Tragic Miscommunication
Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be.
Okay – So I've had to repost this...not fun...Sorry if you've already read...but maybe you'll enjoy a re-read?
Chapter 2- The Conflict
It was Saturday morning, and despite the fact that the sun had not yet brightened the sky, the team 7 office was buzzing with energy, phone calls were made and answered, voices abnormally loud to be heard over the general clanks and thuds as equipment was requisitioned, checked and packed or donned. The atmosphere was heavy, tinged with anxiety and anticipation, as team 7 geared up for their latest, (hopefully) successful bust.
They had performed this ritual so many times that it really had become instinct, something that they could do correctly in their sleep, and right now, Chris took comfort in the solidarity and mindlessness of it. The Johansson case was huge; a career maker for some agents, yet routine for this particular group of men.
A smuggling syndicate; guns, drugs, children...you name it, the Johansson's had a finger in it. A crime mob family, dozens of intricately placed strands of evil, headed by king pin Johan Johansson himself, a crooked, twisted man, sitting in his white office tower, surrounded by his dirty money, enslaved girls and filthy family, completely untouchable...until now.
Team 7 was set to topple the tower, and capture the king.
It wasn't really any wonder that Chris should be slightly nervous on the day of the bust, after all, getting to Johansson entailed going through his four sons and personal body guards, each as cut throat and dangerous as their father.
It must be remember though, that Chris Larabee laughed in the face of danger and gave the devil the finger. He had no fear of these men and was positive that they would achieve a desirable outcome, as long as his team was behind him and they stayed alive.
Hence the actual problem...one of his misbegotten 'children' had yet to arrive. Over an hour late and leaving them completely bereft of their necessary sky high reassurance, Vin was the cause behind Chris's unusual anxiety.
It wasn't so much that one of his men was late, Ezra was always late, and traffic could be a bitch on the freeway. No, it was more the fact that Vin was late that had Chris teeth on edge. The younger man was as punctual as any Chris had known and if he had somewhere to be, he'd get there come hell or high water. He was so punctual that you could set your watch by him and be right every time.
And he was late on the morning of their biggest bust in months, something that had been on the books for several weeks, planned and detailed to the smallest element, allowing no room for error.
Vin not being there was a big error.
Chris could feel the others eyes on him now and then as he paced the office like a caged panther, and knew what they were thinking. If he didn't know better, and he did, or at least he had thought he did, he would assume that Vin was being petulant, after the argument yesterday, it seemed an unlikely coincidence that the sniper would be late, but that didn't match any of his previous conceptions of the boy.
Vin knew what it meant to catch this guy, it was probably a once in a life time opportunity, and team 7 had been all over it for months, how many more lives would be lost to Johansson's cruelty and greed if they didn't succeed, and to fail because of a boys sulking...
He had tried calling twice, and twice had gotten the voicemail service, he knew that they didn't have time to go over to Vin's place before the bust, but he was starting to get genuinely concerned, if anything were wrong, he was sure that Vin would ring if he were able to. He turned to Buck, about to let them know to pack it up, and call the bust off, after all, the sniper was a show stopper.
"Buck" Chris called, garnering the man's attention from where he and JD were wiring Ezra with an audio pack, "Call it in...We're a man down...Vin's not..." he was cut off as the staircase door opened and the subject of the discussion entered the office.
The lithe form slunk across the floor, not meeting Chris's gaze, muttering to the floor "Sorry...sorry Chris...I got held up...but I'm right to go..." he hefted the rifle bag in his right hand to indicate his readiness.
Chris followed Vin across to the trackers desk, where Vin was storing his back pack; voice low and deadly he growled "Ever heard of a cell phone...I thought you would call if something was wrong..." the others heard what Chris was really saying 'I was worried when you didn't call', but Vin only heard the accusation in his friends voice.
Fishing the phone out of his bag he waved it in the air, saying "Flat..." he might have been going to say something else but Chris cut him off. The blond grabbed the cell phone and angrily plugged it into Vin's desk charger saying "How many times have I said it, you keep your phone charged and on you at all times...for god sake Vin...I was about to pull the plug on the bust, where the hell where you?"
Chris leaned back against the desk, crossing his arms across his chest, succeeding in looking casually intimidating. Vin's breath hitched, although the emotion causing it was unclear, perhaps anger or distress, he spoke, his voice remained as flat and monotone as it had all morning "I said I'se sorry about bein' late...let's just go, the window on Johansson is closing..." the lean haired man was obviously employing typical conflict avoidance, behaviour completely atypical to Vin's usual 'grab it by the horns' temperament.
Chris wasn't quite as ready to let it go as his sniper was, saying with just enough spite to push the tracker "And exactly whose fault is it if Johansson gets away..." normally Vin would have bitten, and cussed Chris out good, knowing that the leader didn't really mean the words said in the heat of the moment. He and Chris didn't often fight, but when they did it was quite a doozy, but blew over quickly.
This time however, something was different, as the stinging words landed Vin stiffened, and shrank back from Chris, still refusing to meet any one of the six other gazes in the room.
At Vin's obvious refusal to even contemplate hashing the issue out at the present, Chris huffed an angry breath and turned back to the rest of his team, saying "Okay, now that we are all here, we are a go, final checks and then meet in the SUV" he turned and grabbed his own gear off the desk behind him watching as Ezra tugged on the Armani jacket he was wearing, making sure that the expensive cloth wasn't being crumpled by his Bullet proof vest. The southerner sighed in exasperation as he was pushed out the door ahead of Nathan, valiantly trying to ignore the medics mockingly fussing gestures.
Buck and Josiah grabbed either end of JD's tech kit and carried it out the door for him, with JD following along behind, whimpering at every fake drop and wobble the two older men taunted him with.
Vin went to follow the rest of the team, but Chris's volatile glare and angry snort stopped him short. The sniper stilled, and then asked in a voice layered with more sarcasm and biting spite than Chris would allow from anyone snarled "What now?"
Chris felt himself swamped with fury, the downright rudeness; the audacity of the boy! Chris had know that Vin wouldn't cope well with yesterdays reprimand, but he had honestly believed that if the sniper had some time to cool off and actually consider what he was saying, Vin would realise he was in the was right.
It was becoming abundantly clear though, that this was not the case, Vin was too busy sulking like a scolded child to even remember the conversation matter of yesterdays discussions. Chris grabbed his arm and frog marched him over into the supply room.
"You obviously paid absolutely no mind to what you were told yesterday!" the blond snarled as he opened the mesh grated cupboard, voice rough and harsh he continued "Vin...Agent Tanner, I have half a mind to remove you from active duty..." this threat finally garnered a strong reaction from the sullen figure.
"What...No...You can't! You need me!"His voice was panicked and rushed, trying to get the words out too fast. Chris was too angry and frustrated to hear the underlying message and just took the argument at face value as he replied with force "I know regulations and we cannot go into the field without a sniper...and your all we've got...but if I had any other choice you'd be out!"
Yanking the black fabric off the shelf he thrust it at Vin, "Vest...now" the blond ordered, while he pulled the lone vest over his snipers head, clipping the straps and buckles tight, the flinch and groan told him that Vin had finally realised what Chris meant about his remembrance of yesterdays orders safety protocol...or rather his lack of ability to follow them.
He kept his head down, and avoided Chris's gaze as his boss checked the garment again, "Have you got your safety harness...?" Larabee asked with vinegar as he pulled Vin along to the door with him, sighing when all he got was a disgruntled nod indicating the positive.
Fine, if the boy wanted to sulk, he'd let him...
Vin hastened down the stairs towards the garage, trying to keep a decent pace without making Chris think he was trying to get away. He's spent the night with no heat in his apartment due to a power outage, the cold had kept him awake to the early hours of the morning and then he had somehow over slept something that his body clock usually prevented. He'd been late to the Johansson preparation and everything had gone downhill from there.
He didn't have an excuse for his late arrival, or at least, not one that would float with Chris and not get Nathan all worked up over his lack of sleep. The fast pace he had set in the sprint from the car park to the office seemed to have exhausted him, he felt wiped, his chest felt tight from the exertion, and come to think of it, he never really had gotten warm after his trek through the rain last night.
Although that cold empty feeling could be what was left over from his torn and tattered heart.
He knew it was overdramatic and equally pathetic, but he had hoped that the team and Chris, particularly Chris, had begun to accept him as family.
Then to have been deliberately excluded last night, after the argument that had gone down in the afternoon...
He had come to rely on the fact that Chris was more than Just his boss, and the others his colleagues, and now in hindsight he couldn't believe how deluded a few kind words had made him.
They didn't' trust him to guard their lives, they thought he would endanger them...no family would ever extend to include one that garnered such feelings...a fact that he knew well, but had chosen, in hope, yet to his own detriment , to ignore.
If only it didn't' hurt so much.
Sighing deeply, he pulled on the black vest he wore, hating the uncomfortable restriction, yet unable to believe that he had forgotten to put it on, especially after yesterday. He had just proved Chris's point for him...he couldn't be relied on
The SUV was packed and idling by the time he and Chris got there, so he stowed the rifle in the back and got in, relieved that they had left him a window seat, yet noticing that both Ezra and JD, his usual car companions had opted to sit in the back, leaving him next to Nathan, which he normally wouldn't mind, but the kind protective medic hadn't even run his cursory head to toe glance.
Something was very wrong...and Vin had a feeling that it was him.
The half hour car ride was tense, with no one speaking unless absolutely necessary. The tension bled out between Chris and Vin, affecting the rest of the team dynamic as well. They pulled up outside the old derelict warehouse, unsure of what they would find inside, knowing only that this building was the financial and operational hub of the entire Johansson empire, and that the man himself was inside manning the helm of himself, right at this very instant.
The original plan had been straightforward and simple, basically, storm the building from different entry points, working in teams, take down anyone who gets in the way and capture and sit on Johansson until the correct custody arrangements could be made.
Of course, being that it was team 7 on the case, the whole thing went to shit, right from the very start.
As per the plan, the three security guards were taken with ease by Vin, Nathan and Josiah, then Vin had crawled through the small gap near the apex of the building roof, scaling across the shadow engulfed rafters, until he was able to pinpoint the target below him, he then gave the signal to move in.
The building had been converted to a glorified war room come casual office building, usually manned by grunts and lesser relatives, who crunched numbers, ran statistics, laundered money and negotiated business contracts. However, a heavily intoxicated worker had let slip to the wrong snitch a titbit of useful information, that today, was the one day of the year that Johan himself, came to the hub to overlook and inspect his expanding empire, and it was now that team 7 was going to strike, 7 well trained effortlessly cohesive men against several inept white collar workers and one dangerous, but effectually lone man.
Except that the intoxicated worker had neglected to mention that it would be a family affair and as such, Johan's four sons were also to be in attendance.
His four evil, cruel, torturous devils spawn.
Hell in a hand basket wasn't an apt description, and it was only the previously mentioned training and cohesiveness, as well as the cleverly placed angel of death on high, that Kept the 7 men alive and well during the ensuing gunfight.
The Johan's were not so lucky.
When the dust and bullets settled, only one remained standing, Johan JR, the eldest.
And the only reason he remained on his feet was due to the arm he had wrapped around Ezra throat and the gun he had to the curly chestnut haired head.
For the longest moment no one moved, each waiting as they sized up the situation and took in the circumstances. Johan Sr was out cold some 20 meters away, sprawled on the ground unconscious but alive, blood spreading from a wound to the shoulder from one of his own kin's guns. The other three brothers were all most definitely dead, if the grey matter covering the floor and walls was to be any indicator.
Chris took charge.
Calling out in a steady voice, one that screamed 'obey me' he said "Johan, let him go...it's over... there is no other way out..." the blonds words were directed at the gun wielder but his eyes were only for his hostage agent.
Johan snarled and tightened his grip on the southerner, whose wince could have been from the unwanted embrace, or the crushing of his suit pants. His green eyes were calmly following Chris's, ready for any move his boss made, confident in Chris's ability to get him out of this Neanderthals grasp alive.
Chris could see that Johan wasn't going to be talked down, the man had been a psychopath before watching as his family was shot down. The only reason Ezra was still breathing was because Johan knew that a dead agent was no escape route. Chris gave Buck permission with his eyes as the ladies man inched towards the focal pair, careful to stay in Johan's blind spot.
He was almost in position, close enough to grab the gun, and shield Ezra at the same time, when the decision of timeliness was taken from him by a sudden blur that knocked him off his feet and sent him flying.
Another spate of gunshots was heard and everyone dove for cover.
Then all was silent.
Chris cautiously got to his feet, checking that Johan was down, and easily able to see that his own bullet made it unnecessary to cuff the criminal.
Josiah was already securing the original target, Johan Sr, and Chris counted the heads that belonged to him, assessing the situation.
Buck was climbing awkwardly to his feet from where he had been thrown, allowing JD to help him, more for the kid than any need of his own.
He turned to look for the rest of his team when Nathans panicked voice snapped his attention to the floor near the body of Johan Jr.
"Ezra!" Nathan hollered as his hand staunched a stream of red spreading across the undercover agents shoulder and upper chest.
The blood was all that was needed to spur Chris into action, dropping to his knees beside the downed agent he called to Buck and JD, "Buck, ambulance! JD get Nate's Kit!" yanking of his vest and coat, balling the fabric up into a makeshift pad, he helped apply pressure to the wound, steadily ignoring a fact that his peripheral vision was focusing on.
The slight form of his sniper, physically fine; although mentally...Vin was still harnessed, three feet off the ground, swinging to and fro gently, struggling to free himself from the safety ropes...staring horror struck and guilty at the result of his needless and foolish Tarzan swing from the over head rafters.
Chris started when Buck's hand covered his own, the man speaking as he pressed against the bloody hole in Ezra's chest "The ambulance is on rout, ETA 4 minutes, I've got Ez, Chris...see to that idiot..." Buck inclined his head towards Vin, the venom in the usually affectionate voice revealing that he too was aware that Ezra getting shot and himself being sent flying had been the result of an incredible show of stupidity on Vin's behalf.
Seeing that Buck was settling in for the long haul and that Nathan had the unconscious and steadily bleeding Ezra seemingly well in hand, Chris got to his feet, fury, disbelief, concern and confusion that he had been suppressing in favour of helping Ezra, now rushing to the forefront.
Chris turned towards Vin just at the moment that the sniper managed to reach the buckle and unclip himself, landing with catlike grace on the cement floor, already halfway over to wear the result of his idiotic action was bleeding out.
"Oh God...EZ?" the boy rushed towards his friend, coming to an abrupt stop when Chris's vice like hand grabbed his shoulder as he passed and dragged him back in front of the leader. Chris's eyes were like flint, shaking Vin like a ragdoll when he wouldn't stop trying to move towards Ezra.
The physical jolt seemed to have broken through to Vin, and he became aware of the situation, finally noticing the irate boss who had a hold on the collar of his shirt and was shaking him like a puppy, it w". Vin's eyes widened at the look on Chris's face, never before had he had such anger directed at him, he had known that Chris wouldn't be impressed, but he felt that he'd had no choice, he had to prove to Chris that they needed him, that he could be trusted.
He'd done his best to avoid Buck, Ezra and the big thug when he leapt, so sure that he had no other options, but perhaps he hadn't done the right thing after all. It wasn't until Chris finally spoke that Vin started to realise the full extent of his brave jump.
Chris leaned in close, eyes flashing, and voice hard "You stay the hell away from him! You've done more than enough...You almost got him killed! " he shook Vin again, not noticing that the smaller form was once again lifted off the ground by his own anger.
Vin tried to explain, give an excuse "C-Chris! I was just trying to help...I knew I could get him!"if anything the explanation made Chris even angrier and he flung Vin away from him, seemingly too angry to care when the sniper lost his footing and fell to the hard cement.
Bearing down on the fallen man the blond yelled "You just had to act the hero! If you had waited another second you would have seen that the situation was under control! " he gestured wildly towards Ezra "I told you yesterday that your irresponsible, unthinking behaviour would get one of us killed! Well it might just be Ezra!" he breathed deeply, almost foaming at the mouth, about to tear another strip off Vin, who was finally back on his feet, when he realised that he couldn't deal with this here.
Not correctly, legally or officially.
Not before he had formally surveyed the scene, taken in the whole situation.
Not while Ezra was bleeding, and he was so furious with Vin.
Breathing shallowly through his nose Chris spoke to the down turned head, "Get yourself back to the office and sign your rifle into storage, you won't be needing it anytime soon." Vin's head snapped up, pale face and distraught blue eyes meeting his, but Chris ploughed on "Your officially out of the field and dependant on Ezra and the disciplinary review, perhaps off the team " he snarled, turning his back on his stunned sniper, ignoring the shattered gasp.
Moving back to Ezra's side, glad for the muted sound of sirens in the distance Chris ignored the shell shocked form of his young team member as Vin made his way to where he had dropped his rifle and bagged it, all the while staring at the downed form of Ezra.
Head down, shame palpable Vin headed for the exit, feeling more and more bereft with each of his team that he walked past.
Josiah, who was guarding Johan Sr, so as to avoid any more stuff ups refused to meet Vin's eyes, turning back to the unconscious criminal. Vin felt as though he'd been sucker punched. Josiah had always been there for him, through anything and everything that he had been through, with a steady shoulder, a strong arm and a warm voice.
He missed the sad look of concern that wreathed the old weathered face, and didn't hear the softly spoken prayer, intended for him.
Nathan had only met his gaze for an instant, the medic busy with Ezra, but the hard look that had replaced the usual caring, if somewhat exasperated gaze had his own eyes return to the ground. He missed the quick head to toe glance that the brown eyes did, just to be sure.
He didn't need to see Buck to feel the glare directed at him as he walked past. He knew that Buck wouldn't forgive him for getting Ezra shot, not when he himself had been so close to diffusing the situation.
JD plain ignored him. Of all the guys on team 7 he knew that JD looked up to him the most, so this total lack of aw or respect almost broke him, JD refused to acknowledge that he was even present.
He felt Chris gaze on his back as he slipped out the door, but didn't turn to meet it, not thinking he could stand any more anger or disappointment from Chris.
Larabee breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the pent up tension drain out of him as Vin got into the Taxi he had called. He could hardly believe what had happened. Despite having said as much in the heat of the moment yesterday, he had never actually believed that Vin would ever actually endanger one of them; then to have this happen! He wasn't actually going to let Vin go completely, the boy was the most talented sniper and tracker he had ever come across...and he was his best friend. But Chris wasn't going to wait until Vin actually did do something that lead to the death of one of his team mates, he wouldn't see the boy break like that.
Ezra was going to be fine, a little sore for a few weeks, but a full recovery was to be expected. The bullet had entered his upper back and exited the top of his shoulder, leading to a lot of blood and pain, but avoiding anything vital. The southerner was still unconscious, but much more comfortable, clean and warm in a hospital bed, if all went okay he would be released in the morning, probably to a bed at Chris's ranch.
Josiah had agreed to stay with the invalid agent, saying that he would get his report to Chris in the morning. Judge Travers had demanded full reports on his desk that evening so Chris, JD, Nathan and Buck had all headed back to the office to debrief.
And Chris had to deal with Vin.
The elevator buzzed and the doors slid open, Chris led the way into the office, he was not overly surprised to see Vin sitting at his desk, vest still on, staring at the bagged rifle in front of him.
When Vin didn't even seem to register their arrival Chris heard Nathan begin muttering about shock and delayed reaction, looking at his medic he could see the barely retrained urge in the brown eyes.
Stalking over to Vin, he pulled the tracker to his feet, startled at the force of Vin's surprise at being touched, the kid rarely paid so little attention to his surroundings.
Unclipping the buckles on the bullet proof vest, he almost saw Vin relax a little as the tightness of the garment was eased,. Chris was not willing to let his anger go, his fury still almost blinding in its height, but seeing that Vin was not really processing Chris gave him a harsh and venomous, yet simple to follow order.
"I want a full report, for the disciplinary hearing tomorrow, describing the entire incident, from the point you disobeyed my direct order, up to you nearly getting Ezra Killed...no, not at your desk, get the hell out of my sight, before I do something I don't think I'll regret. "ca
He pushed Vin towards the interrogation room, unable to deal with the conflict of emotions that this was causing. Without argument or disagreement, the younger man went into the room, head down; shoulders slumped in abject misery. As furious and disappointed as he was, the green eyes didn't leave his agents retreating back, until he was sure that the stupid idiot was safely ensconced within the secure room, still subconsciously ensuring the safety of those he cared about more than anything else in this world.
20 minutes later and Chris felt calm enough in the familiar environment to try and actually get some work done. Bucks report was already on his desk and he knew that the ladies man was itching to have a word with Vin almost as much as he was to get back to the downed member of their team, knowing better than to delay where his team was concerned, Chris decided to let this run its course. Knowing that the sniper wouldn't be having much luck writing his report this worked up Chris sent Buck into the interrogation room to prompt him into hurrying up.
Buck knocked, but there was no answer, not concerned with manners anymore, too angry with the boy behind the door to care, he barged in, razor filled voice already berating before he even set eyes on the younger agent.
"Why he bothered I don't know, but Chris sent me in to check on you, and to tell you to get that report finished, we want to go see Ez at the hospital and we need to lock up, so you need to go home...did you hear a word I said? For god's sake, sit up when I'm tal...what the hell...Oh shit, Jesus Christ...hold on, hold on...oh god...CHRIS! CHRIS...NATHAN...I NEED SOME HELP...HURRY...OH FU...JD GET NATHAN! AND CALL AN AMBULANCE! Stay with me Vin, hold on...help is coming...my god, how the hell...stay with us...Don't die, Don't you dare die...you hear me you stubborn Texan son of a bitch? Stay..." his voice was panicky, angry and firm all at the same time.
Buck could hear the other rushing across the office as he tackled and tugged to get the vest of his small friend, gasping in dismay at the sight of the torrents of red saturating the originally blue shirt. Nathan, dropped to his knees besides the pair, all professional care and procedure, pulling the shirt off trying to find the wound.
Nathan pulled the destroyed shirt right off, using it to wipe away the blood, so much life liquid seeping away, until finally he found the ragged bullet hole in Vin's front, entering his stomach just below the rib cage.
It had nicked an artery.
Nathan pressed as hard to the small waist as he could, trying to stanch the torrent of blood.
Chris heard JD on the phone to the ambulance, knowing that help was coming, unable to fathom how this had happened, how they...he had missed it. One of his agents...Vin, his little brother...had been yelled at, scorned and scolded, before being sent away with a bullet lodged in his side.
How had it happened, had Vin been shot off the rafters? Had the whole thing been an accident...had he accused Vin of almost killing Ezra, when the boy had been shot...did Vin believe that they all though his life was worth less than any of theirs.
The paramedics came, and rather than risk the bleeding get any heavier they had instructed Nathan to keep up the pressure and then moved the both Nathan and Vin to the ambulance below, sirens wailing as they rushed for the hospital.
Chris stood in the doorway of the room, the previously beige décor offset grotesquely by the red sea. Blood spread across the table and soaked into the carpet, paper strewn about, with several attempts to write that godforsaken report, each more guilty and self accusing than the last, and one piece of prose, scrawled messily from a sad, hurt and confused heart.
Buck grabbed his arm and led him to the SUV, helping the shocked and dismayed man into the vehicle before climbing into the driver's side, JD pale and shaky in the back. He followed the ambulances path, own light and siren blaring.
Chris stared at the paper clutched in his fist.
Close your eyes, and imagine your dreaming.
See the blood, the terror, the endless screaming.
Mark yourself; a symbol of shame
Of pain, of guilt, of selfish blame
Hate to hate, yet love too late
Ignorant victim of fortune and fate
Give yourself room to breathe
Before suffocating with mindless ease
And when you're gone; just a distant thought
No one will remember how hard you fought
What on earth had he done?
A/N Review if you liked it. Review if you hated it. Review if you really didn't care. Review just to shut me up.