A Night Alone
LoveHateTragedyMore
AN: Okay, here's chapter three…sorry it took so long, but as I've got no internet-still…I finally managed to get back to a Wi-Fi hotspot, and use that place to upload a chapter. Oh, and good news-in a week or so, I may be going to my grandparents house-and they have endless internet there, so that means more chapters sooner! (I've already got a couple other chapters done, after this chapter, but I'm not going to upload them just yet…sorry.) Thanks, again, to those who've reviewed, and to those that stuck around. I know it's frustrating, waiting for the next chapter, but I promise that someday (hopefully soon) this story will be complete, finished, etc…
Chapter Three: Ups and Downs
Charlie wasn't sure if he was up or down.
The effects of drinking had left him somewhat confused, even though he'd only had about three small glasses of Whiskey. But then, he'd never drunken anything before…only a bit of champagne when he and his friends and family celebrated the New Year-but nothing ever this strong. He was also aware that his vision was slightly blurry. Frowning, he tried to move, but found that there was no possibility of doing that either. Nathan may have been drunk, but he could still tie knots…very effectively too. Inwardly sighing, he tried to figure out where Nathan was-and saw him sitting on the chair, not exactly out cold-but not really 'with it' either, as his students sometimes described him when he was exhausted from work, or one of Don's cases.
Don.
How much time had gone by? Had he called? What if the three hours were up? These thoughts went frantically through his mind, making him feel out of sorts. His stomach heaved, and he felt like gagging-because the smell of the Whiskey was suddenly strong…much stronger than before. His head felt like a rock was striking it every time he tried to move. He attempted to take a deep breath-but the air too, smelled like Whiskey. He tried not to retch at the smell, but found that if he didn't breath at all it helped…some.
Taking a quick breath, he tried to think of all the possible scenarios that would more than likely happen. Don would arrive, bringing with him help-and maybe this Terry person. He would go inside, tell Nathan that Terry was waiting outside, and try to lure him out. If that worked, then Charlie was home free. The other scenario was that Don wouldn't arrive in time, but still have Terry and try to bring the old man to his senses by asking what he really wanted. The old man would respond, probably, telling him what it was that he most wanted-which is probably whoever the guy that looked like Charlie dead. Don would promise to try and help, and lure the guy outside again. Or the third possible scenario…Don doesn't do anything, arrives far too late, and the old man proves that he can keep his word. Charlie felt a wave of cold fear at the thought, wondering what the old man would do to him…
He pushed those thoughts away, refusing to let himself think of it until it happened…if it happened. He wondered what Don was doing at the moment, if he was working in the office, or on the road trying to get to Terry…maybe with Megan or one of the guys with him. It was every possibility that Don would find this Terry person in time, but then the odds were always stacked against him. The phrase of what he'd just thought made him smile a little, thinking of how he and Amita had talked of Romeo and Juliet the day before, for she'd read Twilight and was telling him about the way the story was really written…they'd discussed the book along with the mathematics of how it would or could turn out. And both of them had had different ideas from the beginning…
"Terry…don't…" The old man was talking in his sleep! As if things couldn't get even more annoying. He liked it better when he was quiet, for then he could actually think. Not that he was rambling endlessly like before, but still…quiet was always better.
"Don't leave…" The old man pleaded in his sleep, and Charlie was suddenly overcome with a feeling of pity, despite the situation he was in. The old man only wanted to see his daughter again! It made him think of his own father, who was always cheerful when he or Don were around…especially with their friends. Maybe Dad was always unhappy without them at home? Charlie's heart raced at these thoughts, feeling an astonishing mixed feelings for the old man. Though he was tied up (with duck tape, no less) he still felt as though the old man deserved what he was asking for…
He wondered how old this Terry was when she'd left. A teenager? Younger, maybe? Charlie wondered at how much this old man must've felt when he hadn't come home…maybe he'd just panicked, and he'd wanted simply to have some company…while trying so desperately to find his own daughter before he kicked the bucket…
"Terry…stay here…I don't care about Jacob…" He muttered. He twitched in his sleep, and both of them were suddenly a whole lot more alert when the phone rang. He jerked up in the chair, feeling a mixture of shock and depression, and Charlie's feelings intensified. He couldn't say exactly why he felt the way he did…except that the old man somehow reminded him of his own father. He swore to himself that he would spend more time at home after this was over…
"What-" The old man muttered to himself, and then realized what had happened. He swore to himself, though it was quiet enough that Charlie couldn't tell exactly what it was he'd said. Stumbling beyond the living room and into the kitchen, Charlie waited for him to speak on the phone.
"Oh." The old man paused. "Yea, he's still here-but a bit tied up, at the moment. Did you find her? Did you find my Terry?" The last words came out sounding a bit desperate, and Charlie felt the sympathy kick in again. What was weird about it was that he could also hear Don in his head, sounding frustrated and annoyed-"Get a grip, Charlie! He took you hostage, and threatened me that if I don't find his "Terry" in three hours, then you'd be dead! Why are you wasting you're time sympathizing with an drunk old man whose clearly INSANE?"
Charlie felt a flicker of a grin emit behind the duck tape on his mouth before it disappeared. No, there wasn't much that was funny at the moment…but it was almost as though Don had been standing right there in the living room, yelling at him about it. He considered telling Don all this should he see him again, but then decided against it. Better just keep it to himself…
Nathan was coming back in the living room! He'd missed the entire conversation! Stupid, brilliant math professor! He continued cursing to himself, not even noticing Nathan stomping towards him until he was right in front of him. Charlie looked up, realizing that Nathan was going to do something, and tried to think of what that something could possibly be.
Nathan hesitated, and then spoke in an uncertain tone.
"You're brother's comin'." His words were barely slurred, and he seemed a bit more tired than usual…probably the drinking, Charlie thought to himself. "He said he's got her…and that insufferable Jacob too." He added with a growl. "Said that he'd trade both of them for you, and that he was coming in with a friend of his-as witness. Seemed okay to me. I want to know the truth…is he setting me up? Is he lying? I'm going to take off the duck tape, and I want a straight answer…no lying to me." Nathan added with a grim look. Charlie hesitated, then nodded. He knew that there wasn't anything that he could really do, so he just had to act as convincingly as he could…
The duck tape was pealed back away from his face, and he could feel the fresh air running into his mouth. It felt rather pleasant actually, instead of smelling the alcohol that seemed to always be there in the air. He tried to concentrate on what was happening then, and answer him without trying to make it seem as though he were telling the truth.
"I don't think so." He said slowly, trying to impact those words into Nathan's mind so that he'll believe him.
"What do you mean, you don't think so?" Nathan demanded, angry. "Tell the truth!"
"I am." Charlie protested. "I don't know what he's doing, so I can't really say." Nathan snorted.
"You're hopeless." He growled, annoyed. He paused. "If he's lying, and he comes here with a bunch of his kind, then I'll tell you what I'll do…" Taking a swig of his drink, his words were slurred when he spoke again, but Charlie could not mistake what he said when he spoke. "I'll kill you…and then, if it's possible, I'll kill you're brother too. So ye best pray, boy, that ye're brother's getting things right…else he'll find ye're body a'layin on the floor."
End Chapter Three