It's Back! - Witness Protection chapter 21

[jncar]

Title: Witness Protection, part 21/??
Fandom: Parks and Recreation
Characters/Ships: Ben/Leslie, Chris/Ann, Andy/April, Ben/Pawnee, ensemble
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: ~ 10,000
Summary: When corporate whistleblowers Ben Adams and Chris Robinson barely escape an attempt on their lives, they gladly accept the protection of the Federal Witness Protection program. What they don't count on is being sent to a city that feels more like something out of a movie or a sitcom than real life: Pawnee Indiana. An AU starting in "Master Plan."
Author's Notes: Sorry (kind of) for the lengthy LBD-induced delay, followed by a slightly less lengthy illness/kids induced delay. But we're back with a bang! I don't expect any more 3 month gaps; hopefully I'll be able to update every 3-6 weeks depending on family obligations. Finally, much thanks to the fabulous saucydiva for her quick beta work. She really helped smooth out some rough edges. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20



Leslie's smile perked up when Ben stopped by with coffee mid-morning on Wednesday the second week of January. They'd made a habit of these little mid-day meetings, but they never failed to lift her spirits. Their relationship was on a limited timeframe-she coveted every moment she could get with him.

They fell into their usual easy banter when he sat down beside her. Leslie still hadn't done anything about her difficult realization on New Year's Eve. She knew it was silly, but she couldn't help but think that if she said something, it would all be so much more real. It would make the stakes higher. It would make it harder to say goodbye.

None of that was really true-everything would be just as hard no matter what she said or didn't say. But still, she held back. Her silence was a safety net, designed to catch her and help her move on after Ben's inevitable departure (an event she tried not to think about but which intruded on her mind all too often).

"So," said Ben, "I was thinking it would be fun to get away for a weekend. Maybe we could stay at that spa hotel you told me about?"

The eager smile on his face made her warm from top to bottom. "That sounds perfect." One more chance to live in the blissful moment. She could think about the future later. Not today.

~ ~ ~

April sat beside her husband at the shoeshine stand having a bubble-blowing contest. Really, she just wanted to see how long it would take Andy to get the gum out of his beard when she popped it in his face. She snickered at the thought as she stretched her gum over her tongue.

Before either of them could start blowing their bubbles two tall guys in dark suits and overcoats wandered by. Their shoes looked like something her dad would wear. Way too nice for the guys at city hall-other than Chris.

"Hey," said one of them, leaning closer to Andy and smiling under his salt and pepper scruff. "Do you run this stand?"

"You bet I do," replied Andy. "Do you need a shoe shine? I'm pretty good at it."

"Maybe later," said scruff face. "So, you probably recognize most of the people who work here. I'm looking for an old friend of mine. I think he works here, but I'm not sure which department he's in. Maybe you know him?" He held up a smart phone with a picture of Ben on it.

An alarm bell started ringing in April's brain. She took a closer look at the two guys. It was snowy out, but not that cold. Those bulky coats could be hiding anything. And no way were those dudes friends of Ben. Not nearly nerdy enough.

Andy laughed. "Yeah, that's Ben! He was best man at my wedding! Well, one of my best men. I had like, nine or ten. He's a great dude. So did you guys work together in Indy or something?"

"Uh, yeah," replied scruff face, forcing his fake smile even wider. "That's right. So where can we find him?"

"Probably over-" Andy started pointing in the direction of the Parks Department.

April acted on instinct. "Fourth floor. I saw him earlier today and he said he had some meetings up on the fourth floor. I'm not sure which department. You'll have to ask around."

Andy smiled and shrugged. "I'd listen to her. She's pretty smart."

Scruff face nodded, still fake smiling. "Thanks. I appreciate the help." He turned and headed toward the elevators, his somber friend silently following.

April felt a chill run down her spine. She had to get to the Parks Department.

As soon as the overcoat dudes were out of sight she jumped up and grabbed Andy's hand. "Come on."

"Sure babe," he said, standing and following along behind. "What's going on?"

April frowned. "I think those guys want to kill Ben."

~ ~ ~

Ben ran his fingers over Leslie's knuckles as he laughed at one of her jokes. Their talk of a weekend away had spiraled into a string of ever-more-elaborate fantasies of ridiculous spa services. "Or maybe," he said, trying to one-up her again, "we could do the chocolate aromatherapy at the same time as the hot waffle acupressure session and get a mariachi band to serenade us all at once."

"A mariachi band?" Leslie laughed. "Since when are you a mariachi fan?"

"Well, I still have layers-"

April and Andy burst into the office. Though April always looked intense, there was something different about her eyes.

"There are some big guys wandering the halls looking for Ben," said April. "I think they might be packing heat. You and Chris need to get out of here."

Ben's heart froze in his chest. He felt winded. "What?"

"Oh my god," said Leslie. "Are . . . are you sure?"

April nodded. "I got a really bad vibe from those guys."

Ben's head still swirled. "How could . . . but . . . do you know about my . . . everything?"

April sneered. "God, Ben, it's not like Leslie is the only one around here who can read. When you started blabbing about that pharmaceutical company, I looked it up."

Ben's jaw dropped.

April shrugged. "I get bored."

"You mean you've known for months?" Ben was dumbfounded.

"It made me like both of you a whole lot more. Whatever. Stop talking. You need to get out of here."

Ben felt blown away with astonishment that April knew and didn't tell anyone, and gratitude that April knew and didn't tell anyone.

Leslie jumped to her feet immediately. "She's right. We have to get you out of here."

"Trade cars!" said Andy, an enthusiastic smile on his face. "That's what they would do in a movie. To throw the bad guys off the smell."

"Good call," said Leslie, pointing. "April, toss me your keys. Ben, give April your keys, so she can move your car if she has to."

Ben rose to his feet, his head still spinning, and handed his keys to April as instructed. This couldn’t be real. It couldn't be happening.

"Okay," Leslie took a deep breath, "we can all hope that this is just a false alarm. But even if it is, you did the right thing, April. Thank you."

April nodded. "We'll try to distract those guys for as long as we can. You be safe, okay?" For just a moment, she sounded vulnerable-frightened.

That was enough to shock Ben back into reality. "Chris. We've got to get Chris out." He pulled his cell phone out and dialed Chris before anyone had time to react.

"Hello, Ben. What's . . ."

Ben cut off Chris's cheery greeting. "We're blown. We have to get out, now. Head down the stairs and go out the east side entrance. I'll be in April's car. Leave your phone, and pull out the battery. We've got to go. Now." His heart started to race in his chest as he spoke.

"Understood. I'll be there in three minutes."

Ben hung up and pulled the battery out of his own phone. He handed it to Andy. "Stash this somewhere. Don't let anyone else have it."

Andy nodded, his eyes wide. "I'll guard it with my life."

"I'll keep mine for now," said Leslie. "Don't do anything foolish, okay? I want you to call the police and give them a detailed description of these guys. Let the proper authorities deal with the situation while I get Ben and Chris to safety, okay? But don't-don't mention the witness protection thing unless you absolutely have to."

"Okay," April said. She looked paler than usual as she clutched Ben's keys.

Ben's heart swelled as he looked back and forth between April and Andy. "Hey-both of you-thank you. For everything."

His words hung in the air for a moment with a note of farewell that Ben was certain all of them felt. He wasn't ready for this. He was supposed to have two more months. He nodded briefly at both of them, hoping they understood even in part just how much they meant to him.

Leslie clutched his hand and pulled him out of the office and toward a back entrance. Ben didn't look back. He didn't want to think about what he was leaving behind.

It only took them a few minutes to find April's car in the parking lot.

"I'll drive," said Leslie, unlocking the doors of the decaying Honda Civic.

Ben put his hands down on the roof of the car and shook his head. "No. Leslie, you can't come with us. It might not be safe. You can't-"

"Hey," she gave him a hard look, "I chose this. I chose you, and everything that comes with you. That doesn't change now. I still know Pawnee and the surrounding area better than you do. I can get you someplace safe. And this still might be a false alarm. Until we know for sure . . ." Her voice rose in pitch and cut off suddenly, as if she struggled to contain her emotions.

"Okay," said Ben. "Okay. You can stay for now. But . . ."

"I know. Get in."

He slid in beside her and they remained silent as she pulled around to the entrance where they were supposed to meet Chris.

There was too much to say, and no time to say it.

~ ~ ~

Chris dashed out the door and jumped into the back seat, taken aback for just a moment to see Leslie in the driver's seat. Immediately Leslie peeled away, turning onto the street and heading away from City Hall as fast as was safe.

Chris didn't normally sweat, but right now he could feel beads of moisture forming on his forehead. "What's going on?"

Ben turned to fill Chris in. "Two guys are wandering City Hall looking for me. April ran into them and got suspicious, so she told us. We decided it would be best to get out of there and let the cops go check it out."

Chris closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes. That does seem like the prudent move. Have you called Burdette and Lewis yet? Are we heading to the police station?"

He looked back and forth between Ben and Leslie. Neither of them seemed to have an answer for him.

Chris could feel the black knot of anger rearing up inside of him. They were really going to risk everything for a few extra hours together? No. This had to end. Chris had had enough.

"Give me a phone," he said. "Now."

~ ~ ~

Leslie blinked rapidly to clear her eyes. She wasn't ready for this. How could anyone ever be ready for something like this? "Don't be hasty," she said to Chris. "This might still turn out to be a false alarm."

"And you're willing to risk our lives for that?" Chris said.

No one was at risk. Not yet.

"Look," she said, "April is calling the police even as we speak. They'll go find the suspicious individuals and take care of them, while I take us all someplace safe, far away from City Hall. It'll be fine." She put her foot down a little harder on the gas pedal to speed through a yellow light.

"Leslie!" Chris huffed. "You just missed the turn to the police station."

"We don't have to go the police station. I know plenty of safe places to hide out. Trust me." She tried to force some cheer into her voice, but she knew it sounded as fake as it felt.

"There are protocols we have to follow," Chris insisted. "It's not just our lives-it’s the entire case, and everyone affected by it. You have to think bigger than yourself, Leslie."

His words stung. She'd made a whole career out of thinking bigger than herself. But right now all she wanted was a little more time to be selfish.

"Leslie?" said Ben quietly.

She took a deep breath. "This might just be April's overactive imagination. Okay? Give me an hour. One hour. I know a safe place we can stay. No one would think to look there."

"Leslie, I don't want this to be real, either, but I think Chris might be right. We have to follow protocol." Ben's voice was soft and his eyes glistened.

"As soon as we go to the police or call the marshals-that's it." Her voice shook as she gave voice to the elephant in the room.

Ben reached out to rest his hand on her thigh. "I know. I'm not ready either. But we have to."

No! Not yet. It's not going to end like this.

"Thirty minutes," Leslie insisted. "Just thirty minutes. I'll get us out of town and call April. Please. Just give me thirty minutes?"

Ben frowned a little and turned to look back at Chris.

Chris spoke. "All right. Thirty minutes. But not a minute more."

Leslie nodded and sped up a little more, hoping with all her heart that April was wrong.

~ ~ ~

"Did you actually see these men carrying weapons?" asked the nasal-voiced 911 operator.

April rolled her eyes. "No."

"Then did they verbally threaten your friend?"

"No," April repeated, clenching her teeth. Stupid people.

"So basically you're just calling to report two strangers showing up in City Hall? Is this a joke?"

"Look," said April, "The fill-in city managers, Ben Wyatt and Chris Traeger, are hiding out from some enemies and those guys are assassins that are here to kill them. Got it?"

"That's it, missy. You've officially crossed the line. I'm going to see to it that you get a ticket for this. 911 is not something to play games with."

"Fine. Send someone to city hall right now to arrest me. Go for it." Anything to get the cops here.

The operator wasn't buying it. "Not a chance. I'm ending this call. You can expect a citation in the mail." With that, the operator hung up.

April huffed and glared at the phone, willing the operator's headset to go up in flames. She turned to Andy. "Okay. The 911 lady was stupid. So we have to distract those guys to give Leslie, Ben and Chris a head start. This is the real shit, babe. Are you ready?"

Andy's eyes blazed with an intensity that, under other circumstances, would have been a huge turn on. "I was born ready, babe."

"Okay. Let's do this. Follow my lead."

April and Andy lingered in the corridor near the elevator until the tall dudes in overcoats reappeared, with grumpy frowns on their faces.

"Hey guys," April waved at the overcoat guys.

Scruff face stalked toward her. "So the people on the fourth floor sent me to the city manager's office, and Ben wasn't in either place."

"Yeah-I just ran into him. I told him some old friends were looking for him, but you didn't tell me your name so I couldn't tell him who. But he said he was going to lunch at Ray's. Maybe you can find him there?" April wasn't sure if this would work, but these guys looked pretty easy to dupe.

Scruff face's eyes narrowed. "I'm starting to think you're just messing with me."

"She's not. I was there. Ben's totally going to Ray's. We could take you there, if you want," said Andy.

April clenched her teeth. Giving a ride to a couple of assassins wasn't part of her plan. Maybe she could back them down from that. "Well, we could lead you there. We're going to lunch nearby, so you could follow us."

Scruff face flared his nostrils. "How about you just give me directions?"

"I really suck at giving directions." April smacked her gum, feigning a blank expression.

Andy laughed. "She really does. She gave me directions to her grandma's house once, and I ended up at a truck stop."

April smiled. That story was true. But it was more because Andy wrote the directions on a tissue and then blew his nose on it than because of anything else. But these guys didn't need to know that. "Seriously-you can just follow us."

Scruff face turned to meet his stoic companion's eyes, and then looked back, frowning. "Fine. Lead the way."

Perfect.

April took Andy's hand. "Come on, then." She sashayed toward the parking lot, hoping it wouldn't take her too long to find Ben's car.

Fortunately it was parked in the first row. Naturally he made it to work early enough to park close. April unlocked the doors and headed for the driver's seat. She waggled her fingers in a friendly wave at the overcoats still following them. She shivered a little in the cold breeze. She'd forgotten to grab her coat.

"I'll wait at the exit until you pull up behind me, and then I'll lead you right to Ray's," she called.

The overcoats nodded and headed further out into the parking lot.

April took a deep breath and climbed into the car beside Andy. She shivered again. It wasn't fear. Really. Those guys wouldn't hurt her or Andy in public. Probably. Maybe. Okay, so maybe she was a little scared. But Leslie needed this, and April would do anything for Leslie. Well, not as much as she would do for Andy, but almost anything. And she respected Chris and Ben. What they were doing was important. It mattered. And she wouldn't let some entitled prick win this one. Not if there was something she could do to stop it.

~ ~ ~

Ben watched Leslie's face as she drove. It fluctuated between strength and anxiety every few seconds. He felt like he was watching a mirror of his heart.

This was it. The beginning of the end.

He wasn't any more ready for it than Leslie.

It could be eighteen months-or two years-or more-before he saw her again. He struggled to find words. How could he say goodbye to the person who'd come to mean more to him than anyone else in the world? How could he leave her behind when things between them had only just begun?

He swallowed hard. "Leslie-I understand why you don't want to call the marshals. I don't either. But . . . but we have to face reality here. We both knew this could happen. I . . . " God, it hurt.

"I know. I know," she whispered, her eyes still on the road. She gripped the wheel like it was a life preserver.

"If I could stay forever, I would," he said in a low voice.

She squeezed her lips together and nodded. "Thanks. That . . . thanks."

"I mean it."

"I know," she says. "Really, I do. And I know I'm not being rational."

"It's okay. I get it." His throat felt tight. He squeezed her thigh. "Everything's going to be okay."

She dropped one hand from the wheel to take his hand.

It wasn't quite a lie, but it wasn't quite the truth either. For now, though, it would be enough.

~ ~ ~

Leslie needed a plan. A better plan.

She couldn't go to the marshals. Not yet. As much as she loved April and Andy, they weren't always the best judges of character. If this turned out to be a false alarm, there was still a chance-she might not have to lose him, yet.

He'd stay here forever if he had the chance.

But if it wasn't a false alarm . . . They could all be in danger.

Leslie pulled out her phone and dialed Ron.

"Swanson speaking."

"Ron, I need your help. Ben and Chris are in trouble. It's a long story, but we think there are some guys with weapons after them. I'm taking them to the rangers' cabin at Slippery Elm Park to hide out until we're sure they're safe, but none of us are armed. Could you meet us there with some guns? I want to make sure we're-"

"Say no more, Leslie. I'll be there. If the threat is real, you need firearms. I'll meet you at the Slippery Elm cabin in thirty minutes."

Leslie took a deep breath of relief. At least they'd be safe-regardless of what else happened. "Thank you. Really."

"I'm on my way."

Leslie heard a loud sigh from the back seat.

"This isn't a very good plan," said Chris.

"It's better than no plan at all," she replied. "And my thirty minutes aren't up, so you're going to humor me."

Chris sighed again. "Yes. It appears that I am."

~ ~ ~

"Um, babe, Ray's is back that way," said Andy, peering over his shoulder to see if the black SUV was still trailing them. This was, without a doubt, the coolest thing he'd ever done. Bert Macklin's greatest adventure, yet.

Of course, any adventure with April would be the greatest.

"I know. We're not really going to Ray's," said April.

Awesome. A plot twist. "So where are leading them? Do you know a place where we can send them over a cliff? Or into an abandoned quarry? Or careening into a diesel storage tank? That would be awesome."

"No. But that would be awesome."

"Wouldn't it?" Andy laughed.

"Yeah. But we're being safe. We're going to the police station."

"Whoa." Andy's eyes went wide. His wife was so freaking smart. "That is the best plan ever, babe. They'll walk in expecting sandwiches, and instead they'll get cold steel bars."

Andy couldn't wait to see it all go down.

A few minutes later they got close to the police station. April turned left into the police parking lot. Andy's smile faded as the black GMC Terrain that had been following them sped on past. "Damn it. They just left." Super bummer. But, now that he thought about it, those guys probably had guns. And he didn't really want any guys with guns around April.

"Yeah," said April, "I kind of thought this might happen. But we can still go in. Maybe the cops can chase after them."

That would still be pretty sweet.

He strode into the station with a bounce in his step and grinned as he faced down the officer behind the front desk. "Hello officer, ma'am," he said. "We've got a situation in which a pair of armed perpetrators were located at city hall, and they subsequently followed our vehicle here to the station, but when we turned to enter, the perps continued onward in a northerly direction."

The officer raised her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

April sighed and laid her palms flat on the counter. "We need to make a report. There are two guys in town and I'm pretty sure they're trying to kill my friends. It has to do with the federal witness protection program."

The officer's eyebrows shot even higher. But just then Chief Trumple stepped out from behind some desks. "Did you say witness protection?"

"Yes sir," said Andy immediately. This just kept getting better and better.

"Bring 'em back here. Now," said Trumple.

~ ~ ~

The office was unusually empty this morning, thought Jerry. Well, he still had stacks of papers to process, and now there would be no distractions. Maybe he'd finish in time to go out to lunch with Gayle.

A few minutes later two tall men in dark suits and coats strode into the Parks Department. Since everyone else but Donna was gone, Jerry put a wide smile on his face and strode up to the front desk.

"Good morning. Can I help you?"

One of the men nodded. "Yeah. I'm looking for my old friend Ben, and someone from sewage just told me that he's dating someone here in the Parks Department, so I thought I'd drop by to see if he's here."

Jerry grinned. Old friends of Ben! How nice of them to stop by. Jerry loved visits from old friends. "Yes-well, no. Ben is dating our Deputy Director, Leslie. But they left for lunch already."

The man frowned. "I can't seem to reach him on his cell. Do you have any idea where they went? I have some urgent news for him."

Jerry's eyebrows rose. "Is it about his mom? I know she was in an accident. Did something happen?"

The man nodded with a solemn expression on his face. "Yes. It's about his mom. I really need to see him as soon as possible."

Jerry searched his memory for anything that might help. He knew that if someone needed to get him a message about his family, he hoped his friends would do everything they could to make sure he got the message. Jerry intended to do the same. He raised his pointer finger as a memory popped back into his mind.

"You know-I did hear my boss Ron talking to Leslie on the phone about fifteen minutes ago. He said something about meeting her at the Slippery Elm park rangers' cabin. Maybe they're having some sort of department head inspection of the facility. Ben is probably with them. I can give you directions to the cabin, if you want to try to find them there. I know cell service out there can be spotty."

"Yes-I'd really appreciate it," replied the man.

Jerry found a notepad and scribbled down the address and some basic directions. "Here you go. I hope you find him." He handed over note.

"Me too." The stranger grinned. "Thanks for your help."

"Anything for a friend," replied Jerry with a smile.

When the strangers left he sat down with a happy feeling in his chest. So maybe he wouldn't make it to a lunch with Gayle, but at least he helped a friend. He only hoped the news they had for Ben wasn't anything terrible. Jerry hated to see his friends in trouble.

~ ~ ~

As sympathetic as Chris felt for the plight of his friends, his impatience grew with every passing moment.

The car rolled off of the paved road onto an un-ploughed gravel road. He was glad there'd been no new snow in more than four days, or they never would have made it. He only hoped there'd be cell phone service. He glanced at his watch again. Six minutes left.

"Leslie, we need to call April soon."

"I know," she replied. "We're almost there."

A few minutes later they pulled up in front of a snow-covered cabin surrounded by thick trees and a rolling landscape. It did seem like the ideal hide-out. But right now they didn't really need a hide-out-they needed to call the marshals.

They all got out of the car and trudged through several inches of snow to the wrap-around porch. Leslie and Ben kicked the piled-up snow away from the door of the cabin, and then Leslie pulled out a heavily-laden key ring and unlocked it.

Inside the dim cabin wasn't any warmer than outside, but at least there was no snow.

"The furnace isn't on. Let me go get it started," said Leslie, turning to head down a hall.

Chris stepped in front of her. No more distractions. "Leslie, the furnace can wait. You need to call April. It's time."

Leslie automatically flicked her eyes to Ben. He nodded. "I'm sorry, but Chris is right. We need to check in with April to see what's happening."

Leslie took a deep breath. "Okay."

She pulled out her cell phone, and frowned. "I'm not getting service in here. Let me try outside."

Chris and Ben followed her back to the porch. Leslie walked down the stairs and out into the crunchy snow. She wandered for a few moments before finding the signal she was looking for.

As she called, Chris turned to Ben. "I'm sorry. We're going to have to call the marshals. There's no getting out of this-not now that April and god knows who else know who we really are."

Ben looked down and nodded. "I know. I should've insisted on calling from the start. But she . . . and I . . ."

Chris rested his hand on Ben's shoulder. He remembered the day he said goodbye to Kelsey for the last time. It had been one of the worst days of his life. He needed to be here for Ben. "I understand."

"I know you do."

~ ~ ~

Leslie held her breath until April picked up.

"Hey, are you safe?" were the first words Leslie heard. April had never sounded more concerned.

"Yes, we're fine. Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah," replied April. "We're at the police station."

Leslie's heart dropped. So that was it. She was too late to rein this in. Today was the last day. "Oh. Okay."

"They sent some officers to city hall to make sure everything is secure, and I gave them a license plate number off the guys' car. But they haven't found them yet." April's voice got quieter for a moment, as if she was turning her face away from the phone. "What? Yeah. It's Leslie . . . okay." She got louder again. "Chief Trumple wants to talk to you."

Leslie clenched her teeth together as she waited for April to hand over the phone. As much as she respected Chief Trumple, right now he only reminded her that her timeline had suddenly dropped from two more months to two more hours. Damn it-none of this was fair.

"Leslie? Are Wyatt and Traeger with you? Or whatever their names really are?" Chief Trumple sounded exasperated.

"They are. We're all safe."

"Good. Now, I wondered what was up when a federal marshal contacted me to expedite getting Wyatt a gun license. Are they really in the witness protection program?"

Leslie sighed. "Yes. Yes, they are."

"Damn. I never would have guessed it. I'm going to need to contact the marshals that are on their case, and then I need to know your location so I can send a protective detail out to you."

And so it began. Leslie swallowed her emotions. This needed to be done. "Yes. Of course. We're at the park rangers' cabin at Slippery Elm Park. Do you know it?"

"Yep. I'll send some officers right away. What about those marshals?"

Leslie took a deep breath. Okay. It was time. "Here, I'll hand the phone over to Ben Wyatt. He'll get you that information."

She lowered the phone and called, "Ben-you need to give the contact info for the marshals to Chief Trumple. He's on the phone."

Ben nodded and trudged down the stairs, his expression bleak. With a knot in her throat, she handed him the phone. She bit down on her tongue while she listened to him recite the names and phone numbers of the marshals. It was as if she could hear doors slamming shut and locks being turned to keep her and Ben apart.

After he hung up, he met her eyes. "I'm going to have to call the marshals, now," he said.

Leslie nodded. It was too late to stop this. "Go ahead. I understand."

~ ~ ~

Ben was grateful when Burdette took his news with an air of cool professionalism. The last thing he needed right was more high emotions or near-panic. She calmly told them to stay put and wait for the police protective detail. She and Lewis would be there in less than three hours to expedite their removal from Pawnee.

He hung up and stared down at the footprint-riddled snow. His mind reviewed all his missteps over the past few months. Where might he have slipped up? Who might he have talked to, what might he have done? Somehow, he knew in his gut that this was his fault. He was the reason his friends were in danger. He was the reason Leslie was in danger.

He should have left in November.

Even the thought of it made him squeeze his eyes shut to hide from the pain. The past six weeks with Leslie had been like a dream. It was the life he'd been searching for ever since leaving college, though he hadn't realized it until now.

But it was time to give it up. If there was one thing Ben had learned over the past two years, it was that he wasn't meant to be happy. Some people simply didn't have that option in life, and he was one of those poor ill-fated souls. He didn't know why, but happiness just wasn't on the table for him.

He needed to say good-bye.

He swallowed hard and turned back to the cabin. Leslie stood waiting on the porch.

Ben forced a smile and nodded at her. She nodded back, but he could see the tension in the lines around her eyes.

When he reached her, he grasped her hand and held on tight as they walked back inside. He didn't want to let go again until the very last moment.

Chris had managed to light the furnace, but it was still cold inside. Ben and Leslie huddled close together on a loveseat, while Chris paced near the door, looking out the window. It wasn't as private as Ben would have liked, but he was grateful for it anyway.

They didn't say much. What could he possibly say in a few minutes to carry them through the next year and a half? He had no idea.

Instead, he kissed her. He kissed her soft and tender, and then desperate and needy. He held her hands and traced the contours of her face with his fingertips. He memorized the feeling of her silky hair beneath his palm and the scent of her favorite shampoo. He relished the feeling of her breath on his cheek and her nose bumping up against his when they shifted positions. He held onto her because he wasn't ready to let go.

After a few minutes, Leslie whispered to him, her voice shaking, "I could come with you. I could do the whole identity-change thing and come with you, wherever you go."

For one brief moment Ben froze, letting the prospect of bringing her along-of playing house for the next two years until everything was resolved-linger in his mind. Then he fought back the swell of pain in his chest and shook his head. "No. You can't."

"We could ask-" She clutched as his jacket as she spoke.

"No. Your life is here. Your friends are here. You have a job that you love and a town that means the world to you. I can't take you away from this. Everything you care about-everything you love-is here."

"Not everything," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

Ben leaned forward to rest his forehead against hers. He wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. As the profundity of what he was about to lose hit him, he felt like his heart would burst.

Some people weren't meant to be happy. But Leslie wasn't one of them.

"I wish I could say yes," he whispered. "I wish we could run off together and be happy. But I know we can't. It's too much of a sacrifice. You'd been giving up too much for too little. And we might be happy at first-we might even be kind of happy for a long time. But behind it, you'd always regret what you had to leave. You might even start to resent me for it. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I'd been so selfish as to take you away from your amazing life for something that will never, ever compare. I can't do that to you. I won't. This is where you belong."

Leslie closed her eyes and sniffled. "I know. I know. God, I hate it. But I know."

Ben wanted to tell her how much he loved her. He wanted to tell her that he'd wait for her, no matter how long it took. But that would be selfish, too. He couldn't make her feel bound to him, or obligated to wait. She deserved so much more. She deserved to find the happiness that he knew was out there waiting for her. So he kept silent, simply holding her close, sharing the warmth of his body in the cold. There was nothing more he could do.

A few moments later Chris called out, "Ron's here."

~ ~ ~

Ron unpacked the weapons from his duffle bag while Ben, Leslie and Chris all babbled some story about witness protection, white collar crime and secret assassins. He didn't want to hear any of it. Ron had zero desire to have their complicated problems foisted upon him.

However, he'd heard enough to know that the danger was clear and present. Ben was a good enough fellow, and Leslie-well, he'd do far more than he'd ever admit out loud for Leslie. Ron supposed that Chris was part of the package. He'd keep them safe until the police arrived.

"Thank you, so much, Ron," said Leslie. "We really appreciate your help. But now it looks like the police are only fifteen or twenty minutes behind you. We probably didn't need this after all."

Ron squeezed his lips together to contain his ire. "Your lives are in danger. The police are still fifteen or twenty minutes away. Arming yourselves until the police arrive is the intelligent thing to do."

He held Leslie's gaze for a moment, and then turned his eyes to Ben. Ben nodded first. "Ron's right. We need to take every precaution."

Finally, some good sense.

Ben took a Glock 9mm, Leslie opted for the shotgun, and Ron held his trusty Colt 1911 with a back-up revolver in his coat pocket. He wasn't terribly surprised when Chris declined to arm himself. That man never had shown much gumption when it came to important matters.

"I'm sorry," said Chris, waving his hands as Leslie tried to convince him to carry a pistol. "I have never handled a gun in my life, and I don't intend to start now. Even if I did, I have no idea what I'm doing. I'd likely do more harm than good."

"Are you sure?" asked Leslie.

"Positive," Chris insisted.

"Enough chit-chat," said Ron. "This cabin isn't well known, but that's no guarantee that we won't be found. There's too many windows for an effective defense, so our best option is to keep a watch at all the front windows. I'll pull my car around the back. If your assassins arrive by the road, we'll see them. Leslie and I can remain at the front windows to provide covering fire while Ben and Chris exit through the back and get to the car."

Ben frowned. "No. We can't leave the two of you."

Ron raised his hand to stop Ben. "We'll disable the attackers' vehicle and then join you out back. My car isn't well equipped to go off road, but we only need to head through the woods far enough to reach the road. If the police are really on their way, we should be able to stay far enough ahead of any attackers to intercept the police on their way here."

Leslie nodded. "Okay. That's a better plan than any of us could think up. I say we do it."

Ben didn't look convinced, but he nodded in agreement. Chris's vote on the matter was unimportant, seeing as he'd opted out of participating in their defense.

"All right. Take up your positions at the front windows while I move my car," said Ron.

The terrain behind the cabin wasn't very forgiving, but Ron felt confident that his car could handle a short trip off-road to meet up with the police, if necessary. Though it would likely need significant repairs afterward.

But some sacrifices were worth making.

When he came inside from the back entrance, he noticed that instead of properly distributing themselves along the front windows, Ben and Leslie stood side by side at the same window, holding hands.

He sighed. Leslie was going to have a hard time of it for the next few weeks. If there weren't more pressing matters, he'd probably be angry at Ben for drawing Leslie into an untenable relationship. But for now, he'd let it go.

Ron took up a stance at an empty front window, and waited.

~ ~ ~

A chill ran down Chris's spine when, less than ten minutes after Ron's arrival, a black SUV slowly approached the cabin.

"That's not the police, is it?" he asked Ron, a dreadful certainty already sitting in his chest like a stone.

"No. It's not. Get your weapons at the ready. Chris-my keys are in the ignition. Be ready."

"Oh god." Chris felt wobbly, and steadied himself on the windowsill as his three companions all crouched down and pointed their weapons out the windows.

He dropped to the ground and felt his heart racing. His heart never raced.

"Here they come," said Ron. "Chris-get ready to go."

Chris took a few deep breaths to steady himself and locked his eyes on the hall to the back door.

"Remember to target their SUV first," said Leslie. "Only target those guys if they become an immediate threat. We don't want to risk bringing charges down on ourselves if they turn out to be someone other than who we think they are."

A silence fell for a few agonizing seconds.

"They're drawing guns!" Ben's voice rang out.

Chris didn't know whether the first shots came from inside the cabin or out. It was all happening so fast.

Broken glass scattered across the floor, and his ears rang from the reports filling the air.

"Go! Go! Go!"

Chris didn't know who shouted the command, but he listened. He dove over a patch of broken glass and crawled at high speed for the back door.

The bright sun reflecting off the white snow blinded him for a moment as he tumbled out the door. Gasping for breath he charged through the crisp blanket covering the earth to reach the car. Shots still rang out behind him.

Someone could be hurt. Someone could be dead.

No. He couldn't think about that now. He turned the key, and revved the car.

Moments later Ben dashed out the back door, Leslie hot on his heels.

"Get in, get in," Ben said, ushering Leslie into the back seat. He dashed around to the passenger side and opened the door, but remained standing, his gun held at the ready.

Chris couldn't believe this was happening. How could this be happening? They were supposed to be safe. This wasn't supposed to happen. It was like the courthouse all over again, only worse.

"Oh god," he moaned.

"It'll be okay, Chris," said Leslie. "Keep you foot on the brake and put it drive. Be ready to go as soon as Ron gets here."

Chris followed her instructions. He could do this. They depended on him. He had to do this.

Ben jumped into the car and Ron barreled out the door with a roar on his lips while diving head first into the back seat. "Go! Go!"

Chris didn't hesitate.

He slammed the gas and aimed the car at the biggest gap in the trees.

They bumped and bounced over the uneven terrain, almost flying out of their seats with the open door swinging wildly.

Chris felt the car lurch as they went over a rock hidden by the snow, and when he veered to compensate he narrowly missed a tree. It cracked against the open door, slamming it shut, and scraped along the side of the car.

"Veer left," called Leslie. "That'll take us to the road."

"Are they following?" asked Chris.

"On foot. We took out their tires," replied Ron.

Chris wanted to feel relieved, but he couldn't. Not yet.

"The road's not far," said Leslie. "We just need to get on it and head out. We should run right into the cops on their way to meet us."

Chris gripped the wheel, desperately trying to keep the car under control. They jounced toward a slight rise in the terrain. Chris steered to go over the gentlest section, but the gap between trees was narrow. He slowed down and aimed the car carefully.

The front tire hit a hidden rock, jolting them hard. Before Chris had a chance to regain control, they were stuck on a low, snow-covered ridge in the ground, high centered, wobbling like a teeter-totter.

"Shit," Chris swore.

"Can we get the tires back on the ground?" Ben asked, a note of panic in his voice.

"It'll take too long," said Ron. "Our best option is to head for the road on foot. The police can't be far, now. We'll still get to them before our friends back at the cabin."

Chris nodded, turning the car off. He may not be able to handle a gun, but he sure as hell knew how to hike.

~ ~ ~

Ben stayed shoulder to shoulder with Leslie as they jogged over the rough terrain. His breath puffed in small clouds in front of his face.

Thank god for Ron. Thank god for April. Today was a worst-case scenario, but without his friends it would have been fatal.

His foot hit a fallen branch and he stumbled, but Leslie squeezed his hand tighter and pulled until he righted himself. "I'm okay. Keep going."

They picked up the pace. He was grateful for all his krav maga training. Without it he'd never have had the stamina for this jog.

A few minutes later they reached the road. The snow had been packed down by the passage of a few cars, but there was enough dirt and gravel mixed in that it wasn't slick.

They all hit the road and immediately began moving even faster.

"If we don't run into the police soon," huffed Ron as he jogged, "we might have to make for the woods again. We'll need the cover if they catch up with us."

Ben glanced nervously over his shoulder at the long straight stretch of road. Damn. This could be a big problem.

A few minutes later everyone began to lag except Chris. Ben could see Leslie's face drooping with exhaustion. If the police didn't turn up soon, he wasn't sure they could keep going.

Their pace grew slower with every passing minute.

"There!" shouted Chris, pointing through the woods in the direction of the cabin. Two dark shapes moved through the woods.

Without further prompting all four of them rushed into the woods on the opposite side of the road. Ben could feel a dark wave of panic closing in on him.

He gritted his teeth and gripped the pistol in his hand. There was no time for panic. Not now.

~ ~ ~

Chris dove behind a rocky rise in the ground and burrowed into the snow at the base of a tree. His friends took more active positions behind other trees and rocky outcroppings around him. For the first time, he started to wish that he'd taken a gun when he had the chance.

"I'm almost out of ammo," Leslie whispered loudly to his right.

"Only shoot if you have to," replied Ron. "All we have to do is hold them off until the police arrive."

Chris closed his eyes and shivered. If he focused hard enough, sending his wishes out into the universe, would the police get there faster?

He turned his head to look over where Ben and Leslie crouched together behind a large tree. Their happiness hadn't been enough to save them from this. Nothing would ever be enough. Everson had ruined their lives, and there was no going back, no matter how much they wished for it.

Ben peered around his tree and raised his gun.

"Hold off," whispered Ron. "Let them get closer, so they're easier targets. Conserve your bullets."

Ben sank back down behind the tree, and reached out with his free hand to brush Leslie's hair back from her face. They leaned toward each other, resting their foreheads together, whispering.

Chris couldn't hear their words, but he could see the fear in their eyes. And the love.

Damn it. If that wasn't worth fighting for, what was? He took a few deep breaths and clenched his teeth. This might be the end, but he wouldn't go down easy.

~ ~ ~

"We can do this. The police will be here any minute," whispered Leslie, trying to convince herself as much as Ben.

"I know," he whispered back. "We're strong. We have Ron to help. We'll make it through this."

"Okay."

"Okay."

Leslie took a deep breath, fleetingly regretting all the things she'd left unsaid. But there would still be time. There had to be. "We need to get ready."

"Yes."

They both shifted, readying their weapons for the next attack.

Leslie wasn't sure if she'd ever be comfortable shooting again after this. Somehow it didn't seem fun anymore. But she was glad she'd spent years learning and practicing. She knew what to do-no matter how much she didn't want to do it.

She edged toward the side of the side, holding her shotgun at the ready against her shoulder.

All she could hear was the rustle of pine needles in the breeze and sound of Ben breathing beside her.

She waited.

Crunch. Crunch.

Footsteps in the snow moved toward them, getting ever closer. She looked to Ron. He held up a hand, signaling that they should keep waiting. Wait for their quarry to come to them.

Crunch. Crunch.

The footsteps were even closer now-almost on top of them.

Leslie and Ben both turned to their left. Chris crouched behind some cover not far from them. And the footsteps were coming.

His pistol stretched out in front of him, one of the dark-clad assassins stepped slowly forward, moving in between Leslie and Chris.

He'd see them soon. He was turning toward her position.

Leslie prepared to fire.

When Chris suddenly sprang on him from behind, hitting him with a series of sharp jabs and kicks, including a thrust to his windpipe.

While the assassin was still choking from the jab to his throat, Chris twisted his arm hard, pulling on the man's thumb until the handgun went flying into a deep drift.

Chris landed a final kick to side of the man's leg, and he went down.

Leslie's heart pounded and her eyes were wide with astonishment. She never would have guessed that Chris had something like that in him.

Ben dashed out to grab the prone man and dragged him back behind their cover. Chris ran over to join them.

"Let's tie him up," said Ben, pulling off his necktie with one hand and tossing to Chris, who gasped and nodded with a flushed face.

Leslie heard Ron chuckling behind her, and turned to glance at him.

"Well done, Traeger," he said. "I guess those krav maga classes paid off after all."

Chris nodded as he bound their still-gasping assailant's arms with Ben's tie. "I have literally never had so much adrenaline coursing through my veins in my entire life."

"There's still one guy out there," said Ben. "Get back in position." He moved up to the tree, holding his gun.

Though the temporary victory left her elated, Ben was right.

She lifted her gun and moved toward the tree.

"Get down!" shouted Ben.

Shots filled the air, and Leslie found herself lying in the snow.

How did I get here?

Pain beyond anything she'd ever experienced flared in her abdomen, and the whole world went white.

~ ~ ~

Ben moved back toward the tree, raising his gun. "There's still one guy out there. Get back in position."

His heart pounding, he leaned to peer around the tree.

A gunman stood no more than ten feet in front of him, his pistol raised.

"Get down!" Ben shouted, jumping back behind cover as shots rang out.

Splinters flew through the air and he turned his head in time to see Leslie hit the ground.

"No!" Fear, horror and anger filled his chest.

Without thinking he raised his gun and darted around the tree, firing.

The gunman's arms flew up in the air as he toppled backward.

Ben froze, staring in shock at what he'd done.

A primal roar sounded behind him, and Ben shivered as Ron charged past him to pummel the downed gunman with the butt of his pistol.

Ben gasped, and wheeled around.

Leslie.

He stumbled back toward their cover, and froze again. His pistol slipped from his fingers and fell to the ground.

A red stain spread in the white snow around Leslie's left side. She wasn't moving.

Chris crouched over her, both his hands covering her welling wound, applying pressure to staunch the flow.

"She's still breathing," said Chris. "She just passed out. Probably the pain. We need to stop this bleeding."

Ben couldn't breathe. He stared down at the warm redness cutting an inexorable path through the snow, inching ever outward.

Leslie was going to die.

His breath came in short gasps. Darkness closed in around him.

"Pull yourself together!" Chris shouted. "We can still save her! Help me!"

Ben shook his head and stumbled forward, landing on his knees in the blood-stained snow. "You need something for the blood," he mumbled, staring at the welling red. He pushed back the encroaching darkness and ripped off his shirt, wadding it up. "Here."

Chris grabbed the shirt and pressed it down over the wound. Redness began to spread across the white and grey checked fabric.

"Leslie," Ben gasped, taking her hand and leaning over her. "Please don't leave me. Please. You can't die. Not like this. I love you. Please. I love you so much. Don't leave me." His voice shook and his eyes blurred with tears.

He could hardly hear the sound of police sirens approaching over the beating of his own heart.

~ ~ ~

Leslie felt the pain again, throbbing, burning, pounding. God, it hurt so much. Why wouldn't it stop?

She heard herself moaning and whimpering before she realized it was coming out of her mouth. After a short struggle she blinked her eyes a few times and looked up. A man in a police uniform crouched over her, and she saw the windows and roof of a car over her head. She seemed to be stretched out on the back seat of a police car.

They turned, setting her wound on fire again. She whimpered again.

"It's okay, ma'am. We're almost to the hospital. You're going to be okay."

Nothing was going to be okay. Ever. Leslie moaned. "Ben. Where's Ben?"

"Be patient ma'am. We're just a few minutes away."

The car turned again, and the new wave of pain was too much. Everything went dark.

~ ~ ~

Tonya hopped out of the car before Lewis even put it in park. She strode toward the small cabin, now surrounded by two police cars and one ambulance.

It didn't matter to her that the local PD had reported her protectees to be in good condition. They were her responsibility, and she had to see them for herself.

She flashed her badge at the cops clustered outside the house and barreled up the stairs.

She stopped with a gasp just inside the front door.

Chris and Ben sat on a couch, their clothes covered in blood, with blankets draped around their shoulders.

"Oh my god."

Chris quickly stood and walked toward her. "It's not our blood. We're okay."

Tonya swallowed and nodded. The police had filled her in on everything.

"Have you heard anything about Leslie?" asked Ben with a wavering voice.

Tonya steadied herself. Her charges were safe. Now she had work to do. She walked toward Ben and nodded. "Yes. She made it to hospital safely, and she's being treated for her wounds. The doctors are optimistic that she'll make a full recovery."

Ben closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands. "Thank god. Thank god," he muttered.

"The priority now is to get the two of you to a secure location. We've got to-"

"So you're the one responsible for this debacle?" a loud voice rumbled.

Tonya blinked in surprise as a beefy man with a mustache strode toward her from the back hall. His hair stood out in all directions and a splattering of blood covered his face and jacket. She was pretty certain she knew who this was.

"I'm Federal Marshal Tonya Burdette. And I assume you're Ron Swanson?"

He frowned and nodded. "I am. And I am appalled at how a government agency which spends millions of dollars of taxpayer money every year on witness relocation and protection can allow something like this to happen. One of the best human beings that I know on the face of this earth was shot today because you people didn't do your jobs well enough."

Tonya opened her mouth to defend herself, but then stopped. Maybe flattery would be a better tactic to pacify him. "But, thanks to your timely intervention, Mr. Swanson, your friend is on track to survive and recover, and our witnesses are still in one piece. Your heroism in the face of danger was extraordinary, and we owe you our thanks. You're a true American hero, sir."

Swanson huffed, but nodded and backed off. "All right, then."

Tonya smiled briefly and turned back to Ben and Chris. "We need to get you to Indianapolis. We have a safe house ready and waiting."

Ben lifted his head. "Can we go by the hospital first? Can I see her? Please?"

Tonya was starting to get an inkling that Leslie had been a lot more than a friend to Ben. She'd have to have a long talk with him about it once he'd pulled himself together. She shook her head. "I'm sorry. We can't. We're going straight to Indy. No stops, no detours."

Ben's expression grew even more desperate. "Can I at least write her a letter? I didn't get to say goodbye. I have to. . . I have to say something. . . I. . ."

Tonya sighed. "You can write a letter once we get to the safe house. I'll make sure Leslie gets it. Come on. It's time to go."

~ ~ ~

Ben stared out the window of the car as they passed through Pawnee on their way to the highway. He wanted to memorize his last glimpse of the place he'd started to think of as home.

But as they passed the snow-covered homes and businesses, all he could see was a field of red spreading out over the white landscape.

TBC

Chapter 22 here