Vin put the radio back into the glove compartment. He could feel JD's fidgeting feet on the back of seat, but he understood. Buck noticed it too. He grabbed a hold of JD's shoulder.
"You're sure you're okay, Kid?" Buck asked "I really don't know if you're up to this right now, you should be back at Chris's sleeping by the fire next to your friend." Disgustedly, JD shrugged off Buck's arm.
"I'll be fine if you just quit mothering me," JD answered. "How else you plan on getting inside my house without me?"
"Still…" Buck began.
"Just let me be," JD answered. Chris laughed as he drove down the road. Buck had found another cub to look after. Uncle Buck was back.
"You better get used to it, JD," Chris said. "Buck's got a habit of acting like an old mother bear sometimes."
"I don't need anyone looking out after me," JD answered in a huff, but nobody had the chance to respond. Flashing red and blue lights greeted them as Chris drove down the long driveway.
"Damn." He swore, slamming his hand down on the steering wheel. "Royal's already got the cops here." He mind was racing fast, trying to think of a plan. "Vin, pull out those spare handcuffs and the gun."
Vin reopened the glove compartment and the radio dropped to the ground. He pulled out the gun holster and handcuffs.
"You know how to use a gun?" Chris asked JD.
"Well yeah, but I m not a very good…"
"As long as you can shoot it, you're fine," Chris answered as Vin handed JD the holster. JD attached it to his jeans.
"Buck, put the cuffs on him." All three men gave him a questioningly look.
"Just do what I say," Chris hissed quietly, as a short man in a blue uniform started to walk up to the vehicle. "Just follow my lead."
Buck put the cuffs on after JD put his arms behind his back. He patted the kid's shoulder when JD involuntarily shuddered. They were on a few seconds before the man reached the truck. Chris rolled down his window.
"This area is under investigation, sir. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Chris pulled out his badge.
"FBI Special Agent Larabee, the federal government has taken over this case. You and your partners have to leave now."
"Since when?" The officer challenged.
"Since we caught the criminals that Senator Royal reported," Chris answered. His voice sounded more like a growl than anything. The cop looked into the back of the vehicle. Complete surprise was written on his face when he saw JD.
"How did you catch him?" he asked.
Chris was stuck, but Vin was quick on his feet.
"We saw a black Cadillac driving down Highway cars may be pretty to look at, but they sure are as slow as a freaking turtle."
"Where's the girl?" The cop asked. "I thought you said you caught both of them."
"He was the first one to talk," Chris answered. "He'll spend less time in prison, if he shows us Standish's house."
"Oh, okay,' the cop said and waved the vehicle through. Once the Ram was out of sight the cop returned to his partner, a lean black man in his middle twenties.
"Royal never said anything about the FBI," the new man said.
"We stick to the plan. We're supposed to kill the two of them and anybody that comes with them. It doesn't matter who they are."
"The girl ain't with them," the first man answered.
"We'll worry about her later," The second man answered. "Come on; let's get into position to take them out."
"There's only two of us and four of them."
"So? We've got the element of surprise, and Dunne is handcuffed. Their brains will be blown out before they even know what hit 'em." As the two criminals began walking up the drive searching for a good hiding place, the FBI team was piling out of the truck. Vin had connected Josiah for a heads-up about possible cops. Chris reached over and unlocked JD's handcuffs.
"Nicely played," Vin said with approval. "For a while there, I was afraid you were losing your touch, Old Man."
"When this is over, I'll show you who's the old man, Tanner," Chris answered with an evil smirk on his face.
"You said you've got proof about the Senator's meeting?" Buck asked JD. JD nodded his head and opened the front door to the huge house. All of them gasped when they saw the living room. Couches had been pulled over, picture frames had crashed to floor, and the horse sculpture was laying on the ground, shattered into a hundred pieces.
"Holy shit," JD answered. "What the hell where they looking for?" The three older men looked at JD with hidden smiles; they had never heard him swear before.
"Could it possibly be for two young vigilantes who like to masquerade as an Archives secretary and a FBI agent?" Buck asked, trying to lighten the mood, but it didn't help.
The four men walked into the room, looking over the damage. Chris could only imagine what the cost of all the broken things were. JD walked through the dining room and kitchen. He almost tripped over the baby grand piano lying on its side. He walked back into the living room.
"I hope this Ezra guy has got a good housekeeper," Buck said.
"The best," JD answered, heading for the steps. Chris stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Doesn't pay to go up there, son. I'm sure it looks the same."
"No, I have to find Monty," JD answered. "Ezra will be devastated if anything happened to him. Monty!" He yelled
"JD," Chris started to say. If Royal's men had been inside looking for them, there was no way they would have let the dog survive, not one as protective as that German Shepard. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a whine. He looked at the top of the steps to see a familiar face limping down the steps.
The dog made it to the fourth step before it collapsed. JD rushed up the steps and lifted the animal in his arms.
"He was shot in his paw," JD told Chris," but I don't think it's too bad." Chris saw the dried blood caked on the dog's left front paw
"If only dogs could talk," Chris said. "He could sure tell us a lot." He patted the dog on the head, when Monty wagged his tail.
The two men returned to where Vin and Buck were still digging around in the living room. Monty growled when he saw the strangers.
"Relax, Monty, they're going to help us get Ezra back," JD told the dog. The dog perked up his ears at the mention of his master's name and relaxed in JD's arms.
"That dog needs a vet," Vin said.
"He'll have to wait," Chris answered. "JD, we've got to get downstairs now." JD nodded his head and walked towards the fireplace. He set the dog down and kneeled down next to the fireplace. He removed the stone wall with his free hand.
"Oh shit!" Buck yelled. "That's so cool!" JD led the men to the elevator and lowered them down into the basement.
"Why do I get the feeling that I've seen this in a movie before?" Vin asked..
"Batman?" Chris asked, smiling at JD.
"Yeah, that's it," Vin answered. "Hey, and Standish is just like Bruce Wayne. You know rich bastard by day, hero by night. What?" He asked when JD and Chris started to laugh.
"This whole lot nicer that any Bat Cave I've ever seen," Buck said when the elevator reached to bottom. JD didn't respond as he rushed to the table holding the large microphone. He motioned for the others to be quiet. He flipped on two switches on the piece of equipment and listened. Two voices blared through the speakers in the room.
