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Chapter 6

JD started tapping the desk beneath the keyboard mindlessly. The computer screen no longer kept his attention. Usually, he could spend hours playing World of Warcraft, but there were too many other distractions tonight. JD laughed at the absurdity of the word distraction. Distraction didn't even begin to explain what he had happened tonight..In the last few hours, he had thought his adoptive sister was dead, had a gun pointed at his head, and oh yeah, learned that everything that had happened in his life was basically one big fat lie.

JD let the thought in his head simmer for a little while as he looked around the room he was sitting. Chris and Buck had driven here a few hours earlier with their prisoner. There had been a short discussion about what to do with him, but both men agreed it best to take JD with them. They had driven about half an hour to the old building one of the business districts of Denver to what JD had thought was Ezra and his team's insurance office.

In an attempt to humor the mood, Buck had told him that they called it the Bullpen because it where they all hung out before they got called out to go on an assignment and that everyone hated spending time there.

JD looked around at the desks. The other desks all had funny decorations on them, but not the one he was sitting at. A computer, a box of Kleenex, a small pencil holder and two pictures were the only things on top of his uncle's desk. One of the pictures was of himself and Milagro, taken when JD had gotten the horse for his birthday. The next picture was of himself, Ezra and Eboni at a cross-country meet last fall. The room looked like any other office complex, except for the fact that there were four scary men downstairs in a basement that nobody knew about probably torturing the man who had almost killed him, and might have killed his uncle.

JD felt his eyes start to tear up when the thought hit him. Ezra e couldn't be dead. It wasn't possible. He had finally gotten over his mom's death. Life had just started to be going good again. He was part of a family, Ezra and him and Ebbi. He realized his was crying. He slid his knees up on top of the computer chair and curled himself into a ball. He was so absorbed in his own tragic thoughts; he didn't hear the door to the basement open.

Buck walked up, so furious he was shaking. They hadn't gotten a word out of the sorry son of a bitch. He, Chris, Vin and Josiah had tried every technique they knew. The young Ricco had faced every legal interrogation method in the book. If the bastard didn't stop talking soon, things where going to get ugly very quickly.

He looked around the room. His eyes finally rested on the computer chair where a little human ball was crying. The man felt his heart melting with pity.

"Aww Kid," he sighed. He walked over and put a hand on JD's shoulder. He was stressed out and worried. He could only imagine what the fifteen year old was feeling right now.

"Hey JD, you want to talk about it?" he asked.

JD looked up at him with big sad eyes, and Buck felt himself start tearing up.

"Wh-Wha-What-hap-pppp-nned to my u-nnn-cccccle?" JD stuttered, as he gasped for breath.

Buck grabbed some Kleenexes and handed them to JD.

"I wish I could tell you JD. More than anything, I wish I could tell you that he's okay, but I can't." JD nodded his head and looked down at his feet.

"But if I know anything about your uncle," Buck added in a fierce tone. "He's trying his damn hardest to get back to you."

"You think so?" JD asked.

"I know so," Buck answered confidently. "God Kid, you're all he ever talks about. If ears could really fall off, we all would have lost ours a long time ago.

Buck saw the small trace of a smile on JD's face.

"So Ezra and the rest of you are really spies for the state department?"

"Yup," Buck answered with a smile He could see the wheels turning in JD's head knowing there was more coming.

"But how is that possible? Chris said his reputation was ruined after he was framed for my dad's murder.

"Well, that's a long story Kid."

JD raised his eyebrows and looked up at Buck expectantly.

"Hold on a second," Buck stated. He pulled out his cell phone.

"Josiah do you got everything covered down there? I need to have a little talk with JD." He hung up the phone. "Alright kid, so yeah Ezra's reputation at the CIA was pretty much ruined. But there were still plenty of people who needed his expertise on Middle Eastern affairs. Banks, millionaires, companies would send him oversees to do their business. He could speak the language, he knew the culture, and he would risk his life for pretty much anything they wanted.

"Risk his life? Why?"

"He didn't really care about himself after your father died. The only thing he really cared about at that point was making money. He was pretty darn good at it too."

"But how did he end up working…"

"Hold your horses. I'm getting there," Buck chuckled. "So he continued to do his work until he found out about your mom. That's when he came to live with the two of you. When you first went to live with him, do you remember what happened right after your mom's funeral?

"Yeah, I had to go live in foster care for three weeks until Ezra could finalize the adoption papers. The judge said that he needed to find a real job. That's when he got the job at the insurance comp…Wait!"

Buck smiled. "Something doesn't add up now that you know the whole story does it kid? You see a little over a year ago, Undersecretary of State Orin Travis gets this great idea to start a team of men to fight terrorism that will answer only to the State Department to avoid all the bureaucratic bullshit that prevents anything from ever getting done."

"But that's illegal! It's…"

"There's nothing illegal about it kid, when it's an Executive Order. We just have to make sure we don't do anything that's going to get ours or the government's asses in trouble."

"We, you mean…"

"Your uncle, me, Vin, Josiah, Nathan, Ebbi, and Chris, he's the official leader of the team. "

"But how did all of you get picked?"

"Well Chris and I were members of the SEALS at the time. When Travis offered him the job, he was a few days away from being dishonorably discharged."

"For what?" JD

"Insubordination."

This statement perked up JD's interest.

"Chris punched his commanding officer after three of Chris's men were severely injured during a mission in Somalia. They never should have been there in the first place and Chris was absolutely livid. Somehow Travis found his name and figured he would be a good man to lead his anti-terrorism task force. Chris could either take the jo or face time in the slammer.

"And you?" How did you end up joining the team? JD asked.

"Chris and I have been buddies since we were in basic training. I was Best Man at his wedding. We lost touch after that and I took a job with the NSA. When Chris was putting together his team, he asked me to join him. Naturally I said yes." Besides I was facing some disciplinary action of my own." He added rather sheepishly.

JD looked at him suspiciously

"Why?".

"Well, you see I kind of had this affair thing going with the wife of an admiral. But that's beside the point," Buck chuckled nervously. You'll be wanting to know how the other guys became part of the team."

JD nodded his head and waited.

"Well, let me see, I guess Vin would have been the next person added to the team. Chris and I are both pretty damn good shots, but Travis wanted a specially trained sharpshooter to carry out certain tricky situations if the need arose."

"You mean assassinations," JD stated.

"Vin's file was the first one that Chris looked at. He didn't bother to even open up any others. Chris invited the army ranger for a drink to talk things over and the next day Tanner was the third member of our team.

Nathan came a few days later. It seemed like a good idea to have an ex army medic on our team, plus his current job with Homeland Security had trained him in the use of electronics and all that computer crap."

"Nathan knows about computers?" JD asked surprised. He hadn't realized that about the man before.

"Well more than the rest of us," Buck chuckled. "Wouldn't doubt that you know more than he does kid."

"What about Josiah?"

"Josiah's an expert on Middle Eastern affairs which most of our work is centered around, although if you ask that man is a walking encyclopedia on just about anything.

He's worked as a consultant with the FBI, CIA, ATF and just about every other agency that makes up the American government's bureaucracy alphabet soup. Plus he knows how to use a gun which is a big bonus."

"How did you find out about Ezra?"

"Our first mission was to take out a drug lord hiding in the Southern part of Yemen. It didn't take us long to realize that we were in way over our heads. Despite all our diverse military training and knowledge, we stuck out like sore thumbs in that region. We almost lost Josiah after only two days. It became apparent that we needed more help."

"We had to abort the mission and it seemed like our team was going to fall apart even before we got started. That's when Chris brought up your uncle's name. He proposed the idea to Travis. Travis didn't want to take the gamble. He said your uncle was too untrustworthy. He had heard the rumors from the CIA."

"But he didn't do it!" JD protested.

'Of course he didn't," Buck stated "and Chris knew it. He went to talk to your uncle about joining the team. This was only a few days after your mother's funeral. Ezra laughed in Chris's face and told him to get out of his house."

"Then what happened?" JD asked. This was starting to get interesting.

"Chris played dirty. He and Travis arranged that if he didn't take the job, he would loose custody of you."

"That's awful!" JD answered.

"Yeah, it kind of was, but it worked. You should ask Ezra about it now. I don't think he holds any grudges."

"And Ebbi?"

"You weren't the only one Ezra kept track on all those years. Ebbi was following her father's footprints and currently working her way through the ranks of the CIA. They were putting a lot into her because she was a fluent Arabic speaker and because of her looks.

"Her looks?"

"Pretty Middle Eastern woman could sure come in handy for undercover work. The higher ups at Langley were pretty pissed when Ezra was able to snatch her away from them so easily."

"Why did she leave?"

"I don't think she was ever real happy working for the organization that basically murdered her father. She said a few weeks after she joined the team that her goal was to find evidence that would link Robert to your dads' murders."

JD listened to the story intently, but his thoughts strayed back to Ezra as soon as soon as the man finished talking. He was unable to prevent the tears that started to spill from his eyes. Buck put and arm around the boy's shoulder and pulled the teen close to him.

"And you don't have to worry about yourself Kid. If anything happens to Ezra, any one of us here would take care of you."

"Could I come live with you?" JD asked.

"Sure kid, but Chris has got a pretty nice house with horses and everything." He laughed at the terrified look JD got on his face. "He's really a good guy once you get to know him."

JD was about to say something, when his pocket started to move and make a funny noise.

"Is that a cellphone?" Buck asked.

"I was using the clock while I was running," JD answered, thinking the jog with Vin. That seemed like it had occurred in another life now. "Guess I never took it out. Should I answer it?"

"Who would call you at two in the morning?" Buck asked.

"I don't know," JD looked at the screen of his IPhone. "I don't recognize the number."

"Don't answer it then, wait for them to leave a message" Buck answered. They both waited for the phone to stop vibrating. A few seconds later, the phone beeped showing that whoever had called had left a voicemail message.

JD entered his security code and waited. When the voice of the caller finally reached his ear, He almost dropped the phone in surprise.

"Ezra, is that you?" JD cried.

Buck looked up in surprise.

"JD?" Ezra's voice sounded sad and desperate. "I am so sorry for what happened to Eboni. If I had known that..." the man choked up. "I never meant to put either of you in any danger. I have been responsible for so much pain in your life…"

The phone was ripped out of JD's hand.

"Hey!" he screamed.

"Sorry Kid," Buck answered. "I gotta talk to him first. Run downstairs and get the others."

"But…" JD protested, wanting nothing more than to talk to his uncle right now.

"You can talk to him when I'm done if there's time," Buck answered. He could see JD's face getting red. "JD, Ezra's in deep trouble right now. I'm going to try and figure out how to get him out, but I need to figure out what the hell is going on. Go get Chris and the others."

JD nodded his head.

"Good boy," Buck squeezed JD's shoulder before the teen ran down the stairs.

Buck waited until the door was closed and then called the number backup. He put the phone to his ear.

"JD? Where did you go?" Ezra's voice croaked. Instantly, Buck knew that his friend was not in good shape.

"Damn Ezra, what did you get yourself into now?"

"Buck?" the man asked in surprise.

"The one and only. We got JD with us at the office. Chris told him everything and…"

"Buck, I am so sorry," Ezra interrupted. "He traced the emails I sent home, I had no idea the servers weren't working."

"What?" Buck asked dumfounded. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Ebbi," Ezra stated. "Ricco said that his nephew saw her jump out of the window and…" the other end of sentence went dead. It suddenly dawned on Buck what Ezra was talking about.

"She ain't dead Ezra," Buck stated with a small chuckle.

"What?" Ezra asked in surprise.

"She's not in good shape, busted ankle, bullet hole in her shoulder, and God knows how many bumps and bruises, but Nate says that she's going to be just fine."

He could hear Ezra let out a load sigh of relief.

"Thank God!. It was worse than when her father…"

"I know Ezra," Buck interrupted Now was not the time for the man to relive the memory of Sawyer and Dunne's deaths. "But what about you? I'm assuming you've been compromised."

"I am currently somewhere in Ricco's compound. One of Ricco's bodyguards was generous enough to donate his phone to my cause."

'Shit Ezra, how the hell are you going to get out of there?" Buck swore. He could hear boots trudging up the stairs.

There was a slight hesitation at the end of the line.

"Well my friend, when I found out that this son of a bitch had killed Ebbi…"

Buck cringed, knowing exactly what Ezra had been planning.

"You bastard! You weren't planning on getting out of there were you?

"That time has passed, I can assure you." Ezra stated. "Obviously, I need to come up with other plans."

Buck was about to respond when he felt the phone ripped out of his hand similar to what he had done to JD.

"You son of a bitch!" Chris yelled in the phone. "What the hell were you thinking?" Apparently everyone else had come up. be.

"Chris, can you put him on speaker phone?" JD asked hesitantly.

"Huh?" Chris asked, looking at him.

"This," JD answered, taking the phone, pushing the button and setting it down on the table. Everyone caught the end of Ezra's response.

"…so I can assure you that the events of the last few hours have been completely out of my control."

"Like hell, but we don't have time to worry about that now." Chris responded. "Where are you now?"

"I am currently sitting in some small room, I'm assuming in the basement of the compound. I was quite unaware when they moved me from the room where I was meeting with Ricco. There are no guards chasing me yet, but I have already looked at the security system. I must say that I am very impressed."

"What are your chances of breaking out of there?" Chris asked.

"Regrettably slim to none," Ezra responded. While he was talking, Vin had pulled out his own cell phone and left the room. "The security here is state of the art. NSA had tried several times to break the codes and I've even tried myself on my computer while still considered a guest, but I had no luck."

"Shit," Chris cursed..

"This ain't looking good," Buck stated, speaking for them all. There was a long awkward silence.

"Uncle Ezra?" JD asked tentively breaking the silence.

"JD?" Ezra was obviously taken by the change of speakers.

"I hear you have had quite an evening." He stated collecting himself.

"Yeah," JD answered. All of a sudden all of emotions came to a boiling point. He was relieved, scared, sad and angry all at the same time.

"How come you never told me?" JD asked, "about my dad, about what you really are, about anything!"

"JD, please understand I was trying to protect you."

"Yeah, you sure did a fine job of it tonight!" JD yelled before running out the door, almost running into Nathan pushing Eboni in a wheelchair. Vin caught Chris and Buck's eye.

"My turn," he said, before sprinting back the room's two new occupants.

"What the hell?" Nathan asked. Then she saw the cell phone on the table.

"Is that who I think it is?" Ebony asked.

"Best tell him that you are alive Ebbi," Josiah told her.

.

Eboni put her hands on the wheel and wheeled herself closer to the phone. Nathan had his mouth open in protest, but decided against it.

"Ezra, are you okay?" she asked.

"I think I should be asking you the same thing," Ezra stated.

Nathan walked up and stood next to Chris. The team leader was shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"She going to be okay?" Chris asked Nathan quietly.

"Well, she had a concussion. She's supposed to stay off the ankle for a few weeks and her shoulder is probably going to hurt for quite a while, but the doctor says she'll make a compete recovery."

"She didn't need to stay for observation with her concussion?"

"Well what the doctor and Ebbi wanted are two different things," Nathan sighed.

"Why didn't you make her stay?" Chris asked, anger rising.

"I would have loved to have seen you try," Nathan challenged.

Chris sighed, knowing Nathan was right. "Alright Ezra, let's talk."

here...