A/N: A huge thank you to everyone who is reading this. Thanks for all the great reviews.
Thank you to the wonderful starfishyeti!
The stalker
by elessar73
*** 22 chapter: Is this the end?***
In the second Prof. Fleinhardt had left the cafeteria, the tray in his hand, Mary had disappeared back into the kitchen. She stripped off her working clothes. Underneath her white overalls she wore light blue linen slacks and a close fitting blouse. Mary undid her ponytail and let her blond hair fell over her shoulders. She ruffled her hair a little while she turned around towards the hand-basin. Mary grabbed a glass from the shelves and filled it with water. Glass in one hand, she walked into the break room where her shoulder bag hung over the back of a chair. With her free hand she opened the zipper and took out the box of charcoal pills. Mary smiled happily. She was ready to save Prof. Eppes´ life and help him recognize what was good for him.
Mary was trapped in her insanity; her green eyes glowed with fanaticism and her smile was just a grimace. In her dazed mind she replayed the scene of Charlie's rescue in an endless loop.
"Charlie my love are you in pain?" My voice sounds concerned when I open my friend´s office and find him lying on the floor holding his stomach and wincing in pain. Without thinking I rush to his side, my cheeks are flushed by excitement. I fall to my knees beside him. Charlie looks at me with pain-filled eyes. I'm the one who´ll save him and he knows it. The dark pools of his eyes are almost black from pain, but I can see hope in them too. Hope that I will fix everything. "M-m-mary," The man I love so much stutters my name and I can't hold back a shudder of excitement. Finally, I'm where I've always wanted to be, where I belong.
"Thank God you're here." His hands are shaking when he reaches out to get a hold of my arm. They´re cold and sweaty and so tender. I grab them and place a kiss on the palms.
"Hush Charlie, everything will be fine. I'm here to help you." Charlie's soft curls are glued to his sweaty forehead. I push them gently out of his eyes. "Come on baby, I´ll help you sit up," I whisper softly in his ear and together we manage to bring him into a sitting position. His weak body clings to mine. I can feel every muscle through the light fabric of my clothes. It's so wonderful to feel him that close. I'm steadying him while tremors of pain shake his body. "Here my love, take two of these pills and everything will be fine. I´ll take care of you, of everything."
Charlie swallows the pills and soon he relaxes in my arms. I stroke through his hair and rock him back and forth until the pain is gone. Finally Charlie's eyes are clear again; the pain and tremors are gone.
He reaches out his hand and pulls me close to kiss me passionately. "I love you Mary," Charlie whispers in a hoarse voice. "You´re the woman I´ve been waiting for." Charlie smiles genuinely at me. My heart skips a beat when I hear these words. Charlie's dark eyes are sparkling in joy.
"I love you too, Darling."
Mary ran through the corridors. Driven by her imagination she increased her tempo with every step she took. Inquiring looks from students and teachers followed her but the woman didn't care. Mary had just one goal; Charlie. She couldn't wait to reach Charlie's office, to finally relive the perfect moment of love. She didn't bother thinking up a way of how to explain how she just happened to be in Charlie's office at the right time with the right medicine. This question didn't even occur to her in her world of madness.
Mary's smile deepened when she turned around the last corner. Charlie's office was just a few steps away. Reluctantly she slowed down her pace and took in a few deep breaths. ´No need to hurry now, I'm so damn close,' Mary encouraged herself. When she heard the howl of pain that slammed through the wooden door and into the floor she stopped dead in her tracks. ´What was that?´
Mary tiptoed closer to the door and found it ajar. The sounds became louder the closer she got. She heard Charlie's voice clearly pleading for help even though it was low and hoarse. His pleas were interrupted by moans and sobs of pain. The young woman glanced inside. She couldn't believe her eyes. Charlie lay on the sofa and damned Fleinhardt was holding his hand and trying to soothe him.
Mary's whole body began to tremble. She was supposed to rescue Charlie, but he had asked someone else for help. Hot rage swept through her body. 'You miserable worm.' The young woman turned away disgusted when nausea rose up inside her. Charlie was writhing in pain and crying like a baby. This loser wasn't worth her. ´How could I have been so blind. Prof. Eppes is nothing. He's my worst mistake.' Her hands shook heavily. The glass of water crashed to the ground and shards of glass fell amongst the wet puddle that formed around her feet. She held her breath for a moment, but the sound was unnoticed. She sighed in relief and turned to walk away.
Despite her insanity Mary was still capable of detecting the danger she was in. Sooner or later the police, or better, Charlie´s FBI brother would connect her to the recent incident. The coffee would be examined and Fleinhardt could testify that she was the one who´d prepared it. 'Damn it, everything was ruined. Eppes has failed me completely. He's a worthless ass.'
Mary ran to her apartment. In a hurry she grabbed her wallet and stuffed some clothes into a duffle bag. She left her home without bothering about the evidence she left behind. It didn't matter anymore. She would leave the city maybe even the state. But first, Charlie would have to pay with his life for the betrayal, and then Mary would be free again.
...
Don's heart was pounding hard and fast in his chest. He heard the blood rushing in his ears and sweat ran down his face. He tried to convince himself that just because the woman had shown up in front of Charlie's office didn't mean she was a threat or that Charlie was in danger. But the agent had a hard time processing that. All his rationality and cool manner had left him in the instant his father had claimed to recognize the woman at the picture. Don beat his own time record on the drive back to CalSci. He was out of his SUV the second the car stopped. He ran across campus the folder including the pictures pressed tight against his chest like a shield to defend against all the evil which would come his way. Don was panting and sweating. His breaths came out in heavy puffs when he turned around the last corner and with that was in sight of Charlie's office. The view of it took his breath away and let all his childish hopes that Charlie would be fine shatter on the floor.
A huge crowd of onlookers, mostly students looking at the average age had assembled in front of the door. Excited voices demanded to know what was going on. The people standing farther away in the row balanced on their toes to have a better look.
Don hastened forward like a wild bull driven by his fear for Charlie and the wish to drive all the people away. When he reached the crowd he forced his way through it harvesting angry shouts and insults. Some of the onlookers even tried to hold him back. They grabbed him by the sleeves of his shirt but the stern glance in the agent's eyes made them drop their hands immediately.
"Let me pass!" Don demanded through clenched teeth when some stubborn students refused to step aside for him. He pushed them away and finally stood in the entrance of his brother's office.
The view alone made his heartbeat increase rapidly. Charlie lay on the old leather couch, half curled in to himself. His breathing was rapid and ragged. His eyes were closed, the pale face a mask of pain. Larry kneeled on the floor beside Charlie rubbing his brother's hand soothingly. Don heard softly spoken words, but Charlie didn't respond. He remained silent, not even a moan escaped him. Angst ridden Don dashed forward.
"Larry, what happened?" Don approached the sofa slowly; deep inside Don was afraid of what he was going to find when he stepped closer and got a better look.
Larry glanced upward and without a word he moved away from his best friend´s side to make room for the brother. Don took the hint and found his place beside Charlie immediately. The folder landed disregarded on the ground.
Don's brown eyes were glued on Charlie. Charlie's skin looked ashen, almost translucent. His trembling body was bathed in sweat. With shaking hands Don caressed the younger man´s cheeks. "Charlie," He whispered, but Charlie remained unresponsive apart from the groans that issued from his clenched mouth.
Prof. Fleinhardt watched the scene and the tears that had threatened him the whole time finally found their way out.
Don heard the sobs beside him. Concerned he turned toward the source and was taken aback when he realized that Larry was crying. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Larry crying, maybe their mother's funeral?
"Larry, what happened?" Don repeated his question. His tone of voice was more urgent now and rattled Larry out of his state of shock. " Have you called an ambulance?"
The physicist rubbed his hands across his face wiping away the tracks of tears.
"Uhm," He began totally overcome by the situation. He could explain the secrets of the universe but the situation here was way over his head. "I'm really not sure Don. He seemed to be okay, maybe a little tired."
Don stared at Larry. He felt a stab of guilt, he had woken up Charlie so early, maybe it was still too much for his younger brother. 'Damn it,' Don cursed to himself.
In a shaking voice Larry continued. "After we had found that letter..."
"You found it?" Don interrupted Larry in mid-sentence. He was on high alert; the letter may be important evidence.
"Y-yes," Larry stammered," It's on the table over there."
Don nodded, he would take care of it later. " Ambulance, Larry. Did you call for one?"
" Umm, oh yes,yes. It´s coming." His eyes skittered over his suffering friend and took in a deep breath. " We found the letter," the physicist continued, "and then I went to get us something to drink. Everything was still fine right then, Charles wasn´t showing any signs of pain or discomfort. But out of the blue he suddenly started shaking and then he collapsed. He clutched his stomach so I assumed that he was sick."
"That bad?" Don threw in.
"Maybe the coffee," Larry wondered more to himself but Don had heard it.
"What do you mean ?"
The physicist startled out of his thoughts. He cleared his throat. "Well, Charles was fine until we had our drinks. In retrospect I'd say that the seizures started ten to fifteen minutes after he´d drunk his coffee."
Don's brain was working on high speed. ´Was it possible that someone had poisoned Charlie's coffee?`
" Where´s his cup ?"
Larry pointed in the direction of a small table.
"Okay." Don reached into his jacket and pulled out a plastic evidence bag. " Stick it in the bag. Don´t use your fingers. Use a pen or a ruler or something." He turned back to his brother. " God, where´s that ambulance?" he murmured under his breath not wanting to alarm the mathematician.
Larry's eyes grew wide but the look in Don's face convinced him that the agent wouldn't move from where he was crouched next to the sofa.
Larry reached the desk and fulfilled his task using one of the many pens scattered about.
"Good, " Don nodded towards the physicist, " Place it on the table and then look out for the medics."
Concern built up in Larry again. For a minute he had forgotten the bad condition his young friend was in. Helping an FBI-Agent to secure evidence was an overwhelming experience for him.
Larry took a look at Charlie; his friend had paled even more. His face appeared ghostly but to his horror his body had gone limp. No trembling or seizures shook the weak body. Charlie lay totally still and silent.
"Larry," Don suddenly yelled, frantic. "Hurry up, he´s stopped breathing! Larry go!"
TBC