Disclaimer: I don't own anything Numb3rs, it's all property of CBS and whatnot, so don't sue.
Chapter 15: The Investigation andA few Choice Answers
The Eppes house was swarming with activity as Megan, Colby, and David, along with several more FBI Agents and technician's collected evidence and watched as the coroner took away a gurney conatining a filled body bag.
" Can you guys tell me what happened?" Asked Megan as she sat with Colby and David.
" There was somthing in the coffee, it knocked out everyone except Charlie, the dude was so wrapped up in his math, he probably didn't get in a sip." Answered David.
"Charlie saw us all go bye bye but, how'd we end up upstairs?" Asked Colby.
" The only logical explaination is that Charlie carried you guys upstairs." Said Megan.
Both Colby and David looked at her unbelievingly.
" But that would mean that Charlie had to carry all of us up two flights of stairs, dump us into three seperate rooms and then locked us in for good measure. I don't believe that for a second. I mean, isn't that physically immpossible for a guy of Charlie's stature? Asked Colby.
" I don't know, I mean picture yourself in Charlie's shoes, everybody around you has been incapaicitated, you realize that the worst case scenario is comming true, you guys are two friends plus there's his father and brother. He was terrified out of his mind and decided that locking the four of you guys into the upstairs room was the only way to keep all of you safe." Said Megan.
David shook his head while Colby chewedon his thumbnail.
" Megan, you should've seen him, he was just sitting there covered in blood, he was hugging that body to him. I tell you, I ain't gonna get that image out of my mind anytime soon." Said David.
" I just hope he's alright, any word from Don?" Asked Colby.
" I'm calling him right now." Said Megan as she pulled out her cell. She speed-dialed Don's number and waited for him to answer.
" Hello?" Came a voice laced with exhaustion. Don,
" Don, it's me Megan, how's Charlie?" Asked Megan softly.
" He's responsive, and he's talked to the shrink, they say that the damage was superficial and that he's gonna be okay in a few days. But there's still so much..." Don trailed off when he saw Larry and Amita walking up to them, worried expressions ontheir faces.
" I'll call you back Megan, Larry and Amita are here." Said Don as he flipped his cellphone off. He greeted a very anxious Larry and Amita.
" How is he?" Asked Amita immediately.
" He's gonna be alright. The doctor said that there wasn't any lasting damage" Said Alan.
Both Larry and Amita heaved sighs of relief. Their gazes fell on Charlie through the window of the exam room.
" Can we go in and see him?" Asked Larry hesitantly.
" Yeah, we're taking him home soon anyway." Said Don.
Charlie gave both Larry and Amita a "wan" smile as they entered the room.
Three hours later, they were all piled into Don's SUV with one destination in mind, Casa Eppes. By now, the FBI team had cleared out, with only Megan, David, and Colby waiting for them.
All through the ride, Don stole glances at Charlie, who was sitting in the passenger seat, staring out the window at the passing scenery, his expression seemed far off.
In reality, Charlie was running a few different scenarios through his head for the enevitable barrage of question he knew were going to be thrown his way the minute he got home, but for now, he'd play the part of a traumatized young man. In truth, he didn't feel guilt like he did with other kills, this time because he hadn't actually plunged his sword into Koyuki's gut. that was her own sword, in her own gut. As they pulled into the driveway, Charlie felt the waves of anticipation.
" Maybe time for another one of my stories." Sighed Charlie mentally as Alan helped him out of the car. The white T-shirt Don had fished out for him was thankfully two sized too big, not irritating his injured side.
When the five of them reached the front door, they were greeted by a very relieved Megan Reeves. When they all entered the house, Charlie silently made his way past everyone into the livingroom and gingerly eased himself onto the sofa. He lifted on gauze wrapped arm and rested it over his eyes.
The other's thankfully took the hint and let Charlie sit there, not bombarding him with the questions they so desperately wanted answers for. They all went into the dinningroom and began to talk quietly.
" How is he doing?" Asked Megan as they all lounged around the dinning table.
" To be honest, I don't know how he is... What surprises me most is that he hasn't gone off into one of his math equations yet." Sighed Don.
" What about you guys, did you figure out anything?"
" What we know so far is that Jenshio probably laced the coffee and by some miracle, Charlie didn't drink any of it." Said David.
" Some luck, it left him all alone against a killer." Muttered Colby.
" And the only explanation for how you guys ended up upstairs because Charlie put you there." Said Megan quietly.
This statement left Don's mind reeling. The image of a scrawny little thirteen year old Charlie flashed through his mind. It was a total blindsiding to think that his baby brother was capable of that kind of strength.
Don turned his gaze to the livingroom to see Charlie and felt a jolt when he saw the now empty sofa.
" Charlie?" Asked Don as he bolted from the dinningroom into the livingroom, the others following. Don looked around frantically until he heard Colby's voice.
" Don." Said the other agent with a knowing look on his face as he pointed down the hall, which led to the one place Don was dreading he'd find Charlie. The backyard. Don jogged down the hall, the others following in his wake as headed to said backyard. He stopped when he reached the door, eyeing the lone figure standing on the grass through the glass pane door.
Don turned back to the crowd behind him and with a single look, told them to keep their distance, he'd handle this. He then slowly walked across the threshold of the backdoor to join his brother in the backyard.
Charlie seemed totally oblivious to his pressence, his attention focused totally on the discolored grass a few feet infront of him.
" Charlie?" Asked Don softly, he was met with silence.
" Somebody better wash out that blood, it's gonna kill the grass." Came a flat, tired voice.
" It can wait, why don't you come inside Buddy?" Suggested Don hopefully. He watched with relief as Charlie silently nodded and turned to face his brother.The two brothers walked back into the house to meet the anxious crowd waiting for them.
" Sorry I worried you." Said Charlie quietly before he walked back down the hall to the livingroom. Megan gave Don a look and Don gazed back at her torn but knowing what needed to be done.
" Let's give him some time,I don't think he's ready to be questioned." Said Don.
" Alright Don, in the mean time, I think the three of us will go back to the office,Colby and me'llfill out our reports the bestwe can." Said David as with a nod, the three agents took their leave.
As the three of them walked to the front door, the glanced at the livingroom and felt a collectivepang of guilt and sadness as they viewed Charlie, fast asleep on the sofa, lookingmore like a teenager than a thirty year old, pale and finding no peace inslumber as one normally would.The three of them leftCasa Eppes feeling guilty about Charlie, and a deep loathingfor Koyuki Jenshio.
Three daysLater...
" Thank you for coming here,I know this is going to be difficult for you but,can you tell us what happened that three days ago?" Asked Megan gently as she sat across from a verypale looking Charlie.
" Okay... That night...Don, Dad, David, Colby, and me were all at the house, I was in the diningroom, Dad was making coffee. I was caught up in theequationI was scribbling at, I don't thinkI drank any of that stuff, the next thing Iknow, everybody'd been knocked out. I managed to tell Don that it was gonna be okay before he passed out." At this, Charlie let out a dry, humorlesschuckle.
" I told him it was gonna be okay,like I knew what the hell was going to happen." Charlie shook his head while Megan spoke up.
" Charlie, we found another samuari sword at the scene, its yours isn't it? She said with a look of wanting confermation.
" Yes, the other sword is mine. That hole in the wall of my house was from me punching through it to get itout from whereI'd hidden it. I never mentioned to you guys that after my first encouter with... her... I decided it would be a good idea to at least get the basics to defend. Contraryto popular belief, I don't do math every waking moment of my life, I have a licence for that thing. Said Charlie.
From behind the two way mirror, Don, Colby,and David were literally gauwking at their resident math geek. Never had they thought of Charlie as being trained to use a weapon like a samurai sword. They all watched as Charlie continued.
" After they all passed out, I knew she was coming, so I did the next best thing, I am alot stronger than I look, they didn'y weigh that much to me. I locked them upstairs and waited downstairs.I didn't want her hacking any of them into pieces to get to me." Said Charlie with a barely caught shrug before he continued.
" She came at midnight and tried to slice me in half, I ducked and ran to the wall, I puched it and got out my sword. We fought until we reached the backyard, she knocked my sword out of my hands and had her's poised to... slit my throat wide open. And do youwhat I did? I begged, I begged her not to kill me. She went on about how she couldn't spare me again, because there was no honor in living with defeat. Every person she killed was a victory in her eyes, I was her only defeat she said. The one mistakeshe was gonna rectify, I thought she was gonna finish what she started, instead she... She..." Trailed off Charlieand Megan knew that this interview was over.
She turned to the two way and gave a small nod toher three fellow agents before she reached out and gently squeezed one of Charlie's hands. Charlie looked at her with those bottomless deep brown eyes and her heart went out to him.
" Hook, line, and sinker."Thought Charlie with a mental grin though on the outside he wasmilking thetraumatized puppy dog look to a tee.
Megan took her leave while Don quietly entered the room and took a set on top of the table beside Charlie. The two brothers sat in silence beforeDon spoke.
" So, you know how to use a samurai sword, and you had one hidden in the wall of your house." Said Don flatly as he turned togaze down at hisbrother.
" Yeah, I do, it kept me alive." Said Charlie, he paused before he spoke again.
" Are you mad?" He asked,sounding more younger than his thirty years, staring up at Don with those puppy dog eyes (Still laying it on thick).
Don shook his head no before he reached out and gently cupped one of Charlie's stubbled cheeks. Three days and his little brother looked like wreck.
" Let me take you home." Was all Don said. Charlie nodded and the two brothers walked out of the interrogation room.
Today, a few knew abilities were unearthed about his brother, in the back of his mind, Don couldn't help but wonder, what else didn'y he know about Charlie? Wasn't Charlie a lousy at keeping secrets?