Title: JD - Night Out
Author: Mre
Series: A Day in the Life
Rating: PG
Warning: drama, violence
e-mail: mremre@lycos.com
Summary: Are ATF agents ever off the clock? I didn't think so!
JD smiled weakly at the burst of raucous laughter around the table. He'd managed to adjust to the club's pounding music, but he still couldn't focus enough to join the conversation.
Not for the first time, he wished he could have joined the others at the Saloon for Team 7's Friday night gathering. By now, Nathan and Josiah would be having their weekly dartboard competition with Ezra taking bets. Chris and Vin would be nursing beers at the table while Buck flirted unsuccessfully with Inez.
The saloon didn't have the club's non-consumable cover charge and ridiculously overpriced drinks. The air wasn't thick enough to choke a dragon at Inez' bar. There wasn't some greasy stick of a guy screaming his head off onstage. JD was afraid to look too closely at what people were smoking in the corners. At least the dim light was good for something!
As an ATF agent, he couldn't ignore even casual drug use--he didn't have the luxury. He figured if he didn't actually see any drugs, he was off the hook, right? Yeah, now there's a rationalization worthy of Ezra. The guys'd be so proud...not!
Thing was, he didn't have the guts to look. If he did, he might have to do something about it and all that would accomplish was get a user and maybe his two-bit supplier off the streets. That would possibly embarrass Casey in front of her friends, probably make said friends more uncomfortable around him and definitely brand one JD Dunne an outsider to their world.
Problem is I haven't got the slightest idea of how people my age act. JD took a pull at his iced tea. I tested out of most of high school and finished college early. I've been working since--God, forever, and I spent what free time I had with Mom in the hospital. When the heck did I ever have the time to socialize?
Three years on and it still hurt to think of his mother. It would probably keep hurting for a long, long time, if Vin's silence on the matter was anything to go by.
Then after the funeral, I ended up in Denver with the ATF. Like that's normal for a guy who's barely legal.
A guy could get seriously depressed thinking like that. Casey was working hard for some exams she had to sit for her large animal rotation. Her study group had made him feel welcome to join them for post-midterm revelry and he didn't want to disappoint her with this mood. He'd barely had any time for her over the last couple of weeks while Team 7 was run ragged in back-to-back cases. He was lucky that she was so busy reviewing--he felt less guilty about it. He did miss helping out the way he usually did, though.
Now the first level round of certification exams were over, everyone had passed and it was time to celebrate. Of course he probably would have enjoyed their night out more if he could actually drink something. Naturally, he'd sworn to Nathan that he wouldn't drink anything stronger than coffee--he knew better than to mix meds and alcohol.
Good thing I'm on medical leave until after the stitches come out Monday. Chris would kill me if I showed up for work after being out this late. I'll be dead on my feet tomorrow--I mean today. Oh, shit!
"Casey, it's almost two!" he yelped. "I've got that seminar at the university nine thirty. Would you mind if we headed out now?"
"Oh man, is that the time? Aunt Nettie's gonna kill me!" Casey's smile glowed in the black lights. "I'll just drop by the restroom then we can go."
In a flurry of purses and giggling, the three ladies left the table. He shared conspiratorial grins with his companions. Now there's an Unsolved Mystery. Why do girls go to the ladies' all at the same time?
Bobby Gaines leaned over the little table. "JD, you taking a class?"
He was a good friend of Casey's and the only one of the group he felt really comfortable with. It didn't hurt that his girlfriend Gina was Casey's best friend. "Yeah, I needed a chemistry backgrounder and that seminar lab thing they're running this semester was perfect for part-timers like me. Hope you guys don't mind my cutting things short."
"No prob, JD." Bobby grinned. "I thought your major was electronics and computers?"
"Figured I needed to stretch my head in different directions for a bit." He motioned for the bill. "Besides, I had all these training hours to burn, and nothing being sponsored that I was willing to take. At least it's something useful, not one of those stupid Covey motivational seminars."
Tim Rodriguez made a face. "Damn, I had to take that thing last year--needed the extra credit to make GPA. Bored me to death."
"I was warned." he said drily. Yeah, Ezra walked out on it and spent two hours telling everyone about the unspeakable horror he'd endured. He handed his credit card to the hovering waiter. "Took forever to find something Personnel would buy. Lucky for me this seminar thing was open to the public."
"Only you would volunteer to study advanced Chem on weekends." Bobby rolled his eyes. "How much do I owe you for the bill?"
"I need the chemistry for some forensics training." Well, that and bomb squad certification, but I'm not telling anyone about that yet. Buck, Casey and Chris would all line up to kick my ass if they ever found out!
He did some figuring. "About 40 bucks if we split it three ways."
They left the table to the next group when the receipt arrived and met the girls at the door. In a friendly shuffle of jackets and the two helmets he'd stored at the coat check, they exited the club behind the others.
A cut-off scream warned him that something was wrong up ahead. Training took over and he shoved his way to the front of the group. Making sure Casey was safely behind him, JD moved forward.
In a bare second, he assessed the situation unfolding in the parking lot. "Hey, man," he said softly, moving away from the others. "You really don't want to do that."
The first man was waving a .45 automatic at the group just exiting the club. The second held a knife to the throat of the hapless valet holding open the driver's side of a black Jaguar. Just like Ezra's. In fact, I think it IS...
"Young man, be so kind as to remove your person from the vicinity of my automobile." Ezra stepped up from the left, far enough from him to present separate targets for the two criminals holding the valet hostage.
He'd never been so glad to hear the smooth talking Southerner in his life. What's Ez doing out here this late? JD shook off the speculation and focussed on the situation.
Out of corner of his eye, he saw Casey discreetly waving people back into the nightclub. Thank God we talked about what to do if the job ever followed me into one of our dates. This could get ugly fast. With a quick hand sign he telegraphed his planned attack.
Ezra shifted to acknowledge it and continued approaching the Jag. "I have no desire for this predicament to result in property damage, considering that the property in question is my own. It would behoove you to comport yourself in a civilized manner."
"Yeah, man," JD added. "Right now you're facing assault charges. Manslaughter isn't anything you'd want on you records. What say we talk it out? My name's JD and I'm with the ATF."
The gunman was swinging his piece from right to left, apparently unable to decide who was the bigger threat. When neither moved again, he relaxed a little while the man holding the valet moved his knife a tiny bit.
Figuring things were as good as they were going to get, JD jumped to grab the knife, trusting Ezra could handle the gunman. The valet managed to get away--that part of his plan without a hitch. Unfortunately, the man had other plans.
They grappled for control of the knife on the club's driveway. While they wrestled, his opponent got in a lucky slash with the knife. JD bit back a curse as it seared through his arm, saving his breath for the fight. He finally managed to pin the guy beneath him and took care to immobilize both arms. Ignoring the blood that dripped steadily down his arm, JD rested the knife against his throat. "Don't move," he warned, pressing lightly with the knife.
"Good morning, Mr Dunne. You seem to have things under control at your end."
"Nice to see you too, Ez. Hurry up and cuff him." My arm's starting to hurt. And I think I tore my stitches. JD tried not to move the shoulder too much, hoping to minimize the strain.
"I shall be with you directly, Mr Dunne." Ezra sounded reassuringly calm. "Ms Wells, if you would be so kind as to secure the assistance of paramedics?"
"Already on their way, Mr Standish."
"Case, everyone okay?" JD didn't dare look up from his sneering captive, who kept trying to buck him off.
"Everyone's fine, JD." Casey sounded a little strained. "The ambulance is for you."
"Right. I forgot about that." JD blinked back the sweat stinging his eyes. Ezra was droning away in the background. What the heck's taking so long? Oh, yeah.
"You have the right to remain silent--" He reeled off the phrases from memory.
"Thank you for your patience, Mr Dunne, I shall deal with this miscreant."
Somehow, Ezra was kneeling beside him. JD saw that his fellow agent had his gun trained on the man pinned beneath him. Thank god. He managed to get up and move back from the pair. He stumbled into the conveniently open Jag and sat down.
Casey was at his side in moments. "JD, are you okay? Oh, God, it's really bleeding." She turned to yell over her shoulder. "Where's that ambulance?"
"Easy there, miss." A petite brunette wearing an EMT jacket. "What we got here?"
JD blinked. "Hey Andie. Haven't seen you since--"
"--the Margolli bust, four months ago." The paramedic grinned and continued checking his injuries. "Buck sprained his knee and Agent Standish popped his shoulder again."
He sucked in a breath as she probed the edges of the cut. "Ow! Watch it."
"Don't be such a baby, JD. We could practically use butterfly strips instead of stitching for this." She wagged a finger in his face. "And don't say it. You are going to the hospital, and you are getting this stitched. I only said practically."
"Shoot. I was supposed to be back on duty Monday." JD turned hopeful eyes on her. "I don't suppose I'm gonna get these stitches out by then? I hate medical leave."
"Sorry JD. You're stuck for another week." She turned to the hovering Casey with a wink. "You know, I traded for the graveyard shift because I figured it'd be too late for serious criminals and I'd only have to deal with the occassional drunk or mugging victim instead of our favorite ATF team."
Casey laughed. "You know how they can be. Are you sure JD'll be okay?"
Andie waved at the approaching stretcher. "Oh sure! Grapevine has it he was worse off last time." She politely affected not to noticed JD's frantic hushing motions or Casey's incredulous "WHAT?"
Thanks a bunch. "Case, Andie's just fooling. It wasn't that bad, honest!" JD scrabbled for something she would buy. "Buck let me out, didn't he?"
Casey scowled. "Are you kidding? Buck would let you out of traction for a date." She smiled wickedly. "I'll just ask Nathan."
Crap! I'm dead.
TBC in Midnight Oil