Uncertainty

Part three

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A/N: Oh life. Anyway, here's chapter three. It's a bit shorter than last one, but this chapter felt complete. Still unbeta'd. Annoying typos are mine, unfortunately.

Disclaimer: I don't own Numb3rs or any of the characters. I'd love to, but I don't.

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He didn't want to kick his family out of the room. Seeing Robin leave his side was just as painful. Don was sure they'd find out later, but for now he could keep them away from what was bothering him, some sort of awful truth. It was all a bad dream. It had to be.

"I think three of them, masked and armed."

David realized that this was the best description he was going to get.

"Do you have any idea who could be behind this?"

A futile question, but David asked it anyway, he needed to know every detail. Anything could help, lead them to the right location. He'd told himself not to despair, to continue without hesitating, but at this point he was grasping at straws. He'd take any evidence.

"I think you know more than I do right now," Don admitted.

"Okay, back to the start. Charlie told me you're remembering things. You were going home."

"I'd parked my car." Don rubbed his eyes with his left hand palm. Remembering particular events turned out to be a lot harder than he'd thought. It felt like his brain couldn't handle the information. Flashes were easy, they didn't hurt his brain as much.

David remained silent.

"Two men came up behind me."

David knew they'd taken him on the parking lot. Don had never reached his home.

"I could hear them before they were right behind me, so I reached for my gun and turned around."

Don closed his eyes and tried to remember what they looked like. "My height. One slightly taller, the other shorter."

For a moment he hated himself for not remembering important specifics, anything they could actually use. Don remembered the impact next, something hard hitting the back of his head.

"A third guy hit me," with his left hand he indicated the spot on his head.

He blamed himself for not paying enough attention. He should've seen it coming, should've tried to do more to stop it.

He thought he'd heard the sound of his gun hitting the pavement, but he couldn't be sure. Don had lost consciousness not long after that.

"I fell. That's all I remember. Then I woke up in that abandoned building, where I found a storage room with my gun, cell phone and…" he stopped for a moment. He'd forgotten about the letter.

"I want to read it, David."

"I'll see what I can do."

In all honesty David didn't want his boss to read it. Whoever had written it didn't deserve the pleasure of Don reading it.

"Not good enough. You know I won't take no for an answer."

"We're still working on it."

The 'we' sounded suspicious, Don thought. It was only when realization hit him full force he continued.

"You mean Charlie. He read it?" Don didn't even bother hiding the disbelief in his eyes.

David wondered where their conversation had taken a wrong turn.

"He insisted he wanted to help."

"And you let him?" Don chose for a mix between anger and disappointment.

"He only wanted to help and we were nowhere," David explained in Charlie's and his own defence.

"And where are we now?"

It was a rhetorical question, David didn't bother replying.

If his ribs weren't bothering him as much he would've gotten out of bed in search for the letter himself. The need to know what it said just kept growing.

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Charlie wondered why the coffee machine hated him. Not only had it swallowed his money, it had also managed to almost burn his right hand by spilling boiling water. It was only when he looked up he noticed the out of order sign.

Just my luck.

"Charlie Eppes?"

The voice sounded familiar but he couldn't quite place it. He turned around and was surprised to find a face he knew all too well. Charlie hadn't seen the man a lot in person but he knew him alright.

"Doctor Bradford?"

Of all the people he'd expected to see that day, he hadn't expected Don's old psychiatrist.

The man didn't beat around the bush. "How's Don?"

"How did you…" Charlie trailed off. The man was a trained psychiatrist and it wasn't exactly hard to figure out.

"Know? I didn't, but I think I just passed his room. The crowd outside gave it away. I would've said hi, but I didn't want to interrupt. I'm visiting a relative."

Charlie could definitely imagine it was getting crowded out there.

"Physically or emotionally?" Charlie threw a question of his own back.

"How about both?"

"Physically better. Emotionally I have no idea. I'm his brother I should probably know, but honestly? I don't have a clue."

"I could talk to him after my visit today or tomorrow," Bradford offered.

"Don might kill me for saying this, but I think he could use a good talk. He's been … distant."

Bradford nodded. "I'd be happy to help."

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He'd done it. David had brought the letter to the hospital. Now he just needed to enter Don's room and give it to him, let him read the words. It wasn't a good idea, but he could no longer deny the possible advantages. Maybe it would jog Don's memory and maybe he'd remember something important. Maybe not. Perhaps Don would notice something they just couldn't see, a possible link to his fugitive recovery days? Not only was it just a matter of time before Don got his hands on the letter, it was also David's duty to show it to his boss if he wanted to do his job properly.

It was late, after visiting hours when David entered Don's room. He'd told one of the nurses and the agent at Don's door that he would leave as fast as he'd come in.

David could see his boss was about to give in to more much needed sleep so he quickly stepped closer to the bed and showed Don the letter.

"I'm going downstairs for a while, I'll be back in half an hour," David said.

It was only logical David needed his evidence back, but there was something else. Don and David agreed on one thing, they needed to keep Alan as far away from the letter as possible. The older man had a pretty good idea of the content, but he didn't need to read the specifics. The situation was already painful enough for him.

In a way he'd expected a sarcastic start, a cruel way of addressing him.

Agent Eppes,

We finally meet. I'm sure you understand the necessity of these circumstances. I wouldn't want you to see my face, not yet. As much as I would like to look straight into your eyes, I will have to wait. I'm a patient man. I'm also sure that you're confused at this point. I'm just as sure about that as I'm sure about the fact that you're reading this letter even though people around you warned you, tried to stop you. This is who you are, a stubborn fool and you will always remain one. It's a simple observation.

I'm leaving you a little something to remember me by. A small gift to let you know that I've held your life in my hands and that I will hold it again whenever I please. Why? The reasons don't matter at this point. What matters at this point, agent Eppes, is that you understand this. I want you to feel the same uncertainty in your life as I've felt. I chose not to kill you yet. It was a simple choice, one I don't regret when I consider my future plans.

Don't try to find me. You can't. It's as simple as that. I'm careful, I wouldn't want a plan like this one to fail because of a mistake. I don't make mistakes. You should keep that in mind.

Enjoy your life while you still can.

Don had seen the bullet. He knew they'd gone for a different approach of letting it enter his body and that he was still alive because of that. Reading the letter his thoughts were confirmed, they'd never intended to kill him in the first place. This was all a game, a way to get to him. The frustrating part was that he didn't have a clue who they were. It felt like he couldn't play the game, let alone win it.

In a way the letter was worse than he'd expected, but from a different perspective it was less painful to read. He couldn't explain it, maybe he could live with it now that he knew the exact words.

What really worried him was the only way the writer could get to him, really get to him. He needed to keep his family safe. When he told David not much later, Don listened intently to the man's reply.

"No threat has been made against them, but we are keeping an eye on them. We've got the situation under control."

Don wasn't sure he could believe David's words, he trusted his team to take care of everything, but he still worried. He couldn't let go of the feeling that he'd just put his family in danger.

"I'm worried, David."

David nodded in reply. "You're only accepting protection because you'll be staying at Charlie's place for a while," he noted.

"I can take care of myself."

Another nod. "I get it, it's them you're worried about. Don't be stupid, Don."

When Don didn't reply he repeated, "No direct threat."

"Doesn't mean I shouldn't worry."

"You could let us take care of that."

Directly or indirectly, it didn't matter. It was his fault.

TBC

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