Numb3rs

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Plays With Fire

Summary: Takes place after the events of "Scorched". The brothers encounter another arsonist, but this one is far more deadly than Paul...especially since he's kidnapped Don's brother, Charlie.

AN/ All right, I give up! I finally gave in, and wrote down what I have decided to call "Plays With Fire". This fanfic has been on the brain ever since I watch "Scorched" for the first time, and then again since I watched it for the second-and the third. (They were obviously just reruns, but it's turned out to be my favorite episode by far.) In any case...here's my first Numb3rs fanfic, and I think that it'll be a good one. I've been working on it none stop since I've gotten the idea, and I'm hoping that other people will find that it's a good idea as well. After all, what more can you get in a fic that has love, hate, and tragedy?

Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs. Same as everyone else who writes fan fictions because they liked the show so much.

Time: Obviously, this takes place right after "Scorched". But you could call this an AU, before any of the other episodes aired...after all, I don't watch much of numb3rs any more-mainly because my life has been so busy filled with Love, Hate, and Tragedy.

Prologue: A Man Whose Name Is Fire

He liked fire. No, he didn't just like...he always loved fire. Playing with it, watching it start, and end with the merest flicker of life in between. Fire was his friend. There was nothing that could go wrong with fire, and there was nothing that could go wrong when using it either...which is why he always used it.

He liked targeting his enemies with fire...burning down their homes, and sometimes-if he was lucky, he'd be able to burn down someone in the home with the fire. He was always thrilled when that happened. Yet it hadn't happened lately...only that one time.

He remembered encountering an FBI agent, the kind of guy that was known for taking out criminals, and getting the bad guys all the time, without any trouble whatsoever. What was that guys name again? Oh yea...Agent Epps. He wondered what Agent Epps thought of fire. Maybe he'd like to see his brother get trapped in their own house, burning...burning bright, and being alive with screams and yells of terror and pain. Somehow, that always made him excited, and he would stay and watch it-rather than get away. He always favored fire. It was his gift, the power of fire.

He knew that once the brother's had encountered one of his kind-an arsonist they called them. He hated that term, hated more than anything in the world. He wasn't an arsonist. He was a god-one of the gods that had been gifted with the most perfect gift imaginable, and he was able to use it...and not get caught. Unlike his brother god, the idiot, did. He sneered, picturing what his 'brother' had gone through before getting caught. Did he scream? Did he just stand there and take it? Or did he use the moments to merely pretend that nothing was happening before finally accepting the truth and then die. He wondered what he would do, if that would happen to him. Perhaps he would encounter a similar experience. But no...for now, he would just play with fire.

He wanted to get back at Epps...wanted to torture him. Wanted to make him feel the heat, and make him suffer. True, the other one wasn't really his brother, but they had a common element...fire. They both used it to their own means and achievements. They used it to their advantage. But his 'brother' hadn't gotten away. Perhaps...he thought that Epps may have a brother. Younger even. Younger was always better than the old creeps that he encountered. Epps father-ugh! No, he would capture the brother, if there was one. He would use the brother to his own means, and laugh silently while doing it. He would avenge his fellow 'fire' brother, and he would take pleasure in doing so. Now...he only had to plan on not getting caught.

Charlie was edgy. There was no noise coming from anywhere in the house, and that was because of the fact that Don had taken their father out to get his birthday present. He would've gone, but he really had to work, plus he had wanted to have the house to himself for a change. He was feeling nervous, though, and wondering when Don would get back. Perhaps next time, he would go with them after all. A sharp ringing sound made him jump, and he gave a slight laugh. It was just the telephone. He picked it up, as he was sitting next to it, and answered,

"Hello?" There was nothing. Nothing but the sound of harsh breathing.

"Is this Agent Epps?" The voice sounded...weird. It made Charlie bizarrely think of...smoke. Smoke in the wind, against the trees. He shook his head. Get a hold of yourself!

"No." Charlie said, puzzled. Who would want his brother at this hour. "This is Charlie, his brother. Is there something that I can do for you?"

"His...brother?" Now the voice actually sounded puzzled, as though he never expected Don to have a brother.

"Yes. Who is this? Do you have a message for Don?"

The door opened at that point, and Charlie heard just a few more minutes of heavy breathing-and then the phone clicked, indicating that the person-whoever it was-had hung up.

"Huh. Weird."

"What?" Larry's voice sounded from the doorway. Besides him, Don and Allan were both standing behind him-Allan looking pleased, as he clutched a package with both hands.

"Some guy just called, and-" Charlie remembered something. Paul had sounded almost like that guy. For the briefest instant, he froze.

"Charlie? What is it? Who called?" Don was there instantly, taking in his brother's temporarily panicked face.

"I just thought-for a moment-that the guy who called...well, he sounded like...Paul." Charlie said sheepishly. There was silence for a split second, and then Don said slowly.

"He's in jail, Charlie. I would've gotten the call if he'd broken out."

"Yea, I know. But...he sounded...almost exactly like him. His voice was harsher, though. And there was a...weird catch in his voice when I said who I was. It was like he didn't think that you had a brother, even."

"He asked for me?" Don asked sharply.

"Yea. He said, "Is Agent Epps there?" And I responded that he wasn't and asked if he wanted to leave a message. He asked who I was, and I told him-"

"Charles!" Larry said, exasperated.

"You told him who you were? When he sounded like Paul?" Don added.

"You said that Paul was locked up." Charlie said, confused. "Besides, I only just recently found out who he sounded like."

Don just sighed.

"Alright, Charlie. If he calls again, just-hang up." He ordered. Charlie nodded, frowning in thought. "What?"

"What'd you get dad? I thought he wanted something big?" Allan grinned, and Don just looked exasperated. Larry was smiling.

"Look at this thing!" Allan took out the box out of the bag, and Charlie saw that it was actually an IPOD. Charlie groaned.

"Don, did you know that would make your hearing go more? Besides, now dad won't be able to actually listen to us when we tell him we need to do something!" Charlie complained.

"I know, little brother. But it's his birthday, so I let him get what he wanted-" The phone rang again, and Don snatched it just as Charlie was reaching for it. Charlie scowled at him. Don would've laughed, but instead, he was listening to the voice on the other side.

"What do you want?" He demanded. Charlie watched as his brother listened, then shook his head.

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't even know who you are." Don was silent for a minute, and then all his color left his face. He abruptly hung up.

"Same guy?" Charlie asked.

"Yes." Don snapped. He ran a hand through his hair, and shook his head in bitter anger. "I'm sorry Charlie. That was...uncalled for."

"What happened? Don?" Allan prompted when Don didn't say anything. Don shook his head again, and he turned towards Allan.

"I'm going to the office first thing in the morning. Keep an eye on Charlie the entire time I'm away-or better yet, Charlie I'd like you to come with me. Dad, you two. Larry-you may as well."

"That bad?" Allan asked.

Don looked over at Charlie. His face was confused, but also it held a hint of fear for what the man may have said to his brother.

"That bad." He said softly.

AN: Next Chapter is still pending...am going through spelling errors, as well as grammatical errors.