PART 3: RESCUED
Outside the building which contains the laboratory...
Ezra put a hand to Josiah's forehead, "He's burning up - we have to get him to the medical team quickly."
"Okay, we'll be right behind you, Ez, we just need to help release everyone first," said Chris.
Ezra carried Josiah outside and laid him down on a stretcher that was there, ready for any casualties. Nathan rushed over and checked Josiah, while Ezra joined the others who had managed to free some of the people, then had been relived by Team 5, who had been assigned as back-up in this case.
Buck saw Ezra and ran towards him - he looked up at the man with green eyes. "Where's Mommy and Daddy?" he asked.
"I don't know, if you tell me your full name, I shall endeavour to discover their whereabouts," answered Ezra.
"You shall what to what their what?" asked Buck, screwing up his face in confusion.
Ezra found the expression so funny and had to try hard not to laugh.
"What is your name?" he asked the little boy, bending down so that he was level with him.
"Buck Wilmington, sir."
"Wait here a moment and I shall begin an inquiry into your parents' location," said Ezra, standing up and starting to move away from the young dark-haired boy.
The boy walked towards the undercover agent, "Please don't leave me."
Before Ezra could answer, Mary, the blonde-haired woman came along. "Are you okay, Buck?" she asked.
"He's gonna find my parents," he announced grabbing hold of Ezra's shirt that was hanging out.
Mary walked close to Ezra and whispered to him, "His parents were shot by the men, but he's so young he doesn't understand. He would just argue that they weren't."
"Do you know this young man?" he asked the woman.
"Only what's he's told me while we were chained to those desks, working on the drugs before they were shipped out," she answered. "My name's Mary Stevens by the way, what's yours?"
"Ezra P. Standish," he said offering his hand to her. She shook it and he noticed the wedding ring she wore.
"What kinda name is that?" asked the kid.
"It's a very nice name, Mr. Standish," said Mary smiling kindly.
"Thank you, Mrs Stevens," replied Ezra, who wished the child would let go of his shirt - it was very expensive material and he didn't want Buck to tear it.
"Miss Stevens now - I WAS Mrs Harris," she said sadly, hanging her head.
"Did they..." asked Ezra, who couldn't bear to say it out loud.
Mary nodded.
"They shall get their just desserts," said Ezra, vowing to exact revenge on the men.
"Where's 'Siah?" asked Buck, noticing that his cousin wasn't there.
"Who?" asked Ezra.
"My cousin - I was working next to him in the lav'ratory," explained Buck.
"Laboratory. Do you mean the kid who cut the wires on the explosives?"
"Yes, that one!"
Ezra managed to get his shirt free from the child, and took the boy's hand, leading him to where Josiah was lying on a stretcher.
"'Siah?" asked Buck.
Josiah opened one eye and looked at Buck, "Kid - let Mary take you home, I have to go to the hospital," then he groaned and closed his eye.
"What's wrong with 'Siah?" he asked Nathan, who ran over to Josiah when he heard the groan.
"They don't know, they think it's something the bad men gave him," explained Nathan softly.
"A big kid gived him a spoon of sugar earlier, said it would give him some energy - 'Siah needed some more so the kid gived him some in a little bottle. I think 'Siah eated it all."
"Is there anymore of this 'sugar'?" asked Nathan, anxious to know what it really was.
Buck took a small bottle out of his pocket and handed it to Nathan, "'Siah told me to look after this and not to eat any."
Nathan handed it to an FBI agent, who would take it for lab. analysis.
"My mommy and daddy are lost ain't they?"
"They've gone away kid and they aren't coming back - I'm sorry," said Nathan gently.
"It's okay. I'll go an' live with Miss Mary instead," said Buck.
"I'm afraid you won't be able to - you'll have to go to a home for children who can't live with their parents - maybe Mary could adopt you, but she'll have to get permission first," said Nathan.
Buck started crying and Ezra picked him up and hugged him, without realising what he was doing.
"We'll make sure you find a good family to live with, Master Wilmington,"
"Wish I could live with you," muttered Buck, not realising Ezra had heard the soft plea.
'We shall see, Master Wilmington,' thought Ezra, already growing fond of the child.
The End
Story 2 coming soonin 2005!