A/N: Thanks for all reviews, very helpful. I apologize if I'm creeping people out, that was an accident. I hope I'm not scaring readers away. I need my reader's advice, some people want the story to have a faster pace, others want me to be sinister and keep things slow. Please let me know. Again I want to let all worried readers that I do have an excellent Idea of where the story is going, and I will finish it, have no fear. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please read and Review.


Chapter 3


Don woke to the irritating buzz of his alarm clock. Lazily opening his eyes he was met by a blast of sunlight. Groaning he snapped his eyes shut again and rolled over to face away from the window. With another groan he got up and headed to the kitchen to plug in the coffee pot. When he entered the living room, he gave a confused look at the TV. He could have sworn he turned it off before going to bed. Contradictory to what he thought, the muted TV played some obscure movie he'd never heard of. Puzzled he turned off the TV and plugged in the coffee pot.

That was when he realized something strange about the kitchen, all of the silver ware and cutlery he owned were scattered all over the table and counters. The eerie feeling of being watched returned to him with a vengeance. Grabbing the closest knife he cautiously searched his apartment again. Finding himself alone he continued getting ready for work, looking over his shoulder throughout the morning. Returning to his room he got dressed while waiting for the coffee to finish perking. Distractedly Don went back to the kitchen and grabbed a cup of coffee, trying to think of anything else he needed before leaving for work.

Realizing that he didn't have his sidearm he went back to the bedroom dresser to get his gun. He was absolutely confounded when it wasn't there. Frustrated he started digging through the dresser drawers, throwing clothes all over the place, looking under the bed, behind the dresser, in the bathroom, absolutely everywhere, and he still couldn't find his gun. Scowling at himself, he refilled his cup with coffee and stood looking at the silverware on the table when he realized that carefully hidden beneath the cutlery was his gun.

Don's scowl never left for the rest of the day. When he arrived at work that morning he was given a new case where a high security facility 'lost' one of their residents. Ever since he was given the case, he'd been reviewing the security tapes from the past week; so far without success. Leaning back in his chair, rubbing the frustration out of his eyes, he looked at the wall clock. One O'clock, he was going to have to pull a late nighter again. Don's thoughts were interrupted by his cell phone.

"Eppes, no Dad, I haven't seen Charlie. Well he probably went to school early today. He didn't? Alright I'll call him, I'm sure he's fine don't worry. Okay, bye." David gave Don a quizzical look. "Dad hasn't seen Charlie all day and Larry called and said that Charlie didn't show up to any of his classes." The answer must have been satisfactory since David went back to what he was doing when Don dialed Charlie's cell phone.

After several rings Don hung up the phone, decided on trying again every so often until some one located him. With that thought Don went back to his work, but his mind was now on Charlie. He had this nagging feeling that he couldn't ignore. Throughout the rest of the day Don called Charlie's cell phone without success. Alan called twice asking about Charlie and on the third phone call, David gave Don an order like suggestion to go find Charlie, and that he would hold down the fort. Don gratefully left to drive around town and see if he could find Charlie. He left around four in the afternoon.

Don searched for Charlie in all the usual spots he might be, and then he simply drove anywhere and everywhere in search of his brother. At some point during the day he went back to his apartment to see if Charlie had gone there for some reason. Don was shocked to find his apartment completely thrashed, the couch was sliced to ribbons, the mirrors were smashed, all of his dishes were shattered, chairs were splintered, and pictures were shattered and ripped. The TV was completely dismantled, electronic chips removed and smashed, the glass lay in pieces. Going through his apartment he found everything the same; destroyed. Until he came to his room, that's what really got him nervous, the room was clean; everything he had thrown around that morning was folded and put away in the correct places.

Don ran out of the apartment and getting into his car called Terry and told her to send a team to his apartment. Hanging up he speed as fast as he could to his Dad's house, no wait, it's Charlie's house. Dang where is he, this can't be coincidence. That night, Don's mind traveled in circles as he lay awake in his old bed at Charlie's house. Why would someone break into my apartment, not take anything, and not take me; clearly they're capable of anything. Who is doing this? Where's Charlie? Did they take Charlie? Charlie is gone. Where's Charlie?


A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry it's so short; I couldn't find any ways to make it longer. It was hard to write this chapter. Thanksgiving interrupted my thought process, so I had to get back into the Numb3rs train of thought. I beg for reviews, the more reviews I get the easier it is to update, and it helps me update faster. So please READ AND REVIEW!