Hunted: Epilogue

Nine months later. . .

“Do any of you, perchance, feel like a portion of meat on display in a butcher’s establishment?” Ezra asked the men surrounding him.

“Yup,” was Vin’s succinct answer.

“You too, huh?” Nathan whispered.

“Why are they all staring at us?” JD wanted to know.

“What d’ya mean ‘us’, hell boy, they’re staring at me!”

“Yeah, Buck, trying to figure out who the hell let you in here!” JD shot back.

“Why are we here again, cowboy?”

Chris sighed. A week ago they had just finished busting one of the biggest arms dealer in the Northern U.S. Travis had called them to congratulate them and to tell them about the black tie dinner the governor was throwing in their honor. Chris seriously doubted that it really was in ‘their honor’. The governor probably just wanted to celebrate such a big coup under his administration, especially during an election year. Larabee had tried everything to avoid the party including using his team’s kidnapping and subsequent injuries.

But as the Judge so explicitly put it, “It’s been nine months since you’ve been kidnapped and every single one of your team is in perfect health. JD’s arm is out of the cast and Josiah’s leg is healed from what the doctors tell me. You will attend this party.”

So here they were standing on the steps that led down into the ballroom. And Chris had to agree with Ezra; he did feel like a piece of meat with all these people, specifically the women, staring at him and his men.

“Chris!”

Chris turned at the familiar voice. His breath caught as he saw Mary Travis coming towards him. She looked lovely, her blonde hair was in an upsweep, and the blue velvet evening gown showed her lithe body to perfection.

“Mary, you look beautiful.” Chris held out his large callused hand, palm up, to her. Mary smiled, slipping her hand into his. Then to Chris’s pleasure and the others’ amusement, Mary stepped up on tippy-toe and landed a kiss right on his lips.

“You gentlemen don’t look so bad yourself!” Mary smiled at the men, knowing that they had no idea what they looked like or what kind of impact they had made on the female guests. The whispering had started the moment Team Seven had made their appearance. The seven men had calmly walked down the stairs, stopping midway down to survey the room. Mary knew that it was their nature to size up any situation in which they encountered. But the sight of the seven powerful men made people pause. Chris, the alpha wolf in the lead of his pack. Vin and Ezra were flanking him; JD was behind Chris, while Buck, Nathan, and Josiah made up the rear guard.

Mary quietly sighed. The “Magnificent Seven” were gorgeous in their regular clothes, but in their formal wear, they were devastating.

True to his nature, Chris’s tuxedo was completely black, except for the priest-styled collar of his tuxedo. And even then an onyx stone button cover dominated the tiny white square. The darkness that surrounded him gave Chris a powerful and dangerous aura…. ‘The kind of aura that attracts all sorts of women’, Mary thought with a frown. Stealing another glance at him, she mentally sighed, ‘But who could blame them?’

Looking to Chris’s right, Mary returned Vin’s sweetly hesitant smile. Vin’s long hair brushed the band collar of his black tuxedo jacket that was unbuttoned to reveal a deep wine colored vest. Mary had no doubt that Chris had to order Vin to wear the tux, judging by the way he continuously tugged at his clothing.

Ezra was the only one of the Seven not adorned in a totally black ensemble. Above his black tuxedo pants the Southerner wore a crisp, white, double-breasted tuxedo jacket. With his dimpled smile and Southern charm, he was every girl’s Prince Charming.

Mary couldn’t help but smile at the Seven’s youngest member. JD looked like he was going to his prom in his double-breasted black tux, nervously adjusting his bow tie.

Both Nathan and Buck were dashing in their black, single-breasted tuxes. The only difference between the two men was that Buck’s vest was a brilliant navy blue that deepened the blue of his eyes, while Nathan’s jeweled, silver vest made his dark skin glow in the chandelier’s light.

Mary looked to the oldest member of the Seven last. Josiah’s tuxedo was much like Vin’s except whereas Tanner’s vest nearly hid his white shirt front, Sanchez’s dark steel grey vest was cut low, showing off the crisp white shirt and the small medicine bundle dangling from his neck.

Mary mentally sighed, ‘Lord help us from such shatteringly beautiful men.’ Shaking off her thoughts, Mary took Chris by the hand and gently tugged, “The Judge wants to see you.”

Chris smiled at Mary, then turned back to his friends, “Behave, be nice, and stay out of trouble.”

Vin rolled his eyes. “He acts like we’re a bunch of hyperactive kids!”

Nathan grunted at the irony of the statement as he watched JD and Buck discreetly throw hors d’oeuvres at each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Orrin.” At the sound of his daughter-in-law’s voice, Travis turned from his companion to see Mary with Chris Larabee in tow. Evelyn Travis smiled at the two young people.

“Christopher. How are you and your men?” Evie smiled with pleasure as the darkly angelic man bent and wrapped his arms around her in a quick hug. His quick smile was her answer.

“Chris, good to see you, my boy! Thought maybe you wouldn’t be able to make it!” Travis beamed in mock surprise.

Chris’s snort earned him quiet laughter from the two Travis women. “As if I had a choice…sir.”

Travis only grinned.

The two women stood side by side watching Chris and Orrin debate the usefulness of Team Seven being present at the party. After a few moments of listening to the two men, Mary leaned closer to Evelyn and said quietly, “I think Chris is actually winning this one.”

When she received no answer, Mary turned to see Evie smiling rather smugly. At Mary’s confused expression, Evie smiled even wider and stared pointedly at Mary’s slim fingers embraced by Chris’s larger and darker fingers. “The kiss, my dear, very clever…staking your claim early.”

Mary’s wide eyes said it all. “Evie, I have no idea…”

The AD’s wife simply patted her daughter-in-law’s free hand and continued as if not hearing her. “I don’t blame you, darling. The women here are vipers and I wouldn’t want them sinking their fangs into this one either.”

“Evie, that was just a hello kiss from one friend to another.”

Evelyn sent Mary a doubtful look. “Uh huh, of course it was my dear, and I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sell.”

Fortunately for the blonde reporter, she was saved from further scrutiny when Buck’s voice hailed their little group.

“Pard, this party is great! Great food, an opened bar, and look at all these women!” The two men laughed at Buck’s enthusiasm while Mary and Evie received hugs from both him and JD.

“Having fun, JD?” Chris’s question brought a smile to the young man’s lips and an eager nod of his dark head.

“Gotta agree, this isn’t so bad.” Nathan’s voice had everyone turning around to see both him and the ex-profiler.

“Where are the Pranking Pair?” Travis grinned at Larabee as the ATF team leader heaved a sorrowful sigh. Shaking his head, Chris remembered the incident in which the Judge had so aptly named the last two members of his team.

“Here they come.” Evie smiled as she spotted the lean Texan and charming Southerner.

Chris groaned seeing the smug expressions on both of his friends’ faces. “What did you two troublemakers do now?”

Ezra’s ever-so-innocent, “Moi?” and Vin’s equally innocent wide blue eyes had Chris rubbing his eyes in anticipation of more trouble.

“Hey Ez, betcha ten bucks I got more numbers than you did,” Vin smirked as he pulled out a handful of napkins.

Ezra returned Vin’s smirk with a devious grin of his own. “Ah, but Mr. Tanner, shall we count hotel keys as well?” holding up the said objects.

“Hey! I want in on this deal!” Buck exclaimed as he pulled out several slips of paper. “How many did ya get, kid?”

With a slight blush JD mumbled, “Too many.”

“That, JD, is impossible.” Josiah’s grin only got deeper as he too pulled out a large handful of paper. The preacher’s son nudged Nathan, who reluctantly emptied his pockets as well.

Mary and Evie snickered while Travis guffawed. Chris glared at his men. “I can’t believe all of you!”

Vin stared pointedly at Chris’s and Mary’s entwined fingers with a smirk. “You’re just mad ‘cause you didn’t get any, cowboy.” Vin easily dodged the gently thrown fist with a laugh.

“You boys are incorrigible!” Evie admonished as she shook a finger at their antics.

The six Don Juans’ deep laughter was cut short when Team Seven heard a frighteningly familiar sound.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Chris.” Vin’s voice shook with tension as did the hand that had grabbed his friend’s arm. All merriment within the group quickly dissipated with the introduction of a terror from their past.

“I know.” Larabee’s voice was tight with anger; his body radiated the same emotion. He moved forward…a wolf pack on the scent of their prey. They advanced on their quarry, completely oblivious to the partygoers around them.

None of the Seven would ever forget the high-pitched, sickeningly civil laughter of the man who had forced them to run and had hunted them like wild animals.

“Ah, Agent Larabee, just the man I wanted to see! I have someone who wants to meet…” the Governor’s words were cut off with a gasp as Larabee’s hand shot out and wrapped it self around the Warden’s throat.

“Mr. Larabee! What the….? Let him go!” The governor watched in horror as the ATF team leader strangled the man next to him. He also became aware of the gasps of alarm and horror of the other guests. ‘Good God! Larabee’s going to kill a man in front of hundreds of witnesses!’ The governor made eye contact with his guards. They moved forward, only to be stopped by Wilmington, Tanner, and Sanchez.

“You little bastard.” Chris hissed at the man he was still choking.

The Warden’s breath came in short, uneven hisses. The man’s hands grabbed and batted ineffectually at the strong callused hands of the avenging angel.

“Chris! What is the meaning of this?” Travis’s voice cut through the air as he cut a path through the shocked partygoers. Travis walked until he faced Larabee but recoiled at the hatred that burned in Larabee’s green eyes. So intense was the flame that the ex-judge could almost feel it.

“Judge, meet the Warden.” Travis stared in shock at the man Chris believed had kidnapped his ATF team. He was an albino man, well dressed, immaculate in his white clothing. Unable to speak, the albino simply shook his head. The frantic turning didn’t help alleviate Larabee’s crushing grip.

“Travis! I’ll have you know that this man is a well-respected member of this community…”

“He had us kidnapped so that he and his friends could hunt us down.” Nathan’s voice was hard and it conveyed every feeling of disgust, rage, and hatred that the Seven were experiencing. But Standish wasn’t satisfied with his partner’s answer.

“He is a butcher!” Standish didn’t hold back any punches as he listed the Warden’s crimes. The hatred in his eyes was almost as intense as his team leader’s. “He hunts people for sport! He forces you to run until you are no longer able! He sets hounds on your trail, as if you were some kind of animal!”

The governor warily studied the seven men before him. He knew about the “Magnificent Seven’s” kidnapping. Travis had nearly gone crazy trying to find his men. But the man they were accusing of the crime was a distinguished businessman. However, the Seven’s reputation was legendary. Their work was impeccable; their methods unorthodox but the results made his administration look very good. “Are you sure that’s him?”

When Larabee failed to answer the governor’s inquiry, Travis took it upon himself to question his team leader. “Chris? Chris!” Travis waited until he had the blonde man’s full attention before continuing. “Do you have proof? Did you ever see him?”

Larabee angrily shook his head but Wilmington broke in vehemently, “I’ll never forget his laughter as he told us he was going to run us to the ground.”

The governor shook his head in relief. “Then there’s no hard evidence…”

“He was shot by one of his partners. The guy put a bullet in his right shoulder, near the collar bone.” The Judge turned to Tanner as he spoke for the first time. The softly spoken statement had Larabee ripping off the “Warden’s” jacket and shirt. The man struggled briefly but the hand around his throat tightened.

“Doesn’t prove…” The albino managed to gasp out.

“Agent Larabee, he’s right. That’s not enough evidence.” The governor started to protest when a new voice broke through the crowd.

“Would pictures of his hunts and kills be enough?”

It was a voice Josiah, JD, and Buck easily recognized. Coyote.

The crowd parted with gasps of horror. The young woman wore white, her hair in wild disarray, her eyes were unnaturally wide as she leveled a black pistol at the Warden. Never relenting his grip on the Warden’s throat, Chris made eye contact with each of his team. Slowly they slid about the crowd, surrounding the huntress.

She seem to forget the ATF agents around her as she confronted her boss. She held up a large manilla envelope. “These are pictures of each of his kills.”

“You bitch!” With a hoarse gasp, the Warden lunged at Coyote, struggling in vain against Larabee’s grip. The governor watched as Wilmington moved to help subdue the wildly struggling man. Each ATF agent now had the Warden by an arm, keeping him at bay. Not once did the young woman flinch, she continued to hold the gun steady, aimed at her one time employer.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” The Warden roared as he continued to struggle.

“You left me!” She yelled, advancing towards her prey. “You left me in that godforsaken place! You’re just like the others! You use me then throw me away!”

The Warden’s chest heaved. “Me? I left you? You stupid bitch! You’re the one that blew up one chopper and then took the other! You. . .left. . .me!”

“LIAR!” She raised the gun.

Josiah’s eyes widened. If she fired that gun now, both Chris and Buck would be caught in the middle.

“Coyote.” The wide blue eyes barely focused on the large shape that had suddenly materialized in front of her sights. But when she finally recognized the dark shape, her welcoming smile was glorious.

“Josiah!”

The profiler blinked in surprise. He didn’t know how she knew his name, but Josiah used it to his advantage. “Hello, Coyote.” Never taking his eyes from hers, Josiah held out his hand. “Coyote. Why don’t you give me the gun?”

She tilted her head to one side, considering the idea. Then she pouted. “He abandoned me.”

“Yes, I know,” Josiah said, inching his way towards her. “But with those pictures, we’ll make him pay for it.”

She smiled, nodding happily as she held out the envelope. Josiah held in the frustrated sigh. He wanted the gun, not the envelope, but took what he could get. Smiling gently, he reached out and took the envelope. “Thank you, Coyote.” Without looking, he handed the envelope to Evelyn Travis who stood to his right. “Now, why don’t you give me the gun?” He repeated his earlier request.

Silence reigned the crowded ballroom. Only the shifting of bodies was heard as Josiah slowly talked the dangerous she-wolf into a calmer state, all the while getting physically closer and closer to the gun. Soon enough he was right in front of the muzzle. His position effectively destroyed any chance of a bullet hitting his friends. “Coyote. The gun. Please?” Coyote smiled, letting go of the gun. Then to Josiah’s complete surprise threw herself into his arms.

Nodding to his guards, the Governor indicated the two hunters. “Arrest them.”

Several of the guards moved forward, taking the Warden from the two ATF agents. Coyote’s eyes widened in alarm as she saw several uniformed officers heading towards her as well.

“Josiah?” She tilted her white-blonde head back, searching his eyes.

“You need to go with them,” The older man quietly said, pulling her arms from around his body. “I promise. . .I’ll speak to the judge. Since you helped us, he’ll go lighter on you, I promise.”

Coyote only held on tighter and buried her head in his chest. Josiah sighed and looked up at the amused expressions of Tanner and Jackson. He smiled ruefully. Josiah grasped her chin and tilted her head to look up into her still wild but tearing eyes. “I promise. Everything will be okay. But you have to go with these men.”

“Will you come with me?” She sounded like a lost little girl.

Josiah looked over his shoulder and saw Chris’s nod. When she saw Josiah’s smile, Coyote returned it. With an arm still wrapped around her smaller body, Josiah turned her out of the ballroom with the Governor’s guards and the Warden following.

The governor smiled ruefully at AD Travis. “Are things always this…interesting?”

Is was Mary who answered, saying with a smile, “With Team Seven around, things are never bor--LOOK OUT!”

From her position in front of Chris, Mary saw the Warden breaking free from the guards, grabbing a gun and take aim at Chris’s head. Without thinking, Mary shouted the warning and threw her body to one side, taking Chris with her.

Shots rang out, followed by a strangled cry.

Picking himself and Mary off the ground, Chris turned around to see the Warden on the ground, clutching his bleeding leg and shoulder. Two knife wounds bled profusely onto the gubernatorial mansion’s oyster white carpet. Chris nodded his thanks, which Vin and Nathan returned with twin smiles. Team Seven, the Travises, and the Governor watched the now securely confined Warden being led away by military personnel.

“She’s gone!” Josiah’s exclamation turned their attention to the large man.

“Josiah?” Chris’s question was aimed at the profiler but his eyes roved the room, looking for the huntress.

“I heard the shot, turned to look, then turned back. She was gone!” Sanchez ran a disgusted hand through his short hair. He couldn’t believe he let a dangerous predator like the Coyote loose.

“It’s alright, Josiah. We’ll find her.” Nathan put a sympathetic hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Josiah looked the pistol, still in his hand. “No, Brother Nathan, I don’t think we will.”

Finis

ATF VS

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