Chapter Eleven: The Basis of Optimism is Fear

"Larry? Something……something bad has happened."

His first thought had been Megan. Why else would it be David calling him and not her? They weren't exactly joined at the hip, but they did enjoy each others company immensely and he had always been confident that if any harm were to befall her, someone would contact him.

"Charlie's been shot."

Charles Edward Eppes. By far the greatest mind of his generation. The most exceptional student to ever walk into his office and now the most brilliant professor CalSci could ever hope to employ. The finest mathematician this physicist had ever had the privilege of working with, and most importantly of all…..a dear friend.

And someone had shot him.

Larry made the short drive from the CalSci campus to the UCLA Medical Center in a shock induced daze. He found Alan Eppes sitting alone in the central waiting area, perched tensely on the edge of a stiff plastic chair. David had not given him any explicit details on the phone and from the way Alan's shoulders were trembling, Larry was afraid to ask. He never had to.

"His heart stopped beating, Larry. They've got him back, but it's not looking very promising."

Larry collapsed into the chair next to his old acquaintance.

"Oh, Alan. Oh my Lord. How did this happen?"

"Somebody tried to escape during that trial. Robin and Charlie got in the way. That's really all I know. Don couldn't…."

Alan's voice cracked.

"Robin didn't make it."

Larry clamped his left hand tightly over his mouth.

Charlie's misadventure earlier in the year had left him with a lingering sense of danger and he wasn't the only one who had developed a mistrust of this city and the hazards that surrounded it for even the most common man. Larry knew his apprehensions had been nothing compared to what Alan must have gone through after Charlie's experiences. He had been both pleased and a little surprised when his young friend had chosen to go to battle with those fears and he had conquered them on his own.

"Even if I include my current risk factors as well as taking previous events into consideration, statistically I have a better chance of being crushed by a grand piano than to end up with a gun pointed in my direction again any time soon. That doesn't mean I'm not afraid it won't happen again. And I am keeping my eyes open for people moving pianos. But life goes on and I won't let fear paralyze me."

Larry found his voice, and it was quavering with empathy for the man next to him.

"Oh, Alan. Oh, Alan, I'm so sorry. Is Don….?"

"He left. He…..…he just left. I don't…….what if? I can't…."

Alan stopped himself and sobbing, buried his face in his hands.

Larry, unable to find words to comfort his friend, stood and walked to the windows that offered a view of the blacktop parking lot. He shivered as cool air blew from the vent above the door and began to dry his shirt, still wet from the rain. Charlie was not his son. Not the way he was Alan's. Neither was he his brother, as he was Don's. But he was Charlie. And Larry loved him. And his heart was breaking.

Unsuccessfully trying to fight off tears, Larry returned to the row of chairs and sat down next to Alan.

Words wouldn't do much good right now anyway.

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12

1

"I already seen this."

Marcus glanced at the video screen in the front of the room.

"I told your boy…I don't know none of these guys."

Don's expression remained hard and unyielding.

"Come on, Marcus. Snyder said you balked. You know you did."

The young man turned away from the screen and crossed his arms in defiance.

"Well….what the hell does he know?"

Maintaining his calm, collected, interrogator demeanor was becoming a challenge. Don tried to bite back his frustration, but it was beginning to seep through.

"The same thing I do, man. You're lying through your ass. Just tell me who he is."

"I don't know."

Don jumped to his feet and took two threatening steps toward the teenager.

"Damn it, Marcus. Don't you think you owe Charlie that much?"

"Don't try to guilt trip me, Agent Eppes!"

Marcus had never been intimidated by the strong arm tactics of law enforcement, never-the-less the tone in the agent's voice had left him rattled. But he was still determined that this was not his battle and he couldn't be a part of this. He shook his head in disagreement.

"No. Because I was the one taking a risk here. I don't owe him nothin'!"

"BULLSHIT!"

Don backed the young man into the wall next to the screen.

"You owe him your life you little punk. Because if he hadn't asked me not to kill you, I would have broken your neck the day he told me you pointed a gun at him."

"Eppes."

Lt. Walker hadn't said a word since they had entered the room and both Don and Marcus had almost forgotten he was there.

Don heeded the warning and stepped away. He walked back to the table he had been sitting on.

"Just tell me who the asshole is, Marcus. That guy is responsible for this."

He pointed at the screen.

"That guy. Not you, not me and certainly not Charlie. My brother….."

Don had to stop and swallow the bile he felt rising in his throat. He wanted to get through to this kid, and if that meant spilling his guts to him, then that was what he would do.

"I sat there and watched his heart stop beating, Marcus. His heart stopped. And so did mine. I can still hear the tone from that damn machine and I want you to understand what I am after here."

The young man continued to glare at him, but Don could see something in his eyes change.

"It's this guy, man."

He pointed at the screen again.

"This one. Right here. I saw his tattoo."

He watched as Marcus bit his lip.

"I already know what he is, Marcus. I just need to know who. Just a name. That's all I want."

Marcus watched Agent Eppes' face. Whatever it was that made Charlie so sincere, so real…...this guy, his brother, he had it too.

Damn them both.

He sighed deeply before he spoke.

"I don't know his name."

Don nodded, getting to his feet again and heading over to the chair where Marcus had just sat down.

"Then tell me where to find him."

The kid looked terrified, but he kept his voice low and calm.

"They'll kill me."

"So will I."

Don deadpanned the line and Lt. Walker moved to physically restrain him.

"DON!"

Putting both his hands in the air and turning quickly away from the anxious teenager, Don spoke through his teeth.

"He killed her, Marcus."

He turned to look the kid in the eye.

"Do you understand that?"

Lt. Walker's cell phone buzzed, vibrating its plastic case on his belt.

He answered it hesitantly, keeping his eyes on Don.

"Walker."

"Yeah, he's here."

"I'll be right out."

He looked at Don and raised his eyebrows and Don backed up against the table to answer him. The police lieutenant stepped from the room. After a brief moments silence, Don continued talking, taking a seat on the table top.

"They shot my brother. My little brother."

Don turned his eyes back to Marcus.

"I know you understand that."

Marcus had to look away. He was unable to maintain eye contact with this man………this federal agent. Someone who he couldn't possibly have less in common with had hit the only nerve Marcus had really ever had. And he understood exactly what the agent was asking for. It had nothing to do with his job. They were on level grounds here, in this room. He stared at Don as he continued to talk in a low quite voice.

"It could have been Frankie, Marcus. What if they'd shot him? What if it had been Frankie? Shot. Dying. Bleeding to death. And you knew who was responsible….."

"I'd kill 'em."

Marcus had lifted his eyes to look directly at Don.

Those three words. A thought that Don had yet to verbalize. He really hadn't realized until that moment that was exactly what he intended to do. He wasn't acting as a federal agent. He was a man who had just had his life shattered. A brother who wanted someone to pay for what had happened.

He cocked his head at Marcus and the boy stood up.

"I told you, I don't know his name. I don't know who he is. But I know who he works for. And I do know where to find him."

Don nodded intently.

"Tell me."

1

2

3

Megan stood in the center of the courthouse lobby in almost the exact place she had been standing when the first bullet had shattered the glass door.

"Looks like you were right about that crowd, huh Red."

She turned as Sgt. Hicks strode across the lobby in her direction. "Women's intuition, I guess?"

Disgusted by the casual demeanor and good-natured tone, Megan snapped back at him.

"It's Special Agent Reeves. And it's called seven years of hands on experience as a behavioral analyst. And it is not my fault that your mother never loved you, so don't pretend that it is."

The young police sergeant flashed her an insolent sneer and opened his mouth to retaliate, but then thought better of it as David and Colby entered the lobby through the empty door frame.

David walked past her and headed for the hallway.

"Walker said he was here. He's coming out to meet us."

Megan didn't spare Sgt. Hicks a second glace as she turned to follow David down the hall.

"Excuse me, Agent Reeves."

She turned back to Sgt. Hicks and glared at him questioningly.

When he spoke his voice had taken on a more benevolent quality.

"I heard about your agents upstairs. I lost a man out here today, too."

She nodded to acknowledge the statement and considered apologizing for her outburst, but his moment of tact didn't last long.

"And my mother hated my sorry ass. She thought I was a inconsiderate clod."

Megan kept her mouth shut, but shrugged her shoulders. She forced an awkward smile and nodded in agreement, then turned toward the hall where Colby was waiting for her.

"What was that about?"

"Just an ass trying to apologize for being an ass. They can't be something they're not."

"Right."

Lieutenant Walker met them in the hallway.

"How is he?"

David shook his head emotively.

"It's not looking so good. He's still in surgery. How's Don?"

"He's holding himself together pretty well, considering."

"Where is he?"

"In the office….with Marcus."

Megan glared at him in disbelief. She started down the hall and Walker had to jump start to catch up with her.

"Hey now…come on. These gangs, they keep up with the latest news on their rivals. And Don seems to think this kid knows something that could be helpful."

"What does he think he's going to do?"

"His job?"

"Then you have more faith than I do, Walker."

"He needs to be here right now, Reeves."

"He doesn't know what he needs and neither do you."

"Oh, and you do?"

Megan opened the door and walked into the large security office. Marcus sat alone in the front of the room.

And Don was gone.

Authors Notes: Chapter Thirteen will take us back to UCLA and Charlie. But first……………..

Chapter Twelve: You Think You Know Somebody