Chapter 2

Don stood in Director Merrick's office. The rest of his team, Megan, Colby and David, sat at the conference table with the Director. Don was in front of the projection screen. "After his application finished running the data, Charlie e-mailed these patterns," Don said. "I'm sure he could explain it all better, but even I can see the clear trail left by Alpha, and the corresponding hits from Delta."

Director Merrick lowered a hand from his chin. "They were our top two on the hit parade," he said. "But we never considered that they could be working together. The profiles didn't show any connection? You've been working on them all morning."

"As far as we can tell," Colby answered, looking at the file again, "they've never even met. They're not based in the same office, their work histories are completely different. They've never even been registered for the same training."

Director Merrick stood. "You're missing something. There is a connection." He looked at Don. "Has Dr. Eppes requested any more data? If he takes what we have on these two, can he cross-reference it?"

"Charlie's not available on this one anymore," Don offered. "But he assured me that his colleagues, Drs. Fleinhardt and Ramanujan, can operate this application without him. They have been helping beta test it, I know that."

Merrick glowered. "Not available? What does that mean? I don't want anyone else in on this. This is sensitive information!"

As if in homage to bad timing, Don felt his cell phone vibrate. "He was called away on an emergency," he started, but Merrick interrupted him.

"I cancelled all time off until this is handled," he fumed. "I have not cleared this."

"I don't believe Charlie works for you, Director." All eyes turned to Megan, and then traveled to the Director, waiting for the blow. "He is a consultant, after all. I'm fairly certain you can't dictate his availability to the FBI, on this, or any other, case."

"We'll just see about that," Merrick spat, striding past them to open the door. "You all have work to do." There was a scramble of paperwork and bodies. Colby and David actually got stuck in the doorframe for a moment before they popped out on the other side. Don would have laughed, if it had been any other day.

As soon as the door slammed behind him, he grabbed the still-vibrating phone. "Eppes!"

At first he thought he had missed the call. "Eppes!", he said again, walking to the elevator with the rest of the team.

"Donnie."

Don stopped walking so abruptly that Megan bumped into him. "Charlie?"

The time it took for a response was long enough for Don to wave the team on, and walk over to the window in the hallway. He watched the people on the street below. "Charlie? Are you all right?"

His brother's voice was weary, thin. "I don't think I can do this."

He clutched the phone tighter. "How are they?"

Charlie didn't seem to register the question. "It's because I'm the emergency contact. They want me to tell them. Because, because his driver's license says he's an organ donor, but they say whenever there is a 'next of kin' designated, they try to involve that person in…decisions…"

The rest of the team was on the elevator, waiting for the doors to close, and saw Don lean his head against the window pane. They exchanged looks, and Megan stepped out again, motioned for Colby and David to go on. She walked back toward Don, stopping a few feet away.

"Organ donor? He's on life support?"

"Yes. Another EEG is scheduled for tomorrow morning, and they want me there. They'll want me to say."

Don shuddered. "Geez, Charlie, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." He squeezed his eyes shut, rubbed his forehead, tried to think. "What about Jenna? Is she unconscious? Why can't they wait for her?"

He heard his brother breathe, then, a gasp, as if he hadn't remembered to breathe in some time. "Bled out." It was a whisper, as if he was telling Don a secret. "Never made it to the hospital."

Don felt his knees go weak, turned around to brace himself against the wall. "Dear G-d. Charlie." He heard his brother gasp again, his breath ragged and wheezy, reminding him of the asthma attacks Charlie had suffered as a child. "Where are you?"

The voice took on a note of despair. "I don't know. I'm outside." Another gasp. "Donnie…"

"Can you find a place to sit down? Do you see a bench, anything?"

"Yeah, all right…" he could hear Charlie trying to pull himself together. "I'm on a bench, now."

Don took a breath. "Listen, Charlie. Last Spring Sam told me that he always wanted a brother, because then he wouldn't have to be alone. He doesn't want you to do this alone, Buddy. When they picked you, they thought you would helping…whichever one of them…" he stopped, momentarily flustered, then went back to his original theme. "I'm sure they wouldn't want you to go through this alone. Let me send Dad. He wanted to go with you last night. I want to come, Charlie…"

His brother's voice sounded a little steadier. "I know. It's okay, you can't. I'll be all right, now."

Don looked at his watch. "Charlie, it's almost four. Dad can get the same flight you did, yesterday, he can be there late tonight." He heard himself pleading, didn't care. "Please, Charlie, let him come."

"It's cold, here." Charlie's attention was wandering, again. "Did you get the e-mail?"

"Yes, yes, don't worry about that, Charlie. We're on it." Don made a decision. Let Charlie blast him for it later. Please, let Charlie blast him for it later. He was going to be the big brother. "I'm calling the motel," he said. "I'll say whatever I have to, I'll use the FBI card, I'm going to get them to leave an extra key at the desk for Dad. He's coming."

He had tried to make his voice forceful, in charge, and it must have worked. Eventually, he heard a small "Okay", just like last night, in the kitchen. It hit him with new force, then. He saw Jenna's head tilted back, looking up at Sam, laughing at something he said. He saw her on the bank of the river, sketch pad in hand. He remembered her arguing with Charlie over a game of Scrabble one rainy night in the RV. Charlie had tried to use Latin. Don squeezed his eyes shut again, threw a hand out into nothing, as if he could touch his brother just by wanting to. "Please be okay," he whispered, and he felt Megan grab the hand firmly with both of hers. "All right, Buddy? Please be okay."