Chris Larabee groaned and rolled over in his large bed, his arm fell over the area that his wife use to lay on. It had been empty for five years and each night this happened he felt the sorrow pour through him. He still missed his wife and son, he missed them more and more every day. He angrily threw the pillow over his head to drown out the sound of the insistent ringing of the telephone. He'd only managed to get to sleep, the lack of slumber over the last eight days had finally exhausted him.

"SHIT!" he cried out when the sudden memory of why he hadn't been sleeping hit him like a sledge hammer. He grabbed the receiver and yelled into it. "Larabee!!"

"They found him." Tanner's voice didn't hold any relief at the announcement of the find.

"Where?"

"Denver Memorial. Room 401"

Chris hung up the phone without saying another word. He didn't want to ask if he was dead or alive, he wanted and needed to go another twenty minutes without knowing, he didn't want the little hope that was left to be shattered. His agent had been missing for eight days and now he was finally returned to them but in what condition. Chris was about to find out.

Chris parked his dodge close to the hospital entrance and turned the engine off. He could see Vin Tanner's beat up jeep a few spaces away in the darkness that was broken by false lighting. The others would be on their way but he needed time alone with his friend before they crowded into the small hospital room. He had to deal with his own feelings first before he took care of the others. After taking a deep breath he left his car and headed to what he hoped wasn't going to be a repeated nightmare of pain and mourning.

He stepped through the doors that automatically opened and moved quietly but quickly through the throng of people that filled the administration area. There were women, men and children and most of their expressions were full of happiness and relief but it was the few that looked as though their world had fallen apart that got his attention. Chris didn't want to go through that again so his haunted blue eyes began to ignore the people around him.

Chris ran to the elevators and forced his way into it. He reached over the person in front of him and pushed the button numbered four and fidgeted until the doors closed. He urged the numbers to change quickly but he felt as though he was stuck in a traffic jam. It was going to take hours for him to reach the fourth floor, maybe he should have just taken the stairs. The four finally lit up and he paced close to the doors which seemed to be taking forever to open. He finally kicked them in frustration. They opened. 401 was at the other end of the hall, he didn't hesitate, he ran to the room.

The dark dressed man stopped outside of the door. Vin was in there with him, he already knew what condition he was in. Gawd he didn't want to know. Chris turned his back to the door, it was a difficult feat for fear to grip his heart but this time it was winning. He actually felt a physical pain in his chest as the fear forced him to acknowledge it's presence. He thought about moving away and waiting for someone to come and tell him that his agent was dying or healing.

"Don't be such a bloody coward and get in there!" he growled to himself.

He opened the door and stepped into the darkened room. The sight before him shocked him. Vin sat in a large chair next to the figure in the bed, his light blue eyes staring at the man before him. Chris stepped forward closer to the bed. He didn't return Vin's greeting, he couldn't take his eyes off the bandaged face in front of him. The white material covered the eyes and the area above the left temple, another one sat comfortably on the exposed left cheek. The too pale left arm lay in front of him, it was being held gently by Vin. IV tubes were attached to the back of each hand. A heart monitor beeped in the background making the silence more deafening. He forced his legs to take the few steps that would bring him within reach of his injured agent. He grimaced at the nasal cannula that had been placed in the right nostril.

"How is he?" Chris asked Vin without looking at him. His fingers touched the blanket softly as they made their way to some sort of physical contact with his friend.

"Don't know." Vin shrugged then moved out of the chair so Chris could sit down. "Doctor won't be here until the morning, the nurses on night shift don't know, they're only following instructions. Hopefully Nathan will be able to read his chart when he gets here."

Chris nodded and sat down. "Where'd they find him?"

"He's been here for two days." Vin growled through clenched teeth.

"And before that?" he kept his anger under control.

"Don't know. Thought we'd find that out later." Vin hung his head in despair. He should be searching for the people who did this, not sitting in a chair wondering what happened.

"You did the right thing Vin, I don't want him left alone, not until we find out what happened to him." Chris lifted his head. "Could you give me a minute with him?"

"Sure, I'll go and get us some coffee." Vin walked away with a posture that made him look like he had given up on life. It wasn't life, it was the type of people that did the things he'd been staring at for the last forty five minutes.

Chris waited and stared at the half covered face in front of him. He leaned forward and brushed away a lock of hair that stopped the bandage from being completely white. The features that were visible were too pale except for the large bruises and small contusions. Cuts lined his hands and Chris somehow knew his feet would be the same. Something happened to him and Chris had all intentions of finding out what.

"Ezra?" his face was close to his undercover agent but there was nothing to indicate that he had heard his leader's voice. "Ezra, your going to be okay, you have to be, you hear me."

He didn't get an answer, he didn't expect one. There was no movement except for the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. At least he was doing that. A thousand questions went through his mind. The first was the obvious; was Ezra going to be okay. The rest ranged between what was wrong with his eyes to how this had happened. The only person who could answer his questions was lying unconscious in the bed and Chris had no idea if he was going to wake up or not. The doctor would be able to answer some but not all of them. Chris wanted answers to everything. He had to know what happened.

Chris listened as Vin returned, he leaned back away from Ezra, he didn't want his friend to think he was falling apart; he was but he couldn't show it, not yet. Neither man spoke as they watched their friend. The sound of the monitor was now joined by the sound of two men drinking coffee and an occasional sigh. Chairs screamed in protest as they moved to get into a more comfortable position. It was only just after three in the morning, they still had a while to wait until the doctor arrived. Nathan would be able to give them some information on Ezra's condition but not enough to satisfy them.

"Looks terrible doesn't he?" Vin couldn't stand the silence anymore, it was though they were waiting for Ezra to die.

"Yeah." Chris agreed with him.

"Hasn't moved since I've been here." Vin continued as he shifted in his chair once again. He stopped when he saw the irritation on Chris' face. "You know Ezra Chris, he's tough, he'll be okay."

"He doesn't look okay Vin."

"I know Chris, I know."

Neither man looked up when they heard the door slam open. Buck stormed into the room with JD following him. The anger was obvious on Buck's face while the younger man with him held a look of concern and worry. Both of them rushed to the side of the bed. There was no room on the right side so they had to settle for looking over Ezra's left shoulder to see him.

"What the hell happened to him?" Buck growled at the only people who were available to take his anger.

"Don't know." Chris replied calmly.

"No one here to answer our questions." Vin told him.

"Then get someone." Buck ordered.

Chris looked at Vin who returned his amused look. They were to scared to think of doing the most obvious thing available to them. Vin took out his mobile and handed it to Buck.

"Go find a nurse and make your demands." Vin smiled at him.

"I'll do more than that." Buck growled back.

Chris shook his head in amasement. Buck was doing what he normally did. He wasn't thinking, nor in control of the situation. This was what he was afraid of, he couldn't be there for Ezra or his men if he couldn't control his own feelings. He looked at JD, the youngster was trying to keep the tears from falling. He envied JD, he wished he was able to show his feelings like that but he felt out of control when he did so he learnt to keep them inside. The only emotion he freely showed was his anger. In a way he was a bit like Ezra.

"Looks like Buck is in charge of this one." Chris leaned forward and spoke to Ezra. "You better wake up, he's angrier than a . . . a . . . aw hell, I can't remember his sayings but he's angry and if you don't say hello to him your going to hear about."

"Your going to hear about it from all of us." Vin emphasised Chris' warning.

Ezra still lay in the bed unaware of the people that surrounded him. Vin looked down at his feet. He hated not knowing what happened to Ezra who did this to him. And he hated it even more that he didn't know if Ezra was going to be alright. All three men looked towards the door when they heard Buck's raised voice on the other side. A quieter voice argued with him. They smiled at Buck's refusal to quieten down.

"I think I'll go give him a hand." Vin pushed himself out of the chair and didn't protest when JD moved forward to take his place next to the bed.

"Is he gonna die Chris?" JD asked as he leaned forward, his finger tips hovered over Ezra's exposed arms then dropped back into his lap.

"I don't know JD. We'll have to wait to find out from the doctor." Chris shrugged. There was no use lying to the kid.

"He looks like he's gonna die Chris and why are his eyes bandaged like that."

"JD. You know as much as I do."

"Sure."

"He's on his way." Buck revealed as he came back into the room. "He knows that if he's not here in half an hour that I'll be coming out to get him."

"I hope you said please Buck." Chris nodded his thanks.

"Nope and I ain't gonna say it when he gets here either." the ladies man growled at him. Buck leaned forward and looked at Ezra's face again. "Shit. He looks like death warmed up."

Chris couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his long time friend. "That's an understatement Buck."

Buck smiled as he raised his eyes to meet Chris'. "I want the person who did this dead."

Shit. Chris thought to himself. Why was Buck so angry. Then he remembered, Buck was supposed to have meet Ezra the night he disappeared. The ladies man was blaming himself and taking out his anger on anyone that was available.

"That's not going to help Ezra Buck." Chris calmly told him, there was no use showing any anger in return.

"No but it will help me." Buck muttered as he found himself a seat. "Where the hell are Nathan and Josiah anyway, doesn't take this long to get here."

"Here, where the hell do you think we are." Josiah growled at him as he entered the room and made his way to the bed. "What did they do to him?"

"Nathan?" Chris asked while trying to hide his fear.

Nathan was staring at Ezra's still form, he and Josiah both held expressions of shock. He wanted to move forward and check the smaller man's injuries but the Southerner looked somewhat peaceful. Nathan didn't want to wake him and bring him back into a world that would no doubt be full of pain. His dark features frowned at the bandages that covered Ezra's normally intense green eyes. Was he blind? God no. Please don't let him be blind.

"Nathan." Josiah put a hand on the ex-medic's shoulder. "Don't tell us his dying."

"What do you want from me!?" Nathan spat at him. "I'm not a doctor, I can't tell you he's going to live when I don't know myself." Nathan glared at the others. "Fine, I'll tell you, he doesn't look like he's dying but that doesn't mean he isn't. His eyes are bandaged, that indicates to me that he's suffering from some sort of injury to his eyes, he could even be blind for Christ sakes." he slammed the bed in frustration. "I don't know!"

"Can't you read his chart!" Buck retorted.

"Didn't you hear what I just said!?" Nathan's voice was becoming too loud.

"Shut up! Both of you." JD told them. Five men looked at him in surprise. "Ezra's lying there, who knows in what condition and all you can do is yell at each other. Give Ezra some respect why don't you."

"You tell 'em JD." Vin slapped him on the back.

"Some one had too, you guys obviously weren't going to." JD stood up and began to walk to the door. "I'm going to get a coffee, if the doc gets here, let me know."

"He's a bit upset." Buck's normally dancing eyes were staring at the closing door.

"Scared too I bet." Vin added.

"As I'm sure we all are." Josiah reached down and placed his hand on the still form's leg, he squeezed the calf gently and it jerked in return. "He just moved."

"What?" Nathan looked up from the floor, the anger though, was still evident on his face.

"I said he moved." Josiah repeated more angrily.

Nathan glared at Josiah, his dark brown eyes were burning with fury. He pushed past him and moved closer to the front of the bed. "Ezra. Ezra can you hear me." he waited a few seconds but received no answer to his question. "Ezra," he nudged his shoulder, the Southerner moved but only because someone had pushed him. "Ezra!" Nathan growled at him and gently slapped the bandaged cheek. There was still no response. "Josiah you must have been mistaken."

"Are you calling me a liar?" Josiah stood tall during his accusation.

"I said you were mistaken . . . "

"That's it!" Buck snapped at them. "If your just going to argue then you can both leave the room."

Nathan and Josiah looked at each other but neither man apologised. They were too angry for that. Buck turned to Chris, his long time friend was staring at Ezra, he was just as oblivious to what was going on around him than Ezra was. Buck didn't mind, he could handle the team for him, he needed to take his anger out on someone, it may as well be them until they caught the person or persons responsible for Ezra's disappearance and condition. When thirty one minutes had passed Buck Wilmington stormed out of the room without a word to his friends or Ezra Standish; the man was on a mission. The others stared at his retreating form then back to their injured friend. Each man had his own fears and guilt that they were finding difficult to deal with. Buck had been required to pick Ezra up from the office on that fateful Friday night. The Southerner had stayed back to finish a report, while the others had secretly delivered food and a large amount of alcohol to Ezra's townhouse. They had just finished a case that was difficult for Ezra and they knew he'd had all intentions of getting drunk but they weren't going to allow him to become drunk on his own. The ladies man had been late and when he reached the office he found that Standish wasn't there. He assumed that Ezra had found another mode of transport.

Buck had returned to Ezra's home to find that he hadn't been there either, he explained to the others what had happened. When two hours had passed they again assumed that he had gone somewhere else to drown his troubles. Five men went home while Buck stayed and waited for his friend. Ezra never returned, and now eight days later they found him in a hospital suffering from injuries that scared the shit out of them. Nathan had already commented that he could be blind and they knew that Ezra would hate it but being the stubborn cuss that he was he would live with it and not admit to them that he was dying inside.

Chris reached out and touched the bandaged face, there was no response. Shit, why won't he wake up? Because he's dying. That was his answer. Ezra Standish was dying and he couldn't say good bye to him. It made him angry that the Southerner had finally accepted his place in the group and this happened. He was sure that Ezra felt as though he had died alone, that his friends weren't with him.

"Ezra, wake up," he tried his voice again, "that's an order!"

Chris slammed his fist against the bed, Ezra's body rolled slightly then went back into it's original position. It was useless, it was also obvious that he was either unconscious or in a coma. Chris wanted neither, he wanted his friend awake so he could find out what happened, that way they could seek their revenge. The sound of the door opening caused him to look up. It was Buck with the doctor and JD was right behind the two men. Chris didn't have time to question the elderly man because Buck had shoved him toward the bed and demanded an explanation.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Buck growled at the man.

"Would you please let go of me." the doctor demanded of his captive.

Instead of following the request Buck pulled him closer and glared at him. "You have two seconds, then I'm going to start making some noise!"

The man blinked, then looked at the patient. "The John Doe was . . ."

"His name is Ezra Standish! Got it!" Buck yelled at him.

"We didn't have a name for him when he came in, there was no identification and the police are at the moment going through their missing persons files." the doctor explained.

"He's an undercover agent with the ATF." Vin told him.

"And it took you two days to find him?"

"I would just answer the question if I were you." Chris glared at him. "Now!"

"Your agent is fine, nothing that a weeks rest won't cure." the doctor growled back at him.

"Why won't he wake up then?" Buck grabbed the lapels of the smaller man's jacket more firmly so he could pull him closer.

"He's been here two days, wouldn't sleep and if he did he would wake up from a nightmare. I had the nurse give him a strong sedative last night so he would finally sleep." he looked down at his watch. "It should start wearing off in about three hours."

"His eyes?" Nathan queried.

"He wasn't use to the light," he started, "how long had he been missing?"

"Eight days, including the two he was here." Chris answered solomly.

"Then I would say he spent the other six in total darkness. The bandage is only to protect his eyes from the light. I've been taking a layer off each day. It will be off by tomorrow."

"And the other injuries?" Nathan continued.

"Deep abrasion on the left cheek, cuts and bruises over sixty per cent of his body, some required stitches, the head wound wasn't serious, slight concussion. Dehydration, I'd say that he didn't eat anything during that time either, that's about all."

"Has he said anything about where he'd been or what happened?" Buck asked him.

"No, said he couldn't remember, didn't even know who he was." the doctor shrugged.

"Amnesia?"

"It's possible but there were some things he remembered, kept calling out for someone named Chris. Said he was going to kill him, that he would think he'd run out again." the small man looked at each member of team seven in turn. "I assume one of you is Chris."

Chris used his left hand to wipe the hair away from Ezra's forehead. He would have to get it out that Southern head that he would never think such a thing. He trusted Ezra with his life as did the others, they would never believe he ran out on them. Ezra no longer had it in him. He was a part of the family now and should know it, but the old demons obviously still lingered. Ezra still wasn't able to believe that his friends would never betray him.

"I am." Chris admitted.

"Then I don't want you in here." the doctor told him.

"Why the hell not?" Buck practically yelled at him.

"Didn't you hear what I just said, he's afraid of the man, I don't want him in the room when my patient wakes up."

"I'm staying, Ezra's not afraid of me, once he sees me here he'll be fine." Chris told him.

The doctor had no choice but to change his decision, six men stared at him, their expressions told him that neither of them would be moving. "If he wants you out then you leave, do you understand me?"

Buck snorted at him. "That won't happen."

Ezra wanted to scream at the suffocating darkness that still surrounded him. He had thought he'd gotten away, but he was mistaken. His vision impaired eyes tried to find their way through his nightmare and his body tried to force itself out of it's prison. The voices he heard told him he wasn't alone, they were here, torturing him again. His body wanted to react by fighting them off but it would only make the punishment worse, he learnt that early. He kept still, but he tensed up when he heard his breathing pattern changed, it became rapid. They would know he was afraid. He was beginning to find it hard to get the air he needed into his lungs.

A hand touched his face and he couldn't help but jerk away from it. The voices began to talk to him then, calling his name and telling him that he was going to be fine, that they were here with him now. His mind finally forced the scream to leave his body. His pain filled form began to fight, he couldn't stop it, it was more a reaction than a request. He wanted it to stop but it wouldn't. His fists struck out at the persons holding him down and his feet began to kick but something was keeping them down.

Hands gripped his face and held it tight, a voice began to whisper in his ear but he couldn't calm down, the fear was too great. He struggled even harder and screamed for them to leave him alone. The sound of a door opening painfully assaulted his ears, the punishment was coming. Ezra gathered what strength he could and fought harder but it was useless. The sharp pain erupted in his upper arm as the voices continued to speak into his ear. He realised when his struggles began to weaken that they had drugged him, he was grateful that he didn't have to feel the pain this time. It had been bad enough before. His mind drifted away as the pain began.

Chris and Vin finally relaxed their hold when Ezra began to calm down. His reaction to their touch and voices shocked them to the core. He had fought and screamed at them as though his life depended on it. Something terrible had happened to the Southerner and he was still in the terrifying situation that he had escaped from physically. Emotionally, he was still there. Chris sat back down in his chair and took Ezra's hand in his. Ezra needed to feel the comforting touch of a friend and not the painfully torture of an enemy.

"I want you out of this room now!"

Buck stood up and moved closer to the doctor that had to administer a sedative to calm Ezra down. "No. Ezra's in a nightmare world at the moment and he needs us to get him out of it."

"I didn't get the impression that you could." the doctor smiled sarcastically at him.

"Get the fuck out!" Buck warned him. "Before I put you in a hospital bed."

"Now see here, this is a hospital, that man is a patient here. Unless you are his next of kin I suggest that you . . . "

Buck practically lifted the man off his feet and carried him to the door. He smiled at Josiah when the larger man opened it for him. He then threw the doctor through the opening that had been created for him. "You said that physically he's fine, so we'll take it from here." the door shut to cut off the doctor's protests.

"Nathan?" Buck turned to him.

"What!?" Nathan snapped.

"What do we do to help him?" Buck kept his voice neutral; for now.

"You seem to be the expert here Buck why don't you tell me."

Buck turned to look at Chris, his long time friend raised his eyebrows at him. He wasn't going to help him. The ladies man lowered his head then lifted his gaze to look at Nathan and the others. "I know everyone is angry and scared but it's not going to help Ezra if we fight amongst ourselves."

"Isn't that what I said three hours ago." JD spoke from the corner of the hospital room.

"Next time let him wake up on his own, don't touch him and don't talk to him." Nathan ordered them. "He's confusing our voices and touch with what happened to him."

Buck nodded in agreement, he didn't like it but it was a plan. Nathan knew what he was talking about, that was the only reason why he accepted it. "Then we sit and wait."

This time there was silence within the darkness, no one spoke and the pain was no longer there. He was alone. Ezra allowed himself to take a deep breath but grimaced at the pain it caused. He accepted it though, it was an old pain and not a new injury. His right arm felt numb so he slowly shifted. Nothing happened when he did, his movements continued until he was on his back. Still nothing new happened to him. He was defiantely alone. He lay quietly and listened for movements around him. Light began to filter through to his eyes. Maybe he had been able to escape again. They had caught him the first time and returned him to the prison.

Ezra reached up to his face, something tugged at his arms. He panicked and began to tear at them with his hands. Pain sparked in his hands as the pressure was removed. He cried out in frustration at his weakness and fear. An unknown tear escaped from his left eye and soaked into the bandage. He was alone and he was going to die alone. He frowned as a new odor hit his senses, it was a familiar and hated odor.

"Chris?" the Southern accent was thick with emotion. "Chris."

"I'm here Ezra." Chris leaned forward and touched Ezra's arm so he knew he was back with them. "We're all here."

Ezra heard the voice and felt the touch. He jerked away from both. It couldn't be real, he'd spent a life time in that hell. How could he be sure that he wasn't still in there and this time they had Chris.

"Your gonna be fine now Ezra." Vin spoke into his ear.

Ezra jumped at the sound.

"Take the bandages off his eyes." Nathan told them. "Carefully, he needs to see us. JD, will you close the blinds, lessen the light in the room."

Chris did as Nathan suggested, he removed the bandages carefully. "Keep your eyes closed Ezra."

Once the final bandage was removed Chris stared at his undercover agent's face. The eyes were red rimmed and slightly swollen. No doubt a result from being in the dark for so long. Chris looked up when Nathan came forward. The ex-medic placed a large dark hand above Ezra's eyes.

"Open your eyes Ezra, slowly." Nathan ordered him. "Close them again if the light is too painful."

Ezra tightened his eyelids, he was afraid to open them, what if they weren't really here, what if he was just having another nightmare. His friends had been with him before only for him to wake up and find his captives there instead.

"Open them Ezra!" Chris growled at him. He could see Ezra's fear but the younger man needed to see them, he had to know they were here with him.

Ezra's eyes relaxed then fluttered open, he first saw the hand through blurred vision. He quickly moved away from it and into the soft light. He squeezed he eyes shut again and lifted a hand to protect himself. Someone took it and pulled it down to his side.

"Ezra look at me." Chris spoke to him.

Ezra couldn't refuse the voice of his friend, he just hoped that it was Chris there when he opened his eyelids. His vision was still blurred but he could see the blond hair and dark clothing.

"Chris." Ezra smiled weakly.

"Yeah Ezra, were taking you home. You okay with that?"

Ezra closed his eyes and nodded.

Ezra was trying to sleep a peaceful and healing slumber in the company of his friends. Chris sat on his left side reading a magazine, well he was trying to read it. His blue eyes keep looking up towards the bandage that poked out from underneath the blanket that covered Ezra's back. It was one of two wounds that had need stitching, the other was on his chest. The doctor hadn't told them that it had taken a combination of fifty three stitches to close them. Damn doctors, they wouldn't tell you anything unless you asked them, then forced the information from them. He could see the blood seeping from the material that covered the wound. Nathan wanted to change it but he decided to wait until the Southerner had woken up, even in his sleep he tried to move away from the touch. That hadn't really bothered Nathan but it was the whimper of fear that escaped from the sleeping form that stopped him.

Vin sat on his right, the slack features of the undercover agent were visible to him. He grimaced each time a flicker of pain crossed the handsome face. Vin had learnt to recognise the fear that also appeared on Ezra's countanence. It was something that he had never seen on the confident features before. This was something new and he didn't like it. Whoever did this had to have done a job on him for Ezra to show the emotion of fear. The ex-bounty hunter looked across the inert form at his friend, he watched as Chris' eyes glanced from the magazine to Ezra's back then to the article that he was trying to read. His own thoughts mirrored Chris'. They wanted to know what happened but they couldn't push Ezra, they would have to wait until he was ready to talk about it.

As if on que, Ezra stirred. His legs stretched out then jerked back quickly. Too much pain, too much. Chris and Vin waited patiently during the thirty three minutes and forty two seconds it took for Ezra to finally open his eyes. During that time they listened to the groans of pain and muttered curses. The fear had been pushed to the back of the Southerner's mind, hidden behind the wall that he used to protect himself. Vin made sure he was in Ezra's vision when the green orbs appeared.

Ezra woke to what he hoped wasn't another nightmare. His friends had been there earlier, they told him they were taking him home but was it a lie. He'd heard plenty of lies before, people had lied to him all his life. Vin came into his vision as he blinked the tiredness away. Ezra felt the relief fill him, they hadn't lied to him.

"How you feeling Ezra?" Vin asked him.

"Hurts." Ezra muttered in reply.

"I'll get Nathan." Chris stood up and began to move towards the door. The curse spoken in a husky voice caused him to look back at Ezra. He couldn't help but smile. His agent was pushing Vin's arms away as he struggled to get into a sitting position. "Let him help you Ezra," the cold glare told him Ezra was back with them, "that's an order."

"Take it easy Ezra! Your going to tear your stitches." Vin growled at him as he tried to keep him still enough so he could help him into some sort of seated position.

Ezra of course had to raise an eyebrow in innocence at him. "What stitches? I've got stitches?" he looked down and saw his bandaged chest. "Oh dear."

"Your back too." Vin frowned at him as Ezra tried to twist into an awkward position so he could gain a clear view of his back. "Ezra! Nathan ain't going to be happy if you tear them, he won't want to take you back to that hospital."

"How did this happen?" Ezra asked him.

"You don't know?" the ex-bounty hunter turned as the bedroom door opened. He spoke with his features to the two men that stood watching him.

"Of course I don't know!" Ezra retorted. "I wouldn't be asking you if I knew." he tried one final twist. "Ow, ow, ow."

"Then stop doing it." Nathan chastised him as he moved to the bed.

"Oh great, medical expert in room." Ezra announced. "Going to hurt me some more are you."

"What are you angry at?" Chris questioned him.

Ezra opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out, he was at a loss for words. Why was he angry? He didn't know but he did know he was angry. "Don't know." the Southerner turned away in embarrassment.

"It's okay Ezra, we understand. Your angry at what happened." Nathan told him.

"But I don't know what happened. Last thing I remember was waiting for someone . . . don't know who . . . or where . . . then here . . . "

Vin looked at Chris then back at Ezra, the undercover agent needed answers and they couldn't give them too him. "The only thing that we can tell you is that you were waiting for Buck at the office, Buck was late, you disappeared. We found you last night at the hospital, they told us you'd been there for two days. Said you didn't know who you were."

"But I know who I am, why would I say that I didn't."

"Maybe you had a good reason." Chris suggested.

"If I did I don't remember it."

"That's okay, we can go over it later, you need to rest first. Doctor said a week."

"A week. Why do I need a week? I feel fine." Ezra argued with Chris.

"For a start, the doc didn't think you ate at all during the first six days you were missing, also dehydration, loss of blood, shock, your injuries . . . should I go on." Nathan stood over the smaller man with his arms crossed. He must have been a menacing figure because Ezra reluctantly agreed with him. "Good. First I'm going to change those bandages then your going to have something to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"Then I'll force feed you." Nathan smiled.

"Like to see you try." Ezra smiled back.

"I have help, what do you have."

Ezra's smiled faltered then fell. He was beaten, he'd have no choice but to follow their orders.

Six men sat around the large wooden kitchen table that sat in Chris' home. When Chris had asked Sarah why she had purchased such a large table she had simply begun to remove his trousers. It was answer enough for him, she had intended to have a large family. A family did sit at the table on occasions but it wasn't the one she had planned but Chris knew she would like and adore the men that sat with him. She would have no doubt taken JD under her wing and make it her mission to reveal the true Ezra Standish to those around him, Vin Tanner would have become a victim to her match making. Sarah would have loved each member of his team as if they were family. The thought made Chris smile. The dark clad leader smiled more often these days when he thought about his dead wife and son. It was only in the dark hours of the night that the pain returned.

"What are you smiling at?" Vin nudged his side.

"Just thinking about this table." Chris winked at him.

"Oh, okay, I don't want to hear about it Chris!" Buck growled at him. Being Chris' long time friend, he knew what Chris and his wife got up to.

"Don't want to hear what?" JD piped up, he didn't like being in the dark.

Buck smiled at Chris, his friend had that 'I dare you' look on his face. "Chris and Sarah use to have sex on this table." he smiled when Chris laughed, the man was healing nicely, slowly but nicely.

"Uh, can we get on with it now." JD regretted asking, he still got slightly embarrassed when talking about sex with the older generation.

Chris started to read from the police report that Buck had managed to get a copy of. It didn't tell them a lot. "They found him sitting on the corner of Jamison and Potters road. Apparently they had to subdue him, he fought them like a mad man. Wouldn't tell them who he was or what happened. No ID on him. Medics came and took him to the hospital. Put him on the missing person's list and left it at that. Not a lot they could do unless he talked."

"So all we have is where he was found." Vin nodded.

"It's a start." Chris agreed. "When Ezra's up to it, we'll take him there and see if it jogs his memory."

One Week Later

Ezra didn't want to go, there was obviously a reason why he wasn't remembering what happened to him and he had no intention of reliving it. Chris and Vin though were insisting that he went with them, that the area where he was found might cause him to remember something. Ezra had replied that he didn't want to remember. Chris retaliated with the guilt trip. What if they were still out there? What if they did it to someone else? What if the next victim died? So here he was sitting in the back of the dodge with an expression of anger and resentment clearly written on his face for all to see.

The corner of Jamison and Potters road was within site and it gave Ezra a nasty feeling. Even with the successful guilt trip he'd been sent on, he still didn't want to do it. A street light flashed in his eye but he didn't see it, all he could see was darkness. There was no sight or sound to be heard. Fear began to fill him once more. This wasn't right, how could he be back here, but where was here, he still couldn't recall the events of the missing eight days. Something nudged his shoulder and he screamed out in fear.

"It's okay Ezra, nothing here that's going to hurt you." Vin assured him.

"I was there for a minute." Ezra's body shook with tremors.

"Where?" Chris demanded.

"Where do you think!" Ezra retorted.

"I mean where were you, did you see anything?"

"No, can I go home now?"

"No." Chris leaned forward and pulled Ezra out of the car. "Your going to do this Ezra and your going to do it now!"

"Where did the sympathy and understanding go." Ezra grimaced at the twinges of pain in his body.

"You'll get it back when we go home." Chris smiled at him and pushed him towards the street corner.

"Tell me again why we're doing this at night time. It looks the same during the day."

"You were found at 2am Ezra, we want the surroundings to be the same. Better chance of you remembering something." Vin explained.

"But I don't want to remember." Ezra mumbled low enough for them not to hear him.

Chris stopped under the street sign that read Potter's road. He leaned against it and waited. He knew Ezra was staring at him but he refused to return the stare. Ezra was on his own until he remembered something, then they would be there for him. He could feel Ezra's resistance but he could be just as stubborn, he would wait. Ezra stubbornly stood with his hands in the jeans pockets. He silently wished for his own clothing. The t-shirt belonged to Buck, it was only his mood that allowed him to wear the white material that had the famous saying 'Bite Me' on it. The faded blues jeans belonged to Vin. He had refused the black jeans that Chris had offered him. Chris may not have been concerned about testicle cancer but Ezra sure as hell was.

Ezra's frustration finally go the better of him. Fine! If that's what they wanted, that's what he'd do, he would take his time, look around the darkened streets, and complain until they took him home. But he wasn't going to remember anything, he knew that for certain. His green eyes searched his surroundings while his leader and friend scrutinized him. The sight of a broken window caused something flashed through his mind but it didn't stay long enough to make an impact so he shrugged it off. If it was important it would make a return visit. It did! Ezra could feel the memory rushing towards him. God why did it have to happen like this. Why couldn't it just sneak up on you and knock on the door, if you wanted to remember, you let it in. If you didn't want to remember you would turn the lights off, hide and pretend no one was home. He wasn't a coward but he wanted to do the latter.

The memory hit him with such a force that he was knocked off his feet. His instincts put his arms out to take the burden of the fall. He didn't need to, he didn't feel the pain because he was now somewhere else. He began to relive part of his forgotten nightmare.

Run! He had to keep going, if he stopped now he was a dead man. Toward the filtered, head for the light. The running footsteps echoed behind him. He had angered them by finding a way out and now they were after his blood. A gunshot reverberated in the confined space. His greed for survival caused him to duck his head and lift his arms to protect himself. He almost cried out when the hot breath of the bullet brushed his face but the fact that his hunters would have laughed at him stopped him. They seemed to enjoy torturing a person more than a five year old child enjoys Christmas. They were sick men.

He was almost there, just a little further and he might be safe. Just keep going. He knew he wouldn't have time to removed the few boards that covered the window. He was going to have to risk an injury to his person by jumping straight through it. He took a breath as he ran and threw himself through the air. His arms protected his head that had been positioned close to his chest. His shoulder and upper back hit the boards and they snapped in half. He continued through the already shattered glass and felt it tear through the flesh on his back and chest.

More gunshots sounded and the wood around the broken window splintered sending shards of wood into the air. Thankfully he was already falling to the ground beneath second floor window. This was going to hurt he thought to himself and braced his already bruised body for the impact. It did hurt. The flesh was torn form his left cheek as it scrapped along the ground. He grimaced and cried out when his hip slammed against the concrete. His fear caused him to ignore the new pain and look up to search for his pursuers. They were no longer there.

He painfully stood up and limped away from his nightmare. He only managed to walk a few feet before he collapsed to the curb. After what felt like hours he thought his nightmare began again when someone grabbed him from behind. He fought them, he wasn't going back to that hell hole. He didn't recognise the two men as policemen. He continued to fight when the medics arrived. The next thing he remembered was waking up to find Chris and the others with him. The memory of what happened had been taken from his mind.

Ezra felt the hands grip his shoulders and jerked away in fear, he couldn't help it. He didn't know who was with him. He heard and recognised two voices. Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner, they were the two men trying to hold him still. Ezra allowed them to, their touch began to force the tremors of fear away. He opened his mouth but the words wouldn't come out. He swallowed and tried again.

"The window, I escaped through the window." Ezra nodded towards it.

Chris turned to look at the window Ezra had indicated but instead looked at the four men coming towards them. His eyes then drifted down to the automatic weapons that were aimed at them.

"Well, well, well, look who's come back to play and he brought his little friends with him." Vin and Ezra both looked to the source of the voice that had welcomed them in a very unfriendly way. Both men reacted differently. Vin tensed up and prepared himself to defend his two friends, all he needed was an opportunity, the men he was glaring at looked stupid enough to make a mistake. But life's lessons had taught him not to go on what people looked like. These men looked like evolved apes but that didn't mean they wouldn't shoot him if he looked at them the wrong way; and Vin was definitely doing that.

Ezra on the other hand acted like an ape that had just evolved into human form. He recognised the voice and reacted in a way that surprised Chris and Vin but not the four men who took a few more steps to bring them closer to their former victim. Ezra did the t-shirts slogan proud.

"BASTARDS!" Even though he still didn't remember what had happened to him, Ezra knew these were the men who were responsible for his missing six days. The one he knew had spoken was the man that had chased him towards the window that had become his means of escape. The Southerner was surprised by his own anger and violent reaction. He jumped to his feet and rushed the four men. His intention was to make them pay for what they had done to him; he would politely ask them what happened after he beat the shit out of them.

"Ezra!" Chris tried to grab him to stop him from committing suicide but the slippery agent easily maneuvered himself around their reaching hands. "Shit."

The man that lead the other three smiled as the smaller man came rushing towards them. This had happened before, he knew what to expect from the stubborn asshole. He would allow him to get in a few punches them stop him by hitting the chest or back of his so called attacker. He had watched as the flesh was torn from the man's back and chest as he escaped from their clutches. The man was a worthless coward, his escape had been pure luck. He would make sure that his own attack was quick and painful. The smaller man wasn't going to get the better of him this time. He didn't want the same thing to happen as it had before. He had spent ten minutes in the fetal position and the bruising that had developed around his groin area told him that it had been a bad mistake to allow the idiot to continue his assault. He wasn't going to do it again.

Ezra didn't know why but for some reason he wanted to go straight for the groin. Something told him he would only be able to get one chance, the other three men would stop him as soon as he removed the bastard from his standing position. He reached him in a matter of seconds. Ezra put his weight onto his left foot and began to swing his right arm towards the ugly jaw of the man who stood three inches over him. The cocky Southerner smiled up at him to indicate he'd changed his mind. He gripped the man's shirt with his fists. The man frowned then screamed in agony when Ezra's right knee slammed up against his crotch.

Ezra stepped back but not quickly enough. Two of the men that had been backing their leader up grabbed him by his arms and pulled him away. The other motioned to Chris and Vin with his gun. The two ATF agents were expected to follow them. They had no choice. They contemplated taking the man who lay immobolised on the ground but had second thoughts. They would be lying dead on the ground before they managed to reach the gun that lay next to the agonised enemy.

They passed him without making an attempt for the gun. Chris couldn't help but smile at the look of pain on the man's face. Ezra had a way of cheating when it came to anything, the man didn't like to loose. Chris knew it had come from a childhood of cheating, all the older and much larger children picked on the Southerner because he was a loner. This information had been gained from the younger man during one of his drinking binges. When Ezra had an emotional problem that he couldn't deal with or refused to talk about he took to the bottle. It often replaced the main meal of the day; for Ezra that was dinner, he'd often refused to eat breakfast.

Chris looked for Ezra, he was struggling within the grip of the two men who were dragging him towards the building that housed the broken window. As he passed it he could see someone boarding it up. No one was going to escape from there again. What the hell was going to happen to them? To Ezra? He had escaped once. What was his punishment going to be?

A door that wasn't easily spotted opened to allow the men to bring in their prisoners. Prisoners? Is that what they were? Chris didn't know these men. He didn't recognise them and he knew Vin didn't either. They were strangers, which made the whole situation even more confusing. Ezra would've had his ID on him the first time they had taken him. They would have found out that he was ATF but they didn't seem to care. They still didn't. But why didn't they?

The answer was obvious; they were sick bastards who thought they would never get caught. But they had made a mistake taking the three of them. Chris was sure that once Ezra was back in the original nightmare that he would remember who they were and what the best means of escape would be. Together the three of them would be able to get away. That's what Chris thought anyway.

Vin turned when he heard some one stumble after them. He grimaced, Ezra was going to pay for what he did to the ape that was nearly twice the Southerner's size. How did he do it? Even when the odds were stacked against him, Ezra had a way of cheating until he won. There was no shame or guilt or even apologies for the things he did. It was the way he lived and he was never going to change. Vin was grateful, he liked Ezra just the way he was. Will Ezra be the same after the goon was finished with him? He didn't know. Too many questions and not enough answers. But he knew the answers were coming.

Ezra didn't know what was going on. His memory was still full of pot holes. Holes that were large enough to fit a man through. And he had fallen into one, this time he had taken his two friends with him. There was complete darkness with no sight of the light ahead. He had no idea what was going to happen. If only he could remember. Damn it he could be so useless some times. He twisted his body so he could look over his shoulder, before he could get a glance at his friends he was roughly turned around and shoved through the open doorway.

The man that greeted him seemed familiar but Ezra couldn't place him. He did though, realise that it had to be the man in charge of it all. Ezra was about to say something when he was grabbed from behind and thrown against the wall. He grunted in pain when he hit it and the floor. Both were hard. He looked up just in time to see the still pain filled expression of the man he had downed in two seconds. His dimples appeared at the thought. The fist that slammed against his jaw broke the smile into pieces.

"Leave him." The leader ordered. He stepped up closer to Ezra and nudged him in his side. He smiled down at the green eyes that looked back at him. "You were able to get away from me before but not this time. This time your friends are going to play with you." He knelt down. "But we require a handicap, you'll remember the maze, be able to find your way out again. Not this time." He stood. Adjusted the double breasted black suit he was wearing and moved closer to his sergeant; but only until this was finished. To allow a smaller man to beat him was punishable by death. "Drug him. You know what to use. Then throw them into the room. We'll start the game in an hour."

They began to struggle, all three of them. Ezra because he hated needles and the thought of being drugged didn't go down to well either. He didn't expect help from his friends, didn't want them to help, they would only get hurt. But Chris and Vin wanted to help Ezra, the two guns that were aimed at their skulls stopped them from interfering. They could do nothing but watch as they dragged Ezra away. Each man refused to move when they were motioned towards a second door, the one that Ezra didn't go through. The fist to the right kidney forced Chris Larabee to his knees. It was the only reason that Vin helped him to his feet and followed the man that led them away, a quick survailence of his surroundings told him that at the moment it was useless to fight. Well at least there was an answer to one of their questions. They now knew what they were going to do to Ezra. Ezra knew their intentions but he had other ideas. Whatever it had been, he wasn't going to go through it again. He fought them as though his life depended on it; and it probably did. He kicked with his legs and struck out with his head. Hands gripped his arms even tighter and a heavy boot connected with his right thigh. He gritted his teeth against the pain and the thought that the fading bruise had just been replaced by a new one. He pulled with his arms and he knew that his captors had had enough when the fist connected with the side of his head. He became disorientated as they began to drag him towards an open doorway.

His chin fell against his chest when the throbbing in his skull became to much. The guy must have one hell of a punch. He pulled his arms again in an attempt to free them but his movements were weak. Ezra felt himself being lifted off his feet and before he could protect himself his body slammed against the floor. He heard the door close and opened his eyes. He wasn't alone. A man stood at the side of the door. He could take him, he knew he could. He may be at least four inches shorter than the guy and weigh fifty pounds less but he could take him. He would be quicker. A knee to the groin, then the exposed face. Break the guy's nose then pound his head against the wall. When the ape collapsed to the cold cement he would carefully remove himself from his prison and rescue his friends.

Ezra allowed his head to fall to the floor. A minute, just need a minute to get myself together and then I'll beat the crap out of the guy. When five minutes had passed without his knowledge, the door opened again. Hell, now he had two guys that he had to beat until their own mothers couldn't recognise them. Wasn't that from a movie. He waited. When someone gripped his right forearm he kicked out with his left foot. He was rewarded with a cry of pain. It was his own. Damn. Couldn't he do anything right.

He was spun onto his stomach. He could get his left arm under his body and push himself up. That didn't work, someone pushed a knee into the small of his back stopping him from getting off the floor. He swore. At them and at his own lack of ability to fight them. Was this how it was the first time? Were they able to beat him so easily? Usually he won the game but sometimes he played against a stacked deck and this was one of those times; it was on these occasions that he cheated.

He felt the small prick of the needle as it punctured his flesh. Why were they doing this to him? The liquid that had invaded his blood stream began to do it's work. He felt groggy, as though he had indulged in the bottle a little to much. Ezra blinked rapidly in an effort to clear his blurred vision. It only made it worse so he closed his eyes instead. He suddenly felt tired but the blackness wouldn't come for him.

The knee was removed from his back and he had the feeling that he was now alone. The light stabbed through his brain like a knife through his flesh as he opened his eyes once more. That was a bad idea, he quickly closed them again. He rolled onto his back and his limbs flopped to the floor beside him. This wasn't good. Ezra placed his elbows underneath his body and pushed upwards. Nothing happened. He made an attempt to roll back onto his stomach but he couldn't manage it. He would have to wait until someone came for him. But who would that someone be? An enemy or a friend?

A fist punched into the wall, it was caused by frustration, anger and fear. There were other emotions but these were at the forefront of his mind. What the hell was happening? The question had been asked within his own mind, he knew he wouldn't receive an answer from the man who was pacing the other side of the small room. Chris grimaced at the pain the useless physical violence brought him. He rubbed his hand and turned back to his friend.

"If they hurt him . . . " The threat was left unfinished.

What could he do. Nothing. There was nothing either of them could do to help Ezra. He wasn't with them. They couldn't protect him like they could protect each other. He joined Vin in his pacing. They had already tried the door, it was locked, they hadn't expected anything else. Chris feared for Ezra's safety. The Southerner had been through this already; could he go through it again. He hoped so because they might not have any other choice. He just hoped that Ezra didn't have to go through it alone.

He turned quickly when the sound of the lock opening reached him. The door swung open and revealed the man who they knew was in charge of this situation. Chris wanted to be in charge but he was going to have to bide his time. When the moment was right he would take control of the situation and deal with the assholes who were planning on hurting his undercover agent.

The larger man stepped into the room and adjusted the black sunglasses that matched his hair colour. He ran a hand through his greased hair and smiled at Chris.

"You ready to play?" the ape asked him.

"Play what?" Chris calmly replied although inside the anger was about to erupt.

"The Game."

"What game?" Vin joined the conversation.

"You'll find out just like that Southern bastard did. He was lucky when he escaped. Wasn't doing to good before then." the man gave them very little information on what was about to happen. "It won't happen a second time. We fixed the game. Hobbled the contestant, if you get my meaning."

Chris did. But before he could react Vin rushed the man that stood before them. The ex-bounty hunter didn't get to within two feet of the man. An even larger man appeared from behind his boss. Neither man had seen him. Vin stopped in his tracks and prepared to defend himself. He knew he couldn't just step back and expect forgiveness. They were going to teach him a lesson but nothing happened.

"Can't have two of you draggin' your asses, where's the fun in that." he moved back into the opening leaving his man in front of him to continue his job of protector, bouncer and all round idiot. "The game starts in fifteen minutes."

Chris and Vin watched the two men go. Vin glanced at Chris with a raised eyebrow. He was silently questioning his friend. Chris shrugged, he had no idea. The blond leader looked down at his watch. Fourteen minutes and twenty five seconds until they found out. If Ezra was with them they could have asked him but Chris didn't think the younger man would be much help to them now. Hobbled? What the hell did they do to him? Drugged him, that's what the bastards had done.

Fifteen minutes. It passed slowly, but it passed. Vin watched as the second hand informed him that the time had passed. He had expected Ezra to be thrown into the room with them. Did this mean they were playing on their own. He didn't want Ezra to go through this alone and he knew Chris didn't either. Ezra sure as hell wouldn't want to. He waited for the door to open. It didn't. How were they supposed to play the game - and win - if no one came to start it. Vin looked across at Chris. The older man was returning his stare, his own features frowning in confusion.

Vin decided to move forward, he could hear Chris behind him. The man was ready to back him up. He reached the door and pressed his ear against it. No sound came from the other side. He stretched his right hand until it found the door knob. It turned easily, it was no longer locked. He stepped back and opened the door. They were alone.

"Looks like the game's started." Vin grimaced at Chris.

"Let's find Ezra then get the hell out of here." Chris growled back in annoyance. Ezra had to do it, he had no choice. What if Chris and Vin were suffering, what if they were in pain. They could have been beaten, shot, stabbed, drugged. Anything. He had to help them. It took a few more minutes before he decided to actually do something about it. The eyelids opened to reveal drug induced pupils. Pain raced through his body. His closed his eyes against another stupid idea. Maybe he could do this without seeing what he was doing. He pushed with his mind. Muscles twitched and protested but he still lay in the same position. He wasn't going anywhere and he knew it. Shit!

The door opened. They were coming back for him. To finish what they had started? The voice that called his name told him otherwise. Chris and Vin. They were doing his job for him. They were helping themselves instead of allowing him to help them. That was so typical of those guys. Always have to get the better of him. Prove themselves the better man. To hell with them, he was going to do this. He pushed. He even managed to move a few inches higher but another force pushed him back down again. Damn them!

"Take it easy Ezra. Let us check you over first." Chris ordered him as he pushed him back down.

Vin knelt on the other side of the struggling man. Didn't he want their help? He didn't know it was them. They had found the room easy enough, no one had inhibited their movements to find Ezra. It was obviously what they were supposed to do. They had entered the room to find Ezra conscious and trying to get up. Their voices hadn't eased the man's fear.

"It's us Ezra. Chris and Vin." the quiet voice informed the former FBI agent. "Stay still will you."

Chris found the slight bruise in the crook of Ezra's right arm. They had drugged him. He used a gentle touch to lift Ezra's eyelids. Damn.

"He's full of something." Chris looked up at Vin.

"We stay or leave?"

"Stay." Chris answered him with a smile. "If they want us to play they can start the game."

"Started already . . . " Ezra mumbled.

"You remember something Ezra?" his leader nudged the smaller man to get his attention. "Ezra."

Ezra opened his mouth but the words wouldn't repeat themselves. Remember? No he didn't remember anything. Just had a feeling that they had to get out of this room. He pushed himself up again and still didn't get anywhere in his attempt to improve his position. A fear began to grow in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong. They had to leave. Now.

"Have to leave." Ezra raised his head, he managed an inch but that was all.

"We're not going anywhere Ezra. Your in no condition to leave." Chris growled down at him.

Ezra opened his eyes for the third time, it would have been four but Chris had forced them open without his consent, and did his best to glare at his boss. He knew it hadn't worked when Chris smiled down at him. A chill joined the fear that was now flowing through him. He knew the fear came from an empty memory but the emotion was real. He couldn't stop the tremor that wracked him. Ezra didn't know where it came from. Even though the time was the early hours of the morning the night had been warm. Too warm for a jacket.

"Chris." Vin's tone demanded attention and when he received it he nodded towards the South wall.

It was moving. But it couldn't be, this wasn't an episode of I Spy or even the movie Star Wars for that matter. JD had seen it when he was a kid and had to keep reminding everyone of it when the prequel arrived in the theaters. As a kid he had found the part where they jumped into the garbage to escape the enemy was pretty gross. He should be here. Who the hell made a prequel anyway? This sort of thing didn't happen in real life. And not Chris Larabee's life. His cold glare tried to stop what he was seeing, causing life saving seconds to pass quickly.

"Get Ezra up!"

Vin felt like letting him know that he already had Ezra standing. It had been a heavy task but the Southerner complied because he knew that his and their lives were in danger. Vin knew with fear that Ezra had become a burden. A burden that he was going to protect with his life. He half carried the man to the door and was quickly joined by Chris. He was ready to move when Chris turned the knob and pulled the door open. It didn't move. Two pairs of eyes quickly glanced towards the door while a pair of hooded eyes attempted the task of just looking. The wall moved closer. Neither Chris or Vin could believe what was happening. This was what Ezra had gone through. Someone was going to pay for this relived nightmare.

Chris made a more violent move to open the door. It opened. Why didn't the stupid bloody thing open the first time. He grabbed Ezra's free arm and helped Vin to drag him through the opening that was now available to them. Vin had to use more of his own strength to keep the Southerner standing while Chris looked for a way out.

He headed back the way they had originally come. Chris tried the door to the room they had been kept in. It was locked. He used the weight of his body to force his way through. It was useless, the door was solid. Too solid to be forced open. The way they had been brought in was no longer an option. They couldn't go back into the room where they had found Ezra. Not with a moving wall. It was beginning to feel more and more like he was in a movie, or maybe a dream. He glanced back at Vin and Ezra. His undercover agent wasn't standing on his own. Vin had Ezra's right arm pulled around his own neck. His left was wrapped around the smaller agent's waist. For Ezra's part, he was fighting to keep his head up. He was failing miserably. Each time he managed to get his head upright, his chin fell to his chest. Give up Ezra!

Chris saw another door. They could either stay here or go through it. There was nothing to say that a wall in the hallway they now stood in won't move. He looked at Vin. The man knew what he was thinking and nodded his head in agreement. They would go through the third door. Hell. Now it sounded like a game show. Again Chris helped to carry his undercover agent - he wasn't going to be angry at Ezra just because the man couldn't walk on his own - to the door. It opened easily and led into a thin long hallway. There was room enough for two men to walk side by side but not three. Chris relinquished his hold on Ezra. The door shut behind them. Now they were in a haunted house. Chris couldn't help but smile but it fell from his face when the light ended and darkness filled the long hall. This was the darkness that Ezra had spent six days in. Vin could feel the weight he was carrying begin to struggle. Ezra had no memory of what had happened to him but his survival instinct was telling him that it was happening again. He was grateful that the struggles were weak. Ezra was a fighter and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of his fear and anger. He didn't know if he could beat Ezra in a fight; not that he wanted to but he wasn't sure if he could defend himself against the smaller man and he didn't want to find out. A muttered curse was voiced in his ear as the Southerner gave up the fight and his knees buckled.

"Jesus Ezra, your supposed to be helping me here." Vin told him without the feeling of anger, it wasn't the smaller man's fault.

"You okay with him?" Chris asked in the darkness. He knew they were behind him and he turned to help.

"Yeah, he's fine." Vin lied. He knew the two of them couldn't take care of Ezra. One of them had to take the point position and find a way out. The job had been delegated to Chris and Vin had received the job of taking care of Ezra. He didn't mind, he'd seen a few episodes of the TV show, Tour Of Duty. His mind imagined Chris walking into a trap just as those men had tripped a wire connected to a mine. "Uh Chris, you want me to take point."

"Point?"

"Lead us out."

"You take care of Ezra." The tone in Chris' voice told Vin there would be no argument.

Great. Now he was going to worry about two men. But at least he had two men to worry about. It took his mind away from the fear that wanted to fill it. He normally didn't scare easy but no normal person couldn't fear the unknown and he didn't know what was going to happen. Ezra hadn't had that. When he went through it the first time he had been alone. No doubt scared out of his mind but not willing to allow it to control him. The fear had taken control after he had escaped. Vin knew that to be true, Ezra was a stubborn Bastard and wouldn't allow anything to beat him, at least not in front of other people. When he was alone the insecurities that he felt took control.

"Sit him down Vin. We'll take some time to let our eyes adjust to dark." Chris waited until he heard their movements. A grunt and a moan told him that Ezra was now on the floor. He could hear Vin's steady breathing and Ezra's quick intake of breaths.

"JD made me watch this movie once, something to do with this guy in a game, a race, can't really remember it. He had to get through all this stuff and . . . " Vin stopped when Chris interrupted him.

"The Running Man. Yeah, he made me watch it too. Don't know what it is with that kid." Chris shook his head and smiled.

"Arnold what's-his-name."

"Arnold Swartzenegger." Chris corrected him.

"Now if he was here."

"If Arnold Swartzenegger was here, I'd kick his butt." Chris growled into the darkness.

Vin couldn't help but laugh at the remark. It eased some of the tension he was feeling. That was until the gun shot erupted within the darkness around him. His first instinct was to protect Ezra. He grabbed the arms of the unmoving form and pushed him towards what he hoped was the ground. The muttered curse beneath him told him that Ezra was semi conscious. That wasn't good. He would have trouble if he had to move him quickly.

"You guys okay?" Chris asked. The fear he felt for his friends was in his voice.

"Yeah." Vin informed him.

A second explosion of sound echoed through the dark hallway. The ex-bounty hunter bit his tongue when the searing pain tore through his right arm. He could feel the warm blood begin to soak into his shirt, it ran like a river down his arm, he could fell it dripping off his fingers. Vin ignored the pain and the blood. He had to protect Ezra.

A third shot rang out and Vin felt Ezra jerk beneath him. He tried to use his right arm but the pain was too much. His left felt for the smaller man's face but it took a few agonising seconds to find it. He slapped it and was reward with a 'Fuck Off' from his friend.

"Are you okay Ezra?" Vin asked him and he heard Chris move closer to them.

"Am I okay?" Ezra pondered the question in his sluggish mind. There was an over caring friend sitting on him making it hard for him to breath. Something was dripping onto his face and he was afraid of what it was. It was dark and an inner part of himself feared it. He needed the bedroom closet light on. "Switch a light on will you." He jerked as another shot sounded in his ears.

"I think they want us to keep moving." Chris stated as he reached out. He felt both men jerk away from his touch. He could understand Ezra's reaction but not Vin's. "You okay Vin?"

"Yeah," he lied through gritted teeth, "sorry." He stood up and dragged Ezra with him. When he placed his left arm around Ezra's shoulders he could feel the quivering muscles beneath the t-shirt. "Just worried about Ezra here."

"Nothing wrong with me." Ezra mumbled as he made a valiant attempt to stand on his own.

"Sure Ezra." Chris gave him one of his looks even though he knew the Southerner couldn't see it. At least this way he wouldn't get a biting retort in return. "Let's keep going."

The three men began to move further into the darkness without knowing what was ahead of them. Chris felt along the walls for any turnoffs. This hall wouldn't go on forever. How the hell was he going to get his men out of this mess. He didn't know. It was at times like this that he wished he wasn't the leader but he knew it was a natural instinct. He was a born leader. A leader who sometimes wanted to give it all up so he could follow somebody else for a change.

Vin followed Chris' footsteps. His jaw was beginning to ache. He was clenching it too tightly against the pain in his upper arm. The blood was still flowing from the wound but not as fast as it had been. It no longer felt as though a raging river of blood was flowing from him. He didn't need it. Chris wouldn't be able to look after two of them. He grimaced then swore when Ezra stumbled towards the right and his arm hit the wall. God that hurt. He pushed to the right and grimaced again when he heard Ezra grunt. Sorry Ezra, didn't mean to push you so hard.

Chris continued to feel his way along the walls. He had a bad feeling. Not surprising considering the situation they were in. It had to be bad to have scared Ezra the way it did. The man didn't scare easily. Even he had trouble scaring the Southerner. Ezra always managed to stand there with that smug smile on his face whenever he went off at him. Ezra had so far, been lucky enough not to have that smile wiped from his face with the use of physical force. There were other ways to make the younger man succumb to his demands. Ways that were a lot more enjoyable and less frustrating for him.

He stopped. He heard Vin grunt when he walked into him. Ezra wasn't as tactful. He swore at the obstacle before him. Chris smiled at a memory that returned to his mind. The first time he had heard Ezra using profanity without apologising afterwards. It had been a pleasurable surprise for the other six members of Team Seven to find another side of the undercover agent when he had been intoxicated. He spoke more using less of the overly large vocabulary that he had when he was sober. He also swore a lot. He was more like the rest of them. It was one of the reasons they never let Ezra Standish get plastered on his own. He was actually fun to be around when he had too much to drink. The wall that he used to protect himself crumbled and his friends saw the real man. Funny, warm, and a prankster. If they got out of this alive it was going to be the first thing they did. Get drunk. Totally pissed. Drink until they passed out.

The smell that caused him to stop became stronger. It was a familiar odor that was lacking in strength. He heard Vin's quietly spoken question but refused to answer it until he recognised the odor. It hit him like a fist. Death. The smell was death. Somebody had died here. Why was the smell still lingering. Was it a recent death? No. There was only one explanation. The body was still here. The most important question was how had he died. Was there a trap?

"Ezra?"

"I'm fine. Nothing wrong with me." Ezra told him.

"Is there a trap up ahead?"

"No rats in here." Ezra's tone held the slightest betrayal of disgust. How could they think he would allow rats in here.

"He's not going to be any help Chris. This is why they drugged him." Vin reminded him.

"Shit!" Chris took a deep breath, held it, then made a decision. "Stay here." Buck Wilmington paced. He walked to the end of the large living room, turned, then walked to the other end of the room. This had been going on for thirty three minutes and twenty four seconds. Josiah knew this because he had just checked his watch. The minutes were beginning to slow down. Chris was supposed to call in thirty five minutes ago. Buck was worried, as they all were. Except JD who slept on the large sofa. He was unaware of the fact that his friends hadn't called in yet.

"I'm going to call them." Buck stated and picked up the phone as he passed it.

"Maybe they're just taking a bit more time. Ezra ain't going to remember it easily." Nathan told him in the hope that he was correct.

"They haven't called in Nathan and I want to know why." Buck retorted. He paced to the beat of the phone ringing. It rung four times then it stopped. There was no beep to tell him that it was engaged, no message saying that it was out of range or turned off. Just absolute silence. "Something's wrong."

"And what makes you think that?" Josiah asked him.

"I just know it. It's in my gut, something's wrong." Buck spoke harshly. He wasn't going to get blamed this time and he knew that they had blamed him when Ezra had first disappeared. He blamed himself so it was only natural that they blame him. "We're leaving."

"I think we should wait a bit longer." Nathan suggested.

"I wasn't asking Nathan, I'm telling you. We're going to look for them. Now!"

Nathan looked towards Josiah who just shrugged back at him. They weren't use to seeing Buck so angry, or taking charge for that matter. But then it wasn't something that he had to do before. And they hoped it wasn't something that he was going to have to do now. They thought that if given the unfortunate opportunity that he could be just as bad as Chris Larabee. Nathan shuddered at the thought. He was also worried that Buck may be right. He had an unsettling feeling in his own stomach.

"I'll wake JD up." Nathan offered.

Buck turned left on to Jamison Road without really slowing down. He ignored Josiah's warning to be careful when the ex-preacher was thrown against the passenger side door. He was grateful that there were no other cars on the road. He swore under his breath when he saw the dark dodge parked on the side of the road. He grimaced at the pain in his hand when he slammed it against the steering wheel. Shit! Why hadn't he acted sooner.

The car skidded to a halt behind the dodge and jerked when Buck didn't bother to put it into neutral. He was out of the car before the others; he hadn't bothered with his seat belt like they had. He reached Chris' car and looked inside. Nothing. He spun around under the street light looking for some sign of his friends.

"CHRIS!" Not again. Jesus, not again. "VIN, EZRA!" Not Ezra, he can't go through that again.

"They're not here." Josiah stated the obvious.

"I know they're not here!" Buck yelled at him. Shit! Not again. Calm down Buck, your in control here. It's up to you to find them. "Nathan, call the police, we're going to need help to look for them. We'll have to check every building in the immediate area. If they're not in one of them . . . " He didn't know. They couldn't just wait for them to show up like Ezra had done. They might not be as lucky as Ezra. The Southerner hadn't been seriously injured the first time. He didn't know what would happen to him or the others this time.

"You think the same thing has happened to them Buck?" JD asked as he came up beside his friend.

"Yeah I do."

"We'll find them. This time we have somewhere to start."

Somewhere to start. What if they were thrown into a vehicle and driven to a destination that was ten miles from where they now stood. There was no proof to say that Ezra hadn't been taken somewhere then returned. This shouldn't be happening, not again, not to Ezra. Where the hell were they!?

His heart began to beat faster with each step he took. He didn't know how close he was to the body that he feared was killed and left to rot within the darkness that surrounded it. He stopped and quickly wiped the sweat that had begun to gather on his forehead. It was a normal reaction, he wanted to stop it from falling into his eyes and blurring his vision. He took another step, nothing happened so he took another. His arms were spread out and he hoped that they would touch anything that would cause him pain; or even worse, kill him.

"Left."

"What?" Vin leaned Ezra against the wall and looked for his face with his good arm.

"Left." Ezra repeated. "Go left."

"Go left Chris." Vin raised his voice even though he knew his friend would have heard Ezra's mutterings in the silence.

"Thanks." Chris moved to his left. He took another two steps. Something made a noise. It was a sound that reminded him of an arrow passing close to him. And if probably did.

"Right."

Chris heard the blurred Southern accent and obeyed it's instructions. He had no idea how Ezra remembered but he was grateful for it. Another sound passed even closer to it. He thought he actually felt it tear at his shirt. Four more steps and nothing happened. He'd passed it.

"Follow me." Chris ordered his friends.

They didn't have a chance to. Bright lights suddenly assaulted their eyes. Vin and Chris both raised an arm to protect their eyes. Ezra closed his eyes tighter and began to slide to the floor. Vin no longer held him up. He managed to bring his knees up to his chest and bury his head against them. The movement helped to protect his eyes. He curled himself up even more as the sound of angry voices broke the silence.

Vin Tanner had all intentions of not allowing them to hurt Ezra. Not again. A door had opened up and the apes had returned, one of them carrying a syringe. There were five in all. Three headed towards him. Two to hold him down while the other drugged Ezra. Vin didn't know what the drug would do to the Southerner, the first one hadn't even worn off yet.

Chris watched. He was helpless to do anything. Two men blocked his path back to his friends. They filled the small area in what he now called a tunnel. It still looked like a hallway but it was now something else. He refused to look at the corpse on the floor near him. The smell was bad enough. Instead his eyes watched Vin. He knew the ex-bounty hunter would do what he could to protect Ezra.

"Vin! Don't." Chris ordered him but knew he would refuse to follow those orders. He also knew that in Vin's place he would do the same. Damn it! To hell with them. He wasn't going to make it easy for them. He rushed the two men in front of him. It was useless. He couldn't' get through. They only laughed at him and pushed him away. He yelled at them and tried again but they were ready for him. A large fist connected with the left side of his jaw and he went down hard. He didn't get up again. Instead he watched as Vin tried to help Ezra.

Vin had no hope. He knew it but it wasn't going to stop him. He had to try. Two of the apes grabbed him by his arms and pushed him away. He fought them with his life. One of the men didn't appreciate his struggles. He squeezed the upper arm that was soaked with blood. Vin clenched his teeth against the pain but after a minute he had to allow the pain to escape. He screamed out with the use of profanity. The man finally let go. So did the second one. Vin soon found out why. The man needed room. A fist slammed into his stomach. He wasn't allowed to double over. The ape held him up and hit him again. Four times the fist met with resistance. Vin paid the price of trying to protect his friend. Ribs cracked under the onslaught. He was finally allowed to slump to the floor.

Ezra felt a pair of hands grab him. The violent movement told him that it wasn't his friends. He kicked out with his feet and his left foot connected with something. He opened his eyes long enough to see the back of a fist heading towards him. He tried to move away from it but his reactions were slow. It hit him with enough force to double his vision. Again he was forced onto his stomach and the knee of the man assaulting him slammed into his back. Ezra grunted out in pain. The ape was not being kind at all. The knee pressed harder, making it hard for him to breath.

"Boss said your remembering too much." A guttural sound came to Ezra's ears but he didn't understand the words. "Says you need some more happy juice."

Ezra felt the needle, it was a brutal intrusion this time. The result was instant. The world became fuzzy, his stomach began to roll. His only thought was that they had given him too much. Vin groaned, he had to, he was in pain and the only way to make yourself feel better is to make a lot of noise. Because when you made a sound someone - usually one of his friends - would come rushing to your side and tell you that you were okay and everything was going to be fine. That didn't happen. All he heard was Chris yelling at him to get up and check Ezra. Didn't the bastard know he was hurting. No, obviously not. He wouldn't be yelling at him if he knew and it was best that he didn't.

"Just give me a sec." Vin yelled back as he forced himself onto his knees.

He took a slow deep breath to test his ribs. God that hurt. He wasn't going to make that stupid mistake a second time. When the pain finally began to ease he crawled around the confining space. He couldn't reach out with his arms, it only made it hurt more. He just had to hope that he bumped into the Southerner.

"Fuuuck!"

Yep, he bumped into him. His hand was supposed to land on something like a leg, or an arm. Even a chest. But no, with the way Ezra's luck was going, he had to land squarely on his groin. No wonder he swore. That must have hurt. He was forced to remove his hand when Ezra rolled over. It took him a few more seconds before he found the handsome face, hands had travelled up the Southerner's hip, chest then shoulders.

"Ezra? You okay?" Vin gently slapped what he hoped was Ezra's cheek.

"Noooo." The voice was slurred and the words long.

"Think you can stand up for me?" Vin knew what the answer would be. "You have to help me Ezra, I can't do it alone."

"Then leeeave meee." It was a simple statement that explained what Ezra thought would be obvious. They would leave him to help themselves. No they wouldn't but they might if he told them to.

"That's not an option Standish!" Chris yelled at him. "Now do as your told."

Ezra started muttering but Vin couldn't understand the words. He used his good side to try and pull Ezra to his feet. He was grateful that the injured ribs were on the right side. That left his other side free to do all the work. Vin managed to get Ezra so far then the smaller man fell back down. His legs weren't able to hold him up. The weight pulled Vin down to the same level. He grunted in pain.

"What happened Vin? Is he okay?" Chris called out to him. He hated being in the dark. He couldn't see what was happening.

"Yeah, just fell back down. He's worse than before. Drugged him pretty good this time." Vin explained. He purposely left out the fact that it wasn't Ezra that had made the pain filled noise.

He had to get Ezra up again and make him stay up. He didn't think he could do it. Do it Tanner! Ezra needs you to get him out of this shit. He gritted his teeth as he got a stronger hold on his friend and pulled him to his feet. Both men swayed while Tanner got into a better position to hold his friend up. Tears of pain began to fill his eyes. He blinked them away. Go left. Go left. Go left. There was no sound. He didn't know when he should go right. Go right. He had no choice. Maybe once the trap was triggered it needed to be reset. He couldn't take the chance. Vin continued to move to his right, dragging Ezra with him. He was breathing through his teeth. He had to. His jaw was clenched so tightly he thought he was going to break a tooth. Damn it Ezra! Help me! He hit something.

"It's me Vin." Chris reached out and grabbed someone. He didn't know if it was Vin or Ezra. "Bring him a few more steps then sit him down."

No! That means I'll have to get him up again. Vin did as he was told. He allowed Ezra to fall to the floor. He couldn't lower him. Too much pain. He leaned against the wall and held his injured side while Chris checked on Ezra.

Chris found Ezra's face and cupped it in his right hand. "Hey Ezra. You in there?"

"Just." was his answer.

"You okay to do this?"

"Tiiired, sick."

"I know Ezra. But we'll get you out of this."

"Promise."

"Promise Ezra." Chris lifted Ezra to his feet. "Come one, lets get going. Don't know what will happen if we stay put."

Vin prepared himself then took Ezra from Chris. The extra weight was enough to make his knees buckle. He wouldn't allow himself to fall. He heard and felt Chris move away. They were going to have to be more careful now. Ezra won't be any help. He was now too drugged to even remember his name. He wondered silently if the others would know yet that they were missing. Would it take them eight days to find them? He prayed that it wouldn't. If they kept drugging Ezra like this he would be dead before help came.

Buck was pissed and his anger showed clearly on his face. He nearly rivaled his long time friend. He stood under the street light with his arms folded across his chest. The body language told his friends not to go anywhere near him unless they had good news. He was ready to kill. JD had called the police five minutes earlier and they were yet to show. His anger grew with each passing minute as he thought about what might have happened to the three missing agents during that minute.

JD watched his friend and flat mate. At that moment in time, even he feared the man that spent most of his time trying to protect him and of course, to pick up women. JD knew why he had been angry when Ezra disappeared the first time, but he couldn't understand the anger he was feeling now. It was aimed at everyone, including himself.

"They're here." Josiah announced from his position near the dodge.

This got an instant reaction from Buck. He marched with determination towards the first police car before it came to a halt. He didn't even wait for the officers to get out, He opened the door and leaned into the car. "We have three ATF agents missing from this area. I want them found and I want them found now! I want you two to take Potters road. They've been missing for nearly two hours so I need at least a ten mile perimeter. The officers didn't argue with him. "And I want you to do it on foot." This they protested against but the angry glare stopped them. "I don't want anything to be missed. Understand!" They nodded and he moved on to the second car that appeared behind the first to repeat the same instructions. "We take Jamison." Buck told the remaining members of Team Seven. "We miss nothing."

Josiah and Nathan nodded. They knew what to do, they had to find the. The two ATF agents crossed the road to the other side of the street and began to look. Buck joined JD as he began to walk down the North side of Jamison. Each man checked everything, sometimes even twice. They were determined and that determination showed in their movements. Doors were checked, windows were pried open. Back alleys were walked through. Emergency exits were forced open. It was easier to gain entry to empty buildings. Stairs were climbed, upper floors were checked. And after two long hours of searching, nothing was found.

Ezra wanted to help, to do everything he could to help Vin to carry him. But he couldn't even form a sentence within his mind let alone walk without help. He didn't want to be a burden, he could look after himself, always had, always will. He pushed himself away from Vin with the intention of doing just that. Put one foot in front of the other, that's all you have to do. Your not stupid, your quite capable of doing it. He tried to walk on his own but his knees were beginning to buckle; again. Ezra fell against Vin and as a result he heard Vin groan. He knew Vin was hurt, the man wasn't able to hide the pain he was feeling from him. This made Ezra want to try even harder. Why wasn't Chris doing Vin's job. Was he hurt too? He hoped not. He hit himself with his mind. Why couldn't he remember, if he was able to, he could find the way out. How had he gotten out before? Didn't it have something to do with a window. He tried to think but his drug induced mind wouldn't allow it.

Suddenly he felt sick. Not now. He felt weaker. His knees buckled and he fell. This time he stayed down. Ezra could feel Vin's hands on him, searching for some indication that he was okay. He wasn't okay, he knew that. They had given him an overdose, he was sure of it. He was going to die here. His friends probably would too. He hated not being able to help them, to help an injured Vin Tanner. Life sucked and it was getting worse.

"Chris, Ezra's down again." this had happened twice before and each time it had been agony for Vin to go down with him then to pick him up again. Maybe he should tell Chris he was hurt.

"You want me to take him for a while?" Chris asked as he slowly moved back towards the sound of Vin's voice.

"No, I'm fine with him." Vin lied.

Ezra wanted to tell Chris that Vin was hurt. His mouth moved slightly in the attempt but no sound came out, no words made themselves available to inform Chris that his friend was injured. He was confused. He'd never had any trouble forming words for any other occasion. People usually told him to shut up, they threatened him violence because he wouldn't stop talking. And now when it was important, he couldn't say a word. Ezra couldn't help himself or his friends. He was useless. He'd been through this already, he should remember, but he couldn't and he hated himself for putting his two friends through it.

"Ezra!" Chris had found the warm flesh that covered Ezra's face. "He's warm."

Vin wiped his own forehead with his good hand and found that he to was warm. Just great. Can't help Ezra if I get sick. "Yeah, noticed that myself. Not much we can do about it now."

"No, we have to get him the hell out of here." Chris spoke as they it was going to be easy. "Get him up, we're leaving."

"Can't we let him rest for a minute." He wanted to rest himself, to give the pain his ribs were causing him a chance to ease.

"We have to keep him moving, if we let him fall asleep he might not wake up." Chris slapped Ezra's face hard. "Wake up Ezra!"

He was right. Vin knew it, he had to stop thinking about himself and think about Ezra. He prepared himself for the pain and with Chris' help lifted Ezra to his feet. He used his left arm to support the smaller man while Chris continued to try and wake him up. Ezra was awake but he didn't have the strength to inform them of the fact. He wasn't able to use his voice or his body to stop Chris from assaulting him. If there was enough light the expression he hoped was on his face, would tell them that he was awake and could they please stop hitting him.

"Wake." Finally, his voice worked. Did this mean he was okay now. He tried again. Nothing, it was a one off thing. But it was enough for the open hand to stop slapping him.

"Good. Stay awake Ezra." Chris moved away. He had to get his men out of here.

Vin followed the sound of Chris' footsteps as he struggled to half carry Ezra. The darkness around them was starting to get to him. The confined space they were in didn't help either. God he hoped they got out of this. He had wanted to know what had happened to Ezra, now he wasn't so sure. Maybe Ezra's memory loss had been the best thing for the undercover agent. He was in this for six days, they had been here for what he thought was only a matter of a few hours and he hated it already. He wanted out. They all wanted out. Buck stopped to try and control his anger. He couldn't think this way, he had to calm down. His friends were dependant on him and the rest of Team Seven. He had to think. He crossed his arms and hung his head. He felt defeated, Chris wouldn't have lost control like this. He would know what to do. Just like last time, Buck sarcastically told himself. Chris hadn't been able to find Ezra and now he couldn't find them. Would they show up like Ezra had done. He didn't think so. They weren't going to allow Ezra to leave, not this time. He had either escaped or they had let him go. He didn't think it was the latter.

He paced passed the boarded up window. They had checked this building first and like the others they had found no sign of their friends. He kicked a large rock out of his way. God damn it! Why can't I find them! He turned and began to move in the other direction. He stopped and leaned against the wood that covered the window. Buck felt as though he had been staring at the ground for hours when he finally saw it. Blood. He knew it was blood. It may be a dark brown now but it was there. He spun quickly and began to examine the window as the feeling of a hunch began to burn into his inner being. There it was, it was only a small amount but there was more blood on the window. They had to be here, but they had already checked and found nothing. Well, this time they weren't going to go through the front door.

"Over here!" he yelled out and immediately heard the running footsteps.

"Find something?" Josiah asked him.

"Blood, it's old. Could be Ezra's." Buck pointed out the splatters of blood. "He could have come through this window."

"So what are we waiting for." Nathan began to pull at the wood and the others quickly joined in.

Vin couldn't go any further, he needed to rest. As each minuted had passed, Ezra had become heavier and less lucid. He was practically carrying an unconscious form. Sorry Ezra. He allowed the Southerner to fall. He winced at the grunt that he knew was forthcoming. It didn't happen. Shit. Vin knew Chris was going to ask what had happened, he was going to have to lie. If Chris ever found out that he was hurt, his leader would be totally pissed. But he didn't have a choice, he couldn't lead them out of here and neither could Chris if he had to look after his two injured agents.

"You guys okay?" Chris reached out and found what he thought was Vin.

"Yeah, just think Ezra could do with a bit of rest." Vin lied.

"Sure. Don't know how long they'll allow us to sit here though." Chris grimaced. He was ready to kill someone. Kill them twice over. But he was going to need a weapon, his fists weren't going to be enough against these goons. They were too big and there was too many of them.

Vin shifted until his back was leaning against the wall. His arm burned through the flesh and ate at his nerve endings. His ribs weren't much better. He was beginning to feel light headed. Vin wasn't sure if it was loss of blood or exhaustion from half carrying Ezra. If it was blood loss then he wasn't going to last much longer.

"Let's get moving, I want to get out of here and make someone pay." Chris grabbed a slack arm and began to pull Ezra to his feet.

Vin struggled to get up but finally managed it. He took Ezra from Chris and began moving.

They finally managed to clear the window. Darkness welcomed them along with the terrible odor of urine and excreatement. Buck grimaced. He turned and began to give out orders.

"JD, get some flash lights and phone the medics, I want them here when we get them out. Josiah, contact those officers, I want them to follow us in, their our backup. Be quick about it. Then we're going in." Both JD and Josiah ran to carry out their orders. They were back within minutes. "Ready?" They nodded in confirmation. "Let's go then."

Buck was the first one to enter into the building. He grimaced at the sight and for a moment he contemplated ordering JD to stay out but it wouldn't be the right thing to do. JD was professional enough to get through this. The smell was overwhelming, nausea caused his stomach to roll. Buck held the flash light and his gun out in front of him. He kept the light off the floor, he didn't like what he saw. The area was only wide enough for two men to walk shoulder to shoulder with a bit of room to spare. Josiah joined while Nathan and JD took the rear.

"Shit!" Buck saw the body first, it was lying face down so he wasn't sure which one of his missing friends was dead. He ran to it and knelt down. The repugnant smell told him that he had made a mistake. He could see the amount of decay on the corpse without having to turn it over. Ezra and his friends weren't the only ones to go through this.

"Who the hell is that?" JD bent down beside Buck.

"We'll find out later." Buck moved away from the body and kept going.

The maze they seemed to be in turned towards the left. They followed it's direction and continued to go deeper into the maze. They had no intention of stopping until they find their friends.

Ezra knew the end was coming. He could feel something coming for him, his mind seemed to drift away from his body. The legs that had carried him so far began to collapse. He couldn't go on. His mind blacked out as he fell to the ground taking Vin with him for the last time.

Vin cried out in pain as Ezra managed to land on his injured side. The weight stayed in position. There was no movement from the undercover agent. This scared the shit out of the ex-bounty hunter. He carefully pushed Ezra off and began to do his best to check him in the darkness that gave them no respite.

"Ezra! You with me pal?" Vin shook Ezra hard.

Chris quickly joined Vin by Ezra's side, the cry of pain and Vin's voice directed him straight to them. He also began to try and shake Ezra awake. There was no response from the smaller man. Chris found Ezra's neck and felt for a pulse. There was one there but it was weak. Damn! If they didn't get him out of here and to a hospital soon, Ezra was a dead man. It was only a matter of time before they would end up like the poor son of a bitch they passed earlier. Buck refused to look at the carnage that surrounded him as he led his men further into the nightmare he knew his missing friends were living. He had checked the time on his watch with the flashlight. They had been walking through shit - literally - for the last hour. They hadn't covered a lot of distance, it seemed that they had to keep back tracking. Too many dead ends. They had found traps that were meant to kill in the darkness but revealed themselves to their flash lights. No wonder Ezra hadn't been able to remember what had happened to him.

Buck stopped. He thought he saw movement within the light. He frowned as he moved forward. There it was again, more movement. It had to be them. He didn't rush, there could be more traps between them and the others. They were going to have to go slow. Once they reached them they would be able to hurry.

"Think we've found them." Buck whispered over his shoulder.

Chris grimaced as the light tore into his eyes. This couldn't be good. They're coming to finish the job. Well this time he was with Ezra and was going to die protecting him. He was sure that Vin was willing to make the same sacrifice for his friend. Ezra would do the same for them.

"Vin, we've gotta go back." Chris struggled to lift Ezra's slack weight. "They're coming."

"Aw shit!" Vin muttered through his pain.

They both lifted Ezra, taking an arm between them and started to move backwards. It was only the voice of his long time friend that stopped him. The voice had been low but there was no mistake. It was Buck. They had found them. Jesus. How did they find them when they hadn't been able to find Ezra the first time. Buck was good, he knew that, but he wasn't that good. None of them were.

"It's Buck." Chris informed Vin. "Put him down easy."

"Bout time." Vin grimaced and groaned as he help lay Ezra on the floor.

"Buck!" Chris yelled out to him.

"Hey pard!" Buck returned the sentiment. "What you up to?"

"You know, just laying around." Chris shook his head in the darkness. Just like Buck to try and lighten the mood. "Nathan with you?"

"Who?" Buck's tone became serious.

"Who else."

"Uh huh." Buck nodded as he saw Ezra lying between Vin and Chris. His eyes saw the blood that covered part of his chest and side. "Shit. What happened to him?"

Chris turned away from the light as Buck moved to his side. He frowned when he saw the blood on Ezra. "Drugged him. Don't know where the blood come from."

"Let me have a look." Nathan pushed Buck behind him and began to check Ezra over.

"That'd be mine." Vin admitted.

"What!?" Chris demanded,

"One of those bullets nicked my arm." Vin turned so Nathan could see his arm. "And those goons cracked a couple of ribs too."

"Damn it Vin! Why didn't you tell me." Chris glared at him.

"You had to get us out, couldn't do that if you were looking after two of us." Vin explained and saw Chris sigh in agreement. "Don't do it again."

"What?" Vin raised his eyes in innocence. "Shot or beaten?"

"Both god damn it!"

"We got to get Ezra to the hospital." Nathan stated. "They've overdosed him."

Team Seven - except for Ezra - ducked as the shot rang out. Four men removed their guns and fired in the direction the shot came from. After six bullets were fired they heard a grunt. Buck smiled when he heard their backup telling the criminals to freeze. Like they could see them in this darkness. Bright flashlights shown within the small area. Okay, that's how they're going to seem them.

"Josiah, JD, help them. Nathan and I will get this lot out." Buck and Chris took Ezra while Nathan gave Vin a hand. "Lead the way Chris."

"Gladly." Chris smiled at his friend.

The hospital room was quite. Too quite. Vin lay sleeping on his left side. The gunshot wound to his arm was superficial, didn't explain why it had bleed so much though. Two of his ribs had been cracked and he had some bad bruising. Apart from that he was fine. The doctor told them that Ezra was going to be fine too. They had gotten him to the hospital in time. He was now sleeping it off. The Southerner lay on his stomach, the blanket half covered his face. Ezra hadn't woken so he was unaware of the fact that they had been found and were now in the hospital. Chris had no intention of sleeping until Ezra woke. The last thing he wanted was Ezra to wake up with the darkness still surrounding him.

Chris looked to his left when he heard one of the numerous chairs squeak. He saw Buck looking at him.

"You see much in there Buck?"

"Enough to know why Ezra didn't want to remember." Buck looked down at this hands as the faces of corpses looked back at him. "Only spent an hour in there, that was bad enough. Ezra was in there for six days. Maybe he didn't see but he could smell and feel."

"Smelt one of them myself."

"I don't think we should try and make him remember. Just give him an idea if he wants to know but that's it." Buck lifted his eyes to take in the smaller man's covered form. "He shouldn't have to remember that."

"How many?"

"How many what?" Buck turned to Chris.

"Bodies. How many other poor bastards were in there?"

"I counted fourteen just in the one hour." the ladies man didn't take his eyes off his friend.

"Shit." Chris hung his head. "Did you get them?"

"All but one guy. They said there was a boss, big guy in a suit. We're still looking for him."

"Why do they do it Buck? Why?"

"I don't know Chris. There's people like that out there everywhere. Sometimes we're going to get them, other times we're not. There's nothing to explain them or why they're on this Earth."

"Or why they kill innocent people." Chris knew if Buck hadn't found them they would have been added to the list of victims. "How'd you find us anyway. I know your not that good." Chris smiled at him.

"Blood on the pavement outside the window. Ezra must have cut his back and chest on it. Idiots didn't bother to clean it. There are some small miracles in this world."

"Please do you mind. I have a headache." Ezra growled under his covers.

"The headache you have now is nothing compared to the headache I'm going to get with your belly aching Ezra. Now shut up and go back to sleep." Chris growled just as dangerously.

"Kay." Ezra rolled over. "Just make a little noise so people would know your awake, think they would be grateful, show a little sympathy but no. They have to get a little pissed and have a go at you. I mean it's not like I've just come back from a holiday in the South of France, no, I've been through hell and back. Sympathy. No. Mr Larabee doesn't know the meaning of the word."

"Shut up Ezra!" Chris and Vin both told him.

"Okay!"

The End

Ezra Standish Fiction - ATF/AU