Chapter Thirteen: Inadequate Choices

Don stood at the bathroom sink. He splashed his face again with cold water. His own reflection startled him. He had never seen himself look so frantic and he was sure no one else had either. They had never seen him totally lose it before. He was supposed to be the leader, the one who kept his head in any situation...no matter what.

But knowing Charlie was in the hands of this lunatic was more than he could handle.

What was he going to do? The team was working on it, but six hours wasn't enough time to arrange the release of a federal prisoner. And who could say that they could even get it done with adequate time.

What was Ramón trying to accomplish? Did he just want revenge for being outsmarted by the FBI or did he really think that kidnapping a federal agent's brother would assure the release of his own?

"Don?"

David opened the door to the men's restroom and stuck his head in.

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah."

He walked up behind Don and looked him over in the mirror. His boss was leaning over the bathroom counter his hands spread apart, with his head held over the sink.

"Don. We found a possible address for this Estevez. Megan's working on a full warrant. The tactical team is on standby. "

"Yeah….okay."

"Don?"

After several minutes Don took a deep breath and shuttered.

"He hurt him, David. It was……..God…I could hear him….that bastard hurt him just so I could hear him screaming."

David grimaced.

"Oh man. Don…."

After a few minutes of silence, Don rubbed his face and lifted his head, meeting David's eyes in the mirror.

"It isn't going to happen is it?"

"It's not going to be easy, but Colby's working on it. Granting a prisoner release isn't something they're just do because we ask them to and this guy, he's a big catch. They aren't just going to let you walk him out of here."

Don turned to face him.

"You don't have to tell me that. But if I don't find a way, he will kill my brother. We're talking about Charlie here, man!"

"I know, Don. I know. We're doing everything we can."

There was a hesitant knock on the bathroom door and Colby peered into the room.

"David….?"

David glanced from Colby back to Don and then walked to the door. After a few hushed whispers, they both walked into the room and turned to face him. David's face had taken on a bewildered expression and Don felt his stomach twist into knots again.

"David…..What is it?"

He couldn't meet his eyes.

"Don…"

The knot got tighter.

"WHAT IS IT?"

"I don't……..."

He couldn't finish.

"What?"

Don looked desperately at Colby.

"Colby what? Is it…..Charlie?"

"No, Don….No, not that. But...holding just called. Diego Sandoval is dead."

Don felt his knees give out and he slid down the wall to the floor.

"When?"

Colby knelt down next to him.

"About twenty minutes ago. Not from the gunshot wound Don. He had an allergic reaction to something he was being treated with. They are thinking sulfa. He went into anaphylactic shock and died on the way to the hospital."

"Does the press have it?"

"No, not yet."

Don put his head between his knees trying to control the fresh wave of panic.

"He'll kill him. He's going to kill Charlie."

Colby stood up next to Don.

"We still have four hours."

"To arrange a trade! That's not exactly an option now is it!"

David walked over to Don and reached to help him up.

"No, but we still have four hours to find him."

Don clasped his extended hand and let David him pull him to his feet both literally and figuratively.

Colby looked at his watch.

"Three Hours and Fifty Two minutes."

"Then we'd better get moving."

………………………………

Authors notes: Glad I've still got everybody. Please, keep leaving your comments!

Moving along...Back to the action in the Next Chapter: Truncated Successes