Disclaimer: I don't own nothing save the OC's so don't sue, its all the property of CBS and whatnot.
Chapter 9: Eager Anticipation on Charlie's Part, Anxiety For Everybody Else
The tension was so palpable, one could almost see it rolling off of Don Epps as he sat in the driver's seat of his SUV, Charlie sitting in the passenger seat. After the events that had unfolded back at the FBI Offices, Don and the team were thoroughly scrambled. Charlie was in danger, that was the only thought going through Don's mind as he drove to the quite suburbs of Passadena. Charlie was stealing small glances at his brother, all the hile doing some planning of his own.A part of him felt like dirt for having to decieve Don and his team, but, it was to keep them safe from Jenshio. True, the woman was a trained assassin, but she had been discharged from service afterhe had let her live, dishonored in accepting defeat. That was reason enough for her to go on a killing spree. Hopefully, Jenshio would take the bait to the trap he was setting. Koyuki didn't know Charlie Epps, she only knew the masked warrior "Ghost". By all appearances, he was a perfect ringer for her choice of victim, young,attractive, and above all,a picture of innocence.
Don pulled into the driveway of his childhood home and in silence, the two of them got out and walked into the house. Alan Epps wasn't home, both a blessing and a curse on Don's part. Don wearily dragged himself into the livingroom and collapsing onto the sofa. He draped an arm over his eyes and sighed heavily. Charlie stared at his brother for a moment before he spoke.
" You want a beer?"
" Do you even have to ask?" Drawled Don without lifting his arm from his eyes.
Charlie's lips turned upwards in a small, sad smile as he headed to the kitchen. He returned moments later with a cold beer and handed it to Don, before taking the seat next to him. The two sat in silence, Don taking small sips of his beer, Charlie staring out the livingroom window. Don's eyes however, inevitably came to rest on the young man sitting next to him. He set his beer down and silently reached out to Charlie, his hand going to the mass of curls that hid the smallcrescent shaped scar. Charlie stared at his hands in his lap as he felt Don's fingers pull back his hair and his thumb glid gently over the jagged mark.
" Tell me how it happened." Came Don's inevitable question.
" I better come up with somthing he'll fall for." Thought Charlie as he took a " steadying" breath before he spun another tale to mask the truth. "
I was doing a consulting job in Tokyo for this software company, I had just finished a presentation, I headed back to the hotel I was staying at, whenI got to my floor,I heard someone scream, and me being the bighearted idiot, ran to see who was hurt. When I reached the room, the door was open, and I saw... I saw her, standing over this deadguy. She'd, come just short of chopping him into pieces. She just stood there covered in blood, staring at him before she looked up and saw me, she stared at me and then... She smiled. Don she smiled at me. I turned and ran away as fast as I could, I got to my room and locked the door, even put a chair under the doorknob. But, I forgot about the window. When I turned around, there she was,I found myself with a samurai sword an inch from my jugular, then everything went black and when I woke up, all I could feel was this unbearable burning on the side of my neck I...Charlie trailed off and turned his gaze to Don.
To his secret relief, the look on Don's face said it all, his older brother had fallen for this bogus tale hook, line, and sinker. It was another moment before Don found his voice.
" How did you get her name?" He asked.
" I have a few friends in the NSA who have friends in theCIA.I described her to one of them and her name popped up in the CIAdata base, if you want, I could ask them to send you apicture." Said Charlie quietly before he turned his gaze back to his lap.
Instead of saying anything, Don roughly yanked Charlie into another vice-like hug. Charlie returned the hug and felt a small burn behind his eyes, not because he was afraid, but because of guilt. " I'm so sorry Don, but lying to you is the only wayI can protect you and everyone else. If only you knew that I am the only person who can strike terror in Koyuki Jenshio on this entire planet. I'm the only one who can stop her, and I will". Thought Charlie burried his face into Don's shoulder, trying to hold onto the only warmth in his cold reality.
When Alan Epps had come home, hell had nearly broken loose when Don informed him of the situation concerning Jenshio and Charlie's connection to her. Don had sent Charlie upstairs while he tackled the issue with their father. Charlie was now in the solitude of the upstairs bathroom, a cellphone to his ear, waiting for a certain Commander to pick up.
" Steele." Came ananswer.
"Steele, it's me Ghost, I have a bit of a situation here in Pasadena". Said Charlie.
" Explain." Said Steele.
" Sir, it's Koyuki Jenshio, she's here in the states, and she'd up to her old habits. Said Charlie.
"How many?" Asked Steele.
" Five." Answered Charlie.
" You have permission to terminate her Ghost, and if the Feds give you any trouble, leave it to me. Under no circumstances will they find out you are an operative of the CIA." Said Steele before he sighed.
" Why the hell did you let her go the first time?" He asked.
" Thought I'd scared her straight, for her kid's sake." Sighed Charlie.
" Before you ask, no, the kid isn't mine." He added.
" Where is the child now?" Asked Steele.
" She was safe in Japan the last time I checked but I'll be sure to ask Jenshio if she brought her daughter with her to the states. Said Charlie flatly.
" I would wish you luck, but you never needed any to begin with. Keep yourself alive Ghost, the CIA would want to loose its best operative. Said Steele before the call ended.
" I have alot of work to do. Thought Charlie as he got out of the bathroom, a plan already forming in his head to counteract whatever obstacles Don would inadvertantly set in hispathof givingKoyuki Jeshio her absolution.