Disclaimer: I used to be really good at thinking up cool ways to say no.
A/N: Hi again! I'm so stoked that you all liked my last story, and so I've decided to give you a nice little one shot. I haven't had time to write on my other chapter story-- I got a new job. One that pays over seven dollars more an hour than my last one! Once I get into the groove of the job, I'll start up writing more, and will start posting that chapter story I was talking about. Anyways, yes, until then, I have this little one shot I wrote up for y'all to tide you over. I hope you enjoy!
Aim, Fire
Oh to pine for the days when a school day ended at 3:30. As Charlie Eppes packed his bag and headed out of his office, the time read just past four-thirty in the afternoon. Still, at CalSci, people seemed intent on finishing their works and studies and so the sound of voices looming in the hallway were well heard. Just as the young professor was about to reach the door his phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Charlie?" Don's voice rung through, "Hey, I was just wondering if you were going to be able to make it to the office this evening? We wanted you to look at some of the details on a string of robberies."
"Yeah- yeah, I'll be down there in about--"
Charlie's words were cut off at a loud bang of a gun shot and an echo of screams. Startled, Charlie dropped the phone to the ground as he slammed himself against the wall.
"Charlie--!" the voice of Don could be heard from the phone on the ground.
Two more shots rang out as Charlie slunk to the ground, flattening himself against the hard wall. Carefully he went to his stomach and reached his arm out towards the phone, grasping it in the tip of his finger.
"Charlie!" the yell again frantically came over.
"Don…" Charlie whispered, his breath coming in gasps.
"Charlie what's happening?!" Don demanded.
"I-I don't know," Charlie's eyes were wide; he could hear the screams of people outside in the halls, "A-A... gun shots… I think."
"Are you hit? Charlie did you get shot!?"
"No," Charlie shook as he held onto the phone; another shot ringing out.
"Alright, I'm on my way Buddy. Where are you?" Don's voice struggled to stay calm.
"In my office," Charlie gasped.
"Ok, Charlie I want you to close and lock the door, and get away from any windows or anything like that," Don instructed, "Stay on the line; I'm going to put it on speaker phone, but I'm going to stay with you ok?"
"Yeah," Charlie pushed closed the door and clicked the lock.
For what seemed like ages, Charlie sat curled in a corner of the room, listening not only to Don's reassuring words that he was getting closer, but also the mounting panic outside of his office.
"Don, I think there's more than one," Charlie whispered after a moment.
"What, how do you know that?" Don immediately asked.
"One-one's getting closer," Charlie's voice was barely audible, "And I-I can still hear fire from further away."
"Damn it…" Don's voice shook, "Charlie… just-- is there anywhere you can hide in your office? Get completely out of sight?"
"No," Charlie glanced around, "No, there's nothing."
Slowly Charlie crawled underneath one of the back tables. Before he could do or say anything else, a loud smash came from his office door window as a gun shot shattered the glass.
"This is Eppes office!" someone shouted, "Hey Durk, I got Eppes office!"
Immediately Charlie shut his phone, knowing that any sound coming from it would alert the gunman where he was. Worried that Don would try to call back, Charlie pulled out the battery, and held his breath to conceal any noise. The door to his office was unlocked and slow movements entered the room. Squeezing his eyes shut, all Charlie could do was hope that he was blocked from view with the tables and chairs.
"It's not in here Durk," the person in the room seemed to be talking into a radio, "It doesn't look like Eppes is either. We gotta hurry though, we need to get the synthesizer! The cops will be here soon."
Charlie's heart beat quickened for three sudden reason. One was the quick burst of four bullets randomly shot around the room; missing him by inches, the second being that the man actually left his office, and the third was what the guy had said. The synthesizer. It was an instrument that could calculate exact measurements and duplicate them into any form they wanted. Most popularly it was used to create counterfeit money.
The synthesizer was in Larry's office.
If anyone would ask the difference between the Eppes brothers, it would be that Don was the go in guns blazing type while Charlie insisted on analyzing every possible view of the situation first. The younger brother seemingly took on the elders role as he immediately got up and slunk towards the door. He knew that Larry would still be in his office and at the moment, protecting his friend came before his own well being. Forgotten, however, was Charlie's phone which still sat in two pieces underneath the table. The hallway was pretty well cleared as Charlie stepped out into it. There was no traces of students anywhere, though Charlie clearly saw several blood splatters against the walls and floor. Larry's office was close by, and though Charlie could still hear random gun shots, he made his was quickly. The office door was closed when Charlie reached it.
"Larry!" Charlie called out as quietly as possible, "Larry!"
A small click sounded as the door opened up. Relief swept through Charlie as he saw his dear friend crouching on the floor.
"Charles," Larry's eyes were wide.
A smile passed through Charlie's face, "Hey. Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm- I'm alright," Larry looked more shaken than Charlie felt, "They haven't come into my office yet. How about you? Are you ok Charlie?"
"I'm--" Charlie laughed nervously, "I can't believe I came over here. But-- they're looking for the synthesizer Larry."
Larry's hand came to his mouth, "The-the one that's in here, in my storage closet?" Charlie nodded, "What would they want with that?"
"I don't know," Charlie shook his head, once again hearing the people coming closer.
"What do you suggest we do?" Larry's eyes darted around his office.
"We should umm," Charlie briefly closed his eyes to try and think straight, "We have to create the shortest distance between the shooters and their goal. The less resistance there is, the less likely someone is to get hurt."
He could hear them in the closest hallway now.
"So what they want is the machine," Larry spoke, "So we should-- give it to them?"
"Maybe not physically give it to them," Charlie looked towards the storage cabinet, "But maybe take it out and leave it on your desk. Then we hide. If-If we're lucky they'll take it and leave."
01001~§~10010
Don and his team arrived at CalSci just after the LAPD. Immediately Don ran towards the lead officer.
"What's happening?!" Don immediately asked, both Colby and David trailing him.
"Last shots heard were about five minutes ago," the man informed, "My team is clearing out the place starting at the west wing."
"Well my team is going in now," Don's anger shot through him.
"Don, think this through," Colby interrupted, "These guys are still in there with lots of ammo."
"My brother is in there," Don's voice seemed to dare Colby, "I am going in alone, or with my team."
Colby nodded in agreement as David looked over at the LAPD, "Do you have an casualties yet?"
"Two have been pulled out," the officer looked grim, "Two female students with gun shot wounds to the head."
"Come on!" Don barked as he took out his gun and bolted towards the building.
The inside was an eerie quiet as the FBI walked down the hallway.
"Where are we going first?" Megan questioned in a hushed whisper.
"You and David take the North," Don swallowed hard, "Colby and I will check down the East Hallway… that's where Charlie's office is, and that's where he was when he called me."
Megan wordlessly nodded as she went one way and Colby and Don went the other. Don stopped in his tracks, and felt his blood run cold as Charlie's office came into view. Glass was scattered on the floor, and the door was wide open.
"Oh no…" Don shook internally.
"I'll check," Colby immediately volunteered.
"No," Don shook his head, "Just cover me."
Moving quickly, Don made his way to the entrance and took in the scene. Gunshot fire had destroyed much of the far windows, and pierced through the walls and Charlie's chalkboard.
"Charlie!" Don called out, "Hey Charlie, are you in here?!"
No reply came, and Don wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign.
"Is he here?" Colby asked walking in.
Don shook his head and spoke quietly, "No… no, it doesn't look like it."
Suddenly Don spotted something underneath one of the tables and dashed over to discover Charlie's cell phone; the battery laying beside it.
"Colby!" Don showed his find, "This means that Charlie was the one to disconnect the call."
"Good," Colby sighed in relief, "That's a good thing Don."
Don sighed as he covered his face briefly with his hand, "Yeah… but where the hell is my brother now?"
"I don't know, maybe--" Colby started, but was interrupted by Megan speaking over his radio.
'We got them guys! LAPD caught the lead guy, Adam trying to escape out the west wing, and we got one guy down the hall here in Larry's office.'
"Charlie?" Don spoke the single, frantic word through his own radio.
'He's here. Along with Larry-- they're both ok.'
"Oh, Charlie…" Don gasped.
Colby grinned, "Come on!"
Moving faster than was probably necessary, Don and Colby ran down the hallway. The large number of LAPD and paramedics indicated that they'd got to Larry's office. Just as Don was about to burst through, Megan walked out of the room.
"Hey," Don breathed, "Where-where's Charlie?"
"He's in there talking with one of the officers," Megan placed a hand on Don's shoulder, "He's alright."
Don numbly nodded, and walked past the people into the room. He paused a moment to collect himself as he saw Charlie, true to word, talking to one of the police officers as he sat on the edge of Larry's office desk with his arms crossed in front of his chest. Emotions aside, Don would have to act professional, and suddenly wanted nothing more than to find out who did this.
"…we hid off in the end of the room, and the guy just took it and left," Charlie was explaining to the listening officer who took notes on a pad of paper.
"Charlie," Don sighed as he walked inside the room.
He could have been told a thousand times that Charlie was alright, but it wasn't until he now saw and heard his brother for himself that he was sure.
"Don!" Charlie grinned and jumped off the table.
"Hey Buddy," Don returned the grin as he walked over.
The elder brother quickly pulled Charlie into a hug before moving back to study his face, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah-yeah, I'm ok," Charlie stuttered.
"You sure?" Don questioned, knowing he'd be asking this question several times, then looked at the officer, "I'm Don Eppes, FBI-- can I take him?"
The officer looked down at the pad of paper in his hands, "Eppes?"
Don nodded, shooting another glance at Charlie, "Yeah, he's my brother."
"Alright," the LAPD officer obliged, "Both of them can go. If I have any further questions, I know where to reach them."
At those words, Don noticed Larry standing beside the desk Charlie had been sitting on. He stood with his arms folded across his chest with a vacant expression on his face. Feeling his heart still pounding, Don forced his brain to calm down. Charlie was alright, and standing right in front of him.
"Hey Larry, come on," Don smiled, "You look like you could use a drink of some sort."
Numbly, Larry just nodded, and Don comfortingly patted his shoulder as he walked by.
"Come on Charlie," Don spoke softly, "I'll take you out of here."
"O-Ok," Charlie stuttered out.
Placing a protective hand on Charlie's back, Don lead both professors out of the classroom and into the even more crowded hallway. Charlie continued to let his brother lead him through the people; most of them the LAPD, until they got into the lesser dense part of the hallway.
"Hey Charlie, you ok?" Colby patted Charlie's shoulder.
"Y-Yeah," Charlie nodded, breathing hard.
"That's good," the agent shot a quick look at Don before turning his attention back to Charlie, "Listen. Do you mind just waiting outside with Larry? Gotta steal your brother for a minute."
"Go ahead Charlie," Don nodded at the confused younger Eppes, "I'll be right there."
Charlie nodded, and walked down the hall with Larry.
"What is it?" Don immediately asked Colby as he turned to him.
Colby sighed deeply and paused a moment before giving the news, "Your Dad apparently heard about the shooting on the TV. He's been trying to get a hold of you for a while now… and Don…" Colby swallowed as he saw his boss' face turn pale, "One of the LAPD officers told him that you were busy with casualties."
Don's voice shook as he spoke, "Where's Adam?"
"He's outside getting ready to be taken to the station," Colby eyed Don, "Why?"
Don didn't even answer as he took off down the hallway with Colby chasing after. Seeing the commotion both David and Megan took after the duo as well until they all reached the sunny outside.
"Don!" Colby shouted, "Don, don't!"
Don didn't listen as he headed to one of the police officers and flashed his FBI badge, "Which one is Adam?"
The officer pointed to a man who stood by one of the squad cars with his hands cuffed and an officer standing by him. Again, without word, Don took off towards the kid who couldn't have been more than twenty. With more force than would have ever been necessary, Don grabbed Adam's arm suddenly, turned him around and slammed him against the vehicle.
"If you ever get out of jail, you better pray that I'm not around any more because I will hunt you down, do you understand me!?" Don yelled loud enough for several officers to look towards him.
"Don, back off!" David ran forward.
Charlie looked over from his position in the grassy field, and saw Don face-to-face with the man that had riddled his office with bullets. Realizing what was happening, Charlie ran over to join David, Colby and Megan in the fight to get Don to back away.
"Don, c'mon!" Charlie pulled his brother's arm.
"Get away Charlie," Don growled before turning back to Adam, "You will pay…"
"Don!" Charlie used Colby's help in strength to finally pull the FBI agent away, "Just forget it! He's not worth it."
Don was breathing hard, his face red, "Charlie…"
"Don, I'm-I'm ok," Charlie kept a firm hand on Don's arm, "This man is striving on creating havoc, and you're only fueling him right now. Please, lets just go."
"Charlie's right," Megan spoke up, "None of these people are going anywhere for a long time."
Don felt his heart pounding as he looked over at Charlie, "Are you sure you're not hurt?"
"Don, I'm fine, I promise," Charlie insisted, "Please, lets just go."
Don nodded and looked back at Adam and spoke quietly, "You better pray you're in there for life."
"Come on Don," Charlie pulled again at his brother who finally turned away and followed Charlie, Megan, Colby and David into the clearing.
"Don…" Megan placed a hand on the agents shoulder, "Hey…"
"I'm fine," Don nodded.
"That wasn't a good idea," David pointed out, "Nothing is worth threatening some psychopath in front of a whole group of not only the FBI, but as well the LAPD."
Don looked over at Charlie, placing a protective hand on his shoulder, "Yeah… some things are."
The End.