GUILT
By Wendy

Part one

Blood.

There was so much blood.

He couldn’t help continuing to stare at his hands. The hands that had fought so hard to keep the life sustaining fluid from seeping from the body. Turning his hands over, he noted the dark shadow of the congealed blood that had set under his nails and the lifeline that now took on the appearance of a miniature river of blood.

His lifeline, how long did he have he wondered as he ran a bloody finger along its trail? ‘Not as long as some, and longer than…’

"Vin?"

‘How could one person bleed so much and still live?’

"Vin? Come on Junior, you gotta snap out of it. Chris ain’t going to like seeing ya like this."

At the sound of Chris’s name, Vin gradually tore himself away from the offensive, yet somehow compelling sight of his hands. "Buck?" The voice was barely audible. Its owner’s glazed blue eyes scarcely visible as they peered out from under blood-mattered fringe.

Buck was still in shock himself. He still couldn’t believe this was happening. One of his friends was fighting for his life and the only person who could tell them what had happened was in a world of his own. One thing he did know was that questions could wait. The how or why wasn’t important until they knew that Chris was going to be all right.

Trying to keep his own fears hidden from the already traumatized man, Buck managed a apprehensive smile as he knelt down in front of Texan, "That’s better Junior, not a nice place where you are. Time to come back us."

Buck watched as a myriad of emotions moved around Vin’s face. The worried frown deepened. The muscles in his neck appeared to flex near enough to snapping as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly, without uttering a single sound.

"Don’t do this to us, Junior. We’re worried enough about Chris. We don’t want to have to worry about you too." Buck knew preying on the Texan’s guilt was a terrible thing to do, especially knowing Vin was going to be carrying his full measure of it anyway, but he was getting desperate to bring the distressed sharpshooter out of his shock.

"Chris?"

"The magic word," Buck smiled in relief. "How you doin’? I know, stupid question, but the only one I can think of right now."

"Chris?" The name was spoken with such pain as Vin beseeched Buck with his eyes.

"No news yet." Watching as Vin’s shoulders fell and his eyes began to glaze over again, Buck shook his head as he grabbed the younger man’s shoulders. "Don’t you dare go back there." He sternly ordered, before, exhaling a deep breath and softening his voice. "We need you here, Vin, just as much as Chris does."

Vin gazed abstractly around the room. Hospital walls, chairs, a small table with long out-dated magazines on it, but they were alone. "The others?"

Relieved that Vin was aware enough to realize that the rest of team weren’t in the room, Buck nodded with his head toward the door. "I bet if you opened that door, four men would fall into a heap on top of each other. Want to see?" He grinned.

Somewhere in Vin’s mind, he knew Buck was trying to make him feel better, but he also knew that other than Chris, something else was wrong, but his mind couldn’t quite grasp it.

Buck was not only worried about Vin’s mental state, but with the sharpshooter’s pale features and the fine sheen that beaded his forehead, he worried that Vin had been hurt as well. "Vin, I know that the hospital’s busy and all with Chris and that five car pile up, but I really think you should at least let Nathan have a look at you."

"Ain’t mine," Vin whispered as he stared past Buck and into space.

"What isn’t yours Vin?" Buck asked.

"The blood," Vin replied softly as he looked back down at his blood-splattered shirt. "It ain’t mine. It’s Chris’s blood."

Watching with growing concern as Vin rubbed his hands over the dark stains, Buck pushed himself to his feet as he tried to keep his voice light. "How about, we get a change of clothes."

"No," Vin said without looking up.

"Okay," Buck sighed as he heard a commotion outside, followed by the door opening behind him, "How about we just wash your hands and try and get the…..clean your hair a little bit. How would that be?" He asked as he glanced behind him.

"And get rid of evidence. I don’t think so Agent Wilmington."

"Digby, Knox? What are you doing here?" Buck inquired of the men he knew to be internal affair officers and who now stood surrounded by the remaining members of the team.

"We’re here to see Agent Tanner," Digby answered for his partner as he pushed past Ezra and Josiah and made his way to stand near Vin.

"Vin’s not up to any questions at the moment. Maybe after he’s seen a doctor," Buck answered before suddenly realizing whom he was talking to. "What’s this got to do with I.A, anyway?"

Knox by passed JD and Nathan to join his partner. "Are you Agent Vin Tanner?" Knox asked the silent sharpshooter.

"You know who he is, Digby. What’s going on?" Buck demanded as he looked on helplessly for an explanation.

"Sir, I ask you again, are you Agent Vin Tanner?" Knox repeated his question to Vin all the while ignoring Buck’s continual requests for answers.

A dazed Vin looked up at the agent and nodded.

"Can you answer me please, sir. Are you Agent Vin Tanner?"

"Yes," Vin responded softly.

"Vin Tanner," Digby was now doing his job as he grabbed Vin’s arm and pulled the shocked man to his feet. Roughly grabbing the sharpshooter’s arm he pulled them behind his back and began to snap the cuffs on. "You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Agent Chris Larabee. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. If you don’t have…."

Part two

"Digby, can you fucking hold on a minute! Can't you see he's in shock? For Christ sake, don't be so rough with him," Buck demanded as he tried to get past the human brick wall by the name of Agent Knox, to help Vin. "Josiah, Nate, someone do something," the mustached agent pleaded to the rest of the stunned team.

The four remaining members of the team were suddenly snapped out of their bewilderment by Buck's desperate appeal.

"Come one Digby, we don't know if Vin's been hurt, he hasn't even been checked over yet. At least let me have a look at him before you take him?" Nathan urged.

"If he's hurt, we'll get him seen to. You’re a Federal Agent, not a paramedic Jackson. It's not your problem," Digby stated calmly as he snapped the last cuff on and started to lead a dazed Vin Tanner from the room.

Josiah stepped forward, barring their way, "Surely, brothers, as fellow Federal agents you could cut us some slack here? You can see that Agent Tanner is clearly in shock and clearly is in no condition to answer any questions."

"All I see, Sanchez," Digby sneered, "are five men who would do better to step back and doing some thinking of their own. Like for one, worrying about the real 'victim' in all this, or don't you think the fact that Agent Larabee's fighting for his life is worth a second thought here?"

"Why you…."

Both JD and Nathan moved quickly, grabbing Buck and physically restraining the enraged agent before he could get close enough to lay fist on skin.

"Vin?" Ezra said quietly, hoping the sharpshooter's would be able to absorb his words. "I will send my lawyer to you post haste. Do not speak, do not say a word to these…..'gentleman'," the Southerner spat the last word out. "Say nothing until a Mr. Hawthorn arrives, understand me?"

Dull blue eyes stared unfocused ahead, and if Vin heard Ezra he made no sign of it.

"Vin, did you hear me?" Ezra was still asking for a sign as Digby shoved the Southerner aside and led Vin from the room.

The four remaining men were left struck dumb by what they had just witnessed.

"What the fuck just happened here?" Buck asked as he shrugged out of the restraining arms, eyeing each man in turn. "What the fuck happened?" He repeated as his legs threatened to give out from under him.

"Ya don't think that Vin actually…..you know…..did what they're…..Oh shit," JD rambled to no one in particular.

"Of course he didn't, JD," Nathan comforted the younger agent as his own head filled to over flowing with questions.

"What were Chris and Vin doing today? Does anyone know?" Buck surveyed the group looking for answers.

"No, they didn't say, not to me anyway," Nathan spoke up.

JD just hopelessly shook his head.

"I have no information either, Mr. Wilmington and if you will excuse me, I have some calls to make," Ezra excused himself as he made his way to the door to call the lawyer for Vin. Pausing as the doorway, the Southerner stopped and turned back to the others, "I do have a suggestion though, why don't you try asking the man in charge."

Buck's face darkened at the Southerner's suggestion, "That's not funny Standish. You know Chris…."

"Not, Mr. Larabee, Mr. Wilmington, his and our ultimate boss, Mr. Travis. Maybe he can be of some help in this matter. Either way, he should be notified of this 'farce'. Now if you will excuse me gentlemen, I have a lawyer to call, I shall be right back." And with that Ezra was gone.

"He's right, you know," Josiah spoke up. "We're going to have to talk to Travis about this.

Part three

With a little more effort than was actually needed, I.A agent, Digby gave an extra hard push into the center of his suspect's back, sending the man ungracefully crashing into the interview room. In pain and with the last bit of his energy used up, Vin fell awkwardly to his knees.

"Oops, you've got to watch your step Tanner. After all, we wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, now would we?" Digby sniggered, deliberately shoving his knee into Vin's back, as he stooped down to help the handcuffed agent from the floor.

Clenching his teeth against the pain, Vin refused to make a sound as he felt himself grabbed by the elbow and yanked roughly to his feet.

"Sit!"

With his legs threatening to give out on him and the spasms in his back growing in intensity, Vin gratefully accepted the not so civil invitation and moved carefully toward the offered seat.

Watching the sharpshooter moving gingerly toward the chair, Digby came to the decision that Tanner wasn't moving fast enough for his liking. Having noticed earlier that the ATF agent was guarding his back, the I.A investigator had consciously focused on the apparent weakness, giving it a little extra attention here and there and being rewarded each time with soft grunt or moan. This time would be no different. Taking two quick strides, he caught up with sluggish agent and an elbow into the sharpshooter's back sent the sharpshooter spiraling into the chair.

This time as Vin landed badly on the seat, the struggle to not put voice to the pain was forgotten and he cried out as his back twisted with the rough land.

"Ever seen one as clumsy as this one, Knoxy?"

"Not recently, Dig, though that probably explains how he shot Larabee. Being as clumsy as he is, his weapon probably went off when he dropped it."

While the two agents bantered over him, all Vin could think about was Chris and how everything had gone so wrong. <What had Ez said, don't say anything, Vin> How could he not say anything when he need to know how Chris was.

"Please, can you find out how Agent Larabee is doin'?" Vin asked, desperate for any news on Chris's condition.

"You just better hope he lives, boy, though I guess your ass is gone no matter which you look it," Knox goaded.

A knock on the door brought a reprieve for Vin, as the two men Vin had been waiting for walked in, followed by another man that he didn't recognize.

"Knox, Digby find something else to do. This is no longer our case," Special Agent Rashe ordered.

Both agents looked at each other and then at the strangers who had said nothing upon entering and still stood silently to the side of the room.

"But sir, we don't understand, you gave us this case. Now you're taking it off us. This is an internal shooting. This case belongs to I.A," Digby argued.

"Not now it doesn't. These two gentlemen have priority. You'll have no more contact with Vin Tanner or this case, do you understand?" Rashe asked, stressing his point by opening the door and waiting for them to leave.

Shooting Vin a disgusted look, Digby kicked the spare chair out of the way as he started to leave, "Yes, sir, we understand, don't we Knoxy?"

Knox shook his head, as angry as his partner at the sudden turn of events, "Sure, Dig, clear as mud," he grumbled as he followed his partner out.

Rashe nodded to the two men and followed his men out of the room.

Once the two remaining men were sure they were alone, they quickly came to life.

"Sorry about this Agent Tanner. Are you all right?" One of the men asked as the other unlocked the handcuffs.

"Damn it Watkins, I'm fine!" Vin growled as he pushed the other agent away with his free hands, wincing as he got to his feet. "Pity I can't say the same thing about Chris! What the fuck went wrong today? You said you had everything under control. You said Chris wouldn't be in any danger. I knew getting Chris involved in this was a bad idea. I knew it! I was the target, damn it! This is all my fault!" Looking down at his trembling hands still stained with his friend's blood; Vin squeezed his eyes shut tight as he turned away, muttering to himself, "It was supposed to me, not Chris. It was supposed to be me."

Part four

"This is all my fault!" Looking down at his trembling hands still stained with his friend's blood; Vin squeezed his eyes shut tight as he turned away, muttering to himself, "It was supposed to me, not Chris. It was supposed to be me."

Watkins looked helplessly over to his partner, not knowing what they could say that would help ease the ATF agent's pain over his friend's shooting.

"It wasn't supposed to be anyone, Tanner," Special Agent Matthew Ryan chimed in. "Agent Larabee was clearly a mistake on the nexus's part. He was…."

"The 'nexus'," Vin spat out the code name, as he eased his aching back against the interview room wall. "Never makes mistakes, that's why three ex-rangers are dead and my friend is fightin' for his life, because Harlan Keane 'never' makes mistakes."

"Agent Tanner's right on that score at least, Ryan," Watkins agreed. "The fact that Tanner is here is proof enough that Keane planned the shooting all along."

Being reminded of his arrest for Chris's shooting, got Vin's brain partially started again. "Just why am I here?"

"Nexus, I mean Keane," Ryan corrected himself, "left the weapon behind at the scene. Your fingerprints were all over it."

"Looks like your old army buddy wants you well and truly alone on this."

"Well, if it saves anymore of my friends getting' hurt," Vin sighed, grimacing against the pain in his back, as he pushed himself off the wall. "Then he's got it."

The wince hadn't gone unnoticed by the other two agents and a concerned Watkins was the one to call Vin on it. "I thought you said you weren't hurt?"

"I ain't," Vin said, shrugging off their suspicions. "Wrenched my back that's all. So, what happens now," he asked quickly changing the subject. "Do we let I.A in on it and go through with the charge or what?"

"This is on a need to know basis, you know that Tanner," Ryan said, his tone vetoing Vin's suggestion. "Even your friend shouldn't have been…."

"Ryan, shut up. We know Larabee finding out wasn't part of the deal, but he did and there was nothing we could do about it," Watkins reprimanded his partner on his tact, before refocusing on Vin. "I.A knows all they're going to and that is, that the Chris Larabee case is no longer anything to do with them. The Nex--Keane is our problem, we'll deal with him."

"Yeah, good job so far," Vin snarled.

"Look, I know you're worried about your friends and after what happened to Chris, you've got every right. I can't tell you how sorry we are. We blew it." Watkins ceded.

'I blew it letting anyone close to me' Vin thought to himself.

"Sorry won't mean shit, if Chris dies. And if he does, not you, not even the President himself will stop me from findin' that bastard and feedin' him his own heart, ya hear me?" Vin promised.

Part five

"Look, Tanner we know your upset about your friend and we've already told you how bad we feel about that, but you also know that we need Nexus alive. You're under orders to do nothing but protect yourself should the situation arise." Watkins reminded the sharpshooter.

Tired of the army bullshit he was being fed, he realized nothing had changed since the Rangers. "Is that what ya told Baker, Rowley and Sayer?"

"We've been through this, don't go spinning your wheels over old ground."

"Yeah 'old' ground. What's three dead ex-Army Rangers and an injured ATF agent to you people," Vin spat.

"Now, hold on there Tanner, this isn't our mess. We're just clean up, remember that and while you're at it, you best be reminding yourself that you 'accepted' the role of bait," Ryan reminded the ATF agent of his compliance in the plan. "Don't keep biting us in the ass because your friend had to go and stick his nose in."

"Ya sonofabitch," Vin cursed as he charged at Ryan.

"ENOUGH!" Watkins ordered as he stepped in between the two men.

Tired and hurting, Vin pushed Watkins away and turned away in disgust, "Well, then seein' as I ain't seem to be under arrest, when can I get out of here?"

"I guess, you can leave now, but," Watkins replied as he watched the sharpshooter move toward the door. "You do realize to keep Nexus from catching on, you're going to have be suspended from the ATF."

"Whatever," the sharpshooter wearily said, never looking back as he walked out of the interview room.

==================================

"Well, well, well, would you look at that, Knoxy," Digby said as nudged his partner rather sharply in the side with his elbow.

"Watch where you point that elbow will ya, Digs," Knox frowned, before following his partners line of sight to see the ATF agent leaving the interview room, apparently unescorted.

"You wouldn't think that a man who tried to kill his own partner would have such influential friends, would you?"

"Influential all right," Knox agreed, "You saw how quickly the boss gave Tanner up."

"I wonder why?" Digby pondered out loud as he kept his eyes on the disheveled agent.

Knox whipped his head around, starting to move it from side to side as he did so. "Uh-uh, no way Jose!" Keeping his voice low so not to be overhead, Knox waved Digby off as he backed away. "Whatever is starting to ferment in that devious brain of yours, leave it there. I'm not going to be part of something that will most likely add another reprimanded to our already over-burdened personnel record." He knew that tone in his partner's voice very well. It usually meant trouble.

"Or add a citation of merit," Digby argued as he grabbed Vin's file from his desk, and started maneuvering his partner toward the door. "We both know that Tanner is guilty, right? We have the means and even the weapon with his fingerprints all over it."

"But we haven't got the authorization to be worrying about it." Defeated by his partner's strong-arm tactics, Knox sighed. " All right, playing Devil's advocate, we haven't got a motive. They're members of the same ATF team as well as supposedly good friend. Why would Tanner try and kill his own team leader? That's the part that doesn't make any sense to me."

"When have you known killers to make sense, Knox?" Digby responded as he opened the ATF personnel record. "Look here, he was in the army. That's strange, no unit information, nor date of discharge. Nothing."

"That doesn't say much, military files are always getting lost. Um, where are we going by the way?" Knox asked as they made their way toward the car park.

"Where going to check out Tanner's neighborhood…Hey, listen to this Knoxy, he lives in Purgatorio of all places. The ass end of Hell. Figures."

"Say anything else?" Knox asked as he unlocked the car.

"Not much, 'only' that the man used to be a 'bounty hunter'," Digby replied as he opened the passenger door and climbed in.

"Gets better and better," Knox said with a shake of his head as he turned the key and started the car.

"Doesn't it though," Digby smiled back. "A man with so many question marks beside his name has to be hiding something. I'll bet my life on it. Let's go."

Part six

As the glass doors of the Federal building slid closed behind him and his legs threatened to buckle beneath him, Vin suddenly stopped, exhaling a shuddering breath as he stared unseeing into the busy Denver streets.

Unprepared for Vin's sudden obstruction, sidewalk pedestrians jostled him as they passed with their looks of annoyance soon turning to apprehension as they tried to evade the bloodstained stranger.

Unaware of the disturbed stares his soiled state was generating, Vin continued to stand in the middle of the sidewalk unsure of his next move. More than anything he wanted to be back at the hospital, he needed to know that Chris would be all right, but he knew he couldn't; not now.

A woman passerby startled by the sight of Vin, gasped, abruptly dropping her purse as she brought her hand to her mouth. The noise of the handbag hitting the pavement caused Vin to stiffen; its thud a reminder of the impact of Keane's bullet on Chris's body.

Unaware that he was staring at her, Vin watched the woman glance nervously at him as she stooped to retrieve her purse. With her fingers wrapped tightly around her bag, she quickly walked away, only taking enough time to check over her shoulder as if to make sure he wasn't going to follower her.

Brought out of his stupor by the woman's agitated manner, Vin realized what a sight he must be and wondered how he was going to flag down a cab looking like he was.

"Excuse, Mr. Tanner?"

Vin turned to see a very distinguished, grey-haired man standing beside him, a briefcase clasped in his hand.

Vin was sure he had never seen the man before and was in no mood to rummage around in his memory to find out if he was wrong. "Do I…."

"No," the man smiled, seemingly ignoring Vin's distressed state of attire and held out his hand. "My name is Jonathan Kendrick I'm an Attorney. A mutual friend sent me to help you."

About to offer his hand, Vin was reminded of Chris's blood that stained his hands and quickly pulled them back out of reach.

"I understand, Mr. Tanner," Kendrick smiled kindly at the younger man.

"A mutual friend?" Vin asked as he took in the expensive suit. "Ez sent ya."

"If you are speaking of Mr. Ezra Standish, yes, he did. He was worried about you, but as you are standing out here on the street, apparently a free man, I guess he was worried for nothing. You've been released?"

"For now," Vin replied wearily.

"Well then," Kendrick said as he looked at Vin's clothes, "As I think hailing a cab is out of the question, how about I give you a ride back to you apartment?"

"Don't want to put ya to any bother."

"No bother," Kendrick responded as he gestured to his car, "I'm here now and at least I will be able to tell Ezra that I was some help, even if it was as a travel conveyance."

Vin nodded his agreement, if only to get home and change out of his bloodstained clothes.

======================================

The remaining members of team seven had lost their battle to stay still and had migrated from the waiting room to pacing the hospital corridor as they waited for news on their friend, Chris Larabee.

Their pacing was done in relative silence as each man struggled over the events of the last few hours. Not only was there the shock of Chris's unexpected and unexplained shooting to contend with, but they had been forced to stand by and watch as their friend, Vin Tanner was arrested for the crime. Somehow their world had taken definitely taken a step into the realms of the twilight zone and none of them had any idea how to get out of it.

JD sat on hallway bench, his elbows on his knees, holding his face in his hands. He couldn't get the sight of Vin's face out of his head. There was no guilt, but no innocence either. He felt bad that he again had been he one to question out loud whether Vin would have shot his best friend. But as usual his mouth kicked in before he his brain had. Of course Vin wouldn't have anything to do with Chris being hurt…..Would he? Silently cursing himself for again allowing that question to creep back into his mind, JD got to his feet and tried to busy himself with pacing.

Josiah watched Buck as the mustached agent, paced the hallway. Every now and then the big man would see the mustache twitch, revealing the white teeth beneath the lip. Josiah had never seen Buck as angry as he had been in the hospital waiting room, and if it hadn't been for JD and Nathan stepping in, the older man swore Buck would have torn the two I.A agents in two. Not that he could blame Buck; his own sense of injustice had been inflamed at the rough manner the two agents had used when taking Vin into custody. But for now all he could do was pray for his two friends, who in different ways were fighting for their lives.

Nathan was sure Vin was hurting more than he had said, but as usual he had been unable to get the stubborn Texan to admit to it. Everything else was always more important to Vin than taking care of himself. More so when it came to Chris, nothing was more important to Vin than his best friend. "Stubborn….damn it," Nathan muttered to himself.

"Sonofabitch," Buck mumbled as looked for something to punch his fist into. He hated being helpless and here he was exactly that. He was helpless to help a friend, who was fighting for life in the operating room, and had been powerless to protect Vin from the law that had taken him away in its misguided attempt at justice. If only he knew what the Hell was going on.

Noting Ezra making his way toward the group, Buck was at least hopeful that the Southerner had garnered some more information while he had been gone.

"Well, what have you found out?"

"Not much, I afraid gentlemen," Ezra sighed. "Though I have sent a friend to aid Mr. Tanner in his release from this heinous charge."

Seeing Buck's eyebrows arch, Ezra feigned mild indignation, "Yes, Mr. Wilmington, I do have friends other than in our little group."

"Didn't say a word. Ez," Buck grinned despite how he was feeling.

"I also took the liberty of calling the office…."

Buck's grinned quickly faded, "And?"

"I was informed by A.D Travis himself, that Vin Tanner has been suspended from Team Seven 'pending' an inquiry into today's shooting. Though Mr. Travis did ask me to pass on his 'best wishes' for Mr. Larabee's speedy recovery." The tone of Ezra's voice left no doubt what Orrin Travis could do with his best wishes.

"Suspended?" JD exclaimed from behind. "That means….."

"Means nothin', that's what that means." Buck said as he spun around, cutting JD off from voicing something that deep down they were all trying their hardest not to think about.

"I’m sorry," JD said needing to apologize for seeming to be the only one that had let a doubt in, about their friend. "I just don't know what to think…."

Buck exhaled loudly as he rubbed his forehead, "I know kid, none of us do. But we know Chris and we know Vin, and as soon as we get the all clear here on Chris, I'm sure as Hell goin' to find out what happened today."

Part seven

Exhausted and longing for the sanctuary that his apartment would bring, Vin was about to unlock his door, when his attention was taken by the worried voice of his neighbor, Mrs. Lopez as she came rushing out of her apartment.

"Lora?" Seeing she was mistaken, the older woman excused herself. "Oh, I am sorry, Vincent, I thought you might be Lora."

"Why, is somethin' wrong?" Vin asked, his own problems forgotten in his concern for the young girl that lived two doors down.

Marie Lopez was not an old woman, but the drug dealer, Mario Fabrizio, had forced her to age beyond her years by murdering her son, Eneas. Her formerly wavy black hair was now peppered with grey and fine lines creased her eyes from many nights lamenting her loss. Now with only one child left to her, she found herself more than a little over protective of her eight-year old daughter. "No, I am sure she is fine. You know children, one minute they're under your feet and the next they are hiding from you." Her voice was light, but her moist eyes betrayed her fears.

"Why don't I help ya look for her?" Vin offered.

"Ah, mi Dios!" Marie gasped. "Vincent are you all right?"

Seeing the same shocked look reflected on Marie's face that he had seen on the people in the street only minutes before, Vin was once again reminded of the drying blood that stained his clothes. "Oh, sorry, I forgot how this must look. It's nothing, really. It ain't what it looks like. Let me go in and change and I'll help ya find Lora."

"You are sure, you are all right?" Marie asked.

"I'm fine," Vin said as he dismissed the woman's concern with a smile, as he went back to unlocking his door. "Just give me a few minutes, okay."

With the spasmodic pain in his side, now a torturous, rhythmic ache, Vin gritted his teeth as he closed the door behind him. Everything had happened so quickly. The all so familiar sound of gunfire, the burning sensation in his side forgotten as he could nothing but watch helplessly as Chris's face become a kaleidoscope of emotions before the ATF leader fell unconscious and bleeding to the ground.

As guilt once again took root in his thoughts, Vin eyes closed, sagging forward until his forehead hit the cold wood as he willed himself to dissolve into the room's darkness and never come out again.

"Hey Shooter, having a bad day?"

Vin's reacted in the speed of a heartbeat. Following the sound of the voice he spun to his left and slammed himself against the reason for all his pain. A guttural howl of rage escaped from Vin's mouth as his fingers made contact with skin, finding the justice he sought as he began squeeze the life out of the intruder.

"Ya Sonofabitch!" Vin spat, his grip never easing on the Keane.

"Wouldn't…..do…it," Keane croaked though his constricted throat, still managing to smile under the force of Vin's attack.

Vin's attack continued, the Texan eyes cold and unseeing as his vice-like grip on Keane's throat intensified.

"Flower……your little……flower," Keane grasped through a pinched, but superior smile.

Vin reacted as if he had been punched and unfocused eyes suddenly became clear as he looked into Keane's face to see the truth. Cold brown eyes stared back at him, a self-satisfied smirk adding to the killer's unsettling appearance.

"If ye've touched her, I'll kill ya!" Vin promised as he reluctantly released his grip and stepped back, realizing that Keane must have taken Lora if he knew Vin's pet name for her.

Rubbing his neck, Keane continued to enjoy his reunion with his old teammate and chuckled. "Still the savior of the poor and downtrodden, Shooter. Don't worry, even by my standards she's a bit young. Cutie though, with that long black hair and those big brown eyes."

"Ya sick bastard!" Vin snarled as he made a move to renew his attack.

"Uhuh!" Keane waved his finger mockingly. "Remember, little flower." He reminded the Texan as he started to move around Vin. "I am not using children in this war…….not today anyway."

"Where is she?"

"All in good time, Shooter, all in good time. We have a little catching up to do first." Keane grinned as he looked around the apartment, "Shit, Shooter, do you always have to live in shit holes like this?" He sniffed. "You had so much talent. You could be making a fortune and living like a king, but you have to play hero to the undeserving masses," Keane turned to Vin with a cold eye, "You always were just too 'nice' for your own good. Don't shoot the little old man. Don't shoot the little kid," he mocked in a whining voice.

"Just cause I didn't get my rocks of killing everything that moved like you did," Vin said with disgust.

Smiling Keane, absently-mindedly rubbed his neck, "Suppose I do enjoy my work," He sniggered as he walked over to Vin. "But don't forget, Shooter, you've killed just as many as I have, don't you forget that. Anyway, talking about getting my rocks off, how's your friend?"

"Ya know exactly how he is," Vin ground through clenched teeth as he struggled not to pound his fists into Keane. "Ya always hit what ya shoot at, remember!"

"True," Keane said proudly.

"What's this all about, Keane?" Vin asked as he changed the subject.

"What's this all about?" Keane repeated as he leaned into Vin, "Payback! That's what this is all about."

"Yer not makin' sense, not that ya ever did. If ya want to kill me like the others, don't fuck around like a nervous virgin and just do it!" Vin taunted.

Keane's answer to Vin's ridicule was sudden and painful as he slammed his fist into Vin's side, sending the Texan to his knees.

"You're right, I do always hit what I shoot at. Did that hurt, Shooter? I know the bullet didn't go in too deep, but it stings like a bitch don't it. Killing you would be too easy. The others were nothing to me, just practice, but Larabee, he was the first taste of what's to come for you." Keane said, his voice dripping with spite as he followed Vin to the ground. "Everyone you around you will die. How's that going to make you feel?"

Keane's aim had been perfect, his fist impacting with force against the unattended wound in the sharpshooter's side just as he had predicted it would. "What's this ….all …. about?" Vin demanded as he struggled to find breath.

"When you've suffered enough, and you're begging me to let you suck in your last breath, I just might tell you."

TBC