I do not own the Numb3rs Characters

A/N: This is a sequel to Breaking Free. If you haven't read it, it would be helpful. I'd like to say that the story can stand alone but I think the reader would miss too many details.

Chapter 1

It was the first day that the Eppes brothers were on there own and all was not well. Charlie would normally have a flexible morning schedule, any other day but today. Bob and the new team would be meeting with him at nine o'clock and Bob was famous for his punctuality. Charlie had hit that snooze button one too many times.

Derek would be picking Don up out front at 8:15. While Don was in the shower, Charlie made a quick breakfast for them. He also made the coffee and rushed around the apartment drinking his tea while he looked for his missing sneakers.

Finally when Don got out of the shower, Charlie was able to cut through the steam to take his own shower. He was a little concerned how this was going to go. Don could handle a microwave with the best of them but his main handicap seemed to be managing anything else that had to do with the kitchen. Charlie would feel guilty if he let his brother leave without making sure he had his coffee and something to eat. More than that, his dad would know. The younger Eppes had never had to take care of anyone before and was not confident of his ability to do so now.

If there is one thing that the Professor had learned over the years it was how to get out the door in less than five minutes. Breakfast was not usually on his daily agenda. Don was also not someone that took much time with breakfast, unless it was already made for him. He'd eat it then. One thing that annoyed Charlie about Don was that he always looked 'put together'. No matter how many minutes he had to get ready and get out the door his older brother always had that 'finished' look.

It was a rarity in Charlie's life that he didn't look like he got dressed in the car. It was not something he usually dwelled on. He was too busy rushing onto the next thought for dwelling.

He did dwell on the thought this morning while he was sitting in traffic. Charlie had opened the bathroom door with only his pants on; water was dripping from his hair onto his still wet chest and back. While he ran to the bedroom for his socks and looking for the still missing sneakers Don yelled from the kitchen that his breakfast was getting cold.

Charlie did not reply. He grabbed a t-shirt and then looked for a shirt to wear over it. He doubted that the new crew would think he looked professional but Dr. Eppes would feel a little more 'put together' with that top shirt. The missing shoes were located under the bed and Charlie slipped his feet into them.

Don and his 'finished' self was putting on his velcro sneakers, looking every bit like he stepped off of a magazine cover. Charlie's hair continued to drip as he pulled the t-shirt over his head and wondered where he had left his laptop.

The elder brother was in the kitchen rinsing the dishes when Charlie flew in to grab a bottle of water and a breakfast bar. When Don walked out of the apartment and reached for the door to close it behind him, Charlie flew past him with his sneakers still untied and his hair soaking the back of his shirt. Just to make himself feel better and not at all to be childish, he stuck his tongue out at his brother on the elevator.

Don told him to have a good day and calmly walked through the foyer. Charlie, who had already been out the main door, flew back in when Don opened it. He had to go back up for the laptop.

Sitting in traffic he reflected on the how his relationship with his brother had gotten so strong over the past two weeks. His 'put together' brother had surprised him at the baseball game. They were able to work on the nightmare together and Charlie felt real pride in being able to help Don through it.

It had been touch and go for the first inning. Every time that bat connected with the ball Don would react. With the first one he actually jumped to his feet and he came a little close to actually knocking Charlie out of the bleachers. He gradually got better, but Charlie could not help but notice that Don was as close to him as skin for a good ten minutes. He crowded his personal space but Charlie took it in stride. He also made Charlie change places with him so that Don's good hand would be near Charlie. Padded as they were the ball would only bounce off but it helped Don to know he would be ready just in case. By the third inning he was only flinching when he heard the dreaded sound. But the fifth inning Don finally agreed it was too hot for all of the padding. The face mask and helmet had to stay though. After the game, Don could only rave about how well the IRS played together as a team. He was over the worst of it and his brother could again enjoy his love of the game.

Charlie managed to get into the office a full minute ahead of Bob and the team. It did not show that he ran all of the way from the parking lot. Anyone who walked in and saw him sitting at the table would think Charlie had been there for an hour. His notes were even open.

After Bob introduced the team and left, Charlie spent a little time talking to the agents and finding out about their backgrounds. This team had five male agents and two females. Bob had assured Charlie when he spoke to him on Friday that this team had a more thorough background check for recent activities. He had made a change in policy with the true side of Jeff Pitts was found out. All agents starting a new project would undergo the same kind of complete analysis and lifestyle checks that new recruits were routinely checked for. Losing track of changes to the lives of its agents would be a thing of the past with the NSA.

The agent that would be handling the administrative duties was a friend of Diane's. She was older than the rest of the team but Charlie liked her enthusiasm for the project. Her name was Sarah Matthews and she had been an agent for more than twenty years.

The other female member of his team was Mauri Bennett. While she had assisted on several security projects in the past she was not the computer expert that the rest of the team was. It would take more instruction for a while, but Charlie thought if he paired her up with the different agents throughout the training phase she should be able to catch on without holding the team up.

The five male agents had the typical NSA look to them. Four of them were over thirty and two of those over forty. It appeared that Bob took into consideration more of a loyalty to the NSA. It would take a while to remember the older agent's names.

The younger male was Agent Hunter Landis and he was all business. He was from a family of NSA agents and while Dr. Eppes was sure that the young man felt a lot of pressure to measure up, he was proper to the point of annoyance and as far as Charlie could tell, he rarely smiled

After two hours, they were finished for their first day. Charlie left to walk over to the bank to get the disks out of the safe deposit box. He would be spending a few days making the changes that he and Bob had discussed.

When he returned to the office Bob was waiting for him. "Charlie, there's something that I need to let you know before we talk about your new team. The CIA agent that was the hit man for Jeff was found dead in his cell this morning. His throat had been slit."

"Any idea who did it?"

"Just between us, I can't see how it could have been anything but an inside job. The area he was locked up in was a solitary area for high risk Federal cases. It might or might not have anything to do with this case. Chances are that some people were afraid of what he knew. The damage that he could do in Federal Prison to a certain agency could have been the sole reason. But that's just between us. Officially the FBI is still on this case and will investigate it further."

"Did you find out anything else about Kristen?"

"Nothing Charlie. I have to admit it is unsettling that we can't find any answers there. I just cannot understand her being involved. I did do as you asked with the FBI and I have the formal letter ready to send but first I want to make a proposal. I'm asking that you wait until everything is settled before I send the request to the FBI to withdraw your resignation."

"If the case is still open Bob, then I can at least try to help Don and Derek find some answers."

"At least hear my proposal before you make a decision. I will send that letter on your final word, but consider what I have to say."

Charlie had never known Bob to walk quietly around any subject before. He usually busted in with guns blazing. "Sure. What's the proposal?"

"I want to ask you to consider joining the covert team and work with them on this case. Charlie, you're very good at what you do and as a consultant you are irreplaceable. But this is not something that would fall under a consultant's range of investigation. If you applied your FBI background to helping find the answers, it could mean the difference in closing this case. There are a lot of unanswered questions out there."

The confusion showed on Charlie's face. "I don't understand. The FBI is looking for the same answers. I would probably be able to help both agencies if I can work with them on it. And I could have access to whatever they find. It will help to know where they are with the case."

"I have talked to the FBI. I know the Director very well. We're not friends, but we respect each other's objectives. Our paths have crossed many times over the years. The FBI doesn't have anything more than we do at this point. I'm not asking you to risk your life. I'm not suggesting that you choose between the NSA and your brother. I'm asking that you work with us, the access that we have and the methods we use that the FBI cannot use. Please at least wait and think about it."

"There's something you're not telling Bob. There's more to it than that."

"There is Charlie. But I cannot reveal what that is if there is the chance that your loyalties would lie with the FBI. Normally I wouldn't ask this of you. You have worked closely with both agencies. It really does complicate things that your brother is working in DC on the same case. The NSA has a slightly different approach to solving cases. Usually the FBI has only one route available to them and therein lays the advantage."

"I don't know Bob. There are a lot of reasons why I shouldn't do this. The main reason being that I couldn't tell my family. Don and I are just getting to a point where we feel that we can trust each other again. If he finds out that I know something that the FBI needs to know and I don't tell him, it could destroy us for good this time. I just don't want to risk that. It's too important to me."

"I understand Charlie. I really do. The NSA will still work the case and you can continue to work the security program and everything will remain the way it was."

"Thanks for understanding Bob."