The Last Valentine
                                                       by Debby

(disclaimer: None of the Magnificent 7 characters belong to me, just borrowing them for fun)

The sun glistened beautifully off the fresh fallen snow as Chris Larabee steered his truck toward the interstate. Monday morning traffic was clogged and heavy with workers making their routine journey into the city for the start of another week of work.

Chris flipped through the radio stations searching for a morning show a little less annoying then the one he was enduring now.

"Good Morning Denver!" Some irritatingly deep voiced male tried in vain to do an impression of Robin Williams.  Chris grimaced and hit seek.  Seeing his exit he changed lanes and easily maneuvered through traffic.  He grinned, satisfied that his truck managed to intimidate other drivers into not cutting him off.   He took the familiar streets instinctively as he drove through Purgatorio.  He came to a stop in front of a battered building with the appearance of being ready to collapse with the slightest gust of wind.  He beeped the horn once and waited only a minute before the slender form of Vin Tanner came out of the main exit and hurried to the truck.

"Morning " he said climbing into  the heated cab. "Thanks for the ride. The jeep just refused to brave the cold."

"Not surprising." Chris grinned and pulled away from the curb.

Vin reached back and bucked his seat belt as the truck picked up speed.  "What are you listening to?" he asked his voice incredulous. "It sounds like the Spice Girls." He frowned hitting the seek button.
"And how would you know?" Chris raised an eyebrow.

"Got conned awhile back into taking a few of the girls from the building to see their movie." he admitted laughing.

"You're kidding."

"Nope. Now I know after sitting through that movie with 3 little girls, I can handle any torture thrown my way."

"You are a better man than I."

They fell into a comfortable silence listening to the news update on the latest station. "Today February 14, 2000. The first Valentine's Day of the new millennium. Make it good one guys or she'll never forgive you. Happy Valentine's day." The DJ's voice faded out as a commercial faded in.

Chris groaned and flipped the radio off. "That cinches it. Buck it going to be intolerable today."

"At least the day only comes once a year." Vin smiled as Chris parked the truck in his normal spot.

"Hmm." Chris half snorted. He climb out, closed his door and started for the elevator.  Once on their floor the two agents walked quickly to team Seven's ATF office. Already they could hear Buck Wilmington's booming voice. As usual he was bickering with his roommate, best friend and youngest member of the team, JD Dunne.

"I'm telling you kid, this year is MY year." They heard Buck say.

"That's what you sad last year right before Mandy broke out into hives from the flowers you gave her." JD reminded.  "Besides Inez has never even given you the time of day. What makes you think she'll start now?"

"Because it's Valentine's Day! Ole Buck's favorite holiday. No woman can resist my charms today."

Chris and Vin entered the office at this point and stood watching as the tall mustached man spread his arms wide as if to lay claim on the day.

"Morning Buck." Chris ' cool green-blue eyes took in the scene with a flash of humor. "Nice shirt." he added sarcastically as Buck quickly let his arms drop to his sides.

"You like it?" Buck grinned and ran a hand over the bright red fabric dotted with pink and white hearts of varying sizes.

"It's something else." Vin exchanged a look with Chris then headed for his desk.
Chris began shrugging his black leather jacket off, moving toward his  office."You can say that again."

"I thought it was perfect for today. At least I'm wearing red." Buck raised his voice at Chris' back.

From his office Chris yelled back. "You gotta problem with black?" his voice had lowered to a level a kin to a growl and he came to his door to shoot a threatening glare in his oldest friend's direction.

Buck just grinned at him. "Nope. Just saying."

"Well watch what you say or you'll end up with your jaw wired shut again." Buck knew he was joking but wisely kept his mouth closed. That was an experience he didn't care to remember or repeat.

"Morning." Nathan and Josiah came in together.  "JD I thought the therapist told you to use that cane." Nathan commented as he draped his coat over the back of his chair. The former medic was always concerned with the health of the others on the team and always first to point out if they weren't following doctor's orders.

"I can walk just fine now." JD complained "It's right there by my desk if I need it anyway." He waved a hand to the silver tipped can leaning against his desk. It'd been almost three months since he'd been shot. For a while he'd thought the cane, a gift from the team, was cool. Now he was just sick of it.

Nathan  frowned but didn't say anything else. He knew that it wouldn't do any good to badger JD. He'd just watch for signs of limping or weariness and then mention the cane again.

Josiah greeted the others and moved quickly to the coffee pot. "Happy Valentine's.." he started but was interrupted.

"Good Lord." the Ezra stopped in the doorway and stared disbelieving at Wilmington.

"What?"

"What on earth are you wearing?" Slowly the southerner stepped forward.

"It's my Valentine's shirt."

"I wouldn't give that offending article the benefit of being labeled a 'shirt'." Ezra grimaced  and began to settle in at his desk while JD laughed.

"Yeah well you just don't know a good thing when you see it." Buck protested rather lamely. Everyone knew, including himself that Ezra prided himself on his "attire". The cost of his shirts alone would shock the normal man, not to mention the price of his suits.

Ezra just shot Buck an amused gaze and began to rifle through the paperwork on his desk.  "I hate Mondays." he muttered under his breath. At least he'd managed to make it in almost on time. The clock read 9:15 am..Close enough.

_________________________________

Chris leaned back in his chair and listened a moment to the men outside. Finally they were settling into the quiet murmur of work.  He enjoyed the camaraderie and closeness they tended to have but some days it made getting down to business the hardest thing in the world.  Trying to get himself into work mode Chris started to pull up a file on his computer. A knock on the door interrupted. He looked up at the young man standing in the doorway. He was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt with Florists R Us  printed on the front.

"Delivery for you sir."

"For me?" Chris repeated.

"You are Chris Larabee right?"

"Yes." he admitted almost hesitantly.

"Happy Valentine's Day then." The boy looked nervous as he handed Chris the single red rose with a pink lacy card attached. He realize the kid was probably around the same age as JD.
"Thanks."  The delivery left rather speedily while Chris looked at the flower in his hands. "Buck." he muttered tossing the rose onto his desk and flipping over the card. Before he could read the calligraphy he realized he was bring watched.  All six of his agents seemed drawn by curiously to his door.

"So who's it from?" Buck asked.

"Like you don't know."

"What? I don't know anything about this." Buck protested, failing miserably in his attempt  look innocent.

"What's it say?" JD asked. His eyes twinkling with mischief.

Somehow Chris knew there was no way out with out reading the card to the others.
"It says;
 'How do I love thee? Let me count the ways
 I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
 My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
 for the ends of Being and ideal Grace
 I love thee to the level of every day's
 most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
 I love thee freely, as men strive for right,
 I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
 I love thee with the passion put to use
 in my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
 I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
 with my lost saints, -I love thee with the breath,
 smiles, tears, of all my life!-and, if God choose,
 I shall but love thee better after death.' "

"That sound familiar." Buck smiled.

"I'm sure it does." Chris glared . "who'd you get to make the card for you?"

"I didn't do it Chris."

"Sure."Nathan grinned. "You're the only one who loves Valentine's day so much."

"Did you write it yourself Buck?" JD asked.

"Hell no! I didn't send it."

"It's a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning Jd." Ezra filled him in.

"Browning." Josiah snapped his fingers making the connection then. He knew he should know who wrote it, it was so familiar."

"Well, whoever sent it..." Chris let the threat hang uncompleted.

" I didn't send it Chris." Buck said again but couldn't contain his smile.

"Uh huh. Get out of here and back to work." Chris order reaching for the phone that had just begun to ring.

Chris let the phone receiver drop back into place and sighed heavily. A new case.  Right now he knew that though the team wasn't involved in something major they were swamped with busy work and research preparations for upcoming  events.  This case was only going to add to the load.  'Better tell the guys.' he thought standing slowly.  As he made his way toward his  door the discarded rose and valentine caught his eye.  He stared at is a moment. It reminded him of Sarah. She had always loved to send him flowers all the while insisting that they weren't just a good gift for women.  Valentine's day had been one of her favorite days. 'Should probably stick the thing in water.' he thought but brushed it all aside. Business first.

"We got a new case." he said it loud enough to catch everyone's attention. He leaned against the doorjamb and waited for Nathan to finish a phone call and Ezra to stop typing.

"A new case? What about the old ones?" Josiah was first to mention their current work load.

"I know, but we've been 'asked' to make this a priority." he emphasized  'asked' clearly indicating that no request had been involved.

"What's up?" JD tapped  a rhythm on his desk with a pencil.

"I only caught a brief run down for the fire chief but it's an arson case. HE'd like us to go over the files and details from his arson investigators. Then move in and check out the scenes."

"What's so important about this arson?" Vin asked.

"These arsons." Chris corrected. "There have been five in three days.  Appears there's no rhyme or reason for any of it but due to the frequency and timing the investigators are looking for a single suspect."

"Do they have any specific perpetrator in mind for us to focus our attention on?" Ezra asked pinching the bridge of his nose as if to ward off a headache.

Chris shook his head. "We'll know more when we get the files. They're on their way over now."  A sound at the door caught his attention. Thinking it was the files he'd mentioned, he was surprised to see the same delivery boy who'd been there about an hour before.

"Not again. " Chris growled. "Buck."

"What?" Buck raised his hands in surrender.

"I'm looking for Ezra Standish." The boy read his clip board with a trembling voice.

"That would be me." Ezra shot a glare at Buck as he took the crimson rose and lacy card from the boy. He scrawled his signature on the board and took the rose to his desk.

"Well?" JD asked failing to suppress a wide grin. "What's your's say?"

"Must I?" Ezra protested.

" I had to" Chris was unsympathetic.

"Good lord." the southerner sighed and proceded to read the poem out loud.

" First time he kissed my, he but only kissed
 the fingers of this hand wherewith I write;
 And ever since, it grew more clean and white.
 Slow to world-greetings, quick with it's "oh, list",
 When the angels speak. A ring of Amethyst
 I could not wear here, plainer to my sight,
 Then that first kiss. The second passed in heights
 The first, and sought the forehead and half missed,
 Half falling on the hair. O Beyond meed!
 That was the chrism of Love, which love's own crown,
 with sanctifying sweetness, did preceed.
 The third upon my lips was folded down
 In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,
 I have been proud and said "my love, my own.""

There was a moment of silence before Buck started laughing "Geez Ezra! Who you been kissing?"

"A grand attempt at humor I assure you Mr. Wilmington." Ezra dropped the valentine onto his desk and twirled the rose in his slender fingers. "I'd have thought a Bird of Paradise was more your style."

Buck stopped his laughter and with difficulty forced a serious look. "I'm telling you guys I'm not sending these. " He shot a look around the room but saw only doubt. "fine, don't believe me. Sure wish I'd thought of it though." He laughed but stopped short at the look from Chris.

"Do you recognize the poetry in this one?" Vin asked.

Ezra nodded. "It's Elizabeth Barrett Browning again I'm fairly certain."

"Same person then?" Vin looked from Ezra to Chris. "Sending them I mean."

"most likely." Chris answered.

"Maybe some of the office secretaries have teamed up?" JD offered in defense of his roommate.

"Thank you JD for your support." Buck said with mock indignation directed at the others.

"Don't mention it."

Chris groaned and ran a hand through his blonde hair.  He needed a day off  and it was only monday.  "I'm going to call the florist. Let me know when those files arrive."

The florist sounded haggard and busy.  "Happy Valentine's Day. How can I help you."

"I'm trying to find out who sent me a flower and valentine. " Chris explained. " My name is Chris Larabee. A second flower same type and all was just sent to my co-worker Ezra Standish. We believe they're from the same person."

"Can you hold please?" she didn't sound like she'd even been listening to him.

"Yes."

Chris picked up the card and scanned the poem again. Elizabeth Barrett Browning. He'd heard of her, and this poem, but not Ezra's.  He wondered a moment about the woman behind the words. What was she like? Did she really know this kind of love or just long for it?   He ran the possibilities of who could have sent it through his mind.  For a second he thought of Mary but shook his head.  It wasn't Mary's style. She would have written something original. Not to mention they weren't that close. He didn't think anyway.

" Florists R Us, Happy Valentine's day. How can I help you?" the tense voice returned.

Chris explained again what he wanted.

"I'm sorry sir, that information is confidential. "

"I'd just like to know who it's from so I can, " he paused  a moment. "thank them."

"I understand that Sir but when specifically instructed by the customer we aren't allowed to divulge any information regarding the order." her voice was rising slightly.

"Specifically instructed?"

"The order was placed as anonymous and the customer asked to keep it that way."

"And you can't give me any information at all? Not even a description of what the customer looked like?" He was tempted to pull rank and insist it was needed for an investigation but the clamoring back ground noise on the other end of the line stopped him.

"I'm sorry sir, even if I could there have been so many people in here today I wouldn't be able to recall one customer from another."

"Thank you for your time." he'd send Ezra in and let him charm the information out of her after they'd gone over the arson files.  Buck might be the office lady's man but if he was behind the joke it's do no good to send him for the information. Chris smiled in spite of himself. Leave it to Buck to come up with something like this.

__________________________

Chris set the stack of manila file folders on the glossy surface of the conference table as the rest of the team filed in and took their usual seats.  It always amazed him that at each conference  it was always the same seating arrangement.  For a job as unpredictable as theirs seemed to be, they somehow held onto a tiny bit of routine.

"Okay here's the deal." he flipped open the top file and pulled out the summary from he arson investigators. "So far five fires in three days and the report sights two more today that may fit the case."

"Damn." Buck swore under his breath.

"The locations appear random." Chris continued. "Churches, homes stores."

"Anyone hurt?" Nathan asked. Chris could see the sadness in the former medic's eyes. It hadn't been that long since he'd been an arson victim himself.

"No, so far the most serious injuries have been minor burns and a few incidents of minor smoke inhalation. There were no obvious steps taken to hide that these were all arsons.  The ascellerants used are basic. A small explosion fueled by a gas or fuel source of some kind."

"Any ideas on why?" Josiah asked as Vin handed him a file.

"Not yet. Like I said before no rhythm of reason."

"Excuse me?" There was a timid knock on the door frame.

Chris couldn't believe it. The damned delivery boy again.  "This is a restricted area." he growled.

"I'm s-sorry. I have a delivery for Vin Tanner." The boy held up a rose and card. His hand was shaking.
"Vin" Chris nodded fro Tanner to get rid of the boy.

"Aw hell." Vin stood and motioned for the kid to follow.

"Buck, it's one thing to do this  to a couple of us but to have them delivered all day?"

"Chris, dammit I'm telling you I'm not the one behind the valentines." Their eyes met a moment. Old friends sized each other up.

"all right." Chris believed him. "But if it's any of you.." He pointed a finger.

"It's not."

"No way!" Denials around the table.

Vin returned sans rose but with the card in hand. he tossed it to Ezra. "Figured you'd all insist on hearing it, and since Ez  here has such a pretty voice I'll let him read it."

Ezra rolled his eyes but read the poem.
 "I think of thee- my thoughts do twine and bud
 about thess, as wild vines about  a tree,
 Put out broad leaves, and soon there's nought to see
 Except the straggling green which hides the wood.
 Yet, O My palm-tree, be it understood
 I will not have my thoughts instead of thee
 Who art dearer, better! rather, instantly
 renew thy presence. As a strong tree should,
 Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,
 And let these bands of greenery which in sphere thee
 Drop heavily down, - burst, shattered, everywhere!
 Because in this deep joy to see and hear thee
 And breath within thy shadow a new air,
 I do not think of thee-I am too near thee."

"Oh My Palm tree??" JD's eyes danced bu the was able to keep from laughing. It appeared they all might get a rose today.

"Same poet?" Nathan asked Ezra.

"I believe so. If memory serves me I think these have all been poems from 'Sonnets from the Portuguese.' "

"What does being Portuguese have to do with it?" Buck asked.

Ezra groaned. "It's the name of her work, like a title." he explained. 'Buck definitely wasn't behind these poems.' he thought.
Chris cleared his throat. It was enough to regain everyone's attention. "Before we get back to the case, " he looked at Vin. "Did you happen to ask if he planned on making anymore deliveries here today?"

"Yup. Said he just did what he was told, ut he thinks he's scheduled to deliver here all day."

"So far it's been about every hour." Josiah added.

"Wonderful." Chris looked down at the file.

"It's gotta be the secretaries. You know how they are." JD thought out loud.

"Whoever it is we'll figure it out later. Right now this case is suppose to be our priority.  JD, there isn't much to work with but start cross-checking what you can.  Josiah and Nathan I want you to start mapping out locations. See if you can find anything that ties them together. Anything, even if it's only that they had the same building inspector. Check it out. " he paused a minute gathering his thoughts before going on. "Vin look over the acellerants used and see if you can find any pattern.  Ezra and Buck get on the phones.  Call the buildings owners. there's a list of people in the area at the times, I'll start on that .  When you finish with the owners I'll give you more names." He glanced a the clock on the wall. "Let's get at it."

*************************

Chris had just hung up the phone and was finishing some notes form the call when he heard the familiar groaning and knew another valentine had arrived. he had to find out who was behind this.  He got up and stretched, rubbing his neck as he walked to the door.  HE'd made five calls so far. Thought he'd never get rid of the one little old lady. Well he assumed she was little anyway.  Obviously lonely she'd prattled on for fifteen minutes giving him lots of information he couldn't use.

JD was sitting on his desk bopping a rose against his leg as he silently read his valentine.

"Got one!" he waved the valentine in Chris' direction.

"Same delivery boy?" Chris asked sitting on the corner of Vin's desk.  Vin was just returning with a cup of coffee.

"Yeah." JD giggled. "booked out of here pretty fast though. I think he's afraid of you."

"Good."

"Well go ahead and read us the poem JD." Josiah nodded to the paper in JD's hand." you're dying to and it's lunch time."

JD grinned. "Sure!
 ' If thou must love me, let it be for nought
 Except for love's sake only. Do not say
 "I love her for her smile--her look--her way
 of speaking gently,--for a trick of thought
 That falls in well with mine, and certes brought
 A sense of pleasant ease on such a day." --
 For these things in themselves, beloved, May
 Be changed, or change for thee, --and love, so wrought,
 May be unwrought so. neither love me for
 Thine own dear pity's wiping my cheek dry--
 A creature might forget to weep, who bore
 They comfort long, and lose thy love thereby!
 But love me for love's sake, that evermore
 thou mayes loveth on throught love's eternity.'

Same lady?" he looked at Ezra who merely nodded.  "She's talking about me loving her instead of her loving me like the others." JD looked at Buck.

"Love's a two way thing Kid."

"Casey's gonna flip if she finds out about this." JD rolled the silky petals of the rose in the palm of his hand.

"Maybe she sent it." Nathan said.
"Casey?" JD thought a moment before tossing the flower and poem onto his desk. "Naw, too sappy. Are we going to lunch?" With that he jumped up, ready to go. "I'm hungry. Besides I'm telling you it's gotta be the secretaries from second floor. They're probably trying to set Buck up." he kept talking as he led Nathan, Josiah and Buck out of the office.

Chris shook his head. He could use some of that energy.  Looking at the others he smiled almost mischievously.  "Anyone care to join my at Florists R Us?"

_______________________________
Part 4

Stepping into the crowded flower shop was like stepping into an alternative universe. Warm air thick with the scents of dozens of different varieties of  flowers assaulted the senses. It was almost overpowering.  It took a moment for the three agents to adjust to the breathing in this new atmosphere.

"Can I help you find anything?" A young sales attendant asked politely.  They could tell immediately it had been "one of those days" for the girl.  Her auburn hair was caught up in  a sagging pony tail  complete with stray leaves here and there.  Dark circles were starting under her blue eyes.

"Why yes actually." Ezra took her gently by the elbow and led her toward the counter. Vin and Chris exchanged a look as they heard the southerner's accent deepen slightly with the compliments he showered on the attendant.

"Between him and Buck." Chris muttered shaking his head.  He  moved toward an older woman who appeared to be in charge of the chaos.  Customers jostled each other amongst the plants.  Others waited in line. Vin noted that most of the clientele were men.  It was almost twenty minutes before Chris made it to the counter.

"What can I get for you hon?" she asked smiling.

"Well i was wondering if you could help me with a mystery." Chris hated this. Everyone knew he fairly sucked when it came to charm.

"A mystery?"

"I got a valentine rose from your store and wanted to know who it was from."

"There was no card?" the lady's eyes flickered from Chris' face to Vin's.

"There was a card but no name."

"What is your name sir."

"Chris Larabee. This is Vin Tanner. He received one too."

The woman nodded and flipped through a notebook on the counter. "Hmm. There wa a specific request for anonymity." She said." We aren't suppose to give any information about the order. I'm sorry but as you can see we're very busy."

"Please ma'am. We're just trying to find out which one of friends is playing a joke on us." Vin spoke softly as he stepped closer.

The sales woman shook her head. "I'm sorry. " Her eyes softened as she looked at the men again. "Honestly there is no information to give you anyway. The order was paid for with cash and the customer didn't leave a name."

Vin felt more then saw Chris tense next to him. He put a hand on his friend's arm.  "Thank you for your help Ma'am." As they walked away he looked at chris. "Relax, it's just a joke and it won't do any good to get  angry with her."

Larabee knew he was right. He hated mysteries.  "Maybe Ezra came up with something." he heard Vin say.

"Gentlemen." Ezra met them at the door and nodded once then followed them out into the cold.  The fresh air was like a shock treatment.

"Find out anything?" Chris asked.

"Not much I'm afraid. Seems whoever placed the order didn't leave a name and paid in cash. "

"That's all we got too."

"However, " Ezra smiled." The original order is for eight deliveries. All to our office."

"Eight?" Chris looked confused.  "Who's getting two?"  He wondered out loud.

"That one I do not know."

"Did the girl remember what the customer looked like?" Vin asked as the three of them climbed into Chris' truck.

"Unfortunately the poor creature has spent the entire morning going from customer to customer. She won't remember me in five minutes." Ezra admitted.

"I doubt that." Vin chuckled. Ezra had a way of making a lasting impression.

*********************************

JD took a bite of his cheeseburger and picked up a french fry.   "I' m telling you guys. It's gotta be the secretaries. Look at them." he waved the fry in the general direction of the table across the room.

The commons area was decorated nicely but it never failed to remind JD of his high school cafeteria.  Buck glanced quickly over at the table of women.  They were watching the agent's table now and laughing occasionally.

"Maybe" he winked at Susan from payroll and waved.  The tall blond laughed loudly and gracefully stood. Her maroon skirt and jacket was very professional but also managed to emphasize her natural curves. Buck smiled as she moved toward them.  He noted the gold heart shaped pin on her lapel.  'Simple and classy' he thought.

"Happy Valentine's Day gentlemen." she said to the entire table. "Buck." she slid into the empty seat next to him.

"Happy Valentine's Day Susan.  You're looking ravishing today as usual. " Buck grinned and played with his mustache.

JD, Nathan and Josiah all nodded their greetings.

"I like your shirt Wilmington."

"Why thank you Darlin." Buck shot an 'I told you so' smirk at JD.
Susan saw the look and winked at JD. " I hear you guys have been getting  some valentines.  You all have a secret admirer?"

"Maybe." Buck leaned closer to her. "Wouldn't be you would it?"

Susan laughed. "Now Buck when have I ever been secretive? Besides, " she winked again at the others. "If it was me I'd only  be sending Valentine's to one man on team 7." With that she kissed Buck's cheek and returned to her table, laughing the entire way.

"She seems to find it amusing." Nathan grinned over his salad.

"Yeah but she ain't our culprit." Buck said sipping his coke.

"I don't know Buck. They're all still over there laughing and I doubt it' s just at your shirt."

"Hey!"  Buck threw a french fry at the Kid.

***********************

For once  the seven agents all seemed to return to the office together.  JD immediately started telling Chris, Ezra and Vin about the encounter with Susan at lunch.

"She says she didn't send them but I'm not so sure."
"You know JD you seem to be trying to direct a lot of attention onto those secretaries.  What are you hiding brother?" Josiah draped an arm over the smaller man's shoulders.

"Nothing!" JD's hazel eyes grew wide.  "I got one of those things myself remember."

"Yeah and you could have sent it to yourself too." Chris pointed out.

JD shook his head. "But I didn't honest."

"Have you  heard the saying ' me thinks thou doth protest too much'  Mr. Dunne?" Ezra's face was a wall of seriousness but he doubted JD had sent the flowers. He just enjoyed torturing him now and then.

"But I..." JD caught the meaning  of what Ezra said and let his protest drop unfinished.

"Oh man." Nathan pointed to his desk as they entered the office.   Laying where he pointed was the latest rose and card.

"Here we go." Vin shook his head.  As funny as the Valentine's were there was something bothering him about the whole thing.  He couldn't put his finger on it. Maybe when they found out who was behind the joke.  He hated surprises.

"Go ahead and read it Nate." Josiah encouraged.
"IF I leave all for thee, wilt thou exchange
and be all to me? Shall I never miss
Home- talk and blessing and the common kiss
That comes to each in turn, nor count  it strange,
when I look up, to drop on a new range
of walls and floors, another home than this?
Nay, wild thou fill that place by me which is
filled by dead eyes too tender to know change?
That's hardest. If to conquer love, has tried,
To conquer grief, tries more, as all things prove;
For grief indeed is love and grief beside,
Alas, I have grieved sol am hard to love.
Yet love me-wilt thou? Open thine heart wide,
and fold within the wet wings of thy dove."

"Now that's a weird one." Buck pointed and went to sit down at his own desk. "Well, I'll be..."

"What?" Chris looked at him.

"I got one too." Buck picked up the rose so they could see it.

"First time tow have come at one time." Nathan observed glancing back down at the card in his hand. Buck was right this one was weird.
"Read your's Buck." JD said plopping down into his chair.

"Alrighty. Says...

'Say over again, and yet once again,
That thou dost love me. Though the word repeated
should seem "a cuckoo-song,"as thou dost treat it,
Remember, never to the hill or plain,
valley and wood, without her cuckoo-strain
cmoes the fresh spring in all her green completed.
Beloved, I , amid the darkness greeted
By a doubtful spirit-voice, in that doubts pain.
Cry, "Speak once more- thou lovest!" who can fear
Too many stars, though each in heaven shall roll,
Too many flowers, though each shall crown the year?
Say thou dost love me, love me , love me--toll
The silver iterance!--only minding, dear,
to love me also in the silence of thy soul."

Buck finished reading and looked at the others.  "How many poems did this Browning chick write anyway?"

Ezra grimaced. "Many."
"Guess we just wait and see what mine has to say." Josiah said.

"Unless you're the one behind them?" JD asked.

Josiah looked at him and started to answer but Vin interrupted. "I think they're from someone outside the office, and not the secretaries." he looked at JD.

"Why do you say that?" Chris knew the sharp shooter had something on his mind.

"Don't know. Just doesn't feel  like a joke anymore is all."

"We need to worry?" Chris trusted Vin's instincts without question, they hadn't failed the team or him yet.

"Don't know." he admitted.

They didn't need this. Not now with  the new case. The new case. There was  a lot of work to do yet.  "Let's get back to work on the arson research." Chris directed. "We'll wait to see what Josiah's Valentine says and the other before we decide what to do."

"The other?" Buck looked at him.

"Ezra found out from the clerk that the order was placed for eight deliveries.  Seems somebody is getting two I guess. Now get to work."

___________________________________
Part 5

Chris flipped through his notes and scowled.  He had nothing to go on. None of the witnesses he'd been able to talk to had seen anything other then the first flames.  He had  a broad array of descriptions of suspects but not one matched any other.  Stacking the notes neatly he put them in a file folder  and stood.  Time for another conference. See if any of the others made some progress.

"Conference guys. Bring your reports." He said simply but stopped his movement toward the room when the delivery boy from Florists R Us appeared again.  "Who is it for this time?" Chris asked trying to control the edge in his voice.

"Ooh ah Josiah Sanchez."

"Fine, that's Josiah." He pointed "What's your name kid?"

"Tim." Tim handed the flower to Josiah.

"Take it easy Tim."
Speechless Tim only nodded at Chris and hurried out into the hall.  He hated flowers. Hated Valentine's Day.  This job didn't pay enough for what he'd been through today.

Chris glanced at Josiah. "What do you got?"

"Another poem Brother. This one says,

'My own Beloved, who has lifted me
From this drear flat of earth where I was thrown,
and, in betwixt the languid ringlets, blown
a life-breath, till the forehead hopefully
shined out again, as all the angels see,
Before thy saving kill! My own, My own,
Who camest to me when the world was gone
and I who looked for only God, found thee!
I find thee; I am safe and strong, and glad.
As one who stands in dewless asphodel
Looks backward on the tedius time he had
in the upper-life.-- So I , with , bosom-swell,
Make witness, here, between the good and bad,
That- love, as strong as Death, retrieves as well.' "

"What the hell is an asphodel?" JD asked.
"It's a flower in the lily family." Ezra answered simply.

"Oh."

Chris felt his pulse quicken.

"Chris." he looked at Vin and saw the concern in his eyes.

"No." he said strongly, reading Vin's thoughts. "It's not possible."

"What?" JD looked from one man to the other. "What are you guys thinking?"

"Nothing." Chris shook his head and ran a hand over his face.  "Conference room, now."

The others watched him turn and walk away.

"Care to enlighten us Mr. Tanner?" Ezra asked moving beside Vin.  There was something he should be catching about this  poem but the southerner couldn't figure out what.

"No." Vin whispered and followed Chris.  He knew what he was thinking wasn't possible but at the same time his mind was wrestling with the certainty that whether they accepted it or not there was really only one explanation.

"Okay guys tell me what you've found. JD start." Chris commanded evenly but his eyes flashed.

"I tried cross referencing everything we had and basically came up empty. I have one check still running though." JD admitted half fearfully.  "There really seems to be no connection anywhere.  It doesn't  make sense. Are they sure it's the same person setting these fires?" he asked.

"Fairly. The MO is the same as far as the start and acellerants." Vin answered him. "Like Chris said before, small explosions to ignite, acellerant  is some kind of fuel based source. Tests are showing it looks like it could even be as common as gasoline. Hard to trace."

Chris tapped his fingers on the table. "Let's   check with gas stations in a 10 mile radius from each site. See if we can find similarities in the ingredients from the acellerants and gasoline. There's gotta be a flag somewhere."

Vin jotted down some notes.

"Anything else about the acellerants?"

Vin shook his head obviously frustrated. "Just common gas. Nice and simple."

"Nathan,  Josiah, what do you have?"

"Let us set  up the map for  a sec." Nathan said standing.
Chris nodded.

Together Nathan and Josiah  unrolled a large map of the city.  They pinned it with thumb tacks to the bulletin board on the side wall of the room. It was marked with a series of red circles each numbered  indicating where the fires had been and the order they had occurred.  Seven red circles.

The phone rang just as Josiah was about to start speaking. Chris held up a finger for him to wait, then slid his chair back and reached for the phone setting on a  nearby filing cabinet.

"Larabee."

His men watched his face darken with his short one syllable answers to the person on the other end of the line.  He reached for a pen and jotted down something on his file folder.

"What is it?" Vin asked after he'd hung up.

"Three more fires linked to the case."

"Did they all happen today?" Buck looked slightly shocked.

"No, but the investigators linked them for sure today.  Here's the locations." he slid the file down across the table and watched Josiah  add three more circles to the map. "Go ahead Josiah."

Josiah pointed to the map and scattered circles.   "As you can see there appears to be no real pattern to the locals.  The fires are in a fairly close diameter to one another, which lends to the single suspect theory. All are within the same forty block square."  He outlined the area with his finger.  "There's no pattern to type of building being hit either.   From the first seven we have three homes, one school, one church and two stores.  Time of day the fires started are even varied."

"There has got to be something." Chris leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. "What do the forensic reports say?"

"Not back yet." Nathan answered. "They're looking for anything  related, same types of hair, footprints, anything."

Chris looked at his watch. "We'll need to start visiting the sites. Get a feel for it ourselves. If we split up..."

"I don't like it." Vin interrupted.

"What?"

"I don't think we should split up."

Chris thought a minute. Vin was right. It was going to take time at each sight anyway. Much more then the few hours left in this day.

"All right, we do more research and  hound the lab for whatever they have so far. Then we'll start with the first site tomorrow."

"Anybody in there?" A voice called from the hallway.

"Dear Lord, could it be yet another delivery from Tim?" Ezra sank back in his chair  twirling his pen across the back of his fingers and around again.

"Come in Tim." Chris called with a resigned sigh. This had to be the last one.

Tim popped his head in first. "Are you sure? You said this was restricted."

"Just leave the flower and go." Chris kept his calm, barely.

"Can I get a signature?"

"GO!"

"No problem." Tim quickly set a vase and card on the table and hurriedly left the room.

"Well this is different." Buck pushed the vase towards the center of the table and flipped the card marked Team 7 to Chris.   This card was in an envelope.  The vase, imitation crystal,  held a beautiful and odd arrangement of roses so purple in color they almost looked black.  Dotted amongst the roses was  the usual greenery and baby's breath to add fullness.  "There's seven of them." Buck counted.

"I guess we all get two valentines today." JD grinned lopsidedly.

Chris stared at the flowers then felt the envelope in his hand and Vin watching him.  Quickly he tore  it open and pulled out the last valentine.  Something jumped out at him before he could focus on the words of the poem.  A small circle of hardened wax at the bottom right corner of  the card.  He ran his thumb over the wax refusing to believe what he was seeing.  He saw the bumps and ridges first before he could see the letters. The letters.  It was only the size of a nickel but he recognized it clearly. His heartbeat pounded loudly through his head blocking out everything around him.   His chest began to burn at the memory and he felt the paper slip from his grasp.

Vin watched as Chris blanched and turned a frightening shade of gray. The card fell to the table. Chris stood and walked to the conference room window.  His back to the others he pressed his forehead against the glass seeking it's coolness.

"Chris what is it?" Nathan was immediately concerned. "Are you sick?"

His response was almost guttural. "definitely."
Vin picked up the card and saw the seal. "Oh God." It was true.

"What" JD was on his feet now. "What's going on?"

"Easy Kid." Buck tried to calm him but was unnerved himself.

"I'll ask again. Care to enlighten us?" Ezra's voice was heavy with concern.

"It's Kara."  The two words Chris spoke crashed down onto the seven like the ceiling caving in on their world.

"No way." JD's voice tightened with fear.

"She's dead." Nathan protested.

Chris turned from the window and ran a hand over his scarred chest.  He pointed to the discarded card. "Someone read the poem. I didn't.."

Ezra picked it up and read,
"Is it indeed so? If I lay here dead,
wouldst thou miss any life in losing mine?
And would the sun for thee more coldly shine
Because for grave-damps falling round my head?
I marvelled, my Beloved, -when I read
Thy thought so in the letter. I am thine-
But... so much to thee? Can I pour they wine
while my hands tremble? Then my soul, instead
Of dreams of death, resumes life's lower range.
Then, love me,  Love! Look on me-- Breath on me!
As brighter ladies do not count it strange,
For love, to give up acres and degree,
I yield the grave for thy sake, and exchange
my near sweet view of heaven, for earth with thee."

Ezra looked around the silent room. "Then there's a wax seal. It's.."

"It's the same one she used on me." Chris interrupted returning to the table. His shock was slowly being replaced with rage.

"But she'd dead." Nathan reiterated. "she fell off a freaking cliff."

The image flashed through Vin's mind. Kara looking up at him then plunging into the darkness. He could still feel her hand sliding out of his.

"They never found a body." Buck pointed out softly.
"But how." Ezra was at his own loss of words.

Chris looked from man to man around the small room. His team, his men, his family, Kara had gotten to them all once. She'd hurt them in ways they were still dealing with. All because of him.

"JD are you okay? " He heard Buck ask.

Focusing on the kid Chris saw that JD has carefully picked up the card.  'Only one paying attention to finger prints.'  he thought. JD was staring at the seal.  The seal.  The image of Kara moving toward him was alive again.  The searing pain and smell of burnt flesh washed over him. Grabbing his chair Chris sat down as the floor seemed to tilt.   "Damn." he shook his head chasing the memory away again.

He heard Vin's soft whisper. "you okay?"  He nodded and focused on JD again.

"Guys?"  JD didn't look at them.

"What is it?"  Ezra asked.

"I think I found the pattern." JD looked  from the card to the map then back to the card.

"What are you talking about ?" Chris asked.

"The pattern." JD's voice sped up as he grew more excited. "The arsonist is Kara! The pattern is the seal! Look!" He hurried to the bulletin board and grabbed Josiah's marker. Quickly using the card as a guide he connected the first fir to the second and  so forth in the same order they had been started.  When he finished what stared back at them wasn't the ornate old english letters of the seal but the simpler basic out lines of the overlapping C and K.

"Oh God." Chris couldn't believe his eyes.

"See, and on the K here.. the line is too short. It means..."

"She's planning another fire." Buck finished.

"And we know  about where." Vin said.

"There's still a major unanswered question here." Ezra noted. "Are we sure beyond a doubt that it's her. How could any individual survive that fall?"

"It was dark and then the snow hit. " Vin answered. " We never saw  how or where she landed."

"Could it be someone's inane  idea of  a joke?" Ezra tried again. he couldn't make himself believe  Kara was back.

Chris shook his head, his voice low as he answered.  "The only people excluding my doctors that know about the seal are in this room." He looked at his team. "It's her."

Part 6

Jeff Wilson sat at his small kitchen table sipping his afternoon coffee.  He watched his his girl friend closely as she moved determinedly around the room.

"Kara you've been on the go for wo weeks now. Don't you think you should just sit down and relax for a few minutes?"

"I'm fine. I just need to get a couple more errands run this afternoon." She smiled at him. "Then I promise you I'll take a break." She brushed her light brown shoulder length hair back from her face, and focused her gray eyes on him.  Slyly she moved forward and pushed his arm out of the way so she could sit on his lap.   She leaned comfortably against his chest, wrapping one arm around the back of his neck and touching his bearded face with her other hand  "You'll help me relax later when we celebrate Valentine's day won't you?"

Jeff laughed softly. "You can count on it."

"Then I promise I won't over do it." She whispered kissing his nose.

"Can you at least tell my where you are going this time? I worry about you out there by yourself.  We're not at the cabin anymore." he held her close feeling her thinness and listening to the now familiar raspiness of her breath.

"I know.  I'll be back soon." She pulled out of his arms after placing a solid kiss on his lips and made her way to the door.  She maneuvered into her winter coat gracefully and picked up a large shoulder bag.

"Don't forget we have reservations tonight." he reminded.

"I won't. "

"I love you." Jeff called as she closed the door. He didn't hear if she answered or not.

Jeff sighed, leaned back and reached again for his mug of coffee.  He hated being back in the city. All the congestion, crowds and pollution, it was why he'd moved out to the cabin to begin with.  But it was where Kara wanted to be.  His mysterious Kara. She'd been acting so different lately. Especially this last week or so.  He could tell she was hiding something from him, but he'd known that from the beginning too.   Closing his deep brown eyes Jeff remembered the first time he'd seen Kara.

It'd been up in the mountains. He'd been living up there alone and undisturbed for a good three months.  Trying to convince himself he could write a novel and living comfortably off his inheritance.  He'd gone out to hunt before dawn that morning and the snow was just starting to come down in force when he spotted her.  At first he thought she was dead. Laying at the base of the incline, a mass of scraped and bloody frozen flesh.  But when he touched her she had moaned. With all the snow he knew rescue teams would never be able to search for her, besides the fact he didn't know if anyone was looking.  So he'd taken the risk and scooped her into his arms.  He'd carried her al the way to his cabin and then loaded her into his truck and driven her the fifteen miles out to a small hospital.  He could remember praying the entire time that she would somehow survive.

It had taken three surgeries to put her back together. Two had been on her right leg which still had two metal pins and a plate in it.   The other was performed on her dislocated shoulder.   A severe burn on her left arm and dozens of deep lacerations on her face, chest, arms and legs were treated as well.  From where he found her Jeff figured she had fallen fifteen feet before catching the more gradual incline of the drop off and sliding the rest of the way face down.   On top of the visible injuries she had developed pneumonia from the hypothermia.

Jeff sat be her bedside every day for a month.  During the first few days with the surgeries and medications  there was nothing but delirium.  Occasionally she mumble or cry out for someone named Chris.  Gradually she noticed him and her surroundings.  She told him her name was Kara and she'd been camping and gone for a walk by herself.  She hadn't seen the cliff until she was falling. He knew it was a lie.   Jeff had never questioned her. He couldn't bring himself to. There was something about her that drew him with an intensity that frightened him.

He took her to his cabin when she ws finally released froth hospital.  He helped her adjust from wheelchair to crutches, from crutches to cane. He helped her with physical therapy exercises when she refused to return for the professional sessions at the hospital.  She would probably be able to move better now if she had gone but she had been adamant.    As he admired her determination he worried too. She always seemed to be pushing herself. Then suddenly last month she had announced she was ready to return to the city.  He couldn't let her go alone.  Jeff knew he loved her. He didn't see the scars she bore or the limp when she walked.  He didn't care that she would always need medication for the chronic bronchitis left behind by the pneumonia  All he knew was he had to be there with her, for her, near her.

There was something going on now though.  She was acting more and more distant with everyday.  Distracted by something or someone.  He wondered if this "chris" she had called out for had something to do with it.  She had never mentioned anyone from her past. She refused to talk about herself.   The only key he had was the picture.  He had found it on her when he'd rescued her and had returned it to her in the hospital.  It was the only time he had seen her cry.  He hadn't seen the picture again until last week.  Kara had left it out on the night stand but when he'd tried to ask who the seven men in fishing gear were she'd just shook her head and found effective means of  distracting him so she didn't have to answer.

Jeff sighed again. Maybe he'd go look for the picture, it had to hold some answers.  He looked at the door Kara had closed behind her.  There was a strange chill in the air today.  Something was wrong and he couldn't put his finger on it.  He took the last sip of his now cold coffee and grimaced.  It tasted unusually bitter .  His throat tightened and stomach knotted painfully.  The mug slipped from his fingers and crashed onto the hard wood  and Jeff knew instantly what was happening to him.

"What have you done Kara?" he gasped as he followed the mug to the floor.

***************************

Kara let her fingers trail lightly up one of the many scars on her arm.  She could feel where the doctors had worked to dig small bits of stone and rock from her skin. Part of her hated the fact that Jeff was dead by now.  He had been good to her. He'd saved her life really but for all his help and encouragement it was returning to Chris that kept her motivated and fighting.

On the coldest nights when she lay awake able to feel the pins and plate in her leg as it throbbed and ached she thought of Chris.  When her chest convulsed with wracking coughs that never seemed to go away she thought of Chris.  When she was well enough and willing to let Jeff  touch her and make love to her, she thought of Chris.   Each moment of these past endless months she'd thought of Chris.  She knew Jeff was growing more discontent and curious since they'd returned to the city.  She'd always known she would have to leave him eventually and there was only one way to make sure he never followed.

A car tooted it's horn annoyingly and snapped Kara out of her reverie.  Quickly she moved on through the green light.  Chris. He would know y now that she had returned for him.  She wondered what he was thinking. Had he missed her? Was he excited an nervous like she was?  Frowning Kara glanced in the review mirror. She wondered if the scars would make him turn away. And what about the others?  She understood fully now.  They were everything to Chris.  He wasn't whole without them and they weren't whole with out him.  That's why she'd started with the fires. She wanted to show them she respected them and what they did as a team.  That's why she'd sent them all a valentine today.  They were part of her Beloved and that meant they were part of her.  She had to have them all now.

__________________________________

Part 7

No one knew how long they'd  all been sitting there in stunned silence.  It could have been seconds or minutes but no one stirred.  It took every ounce of  energy to process the information before the.  Somehow the woman who had stalked them individually and as a team had survived. Somehow she was managing to push herself into their lives again.

Random images flashed through each man's mind.  Instances of panic ad worry for one another and horrible memories of being hunted down one by one.  The scenes played out so quickly through Chris' mind it was like seeing a moving collage.  That first morning with Kara's tear filled gray eyes looking up at him, a candlelight dinner to say thank you,  Ezra being held at gunpoint, flowers.  Nathan reviving Ezra, Vin soaked and gasping for air, Nathan's home ablaze, JD sprawled on asphalt, Buck and Josiah unconscious and bleeding. Flowers. He should have known from the first damn rose.
"Josiah." His voice refused to work at first. He took a breath and tried again.  "Josiah, get on the phone and find out what's in that area." he nodded to the spot on the map JD had circled last. "We want whatever is directly in the spot the K ends."

"Right." Josiah nodded.

"Ezra, Vin and Buck start putting out Kara's description.  Find out if anyone at the flower shop recognized her. Go in officially this time. She may not have left a name but somebody had to deal with her. We need an updated description. Nathan start calling hospitals."

"Hospitals?" Nathan looked confused.

Chris nodded. "If she survived she had to have been hospitalized or taken care of somewhere.  I want to know where. So we can be sure.  Check in a 20 to 40 mile range from that cabin.

"Okay."

"What about me?" JD asked.

"Get on the phone to Rick in security. I want surveillance tapes of all the entrances to the building for the last two weeks at least."

"This building?"
"Yes."

"Surely she wouldn't have come here." Ezra said softly.

Chris looked at him, his eyes cold. "She did before. Let's go."

Half an hour later JD entered Chris' office with pile of video tapes.  "I could only get the last three days worth. Rick is getting the others you wanted together for us  asap. " He explained. "Said they archive them on a three day rotation."

"At least we can start." Chris waited while JD hooked up the vcr he'd procured earlier and popped in the first cassette.  A black and white picture of the front lobby filled the 19 inch screen.   JD held up the remote.

"You want this?"

"No, go ahead."  Making himself comfortable in one of Chris' office chairs JD hit play, then fast forward.

"What day is this?" Chris asked watching the people scramble to and fro.

"Valentine's day." JD answered automatically.
"The tape JD."

"Oh! Sorry." JD checked the black case. "Wednesday the 9th."

Chris leaned forward on his desk, resting his head in his hands.  So many people. He couldn't believe he was sitting here looking for Kara. He'd thought she was dead.  He'd watched her die. He'd dreamt of her death.

"What about her?" JD paused the tape.

"Too tall."

"Could she be wearing heels?"

Chris thought a minute trying to remember Kara in heels. "No still too tall." He remembered the night of their dinner. Kara had worn heels and still barely reached his chin.

The tape sped on. Five minutes then ten minutes passed.  Chris wondered how many of the tapes they would have to watch before they spotted her, but he somehow knew they would. Then he saw her.

"There." he stood and pointed. "rewind it a bit. She's coming through the main doors, goes right to Tom's desk." he pointed to the day guard's desk.   JD rewound the tape a few moments then hit play again. The woman Chris pointed out walked slowly with a pronounced limp. She made no attempts at disguising her appearance.  At one point while she talked with the guard she turned directly towards the camera as if she knew they were watching.  Though the picture was  from a good distance and slightly out of focus there was no doubt in Chris' mind. Kara had been there.

"We need a print of this." He said.

"No problem." JD was on his feet. "You want me to try to zoom in?"

"Please. Once you have it let me know. I'll need to talk to Tom."

"Chris?" Nathan knocked on the open door.

"Yeah?"

"Found the hospital."

Chris didn't bother with the conference room, just followed Nathan back out into the main office.  Vin, Ezra and Buck were just returning from the flower shop.

"Nathan found the hospital." JD explained as they settled at their desks.

"You get anything?" Chris asked.
"Not a lot. You go ahead Nate." Vin motioned at Nathan.

"Found out there's a tiny hospital slash clinic about twenty miles from Kara's cabin." Nathan began. "They were willing to check admitting dates and found that a woman matching Kara's description was brought in by a hunter the day after Kara went over the cliff."

"Damn." Chris looked at the floor.

"They wouldn't give me much as far as her medical condition was concerned but she was there for a month."

"What about the hunter?" Vin asked.

"Visited her everyday, took her home with him.  Got the impression from the doctor that they were a couple.  They made quite and impression anyway. " Nathan looked around the room. "She never showed up for her physical therapy sessions and he paid all her bills. She did go by Kara."

"Hunter's name?" Chris asked.

"Jeff Wilson."

"Find out everything you can about him. " Chris ordered. " She's been in the building.  We have her on tape. Once JD gets a print out we're heading down to talk to Tom. What did you guys find out?" he turned to Ezra for an answer.

"After a bit of persuasion on Mr. Wilmington's part we were able to ascertain a fair description of the woman who placed the order. Seems she is not overly blessed with height, has shoulder length brown hair and gray eyes or blue eyes."

"gray" Chris whispered.

Ezra looked at him a moment then continued. "Outstanding physical impairments include scaring on her face and arms as well as a rather prominent limp."

"That has got to be her."  JD exclaimed.

"Yeah. JD get me that picture. Nathan I want everything on Jeff Wilson preferably an address. Josiah..."

I have it narrowed down to three possible buildings in the vicinity we're looking at. I'm waiting for a call back."

"Let me know."

"I will Brother." Josiah watched with great concern as Chris turned back into his office.  Looking around the room he caught the slightly sagging shoulders, the determined looks and the fear filled eyes of his friends.  This was weighing heavy on all of them, it needed to end. They needed closure and the only way to get that was to either catch Kara or kill her.

________________________________

Part 8

Chris stood absolutely still watching as the day security guard, Tom, looked over the picture JD had handed him.  As his complete opposite, JD stood next to him bouncing on his heels and taking in the lobby and it's occupants with open curiosity.

"Yeah I recognize her." Tom handed the picture back to JD but directed his comments to Chris. "Her name's Kara, comes in  everyday around lunch time."  he self consciously adjusted his belt overly aware of his slightly protruding stomach and his need to go on a diet again. HE longed for the days when he had been as physically fit as the younger men before him.  It felt like forever ago.

Chris took a moment to let Tom's words sink in.  "Everyday?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, 'cept today that is.  She's a sweet little thing. Came in about two weeks ago asking directions to the social security offices. Said she'd lost her card or something.  She works in an office just around the corner."

"Why does she come everyday?" JD interrupted.

"The exercise I guess. She said she was in an accident awhile back. Pretty scarred up she is. Has a real bad limp and her leg cramps up on her after sitting for awhile so she gets her stretching in by walking over here every day. Only stays a few minutes then goes right back to work."  Tom looked toward the front doors with a combined  look of concern and expectation. "Don't know what kept her away today."

"If she comes in again Tom, keep her here and call me immediately."

"Sure " the guard nodded. "Is she in some kind of trouble?"

"She is trouble."

Tom watched the agents walk to the elevator,  a stunned look on his face.  He liked Kara. She struck him as the kind of girl who'd been through hell and fought her way back with out losing her easy ability to smile.

"hmmph." he sighed and sank tiredly into his chair.  He wondered what she could have done to draw the attention of Larabee's team knowing only that what ever it was it had to be pretty bad.

When Chris and JD returned to the office they found everyone crowded around the two desks belonging to Nathan and Josiah. Nathan was on the phone nodding and quickly writing down information as he listened and spoke.

"What's going on?" JD peered around Buck and kept his voice low.

"He caught a lead on the hunter."

"Bingo!" Nathan fairly through the receiver back onto the hook and looked at the others. "Jeff Wilson has a home here in town. " He rattled off the address.

"Not a bad neighborhood." Vin noted.

"Nope, guy's living off a pretty hefty inheritance."

"Explains him paying off Kara's hospital bills." Josiah said shrugging on his coat, anticipating Chris' next move.

"Let's go." Chris ordered.

************************

They took three vehicles  to the address Nathan had written down and found themselves in front of a modest sized ranch style house.

"Damn Chris. All that's missing is the white picket fence." Buck muttered as they prepared to go in.

"Do you  think she's in there?" Vin asked. There were no cars in the driveway or any other signs signaling that the inhabitants were around.

"No." Chris shook his head. "She's not here, but be careful anyway. No telling what she left behind." He sent Buck , JD and Ezra in through the open garage. Josiah and Nathan moved around back while he and Vin took the front entrance. Banging authoritatively on the ornate wooden door frame Chris announced their presence loudly. "Open up, ATF." As expected there was no response from inside.  "Watch your backs." Chris said signaling over his radio for the others to move in as Vin jimmied open the door.

The house was quiet and ominous as Chris and Vin made their way through the entry way and into a quaint but well decorated living room.

"All clear back here." Josiah's voice crackled over the radio.

"I believe we 've stumbled upon the unfortunate Mr. Wilson." They knew immediately from Ezra's tone that the hunter was dead.

"Josiah and Ezra, you check the rest of the house." Chris said entering the sunny little room.  He was caught first by the strong smell of coffee.
"Pot's still on." Buck motioned to the red light glowing on the side of the machine.

Chris then turned his attention to the body on the floor. Nathan was kneeling beside it.

"He's been dead a while, a couple of hours at least." the ex medic explained.

"Any ideas how?" Chris asked. There were no obvious signs of violence.

Vin gingerly picked up a piece of ceramic from the floor and sniffed at it. "My guess would be poison." He handed the shard to Nathan who followed suit and nodded.

"Can't tell what exactly but something bitter. "

Nathan turned the man over carefully, revealing the slightly twisted features.  The expression Jeff wore in death was a combination of pain, surprise and shock.

"Poor fool." Buck whispered.

Chris stared at the dead man, taking in the light colored hair, the mustache and beard.  He wondered what kind of man this Jeff had been to be so easily taken in by Kara. He sighed. It wasn't a hard thing to do he reminded himself. He'd been taken in by her once too.

Josiah entered the kitchen and let out a low whistle.  "Bet he didn't expect that." he tossed  a packet of photos at Chris and a spiral bound notebook.  "Place is empty with the exception of him." he explained  "There are definite signs a woman been staying here though. Women's clothes in the closet, a cane in the bedroom, personal items, jewelry, pain medication." He tossed the prescription bottle to Nathan.

"Strong pain killers." Nathan said reading the label. "Very strong."

Chris spread the photos out on the table. "Damn." he muttered, Kara had definitely been watching them again.  There were shots of all of  them, alone and together.

"Here we go again." JD picked up a picture of him and Buck coming out of the local arcade. "How could we miss her this time?" he asked.

"We thought she was dead Kid," Buck placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hell she should be dead."

Chris examined the note book flipping it open and reading the semi familiar writing.

'Jeff  brought this too me today. Said he hoped to relieve some of the boredom of this place.'

"It's a journal." Chris said out loud to no one in particular. "Kara' s journal."  He flipped further into the book looking for a more recent entry and hoping to find something about the fires.

He found one from the previous week.

"What's it say?" JD asked.

Chris reluctantly read out loud.

' I saw them all today! I thought my heart would stop. Part of me wanted to rush out and say I'm here I'm here! But I was too afraid. They won't understand. Not yet. I've just begun my plan. The fires will show them I respect them all. Then when they realize it's me they'll know I can' t live with out them, with out Chris.   Jeff is suspicious I think. I know now I can never tell him my plans. I just have to take care of him quietly. He's been so good to me, but he's an honest man at heart and love wouldn't keep him from turning me in. He doesn't understand love. Not true love.  He'll never understand that there can only be Chris, only one true love.  I'll have to kill him. "

"Geez." Buck  interrupted.   Chris flipped a few more pages and skimmed the paragraphs.  His eyes widened.

"Josiah what were those three sites you were narrowing down?"

"One was a gas station, one a home and one an abandoned house, all over on liberty street." Josiah explained.

Chris looked at his team.  "We know where she's going next."
Part 9

The beat up grungy van blended in with it's surroundings exactly the way the ATF agents inside it had planned.  The interior was virtually silent as each man pushed aside his discomfort from the cramped stuffy space and watched intently for their target.

JD fiddled with the electronic equipment. His head bent low over the controls, dark hair hanging to cover the worry in his eyes.  He checked over everything one last time just to insure himself  everything was working as it should be.

Buck leaned lightly against the back doors of the vehicle peering out the dirt smudged windows. His body was tense and ready to spring into action at Chris' command.

Nathan sat quietly having already double check his expanded version of a first aid kit.  He ran his supplies over in his head hoping he had everything he might need if anyone ended up injured.

Josiah sat slouched in the drivers seat, a wool hat pulled low over his eyes.  His face matched the windows of the van, smudged with dirt and grime.  He wore layers of rags and appeared to be the sole inhabitant of what any passerby would assume was his home.

Chris rested his head against the back of Josiah's seat and tried to regulate the beat of his heart, willing it to slow down.  'Stop, think, breath' he thought forcing himself to remain calm.  He needed to think clearly.  He ran the blue prints of the old house through his mind again. He wanted to kick himself for not realizing that Kara would have chosen the abandoned building from the list of targets but at the same time he knew it was useless to second guess his actions. Kara was  unpredictable and to assume anything without fully checking it out beforehand would have been dangerous.  His plan was dangerous enough as it was.

"You find Ezra and Vin yet?" he asked Buck, his voice hushed.

Buck grinned.  "It took a minute but I see 'em." He kept his gaze focused outside. "Ezra looks like he's freezing his tail off."

"I can assure you I am, Mr. Wilmington." Ezra responded from his position at the news kiosk.  JD adjusted the volume of the radio slightly.  Buck and Nathan chuckled.  " I don't see a  cause for amusement here gentlemen."  The southerner sighed rubbing his numb fingers together for warmth. He knew as they all did that for all his complaining he was grateful Chris had stationed him outside  the crowded van.   He was getting better at controlling his reactions to enclosed spaces but the others were careful no tot put him into situations that might cause problems if they could help it.

Vin smiled from behind his high collar. He agreed with Ezra. The cold was not amusing. Adjusting his position on the cement sidewalk he leaned heavily against the brick building as if the wall was the only thing holding him up.  He gripped the the brown bag in his cold hands and brought it to his lips for a sip wishing the root beer was something stronger.  He focused again on the boarded up house that fit the description in his mind of a crack house. ON his initial surveillance the placed seemed deserted.  There was only one way in and out that he could find so now they were just waiting and watching for Kara to show up.

Back in the van Josiah shifted his position lightly jarring Chris when the seat moved.  Chris looked at his watch and frowned. There wasn't a lot of daylight left. The journal entry hadn't given any indication of what time Kara planned the last fire, just it's location.   Chris could see the delicate swirls of Kara's writing as if he was still reading from the notebook.

'I sent the flowers today. I hope they like them.  I know Chris will be thinking of  me since it's Valentine's day. that's how I knew today was the day to tell him, show him I'm alive.  He's my one true Valentine. My only valentine.  My last valentine. '

He didn't realize he'd shuddered until he heard Nathan. "You okay Chris?"

He opened his eyes and nodded. "I'll be better when this is over."

"Be careful what you wish for Brother." Josiah didn't move as he spoke. "Our target is just moving this way."

"Where?" Chris turned and dared to glance over Josiah's shoulder. He needed to see her to convince himself this was real.

"Coming front he east. Just about to cross in front of you Ez."

"That's affirmative." Vin ducked his face further down into his collar. "Just passed by."

Ezra didn't say anything as he busied himself with stocking magazines but he recognized Kara immediately as she ambled by.  From his view he caught only a glimpse of her scarred face.  A shiver ran down his spine. This was it.

Kara's limp was like a beacon for the rest of the agents to easily spot her.

"We'll hold up and follow her into the building." Chris reviewed the plan.

"I still don't understand why we can't just grab her now." JD said softly.

Chris' answer was even harder to hear then the question had been. "I don't want her to have any where to run ."

***************************

Kara could feel the staring eyes on her back following her as she crossed the street.  She wanted to turn and scream at people to stop, to yell and cause a scene just to embarrassed them but she already had called too much attention to herself just by walking.   She adjusted the duffle bag she carried  to a more comfortable position on her shoulder and continued on her path.
"Forget them Kara." she told herself. She had more important things to focus on.  As she neared her next and last target she couldn't help but smile.  It has taken over two weeks to get this place set up, coming in at night  and working in almost total darkness.   But she was ready.   She wondered where Chris was and her smile grew.   Knowing him he was probably one of the people watching her now.  God she loved him.  'Bet they're all out there.' she thought.   She knew they would have figured it all out by now. That was the whole reason for  sending the last valentine with the seal.    Carefully crawling through  small opening Kara moved quickly. She didn't know exactly how much time she would have before they moved in but she would be ready.  She'd been anticipating this moment for months. It'd kept her alive.  She would be  ready for them.

Part 10

The seven agents watched Kara move into the building each feeling the pounding rush of adrenaline that came with every sting operation.  The difference this time was it was personal.

"Let's go." Chris' order was almost a whisper.

Buck pushed open the back doors and stepped into the cold evening. Nathan, JD and Chris followed while Josiah got out using the drivers side door.  Vin discarded his brown bag and knit hat along with two extra layers of rags revealing his athletic frame as he moved quickly toward the house.  Ezra gracefully jumped over the kiosk's counter and left a small group of stunned customers in his wake.  Together, almost synchronized the seven moved in.
There was only one opening so they met and and waited for Chris' next command.

"I'll go first. I want Josiah by the door. As far as we can tell this is the only exit. Watch your backs, you know what she is capable of and she's crossed over into killing so I doubt there'll be much hesitation on her part. "

Carefully he drew his gun and entered the building, checking first to make sure the coast was clear.  "Keep in constant contact." He whispered into his radio and stepped into the stench laden air.   The door opened into a long narrow hallway.  Cracks in the slats of wood and boards covering the few windows  at the end of the hall let in just enough gray light to mix with the darkness and cause a confusing mosaic of  light and shadows.   His feet kicked at litter as he moved cautiously down the hall.  He could hear Vin and the others entering behind him.

Chris came to the first room off  the hallway and pressed himself against the wall. He spun in, ready to shoot but found the dilapidated kitchen deserted.  "Damn." he cursed bumping into an overturned chair.   He could use some night vision goggles about now but the budget committee had vetoed his request saying they were an unnecessary expense.. "Unnecessary my ass. " he grumbled not daring to turn on his flash light.

Chris felt Vin pass by him in the hall, ready to back him up and took another step into the kitchen.  He  waved his hand for the others to move on.  "All clear." he said simply and took a step backwards.

Suddenly there was a loud crashing metallic roar that caused all seven men to freeze in place. Before anyone could react they saw dark shadows descend in front of Vin and behind Josiah.

"Chris! NO!" Vin screamed realizing the full impact of what was happening.  He reached forward at the shadow and felt his knees grow weak as he touched steel.  "Oh God. Chris can you hear me??"  Static crackled over the radio.

"I can hear you. What the hell happened?" Chris ran his hand along the steel door hoping to find a release of some kind but knowing he was trapped.

"Are you okay?" JD asked.

"I'm fine. Someone get out to the van now and call the fire department. See if we have anything to get me out of here. This door is all steel."

"We can't " Josiah's voice interrupted.

"What do you mean you can't?" Chris could feel his fear growing.

"There's another steel door blocking the exit."

"Shit." Buck leaned back against the hall wall trying to think.

"What do we do now?" JD looked from Buck to Nathan and Ezra.

"Find a way out. Keep going through the house." Chris pressed his forehead against the cold steel."We know she's here and she 's as trapped as we are. Find her and we find the controls for these doors."

"Gotcha." Vin turned toward the others.

"Keep in radio contact." Chris reminded.

"We will. Josiah is staying on guard here." Vin told him. "We'll get you out of there."

"Just get her." Chris growled.

*********************************

Kara watched the monitor and smiled as she listened to the agents figure out what to do next.  It surprised her that Chris was the first to get trapped. He was such a leader going first.  She watched his dark shadow move about the kitchen. He'd turned his flash like on no making it easier to check out the small room and for her to watch him.

She wanted to talk to him and assure him everything would be okay now that they were together but not yet.  There were a few more doors to trigger first.  The contractor she'd hired to put in he doors had actually believed the story she had ad-libbed about filming a horror movie here. He'd even lent her his electrician to help with all the wiring for the camera's and sound system.  She looked at the two other monitors. One was focused on the empty area that was once considered a living room.  The other followed five men slowly making their way down the hall.

Kara leaned back in her chair and rubbed her aching leg.  This cold air was killing her.  In a few minutes though she would be able to get up and move around a little.  Once everyone was contained she could get out of the cramped storage closet she was using to hide in.  All she has to do was wait a little longer.

********************************

Creeping past the room opposite the now blocked kitchen Nathan and Vin quickly moved in and out.

"Clear." Vin said quietly and motioned for the others to follow through into the larger open room.

A dark mound  in the corner resembled the remains of an over used couch.  It was the only piece of furniture in the room.  The stench of garbage and urine mixed and deepened the further into the room they went.
Buck  easily slid into the bathroom on the right. "Clear " He said stepping back into the living room.

"The stairs." Vin nodded to the stairway in the corner.  There were four or five steps to a small landing where the steps turned at a right angle and continued to the second floor.

"She must be hiding out upstairs." Nathan looked at the ceiling.

"All the fires were started on the ground floor." JD pointed out.

"I'm thinking the lady wants a confrontation." Buck adjusted his vest.

"Let's go then." Vin moved forward followed closely by JD, Buck and Nathan.  Ezra lagged behind a few moments to make sure they weren't leaving themselves open for a surprise attack from behind.  He listened to the steps creak as the others ascended them. Satisfied the room was definitely empty, he turned and headed up the steps.  He'd only reached  the landing when the house shuddered and metal doors roared again.  Recognizing the sound immediately his eyes widened in horror. Above him  the top of the stairway was blocked as a metal barrier slammed into place.  Snapping into action Ezra spun around to rush back into the living room only to see a second barrier trap him on the steps.

"Good Lord." He took a deep breath and fumbled anxiously for his flash light. He could hear Chris yelling through the headphones.
"What the hell's going on? Somebody talk to me!!!"

"More doors Chris." Vin answered staring at the steel door behind him. "Ezra got separated from us."

"Ezra can you get back to Josiah?" Chris didn't like the idea of any of them being on their own.

"Not exactly." The southerner's voice sounded strained but controlled. "there's another door at the bottom of the steps. I'm trapped." he took another deep breath.

"You can handle this Brother.&quo