Obsession

Disclaimer: See Prologue

A/N: Sorry everyone, I tried to post this yesterday but there was a problem with the site. I appreciate all of your reviews.

Sun Tsu - The Art of War

Attack where they are not prepared, go out to where they do not expect.

Chapter 17:

Don glanced in his right side view mirror before quickly shifting lanes. Commuter traffic was already starting to back up and he was trying to make it to his exit before the traffic came to a standstill. Worst case scenario, he would switch on his lights and sirens to get through, but technically he wasn't rushing to an emergency. At this point in time, it could be just as Walker had suggested….just photographs for the paparazzi.

Don knew better though; he could feel it in every fiber of his body. His FBI senses had flared with such an intensity that he was beginning to lose his internal struggle to remain calm.

His exit appeared and he barely had time to flip on his turn signal before switching to the appropriate lane. This caught his partner's attention, especially since she had to hold on to the dash as the vehicle careened off the highway toward the exit.

Megan glanced sideways at her friend. "Are you okay?"

He shot her a quick glance: "Fine, just in a hurry."

She only caught his eye for a second, but it was enough time for her to see the anxiety in his brown eyes. "You know, this could be nothing, I mean , there is a chance that it is just photographs for the media." Megan had Walker's folder in her hands and had been studying the pictures as she rode along.

Don came to a stop at the end of the exit and made his turn toward Pasadena. He quickly merged with the traffic and soon found himself only a few blocks from CalSci.

"You don't really believe that and neither do I. Charlie was our link this whole time and I didn't see it!" Angrily he thumped his fist on the steering wheel. "Think about it Megan. "One." he raised his fingers as he counted off his reasons. "You've been saying all along that we are dealing with a psychopath and Bashere is as crazy as they come." He raised a second finger. "Two, I'll bet you a week's pay that "The Rising Run" was once named "Imperious." Don turned onto the main drive leading to the CalSci Campus. "Three, Bashere bought a house in the Hollywood Hills on the morning that he took Charlie. How much of a stretch would it be to believe that it was the estate that was blown up?"

"He's destroyed the property that he couldn't take back and now he plans on leaving with the money and his last piece of …." property", my little brother. " He glanced sideways at her. " Charlie said that Bashere referred to him as his "property" remember?" His jaw tightened reflexively as he said the name of the man that had tried to kidnap his brother and had almost killed him in the process.

"I remember." Megan responded grimly.

He nodded his head as if confirming his own thoughts. "I have no doubts at all that Henri Bashere is behind everything that has happened to us for the past two weeks. He's met all but one of his objectives and will try to accomplish that one soon." He glanced over at Megan and met her eye. "Feel free to toss back any flaw's that you might find in my logic."

"I'm sorry Don." She looked away to avoid his eyes. "I truly wish that I could disagree but everything that you've said falls right on the mark."

"Yeah." he sighed. "I was afraid that you might say that. I know it's him, we just don't have any proof yet."

Don's uneasiness began to grow as they pulled into the parking lot near the Math building and slowly circled around it searching for Charlie's Prius.

"Maybe the meeting was at the administration building." Megan offered as she continued to search the campus grounds.

Without responding, Don turned his SUV around and headed for the other side of the campus. Both of them kept a close eye out for Charlie's car, but they reached their destination without any sign of it.

"Dam it." Don muttered as he pulled into a parking space and pulled out his cell phone. "Where is he?" He spoke more to himself than to his partner as he pressed his speed dial for the house and impatiently waited for the phone to be answered. Finally, just before it went to voice mail, his father's voice came over the line.

"Eppes."

"Hey, Dad., is…." Alan interrupted him before he could finish.

"Donnie! Your are coming over, right? Alan asked excitedly. "I've put up decorations and I have all kinds of snacks for us to munch on while our steaks are cooking."

"Listen….Dad…is Charlie there?" Don asked, ignoring his father's questions.

"Not yet, but we expect him soon. His meeting lasted longer than he expected."

"Wait...Dad…you talked to him? How long ago? Don's heart took a small hopeful leap and for the first time since Walker had shown up he let himself believe that he wasn't too late, that he still had a chance protect his brother from a madman. He wasn't successful in hiding the tension in his voice though, and Alan picked up on the anxiety right away.

"Why…what's wrong?" Alan's tone of voice had changed from excited to worried in a split second.

"Please, Dad, just answer me. How long ago did you talk to him?"

"Well, I didn't but Amita did, hold on." Don drummed his fingers nervously on the steering wheel and shared a worried glance with Megan while he waited for his Dad to return to the phone. He could hear mumbled voices in the background and then finally Alan returned to the phone.

"Donnie, Amita says she talked to Charlie about a half an hour ago. He was on his way home but told her he had to make a stop somewhere and pick up something but that it wouldn't take him long."

"Where?" Don pressed him for more information. "Did he say where he was going to stop?"

"Donnie, your starting to worry me, what's this all about?" Alan's tone of voice grew more anxious.

"Dad, please, just ask Amita?"

"Hold on." was the gruff reply and Don rubbed his forehead as he listened to mumbled voices once again.

"She doesn't know, he told her it was a surprise. He should be here soon though... are you coming over?" Alan tried again. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Yeah, Dad, Megan and I are on our way over and yes I will fill you in when we get there. Tell Charlie to call me as soon as he gets home. Okay? All right, …see you in a few minutes.."

He ended the call and hit the speed dial once again, frowning when the call went to voice mail forcing him to leave another message. "Charlie, call me ASAP, it's urgent!" He closed the phone as he put the car into gear and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Now what?" Megan asked worriedly.

"We go to the house, hopefully he'll beat us there."

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The three figures outside of the Craftsman home could hear the muffled laughter going on inside as they quietly worked the lock on the front door.

The man trying to force the lock stopped and turned to the leader. "Are you sure he hasn't put in an alarm system? Because if he has, as soon as I trip it, the game will be up." he stood up and faced the man in charge. "What do you want me to do?"

"I know he was planning to put one in, but I don't know if he actually had the chance to have it installed. I suppose we'll just have to get them to open the door." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and checked out the surrounding area. The street was quiet and no one was in sight. He motioned for his cohorts to move back into the shadows on the porch. "Ring the doorbell and we'll grab whoever answers it and use them to gain entrance."

He pulled a dark mask from his pocket and rubbed the silky material between his fingers before slipping it over his head. It was a full face Balaclava and was made of an ultra thin material. There were holes for his eyes and mouth and even though it had good elasticity it was very comfortable to wear, unlike the masks of his two companions; their face masks were of the standard, knitted variety. The same held true for the rest of his clothing; silky and comfortable. Henri Bashere was a man who never settled for anything but the best.

Bashere checked out his companions. They were all dressed in black, from head to toe; not a spot of skin could be seen anywhere with only their eyes and mouths visible. He motioned for one of them to ring the doorbell. They quietly crept further into the shadows and waited for the door to open.

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The laughter inside the Craftsman home resonated with warmth.

Alan, Amita, and Larry were traveling back and forth between the kitchen and the dining room putting the finishing touches on the decorations and the food preparations for the party. They were currently working on an appetizer tray while they waited for everyone to arrive.

Larry and Amita had come over earlier in the afternoon to give Alan a hand but he had surprised them. The elder Eppes had been so excited about the engagement that he had completed the majority of the preparations himself before they had arrived.

The dining room was lit up with brightly colored ribbons and balloons . There was a small sheet cake sitting on a side table bearing Charlie and Amita's names written in a flowing script and it was decorated with tiny red and while rosebuds. Champagne and water glasses were sitting at each place setting and a bottle of champagne was chilling in an ice bucket on the buffet next to the table.

The three of them were presently working on a large platter of various appetizers. They were in the kitchen and because of the occasion they were feeling very lighthearted, almost to the point of being giddy.

Alan couldn't stop smiling. He had lost his "gloom and doom" mood and replaced it with one that could only be called "euphoric". His heavy heart had lifted with the news and his spirits had been soaring sky high ever since the moment the couple had told him. He glanced over at Amita and smiled even broader, he couldn't help himself.

He thought she was a good match for Charlie in every way. She understood his son like no other woman would be able too. She was beautiful and witty and intelligent enough to keep up with his incredible mind and she loved him enough to keep him grounded.

Alan sighed, his heart seemed so full. Those grandchildren that he wanted so dearly were becoming a possibility, but more than that he knew that Charlie would be happy. Alan had even entertained the thought that Donnie might propose to Robin after seeing his younger brother take the plunge.

"Where did you get all of this stuff on such short notice?" Larry asked incredulously, interrupting Alan's daydreams. "You have stuffed mushrooms, shrimp, barbecue wings, scallops wrapped in bacon….and more."

Amita asked a question of her own before Alan could answer Larry's question.

"Alan how did you get that cake prepared so quickly, it's absolutely beautiful. I can't wait for Charlie to see it. Thank you." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and suddenly realized how her feelings had grown toward him. He was such an endearing man and he had accepted her in his son's life without hesitation. Suddenly embarrassed by her actions she added. "Larry's right, this is just incredible."

Alan's eyes were warm and a smile still lit up his face. "It pays to have a friend who is a caterer and I promised her that we would consider her shop when we make the arrangements for the wedding."

The phone rang and Alan hurriedly wiped his hands before picking up the receiver.

"Eppes." He answered, still in his lighthearted mood.

"Donnie!" Your coming over, right? I've put up decorations and I have all kinds of snacks for us to munch on while our steaks are cooking." As he listened to his son his eyes drifted to Amita and Larry, watching them arrange fresh vegetables and a dip on another platter.

"Not yet, but we expect him soon. His meeting lasted longer than he expected." Alan replied.

Amita looked up realizing that he was discussing Charlie and they exchanged smiles.

Alan's brow furrowed as he continued to talk on the phone. "Why…what's wrong?" He listened and then answered. "Well, I didn't but Amita did, hold on." Alan turned from the phone and spoke to the young woman.

"Amita how long ago did you talk with Charlie?"

Puzzled, she glanced at Larry and then back to Alan. "Maybe…a half an hour ago. Charlie said he was on his way home but that he had one more stop to make, said he had to pick something up and that it wouldn't take him long…why?"

Alan didn't answer her but returned to his phone conversation. "Donnie, Amita says she talked to Charlie about a half an hour ago. He was on his way home but he told her he had to make a stop somewhere and pick something up but that it wouldn't take him long"

Alan's brows knitted together as he listened to his son.

"Donnie, your starting to worry me. What's this all about?" he asked anxiously as he kept his ear to the phone.

"Hold on." Frustrated because Don wasn't answering his questions he turned once again to Amita.

"Don wants to know if Charlie told you where he was going to go?"

She shook her head and with concern in her eyes she answered. "He didn't tell me Alan, he just said that it was going to be a surprise."

Alan once again placed his ear to the receiver. "She doesn't know, he told her it was a surprise. He should be here soon though, are you coming over? Annoyed at the lack of information that his son was sharing with him he added. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"Okay, see you soon." He hung up the phone and turned to face two worried and puzzled faces.

Amita put a hand on his forearm. "Alan, what was that all about?"

"Donnie said he would tell me when he gets here….wouldn't tell me over the phone."

Larry's face broke into a smile as he suggested. "I bet it has to do with the case that Charlie is working on."

Suddenly relieved, Alan patted Amita's hand and smiled. "Your probably right Larry. That would explain why Donnie couldn't tell me what's going on." He glanced at the clock on he wall. "You know, everyone should start arriving soon so we better get this stuff on the table. Larry could you bring that water pitcher and start filling up the water glasses?"

"Most assuredly." Larry said as he grabbed the pitcher and followed Alan and Amita through the swinging door from the kitchen to the dining room.

The doorbell rang just as Amita set the vegetable tray down on the table and she automatically turned for the front door.

"I'll get it Alan, I'm closer to the door." she called back over her shoulder.

"Thanks Amita."

"I think I'm going to have to try one of these mushrooms." Larry said as he reached for one.

"Only one." Alan admonished laughingly. "I know how you are once you get started on them."

Amita smiled as she walked toward the front door, listening to the friendly banter back and forth as her friends and soon to be family began munching on the food.

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Charlie pulled into the parking space in front of the florist shop and turned off his car. Earlier in the day he had ordered two dozen red roses and although he could have had them delivered to the house , his heart's desire was to present them to Amita himself. Smiling in anticipation of this he quickly got out of his car and headed for the door of the shop. It was almost six o'clock and he was just going to make it before they closed.

It was a quaint little shop and had been in the Los Angeles area for a number of years. There were florist shops closer to his home but his mother had favored this shop and had often praised the quality of the flowers that she had purchased there. Somehow, he felt that she would approve of his choice in coming here and that made him feel closer to her.

He opened the door and a bell hanging over it announced his entrance to the shop. Hurrying to the counter he anxiously looked around for the owner. He knew her from the many times that he had come there with his mother.

"Hello" No one answered so he walked around the counter and called out again. "Hello….Mrs. Hoffman? Is anyone here?"

"Oh, Professor, than goodness it's you." An elderly woman came bustling out of a side door and hurried to the counter. "I was afraid that you weren't going to make it in time."

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, Mrs. Hoffman, but my meeting ran later than I expected it too and I couldn't get away." Charlie offered in apology.

She smiled at him in a motherly way and patted his hand. "That's okay dear, I would have kept the shop open for you." Her eyes took on a wistful look. "Your mother used to come in here all of the time…just loved our roses." She sighed and shook her head sadly. "I still miss seeing her, she was such a lovely woman." Noticing that his eyes had saddened at the mention of his mother, she quickly changed the subject. "I think that you are really going to like these roses. I made sure that only the best ones were put aside for your order." She winked at him. " I picked them out myself, it'll just take me a minute to get them for you."

She darted into the next room but quickly returned carrying a long white box and set it on the counter. Lifting the lid she tilted the box to see if the roses would meet with his approval. Carefully he removed one of them and inhaled the pleasant aroma. He knew Amta would love the fragrance and gently returned the flower to the box. The woman began to put the lid back on the box but he reached out his hand and stopped her.

"Wait, I want to put something in with the roses before you close it." He pulled a folded note from his pocket and placed it on top of the roses.

"She must be very special." the lady remarked as she closed the box and encircled it with a red ribbon.

"Very special." he responded with a shy smile as he paid her for the roses. He thanked her again for keeping the shop open and hurried back to his car, carefully placing the box of roses on the back seat.

A thrill of excitement coursed through him as he turned his car around and headed for home. He couldn't wait to see Amita's face when he gave her the roses and he found himself longing for the feel of her in his arms and the kiss that would surely follow.

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Amita stepped out on the front porch in puzzlement. She had clearly heard the doorbell ring and yet no one was there.

"Hello?" she called out. She stepped down the front steps but didn't see anyone, so she shrugged her shoulders and turned back toward the house. "Maybe it was just kids playing around" she thought as she stepped toward the open door. She was suddenly grabbed from behind and a hand was clamped over her mouth before she could scream. She struggled against the man until her eyes fell upon the guns that were pointed at her and she quietly ceased her efforts.

Her eyes widened with fear as one of them stepped toward her and said quietly.

"We are going to follow you inside, if you try anything at all, one of those people in there will die." he paused to make sure he had her full attention. " Do as I say, and no one will get hurt. Have I made myself clear?" he asked.

She nodded her head fearfully.

"Let's go." He waved the gun toward the doorway, motioning for her to enter the house.

They walked slowly inside and the last man in closed the door quietly behind him. The man holding her kept her arms pinned at her sides as they slowly approached the dining room where Alan and Larry were sampling the appetizers.

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"Crap." Don muttered as he pulled in behind his father's car;Charlie's Prius wasn't there yet.

"Where the hell is he?" He asked as he climbed out of the vehicle.

Megan met him at the rear of the SUV. "What do you want to do?"

"Let's go in, maybe he called again."

They started for the door but Don hesitated halfway up the sidewalk, glancing up and down the street.

"What is it?" Megan asked following his movements.

"Didn't Gary say that he had already put a car on the house? I don't see it anywhere, do you?"

"Maybe he's out patrolling the area." She commented as they turned and headed for the house.

"Maybe." he agreed as he opened the front door.