Part I

Chris waited in the alley, tempted to concentrate and use his gift to see the location of the enemy. But that took time and time was in short supply right now. The call from Travis with the tip about Evans' man, Banks, meeting with his henchmen, seemed years away instead of the mere hour it really was. The team had acted fast, eager to catch Banks, hoping he'd lead them to Evans. The criminal researcher had managed to elude them for several months, ever since they'd lost him at the old clinic in Batesville, and had added too many lives to the long list of murders he'd committed since leaving the Agency.

The team's two empaths hid not far from him down the alley. From a distance through the darkening night, Chris watched Buck touch JD's shoulder, the image of teacher and student strong enough to pull a smile from him. Since JD had joined the team, the two empathic men had quickly formed a bond that tested strong and seemed to continue, even after Buck's training sessions. A thought tried to surface, niggling through Chris' brain, but before it could fully emerge, Buck moved. He left JD and crossed to the other side of the alley, gaining cover behind a stack of old garbage.

Confused, Chris started to move, but Josiah caught his eye from around another building.

The strong man signaled that he was moving, then left cover to slide silent as a shadow into the old apartment building. He'd seen Josiah lift objects as big and heavy as the dumpster he hid behind over his head and toss them aside as easily as a feather. Naturally strong already, Josiah's gift intensified when needed, and had saved them all at one time or another.

The radio on his belt crackled softly. Chris pulled it from the clip and held it to his ear.

"They're here."

Vin's voice, whisper soft despite the mechanical signal, spoke through the radio.

"Where are they?" He didn't bother bringing the radio to his mouth, knowing Vin could focus his hearing and hone in on his words from a mile away.

"Just going inside now. He's got Lansing with him."

"Figures." Chris frowned in disgust. "You stay put. I'll let the others know and we'll join the party later."

He closed the connection. A vision opened abruptly in his mind and he focused on it, knowing that if he received one without first reaching for it, danger was imminent. Red bled across his sight and he blinked, then shut his eyes. The image of a hand reaching out, stretching and questing for someone played against his closed eyelids. JD and Buck appeared. An arch of blinding light connected them, then formed into a glowing sphere that surrounded them. With a sudden explosion, the light dissipated. Darkness shadowed his mind, nearly hiding Buck and JD's crumpled and bloody forms from view.

Gasping, Chris opened his eyes and stood, but the shout of warning in his chest shredded when gunfire erupted in the alley. He ducked helplessly behind the metal dumpster but not before he saw Buck take a hit and go down. Cut off from his men, he waited impatiently for a break in the fire.

"Buck!" The name shrieked through JD's throat. Buck lay in a crumpled heap in the alley behind the abandoned apartment building.

Streetlights threw white highlights against JD's clothes. Time held suspended and all sound stopped. He couldn't breathe. Leaping away from the corner, he broke cover. Something hit him hard in the abdomen, knocking him back, and he stumbled. Catching his balance, he staggered and reached for Buck, but fell to his knees.

Buck lay turned away from JD. If he could see Buck's face he'd be able to tell if he were all right. Pulling himself forward, he kept close to the ground. A strange heaviness grew in his belly as he dragged himself across the rough pavement. Strength drained from his arms and leaked out into the ground. JD stretched out his hand, needing to touch Buck, but he couldn't reach him.

Despair strangled him, nailed him to the ground and hollowed his bones. He forced his hand to move, inched his fingers closer to Buck. A bullet spit the ground close to his hand but he didn't flinch. Darkness shrank his vision. He blinked and craned his neck to look up. Clouds curtained the narrow band of sky he could see between the tall buildings, shrouding the moon from view.

With a soft sob of defeat, JD's head fell back to the ground. A sigh compressed his chest just as his fingers brushed against Buck's hand, and he passed out.

Buck stirred, stiff and awkward. Fuzziness confused his thoughts, built a maze around his memory. He turned his head against the hard earth, blinking away moisture in his eyes. What had awakened him?

Lax fingers lay cupped across the back of his knuckles. Gunfire exploded in the night and with a dizzying rush, Buck remembered what happened. He turned his hand and grasped JD's wrist, sitting up despite the thunder pounding in his head. "JD!"

Buck held onto his friend's wrist as though it were a lifeline. He called out, but JD didn't answer. Cutting his eyes over to where he knew Chris should be, he saw the familiar black form whisk out from behind a huge dumpster and sweep toward them. Relief spread through Buck's chest.

He rolled to his hip. Sliding his free hand beneath the young man's shoulder, he carefully rolled him over. Oh damn...oh no. JD's flannel shirt lay unbuttoned, opened to reveal the lighter T-shirt beneath. Blood melted the thin material to his body. His torso quivered and breath caught then released from JD's chest in a soft moan.

Buck shifted to his elbow and bent over until his head rested against JD's. Broad shoulders canopied over JD protectively and he whispered, "It's all right, I'll get you out of here." Confidence laced each word, turned the flimsy statement into a promise.

A bullet smacked the ground next to Buck's knee and he jerked in reaction. He lifted his head. A blurred image of black in his peripheral view focused into his friend. "Chris!" Rolling onto his knees, he shielded JD with his body. JD would kill him if he got himself murdered protecting him, but he'd be damned if he'd let the kid die.

Chris knelt beside Buck, taking in his friend's pale face and JD's injury. "Looks like you could use some help."

"You always had perfect timing," Buck answered.

Chris watched as Buck bent over JD and lightly touched the seeping wound. JD immediately drew in on himself, but his ragged breathing eased. Buck pulled away, a bit breathless. Chris knew Buck had taken some of JD's pain into himself, but the danger surfaced of Buck ignoring his own injury; a harsh red line creased Buck's temple and disappeared into his hairline. Blood dripped from the wound and ran down the side of his face.

"You ready?"

Buck tried to stand but fell to his knees, obviously overwhelmed with his new burden of pain. "Can't -- "

"Then let it go so you can."

Chris returned a volley of shots, then twisted to push his arms under JD and drag him toward him. "You're hit."

Buck glanced down, looking for a wound. "I am?" As if becoming aware of his discomfort, he lifted one hand to touch his injury and winced with the contact.

Chris watched him glance down at JD with an understanding expression and use his thumb to ease away some of the tension between JD's brow. "Stubborn cuss."

"Just lay still for a minute." Chris thrust a gun into his hand. "Think you can shoot this long enough for me to get JD outa here?"

"Yeah." Buck's tight answer let Chris know that the pain was starting to register. But if Buck said he could shoot, he could shoot. Lifting JD, Chris hesitated when a giant shadow loomed over them.

Relief came in the form of Josiah Sanchez. He shifted to Buck and pulled the sagging man against his side. "Need a hand?"

Leaving Josiah to take care of Buck, Chris pushed himself from the ground and hurried toward cover. He ground his teeth against the worry that twisted through his heart as he ran with JD. JD's head hung back, his arched throat tightened into a corded column with the jostling he was taking. Speed seemed to be more important than gentleness right now. Chris pushed himself, forcing burning muscles to keep working.

Nathan appeared out of the darkness, a wraith catching him with a steely grip on his arm. "Get 'im inside, I'm right behind you." Taking a moment to touch JD's chest, Nathan nodded at Chris, pushing him gently to get him going again.

Sounds of the fight faded to one or two shots then silence. Hoping his men had gained control, Chris resisted the urge to look back. Instead, he hurried inside the abandoned building's backdoor and took the stairs. Up three flights, JD's weight began dragging at his arms like lead.

A hard boot heel against one of the old apartment doors sent it crashing open. Chris rushed through into the second room and all but fell with JD to the floor. JD moaned -- a muffled sound that barely passed his lips. Chris pulled his arms out from under the young man. Through the running and worry he'd seen the blood spreading on JD's abdomen. Unwelcome fear kept him from exploring the damage.

Nathan joined him. The healer didn't take time to ask questions. He reached for JD and shoved his T-shirt up. A small round bloody hole marred JD's belly, low on the right. Chris lifted one hand to swipe at the sweat on his forehead as Nathan reached for his things and pulled out a knife.

"Bullet's still in. I have to get it out first. Hold him down."

"Buck's helping." Chris leaned his weight onto JD's shoulders, holding the wounded young man to the floor.

"Hope he's ready for this."

Sympathy pain speared through his gut as he watched Nathan deftly probe the abdominal wound with his knife and quickly extract the bullet. JD's head pressed back and his heels kicked weakly against the floor. He screamed, low and raw.

Part II

Josiah carried Buck as easily as if he weighed nothing, following close behind Chris. His powerful strength surged, making him more than equal to the task.

Buck jerked suddenly in his arms, his hand digging into his gut. He stiffened, turning his head into Josiah's shoulder, and breathed heavily. His other hand, against Josiah's back, fisted into the strong man's shirt. Josiah stole a glance at his friend's torso, looking for an injury he might not have seen before. But when a commensurate scream erupted from deeper in the building, he knew Buck's pain was not his own.

He hurried up the stairs, two at a time. Once he entered the cramped little apartment, he moved to join the others and deposited Buck near JD. Chris moved to his side, supporting Buck as he lay back against the floor.

"You need me?" Josiah asked anyone who was listening.

"Go," Larabee ordered softly, nodding his thanks to Josiah. He knew the threat would be contained and Josiah and Vin and Ezra would manage things. He focused on Buck. Running gentle fingers over the head injury, he paused when Buck groaned in protest.

"Easy, there." Chris softened his voice, keeping his worry at bay. "Buck -- you gotta let JD's pain go. Nathan's here, he can help him." A tremor shivered through Buck and he turned to glance back at JD just as JD trembled violently against the floor.

"Damn it, Buck, listen to me. You can't help him this way. Let Nathan do this, I need you with me." Chris strengthened his resolve, let a harsh edge sharpen his words. Buck needed to steel himself against his developing instincts to protect JD and turn down their connection. He knew that when Buck closed off his empathic connections it was the same as another person losing one of their senses, like going blind or deaf. He hated to ask that of him now, but if they couldn't discern Buck's injuries from JD's, it would take twice as long to diagnose them -- precious time that could be better used getting out of here.

The old apartment was dark -- boards and plywood covered the windows, secreting them away from prying eyes. Chris resisted pulling out his flashlight, knowing the brightness would be too harsh, spotlighting them and acting as a homing beacon for the enemy. He felt the heat of the energy that surrounded them drawing into his body, pulled from the air. Letting it build slowly, shifting it into a dim light that seeped from his pores, Chris carefully illuminated the space around him, offering light to his friends. He caught Nathan's glance and a grateful smile before the healer turned back to his work.

Maybe they'd find a tiny bit of luck in this cesspool of chaos they'd stepped into, maybe the bad guys wouldn't find them. Yeah, and maybe Buck would become a monk. The thought that Travis had betrayed them and sent them into a trap surfaced briefly, but Chris quickly quelled the thought, knowing they were helpless without the ex-Agency researcher on their side.

A soft step rasped against wood, jerking Chris' attention from Buck to the door. Someone was outside in the main room. The light he'd created quickly dimmed, leaving them in near darkness. He gripped Buck's shoulder tighter, wishing he could telegraph his strength through his touch. Worn leather made a sound barely discernible with normal hearing. Chris found himself hoping Vin would show.

Before the thought could complete itself the door slammed open, bouncing heavily against the wall. Chris sprang into action, ignoring the pull of gravity as easily as throwing a switch. His torso twisted as he threw himself effortlessly into a spin. He raised one leg as he pivoted and barely felt the shock through his body when his heel jarred against the intruder's bony jaw. The man spun with the hit. His body crunched brittle against the wall before slumping to the floor.

Chris glanced over his shoulder at Nathan, not even winded from the exertion. "We can't stay here -- how're they doing?"

JD lay curled on his side, his body cupped around the hand Nathan held flat against his wound. Nathan's eyes were squinted half-closed; his neck corded and sinewy with effort. "Just --" words spurted out, short and strained, "give me another minute." Nathan's eyes rolled closed as Chris nodded, willing to somehow find a way to buy a few more minutes.

Vin stepped through the door, sparing a quick glance for the body he had to step over. He looked at Chris, eyes obviously searching for injuries.

"I'm all right," Chris assured him. "But JD and Buck are hurt." He gestured behind himself and watched Vin follow his move.

Tanner's focus stayed on Nathan for a second, watching the healer work, before moving back to Chris. "There's five more on their way up." He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "We can't go out that way. Looks like they knew we were coming."

Chris nodded, having come to that same conclusion himself but still unwilling to believe Travis had anything to do with it. That would have to be dealt with later. "Josiah and Ezra?"

"They're behind 'em; got cut off when we moved to surround them."

"If we can hold things together long enough for Josiah and Ezra to move in from behind, we can catch these guys in the middle and crush 'em."

"Sounds like a plan," Vin nodded. "What about them?"

Chris turned to watch just as Nathan's shoulders slumped and his head dropped low to his chest. His shoulders lifted as air pumped nosily through his mouth, breathing heavily as if he'd just run five miles.

"Nathan?" Concerned, Chris moved closer and reached for him.

"I'm -- all right." Nathan caught a shoulder against the wall. Fingers trembling with utter exhaustion, he brushed dark hair away from JD's sweaty forehead. "Bullet did some major damage, tore open his gut. There's massive internal bleeding, I'll need to -- work on him again -- but I -- gotta rest -- for a minute --" Words slurring into a mumble, he slumped forward.

Chris caught him. "Vin, help me." When his friend didn't respond immediately, Chris twisted to look behind himself. Vin stood bent over Buck, his face pale and still. "Vin?"

Tanner lifted his head. "Buck's not good. He's too deep; I can't wake him."

"Dammit, Buck!" Frustration sheered his nerves and cleaved away his patience. He stumbled awkwardly beneath Nathan's weight. As gently as he could, he lowered Nathan to lean against the wall. "We don't have time for this now."

The link JD and Buck had established was strong, banded with the steel of an instant friendship, and forged as if they'd survived fiery trials together rather than just the few months of training they'd shared. If he couldn't reach Buck now and at least reduce the strength of his connection with JD, they were all in danger. Buck knew better than to let a connection render him useless, especially when lives were at stake, but the bond he shared with JD seemed to be different from any other connection he'd had with a fellow empath, or with any of them.

Chris considered his resources: JD was down for the count, Nathan needed to rest for another ten, maybe fifteen minutes. That left himself and Vin on one side, Ezra and Josiah on the other, the enemy caught between them. Might not be so bad at that.

"There are six of them now." Vin's head cocked to the side, an indication that he was listening intently. A grin pulled at his lips. "Ezra's right in the thick of 'em."

The shapeshifter had insinuated himself into the middle of the enemy. Chris knew Ezra would be ready to strike from the inside, giving them a distinct advantage.

"OK, we'll meet them half-way down. I'll hold them back and you get above them. Once I back them up to Josiah, I'll let you know. Josiah and I can hold them until you get down here with me."

"What about Ezra?"

"Josiah'll pull him out."

Vin nodded, grabbed his radio, and headed out the door.

JD's stomach hurt, but the pain seemed much less intense than before. A secondary pain, disconnected and faint, throbbed inside his head. Familiar with the feeling of shared emotions, he didn't cringe when a fear, not his own, extended from another presence. Especially when he recognized the source. He gasped with the memory of watching Buck go down. Needing to know the extent of the injury, he cut his eyes over and saw Buck lying on the floor, still as death.

Come on, Buck. Wake up, now. He knew their telepathic connection would be stronger than spoken words. Buck, look at me. JD could see Buck's eyes twitch under closed lids. Eyelashes fluttered and soon penetrating blue eyes were looking at him.

"You ok?" JD asked.

Buck appeared to be disoriented. "I don't know." He frowned. "You're not."

"I'm fine." It was a stupid thing to say. He obviously wasn't OK, but Nathan was taking care of him. "I'll *be* fine," he amended. "Where are you hurt?"

Again, Buck looked confused. "I don't know . . ."

You gotta let me go. We need to separate. Let go.

Clearly Buck was listening, but he couldn't seem to respond. Buck had accepted too much of JD's pain; he seemed unable to distinguish it from his own. This was dangerous, and JD knew it. He deepened his breathing and mentally reached for Buck, but found Buck's mind to be impenetrable. Desperate, he reached out his arm for Buck and finally managed to grasp his friend's hand.

Immediately, through the physical connection, JD felt everything -- Buck's pain, and his own. He shook as the connection intensified, and he fought Buck for control. Buck's need to protect him created a powerful wall, but JD managed to reach past it and pull his own pain back into himself. The agony returned with a shocking intensity. He released Buck's hand quickly and rolled away from him, groaning as the remembered heat of penetrating metal roared back to life inside his body.

With a suddenness that shook him to the core, Buck's mind cleared. "Damn it, JD." He sat up and began to reach for him, instinctively wanted to help, but Chris called out and grabbed his attention instead.

"We need you."

He knew that tone of voice, knew priorities had changed, and that regardless of what his instincts were screaming, he'd have to let Nathan take care of JD for now.

"There's too much at stake, Buck. We've got five coming up the stairs."

Rolling to his knees and gingerly touching the wound on his head, Buck shifted to his feet and joined Chris at the door. Glancing back over his shoulder, he caught Nathan's eye. The healer nodded once, stiffly, acknowledging a promise to watch over JD, then they were gone.

"We've got 'em cut off."

Ezra tried not to sneer as Coalton Banks motioned for them to join him. They stood in the apartment building's stairwell. The concrete tunnel had incredible acoustics, catching and amplifying any sound. Banks pulled the group closer, apparently aware of the danger of being overheard. "Ned, you and CJ go up one more flight, then climb down the elevator shaft to meet us on the third floor. That's where they all are, I'm sure of it." He grabbed one of his men and jerked him closer. "Lansing, you sure you got the kid?"

Lansing nodded, his head bobbing in his enthusiasm to please his boss. "Yeah, Mr. Banks, I got 'im. He folded over like he'd been gut shot and I saw blood on the street when I chased 'im."

Ezra held still but his teeth ground together so hard he feared his jaw would pop. JD was hurt and it didn't sound good if Lansing was right. Knowing Nathan and his formidable skills would be there to help him eased away some of his fear, but he knew the serious injury would also drain Nathan's resources, and he doubted JD could be healed in one session. That meant his friends needed time.

"What do you want us to do?" He flicked his eyes toward Banks, staying in character. To the others he appeared as Smokey, one of their fellow partners in crime. Smokey had been dispatched earlier that night, but apparently Banks didn't know about it yet. Ezra used the captured criminal's visage to his advantage. A strange guilt balled in his stomach, almost as if he'd actually switched sides. It was just a side effect of playing the part, but he itched to crawl back into his own skin and get rid of this persona as soon as possible.

"Smokey, you and me and Lansing are gonna hit 'em from here." He pointed at the small landing almost directly above their heads. The plain brown door sported the number '3' in dull metal plating. "They won't expect a split attack from their own floor, so we'll give Ned and CJ a few minutes to get into position." He glanced at the two men and they turned and started up the stairs, leaving Ezra with the others. The shape-shifter followed the others to the landing, and waited.

JD held still, afraid that movement would cause the agony in his stomach to grow into something he couldn't handle. Someone touched his face and fingers drifted across his skin. He opened his eyes. Nathan bent over him, dark face glistening with sweat.

"How you doing, JD?"

Aware of the danger they were in, JD found the courage to hide some of his pain. "I'll be okay for now, Nathan. Thanks for what you've done." A spasm twisted his gut and he drew his knees up, biting his lower lip to suppress a groan. He shut his eyes. Nathan's touch left his face and fingers palpated his abdomen, gently searching, then firmly prodding into his lower abdomen. The pain abruptly intensified, bursting into something so bright he lost his breath and arched hard against the floor. Brilliant whiteness enveloped his mind and seemed to draw the burning heat away from his stomach. Lucidity slowly returned and he found the pain not gone, but easier to bear.

He opened his eyes. Nathan's head hung low, his chin pressed against his chest. The healer was tiring fast; he hadn't had time to regenerate his energy from the last session, but had obviously felt JD was in enough danger to attempt another healing.

A strong surge of need flowed through to JD from another source. Chris' worry and his desire to have the team with him to fight the unexpected threat they'd discovered here swirled around JD, thick and pungent as smoke. He pushed against Nathan, trying to convey the importance of what he felt, but unable to articulate through the steady pain.

Instead, he only succeeded in forcing Nathan to break contact. When Nathan's hand slid away the discomfort deepened again. The healer collapsed to his side, and his eyelids fluttered closed. Helpless in the turmoil of his returning pain, JD curled to his side and pressed his arms against his abdomen. Oblivion closed over his head like dark waters, and he surrendered.

Rage threatened to consume him when Vin heard the men below him talking about "getting the kid" as though JD were a prize turkey they'd shot. He set that anger aside -- for now -- and listened intently to the bad guys' plans. He kept a hand raised, a signal for Chris to wait, until he heard what he needed to from Ezra. He could hear them as clearly as if he were sitting in the middle of them.

"They won't expect a split attack, so we'll give Ned and CJ a few minutes to get into position." That was Coalton Banks, the leader. Wherever he was, that little worm Lansing was sure to follow.

"This should be interesting." That was Ezra, his voice hidden in Smokey's baritone rumble. Vin grinned at the improbability of Ezra Standish morphing into the mountain of a black man, Smokey Smotherman.

He pressed the button on his radio. "Three will attack from down the hall. Banks, Lansing and Ezra will be on the landing. Ezra is 'Smokey'."

"Repeat that last . . ." Josiah's voice cut in.

"You heard me," Vin answered. "Don't shoot the big black guy."

Part III