Title:   Fallout 

Series: Wind & Rain  - part VII

Author: Barb Marx

Pairing:  Ezra/OFC /Seven

Universe:  ATF

Archive:  http://het_oasis.tripod.com/hot4het.html (adult pages)

Summary: Time to pay the piper!

Open fandom: Yes (Please ask if you want to play.)

Rating: PG a little language warning

Disclaimer: The M7 characters are owned by Trilogy, MGM and Mirisch, No copyright infringement was intended. For sheer entertainment

Warning: None

Dedications: My thanks again to TJ who did a wonderful job Beta’ing this soap opera. Thank you for your continued support in my efforts to create and write, and to LV who created this little background for my work to shine on.

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The Fallout

Josiah was worried, and pissed. When the profiler had agreed to pick up Adrian this morning, he had no idea that the house of cards that Buck, Vin and JD had built was going to come down on his shoulders. He allowed his anger at the three young men to simmer in the back of his brain and concentrated on trying to defuse the woman beside him. He knew that he would deal with his ‘brothers’ later, after Adrian got through with them. He shuddered to think what Ezra would do to them when he learned of their machinations.

Adrian sat like a statue beside him.

The brunette hadn’t said a word since the profiler had told her that his teammates had lied. Delaney hadn’t yelled or screamed, or even cried. She sat there, not moving, or even twitching. The only way he knew she was alive was the open eyes, and steady breathing.

The big man had long ago stopped trying to get the young woman to talk to him.  He kept close watch out of the corner of his eye.  Adrian didn't acknowledge her surroundings, yet, once or twice, Sanchez had thought perhaps she would say something.  No sound escaped her lips.  This wasn't normal for the usually vibrant, bubbly Canadian.

Ezra had joked once that Delaney was so vivacious that she could even carry an intelligent conversation with a brick wall.

Instead of being offended by the comment, the hazel-eyed woman just laughed and agreed. Adrian had admitted that, while in elementary school, her report cards said that she had great communication skills. At which time, her mother had looked at her only daughter and said, "you talk too much".

Recalling the discussion, the profiler was unnerved to see her so still and uncommunicative now.

Delaney had a way of lighting up a room with her presence. It was a trait that had endeared her to Josiah. The brunette was so oblivious to the reactions she created in others that the ex preacher had been stunned when Adrian had confided to him. One evening when they were alone, she had told Sanchez that she was shocked that someone like Ezra was attracted to her. She didn’t see her own appeal.

Josiah had been surprised to find that this woman was slowly stealing into his heart. Delaney was the daughter he never knew he needed, or wanted. Now, his girl was hurting and madder than hell. He could literally feel the anger rolling off Adrian in waves. This did not bode well for Buck, Vin and JD. Nope! Sanchez hoped his three brothers were well insured.

~~7~~

Adrian was trying not to lose control. Anger was building insider her, unlike anything she had ever experienced before. It took every ounce of self-control the young woman possessed in order not to start yelling at Josiah. This gentle giant sitting beside her did not need to be ripped apart.

The brunette knew that the profiler was trying to engage her in conversation but she ignored him. It was safer that way. Delaney simply concentrated on breathing and figuring out how she was going to hide the bodies when she finished killing her lover’s 'brothers'. She just hoped that Ezra would forgive her decimating half his ‘family'.

"Septic tank…"

Sanchez was startled. Did Adrian just say septic tank? "I’m sorry, what did you say?"

Delaney looked at the profiler blankly.

"You said septic tank, I think?" the big man repeated.

"Yes, it’s the best place to hide a body. The evidence disappears in a matter of months. Nothing left but teeth," Adrian quietly explained as if this was an every day comment.

Josiah swallowed and concentrated on the road. He wasn’t sure he wanted to know how Delaney knew this.

~~7~~

Josiah parked the suburban and, before he could even unbuckle his seat belt, Delaney was out of the car and stalking towards the elevator. "Wait for me, Adrian. I have to check you in with security first," the agent hollered.

The furious woman nodded and stood at the elevator her foot tapping with impatience.

Five minutes later Adrian and Josiah were in the elevator heading for Team 7’s offices.

~~7~~

"Where are they?" Delaney stalked into the bullpen and snarled at Kate.

Startled, Kate looked up at the angry woman. Immediately realizing that the brunette had found out that Ezra was still undercover and would be for another week, she glanced at Sharon, Lori and Bonnie, who had dropped by Team 7’s office for a quick chat. The three women looked at Kate and waited to hear what she was going to say.

"They’re in Travis’ office in a meeting," Kate answered. She was tempted to lie to Delaney but, looking into her friend’s face, the blonde quickly changed her mind.

Adrian nodded and was about to leave when Larabee stopped her.

Chris exited his office at the same time as Adrian arrived. He heard her question and saw the guilty looks on all the women’s faces, quickly surmising what was wrong. He glanced at Josiah who was standing behind Delaney like a sentinel. The leader saw the anger and worry on his profiler’s visage. ‘Damn! the boys are in so much shit' he thought.

"Adrian? I’m heading to Travis’ office for the meeting as well, why don’t I show you the way?" Chris asked as he gently steered the furious woman towards the door.

Allowing herself to be directed out of the bullpen, the brunette noticed the looks on the four women’ faces and knew that they were aware of the deception, if not actively involved up to their necks. She would have to talk to them later.

Sanchez tried to follow but the team leader motioned him to stay. Not happy, the profiler nevertheless nodded and moved to sit at his desk.

Watching the drama unfold, Nathan looked at his friend for an explanation. The medic had a feeling that his services were going to be needed sometime in the near future.

~~7~~

Adrian and Chris didn’t say a word to each other as they stood side by side in the elevator. Larabee glanced at the woman and again marveled at her self-control. If the roles had been reversed and he was in the Canadian’s position he would be throwing a fit of biblical proportions. Instead, the brunette was simmering quietly, valiantly working on keeping her anger under wraps.

Finally, arriving on the 13^th floor, they exited the elevator and stalked down the corridor to Travis’ office. Upon entering, Delaney ignored the secretary flirting with Buck and walked up to the mustached man. Staring him straight in the eye, she growled, "Boardroom! Now!"

The surveillance expert straightened up and was about to say something when Larabee caught his eye. The team leader shook his head, and with a pointed look, directed him to do as he was ordered. Wilmington’s eyes widened with instant clarity and he cursed to himself. He nodded and turned to walk into Travis’ boardroom.

The incensed woman acknowledged Buck’s acquiescence and then turned to JD, "You too."

Dunne swallowed and meekly followed Buck. Instinctively knowing that there was nothing he could say to placate the woman, he wisely did as he was told.

Adrian turned to stare at Chris. The blond man nodded and motioned for her to go into the boardroom. Raising a questioning eyebrow towards Vin, the angry woman acknowledged Larabee's authority, leaving the two men alone.

"Cowboy, what’s going on?" Vin asked as he watched Adrian stalk in to the boardroom following his fellow conspirators.

"Remember what I told you? Time to find a rope." With that comment, and an accompanying glare, Larabee went into Travis’ office and shut the door, leaving Vin no choice but to face the consequences of his actions.

"Shit!" Tanner muttered as he walked in to the boardroom. When he entered the room, he found Buck and JD standing together at one end of the room watching Delaney nervously.

For her part the furious woman was standing facing the window. Her hands flexing into fists at her side. The tracker could feel the anger rolling off of the brunette in waves. He thought again about how screwed they were and settled in to wait for Adrian to make the first move.

~~7~~

Nathan and Josiah were discussing the situation that they currently found themselves in.

The medic had finally convinced the ex-preacher that killing Buck, Vin and JD would just be too much trouble. "Josiah, just think about all of the paperwork you’d have to do? Besides, where would you hide the bodies?" the dark skinned man asked hoping to distract the profiler.

Sanchez started laughing at Nathan’s last question. "Septic tank," he managed to gasp out between his chuckles.

The agent just looked at his best friend like he’d finally lost his mind. "Do I really want to know what that means?" he asked, unknowingly echoing Josiah’s earlier thoughts and causing the big man to laugh even harder.

"It’s nice to know that the world continues to cause you mirth, Mr. Sanchez," a distinctly southern drawl made its way across the bullpen startling the two agents from their conversation.

"Ezra! What are you doing here, son?" Josiah asked while rushing over to him.

Recovering from his shock, Jackson stood up as well and took in the southerner’s haggard appearance and the sling holding his right arm against his chest. "What the hell happened to you? Why aren’t you still undercover?"

Ignoring both men, Standish walked further into the room, and with a soul deep sigh, eased himself into the nearest chair.

Sanchez put his arm in front of Nathan preventing him from reaching Ezra. With a stern look at the medic to stay put, he asked, "What happened, son? Why aren’t you still undercover? Why didn’t you contact us if you were in trouble? Are you okay?"

Ezra ran a hand over his face. He smiled at the naked concern blatantly visible on his two friends’ faces. He didn’t have enough energy to comment on Josiah calling him son, so he just ignored it, thinking instead about how he was going to answer the questions the big man posed.

Sorting his thoughts, the tired man started his explanation, "It appears that our colleagues in the DEA deemed it necessary to arrest the objects of my assignment without consulting me. The bastards were rather inconsiderate, don’t you think? They neglected to read the inter agency memo about our investigation into the numbskulls’ gun running operation."

Nathan and Josiah looked at each other stunned. They both had to reassure themselves that they were hearing the same thing. Ezra’s language was usually more flowery and formal.

~~7~~

Adrian stared at nothing. She didn’t see the scenic view of Denver or the rain that continued to fall. What was she going to say to the three men behind her? They may deserve to be yelled at but she didn’t want to. Yelling never solved anything and Delaney was damned if she was going to be driven to it now.

Studying their reflections in the window a small ghost of a smile formed, despite her anger.

Buck was trying to look unconcerned, though the way he held himself, his posture rigid, and the way that he kept smoothing his moustache were all tell tale signs of his nervousness. The ‘jig was up’ and the big man hoped that the piper wouldn’t demand too much of a payment out of his hide.

"Screwed! We are so screwed!" JD muttered to no one in particular. He sat slumped in a chair and started thinking about finding a place to hide. He was so dead when Ezra and Josiah got a hold of him. What ever Delaney was going to do would pale in comparison to what was in store for them when a certain undercover agent and ex-preacher decided on what form of vengeance they would mete out. Taking a quick look at Adrian’s clenched fists, he wondered if the Foreign Legion was accepting applications.

Chris was right, they were so dead. How did he let it go this far? What made him think that they could play God and manipulate someone like they had? Vin was kicking himself, he always hated it when others had tried to dictate his life. He had continuously ignored that little voice in his head that told him that this was a bad idea. Hindsight was a wonderful thing, and looking back the sharpshooter could see where things had gone wrong.

Fascinated despite herself, Delaney watched the emotions flit across their faces. Adrian’s anger had slowly simmered down from a nuclear meltdown to just hot enough to melt steel. The brunette was now able to think clearly again and she started to analyze the situation and what she was going to say to them. Still observing the ‘boys’, she realized that they all looked truly sorry for deceiving her and her anger lowered another notch. The vile retribution that she was going to inflict upon them no longer held the same appeal. Adrian barely concealed the grin that formed at that thought, it sounded so much like something that Ezra would say. She shook herself mentally, she couldn’t think about her lover right now, not if she didn’t want to completely loose it, breakdown, and cry.

Finally, she turned around.

Seeing that, Buck took the opportunity to speak. "Adrian, darlin', let me explain."

"No! You will sit down and listen to me," Delaney’s voice was calm and low but it held none of the warmth that was usually associated with it. Buck shivered and did as he was told.

"I don’t know why you did this. Truthfully, I don’t really care. What makes me so angry is your total lack of regard towards me. That you thought you could get away with manipulating me, like I was some mark or…or miscreant that you had to con to do your bidding. It makes me wonder if you care at all about me? I thought you were my friends? Was anything you told me the truth? Were you only humoring me because I’m with Ezra? And what about Ezra? Forget for a minute that I’m going through a rough time at the moment, I don’t have a job and the man that I lo…that I am dating is in a potentially dangerous position and I’m frightened that I’ll get a call saying he’s hurt or even worse, dead. What about the man who is supposed to be your teammate, friend, and brother. You’re messing around with his life as well. Does he know what your doing? Did you even know what you were doing? What if Ezra doesn’t want me here? You can’t meddle in our lives and expect Ezra and I to thank you for it! Were you that naïve that you thought you could get away with this?" Adrian had to stop in order to catch her breath and calm down. Shakily she sat down.

Vin was horrified. What had they done? Looking at this woman now sitting in front of him, he could easily read the anger in her eyes. What truly bothered him was the underlying fear and uncertainty that was lurking beneath the surface. Tanner hadn’t realized that she was that unsure about her relationship with Ezra. He wanted to assure her that his brother was in love with her and that she belonged to him and thus she belonged with them. Delaney was their sister and all they had wanted to do was to make their family whole by bringing the two lovers together, permanently. Vin tried to tell Adrian this. "You don’t understand…"

"You're correct, I don’t understand and at this moment I’m not sure I want to. What I do understand is that I don’t like you very much right now.

"Ya can’t mean that, Adrian. It wasn’t like that," JD tried to jump in and explain but he too was stopped before he could get very far.

"JD, enough. There really isn’t anything you can say to fix this. Right now the best thing is for me to go home. I have a lot of thinking to do and I don’t want to see any of you for a while. I don’t know if I can trust you again. The one thing I’m sure of is that you’re going to tell Ezra all about this when he gets home. This is your mess and you can clean it up," the young woman said, staring straight in their eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Vin was about to speak again when the door to the boardroom opened.

Chris walked in and looked at his three agents. He had been surprised that the whole time he had been meeting with Travis he hadn’t heard one raised word. Before opening the door, Larabee had been afraid that his men had been able to placate the angry woman. The shell-shocked expressions on their faces satisfied him more than he thought it would. The man in black knew he was being petty but a small part of him wanted his men to get in trouble. Hopefully this would prevent them from meddling in the future.

While Larabee wanted Ezra to be happy and instinctively knew that Adrian was the woman to ensure that, he hadn’t like the idea of his boys interfering. If Buck’s scheme had gone as planned Chris would have been very happy, but as always with his team, nothing ever went according to plan.

Adrian noticed the Team leader first and nodded to him. Once Chris had gathered the rest of the occupant's attention, he spoke, "It’s time for you to join in the meeting. We have to finalize the rest of the mission. You go on ahead, I’ll be right behind you."

The chastised men quickly stood up. Wilmington made a last ditch effort to approach Adrian. He wanted to give her a hug to show that everything will would work out but, as soon as he got close Delaney stiffened, holding her hand up to stop him in his tracks. The surveillance man looked like he had been kicked in the teeth and hastily backed away.

Vin reached out and squeezed his shoulder and motioned towards the door. As the sharpshooter followed Buck, he turned to Adrian, "For what it’s worth, we are sorry. I hope you can forgive us."

Dunne just stood there. The young man looked lost.

Seeing his indecision, Chris took pity on him. "JD, time to go. Travis is waiting."

The kid nodded and, still looking at Adrian, he whispered, "sorry," almost running out the door.

~~7~~

Josiah and Nathan were still watching Ezra, their concern rising with every passing second.

For the last 20 minutes, the undercover man had been sitting in front of his computer muttering to himself and typing frantically. Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, the green eyed man hit the side of his monitor and surged out of his seat. "Damnit!  Where is she?"

He stalked towards Chris’ office and, without knocking, wrenched open the door. The southerner’s usually calm exterior deserted him in the face of an empty office. Whirling to face Kate, he snarled, "Where is he? The Son of a Bitch, where is everyone!" 

Before the alarmed woman could formulate an answer, Standish turned to Nathan. "Josiah, Nathan, where the hell is Chris?" Ezra threw his unbound hand in the air and headed to the door.

"Ezra? Son? Where are you going?" Josiah called after the angry man.

"Ahm not your son! Gonna find Travis!" Ezra growled as he left the bullpen.

Nathan and Josiah hurried after their friend. They were both concerned over his strange behavior, and didn’t want the southerner to talk to Larabee and the AD while in this condition.

As they approached the elevator, they were too late to stop the door from shutting completely. They could only watch in dismay as the indicator light showed the car slowly travelling up to the 13^th floor and the undercover man’s certain doom

"My god, what’s wrong with him?" Nathan asked.

"I don’t know, but he isn’t in any condition to talk to Chris and Travis. Shit! Adrian’s up there as well. This can’t be good." Josiah sent up a prayer and hoped for the best.

~~7~~

Chris closed the door behind him and walked the short distance to sit next to the quiet woman.

"Are you going to be all right?" he asked, reaching for one of Adrian’s hands.

"Did you know what they were up to?" the hazel-eyed woman asked.

"I knew that they were planning something to get you here, so that you could be with Ez…" he held his hand up when Delaney was going to interrupt. "No, I didn’t know they were going to lie about Standish finishing his undercover assignment early." With that, Larabee stood up. "You can stay here, or go back to the bullpen and wait for our meeting to be finished. We’ll discuss what you’re going to do next then. Okay?"

Deciding that she didn’t want to argue, the brunette nodded. "Fine, I’ll stay here if that’s alright? I don’t think I can face Josiah or Nathan right now."

Chris smiled at her and bent down to give her a light hug. "It will be fine, you’ll see." With that, he exited the boardroom leaving the woman to think.

After Larabee left, Adrian continued to sit. Her thoughts running in circles. Delaney had been surprised by the man in black’s behavior towards her. It was hard to match the image that Ezra had painted of his boss with the man she had just seen. "I guess Kate was right, there was more to him than the hard ass he portrays."

Thinking of Kate brought about visions of the rest of the ladies that worked here. She was convinced that they were all involved in this little melodrama. Delaney's anger was rapidly changing to that of amazement. The knowledge that Ezra’s friends and family were all trying to ensure that they were together humbled Adrian despite herself. "I just wish that everyone would have left Ezra and I alone. We are old enough to figure out what we want and how to get it," she muttered to herself.

Before leaving Canada, Adrian had come to the conclusion that, if she wanted a relationship with Ezra, she was going to have to move to Denver. She was damned if she was going to insist that the southerner move away from the States. Her lover’s friends and family meant too much to him, and Standish had worked too hard to make a place for himself, here in Denver, with the ATF and specifically with Team Seven. Since Delaney no longer had a job she had less to lose and more to gain by moving to Denver. Now, all she had to do was figure out how she could stay and what she was going to tell Ezra. That was a problem for another day. Right now she was going to go out in the lobby and relax and wait for Chris and the others to finish their meeting.

With a lighter heart and a better disposition, Adrian left the boardroom and, smiling to Travis’ secretary, settled herself into a comfy chair in the corner where she wouldn’t get in anyone’s way.

~~7~~

The former receptionist/secretary soon found herself distracted from the magazine she was trying to read, by the assistant before her. Trying hard to not openly spy on the young woman, who had introduced herself as Francis, Adrian was amazed at how unprepared and disorganized she was. What was someone, so obviously junior, doing working for someone of Travis’ seniority?

Francis was barely able to keep up with the steady stream of telephone calls. When she did answer them correctly, she gave out lame excuses as to why her boss couldn’t’ come to the phone. When trying to transfer them to voice mail, more times than not, she lost the call.

It was frustrating to watch and not do anything to help. Hell! Delaney was itching to take over. Anything to be put out of this misery.

Adrian was about to offer some advice when a couple of men entered the office, "We need to see AD Travis, " the older of the two men said.

"He’s in a meeting at the moment with Team Seven," Francis replied.

Delaney winced, 'girl, too much information. You don’t give out more info than needed,' she thought.

"Do you have an appointment?" the flustered secretary asked.

"He’s expecting us. You tell him Agents Parker and Biggerstaff are here from the FBI and that he can finish his meeting with Team Seven later," the other man said.

The chastised woman quickly got up from her desk, knocked on Travis door, and entered.

The younger man leaned closer to his partner and began talking loudly. "Isn’t Team Seven where that traitor Standish ended up? I believe O’Banyon packed the bastard off when the 'Powers that Be' couldn’t find any proof that he was dirty. I remember that he was sent off to the ATF."

Both men laughed at this and continued making derogatory comments about the ATF and Standish in particular.

Adrian saw red; livid would be a gross understatement. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. At the same time, Francis returned and told the two men that her boss would be out to see them in a few moments.

The two men hadn’t noticed the brunette when they had arrived and still hadn’t seen her as she stood up and pushed her way between them.

"Francis, thank you for watching my desk. Why don’t you take your break now," The angry woman said, not really registering what she was implying. 

The young woman looked like she wanted to dispute what Adrian had said but, taking a look at the furious woman’s face, she hastily nodded and grabbed her purse.

As Francis passed Adrian, the hazel-eyed woman whispered to her, "Don’t come back this afternoon."

The frightened woman blinked and scurried away.

Adrian looked at the phones and quickly set them to transfer all calls to voice mail. That done, she turned to the two FBI agents.

"Gentlemen, your behaviour here is inexcusable. How dare you come waltzing in to this office and demand to see Mr. Travis." Glancing down at the day planner on the desk, she continued. "You don’t have an appointment and your blatant disregard for the fact that he was in a meeting is abominable. I don’t know if that’s acceptable behaviour in the FBI, but I can assure you that it’s not tolerated within the ATF." Adrian’s anger took the two agents by surprise and neither one of them were able to formulate a come back before the enraged woman started speaking again.

"As to your derogatory comments towards Agent Standish, how dare you make such remarks about a man you know nothing about. The unfounded accusations that you so blithely spout have never been proven. I’m disgusted to hear two supposedly intelligent men repeat vile rumours and innuendo." Adrian paused for a breath and had to physically prevent herself from slapping the agents up side the head.

For their part the two men were stunned at the verbal attack. They did have the grace to be embarrassed regarding their behaviour though, but never had the chance to say anything.

~~7~~

Adrian had just started her rant when Orin Travis opened the door and ushered the four members of Team Seven out of his office. He had been furious when Francis had interrupted his meeting and he’d made up his mind to get rid of the girl this afternoon.

The AD stopped and watched as a woman he had never met verbally ripped the two Feds apart.

Larabee watched as well and couldn’t help the grin from forming on his face. He glanced at his men and chuckled at the three identical expressions of awe they showed.

"Who is she?" Orin whispered to Chris.

"Her name is Adrianara Delaney. She’s visiting from Canada," Buck interjected.

Before anyone could say anything else Adrian garnered they’re attention again.

"Now you will sit down over there and you will say nothing. When AD Travis is ready for you, and only when he’s ready for you, he will come and get you," with that, the brunette pointed over to the couch in the corner and promptly ignored their existence.

Cowed, the two special agents quickly sat down.

Adrian returned to the chair behind the desk and switched the phones back on. Instantly, the board lit up and, shaking her head, she started answering the calls in a calm and orderly manner.

She glanced up as soon as she realised there was someone in front of her. "I’m sorry, can I help you?"

Orin smiled down at the professional woman in front of him. "I believe that we can help each other. I’ll speak to you after I deal with the men waiting for me."

Shocked, Adrian was about to answer when Orin turned towards the two Bureau men and frowned. "I’m Travis come in to my office."

Travis nodded to Larabee and his agents, smiled again at the stunned woman sitting behind the desk, and walked into his office, the FBI men in tow.

"What just happened here?" Adrian asked.

"It looks like you just got a job," Buck replied happily.

His smile faded at the glare Chris levelled at him. "I’ll see you three downstairs." As it wasn’t a request, Buck, Vin and JD quickly left after saying goodbye to Adrian.

Larabee watched the woman before him answer a few more calls. She knew her job all right. Kate and the other ladies were correct in their assertions that Miss Delaney wouldn’t have any problems in this position.

"You going to be ok?" Chris asked when she had a moment to look up.

"Yes, I think so. I’ve used this phone system before. There is some paper work that needs to be done but since I don’t have the security clearance I don’t think I should try to deal with it," she shuffled some papers around and grabbed a book.

"Take a look at this. It’s the AD’s appointment book. There is no way that he can deal with all of these appointments today. Why did someone book him an appointment to meet with a Xerox representative? That’s just asinine. Someone in his position shouldn’t be dealing with this… well, this crap." She sat back in her chair and looked up at the blond man.

All of a sudden a light bulb went off inside her brain, "Damn! This is what the boys were up to, weren’t they? Getting me here so that I could work for Mr. Travis."

"Yup. It worked too, by the looks of it," Larabee chuckled at the expression of chagrin on the woman’s face.

"Why didn’t they just tell me about the position being open?" the brunette queried.

"I wouldn’t mind an explanation myself." Quickly turning around, they found Travis standing in his doorway as the two FBI agents left in a hurry.

"Miss Delaney? Why don’t you turn off the phones and join me in my office. That way we can discuss your possible employment with the ATF," Travis asked as he gestured to his office.

Adrian smiled and nodded. Deftly switching off the phones she headed into the office.

The Man in Black made to join them, but stopped when Travis blocked him from entering. "I can handle this, Chris. We’ll speak later."

~~7~~

Nathan and Josiah were trying to contact Travis’ office. They weren’t having any luck and were just about to head on up there when Buck, Vin and JD wandered in.

"Have you seen Ezra?" Sanchez asked as he rushed to the three men.

"Whatcha mean? He’s still undercover," Buck said, looking confused.

"No, he aint," the medic said, "He’s acting really strange. Stormed out of here a few minutes ago. He’s headed up to Travis’ office."

"What happened? Did he say?" the sharpshooter asked.

"He said the DEA interfered and that he got hurt in the take down. He’s really agitated and looking very tired. In the shape he’s in, he shouldn’t be anywhere near Chris and Travis," Josiah announced.

"Dang, that’s just what we need," JD looked at the men standing beside him. "You know we’re in so much trouble, dontcha?"

~~7~~

Ezra starred at the floor indicator lights in anger. What the hell is taking so long? He swore the damn elevator was stopping on every floor just to annoy him.

Standish was tired, his shoulder hurt and the medication that the paramedics had given was making him feel funny.

All he wanted to do was make his report and ask for leave.

He was going to Canada to see Adrian and no one was going to stop him.

"Fuck!" he cursed as the elevator stopped at yet another floor.

~~7~~

Travis sat down at his desk and observed the young woman before him. The AD had been very impressed with the way she had taken control of the situation with the two idiots from the FBI, as well as the ways she handled the phones. He was confident that the brunette would be able to handle the other duties that went with this position. "Are you interested in taking over for Miss Welk?’

"To be honest with you, Sir, I haven’t given it much thought. Everything that has occurred has been pure instinct on my part. But, if you’re seriously offering me the job, then I accept," Adrian confidently answered.

"What do you mean you acted on instinct?" he was curious about how she would answer.

"Well, I have been doing this job for 8 years now, and it frustrates me to see it being done badly. Now, I’m not saying that I’m the best secretary in the world, but I am good at what I do. When I took over for Francis I was angry, all I wanted to do was to give those two FBI agents a piece of my mind. But instinct kicked in and I first dealt with the phone, the job, then, and only then, did I let my mouth take over. I let those buffoons have it. It was unconscionable, the way they behaved, not to mention the way they were talking about Ezra," Delaney realized that she was saying too much and stopped talking.

"Yes, well I will be talking to their superiors soon, and I can assure you that it won’t happen again." Travis noticed the young women’s mention of Standish but kept quiet, he would have all the answers eventually and didn’t want to scare his new secretary off before she even became his assistant.

"I do know we were both set up. For the last month I’ve been given every incompetent secretary that the ATF could possibly employ. I took to joking with my wife, Evie, that there was a conspiracy against me. I see now that I wasn’t that far off the mark," The AD said, grinning a little at his past thoughts.

Adrian couldn’t help but chuckle. If Francis was any indication of what the man went through, she had no doubts that he felt somewhat persecuted.

"I believe that all your problematic secretaries came about because of me. Let’s say that a… ‘few people’ wanted to ensure that I came to Denver and had a job waiting for me," Adrian was trying for diplomacy in her response to the man.

"I see, and why are you so important that these… certain some ones, would go to this much trouble?" was Travis’ equally diplomatic question.

Adrian looked at the older man and contemplated how much she should divulge. If she was going to work for this man, she decided that nothing but the truth would do. "I’m not the important one, but Ezra is. All of this occurred because I’m involved with Agent Standish. And with the difficulties inherent with a long distance relationship, his co-workers wanted to help reunite us."

"Is Agent Standish involved?" Travis wanted to know for various reasons, the main one being that he had enough problems with the undercover man’s past, he didn’t want to add another complication.

"No!" came the decisive answer. "No, Ezra has nothing to do with this mess."

"Will you working in the same organization as Standish be something I should be concerned about?" the AD queried.

Again the brunette assured him that she would be able to keep her duties and relationship separate.

"I really should investigate what’s been going on around here. It’s inexcusable what I’ve had to endure these past weeks." Travis was torn between being angry at everyone involved, and amazed at the lengths that Standish’s team mate's would go to ensure his happiness. It spoke loudly to the fact that the elusive federal agent, with the checkered past, had finally made a place for himself, and that his co-workers felt that he was part of the team.

"With all due respect, please don’t. I may be angry with them and you have every right to be as well, but I don’t want it to go on anyone’s permanent record or even result in anyone being fired. Besides, I think…no I know, that if everything works out between Ezra and I, we will both come up with a plan to seek retribution." Delaney’s evil grin caused Travis to echo one of his own.

"Well then, all we have to do now is to get you on the payroll." Looking at the woman, he smiled. "I believe we will work well together."

Laughing out right, Adrian nodded, "Thank you, sir. I think we will as well."

"I’ll take you downstairs to Admin.  Hopefully we can cut through some of the red tape that’s bound to be involved."

"You might want to talk to certain members of Team Seven. They may know of a way to do just that," was all the sly woman would say.

"You may be right," Travis chuckled as he escorted his new assistant out the door.

Heading towards the main door the two people stopped when a person blocked the entryway.

Stunned green eyes met equally stunned hazel.

"Ezra…"

"Adrian…"

"What are you doing here?"

TBC

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