Dr. Yates met Chris at the bottom of the stairs. "Colonel, he’s a remarkable young man."

"Yeah, he is."

"I have never come across someone with such emotional strength or determination.  He is rewriting my research.”

"He knew we were depending on him. Nathan, stay with him."

“Yes, Sir.”  The medic smiled as he climbed the stairs. If Chris was leaving Vin so soon, Tanner had to be okay.

"Colonel, what about Robins?" Josiah asked.

Chris flicked his eyes to Buck.

"He fell," the captain insisted.

"Through a plate glass door?"

"Okay, I helped him a little." Larabee’s eyes narrowed. "Okay, a lot!"

By the time Chris had arrived, there was an ambulance on the scene. Robins had drawn a knife and Buck had gone crazy. The prosecutor was unconscious but according to the medics present, he would be okay. Em7’s leader had sent Ezra and J.D. along to monitor the situation.

Larabee’s cell phone snapped to life. "Larabee."

"Colonel, I am just reporting in. Mr. Robins has regained consciousness and is screaming assault. He is threatening to sue."

"I’ll have Travis contact McCormick. He can deal with it."

"Sir, may I ask you to hold off ? We really don’t want this to get to court. Allow me to deal with this situation?"

Chris snorted with amusement. All of his men had particular talents. If you needed something... anything blown up, Josiah was your man. If you needed a chopper to land on the tip of the Empire State Building, Buck could do it. If you wanted to contain a legal problem, the combined talents of Ezra and J.D. were exactly what were required. "Alright, Ezra."

"How is Lieutenant Tanner?” Standish asked tentatively.

"A moment ago he was sitting up asking for a whiskey."

Chris heard the audible sigh of relief from Ezra followed by J.D. insisting on knowing what his leader had said. What followed was a shouted ‘Yippee’ from Dunne and an indignant, ‘Control yourself, Agent Dunne.’

"Colonel, we shall remain here and convince Mr. Robins that pursuing Mr. Tanner or Mr. Wilmington through the courts would not be beneficial to him."

"Don’t you offer him any money," Chris snarled.

"Give money to this odious cretin. I would rather spend from now until eternity dressed in those dreadful fatigues you find so comfortable. FOUR, out."

"Hang on. I’m on my way back there now. I have a few things I’d like to say to Robins." The tone in Larabee’s voice sent chills up Ezra’s spine.

"Do you think that wise, Sir? I mean there are a number of glass doors around the hospital. We aren’t going to be propelling Mr. Robins through another one, are we?"

Larabee felt the sudden rush of anger leave him. "No. Does his hospital room have a glass window?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Good. I may need it. Larabee, out."

************

"Agent Dunne, I do believe we are about to experience turbulence," Ezra stated, pocketing his phone.

"Huh?"

"Colonel Larabee is on his way."

J.D.’s large eyes grew wide. "He isn’t bringing Buck is he?"

"He didn’t mention it, but I don’t know that Buck’s presence would be such a bad idea." If Chris lost it, Buck may be the only one who could control him. "Let us go and talk to Mr. Robins now and see if we can convince him to withdraw his charges."

"But the doctor said..."

"The doctor said Mr. Robins could not be disturbed. I don’t intend disturbing him. I intend explaining his long term life options to him."

J.D. followed his older friend along the corridor. They waited until the nurse on duty turned her back and then two of them flashed their badges at the uniformed officer on Robins’ door and slipped into the lawyer’s room.

"Good evening, Mr. Robins. How are you feeling?" Ezra asked cheerfully.

"Who let you in here? You aren’t supposed to come near me. You two work with them."

"If by ‘them’, you mean Colonel Larabee and his men, then you are absolutely correct." Robins reached for the call button. "That wouldn’t be prudent. You see, I have come to offer you a deal."

Robins froze the instant before he depressed the button that would bring the nurse. "What kind of deal?"

Ezra smiled. "I can see that you are a man who likes to know his options. Allow me to present them to you. If you choose to sue Captain Wilmington, I fear you will upset Colonel Larabee and we both know what an obnoxious heathen he can be."

J.D. swallowed. He wasn’t sure if he should add anything or just remain quiet.

Robins released the call monitor. "Go on."

"I am sure you agree a long drawn out court case between your good self and Captain Wilmington would only serve to fuel Colonel Larabee’s apparent dislike of you."

"So?"

"So I propose you drop the charges against Captain Wilmington."

"What’s in it for me?" Robins asked, his face lighting up with greed.

Ezra smiled and stepped up to the bed. "Security."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No, I am merely explaining a few cold hard truths. You attacked one of Larabee’s men. Colonel Larabee only cares about two things on this planet. The first is the welfare of his men, and you, you barbarous piece of vomit, attacked Vin Tanner when he had no way of fighting back."

"Colonel Larabee isn’t happy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so worked up," J.D. muttered.

"You see, Robins, you crossed the line. In the process of pursuing one of the Colonel’s men, you violated the only other thing Larabee cares about. You hurt his family."

"Chris is pissed," J.D. muttered, shaking his head.

"If I were you, Mr. Robins, I would get out of my hospital bed and run. Run as far away from here as possible before Colonel Larabee decides to visit you."

"Larabee can’t touch me. I have the law on my side." Robins stated arrogantly.

"The law?" Ezra cried. "Did the law protect Vin from a monster like you? Do you think it will be able, or want to, protect something worthless like you from Larabee? Do you think there is a place on this planet you could hide from Larabee if he decides to enact the revenge he deserves?  If you go after Buck Wilmington, I can promise you one thing, Colonel Larabee will do what is necessary to protect one of his men."

"Chris will do whatever it takes. The law isn’t going to come into it," J.D. added, his eyes as cold and as hard as Chris’ could ever be.

"The authorities will know it was him!" Robins shrieked in terror.

"Know? Know what? They’ll know you have disappeared. Disappeared without a trace."

"Like that fella who...."

"Agent Dunne. We shouldn’t be discussing that with Mr. Robins. It may upset him."

"What fellow?" Robins took the bait.

"Some silly chap who made an error in judgement. He thought he could blackmail Colonel Larabee and... well, I believe he has gone to that great jailhouse in the sky."

"Do you reckon a decapitated man could move onto another world?" J.D. asked seriously.

Ezra turned to face his colleague - his back to Robins. Standish smiled. J.D.’s little additions were proving very useful. Robins was now the same colour as the linen on his bed.

"An interesting question. I guess it’s not something we’ll ever know."

"But the authorities will know if something happens to me, it will be Larabee," Robins cried desperately.

"They might suspect the Colonel had something to do with it, but no one will be able to prove anything, and let’s face it, no one is going to try. There isn’t a person alive who gives a toss about you, Robins. If you fell off the face of the planet today, is there anyone who would notice?"

"Anyone who would care?" J.D. growled.

Alex Robins licked his lips. "What do you want from me?"

"Us, nothing. We just wanted to present your options to you. The way I see it, you only have two. Go away... and live. Or stay, pursue your legal rights... and well, we both know what the undesirable consequences of that action could very well be."

"Alright! Alright, tell Larabee that I’ll withdraw all charges against Wilmington. Good enough?"

"As I said, Mr. Robins, I am not here to judge your actions. I am just a concerned citizen who felt duty bound to explain to you that you have upset the most dangerous and unforgiving man alive. Well, Agent Dunne and I will bid you a good evening. You are looking decidedly pale." Ezra tipped his hat and then left the room, J.D. half a step behind him.

"You reckon he will withdraw the charges?" J.D. asked, as he and Ezra entered the corridor.

"I think he will consider his options very, very carefully.

"Hey, I like playing good cop, bad cop with you, Ezra." Standish stopped walking and gave J.D. a look of such unmitigated disgust Dunne honestly thought the other man was going to be physically ill.

"Agent Dunne, please do not characterize the masterful art of persuading a man to do as you wish him to, with the witless action of scaring a man half to death. One takes skill, the other nothing more than a brutish approach that lacks finesse and circumspect planning." With that, Ezra turned and continued on his way.

"Yeah, but can we do it again some time?"

**********

The assassin picked up the envelope of money and the tape recorder. Without hesitation, he pressed play. A digitally distorted voice commenced. "Good evening. The target is Alex Robins. He is residing in D.C. General Hospital, room 27c. I would like him exterminated as soon as possible - in the next hour. We shouldn’t need to communicate again, old son."

**********

Chris Larabee strode into the visitor’s lounge where J.D. and Ezra were having some dinner.

"Boys."

"Colonel."

"Are you alone?"

"Hell, no, boy. He brought me along," Buck chirped, as he entered the room. "Ya miss me?" The tension that had been plastered across the captain’s face the last time his partners had seen him, was gone.

"You will be pleased to know that Agent Dunne and I have had a very vigorous conversation with Mr. Robins."

"And?"

"And I laid out his options."

Chris’ left eyebrow launched skyward. "Which were?"

"To our advantage."

"I want to speak to him."

Ezra rose to his feet. "Of course, Colonel. But before you do, I think it only fair of me to warn you that we are in fact on the twelfth floor."

Larabee’s eyes narrowed. "What’s wrong? You afraid that Robins can’t fly?"

"I’m afraid you are going to attempt to give him unsolicited lessons."

"Where is he?"

J.D. swallowed. He wasn’t sure what Chris had in mind, but he could tell it wasn’t in Robins’ best interests. "Colonel, I think Ezra and I convinced him to drop all the charges."

"Good. But I want to remind him that if he ever goes after any of us again he’ll be the one spending the rest of his life as a catatonic vegetable."

The group left the lounge together and made their way back along the hallway toward Robins’ room.

Ezra’s eyes narrowed. "Where’s the guard?"

"What?"

"The uniformed officer,” Ezra shouted.

Buck reached the door first. He tried it. Locked. "Stand back!" The huge captain raised his boot and slammed it against the door. Chris and J.D. raced into the room low, their guns drawn. The assassin, who had a pillow over the face of Robins’ still form, grabbed for his own gun. It left his holster. Chris Larabee fired. The gun flew from the murderer’s nerveless fingers. Buck tackled the man while Ezra raced to Robins.

"He’s not breathing,” Ezra cried, beginning expired air resuscitation.

"Nurse!" J.D. yelled, running into the corridor.

Chris stepped over the unconscious police officer, reefed the assassin from Buck’s grasp and slammed him against the wall.

"Who hired you? Who paid you to kill Robins?"

"Go to hell!"

Chris saw red. He dragged the other man across to the window. Buck obliged by smashing it. "WHO HIRED YOU?"

"Do you think I’m stupid enough to believe you’d..."

Chris jarred the man against the sill, forcing his head and shoulders to hang out over the twelve-story drop. "The man who hired you, probably hired Robins. I want to know who it is. TELL ME!"

"You won’t let me fall, copper."

"We’re not cops, we’re &*%@ing soldiers," Buck explained, joining his leader. "Casualties of war are an acceptable hazard."

"Tell me who the hell hired you, or I will throw you out this window and enjoy it." The assassin stared into Larabee’s eyes. He could see the words were more than just a threat. This man was on the edge.

"I don’t know who hired me. We did business over the net. I got my final instructions from a tape recorder. It’s in my pocket."

Strike up another success for the witless art of scaring a man half to death - a brutish approach that lacks finesse and circumspect planning, but is certainly very effective when employed by a man who is able to terrify another shitless just by looking at him.

**********

It was four a.m. before Chris set the chopper down at Four Corners. Buck and Ezra were back at the office with J.D. who was trying to remove the digital masking from the tape so the men could ascertain the identity of the speaker. Larabee was sure it had to be the person who had double crossed Vin in Katinda, in which case it stood to reason his men should recognize the bastard’s voice. J.D. hadn’t been overly confident. This wasn’t his area of expertise. He had promised to give it a go and if not successful, he had a friend who may have more luck.

Robins was in a coma. His brain had been starved of oxygen for a considerable amount of time and doctors were doubtful whether he would ever regain consciousness. The lawyer had just become a dead end.

Josiah walked out to meet his leader.

"Colonel." He didn’t need to ask what was going on. Ezra had rung some moments before and filled him in.

"How’s Vin?"

"Woke up a couple of times with nightmares, but he’s doing real well."

"The two experts?"

"Olli came out and picked them up. They didn’t seem to think Vin needed them." Larabee grunted. "Have you eaten?"

"No."

"I’ll fix you something."

"Better you than Nathan."

Josiah grinned. "You should have been here when Nathan was pumping broth into Vin."

"I can imagine."

Chris headed straight for Vin’s bedroom. As he approached the door, he could hear voices. Chris paused outside and listened.

"...so we ended up on trial for treason. Trial lasted eight weeks. Worst thing was, he kept bringing you up. Thing’s like, ‘all of which is understandable since your sharpshooter went missing in action.’"

"Bastard. I’m amazed Buck didn’t kill him back then," Vin growled.

"Buck. It was Josiah I was worried about," Nathan stated.

"And Chris?"

"Ahhhh, Chris. He was a tower of strength for all of us. He didn’t falter once. Just kept saying, we’ll get through this together boys."

The door opened. "Hey, Cowboy. Just been talkin’ about you."

Chris walked in and felt the tension between his shoulders ease. Vin looked well. Pale, but well. "You’re looking better."

"Which is more than can be said for Robins I hear."

"Yeah."

Tanner frowned. "I can’t remember who it was, Chris. I’ve tried, but I just..." Vin’s face contorted with frustration. He knew how important it was, but the face of the man who’d sent him on the false mission in Katinda was hidden in the caverns of his mind.

"We could really use a name," Larabee agreed.

"It’s blank." Chris nodded. "You look beat. Why don’t you get some sleep," Vin suggested.

"Reckon I might do that. It’s been a long day." A long couple of days. Finding out Vin was alive, but in danger. Going down to Texas and taking on the Hawks. Watching as Vin fought for his survival. Helping Vin re-adjust to the new team. The contract on Vin’s life that couldn’t be removed without the stop-code. Then Robins. Worst of all, knowing he was still a long way from finding the traitor who was actively pursuing Vin.

"You want me to make you something to eat, Chris?" Nathan asked.

Vin glanced at his leader with pronounced innocence. "You know, Nathan, Chris looks a bit pale. Reckon he could use some of that broth you made for me."

"He’s probably right. You haven’t been eating real well since all of this started, Chris. I’ll go and prepare some broth for you. Won’t take me long."

"Thanks, Nathan," Vin stated sincerely. "Reckon I’ll be able to sleep better knowing Chris has some of that healing broth in his stomach." The medic stood and left the room.

A smile spread across Vin Tanner’s face.

"One day, Tanner. One day!"

**********

"I want you to remain here for a few days. Nathan says it’s going to take a while for your body to recover from what happened. He’ll be staying with you." It was noon and Vin and Chris were sitting on the porch of the ranch. Chris waited for Vin to argue.

"Okay."

Larabee’s brow furrowed. No, objection? No insistence he was fine and didn’t need nursemaiding.

Vin noted the look on his colonel’s face. "Feel pretty stuffed at the moment. Reckon I need to take it easy. And I don’t like the idea of bein’ out here on my own." It was a sensible statement, but then, Vin was a sensible man. Besides, Vin wanted to get well. He wanted to take his place in the team where he belonged - more than anything else in the world; he wanted it. It wasn’t something the young man had verbalized, but Chris knew it was a large part of the sharpshooter’s willingness to obey doctor’s orders. Larabee just wondered how long this ‘good behavior’ would last.

"J.D.’s been able to remove a lot of the distortion on the cassette tape, but not enough for us to have a hope of recognizing the voice."

"He’s close, Chris. But he’s not behind us. He’s in front of us. He’s watchin’ us. He knows what we’re doin’." It was the sort of report Vin used to give in Katinda.

Larabee nodded. He agreed. Whoever it was, was marking them well. Predicting their actions. "We should have realized Robins was being paid by someone else."

"Get me a list of everyone you work with now who we knew in Kat. Maybe it will jog something loose."

"Good idea. I need to get back to work," Chris stated, rising to his feet. "You take it easy." The two men’s arms snapped together.

"Be careful. If this guy can’t get me, he may target the rest of you."

Larabee nodded. He’d already thought of that. "Keep a rifle handy." If Vin had a rifle, no one would get near him. Besides, they’d have to go through Nathan first anyway. "Enjoy Nathan’s cooking."

"Stuff you, Larabee. I’ve already told Nathan that from now on I’m doin’ the cookin’!"

Chris winked. "Josiah, let’s go," Larabee called. Sanchez appeared and they strode off for the helicopter. Nathan joined Vin on the porch and the pair watched the chopper lift off.

"Come on. I want you to take a nap. You’re looking pale around the eyes." Vin glanced up at the medic, screwed up his face unhappily, but rose to his feet to comply with Nathan’s wishes.

**********

The days passed slowly for Vin.  He continued to try and remember the traitor but without success.

For the rest of the team, there weren’t enough hours in the day. Travis had presented Chris with a ‘request’ but for the first time, Larabee turned the general down. Until all avenues had been exhausted in the team’s hunt to locate their mystery enemy, Em7 was taking an extended break from active duty.

"We have to deal with this first, General." Travis understood and the mission had been passed onto Special Forces. Unfortunately, the situation hadn’t been contained as smoothly as everyone would have liked, much to Travis’ quiet satisfaction. Once again, Em7... for now they were officially called that... had proved their worth and this time, without lifting a finger.

During the few days since Robins had been attacked in hospital, a great deal and had taken place. The lawyer had slipped into a coma with no sign of waking. Chris had obtained a warrant to search through the man’s files. That job he had given to Josiah and Ezra. J.D. was online, trying to track their mystery enemy via the net, while Buck and Chris sat in Larabee’s office reading through thousands of files from Katinda. The person who had taken out the contract on Vin, and who’d hired Robins, had to have been someone they knew.

"Maybe not. Maybe just someone who knew of us. Knew what to say to Vin."

"Hell, Chris, we’re looking for a needle in a haystack!"

"He’s here somewhere, Buck. And I want him." Chris Larabee wanted this traitor badly.

**********