O.k. this chapter is pretty long. Maybe too long? Let me know. Maybe I'll have to find an inbetweener (yeah right). The inner muse is going strong. Again, thank you for the reviews and continued support. Disclaimer: I do not own, no money is being made, just hate seeing them collect dust on the shelf again. I promise to put them back as soon as I'm done. Warning: languange and some disclipinary action.
Again, not beta'd. All mistakes are my own.
Chapter 7
Chris kept checking his desk clock every five minutes since 3:00 pm that afternoon. After many indecisions, he finally relented to Jesse's wishes. Instead of staying with Nettie or waiting on Chris to pick him up after school, he would hitch a ride with one of his friends and they would take him to the ranch. Chris gave his consent based on the following rules: Jesse must call from the school and tell him he's on his way and also, to give Chris a final call once home. He wasn't sure which of them would find this difficult: he or Jesse.
A knock upon his office door brought him some relief. "Yeah."
Josiah poked his head in. "Chris, another one of those letters arrived today."
"Same as before."
"Actually there's a slight change in the pattern." This definitely drew Chris' attention.
Josiah wore latex gloves in order not to contaminate the evidence any further, he placed the sheet of plain stationery in front of Chris. "As you can see, the calligraphy L has remained as the focal point of the document."
Chris nodded. He could also see that their anonymous informant suffered from OCD. "However, a R now accompanies it." Josiah pointed to the numerous Rs encompassing the letter. Both letters were circled many times over trying to prove a needless point.
"Wish to hell we knew what either of those letters referred to. I see our mystery informant gives the exact location and time as to Valentine's next delivery."
Before Josiah could comment Chris' cell rang. The Magnificent Seven ring tone filtered through the office. "Give me one moment." Chris noted the time and answered. "Larabee…You're leaving now? Mind if I ask why you're so late? Uh, huh…Am I going to like this explanation later? Sigh. Alright. Call me when you get home." He placed his phone on the edge of his desk. Looking up, Chris caught Josiah broadly smiling at him.
"I see you and Jesse have reached an understanding."
Nodding affirmatively. "I think it's getting better. We're trying something new this week. Jesse practically begged me to let him stay home after school. So, he arranged to get a ride from his friends. The only stipulations I set was for him to call me when he left the school and once he arrived home. It's only the first day and already he's late."
The big man then said. "Cheer up, Chris, at least he called. He's trying, you got to give him credit for that."
"Yeah, I know. Unfortunately, it doesn't make me worry any less. He told me he'd explain later. Not sure if I want to know."
"You know Chris, you'll give yourself an ulcer if you keep thinking it's bad news. Could be something good for a change."
Leaning back in his chair, Chris rubbed both hands over his face. "This is going to take some time getting used to." Refocusing he turned his attention back to the letter. "I think, it will be best if Buck and I take the first surveillance on this drop. It's to happen in a few days and the arrival is at 10:00 am."
"What about Jesse's calls? You sure as hell don't want your cell to ring at an inopportune time."
"I'll inform Jesse who to call in case of an emergency and who to check in with on that day. By the way, is Ezra in yet?" Josiah peeked out the door and spied Ezra about to drink from his latte.
"Sure is."
Chris' precise shout startled the undercover agent so much he unwittingly spilled some of his beverage down the front of his expensive suit. Impeccable timing as always Ezra thought with a frown. Josiah couldn't help but laugh as Ezra entered the office wiping the dribble off of his person. Directing his attention to his suit he questioned. "You bellowed?"
"How's that angle you've been working on?"
Still wiping off the remnants of his morning brew. "You mean ingratiating myself into Valentine's inner circle of notorious cronies."
Tipping his chair back slightly, Chris waited for Ezra's answer. "The initial meet is in three days time set to take place at his mansion grandeur. Cocktails are precisely at 6:00 pm, followed by the proverbial bullshit. Anything else you'd like to know?" He flashed his famous gold tooth grin at his leader.
Again, the Magnificent Seven ring tone interrupted the meeting of great minds. "Larabee…You're home. Good. Any problems? No. Stay inside. Keep the doors locked and the alarm engaged. Do your homework…Jess, don't make me say it again…Good…If you're looking for something extra to do reheat the dinner from the night before and have it ready by six. If I'm going to be later I'll call…Very funny…Don't answer the phone unless you recognize the number…What? Jess. Uh huh…Stay out of trouble…See ya, kid."
"How is your young charge by the way?"
"Better."
"Has Director Travis made any progress with the legalities, Mr. Larabee?"
Chris knew his men were as anxious as he in regards to the adoption process. "Too early to tell, Ezra. I'm sure the Director will let me know as soon as he can."
A familiar Texan drawl entered the conversation. "The Director asked me to give this to you pronto like." Vin extended a stapled packet of papers to Chris, but snatched it back as the other man reached for it. "Can't rightly understand how a bunch of papers could turn our…Ezra help me out here, I need a good word…"
"I believe, Mr. Tanner, the word you're hunting for is taciturn."
Vin smiled. "Thanks Ez. Turn our taciturn leader into a jovial old soul."
"I see your vocabulary has improved." Ezra beamed.
While Vin was temporarily distracted, Chris snatched the papers out of the sharpshooter's hands. He quickly skimmed the first page, relief flooded his features. Thank you Orrin. The court date had been arranged and Chris checked his calendar to make sure the date was clear.
Josiah leaned forward, "Well, it looks like you have some good news."
"Yeah. The adoption is scheduled to take place in two weeks." A grin graced their leader's face. "I'm going to be a dad again."
Congratulations filled the room. Along with warm handshakes and good natured back slapping.
"You deserve it cowboy."
Three latecomers made their presence known. "Hey, what's all the fuss? You guys having a party without us!"
An astonished voice rose above the others. "J.D., Nathan, I think we entered the wrong office. There is no way that happily grinning man seated over there is our leader."
Holding up the papers Chris shouted. "Buck! We're one step closer."
"When's the date?"
"Two weeks from today."
"Whoo doggy! I'm real happy for ya! And you thought the Director had made a mistake when he picked you for the job."
Still grinning, "I'll bet he's grinning, like an old Cheshire cat seeing his plan unfold as well as it did."
Vin patted Chris on the shoulder. "You certainly got that right, pard."
"Gentlemen, if I may interrupt…" A flash of bright light caught Chris momentarily off guard.
"Ezra! What the hell?" Good moment gone.
"Told you it wouldn't last. You owe me five dollars."
Green eyes saw red. "Tanner!"
Peering over Ezra's shoulder, Buck got a glimpse of the view. "Hey lookee here. I think we need to blow that up to at least…poster size and remember it fondly."
"Buck!"
"Gee, you three really know how to ruin a good moment."
Feigning indignation Ezra commented. "Ruin! Did you say ruin? I beg to differ Mr. Jackson. That moment is now forever preserved in history. See?" He strode to where Nathan stood and showed him the captured image.
Standing tall Josiah looked down over Ezra's shoulder. "You know Nate, he's right."
"Let me see that."
"Hey! I want to see it, too!"
Chris slowly shook his head and began to count down from twenty while his men gathered and gawked at Ezra's digital camera.
With a furtive side glance to Chris, followed by a question to Vin, the mustached man inquired, "Do you think he hit zero yet?"
"I have now. Gentlemen, it's time we got back to business."
A collective 'Aw!' reached Chris' ears. Chris looked to the ceiling in exasperation. "I suggest we move our discussion to the conference room since we're all here. I want updates from everyone. Be there in five minutes." His phone came to life again. "Make that ten."
In a coffee shop in downtown Denver an individual perused the content of a high priority email. "Perfect."
Message:
Adoption of Jesse Austin Ryder by Chris Larabee will take place two weeks from today at the Denver County Courthouse.
The individual clicked reply and typed: Expect confirmation of adoption. Send. It's all coming together. One big happy…
"Alright. We received another one of these letters. It tells us where the next drop point is taking place. I'm proposing surveillance on the drop point. This time it will be Buck and me. I'd rather get a feel for this than to walk into an ambush. Something doesn't quite feel right about these letters.
"Ezra, you and Vin, yes Vin you'll be accompanying Ezra as his bodyguard. Once you are accepted, you are going to be the pipeline to those drops. We'll then see if these," He holds up the letter for emphasis, "are true to its words."
"On another note, as complex as this may seem our anonymous informant has added another odd letter to his collection. He is still using an L, but he seems to be rather fond of the letter R, too."
"What moron would circle all of the L's and R's in a letter?"
"That J.D. is the million dollar question. Once we figure that out, we may well be on our way to wrapping up this case.
"And since you're so keen on it, I'm leaving it up to you to see if you can make heads or tails out of it. By the way, any luck on those recordings from Kansas City?"
Hastily writing his instructions from Chris, J.D. managed to find his notes in time. "Not yet. So far I've come up with zilch. Whomever is on those recordings did not want to be identified. Very professionally done. But I have not given up. I think there might be a silver lining to this rain cloud. I plan on running them through a few more diagnostics and another filter. What I really need is something to match it against. Like a voice recording. Sure would make my job easier."
"Speaking of which, Josiah, have you been able to contact Shane Williamsson?" Even Chris jotted down a few notes before looking expectantly at his profiler.
"Sorry, Chris. I'm waiting on a return call from Mr. Williamsson. Supposedly he's out of town. Left him a message."
Sighing. "It's a start. Thanks Josiah."
"You'll be the first to know after I get that call."
"Fair enough." Scanning his notes, Chris called on another of his men. "Nathan, were you able to get those reports on the autopsies of Team 2 and their families."
"What I found is very disturbing. Team 2 was annihilated. Every murder of each team member and their families was covered up by a fire. Jesse was right. They all died from a single stab wound to the heart. I hate to say it Chris, but I've got the feeling they knew their killer."
An uneasy feeling swept over Chris. If they knew their killer, that meant Jesse was in immediate danger, but from whom? Is it Valentine, Gerardi, or someone they haven't even begun to think about? Hell, I really need to sit that boy down and get this out in the open. The idea of Jesse staying at home by himself really unsettled him.
As their meeting died down, Vin could tell his friend and leader was visibly shaken by the information imparted by his brethren. He waited until everyone else had left the room before he made his approach. Damn, he looks like he's seen a ghost or something. "Chris, you all right?"
His stomach churned thinking about their assumptions. How could I have been so careless? Got to keep that boy safe, but how? Several possibilities came to mind, yet he knew Jesse would hate each and every one of them.
"Chris!" Vin raised his voice putting a little more emphasis behind it. When those fear laden green eyes met his, Vin knew right away Chris was more than a little shook up by the news. Shit.
Those troubled eyes looked more tired than usual. "Vin, remember when Jesse mentioned that he thought someone had been watching him at school?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Think about it. He's the only surviving member of Team 2 and their killer is still roaming free. What could Jesse have that they want? It doesn't make sense. Why is Jesse so damn special to whoever. If he wasn't he'd be dead, I'm sure of it. The best of Kansas City lay in their graves while one boy walks among the living. We need to find out why before someone grows impatient and decides to end this little game."
His sharpshooter shifted awkwardly, "Uh Chris, this may not be the best time to tell ya, but Jesse's not the only one who felt like he was being watched."
"When did this happen?" Too much had happened in such a short time.
Vin felt terrible about it, because not only did he forget, he forgot to include it in his report. "It happened the day Jesse had run from Nettie's apartment. Sorry, Chris. It's not like me to forget something as important as this. Damn."
"I understand, Vin. There's been too much going on at once. So, what do you remember?"
"Well, it was after me, Buck and Jesse got off the elevator. The kid stiffened beside me and whatever had been bugging him set off my internal radar. I'm positive Buck sensed it too. But I dismissed it once we got Jesse to the conference room. I feel so stupid."
Chris tried to placate his friend. "Remember, you're not stupid. We were hell bent on getting something else at the time, but at least everyone arrived safely."
"You're missing the point, Chris! Whoever is watching Jess, was here in this building. Someone, possibly one of our own is working against us. We need to be more careful."
Great! We have a mole. Fucking wonderful! "Well, that blows any of the other ideas I had for Jess. The only option now is a damn bodyguard and you know he's going to just love that suggestion. Hell, how am I going to explain this without going through world war three? And to think we were making some progress."
"Yeah, sure sucks, doesn't it. You do realize that the bodyguard will have to be one of us." Chris looked as if he was going to argue, although he didn't get the chance since Vin cut him off. "Chris, it's the only way. If we have a mole, we won't be able to trust anybody else. The only other person would be Director Travis and I'm pretty sure he'd think the same."
Defeated by Vin's explanation Chris' shoulders sagged even more. "Shit Vin! The team is already stretched thin on this. You and Ezra will be undercover, Josiah will be heading into the lion's den, me and Buck will be on surveillance. That leaves Nathan and J.D…Wait J.D."
Vin saw the light bulb click on in Chris' mind. "Thought you'd never come to that conclusion. He's perfect for the job. Well, at least he looks young enough to attend school. I can't wait to see his face when you tell him he'll be going into the field."
"Yeah, however the other face is what I'm going to have problems with I guarantee it."
Patting his friends shoulder Vin added, "I'd be willing to assist you with that if needed."
"I think I'm going to need all the help I can get. Thanks Vin. I think it's time we informed everyone else of our new plan of action."
"I got a better idea." He pulled out his cell and texted a few simple words. Chris' ring tone sounded. "I'll never get tired of hearing that." Smiling, Vin watched as Chris read the message.
"Great idea. I'll tell Jesse and make sure he knows of the change in dinner plans. See ya later, cowboy." They grasped each other's forearms before leaving. Hope to hell this works.
Jesse had been about to reheat the leftovers when his phone vibrated. Must be Chris. Old worry wart. Checking his phone he confirmed it was a message, a text message from Chris. Didn't think he was capable of that. Adults, especially ATF agents surprised him more and more every day. Guess they need to be up to date on the latest technology, but Chris didn't strike him as one with that kind of knowledge. He would have expected J.D., Nathan, Josiah or even Ezra with that kind of knowledge. The rest, well, their expertise lay elsewhere. Okay dinner plans had changed and the team was coming as well. So much for a quiet evening at home. Wonder what warranted this occasion.
When he found out he wasn't too pleased. Chris explained to his men and Jesse that they needed to be extra careful because he was sure there was a mole within their organization. With the Director's help they would sweep for bugs and phone taps, but they wouldn't remove them. They didn't want to tip anybody off too soon and lose the case.
J.D. was positively beaming to find he would be entering the field as an undercover bodyguard. Jesse, on the other hand, was silently seething. Chris figured anytime now the fireworks were going to explode. Vin seconded that notion as the tension between Chris and Jesse grew.
Feeling all eyes directed upon his person, Jesse abruptly left the room. The slamming of the back door conveyed his emotions. So much for trust. Why didn't Chris trust in him enough to let things play out. He and his boys could handle some things, like survival. They've been doing it for how long without any help. Granted there were a few close calls, but shit they knew the odds.
"Don't you think someone should go and talk to him?" J.D. announced.
"Already taken care of." It was then J.D. noticed Vin was not amongst their circle.
"Chris, shouldn't it be you out there?"
Locking gazes with J.D., Chris answered. "Vin will watch over him. He needs a little time to calm down. If I go out there now the neighbors will have something to talk about." It also gave him some time to sort through his own thoughts. Right now, Jesse was thinking he didn't trust him enough. He'd be surprised when he told him he did. It's the enemy he didn't trust. There were too many why's and what ifs that bothered Chris immensely.
"Buck."
"Chris?"
"Did you notice anything on the day Jesse ran from Nettie's?"
Buck shook his head. "Besides the elevator incident, no. Like Vin said, nothing interrupted our purpose, so we kind of brushed it off. Sadly, it now sits in my craw constantly reminding me how we screwed up by not checking into it."
"I don't blame anyone. What's done is done. What we do now is what matters most. J.D., you are going to get a crash course in undercover work from Ezra and Vin in the next two days. Listen carefully, follow their instructions. In the meantime, Director Travis will get the paperwork to the school. You'll be a transfer student with a bit of a past. Something similar to Jesse.
"Your purpose will be to keep an eye on Jesse. Don't let him out of your sight. You and he will be in all of the same classes. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Don't let him talk you into anything or you and he will be answering to me."
J.D. visibly gulped and nodded.
"Buck, if need be, you will act as J.D.'s father if any unforeseen circumstances arise. I'm not sure how long this will last, but I'm not taking any chances. J.D., you will be driving Jess to and from school. If he pulls any stunts, call me immediately. I think that covers it for now. As soon as Director Travis gets the paperwork done you'll be attending Westville High until further notice. Oh, and one more thing, I still expect you to find the time to work on those other things which we discussed earlier."
"Will do." He was still soaring about working undercover to let anything else sink in.
The others knew it, but they figured J.D. deserved this chance. Inwardly, Chris sighed, it was time to clear the air with Jesse. He got up and left the room contemplated a drink, but decided alcohol and teenagers didn't mix well. He went out the back door and zeroed in on Vin's position. Moving in that direction, he caught up to his sharpshooter.
"How's he doing?"
"Still pissed. I don't think he's calmed down. Almost thought he was going to run. It's ingrained. Suffer from it daily myself when things get out of hand."
Chris placed a hand on his friend's shoulder before saying, "Thanks for keeping an eye on him. I told J.D. he needs to confer with you and Ezra on the undercover end of his detail. Why don't you head on back to the house, I think I can handle it from here."
"You sure? I'd be really put out if something were to happen and I wasn't here to protect your backside."
Insisting he was fine Chris said, "Get out of here. J.D. needs all the help he can get. I'll feel better once you and Ezra help build his confidence."
"I get the hint. Just remember Chris, the kid's hurting, he needs understanding not your anger. Glad to know you skipped the bottle on your way out of the house."
"You know, I agree with Buck, whatever it is between us is real scary. I'll keep the rest of that in mind. Believe me, I don't want to put any more distance between Jess and me."
Tipping an imaginary hat, Vin concluded, "Glad to hear. I'll see ya later, cowboy."
Watching his friend walk away Chris then turned to see Jesse a few yards up ahead leaning on a fence post contemplating god knows what. He decided it was time to interrupt the teen's thoughts.
Jesse was still mad, not so much with Chris, but with the world. He wished his life wasn't so damn complicated. What he wouldn't give to be normal. This hide and seek game was grating on his nerves. He finally admitted how afraid he was to himself. All those great ideas leading up to the adoption were precariously hanging in the balance because of some sinister plan set in motion. How could he have forgotten that he was still apart of this crazy shit that had turned his life upside down? It all boiled down to one thing: someone cared about him.
The thought of losing Chris or anyone else made him sick to his stomach. He began to wonder if he should break all ties with the agents. No, that wouldn't go over very well. Chris would make sure of that and he would be in a world of hurt on top of it. Maybe he should just play along with whatever ideas Chris came up with and if it looked like someone was about to get hurt, he would make the ultimate decision then. He wasn't about to let anyone close to him get hurt or worse yet killed.
He didn't know how he knew it, but whatever it was alerted him to Chris' approach. Without even turning around, he surprised Chris by saying. "So, how much trouble am I in?"
"No trouble, unless you're planning to go off half-cocked. Jesse…"
"Chris, uh, sorry for interrupting but I need to say this. I'm not crazy about having a bodyguard, but after thinking some more about it I can't blame you. All blame goes to whoever started this fucking shit in the first place. And no I'm not going to apologize for my language.
"I'll try to not make J.D.'s life a living hell, but I won't guarantee it. It's going to be hard enough not to let my boys in on this. If they get suspicious I will have to tell them. Maybe Vin or you could reinforce the consequences if you think it is necessary. I want this over and done with. I'm tired of it, I want to be normal or as close to it as possible. Is that too much to ask for?"
Wow, that was some speech. Chris did think it was slightly out of character for Jesse, but then again, even an adult in this situation would begin to show signs of wear and tear. As heartfelt as it was, Chris felt something was not quite right. Pushing it aside for now, he first wanted Jesse to hear him out on a few things.
"You had your say, it's my turn now. I appreciate you telling me those things, however I expect a lot more from you. Don't interrupt me." He had anticipated Jesse's reaction. "I'm thinking that you've got something more planned than what you've just told me. Not sure what it is, but I intend to find out. Forewarning, don't be foolish.
"As soon as Director Travis has the paperwork in order J.D. will be joining you at school. You will ride to and from school with him. No detours unless you clear it with me first. Understand?"
Loud and clear. "Yes, sir."
"One more thing, I got some papers from Director Travis today thought you'd like to know."
"Papers? Why would I want to know."
"Two weeks from today will be our day in court."
Did I miss something? Jesse's thoughts scrambled to figure out what he missed. "Court?"
"Gee, I can't believe you forgot about it. It was all you could think about a few days ago." Chris feigned a hurt expression to top it all off.
When it finally dawned on him he gave Chris a sheepish grin. "The adoption it's going through?"
"Only if you want it to." His guardian said quietly. Chris held his breath. Maybe Jesse didn't want this after all.
Aw crap! He wanted it in the worst way. Just wondered if it would last long enough before it was cruelly taken away from him. "Two weeks, huh." He pushed some dirt around with his boot. "Wish it was sooner." And he meant it. He smiled hoping Chris had heard him.
He heard him. "Come on, let's get back inside." He put an arm around Jesse's shoulders as they walked back to the house.
Back inside they discovered three people missing. "Where's Ezra, J.D. and Vin?"
"Oh they be giving J.D. some lessons in undercover work out in the stable." Buck answered. "Although, I think Jesse needs to give our boy a few lessons in holding that blade he uses so well."
"Not everyone uses a blade in my gang. They use whatever they feel comfortable with." Jesse enlightened the mustached man. Chris was enlightened as well.
"Is that a fact. Well, at least J.D. knows how to shoot a gun and fight with his fists. Not as well as some people I might add, but he can stand on his own two feet."
"I certainly hope he can Buck. The guys are going to want results if he's going to hang with us."
Curious about those aforementioned results, Chris asked, "What kind of results? This better not be an initiation of any sorts."
Back peddling Jesse tried to correct his mistake. "Uh, of course not, wouldn't dream of it. They might test him some."
"If you're the leader I think we can avoid any of this testing. And if I find out that you got J.D. into a fight you'll find yourself in an awkward position. Got it?"
He gulped, "Got it." Damn this was going to be rough.
"Let's get another thing straight. J.D. will be there for your protection. I will be getting daily reports from him. This is a part of his job. Your job will be to stay out of trouble, not to cause it."
Jesse hated when Chris reprimanded him in front of his men. "I said I would try." He almost added something more, but was saved by the appearance of the missing three.
"Are we interrupting something?" Vin looked from Chris to Jesse.
"No. Just having a discussion on some of the finer points." Chris told the late arrivals. "Learn anything J.D."
"Yeah. Can't wait to learn more."
Jesse thought what a geek. Can't believe he's been appointed my bodyguard. What a joke.
"Chris, mind if I borrow Jesse for a moment?" Vin grabbed a fistful of Jesse's shirt and led him out of the house before Chris could even utter a word.
Once outside Vin turned Jesse around and got in his face. "Let me make this clear. If you put J.D. in danger you'll be wishing Chris got to you first. That's the only warning you'll get from me. Prove to me I'm wrong.
"Besides, J.D.'s a good man. He'll protect you with his life. Don't you make fun of him. He's a lot smarter than you and me. Maybe he'll learn some street smarts from you, while you learn something from him." He roughly released Jesse and walked away.
Chris caught Vin's eye as he walked back in through the door. "Problem?"
"Nah. Jus' wanted to set some things straight. No harm done. Think I'll call it a night. See ya in the morning." Vin headed into the living room, bid the others a good night before heading to one of the guest rooms.
He wasn't sure if he should go back in or not. Wow, Joe and Luis weren't kidding when they told him how mean Vin could get. He definitely believed them now. Without a doubt he would never cross that man if he could help it. Deep in thought, he barely registered the thump of boots approaching.
"I see Vin came down on you pretty hard. You should probably thank him for keeping you out of trouble, especially since your mouth was looking to get you into more." He was worried when Jesse didn't reply. The teen turned to leave as Chris caught his arm. "Jess…"
"I know. You guys look out for each other. I get it."
"We're also looking out for you as well. Why don't you get ready for bed and then you can give me the news from school."
Jesse nodded and headed back into the house. Upon entering the living room, he observed the following: Vin wasn't in sight, must have retired to his room. The rest of them were playing cards, while J.D. kept them all entertained animatedly discussing his upcoming role in the field.
He didn't think he had stood there long, but nearly jumped when he felt a hand upon his shoulder. "Thought you were heading to your room."
"Hey Chris! Should we expect your ugly ass for the next round?"
Jesse couldn't quite hide his reaction to Buck's question. A slight tremor rippled through his body. The hand on his shoulder tensed slightly, then relaxed. "Thought that was funny, didn't you?"
Watching and grinning simultaneously, Buck waited for Jesse's response. He wasn't disappointed when he heard. "Sure shittin' it was." He also gave the kid credit for moving as quickly as he did so as to stay out of Chris' line of fire.
Glad to see Chris laughing too. Those rare occasions were fast becoming more frequent and Buck knew it had to do with the kid. He didn't want to see his friend travel the road to hell again any time soon. Although, depending on the outcome of this case it could happen. Buck decided then and there that he would think only positive thoughts from now on.
"Alright, deal me in on the next round. Jess, get ready for bed, it's a school night. You got ten minutes."
Still laughing at Buck's antics Jesse walked to his room. He was sitting on his bed when Chris opened the door. Chris came in and sat on the edge of the bed.
"Is that for me?" Chris eyed the envelope in trepidation.
"Why do grownups always expect the worst when notes come home from school?"
Enlightening Jesse he answered. "From past experience, nine times out of ten it's the worst news possible."
"Meaning you were in trouble, gee, imagine that."
"I know hard to believe." Chris took and opened the envelope. Genuinely surprised by what he read. "New teacher. She'll probably be insane by the time you graduate."
"Ha, ha, very funny. But then again, you could be on to something…"
"I'd rather be proven wrong. Don't get any ideas. I could do without getting any more phone calls I think I've had enough already. So, is it a class you like?"
"Not really. History usually puts me to sleep. Although, watching a lady as hot looking as she is might make it worthwhile." The reaction he got was exactly what he had anticipated. Chris' mouth hung wide open.
Although the glare he received was more severe than usual. "Easy. I was joking, although she is one hot little…Never mind. She mentioned we would be starting on the old west. That, at least, has my interest."
"Better be. Keep your mind on your schoolwork. And please don't mention this hot looking teacher to Buck, you know how he is."
Jesse added, "You better tell J.D. too, otherwise Buck will be drooling non-stop until the end of the school year."
"Go to sleep. See you in the morning." Chris smiled before stepping out of the room.
Next morning, Buck grumbled all the way to the office. "Gee, Buck, will you let it go. It was a fluke, Chris doesn't win that often."
"If I didn't know better, I'd say that last hand was fixed."
"What? You think Ezra let Chris win! I think you're out of your mind. He probably was just getting back at you for your earlier shenanigans."
That brought a smile to his face. "Yeah, you're probably right. I just hate losing that much money to him."
"Or he wanted to make sure we all had some decent rest before everything gets blown to hell."
"Stop the car!"
"What? Are you insane?"
"I must be. When did you start making sense."
The glare J.D. shot Buck was reminiscent of the leader. Buck simply laughed the rest of the way to the office.
One more day of freedom, enjoy it while you can, Jess.
"Yo! Earth to Jess!"
Blinking Jesse finally realized someone had been talking to him. "Sorry, Joe. Got some things on my mind."
"Like that hot looking sub you guys got for history class. Man, I'm starting to wish I took that class."
Remembering his conversation with Chris last night he mentioned. "Yeah, it blew Larabee's mind when I told him. However, he did let me know in no uncertain terms that I keep my mind focused on my schoolwork."
"Cheer up, dude. Remember the key word there. He said mind, not eyes. I'll bet your eyes will do a lot of wandering." Joe elbowed him as they began walking to their first period class.
"Ouch. What was that…" A wolf whistle escaped his lips as the object of their discussion walked down the hall.
Sadly another authoritative figure heard it as well. Zeroing in on the two troublemakers, Mr. Bowden called out their names. "Ryder! Gonzales! My office now!"
Ah fuck! Son of a bitch! Jesse knew he was in trouble. What was Chris going to say? A few of the guys in the hallway gave them some discreet thumbs up, while many other people sniggered and gawked as they made their way to the principal's office. Once there, they were promptly chewed out.
"I am disappointed by both your actions today gentlemen."
Joe had the audacity to look behind him to see who their principal was referring to. Obviously, it couldn't be them, because he knew they were not gentlemen.
"Mr. Gonzales, what are you looking for?"
Grinning stupidly, Joe answered, "Trying to figure out who you were talking to. I don't see any gentlemen here."
Jesse inwardly groaned. Way to go asshole. He would have enjoyed this more if he could only stop thinking about one soon to be angry ATF agent. Principal Bowden continued to lecture them relentlessly. Finally, he handed out the punishments. Detention for a week, a phone call and meeting with their parents this afternoon, and a verbal apology from each of them to Ms. Segani. Jesse's thoughts almost missed the last reprimand, he was too focused on the phone call and meeting involving his guardian.
He acted aloof toward the principal, because of his reputation as a hard ass gang banger. Yet, his heart rate accelerated just thinking about Chris. He was in so much trouble. A knock upon the principal's door brought him back to the present.
"Come in." Principal Bowden stated.
Ms. Segani entered the room. Her short wavy dark hair framed her angelic face nicely. Her brown eyes immediately fell on the two boys sitting in front of Principal Bowden's desk.
"Ahem." The principal cleared his throat. "Gentlemen. Yes that means you, Mr. Gonzales and you, too, Mr. Ryder. Whenever a lady enters the room you should stand. Now!"
As nonchalantly as they could, they stood to face her.
In a sweet soft drawl she began. "Are these the two offenders, Mr. Bowden?"
"Yes ma'am. I do believe they have something to say to you, don't you boys?"
Joe offered, "Sorry, Ms. Segani."
She nodded slightly in his direction. Then her gaze fell on the other boy.
Jesse didn't meet her gaze when he said, "Sorry for disrespecting you." When he did meet her gaze he added. "Couldn't help myself. Won't happen again."
Principal Bowden growled, "Ryder."
"Hell, it's the truth. What more do you want me to say?"
Joe actually cringed. Damn Jess, Larabee's gonna take you apart.
Ms. Segani came to the rescue. "Principal Bowden, it's alright. I know what kind of effect I have on men. As long as it doesn't happen again, all is forgiven."
"You're very kind Ms. Segani. I will be scheduling a meeting this afternoon with the boys' parents. You are very welcome to join us."
"That won't be necessary. I'm sure the boys have learned their lesson. If you don't mind, I will now head to my class." She turned to leave the room, but shot a glance back at the two delinquents.
Jesse found that glance to be strange, but immediately forgot it when Principal Bowden reminded them of their afternoon detention and expected them to return promptly to his office at 3:35 pm. He waited on their answers before allowing them to return to their respective classes.
He and Buck had been going over their surveillance strategy when his phone rang. "Larabee…Yeah…He did what?"
That wasn't good, Buck thought. He watched his friend place his elbow on the desk and put his head into his hand.
"What time? 3:30 pm. Sigh. I'll be there." Not a word was said as Chris got up out of his chair, opened the door, and walked out of his office. The rest of his men watched as Chris slammed the outer door.
Breaking the silence that followed. "Let me guess. Young Mr. Ryder is in serious trouble."
"What happened, Bucklin?" Vin kept his gaze on the outer door.
"From what I could tell, it was a call from the school. I think Chris is attending an unforeseen meeting at 3:30 today." He, too, kept an eye on the door.
J.D. hesitated but finally asked, "Do you guys think it has anything to do with our case?"
"No, J.D., not unless the kid is facing a suspension. If he is, he better pray Chris is calmed down by then."
Chris was mad. Hadn't he told the teen to stay out of trouble? Then what does he do, he disrespects a teacher. He was beside himself on what to do next. Principal Bowden didn't say much at all, but expected him to be there at 3:30 this afternoon.
Both Vin and Buck ventured outside to check on their leader. He figured it would be one of them, but was surprised to see both. "Anything else I need to worry about?"
"Nope. You had us worried there, pard."
"What did our juvenile delinquent do this time?"
Taking a deep breath and slowly exhaled he said, "Disrespected a teacher."
"Lord a'mighty! You know he has a penchant for that."
"Well, this time he's walking a fine line. It was a woman." Chris raked his fingers through his hair.
"There could be some serious consequences coming."
"Believe me, I know. The worst part is the waiting. I guess I'll let the Director know I'm leaving early today. My concentration level has been shot to hell."
Vin suggested, "Maybe you should take the rest of the day off. I'm sure the Director would understand."
"No, I can't keep letting this get to me. I needed some time to cool down. Buck, whenever you're ready we'll continue our discussion. Vin, you and Ezra finish helping J.D. and make sure you guys are ready for your own part in this. That includes the whole ensemble Vin."
"Damn! I was hoping you'd forget about that."
"Far from it. Ezra already has an appointment scheduled for the fitting. Too bad, I won't get to see it later."
Buck chimed in eagerly, "Don't you worry, Chris, I'll make sure to post it right next to your rarity."
"Fuck you, Buck!" An embarrassed Vin retaliated.
"I'll be looking for it. God knows I could do with a laugh. Will be needing one after today."
Sitting in detention did nothing for his nerves. Larabee was going to kick his ass for this transgression. It didn't help matters none as Joe kept sending him worried glances as the clock ticked away. Doomsday would begin at 3:35 pm ending his world permanently.
Detention finally ended, and they slowly walked to the principal's office. Jesse, had other ideas and prolonged his sentence a little longer by ducking into the boys restroom. "Hey, what are you doing?" Joe incredulously asked. "Larabee ain't one to be kept waiting."
"I know. I just need a little time that's all. Do you really think arriving on time is going to change the outcome? At least all you'll get is a scolding from your mother. I'm the one who whistled, you were just guilty by association."
Joe reached into his pocket and extricated a pack of cigarettes. "Here, for later. Maybe you can ditch Larabee and grab a few puffs. You sure look like you could use it."
"Wish I could do it now. I don't think he'd be too pleased knowing I smoke."
"You don't do it all the time. Only under times of extreme stress, like today. Besides, he smokes, doesn't he?"
Jesse wasn't sure. "Maybe. I don't know. If he does, he hasn't done it in my presence. Thanks." He shoved them into his inner jacket pocket. Out of sight out of mind. "Well, let's get this over with." They left the restroom and headed off to their execution.
Knowing that their parents' were in attendance, they knocked upon the door, before entering. Everyone in the room looked their way.
"You're late!" Admonished Principal Bowden.
Jesse dug his grave further as he cheekily answered, "Had to take a leak, you got a problem with that?"
Way to go Jess! Joe originally thought until he caught Larabee's glare. Fuck! You're doomed.
"No, but I do. Sit down." Chris all but growled. Jesse didn't have a choice and sat next to his guardian. Joe sat next to his mother.
Principal Bowden then explained to everyone the reason they were there. Each point had been addressed including the disciplinary action that had been dealt. Jesse wanted to sink in his seat, but his cocky attitude refused to give an inch. He anxiously wondered when Chris' attitude was going to boil over.
Chris wanted to throttle Jesse right then and there. It took a lot of restraint on his behalf not to pull Jesse across his knee and give him a sound spanking. Jesse's attitude was pushing his limits.
Jesse knew he was definitely in for it when he snuck a quick glance at Chris. That slight twitch in the man's jaw line gave it away. Not to mention the clenching and unclenching of his hands and the rigidness in which he sat. If he hadn't been breathing nor seething with rage, Jesse would have sworn Chris was in the first stages of rigor mortis.
As the conference came to an end, Principal Bowden said, "I expect there will not be another repeat performance from either of them."
"I can guarantee there will be no such performance from Jesse."
The same pledge came from Mrs. Gonzales. Jesse had been about to stand, but Chris reached out, grasped his arm keeping him in his seat. Their eyes met, the glare pinned him where he sat. Mrs. Gonzales stood first, followed by Joe who gave Jesse a sympathetic look.
"Thank you for your time Mr. Bowden. I am sure my son has learned his lesson today, yes?"
Joe answered, "Si. Yes sir. It won't happen again."
Chris stood next and his hand never left Jesse's arm. "Sorry for the trouble, Mr. Bowden. Would you also convey my deepest apologies to Ms. Segani? Jesse, you got something to say."
When he didn't say anything right away, Chris' grip tightened. "Sorry sir. Won't happen again."
"See that it doesn't, Mr. Ryder. You are well past strike three. Next time it may be a suspension."
Great, Chris thought. As soon as they were in the truck. "Can you go more than a day without getting in trouble? Is it even possible?"
"I have a reputation to uphold."
Chris had just pulled out of the parking lot and hit the brakes hard, throwing both of them forward. "You want to run that past me again."
Not really. "Alright, it slipped today. Joe pointed out how hot looking she was and I whistled, loudly. That's all that happened."
"You got until the count of three to tell me the rest. One…two…thr.."
"Okay, I got mouthy with Principal Bowden. That's it. Nothing more."
Slamming his truck into drive, Chris peeled out, the rest of the ride was a blur as Jesse contemplated his options. Which he concluded he had none. "Chris." His mouth had gone dry.
"Yeah."
"So, have I completely blown it?"
He sighed, then guided the truck over to the shoulder and put it in park. "Jesse, I'm disappointed in you, however, it's not going to prevent me from adopting you. What you should be worried about is when you'll be able to sit comfortably."
Crap. "Is there anyway I can persuade you to pick a different course of action?"
Chris turned off the engine. He watched as Jesse shifted as far from Chris as possible.
"Worried."
"Damn straight… I mean yes."
"You do realize what you did today was wrong, don't you?"
Jesse shrugged. "I just whistled. Most girls like that."
"Nowadays it can be taken as sexual harassment. You're lucky your teacher didn't press charges. You need to think about the consequences before you do things."
Looking contrite, Jesse added for good measure. "I really am sorry, Chris."
"I know and you're going to be sorry later."
Hell. "I can't talk you out of this, can I?"
"No. You brought it on yourself, especially that attitude of yours." Chris watched as Jesse slumped down into his seat. He started the truck up and pulled off the shoulder and headed home.
Once there, Jesse fought the urge to run. If I run he'll be pissed, if I don't run I'll have a sore ass. Either way I'm screwed. "What time is J.D. picking me up tomorrow?"
"He'll be here in plenty of time. You worry about getting your sore behind out of bed tomorrow." Chris also waited to see if Jesse would run.
"Can we just get this over with?"
"Not going to run?"
"No."
"Go and get in the house." He watched Jesse slowly make his way to the house. His cell phone rang as he got out of the truck. "Larabee. J.D. slow down. No, everything's fine. I'd say be here at 7:15. Ask Vin, I'm sure he can tell ya what the average delinquent wears these days. Don't look geeky. Jesse will be waiting. Okay. What was that? Oh. He got a return call. On his way to Kansas City. Good. See ya tomorrow, J.D." Now to take care of the worst part.
Chores were not normally a pain in the ass, but Jesse found everything the next day to be just so. Chris had really laid into him yesterday. He figured he wasn't going to sit comfortably for a month, which would be about the same time he came off of his grounding.
J.D. arrived on schedule, Chris told Jesse to give Vin a call while he was out of the office today and another verbal reminder to stay out of trouble. He wasn't planning on causing any trouble, nevertheless trouble always found him.
"For the umpteenth fucking time, you look fine, J.D. I think Vin's idea was perfect." He could tell J.D. was not comfortable wearing holey jeans and a tight dark colored muscle shirt, accompanied by a well worn jean jacket. "I'll bet you $10 that you'll have at least five different phone numbers from the girls."
"But, I can't date them!"
"Relax. Shit. Calm down and go with the flow. Remember, the babes like the strong and silent type." He could see J.D. starting to sweat. This was going to be a long day. "Hey, stop here. I need to stretch my legs for a moment."
"We'll be late and you know I got to register."
Jesse's patience was wearing thin. "J.D. you're a delinquent, you don't care if you're on time. We'll get there with five minutes to spare, that's all you need. I need you to pull over now!"
J.D. reluctantly pulled over near a small park. He watched as Jesse gingerly climbed out of the car. He followed Jesse over to a park bench. "What are you doing?"
"Having a smoke, what does it look like?" He lit up and inhaled, savoring the moment.
"Does Chris know you smoke?"
"No and he's not going to. I don't do it often, it's a once in awhile habit." Jesse eyed the agent. "Come on J.D., my nerves are stretched. I'm favoring a sore ass, and some maniac out there has plans for me that I don't even want to know about. One small secret, that's all I'm asking, okay?"
"Well, I guess it won't hurt. You don't do it that often, right?"
"Right. Only under extreme stressful circumstances. You'll forget about it anyway. I just need a few drags that's all. Consider yourself lucky that I didn't light up in your car."
"That would've been rude."
"Oh, you haven't seen rude yet." Jesse took a few more drags and extinguished the cigarette. "Let's go, you don't want to be late."
What have I gotten myself into? J.D. worried as they got back into the car and drove to the school. By the time they arrived at the high school he was wishing for a stiff drink.
"Relax, man. You're too uptight. My boys will see right through you in a heartbeat. Picture Vin, slouch a bit. Good. Remember you are not the studious type. You're not here to learn, you've graduated. You are here to observe and keep me out of trouble."
"Which I've already failed miserably at…" That's it, Jesse thought. Why me? The things I got to do. He quickly made sure no one was watching and punched J.D. in the face.
The agent fell to the ground. "What the fuck was that for?"
"Ryder!" Fuck! Jesse turned to see who had shouted his name, giving J.D. the opening he needed to tackle Jesse to the ground. The fight had begun. They rolled and scuffled about on the ground each landing a few more well placed punches. It hadn't lasted more than ten minutes as they were roughly pulled apart by intervening adults.
"Get your hands off of me!" Jesse played his part very well. He only hoped Chris wouldn't kill him later. "You better watch your back you son of a bitch!"
"Ryder, that's enough! Gather your things! Next stop is the Principal's office, young man!" Mr. Callehan, the Physical Education teacher, placed himself in between the two teens. "And who are you?" He asked J.D.
Using his jacket sleeve to wipe the blood away from below his nose, J.D. curtly answered, "Tommy Henshaw, transfer student."
"Well, Mr. Henshaw, I'm sure the Principal will be thoroughly underwhelmed with the first impression you have made at our fine school. Future warning: No fighting on school grounds! Please follow Mr. Zigfeld to the Principal's office. Ryder! Move it!"
"Yeah, yeah." As Jesse walked to the office he saw the guys hanging back from the crowd. Joe gave a questioning look, Jesse responded with a slight hand sign indicating he would see them later.
A few moments later he was standing ,once again, in front of Principal Bowden's desk. "Jesse, we really have to stop meeting like this. You leave me no choice, but to contact Mr. Larabee."
"He's not available today, he's in the field. You'd have to contact Mr. Tanner." Jesse informed him. "And don't I get to say something on my behalf?"
"Fine, be my guest. Enlighten me."
Great, I've been sentenced to hang. I hope I can convince him not to suspend me otherwise Chris will kill me if Vin doesn't succeed first. "I admit it wasn't the smartest thing to do this morning. This kid is new to the school. His dad has recently been transferred to my guardian's team. I've spent the morning listening to his bullsh…b.s. all the way to school. Yeah, Mr. Larabee thought it be great if I could show the kid the ropes. By the time we arrived, my temper was flaring. The next thing he said was an insult to my deceased mother and that is something I won't let slide. I'm sorry to cause so much trouble especially after yesterday's incident. I didn't intend for this to happen. I'll take another weeks worth of detentions if that will help any." This better work otherwise I'm up shit creek, big time.
"Well, I'll consider your proposal. In the meantime, I will be placing a call to Mr. Tanner and I need to discuss this with Mr. Henshaw." Principal Bowden escorted Jesse outside of his office, made sure he sat down in one of the available seats as J.D. followed the principal back into the office.
J.D. soon came out and was told to see the school secretary, Mrs. Haskins as to his schedule. Jesse stayed in his uncomfortable seat knowing Mr. Bowden was probably making that phone call to Vin.
Ezra and Vin had been going over some last minute details concerning their meeting for tomorrow with Valentine. Vin's phone rang. "Tanner. Yes, this is.
What? Is there a cause of action? I see. Yes, I'll pass that information onto Mr. Larabee and Mr. Henshaw. Yes sir. Thank you for being understanding, sir. No, I think it is coincidental, sir. Yeah, how ironic. Sorry, sir. Oh, I'm sure they'll both get a good talking to, sir. Thank you, sir."
"What was that about?" Curiosity showed in Ezra's eyes.
Vin sat back in his chair exhausted by that conversation. "I don't reckon I'll ever know how Chris does it."
"Are you going to allow me to languish here, or spill the beans?"
"That was Principal Bowden."
Ezra rolled his eyes. "I gathered as much. Go on."
"Well there was a fight this morning, guess who it involved?"
"I'll take a wild guess, Mr. Ryder."
Vin's sly glance said there was more. "You'll never guess who else?"
"No. Not our easy going, hyper active computer genius. Will wonders never cease? He's taking his undercover role to the extreme. My, my, I think I'll savor this moment. I didn't think it was possible."
"Ezra, shut up. Quit being so melodramatic."
"That's a mighty big word for you, Vin. What are you and Ezra discussing?" Nathan had entered the room
Continuing with his melodramatics Ezra bluntly stated, "We were discussing the ramifications of a recent fight which took place in a high school parking lot."
"Let me guess, Chris is going to be pissed. Will that boy ever learn to stay out of trouble?"
Vin added, "That's not the kicker of it either."
"What's that supposed to mean? Wait, you don't mean the other party to the fight was J.D.?" Astonishment crossed Nathan's features.
Unable to resist, Ezra said, "By Jove, Mr. Tanner, I think he's got it!"
"Quit the malarkey, Ezra. Vin, has either of them checked in yet?"
"Too early for that. I don't expect a call from them until mid afternoon, unless something goes wrong."
Meanwhile, sitting a respectable distance from the drop point, Buck and Chris kept their eyes on the comings and goings of a small private airport outside of Denver. The drop time came and went leaving both agents wary of unexpected possibilities.
"Chris, how do you do it?" Exasperation coated Buck's tone.
"Do what?"
He sat looking through binoculars watching everything that moved.
"How can you be so relaxed? I'm on pins and needles wondering how J.D. and Jesse are getting along."
Lowering the binoculars, "Buck, J.D. will be fine. I'm more worried about Jesse. No telling what will happen with him. Trouble seems to follow him wherever he goes. There's not much I can do from here. Whatever happens today, happens. I'll handle it when I get back. That's all we can do."
"I swear you make it look easy."
"Fuck. Nothing's easy, when dealing with a teenager. And Jesse hasn't had a normal life so it makes my job ten times rougher. I swear Orrin knew exactly what he was doing when he placed Jesse with me."
"Hell, Chris, admit it. You wouldn't trade it for the world." The twinkle in his friend's eyes convinced him.
"You're right, Buck…Whoa! Looks like we finally have a little activity going on."
Buck agreed once he got his binoculars in place. "Truck coming in!"
"Let's see what they've got there."
Both J.D. and Jesse had to stay after their first period class to ascertain what they had missed. A disappointed look from the teacher met their questions. Finally, after all was said and done they had made it to their next class seconds before the final bell rang starting the next period. Jesse joined his buddies leaving J.D. to fend for himself. By the time lunch rolled around, Jesse finally caught up with the rest of his gang.
"So, what happened this morning?" Luis asked.
Joe eyed him suspiciously after he gave the same explanation as he did to the principal. Figures Joe would be unconvinced. He was even more unconvinced when J.D. approached their table. His boys rose to defend, blocking J.D. from his intended path.
"Easy guys. Let him sit. I gotta ride home with him anyways."
After the initial questions and answers everyone, but Joe warmed up to the new kid at school. With approximately ten minutes to go, Joe cornered Jesse in the boys restroom. "Alright spill it. Something's not sitting right with me. You have a fight with this bozo and then all of a sudden you're buddy buddy with him. Give me a fucking break!"
"Alright, you win. That new kid Tommy is an ATF agent undercover, okay. I was told not to tell anyone about it."
"Why the fuck not? Are you insinuating you can't trust your boys? What the fuck, Jess? How could you not trust us?"
How could he not trust them? He could see the hurt and anger radiating from Joe's eyes. "Sorry man. They've got a mole. I…"
"All of a sudden you trust those ATF guys over us? We've known ya longer. Man that really hurts." Joe made to pass Jesse, but Jesse grabbed him and pushed him into the nearest wall.
"Damn it Joe! I'm sorry my fucked up life is so damn complicated. My life is in danger, possibly even yours and the rest of our crew. Do you realize how much this is killing me? I hate holding things back from you, but lately I don't seemingly have a choice in any of this! So, if you want to fucking walk away, then do it. See if I give a shit!" Jesse suddenly turned away from his friend as hot tears of anger came on strong.
His breathing took on a definite change. As he fought his emotions, Joe approached him with hesitation. "Hey, man. Sorry. I don't like being in the dark as much as you do. We cool."
Jesse punched one of the stall doors, leaving a definite dent in it. He then hastily wiped his eyes while he pulled a cigarette out and lit it. Handing Joe the pack, he mumbled. "Yeah, we cool."
No sooner had he said the words, J.D. barged into the restroom asking if he was alright. "Jesse you said you didn't smoke much."
"Sorry, man, the day is proving to be a little too much for me. And when it's just us don't try so hard, and one more thing, I had to tell Joe."
"What? Chris isn't going to like this."
Jesse then informed J.D. what he had originally told Chris and that somewhat relaxed the young agent. "Well at least detention won't be too boring. We've got an extra man to help bide the time."
"Wait, Jesse. I don't think Chris will approve this."
He looked at Joe as if to say, 'see what I got to put up with.' Joe just shook his head laughing quietly. "Chill, J.D., enjoy the moment. And speaking of which it's time for our history lesson. See ya, Joe."
"See you in detention, brother."
After school and just before detention, J.D. told Jesse, "Jess, I swear your history teacher looks familiar to me. I can't quite place where I would have seen her, though."
"I think her beauty frazzled your mind. I know she's done the same to me. Poor Joe has to pine for her from afar."
Coming up to join them Joe replied, "Ha, ha, very funny. I can still dream, can't I?"
"Let's get this over with."
"Hey, don't you need to call Vin?"
"See, Joe, her powers have completely turned him into a simpleton. It's when we're on our way home that I need to call him, remember? Sheesh."
J.D. grinned right along with them as they walked to detention.
Unknown to any of them a shadowy figure smiled wickedly watching their every move. Enjoy your freedom Jesse Ryder, because soon you will know my true purpose.
Remember people - this is a work of fiction. I do not promote the use of cigarettes or any sexual harrassment of any kind. I don't want anyone to take offense to this. If you don't like, then please by all means don't read.
