The Better Man
By mardel
PG

I just borrowed them for the story. 


George had been with the VCTF for about six months. He had managed to
earn Bailey's respect by hard work, dedication to his job. 

He spent more time at the task force complex than Bailey. He had learned
how all of the field surveillance equipment was used and wanted a chance to
go out with the team if a case needed a technician. He had finally been 
given his chance and proven he was cool under fire and could perform up
to his usual sterling standards. They had finally stopped the sniper who
was killing people all over Ohio due to George's quick thinking, and Bailey's
need to protect his people. 

George as a keen observer of human nature. He knew that Bailey was very
deeply in love with Sam, but that he hide it from her. He knew Grace was 
having difficulties at home long before she told the rest of the team. 
He knew that Sam put up a brave front but if it hadn't been for Bailey's
strength she would have crumbled long ago. John and Marcus disliked one
another but at least Marcus was willing to let the past slide and try to
work together. John for some reason wouldn't let go of the fact that 
Marcus had been undercover and had bent some laws to keep his cover
from being blown. 
If anyone had a reason to dislike Marcus, it was himself. But George didn't
carry a grudge, things had worked out in the end and he had even managed
to keep the job he loved in the bargain. 

Sam and he had formed a bond rather slowly, but it was there. Perhaps
because she knew he was as good as she was at figuring out where to look
next for leads in location the monsters they hunted. Not that all the 
members of the team didn't have their specialties. They were all intelligent
people, but Sam was supposed to be the brilliant one. 

George liked all of his co-workers. He felt a debt to Bailey for allowing him
the chance to prove himself. Bailey hadn't allowed him to quit when Rich had
blackmailed him. 

But he had no way of knowing he would be the only person available to help
Chloe when a sudden urgent call came in one night. The team was in Oregon
investigating a new string of murders. It was late, almost eleven, when Sam's
line rang then switched to her voice mail. But who ever had called waited past 
the message and pressed zero so the phone would ring in the command center. 

" Hello, Fraley speaking." George answered the phone.
" Hello? George is that you?" a small frightened voice asked.

"Chloe, are you alright sweetheart?" felt about a pint of adrenal hit his 
system.
" Angel went out to the store, and she was supposed to be back." Chloe said.
" Are you at the firehouse?"
" Yeah, but there was a big noise as minute ago, and the lights went out." 
"OK, Chloe do you remember that time Bailey and your mom showed you the
special hiding place?"
" Yes, but mom said I was only supposed to go there is she or Angel told me
to, Angel isn't back." 
"I understand that, but listen, I'm sure if you go the hiding place and stay 
there until either Angel or I come for you it would be OK with your mom. Do you 
want to try that? You remember what I look like, I just saw you at the picnic a 
few weeks ago." George asked her.
" Yeah, you rode me around the park on your shoulders when Bailey got tired."
Chloe answered. 
"Good, you go hide, and I'll be there soon to find out what is happening." 

George wanted to call Bailey and Sam, but he was afraid if there was a simple
reason for the power outage and Angel was just caught up in traffic or 
something.
He did call the command post that was supposed to be watching the firehouse.
There was no answer, that sacred him. He grabbed his ready gear and told the 
agent on duty where he was headed and that he would need help. 

When George arrived on the street, there are smoke coming from down the
street. The van that would normally hold two people doing surveillance was
empty. But it didn't look like anything violent had happened. The back up
agents and people arrived only a minute after George. 
" What ever pulled these guys out of here better have been something like
a national disaster." the senior man said. 
" I need to get inside and rescue Chloe," George told him.
" Do you know the access code?" 
" I can get in, but no one else is allowed."
" You sure you want to do this alone?" 
" I have to." George said.

Chloe was in her hiding place. She was still scared but she wasn't so sacred
that she wasn't going to follow her mom's orders. She really wished Angel
would come back. She knew her mom wouldn't be home until the next day
or even the day after that. 
George went in through the side entrance, he had helped wire the place.
He had learned the required skills for surveillance on his own time, but he
had learned from the best people the bureau had. 
He wasn't exactly sure where Chloe's hiding place was, he just knew it had
to be upstairs. He checked all of the alarms, they were still working on
their back systems. The power outage wouldn't affect them. 

"Chloe can you hear me it's George?" he called out softly. 
Chloe peeked at him from her spot, she recognized him. Her mom had instructed 
her to be very careful about making sure she knew anyone she trusted. 
She slipped out and standing behind George when he whirled around. 
" I'm here." Chloe said. 
" You scared me, are you OK?" he asked kneeling down to her level.
" Did you find Angel?"
"No, but there are two agents looking for her." George explained. 
Chloe moved closer to him and leaned into him. He put one arm around
her and tried to seem calm.
" Could I go with you, I don't like being here alone." she asked. 
"Sure, we will go check with the guys downstairs and then you can
come with me to my house." George didn't know why he said that if
he took her anywhere it would have to be to a safe house. 

" Did you locate any of our people?' George asked the one agent outside.
" There was a huge explosion the next block over and our people
where ordered to assist in any way. Angel may have been injured
she hasn't been located. The agent that was still on station, was
found with a bullet in him in the bushes across the street." 

" Oh, great, look I'm taking Chloe to a safe place. This is starting
to look like Jack's handy work." 
" I'll come with you."
"No, I can't trust anyone right now." 
 

George didn't know where to go at first, the task force headquarters was
secure but it would take almost an hour to reach the way traffic was.
He turned towards the other end of town, he knew several places there
that he could stay for days with out being found even with a small blonde
child. 
" Chloe honey there was a accident, that was what made the lights go out
at your house. I'm going to take you to a friends house. Then we are going
to call your mom. OK?" 
She nodded. 
George drove quickly but he made sure not to attract attention. 
He settled on Henry's place because he was the most reliable. 
"Henry, how are you? Good. Look can I ask a favor, I need a place to crash
for little while, and I have a little girl with me, can I come there?"
" Sure George you can tell me all about it when you get here." Henry
was just spending a boring Thursday night at home. 

George parked off the street in a restaurant lot that allowed people to park 
there on slow evenings. He carried Chloe up the stairs as they were not lit very 
well.
" Henry, thanks this is my friend Chloe. Chloe this is my friend Henry."
"Hello little lady your out late." Henry smiled at her, he was a tall thin 
blonde with pale blue eyes and a small goatee. 
" Hi, can I use the bathroom please?' she asked. 
George rolled his eyes as if to say, kids. 
"Sure honey it's right there, Henry pointed down the hall." 

Once Chloe was gone George said. " I'll give you the short version. I'm working
for a security firm, this is the daughter of one of my bosses, she is in danger.
I need to stay here until people I can trust can meet us here. Is that OK?"
" Sure, it might even be fun." Henry shrugged. 

George called Bailey. 
"Malone."
" Bailey, look there is something going on here, Chloe is safe with me, but 
there was some kind of explosion near the firehouse, Angel is missing and all of 
the people stationed there were pulled off duty by some disaster. The one who 
stayed on site was found dead." 
" Oh, God, it's Jack again." Bailey said turning away from Sam and the team.
" Where are you?"
"I'm in a safe place, but I'm not bringing Chloe in the city is in a panic at 
the moment. Once you get back to Atlanta call me."
" Understood." Bailey knew that their cell phones could be traced just as easily
as land lines could if you had the knowledge. 

He explained the situation to his team. Assured Sam her daughter was safe. 
" George is a good man, Chloe is safe with him." Bailey told her. 

John pulled Bailey aside, " Are you sure? George has had no field training in
anything besides surveillance, he doesn't even carry a weapon." 
" You would be surprised what he is capable of John. " Bailey dismissed the 
idea.

Chloe was sitting on Henry's couch eating popcorn and watching the Three stooges
George was using Henry's computer to check on what was going on about the
explosion. Angel had been found she was in a hospital, her condition not yet
available. But she wasn't in life treating circumstances. 

"Henry do we know anyone with experience in protection?" George asked.
" Let's see do you mean like being a bodyguard?" Henry started to pace.
" Yeah, the lady that was staying with Chloe is hurt and I need to send 
someone to guard her." 
" There's TC he's Bill's partner. He is some kind of security person
for when important people visit town." Henry got his address book
out and showed George the number.

" Hello, Bill did you hear about the explosion downtown? Yeah, is 
TC there I need to ask a favor."
George explained the situation described Angel and the room she 
had been assigned. He was to tell her George sent him. She should
understand he was there to protect her, and Chloe was fine. 
George had learned that TC was a former Navy Seal, he had just 
finished his tour with them and was working for the local private
security company that ran protection for important people. He
was willing to help, and was free for the next few days. 

Angel was still in pain, after the Doctor had put her leg in a cast.
A telephone pole had fallen on the car and she had been pinned inside.
The good news was it was only a simple fracture, nothing needed pinned
or surgery to repair it. They wanted her to stay until the next day to
make sure the cast wasn't restricting the blood flow. She was in a room
with a lady who had been cut by flying glass, she was sedated. She had 
tried to call the firehouse, and there was no answer. She had called 
Sam's cell phone and learned that George had rescued Chloe, but no 
further details. 

The team was on it's way back to Georgia but there was weather over the
Rockies so they had been delayed. The earliest they would be back was
Friday morning. 

Chloe was sleeping on the couch, Henry was sleeping in his recliner and 
George was looking for something with caffeine to help him stay awake. 
He was glad he had taken the firearms course several months ago, he
had informed Bailey when he passed the test and scored a 97 on his
final shooting rating. He was rated as a sharpshooter with a sniper
rifle, and as a marksman with a pistol. His ready bag held his automatic
so he wasn't worried about being able to defend himself and Chloe.

TC arrived at the hospital and made sure of the nearest exits before
visiting Angel's room. 
Angel was awake when he arrived. She noticed a tall black male standing
at the end of her bed. He wasn't wearing any hospital type clothes but
he looked like a cop to her. He was good looking and built like an athlete.
With broad shoulders and a very up right stance. 
" Hello Ms. Brown my name is TC, I'm here to keep an eye on you."
He smiled and nodded to her. 
" Hi, are you an agent then?" Angel asked. 
" No, not exactly but I understand the situation, George sent me."
Angel frowned, that figured the nicest looking guy she had met in
ages and he was probably gay. 
" Did you say George sent you, not Bailey?" 
" Sorry but it was George." he knew what that look meant, she had found
him attractive then realized. 
" It's nice of you to help, how is Chloe?'
" She's fine just scared a little."

George was beat when the sunrise finally arrived. He had been pacing in the 
living room to help keep himself alert. He had spent some time on the computer 
checking for damage information about he explosion, and if any safe houses were 
in an area of the city not affected. There was no claim of terrorist 
organizations for the explosion, there were four dead, and dozens injured. As it 
had happened only a half a block from the downtown Federal Building the first 
reaction had been another Oklahoma Bomb type attack, that had been why all the 
agents had been pulled off station. 
It now was looking like an accident, or a not well planned attack. 
George thought it had been a derision, Jack had set the explosion off so he
could have free access to the firehouse. The dead agent found across the
street was the clenched for him. But Jack must not have figured on there
being a back up alarm system. Run from the electric grid on the other side of 
the city. That and Chloe calling for help so quickly. George had reached the 
firehouse only eight minutes after her call. It hadn't been enough time for Jack 
to disarm the system and find Chloe. 
He had also tracked down Francis since she had returned to live with her dad,
she had become a little more responsible. She had a cell phone of her own now,
and George contacted her to make sure she was unharmed. 

" George, what are you calling for, it's not about my dad is it?" 
"No, Bailey is fine, I'm calling for him to check on you, he's in route."
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm going to stay here with Pam until things die down the
city is crawling with people."
" Good idea, you wouldn't be able to get home for hours the way traffic is."
He told her. 
" Tell Dad to call me when he's free." she said and hung up.


George's cell phone rang. 
" Good morning," came Bailey's voice sounding way to cheerful, " We will be 
landing in a few minutes want to point me in the right direction then I'll call 
you back when we are near." 
George told him what part of town and that Frannie was safe and hung up. 
" Was that my mom?" Chloe asked, rubbing her eyes. 
"No, it was Bailey but they should be here soon. Are you hungry?" he asked.
" I'm thirsty." 
"OK, let's see," George checked the fridge for juice, 
" We have orange juice and cranberry juice" 
"Orange juice, please." Chloe came to the kitchen. 
He poured her juice and helped himself to the coffee he had stared earlier. 
Henry had visited the bathroom first and he was now dressed and ready for
the day. 
" Save some of that coffee, I need a big mug full to wake up." 

" That George, he even checked on Frannie for me," Bailey shook his head.
Sam smiled, " He does think of everything."


When the team arrived at Henry's place, it was very crowed. Sam was hugging
Chloe, Bailey was congratulating George. John was looking worried, and Marcus
was waiting for his instructions. Grace was still with the vehicles as it was 
three flights to Henry's place and she was expecting. 
" You really came through for us George. This was good work, quick thinking."
Bailey pounded him on the back. 
" Thanks, just taking precautions." George smiled. 
"Thank you Henry, for allowing Chloe and George to stay with you it was very 
much appreciated." Bailey shook hands with Henry. 
" My pleasure it's going to seem empty around here once the little lady leaves."
" Thank you." Sam hugged Henry, she couldn't express her feelings.

" Bailey I have been checking and I think the best place for Sam and Chloe until
this explosion thing is sorted out is going to be your place. All of the 
safe houses are in the area near the explosion or are already in use. We could 
temporarily go back to the task force HQ, but it's not the best place for 
Chloe." George explained. " I have some of the alarms we will need in the van, 
and I can get more from HQ."
" OK, Marcus you go to the hospital and relieve George's friend. John, Sam and
I will take Chloe to my place. George you can take a break."
" I'd rather go with you all to the house, I can set up a few things before I 
crash." He offered. 

Angel had never meet Marcus, when he arrived at her room she was sleeping. 
TC and he discussed her protection, then TC suggested they pull a trick on 
her, just for a second. Marcus who was a handsome man even taller and larger
built than TC was to pretend to be a friend of George's too. 

Angel woke up when they were whispering in the corner. 
"Hi, what `s going on?" she asked.
" This is Marcus he's here to take over as your guard." TC told her.
" Hi, George sent me over to relieve TC, how do you feel?"
Marcus smiled. 
" Not to bad, your not an agent either then right?" she looked disappointed. 
TC laughed and Marcus tried not to, but lost. 
" No, acutely I do work with Bailey and Sam, that was just his idea of a joke."
" Ha, ha, ha I was beginning to think there weren't any good looking guys
around that weren't friends of George." Angel replied. 
" Well I am a friend of George's, but not that kind." Marcus apologized. 

Chloe had been so excited to see her mom that she was bouncing up and
down on the seat between Bailey and Sam on the drive to his house. 
John was following with George in his car. Grace had been dropped off
at her home by Marcus on his way to the hospital.
George set up the alarms he had with him and then Bailey told him to get 
some sleep in the den.

Sam stopped him before he went to sleep. 
"George, I don't know how thank you enough, you may have saved Chloe's
life." she told him her eyes filling up with tears again. She hugged him hard
and he hugged her back. 
"I' m glad it all worked out." he told her. " Chloe is a smart little girl and 
she stayed calm enough to follow your instructions." he praised her. 
" Sam does she not like to be hugged? Cause I kind of thought she might like
to be reassured but she only leaned against me?"  
" I guess that's from my instructions too, I've told her the only grownups that 
should be allowed to hug her are Angel, Bailey and me. I guess I had better 
explain to her if she wants to hug you that's fine too. " Sam patted his chest. 
"You get some sleep." 

Bailey and John were on first watch John and he had gotten a little sleep on
the plane. Bailey had taken a few minutes and gone into his bathroom for
a quick freshen up, and shave. 

John found Sam in the kitchen, 
" Do you think you really want George to be around Chloe in the future?"
John asked. 
" Why wouldn't I want him around Chloe?"  
" He might not be the best male role model for her." 
" He's just saved her life, how could he not be a good role model? He's
honest, loyal, intelligent, kind, generous, and even tempered. Not like 
some men who have a temper you could start a fire with." Sam turned
to face John. She didn't like where this conversation was going. 
" I was just making a suggestion." he tried to get out of it now.
"No, you were trying to advance your own narrow views about things on
to me and my child."  
" You don't have to defend him." John protested.
" I'm not defending him, I'm telling you that I think he is one of the finest
men I have met in recent years and that's why I don't have a problem with
him being a role model for my daughter." 
Bailey came into the kitchen " What's all the yelling?"

" I was just telling John that I didn't need parenting advice." 
" Why don't you take a break I'll take the watch for awhile." Bailey 
nodded to John. 
" You sure you want to be on you own?" John asked. 
" I'm fine, George is still here if I need help with something." Bailey assured 
him.
" What good would he be if there is an attack?" John scoffed. 
" You don't know everything there is to know about him, he's at least as good
as you are with a pistol John, and nearly as good as me with a rifle." 
Bailey told him. 
"How?" 
" By good old fashion practice and learning from a good instructor. He passed
the academy firing range test with a 97." 
John looked shocked. He had never seen George as anything more than a tetchier
or computer geek. 

After John had gone, Sam asked. " Not that I doubt you but is all of that true?"
" Yes, George has been learning things in his free time, he had wanted to prove
to me that he can be of use in the field. I guess now he won't have to prove 
anything. Another thing that wasn't in his background file, he's been studying
Tai Kwon Do and Judo since he was a kid. He could probably beat me in a 
hand to hand fight." Bailey told her. 
George heard Bailey, he was already up, he had slept for two hours. 
" It would probably be very close, I've seen you in the ring at the academy."

"George are you up already?" Bailey turned to look at him. 
" I never have needed a lot of sleep." he shrugged. 
" Is it alright if I take a shower?'
" Sure there are towels in the closet in the hall."
" Thanks." George nodded and went out. 

Marcus, Angel and TC arrived they had needed her room for more seriously
injured people. TC offered to help if they needed him. Bailey thanked him
and said he would keep him in mind if they got short handed. 
Sam and Angel hugged each other and Chloe was all excited again. She had been
watching cartoons in the living room. They propped Angel up on the couch in
the living room with pillows. 

Bailey checked in with his superiors. They informed him they could spare no
one to help with their security. They were on their own until it was determined
who or what had caused the explosion. Bailey was inclined to believe George
about it having been a diversion. It was the type of thing Jack would pull. 
George retrieved several more alarms and a couple cameras for making Bailey's 
place as secure as they could. 

While Marcus was taking a nap in the den, it was decided to make a run for
supplies. Sam made a list of things they would need, and she convinced Bailey
it would better for her to go to the store. He needed to stand watch and
George was busy. He didn't like it but the allowed her to make the trip.

Jack had been wounded again, this time it wasn't as serious. He could clean
and bandage the wound himself, it had gone through. But he was in no shape
to locate where Sam and her daughter were hiding. He knew there would
be another day. 

John had gotten some sleep and then stopped by the site of the killing. 
He determined that Jack had been hit, he hoped bad enough to bleed to death
but the blood trail wasn't heavy. 

When John returned it was Bailey's turn for some sleep. He only removed his
shoes and jacket. He didn't think he would be able to relax, but he finally
was exhausted enough to fall asleep for several hours. 
He woke up just in time for dinner. Angel was being served on the couch. 
Marcus had a plate full at the table, George and Sam were both in the kitchen. 
John was standing in the living room watching out the window and eating. 
" Come on Uncle Bailey, aren't you hungry?" Chloe pulled him towards the food.
Bailey saw and interesting variety of things to choose from, they had gotten 
ready made food and someone had made spaghetti, salad and garlic bread. He knew
Sam's cooking skills were limited, so he guessed it had been George. 

" This looks good, who cooked?" Bailey asked. 
" I only made the salad. George made the rest." she informed him.
" I heated sauce and boiled pasta," he offered Bailey a plate. 
" It's good man," Marcus came back for seconds. 
George sat down at the table. Sam moved over and made room
for Bailey to sit down. Chloe sat between Bailey and George. 
She still had some of her dinner left. 
"You have better eat your vegetables, young lady." Bailey teased her. 
" I'm sharing with mom." Chloe stated. 
" She gives me all of her cucumbers." Sam explained.
" I'll share kitchen duty, I can cook a few things." Bailey offered.
"Don't tell me let me guess, chili?" Marcus asked.
" I do make chili, but I was thinking more like beef stew or soup.
You pick." 
" I vote for stew." Marcus said. 
" Either if fine with me I can help cut up vegetables." Sam said.
" Angel can you hear, stew or soup for tomorrow?" George asked.
" As long as it's not split pea soup anything is fine with me." she
called back. 

Later once the ladies were bedded down in Franny's room. John approached
George. 
" I understand you have been taking shooting lessons. When did you decide
that you needed to learn how to handle a gun?' John asked.
"If I'm ever out in the field it might be a good thing to know." George answered
him. He didn't understand why John was so hostile towards him. 
" Is there anything you can't do?' 
"I'm not very good at fixing cars and I can't sew." George kidded. 
" You sound like it bothers you, why?"

John didn't answer him, he didn't have an answer. But he knew he didn't like
George being the good guy all the time. John hadn't been able to do anything
right since his return. He guessed he was jealous. 
" Want me to take a guess, you want Bailey to tell you when you've done well.
But lately that hasn't been happening. Marcus is taking some of your thunder
and then I came along and got some attention too. Even Sam has been focused
on me instead of you that really bothers you." George said. 
" Sam has nothing to do with this." John growled.
" What ever idea you may have about Sam you had better forget it. Bailey is
the only man she will ever care about now. One of these days she will realize
he's more to her than a friend." 
John looked devastated at that news. He knew Sam didn't need a man in her
life yet, but he had hopes that someday. 
" Now why you stopped seeing Angel when she is a very talented, beautiful
woman who cared about you I fail to understand." George added.
John was so frustrated he took a punch at George and found himself
flat on his back on the floor, with a foot on his chest and George looking
down at him with a sad look. 
" You had better take a look at yourself man, you falling apart." 

 
End