Is this a new chapter? It is!
Charlie wasn't sure why his memories kept slipping back and forth but he took the initiative to believe it was because of the overload. After all, Ian was back in town on his job which was a rare thing at any given time. Then there was the whole matter of, apparently, Charlie had managed to annoy Carlos so badly he'd asked for Ian's prey to take Charlie out. Then there was the shooting and the further whirl of activity as Lieutenant Gary Walker and Ian shoved him into a car and drove him to the FBI.
The FBI was…a complete cluster of people bustling about. Some would gaze them with varying degrees of interest. Some opening stared for long periods – nearly running into the walls or other people – while some only glanced at him. Most of the stares were directed at him too.
"Guess I've been kinda…missed?" he mumbled, glancing out of the clear windows of the large meeting room Ian had dragged him into.
"Sort of," Ian stated. There something wry in his voice but Charlie ignored it.
"Uh, so…the two guys Walker's talking to?"
"Colby and David," Ian stated. "They're friends of yours."
"Alright then," Charlie mumbled.
He glanced back over to the others in the bullpen, watching Walker talk to Colby and David. The two men were a bit bigger than Walker in many iterations of the word. They were taller and broader. Both looked intimidating though, Colby had an air of military in his stance. David had 'seasoned agent' written all over him.
"Uh…sorry about all the…" he pointed at his scared brow, "stuff."
"Can't actually blame you on that," Ian sighed, glancing around the area as well. "Nor will they. After all, you've helped them solve…a lot of crimes so, far as I can see, they owe you a lot. Hell, I still owe you for proving my innocence that one time."
Charlie jerked his head towards Ian. "I've done what now?"
"You proved me innocent of killing someone," Ian stated. "One of my informants to be clear. I'd been framed and you figured it out."
"Not all on my own though, surely," Charlie chuckled.
"Alright, you have some help. They all give you data and you run algorithms. They investigate all the leads you give them from those algorithms. They make the arrests and you help them out with other cases."
Charlie hummed.
"It started out with a financial case I think," Ian continued. "Then, you got involved with another case and proved your math was more helpful than Don originally thought."
Charlie smirked as if he was proud of himself. Ian smiled back at him.
"Look," Ian said. "All of these people will work with you on the memories. I know they will. They worked with each other, for each other before."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," Ian said. "I'm not clear on all the details but…there have been a few fallouts but you guys all worked it out between each other."
Charlie hummed, nodding. "Can't help but notice you're being very careful about telling me too much," he chuckled.
Ian coughed. Charlie was beginning to think the man was incapable of blushing like a normal human being.
"You're already overwhelmed with some of the crap going on," Ian explained. "You really want more?"
"Anything that might help," Charlie shrugged.
Ian sighed. "Colby…was a spy and you figured that out after you figured out a code left by a man who almost blew up a bridge. Again, some of Don's help in there but you knew most of the numbers stuff."
"Codes are just another way of talking through numbers."
"Hey, no voodoo talk while I'm explaining."
"Voodoo?"
"You put up with me calling it that."
"Why?"
"I'm sure it has something to do with my being a sniper."
Charlie stuck his tongue out at him.
"Mature."
"I am a professor," Charlie chuckled.
"On that note," Ian grumbled, rolling his shoulders. "You risked a lot trying to prove one of your friends wasn't a terrorist."
"What'd I do?"
"Emailed data on…crops I think it was, to the Middle East. Your friend had already been arrested for emailing the first half of the data so, you sent the rest of it to prove a point."
"Did I prove my point?"
"Yeah. Had to get your security clearance back though."
"I have security clearance?"
"It might be a bit lower than it used to be but, yeah, you do."
"Huh."
He and Ian chuckled for a little bit before Ian glanced away again.
"You want to get an update?" Charlie asked, watching the cycling people. Walker was still with Colby and David, hovering over a computer screen. "You can."
"I'll be back in a minute," Ian said. "Don't move."
"Gotcha."
Ian hesitated for a moment before ducking out of the conference room. Charlie watched him slip through the cubicles to halt at Colby and the other two – the names were gone now but Charlie knew they'd return soon enough. The exchange went somewhat quickly, Ian looking a little distressed – not that it really showed – and Colby glancing over at Charlie with concern. Ian waved a hand in a 'no' gesture before leaving them to rejoin Charlie.
"Am I about to get introductions?" Charlie asked.
"Maybe," Ian mumbled. "Seems there were some other complications for the day."
"Oh boy."
"Yeah. We've got an agent down and it's not looking good. That's where Don is," Ian explained. His eyes flashed with something, his hand flying for his phone. "Speaking of the Elder Eppes, I should call him."
"That's the guy in this photo right?" Charlie asked, holding the photo for reference. "My brother?"
"Yeah. He'll probably hug you before I can stop him so…memorize that face with friendly feelings in mind, yeah?"
"Uh…sure. I'll try."
"Good. I'll do my best to make sure he knows about…" he waved a hand around. "Things. No promises though. He's kinda…" more waving, "protective."
"I have a protective brother?"
"And a Jewish father."
Charlie's eyes bugged. "Why do I see an old man about your height rambling the words 'oh my god' between incoherent muttering?"
"Because Alan does that when he's worried."
Charlie groaned while Ian chuckled at him.
Don sank onto a chair with a groan. Reynolds wasn't going to be out of surgery. She just wasn't. The bullet she'd taken had torn through her body like it'd been made of tissue paper apparently; if the description of the internal injuries was anything to go off of. The punctured lung alone left Don cold. Not that the initial blood loss didn't leave him thinking there was no way for her to survive.
At least she'd taken it while protecting the uniformed officers with her. From what Don could understand, Reynolds and the agents he'd sent with her had just made it out of the surveillance van to deliver the excuse note – spraying for ants or something – to clear the house when shots had rung out. Reynolds went down shoving the others behind the unmarked cars; one of them managed to drag her behind the car while his partner called backup and a bus.
Somewhere in that report, Don had seen that Reynolds had managed to get off a few shots before she'd been hit again. Clipped, really. Don had no idea what to do about the situation other than continue waiting out the surgery. He'd called in to get an update but no word of what had happened had been figured out.
Not just this insane shooting with Reynolds. There'd been another shooting where Ian and Walker were supposed to be dealing with that mystery house guest.
His phone buzzed then, dragging him from his moping.
"Eppes."
"Don," Ian stated. "Walker and I got back to the office."
"Oh, good, good. What've you got for me?"
"That guest at the Rodriguez house? It's Charlie."
Don blinked. "What?"
"Your little brother, of whom is now sitting in the War Room of your office by the way, was the mystery guest as well as the one who left that note at CalSci."
"What?"
"Breathe," Ian stated. "He's…mostly fine."
A muffled, yet familiar 'hey' sounded in the background. Don's heart stuttered for a moment.
"Was that-?"
"Yeah," Ian grunted. "Hush Professor. I'm on the phone…Again, very mature."
"What's going on over there?" Don asked.
"He's sticking his tongue out at me."
Don laughed until he was red in the face. He earned a few stares from the passing nurses. He coughed, trying to get himself straightened out. A guy sitting outside the OR, laughing himself blue? Yeah. That wasn't the smartest impression to leave.
"You two are going to get me into trouble," Don mumbled.
"Oh, good," Ian jeered back. "Hey, there's a few other things to go over but not all of them can be done right this second. The main thing is warning you about something that's come up on Charlie's end that you're just going to have to deal with."
"Now you've got me worried."
"He's got a bit of amnesia," Ian stated. "And before you blow up at me, he's doing pretty well with what he's managed to remember. Though…his brain's a bit finicky on holding onto some things."
"What's that mean?"
"It means he's forgotten who I am at least once in the last hour but it comes back," Ian grumbled. "Hence the other things to take care of. A doctor looking him over would be at the top of the list though since…well, amnesia."
"Right, right, of course," Don nodded.
The surgery doors opened then, a tired looking doctor striding out in his scrubs. Don's Stomach dropped. He'd already talked to this doctor, when the man was going in.
"Hang on, Ian," Don said, standing. "Doc?"
"Agent, I'm sorry to tell you this but, she didn't make it."
Don licked his lips, nodding in resignation. "Thanks," he mumbled. "I'll get everything sorted out as soon as I can."
The doctor nodded at him. "I'm very sorry."
"Yeah…me too." He waited until the doctor wandered off before holding the phone up to his ear again. "Reynolds just died."
"…I'll let them know."
"Thanks…Uh…Can I…?"
There was some shuffling on the other side of the line.
"Why're you handing it to me?!"
"Just talk to him."
"Uh…Hello?"
"Hey Chuck."
"…I hate that nickname."
Don smiled. "What else are big brothers for?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"So, Jed Cornel is far more connected than we knew," Nikki grumbled, her eyes dancing over to the War Room where Ian and Charlie were sitting, Walker hovering by the door.
Not that Colby could blame her. They'd all been glancing over that way, making sure it wasn't a mirage. Colby had found himself absently staring more times than he could count really. He'd been far more forgiving about it than he probably needed to be considering the others were getting a little distracted about 'The Return of Charlie' playing out in their office.
"How so?" David asked.
"We managed to get a look inside that house that he and his friends were hanging around in," Liz sighed. "The two men they managed to take down were Ted Drake and Jake Creed."
"Upstanding citizen's these two," Nikki muttered. "Drake liked to sample his steroid stashes and is the muscle. Creed's been known to hack into places, including the most recent digital screw up at the correction facility where the elder Cornel was being held."
"Didn't we discover they did a blackout to do that?" David asked.
"Yeah well, their generator's a bit more advanced than the one from the Tobakian near-escape. It had to be told to think it was overloading which was helped by the blackouts. However, there's the added measure of there were specific cameras that were on separate circuits. Those were put on a loop."
"Also, and Don's going to bring hell to earth when he hears this," Liz mumbled. "These idiots had blueprints and plans as well as some familiar algorithms."
She slammed the pile of papers onto the desks, making Colby jump. He'd been watching Charlie again. Colby cleared his throat and looked over the papers, brow furrowing when he recognized the handwriting. He didn't know any of the math but he would always know the handwriting.
He glanced over the edge of the pages at the rest of them, specifically Nikki and Liz.
"These guys had Charlie?" he asked.
"Looks that way," Liz mumbled with a shrug. "Given, I don't think that the house was where they held him for…however long."
"Plus, there's the whole thing about Charlie being with Maria and her daughter for the last…month and a half," Walker pointed out. "Or so."
"Yeah," Colby mumbled. "This day just keeps getting better and better. First Reynolds, now this."
"Yeah but, Jed's connections aren't going to give him very much help here," Nikki pointed out. "He was seen shooting at a federal agent."
"Speaking of that federal agent," Ian sighed, making everyone gain gray hairs from his sudden appearance. "Was there a reason she had plain clothed uniforms with her rather than…I don't know, another agent?"
The girls blushed.
"Short staffed?" Nikki tried. Ian glared at her.
"New girl hazing, more like," he mumbled. "I'm sure Don can tell me exactly what happened since, I'd imagine he'd have sent her with someone."
"I did," Don mumbled. "They were with her."
"I've been hearing she was with uniformed officers," Ian said.
"Misconception on the media's end," Don mumbled. "So…Charlie?"
"War Room," Ian stated, Colby and David helping him by pointing. "And, before you go and hug him to death, he's in the middle of not remembering who I am. He knows Walker right now though."
"Hence why Walker's no longer hovering outside but inside?" Colby asked, leaning his seat back far enough to see around them.
"Naturally," Ian stated. "We're trying to avoid leaving him alone but also trying to keep him with a familiar face." He glanced at Don then and Colby couldn't help but think there was something behind that look.
"What?" Don asked.
"Well, it's not like I listened in on his conversation with you while updating them on Reynolds," Ian snickered. "So?"
"He's going to give Dad a heart attack," Don muttered. "But only after I have had the privilege of being forgotten in person."
"Get it over with then," Ian urged, sweeping a hand towards the War Room. Don rolled his eyes.
"Want some back up?" Colby smiled.
"Come on, you," Don mumbled, catching Colby's arm. He dragged him from the chair and across the bullpen before Colby could muster up another laugh.
"Hello gentlemen," Walker huffed, crossing his arms as Don and Colby tripped into the War Room. Charlie glanced at them with slightly wide eyes for a moment before he glanced at something in his hands.
"Hey Gary," Don mumbled. "Charlie."
"Don…right?"
"Yeah, Buddy."
"And…Crud. I had his name a minute ago," Charlie mumbled, pointing at Colby for a moment.
"Colby Granger," Colby said. "Nice to see you again Professor."
"Heh," Charlie chuckled. "Sorry about the…memory."
"It's fair considering the last two months," Colby shrugged. "Sorry we didn't find you sooner."
"Well, considering the last few days…I get it," Charlie said. "I mean…apparently you guys had to investigate me once."
"Well," Don mumbled. "You ended up being right."
"You have a shrink," Charlie mumbled, pointing at Don. His eyes went wide for a moment and he looked around the room. "Was that supposed to be a secret?"
"Nah," Don said with a dismissive wave. "I'm seeing a rabbi now though."
Charlie nodded, his mouth forming a silent 'ah' as he relaxed in the chair. Walker smiled at them all like an amused grandfather watching the grandkids playing in the yard.
"How's that going?" Charlie asked, sounding very interested.
"Pretty well," Don smiled. "So…can I get a look at that scar you mentioned?"
"It's not the only one," Charlie mumbled. "Though…A doctor's office or somewhere else private might be a better place to show the others."
Don glanced at Walker nervously, Colby probably copying the expression on his own face.
"There's others?" Colby asked, shifting his feet a bit. Charlie nodded. "Why did my stomach hit the floor?"
"Probably the same reason mine did," Don sighed. "We'll have to wait for the privacy until after the case is taken care of. Let me just see the one on your head."
Charlie nodded and combed his curly bangs back. Colby leaned over a bit to look, careful to not touch Charlie should it spook the professor.
"Yeah," he sighed as he straightened. "That must have given him a concussion when it was new."
"You'd know," Don joked.
"Thanks a lot," Colby jeered back.
"Ah it's not that bad," Charlie mumbled, trying to flatten the bangs to his head. "I mean, it hurt when I was healing up but it's not that bad. Is it?"
"Gives you a little more character is all," Walker chuckled. Charlie went red then.
"Why do I get the feeling you call what I do voodoo too?" he pouted.
"That's Ian," Don chided with a laugh. "Gary doesn't give your profession mean nicknames."
"Though, you'll have to admit, I am a skeptic turned believer."
Charlie grinned at that. "I must be pretty good at this teaching stuff, huh?"
"Dad gets your lectures," Don shrugged.
"I'm still imagining a lot of 'oh my gods' when I meet him," Charlie chuckled.
"Yeah…probably," Don groaned.
"Hey," Charlie said. "Ian told me about Mellissa. I'm sorry about that."
"Thanks Bud."
"I bet she got a few shots off," Charlie smiled. "I remember her being a pretty decent shot."
"Must be real recent," Colby shrugged at Don's confused expression. "Sometimes recent memories come easier than long term ones." Don stared at him. "Please don't ask me how I know that."
"I imagine you'd just know," Don muttered.
Charlie chuckled as Nikki knocked on the door.
"Yeah," Don sighed. "What's up?"
"We found the car that drove by Maria Rodriguez's house," she said, handing over a file. "You're going to love where it's parked as well as the name on the registration."
Don looked it over, a smile growing his face.
"Charlie, we have to go arrest someone."
"Go. Get the bad guys. I'm good."
"See you soon, Chuck."
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