Reclamation
By Brate
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Magnificent Seven. Dang.
Notes: Seventh and final in the Haven series. I may write more in this universe, but this first series is complete (finally!). And to anyone who wants to write in this AU, it is open. Thanks to Jennye. Heidi, and Gem who made sense of my chaos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner drove up to the guardhouse at the outer edge of the Travis Estate in Silver Spring, Maryland. Ever since the attempt on his life a month before, federal personnel secured the judge's home. Chris and Vin had their IDs checked and their arrival announced before they cleared the security gate. They drove the car up close to the main house.
Orrin Travis had invited Larabee to his home to discuss something, and Chris had invited Vin along. Walking toward the house, the two sentients could see that the rear of the house had been rebuilt. It had been a month since its destruction while trying to protect the chief justice. The two men sincerely hoped Mrs. Travis had forgiven them for allowing her home to be damaged and her assortment of ceramic dogs to be destroyed.
Halfway to the door, Tanner called out, "Hold up; there's a shit-load of people in there."
Chris stopped beside his friend and watched as Vin tilted his head toward the building, apparently running a telepathic scan. "Is it a trap?"
Vin shook his head as he finished the scan. "Nope," he said, giving a shit-eating grin. "Let's go." Tanner started a slow stroll toward the house.
"Who's all in there?" Chris called out after him.
"Ya'd better not be late for this meetin', Cowboy."
Larabee sighed in frustration since it was obvious the longhaired telepath wasn't going to share any information. He started to walk again, passed Vin, and looked back over his shoulder. "You coming?"
"Hell, yeah," Vin replied with a smile. "This'll be too good ta miss."
Chris knocked on the front door. Orrin Travis, himself, opened the door. Seeing the sentients, he swept his arm aside, inviting the men inside. After some casual greetings, he led them into the main living room at the front of the house. Larabee stopped in shock as he saw who was waiting in the center of the room:
The President of the United States, Maxwell Hawthorne.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At first Vin was amused at the idea of Chris meeting with the President, but now that he was inside near the Secret Service men, the reality of the situation hit and made him nervous. He kept his head down and remained in the background, his long hair obscuring his face.
"Perhaps we could discuss this alone," the President said. He motioned to his security team to leave them, but allowed his key staff to remain. The lead agent moved to the President's side, clearly unhappy with that decision. After a tense discussion that the rest of the people in the room tactfully ignored, the lead agent signaled his men to go into the next room. They begrudgingly stepped outside the room, giving the illusion of privacy to those inside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once the Secret Service had left, Hawthorne turned to Larabee and said, "Officially, as Chief Executive of the United States, I'm in charge of making sure the laws are enforced."
"I learned that in elementary school," Chris drawled. "Doesn't explain why we're here." He sat down in a chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Since Hawthorne had gone along with the PCCA, the telekinetic had little respect for his Commander-in-Chief.
"I asked Orrin to get in touch with you. He told me how you helped save his life, even though you were fugitives at the time."
"Cut to the chase, sir. What do you want?"
"I want you and your team to work for me."
"What?" Chris leaned forward in surprise.
"Even though the PCCA has been abolished it doesn't mean the struggle is over. As with desegregation, it'll take time to change people's minds."
"And that's where we come in?"
"Yes, Mr. Larabee. I need your help -- the country needs your help." Hawthorne paused, letting the statement settle in for a moment. "We need your particular talents to ensure peace is kept... for psionics as well as others." The President faced the sentients. "Knowing you have been hunted and on the run for so long, I understand your reluctance. But there is an issue I believe only you can help with." He took a deep breath. "When news of the dissolution of the Guild hit, Paul Baines disappeared. We think he may be holed up in the facility referred to as 'The Dungeon'."
Vin had remained quiet, watching from a corner until he heard this. "Ya knew about the Dungeon?" he demanded, outraged. "And ya did nothin' ta stop it?"
The President's Chief of Staff, Robert Aims, came forward to defend the President, but Hawthorne waved him off. "I understand that you are upset; I would be, too, if I were in your place."
"Yer mind is closed; you ain't in my place."
"Closed?" The President looked to Travis for an answer.
"A slang term for people without psionic ability," Travis answered. "A closed mind means free of any power or abilities."
"Clever," President Hawthorne acknowledged. "But the question on the table is whether I knew about the Dungeon. I'm ashamed to say that, up until recently, I did not. I let Baines and the Guild control themselves. Once their group was dissolved, their budget was open for inspection and various questionable expenditures were found."
"Questionable?" Vin scoffed.
"Outrageous. Including millions of dollars disappearing into a still unidentified facility. Only recently we discovered it was being used as a place for the experimentation on psionics." Hawthorne shook his head, sadness and defeat etched on his face. "I had no idea what was happening within my own administration. And I don't know how to go about stopping him permanently. That's why I'm offering you men this opportunity."
"What exactly is the 'opportunity'?"
"The seven of you will become a Psionic Task Force. You will report to Orrin, who reports directly to me."
Vin and Chris stared at Travis. The older man smiled. "As of tomorrow I will be officially retired from the Court."
"And the government is okay with this?" Chris asked. "Sentients on the payroll?"
"The budget of Psi Team Seven has already been approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee in closed session. Gentlemen, your team will have the resources and money previously set aside for the Guild."
"How do you know you can trust us?"
"I don't know. I am trusting my old friend who trusted you with his life. It seems to have worked out for him."
"We'll have to speak with the others about this."
"Of course." Hawthorne motioned to Aims, who handed the President a file folder. Maxwell Hawthorne handed the file to Larabee. "Inside you'll find all the details of the proposal. There is a phone number as well; it is my direct line. Call if you need anything."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vin drove while Chris read the file Hawthorne had given him.
"It could work," Chris mused aloud.
"What?"
"I think we can do it."
"Ya want us to work fer the government? They're the ones that've been chasing people like us fer years."
"It needs to stop somewhere. And this way we'd have some level of control."
"Control."
"Yes."
"Jest like Baines."
"I think he's an extreme example."
"He's extreme all right," Tanner murmured as he swung the car onto the highway onramp.
"We'll have backup."
"What kinda backup?"
"Says here a platoon will be available to us to provide force in numbers when needed," Chris stated.
"Who are these guys?"
"Soldiers specially chosen to work with us. They even have some sentients in it."
"We get ta boss soldiers around?" At last there was something that seemed to impress the stoic telepath.
"Imagine so."
"But still..."
"You might like another aspect of this deal," Chris prompted.
Vin tried to contain his curiosity. He failed. "Okay, what?"
"A Presidential pardon."
"For me?"
"No one else needs one. Hawthorne is going to pardon you for what happened with Jess Kincaid."
"But I didn't do it," the telepath reiterated, slapping a hand on the steering wheel. "And ya know it!"
"Yes, I know that, Vin, but there's no way to prove it. This is the best we can hope for."
"Sometimes the best tastes bitter."
"Can't help the taste, but the charges will be gone."
Vin laughed bitterly. "Gone, but never forgotten." He cleared his throat. "Just like the fact that a lotta people died because of Baines and Eli Joe; everyone lost on the boat when ya found me. And they died fer nothin' -- the Act's repealed, makin' all of their struggle fer nothin'."
"It means everything! Because of the people we saved from the Guild. Hell, we saved you, too. So don't say the fight for freedom means nothing, because all of us -- including you -- would lay down our lives to prevent them from going to the camps, or worse."
"Don't have ta do that now."
"The fight's not over yet. We've got a long way to go to clean up this mess, and get the public to accept sentients."
"What happens to the people at Haven?" Vin asked.
"I guess they can stay there or come back to the States."
"It's been awhile fer some. Might not feel like home no more."
"Then we'll help with that, too."
"Ya know I'll follow where ya lead," Vin told his best friend. "Jest be sure you don't lead yer way off a cliff."
Chris chuckled before turning serious. "Did you scan him?"
"Who? The Prez?"
"Yeah."
"That'd be immoral." Tanner retained an angelic expression for a few seconds before sliding into a sly grin.
Larabee snorted. "So what did you see?"
"He's tellin' the truth." Vin shrugged. "He wants ta make it right."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris and Vin arrived back at the ranch. Ezra Standish had purchased the property after the announcement recalling the Psionic Control and Containment Act. He used one of the dummy corporations he'd set up to make the purchase. Still wary of announcing their presence, the seven men continued to maintain a low profile. Although the anti-sentient law was declared unconstitutional and they were technically "free," they felt no reason to advertise themselves. Just proclaiming something doesn't make it so; there were years of prejudice to overcome.
Vin pulled the car in front of the house. He and Chris got out and went inside, disappointed to find themselves seemingly alone in the two-story house.
"Where is everyone?" Chris asked.
"Don't know. Prob'ly didn't 'spect us back so soon."
Josiah came out of the kitchen munching on a sandwich. "Brothers, you've returned."
"Yeah, and we have some things to discuss. Where's everyone else?"
"I believe Ezra is out back, JD and Buck are riding, and Nathan is upstairs."
"I'll git 'em," Vin said to his leader. //Chris needs y'all at the house,// he sent to the four missing men.
Josiah Sanchez looked between both men, a question on his lips. Vin shook his head and waved him off. The empath nodded and retreated into the next room.
Nathan Jackson arrived first, quickly followed by Ezra. Larabee asked them both to wait in the living room with Josiah. Tanner leaned against the wall and smiled as he heard Buck Wilmington coming in from the back.
"I swear if that boy does that again, I'll smack 'im a good one."
JD Dunne could be heard right behind. "Come on, Buck, it's the quickest way to get in touch with all of us."
"Coulda killed me!"
"Maybe you should learn to control your horse better."
"I can control him s'long as someone ain't blabbing inside my mind!" As the sentence ended, Buck crossed the threshold and saw the telepath across the room.
"What's wrong, Buckley?" Vin laughed at the tall man, whose jeans were dirty and grass-stained. Buck's red plaid shirt had an elbow torn open as well. "Fall off yer horse?"
"Goddammit, Vin! Ain't you ever heard of a cell phone?"
"Yep. Never use 'em, though... they can cause brain damage." Vin tapped the side of his head.
"Like you could tell," Buck shot back. "What's the ruckus, Chris?"
"Got something to talk to you all about." Chris told everyone to take a seat in the next room and followed them in.
The main gathering room had a relaxed feel. The huge fireplace was the centerpiece, with comfortable furniture spread out. There was a television in the corner, and a coffee table in the center. Josiah and Nathan sat down on the large couch, while Buck sat himself on the smaller one. Ezra sat in the lounge chair and Vin perched himself on its arm. JD had managed to make a seat for himself on the rug in front of the fireplace.
Once everyone was settled, Chris outlined President Hawthorne's offer. Vin watched as Larabee talked: Ezra had on an impassive face that would rival a statue; Nathan sat forward, listening intently; Josiah wore a pensive expression. JD smiled, his eyes shining; Buck sat back with his legs stretched out, hands laced behind his head. No one seemed overly shocked by the idea of working for the government.
"What exactly are we supposed to accomplish in this group?" asked Josiah.
"Anything that needs to be done," Chris said. "Apparently we have free rein."
"Anything?" JD had trouble closing his mouth.
"Anything." Ezra smirked, the light glinting off his gold tooth.
"One good thing the government managed on their own was shutting down the camps," Nathan commented. "That part is done."
Buck grunted. "So what's our first mission gonna be?"
Chris looked around the room at his friends and team members. "We need to find the Dungeon and put it out of business for good."
That stunned the gathered sentients.
"That's no easy task, pard." Buck looked around at his team with wide eyes. "How many people have gone up against Baines and lost?"
"This time we have the resources and the support to do it for good," Chris growled. "We need to get rid of Baines."
Ezra nodded. "I must agree with that. He is a sadistic..."
"...self-righteous..." Josiah added.
"...goat-roping..." Vin snarled.
"...son of a bitch," Buck finished.
"Goat-roping?" Chris asked with a raised brow.
Vin shrugged. "Seemed ta fit."
JD was excited by the prospect. "We'd be psionic regulators."
"Lawmen?" Standish asked, clearly skeptical.
"Of sorts," Chris acknowledged.
"What's the pay for something like that?"
"Dollar a day," Vin said with a smile, "plus expenses."
"For that incentive, how can I say no?" The clairvoyant looked upwards and sighed. "I can see it now, my mother will be appalled."
"Tell 'em the name, Cowboy."
"What name?" JD asked, looking back and forth between Vin and Chris.
Vin chuckled as he watched the various expressions cross his best friend's face. "The Judge and the Prez gave the team a new name," Vin told the others when Chris didn't say anything.
"What is it?" Josiah pressed.
"Come on, tell us," JD added.
"Psi Team Seven," Chris grudgingly admitted. Amid the stifled laughter, he left the room to call Orrin and inform him that they would be accepting their new position as civil servants.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezra Standish stood at the door of the Travis residence. He hadn't discussed his ideas with any of his teammates, wanting to be sure it could happen before hopes were raised and possibly dashed. He knocked on the door, and when it was opened, he asked to speak to Justice Travis.
Orrin showed no surprise at the clairvoyant's arrival. Standish was ushered into the justice's private study and seated in a chair across from Travis.
"What can I help you with today, Mr. Standish?"
"I'd like to propose an idea, Your Honor."
"Which is?"
"I believe it would be beneficial to have a type of 'halfway house' as it were, in order to help reintegrate sentients into society."
"Sounds practical. What do you need from me?"
"I would like you to lend your name and reputation, be a mentor to the program."
Travis asked, "Why me?"
"You are widely known as a man of integrity, and I believe with your name involved it would ensure the endeavor would thrive." Standish cleaned an imagined piece of lint off his tie in an attempt to hide his nervousness. "I've already discussed this with Ms. Wells, and she is willing to run the organization at her ranch." Ezra smiled. "She is looking forward to the challenge."
Standish showed the justice some information he had gathered, and some charts and diagrams he had developed, outlining the proposal.
"I see that you've thought this through very carefully," Travis said, scanning through the documents. He looked at the sentient before him. "I will be happy to help in any way I can, Mr. Standish."
The two men moved to the nearby desk and started making plans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Over a week had passed since the men had accepted the job -- and title -- of Psi Team Seven. Unfortunately, they were no closer to finding the Dungeon. JD had spent many hours tracking leads on his computer. The best intel they had so far suggested it was based in southern Utah, but they couldn't pinpoint an exact location.
Larabee was certain Baines was hiding and he was determined to find him. The telekinetic refused to let the team dwell on the possibility that the ex-Guild leader might get away with the atrocities he'd committed. Chris knew what had to be done, but he was hesitant to ask, since Tanner hadn't offered. Finally he could wait no longer; he'd have to confront the telepath. He walked into the kitchen and sat down beside his friend. Vin was munching on some popcorn. He offered some to Chris.
"Thanks," Larabee said, snatching a handful of corn. He tossed some in his mouth, started to say something, cut himself off, and started again.
Chris hesitated the third time as well, so Vin said, "Spit it out."
"What?"
"Whatever ya got stuck in yer craw. And I ain't talkin' 'bout the popcorn."
Larabee chewed and swallowed the kernels he had in his mouth before speaking. "We really need to find Baines."
"I been tryin', Chris," Vin said with a heavy sigh, "but I haven't found 'im yet. Must be disguisin' himself somehow."
Chris saw frustration mount on the telepath's face. "I have an idea. I talked to Josiah and we think you might be able to track him astrally."
"What?"
"You could use astral projection to home in on him. Tell us exactly where he is."
Vin started shaking his head. "No, no way. I can't." He stood up and prepared to leave.
Chris grabbed Vin's arm and held him in place. "You can do this. Josiah told me."
The telepath yanked at his arm, but the hold remained strong. "He had no right."
"I think he was waiting for you to say something. He only told me because he knew that there was no other way."
"What if it don't work?"
"Then we'll try something else." Chris assured him, releasing his friend and hoping he wouldn't bolt. He waited, knowing his friend would make the right decision.
Vin seemed to weigh the options in his mind. Decision made, he turned back to Chris and sent, //You have ta be there.//
"They couldn't drag me away. You can count on me."
Blue eyes connected with green eyes, the trust nearly blinding the older man. //Let's do it.//
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezra maneuvered the car up the long driveway and parked it in front of the garage. The healer came out of the house to greet him.
"What have you been up to?" Nathan asked Ezra when he got out of the car. "You haven't been here more than a few hours this whole week."
"I had to make sure some arrangements were cemented prior to our entanglement with Baines. If something happened I wanted to ensure it would continue without my participation."
"Arrangements for what?"
Ezra tried to pass it off. "Nothing of interest."
But Nathan was exceptionally curious and wouldn't let the clairvoyant by until he'd explained the whole idea.
Ezra outlined the plan, along with Orrin's and Nettie's involvement. He was surprised -- no, shocked as hell -- when the black man extended an arm.
"What, may I ask, are you doing?" asked the gambler, eyeing the proffered hand.
"I would like to shake your hand, Ezra P. Standish," said Nathan. "I am proud to be able to call you 'friend'."
"N-nonsense," Ezra stuttered, astonishment opening his emotions wide. "I did nothing extraordinary."
"You did more than could be asked." Nathan smiled gently, letting Ezra know he was serious.
Ezra shook Jackson's hand and didn't even protest when he was pulled in for a quick hug.
The healer released his friend, patting him on the back. "Let's go tell the others." He turned and walked into the house.
Standish watched Nathan's retreat while taking a moment to collect himself before following.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a celebratory round of drinks in honor of Ezra and the newly founded Haven Hills Halfway House, Chris told the other men that he, Josiah, and Vin would be trying something a little unusual in an attempt to find Baines.
Larabee told the other men to stay close to the house, for emotional support, but didn't tell them exactly what Vin was attempting. Chris knew the telepath was still shy about his abilities, even after all the time they'd spent together, and would rather the other men not know the specifics.
Josiah had Vin lay down on his own bed. The empath wanted to center the astral-traveler as much as possible, letting him connect physically with familiar things. But all three men knew that it would be the bond between the men themselves that would make the difference. He then took Vin through some deep-breathing exercises to let him relax. Once Josiah seemed satisfied with Vin's calm, the big man stepped aside, letting Chris take over.
Larabee had insisted Vin keep in mental touch throughout the entire journey. He hoped that the link would keep the telepath focused. He sat on the chair beside his best friend. Chris was not yet touching Tanner, but simply letting his presence be felt. //Anytime you're ready, Vin.//
Chris had no idea how, but for some reason he could feel the moment Vin's spirit left his body. It was as if his body was merely a shell left beside him.
"Good luck, brother," he heard Josiah murmur from behind. Apparently the older man was aware of Vin's "departure" as well.
//Don't look so glum, chum. I'll be right back.// Vin already sounded distracted.
Chris tried to focus his friend. //Vin, go find Baines.//
//Baines ain't Timmy, Larabee. And I sure the hell ain't Lassie.//
//Vin...//
//I'm goin' already.//
Chris almost smiled at the petulant tone Vin used, but he was quickly reminded of the seriousness of the situation. He placed his hand on Tanner's arm, determined to keep contact with his friend in some way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josiah had explained to Vin he should be able to follow his psychic link to Baines, sort of like following a trail. As Vin relaxed, he pushed everything aside -- worries, emotions, random thoughts -- and felt himself getting lighter. Instead of fighting against it, he let himself go. Soon he felt himself floating above his body. Vin looked at his friends, and at his own body lying on the bed. He grinned internally when he saw the intense look Larabee had as he sat next to the bed.
After being directed by his friend to go, Vin went. He turned his mind over and concentrated on Paul Baines. Just as Josiah had said, it was if there was a visible tether he could track. He kept his attention on the thread and followed it along.
//I have it,// he sent to Chris. //Trackin' 'im now.//
Astral distance was traveled rapidly and he flew across the miles in seconds. He could feel himself getting closer and closer to Baines, something he normally would avoid at all costs.
//I found 'im. He's in Utah all right,// he thought to his best friend as he passed over wind-blown arches of stone in the Utah desert.
//More specific, please,// Chris returned.
//Ain't no names written on the ground, Cowboy. I need ta find somethin' ta point me in the right direction.//
Vin kept trailing the thread, leading him straight to Baines. The former Guild leader was sitting alone in an office, going through files and making notes. Vin memorized all he could before moving off to find some source to let him know the exact location of the facility.
He moved away from Baines and wandered. Coasting through various rooms, he saw sentients being tested, tormented, and confined. At these sights, Vin normally would have felt pity and sadness, but in his astral state, he could feel little. He did keep his wits long enough to venture into a room with a large wall map.
Vin quickly communicated to Chris. //Moses Lake, Utah.// He also sent his friend a mental image of the area so that he would know what to look for.
Chris received the message. //Okay, Vin, come on back.//
In his ethereal state, Vin could hear someone calling his name, but with his mission complete, he heard the siren's call of the astral plane and felt no desire to return to his body. He left the Moses Lake area and drifted without purpose.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larabee knew that his request had been ignored. His stomach tightened and his heart leapt into his throat. Vin had warned the telekinetic of the lure of astral freedom, but Larabee had never imagined his best friend wouldn't return. He couldn't lose him.
"Vin, you need to come back now," Chris said with quiet urgency. He tightened his grip on the telepath's arm. In his fear, he didn't realize he was speaking aloud as well as mentally. He worriedly called louder, "Vin! Come home... now! " There was no response from the unconscious man.
Josiah watched the exchange in silence before stepping forward and enclosing one of Vin's hands in his larger ones. His deep voice rumbled as he spoke, nearly breaking with emotion, "I once told you that I would make sure you came back, son, and I never break a promise to a friend. You have to return to the people depending on you."
The large empath drew upon all of his feelings of affection throughout his body, pulling from Chris as well, and poured them into Vin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The telepath halted mid-flight. He heard his friends calling to him and felt a strong pull... friendship, love, family. It broke through his ambivalence and straight into his heart.
It was if a rubber band had reached its maximum extension and snapped. He went speeding back into his body at an incredible rate.
Vin groaned and rolled over. He blinked his deep blue eyes open, saw his friends, and grinned. "Told ya I'd be back."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vin had recovered from his astral flight and Nathan could find no ill effects from his journey. Yet the healer had insisted Tanner rest, so Vin reclined on a couch while Larabee mustered the troops.
"We know the Dungeon is in Moses Lake, Utah," Chris announced to the team gathered. "What are we going to do about it?"
"We'll need to hit them hard and fast," Josiah said.
"Outside communications shouldn't be a problem," Buck commented. "Good news is that they shouldn't have any additional support comin'."
"Yeah," JD agreed, "I bet all the men Baines could get to support him are already there."
"So, we need to shut them down and shut them out," Nathan said.
Buck summoned a small fireball and offered, "One blast should knock out the electricity."
"And if there are generators?" JD looked at his friend.
The rogue shrugged, letting the fireball evaporate.
Josiah proposed, "If a couple of us can sneak in, we might take them out before the attack begins."
"We'd have to bypass any alarms," said Nathan.
Ezra suggested, "A timed assault would be best..."
Vin was trying to remember details from his time at the Dungeon, both years ago and recently in the astral state. "We can't take out the power," he said suddenly.
Every head turned to him in surprise.
"Why not?" asked Chris, voicing all of their thoughts.
"I think there's only one way in." Vin frowned as he thought about his time there. "A big ass elevator. Straight up, straight down."
"And if we knock out the power, there's no way in," deduced Ezra.
"Or out for those inside," Josiah added.
"We'll have to come up with another way then."
"Okay, we need ideas, gentlemen," Chris instructed. "Let's use those heads for something besides knocking together."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day, Josiah and Nathan flew to Washington, D.C. to see if they could track down some floor plans or blueprints for the Moses Lake Facility. Ezra left to finalize plans for the shelter at the Wells' Ranch. JD went with him in so he could visit with Nettie's niece, Casey, and Buck went along as a "chaperone."
Vin Tanner decided to use the time to practice his latest gift, psychokinesis. A few months ago he had used his telepathy to break through to his best friend, Chris Larabee. The telekinetic had nearly killed an innocent man, thinking he was the Guildsman who had murdered Chris' wife and son. Vin had somehow absorbed some of Chris' fury and power during the bond and, as a result, received the new ability. Unfortunately, it pained him every time he used it. He was trying to learn to work through the pain so it didn't incapacitate him.
He walked out into the backyard and over to the horse corral. He took a moment to center himself and focused his power on an apple, lifting it off the ground and sending it floating over the fence into the corral. Holding it in midair, he pushed it to the nearest horse. The horse was somewhat upset by the floating fruit, but after a few seconds, hunger overrode its nervousness and the horse reached forward to eat it.
By the time he released the apple, Vin was doubled over in pain, fighting a blinding headache. The telepath had hoped the more he used the power, the less pain it would cause, but it seemed to remain steady at brain-squeezing agony. It would be useless to use in battle if he couldn't control the pain.
"What the hell was that?!"
Vin jumped at the harsh voice. He lowered his head, reluctant to turn around and face the ire of Chris Larabee. The telepath had thought the older man gone. Finally, sucking in a deep breath, ignoring the ache in his head, he turned to face his friend.
"Hey there, Cowboy," Vin said easily. Reminders of the pain could be seen in his pinched expression.
"Don't you 'cowboy' me." Chris indicated the corral and horse munching happily on the apple. "What the hell was that?"
"It's a horse... and yer startin' ta repeat yerself."
"And you're avoiding the question."
"What question?" Vin inquired, entirely in innocence.
For that, Chris telekinetically shoved him against the corral fence.
Tanner grunted in renewed pain. The shove wasn't hard, just enough to show Vin that his friend was serious, but the telepath was reluctant to admit his concern. He didn't want Chris to feel guilty for inadvertently giving him the painful power. "I was hopin' ta surprise y'all."
Chris wasn't so easily fooled. He could tell Vin was trying to hide something. "Bullshit."
"What?" Vin was startled.
"I said bullshit. You were trying very hard to keep it secret."
"I don't know what ya mean."
//Bullshit!// Chris sent, loud and clear. //Tell me what's going on.//
Vin quickly sped through possible escape scenarios in his mind. Most were dismissed since Chris would be able to toss him 50 feet without blinking, especially in the hyper-emotional state of anger he was currently in. The last resort would be to tell the truth, but that was something Vin could not do. He'd have to pull an "Ezra": Give a half-truth and hope it sounded sincere.
"Lately I been noticin' I can move small things with m'mind." Tanner avoided telling exactly when he'd noticed it.
"So, what... you're suddenly telekinetic?" The green eyes were wide with incredulity.
"No, I'm not." Vin shook his head. "I been lookin' through Josiah's books. I'm guessin' I got psychokinesis, which seems ta rely on mental power. Yers is telekinesis, more of a psychic force."
"So you're saying it's all in your mind?" Chris asked, vaguely bemused.
Vin caught the dig. "As you been sayin' since ya met me."
"I still don't understand why you didn't tell us."
"It ain't useful. Can't use it without bein' knocked on m'ass."
Chris eyed his friend through half-shuttered lids. "No more practicing unless one of us is with you."
Vin held up his hands in surrender and nodded. He knew this was the best offer he'd receive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ezra, JD, and Buck returned from the Wells' place in the late afternoon. JD rushed into the main room and saw Vin and Chris sitting playing chess. He walked over and flopped on the couch nearby.
"You guys, it's awesome!" The youth's hands flew around animatedly.
Vin and Chris exchanged a smile at the young sentient's enthusiasm. "What, kid?" Vin asked.
"The setup. Ezra and Nettie have been planning this for a while. I mean, the ranch is getting totally revamped. They're building a bunkhouse in back, so they'll have room for about twenty more people. And the main house is set up for classes and stuff and a sentient therapist is even gonna move in and help with the more serious cases."
Ezra and Buck had followed their companion in and now stood in the doorway, listening to JD's speech, amazed that he'd been able to continue without pausing for a breath.
"...Then Casey's been helping out, of course, and there's a foundation, so people can donate money. Once they have enough, they'll build more..."
Chris hid a grin and raised an eyebrow to Buck who winked in response.
"Nettie even contacted Haven. Turns out Tamra, Angel, and Louie will be some of the first guests since they want to return to the States so badly. And with the support of the halfway house, their parents think it'll be safe for them to come back..." JD trailed off and looked at his friends in expectation.
"Ya done?" Vin drawled.
JD nodded.
"Then take a breath for God's sake," Vin said.
Chris snorted and covered his smile with his hand, pretending to think of his next move. Ezra gave a light chuckle, and Buck doubled over, his laughter bubbling out.
Dunne failed to see the humor. "I'm serious, I was impressed." He folded his arms over his chest, his expression on the brink of a pout.
Buck took pity on his best friend. He crossed the room, sat down by the kid, and ruffled his hair. "Don't get upset; we all think it's a great thing. You jest seem a mite more excited, that's all. All us ol' folks are more laid-back and unable to express our true feelings of joy and wonderment." The deep blue eyes crinkled in amusement as his glance flicked around the room.
"Who ya callin' old?" Vin asked, full of false outrage.
"Indeed," Ezra agreed. "I believe I have only a few years on Mr. Dunne, but much less numerous than either yourself or Mr. Larabee. I shall not even bring up Mr. Sanchez's advanced age."
"Prob'ly a good thing, Ez," Vin said, "since the old fool is standin' behind ya."
Ezra whipped around in dread to find the man in question eyeing him carefully. "What was that about my many years, brother?" Josiah's deep voice rumbled.
Recovering quickly, Ezra stammered, "Merely admiring the immeasurable wisdom you've gained in that time, my good man."
Josiah grunted.
Larabee brought his attention back to the game. He moved his queen over and eyed the chessboard for a second before calling, "Checkmate." The telekinetic ignored Vin's swearing as he asked the newly arrived men, "What'd you find out?"
"We found a way in," Nathan said as he entered the room with an armful of blueprints. He strolled over to the coffee table and laid them out. Everyone gathered around, standing over or squatting, to look at what they'd discovered.
The plans indicated most of the facility was underground. The visible, aboveground, portion of the Moses Lake Facility was very small, consisting of only a Quonset hut and a half-dozen out buildings. According to the blueprints retrieved by Josiah and Nathan, there was an emergency tunnel that ended less than a quarter mile outside the facility's fence line.
"See?" Josiah said, pointing out the tunnel. "No muss, no fuss."
"Feels like a trap," Buck muttered.
"Yeah," JD said. "Why would Baines let something like this go? Especially when it's on the official plans where everybody can see it."
"Actually, these aren't the official ones," said Nathan enigmatically.
Ezra raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"Well," Sanchez said, "we found out who designed the structure and then went and had a talk with him."
"And he told you about the emergency tunnel?" Chris was visibly skeptical.
"Not at first," Nathan admitted.
"But a quick call from the President of the US of A and he was showing us the plans to every classified area he'd ever designed," Josiah said. "That's where we located the perfect way into the Dungeon. And you have got to see what else we brought." The empath led everyone outside. They started to unload boxes from the back of the vehicle and carried the boxes inside. Sanchez reached into one of the cardboard boxes and started unpacking it. First thing he pulled out was a small case of C-4 explosive.
"Where did you get that?" asked JD, eyeing the plastic explosive.
"Travis," Josiah calmly answered. "He thought it might come in handy."
Chris smirked. "He's been a busy boy."
"What else ya get?" Vin asked, peeking into one of the boxes.
"Enough doodads to get us in serious trouble," Jackson said, setting his box down on the table. "Including something to take care of a high-tech alarm system."
"That's what I like to hear." Buck said, rubbing his hands together. "Show us all ya got."
Sanchez unloaded the equipment that their new benefactor had given to them: C-4 explosive, encrypted radios, guns, ammunition, and various electronics.
"Wow," breathed JD. "They weren't kidding when they said we would have support."
"And here is something else you might like." Nathan lifted up a strange looking gun.
"What is it?" Vin asked, eyeing the weapon warily.
"Tranquilizer gun." The healer brought out a case and opened it, displaying the small darts that would be loaded inside. "Each dart has enough sedative to render a 180 lb. person unconscious for five hours... give or take. We'll each carry one."
Chris nodded at the equipment in satisfaction, but something niggled at his mind. "So how did you get all these things through airport security?"
"We didn't." Josiah grinned widely. "We got a ride back in a military transport plane. No customs, no checks. It's standing by at the airport for us, until we're ready to go."
Nathan added, "And our backup is ready and waiting for our call."
The dark-haired rogue slapped JD on the back, almost knocking the smaller man down. "Guess it's time to go kick some Guild ass!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two days later in the early morning hours, the leader of Psi Team Seven stood atop a truck and surveyed their base camp. The setup was a few miles away from the Moses Lake Facility -- aka the Dungeon. Three large tents covered medical facilities and there was a portable brig to hold any captured Guildsmen. Even Travis had flown in; he would remain at base camp and make sure things ran smoothly. State-of-the-art camouflage materials, including motion- and heat-detectors, protected the base camp.
Once the team located the hidden entrance, they would radio back to camp. At a set time, the soldiers would storm the surface stronghold, gaining control of the main entrance and aboveground of the Moses Lake Facility. The leader of the backup team, Major Lane Delray, had been handpicked by Travis and approved by Larabee. He was a fourteen-year veteran of the Army and was tolerant of people with psionic power. His second in charge, Captain Miguel Garcia, was not only a good friend but a sentient as well. His power of telekinesis, previously completely hidden, was now going to be used to protect sentients.
Delray and Garcia commanded a team of twelve men, some with and some without psionic ability. Their surveillance specialist, Sergeant Henri Delacroix, had taken over the security cameras on the facility's radius. He looped tapes so anyone watching the monitors would see nothing out of the ordinary. With luck, the complex wouldn't know what hit them until it was too late.
The plan was for the Seven to get control of the Dungeon before sending up rescued sentients and prisoners in the elevator where the soldiers could take care of them. Ambulances and fire trucks were available for the soldiers to call upon.
With a quick salute in Travis' direction, the seven men loaded into two Jeeps. Chris and Buck drove to the point believed to be the entrance to the tunnel. As soon as they parked, the men got out and started to unload their equipment from the rear of the vehicle. JD grabbed the metal detector and started sweeping the surrounding area for the metal door covering the entrance. Twenty minutes later, the beeping echoed loudly in the still air, announcing its discovery.
"I found it." JD cleared some dirt and rocks, uncovering the access point. "But there might be an alarm."
"Anythin' in that bag o' yers to check it out?" Vin asked Josiah.
The empath swung his backpack around and opened it. Sanchez pulled out a few gadgets and rejected all but one of them, placing the others back inside the bag. "This might help," he said, holding a small electronic device. Everyone stepped back as he walked over to the trapdoor and placed the device against it. No alarms or claxons sounded. "Clear." Josiah motioned Standish forward.
They thought the clairvoyant might be able to tell if the way was safe. Ezra leaned over, placing his hands on the metallic door and dropped his shields. For once, the premonition came on command. Long tunnel. Dark. Empty halls. Cold. "I believe it to be unobstructed," Standish reported, trying not to shiver from the malevolent feeling he'd gotten from the vision.
Josiah moved forward and yanked on the handle, his strength allowing him to open it easily. Again, no alarm sounded.
"This is it," Chris announced, as they stared down the lengthy tunnel. "Anyone who wants to back out, do it now."
No one looked away from his intense expression.
"Okay." He keyed his radio and called Major Delray. "Give us forty minutes then come on in."
"Copy," the major responded. "Forty minutes."
"All right, everyone lock and load." All of the men carried dart guns with the sedatives along with their "real" guns. They intended to take the last of the Guildsmen down with the non-lethal means, but the men were prepared for any eventuality. They climbed down the ladder and walked along the narrow corridor, carrying flashlights to light the way. Buck went first, prepared to fire some "pyrotechnics" if they ran into trouble. The tunnel was too small to walk any way but single file. Josiah and Buck barely fit through; their broad shoulders scraped against the tunnel walls.
A hundred yards down the tunnel, Chris called back softly to Vin walking behind him, "Are you sensing anything?" He saw the head shake.
"Can't barely think with the jammer."
"Dammit." They had been counting on Vin's "early warning system." "Just do your best."
A large door blocked their way at the end of the tunnel. Chris nodded Buck forward, holding up his own gun to cover his old friend.
The tall man burst out of the corridor through the door, ready for anything. Wilmington chuckled as he looked around to see an empty conference room. "It's clear," he called to his friends.
The men carefully exited the tunnel and spread out around the room. Josiah sighed in relief as he escaped the tight corridor. On the wall, next to the secret door, was the same map that Vin had spotted when he'd visited the Dungeon astrally. Once they closed the tunnel door, it became all but invisible in the wall; it was cleverly hidden.
Most of the seven carried C4 charges to disperse throughout the building. Since they'd studied the blueprints, they knew the basic layout of the facility, but didn't know whether Baines had made additional changes after the initial construction. Buck and JD would go after the jamming system and disable it. Ezra and Nathan would seek out any sentients being held against their will. The rest would disable any Guildsmen they found after securing the elevator -- the only other viable exit.
Vin went to the door, expecting to swing it open and move into the main part of the facility, but it wouldn't budge. "It's locked," he said.
"Dammit!" Chris cursed. "I knew this was going too easy."
"We need to open it without setting off any alarms," Josiah commented. He pulled out the same device he'd used earlier on the tunnel's entrance. Holding it up to the doorjamb, a sharp beeping sounded in the quiet room. "It's got an alarm."
"Any way to shut it down without making the alarm go off?" Nathan asked.
The empath merely twisted the dial on the device, until the beeping stopped. "Piece of cake," he rumbled, chuckling. He grasped the doorknob and gave a hard turn. The others heard something inside bust and the large man pulled the door open. "After you," he said.
Chris gave his team last minute instructions. "Buck, you and JD get rid of the jammer. Vin, Josiah, and I will get control of the elevator. Ezra and Nathan, you stay here and wait for the all clear. Once you hear it, head out and look for prisoners."
They all nodded their heads in understanding.
"Anyone in uniform, shoot with a dart," Chris told them. "Anyone in question, shoot with a dart."
"And if we see Baines?"
Chris shrugged. "Use C4 to blow his ass up." He left the room with Vin and Josiah following.
Buck looked at JD and grinned. "Let's get it done."
"Good luck, gentlemen." Ezra saluted as he closed the door behind them. "I guess we shall wait to hear from our compatriots," he said to Nathan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josiah, Vin, and Chris stalked through the hallway. They hoped the lack of manpower would mean fewer guards at each post. Each sentient had his dart gun poised and ready. They came across two Guildsmen walking the halls and shot them quickly with the dart guns.
The nearly empty hallways spoke much about the end of the Guild. The three realized that, at the height of its power, this entire facility would have been teeming with people, some here by choice, others by force. Yet, each empty corridor showed the men that there was hope that the Guild's reign could be ended. They slowed as they got close to the area with the elevator -- they figured it would have at least two guards, maybe more.
Chris signaled Josiah and the two men raced around the bend. The speed of the attack assured no call for help would be sent. Larabee knocked out his guard with a quick uppercut. Sanchez merely grabbed his and held him fast, one arm around his captive's chest holding his arms down, and one hand over his mouth. Vin stepped forward. With the jammer still active, the telepath wasn't able to read minds at a distance, but with close contact he could ignore the "white noise" of the jamming system. Guild guards were trained to fend off psychic attacks, but with the extra practice Vin had been doing, he pummeled through the guard's shields in less than a minute.
Once in his mind, Vin found the elevator's code with little effort. "Two seven eight nine nine five."
Larabee tried the code and learned it worked. "Thank you," Chris told the wide-eyed and terrified guard in Josiah's clinch. "But we no longer need you." He grabbed a dart from his case and jabbed it into the man, watching him fall. He stuck another into the other guard for good measure. He didn't want to chance either one waking and alerting anyone.
The large man looked down at the Guildsmen with disgust. "What do you want me to do with them?"
"Let's just pile them up here. Once all the psionics are out and safe, we'll send them up top."
Josiah nodded. He sent a message to the backup team above, informing them he had the elevator under his custody, and found out that the soldiers above had been successful in their takeover.
The three sentients waited impatiently at the elevator for word that Wilmington and Dunne had taken out the jammer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Buck moved forward with confidence while JD hung further back, providing protection for his partner. The youngest sentient held his tranquilizer gun in his hand, ready to use it at a moment's notice. Surprisingly there had been little resistance on their mission. Dunne was relieved beyond measure; he'd heard horror stories about what happened within these walls, and he was so glad not to be made to witness any. He'd even taken the precaution of wearing gloves, so he wouldn't inadvertently touch something which might send his psychometry into overdrive, shocking his system.
Between the two team members, they'd tranq'ed three men, and had seen neither hide nor hair of any people being held against their will. No alarms had gone off, which made their journey to the control center easier.
"Don't you think this is too easy?" asked JD quietly once he caught up with Buck.
"Don't be looking a gift horse in the mouth." Wilmington sighed. "But I do think we've been lucky. Maybe Baines didn't keep as many supporters as we thought."
"I hope that's it." JD looked down the hall. "Is that the room?"
Buck looked in the direction his friend indicated and saw the room at the end of the hall. "I think so." He checked out the hallway; it was clear. "Let's go." The pyrokenetic stepped forward, lighting up a fireball in his hand while holding the tranquilizer gun in the other. He looked over his shoulder to see JD poised with his dart gun out. "Ready?" he mouthed.
Dunne nodded and brushed a lock of dark hair from his brow.
Buck threw the fireball at the door, caving it in.
JD jumped forward, careful not to get caught in the residual flames. He shot the two men behind the desk; Buck snapped a dart at the man in the rear of the room before his weapon could be pulled. Dunne circled, checking each corner and behind desks to make certain no one else was in there.
"It's clear," he called.
Buck had already found what he was looking for: the jamming system. Summoning up another, larger fireball, he sent it toward the system, and it burst into flame, sparks shooting out.
JD jumped back from the blaze with a glare at his friend. "You could have warned me," he accused.
"Watch out," Buck said with a wink. "That oughtta do it. What else can we do here?"
The younger sentient was walking around the room, trying to find out what equipment did what tasks. JD pointed to a machine. "Take this out and their radios are useless," he stated.
"Good job, kid. Watch out."
Dunne stepped back as the pyrokinetic aimed a fireball at the console. It exploded, a bright light showering.
Buck brushed his hands off, and smiled. He keyed his mike. "Jammer is down, and their radios are out."
Chris and Nathan acknowledged the call.
"Let's go help Ez and Nate," JD said, moving into the hall, gun at the ready.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once they acknowledged Buck's call, Ezra and Nathan left the conference room and moved in the opposite direction than the others had gone. Slinking along the hall, they came upon a restricted section. Through the windows in the bright red doors they spotted two men standing guard inside.
"You go through first, like you belong here," Ezra said. "Once they turn to you, I'll take care of them."
Nathan nodded and stuck his gun under his jacket. He walked forward at normal speed, pushing the swinging doors open and continuing down the hall. He stopped short and turned slowly when the guards called for him to halt. They didn't have a chance to say anything else, as the team's clairvoyant burst through the door, shooting the guards in the back with the sedative darts.
"Maybe this is what we are looking for," Jackson said. He leaned down to check that the tranquilized men were all right and gestured down the hall, which was lined with doors inset with small windows.
"I am of the same opinion, Mr. Jackson." Ezra peeked through one of the panes. Inside was a figure, curled up in the fetal position under a blanket. "I believe you would be better equipped to handle this while I stand sentry."
The healer agreed. "I'm going in." He tried the first door and found it locked. He backed away and waved his hand to his companion.
Standish whipped out a pick and made short work of the catch. He smirked as he moved down the row, unlocking the doors one by one.
Nathan moved into the first room, calling out softly to warn the person on the bed. "Hello? My name is Nathan and I'm going to get you out of here." When the figure stiffened in apparent fear, he continued, "Would you like to go home? My friends and I are getting everyone out. The Guild has been stopped and they can't hold you here any longer." He kept his voice calm and soothing.
Little by little his words were getting through to the terrified individual and he saw an eye peek out from beneath the covers, gauging his honesty.
"I get to go home?" came a rough voice.
"Yes, you do." Nathan's response was firm and truthful. When a hand reached out to him, he gently took it, trying not to frighten the person.
The blanket dropped away and the healer reined in his temper at the pale and gaunt man before him. But the deadened eyes were now bright with hope, and the black man forced himself to smile. "Can you make it? I can help you."
The man chuckled, his voice almost breaking. "I can fly if it means leaving this place." He stumbled once and Ezra stepped forward into the room, lending his arm to the man.
"Will it be all right," Ezra said softly, "if I take you out while my friend looks for more people to help?"
Nodding furiously, the man pushed against Nathan. "There are... many more... go... help."
Nathan smiled and went to the next room.
Seeing Ezra walking slowly toward him with a man, Josiah radioed the soldiers above. The empath sent the elevator up, and two doctors rode it back down bringing two wheelchairs and a gurney, just in case. They would travel with the patients, making sure they got up top all right.
The healer arrived shortly after, carrying one woman with another following close behind, almost attached to his back, fearful and nervous.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As soon as Vin felt the release of the jamming system being taken down, he and Chris left Josiah to search the nearby rooms. The telepath could tell how many men were inside and their locations, so the two psionics methodically burst into the rooms, tranq'ing everyone in them. They had stumbled across no sentients, and began to wonder if any were still being held. With the Guildsmen remaining unconscious for a few hours, they decided to leave them where they were. Chris would return later and load them onto the elevator using his TK.
The further they moved into the rear of the complex, the more Vin became tuned in to the leader of the Guild. He could sense Baines was near and knew that he would have to be dealt with. The telepath didn't want Chris to have to face Baines; there was no telling what would happen. Vin wanted to protect his best friend.
And he wanted to do it face-to-face.
Leaving Chris, he sprinted down the hallway, ready to shoot anyone who got in his way. He rounded a corner and honed in on the psychic signature he was tracking. Passing three doors, he threw open the fourth and stepped inside, startling the man seated behind the desk. Baines wasn't wearing his personal jammer, seemingly relying instead on the facility's main one to shield him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You," Paul Baines spat when he saw Tanner enter the room. He jumped up and circled the desk to face him. "You ruined everything!" He pointed at the telepath, fury lining his face.
"Reckon so." Vin nodded, flashing a nasty smile.
"Your kind doesn't deserve to live."
"Says who? You? At least I'm not making innocent people suffer to further m'own psychotic power trip."
"Innocent," Baines snorted with harsh laughter. "None of you are innocent, you were born corrupted. I was only trying to save some of you."
"Savin' the ones that could help ya. No thanks. Yer done; the Guild is done -- ya lost."
With every word Tanner spoke, Baines became more and more enraged. He flashed back to his childhood when he'd been the only one in his family without psionic power; his parents, brother, and sister were all sentients. His older brother, David, had enjoyed tormenting him. David had used his power to make Paul do things that he didn't want to do. Years later he learned that the term for his brother's power was "projecting telepath." Even his baby sister could do things he couldn't. It was the feeling of helplessness that he couldn't stand. He swore that when he grew up he'd find a way to be in control. And he found it within the confines of the government's jurisdiction. Subsequently, his family was one of the first to enter the camps.
Now all of his hard work and years of planning were ruined -- destroyed -- by seven men. But he wouldn't run.
He'd stand and fight.
All the hatred of a lifetime rose to the surface. Paul Baines was overwhelmed and there was only one outlet the man who stood before him.
He rushed forward, slamming Vin back against the concrete wall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The telepath was stunned by the sudden attack and the motion snapped his head against the hard wall. Dazed by the force, Vin couldn't stop Baines' hands from wrapping around his throat and squeezing. He felt the fingers digging into his throat. The hands' grip grew tighter and tighter, cutting off his air and his ability to think clearly. Black spots danced in front of his eyes and he knew he'd lose consciousness soon.
He summoned up his psychokinesis, trying to push Baines away, but the accompanying pain took even more of his energy away. Vin sagged down to the ground, Baines still clutching his throat.
The only thing that he could do was send out a mental plea for help //Chris!// before he lost the fight to stay awake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris had watched Vin take off, but fought against his instincts, deciding to let the telepath take care of himself.
He got busy tossing Guildsmen into a pile by the elevator. Larabee went through each room and found the unconscious men to "dispose" of. In the hallway, he happened upon Buck and JD gently escorting two shell-shocked people to the elevator. Nathan was escorting another. The healer reported that Ezra was exploring the rest of the place, making sure no other sentients were left behind. As a scanner, Standish could sense people with psychic power.
Within a few minutes, Ezra joined the group and relayed that everyone had been found. When the elevator came down the next time, Larabee used his telekinesis to lift up the pile of Guildsmen and place them, not so gently, inside the elevator. Josiah radioed the soldiers that the people coming up should be placed under arrest.
Larabee went to check out another room and, upon finding it empty, was turning to leave when a scream ripped through his head, nearly dropping him to his knees. //Chris!// He placed a hand on the wall and staggered to the door, struggling to regain his equilibrium.
He shook his head to clear it and raced down the hall that Vin had taken. Turning into a room, Chris was shocked to see Baines standing over Vin's still form, still clutching his best friend's neck. Larabee's temper arose with ferocity. Summoning his power, he mentally hurled Baines aside as if he were kindling.
Calling loudly over the radio to Nathan, Chris ran to his best friend's side, anxious to see if he was still alive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nathan ran into the room, barely glanced at Baines' rumpled form against the wall before dismissing him and coming to Vin's side. The healer immediately checked his patient for injuries. Vin was wheezing, but he was breathing on his own. "What happened?" He placed his hands onto his patient's neck and chest, letting his healing power flow into the telepath, hoping to stave off any irreparable damage.
"Apparently Baines decided the world would be better off without my best friend in it," Chris snarled.
Nathan nodded as he continued to administer aid to Tanner. "He'll be okay to move," he said after a few minutes.
"Good, get him out of here. Tell everyone to take the tunnel and get outside."
Nathan grasped Vin's arm and pulled him up, draping him over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. When he saw Chris standing over Baines, he hesitated. The healer worried about leaving him; the only one able to restrain Larabee in this state was lying over his shoulder, out cold.
"Go."
With a grunt, Nathan left the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chris stepped back and waited for Baines to awaken.
Paul Baines slowly woke up and saw that his prey was gone, the furious blond man in his place.
"It's over," Chris told him.
Baines pulled a pistol on the sentient. Chris smirked, easily grabbed it with his TK, and flung it aside, nearly severing two of Baines' fingers in the process. The Guild leader stared in shock, clutching his broken hand. He growled and started forward.
"Stop. Stay," Chris commanded and Baines froze in his tracks. The telekinetic's power easily held the man immobile. Only his head could move.
"What the hell did you do to me?" Baines spat.
"I'm giving you a little life lesson. You no longer hold the power. This place is finished and so are you."
"It'll never be over until you and your kind are dead."
"I suggest you leave now," Chris suggested. "In about five minutes this place'll be gone." Some level of control remained. Larabee never again wanted to lose himself like he had in the park that day when he almost killed an innocent man and his best friend.
"I'm not going anywhere! I will finish what I started! You will not stop me! " Baines roared.
Chris listened to the rant, his anger and rage growing with every word uttered. The man before him had hurt countless people. This man had hurt his family: Sarah, Adam, Vin. Paul Baines would do everything in his power to make life hell for sentients. He wouldn't stop. At that insight, something in Chris snapped and he unleashed his power. As he watched, the ceiling directly above Baines collapsed, sending tons of dirt, rocks, and earth crashing down on top of him. With a shrill shriek, the Guild's creator was no more, his evil buried.
The telekinetic jumped back into the hallway as the room filled.
He moved away, not yet ready to be with his team. The episode had tainted him and he needed a little time to settle down. He gradually came to realize Baines' death would never bring his family back, but it would allow others to live without fear. He walked through the complex and made a final check for any other people.
Larabee saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing. The Dungeon was empty.
Seeing the multiple explosive charges in place, Chris retraced his steps. He marched back to the conference room, entered the tunnel, and walked to the end. He arrived outside and squinted in the too-bright sunshine. After being under the fluorescent lights of the Dungeon, the natural light was overpowering.
The other six members of his team were waiting; Vin was just sitting up with assistance from Nathan. Josiah informed his leader that the rescue personnel and soldiers had all moved back to a safe position after he had radioed, warning of the coming blast.
"How's he doing?" Chris asked Nathan who was helping Vin to stand.
"Baines bruised his larynx pretty bad. I did what I could, but until the swelling goes down he won't be able to speak and he'll have trouble eating solid food." The healer supported Tanner until he was steady. "He'll be okay in time."
"So you're saying he'll be even more closemouthed?" Chris asked, with mock incredulity.
//Like you should talk, Cowboy,// Vin sent, managing a small smile. His neck was already starting to bruise, black and purple marks appearing in the shape of hands.
"At least we won't have to hear you bitching." Chris winked at his friend, relieved that he'd be okay.
//What about Baines?//
"He's finished," was all Chris said. He felt the telepath enter his mind and he allowed it, lowering his shields.
Vin looked at his friend for a moment, reaching in to see Baines' fate. He moved forward and embraced his friend.
Larabee accepted the hug for a moment, savoring the support. Stepping back, he blinked away tears and called to Buck, "Burn it."
Wilmington nodded solemnly and moved forward. The pyrokinetic reached into his pocket for the radio transmitter with one hand while he gathered a sizeable amount of energy in his other. Chris stepped behind his oldest friend and put a hand on Buck's back. In turn, Tanner moved and placed his hand on Chris. One by one the team connected by touch, together ending the Guild's reign of terror. The mustached sentient lobbed the fireball inside the tunnel, caving it in. Flipping the switch, he set off the explosives.
The sentients watched as the facility collapsed in on itself. None of them shielded their eyes from the brilliant flash of the explosion. None of them covered their ears against the thunderous assault. Each of them wanted to know for certain that the horror they'd seen was dead and gone.
"Not bad for a day's work," commented Nathan softly, breaking the spell.
Chris nodded. Taking one last look at the remains, he turned and faced his men. "We'd better get ready for tomorrow."
The End
Author's notes: I want to send a sincere thank you to some people who encouraged me throughout writing this tale. Nancy, Laurie, Selene, Jeanne, Phyllis, Sandy, Judy, Jan, Teresa, Birgitt, Lanna, Morgen, Gray, Kemmae, and Cin. Without their perseverance [re: nagging], I probably would not have finished.
