Colby Granger had never driven as fast as he was now, even after a suspect. He pushed the SUV further beyond its limits. In the passenger seat, all David could do was to hold on for dear life.
The chances that they could get there and scope out the area before Ramones or whoever he had sent to do his dirty work could leave were slim, but not impossible. Maybe he was one of those creeps who liked to watch the victims die.
The ride was completed in silence until Colby screeched to a stop in front of Don's childhood home. He and David slide from the vehicle at almost the same time; doors slammed as one thunderclap in the still neighbourhood.
Showing their badges to the officer who had cordoned off the scene, David and Colby scooted under the police tape and looked around for their boss. Don was easy to spot. His commanding voice cut over the general noise that seemed to always come with a crime scene. Don was arguing with the paramedic over what David could only guess what wither or not to go to the hospital.
Jennifer stood beside Don, also arguing with the same paramedic. Both of them were running on adrenaline and the poor man was doing his best to reason with them.
"Don!" David called.
Don whipped his head around and spotted David and Colby. He waved them over and then turned back to the paramedic. The man had taken all the abuse he could stand and -with a curt word to Don- left the two agents alone.
David noted his expression and the set of his lips as the paramedic left and knew that he was not pleased with the way things had turned out.
"What happened?" Colby asked.
"Ramones." Don replied, tight-lipped, his tone annoyed. "He threw one of his canisters into the kitchen and then stopped the door to prevent us from getting out. I want to get this guy."
"Don. Calm down." Colby said smoothly. "You're running high right now and need to cool off."
"No, what I need is to see that bastard in jail where he belongs." Don shot back.
"He's right." Jennifer said. "Ramones is too dangerous to be out on the streets. We need to find him now."
"We're working on it." David interjected calmly. "Don, I think it would be a good idea for you to go the hospital for the night. Let them check you out."
"I'm fine." Don replied quickly. "Let's just get out of here. I have to call Dad and Charlie so they don't come home." He coughed, taking in a deep breath of air.
"I'll do it." David soothed. "Just take a breather."
Don huffed in annoyance, but sat down anyways on the stretcher behind him. Jennifer's phone rang and she snatched at it, looking at the screen. "It's my director." She said. "I need to take this."
"No. You don't." Colby told her easily plucking the device from her hand.
"Granger," She protested.
"Sit down, Jennifer," David ordered softly.
David had seen the signs of shock before and he know saw them in his boss and Jennifer. The insistent need to keep busy, anger, refusing help; they needed to get checked out properly. David also knew that in the back of their minds, Jennifer and Don knew this as well.
With a sigh, Jennifer complied. She coughed and then couldn't stop.
"Medic!" David called looking up for the paramedic.
o0o
"Morning." Don said as he walked into the conference room at the F.B.I office the next day. The hospital had finally let them go earlier this morning. Don had quickly showered and then headed back to the office. Jennifer had joined him, but stopped at the break room to grab some coffee before they touched base with the rest of the team.
"Already?" Granger asked looking at his watch.
"You guys didn't stay here all night did you?" Don asked.
"Been here since I got in." Nikki said.
"I guess we did." Sinclair said. "But it sure paid off."
"Morning, what do we have?" Jennifer asked coming through the door, coffee in hand.
"We found a connection between the teacher, O'Donnell and Agent Shultz." David said. "It seems that O'Donnell did work for the military, in Hawaii, on an experimental project."
"What project?" Don asked.
"Don't know." Granger replied. "It's classified. I could try and talk to some of my contacts."
"Don't bother." Jennifer told him. "I know what they were working on."
They all turned to her.
"What?" Don asked.
Jennifer took a breath. "I've been given clearance to tell you. The military was working on creating a gas that would completely neutralize an armed and hostile subject."
"The canister." Don said.
Jennifer nodded. "The project was abandoned because of the horrific nature of the deaths." She motioned to the pictures. "As you know."
Don didn't turn to look at the pictures. He had seen enough at the scene and the ME's report was just as gruesome. Anyone who came in contact with the gas basically died from suffocation, but the gas was so violent that the victim's blood vessels burst, causing the ears, eyes and mouth to bleed.
"Who comes up with this stuff anyways?" David muttered.
Granger cleared his throat. "The connection is with the canister. O'Donnell invented it, or part of it, and Shultz was killed with it."
"So if Ramones wanted to have it all to himself all he had to do was kill the agent that was after him and the scientist that created it." Nikki speculated out loud.
Jennifer bit her lip. "Not exactly." She said. "He already has it to himself. The truck he hijacked contained two cases of the canisters."
"Oh, great." Granger said with a groan, half tempted to bury his face in his hands. This was going from bad to worse very fast.
Sinclair stared at Jennifer. "So now we have an angry military trained terrorist and he now has enough weapons to kill the entire state."
Jennifer didn't say anything. Don faced her, blocking the rest of the room's view. "Outside, now." He practically growled and the turned on his heel and stalked out.
Jennifer followed him out, closing the door behind her.
"What the hell are you playing at?" Don asked her in a harsh whisper. "Why didn't you tell us this sooner?"
"It's old news, Don." Jennifer said. "It didn't need to be dragged up again. Two years is a long time to hang onto something as valuable as that. For all we know Ramones has sold the cases and is now living comfortably in Cuba."
"The fire?" Don reminded her.
Jennifer shrugged. "Old times sake." She was not going to let go of her theory so quickly.
Don sighed.
"What was I supposed to do, Don?" Jennifer asked. "I was under orders not to say anything. If the general public heard about this, there would be mass panic."
Don nodded reluctantly. He knew Jennifer was right. This need to be kept under wraps. "We're going to need to talk to people from that project." He said. "If Ramones killed one of them, he's going to kill all of them."
"I'll see what I can do." Jennifer said.
"No." Don told her sharply. "You'll call your contacts and get those names. No more screwing around." He turned on his heel and walked back into the conference room.
o0o
"Sure this is the place?" David Sinclair asked as Colby Granger pulled to a stop outside an old house that looked more like a shack.
"Of course it is." Colby said looking in the rear-view mirror at David, who was sitting in the back seat. Jennifer was riding up front with Colby.
"I'm not sure, man. It looks deserted." David said looking at the house.
"It's the correct address." Colby argued holding up the paper.
"Let me see that." David said reaching for it.
"It's the place." Jennifer said putting a stop to their bickering. "Stop arguing. You two sound like children." She got out and then slammed the car door.
"Yes, ma'am." Colby murmured sarcastically as he followed.
The three of them walked up the drive and David knocked on the door. Colby looked through a window. "There's definitely someone living here." He said.
"Professor Conner! F.B.I!" David shouted. A crash come from inside.
Colby sighed. "I'll go around the back."
David drew his weapon and tried the door. It swung open. David looked Jennifer, who nodded and drew her Glock. David went in first, followed by Jennifer. The entire house had been ransacked.
"Clear." David said coming out of the last bedroom.
Colby came inside. "The lock on the back door was picked." He said. "I found some scratches on it."
"Look at this. Someone had a wiretap here." Jennifer said bending down and pointing to a picture.
"Yeah. You're right." Colby agreed. "Wonder who was spying on him."
They all looked up as they heard a car pull into the driveway. David walked to the window and pulled back the curtain, hand on his gun.
"It's Conner." He said.
"Let's go meet him." Jennifer stood.
"He's already here." David replied as the front door opened.
The man who entered the house was of average height and wore jeans and a casual t-shirt. "Who are you?" He demanded, dropping the bag in his hand to the floor.
"F.B.I, sir." David said showing his I.D.
"And what are you doing in my house? Did you make this mess?" Not giving the agents time to respond, he continued. "That's the third time this month!" Conner sounded disgusted.
"You've been broken into before?" David asked.
"Yes and every time they, whoever they are, trash the place and then leave." Conner nudged a broken lamp stand with his foot.
"Do you know a Keith O'Donnell?" Colby asked.
"Yes, we worked on a research project together a few years ago; why?" Conner sounded confused.
"I'm sorry to inform you that he was murdered." Jennifer said.
"I can't believe it." Conner looked shocked.
"We'll need you to come with us. We have a few questions about that research project you worked on." David said.
o0o
Charlie entered the F.B.I Office Building and after going through a metal detector, he retrieved his pass. Then he waited for the elevator and rode up to Don's floor. Exiting the elevator, he spotted Don coming out of the interrogation room. Beside him was an older man with greying hair.
"Don! Hey, Larry and I figured out the code." Charlie called by way of a greeting.
"Great." Don said. "Dr. Conner, this is my brother, Dr. Charlie Eppes."
"Pleased to meet you." Charlie said shaking the other man's hand. "Here's the code." Charlie handed the file to Don.
"May I see it?" Conner asked intercepting the file.
"Have you seen it before?" Don asked.
Conner nodded. "This is the main formula for the first part of the gaseous compound."
"Are you sure?" Don asked.
"Positive." Conner said. "I did work on it for six months."
Colby motioned Don over. Jennifer was waiting with him. "Alright, we're going to need the rest of that compound." Don said as he walked away.
"We're still going through the files and trying to get a lead on where Ramones is hiding out." Colby said.
"I think we should sit on the witness." Jennifer said. "That's the first place Ramones would go."
"Yeah, after Charlie's house." Don said. He held up a hand as Jennifer started to protest. "Don't argue with me! You know I'm right!"
"I only put him in jail. I didn't give the FBI the location." Jennifer said hotly.
"The fax from your office came in." Don said changing the subject. "I'll talk to Ramones's buddies. No one goes anywhere without telling me first." He said pointedly to Jennifer.
"You're sidelining me, Don." Jennifer said. "I'll be more useful in the field."
"I need you here." Don told her.
Jennifer didn't protest, but she wasn't happy about. She clutched her files tight and walked away.
"Stay with her." Don told Colby. "Don't let her out of your sight."