CHAPTER 22

           Ezra sat sideways at his desk, staring out the window behind him and absentmindedly tapping his pen against his lips as he listened to the bickering between Buck and JD over what to have for dinner.  Outside, fat snowflakes drifted lazily down from the sky, coating the building tops and the street below in a brilliant blanket of white that shimmered in the fading sunlight of the late afternoon.  The warm spell of the week before had ended the night of the arrests, enveloping the region once again in frigid temperatures and the powdery white fluff that marked this time of year.  He watched the rush-hour traffic snarled to a standstill and shook his head, knowing that in about twenty minutes, he would be in the midst of it.  Across the aisle from him, Vin sat in front of his computer, typing slowly and diligently at some report.  He seemed totally engrossed in his work, but the slight smirk on his lips and the quick glance up at some outrageous comment from Buck gave him away.  He met Ezra's eyes and the smile grew larger as he turned back to his screen.

           Nathan sat at his desk, flipping through a manual of some kind, and Josiah sat in front of his computer, staring intently at his monitor.  However, when Ezra looked over at the screen, he wasn't so sure that whatever Josiah was doing was work-related; in fact, it looked suspiciously like some sort of online novel. 

Buck sat on his desk, the phone glued to his ear and the cord twisted around his fingers, a big, goofy grin on his face as he waited for the connection, intent on cementing his plans for his evening date with one of the secretaries from downstairs.  With the other hand, he was flicking little pieces of paper across the room at his surrogate brother, peppering JD's hair with the spit wads.  JD, meanwhile, was busily navigating a Porsche roadster down a mountain highway at incredibly foolish speeds while trying to outrun several souped-up police cruisers on his computer screen.  He periodically shook his head to dislodge the paper pieces and shoot quick scathing glares over at his roommate. Buck only grinned larger, especially when one particularly large piece managed to get stuck in the boy's ear.  "D**n-it, Buck!" JD growled as he quickly swiped at his ear, trying to remove the paper without crashing his little two dimensional car.

           Buck picked up another piece, ready to launch it in the same direction as its forbearers, but dropped it quickly as the lady in question answered the phone.  He sat up straighter and smiled one of his classic grins.  "Sandy!" he crooned in his most charming voice.  "It's your Old Buck.  We still on for tonight?"

           Ezra's smirk grew as he leaned back in his chair and once again turned his attention to the outside world.

           It was just another typical team seven Friday afternoon at work.

           "Hey, Ez," Vin asked quietly, keeping his attention on the screen in front of him as he tried to appear nonchalant.  "You meeting us at the Saloon tonight, right?"

           Ezra looked up at the sharpshooter and raised an eyebrow at the poorly concealed look of hope in the man's eyes.  "I believe I could be persuaded," he answered casually.

           Vin paused in his typing and glanced over at him, trying to judge his sincerity, then smiled slightly.  "See ya at six, then."

           Ezra just chuckled to himself as he reluctantly turned back to his own report on recent events. 

It had been exactly one week since the attack at the ranch house and the subsequent arrest of Paul Randolph.  The days following had been busy, to say the least.  Buck had spent a night in the hospital under observation for the "little bump" on the head that he had received, and he now sported a large white bandage on his forehead.  Of course, with Buck, that bandage became a pick-up line, earning him plenty of sympathy from the female species.  Ezra had avoided a hospital stay himself, but the cut on his face had to be taped closed, and he had received ten stitches in his leg along with strict orders to stay off of it.

The days following the arrests had been filled with reports and meetings, keeping the entire team busy with the follow up on the case.  Ezra was looking forward to the weekend and a few days of peace and quiet.  He had yet to really get some down-time from the case.  He was now trying to put the finishing touches on the latest report, but just could not seem to pay attention to what he was reading.  His gaze kept straying to the window and the beautiful wintry scene backlit by the fading light with its purple shadows on the mountains in the distance.  The view reminded him of an earlier sunset, and he found himself wondering about his former companion.

At the hospital, Alex had been whisked away to another area under the close guard of her uncle, and Ezra hadn't seen her since.  He knew she had spent a night in the hospital herself, but that the wound had been deemed minor.  After that, he didn't know where she had gone.  "Probably under tight protection," he thought to himself and frowned slightly.  The thought of the free-spirited girl being caged in by those in authority just didn't seem right to him.  Valuing his freedom and independence as highly as he did, he could easily imagine what the loss of control over her own life would seem like to the girl and he felt a pang of sympathy for her.

His thoughts were interrupted by his boss as Chris abruptly opened his office door and stepped into the outer room, drawing the attention of his men.  Buck quickly ended his call, Nathan closed his books, JD immediately ended his game, which Chris pretended not to see, and everyone else looked up from their own chores expectantly.  "The judge wants us upstairs for a conference about the case," he announced gruffly and braced himself for the protests he knew was coming. 

Buck didn't disappoint him.  "Awe, come on, Chris," he whined pitifully, "it's almost quitting time.  A conference now with the judge and the fibs would last forever!  I've got a date all set up for tonight with Sandy, and I need to get home to get ready!"

Chris just stared at him, an amused glint coloring his eyes.  "Sorry, Buck," he shrugged.  "You're not getting out of it."  He held up a hand to halt any further protests.  "The judge wants us all.  Now."  He pointed toward the doorway, his tone brooking no argument. 

Buck grumbled under his breath but followed JD, Nathan, and Josiah out the door, and Chris smirked to himself in triumph before turning toward his undercover agent.  "That means this minute, Ezra" he said sternly, "Not next Christmas."

Ezra smiled pleasantly up at his boss.  "Of course, Mr. Larabee.  I shall arrive with all due haste, barring the technicalities of saving my work and the difficulties brought on by my wounded appendage."  He motioned toward his leg.

Chris rolled his eyes with a snort and exchanged a rueful glance with the sharpshooter.  "Get him upstairs as fast as you can," he sighed aloud before following the others out the door.

Ezra shook his head and stood up to clear off his desk, save his files, turn off the computer, and dump his papers into his briefcase.  "Shall we, Mr. Tanner?" he asked as he shut the case with a click.

Vin smiled and held out the mahogany, gold-tipped cane that had been leaning against Ezra's trashcan to his partner without a word, and Ezra grimaced.  Though he was able to get around fairly well without it, Nathan had insisted that he use it for at least a week.  Ezra had been becoming increasingly creative in coming up with excuses for 'forgetting' it as that week wore on.  He hated its inconvenience and more importantly, its visible reminder of weakness, however slight. "I don't suppose we could conveniently misplace that loathsome object, could we?" he asked hopefully.

Vin just shook his head with a smirk.  "Ya don't want Nathan breathing down your neck, do ya?"

Ezra sighed then grudgingly reached for the stick with an expression of distaste.  "No, we certainly do not.  Mr. Jackson can be quite overbearing when it comes to our health, and I do not relish the thought of his 'death' glares boring into the side of my head from across the table all night.  I do declare, but the man can be more tenacious than a pit bull with a fresh bone," he complained as they crossed the room and headed out the door.  "Really.  We are grown men, after all, and perfectly capable of taking care of our own needs.  We have no need of a nurse-maid watching our every move."

Vin laughed and clapped him on the shoulder as they stopped to wait on the elevator.  "You're just pissed because he camped out at your place this week to make sure you took your meds and kept off that leg," he teased.

Ezra grimaced.  "I do not find the situation a laughing matter, Mr. Tanner."

"Sure it is, Ez," Vin grinned as the bell dinged to announce the arrival of the elevator.

The doors opened with a whoosh and Ezra stepped inside, punching the button for the upper floor before stepping back to allow the sharpshooter access.  "Then I shall remind you of that fact the next time you find yourself among the injured," he shot back.

Vin opened his mouth to make another smart comment but paused as he remembered the last time he himself had been injured.  He shook his head.  "You're right. It ain't funny," he agreed, taking his place beside the man as the doors shut.  He shot his companion a devilish grin.  "But it sure is entertainin' when it's someone else he's hounding."

Ezra just shook his head with a smile as the carriage began to rise.  A few seconds later, a small ping announced their arrival and they stepped off the machine just in time to see the doors of the other one open, bringing them face to face with the three occupants—District Attorney Michael Harrison, Timothy Johnson, and Alexandria Sanders.  "Ah, Miss Sanders!"  Ezra exclaimed with a bright smile, "I was just wondering how you were fairing."

Alex looked up with a shy smile as she stepped off the elevator and absently fingered the blue sling she wore.  She was dressed in what were obviously new jeans, new tennis shoes, and a new light green pullover sweater, but Ezra noted that the old, faded blue jean jacket was still in place.  "I'm doing much better, thank you," she answered quietly.  "And yourself?"

"Fine, fine," he waved his hand in dismissal.  "Nothing whatsoever to worry about."  His smile faltered a bit as Vin snorted in disbelief beside him, and he sent a quick glare in the offender's direction.

Alex raised her eyebrows with a sage nod before motioning at the cane he held loosely.  "So that's simply for ornamental purposes?" she asked blandly.

"More for the appeasement of certain, bothersome coworkers, nothing more," Ezra answered with another glare at Vin as he heard another snort from the sharpshooter's direction.

"Ah," the girl nodded again, only partially managing to conceal the smile that threatened her mouth and completely failing to keep the sparkle out of her eyes.

"Well, gentlemen, as Mr. Johnson and Miss Sanders have a plane to catch in a few hours, we really should continue this in the judges quarters," Harrison prodded impatiently as he glanced at his watch.

"Certainly, certainly," Ezra agreed, offering his free arm to the young lady as an escort as the others turned down the hall.

 Alex took his arm shyly, but instead of following the others, she held her ground.  "Would you mind showing me where the restroom is?" she asked him softly.

"Of course not, my dear," he answered and turned to lead her the opposite way.  He paused in mid-step, though, as he noticed Johnson following them and raised a questioning eyebrow at the older man.

"I'll be alright, Uncle," Alex turned to meet the man with exaggerated patience.  "We are, after all, in the federal building.  I'm sure Mr. Standish is capable of taking care of me, even if he's winged himself."  Her eyes twinkled with hidden mirth and she broke out into a genuine smile at Ezra's huff of protest.  "I'm a big girl now.  I can take care of myself.  And I certainly don't want you to hold my hand!"

Johnson reddened a bit at being caught out and squared his shoulders irritably.  "I'm sorry if I seem to be smothering you, Alexandria," he answered, the use of her full name and the sharpness of his tone revealing his frustration, "but I only want you to be safe, especially after all that has happened—"

"And I am safe," she interrupted him, placing a light hand on his arm.  "Thanks to you, Mr. Standish, his coworkers, and a whole lot of other people."  She gave him a gentle shove toward the judge's offices.  "Now.  You've got a meeting to get to.  You know Mr. Harrison wasn't happy with the arrangements you finally agreed on this morning, and if you don't hurry up and get in there, he may just change everything.  I'll only be gone a few minutes.  I won't go disappearing on you again, I promise.  Okay?"

Johnson sighed, his blush deepening a bit as he ran a hand through his hair.  "Alright, alright.  I'll take the hint and leave you to your peace.  But if you're not back in five minutes, I'm sending a search party," he said gruffly, the twinkle in his eyes belying the sharpness of his words.

"You probably better make it ten minutes, sir," Ezra offered with a smile, judging that it was safe to enter the conversation.  "She is a woman, after all."

Johnson laughed as Alex exclaimed "Hey!" and punched the agent lightly on the arm.  Ezra stepped to the side and rubbed the appendage lightly, but the smile didn't leave his features.  "You're right," Johnson agreed.  "With one arm, it probably will take her twice as long as the average woman.  I never have been able to figure out just what it is they do in there that takes so long."

Alex rolled her eyes with a huff and pushed him up the hall.  "Get out of here," she growled in exasperation.

Johnson took a moment to look intently at Ezra, the joviality in his eyes giving way to sternness and a hint of warning, but Ezra met the gaze without flinching. The older man finally nodded and, breaking the stare, turned up the hall and disappeared around the corner.  Ezra turned to the young lady beside him and motioned down the opposite way.  "We best be on our way, then.  The clock is ticking," he teased with a smile.

Alex sighed as they walked down the hall and Ezra glanced at her sympathetically.  "Mr. Johnson seems to have become a bit over-protective of late," he observed.

Ally rolled her eyes.  "You have no idea," she groaned.  "Ever since the attack, he hasn't let me out of his sight.  He's blaming himself.  He's always felt he let dad down in a big way, and then with all this that happened with Eddy and Bartinol slipping under everyone's noses—it's all got him a bit spooked."

"I'm sure it stems from a genuine concern for your wellbeing, though," Ezra offered, directing her around a corner into a small sitting area across from a large, empty reception desk.

"I know," Alex answered softly.  "It's just so confining.  I've been taking care of myself for the last six years.  It's hard to suddenly find myself being treated like I'm ten years old again." 

Ezra gave her another half smile of sympathy as they crossed the room toward the doors bearing the restroom signs.  "Yes, I believe it would be a bit overwhelming.  But I'm sure it will wear off eventually.  In a few years maybe?" he teased.

 "It better be sooner than that, or I'll have to take matters in my own hands!" she threatened with a grumble as she pushed through the women's restroom door followed by Ezra's light laughter.

A few minutes later, she emerged with the jacket draped across her arm, struggling to readjust the sling.  "Darn thing," she muttered darkly, "it's just in the way and is nothing but a nuisance!"  After fighting with it for a few seconds more, she finally sighed in defeat and looked up at Ezra imploringly.  "Would you mind helping me?" she asked shyly.

"Certainly," Ezra agreed as he stood up from the cushioned chair he had occupied to await her exit.  Together, they got it aligned properly with minimal fuss. "There," he announced as he took a step back.  "I completely concur in your opinion of that torture device, and I usually rid myself of them as soon as possible.  However, in our present company, it would probably prove to be prudent if you continued to keep it on.  There are those who would find it simply disastrous if you were to shed it, considering your injury."  He tapped the cane against the chair in distaste.  "I am speaking from personal experience that the discomfort of the sling is minute compared to that of the lecture you would receive if caught without it."

"Don't I know it!" Alex groused good-naturedly.  "You should have heard Uncle Tim this morning.  You'd thought I was a four year old playing with matches."

"I'm sure it was nothing compared to the lecture I received just yesterday from Mr. Jackson," Ezra shuddered theatrically as he sat down on the arm of the chair.

"I don't know," she disagreed.  "You haven't seen Uncle Tim get angry. I'd forgotten just how much of a bear he could be!"

 "Ah, but you have yet to witness Mr. Jackson in full 'mother hen' mode," Ezra smirked.  "I can assure you, positively nothing is worse."  He paused a second in contemplation then gave her a knowing look and a faint smile.  "Except, of course, Mr. Larabee's temper."

Alex shook her head with a small laugh.  "I think you've got me there." 

Silence fell between them then as Alex moved to the window across the room to stare out at the last bit of daylight on the western horizon.  The clouds above were tinted with a bit of gold and purple, hinting at the coming of a glorious sunset, and she wrapped her free arm around her stomach as she gazed at the scene through the transparent panel.  Ezra moved up to the opposite side of the window and leaned with his hands crossed on top of his cane as he followed her line of sight to the peaks beyond.  "Beautiful, is it not?" he observed, watching his companion's reaction out the corner of his eye.

Alex sighed deeply, a hint of melancholy coloring her eyes.  "Absolutely," she breathed.  She leaned against the window frame and rested her head on the pane, her breath condensing into a foggy mist on the glass.  "I'd grown used to seeing the mountains," she admitted quietly, smiling wanly in the fading light.  "I think I stayed too long in this city.  I've become rather attached to it, I'm afraid." Her voice was barely above a whisper as the smile faded again, but Ezra was able to hear everything that she said and some of the things that she hadn't.  "I don't think I've stayed as long anywhere else, except of course, for the last two years in Oceanside," she went on.

"Oceanside, California?" Ezra asked in surprise.  "Might I ask what held you there for such a length of time?"

"School."  She glanced over at his expression and couldn't help but smile again.  "With all the new No Child Left Behind laws, I was able to enter school quite easily.  There are some shelters out there that are willing to help out someone who's willing to help themselves, if that person can be stubborn enough to prove they want to.  I kept searching around until I found the right people and made arrangements to finish high school.  I had to work my tail off, but I did it.  Got a diploma and everything."  Her smile faltered a bit, turning slightly sardonic.  "Of course, it doesn't hold my real name on it, so it probably doesn't mean much, but it was important to me."

"Why did you leave then?" Ezra furrowed his brows in question.

She shrugged.  "Oceanside was never home.  The coast is beautiful, to be sure, but, it just wasn't where I wanted to stay.  Guess it's that mountain blood in me, pulling me back east. As soon as I got my diploma in June, I lit out, heading back this way."

He smiled a bit.  "And you found yourself in Denver."

She nodded, lifting the corners of her mouth up slightly.  "Kind of hard not to.  Things just tend to gravitate here.  I got here in August, expecting to pass on through in a few weeks, to head further south for the winter, but one thing led to another and I just never got around to leaving."  She turned her gaze back out the window.  "I don't know, I guess it—it kind of felt like home.  Not the city itself, mind you, but the country around it."  She looked down at her arms wistfully.  "It had been a long time since I'd felt that.  A long time," she murmured.  She finally looked back up at him with a self-deprecating smile.  "Ridiculous of me, wasn't it?"

"No, it wasn't," Ezra quickly disagreed, turning to look her firmly in the eye.  "It's certainly not ridiculous for you, especially in your position, to want a home."  He laid a hand on her shoulder.  "Never think otherwise."  The melancholy in her eyes briefly stirred his own secret dreams and deepest-held wishes of something similar for himself, but he quickly pushed them away, refusing to allow himself to dwell on what could never be.

She dropped her gaze to her fingers for a moment then moved woodenly out from under his hand and back into the room to pick up her jacket from the chair where she had laid it.  "It doesn't matter anymore, anyway," she remarked hopelessly.  "You heard Mr. Harrison.  Uncle Tim and I are heading to the airport after this conference, and I'll be in DC in a few hours."

Ezra turned to face her and studied her closely, his eyes narrowing as he had a sudden insight.  "And is this arrangement what you want?" he asked softly.

She froze for a minute then shook her head slightly as she draped the jacket over her arm.  "It doesn't matter," she repeated sadly, keeping her gaze on the floral pattern of the chair.  Though she held her expression in complete indifference, the misery in her eyes touched a chord in Ezra's reportedly hard heart.  She seemed so alone just then—something that he could completely identify with—that he found himself wishing he could help her out.  He knew all to well what it was like to have no control over his own life—indeed, his childhood had been a thorough education in that topic, explaining why he was so obsessive with being in control of it now, having vowed to himself early on that no one was ever going to dominate him like that ever again. 

He moved forward a few paces and gently lifted her chin so that he could look into her eyes.  "Doesn't it?" he quietly pressed.

She held his gaze for a moment, her eyes clouded and a bit misty, before tilting her head slightly and looking back out the window over his shoulder.  "No," she finally answered in a whisper as she dropped her eyes to the floor.  She took a deep breath and stepped away from him with a tight smile.  "Enough of that," she stated briskly, effectively cutting off whatever he had been about to say.  "Our ten minutes is about up, and I have a favor to ask of you."  She reached into the inside pocket of the jacket and pulled from it a long white envelope which she held it out to him.

Ezra sighed internally as the abrupt end to the conversation and reached out for the envelope. "Ask away," he answered, glancing at the front for a name in curiosity.

"Will you take that to Rosie for me?" she asked timidly.  "I wanted to let her know what happened.  She'll worry terribly when I don't show up and will probably call out the hounds to come on the hunt of me."  She smiled softly.  "She's been good to me, and I—I've become fond of her too.  I don't want to leave here without some kind of explanation."

Ezra smiled reassuringly at her as he gently pocketed the envelope, treating it as a prized possession.  "I would be happy to deliver your missive," he promised.

Alex smiled back in gratitude.  "Thank you.  I'd tell her myself, but I haven't had a moment's peace, what with my watchdog guarding my every move."  She slung her jacket over her shoulder as they left the small room, heading back in the direction of the conference.  "Would you tell her that I'll miss her?  Tell her that I'm safe and happy now, and that I'll be sure to spread the word about her place to everyone I meet."

"I will," Ezra agreed.  They lapsed into silence as they continued their journey, both deep in their own thoughts. When they reached the office door, he moved forward to open it for her, but was stopped as she impulsively reached up and gave him a light hug.  He froze, not sure how to react. 

She smiled at the deer-in-the-headlights look on his face as she stepped back with a slight blush on her own features.  "I just wanted to thank you, too," she explained shyly.

"For?" he asked in confusion.

"For all the help you've given me," she answered softly.  "You have no idea how much it's meant to me, and I'll never forget it.  You're a prince, Mr. Standish, and a good man.  Thank you."  She quickly pulled the door open and entered the room, leaving him standing in the hallway, momentarily stunned.

He finally regained control, and with a slight shake of his head, followed her into the room.  They crossed the outer office to the conference room and quietly entered, taking the seats left to them—him at the corner of the large mahogany table beside Vin, and her further up, between her Uncle and the district attorney.  Judge Travis glanced up at their appearance before turning back to the Interpol agent.  "So Bartinol has simply vanished into thin air, then?" he continued.

Johnson sighed in frustration.  "For the moment, yes.  We managed to track him to a small ranch down the mountain where he stole a truck and from there back into the city, but lost him in the weather.  But agents around the world have been pulling down large portions of his empire this week, based on the intelligence provided to us by Allen Sanders.  There are still areas, places that he can go, but they're quickly dwindling.  The man is a criminal genius—he had contingency plans, safe houses set up, so it's not surprising that he's managed to elude us at the moment, and Sanders's intel is six years out of date.  But his syndicate is ended.  He's out of business and on the run.  His capture is only a matter of time," he declared confidently.

"And what about Alex?" Chris asked from where he leaned back in the large chair across the table from the man.  "Does she go into protection?"

Johnson glanced down at the girl beside him and sighed again.  "Not into federal protection.  With the evidence provided by her father and what our agents are collecting now, her testimony is no longer crucial in getting a conviction."

"And since her testimony isn't needed, the powers that be decided that she didn't need their protection," Vin finished for him, a touch of disgust coloring his words.  Memories of his time with the Marshals come briefly to mind.

"Correct," Johnson agreed sadly.

"Well that's just a bunch of bulls**t!" Buck exclaimed angrily.  He received several scathing glares in reprimand, the worst coming from Chris and the judge, and sat back in his chair, sullen but properly chastised.

"But isn't she still in danger?" JD asked worriedly.

"I don't believe so, not from Bartinol, anyway," Johnson disagreed with a shake of his head.

"How so?" Josiah asked coolly, glancing at the girl in question, trying to gauge her reaction to the whole scenario.  Her face remained passive, almost bored, but the stiffness of her posture betrayed her uneasiness. 

"Bartinol's on the run.  He's too busy trying to save his own hide to start planning any elaborate revenge plots," Johnson answered.  "Besides, he's said it himself—he's a businessman first and foremost and he has no personal grudge against Alex.  His gripe was with her father.  All he wanted from her was the disks.  Now that they're out in the open, she's no longer a threat to him."

"So what happens now?" Nathan asked.

"We leave for DC in a couple of hours.  When Bartinol is captured, she will of course have to testify at the trial, and she will have to testify at Eddie Thomas's trial, but they are both just formalities."

"Thomas is going to make it, then?" Chris spoke up.

Johnson nodded gravely.  "Yes.  It was touch and go for a while, but he's improving.  He's still in ICU, and it will be a while before he's in any shape for a trial, but he will survive.  As soon as he's able, he'll be extradited back to Virginia to face charges of conspiracy, among other things.  He is cooperating with us.  I'm sure that will be in his favor."

"Thomas won't go to trial for months, possibly years, then.  The Randolph grand jury hearing will be held in a few months, depending on how long his lawyer can get it put off.  Why take her back to DC when she's going to just have to come back here?" Nathan asked.

"My point exactly!" Harrison broke in irritably, slapping his hand against the table.  "The Randolph trial will be the trial of the decade for Denver.  With her testimony and that of Mr. Standish, we can try him for murder one. We need our star witnesses available, not halfway across the country!"

Johnson gritted his teeth.  "She will be available.  But there is no point to her staying here.  And while Bartinol may not be the vindictive sort, Randolph has certainly proven to be.  She would be in danger here!  I want her where I can personally keep an eye on her."

"Not anymore than Ezra or any of us," Josiah pointed out.  "And if Randolph wanted to get to her, he can do it in DC just as easily as he could here."

"Besides," Buck declared, "Randolph's got a lot more on his plate right now than planning his revenge.  The man's finished."

"And the same thing applies here as does for Bartinol," Josiah reasoned.  "Granted, she is important if you're going for a murder one wrap.  But if something were to happen to her or Ezra, God forbid," he nodded toward his coworker, "there is still plenty enough evidence otherwise to ensure that he goes down for a long, long time.  Randolph's a smart man.  Going after the witnesses just isn't worth it."

Johnson shook his head stubbornly.  "I want her in DC.  End of discussion." he sat back in his seat with a resolute expression on his face.

"She needs to be here in Denver!" Harrison argued.

"She needs to be with her family," Johnson shot back.

"You've said yourself she doesn't have one!"

Ezra raised another eyebrow at that and looked to Alex for confirmation.  Her eyes saddened as she nodded, and he tilted his head to the side in sympathy as he crossed his arms and tapped his lips with his pen, his mind turning over this new bit of information.

Chris's eyes narrowed at the statement.  "Explain," he ordered quietly.

Johnson glanced down at Alex, but she had already turned her attention back to her hand in her lap, trying to ignore the pitying looks from the others in the room.  He sighed.  "Shortly after Alex disappear and was presumed dead, her grandfather and uncle's family—his wife and four children—vanished."

"How do six people just disappear?" Nathan asked incredulously.

Johnson ran a hand through his hair in frustration.  "An attempt had been made on them, as well," he continued.  "Not for kidnapping, but the first safe houses they were kept in were ransacked.  Practically demolished.  We moved them to another, safer place, and had no more incidents."

"So what happened?  Do you think Bartinol got to them?" JD asked in confusion.

"I don't know," Johnson shook his head.  "Knowing what I do now, I don't think so.  Thomas knew their locations, of course, but he also knew that they didn't have any knowledge of what was going on.  There was really no reason for Bartinol to go after them.  Of course, they didn't know that at the time."

"What was the official reasoning?" Vin asked grimly.

Johnson met the tracker's sharp gaze and shrugged.  "Officially, they were presumed kidnapped by Bartinol and dead."

"But what do you think?" Vin pressed.

Johnson snorted.  "Old Jackson Sanders was a man born after his time.  That old dog served as an intelligence officer in Korea in the fifties, then got out of the army after that and took up a civilian life, but stayed on call for 'special assignments' with the government during the early sixties.  He would occasionally help train recruits for the CIA and NSA up until the early eighties when he fully retired to take care of his ailing wife."

"He was a spy?"  JD asked excitedly.

Johnson nodded.  "One of the best.  Law enforcement was in the Sanders' blood—Jackson's grandfather had been part of the secret service, and the family has a history of sheriffs, marshals, and even a Pinkerton detective or two.  Allen preferred to stay out of the spy business himself, though, much to his daddy's relief."

"So Jackson figured there was a leak and pulled his remaining family into hiding," Chris observed flatly.

"That's what I think," Johnson agreed.  "He might have been out of the business for twenty years, but he still had connections.  Good connections.  In all this time, I haven't been able to find a trace of him.  But I figure that wherever he is, he's been keeping up with what's been happening.  If he's still alive, he's going to hear about this, you can bet your bottom dollar."

"Will he come out of hiding now that Sanders' evidence has come out and Alex has been found?" Josiah asked.

"I don't know," the other man sighed.  "Maybe, maybe not.  He's the wild card in the equation.  I don't know what he'll do, and without knowing what sources he's using, I have no way of predicting anything.  He could show up on my doorstep tomorrow, or never.  I don't even know if they're alive or dead, and may never know."

"Is there any other family?" Nathan asked.

"Jackson has a sister and niece living back in West Virginia and another sister in Florida.  I'm sure they'll want to see Alex, but for the time being, I'd prefer that she stay in DC.  There's nothing left in West Virginia for her to go back to."

"Which is why she should just stay here," Harrison griped.

"She's going back to DC," Johnson growled back, ready to restart their previous quarrel.

"Gentlemen," Orrin Travis raised a hand to halt the argument and wearily rubbed his eyes, "We've been over this before and have come to a decision.  Let's not rehash it now." He looked up at the men assembled in the room.  "I believe we've sufficiently brought everyone involved up to date on what is going on.  Chris, I'll expect your men's final reports on Monday morning."  He glanced at his watch and grimaced at the time.  "Meanwhile, I have dinner plans and rink side tickets to the hockey game tonight with my grandson, and you have a plane to catch, so if no one else has anything to add to this discussion, I suggest we call it a night."  He stood to his feet and looked at each man in the room before nodding in dismissal and closing the file in front of him.

Harrison grudgingly stood to gather his papers back into a neat pile to place in his briefcase while Johnson pulled his coat on, motioning for Alex to stand and offering to help her with her jacket.  Buck and JD stood up and stretched, but Josiah sat back in his seat, watching the protagonists in the recent debate and the subject of that debate with a thoughtful expression on his face.  He had the feeling this wasn't completely over.

Buck reached for the door handle but froze as Ezra, who had remained curiously silent throughout the proceedings, finally spoke from where he was still seated.  "Gentlemen, if I may, I do have a suggestion."

Several groans filled the air, the others knowing of Ezra and his propensity to talk, and JD plopped back down into his chair with a huff of exasperation.  The judge sighed but motion for Ezra to continue.  "Keep it short, Standish," he growled tiredly.

"Both gentlemen have provided valid arguments for the future of Miss Sanders, but I do believe someone's opinion has been left out," Ezra continued.

The others looked at him curiously, but Josiah leaned forward with his elbows on the table top, his hands folded over his mouth to hide a grin as he figured out where Ezra was going with this.  He looked across the table at Vin, who smiled back faintly with twinkling eyes, and raised an eyebrow at the sharpshooter as he realized the younger man was thinking the same thing he was.

"And that would be?" Travis asked, motioning for the agent to continue.

"Why, that of Miss Sanders herself," Ezra replied with a flourish.  "Agent Johnson has pointed out that she will not be remanded in the protective custody of the federal government, and as she is of age and of sound mind, I do believe she is perfectly capable of deciding her own fate and indeed should have the final say in the matter."

"There's nothing here for her," Johnson broke in stiffly.  "Look.  She has no place to stay here.  She has no money, no job, no transportation.  And while there is an inheritance from her father's estate, it's going to take months to sort out all the legal and financial problems and make those funds available to her.  If she comes back to DC, she can stay with me and my wife.  She'll have a place to live, a place to start over.  It's just easier that way.  End of story."

Ezra looked at the man coolly for a second before turning a softer gaze to the young lady in question.  "If it is obtaining a safe place for her to live until things can be sorted out that worries you, then I can easily provide a solution to that dilemma," he answered.  He looked back across the table at the older man and smiled.  "She can stay with me."

Josiah chuckled to himself as Nathan just about fell out of his seat in shock and Buck, who had just taken a drink from the paper cup he held, nearly choked.  Chris stared at his undercover agent unflinchingly, trying to figure his angle, but Vin leaned back in his seat and smiled knowingly.  Ezra rolled his eyes at the reactions he garnered and sighed in exasperation.  "Of course it would only be temporary until other arrangements could be made, and I would expect a percentage of the rent and utilities to be paid to me upon the acquirement of her funds."

"Oh, of course," Nathan muttered darkly, but was shushed by a glare from Vin and an elbow from Josiah.

Ezra glared at his coworker but continued on.  "And I'm sure that you can arrange emergency currency to be available to her until such financial legalities are settled," he pointed out to Johnson before turning to Alex and meeting her confused but hopeful gaze.  "As I said, it would be a temporary solution, but until you could make other arrangements, I would be delighted to have your presence in my humble abode." He looked back at Johnson and fixed the man with a penetrating stare.  "It is her life, and pardon my bluntness, but you have no right to dictate to her what she shall do with it.  What matters is what she wants."

Johnson met his stare for a moment before finally throwing his hands up in the air in defeat.  "Alright!  Alright.  You're right.  It's her life and her decision." 

Everyone in the room turned their attention on the girl in question, and she reddened under the scrutiny.  "Well, Miss Sanders?" the judge asked kindly.  "Do you prefer to stay in Denver, or do you want to return to Washington with Agent Johnson?"

Alex licked her lips nervously as she looked from one person to the other, struggling with what she knew she wanted to do and what she felt it was her duty to do.  She looked from Ezra's confident gaze to her uncle's troubled one, and finally out at the darkening sky through the window behind the judge.  She let out a sigh before turning back to the group and looked at her uncle apologetically.  "I'm sorry, Uncle Tim," she said softly, her expression begging for forgiveness, "But as you said, there's nothing back there for me.  I want a new start and a new life, and I want it here, in Denver."

Johnson closed his eyes a moment then put a fatherly hand on her shoulder and searched her expression earnestly before asking, "Are you sure?"

She nodded firmly.  "I'm sure—if Mr. Standish doesn't mind?"  She raised her eyebrows at him hopefully, giving him one last chance to back out, but he smiled in reassurance.  "The offer still stands, my dear, if you like."

Johnson leaned back against the table and studied her once more before sighing loudly, realizing he had lost the battle.  "If that's what you want, then."

She looked at him with growing confidence and smiled softly.  "It is."

"Then I guess I'll be returning to DC alone," he said grudgingly, crossing his arms and slowly returning her smile. 

The judged nodded his approval and reached down to pick up his folders.  "Well, now that that's settled, Gentlemen, I believe this meeting is adjourned."  He came around the table to shake the hands of Johnson and Alex then left the room, headed for his office to gather his things and go home. 

Harrison stood to his feet and gave them a slight nod before he picked up his briefcase and left as well.

"Well, come on, guys!  What are we waiting for?  Let's get out of here!"  Buck draped his arm across JD's shoulder and all but pushed him toward the door.  "Tonight's my lucky night—I can feel it!  Inez is going to agree to go out with me!"

"I thought you had a date lined up for tonight?" Nathan pointed out in good humor as he stood to his feet and pushed his chair back into its place.

"Sure I do, at nine o'clock," Buck explained.  "But it's only five thirty now.  I've got plenty of time to get changed, grab a couple of beers, and work on Inez!"

"Buck, you're full of crap," JD remarked with an exasperated shake of his head and gave the older man a playful shove.

"I'll show you who's full of crap!" Buck growled, grabbing the boy around the neck and giving him a sound noogie as he pulled the him out the door.  JD's muffled protests could be clearly heard down the hallway and the others shook their heads in longsuffering amusement. 

"I'm headed home to change," Nathan announced as he picked up his jacket in preparation to leave.  "I'll meet you guys at the saloon a little later."

"Fine," Josiah answered as he finally stood up and stretched his own kinks out.  He gathered his own things together and headed for the door.  "I believe I'll head on over myself."  He turned to Alex and smiled.  "It'll be nice to have you around, sister," he said.  "If you need anything, just holler."

"I will," she smiled shyly in return.

The remaining members of team seven followed their comrades to their own offices to finish preparing to go home before heading down to the parking garage.  Johnson walked with them, intending to retrieve Alex's few possessions from his car before heading for Denver International to catch his flight home.  The elevator trip to the subterranean garage was a silent one, with each person wrapped up in their own thoughts.  When the carriage reached its destination, they all followed Johnson to his rented SUV, pausing to throw up a hand at Nathan as he hit the horn of his Cherokee in passing on his way to the exit followed immediately by Josiah's smoking suburban.  Vin couldn't help but snicker as his friend's rusty vehicle backfired loudly, echoing across the expanse as he stopped momentarily at the guard house before pulling up the incline onto the street.

And they called his jeep a piece of junk!

Johnson used the key ring remote to unlock the vehicle as they approached it and reached inside to pull a duffle bag and Alex's backpack from the backseat.  Alex took the backpack and slipped her good arm through the strap to free her hand for the duffle, but Vin reached around her and took it from the older man before she had a chance to, slinging it casually across his shoulder with a grin.  He received a soft smile of gratitude from the girl in response. 

The party stood in an awkward silence for a moment before Johnson finally cleared his throat and pulled the driver's side door open.  "Well, I suppose I should be going," he said gruffly, but made no move to climb inside.  "I've got a lot to do when I get back."  He pulled the girl into a tight embrace and held it for a moment.  "I wish you were going back with me," he whispered.

"I know," she said softly back, returning the hug before breaking away and looking up at him with a small smile.  "But there's just nothing there for me."

The older man sighed as he let her go, but kept a hand on each shoulder, returning her smile with a gentle one of his own.  "I understand.  Just remember that my home is open to you anytime you want it.  You're always welcome."  He then lifted his gaze to the three men before him, his expression becoming stern.  "Take care of her," he said.

Chris, Vin, and Ezra nodded, each understanding the unspoken plea in the man's words—take care of her where I can't.  Johnson held their eyes for a moment longer then finally let Alex go and climbed into the driver's seat.  "I'll be in touch as soon as I can things rolling," he promised as he slid the key into the ignition switch and turned it.  The large machine rumbled to life.  "I'll get you those emergency funds the first of next week.  If you need anything else, just call.  In the meantime, take care of yourself and keep out of trouble, you hear?  I've got enough gray hair as it is, thanks to you Sanderses." 

Alex couldn't help but roll her eyes a bit and smirk at the fatherly concern obvious in the order.  "Me?  I'm never any trouble," she teased lightly and laughed at his look of incredulity. 

He snorted and shook his head.  "That's exactly what your Dad used to say," he declared.  His expression turned wistful as though memories stole him away for a moment and the look he gave her became tender and more than a little paternal.  "Do be careful, girl.  I don't want to lose you again," he said softly.

Alex leaned in and gave him a soft peck on the cheek.  "I promise.  And you do the same," she commanded quietly before lightly smacking his shoulder.  "Now get on out of here before you miss your flight."  She shut his door tightly and stepped back to join the others as he put the vehicle in gear then backed it out of the parking spot, paused a moment to send them one last wave, and drove down the lane to the guard house. 

They watched the large vehicle until the tail lights disappear up the ramp into the darkness.  "Well," Vin said, breaking the silence.  "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving.  Let's get outta here."

He led the way back across the space to where his jeep, Chris's Ram, and Ezra's Jag were parked side by side in the now mostly empty garage.  Ezra released the trunk with his own remote, and Vin dumped the bag inside before slamming the lid shut.  He looked at his friend over the hood of the car as Ezra pulled the driver's door open.  "You still meeting us tonight?" he asked.

Ezra noted his hopeful expression but looked across the hood to Alex before turning back to Vin with a penitent expression.  "I'm sorry Vin, but I'm sure the young lady is tired and would like to settle in tonight.  Perhaps another time," he apologized.

Vin shrugged in disappointment.  "Sure," he agreed reluctantly.

Alex looked from one to the other and quickly made an appeal.  "No, really, I don't mind.  Truthfully, I'm a bit hungry myself."

Ezra raised an eyebrow in her direction in question.  "Are you sure?  The Saloon isn't the type of locale that you yourself would normally frequent, and being the normal leisurely meeting place for agents of this bureau as well as the local police precinct, it can get quite boisterous on Friday nights.  If you'd prefer someplace quieter, I will be happy to escort you there."

Alex grinned in assurance as she slipped her free hand into her jacket pocket.  "Sounds like I couldn't be safer anywhere else."

Chris snorted.  "I wouldn't be so sure of that," he said wryly.  "Liquor and this bunch tends to be an explosive match."

"You are including yourself, aren't ya, Cowboy?" Vin interjected with a grin.  "'Cause its seems to me that most of the trouble we get into down there starts with you."

"Because I'm trying to pull your scrawny butt out of the fire, Cowboy," Chris shot back.

Ezra rolled his eyes at the girl.  "See what I mean?" he sighed in mock exasperation.

Alex laughed softly.  "Well, at least it shouldn't be boring," she commented.  "It's fine with me, really.  I'm sure I've been in worse places."

"Well then, gentlemen, it seems we have reached a verdict," Ezra said as he pulled his car door open.  "I suggest we reconvene at said establishment in post haste, before Mr. Wilmington has a chance to order for us." 

He shuddered dramatically and Vin couldn't help but smirk.  "What's the matter, Ez?  You didn't like what Buck picked out for you last time?"

"I hardly consider four bean burritos supreme smothered in nacho cheese sauce and a bottle of Budweiser to be appropriate for my palette," Ezra huffed.

"You just don't know real food when you taste it.  I happen to like Inez's burritos," Vin teased.

"This coming from the man who views upscale dining to be the local Waffle House," Ezra shot back.  "And I never claimed to dislike Inez's cooking.  I just prefer something lighter on the stomach."

Chris raised his eyes to the ceiling long-sufferingly while Alex covered her mouth to hide a giggle. "Enough," he growled, though there was no real heat in his tone.  "Let's just get down there, okay?  I'm in serious need of a drink."

Vin shook his head at the girl, his eyes shining with mischief.  "Just like a parent, ain't he?  Taking the fun out of everything."  He grinned at the garnered glare from the blond as he slid into his jeep and started it.

"Watch yourself, Junior," Chris snapped back, climbing up into the cab of his truck.

"Yeah, whatever, Cowboy," Vin flipped back, grinning at Ezra and Alex before he backed out of his parking spot and slammed the gas pedal to the floor, causing his tires to squeal as he peeled off down the lane.

Chris just shook his head and slammed his door, muttering under his breath about Texans as he followed his friend.

Ezra and Alex watched them leave before he turned to her with a grin.  "I feel I should warn you about what you are getting yourself into by affiliating with this group," he warned.  "They can be a bit overwhelming at times."

Alex returned the grin with a shrug as she pulled the passenger door open and climbed in, settling the backpack at her feet before pulling the seatbelt across her chest.  "I don't know, I think it'll be fun.  You guys are an entertaining bunch."

Ezra slid into the driver's seat himself, fastened his seatbelt, and inserted the key into the ignition.  The car rumbled to life and he turned to her with a wicked grin.  "Then prepared to be entertained."  He backed the car out of its parking spot and slipped it into gear with a flourish before pressing the gas pedal to the floor, sending the sleek, black car racing toward the guard house and up the ramp. 

Alex just laughed as they pulled out into the evening traffic.

She was going to like these guys.

THE END

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I know, I know—after all that, I end up with a typical ending after all!  But I did have ya wondering for a while, didn't I?

I can't believe it's finished!  I've been at this story for over 10 months, and now that it's finally done, I'm at loose ends.  I do hope to have Alex appear in a few future stories (if I ever get around to writing them), though she won't be showing up in everything I may write.  However, her role should be dropping back to one of support, like Nettie and Casey, Inez, Mary, the Judge, etc.  Like I said before, I have no intentions of making her one of the seven, or so on—the guys are perfectly fine by themselves, and don't need any help!

I do want to give all my reviewers one last, huge thank you!  I would have never completed this without your wonderful words of support and encouragement and pleas for more.  You've all been great, and I'm so glad you enjoyed this!  You've really made this a wonderful experience for me, and given me the courage to try to keep at it.  You're the ones who've made this fun.

Well, it's been one wild and crazy journey, but the end is now here, and the ships are ready to leave the harbor (I've been watching too much LOTR again :) What did you think?  Was the action heart-stopping enough?  Were the characters true to themselves?  Were the plot twists evasive enough and the story hooking?  Did you like Ally?  Do you want to see more of her?  And, do you really think I should keep at this?

Oh, and one final thing before I go:  I don't mind if anyone else would like to use Ally, but I do ask that you get my permission first.  She's a good friend of mine, and there's just a few situations she'd rather avoid : )

Okay, that's all folks!  Until next time…..