Charlie emerged from a much-needed rest, stretching and peering at the morning light. The first thing he did was to subtly tuck Don's gun back into the holster on his belt. His movements jarred his brother, who mumbled and woke as well. "How'd you sleep?" Charlie queried.

"Not bad, all things considered."

The younger man smiled and rested his hand on Don's forehead. "Fever's down. That's good."

"Yeah," the injured man agreed, struggling to push himself up to a seated position.

"Morning," Gary nodded to the two men as he stood over the fire.

Don sniffed. "Is that coffee?" he asked, his eyes twinkling in excitement.

"Yes sir," Gary beamed. "Although I don't think you should have any in your condition. I thought your brother might like it, though."

"He doesn't drink coffee," Don replied in a tone that implied utter disbelief. "Never has."

"Oh," Gary said as he eyed the pot of boiling water. "That's a pity. I made enough for two."

Don looked up at Charlie and grinned. "Be a shame to let it go to waste."

"No." The younger man shook his head. "That's the last thing you need."

"It'll perk me up," Don countered. "Get me ready for the journey ahead."

Charlie sighed in exasperation but he was secretly thrilled. Anything that got Don's spirits up was okay in his book. "Alright." He made a show of giving in. "I guess a little won't hurt." He couldn't help but laugh at the look of pure joy on his brother's face. "The things I do for you," he teased.

All the joking and smiles disappeared a short while later as Charlie settled Don against him in preparation for their hike. The injured man's face grew even paler, and his breathing hitched as his shoulder protested the movement. Charlie was alarmed by how much more of Don's weight he seemed to be supporting as opposed to the previous day and looked doubtfully at Gary. "I may need your help after all."

Gary nodded and slid an arm around Don's waist, easing some of the load from Charlie. "Does that help?"

The younger man nodded but his gaze was glued to Don's face. "How're you feeling, Don?"

"I'll make it," he answered with determination. "But I suggest we get started and don't stop until we're there."

Charlie pressed his forehead against Don's and smiled. "That's the attitude I want. Thanks."

Gary cleared his throat and nodded toward the trail when Charlie looked at him. "No time like the present," he said. Slowly the three men began hobbling along the trail, excited at the prospect of reaching the cabin soon – although for considerably different reasons.

--

Just before mid-day the trio scaled a hill and found themselves in front of a rustic cabin. Charlie was certain that it was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. He glanced around, idly wondering where an emergency helicopter could land.

"Clearing's out back, a few hundred feet from the cabin," Gary spoke as though he'd read the young man's mind. "Let me get you two settled inside and I'll call for help." He led them to the front door and unlocked it. As Charlie moved to bring Don inside, Gary restrained him with his left hand, while punching a numeric code into a keypad with his right. "Security system," he informed him. "I know we're in the middle of nowhere but I still don't want just anybody walking into my cabin." The red light above the keypad turned green and gave a friendly beep. "Okay, we're clear."

Gary pushed the door open all of the way and gestured for the two men behind him to enter. He quickly ushered them into the back room of the cabin and helped settle Don onto his side on the bed. "Stay with him and keep him comfortable," Gary advised Charlie. "I'm going to make that call and I'll be right back."

Charlie nodded without looking up from his brother's still form. He began lightly stroking Don's sweaty hair as he whispered to him. "We made it, Don. You hear me? We'll be on our way soon."

"'S good," Don slurred. "Can... sleep now?"

"Yes, you can sleep now," Charlie soothed. He waited until Don had nodded off and then entertained himself by scanning the room. Judging by the abundance of camouflage coats, pants, and shirts scattered about the room, he could tell the occupant was definitely someone who was used to 'roughing it'. Charlie brow furrowed as he studied two coats hanging side by side from the dresser mirror. The young professor rose from the bed and walked nearer, his studious gaze revealing something unusual. The two coats seemed to be of made from the same pattern but were two very different sizes. Charlie quickly checked the tags and realized they were four sizes apart. Even if Gary gained or lost weight throughout the year, the size range was too great. Does someone else live here? Charlie wondered to himself. You'd think Gary would have mentioned that.

He glanced over his shoulder and made sure Don was still sleeping before he slipped into the other room. He could tell this was the main living area with an old, beat up couch along one wall and a small dining table and two chairs in the corner by the refrigerator, sink and stove. Charlie felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising as something set him on edge and he quickly scanned the room again. What was bugging him so badly? His gaze landed on the couch, and the blanket and sheet tossed across the back. Someone sleeps on the couch? he wondered. As he crossed the room for a closer look, something on the table drew his attention. His blood ran cold and his knees grew weak. No! he cried silently.

"Charlie, Charlie," Gary's voice spoke from the back door. "Now didn't I ask you to stay with your brother?"

The young Eppes whipped around to face the blond man, and was surprised to find him casually leaning against the doorjamb. "You... It was you."

"That shot your brother?" Gary asked. "No, that wasn't me. Those..." he gestured at the bow and arrows that had spooked Charlie. "... Belonged to Ralph."

"The man you killed," Charlie stated. "He lived with you."

"Yes," Gary nodded. "We've been best friends since high school."

"Then why..."

"Would I kill him?" The blond man sighed and shrugged. "He was getting to be too careless. He started off as a great watchdog for our little operation but then he started getting reckless. Shooting 'at' people to scare them off, only he had this awful knack for hitting them. Personally, I think his mind had warped and he enjoyed hunting people."

"That's sick," Charlie spat.

"I agree," Gary nodded. "That's the main reason I decided I had to kill him."

"But you're going to kill us too," Charlie spoke slowly.

"Unfortunately, you did get dragged into this so… yeah. I have a very profitable lab to protect. I appreciate you two coming along so quietly – you wouldn't believe what a pain it is to haul a dead body all that way back to the cabin. I'll have to go get Ralph later but you did save me two extra trips."

Charlie's mind was reeling. Here he was, in some cabin in the middle of nowhere, having recently escaped from one madman, only to wind up with another who was calmly informing him that he was about to be murdered. I have to be dreaming, he pleaded with no one in particular. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and opened them again, his heart shattering as he realized this was real. He wondered if Don would be waking up and saving him now but – remembering how tired and weak his brother was – he quickly dismissed that possibility.

Gary stood up straight and approached Charlie, the look on his face one of calm resolve. Charlie's mind screamed at him to draw Don's gun and shoot but his hand had ceased to obey him. He gasped as Gary grabbed his neck in a chokehold and steered him back to the bedroom, slamming him to the floor and turning his attention to Don.

"Got to remove the evidence," he muttered as he grabbed the injured man's shoulder. He grasped the arrow and Charlie's stomach knotted as he realized what he was about to do.

"No!" Charlie yelled, shaking the cobwebs from his brain and pulling Don's gun from its holster. Somehow he had the presence of mind to flip off the safety as he took shaky aim at Gary's head. "Leave him alone!"

"Or what?" he calmly inquired, his hand still holding on to the arrow. "You'll shoot me? I don't think you have it in you, kid." He looked back down at the man on the bed and prepared to yank the projectile from the wound.

"Charlie?" Don's softly called as he winced against the pressure on his injury. His eyes fluttered open and landed on Gary's face, inches above his own. "What?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Just removing some evidence," Gary whispered.

"I said leave him alone!" Charlie, forgetting everything Don had taught him at the gun range, yanked on the trigger realizing at the last minute that his aim was terribly off. Only... there was no gunshot. As Charlie tried to wrap his mind around what happened, Gary started laughing maniacally.

"Congratulations, Charlie." He roared with laughter. "I really didn't think you had it in you. Good thing I never take any chances." He kept chuckling as Charlie pulled the trigger again and again and again. "I took the liberty of emptying your clip while you slept last night. I hope you don't mind."

In a desperate fit of anger, Charlie threw the gun across the room, frowning as Gary easily batted it away. "Temper, temper," he scolded. "Now – are you going to let me tend to your brother here or do I need to kill you first?"

With all of his attention on Charlie, Gary had forgotten that Don had woken up. He was very surprised when Don's knee slammed into his groin, doubling him over in pain. As he lay gasping for air he heard the injured man's voice:

"Run, Charlie! Get out of here!"

"But-"

"Go!" Don roared, ready to kill Charlie himself if he didn't obey. Much to his relief Charlie finally darted out of the door. Gary tried to rise to go after him, but Don clawed at his cheek, very nearly gouging his eye out. With a snarl of anger Gary threw himself across Don's chest and grabbed the arrow, ripping it from the wound. Don howled in agony before passing out from the pain.

Gary continued to lie across the injured man as he fought to catch his breath. Having seen how the brothers interacted with each other he figured Charlie wouldn't really leave his brother behind, so he was probably lurking somewhere in the woods around the cabin. Gary had neither the desire nor the time to search for the little pest and a grin slowly spread over his face as he determined that he didn't have to hunt for Charlie. Looking down at the man beneath him, it dawned on him that he had the one thing he needed to make Charlie come to him.

TBC