Charlie Eppes, genius with a chalk board and a PHD, walked into the FBI building that had become more of a second office than an impressive headquarter for law enforcement. The mathematician held tightly to the shoulder bag strap that fell across his chest. It had been a tough week and his nerves were on edge. First he had helped to catch a serial rapist - the crime scene pictures still haunted his sleep - and then Charlie had been asked by Don to come up with a theory on why certain banks were being targeted, attacked and not robbed. It had been painstaking, but had paid off in the end. Three criminals behind bars where no one else could be hurt by them.
It made the double-job, that of professor and crime solver, worth the effort. Charlie's brown eyes searched for his older brother as he stepped off the elevator onto the familiar floor. Don Eppes was standing, his team huddled around him like players seeking a coaches guidance before a game. For a moment, Charlie's steps faltered. This might be a bad time to interrupt. It seemed like every time was a bad time when it came to talking with Don. The man had an overactive life. Blinking away his hesitation, the man continued forward.
"Hey, Don." He threw out the greeting with a wave of his arm.
His brother looked up and smiled, the movement warming the room for a split second. That fleeting smile made uneasy appearances far too seldom. Charlie smiled back at the sight and quickened his pace. He flipped open the shoulder bag as he walked, pulling out a folder.
"I got you those equations." Charlie said as he handed them over.
Don barely spared the folder a seconds glance, he clapped his younger brother on the shoulder. "You're going to stick around and explain them to us, right?" He asked knowingly.
Charlie chuckled. "Of course."
Don nodded to his fellow FBI agents and motioned with one hand towards the conference room. "Alright, everybody, lets get moving. Charlie brought us a show and tell."
As one, they walked towards the glass walled room. Charlie felt a renewed energy flow through him, his earlier fatigue and nerves overtaken by adrenaline. They had a killer to catch. Just another day in the world of Charlie Eppes.
-THE END