FIC: In a Mirror, Darkly: Chapter 23/?
Title: In a Mirror, Darkly: Chapter 23
Author: Valerie Vancollie (valeriev84 [at] hotmail.com)
Characters: Don, Charlie, Alan, David, Colby, Nikki, Billy Cooper
Rating: 15
Summary: There was a certain irony to the situation, that the brother who was a federal agent had been abducted to be used as leverage against the brother who was an applied mathematics professor at a highly respected college. Don Whump, Charlie Angst!
Betas: aleo_70 & fredbassett
Spoilers: Uncertainty Principle, Vector, Man Hunt, Protest, Dark Matter, Spree, Two Daughters, Brutus, Finders Keepers, One Hour, The Janus List, Breaking Point, Black Swan, When Worlds Collide, The Decoy Effect, Jack of All Trades, Arrow of Time, The Fifth Man, Greatest Hits, Angels and Devils
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Numb3rs characters, items or situations. I only lay claim to the original aspects of the fic.
Part V: Don: Basement
Chapter 23:
Thursday, 17:29
Basement, 372 Kinnard Avenue
The spatter of blood on his face was the first thing to register in Don's stunned mind. It was followed less than a second later by an explosion of pain as something heavy fell on top of him, reigniting all of his injuries and he cried out, the pain overwhelming his senses. He must have blacked out for a few seconds, because he came to with a start, disoriented. There was a roaring in his ears and it took him a few seconds to realize that it wasn't simply the echo of the shots within the enclosed space.
Why wasn't he dead? At that range, Frazer couldn't have missed, it was impossible.
The thought penetrated the haze of agony just as he felt the weight on top of him shift before being lifted away. Fighting off unconsciousness once again through sheer force of will, Don forced his eyes open, coming face to face with Frazer. Or at least what had been Frazer for, despite the look of stunned shock upon his face, the eyes were vacant, dead.
"-onny?"
Don blinked as the voice reached him. Just then Frazer moved backwards before slumping towards the left and another face replaced his.
Pale skin, red hair, blue eyes, freckles.
"Donny? Shit, Eppes, can you hear me?"
"Billy?" Don questioned in disbelief.
Maybe he had died. What was Coop doing here? Had the bullet perhaps grazed his head instead of penetrating it? Was he hallucinating? The last desperate attempt of an exhausted and defeated mind to save itself?
"Yeah, Donny, it's me."
The voice was rough and relieved at once, just like it had been after any of the countless close encounters they'd shared.
"You real?"
Don had to be sure, he couldn't take it if this wasn't real. If he woke only to find himself facing Frazer once more...
Billy blinked at the question, his eyes hardening as they quickly darted about the room before returning to his former partner to assess his injuries. He didn't need to be a genius to guess what had happened here. Not with Frazer involved, not after what the man had sworn he'd do to Don.
"Yeah, I'm real," Billy confirmed, reaching out to clasp his former partner's blood slicked right hand.
Briefly, Don maintained his suspicions, before he allowed the tension to drain from him, glancing down at the other man's hand to which his clung tightly. He knew he'd be embarrassed later, but just now he didn't care. His gaze slid sideways as a sea of red caught his eye and he saw that the entire front of the shirt Keane had given him was soaked in blood. Frazer's blood, his blood. The thought of the other man's blood seeping into his open wounds caused a wave of revulsion to rise within him and he dropped Coop's hand, scrabbling at the shirt.
"Whoa! Whoa! Easy, Donny!" Billy exclaimed, reaching out to grasp the other man's wrist gently. "What's wrong?"
"Shirt!" Don gasped out, tugging uselessly at the hands restraining him. "His blood... my blood... off!"
"Okay, okay, I've got it. Don't move."
Don nodded, knowing it would be faster if Coop did it. He looked back down and could already detect the new blotches of red forming from where his own injuries had been reopened during the fight and when Frazer had crashed into him. He swallowed down a hysterical laugh at the thought that even dead the man was still hurting him.
"Okay, here."
The snick of a blade springing out and a flash of silver had Don cringing back with an involuntary cry, unable to move enough to flinch properly.
Billy froze instantly, eyes widening at the reaction before they narrowed dangerously and his hand clenched around the hilt of the knife, his fingers working the mechanism and the blade disappeared once more. It took Don a few moments to tear his eyes from the unopened knife and seek out his friend's face instead. Coop was paler than he'd ever seen him, though his eyes burned bright with a furious rage and his jaw was as tightly clenched as his hand was around the hilt of the knife in his hand.
The realization of what had just happened, of whom he'd just reacted in fear to, hit Don like a truck, leaving him gasping for air. The horror clawed at his throat and fear completely different from that which had just blanketed his mind rose within him. If he reacted like this with Coop, one of his best friends ever and a man whom he trusted implicitly, then how the hell could he go back to being a field agent where he might encounter knives in the hands of those he could be certain wanted to use them against him?
No! He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let that happen. If it came to that, if he couldn't overcome this fear, irrational as it was in the present circumstances, then he'd be letting Frazer win. That was simply unacceptable. He was not going to let the man ruin his life, especially not from beyond the grave.
"Donny?" The alarm was back in Billy's voice.
"Yeah... I'm still here."
"I can-" Billy started, imitating ripping the shirt open with his bare hands.
"No," Don replied, licking his lips. "Use... knife. Faster."
"Donny, are you sure?"
"S'okay. Do... it."
Not watching his former partner's face, Don missed the flash of uncertainty that crossed it before the redhead pressed the release, causing the blade to jump out once more. Although he was expecting it, Don couldn't stop the minute muscle spasm and it took him a moment before he could rip his eyes from the blade to meet Coop's concerned ones. Billy held his gaze for a heartbeat before he leaned closer, keeping his movements calm. Don closed his eyes as the knife was brought the last few inches towards his upper body so that Coop could get it under the collar of the shirt and pull it downwards.
The movement was followed by a gasp as his shirt was pulled open and Coop caught sight of his chest. A familiar string of curses filled the air and Don found himself relaxing. How often had he heard that while on the road all those years ago? Billy had used those same words every time a fugitive had escaped them or one of them had managed to get injured.
When he heard the knife snick closed once more, Don opened his eyes to find his former partner raising his cell to his ear.
"This is FBI Special Agent William Cooper, 6896, I need two ambulances at 372 Kinnard Avenue. I have an agent down and in need of urgent medical attention."
Kinnard Avenue. The name sounded vaguely familiar and Don tried to remember where he'd heard it before, but was unable to recall it.
"He's got multiple lacerations to his entire upper torso, face and arms, assorted cuts and bruises to his entire body, burn wounds to his face, throat and torso, difficulty breathing, perhaps a few cracked or broken ribs," Billy raised his eyebrow at the last.
Don gave a quick nod before he held up his left hand so his friend could see the swelling and unnatural angle of his fingers.
"Several broken fingers," Billy added, the rage thick in his voice and shooting from his eyes. "Moderate to severe blood loss, malnutrition and possible dehydration. He's been held prisoner and tortured for nearly a week."
The darkness was back at the edge of Don's vision, slowly encroaching upon it now that the adrenaline was finally starting to wear off. He blinked rapidly to try and overcome it, but it was very difficult now that the danger was past; now that there was someone he trusted implicitly present to watch over him.
"No, I've another call to make," Billy stated before he hung up on the person. "Hey, hey, Donny, stay with me here."
"Tired."
"I know, but you gotta stay with me, you know the drill."
"Cruel... bastard."
"Yeah, you know it. Now, how 'bout we call that boy of yours, what's his name? Sin something."
"Sinclair."
"Yeah, him."
With a concentrated effort, Don forced his head up and looked at his friend. Even as he did so, Coop jammed the phone between his shoulder and ear so his hands were free to unlock the cuff still attached to his wrist. He clenched his teeth to suppress the hiss of pain that wanted to escape despite Billy's careful ministrations.
"I need to speak to Special Agent Sinclair immediately, it's an emergency. This is Special Agent Cooper, 6896."
What was he doing here anyway?
"I've found Don," Billy stated without preamble, his eyes focused on his former partner.
Don knew he must have faded out a bit as the next thing he knew, Coop was leaning over him, saying his name and looking concerned.
"I'm here," Don said, trying to focus on something other than the pain.
It amazed him how much he'd relaxed with Billy here. He wasn't even doing it consciously, it was just instinct. It proved how close they'd been, Don figured. Yet now that he was aware of how easily he'd relinquished control to the redhead, he couldn't help but start to think about the situation again.
"You tell... David where... we are?"
"Yeah, they're coming, don't you worry, though I suspect you'll be on the way to the hospital by then," Billy stated. "He sounded really relieved to know I'd found you. You gave everyone quite a scare."
"Not my fault," Don protested weakly. "I was... ambushed an- Keane!"
"Whoa! No, down, stay down!" Billy ordered.
"No, Keane!"
Don tried to push himself upright but found he was no match for the gentle pressure Coop gingerly applied to his shoulders.
"Donny, you need to stay down or you'll hurt yourself even more. Just for once in your life, will you wait for the damned paramedics before getting up?"
"But, Keane!"
"Who's Keane? The guy with the knife in him?"
"Yeah."
"Then relax, I've already checked and cuffed him, did it when I first entered," Billy stated. "He's not going anywhere or doing anything, even if he recovers from that wound. You put the blade there?"
"Yeah. He was... gonna shoot me."
Coop's words calmed Don and he sagged back to the floor before the knowledge of what he'd done hit him.
"You put the blade there?"
It was such an innocuous question in a way. Coop was merely inquiring about what had transpired before his arrival on the scene, but it made Don stop and think about what had happened. From the moment he'd launched himself at Frazer, he'd been acting on a combination of instinct and training. In that type of situation there wasn't much time to think, simply to act and react to what was happening. He'd been relying on his years of experience in the field and his tactical expertise which, as always, had served him well even if he wouldn't still be alive but for Coop's timely arrival on the scene. He'd taken on two healthy and armed opponents while wounded and, essentially, unarmed. The fact that he'd taken out even one of them was a major accomplishment, if he did say so himself.
The thing that really struck him, though, wasn't that he'd successfully taken down Keane, but that he'd done so with a knife. With Frazer's knife, the very same one that had been used to torture him. The mere thought of the weapon was enough to make him shudder as he could perfectly recall the feel of its bite as Frazer traced it over his body. Each and every cut was permanently etched into his memory and just thinking about it threatened to bring it all back to him... simultaneously.
Don swallowed hard, both to help stave off the memories and at the reminder of just how deeply Frazer had managed to reach him. He hated the knowledge, the weakness, that could well ruin his career and affect him for the rest of his life. Not wanting to ponder that thought, he desperately grasped at the only straw he could see. Despite all of the torture and all of the pain that the knife had inflicted upon him in Frazer's hand, he hadn't hesitated. Although it was true that the mere thought of the blade now chilled his blood and threatened to send him under in a deluge of terror and phantom pain, in the heat of the moment he hadn't even hesitated. Instead he'd seen an opportunity, a weapon, and he'd taken it, as simple as that. Whether that was training or merely survival instinct, he didn't know, but it didn't really matter. It gave him hope that, despite everything that had happened to him, had been done to him, he could overcome it.
There was no way he'd let Frazer win, especially now that the man was dead and could never harm him again. Don wasn't sure how to go about combating the all consuming terror that now dwelt within him, but he was damned if he wouldn't try. It was, however, an issue for later. There were more important things to deal with now, and if those things allowed him to turn his mind away from the knife, then so much the better.
It was mind-boggling, really, how quickly the situation had changed. Frazer, dead; Keane, injured and cuffed; Banner, most likely tortured to death at Frazer's hands. That took care of all the immediate players. Wait, what about-
The sound of a door opening startled Coop into action. Before he could blink, Don found Billy crouched protectively before him, his gun out and aimed at the bathroom door where Lawson stood, frozen in place, eyes glued to Coop. The poor boy's mouth was open in a silent scream and Don could read the terror there. Exactly when Lawson had fled to the bathroom, he wasn't sure, but he figured it was probably shortly after he'd launched himself at Frazer and the fighting had begun. The boy had probably cowered there, too scared to come out and see what had happened until now.
"Billy, no!" Don warned, his right hand coming up to touch his old partner's ankle. "He's been coerced into this."
"FBI. Now, step forwards," Billy told Lawson, his gun lowering slightly but not yet being put away. "Slowly and let me see your hands."
Lawson swallowed and his eyes darted down to Don, looking at him questioningly. Don nodded gently at him and watched the boy slowly step out of the restroom and into the main room of the basement. As he moved, the boy's eyes darted to Keane and Frazer, paling dramatically as he realized the latter was dead and saw the knife sticking out of the former.
"It's okay, Greg," Don said gently as Coop checked him for weapons before cuffing his hands in front of him with the handcuffs that he'd removed from Don earlier. "You're safe and your sister will be fine. This is Special Agent Billy Cooper."
"Cooper?" Lawson echoed, eyes wide. "The one Frazer wanted?"
"Frazer wanted me?" Coop inquired.
"Yeah, he finally decided you were involved and responsible too," Don explained wearily. "He was coming after you next."
"Really?"
"It was his second favorite topic," Lawson said, voice trembling. "Right after..."
"Yeah, I'll bet," Billy responded, following the boy's eyes to Don. "Goddamn bastard. Should'a shot him the first time 'round. Would have saved us a lot of trouble and pain."
"No. Keane would have found someone else," Don declared. "Someone not connected to you. What are you doing here anyway?"
"Got called in to consult on Frazer's case as soon as I'd caught the fugitive I was hunting. They had no leads and wanted to know how we'd caught him," Billy said, gently pushing Lawson towards the desk chair where he could keep an eye on him until backup arrived. "The moment I saw the file, I realized the order to alert you was missing."
"Yeah, Keane had it removed."
The sudden narrowing of Coop's eyes at Lawson's full body flinch told Don his partner had figured out exactly who had removed that alert. He silently begged him not to do anything rash and though he could tell Billy was fairly vibrating with the need to do something, to hurt someone, he restrained it, returning to his side instead.
"As soon as I heard that you'd vanished without a trace, I knew, just knew, Frazer was involved."
"So you came to LA."
"Couldn't stop me, not that Jennings tried to. He remembered Darien Frazer and his threats only all too well. Wait, Keane would have found someone else? This wasn't Frazer's thing?"
"No, but Keane wanted people to think so," Don explained, fading. "I'm not a target, just a pawn. Charlie..."
"What?" Billy exclaimed. "What about your brother?"
"He, Keane, they," Lawson began. "They wanted Dr. Eppes to hack something- NSA security, for them."
"Wh- the NSA?"
"Y... yes."
"Information," Don said. "Keane works for some guy... Blakely, who was stealing it for... client."
"Shit. Has anything been compromised?" Billy demanded, phone already in hand.
"No."
"You sure?"
"Yes. Charlie... Charlie's not done."
"Your brother knew? About what happened to you?"
"Yeah."
"And he didn't tell anyone?"
"Banner-" Lawson's voice hitched. "He told Dr. Eppes they'd k- kill his brother if he did."
"Shit."
"Yeah... basically," Don agreed. "They took... photos."
"They gave the Math Whiz photos of you? Like this?" Billy demanded, incredulous. "Jesus."
"Yes," Lawson confirmed, bringing up the surveillance footage on the monitors.
Don listened absently as Coop questioned Lawson some more, most of his attention on the various miniature Charlies scribbling away at his blackboards, desperately seeking to achieve the impossible. The relief that his little brother wouldn't have to feel like he'd gotten him killed was enormous. He couldn't have put it into words if he'd tried and Don allowed himself to simply enjoy it.
Impossibly, things seemed to have worked out in his favor after all, if not quite how he'd wanted or predicted it to. Both his father and brother were safe, untouched by either Keane or Frazer, and the precious information wasn't out in the open. His pain and suffering were a small price to pay for all of that and he'd go through it again to ensure this outcome, especially if it meant his family was unharmed.
Chapter 24