Time
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: See chapter 1
A/N: I just want to say I have very little understanding of how a Jewish Temple is run, but I'm assuming that there is a Senior Rabbi and that the FBI would have needed his permission to conduct an operation inside a house of worship. I do not intend to disrespect this religion in any way and hope that if I error in any way with regards to it, that it is understood it was not meant to be seen as so. I am a person who respects a person and their religion as I would want others to respect myself and mine.
Upon giving his permission for the meeting to take place in this House of Worship, the Senior Rabbi of the Temple was allowed to remain on the premises on the understanding he would remain safely in his office until an agent came to let him know it was safe to leave. The Rabbi found himself praying, not only for, the young man the FBI were bringing to this building, but for the Agent in charge of the operation. The agent was one whom the Rabbi had been having many conversations with over the last few months. He was a young man, whom seemed lost and unsure of his heritage and seemed to be seeking a deeper meaning to the life he had. The Rabbi had noticed that the agent had been coming to Temple weekly now and seemed to be finding his footing in the faith, so when Agent Eppes explained the situation to him, the Rabbi seemed to understand why the agent wanted the meeting to be held in the Temple.
What seemed like hours passed, but even from his office the Rabbi could hear the front doors open as the appointed time came. The raised voice of a distraught man could be heard, then the most heart wrenching yell the Rabbi could remember hearing echoed throughout the building. However, it was the next sound that had the Rabbi on his feet moving toward the door, the sound of a gun-shot. He cracked the door and listened as the shout for an ambulance was heard; making his way toward the sanctuary he could see movement close to the altar. The Rabbi made out two figures lying on the floor, though he sent a prayer up for both individuals, it was the one nearest the altar that caught his attention. There were two agents working frantically to help the man, the sound of Velcro straps being ripped open was heard as the African-American agent was trying to keep his fallen comrades attention. It was not until the young woman that came in behind the paramedics was stopped by the two women agents, that the Rabbi realized who the fallen man was, "DON!!!" the frantic cry of the young woman had the Rabbi moving forward without regard to his own safety. His eyes fell on the face of the young man he had been mentoring, the young man who had seemed to be finding peace with his faith, realization of whom the injured man was, registered just as the EMT called out that Agent Eppes had stopped breathing.
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The EMTs worked franticly to get a tube down Don's throat and to start the flow of much needed air into the now still chest of the fallen agent. Just as the tube was placed the other medic's voice was heard, "I've lost his pulse!" Don's shirt had already been cut open by the first medic, so while the defibrillator charged CPR was started. David's eyes never left the now slacked face of his friend, his promise to Alan echoing in his ears. David didn't notice as Colby moved next to him, nor as the fifteen or so Agents and Marshalls watched from a few feet back. The faint cry of Robin was lost to him as Nikki and Liz kept her back several feet. David jumped as the paddles were placed to Don's chest and the charge delivered--nothing. The paramedics resumed CPR as the paddles charged again, another team of paramedics rushed forward with a stretcher as the next charged was sent, "I got a pulse!"
David released the breath he was holding, he then felt Colby's hand on his shoulder as they watched Don being placed on the stretcher and rushed down the isle toward the door. Robin's cry as Don passed snapped David from his stupor; the younger agent motioned for Liz to go with Robin. The lead Marshall approached David and Colby, "You guys go with your boss, we'll take care of this here and follow-up later."
"You'll know where to find us." Colby stated as he took a step toward Nikki, to head for the hospital. David seemed to still be unable to move from his spot, he looked at the body of Buck Winters, and then at the spot that Don had fallen, the sight of blood was not something someone got use to, but to know it was his friend's blood nearly took David's breath. "David, we need to go." Colby shook his partners arm.
"We need to get Alan and Charlie." David said quietly, fear showing in his eyes as he looked at Colby, the gravity of the situation seeming to finally hit the junior agent.
"May I come with you?" the Rabbi had approached the two agents, meeting David's eyes.
David looked at the Rabbi, he knew Don had been trying to seek peace from his faith and when David had meet the Rabbi earlier in the evening he could tell Don held a great respect for the man. "Yes, we need to go get Don's father and brother." the Rabbi nodded as he followed Colby and David out the doors. Once outside, David had Nikki head toward the hospital as he, Colby and the Rabbi got into the other SUV and headed toward the Craftsman.
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With the discussion of Maxwell's Demon seemingly over and the offer for Alan to join the newly forming 'think tank' at Calsi finally out, silence filled the room as Alan, Charlie, Amita and Larry attempted to finish their dessert, each trying not to think about the threat that Buck Winters seemed to be holding over them. Memories of what had happened two years ago, when they had all first been introduced to the thrill killing duo of Crystal Hoyle and Buck Winters, had played on everyone's mind as they found themselves again fearing for the life of one of their own. Larry was filled again with the emotions of when Megan had been kidnapped by Crystal in retaliation for Buck having been captured by the FBI. Alan and Charlie remembering how close Don came to crossing the invisible line between right and wrong. Now with the worrying behavior of the middle Eppes since Buck Winters escape, each was lost in thought, fear not only for Don's life, but his soul as well.
Surprisingly with the silence of the room no one seemed to notice the sound of the SUV that pulled into the driveway until the knock at the door echoed throughout the house. Alan and Charlie's eyes met, each knowing if it was Don he would have just entered. Fear caused an unspoken plea to pass between father and son, that it is one of the team with another piece of evidence they wanted Charlie to look at, but as Alan stood, followed by his youngest son, they somehow knew this was not a visitor they wanted to see.
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The drive was in silence, as David's sole focus was getting to the family of his fallen friend. They pulled into the driveway of the Craftsman, a house that was so much more than where Charlie lived, where Don spent so much of his time. It was also a place where each of them was welcome on any number of occasions, and for Colby, even after the whole spy fiasco, he was welcomed back with open arms. That is what made this task so much harder, on the drive over Liz had called to let them know that Don had made it to the hospital alive and that he had been rushed into surgery, but little else was known. So with that small ray of hope the three men exited the vehicle and made their way toward the front door, taking a deep breath David knocked.
A/N: Thanks you for all the reviews so far, I will try to reply to them ASAP. This is a 'write as I go' story, so updates may take a few days. I promise to try and not kill anyone we love in this story (If you know my other stories, you know what I mean.) Thanks for all the supportive reviews, they are keeping me focused.
