Ezra.

"Our hands are tied JD," Vin said sadly. "This order came directly from Secretary Travis himself. If we were to defy the order, we could end up in the brink!'

"Not that any of us wouldn't be willing if it meant keeping Ebbi safe," Ezra answered quickly. "It's just somebody needs to make sure that…" He didn't finish the sentence.

"Somebody needs to stay here and take care of me," JD answered. He huffed and sat back down. He felt guilty. Sometimes it seemed like he always getting in the way. Heck, his uncle the others could possibly be tracking the killers down across the ocean if it wasn't for him. Vin reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

"It's probably a good idea to keep your uncle and Chris separated anyhow,' he chuckled. "Heart likely doesn't stand a chance against either of them, but we'd be cleaning up his guts out of the conference room for years if the two of them are there at the same time."

"Thank you for that appealing image Mr. Tanner," Ezra cringed, "But you are probably right."

"Why does this Heart want to talk to Ebbi again?" JD asked. "'Obviously she has nothing to with what the bombing."

"We're not sure," Ezra answered. "But obviously it has to be something. That is the only reason why Travis would allow him to come to Denver."

"And you're sure everyone will make sure he doesn't…?" JD asked. "I mean….."

"Let me tell you something kid," Vin's voice lowered "If Heart so much as looks at Ebbi the wrong way, Chris, Buck Josiah and even Nathan will make sure he's the one leaving with the black eye this time."

"And we are forgetting one important thing," Ezra added with a chuckle. "That our girl is more than capable of taking care of herself."

"Still…." JD stated, not entirely convinced.

"Come on kid, I want to try that new wizard Ezra bought you a few weeks ago."

""Really?" JD asked.

"First off that game is at our house on the other side of town. Second, he's only allowed to play with it on the weekends. I'm sure he has homework that he has to…."

"You know Uncle Ezra, I'm still really not feeling that good and I think it would help a lot if I could sleep in my own bed tonight."

"Yeah Uncle Ezra, of course you need to do everything to make sure the kid feels okay," Vin laughed. "Somebody just might accuse you of being a boring parent."

"What about homework?" Ezra asked.

"Screw homework," Vin snorted.

"Well I'm coming to you when he ends up getting stuck going to some second tier university, or worse a state school," Ezra shuddered.

"Jeez Ezra, the kid is just getting his temps in a few months," Vin stated. "Don't you think you're overreacting just a little bit?"

"You can never start planning too early Vin," Ezra stated. " He has to…"

"Come on JD," Vin said, eying the teenager. "Let's go get in my truck, while he's planning your road to the Presidency."

"My nephew will be so much more than the President, he's going to….." JD didn't hear the rest of the sentence. Vin had already pushing him out of the kitchen. They both started running when they heard Ezra start yelling.

"SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO THE DISH AND JD, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO RIDE IN THAT DEATHTRAP AND BREAK YOUR NECK!"