Line of Fire
David watched the doors to the old building open and close behind a scrawny looking man. They'd been tracking the guy all over the city for the past week and thanks to another of Charlie's equations, they'd been able to track him here. So far he'd been nonviolent, with exception of one woman being sent to the hospital with some minor injuries.
"You see him?" Colby whispered from the other side of the doors.
"Yeah, I got him," David replied with a nod just as the door opened once more and the scrawny man walked out.
"Don't move! FBI" David shouted at the man. He stopped in his tracks and gave David a smile.
"Good afternoon gentlemen," the man said, tilting the rim of his hat down as he started to walk away.
Before either David or Colby could say another word gunfire erupted nearby. David signaled for Colby to stay on the perp while he went to investigate the source of the shots. He rounded a corner and found himself face to face with a man they'd never seen before and without thinking, raised his own gun. The African American agent sent several rounds into the other man's shoulder to immobilize him.
"Damn it!" Colby cried out as he rounded the corner where David stood.
"Lost him," he said, trying to catch his breath.
"He the only shooter?' he asked the other agent.
"That I've seen but there could be others. It didn't make for a very smooth exit," David commented. Just then there was a raucous explosion behind them, causing the two agents to be sent forward.
"You ok?" Colby asked, standing up.
"I'm fine," David answered, scrambling to his feet, heading towards the explosion. The car was in flames.
"That's not…" Colby trailed off just as another car came screaming into the abandoned lot. Don jumped out followed by Megan. They caught site of the burning car and moved over to David and Colby, guns drawn.
"You guys alright?" Don questioned of his team.
"Yeah…we have a shooter back there but our guy got loose," Colby informed Don, not meeting his superior's gaze.
"We'll get him. We can just get Charlie to use his equation to find the next place our guy will hit," Don said reassuringly. Megan turned to see the wounded shooter stumbling towards them.
"Don! Look out!" she shouted but it was too late. The shooter had squeezed out a few rounds into Don's shoulder and side. He fell to the ground just as Megan took out his assailant.
"Call a medic!" Megan ordered the two other team members as she leaned over Don. His breathing was shallow.
"It's going to be ok. The paramedics are on the way," she assured him, trying to fight back tears.
"Megan," Don gasped, choking on blood.
"Shh. Don't talk," she hushed him.
"Tell Charlie…he was right," he rasped before he closed his eyes. Several of Megan's tears slipped down her cheeks and onto his chest which was barely moving. Sirens blared in the distance and Megan's heart leapt slightly.
"Hold on there, Don," David was saying as he helped the medics load Don into the ambulance.
The remaining three agents somberly climbed into Don's car and headed for the hospital. Halfway there one of the medics from ambulance called Megan's cell phone, delivering bad news. She had to pull over so as not to cause an accident.
"Megan, what is it?" Colby asked.
"They lost him," She gasped, tears streaming down her face.
"I'll drive," David murmured and the two changed places.
"We need to tell Charlie and Alan," Megan finally spoke and within minutes they were pulling into the Eppes' driveway.
Megan climbed out and walked into the garage where she found Charlie, Larry and Amita engaged in a discussion over some equation on one of the many chalkboards in the room.
"Hi Megan," Larry greeted, pulling her to him when he noticed she'd been crying.
"Where's Don?" Charlie asked, looking up.
"Charlie….Don…was shot and….he died en route to the hospital," she managed to get out before breaking down in tears again.
"No….no he can't….Dad!" Charlie shouted.
"What? What is it/" Alan asked, appearing in the doorway.
"Is Megan alright?"
"Dad….Don's dead," Charlie murmured, slumping into a chair.
"What? No….he can't be," Alan protested.
"I'm so sorry," Megan sobbed into Larry's shoulder.
"I tried to get him out of the way but I couldn't," she apologized.
"I can't believe it…" Charlie trailed off, fighting back tears as Amita squeezed his shoulder in comfort.
"It will be ok. He died doing what he loved to do," Amita whispered, pulling Charlie into a firm hug, letting him cry on her shoulder.