Part III

Chris turned to look at Buck behind him. "You heard?"

"Yeah. Chris--"

Chris waited, the strained expression on Buck's face tightening the knot in his gut. Even though it looked like Buck and JD had severed their earlier link, Buck apparently remained in contact with him.

A brief question rose in Chris' mind; Buck had never sustained a link with anyone for more than a few hours, at most. Snatches of memories and ideas fell together like a completed puzzle, forming a thought that maybe the connection Buck and JD shared wasn't temporary. He'd heard of empaths bonding, sewn together in an unbreakable union that remained permanent, but he'd never seen it happen before. He shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind for now, hoping he'd have time to deal with them later.

Buck continued, "JD -- he's in a lot of pain. I think Nathan's down, I'm not sensing anything from him."

Chris tensed, about to move from his position when Buck grabbed his arm.

"No, wait. Nathan's not hit -- I think he's unconscious. Probably from trying to help JD again too soon."

"Damn." Chris twisted to face down the hall again. "Stay with me, Buck, I don't need you letting that connection get too strong again yet." He knew Buck understood without him elaborating. "As long as we stop this here and now, JD and Nathan will be safe. Nathan wouldn't have stopped with JD when he did if he thought the kid was in danger." He glanced back over his shoulder. "You know that. And when this is over, we've got us a conversation to have, too."

He watched Buck swallow hard and knew he'd made his point.

Nathan shook his head, trying to clear his garbled thoughts and figure out what had happened. Someone had pushed him away, rejected his help. That had never happened to him before.

Forcing his eyes open, he looked around the room. JD lay curled beside him, and he remembered. JD had pushed him away, probably recognizing the fatigue in Nathan's face and hoping to give him more time to regenerate his powers. Irritation and gratitude vied for control.

Pushing himself up, Nathan crawled to JD. The young man's body trembled, soft grunts of pain puffing from his lips. Rolling him gently to his back, Nathan worked his hand between JD's arms and forced the heel of his hand against his bare stomach.

"Don't push me away this time, JD." He smiled kindly. "I know what I'm doing."

But JD raised a shaky hand. "Not yet . . ." His words thick with pain, he swallowed hard. "Chris --- needs -- everybody. -- I'll be -- all right --" The effort to speak seemed to take every bit of his energy. JD fell back against the floor.

Nathan tensed with worry, wishing, not for the first time, that he possessed an empath's ability to sense when a friend was in danger. He concentrated for a moment, reading JD's vitals. The external wound and incision had closed. There was still internal damage to contend with, but the bleeding had nearly stopped. Though he was in considerable pain, JD wasn't in immediate danger. Nathan had work to do before JD was completely whole again, but he'd be safe until this was over.

Making his decision and trusting that JD knew Chris needed him, Nathan left, closing the door softly behind him.

Chris stiffened. Buck noticed and touched the psychic on the shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"It's Nathan. He's coming."

"Wha--?" Twisting around, Buck watched as Nathan hurried toward them. Buck stood quickly, stepping out to meet him. "Nathan? Where's JD?"

"He all right; he said Chris needed me."

"So you just left him? Unguarded?" Buck pushed at him, trying to get past, but Chris reached and stopped him.

"Buck."

Buck turned to him. The older man stood stiffly, his eyes shifted as he watched a vision they couldn't see. "He's going to be all right, he's going to make it." Focusing on Buck, Chris continued, "But Ezra needs our help now -- in about ten minutes actually, and Josiah --" he froze for a heartbeat his eyes losing focus, then suddenly centered back on Buck. His voice strangled out of his throat, sound nothing more than a thin stream of air: "Vin!"

JD gasped awake, his eyes opening wide. "Vin!" A sickening surge of pain crested through his body with the cry for his friend. He arched, his spine curving off the floor, his movements tugging hard through his half-healed injury. Almost unaware, he cradled his belly with trembling hands. While one part of his pain-numbed mind acknowledged his extreme discomfort, another part focused on Vin and the danger that flooded his mind.

A sense of being surrounded, being suddenly cut off from help invaded his soul. Urgent danger drove him to sit up. He folded over, palms pressed to his hurting body, and shifted to his knees, the driving need to alert Chris and Buck of the threat to Vin nearly unbearable.

Buck!" Grunting with the effort, he tried to stand, but his knees crumbled and he collapsed onto his side. "Buck!" An ineffectual scream died in his throat and he felt himself drifting toward unconsciousness.

Reaching for another option, he focused his empathic abilities on accepting Vin's pain, instead. Using every grain of power, he sent out questing tendrils of his mind, searching for his friend. Someone had to help Vin before it was too late.

With an abrupt expulsion of breath, Vin's pain sucked into his body, erupting in a volcanic wave of agony through his middle. At the same time, several men swept into the room and grabbed him, pulling him from the floor. Captured in the tumultuous torment of pain, JD could not resist as they carried him from the room and rushed up the stairs toward the roof.

Concentrating closely on a conversation between Banks and Lansing, Vin failed to hear other movement nearby. Words fell from Lansing's lips and echoed like the strains of a funeral dirge to Vin. Empath. How could a weasel like Lansing possess the intricate and powerful abilities of an empath? The danger of that revelation to his team, and specifically to Buck and JD, froze Vin's thoughts.

Snatched suddenly from below by his ankle, he fell uncontrollably and landed in the middle of Banks and his men. Before he could react they dragged him the rest of the way down the flight of stairs to the landing below. A brutal kick to his gut made it feel like his insides had exploded. Almost as quickly as it came, the intense pain dulled. Vin knew one of the empaths, either Buck or JD, had taken his pain.

Someone rolled him roughly to his back and grasped the front of his shirt. He found himself breathing into the face of a huge black man. Full lips curled back and sneered at him.

Ezra?

"Damn spy." The black man jerked him up and pummeled him in the stomach. Vin grunted out a lung-full of air, folding double over Smokey's knuckles. The punch should have blasted through him; the meaty fist buried in his abdomen was larger than both of his own put together.

He raised his head in time to catch the brief spark in Smokey's eyes and saw Ezra in the concern there. He dipped his head, a nod of consent passing between friends, and reacted in terror when Smokey's hands moved to his throat. His act wasn't hard to produce; the feel of Smokey's powerful grip, albeit gentle, stiffened his spine with genuine fear. But he knew Ezra wouldn't hurt him, even if it meant breaking his own cover.

He counted on that trust to save his life.

"JD?" Imagining he'd heard the kid call him, Buck glanced behind himself. Chris grabbed his arm and redirected his attention.

"Stay here. If you go to him now, you'll lead them right to him."

He nodded, accepting Chris' orders. JD needed his protection now more than his comfort. With a mental effort, he ignored the unusual need to guard JD. The bond that seemed to be constant dulled to a quiet vibration in the back of his mind, and he didn't think to question that connection, didn't wonder how it remained without any effort on his part to sustain it.

He watched Chris glance behind his shoulder again and noticed the strain on the older man's face. The vision he'd seen of Vin in danger obviously worried him more than he was letting on. Buck rested his hand on Chris' shoulder. "He'll be all right. Ezra's with him. We'll get him back."

Josiah heard their approach and knew this would be tricky. His task had been doubled with Vin's capture. When Banks and his men reached the landing, Josiah crushed the first man with a granite fist. He watched the big black man, Smokey, kick Banks in the jaw. Vin managed to scurry out of the way. CJ was the only one left, and he took off up the stairs.

Josiah heard Vin speak into his radio. "Heads up, Chris. You've got a live one heading your way." Vin disappeared to follow CJ.

Flesh melted and shrank, fading from dark to light so quickly Josiah blinked. Ezra stood where Smokey had been, legs straddling Banks' crumbled form. "Josiah, go, I've got things well in hand here." He knelt and pulled the unconscious criminal's arms behind the man's back, then worked a plastic tie around the thick wrists. When Josiah didn't move, Ezra lifted his eyebrows. "I've got it -- go."

Shaking himself out of his stupor -- he always found it amazing to watch Ezra perform his talents -- he nodded quickly and turned to lumber up the stairs, belatedly realizing Vin might need his help. He found his friend on the next landing, bent over, his hands on his knees, taking deep breaths. Concerned, he touched Vin's shoulder. The man didn't flinch.

Must have known it was me. Josiah couldn't help but smile at the thought, amazed again.

"Josiah."

The strained voice drew his immediate attention. He bent closer, aware of Vin slowly beginning to fold. He caught the smaller man and held him against his side. "You hurt?"

"Yeah -- got kicked--" Vin dug the heel of his hand into his gut. "Think they mighta ruptured something."

"Let's get you to Nathan."

"No, wait." Josiah paused when Vin pulled him back. "You don't understand. I wasn't hurting this bad before. I think -- I think JD or Buck musta been helpin' take away some of the pain."

"That's what they do, Vin," Josiah explained gently. But Vin shook his head emphatically.

"No. I mean, yeah, I know. But the pain came back, bursting in real sudden like. I think whoever was helpin' me -- I think something's wrong."

Josiah felt cold. His spine tingled with danger. "Come on, let's get goin'." Wrapping one arm around Vin's back, he balanced the younger man's weight against his side, then used his free hand to pull them up the stairs.

The situation made Buck uneasy. Ever since dampening his connection with JD, he'd felt agitated, like he was missing an integral part of himself.

A jerk on his arm startled him back into action. He followed Chris up the stairs to intercept Banks' other men, not realizing they were too late.

JD lay sprawled across the floor of the helicopter, his arms tied behind his back. The ache in his gut tightened, focusing down to one distinct wound. The other pains -- Vin's and Buck's -- were slowly dissipating. Weakened, he found himself unable to hold the connection as the distance grew between he and his friend. Relieved to be free of the additional discomfort, his heart still ached for his friends. He couldn't help them from here, and he knew they were still hurting.

Forcing himself to think methodically, he assessed the situation like Chris had taught him. There were two in the 'coptor with him, besides the pilot. He'd seen their faces and knew neither were Banks, but recognized Lansing. For a fleeting second, he hoped the other one would be Ezra, but knew that was impossible.

Without the other injuries to confuse him, he could finally discern his own injuries. He'd been shot in the stomach, that much he remembered. Nathan had worked hard on him, taking out the bullet and healing his wound. Even though he'd been out, he knew the healing had taken a miserable toll on Nathan. For the first time, JD realized that Nathan's gift could endanger Nathan's life. He knew Nathan had intended to do more, but the utter exhaustion he'd seen on the man's face scared him. His friend seemed more vulnerable to him, now.

What were they thinking, using these outrageous powers as if they knew what they were doing? They didn't know how far they could go before everything blew up in their faces.

Today he had taken on more pain than he'd ever felt capable of managing. But it had left him fragile and unable to defend himself when two of Banks' men and Lansing had burst through the door and dragged him out and up to the roof.

Helpless in the throes of returning pain, he gave in to the darkness calling to him.

CJ crashed through the stairwell door, eyes wide with panic. Chris plowed into him, forcing him against the wall with a thud he felt down to his bones. The whip-snap of CJ's head as he hit knocked him out and he collapsed beneath Chris.

Chris looked up just as Josiah and Vin limped through the doorway. He hurried forward to Vin's other side, offering his shoulder to the injured man. Vin tried to wave him off, but couldn't refuse the help, nearly bringing them both down when he leaned heavily against Chris.

Larabee adjusted his stance then looked to Josiah. "Ezra?"

"Right here." The human chameleon stumbled through the door, catching himself against the wall, not fully recovered from his earlier transformation. "I was tying up some loose ends."

Chris turned to Nathan. "Let's get back to JD. You feel up to working again? Looks like Vin could use your help."

Nathan nodded, his energy obviously replaced. Vin turned to Buck. "Thanks for the help, partner." He held one hand against his stomach and winced. "I couldn't have made it through that without you."

Buck stared at him, apparently confused. "I -- help with what? It wasn't me, Vin."

"Then JD must have--" Vin looked down the hall as if searching for the young man. "But why'd he stop?"

"Stop?" Shock and fear vied for space in Buck's eyes. "What d'ya mean, he stopped?" His attention shifted and without another word, he rushed down the hall and back to where they'd left JD.

The others followed and found Buck standing in the middle of the room, his arms held loose at his sides. His head lifted when Chris and Vin walked in. "Chris? You didn't see this? You didn't know this was gonna happen?"

The dusty floor held a score of footprints and scuff marks. An upturned chair lay nearby and JD's ripped and bloody flannel shirt pointed a path to the door. It didn't take a genius to recognize the signs of a struggle.

Chris helped Vin to the floor, one hand against his friend's chest to balance him. Nathan took his place at Vin's side and gently lay him back before touching his abdomen.

"Chris?" Buck continued, confusion straining his words. "I thought you said he'd be all right, that he'd make it through this."

Larabee shook his head then closed his eyes. He brought one hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose before opening his eyes and looking at Buck. The gloom in the room reflected the grief in the psychic's face. "It changes, Buck, you know that. I see one future until a choice changes it. With everything that was happening I couldn't concentrate enough to see all the paths, all the ways things that could go wrong--"

"You sonofa--" Buck launched himself across the room, fear strengthening his anger. He balled his hand into a fist that lashed across Chris' jaw. Larabee moved too fast, rolling away before Buck could come in contact.

Josiah moved in, hooking his arms through Buck's and pulling him back. "Buck, stop it!"

"Let me go!" Buck struggled in Josiah's arms, rage growing and pushing reasoning out of his head.

"I know where he is." Chris' quiet words calmed the air and silenced Buck.

"Tell me."

Chris breathed deep. His shoulders lifted then slowly fell and he shut his eyes. The others watched as he concentrated, reaching deep inside himself, searching for JD. "He's -- on his way to the warehouse."

"What? You mean home?"

"No. He's -- Banks' men have him. They're heading for --" He opened his eyes and his expression hardened as his gaze found Buck. "They're heading for the docks. Where Banks used to smuggle the drugs."

"I remember."

"Let's go." Ezra voiced the thought and turned to leave. Buck jerked out of Josiah's grasp and followed him. He brushed by Chris, refusing to apologize for the punch.

Larabee stopped and watched Nathan. The healer turned to him, his hand still on Vin's stomach. "He'll be okay, Chris. Go help them save JD."

"Chris, wait." Vin reached for Chris. Chris took his hand and waited as Vin struggled to sit up. "Lansing got away. He's probably one of the ones that took JD. I heard -- I heard him and Banks talkin'. I think Lansing's an empath."

Fear grabbed Chris' heart. If Lansing was an empath sent by Evans and knew what JD was, what JD was capable of ... Suddenly, it was no longer an issue of arresting a criminal; now their lives depending on stopping Evans.

Nodding in assurance to Vin, Chris left.

As he ran to join the others, Chris thought about his options and what he was taking into this fight. He and Josiah were the only ones operating at full capacity. Buck still felt some ill effects from his injuries and Ezra needed time to recover from his most recent metamorphosis. But that didn't lessen the danger JD was in. Despite their shortcomings, they had a job to do.

Hurrying out of the building, Chris rushed to the van where the others waited.

His mind working furiously, JD tried to think of a way out of the situation. It became increasingly difficult to concentrate with a boot pushing against his chest, effectively rendering him unable to move. Closing his eyes he allowed his mind to spread, letting in the thoughts and emotions of the other men. His captor's mind was chaotic with racing thoughts and stuttering questions he was afraid to ask. Fear crowded inside his head and twitched down through his body to his fingertips.

JD saw the whitened knuckles gripping his gun when he craned his neck to look. "Scared?" he asked softly.

"What?" The guy looked down at him and whatever sympathy he might have seen in JD's face seemed to set him off. His boot reared back and connected with JD's gut.

JD cried out and rolled his hips away, the deep down penetration of his wound piercing through him again. The pain blossomed, threatened to take over his mind. Eyes shut tight, he concentrated on breathing, on holding the rhythm steady. He whispered a litany to himself, a request for his friends to find him -- soon.

"Can't this piece of junk go any faster?" The van lurched over a dip in the road and Chris ignored Buck's outburst, knowing his friend needed to blow off steam. His personality was a dichotomy: An immensely patient teacher, a loyal friend, but dangerous when someone important to him was hurt or needed his help.

Chris watched Buck tap his foot nervously.

"How's your head?"

"Feels like it was used as the pigskin in the playoffs."

He grimaced. It took a lot for Buck to admit he felt bad. That coupled with Buck's worry would make most men a powder keg, but not Buck. Buck could stay cool in any situation. He wouldn't lose it 'til afterward.

Vin writhed in pain under Nathan's touch. The healer spoke gently, soothingly. Vin knew it wouldn't last long. The pain didn't upset him as much as being forced to wait through this did. His friends needed both him and Nathan now.

Warmth flooded his body, radiating from Nathan's fingertips. Vin relaxed against the floor; his muscles loosened from the tight clench of pain in his belly. The calm that always accompanied Nathan's healing spread through his mind, washing away pain in the wake of peace. He breathed deep, testing his injury, and felt none of the earlier discomfort. He opened his eyes.

Nathan smiled down at him. "It's done."

Vin placed his hand on Nathan's at his stomach. "Thanks, Nathan." He sat up and shifted to the side when the healer slumped down to the floor beside him. "You okay?"

Nathan nodded, but his head hung low between his shoulders. "I will be."

"Think you can travel?"

"Yeah." Nathan lifted his head and looked at Vin, determination stretching his lips wide. "We need to follow the others; JD's gonna need my help."

"Then let's get outa here." Vin stood up. Catching Nathan's elbow, he helped the tired man up, and they both left.

The helicopter touched down. The heavy swish of giant blades through the air changed rhythm, slowed down. JD kept his eyes closed, gathering his strength. He'd only have one chance to reach the others and warn them. If this didn't work, they'd be walking into the situation blind, unless Chris found the time to concentrate enough to use his foresight, and JD wasn't willing to count on that.

A foot nudged against his shoulder, rocking him against the floor. He lay limp and didn't respond to the unwanted attention. When a hand hooked into his elbow and jerked him up, he lifted his head and blinked open his eyes owlishly, as if awakening from a deep sleep.

"What's the matter with him, I didn't kick him that hard." A harsh voice spoke behind him. "He's not even shot like you said, Lansing. You couldn't hit the broad side of a barn." The man holding him up pushed him hard and sent him crashing back to his knees. His open-mouthed grunt of pain wasn't feigned as his battered body protested the rough treatment. Unable to keep his balance with his hands tied behind his back, he toppled face first to the helicopter's floor.

"Hell, carry him if you have to. Evans is waiting and you know how patient he is."

*Evans* Oh god, no!

Hands grabbed him and brutally pulled him off the floor. JD doubled over but hands caught him and held him up, forcing him to walk. Two men stood, one on either side of him, nearly crushing him. They jumped down from the helicopter, carrying him in their haste to get inside the building.

The outside noises were immediately muffled when they stepped through the door. A long hall stretched before them, naked bulbs dotted along its length created pockets of brightness that overlapped each other on the floor. JD found himself lifted by his armpits and carried between the two men. His toes dragged along the floor; he made no effort to walk. His mind, his energy; he focused every bit of concentration he could muster on sending a message to Buck. He knew his pain fringed his thoughts like black lace and he didn't try to prevent it. The pain seemed to strengthen his call.

Awareness dimmed until the hall disappeared. He didn't feel the strong fingers digging into his arms, or hear the scrape of his shoes on the floor. He was unaware when they walked into the main room, didn't cry out when he was dropped to the floor and his chin smacked against hard concrete. Consciousness drifted away, but just before he sank into darkness he felt the connection click into place. *Buck*.

Chris wrestled with the van, struggling to keep at least two wheels on the road as they drove too fast around a sharp curve. His breath burst out of his mouth in relief when the road straightened out again. They were maybe a mile from the warehouse. Beside the road, the city's lights reflected in a myriad of colors in the dark harbor waters.

A loud gasp jerked his head to the side. Glancing at Buck, he almost ran off the road again. With a muttered curse, he managed to keep control as he brought both feet down hard on the brake. Rear tires locked and the van fishtailed, sliding several yards before coming to a rubber-smoking stop. He heard a loud thump as Josiah and Ezra were thrown against the side panel in the back, but didn't take the time to check them before shifting the van into park and turning to Buck.

Buck's head was thrown back, wide eyes staring at the van's roof. He didn't seem to be breathing, but just before Chris was about to panic a loud gush of air burst out of the stricken man's mouth.

"Buck!" Chris touched his face and almost flinched with the feel of cold skin against his palm. "Buck, dammit, what's wrong?" Understanding rushed in and he knew the connection between Buck and JD must have fired up again, stronger than ever. Whatever JD was suffering through right now, Buck felt it.

One of Buck's hands released his death grip on the dashboard. He brought his hand to his stomach, fisted his shirt, and then pressed against his body. "JD--" Voice strained and barely recognizable, Buck began to tremble.

Chris pulled him closer and felt the shivering worsen. JD's earlier wound came to mind. Something must have happened to worsen his condition. Dread tightened his words, "Is he dead?"

"N-no." A spasm caught Buck and shook him hard. He closed his eyes, groans hissing between his locked teeth. "Help -- he needs our h-help. He's at the -- warehouse. Evans and -- maybe five more."

Ezra's hands closed around Buck's shoulders from behind and linked across his chest. "I've got him, Chris," the shape-shifter said quietly. "Go."

Pulling back reluctantly, Chris shifted back to his seat. He knew it would be useless to caution Buck against going too deep now. Whatever link had been forged between the two empaths transcended Buck's usual self-preservation instincts. They stood just as much danger of losing Buck as they did JD. He threw the van into drive and hit the gas.

Vin tapped his foot nervously while Nathan floored the accelerator. They needed to get there. Yesterday. They needed to be there already. He was afraid there was more at stake here than just catching the bad guys. Lansing knew about empaths, which put JD in a very precarious situation.

"Can't this thing go any faster?" Vin braced himself against the dash. Nathan ignored the question and raced through the dusk streets. Irritated, Vin's thoughts latched onto something else. "He can't keep doing this."

"What?"

"Taking on everybody's pain for 'em."

"I'm not so sure he can help it," Nathan countered. He shook his head. "He doesn't have the control over his skills like Buck has yet. He can't turn it on and off like a light switch."

"Yeah, but he can stop taking so much."

"Can he?" Nathan challenged. "Could you decide to just hear an ambulance and nothing else around it?"

"Yes!" Vin snapped.

Nathan conceded. "But, how long did it take you to be able to control it?"

Vin didn't answer because Nathan had a point. He had spent years honing his gift, as had Chris and Buck. All of them had . . . except JD. No one had thought to teach him how to control it. JD had become skilled in accepting his friends' pain, but even when he knew he'd reached his limit, he didn't know how to stop it.

Vin closed his eyes for a moment and extended his hearing. Maybe he could grab a hold of something that would help. They were due a break.

A nudge to his ribs forced him awake and JD gasped for breath.

"Wake up, boy. We're just getting started."

He lay curled up in the corner of an office. His vision blurred as he peered around at his captors. There were three that he could see, including the one who seemed to enjoy torturing him. JD tried to sit up to see the room better when the foot pulled back for a blow. His hands were tied behind his back. Moving faster than he'd really thought he was capable, he rolled so that the foot connected with his hip instead of his ribs. It still hurt.

Someone reached down and yanked him from the floor. Sharp-knuckled fists pummeled into his unprotected side and hurting belly. He folded instantly, doubling over in pain. A palm pressed against his chest, holding him up, and he endured the beating helplessly.

An inarticulate scream burst from Buck's mouth. "They're killing him."

"We're almost there," Chris growled. "Two minutes. "

"Could be too late." His face grimacing with his friend's pain, Buck breathed deep. "Hurry -- beating him to death, bleeding -- inside --"

Ezra kept a strong grip on Buck, grounding him, and Chris took a curve on two wheels. He'd outrun the devil if he had to, but he wouldn't let them have JD.

"There!" Vin cried, pointing to the gray warehouse that backed up to the last dock in the harbor. Nathan skidded to a halt and the two men jumped out. Nathan ran around the vehicle and grabbed Vin's arm. "Wait for the others."

"We don't have time," Vin barked. "JD doesn't have time. I can hear them --" He held still, his eyes drifting up the building. "They're hitting him."

Nathan nodded, startled. "Go. I've got your back."

"Come on." They ran around to the back entrance.

Chris' heart pounded when he saw Nathan's abandoned truck outside the warehouse. How the hell had they gotten there before them?

"Damn . . ." He jumped out of the van and followed Ezra and Buck to the entrance. Josiah trailed behind them, his eyes trained on a window overhead.

Suddenly, the evening quiet was rent with the sound of breaking glass. Chris and the others joined Josiah in time to see JD and another man crashing into the window of the second story level. Neither fell, but they were perilously close to it. Grabbing Buck's arm, Chris pulled him into the building.

The huge storage space was empty. Chris spotted stairs along one side of the enormous room. "There!" He ran for the steps, Buck right behind him. Josiah hadn't entered the building and Chris knew the strong man would be finding another way in, hoping to come around and trap their enemies from a different direction.

The stairs lead to a series of railed passageways lined high along the walls. Several doors opened from the passages, probably leading to offices and equipment rooms. A loud shout arrested his headlong rush. Chris looked out over the room, searching for the speaker. Vin stood about halfway around one of the passages, nearly opposite Chris. He waved one hand high over his head, drawing Chris' attention, then pointed toward one of the doors between them. Chris understood the signal, knew Vin was pointing the way to JD. He waved his arm over his head, letting Vin know he got the message, then turned to grasp Buck's arm. "JD's this way."

"I coulda told y'that."

Chris turned back to look closer at Buck. His friend's face was drawn and he looked pale. He had one hand clenched tight around the rail at his side, the other fisted into his shirt low on his abdomen.

"You all right?"

Buck looked up at him, his mouth a tight line of pain. "I'll live. Go."

Accepting Buck's answer, Chris released him and turned to continue up the stairs, aware of Buck's dragging footsteps behind him. When they reached the door Vin had pointed to, Chris stopped. He stood with his back to the wall and peered carefully around the corner. The long corridor tunneled into the building, lit with naked yellow bulbs. No one stood in the way and it didn't even look as if anyone guarded the other end.

He turned back to Buck. "You sensing anyone with JD?"

Buck's eyes closed slowly. Effort carved deep lines in his forehead and he swayed drunkenly into Chris.

Chris grabbed him, steadied him. "Hey!"

Buck opened his eyes with Chris' harsh whisper. "There's at least three more with him." He pushed Chris away. "We need to go -- now."

Reluctantly, Chris let go. He started down the hall, keeping as quiet as possible. Buck's shuffling steps sounded loud in the otherwise stillness, but Chris refrained from telling him to be quiet. He knew his friend was on the edge, holding onto his control by his fingertips.

They reached the end of the corridor. With a deep breath, Chris stepped into the room. Two men stood facing him, flanking a third who held JD. JD was visibly trembling, breathing harshly through his slack mouth; his eyes were closed. Blood dripped from a ragged cut along the side of his head.

"I told you they were coming." Lansing stood to the right. He smiled widely, his expression pleased.

"Impressive, Larabee. You're making a habit out of saving this boy." Evans shoved JD away into Lansing's arms.

Lansing's smile widened. He adjusted his grip on JD, pulling the young man's arms tightly behind JD's body. A strained moan wheezed hoarsely from JD's throat with the rough handling. "Just like you said, Mr. Evans. They followed us just like you said they would." JD's T-shirt stretched across his chest. The bottom half rode up, revealing flesh reddened and mottled with abuse on his lower belly. "They're all freaks, like this kid here."

Chris swallowed hard, his heart sinking with the confirmation of Vin's suspicions. Danger swelled and doubled, and he recalculated their odds.

"Remind me, now," Evans walked slowly toward Chris, then turned to look at Buck. "What exactly have I taught you that an empath can do?" He turned his back to them and shifted closer to Lansing and JD.

Lansing shrugged, an easy smile on his face. "We're able to sense things, emotions mainly, from other people."

"Very good, Lansing. It's nice to know you've been listening to me." Evans stood in front of his men now. "What other things?"

From the corner of his eye, Chris saw Buck step forward. He reached over slowly and gripped his arm, a wordless warning to hold still.

"Things like pain," Lansing continued, obviously enjoying playing into his boss' plans. "And I'm told that if I form a connection with another empath, the sharing is stronger."

"Like, what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine?" Evans asked.

"Yeah."

Evans glanced over his shoulder. He gaze found Buck and locked there for an instant. Chris stiffened, knowing every one of their vulnerabilities were known. "So Mr. Wilmington, in the training he's surely completed with our young emapth here, might share this with the boy--?" Evans turned back around suddenly, his arm swinging and his fist plunging into JD's bruised abdomen. JD doubled over at the same time Buck folded into Chris, both arms wrapped tightly around his body.

Chris caught him, following him helplessly to the floor. The third man hurried toward them, both hands balled into fists. Chris had his arms full with Buck and couldn't defend them. He raised one arm to fend off the blow when the room plunged into darkness.

Vin held still in the corridor just outside the room where his friends were, Ezra bent low behind him. He listened to the exchange between Evans and Lansing, his fear growing. Evans seemed to want only to torture them.

He heard Buck and JD's dual cries of pain and Ezra muttered a curse behind him. What the hell was taking Nathan so long? He couldn't wait much longer, he'd have to move soon.

With an abruptness he should have been prepared for, the lights went out. Vin made the adjustments with his vision, penetrating the darkness as easily as if it were broad daylight. He reached for Ezra and pulled the shape-shifter close, then hurried into the room. They passed between their friends and the enemy quickly, resisting the urge to grab Chris and Buck when they had the chance. Their objective was to reach JD and get him to safety. Once he was in Nathan's hands, the others would be able to take care of the rest.

Vin pulled JD from his captors' grasps. They reached out blindly for their prisoner and their questing fingers found Ezra instead. The shape-shifter's body shrank in the darkness, Vin the only witness to his changing form. His hair turned black and grew to a length almost touching his shoulders. His clothes morphed, too, changing from casual dress shirt and slacks to a ragged and torn T-shirt and jeans. He lifted his head and smiled at Vin, even though Vin knew he probably couldn't see him. Grinning back, Vin shifted JD in his arms for a better hold, then hurried out of the room. They'd just made it down the long hall back into the warehouse when the lights clicked back on, their brightness stark after the brief darkness.

Vin stumbled down the stairs, awkwardly balancing JD's weight against his side. Nathan was waiting. He handed JD to the healer, then turned and hurried back up the stairs, returning to his friends.

JD came to fighting. Nathan held the struggling young man in his arms and pressed him back against the floor. "Buck --" JD's eyes opened. Confusion tightened his brow into a frown when he found Nathan leaning over him. "What-?"

Nathan smiled. "You're safe, JD. Ezra took your place." He glanced up at the door that led to his friends. "They'll be all right."

"Ezra?" JD blinked, clearly not following Nathan's explanation. "Evans -- he'll kill Buck --" he cried, raising a shaky hand to wipe the blood from his lips. He didn't resist when Nathan pushed against his shoulders.

"Buck knows what he's doing, and you've had enough." The healer pressed a strong hand against JD's chest, but the young man erupted suddenly from the floor.

"I gotta stop him!" Wild hazel eyes searched Nathan's and JD lurched from his grasp.

"Damn it, JD!" He caught him, hooking strong arms around JD's shoulders. His gift allowed him to sense the changes in JD's body: the trembling muscles, tired heart and throbbing, reopened abdominal wound. JD finally slumped boneless in his arms, surrendering to unconsciousness.

His victory muted with worry, Nathan carefully settled JD against the floor, then began building a shelter around them. "You've gotta learn your limits, kid. Before it kills you."

Vin ran with silent steps toward Chris' voice. He found him guarding an unconscious Buck and Josiah hammering his fists into Lansing. Vin was about to rush the man holding JD, when suddenly the limp young man burst to life and thrust a strong elbow into his captor's gut. Then he stepped back into the shocked man and hauled him over his shoulder.

Vin figured he'd never get used to seeing one man evolve into the image of another. No sooner had his captor been flung to the floor than JD's jet-black hair lightened and his form became lithe. He grinned, gold tooth sparkling between his lips.

"You did it, Ezra." Vin grinned and slapped his friend on the back.

"So where's JD?" Chris asked.

"With Nathan, finally getting what he needs," Vin explained. He knelt beside Chris and watched his friend tap Buck lightly on the cheek.

Buck's eyes fluttered open. He sat up slowly with Chris' help. "What happened?" He rubbed his head, flinching when he brushed against his earlier injury. "Did the lights go out?"

Vin nodded. "Yeah." He looked around the room, noting the criminals that lay crumpled on the floor, and bent to touch two fingers to Lansing's neck. "Lansing's dead. Where's Evans?"

Josiah joined them, rubbing his knuckles. "He's gone. I think he got away when we lost the lights."

"Dammit! We get this close and he slips from us again," Buck complained, grunting when Chris helped him from the floor.

"Yeah, but we got Banks and the lackeys with him." Vin glanced around the office. "Lansing's not going to be a problem anymore, but Evans is still the one we need to worry about." He gestured at the unconscious men. "What about these two? How're we gonna keep them from telling someone?"

"Travis will take care of it." Chris slipped his cell phone back into his belt. "I've let him know what we found out and that Evans got away. Again." His glance indicated the criminals. "He's sending someone out to take care of them, we won't have to worry about it."

He moved to Buck's side, offering support when the older man stumbled. "You all right?" His usual feeling of protectiveness intensified as he realized how vulnerable Buck and JD would be until they found Evans again and stopped him. Chris looped his arm around his friend's waist and led him toward the door.

Buck nodded, pressing his fingers to the seeping wound on his head. "The connection's fading. I think JD must have passed out."

Chris huffed weakly. "I figured that's why you collapsed. You and JD need to train more. Maybe you can find a way to exploit your strengths so you can camouflage the weaknesses you expose when you're bonded so strong." They'd made it to the stairs. Chris let go of Buck and climbed down first, ready to catch his friend if he fell.

"Chris is right." Vin spoke up behind Buck. "The kid needs someone to teach him how to set limits on himself."

"Both of you could have been seriously hurt," Chris continued. "And Nathan's powers have limits, too. We can't count on him to be able to handle multiple injuries without putting him in danger."

They reached the warehouse floor and found Nathan straddling JD's hips. He'd moved around some empty crates and boxes, creating a small shelter against one of the walls. The flimsy material wouldn't have protected them from bullets, but it might have hidden them from view and at least given them a few minutes to react.

JD's eyes were closed, his head lolling gently with Nathan's ministrations. The healer had removed JD's shirt and leaned over him, both hands pressed to his body. He carefully slid his palms up JD's torso, tracing each curving rib bone, then working his fingertips into his lower abdomen, painstakingly exploring JD's body for the weaknesses and vulnerable areas of his wound. With a grunt of satisfaction, he forced his touch deeper, indenting further into JD's lower belly. No signs of distress or pain registered on JD's face, but the muscles in his abdomen rippled with tension and his back curved slightly from the floor, his body flexing toward Nathan's touch.

Buck knelt beside them and reached for JD. He touched JD's face and closed his eyes. Their breathing deepened, merged together into one rhythm. JD released a deep breath at the same time as Buck, then the young empath's body relaxed slowly against the floor.

Vin turned, glancing through the building's wide main entrance into the night. "I hear sirens, maybe a couple of miles out." He faced the others. "Travis probably sent out someone he trusts from the local police force. We need to go."

Nathan leaned back on his heels and lifted his head. He watched as Buck opened his eyes and looked at him. "He's not gonna wake up for awhile. His body still needs time to heal. That beating he took reopened his wound, started the internal bleeding again, and his ribs are fractured. Damn idiots beat him as if he were a grown man and could take something like that."

Buck's hand shifted from JD's face to his chest. "I need to stay with him, make sure he doesn't --" With a sudden gasp, he clutched at his head wound and swayed. Nathan shifted to his feet and caught him.

"He'll be all right, Buck." Looking at Chris for help, they pulled Buck to his feet.

"I'll get JD," Josiah offered. He bent down and waited for the others to shift back, then slipped his arms beneath JD and lifted him.

Nathan and Chris braced Buck between them as they hurried toward the vehicles. Loading quickly, they left the warehouse.

Chris parked the van in the alley behind their home. The huge converted warehouse fronted most of the street; it was the only occupied building in the area. That's where its similarities with the warehouse they'd just left behind ended. This warehouse stood closer to the heart of the city in an old business area. The city council discussed renovating the area and restoring the old structures at least once a month, but they had yet to find a way around the enormous cost it would saddle the city with. Until then, the team enjoyed their privacy.

Chris turned off the engine and got out of the vehicle. Nathan, Vin and Ezra pulled up right behind him and quickly left the SUV. They were all eager to be home again.

He pulled back the sliding side panel and held it open for Josiah. The strong man finished unbuckling JD, then caught the unconscious young man when he slumped forward. Josiah adjusted him carefully in his arms, then scooted out of the van. Chris shut the door behind him. Nathan joined them and put his hand on JD's chest. The kid appeared to be sleeping, his chest slowly expanding and falling beneath Nathan's palm.

Nathan nodded to himself, a pleased expression gently curving his lips. "He'll be out for a while yet."

Buck leaned on the van beside them, one hand against his head. "He'll be all right, Nathan? You're sure?"

"Yeah," Chris answered for the tired healer. He caught Buck's shoulder in a strong grip and turned him. "Let's get you inside and take a look at that head."

"Hard as a rock and twice as thick," Ezra muttered.

"I heard that." Buck tried to twist and look behind him, but Chris held him too firmly. He let the comment pass.

The tired team filed into the large cargo elevator, shifting to allow extra room for Josiah and JD. They slowly rose two flights to the living quarters. The elevator deposited them in a long, narrow hall. They followed its length to a large metal door, which Chris unlocked and opened.

Josiah covered the distance to the stairs quickly and carried JD up to the kid's room. He placed him gently on the bed. Reaching out, he touched JD tenderly, sliding hair out of his eyes. The bruises on his body had already begun to fade. With a smile on his face, he left the room.

Nathan drew Buck to one of the couches, despite his insistence that he go with JD. With a grip on both his arms, he gently but firmly sat him down and pushed until Buck leaned back against the cushions.

"I'm all right, now," Buck insisted drowsily, his eyes closed. "I need to make sure JD doesn't wake up."

"You will be," Nathan countered, "and JD's fine. He needs to sleep." His dark face grew still, other than a tiny crease between his eyebrows. From across the intimate grouping of furniture, Chris watched. He stood leaning across the top of another chair, his weight settled on his arms.

After a few short moments, Nathan pulled his hand away from Buck. The empath sighed deeply, his head shifting to the side. His body melted into the couch, fingers opening loosely where they lay at his sides.

Nathan's shoulders lifted and fell with a deep breath. He turned to look at Chris. "He had a serious concussion. It's a wonder he didn't collapse before this, considering the pain he was sharing with JD."

"Looks like both our empaths could use some more trainin'," Vin offered as he joined them. He held a glass of water out to Chris, his own in his other hand, and took a sip before continuing. "I figured Buck woulda known better than to test his limits like that."

Nathan clapped his hands against his knees and pushed himself up. "I think we've discovered a chink in Buck's armor." He walked past Vin on his way to the kitchen.

"Yep," Chris agreed, turning to join him. "And it's called 'JD'."

"Uh-oh." Vin followed and leaned one hip against a counter while his friends helped themselves to a drink. "If someone outside this team figures that out -- especially someone like Evans --"

"They won't find out--" Chris interrupted. He took a deep swallow from his glass, his eyebrows drawn down in a frown.

"He had an empath working for him, Chris," Nathan reminded him cautiously. "Who's to say one day he won't have someone who can read minds? Figure out what we're thinkin', figure out our weaknesses."

Chris stood silent, staring at the glass in his hand. Vin and Nathan exchanged a quick glance, their worry evident in their eyes.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Chris finally answered. With an abrupt move he poured out the rest of his drink and set his glass in the sink. "Until then, let's not borrow trouble." He turned to leave and threw back over his shoulder, "You two get some rest. I'll want a debriefing in a few hours."

Groaning faintly, Nathan smiled at Vin, then the two of them left for their respective rooms.

"They knew, Orrin. Banks and his men were waiting for us. Care to explain that little detail?" Chris leaned closer to his monitor, watching Travis' face. The unease he'd felt since he'd realized they'd walked into a trap at the old apartment buildings hadn't diminished.

"I'm sorry, Chris." The older man's jaw worked as he clenched his teeth in obvious anger. "Apparently I'll have to perform a sweep of my own team. I trust these people; I've worked with most of them for more years than I've known you."

"Well, one of them can't be trusted." Chris lifted his chin, locking eyes with the ex-Researcher and letting his distrust show. "You know it wouldn't take us two minutes to leave this building and disappear where you'd never find us. The advantages of having these special powers works both ways."

The instant reaction of demanding that Chris stay opened Travis' mouth, but he closed it almost immediately. The few months they'd been working together since leaving the Agency had educated Travis as to what kind of man Chris Larabee was. Stubbornness and loyalty to his team were his two most obvious attributes. It would be pointless to argue with the man. He knew it, and Chris saw that knowledge in his eyes.

Chris watched Travis' shoulders lift in a deep sigh.

"I know that. And while I can understand how you must feel, and agree with your need to protect the men you work with no matter what, I have to offer you my solemn vow that whatever trap Evans set for you tonight, I wasn't aware of it."

Sincerity and the memory of the sacrifices Travis had made to help he, Vin, Nathan and Buck escape the brutal atmosphere of the Agency stayed Chris' hand. A deep down trust that he couldn't explain enveloped him where Travis was concerned. No, whatever leak had developed in this man's operation, it hadn't started at the source. But while that settled as finished in his mind, another worry reared to take its place.

Deciding to let Travis' unspoken request stay unanswered, Chris forged on. "There's something else. Lansing was an empath."

Genuine shock tightened Travis' face before he could school his features. "Evans used him against you."

"Yes. And now he knows Buck and JD share a link far stronger than empaths usually share."

A moment of silence passed between the two men. "We have to find Evans. This puts those two in an incredibly dangerous situation."

"I know that." Chris stood and braced his hands on his desk, getting ready to leave. "It's your job to find Evans. We'll take care of the rest from there." His hand poised for disconnection, he paused when Travis held up his hand.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to talk to my team. We're Buck and JD's best shot at staying alive."

"Be careful."

"We will."

Touching the button, Chris ended the signal. He stood for a moment in the darkness of his room, eyes roaming over the furniture and things he'd collected without really seeing. A vivid image of Buck and JD, teacher and student, friend and brother, played in his mind. Whatever bond those two had built between them might be their edge, might be what ended up keeping them alive.

The unique partnership they'd all formed seemed to have a pattern that he could almost see. Each person represented a different piece of the puzzle that, when united, formed an unbreakable coherency. He found himself wondering if they'd all been brought together for this moment when Buck and JD needed them most, and would have never survived against Evans on their own.

Shaking his head, deciding to leave the philosophy to Josiah, Chris kept his grim thoughts to himself and walked out of the room, ready to debrief his team and figure out a way to keep Buck and JD alive.