I do not own the Numb3rs characters

Chapter 33

Charlie was up and showered early. The others were just stirring when Charlie walked though the living room so he set up the coffee pot for his family. He made himself a cup of tea and was sitting at the table when Alan came in.

"Good morning, feel like eating breakfast with us? Don's in the shower but if you want some eggs or something I can fix yours up now."

"Sure scrambled eggs without the toast sounds good."

Alan took a skillet and set it on the stove and went to the refrigerator to get the eggs. "You know Don is very concerned about you. Is there any reason that he should be?"

"Both of you worry about me too much Dad. That's not news. I'm all grown up you know."

"Families worry about each other Charlie, its what they do. It's only natural to worry a little more about the youngest."

"I know it is but sometimes it can be a little crowding. You know Don is the one with the dangerous job but I feel like every time I walk out the door you're worried I won't come back."

"A parent's greatest fear is that they will have to bury a child. I worry about both of you for the same reason. I love you both and I want the two of you to outlive me. It's your assignment Charlie; you and Don outlive me and I will die a happy man."

Don walked in just then. "It's getting a little serious in here this morning. What brought this on?"

"I was just explaining to your brother why I'm so good at worrying about both of my sons. What would you like for breakfast Donnie?" Alan scooped the scrambled eggs onto a plate and set it before Charlie.

Don looked at Charlie who seemed to be engrossed in his breakfast. "Any reason Dad should be worried Charlie?"

"Nothing comes to mind."

Don sighed. "Whatever you're having for breakfast is fine with me Dad." He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down next to his brother.

"Going to work this morning Charlie?"

"Yeah I have a pretty full day planned. I'll call if I'm going to be very late though. Hey Dad, you going to do some of that sightseeing today?"

"I thought I would go for a few hours this morning. It's supposed to rain early afternoon and I want to be back before then."

Don finished his breakfast and headed down to wait for Derek to pick him up.

After he helped his dad with the dishes Charlie finished getting ready to leave. He decided to leave his laptop at home since he would be buried in old files again today. He went to the bedroom and got the cell phone that he had gotten from Ted and the small gun from the nightstand drawer and dropped them both into his pocket.

When Charlie walked out the front door of the building, he was surprised to see that Jeff Pitts was sitting on the bench near the door.

Charlie knew that given how much time he had taken off, it was only natural that the team was curious. He recalled what Bob had said about the list and Charlie admitted after the fact that a phony list made up by a few agents with a grudge made more sense.

"Morning Jeff. I thought the team was taking a few days off. I haven't been feeling well and need time before I can return."

"I did hear that Dr. Eppes. I was hoping I could talk to you about something important though. You see, I received something in the mail that I find pretty disturbing and I didn't know who to tell. It's driving me crazy thinking about where it came from and what it means."

"What did you receive?"

"A computer disk and I don't want to tell you exactly what's on it. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't believe me anyway but I don't know who to turn to. I don't know who to trust. I've been with the NSA for six years. It's my life. It's all I have ever wanted since I was a little kid and I think someone is setting me up."

"Jeff lets walk across the street and we can talk there. This is not the place for a private conversation like that."

After they crossed the entered the park, Jeff said. "When the project first started, I was really excited about being chosen. I mean it's an honor to work with someone that had made the organization what it is today. You're already a legend in the NSA. This was something to be proud of. It's my dream assignment really. Computers are my second love. And it could be all over for me now. But, I think I know why I was set up.

I have always kept my personal life completely separate from my career. I don't date fellow agents. Now, Kristen is a beautiful woman and I was immediately attracted to her, but I wanted to stand by that decision."

Charlie had to agree that Kristen was very attractive and he had noticed the looks between the two of them on occasion. Completely harmless from what he could tell. Just a mutual attraction that didn't appear that they had acted on. At least not that he could tell anyway

.

"One day after we left the office, she asked that I meet her at that bar near the NSA grounds. I did decide to join her and we talked. She asked me if I was interested in seeing her socially. I told her that I didn't believe in dating inside the organization and that I had never backed down from that decision before. I did tell her that once the project was over there was a possibility but that I was not thinking that far ahead. I really thought the talk had gone well.

But, just before we left the bar she told me that I would be sorry that I had rejected her. It came out of nowhere really. I didn't expect her anger and I told her that she had mistaken my delay of making any decision for a rejection. I mean she made it sound like I was so cold hearted. She said she had connections that could make me regret my decision.

I got the disk yesterday in the mail and there are a lot of familiar looking names on it. It's a list of the people involved in a conspiracy. There was also a hit list and that Senator and Judge that were killed were on it. I don't know for sure that Kristen is the one behind it, but my name was also on that list and I can swear that I would never be involved with something like this. If that list is true, we're all in trouble. If I'm not the only victim and the other names are also put there for some sort of revenge, than when the disk becomes public I'll be in a lot of legal trouble and my career will be over."

Charlie was not sure where he should go with this. He didn't dare tell him anything that could get out and scare the killer away but then again, he needed to reassure at least a little.

"Somehow Dr. Eppes I get the feeling that this doesn't surprise you. Did you hear what I told you was on that disk? It was a hit list and two of the people on it are already dead."

"Jeff, I think that you should know that there are people that are working on that very thing right now. You're not the only one that received that disk."

Charlie nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard his brother behind him. "No, you are not the only one that received that disk."

Charlie turned around to find Don and Derek standing right behind him. He turned back toward Jeff and the panic that he saw on his face must have mirrored his own. "What are you doing here Don?"

"I came to talk to my little brother about a certain disk that the FBI received in the mail today. Want to tell me about it?"

"What makes you think I know anything about it? Anything could have been sent to the FBI."

"Well Charlie, there are a lot of names on that list indicating a conspiracy within the NSA, but there was one that I was especially interested in. It was and I quote, Dr. Charles Eppes, NSA Consultant."

"What?" Charlie shook his head slowly. "That's not possible. I received that same disk and I know for a fact that my name was not on it."

Don looked from Charlie to Jeff. "And I do believe that you are one Jeffrey Pitts, NSA Agent that was also listed among the guilty."

Don could see the panic in both of their eyes. A panic that he was familiar with, a panic of someone caught in the act.

Don's face was a mask when he said "Agent Pitts, Dr. Eppes, we are here to take both of you in for questioning regarding a certain hit list that was also included on that disk."

It was not that he thought he was beyond the treatment that normal detainees received. It was not the fact that he knew he was innocent. It was not even the fact that it was his own brother.

It was pure panic and fear of what he would have to reveal to the FBI if he was taken in for questioning. He owed his loyalty to the NSA. It was irrational thinking that made Charlie reach into his pocket and pull out the cell phone. He pressed the speed dial for Bob at the same time that both Derek and Don drew their guns on Charlie and told him to drop it. He then pressed the send button. The irrational thinking that made Charlie forget that the gun was even there. The irrational thinking that he did not even notice that his own was gun was now pointed at two FBI agents.