CHAPTER SIX

Don awoke to a knock at the door, and he crawled out of bed sleepily to open it. Michigan was standing at the other side, looking bright and cheerful. "Good morning," he said with a pleasant smile. "It's noon. I had lunch brought in, so if you're hungry…"

"Uh, yeah, ok. Thanks," Don said, rubbing his eyes with one hand.

"It's in the conference room. Same room you met me in earlier. Straight down the hall."

"Ok," Don said with a nod. He closed the door and irritably picked up his duffel bag. He couldn't believe he'd slept until noon. Granted, the previous night was eventful, and they hadn't actually gotten to bed until 8am, but he was feeling more than a little like someone that needed to be coddled. He was an FBI agent! He should be the one his brother called when he was in trouble. He shouldn't be the one who hadn't a clue what was going on and what to do about it.

The six of them had been given several rooms on the same floor they had originally been brought to. The rest of the building was off-limits for now. The room Don and Lauren had been given was comfortable; it contained a queen-sized bed, chairs and a table, and a complete bathroom.

Don woke Lauren and then headed for the shower. A good hour later, both of them left their room and headed down to the conference room. David and Alan were both there, as was Michigan, who was sitting at the same desk he had been when he'd first come in, looking at his computer screen. He looked up at Don and Lauren when they entered, and motioned to the conference table across the room. There were sandwiches, coffee and juice set up. David and Alan were already seated and eating their lunch. Michigan was talking on the phone, and turned his attention back to his computer screen. Don turned to the table and sat down beside his father.

"Where'd this all come from?" Don asked, pouring himself some coffee.

"Don't know," David said. "But it's good. I don't think anyone delivers to this neighbourhood."

Lauren laughed at that and popped a slice of cheese in her mouth. "Where are our hosts?" she asked.

David shrugged. "Michigan's the only one I've seen. But he's been on the phone and hasn't said a word to either of us."

"Michigan," Alan said with a snort. "A ridiculous name if I ever heard one."

"It's not his name, Dad," Don reminded him.

"So why not go by his real name? Charlie does."

"Maybe not normally," David said.

"Good morning everyone," Colby said as he and Marjolie joined them at the table. "What's going on?"

"We're not sure," Don said in response. "Michigan is ignoring us, and Kate and Jimmy Dean are nowhere to be seen."

The group ate silently for a good fifteen minutes before Michigan strolled up and refilled his mug of coffee. "Rooms alright?" he asked conversationally.

"They're lovely," Lauren answered for the group. "Any word on Charlie and Anna?"

"Kate and Jimmy Dean have gone to get them," Michigan replied with a shrug. "Nothing to worry about."

"I think I'll worry until Charlie gets here safely," Alan replied. "Do you live here or something?"

Michigan shook his head. "No. But hours can be long, so…" He shrugged and smiled pleasantly. "I don't think I've left the building in three days."

"Why, Charlie said he wasn't on a case?" Don said.

"Doesn't mean I didn't have anything to do," was the casual response. Don noted that Michigan sounded somewhat testy now. Like he didn't like being questioned.

"Any ideas when Charlie will get here?" Don asked.

"Nope." Michigan walked back to his desk.

Don shook his head in frustration. "I'm going to loose my mind," he muttered into his coffee.

The others laughed. "Seriously, Don," Colby said with a shake of his head. "Relax. These are Charlie's people. They know what they're doing."

"Most of the time," Don replied. "Doesn't mean he can't go and get himself killed."

They finished lunch, and after some meaningless chatter, Don left the table and walked over to Michigan, who sat behind his computer with his feet on his desk and keyboard on his lap. He was talking rapidly into his head-set in what Don assumed was Italian, and didn't stop or acknowledge Don when he sat down across from him. After ten minutes or so, Michigan disconnected the call and pulled the headset off.

"Anything you need?" he asked coolly.

"No," Don said. "Where's Charlie?"

Michigan shrugged. "We haven't heard from either of them since 10 or so this morning. We're assuming they're on their way."

"Assuming?" Don repeated. "That's not really reassuring."

"I didn't mean for it to be," Michigan replied.

"Is there something I can do?" Don asked. "I'm bored here, and I'm used to being the one in charge. I'm having a bit of a hard time sitting by and doing nothing."

"I noticed," Michigan said with a grin. "Look, the way it sometimes works is that they need to stay out of communication for a little while. They'll call. We can't do anything more than wait."

"What are Jimmy Dean and Kate doing?"

"Kate's at the airport. Jimmy Dean had some other business to take care of."

"What kind of trouble were they having in Prague?" Don asked.

"Anna was arrested on an outstanding warrant," Michigan said with a slight laugh. "It's not a big deal, really. Sometimes because of the work we do, the local police end up with a vague picture of someone and… well. It's never happened to Charlie or Anna before, because they're never really out in the field, but I guess… Charlie talked them into releasing her, and last I heard they were on their way to the airport. But the earliest they could arrive is probably 6pm, so I really wouldn't worry. Charlie can talk his way out of anything."

"You know my brother well, then?" Don asked.

Michigan shrugged and dropped his feet on the floor. "We haven't worked together much, to be honest, but he was my professor a few years back."

"He's the one that recruited you, then?"

"No. Well, sort of. He mentioned my name to some people, but recruitment isn't really up to him. But he's been really helpful to me in a lot of ways." Michigan shrugged. "You could say I was a little lost at one point in my life. Professor Eppes set me straight."

Don nodded. "I understand."

"Good." Michigan's phone rang and he motioned to it apologetically. "Sorry."

"No problem," Don said as he stood and wandered back over to the table. Maybe all he could do was wait for his brother to show up.

Three days later, however, he was still waiting. The group hadn't left the building once, and there were only so many games of chess and so many hours of reading one could do before becoming completely stir-crazy. Colby and David had even resorted to tread-mill races after being given access to a gym, with Lauren and Marjolie acting as race officials or worthy opponents, and Alan had leafed through nearly every book in the considerable library that was in the building.

Don had spent the time glaring at the clock and harassing Michigan for information. Jimmy Dean and Kate hadn't been by since dropping them off three days earlier, and despite the fact that Michigan assured Don that Charlie was fine, he wasn't able to give him any further information, which just didn't sit well with Don.

"Don," Alan said patiently as Don paced by him for the fifth time in the last fifteen minutes. "Would you sit down."

Don moodily dropped into the chair beside the one his father occupied. Alan put down the biography he was reading and looked at him. "What's on your mind?"

Don shrugged. "I don't like not knowing anything," he muttered. "I don't see why that's so hard for anyone to understand."

"I understand," Alan said. "But there isn't anything we can do about it at the moment so why not relax, or join David and Colby in whatever they're up to?"

Don glared over at David and Lauren, who were bent over a piece of paper and meticulously folding a paper airplane while discussing the engineering benefits of their construction. Colby and Marjolie were doing the same. They were having a race of some sort, and Don couldn't be more annoyed at what he considered juvenile behaviour.

"They'll probably need a judge of some sort," Alan said with a smile.

"Forget it," Don muttered. "It's like they're in kindergarten."

"They're just bored, like you are, and like I am," Alan admonished. "They're finding creative ways to pass the time, unlike your self."

Don snorted sullenly. "I don't see why we're still here. We should just go home. You realize the FBI is probably out looking for us? Since we've gone missing right after our house was shot to bits. Which is another thing. We should get started on the clean-up."

"As soon as they say it's safe for us to go home," Alan agreed, picking up his book again.

Don rolled his eyes. "We're prisoners, that's what. We're being held prisoner."

"You're free to leave," Alan said.

"No, I'm not. The lethal elevators will try to kill me," Don muttered moodily.

Alan laughed quietly. "We've been given access to several floors."

"Not the ground floor. You're awfully unconcerned about this."

"Because Charlie is fine. He was fine last time, he'll be fine this time."

Don shook his head. "He wasn't fine last time. He got shot last time, and almost died."

Alan dropped the book and looked at him sharply. "What?"

Don looked at him sheepishly. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"He was shot?"

"Yes, but he's fine now," Don said quickly, trying to backtrack.

Alan got to his feet and rounded on Don, who squirmed in his chair. Everyone else had stopped what they were doing and were staring.

"You're telling me," Alan began sharply. "That my son, that Charlie got shot the last time he disappeared and you have been choosing to keep this from me?"

"Dad," Don said awkwardly. "I didn't choose to keep it from you, it was Charlie's-"

Alan shook his head and marched over to Michigan, who hastily dropped his feet from his desk and sat up straight. He was staring at Alan with slightly wide eyes.

"Where is my son?" Alan demanded.

"Mr. Eppes-"

"Don't start with the excuses, young man," Alan snapped. "Where is he?"

"Cyprus," Michigan said quickly, casting an uncertain look at Don, who shrugged. He was more than happy to have someone else take the brunt of Alan's anger.

"And what, precisely, is my son doing in Cyprus?"

"Uh, I can't really…"

"What is he doing in Cyprus?" Alan demanded.

"He was asked to stop by and work on a project…" Michigan said vaguely. "I can't really tell you…"

"You could very well have told us," Alan said. "I don't need to know much more than that. I don't need to know the details of the project. You could have just said Charlie was in Cyprus working on a project even though we were told he was on his way here three days ago."

"Right, he was, but then they needed him. It happens sometimes. I'm not permitted to share information with you, Mr. Eppes. Really, I'm sorry."

"Is my son unharmed?" Alan asked, quieter.

"Yes, he's fine," Michigan said, nodding to prove his point.

"That's not what I asked. I asked if he was unharmed."

"As far as I know," Michigan said, "he is unhurt." He bit his lip slightly. "Why don't I try and get him on the phone? It will take a bit of time, but…"

Alan huffed and shook his head. "Why don't you do that? We've only been waiting for him for three days." He turned and sat back down beside Don.

"Dad," Don started.

"I don't really want to hear anything from you at the moment," Alan said shortly. "Of all the things to keep secret, Don. Really. I'm very disappointed and hurt."

"Dad," Don began again. "It wasn't my choice to tell you."

"I am well aware that you and Charlie team up to keep things from me," Alan said, angrily turning pages in his book. "So don't blame it on him. Though he's going to get a talking to as well."

Don nodded and decided it was wiser to stay silent for a little while.

"How badly hurt was he?" Alan asked after a good ten minutes of silence.

Don looked at him cautiously. "I don't know all the details. He didn't tell me much either. He was shot in the ribs," Don indicated the spot on himself. "And there was a minor graze to his head."

Alan closed his eyes and mumbled something quiet. "I see."

"But it wasn't serious enough to need a hospital stay."

"He didn't see a doctor?" Alan asked in surprise.

"Well, I'm guessing the team is pretty well versed in medical procedures, in case of emergency. I think Anna was the one that patched him up. Saved his life, probably."

"I see," Alan said with a nod. He looked at Michigan, who was talking rapidly into his phone in Italian. He seemed to have figured out that no one in the room could speak it.

They were silent for a moment, both watching the young man talking on his phone, occasionally typing something in his computer. He seemed young to be a spy. Or whatever he was. Don still hadn't quite figured out how to classify the agency that Charlie was a part of. It wasn't a US government agency, so could he really call them spies? They seemed to be more of a rogue agency, selling their services to the highest bidder. Was that criminal? Probably not. But Don couldn't help feeling a bit resentful of the money that was apparently funding this operation. He had to fill in mountains of paperwork to get the tiniest expense refunded by the FBI. For these people 5 star hotels and first-class flying seemed to be the norm. Don didn't even want to know how much they were each paid for their expertise. Except the big brother in him wanted to know just how much more money Charlie was making than him. He was the older brother, he was supposed to be more successful.

Michigan hung up the phone and walked over to Alan and Don.

"Were you able to get him on the phone?" Alan asked.

"Uh, no," Michigan admitted. "But he's on his way here, really. He should be here at some point within the next 24 hours."

"Good," Alan said. "If anything changes, you will let us know?"

"Of course," Michigan said, smiling cheerfully. "I'm leaving for a bit, I'll be back with dinner in a few." He cheerily walked out the door.

"I'm going to lay down for a bit," Alan said, getting to his feet and laying his book on the chair. "If I'm not back by dinner, come wake me, would you?"

Don nodded and watched his father leave the room. Regardless of the outcome of the next few days, he and his brother were going to have to have a talk, one that involved causing his family unnecessary worry and emotional turmoil. And he was determined that this time, Charlie would have to listen.