By
Tru False
Author's Note:
Again, thanks for your reviews. Don't worry fans of Don…I love
both of the characters…hopefully there will be something for
everyone by the time this is all over.
Language Note:
Okay, again, there is some vulgarity here, especially at the end of
this chapter. I promise I am toning myself way down; if I wrote the
dialogue that was actually in my head, this would read more like an
episode of Deadwood. So fair warning…there is some stronger
language here.
Chapter 5
Terry had heard the expression 'worried sick' before, but she had never actually seen it until Don had visibly paled before her eyes. He was straining as far left as he could against his cuffs, trying to keep a visual on Loose Canon as he disappeared down the path towards Charlie and their vehicle. She was sure it had to be hurting him, but if he felt any pain, it didn't show. The worry, though…that was plain to see. She leaned her head back against the table leg and said a silent prayer for all of them. She didn't really know what Don would do if something happened to Charlie, but none of the scenarios that played out in her mind were good.
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Charlie had just decided that four minutes was long enough to wait when suddenly the bank doors opened and someone stepped out. He sat back, mildly surprised and somewhat relieved. Maybe they were just incredibly slow in there after all. He let out the breath he hadn't even realized he was holding with a half-laugh. What an idiot he had been…if he had gone in there half-panicked he would have looked like a total fool. He shook his head at his own crazy imagination. I may have to stop all this consulting he joked to himself…it's making me paranoid.
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Redd approached the Suburban with his mind in over-drive. What was he going to say to get Kevin Wilcox, FBI out of there? A smile broke out somewhere inside him, though it didn't reach his face. He couldn't really think of anything. He would just have to wing it. If the guy tried anything…well, he wouldn't be responsible for his actions then. A surge of adrenaline hit him as he neared the vehicle and the warm feeling broadened within him until even his fingers tingled. He hadn't had a good fight in a long time.
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Charlie realized with surprise that the guy was walking towards him rather purposefully, and his relaxed demeanor diminished. Maybe there was a problem after all, and maybe this guy had been sent out here to get him. The guy nodded his head up at him as if to say "yeah, I'm here for you". Charlie nodded back and opened the passenger door to get out, but the guy didn't wait…he rounded the car and stood before Charlie with one arm stretched out holding the open door, effectively blocking his exit.
"Kevin Wilcox?" the guy asked, slightly out of breath.
Charlie was about to respond to the negative when his stomach churned. The name Kevin Wilcox meant something to him, something very personal. Kevin Wilcox had tormented Charlie throughout high school until Don had finally kicked his ass good and proper. It wasn't a happy ending though…Kevin had been a teammate of Don's on the varsity baseball squad, and though they weren't good friends, there had been no trouble between them until then. Charlie could remember standing in that classroom after hours, his broken calculator in one hand, his books and papers strewn across the floor around him…Kevin, bloodied and cursing as he staggered out the door…and Don, panting from exertion—he had given Charlie the most unfathomable look, then just shook his head and left. Don hadn't really spoken to Charlie for about a week after that, and though it had eventually blown over, it was something that neither of them spoke about again—yet each knew instinctively that the other had never forgotten it. Charlie knew, then, that there was no way the mistaken name was a coincidence. This was a message from Don. A message that clearly said danger.
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Don had given up trying to see Loose Canon any more…he was out of his sight line, and Don knew their vehicle was parked well to the left of the front doors anyway. He watched Danny instead, who was still peering outside. His body language gave no clues though. Don took that to mean nothing had happened yet. But he could feel the tension pouring off of the guy, and it only served to increase his own. He was filled with a kind of sick, nervous energy…it was a feeling he hadn't had in a very long time. The only good thing about it was that it had taken his mind off of the stabbing pain in his side. Other than that, it was the worst kind of feeling…like he might explode at any second…like knowing with total certainty that the other shoe is about to drop, and just waiting for the when.
"Danny?" It came from behind them…from the kid.
"Yeah?" He was still looking out the doors and Don knew then for certain that he was extremely concerned about what might happen; one because he normally never ignored the kid, and two because he hadn't thought to lay into him again for using his name.
"Can you come here for a second?"
There was a pause while Danny still looked out the window. "Yeah," he mumbled, distracted. Another moment passed before he finally turned away from the doors and started walking over to the kid. "What is it?"
With nothing left to help him gauge what might be going on, Don had nothing to do but listen to his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. The seconds seemed interminable. He knew in reality that Loose Canon had probably only just reached their Suburban, but to him it felt like he had been gone for hours. He looked over at Terry but she had her head turned back towards Danny and the kid…probably trying to make out what they were saying. He turned his gaze back to the doors and waited. One, two, three…he counted the seconds. Come on, Charlie. Still nothing. Six, seven, eight… And then it happened. A bang, a slight pause, then two more. Don stopped breathing. He knew that sound—it was long ago etched into his sense memory…the sound of his own gun discharging. He turned his eyes back to Terry and this time she was looking right at him.
There was a swoosh of air as Danny moved quickly past them back to his position at the door and peered out. He cursed, "Where is he?" he mumbled under his breath.
Don didn't know what to think. If Danny couldn't see them, then they had moved away from the Suburban. Maybe that was good. Maybe it was bad. He didn't know. He realized he wasn't breathing and sucked in a lungful of air. That brought the pain in his side back with a vengeance. He coughed slightly against his gag and winced. When it passed he locked his gaze on the doors again.
Danny looked like he didn't know what to do. He had moved directly in front of one of the doors and had his hand on it like he might step out. But he was hesitating…probably unsure of what was out there.
Suddenly Loose Canon appeared from the extreme left—he obviously hadn't come up the path but had cut across the lawn right alongside the building to avoid being seen. Danny jumped in surprise. He pulled the door open for him and blinding daylight streamed in momentarily as Loose Canon staggered inside and pulled the door closed behind him. Danny turned the key to lock it without even looking…all his attention was on his partner.
"Fuck!" Canon yelled after some panting, his hand covering his nose and mouth. The right side of his face was covered in blood and it was clearly his own…he was bleeding heavily from a deep cut just below the hairline, and he had several other broad scrapes across his face. He moved his hand away from his mouth and Don saw that blood was also coming out of his now very misshapen nose. He spat and something hit the ground…Don glanced briefly…a reddened tooth skidded a few feet across the tiles.
"What happened?"
"What happened?" Canon repeated, sounding stuffy "He attacked me, that's what happened." He lightly pinched the bridge of his nose and winced immediately. "Christ!"
"Is he that big?" Danny asked.
"No he ain't big," Cannon replied looking angry. "He's a scrawny little thing, but he's quick. And he cold-cocked me…no warning at all. I said 'Kevin Wilcox' and he just blasts me in the face, then keeps coming like he's fighting for his life. I don't guess you'd—" he advanced on Don suddenly "—have any idea why he would do something like that?"
Don couldn't help but smile beneath his gag. Charlie had really messed this guy up.
"You think it's funny…your buddy busting me all up?" He drew back his foot and kicked Don as hard as he could in the side. This time Don actually felt his ribs crack. He groaned and bent forward as far as his cuffs would allow, which wasn't much. "Yeah, not so funny now, is it? That hurts, don't it?"
"Alright, alright," Danny said, drawing Canon's attention back towards him. "So what are we—" he changed thoughts mid-stream "—how come you're bleeding so bad?"
"Fucker picked up a rock."
Danny felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth but he pushed it down.
"You think this if funny too—me getting hurt—you smug son-of-a-bitch?"
"No."
"Really? Because I don't think you'd think it was so damn funny if it'd happened to Boy Wonder over there instead." He pointed in the kid's direction.
Danny blinked reflexively. "Forget it. So now what?" He was back in nervous thinking mode and began to pace. "Because now it's just worse. We got a loose Fed whose gonna go for help, plus you fired that damn gun so the neighbors—"
"He ain't goin' for help."
Danny stopped pacing. "He's not?"
Canon rolled his eyes like it should be obvious. "Hell no…I didn't let him get away."
To Don, the world froze for a second. He forced himself back up despite his body's extreme protests.
"You didn't?" Danny asked, his surprise obvious.
"Fuck no. He's right out there. I just couldn't drag him any more by myself."
Don's heart sank, then shattered.