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.
JD started to stir just as Chris stepped back into the room. Nathan was instantly at the younger agent's side keeping a watchful eye on JD's vital signs.
"JD?"Nathan asked, "JD, it's Nathan, can you hear me?"
There were several long minutes of silence as the kid struggled to orientate himself. Then Chris heard the sweetest sound he thought he'd never hear again.
"Buck?"Dunne asked in a weak hoarse voice his eyes still shut.
Larabee glanced at Nathan before kneeling next to the bed, "He'll be here soon, JD."
At Chris's voice the youth turned his head and finally opened his eyes, "Chris?"
Larabee smiled, "How do you feel, kid?"
JD tried to sit up and instantly regretted the motion as sharp pain shot through his rib cage, "Like I got hit by a train," he replied through clenched teeth.
Nathan shot his friend a warning glare, "Don't you even think of sitting up. You've got two cracked ribs and a bruised collar bone. Plus the fact that you haven't eaten in three days..."
JD slumped back against the pillow, "All right, Nate, I get the point," he replied weakly as he stared up at the ceiling. Something wasn't right here.
Chris said Buck would be here soon...but where was he coming from? Usually Buck was such a mother hen that he would get on everybody's nerves.
Then the memories came crashing back...
Being held captive...
The kidnapping...being grabbed from behind...
"There was an explosion," JD exclaimed as he sat bolt up right ignoring the promise he had made to Nathan a few minutes earlier.
Chris leaned forward, "You remember the explosion? You saw it?"
JD shook his head wincing at the pain that was brought with it. He had to keep his head clear. Had to tell Chris what was going on.
"No, "JD replied quietly, "Heard it. They had already pressed a cloth over my face dragging me away from the truck."
JD looked over at Chris fear in his hazel eyes, "Level with me, Chris, is Buck hurt? Was he hurt in the explosion?"
Larabee shook his head, "No, kid, Buck is fine."
"JD, "Nathan asked, "Do you know who did this?"
JD swallowed hard shoving the fear aside as he turned to face his commanding officer, "You gotta find Buck, Chris."
Chris nodded, "Vin's lookin' for him now."
That seemed to ease a little of JD"s fear, "The man who grabbed me. Took me awhile to place him but when I did...Chris, it's Jonathan Zellar."
Nathan froze at the name and Chris's face paled, "JD, that's not possible. Zellar's dead."
JD shook his head as he started to sit up again gaining a sharp glare from Nathan, "It was the first case I was on when I joined your team, Chris. I know what Zellar looks like. It was him...he practically bragged about it."
"Damn," Larabee swore as he rose to his feet and walked to the doorway. If JD was right and Jonathan Zellar was among the living then this nightmare of a situation had just gone straight to hell.
Buck Wilmington pulled his car into the parking lot of a small diner.
He had put phase one of his plan into action now he just had to wait.
But he wasn't good at waiting, never had been.
Buck sighed as he threw the car into park and leaned wearily back in the seat.
If he wanted justice for JD he had to make this plan work.
And that meant waiting...so Buck settled back in the seat and folded his arms across his chest.
A few more hours and this whole nightmare would be over.
But things would never be back to normal.
While elated that JD was back among the living, Ezra had decided to return to the office.
He wanted to check on a few sources that he hadn't been able to earlier.
As he sat down at his desk Ezra noted that Myers was nowhere in sight.
Which was fine by Ezra...he would need the peace and quiet to complete the task.
Fifteen minutes later Ezra had completed two phone calls and was awaiting a return on the third when a knock at the door drew his attention.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Travis," Ezra commented as he rose from his desk, "What brings you to this neck of the woods?"
The blonde widow glanced around the unusually empty office her blue gaze finally coming to a rest on JD's desk, "I came to see Chris but I see I should've called first. Do you know where he is?"
Ezra knew Larabee would want the newspaper editor out of harm's way, "Mr. Larabee is in meetings all day, I'm afraid."
Mary nodded and started to wonder why she had come here in the first place. She sighed inwardly...she had hoped she could do something, anything to ease the suffering of a group of men who had become her friends.
They were a family who had been torn apart by violence. She knew what that feeling was like.
Mary blinked shoving aside the painful memories of the past and looked at Ezra, "Will you tell him I was here...and if any of you ever need to talk..."
Standish smiled as he walked toward her, "Thank you, Mrs. Travis for your kindness. And I will tell Mr. Larabee that you stopped by."
Mary nodded as she turned to leave, "Do you mind if I grab something to drink?"
Ezra shook his head, "No, of course not, help yourself."
"Thank you," Mary replied as she turned and walked into the office's small break room.
Once she opened the refrigerator the widow noted how bare it was. Glad she had found something to do to help the team Mary closed the door and went to the cabinet closest to the door.
As she opened the cabinet she didn't see the thin black wire until it was too late
Mary bit back a scream as she realized she had armed the bomb.
Keeping her hand as steady as possible on the door Mary followed the wire until she saw the timer.
"Oh God," the reporter whispered as she read the numbers.
Ten minutes.
"Ezra!" Mary called struggling to keep the fear out of her voice.
As Vin maneuvered his jeep through mid-afternoon traffic he knew that Chris had already checked out all of Buck's usual haunts.
Which led Vin to put himself in Wilmington's shoes.
Buck had just lost part of his soul...where would he go?
He would try to find answers which meant Buck would need a temporary base.
And without the ATF's budget for expenses Buck would need somewhere cheap.
Not waiting for the next intersection Tanner threw the jeep into a hard u-turn and headed for the south side of the city.
Vin just hoped that he could get to his friend in time before Buck did anything foolish.
Chris stepped outside so he wouldn't disturb JD in the next room. He was trying to keep a reign on his temper but the clerk at the other end of the phone call was talking to him about bureaucratic red tape.
Chris had no time for the debate or the red tape, "I don't give a damn what you have to do. Just get a forensics team out there to dig up Zellar's body!"
Chris slammed the off button on the cordless phone and tossed the device into one of the wicker chairs. He knew that the forensics team would only tell him what he already knew but he had to be absolutely sure.
Zellar had nearly destroyed the team the last time before Chris and Buck had cornered the killer in a train yard.
Chris shook his head...if Buck knew that Zellar was alive and the one behind JD's 'death' this mess would turn ugly very fast.
That was something Chris had to prevent no matter what the cost.
Standish entered the break room and read the rapidly counting numbers on the timer.
Ezra cursed silently at the lack of time but was careful to hide any reaction from the reporter.
Standish took a step away from Mary and yanked his cellular phone out of his pocket. He dialed the dispatcher and told her to give the code to clear the building.
The dispatcher informed him that the bomb squad was on its way but Ezra knew they would never get there in time.
"Ezra, "Mary stated as she gestured toward the cabinet, "I think this is the same type of bomb that was set off in the truck."
Ezra was about to ask how she knew what type of bomb destroyed the truck but decided against it. He stood next to her to get a better look at the device.
It was about the size of a camera. A thin black trigger wire ran from the door to the two three inch size bundles of plastic explosive attached behind the timer.
"I believe your deduction is accurate, Mrs. Travis," Ezra replied as he examined the wires that ran from the plastic explosive to the timer. There were four all together...red, yellow, pink and green.
The only problem was he couldn't tell if there were any traps.
If the bomb was placed by the same person who had planted the car bomb Ezra could only assume the wires were trapped.
Which left only one other option.
Standish glanced at the widow, "Mrs. Travis, the trash compactor is roughly the same distance you are from the cabinet.
I'm going to tie my belt to the compactor and to the cabinet door so the device thinks a person is still holding it open. When I tell you to I want you to run as fast and far away from this office as you can? Understood?"
Mary nodded tightly. She was using all of her strength and will power to keep her arm from shaking.
Ezra glanced at the timer: three minutes, twenty seconds.
Ezra quickly removed his brown leather belt and wrapped one end to the handle of the trash compactor. The other he carefully tied to the cabinet knob.
"All right, Mrs. Travis you may let go," Ezra ordered his green eyes never leaving the red numbers of the bomb.
Mary hesitated only briefly before snatching her hand away from the cabinet.
The door vibrated slightly but remained open.
Ezra glanced back at the widow, "Go!"
Mary looked at him with wide blue eyes then back at the bomb.
"I'll be right behind you!"Ezra replied to her unanswered question, "Go! Now!"
Mary took a last glance at the numbers less than two minutes left. She turned and ran as fast as her feet would carry her.
Vin Tanner made a left turn and entered a small parking lot. This was the last hotel on this street. And about the only one left on this side of town that Vin hadn't checked. If Buck hadn't been here then he had left town to follow a lead which didn't ease Vin's mind any.
With the presence of Vin's badge the hotel manager confirmed that Buck had been there for two days but had checked out about three hours ago.
Vin thanked the man and requested to see the room Buck had occupied.
It was a long shot but Wilmington might have left in a hurry. If he had Vin would be able to find his friend's trail and prevent Buck from doing something that would cost him his career.
Nathan stepped out of JD's room to find Chris placing a log on the fire. It was nearly dusk and their was definitely a late fall chill in the air.
Chris glanced up at the foot steps, "How's he doin'?"
The healer sat down in one of the chairs opposite the fire place, "He's asleep. Best thing for him right now."
Chris nodded as he walked toward the window, "I just wish we could get word to Buck."
Then you believe that JD saw Zellar?" Nathan asked quietly.
Larabee nodded, "Yeah, I do. This whole thing is his M.O, he likes to play mind games."
"Could be a copycat," Nathan suggested part of him not wanting to believe that the madman was among the living.
Chris shook his head, "Wish it was. Forensics called back a few minutes ago. I had them dig up Zellar's grave...the casket was full of sand."
Ezra was almost to the door of the break room when he risked a glance back at the bomb.
He was just in time to see the belt slip from the cabinet's knob and fall to the floor.
Standish ran like a bat out of hell through the bullpen and out into the corridor. He glanced around hoping that Mary had made it to the stairs by now.
His heart froze when he saw that she hadn't. She was only about five feet ahead of him.
With no time to shout a warning Ezra forced his legs to go faster. As he passed the reporter he grabbed her in a fireman's tackle and threw them both non too gently into the stairwell at the far end of the corridor. Just as he slammed the door shut behind them the bomb went off.
With disinterested movements the manager unlocked the hotel room door and left without giving Vin a second glance.
Vin pushed the door open the rest of the way and stepped into the small room.
He winced slightly at the bright red walls and equally bright orange carpet.
Vin quickly came to the conclusion that Buck had cleared out. There wasn't anything in the room that didn't belong to the hotel. Vin threw down the trash can in frustration...it was empty. Housekeeping must've already come through.
Knowing there was nothing more he could do here Vin fished his car keys out of his coat pocket and turned to leave.
As he turned he spotted something under the left front corner of the bed.
Vin quickly dropped to his knees and reached for the wad of paper.
Unfortunately the paper was wedged between the leg of the bed and the nightstand.
The tracker turned onto his side hoping for a better angle. The change of positions worked as his fingertips brushed the top of the paper. Vin batted the ball of paper toward him until he was able to get a grip on it and bring it out from under the bed.
This better not be a pizza menu, Vin thought darkly as he rose to his feet.
As he unfolded the paper Tanner quickly read the contents before pocketing it.
Vin quickly left the room not looking forward to telling Chris what Buck had discovered.
Ezra awoke slowly as he tested each limb for injury. Nothing broken but he definitely had one or two bruised ribs. As he opened his eyes he realized he was in an upright position. The force of the explosion had literally cracked the flight of stairs in two causing the landing to slide down. This is what Standish found himself lying against.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.
"Mary?" Ezra called out as he struggled to his feet.
When only silence answered him the ATF agent looked over the destroyed railing to the next flight of stairs.
Ezra's heart froze as he spotted the widow. She was lying on her back unconscious trapped under the metal railing.
Ezra noted that there was several pieces of concrete blocking his way down. All of them too big to move.
Seeing only one other option Ezra dropped to his knees next to the broken railing. Standish grasped the jagged edge of the floor and jumped down to the next level.
Police officers and firemen who were lucky enough to see Chris Larabee coming were spared the leader's legendary wrath.
Those who were too slow were swatted out of the way like they were flies.
Chris had almost made it to the front door of the building before one man was able to block his path.
Orin Travis.
"Get out of my way, Judge," Chris ordered tersely. He had two members of his team unaccounted for. He needed answers and he needed them yesterday.
Travis shook his head as he clamped a firm hand down on Larabee's left shoulder, "I know what you're feelin', Chris but you can't go in there yet. it's unstable the bomb squad hasn't been able to confirm if there's more than one bomb."
Chris broke his grasp as he took a step toward the building, "I'll take the chance, Judge. I've got two of my team unaccounted for."
"The building was evacuated before the device went off," Travis replied.
"You're absolutely sure everyone got out?" Chris demanded.
Travis sighed inwardly, "No, we're not sure that's why the bomb squad is sending in robots as we speak."
Larabee turned on his heel and stalked toward the cluster of police cars where the bomb squad was coordinating the investigation.