DISCLAIMER: The Young Riders is the creation of Ed Spielman, and the property of Ogiens/Kane productions in association with MGM/UA television. The characters from the television program The Magnificent Seven are the property of Trilogy and The Mirisch Co. I am making no money from their use.
This Story is created for entertainment purposes only, no infringement intended. Not to be copied without permission from the author.
RATINGS: PG - violence, mild language
WARNING: This Story contains an alternative Universe theme, if this type of story is not to your liking or will somehow offend you please delete this mail immediately and do not read any further. In addition it is a The Young Riders/The Magnificent Seven Crossover, so if crossovers are not your cup of tea, please go no further. Furthermore this story contain semi graphic images of a terrorism nature, if you feel this may disturb you please find a different story that you will enjoy.
NOTES: : This is the sequel to the recently completed The Change. The song that inspired the Title is by Garth Brooks on his NO fences album. Eternal thanks to Mog for letting me play in her ATF AU sandpit. Thanks heaps to Enid (known affectionately here as my font of all knowledge) for all the brainpicking I have done. Thanks to my net sisters Lyn and Dayna for all the collaboration and characterisation help, couldn’t have done it without you.
Chapter 8
You were standin’ way to close
To see it all fall apart
And there were things you couldn’t hear
Cause you were listenin with your heart
Bt you can’t say I didn’t warn you
Now there’s no one else to blame
There’s no one quite as blind
As a victim of the game
JD accepted the young woman’s hand and pulled himself to his feet. He knew that feeling sorry for himself would not help Casey but he couldn’t help but think that it was all his fault that she was in danger. If he had been a better cop he would have noticed someone following him surely. He knew in his own mind that the others wouldn’t have gotten any one else involved, they would have seen a tail a mile off.
Lou looked at the doubt and almost self pity that flitted across JD’s face, realising that he was going through exactly what she had for the last few weeks and her heart softened for the younger man.
“JD” she stopped and turned him to look at her. “You cant let him do this to you. You doubt yourself and your abilities and he has won. Don’t let him do that!” she watched the confusion cross his face as he tried to take in what she had just said, then saw him visibly pull himself back together
“You ready” he spoke his voice surer than it had been since he had first seen Casey on the video tape.
“”Fella’s I think we just got our first break” Jimmy spoke softly, his voice firm and sure
“How the hell do you figure that” Buck spat, their inability to catch their nemesis wearing on his fragile nerves.
“We have security in our parking” Jimmy stated bluntly watching as the significance of his statement settled on the agents that surrounded him.
There was a flurry of activity as Ike and Buck raced from the room closely followed by Jimmy. Chris looked at the agents that surrounded him and spoke.
“We meet back here in an hour” his voice held the ring of dismissal and they all stood and filed out of the room. Kid hung back and waited for Ezra to pass him, he had something to say to the sauve southerner and he didn’t want to put it off any longer.
“Ezra can I speak to you please?” he paused suddenly nervous
“I do hope you are not planning on hitting me this time” he answered, a sneer in his voice
Kid saw the remaining ATF Agents forming up behind their team member and knew that he wasn’t going to get away with this in private. He squared his shoulders and looked into the disdainful green eyes that seemed to know his every thought.
“I’m sorry” he spoke extending a hand to Ezra “I’ve been acting like an ass and Im sorry. I can’t guarantee I’ll always see clearly, but when I’m wrong I say I’m wrong” he finished retracting his hand as Ezra ignored it
“I’m not the one you should be apologising to Kid” Ezra spoke as he extended his own hand
“I know” he smiled back glad to have at least started mending their fences “But I thought I would start with the least terrifying of my options”
The men all dissolved into a gentle chuckling, knowing full well the wrath of a woman’s scorn, some of them having felt the sting of Lou’s quick temper. The laughter going a long way to resolving the anger and the tension that seemed to have pervaded both teams in recent months.
Buck lifted his head to see Lou and JD walk through the door to the bullpen, JD’s hand clasped tightly in Lou’s. One glance at their faces, spoke volumes of the determination that they had garnered and would use against their quarry. He was still concerned for his young protégé but he knew that Louise had been able to sort out his confused emotions better than any of the men could have dared.
It had only taken a short time for Ike, Buck and Jimmy to coerce the security videos out of the building manager, and to his credit Jimmy had actually refrained from drawing his gun when the man had initially refused but it was still an hour later when they arrived back at the building. Their arrival signalling wordlessly to the others to file to the conference room.
They watched the tape carefully, watched Kid pacing across the car park, watched the fight with Ezra, they watched cars come and watched cars go no one seemed to see anything out of the ordinary. Nobody noticed, however, when Lou’s entire body stiffened involuntarily, no-one except the man who had seen the same thing she had. Buck Cross watched her closely, wondering how she was going to react to the news that the video had just imparted. No-one should have to endure the pain she was already suffering and now her pain was even greater.
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