Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or concept of The Magnificent Seven. I am not responsible for the ATF universe. The first belongs to the Alphabet Brigade, the second to Mog. 'Nuff said.

Warnings: Language and violence...but if you've read my stuff before, you know that's more than likely to happen:)

Notes: This is written for Jan, in celebration of her Birthday. She asked for an ATF Christastrophe. Have a wonderful day and a magnificent year ahead;)

The tall, handsome blond stood easily before the rich mahogany desk, staring evenly across at the man on the other side. He was a withered, gnome of a man, unimpressive in any way, save one. He was very rich and very powerful, and those attributes gave him an edge over the man before him. The younger man might be better looking, able to wear the less expensive suit with more striking results, but he would bow to Leo Renfield's money and power. Everyone did.

Staring coldly at the man standing before him, Leo said, "you lied to me Mikey. I don't like liars."

Michael Christopher, known to his friends as Chris Larabee, stared across the desk with an impassive face. "I don't lie, sir."

"Ah, but you do...Mr. Larabee."

"Who?" Chris felt his heart skip a beat, but nothing reached his face. The ATF agent kept his mask in place.

Renfield laughed, but it was a cold sound. "You can stop the act Larabee. Chris Larabee, leader of Denver's finest...ATF Team Seven...the Magnificent Seven." He spit the last two words out with disdain. "I suppose I should be flattered...the Feds sent their best to catch me in the act. Too bad the best ain't good enough."

The blond allowed his mask to slip, and a smirk hitched up one side of his mouth. "You take a lot for granted, sir, that you can outfox the Feds. I heard this 'Magnificent Seven' team is pretty damned good at what they do."

Leo tapped a button on his desk, leaning back to watch the man standing before him so coolly. He had to give the man credit, he was good. The blond had infiltrated his organization, pretending to be muscle on loan from Los Angeles. Michael...Larabee... had charmed his way into everyone's good graces during the past three weeks. Including his. Renfield shook his head; he had even taken the blond home to meet his family last weekend.

In response to the button the crime boss had hit, the door behind him opened, and three figures came into the plush room. Chris' heart beat a tattoo of shock and dismay as he identified the man hanging limply between the other two. Vin Tanner. The young agent was dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt, a pair of beat up tennis shoes on his feet. Tanner had been working on Renfield's expansive grounds as a groundskeeper. It gave him the cover he needed to keep an eye on things, and to provide back-up for Larabee.

The two gorilla-sized men dropped the lanky Texan unceremoniously onto the expensive carpet. Leo glared at them, muttering about blood stains in the carpet, then turned his attention back to Chris. "I believe you know this gentleman."

"I've seen him on the grounds a time or two, sir," Larabee continued to hang onto the last vestiges of hope that he could maintain their cover, complete the mission, and save Vin's life. It was becoming more and more difficult as he forced himself to stand there while his best friend was sprawled unconscious on the floor. There was blood streaming down the side of his face from a cut above his brow, but he couldn't see any other injuries. That didn't mean there weren't any, however.

"Yes, I'm certain you have." Leo motioned behind the blond, and Chris turned to see a television flickering to life in the wall. A somewhat grainy video began to play. It showed him talking to Vin near the pool, and was dated three days earlier. Shrugging as he turned back to the other man, he said, "I asked him if he knew any good places to pick up women around here."

Renfield leapt to his feet, both fists slamming against the heavy wood. "I'm tired of these fucking games, Larabee. You were seen talking to this man before, so we got curious and the boys," he nodded toward the two hulking brutes in suits, "checked out your friend. They followed him home last night...you Feds think you know how to lose a tail, don't you? Well, he didn't lose them. It was easy to find out who he was once they had the address. From there it was easy to track him to you and your toady Fed bastards. You aren't the only people who have...connections."

Chris cursed inwardly. They were all careful to watch for tails when they were on an undercover assignment. Sometimes they set the agents up in temporary homes, but it didn't seem necessary in this case. They would have to re-think the criteria...if they got out of this. "Look, I still don't know what you want, sir. Jack," he used Vin's cover name, "was just a friendly guy that knows the area. Sometimes we talked, I was trying to get familiar with the lay of the land."

Leo Renfield's response was virulent. He exploded, cursing the blond agent for several minutes. Throughout the entire episode, Larabee maintained his composure, allowing the slurs to wash over him. From time to time his hazel eyes flicked to the side, checking on his friend. Tanner had yet to move, and he could only pray that the younger man wasn't dead.

"I've had enough," Renfield announced when he had managed to calm down to a rage. Turning to his men, he said, "take them out of here. I want them far away from the house when you kill them."

"Look, sir," Chris tried once more, "I've proven myself, proven that you can trust me. I don't know who you think this kid is, but he seemed on the level to me - "

"SHUT UP!" Leo screamed. Turning away, he ordered the gorillas once again, "get them out of here."

The blond ATF leader turned to find both of the enforcers holding large caliber, silenced, weapons. With a sigh, he held his hands up. One of the men stepped over and searched him, taking his weapons, his wallet, and his cell phone. They had already frisked Tanner, so they picked him up between them once more, pointed their weapons at Larabee, and motioned him out the door.

They traveled for some time, locked away in the rear of an old panel truck. The cocky bastards hadn't even tied them up, just tossing Vin inside like a sack of potatoes, and ordering him in after the unconscious man. After they closed the back doors, he had scooted over next to his friend. Left in the dark he pulled his suit jacket off and covered the lanky man. Slipping an arm beneath Vin, he pulled the younger man's upper body onto his outstretched legs. Gently touching the flesh hidden beneath the tousled chestnut curls, he found the man's pulse. It was fairly regular, and he decided that they must have simply knocked him out. A soft groan came to him from the man on his lap.

"Vin?" The head he held moved and a few mumbled words were issued, but nothing more. He tried again. "Vin? Wake up pard. We've got a bit of a situation here."

"Ch...Chris?"

"Hey. How's your head?"

"Hurts. Wh...where are we?"

"Hip deep in shit, pard." He quickly explained what had happened. Vin was only able to add that the two men, who were now in charge of their disposal, had approached him right after he arrived for work. He had no recollection of them either questioning or attacking him.

"What...what're we gonna do now?" Vin asked groggily.

"Nothing right now. Nothing to do. Don't even know that we'll be able to do anything once tweedle-dumb and tweedle-dumber let us out. You rest for now, you're gonna need your strength. When those doors open, be ready for anything."

"You lead, I'll follow."

Chuckling, Larabee said, "that's a first."

Finally the vehicle stopped. They had been traveling for some time along a rough road, probably somewhere out in no man's land. Vin drifted in and out of consciousness, Chris concerned that the rangy man had suffered a concussion. When he felt the truck slowing to a stop, though, he woke his friend up.

"What's up?"

"We're stopping. Get ready, Vin, they open those doors, we'll either take them down or run like hell."

"Glad I got th' shoes for it," Tanner joked. He knew that, in his role, Chris had been wearing suits and ties along with dress shoes. The blond looked miserable without his black jeans and boots on.

"Keep that up and I'll make you carry me," the blond returned. Then they both grew quiet as sounds of movement came from outside the vehicle.

Renfield's henchmen had been hired for their brawn and ability to follow orders. They weren't especially quick on their feet when it came to doing things on their own. Stopping the truck along the narrow country road, they got out and, gun in hand, walked to the rear door. While Bill unlocked the panels, Steve stood nearby, his attention trained on those same doors.

As a pair of bodies flew from the darkness, Steve managed to get off a shot just before the blond tackled him. Bill went flying head over heels as the other agent shoved one of the doors back on him. He had a good fifty pounds on the man that landed atop him, but the agent had the element of surprise on his side, and a knee in his groin. Despite that, however, Bill maintained control of the gun.

Both ATF agents seemed to realize at the same time that escape was their best option, given the circumstances. Dodging, zig-zagging, and praying, the men disappeared into the nearby woods before the two thugs were able to gain their feet.

Vin dropped to the ground a hundred yards from where the vehicle sat. He watched as the two gorillas conferred, then began to prowl along the edge of the wooded landscape. He wondered if they were being cautious, or just afraid of dirtying their expensive loafers.

A nearly silent sound caught Tanner's attention, and he turned to see his blond friend creeping through the brush. He waved Chris forward while he kept his attention on their pursuers. Larabee dropped to the ground beside him, wheezing harshly.

"Y' best give up them coffin nails," Vin hissed, turning to see the man's face beside him. All the color had drained from the handsome features, and there was a thin sheen of perspiration over them. "You okay?"

Nodding, Chris gasped out, "where...are...they?"

"Still meandrin' 'round by th' truck. Got a plan?"

Shaking his, Larabee said, "still playing it...by...ear."

Tanner frowned. Something was definitely wrong. "Chris? Don't lie t' me, what's wrong?"

With a sigh, the older man said, "bastard clipped me."

"You've been shot?" Vin growled, barely keeping his voice down.

"It ain't bad," the man assured him, "we've got other things to think about right now."

"Besides havin' you fall on your face?" Tanner chanced a look away from the road long enough to look his friend over. He saw blood soaking the right side of the other agent's shirt, along his ribcage. Turning his attention back to the two gunmen, he pulled off his tee shirt and held it as he said, "can y' get'cher shirt undone?"

"Been und-dressing myself for a few...years," Chris groused. He fumbled to undo the buttons on the shirt that was trying very hard to glue itself to his lean frame. Finally managing to loosen it, he said, "good enough f-for you?"

Grinning, the sharpshooter handed him the folded tee-shirt. "It'll do, I reckon. Hold this against it for now, till we can get somethin' better goin'."

"Wh-what about the other one?"

"What?!"

"Exit...wound," Chris managed. He could feel himself tiring, and knew that the blood loss was taking its toll.

"Shit!" Tanner hissed through clenched teeth. "Look, you watch th' bad guys." Shifting around, he quickly slipped off the blond's shirt and tie. Making a long pad of the tee shirt, he pressed it tightly to the wounds, thankful that the bullet had traveled a fairly straight path through the muscles of Larabee's side. Pulling his belt off, he used it to snug the thick pad to the other man's body.

Chris grunted as Vin tightened the belt around him. His vision was blurring as the blood continued to ooze from the twin wounds, and he found himself suddenly leaning against his friend.

"Whoa," Vin grabbed hold of the slumping body. "Hang on pard, don't pass out on me yet." Keeping one arm on his friend, he slipped the blood-stained shirt back onto him. He managed to keep an eye on the two men as he did, watching them finally move out into the woods.

Pulling Chris' arm across his shoulders, he pulled him up and they moved through the woods, away from where Steve and Bill were concentrating their search. Although he could feel the blond trembling from shock and blood loss, Vin continued to move through the trees.

Getting to the panel truck was amazingly easy. They could hear the two gunmen tromping through the underbrush, like the pair of gorillas they resembled. Vin eased the driver's side door open and helped Chris inside, pushing him across the bench seat. "Hike yer ass over there, " he ordered, "I'm drivin'."

Barely awake now, Chris simply glared at the other man. He watched, as if he were in a dream, while the younger agent started the truck and pulled them up onto the road. The team leader bit off a groan as the vehicle bounced along the old road. Chancing a look in the side mirrors, he saw the two men come crashing out of the woods, yelling and shooting their guns. Three of the projectiles exploded into the truck, one shattering the mirror that Larabee was looking into. He yelled, jerking back as the glass fragments flew from the metal frame. Putting a hand up, he felt a sticky wetness and his hand came away bloody. "Damn."

"Chris?"

"I'm fine, just a scratch."

Nothing more was said for some time, as the two agents made their escape. They were disappointed that there were no cell phones or other communication devices in the cab. It wouldn't be that much of hindrance, however, they would find a main road and call for assistance.

Vin looked across and saw that several tiny streams of blood had erupted on his friend's face from the flying glass. None of them looked serious, however, and seemed to have pretty much already stopped. The fact that crimson was making an appearance on the white shirt he had used as a bandage, however, was something to be concerned about. "Hang on, Chris, we'll be gettin' t' help soon." Larabee nodded weakly in response. He didn't voice the added, 'I hope'. He had no idea as yet as to where they were.

They were ten or twelve miles away from their captors when Vin realized that he had been a little optimistic in his assessment. The truck began to sputter and buck, as if it were imitating Peso in a snit. Tanner reacted much as he did with the big black horse, he cursed at it, smacking the steering wheel and dashboard.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Chris asked.

"Don't have any idea pard," Vin replied, just as the truck stalled. He tried for several minutes to re-start the vehicle, with no success. With a final curse, he looked over at Larabee. "Hang on, I'll see if I can get it goin'."

"Kay," the blond mumbled.

The young agent dropped from the opened door and strode to the front of the truck. Lifting the hood, he began rummaging around the engine well, looking for some sign as to why the vehicle had died.

In the cab, Chris struggled to pull himself upright, slumping against the door. He could feel the wounds continuing to bleed, and knew that if they didn't get them stopped soon, he could be in serious trouble. He tried to stay awake, but soon lost the battle with his eyelids. The next thing he knew, the driver's side door was opening. Managing to pull one lid open, he saw Vin sitting on the seat, staring straight ahead. There was a look of defeat on the strong, angular face. "Vin?"

Shaking his head, Tanner continued to stare ahead. "Can't find a damn thing, pard. Could be one a the bullets hit somethin', I don't know. Looks like we're on foot for now, though."

Larabee groaned at the very thought. He wasn't certain he had the strength to stand up, let alone walk for who knew how long. "Y-you go...get help."

"No way!" The young agent yelled. "We're goin' t'gether pard, if I gotta carry y'!"

Shifting painfully, the blond said, "you...probably will."

Staring directly into the hazel eyes, Vin said softly, "then I will." With that he rummaged through the glove box and beneath the seat, looking for anything they might use. Finding very little, he moved then to the rear of the truck, looking there as well. Finding nothing other than Chris' discarded suit jacket, he moved back to the cab. Easing open the passenger side door, he took hold of the well-muscled arm and coaxed his friend to the edge of the seat. There he carefully eased the jacket onto the other man.

Larabee looked at his companion, "y-you could go f-faster...alone," he tried again.

"No doubt about it, but I ain't about t' leave y' out here on your own. We don't know where the ape twins are, 'r what they're doin'. One thing's for certain though, if they find y', they'll finish th' job they started. We're gettin' outta here t'gether Chris, I ain't arguin' about it." That said, he gently eased the other man from the seat to the ground. Once again pulling Chris' arm across his shoulders, he half-carried the bigger man to the road. Looking along both directions, he sighed. In one direction they would run back into their captors and in the other there was nothing but more road. He started them forward, away from the two angry killers.

His left foot followed his right foot, followed his left, followed his right. Chris focused only on walking, letting the other man take care of everything else. He wanted to just sit down and even give up that single chore, but Vin wouldn't let him. Unable to find the strength to argue any longer, he tried just buckling his knees, but it did no good. Tanner just pulled him back up, taking more of his weight onto his own lean shoulders.

Vin scanned the landscape ahead, praying for a sign that they were nearing some sort of civilization. All he found were trees and the winding road. Sliding his eyes sideways, he watched the man beside him. Chris was in dire need of medical attention, and there was little he could do for him out here. When his friend stumbled against him for the third time in less than a minute, he knew it was time to call a halt.

Finding a sheltered hollow in the trees beside the road, he guided the faltering man into it and eased him to the ground. Larabee was silent, but the pain was clear on his handsome face. Settling him against a tree, Vin pulled back the shirt and jacket to get a better look at the wound. Running a hand across his face, he frowned at the dark stain.

"Th-that bad?"

Looking up into the pain clouded eyes, he said quietly, "could be worse. Think we'll take a breather, or neither one of us'll be goin' much farther. You sit still, I'll go take a quick look 'round."

"Vin," Chris grated out.

"What? You wanna take a look 'round and I'll sit on m' ass?" Vin teased.

Managing a smile, Larabee said, "n-no."

"Okay then," he grasped the man's shoulder, "I'll be back in a few."

"W-watch your back."

Nodding, Tanner slipped into the woods. He padded quietly through the thick underbrush, looking for anything that might help. He found a thin trickle of stream nearby and cupped his hand into the cold water. Drinking his fill, he pulled one of the things he had found inside the truck out of his pocket. It was a slender flask, empty but useful. He held the narrow mouth under the water, continuing to scan the area as it filled. A few minutes later, he capped the container and moved back to where he had left Chris.

The blond hadn't moved, he lay limply against the rough trunk, exhausted from their forced march. Tanner dropped down beside him, gently stroking the perspiration soaked blond locks off the man's forehead. Larabee's eyes fluttered open, only to close again heavily. Vin ran his hand down the side of the long neck, resting against the pulse. He sighed as he felt the rapid beat, like that of a tiny bird, flutter against his fingertips. It was going to take a miracle to get them out of this.

"Chris? Found some water, drink up Cowboy." Slipping his hand beneath the other man's head, he lifted him up and pressed the flask against his lips.

Larabee felt the cold metal against his mouth and opened it to accept the water. He drank greedily, savoring the taste of the cool liquid that ran down his throat. Frowning slightly when it was taken away, he managed to open his eyes enough to look at the other man.

"Don't want'cha gettin' sick on me. I'll give y' another drink in a bit." Vin said, as he eased the trembling man back against the tree. "You rest a little longer, 'n we're gonna get back t' walkin'. Don't know what - " he stopped as he heard the approach of a vehicle. "Stay here."

Leaving Chris where he was, he slipped up behind a tree nearer the road. Tanner watched, relieved that the sound was coming from the direction they were heading, not from where they had stranded the gunmen. It was less likely that the car meant trouble and more likely they could get help. Nevertheless, the sharpshooter stayed where he was until the vehicle was nearly upon his hiding place. As it drew near, he saw only one figure inside. The agent stepped out into the road, waving his arms for the driver to stop.

Inside the car, the driver, a young woman, sang softly to the tune on the car stereo as she maneuvered her four wheel drive down the old road. Before the song ended, the signal started growing faint, and she chanced a look down to find the tuner. As she looked up, she gasped as a man appeared in the middle of the road. Dressed only in jeans and tennis shoes, there were splatters of blood on his chest, and more streaked from a cut on his head. She considered gunning the engine and dodging around the man, a chorus of warnings about picking up strangers echoing in her mind. But, as she drew closer, something about the slender young man caused her to stop.

Vin breathed a sigh of relief as the vehicle stopped, the bumper nearly against his knees. Slumping forward, placing his hands on the warm hood, he offered thanks for good hearts and better brakes. Straightening, he moved wearily around to the driver's side door, making certain to keep his hands where the driver could see them. As the window moved downward a couple of inches, he leaned down and said, "I appreciate y' stoppin'. M' friend's been hurt, 'n I need t' get 'm to th' hospital."

"Your friend? You don't look in very good shape yourself. What happened?" The woman asked.

Taking a deep breath when he realized that the driver was female, Tanner said vaguely, "it was an accident miss. Can y' help us out? Y' got a cell phone?"

"Uh, yeah, I do." She lowered the window a little more and passed the phone out to the man.

"Thank y' miss," he turned the device on. All that greeted him was static. "Shit... um, sorry miss."

With a giggle, the woman said, "I've heard worse. The reception gets a little dicey around here. Where is your friend?"

"He's over - " Vin looked up as he pointed toward the trees, then grumbled another curse under his breath as he saw the blond stumbling toward him. "Ah, damn it Chris!"

She looked in that direction as well, and uttered a shocked sound as she saw the second man. A tall blond, in what appeared to be an expensive suit, staggered out of the trees. His shirt and jacket hung open, and a crude bandage was wrapped around his muscular chest. "You couldn't have met these hunks at a party?" She chastised herself as she watched the two men meet up. "You've gotta wait till they're beaten and bloody before you make their acquaintance?"

The one that had stopped her reached the injured man just as he started to collapse. Holding him up, the shirtless man half-carried his somewhat larger friend toward her car. Heaving a deep sigh, she stepped out of the vehicle, still hearing those voices warning her against such an action. She pulled open the back door, waiting for them to arrive.

"Ah, no miss. I can't ask y' t' - "

"You didn't," she stopped him. "But I'm certainly not going to just drive away, you need help. I can take you to the hospital."

Rousing from his stupor, Chris whispered, "c-can't get a ci...civilian involved."

The woman frowned curiously. "Civilian?"

"Yes miss," Tanner said with a sigh, "we're federal agents."

Letting out a low whistle, the woman said, "right. This is Candid Camera, right? Or some weird movie? I mean, come on."

Grinning, Vin said, "no miss - "

"Jan."

"Jan," he said with a nod. Pointing to himself then to Larabee, he said, "Vin and Chris. We're members of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau in Denver. We kind 'a got ourselves in a mess."

She shook her head, "a mess is what I left my kitchen in, that," she pointed to the bloody bandage covering the blond's chest, "is a little more than a mess."

His grin widening, Tanner said, "well, be that as it may...is there another road we can take into town?"

"No, this is the only road from there to anywhere."

With a sigh, the sharpshooter said, "okay look, how far is it back t' your messy kitchen?"

Her mouth opening and closing as she tried to follow his verbal left turn, she said, "about five miles, why?"

"Could y' trust me... us, m- Jan? I'd like t' borrow your car t' get m' friend t' a hospital. We don't wanna risk your life. Th' fellas that shot Chris could still be on this road, we'll take y' back t' your home first."

Looking at the blond who clung to the man who identified himself as Vin, she shook her head. His face was waxen, a sheen of perspiration clung to his flesh like a second skin. "The last thing he needs is to take the scenic route."

"W-won't...risk y-your...life," Larabee grated out.

"Jan, we' really don't have time t' argue this." Vin said.

"Exactly. Get him into the back seat, so we can get him to the hospital."

Looking from the woman to his failing friend and back again, Tanner shook his head. "You get back here with 'm, I'm drivin'."

Jan snapped a mock salute at his orders, then moved around the open door and slid inside. She helped Vin maneuver Chris into the car beside her. They stretched him out, his head on her lap. The blond looked up at her, concern evident in his hazel eyes. Still, he offered her a smile and she responded in kind as the man's eyes drooped closed.

Slipping behind the steering wheel, Vin re-started the vehicle and they moved back in the direction they had just come from. Tanner kept his attention on the road ahead, praying they wouldn't find themselves face to face with the two killers again. Every few minutes he tried the cell phone, wanting to alert the local police force, but the static continued to be the phone's only response.

Rounding one of the frequent bends, they saw the stopped panel truck. Vin slowed down, perusing the vehicle for signs of the gunmen. Warning Jan to keep down, he drove past the truck, watching in the rearview mirror as they moved beyond it.

In the backseat, the woman had found a handkerchief in the pocket of her jacket, and gently wiped the perspiration from the handsome face. Chris had drifted off into a light sleep, his breathing slowing as he rested. She kept one arm around his broad shoulders, in the event they had to speed up. As she watched the long-haired man driving, she didn't say a word, worried that she'd distract him. Her eyes went from him, to the man who lay in her lap, back to the driver. Then she began watching the woods at the side of the road, searching for any sign of movement.

Tanner found himself holding his breath each time they neared a bend in the road. The gunmen could be anywhere. If they had been luckier with their own cell phones, they could have back-up soon. He vaguely recognized the terrain now, and knew they weren't far outside Denver. While they had probably taken a round-about route to put off any pursuit, others from Renfield's compound could be here by now.

Then, as they eased through yet another curve, the sharpshooter cursed. Bill and Steve were walking along the road, one on either side. "Jan, I need y' t' get down and stay there til I tell y' otherwise."

She saw the two men, out of place in suits here in the countryside, and did as she was told. Jan leaned down, her body partially covering the injured blond. Her hold on him tightened as she felt the car accelerate.

Steeling himself, Vin gunned the engine, his foot shoving the accelerator against the floorboard. He watched as the two gorillas jerked around to face him, one opening his mouth to yell a curse while the other took aim at the car. He didn't slow down, barreling past the men. The side window shattered, spraying the interior with glass, the bullet burying itself in the opposite door. Other bullets pinged and thudded against the car as it continued past and out of sight of the men.

They drove another ten minutes before Vin slowed down, pulling to a stop on the road. Turning in the seat, he said, "y'all okay?"

Looking up at him, her eyes still wide, the woman said, "I think so. Is it safe now?"

Nodding, Tanner said, "for th' minute. Reckon we're far 'nuff ahead of 'm now, we'll be okay. How's Chris?"

Jan straightened, looking down at the blond. "Still with us."

With a sigh, the young man leaned back against the headrest, rubbing at his forehead. The headache that had yet to leave since being kidnapped, suddenly forced itself back to the center of his attention. When he finally took his hand away and opened his eyes, the woman was standing in the open doorway, staring at him with concern. He started, having been unaware of the door being opened.

"You look about ready to drop," she said quietly. "We're far enough away now, why don't you get in back with your friend and I'll drive."

"I'm fine," he began.

"Yeah? Well, you certainly don't look it, and I'd really prefer not to go off the road when you finally keel over." Her voice grew firm.

With a small smile, the long haired man said, "yes ma'am." He slid out of the front seat and climbed into the rear along side Chris. He shifted the blond around a little, pulling him up to rest in his lap.

Jan closed the door and slid behind the wheel. Looking at the shattered window across from her with a sigh, she pointed them toward the entrance to the highway. With any luck, she'd have the two bloodied men at the hospital in another half hour.

Vin leaned his head back on the seat, watching the road ahead for signs of more bad guys coming from town. Movement beside him brought his attention to the blond. Looking down, he saw Larabee blinking his eyes open slowly. Absently brushing a stray lock of blond hair back, he said softly, "y' with me Cowboy?"

The tip of his tongue running around dry lips, Chris frowned and asked, "wh-where are...we?"

"Just knee deep 'n shit, now," he quipped. Then he added more seriously, "on th' way t' th' hospital."

Looking around him, he said, "n-not...ambulance."

"Nope. Got a friend takin' us in. You rest, I've got'cher back."

With the return of consciousness came a return of pain. Chris groaned, his body going taut as he was ripped through with fiery lances of agony. He felt something touch his hand and he gripped it with everything he had. Slowly the tide of pain receded, allowing him to take a breath. "Sh-shit," he groaned.

Wincing at the force of Larabee's grasp on his hand, Vin held on, lending the other man his own strength. Wiping the beads of perspiration from his friend's face, he said, "you hang on t' me, pard, y' hear? Hang on 'n don't let go, cause I sure 's hell ain't. We're gonna get 'cha t' th' hospital here in just a bit, n' get 'cha patched up. Okay?"

Chris managed a nod before he slid back into unconsciousness.

When they pulled up in front of the hospital's emergency room, Jan wasn't the only one heaving a sigh of relief. She dashed inside to alert the medical staff, leaving the two men in the car.

Vin roused from the stupor he had drifted into once they had gotten to the highway. He had finally managed to get a signal on the woman's cell phone and alerted the local police department. That done, he allowed himself to relax just a little, his hand still entwined with his friend's. The young agent wanted to make certain that his friend and boss knew that he wasn't alone, even unconscious.

A flurry of activity erupted from the big emergency room doors, as people in medical garb emerged to take care of the injured agents. They quickly had Chris on a gurney, whisking him back inside the doors. A pair of nurses argued with Vin about his own need for attention. Then several uniformed officers added to the melee, needing information from both the agent and the young woman who had assisted the two men. Vin lost sight of Jan as he was whisked away to an examination cubicle, one of the officers still asking questions as the curtain was drawn closed.

An hour later, the lanky Texan re-emerged from beyond the curtain in a wheelchair, and found the officers and the young woman waiting for him. He smiled wanly up at Jan and said, "really sorry that we got you involved in all this."

Returning his smile, she laughed and said, "well, after this Megiddo's sure to be a boring movie. That's where I was headed when we...uh...met. Anyway, how are you feeling?"

"I'm doin' fine. They're keepin' me overnight just t' make certain, though."

"Agent Tanner," one of the uniformed officers interrupted, "we contacted the Bureau. Agents Wilmington, Standish and Sanchez will be arriving shortly to take charge of your operation. We've offered to assist, and we'll also take care of the lady for now."

"Thanks," Vin said, nodding to the officers. Returning his attention to Jan, he said, "I'm really sorry 'bout all this. These folks 'll take good care a y', I'm sure, and m' friends 'll make sure you're all right when they get her. Uh, they'll also make sure th' repairs on your car's taken care of, too." His smile turned sheepish.

Jan shrugged, "that's okay, Vin. Kind of gives it character with the bullet holes...lord knows it'll give me something to talk about for awhile."

Tanner held out his hand and shook hers warmly. "When things get settled down, reckon me 'n Chris'd both like t' come thank y' proper." Realizing how that sounded, he added, "maybe we can treat y' t' that movie, take y' t' dinner," he shrugged.

Grinning broadly over her shoulder as the uniformed officers led her away, the woman replied, "I'll look forward to it."

As she left, a doctor approached, the front of his scrubs bloody. "Are you the ATF agent?"

"Vin Tanner," the sharpshooter acknowledged with a nod.

"Agent Tanner, your friend should be fine in a few weeks. The most serious damage he sustained was two broken ribs, the bullet hit them on the way through. Other than some soft tissue damage, that was all it hit. Our main concern at this point is blood loss."

Nodding, Vin said, "can I see 'm?"

Shaking his head, the doctor said, "he's going to recovery right now. We'll be placing him in ICU over night as a precaution. You look as if you'll be taking advantage of our accommodations as well."

With a sigh, the young agent nodded. "For th' night anyway."

"All right, I'll see that you're notified when he's in his room and okay a short visit. You need to consider your own injuries right now, however."

"Ah, hell doc, it's just m' head...nothin' I use much," the young man replied with a broad grin.

Chris Larabee managed to open his eyes, focusing them slowly as he looked around. He groaned as he realized that he was in a hospital room. In a hospital bed. Again.

"'Bout time y' woke up," a familiar voice drawled to his left. Managing to shift his gaze over, past the tubes and machines, he saw Vin Tanner sitting cross-legged on the second bed. The Texan was dressed in sweats and a tee shirt, a stark white bandage n his tanned forehead. Despite the cheeriness in his tone, Chris could tell that the younger man was tired and in pain.

"How long?" He grimaced as the words caused his dry throat to ache.

Vin slid from his bed and padded around Larabee's. He retrieved a cup of ice from the bedside table as he raised the head of the narrow bed. Holding a spoonful of ice chips out, he watched as his friend managed to swallow some. "'Bout a day 'n a half."

Chris nodded, sighing as the ice relieved the nagging pain. "What happened?"

"What do y' 'member?"

Frowning, Larabee searched through the mush that seemed to have taken up residence in his brain. Vague memories presented themselves in random order, leaving him to decide their sequence.

Seeing the confusion on his friend's face, Vin smiled sympathetically. "The 'Reader's Digest' version is; Renfield found us out 'n sent us off with a couple a goons, t' off us. We got away, but one of 'm kept a chunk a your hide 's a souvenir. Then we met up with a real nice lady who gave us a ride here t' th' hospital."

Chris put Vin's narrative together with his fragmented memories and the picture became clearer. He nodded, asking, "she okay?"

"Yep. Josiah's keepin' 'er comp'ny for th' time bein'. Th' ape twins put up a fight, but th' others managed t' bring 'm down last night. Don't think they had a chance t' get any information t' their boss, so nobody else knows she helped us out."

"Renfield?"

Shrugging, Tanner said, "cleared out. Travis wants us both under wraps for now, till he's located an' we're up t' snuff. Someone 'll be stayin' with Jan till we know for certain she's safe, too. Reckon we gotta put up with one another for awhile."

Chuckling softly at his friend's broad grin, Larabee said, "reckon I'll survive." Then he frowned and, pointing at the other man's bandaged head, asked, "you okay?"

With a wicked glint in his sky-hued eyes, Tanner said, "just wore out from tottin' your sorry ass 'round half th' countryside."

A memory tugged at him, and Larabee attempted a glare as he said, "told you to leave me."

Still smiling, Vin said, "y' got me there." Then he sobered and said, "y' know there ain't no way I could a done that pard. No more 'n you could 'a walked away if it'd been me."

The blond opened his mouth to argue, then closed it with a small smile. "got me."

Shoving another spoonful of chips in the older man's mouth, the Texan said, "that's th' problem with gettin' t' know someone well enough t' read their soul. Just imagine what's gonna happen if we've gotta be hid out t'gether too long."

Chris Larabee could only sigh, drop his head back on the pillow, and imagine.

The End