(The Challenge: Write the guys into rolls of another fandem. I did the Ghosthunters)
JD, Nathan, Vin, Ezra and Josiah started walking around in the different rooms, after the equipment was sat up, with their EFRs. "I'm getting a surge," said JD. Vin looked up, from across the room, and said, "Mine reads seventeen. Yours?" "Twenty-five." "Ez, get the Hi-8 and document that." Ezra nodded and did as asked. Josiah had his thermal-imaging digital camera, recording the room. Nathan used an audio recorder, trying to catch an EVP. They did all the rooms that they were told to as Chris and Buck tested the doors to see if wind or anything could make them shut. That night, they all went over their evidence and JD said, "We don't seem to really have anything. My EFR did spike but, other than that...." Chris and Buck met with the Wilsons the next afternoon to show them their findings and explain. "To be honest, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, we didn't find any substantial evidence. We did find that the doors are too heavy to be shut by the wind or anything. But other than that, nothing showed up. We couldn't find any evidence of a haunting but I'm not going to discount it, simply because of those doors." Mr. and Mrs. Wilson smiled and thanked Chris and Buck before they left.
(The challenge: Use the line-That's another fine mess you got me into.)
JD sat in the sheriff's office, behind his desk, going through a stack of wanted posters. He heard noise outside and furrowed his eyebrows. 'What in the world?' He got up and walked outside, looking around for the cause of the noise. The townspeople were quickly walking away from the direction of the saloon, and he could hear loud banging from inside the saloon. He saw Chris, Nathan, Ezra, Vin, Buck and Inez standing outside. He saw a chair fly over the doors and the six in front of the doors hardly managed to duck in time. He jogged over to them and asked, "What's going on?" Before anyone could answer, there was a loud crash from inside the saloon, causing them all to wince, and he saw Josiah throwing bottles against the floor. "What is Josiah doing?!" exclaimed JD. Inez answered, "Senor Josiah saw a crow, started drinking and mumbling something about crows and death. He's going to wreck my saloon!" "Get on in there, Kid," said Buck. JD looked at the six faces staring at him and asked, "Why me? Why not you, Buck, or you, Chris?" Buck sighed, "I doubt he'll hurt you like he would us." Buck paused and pointed at the tin star pinned to JD's vest. "Besides, it's your job. You're the sheriff, remember?" "Yeah, so go on," urged Vin. JD sighed, fingered the star and spoke to it. "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!," he mumbled before he carefully walked through the doors.
ATF Buck, JD, Chris and Vin were in a backyard getting ready to take down a couple that were selling alcohol illegally. Josiah, Ezra and Nathan were staking out the front. "All's clear here, Chris. Ya ready for us to move in?," asked Nathan over Chris's walkie-talkie. "Yeah, all seems clear." They could hear Josiah's deep voice boom, "ATF. FREEZE!," after kicking open the door. Chris, Vin, JD and Buck went in through the back door, their guns in their hands. "Looks like it was only the two of them, Mister Larabee," Ezra said as Nathan and Buck led Mr. and Mrs. Dwayne, handcuffed, to the waiting car. "Good. We'll be out after we make sure it's safe here." Ezra nodded and followed the same direction that Nathan and Josiah took. Vin, Buck, JD and Chris walked around making sure everything was good. "I think we can clear out, boys," said Chris. They were about to walk out when something caught Vin's eye. "Is that dynamite?" Dynamite was not a good thing with the alcohol still in the house. The other three looked and JD nodded, "Sure is." Chris looked closer and, under some old newspapers, he could make out a fiery ember. "Is that fuse lit?!" The other three nodded and they all took off running while Buck screamed, "Oh shit!"
"Okay, do we have everything for the barbeque?" Chris asked. Team Seven were getting ready to head to the park for a barbeque for Nettie's birthday. "We've got everything, Ole Dawg. Let's go," exclaimed Buck. "I'm just making sure. We've got the coal for the grill? Drink cooler? Ice? Plates, napkins? Everything?" The other six sighed and answered, together, "Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes!" Chris held up his hands. "Okay. Let's go!" They all got in their own vehicles and headed to the park. Cassie, Nettie, Inez, Mary, Billy, Orrin, Evie and Rain were sitting there waiting for them. "Happy birthday, Nettie," Vin said as he gave a light hug. "Thanks," said a smiling Nettie. "Can we eat now?" asked Billy. "Sure," said a laughing Josiah as he walked to the back of Chris' truck. He couldn't find the cooler with the hotdogs and hamburgers for the grill. He also couldn't find the birthday cake or the condiments for the hotdogs and hamburgers. When he realized that the only food he could find was hamburger and hotdog buns he shook his head and sighed. Chris was going to kill them!
Vin and JD were walking down the street, heading back to the ATF building from getting dinner at the nearby deli. "Vin, what's the matter?" JD asked when he noticed that Vin had stopped walking. "Uh, oh, I smelled something." "Well? What?" JD asked when Vin didn't elaborate. Vin sighed, "I just smelt tortillas frying. Every time I smell them, I'm transported back to when I was sixteen." He sighed and paused. with a sad look on his face. He continued, "When I was sixteen, an elderly lady, Mrs. Hadshaw, took me in. Every Tuesday, she would fix food from a different culture and have me help her. One Tuesday, she decided to make a Mexican meal. One of the things we fixed was tortillas and that was the last time we fixed anything together. She'd been sick and that night, she went to bed and died in her sleep." JD could see the tears shimmering in Vin's eyes and his heart cried for his friend...his...brother. Vin continued, "She was the best person I had met and stayed with after my mother died. Every time I smell tortillas, it transports me back to that time. Makes me remember her house and those Tuesdays, it's a good memory." JD smiled, "It's good that you have that memory. It's good that you've held it and her in your heart for all these years. I'm sure she'd be proud of you today." "Thanks, Kid." As they continued their walk back to the ATF building, Vin could still smell frying tortillas hanging in the air, and he smiled softly.
JD spread the peanut butter concoction on the buttered plate and sat it in the freezer to harden up. "What'cha doin'?" Buck asked as JD closed the freezer door. JD faced him and shrugged, with a sad smile. "Just making some peanut butter candy." "I sense there's a story involved," Buck said. "Wanna tell me about it?" he asked. JD sighed and shrugged, "Sure." After they had both sat down at the kitchen table, JD continued. I woke up this morning and started thinking about my mom and all the fun we had. We would make the candy together and I would always lick the spoon when we were done." He shrugged, "I dunno. I guess I just wanted to relive that. So, I made the candy and remembered what it was like doing it with her." Buck knew how the kid felt, he had memories of his mom and, sometimes, wanted to relive them. "I know what ya mean," he quietly stated. JD smiled and stood up, walking to the stove where the pan and spoon still sat. He grabbed another spoon and toted everything back to the table, sitting back down. He handed Buck the second spoon and asked, "Wanna help me clean the pan?" Buck just smiled as he and his 'little brother' proceeded to clean the pan spotless.
By noon, all the guys of Team Seven were at Chris's ranch, ready to celebrate. They had proclaimed that that Tuesday was a day just for the seven of them. The next night they would have a party to celebrate with everyone else. JD smiled as he looked around at the other six men, who were lounging around the living room. He couldn't believe that it had been six years since they had solved their first case as a team. That's what they were celebrating. They had made it through that case and were all still kicking. And, hopefully, would be for years. He thought about how the other six guys had affected his life. When he had arrived in Denver from Boston, he had been an excited and eager twenty-year-old, wanting to join the ATF group that was now known as The Magnificent Seven. He didn't think that Chris would accept him at first because of how young he looked. Thank God for birth certificates, or he never would've gotten the job! After a couple of weeks, he had started fitting in and they all, most of the time, didn't notice how young he looked anymore. Buck took him under his wing and let him move in with him, Josiah was a kind of father figure to him (as well as to the other six), Nathan amazed him with his gentleness and concern when one of them was hurt, Vin taught him the appreciation of silence, Ezra taught him words he had never even heard of before and Chris taught him the value of a good glare. JD laughed quietly at that last thought, he'd seen many a grown man tuck their tail between their legs and run when faced with the lethal 'Larabee Glare.' He looked around the living room and saw the guys engaged in various activities. Ezra, Josiah, and Nathan were playing a friendly game of cards. Buck and Vin played a racing game on Chris's Playstation, arguing over who was the best driver, all the while hitting sidewalks and mailboxes. Chris just sat in his recliner, with a glass of water, rolling his eyes toward the heavens and looking on in amusement. Chris caught JD's eyes and asked, "A penny for your thoughts?" JD gave him a smile and replied, "Just thinking about how life is good." Chris smiled, knowing exactly what JD meant. And, as JD looked at his six colleagues, he realized something that he had realized after their first case ended. Life was good. He had found six best friends....six brothers.
"Okay, is everything set up?" asked Chris. "Yep, all set to go," said a smiling Buck. "Okay, cut the lights, they should be here shortly," ordered Chris. A few minutes after Ezra flipped the lights off, Vin said, "I see headlights. It's them." Everyone was in JD and Casey's apartment, getting ready to surprise them for their one-year wedding anniversary. A few minutes later, a laughing Casey and JD entered their apartment. Just as they leaned in to kiss, the lights flipped on and everyone yelled, "Happy anniversary!" Casey's mouth dropped open and her eyes got wide, as did JD's. Buck laughed and said, "You two look like a couple of gaping fish!" JD recovered and retorted, "Shut up!" Then he looked at everyone that was there and smiled, "Ya'all didn't have to do this." "We wanted to, we're all family, ya know," answered Nettie. "Thanks, Aunt Nettie," said a wet-eyed Casey. "So, are you two ready to celebrate - Team Seven style?" asked Buck. "Sure are, let's party!" exclaimed JD as he pulled a John Travoltra move from Saturday Night Fever.
"Are you gentlemen ready?" asked Ezra. He received five glares and one smile. "Sure are, Brother Ezra," said the only smiling member of Team Seven. "Only you and Ezra could be happy about having to perform Shakespeare!" grumbled a very unhappy Vin. Now, Brother Vin, this fundraiser is for a good cause. The secretaries do need new desks." Vin glared at Josiah and snorted, "The only reason we have to be doin' this is 'cause Travis got tired of havin' to hear about it from all the secretaries. He should be doin' this!" Buck glared down at his tights and nodded, "I agree with Vin." Chris scowled and said, "Let's just get this done with!" He looked at his men and mumbled, "Never thought I'd see the day that we would all be wearing green tights." He sighed and shook his head. The MC took the stage and said, "Next up, we have ATF Team Seven. They will be performing a scene from Shakespeare's Hamlet!" Applause started and lasted until Team Seven took their places on the stage. Chris and his men took to the stage, getting ready to perform. Everything was going pretty good for ten minutes. JD had a 'sword', getting ready to 'stab' Buck. He bent over and heard a tearing sound and whistling. "Is that a breeze I feel?!" he yelled.
ATF "We'll knead the dough for a few minutes, then we'll put it in the bread pan. Okay, class?" the cooking teacher, Misses Alberta Millow said as she demonstrated what she was talking about to the class. JD inwardly sighed and wondered what he was thinking when he agreed to go to the class. He looked at Casey, who looked up from her dough, and gave him a big smile. 'That's why I'm here, I can't say no to her,' he thought with a fond smile. After he put his dough in his pan, but before he could slide the pan into the oven, he heard voices getting louder. He glanced around the room and saw a couple of the women getting into a scuffle. 'Wonder what that's all about,' he mused. He saw the teacher walk over to them and he could see her talking and trying to get the women to settle down. When the fighting started to escalate, JD decided he needed to get over there. He walked over to the women, gently pulled the teacher to the side, and tried to get the women to quit pushing each other. "Please stop this, immediately!" he firmly said in a raised voice. The two women ignored him and started pulling each other's hair. JD was caught between them, trying to push them apart. He got shoved and lost his footing, falling to the floor. He got up onto his hands and feet, getting ready to stand up, when the woman in front of him raised her knee and kneed him in the nose. "Shit!" JD howled as he held his nose and awkwardly stood up. His pained yell seemed to get through to the two fighting women, who immediately separated. JD glared at both women, who blushed and shuffled their feet, and glanced around. He noticed everyone standing around, not really knowing what to do as Casey rushed over to him. "JD, are you okay?! We need to get you to the hospital." He sat down on a nearby chair and shook his head, his voice pained and slurred, "Give me a minute." He sat there and took a deep breath, "I never knew cooking could be so dangerous! I need a break!"
ATF Casey and JD got out of JD's car at Chris's ranch, seeing the others all sitting on the porch. "Hey, guys! We were about to send out a search party for ya!" called Buck. When JD and Casey got closer, they could all see the bandages covering JD's nose. They also saw that JD's hair was messy and he looked tired, like he'd just been through....something. "Uh, Kid, what happened?" asked Buck with concern. JD sighed, knowing he had to answer Buck, but not really wanting to. He knew he was about to give them more teasing fuel but he answered, "I was at a cooking class with Casey..." That was as far as he got before being interrupted, by Buck, "You were at a cooking class? Were you wearing a nice pretty apron?" JD knew that Buck was only teasing, so he just narrowed his eyes and continued with his story, after Casey had slapped Buck upside the head. "Anyways, I was at the class, had finished kneading my bread and was about to put it in the oven when things got a little out of control." "A little? Who was in the class, female gladiators?" Nathan asked as he pointed at JD's nose. JD glared at Nathan and blew out a breath, "No....A couple of women got into a fight over who got to use what oven. When they started pushing, I thought I'd better get them broken up. I was between them and got pushed and fell to the ground. I was about to get up when one of them kneed me in the nose, by accident." He paused, noticing that everyone, including Casey, was snorting and turning red from trying not to laugh. He added, "I yelled in pain and they broke apart." He glared at everyone as they broke down laughing, holding their sides. "Damn, Kid! Even cooking, you get hurt!" exclaimed Vin through his laughs.
ATF Team Seven were at the airport, getting ready to leave Denver and fly to Montana, to join a cattle drive. JD had found out, on the internet, that certain places allowed people to pay a fee and join a cattle drive. They'd all been looking forward to it for months, even though they were a little wary about going. They hadn't been on a vacation, in the years that they'd known each other, that one or more of them hadn't ended up in the hospital with various injuries. Judge Travis had even asked Chris if they were all sure about going on the cattle drive or if they had lost their minds. As they stood in line, waiting to hand over their tickets, Chris spoke, "Okay, we're sure we have everything?" "Yes. First aid kit, sunblock, the whole enchilada!," answered an exasperated Buck. They'd been over the list a hundred times. Chris shot him a glare and stated, "You were happy we had that first aid kit last year when you got stung by those three jellyfish, were't you? And, you were happy we had the sunscreen the year before when your arms got sunburned. The sunscreen kept the rest of you from getting into the same condition, didn't it? And..." "Okay, okay!" Buck interrupted as he held up his hands in surrender and the other guys snickered. A Week Later It was the day after the cattle drive had ended and the guys were hiking to a fishing area. "That cattle drive sure was fun, wasn't it?" asked Nathan. "Absolutely not, Mister Jackson! I still do not know why I let all of you drag me on this horror that you call a vacation," said a glaring Ezra. "I know ya hate gettin' up before noon but I know ya loved the drive, didn't ya?" said a smiling Vin. The only reply he received was a one-fingered salute from the Southerner's left hand. Vin just laughed as they all reached the lake that they were going to be fishing from. All of them, except Ezra. He had told them, in no uncertain terms, that fishing was where his loyalty to the vacation ended. He was just going to sit on the fold-up chair that he had taken with him and try to catch up on his rest. As they were fishing, JD said, "Know what?" "What, Brother JD?" questioned Josiah. "We go home tomorrow and I just realized something. Nothing has happened, none of us have been hurt on this vacation. Ain't it great?" Ezra's eyes popped open and they all looked at JD, knowing he had just jinxed them. Buck said, "Boy..." Before he could finish his rant, there was movement in the woods behind them. "Ya'all hear that?," asked Vin. They all nodded and glared at JD. "What?," he asked. They looked at what had stepped out of the woods, Ezra jumping up from his chair, and looked at each other before dropping their fishing poles. "BEAR!," they all screamed as they took off.
Return to The Magnificent Seven