A/N: Sorry for the wait, guys! I'll be posting another chapter in a little while, because this one's short. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: No, Numb3rs is not mine.

Tell Ol' Bill when he comes home

That anything is worth a try

Tell him that I'm not along

And that the hour has come to do or die

-"Tell Ol' Bill," Bob Dylan

Chapter 6—Reunion

Don didn't remember passing out. He figured he must've, though, because there was no way he'd simply fallen asleep. When he opened his eyes, he was still hanging limply from one arm. He was stiff and he hurt all over. He looked towards Hett's chair first. It was empty. Then he looked towards the others. They were as he remembered them, sitting against the wall with their hands cuffed behind them. They were all watching him.

"Don," said Robin softly, seeing him looking at them. "Don, are you…" she paused a moment, then gave a shaky laugh, tinged with a note of panic. "I was going to ask if you're okay," she said. "But you're not." Don just looked at her. He wasn't entirely sure whether he was expected to say something at this point.

"Don." It was Colby's voice this time. "What hurts?"

Don gave a humorless bark of laughter. "What do you think?" he asked.

"Come on, Don," prompted Colby. "We need to know." Don nodded slightly, wincing.

"Um…" he began. "Concussion, definitely. Two bullet wounds, one in my shoulder"—he glanced upwards at the hanging limb—"and one in my leg, near my knee, I think." He gritted his teeth. He didn't like to continue. It was bad enough for his team, he knew, but he especially didn't like to let Robin hear it. At the same time, he knew that they had to know. They had to know that, in an escape, he would just be a burden—if they got the chance, they had to leave him behind.

"Don." Robin's voice was hard, with only a thin note of panic in it. "There's more." After a moment, Don continued.

"Other arm's broken, along with one of my ankles and my nose. Bruises galore. Burns. Maybe a cracked rib or two. I think that's all, though." He turned to Colby, taking in the younger agent's pale state.

"Colb, you okay?" Don asked, worried, trying to focus on his junior agent.

"Yeah, Don, I'm fine," responded Colby. "But Hett won't be when I get my hands on him. Bastard shot me in the leg." Don knew what Colby left unsaid: that if it ever came to a fight, any revenge Colby got would not just be for himself.

"Everyone else?" asked Don.

"We're all fine, Don," came David's voice. Don considered turning his head to look David in the eye, but changed his mind—he preferred the world to remain upright and still. He had a feeling that it would not if he tried to move again.

He paused briefly, unable to contain his anger any longer, although he was almost glad of the company. "Megan." His voice came out a near growl. "What are you all doing here? We don't negotiate, and this guy isn't exactly gonna let us go just because you're here." He looked up at his second in command as he spoke. She looked away from him.

"Look, Don," she began, her voice heavy. "We're here because we had no choice," she said. "There was always a chance. There still is. As long as we're here, we can help you."

"Reeves," he growled again. "You don't put more agents into danger just because a murderer tells you to. And you never, ever bring a civilian into a hostage situation."

"We couldn't go by the book on this one, Don," she told him angrily. "You're our boss. And our friend. And it's not like you never disregard the rules."

"Not when it puts my team's life at risk!" Don nearly yelled. "And what about Robin?"

"They gave me a choice, Don," Robin told him, her eyes meeting his. "And here I am." He glared at them all with as much strength as he could muster.

"Can you move around?" he asked them finally. David shook his head, speaking up for the first time.

"Handcuffed to chains on the wall." Don's disappointment was sharp. Movement led to escape. He supposed that Hett knew this too.

"Look, guys," he said, his mind groaning slightly. He wasn't sure that he had the energy it took to lead anymore, but the team was together and he needed to take command. "You need to get out of here, okay? If any one of you"—his eyes rested on Robin—"gets a chance, run for it. I doubt Hett would even think of using any of you as leverage. I'm the hostage here, after all. If one or all of you run for it, he'll hurt me. And…" Don paused, looking for the right words. "And I don't think I'm going to make it either way."

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