Chapter 20
Amita got up from the table and opened her mouth to excuse herself and realized that Charlie wouldn't hear her excuse herself if she had a bullhorn. As she closed the door to the conference room behind her, she heard Terry's voice excuse herself to take a short coffee break. Don asked for a cup too which meant that the "accidental" simultaneous use of the bathroom now had to be a legitimate trip to get coffee. Amita went into the bathroom, waited another moment, and then Terry entered
"Amita-" Terry started
"I heard. I don't have any money though" Amita said opening the other door to the bathroom which would be a more direct path to elevators
"Don't worry, I'll spot you the dollar fifty for a cup of coffee"
"Thanks"
"Ok, so are you going to tell me what happened on this date or should I wait until we get a table?"
"Let's wait. I want to give you a full description, and it'll be easier to just wait"
"See now I'm REALLY curious" Terry said stepping off of the elevator. The two women walked down to the café around the corner from the building. As they stepped through the door they noticed that it was oddly quiet, empty. Normally this café is bustling with people.
"Terry-" Amita started
"I know" Terry answered back, her hand going to her waist holster. She drew the gun and walked further into the café. When she turned past the booth she saw about twenty people cowering in the corner. It hit her that she and Amita had just walked into a robbery.
"Ah good more hostages" A man with a black ski mask said standing up from behind the counter
"Freeze!" Terry yelled at the man who was seemingly unarmed
The man just smiled as one his partners snuck up behind Terry and hit her on the head with the butt of his gun. Her world went black.
"Hey buddy, how's it going?" Don said entering the conference room. He watched as Charlie went from one board to another. He was going to call him again when he saw Charlie hold up a finger signaling that he was going to be done in a moment. When Charlie's marker stopped squeaking he stepped back to survey his work, made a number clearer, and then sat down across from Don.
"I think I've fixed any problem that could have happened because of the equation"
"Charlie I told you that we had a larger area covered. If any other place had been hit-"
"We would have known" Charlie finished for him
"Don't worry, we'll get them" Don paused a moment and then asked, "Where's Amita?"
"The bathroom, I'm assuming"
"You mean she didn't tell you where she was going?"
"Well I heard her get up and leave, I just assumed if she were going anywhere major, as in leaving the building, she would have told me"
"I think she might have gone to get coffee with Terry"
"Oh. Ok" Charlie said closing his eyes, and leaning his head and chair back
"Charlie?"
"Yeah"
"Would you have by any chance remembered when Amita left? Because I know that Terry went to get coffee and I think that was thirty minutes ago and I don't think that Terry would have been gone this long if she didn't have someone with her"
"I guess it could have been a half an hour ago. Wait, Terry left thirty minutes ago to get coffee?"
"Yeah"
"I don't like how this sounds" Charlie said tilting forward in his chair
"Oh come on you're being paranoid. The girls probably went for coffee together. Terry is no doubt trying to get details about the date and I'm sure Amita is indulging her by giving her a very detailed response"
"I don't know…" Charlie said worry clearly on his face
"Would you feel better if I called Terry?"
"Yes I would"
"Fine" Don pulled out his cell phone and pushed two on his speed dial. It rang five times before someone picked up "Hello? Terry?"
"Ah finally someone calls for the missing agent" Answered the masked man
"Who is this?" Don asked his voice growing cold. His face however betrayed his true emotion-worry. Charlie's head shot up at the sound of Don's voice, and he frowned as his eyes clouded with concern
"That's not important. What is important is that I have your partner's life in my hands and I need something from you"
"You son of a-"
"Tisk tisk, agent…"
"Eppes. Special agent Don Eppes" Don answered spitting out the words. Charlie was now at his side trying to hear the other side of the conversation
"Well agent, I would not go around making threats or doing anything that would anger me, considering I hold your dear Terry's life in my hands"
"Let her go" Don said with an anger in his voice that Charlie had never heard, and hoped to never hear again
"Uh oh, did I hit a nerve? I'm sorry agent I forgot that you were involved at one point"
"How did you-?"
"Not important. What is important is that you stop trying to find me. I didn't kill anyone, dear agent, just took a few dollars from a few accounts-"
"Too many accounts and too many times!" Don shouted, standing up banging his fist on the table, almost knocking Charlie backwards "You stole money from those people's account albeit a few dollars. You drew money constantly, so that their savings trickled away"
"As I said agent, I never killed anyone…well yet that is"
Don held back words that he knew if he had said, would have cost him Terry's life "What do you want?" Don said struggling not to do anything irrational
"You don't listen very well when you're angry do you? I told you I want to be left alone. You stop investigating and I'll disappear. I'll leave LA, California even. I won't be your problem anymore"
"I can't let you do that and you know it"
"Then I can't let her go"
"Wait-" Don shouted into the phone. A click and a dial tone were all that he got as an answer
Dun-Dun-Dun…sorry…Ok so there's a twist in the story. I thought I'd add some drama besides the average 'he doesn't like me' :falls dramatically onto the bed: I might be adding some Don and Terry relationship into this, I still haven't quite decided.
Review some more, I'll write some more