Chapter 7

Don entered the elevator and leaned against the wall completely drained. It had taken over an hour to talk with Captain Harris. During that time the officers inside the bank had discovered the robbers escape route. It had been an elaborate plan that Don could admire for its ingenuity, but the fact that two people were killed tempered his admiration. As he rode the elevator his stomach growled reminding him he hadn't eaten since breakfast. Not only was he hungry he was tired, glancing at his watch he saw it was only 8:00pm. On a normal day he'd stay until later, but tonight he just wanted to go home. He knew that wasn't going to happen until Charlie finished what he was doing. The elevator dinged and Don reluctantly pushed away from the wall as the doors opened. Don slid his magnetic ID in the door and joined his partners in the bullpen.

"Don," Terry called when she saw him.

"What's up?"

"Been going through the mug shots to see if our guys are in there. Nothing so far."

"Good, anything else?"

"Yeah you'd better go deal with Charlie."

"Why, what's wrong?"

"I'm worried about him. He came right back here and started working on the computer. We tried to get him to eat something but he wouldn't. He also won't let anyone near him to clean the cut on his head."

"Damn, I was afraid of this," Don scowled. "My Dad have any luck with him?"

"Charlie yelled at him," Terry answered. "Your father's pretty worried."

"I'll take care of it," Don said, heading for the computer room. "We got anything to eat? I'm starved."

"I'll bring you something."

"Bring something for Charlie too. I'll make him eat it."

Terry knew that tone of voice. Usually it was heard when Don interrogated a suspect. Most of them gave Don what he wanted when he used that tone. She knew Charlie didn't stand a chance.

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Don stopped inside the doorway to the computer room and shook his head. Charlie was hunched over one of the terminals typing at a frantic rate. One of the bureau computer techs was sitting to Charlie's left trying to scan the screen as the data scrolled by. On his other side sat their father. Don knew his father had the patience of a saint when it came to his brother, but even saints had a breaking point.

"Tom," Don called, and the tech turned from the screen. "Why don't you go take a break?"

"Yes, sir," Tom said walking to the door.

Don stopped Tom at the door. "Do you know what Charlie's doing?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," he nodded. "But I could never do it as fast as he is."

"Just as long as you understand it. I'm going to need your help on this, so don't go too far."

"No problem," Tom said and exited the room.

Once Tom was gone Don walked over to his father and put his hand on his shoulder. Alan turned pleading eyes to his oldest son.

"Maybe you can talk some sense into this stubborn brother of yours."

"I think I can get him to see things my way," Don replied as he reached past his father for the first aid supplies.

Alan nodded and relinquished his chair to Don. Sitting down next to his brother Don finally got a good look at the wound on Charlie's right temple. The fluorescent lighting showed Don that the cut was worse then he had thought at the bank. The blood ran down the side of Charlie's face and was matted in his hair.

"Now you see why I'm so worried," Alan commented.

"Honest, dad, it didn't look this bad in the bank."

Don grabbed some gauze pads and poured a liberal amount of alcohol on it. Leaning closer to Charlie he decided to try to tackle the dried blood next to Charlie's ear. At first Charlie didn't even pay attention to what Don was doing. That was until Don had to scrub harder to get the blood off. Charlie kept pulling his head away and Don was forced to grab his head to hold it still.

"Ow!" Charlie protested and smacked Don's hand away.

"Sorry, Buddy, it has to be done," Don said, taking a tighter hold.

Charlie started fighting harder as Don continued to clean the cut. He was finally forced to let go or hurt his smaller brother.

"Charlie, enough!" Don exclaimed grabbing his brother's arms. "Look at me!"

"Do want me to get this done or not?" Charlie protested trying to pull away. "If they start moving the money before I can finish loading the program we'll lose them."

"I don't care about the robbers!" Don yelled. "You're hurt and should be at the hospital not here working on a damned math problem!"

"Yeah, but I want them," Charlie said angrily.

"So do I," Don admitted. "But I'd prefer not to get blood all over the computers if you don't mind."

"It stopped bleeding awhile ago, Don," Charlie argued.

"Humor me," Don said, grabbing Charlie's head and continuing where he left off.

Charlie sat quietly while Don finished cleaning the blood off his face. The blood matting his hair would have to wait until later. Don was more concerned about cleaning the wound and Charlie flinched as the alcohol hit the open cut. Don grimaced in sympathy as he continued to work. Once the cut was cleaned Don could see it probably could use a couple of stitches.

"Okay, Charlie, I'm done," Don said but stopped his brother before he could turn back to the computer. "You have to promise me something."

"What?"

"When you're done you go to the hospital."

Charlie nodded and Don let him go. He watched as Charlie continued like nothing had happened. Don flopped back in the chair and rubbed his tired eyes. Alan stepped behind his oldest and massaged his neck.

"Sorry, Dad, it's the best I can do."

"It's enough," Alan assured him. "Once he's done I'll take him straight to the hospital. Why don't you go get something to eat?"

"Terry was going to bring something."

Just as Don mentioned her Terry walked in the door. She was carrying a plate of sandwiches and a couple of sodas. When she saw Charlie was still typing at the computer she looked at Don and shook her head.

"What?" Don asked as he took the plate from her.

"Thought you were going to deal with Charlie. Not let him keep typing."

"I cleaned the cut. What more can I do?"

"Get him to eat something."

"Could you all just be quiet?" Charlie protested. "Better yet, could you all just leave."

"We'll leave if you eat something," Terry said, blackmailing the mathematician.

"Fine," Charlie said and held out his hand. Don handed him a sandwich and he took a bite. "Happy now?"

"Yes," Terry said.

"Now go!"

"All right, Charlie, we're going," Don said and ushered Alan and Terry towards the door. "But I'm going to send in the computer tech. I want him to see what you're doing."

"Fine, as long as he keeps quiet."

Don left the room and saw Tom waiting not too far away. He waved him over.

"So explain this program to me," Don said. "I want to know you can handle it when Charlie's finished."

"It's ingenious," Tom said. "Charlie added a tag to the data stream so when they start transferring the money it can be tracked."

"What if they transfer it to several different banks?"

"It's not a problem," Tom assured him. "The tag will show where it's going no matter what. Once it starts it can't be turned off because they won't even know its there."

"Can't you finish what Charlie's doing?"

"Charlie's still loading a program that's basically in his head. I understand what the program will do once he's finished but I can't help him right now."

"So you'll be able to run the program and track the money once he's finished."

"Yes, sir." Tom said, smiling. "This Sergie guy was smart, but Charlie was a whole hell of a lot smarter."

Don sent Tom in to watch Charlie while he joined the others in the bullpen. Terry was on the computer scrolling through the mug shots on the FBI database. David was sitting with his dad.

"So, Don, did Harris figure out how they got away?" David asked.

"Yeah," Don answered. "Calvin, one of the robbers, blew a hole into the building next door. The basement next door has a sewer pipe below it. Calvin blew a hole in that and they made their escape."

"They could have come out anywhere," Alan said.

"They must have been planning this for months," Terry added.

"Yeah, well, they never planned on Charlie," Don smiled.