Do As You Must

Chris looked at the blonde, anguished woman, supported in Josiah's arms and saw her eyes lift until they were looking straight at him.

To Becky, the question in the blonde man's clear green eyes as he supported the weight of his friend by his side was obvious, 'who the hell are you?' She lifted her chin a notch, feeling the scrutiny of those eyes, the pressure there to tell him everything. Could she trust these men? Did she even have a choice now?

"Looks like another detour to the hospital," Buck said, helping Nathan to stand from where he was still kneeling next to the dead guard before turning to Chris and Vin.

"I'm ok," Vin said, "Nothin' you can't fix for me Nate."

Nathan moved forward and pried Vin's fingers from where they were grasped around the side of his chest, his fingers held firm under his opposite arm, propping it up slightly in a position he knew from experience helped him to alleviate the pain a little. He quickly saw that the susceptible shoulder was dislocated again, as had happened several times since he'd known the prone-to-injury Texan.

"Go on, Nate, just do it before the crowd builds up again," Vin urged softly, seeing the hesitation in the healer's face and knowing the sooner after the event the shoulder was put back in, the easier it would be.

Nathan shot a quick glance at Chris who gave a barely perceptible nod in return. Chris knew that Vin had had enough of hospitals and doctors. Despite his friend's obvious pain, he knew he was used to experiencing setbacks of the recurring injury.

"We'll need to pick up a bandage," Nathan said, preparing to reposition the joint. He turned Vin towards Chris and placed his hands on the injured arm once more. When Vin winced and pulled away at the light grip on his upper arm Nathan looked at him sharply as he felt through the shirt on the bicep and identified the lump of a bandage underneath.

Vin just looked at Nathan, sending him a silent plea to get it over with. He too knew from experience that the quicker it was reset, the better it would be for him. There was no swelling or stiffening yet, but he knew if they waited much longer Nathan would be calling for a muscle relaxant to be injected through the tissue.

"Ready?" Nathan asked the too-long head of hair, knowing he'd find out soon enough about exactly what had happened to the sharpshooter and what other injuries he was carrying.

"Just do it," Vin mumbled huskily, hating the wait more than the act itself. He'd been through this many times, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt like hell every time. He waited through the next seconds as Nathan gripped his arm and shoulder firmly, his body tense. He then jerked into Chris's chest with the wrenching pain Nathan's hands brought to his shoulder as he repositioned the head of the joint back into it's socket in one powerful, skilled jerk.

"Jesus Christ," JD said, watching as Chris threw an arm around Vin and held him upright. He, too, had watched Nathan do the same thing before for Vin, but still cringed every time it happened. He'd seen Vin force the joint back into place himself once too, which had left him with a whole new respect for the man he already held in worship.

For his part, Vin just clenched his jaw, not sure whether to stop holding his breath or not just then.

"We need to get out of here," Chris said, frowning as he considered their options. Vin was about ready to collapse and he wanted to get him as far away from the open public as he could. He also knew that it was important to inform the police of everything they knew straight away while the trail was still hot for the young boy. He looked at the woman again and was surprised when she pushed herself away from Josiah to face him.

"I'm coming with you."

The six agents all stared at her in surprise. Gone were the tears, their aftermath still drying on her pale skin. In their place was a look of grim determination.

"Lady, I know you're upset, but you need to tell the cops everything you know," Buck started.

"No. You don't understand. I can't tell the police anything. I have to leave. Please..."

Vin frowned at the desperation in the woman's face. Why wouldn't she want to tell the police? Didn't she want to get her son back?

Chris turned to Nathan and Josiah. "You guys stay and give a report, meet us out there." He turned to Becky again. "We can't take you with us. Nathan and Josiah here will help you, you stay with them and-"

"No!" Becky took a step closer to Chris, pleading with him to understand, her voice passionate but steady now. There was no time to indulge her grief, she had to get Jordan back. "Listen. You guys are federal agents. I need your help. I can't go to the police..." Her voice lowered again. "The men who took Jordan, my son, they're bad people. I can't trust anyone, even the police, you have to help me. If I tell the police they'll just report back what I've told them to... the kidnappers... They have men on the inside, they have men everywhere! Do you know what it's taking for me to even tell you this right now?" Becky took a calming breath, getting worked up now wasn't going to help. She gave the blonde leader an intense plea with her eyes, she had to make him understand. "Please... help me," she said simply.

Chris returned the level stare of the woman and considered her words. He could feel Vin fading beside him and saw the police and security heading their way.

"Chris," Vin said, looking at the woman also.

"We're not taking her Vin," Chris decided, already sensing what Vin wanted to do. Nobody liked picking up errant puppies more than Vin did. "Josiah-"

"Chris." Vin said again, pushing himself away from his friend painfully, still holding his arm away from his body with his other arm. He spoke softly, "If all she says is true, we can't turn our back on her. You know as well as I do you can't always trust the police."

Chris looked at him in disbelief, he'd made up his mind, but he also knew that Vin had the keenest instincts of anyone he knew. It was enough to make him look at the woman again. "So you don't even want to report your son missing?" he asked her bluntly.

"Believe me. The only thing I want now in the world is to get my little boy back and I wont rest until I do, but I can not tell the police, you have to trust me in that. If I thought it would help him at all, I would start shouting it from the sky right now, but it wont. In fact, it'll probably ensure I don't get him back." She choked on her last words, trying not to think about that outcome.

"Chris, you have to get Vin out of here," Nathan said, pulling a folded sheet of paper out of his pocket and handing it to his boss. He could see how exhausted his recently returned team were and was worried by the pale, strained features of Vin's face. "This is the map to Travis's cabin. We'll sort this out then follow you out there." He jutted his chin towards the exit, "My car's out there, take that," he dug in his pocket and grabbed his keys out, handing them to Buck. "There's bags in the trunk, we packed some clothes, assumed we'd all be heading out there as soon as you got back."

Buck looked from Nathan and back to the woman that he had been studying silently. He knew they couldn't head out to their respective homes for supplies until they had determined the danger. He, too, trusted Vin's instincts, but something just seemed off about the whole situation. The woman seemed completely sincere, but she was leaving out some pretty important parts.

"Do you know who took your son?" Buck asked simply, watching the petite blonde's face for the truth.

Becky flicked her eyes to the man who had asked her the quiet question she'd been expecting. "My ex-husband," she said levelly.

Buck looked at her face and believed her. "And who might that be?" he persisted.

Becky had stalled her answer but knew the second part of the question was coming. She kept her face neutral and her voice steady as she spoke. "A man I married back in Australia," she said, knowing that in the rush of the situation they would probably assume that meant that he was Australian. "His name is Jonathan Braxton." That wasn't a lie exactly. Paolino had often used Braxton as an alias, he even had a passport with the forged name on it. There was no way she was telling them that she was Paolino's wife until she knew their position and how exactly they were involved with the snake.

"If you're lying to us lady, I swear to God..."

"Buck," Vin cut him off, trying desperately to remain standing.

Buck looked at Vin and his face softened, "Alright Vin, you win for now. Let's just get you the hell out of here, the rest we'll deal with later."

Decision made, Chris spoke quickly to Nathan and Josiah. "Find out everything you can on this woman. Get her name from the passenger record and go from there." Pausing a second to think he lowered his voice and continued. "Call the Judge, tell him everything you know, that we have the woman with us and may need more protection. He'll need to get another team on the kid straight away. Let me know what he has to say."

"We'll handle it and call you when we're on our way," Josiah said, handing Chris his own phone, "Here, take my phone, there's no phone up there. No doubt the Judge will want to speak to you once we fill him in."

Chris took the phone and turned to Vin. "Ready?"

Vin smiled faintly at Chris, sensing how pissed off he was about taking the woman along. He couldn't explain it to himself, he just knew they couldn't leave her there. As Chris pried his hand away from holding it under his injured arm, he gasped in pain and allowed Chris to help him balance his weight.

"Let's ride," Chris said.

Nathan looked at Vin. "There's a med kit in the car, you need to immobilise that arm - and don't take any aspirin!"

Vin smiled at Nathan through his exhaustion, "I know Nate, thanks."

Buck took the woman's arm and followed Chris and Vin to the exit, JD beside him.

"I'm Buck Wilmington by the way, ma'am and this here's John Dunne-"

"JD," JD broke in quickly.

"- and you are?" Buck continued as if JD hadn't spoken.

"Rebecca... Becky, Braxton."

"I thought you were divorced?" JD asked.

"I am. I haven't changed my name yet. It's complicated..." she said ambiguously. These men were relentless. She knew she had to prepare for their questions, she just wasn't ready yet after the long flight and the trauma of losing her son only minutes before.

"Leave her be, guys, we'll sort it out soon enough," Vin said quietly over his shoulder as they approached the waiting car. He let Chris ease him into the passenger seat and rested his head back against the headrest, closing his eyes wearily.

The drive was long and quiet. The five occupants of the car were all exhausted. After a brief stop at a nearby supermarket for supplies they continued on without stopping, not wanting to make their presence known to any locals near the cabin and preferring to drive straight there and settle in. As they were stopped Chris got a call from the Judge, who had spoken with Josiah. He moved away from the woman in the car and spoke at length about the situation. He gave the details of the kidnapping and the name of the suspected kidnapper before continuing on to discuss what backup would be arranged and what teams would be brought in.

All the while Becky let her thought's churn. Would they be able to track Paolino's alias back to him? It was the first name she'd thought of… She started to regret going with these men. How far could she trust them? She contemplated telling them everything right then, shuddering at the thought of their reaction to discovering the truth of who she was, but then stopped herself. She had learnt the hard way you couldn't trust people. It was just her and her boy.. and it was up to her to get him back, any way she could, even if she had to use these men to do it.

..

Cast No Shadow

Vin was tired but could not find sleep for most of the long drive. His wounds pained him and made it difficult to get comfortable. He never uttered a word of complaint, in fact, he never spoke at all during the drive unless directly spoken to. As Chris looked now at his friend's troubled face, clearly reflected in the glass of the window, he saw he was still deeply troubled. Vin may have gotten through his physical injuries well, given the extent of the damage wrought on his body, but his mental scars were far from healed.

Vin was not aware of Chris's periodic scrutiny as they drove. His mind was flicking through other places, stopping to pick at the debris along the way from too many ugly scenes he had lived through to never talk about. He thought of the day in the alleyway when Paolino's men had attacked him before they took him out to the complex. The last day he would see his friends for months.

He remembered the kids that had walked past him, sliced him across his stomach all too casually with a knife and then moved on. He knew some may find it strange that he could muster no anger for those kids, but not many would understand their way of living as he did.

Vin often felt like it was only yesterday that he had been living off of those very streets. Streets that forced you to use your brain, your instincts for survival, every day until you were a part of them, hoping that your wits were enough to see you through, often finding that it was your fists that got you out in the end. He felt so very old sometimes, the memories of those long, lonely days so clear and ingrained in him that they were imprinted on his very soul like a brand, constantly reminding him of where he came from, where he had been, where he had wanted to be. As old as he felt now, the feelings were so fresh, they never seemed to dampen with time. Sometimes he felt like he could walk back in there at street level and pick up where he left off.

Perhaps that is why he'd never moved away. He was a part of those streets. That matrix of buildings, concrete, flesh and blood that made up Purgatorio. Everywhere he went, they came with him, the memories, the images, the feelings he associated with those times... He finally realised, as he rested his head once again against the glass and closed his eyes, that he would always take a piece of that place with him, he really did not have a choice. Maybe it was time to let go. What was he holding on for? He had made a difference to the people out there, but how much? The problems of that place extended far beyond his feeble reach... far beyond anyone's, he was beginning to think. When one bastard like John Paolino could not be stopped from bringing gun's to children's hands on the streets, what hope was there?

Another soft, desolate sigh from Vin and Chris frowned as he looked out the windscreen again. Vin was wallowing in doubt again, he could feel it. Once the Judge organised their reinforcements and they arrived to secure the ranch, he would force Vin to relax a little and stop thinking. This was a time to heal, to be surrounded by positivity and friends, to see the goodness in life again for a while. Every now and then everyone needed to do that, but he didn't think Vin had been given the opportunity to do that for a long time and he intended to make sure that he got one now, despite the thoughts of revenge he knew his best friend was harbouring, nurturing even.

"Can you change the station, Chris? This channel sucks," JD complained from the back seat.

"Aint nothin' wrong with Linda Rodstandt, Kid. That woman - ."

"Is old," JD finished.

"Right, well that would eradicate her talent then, wouldn't it?" Buck said quickly.

"Eradicate? That your word for the day, Buck?" JD said with a grin.

"No... that would be strangulate... and I can demonstrate it's meaning for you now if you like."

"You could try," JD grinned back, giving Buck his best 'bring it' grin.

Chris said nothing, but flicked the station over and turned up the volume a little to cover the banter in the back seat.

Buck heard the music filter through to the back seat and found he liked the tune, not that he would ever admit it. Even JD was quiet for a minute as he listened, though that could have been a direct result of the air having been dug out of him by Buck's elbow.

Chris found himself listening to the words coming out of the radio as they repeated for the second time.

*Here's a thought for every man

Who tries to understand what is in his hands

He walks along the open road of Love & Life

surviving if he can

Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say

Chained to all the places that he never wished to stay

Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say

and as he faced the sun he cast no shadow

As they took his soul they stole his pride...

Vin was moved by the words that seemed to flood the car, pointing poignant fingers at him as he pretended to sleep. He was so moved by them in fact that he kept his eyes tightly closed, sure that his emotions had been exposed and he would find everyone staring. It was one of those rare moments when you truly, deeply felt that a poet or writer really got you, really knew what was inside of you and expressed it for you perfectly so that it was brought to light, making you feel so less alone and isolated.

Chris had seen Vin's jaw clench at the words over the radio. He felt Vin's pain like it was his own. His brother was not going to face the open road alone, he was going to be right beside him, steering him forward and helping him to get his shadow back, before they ended this nightmare once and for all.

..

Getting Perspective

Josiah and Nathan finally reached the ranch hours later and found their friends in the expansive kitchen, discussing the events of the day. They nodded to Becky on the way in where she sitting on a couch, feigning reading a book no doubt taken from the expansive library behind her.

She didn't know it yet, but the property was now completely surrounded with agents, ATF and FBI alike. The Judge had wanted his own men in on the protection of their own agent and had then requested the backup of the FBI, calling on a long-time friend for the loan of some trusted men.

"Howdy boys," Buck said, smiling at the two men he had not seen for weeks before the airport that day.

"Buck," Nathan nodded, taking a seat. "How's Vin?" he asked Chris.

"Tired," Chris said, taking a sip of his coffee. "He's taking a shower. He's gonna take some time to come round, he hasn't really said much about the whole thing yet."

"He's got that time now," Josiah said, sitting himself down at the large wooden table.

Chris didn't say anything to that, just took another sip of his creamy coffee.

Four sets of eyes took in his silence and the grim expression on his face with keen eyes.

"You don't think he plans to sit around and wait for Paolino to come to him, do you," Buck said. It wasn't a question.

Chris sighed and put his cup down. "I don't know what he's thinking right now. I just want him to relax for a while, not think about anything if that's possible. I don't think he knows what he wants to do right now, we just need to be here."

"I'm not implying Vin would lie to us, Chris, but do you think there's a chance he has a clue as to where Paolino might have gone? He was with his men long enough to maybe get an idea..."

Chris thought about Nathan's words, he knew Vin wanted John Paolino's head on a stick. "We talked about it on the plane a little, he knows that when we go after that prick, we do it as one. I don't think he'd go it alone this time."

"Paolino can't hide out forever, every country has a warrant out for him, where the hell could he go?" Buck said.

"I don't think he's gone anywhere," Vin's voice said softly from the doorway.

Startled, the men gathered at the table turned as one to see a freshly showered Vin, hair still wet and curling in wavy lengths onto his bare shoulders, leaning against the door frame. The pants he wore hung low on his hips emphasising his lean, golden stomach and the definition of the hard muscles gathered there.

"What makes you think that? You think he's still in Australia?" Buck asked, really wanting to playfully ask Vin how many sit-ups they had him doing a day to get that six-pack, but he'd held back, not sure how Vin would take it, given that they didn't know yet just what it had been like for Vin for those months he had been forced to do Paolino's bidding. The fact that he had to watch his words from his close friend hurt, it made him wish he could reach out and snap that gangsters neck like a chicken right then for putting this divide between them, causing that shadowed look in Vin's eyes.

"No," Vin said, his voice still quiet and low. "I think he's here somewhere."

"Why would he risk staying in the country he is most wanted in? Why wouldn't he hide out overseas for a while? His assets are frozen but I'm sure he has funds stashed all over the place," Josiah thought out loud, frowning.

"Because this is where his interests lie," Chris said, holding Vin's eyes with an intense look of his own.

"Surely he wouldn't keep trading his weapons now that the whole country is looking for him," JD said. "That would be stupid."

"I don't think our brother was referring to those interests, JD," Josiah said, reading the byplay between Chris and Vin.

JD looked from Josiah, to Chris and then Vin, putting it together.

"You think he's gonna come after Vin? I mean, in person? Wouldn't he send one of his men?"

Vin gave his head a little shake. "Not this time. This time he'll try an' settle this himself. Reckon he's the type'a man would take matters in his own hands after a stuff-up like that plane mess."

"So we just wait for him to come to us?" Buck said.

JD had to bite his snigger back. Buck had sounded just like Darth Vader talking to Emperor Palpatine.

Buck shot JD a withering glance. "I know what you're thinkin'."

JD's eyes popped wide. "No you don't!"

"Vader know's everything."

JD's mouth hung open. Of course, Buck knew every line from the original star wars movies.

"So we lie low for a bit," Chris interjected, completely used to talking around their off-track banter. "Hopefully they'll find him, he can't hide out forever," Chris said with conviction.

"This 'aint your problem, Chris. He could wait months, who knows what he's really thinkin'? I said he'd come after me to finish up his loose ends, but I can't say for sure how long that'll take. You guys can't expect to put your lives on hold until he decides to make his move." Vin's always quiet voice held an edge of determination.

"I don't think you realise that we're already a part of this. As long as he's after you, Vin, we're all potential bargaining tools. Who says he wont try and hold one of us, use us like he did Ezra?"

Vin flinched at that and his face shone with guilt. Chris saw it but knew these were words Vin had to hear.

"And Ezra's going to be lying low too as soon as he gets here. Paolino's going to be wanting his hide now that he knows he's alive," he added.

Josiah had been watching Vin's face carefully, needing to say his own piece. "Chris is right Vin, none of it's your fault. It comes with the job. We all know what we signed up for when we joined this team. You're looking at it like it's a personal quest, but it's not. Someone marked you as a target, that's not in your control, brother. There's nothing that you could have done differently. We're your team and we're bound to be involved, that's what we're supposed to do. Whether it was us or some other team, everyone would be at risk, it's out of your hands."

Josiah wanted to get that look of guilt off Vin's face but more than that, he wanted to ease the sadness he read in those blue eyes. It was easy to pick up on Vin's desolation, his self doubt.

"Besides, this gives those FBI boys out there something to do for a change, be mighty nice to see 'em cover our back's for once!" Buck chuckled.

"I just hope the Judge was right in bringing them in. How can we be sure we cleaned out all of the agents on Paolino's payroll?" Nathan asked.

"He trusts the captain, Hugh Kaufman. He's known him for a long time, he runs a tight team," Chris said.

"Let's hope so, I'm starting to believe that whole department is on the take," Buck said, scowling.

..

Later that night they stayed around the massive lounge room and waited for Ezra to show, having ordered him to bring food. Chris watched Vin where he'd fallen asleep on the couch, his face peaceful and his breathing even. He didn't think it had fully registered with him yet that they had Vin back. He felt a quiet satisfaction, able to believe, if only for this moment, that there wasn't a care in the world. Finally, after so many months of worry they were all safe, their circle complete again.

As Chris kept his silent vigil, the stranger in the room watched silently. She saw the intimidating blonde captain's face soften and was amazed at the transformation. It was the first time she had seen him let his guard down, she didn't think she'd seen him smile until that moment. He was strikingly handsome, she realised. The smile relaxed the angles of his face and made him seem approachable, almost... Her eyes widened when she saw him turn to face her and his smile fell away to be replaced by the usual hard line. He gave a soft nod towards the balcony and headed out the door. It was not a request to join him, it was clear that she had been summoned. As he walked out, she felt his presence leave the room and took a deep breath, steeling herself against the questions he was bound now to ask.

..

Shadows of Doubt

Chris leaned on the railing outside, looking out into the quiet night. There were too many clouds to see stars in the dark sky, even the moon struggled to penetrate the low-lying shadows as they hovered overhead, threatening rain. The wooden porch was cast in eerie shadow, which shifted with the moving patches of dark overhead.

It was so still out here, away from the noise of the city. It was easy to get caught up in the rat race and forget to take a moment to stop and reflect. They all loved their work, but there had to be a balance. If it wasn't for the glimpses of men that he caught securing the area he could almost think that they were here for some R&R, but the entire situation was deadly serious and Chris Larabee hadn't forgotten that for a moment. Every time he looked at Vin's face he was reminded of his priorities… and the first thing on his list was finding out what the hell was going on with this woman who had tagged along in a shroud of suspicion and doubt.

"I take it you wanted to speak with me?"

Chris turned to the sound of the quiet, female voice and leaned his back on the rail.

"Think we need to have a chat, don't you?" he said, his voice soft and low. He and the boys hadn't left her alone for a second since they'd arrived, but he wanted answers.

Despite the lazy delivery, Becky heard the quiet determination in his voice and felt her heart pick up its pace. What had she been doing, thinking that she had a chance in hell of getting around these men. She may have gotten this far, but the ride would soon be over unless she played it right.

She tried to make out his eyes in the darkness, praying for some show of compassion, some leniency… there was none. His voice was set, his jaw firm and she knew that even if she could see his green eyes, they too would be showing her no quarter.

Her mind raced. She hadn't had time to think, to plan ahead. How to play this? He was demanding the truth from her, but she couldn't trust him with the truth, couldn't trust any of them. She had walked out on John Paolino, had tried to kill him… You couldn't do something like that and not expect to mark yourself for death… and there was more than her life at stake here.

When she had met him in Sydney where she had grown up, she had been dazzled by his charm, his money, the life that he could offer her. She'd left everything and everyone she had known behind to move with him to America and he had bought her a beautiful property north of Sydney as a wedding present for them to stay at when they went there.

Later, she had known that he was up to no good, but it had been a long time in coming and by then she had given birth to their son. The longer she stayed with him, the wider her eyes opened and she came to realise that she knew so much, he would never let her go. The Paolino's were a powerful syndicate in the crime world, with fingers in almost everything it seemed. On the payroll were members of government departments from the police to the FBI, judges, customs officials, international diplomats… it was a long, extensive and very frightening list. As their marriage turned to something dark and unpleasant, John told her in no uncertain terms that he would never let her leave him. He'd kill her first.

Hardly speaking any more, forced to endure the terrible tempers that often led to violence, not to mention his definition of sex when the mood struck him, she'd decided enough was enough and made her plan of escape from their home in America.

Turning to the only person that she truly trusted, Cocci, the family doctor who had always been so kind and understanding with her and her son, she'd confided in him her plans to leave with Jordan. Never for a second had she dreamed that he would go to Guytano and tell him. He knew how John treated her, had even set her wrist once when John had broken it in a particularly bad rage. How he could turn her in was beyond her and had been devastating for her belief in the goodness of people, not to mention her trust in them.

John had been enraged and had come storming to the bedroom. Cocci, too little too late, had tried to tell him to calm down as John slammed the door on him and locked it from the inside. He had beaten her so badly that time that Cocci had wanted to send her to a hospital, but neither John nor his father would allow that. John had forgotten his rage the moment it was over, carrying her to Cocci and tenderly watching over her while she recovered. The tenderness was somehow more terrifying than the violence, for there was always the fear that he would snap again at any moment.

Not believing that he would stop at hitting her and not hurt their son, she had planned again to get away. Soon or later Jordan was bound to work out what was going on. Trusting no one, she had waited until he had taken her with him back to Australia and realised if she was going to do it, this is where she had the best chance of success. She knew people here, people she really could trust, even if they had not approved of her choice of a husband.

She knew they were there for one of the fights Guytano organised, but knew nothing more about what went on at one. Guytano spent a lot of his time involved with his fighting interests, but she purposely avoided finding out about them. From what she knew, they could be likened to a cock-fight that she had once had the misfortune to witness in Thailand. She pitied the poor men that were at Guytano's mercy.

She had stayed at their home that night, knowing that there would be men watching her until John returned after the event. She had packed quietly, inconspicuously, getting hers and Jordan's things together and putting him to bed early so that he would be rested. Then she had snuck her few bags out to the back of the house where her brother had arranged to grab them.

When John had returned home early from the fight in a panicked frenzy, she had been surprised. As men shouted and even the unflappable Michael Sciorelli lost his cool, she heard her sister-in-law talking about Guytano's death, how it had felt good to finally get rid of him. Stunned, Becky had been forced yet again to see the brutality of the family that she had chosen to marry into. She could not believe that her father in law was dead. There was no remorse for the loss of his life, but he had been the figurehead. Without him, there would be chaos and worse, John would have all the power. She had to get away that night.

When John had come up the stairs and into the bedroom she had been waiting. She'd smashed his skull so hard with one of the small stone statues from her mantle she had been positive that he was dead. She'd watched transfixed as blood had pooled onto the white tiles beneath his head before she had snapped back to reality and run, stopping only to lock the bedroom door and grab Jordan.

Her brother was waiting for her across the road at the back of the sprawling property just as they had arranged. It had been awful to part with him after so long, but she knew that her family was the first place that John's people would look for her, so she had planned to return to America instead, knowing that they knew how much she hated her lonely, isolated world there and banking on them thinking that she would not return there. She'd waited a few weeks, laying low up in the countryside until she had discovered the news that she had not been successful in killing her husband. She knew then that he would not stop until he found her.

When the plane had landed she'd been wary, not knowing what to make of the attempt on the agent's life and the fact that John had had a man on board. She had been as cautious as she could be as they had moved through the terminal, but the last thing she had expected was from them to grab her son and leave her behind. She'd been thinking about that all night and she now realised she should have seen it coming. This way, John not only had his son back, but he had the guarantee that she would try and get him back. He knew she would never leave him behind. He also knew she would not talk to the police.

Now as she took a tentative seat on the swinging porch chair Becky tried to cast these thoughts aside and clear her mind. She would have to think fast if she was to hold her own with this man. From the moment she sat down, however, she realised she had just given the ATF captain the upper hand. She was directly in a beam of light that snagged out of the window behind her, leaving her face open for scrutiny whilst she could see nothing of his.

"What do you want to know?" she asked, running through the options in her head.

"Everything. Every detail. Everything you know about where your son is and who took him and why."

As Becky went to speak he held up a hand to let her know he wasn't finished.

"You're here because Vin's heart is too damn big for his own good – and that's it. If I'd had my way, you'd have stayed at the airport. You're trouble, there's no doubt about it."

"You haven't even given me a chance –"

"If you were legit, Lady, you would have told us a hell of a lot more by now. There's a difference between being afraid and being stupid. You put those two factors together, things become mighty dangerous… for everyone." Chris paused for a moment to let his words sink in before dropping his voice even lower, the resulting effect sending a quick chill down her spine in warning.

"So if your stupidity can end here, we'll all be better off. I've let it go this far, but I will not let you bring Vin down and put my whole team at risk, you understanding me?"

Becky's fear quickly turned into anger. She got up quickly and got right in Chris's face.

"I'm neither stupid, nor am I called 'Lady'. My name is Becky and you don't know a damn thing about me and yet you've already got me pegged!"

Chris looked down at the little blonde spitfire and despite knowing that the woman was a walking time bomb, felt his lip quirk in amusement.

"Enlighten me," was all he challenged her to do.

Becky studied the beautiful green eyes up close as she felt her breath hold in her throat. That smile, however intended, disarmed her and she fought to regain her tightly reigned control. As she opened her mouth, Chris stopped her, grabbing her elbow and steering her back to the wooden swing.

"I mean it Becky, everything," he said, sitting her back down and sitting next to her. "You tell me everything, you'll have seven of the best agents in the ATF working on your side and I promise you I'll do everything in my power to help you, but if you lie to me, I swear to God, you're life won't be worth living."

He delivered this ultimatum in a casual tone, but Becky knew he meant every word. As she watched a car approach slowly up the drive, there wasn't a doubt in her mind that this was a man that always delivered exactly what he promised.

Ezra eyed the ranch ahead as the undercover car he rode in pulled up to a stop. He did not notice the two figures on the porch until he had almost reached the door, bags of food in his hands. Chris caught his eye in the dim lighting through the window.

"How did it go?" he asked.

Ezra took in the blonde mother from the plane with a slightly raised brow before turning his attention back to Chris.

"He is refusing to co-operate at present, unless there have been any positive developments since I took my leave. The FBI still believe they will get something from him."

"And you?"

"I... do not believe he will be forthcoming with any information, more from fear than from a loyalty to his employer. He knows if he co-operates with us, his life will be swiftly ended."

Chris nodded, missing the widening of Becky's eye's beside him as she listened to those words that hit so close to home. He noticed the food in Ezra's hands. "Go settle in, we'll discuss it inside."

Ezra nodded in return, looked again at the woman and went inside.

Becky took the warning in the Southerner's eyes exactly as it was intended to be taken and looked back at the unyielding green gaze still trained on her, waiting.

* The song listed being Oasis's Cast No Shadow.