Sorry for the late update, guys! I haven't had full access to my laptop lately and it took me forever to be satisfied with this chapter. Part of it was written veeeery early in the morning so bare with me please. :D And as always, thank you for all of the reviews! It really means a lot. :3

Disclaimer: I do not own Numb3rs or else there would probably be a lot more Don and Charlie whumping.

Colby, Nikki, and Suzie were waiting in the break room when Don arrived. They were all sipping coffee (that Colby had been nowhere near when it was made). Suzie had secretly downed a few Ibuprofen for her throat. She was gradually losing more and more of her voice. Nikki had given her a cocky, "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" when she had first came back. Suzie had replied by sticking her tongue out and saying, "Obviously not."

Don walked in the break room and spotted the new agent first. "Hey nice to meet you, McFlinn." Don had greeted trying not to notice the purple bruises around her neck.

"Suzie." She responded scratchily and shook Don's outstretched hand.

"Getting beat up on the first day, huh?" Don teased lightly.

"His fault." She said jokingly and pointed at Colby.

Colby rolled his eyes. "He's in interrogation room one." He handed Don a file. "His name is Titus Lee Peter. Records came back clean."

"Clean?" Don questioned.

"Yep. Had the new guy check it about three times after I checked it twice." Colby replied.

"So a guy with clean records just randomly shows up in the security office with a gun?" Don asked.

"This is where Charlie would say that nothing is truly random." Nikki interjected. "And then give some long math explanation."

"Imagine rain falling." Colby said smartly.

Don smiled and turned to head out the door. "He's doing great, by the way."

The three agents followed Don out the door. "That's good. We need our math genius back." Nikki said.

"Tell me about it." Don replied.

With a few moments preparation Don headed into the interrogation room. The man sitting in front of him seemed nervous. He looked like he was sweating and he was fidgeting with some lose strings on his sling that was supporting his left arm. Don sat in the seat across from him. The man still hadn't looked at him. "You gonna tell me what you were doing in the security office with a gun?" he asked after a few moments of silence. "Because right now we can hold you here as long as we want for assaulting a federal officer."

Peter looked up from staring at the table and a wide grin spread across his face. "Agent Don Eppes, Supervisor of the Violent Crimes Squad in LA and soon to be promoted to Special Agent in Charge." He gave Don a cold stare. Don hid the shiver that ran up his spine. "Your brother Charlie is in the hospital with a gunshot wound to the left chest cavity."

Don crossed his arms over his chest.

"No, don't do that!" Suzie hissed from the other side of the glass.

"Do what?" Colby asked curiously.

"He's crossing his arms over his chest. It's a sign of defense. Peter is getting to him and he knows it." Suzie explained.

"Well thank you, Miss Psychic." Nikki said. "But how's Peter gonna know that?"

"I can't explain it, I just know." Suzie said.

"I'm terrified." Don said sarcastically. "I'm not here to play games. You tell me some things and I may be able to cut you a deal."

Peter was quiet for a moment. He looked down and studied his hand. "Agent McFlinn. I'll talk to her."

Don lifted an eyebrow. "Why?"

Peter simply shrugged. Grudgingly, Don got up from the table.

"He wants someone he feels more powerful than." Suzie said and gingerly rubbed her throat.

"You up to it?" Don asked as he came in the small room.

"Ya." Suzie said

"Have you had interrogation experience before? This is a pretty fragile case."

"You could call it interrogation." Suzie said with a shrug.

Nikki took a breath in like she was going to say something. She changed her mind and shook her head. "You know what? I don't wanna know."

"Ya, she might have to kill you if you asked." Colby replied. A sly smile spread across Suzie's face.

Don had a look on his face that was somewhere in between shock and confusion.

"Why can't I do it?" Nikki asked instead. "No offense, Suzie, but you're not exactly talking the best."

"That might work better." Suzie said before Don could say anything. "Someone he doesn't know might threaten him."

Nikki had a smug smile on her face as she exited the room.

"Mr. Peter, isn't it?" Nikki asked as she entered the interrogation room.

Peter seemed shocked. "You're not McFlinn."

"No, I'm not." Nikki replied and pulled out the empty chair. "I'm Agent Betancourt." She stood with one hand on her hip and leaned with the other hand on the back of the chair.

Peter readjusted his sore shoulder as he tried to think of what to say next. He was admittedly unprepared for this. That was the second time today.

"So are you going to tell me anything or not?" Nikki asked.

Peter was glaring now. "What time is it?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Nikki snapped back.

He shrugged. "Depends."

Nikki glanced down at her watch. "11:06."

"Darian Waters."

Nikki got up with a suspicious look on her face and then exited the room.

Outside the interrogation room Don's cellphone rang. "Dad? What's wrong?" He answered instantly. "Woah woah, slow down." He waited. The phone almost fell out of his hand. "WHAT? Look, I'm on my way over right now, dad. Just calm down, alright?"

"What happened?" Colby asked.

"A bomb just went off at the hospital."

3.14159265358979323

Don was out of the elevator doors in a flash. His dad was right outside. "Dad, what happened?"

"Donny, the bomb was two floors below us, it wasn't anywhere near Charlie. I just thought the FBI should know, alright?" Alan said as he gripped his son's shoulders.

Don took a huge exhale, releasing a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "You could've told me, dad!"

"Look, we just thought it was a minor earthquake until some nurses came over and took Charlie down to a different floor." Alan explained. He felt bad for almost causing his son a panic attack.

"Everyone's fine?" Don asked.

"Everyone's fine." Alan repeated.

Don pulled away from his father's grip and ran a hand through his hair. "Nikki's downstairs, I have to go handle the mess down there."

"Go, Donny." Alan urged.

Hope you like the story so far! Ideas are greatly appreciated for upcoming chapters. I know how I want to end it, but I'm not sure how to get there so please put in your two cents! In advance, thanks for the reviews!