Title: Devil's Hand
Author: Cindy Ryan
Story status: Complete
Universe: ATF—created years ago on the Magnificent Seven fanfiction list. The boys live in modern day Denver as members of an elite ATF team.
Category: Angst
Summary: An old enemy of Buck's and Chris's resurfaces intent on shattering the team. But nobody takes down the Seven. Not without a fight.
Notes: I wrote this story about five years back and have had it posted at other sites. Decided to post it here so I'd have all my stories in one spot.

Chris Larabee finally gave up on sleep three hours before dawn. The nightmares that had plagued him after his family had died had returned.

He had never quite figured out why the dreams had stopped after he formed the ATF team.

Chris swung his legs over the side of the bed and rubbed his face wearily.

Maybe Sarah thought he had finally found some peace with his new 'family'.

Now another family had been destroyed.

Chris didn't bother to turn on the lights as he dressed. He picked up his brown leather jacket and headed for the office.

Hopefully he would find some answers there.

JD was rudely forced back to consciousness by a sharp kick to his rib cage. With the air forced out of his lungs JD choked as he curled instinctively into a fetal position.

"Up and at'em,boy," a harsh male voice commanded as he yanked JD around so he was lying on his back,"Its a beautiful new day and we got a lot of stuff to do."

JD squinted trying to get his eyes to focus. He had finally caught his breath but making out the man's face in the dim light was another matter.

"Who?"The youth whispered in a strained voice.

His captor rocked back on his heels,"I'm hurt,JD,that you don't recognize me. I've been told I'm quite well known in your circles."

The man rose to his feet and headed toward the door,"I'll be back when you remember."

Vin Tanner wasn't surprised to find the office door unlocked despite the early hour.

The sharpshooter paused in the doorway his gaze traveling to JD's empty desk.

Vin shook himself and moved past JD's desk to his own placing the thermos of coffee down.

Not bothering to knock Vin quietly opened the door to Chris's office. Larabee's chair was turned around so it was facing the window.

Several stacks of files covered the desk.

Tanner walked around the right side of the desk moving to stand next to Larabee who hadn't acknowledged his presence.

"Isn't it a little early,even for you?"Chris asked quietly finally breaking the silence his blue gaze never leaving the dark sky.

"I think we both had the same idea," Tanner replied as he glanced at the stack of files,"Find the answer you were lookin' for?"

Chris shook his head wearily as he whirled the chair around,"No."

"Maybe the answer just isn't here,Chris," Vin suggested.

Larabee glared at his friend,"No,it has to be here somewhere. I'm just not looking in the right place."

Ezra Standish was not a morning person.

Never had been.
Never will be.

So why was he standing in the early morning darkness outside Wilmington's apartment building?

Because the memory of a friend wouldn't let him sleep.
A friend who despite everything had been kind to him when other's weren't.

Ezra sighed as he walked around the crime scene. What was left of Wilmington's truck had long since been towed to a secure warehouse.

The scorched earth had to reveal some clue that the forensics team and homicide unit had missed.

It just had too...

Josiah Sanchez knocked lightly on the hospital room door as he slowly pushed it open.

He had debated about coming to see Buck this early but he figured the shock of last night's events had worn off by now.

The big man shook his head sadly. He could only pray that Buck didn't shut his friends out.

Josiah stepped into the room only to find the bed empty. He quickly stepped out into the hallway and caught a doctor's attention.

"Is Mr. Wilmington having tests done?"Josiah asked.

The red haired man shook his head,"No,none were scheduled,why?"

"And you didn't release him?"Sanchez asked hoping his instincts were wrong.

The doctor frowned,"No,of course not. He had a severe concussion plus several broken ribs..."

Josiah nodded in acknowledgment as he slammed open the nearby stairwell door and took the stairs two at a time.

Chris wasn't going to like this.

Nathan Jackson sighed wearily as he tossed down a thin manila file folder. The young black man leaned back against the bed's headboard and rubbed his tired eyes.

Sleep had not been a visitor that night so Nathan had called the crime scene unit and had them fax over the photos of the explosion.

There hadn't been any new clues in the pictures. Jackson figured that the only clues they would get would be from the vehicle itself. And they couldn't touch that until it cooled down.

Nathan glanced out the window and saw the sun starting to color the sky. He wondered if it was too early to go check on Buck.

Jackson shook his head sadly he hoped that Buck would let them help him through this ordeal.

Buck Wilmington paused as a sharp pain ricocheted through his rib cage making it difficult to breath. He leaned heavily against the small cabin's doorframe.

Once the pain subsided enough to move Buck walked into the cabin and sat heavily down in a chair near the fireplace.

Wilmington knew this was the first place Chris would look for him and that was fine. He wasn't trying to hide from anyone. If he was he wouldn't have come to this place.

This place that had become a sanctuary for the team. A place to come and have fun...weather it was skiing,hunting,or just a poker game.

Buck leaned his head back against the headrest. He couldn't believe he had made such a rookie mistake.

It was drilled into you the first day of the academy...no matter if you're on duty or off duty you never,ever let your guard down.

He had done that and it had cost him his family.
JD wasn't related to him by blood but he might as well have been.

The youth had replaced part of his soul that had died the night Chris's family had.

Once again because of Buck's foolishness a life was taken far too soon.

Buck leaned forward burying his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry JD...," Wilmington whispered just before the tears started to flow.

A cold steady rain had started to fall as Chris Larabee pulled his car into the hospital parking lot. He found a place and parked,getting out of the car without bothering to grab the umbrella from the back seat.

Instead the blond agent flipped the collar of his black trench coat up and headed toward the main entrance.

With each step Chris tried to shake off the feeling of deja vu. Buck had been the only one to get through to him when his family had been killed. Now it was Chris's turn...he just wished he knew what to do.

As he got closer to the door Chris spotted Josiah barreling out. Larabee frowned seeing the grim expression on the big man's face.

"Josiah!"Chris called breaking into a jog.

Sanchez stopped and turned in Larabee's direction and walked toward him,"Was just on my way to see you."

"Just a guess," Chris replied with a grim smile,"Buck's gone AWOL?"

Sanchez nodded,"We need to find him,Chris. The doctors did their best last night but some of his ribs weren't healed yet. One of them could puncture a lung if he's not careful."

"Damn," Larabee swore softly as he ran a hand through his short hair,"Knew this would happen. Should've put a guard on his door."

"Wouldn't have stopped him,brother," Josiah replied quietly as he watched the rain hit the ground.

"I know," Larabee replied grimly as he turned and started back toward his car,"I have an idea where he's gone. Find Nathan tell him to meet me at the cabin."

Josiah nodded,"Want me to come along?"

Chris shook his head,"I think Nate and I can handle him. Vin's back at the office I think he could use a hand with back cases."

Vin Tanner sat down at his desk and booted up the computer. He took a sip of coffee as he waited for the programs to load.

He forced his gaze away from the empty desk a few feet from him. If he looked it would only bring back memories.

Memories which would distract him from the task at hand.

The computer beeped telling him that it had finally completed its task. Vin quickly logged onto the internet and clicked into the maze of websites that connected police departments around the world.

Vin knew it was a long shot,but he hoped there was a prisoner release that they hadn't been notified of yet.

Tanner glanced up as Ezra entered the room,"Have you been home at all, Ezra?"Vin asked knowing that a late night was the only excuse for Standish to see a sunrise.

Standish nodded as he walked toward the break room,"I was there briefly, Mr. Tanner."

Vin returned his attention to the screen as the particular website he wanted finally loaded,"Couldn't sleep ethier,huh?"

Ezra returned to the main room carrying a piece of toast and a mug of hot tea. About all he had the appetite for,"Precisely. How is Mr. Wilmington this morning?"

Vin shook his head,"Don't know. Chris just left to go see him."

Ezra took a sip of tea as he walked around the desk and peered over Vin's shoulder,"Anything new?"

"Not yet," Vin replied sadly,"But something better break soon before Buck gets back."