Disclaimer: I don't own anything Numb3rs, it's all property of CBS and whatnot, so don't sue.
Chapter 21: An Unexpected Lunch Guest
Charlie Eppes let out a small sigh as he stared out the window of the government issued SUV he was currently riding in.
He'd landed back on American soil fifteen minutes ago and was now on his way to his chief destination.
Home.
Now, Charlie Eppes was trained to be absolutely certain of some things.
His abilities to be the best CIA agent in the United States's arsenal of defense.
His abilities as one of the most brilliant minds in his field of mathematics.
And the fact that if it really came down to it... He would gladly forfeit his own life than take the life of anyone he loved.
During the torture survival program, he'd managed to fool the machine and Dr. Le Dova.
What he was not certain of, at the moment at least was, how his family was going to react to his sudden return back into their lives after being gone for so long.
What would they think?
What would they do?
Would his father and big brother be mad at him for leaving them the way he had those long months ago?
These anxious thoughts occupied Charlie's mind until he felt the car slowly ease to a stop.
" We're here sir." Said Agent Gold from where he sat in the front passenger seat. The other NSA agent, Harris was in the driver's seat.
" Thanks guys. I'll be seeing you." Said Charlie with a small nod and a sad smile as he climbed out into the late afternoon atmosphere.
The two NSA agents nodded before they pulled away, Charlie watching the SUV turn a corner and disappear around a corner before he turned and faced Casa Eppes.
His home. The home he'd finally returned to after so long.
With a sigh, Charlie made his way across the street and up the walkway that led to the solid wooden door of the Craftsmen Style house.
He dug out the keys from one of the back pockets of the dark blue jeans he had on. A plain white button-up shirt and a pair of black converse sneakers finished out the outfit he was wearing.
Around his neck was the chain holding his Dog tags and two rings, one was his CIA ID ring, the other was a parting gift from his Miki. Silver, with a black, interweaving design embosed around its circumference and small circular crystals gracing the centers of the loops within the design.
A small, longing smile tugged at Charlie's lips as he remembered Miki's parting words in Ulaan Bataar
" Keep this safe Charlie, I'll be wanting it back when we see each other again. I love you."
" I love you too Miki." Thought Charlie to himself as he let himself into his own house.
He already knew that there was no one inside at the moment. Intel had confirmed that Alan was at a bookclub meeting in the city. Don, was hard at work at the FBI.
Everything was as it should be, considering.
With a sigh, Charlie closed the front door and paused to bask in the warmth of home for a few seconds before he trudged up the stairs to the second floor and headed to his room to unpack his stuff.
Once his clothes were back in his dresser and his gun was back under the floorboards of his closet, Charlie let out a small sigh as he collapsed backwards onto his bed, staring at the ceiling for the better part of an eternity, the fingers of his right hand instinctively seeking out the items of the chain around his neck, mainly the rings.
One ring, was both a manacle and a symbol of voluntary duty, a burden carried willingly.
The other, was a symbol of hope, redemption, and above all, a token of love.
With a small sigh, Charlie sat up and pulled the chain off of his neck. He undid the clasp and pulled Miki's ring from its companions before redoing the clasp. With a lingering look at the symbols of his reality, Charlie placed the chain into drawer on his nightstand, behind a false panel at the very end on the wooden compartment.
A necessary precausion should his father go looking through his things, such actions had led to the unearthing of the twenty-six year burden he'd been carrying concerning Jessica Cartmen.
Though the release was liberating.
He couldn't risk such a thing from occuring again for, it would not be liberation he'd feel, it would be doom.
With another sigh, Charlie stared at the ring he held within his fingers before sliding the peice of jewelry onto his right thumb.
Then, he was on his feet and out of the room. He reached the first floor and fished out his motorcycle keys from where he'd hidden them under the table by the coat-rack.
It was time he let his reappearance be known.
Charlie found his bike in front of the garage, safely covered by a tarp and still well polished and immaculate.
Don or Alan had taken on the task of keeping his bike's upkeep in his absense. He would thank them later.
With a small qirk of his lips, Charlie mounted the powerful vehicle and slid the key into the ignition.
With a low rumble, the bike sprang to life as Charlie put on the helmet and expertly back his bike out of the driveway.
God, he'd missed this.
With a loud roar, Charlie shot forward, within minutes he was speeding out of his childhood neighborhood and pulling onto the highway that would lead to the city, and the Los Angeles branch of the FBI.
Meanwhile, oblivious to their fast approaching visitor, Don and his team of FBI Agents were seated in the ' War Room ' staring at the evidence from their newest case.
They weren't making real progress and on top of that, Don, Megan, David, and Colby were not in the right headspace.
This was one of cases that reminded them of Charlie. The case would've been solved in less than a heartbeat if they'd had their top consultant with them.
Two months, everyone had missed the charisma and vigor of Don Eppes's baby brother terribly. Colby in particular missed the Whizkid and King of the Mat.
The ache was made all the more prominent with the painfull and horrific revelations Charlie had left in his wake before vanishing like smoke to God knows where.
The last two months had all but ripped Don Eppes apart.
Whether his eyes were open of closed, he would see his beloved Charlie's face. Most of the time, that face was pale and filled with an all consuming sadness.
The way it had been the day the facade of innocence untouched by the world had been shattered.
The day a twenty six year old secret had been brought to the surface by a fatefull quest for batteries.
With a sigh, Don got up from where he sat and tried to rouse his very depressed team back into the game, they still had a gang of bank robbers to find and bring to justice.
Then he noticed what time it was.
" Hey, anybody up for lunch?" He asked.
Three faces immediately lit up at the prospect of food and a chance to leave the depressing confines of the War room.
The four agents grabbed whatever they needed before following Don to the elevator.
The ride was comfortable enough, however, the three other agents noticed the far away look in their leader's eyes as he waited for the doors to open.
They knew what was on his mind, specifically, they knew who.
Charlie.
They still couldn't believe that a full two months had gone by without anything from the curly haired math genius they'd all come to know and love.
Their Whiz-kid.
Then, all melancholy thoughts were forgotten for the moment as the elevator doors opened with a soft ding.
The four agents filed out of the elevator and headed for the door that would lead to the outside world, and a small Diner across the street that had a cheese steak sandwich to die for. Don and his team frequently visited this diner in particular during their lunch hour.
A little fact a certain curly haired someone was well aware of.
As the agents made their way across the street, they didn't notice the black and silver Honda motorcycle parked in the shade beside the Diner.
The four agents filed into the Diner, heading for their usual booth. They gave in their orders when the waitress came by, and then set to work discussing the case and live in general.
Unbenounced to them, a ponytailed young man was occupying the booth right next to them, the only thing seperating his from the FBI agents was the red leather divide that served as the back of the seats.
One simple leather divide was all that seperated two brothers.
Charlie had to use every ounce of his will to not jump over the divide and pounce on his big brother. Instead, he would take the subtle route.
He waited, and listened in on the conversation his brother and three good friends were having as they dug in to their lunches.
" We've hit the proverbial wall on this case. What do we do know?" Sighed Don as he took a bit of his cheese steak sandwhich.
Three pairs of shoulders shrugged and three pairs of lungs let out sighs.
" I don't know Don, all of our leads have come up empty. We have know idea where these guys will strike next." Said Colby.
" That, and the fact that the way these guys are behaving, we have no idea how these guys work and what they are after." Piped up Megan.
" Yeah, it's as if these guys are working at random, robbing whatever and whoever they feel like." Added David.
A small, sad smile tugged at Don's lips at the word random.
" Hey, you know what Chuck would say about things being random..." Started Don, but a new voice interjected into the conversation.
" I'd say that there's random and then there's random and then, I'd tell you for the God knows what numbered time to stop callin' me Chuck." Came a familiar, quiet voice that was laced with amusement.
It had come from behind where Don and Megan were sitting.
Don vaguely heard the clattering of several eating utensils in the distance as he whirled around and came face to face with the person who'd spoken.
When his eyes fell on said person, Don's voice died in his throat.
There with his head resting over his crossed arms where he leaned against the leather divide.
Charlie ginned like cheshire-cat at the four dumbstruck FBI agents who were all openly gawking at him like he was from another planet before he focused his alomst black-brown eyes onto his big brother's shell-shocked visage.
After an eternity, Don's voice returned to him, but a disbelieving whisper was all he could muster.
" C-Charlie?"
Charlie's grin softened to a loving smiled as he reached out and gently but firmly clasped his brother's shoulder before he nodded and spoke.
" Yeah Donnie, your one and only. How've ya been?"