Chapter 8

"Mr. McKenna?" Three days had passed since the paternity test had been started, the results of which had just been handed to him.

"This is Jack McKenna."

"Agent Price here. I thought you should know the results of the paternity test are in."

"And?" Jack impatiently asked.

"There is no doubt Vin Tanner is your missing son."

Jack let go the breath he'd been holding. "Does he know yet?"

"No sir, I thought you should be told first."

"I appreciate that Agent Price. Have you found any more information on who took him?" Jack tried to keep the anger from his voice but he suspected he wasn't entirely successful.

"Not yet Mr. McKenna, I haven't had a chance to interview any of Cynthia Tanner's friends yet."

"But you said you don't think she was involved?"

"I don't Mr. McKenna but if we can discover how she came to adopt your son it may lead us to the person who did kidnap him," Darrell patiently explained.

"That makes sense I guess. Agent Price you've spoken to my son do you think I should contact him or wait for him to call me?" He honestly couldn't imagine what his son was feeling right now and he didn't want to make a mistake that would push him away. Jack didn't think he could stand it if that happened.

"Anything I tell you will be a guess at best," was the honest reply.

"I understand that Agent Price but at this point your guess would be better than mine. At least it'd be based on having actually met the boy," Jack gruffly explained.

"I suppose," Darrell conceded. "I think it might be best if you let him contact you."

Jack nodded. "I want to talk to him, see him but I won't push him. I know his world has just been turned upside down and I don't want to make things any more difficult for him. Will you tell him that?"

"I will Mr. McKenna."

"Thank you." Jack returned the phone to its base. Letting a stranger act as go-between with his child went against the grain but Jack knew it was for the best at this point. Hopefully it wouldn't be long until Brock, no Vin, contacted him. He was going to have to get used to thinking of the boy as Vin. It would be ridiculous at this point to expect him to use his birth name.

"Brick stop it," Cassidy ordered through her laughter.

Brick just grinned unrepentantly and sprayed her again.

Jack smiled as he listened to them. It was good to hear Cassidy laughing again. She had been furious when he had told her about Bro...Vin and had been nursing her anger since. Jack wasn't sure who she had been angrier with, the person who had stolen her brother or Jack for not telling her about him sooner. He hated to interrupt their fun but he needed to let them know the results of the tests. He knew they'd be happy with the confirmation; it was the rest of the news they might not be so understanding of, well Cassidy wouldn't be. Jack was fairly certain Brick would understand the need to let his brother set the pace of any reunions.

ATF offices

A shadow falling over his desk had Vin looking up into the face of Darrell Price. "The results in?" he asked after a moment.

Darrell nodded. "It's been confirmed you are the missing Brock McKenna."

Vin winced at the name. "What next?"

"I'll be heading to Texas to conduct some interviews. Luckily most of Cynthia Tanner's friends still live in the same area."

"You're still taking Josiah with you?"

"Yes. Agent Tanner I wouldn't ordinarily suggest this but you can come along too if you like." Darrell had given it a lot of thought and had decided that as the man was a federal agent it would be permissible.

"No," the response was sharper than Vin had intended. "Sorry," he apologized.

"Are you sure Vin?" Josiah asked.

"I'm sure Josiah. If Mama had anything to do with my kidnapping..."

"You'd rather let me tell you, soften the blow?" Josiah suggested.

Vin nodded, ducking his head. He supposed it seemed cowardly but he just couldn't face hearing strangers confirming his worst fears.

Josiah moved to stand behind Vin's chair, laying a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Understandable son," he rumbled, startling the younger man. His younger team mate was a man who was always aware of his surroundings; he'd had to be growing up as he had. The small jerk of Vin's shoulders spoke volumes to Josiah about the stress he was under.

"Thanks Josiah," Vin rasped. "Anything else Agent Price?" he asked, turning his attention back to the other man.

"I spoke to Jack McKenna before I came here. He asked me to give you his number and to tell you that as much as he wants to speak to you he's leaving the when up to you. He knows this has been a shock to you and he has no desire to push you."

Vin reached out a shaking hand for the piece of paper. "You sure he wants me to call him?" Maybe it was unfair for him to question the man's words but he hadn't had any good experiences with father figures. The truth was with the examples he'd had he could have grown up to be as much of a bastard as any criminal the team pursued. Luckily Vin had rejected their examples choosing instead to adopt behaviour that was as far from them as he could get.

"When I told you the other day that he never stopped looking there was more to the message. I thought it would be best to wait until the test results were in," Darrell explained. "He asked me to tell you that he loves you and if you had heard the emotion in his voice you wouldn't need to ask if he really wants you to call him."

Vin nodded, "Thanks." Fishing his wallet out he carefully placed his father's number inside and put it away. He would call him, probably within the next few days but he wasn't ready yet.

TBC...

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