Family Ties
A/N- As always, none of the characters belong to me, I'm just playing in the sandbox with them. Thanks to MOG for creating the ATF AU. Also, HUGE thanks to Retirw, she's been fantastic in getting me back on track when I get stuck! Another thanks to Pookwana for some awesome plot bunnies to try out! This is a slight crossover with CSI: Miami and The Sentinel, but you don't really need to have any prior knowledge to read this; it focuses on the Magnificent Seven characters. My apologies for any errors in airport security; I've never actually had to check a fire arm before, so I have NO idea how it works. THIS IS NOT A DEATHFIC!!! I PROMISE!! Anything you recognize doesn't belong to me.
Miami, Colorado
Miami Dade Police Station
May 1st
11:14 am
Justin Casey, the junior member of Team 8, dove through the doorway of the shooting range and into the hall, willing his heart to stop pounding. Holy shit, that was Vin Tanner! Justin tried to act nonchalant as a group of CSIs passed by and he debated what he should do. If only Kelly was here! He'd know.
For God's sakes, he couldn't just walk up and tell Vin that Team Seven had pulled a Lazarus and scared the hell out of everyone when they stalked into their own memorial service. They'd looked around for a moment, completely ignoring the various astonished agents, and Chris had growled, literally growled, where the hell was Vin.
Seeing his brother approaching the shooting range, Justin flagged him down. He was here visiting, not on official business, so he wasn't wearing ATF insignia, thank God. If Vin had seen it…
Trying to sound nonchalant, Justin asked his brother, "Who's that?" He pointed through the doorway of the range at Tanner, heart beating rapidly and trying not to make it too obvious that he was desperately making sure Tanner couldn't see him. Judging by the look his brother gave him, he didn't succeed.
"That's Vin Tanner. He transferred here about four months ago to Lt. Horatio's team. It's kind of odd actually, he's not a CSI, he just does all the fieldwork, like surveillance and stuff. No one knows what happened to him before he came here, but he won't allow anyone to touch him. Ever. He stitches up his own cuts and everything. He doesn't talk either. I've only heard him say something once, and that was to shout out a warning that there was an officer down. I can't begin to tell you all of the speculation about what he was before he came to Miami."
Justin's voice was soft and reflective as he absorbed the information. "He was, is, a sharpshooter."
Jason, his brother, choked. "You know him?!"
Justin's eyes didn't leave Vin's back. "Sort of." There was a pause and suddenly, Justin's eyes widened and he whirled on his brother. "You can't tell him I was here! He thinks his entire team is dead! The warehouse they were in blew up, but nobody knew they weren't in it. Vin disappeared as soon as he identified their badges and weapons, and nobody's been able to find him since. All the files are so encrypted that even Dunne can't find him! He'll run if he knows anybody from Denver knows he's here. Promise me you won't tell him!"
"Justin, calm down. I won't tell him. My God, I can't even imagine what losing your whole team must be like."
"They weren't just his team, Jason. They were his brothers…"
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Denver Federal Building
May 1st
3:12 pm
"Kelly!" Agent Justin Casey practically flew in the door to the office. Team Eight gathered around him in confusion as he bent over, trying to catch his breath.
"Casey, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be on vacation for another two days."
"I got an earlier flight." Casey was still breathing hard. Finally, in between pants, he managed to get it out, "Vin. I saw Vin."
The silence in the bullpen was deafening. Kelly's eyes were wide as he spoke. "You saw Tanner?"
Casey nodded repeatedly. "I was down in Miami visiting my brother, and he works at the Miami Dade Police station. He was in a meeting, so I went down to the shooting range to see what it looked like. Everyone was standing in a circle behind this one person, so I went to see what the heck was going on. A new gun testing, maybe? But anyways, so I went to look and it was Vin! He was shooting the crap out of the paper targets and had this kill-you-dead-Larabee look on his face. I asked my brother about him and he said Vin transferred in about four months ago."
Kelly's eyes widened. "Did he see you?" The question was terse as he interrupted Casey's breathless blabbering.
"No. I mean, I knew I couldn't just up and tell him out of nowhere that the others are alive, and if I spooked him, he'd run."
Kelly stared at the newest member of the team in surprise. When did he get that smart? "Good job. Let me go talk to Chris." Kid might make an agent after all.
"Ryan, wait!" The use of his first name told Kelly this was something important. "He's in bad shape." Justin paused as if debating how much to tell him. Finally, he said quietly, "I've never seen him look like . . . that."
Kelly absorbed that for a moment. "I'll tell Chris. He'll know what to do."
"It's been nice knowing you!" His team joked, trying to lighten the mood as he walked out the door and headed to the proverbial lion's den. Kelly gulped. Team Seven had been a bit…testy…lately. Oh God, maybe he should call the Miami Dade Police Station to warn them…
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Airplane Somewhere Between Denver and Miami
May 1st
3:51 pm
The flight attendant looked at the six men in her area and swallowed several times before walking over to them with the beverage cart. The slim blond man dressed in solid midnight black let his piercing green eyes roam the cabin, eventually falling on her.
"Would you like anything to drink, sir?"
His eyes narrowed as he surveyed her for a moment. "No."
Gulping, she turned to the next person, completely unaware of the man's reason for not drinking. The only reason he wasn't downing a shot of whiskey was because he didn't want his aim to be off if he had a chance to shoot somebody.
The man with a mustache didn't even bother to look at her when she asked him, and his answer was as short and concise as the others. "No."
Swallowing nervously, she turned to the next pair of seats which contained two of the largest men she'd ever seen. The black man was mumbling to himself, and when she leaned closer, she looked at him oddly until the presence of the other man, holding a rosary and looking more dangerous than any man should be allowed, made her think twice. The man was muttering about surgical techniques and scruffy, god damned Texans that didn't listen to anyone. Maybe she should alert the other attendants not to come near this area…
The last pair was a younger looking man, typing furiously on a laptop, and another man dressed in what she guessed was at least a two thousand dollar suit. When she asked if they wanted anything, the well-dressed man just looked at her then went back to reading over the other man's shoulder. Turning away, she shakily continued her pathway down the aisle, thanking whatever deities happened to be listening that she didn't live in Miami.