Numb3rs Fic: Flight, Chapter Three/10

[aleo_70]

Title: Flight
Author: ALEOaleo_70
Genre: Gen
Characters: Don, Charlie, Alan
Rating: PG 13+
Warning: some violence
Spoilers: nil
Summary: Sometimes a criminal isn't an enemy and cops aren't friends

Status: Chapter 3 of 10
Wordcount (this chapter): 2795
Total wordcount: ~28,200

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I just borrowed them. Numb3rs and its characters are the property of those that created them. No copyright infringement intended. No financial reward gained. All real places and organisations are used in a fictional sense. Original characters and the storyline are mine however.

CHAPTER THREE

“Okay, its time to move.” The older man declared half an hour or so later.  There had been no further sign of the helicopter.

Don stood but hesitated as he wondered whether he should push his luck.  “If I don’t want to?”

“You want to take me on that’s up to you.  Just remember that with that busted wing of yours it won’t take much for me to get you to change your mind will it?”  Nelson said in a very matter-of-fact tone as he touched one finger to Don’s right arm still cradled protectively in the makeshift sling.

“I guess not.”  The light tap had increased the painful throbbing and Nelson hadn’t been trying to cause him pain.  At the moment it was a more effective threat than the holstered gun.

His position was tenuous.  He could try to resist and pay the price, his broken arm was too much of a handicap and too easy for Nelson to use against him.  The pain would incapacitate him leaving him at the other man’s mercy.  If he tried to escape and was actually able to outrun Nelson, something that was highly unlikely with both legs injured, he would be alone in the night forest.  His condition would make him easy prey for hungry predators.  He had no way of finding a path back to the wreckage or to the nearest roadway.  He may have seen a map some years back but without knowing exactly where he was in the first place he had no hope of navigating to a specific location.  There was still also the gun when all else failed.  Digging his heels in was not an option, he had no choice but to go with Nelson to the rendezvous he’d arranged.  So given he had to leave the safety of the cave, he came to the conclusion that it was actually safer, for the moment, to remain in Nelson’s company. 

“Alright Agent, let’s go.”  Nelson insisted, pointing out to one side where the ground sloped less steeply.

Don limped painfully in the direction indicated concentrating in the dark to try and pick out his path before his eyes fully adjusted to the moonlight.  He could see a ridgeline above them and it seemed that was their destination for now.  Fortunately the slope here was not too bad and though they were both limping and moving slowly they were definitely making effective progress.  That seemed to back up his theoretical knowledge that an injured person in moderate terrain could hike up to a mile or so in an hour depending on the severity of their injuries.  Neither Don nor Nelson were too badly injured so they were actually making reasonable time considering. 

“If you truly mean me no harm and are going to let me go then I won’t cause you any trouble.”  Don said after they had been moving for a few minutes. 

He had pushed the man earlier and now was paying for it as the previously cordial atmosphere between them had shifted more to captor and hostage.  It was clear that for a while at least he would have no control over what happened so in that light he would prefer it if they could revert to a less tense relationship.  Nelson’s response and apparent change of intentions served instead to vindicate his concerns.

“I’ve already told you that I’m going to try to get you to hospital.  I mean that.  But believe me, I am going to disappear and if I have to use you to make that happen then that is what I will do.”  He saw the agent falter momentarily at his words before continuing up the hill.  Nelson had used the time whilst waiting to be sure the search had been suspended to think further on his options. 

He thought back to when he’d woken up in the wreckage and found the agent deeply unconscious and trapped.  Looking forward to the nose of the plane he’d found only a crumpled mass of metal.  After limping around to the front of the wreckage a single glance had been more than enough to tell him the status of the pilot.  He then checked the terrain around them and after a few minutes recognised the area.  Considering the situation Nelson’s initial thought was to hike out to the road that he knew wasn’t too far away and head down towards the small township several miles away.  Perhaps when he got that far he would be able to flag down a car heading back towards Albuquerque.  But then he saw fresh bear scat nearby and knew he had no alternative.  Despite the unconscious man being a cop and intent on delivering him to LA he couldn’t leave him behind without protection.  That meant he had to take him with him if he was able to rouse him and dig him free.  He was not going to stay and guard him at the wreckage.  That was the first place rescuers and other cops would look for them.

The immediate need was to ensure that he had a means of protecting them both from bears and the other predators in the area and that meant the agent’s firearm.  As he pulled the holstered weapon from the agent’s waist the man stirred and mumbled something.  Nelson slid the holster over his own belt, familiarising himself with the release, before recovering the man’s cell phone.  The cell responded when he switched it on allowing him to make a call.  Real rescue arranged he got back to work, pulling away the remains of a seat from over the man’s legs.  He’d checked the agent over and quickly discovered the rapidly growing swelling on the right arm, but fortunately the legs which had been pinned seemed uninjured.  The agent mumbled something else and started trying to move.  Nelson had pulled him up and was relieved when the semi-conscious agent had cooperated and simply stumbled along wherever he was led.  By the time he’d started to question what was going on Nelson had almost reached his goal, the small cave he’d camped in once before. 

Then the agent had fallen and was out cold forcing Nelson to carry him the short distance to the cave.  From the small stash of dry wood he’d left there after his last visit he’d built a fire and had tended to the man’s injuries doing what he’d could, his own had needed no treatment.  During that time his resolve had firmed that he was going to meet up with his boys and Jack on the road near Bosque Spring no matter what the agent wanted.  The problem had still remained regarding the man’s safety and delaying the discovery that Nelson had taken flight.

The agent had woken not long after his decision and the conversation that followed along with his reaction to being disarmed had made it clear that he suspected Nelson of having nefarious intentions towards him.  The agent had actually helped him crystallise a plan.  He’d not been thinking of the situation in quite that light.  His intention had purely been to ensure the other man’s safety and his own escape.  But he was made to see that whilst the plane crash had presented one opportunity, the agent’s now unwilling presence presented a second.  With both the weapon and the injured agent in his control Nelson would be able to ensure his continued freedom if any attempt was made to recapture him before he could vanish.  He just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.  He may have been living on what cops considered the wrong side of the law for most of his life but he’d never done anything quite as serious as this.

Shaking off his thoughts as they reached the top of the first ridge he tapped the agent on the shoulder and pointed off to the left towards another ridge.  “That way.” 

“You want to avoid LA this badly?”  Don finally queried as he turned and headed up the new slope.  Nelson’s long silence was disturbing and he wanted to distract him from what were obviously deep thoughts. 

“I want to avoid a crooked cop and his friends.”

The investigator in Don perked up.  “There are others that should be on trial?”

“What do you think?”  Nelson scoffed.  “Of course there are others, at least two that I know of.”

“Who?”

“Nah-uh, Agent.”  Nelson said from his position a short distance behind.  Despite the agent promising to cooperate he wasn’t taking any chances, keeping his distance and making the agent move ahead of him.  “Not going to tell you what I know.”

“Why not?  I’ve already told you I don’t know this detective.  Remember, I’m not LAPD, I’m FBI.”

“You’re still a cop.  You may be clean, but I don’t know who you know so I’m not saying anything.”

“Look, tell me what you know.”  Don insisted.  “We can change your status and get you into protective custody or maybe witness protection.    Nothing is more closely guarded than the location of a protected witness.  There is no way that the LAPD will be able to track you.  I won’t even be able to find you.  You’ll be safe.”

“That’s assuming I even get there or that your lot will care that much about a couple of dirty cops.”

“We care about dirty cops, believe me, especially if they are killing.  We’ve taken a few down.”  Don stopped and turned to face the witness.  “Give me my cell and I’ll call my boss, we can get this done on the QT.”  His mind was already running over the possibility of releasing information that Nelson had been killed in the crash further ensuring his safety.  For the moment he was even prepared to allow Nelson to keep the gun if it meant the return of his phone and contact with the LA Field Office.

Nelson appeared to give it a few moments consideration but waved his hand pointing back up along the slope.  “Keep going.  Thanks for the kind offer, but no.”

Don opened his mouth to continue his argument but the look on Nelson’s face showed that it would be pointless just at the moment.  Perhaps once he felt safer he would be more willing to listen to reason.  The only difficulty was that time would be when Nelson had his friend and family with him to back his side of the argument against the voice of one lone agent.  That, of course, was looking on the positive side that said lone agent wouldn’t be summarily removed from the equation when no longer needed.  Nelson didn’t look the type nor did his history suggest that he was up for taking out a cop or a fed but one could never tell.  Even though he was starting to believe Nelson would try to get him to hospital Don also believed that if Nelson became desperate enough then he would be capable of anything, already operating outside what his history had shown likely.  The others on the way to meet them were a complete unknown.  Clamping his mouth closed he turned and continued his hobble up the hillside.

They had just crested what had turned out to be the last ridge and turned to follow it down towards a valley when the major reason for Don’s cooperation manifested itself.  The black bear was none too pleased when Don limped around a clump of rocks and practically came face to muzzle with it.  The agent hadn’t been paying close attention to what was in front of him, thinking instead on his situation when he saw what he’d assumed was a rock suddenly move.  Rising up onto its hind legs the bear presented an intimidating image.  Don estimated it weighed over 300 pounds.  The bear sniffed loudly and made a grunting noise before opening its mouth to show off its impressive teeth that almost glowed in the moonlight.  The front paws contained wickedly long and curved claws and were poised ready for action.

Don’s natural, instinctive reaction when fronted with a predator bigger and more able than he was to freeze.  There was a brief and unequal standoff as each observed the other.  Don suddenly felt a warmth as Nelson moved in close behind him, left hand gripping his shoulder.  Out of the corner of his eye Don saw the other man slowly raise his right arm aiming the Glock at the bear.  The weapon seemed impossibly puny against the animal but Don was confident that the law enforcement ammunition would make even the bear take notice.

“Back up slowly, no sudden movements.”  Nelson ordered in a low monotone, his breath hot against Don’s ear.

“Uh-huh.”  Don thought the advice was particularly appropriate.  He shifted his weight back and slowly slid one foot back a few inches, then the other, the pain in his ankle and knee forgotten.  Nelson moved with him keeping the gun up and aimed squarely at the animal threatening them.

“Keep moving back slowly.”  Nelson encouraged as the bear took a small shambling step towards them.  “Be ready to start yelling if I tell you to.”

That bit of advice Don was not so sure of.  He would have thought that yelling at the bear was more likely to antagonize it than to diffuse the situation.  But he had to allow that as a hunter the witness knew what he was talking about.  They moved another few feet, reversing Don’s course around the outcropping.  The bear didn’t follow, letting out a few more grunts to see them off.  Once well clear of the rocks they stopped and waited, rewarded a moment later with a dull thud as the bear returned to all fours.  Long seconds passed and finally there was the welcome noise of the bear heading away from them with one last faint grunt.  Don thought the animal sounded satisfied that it had scared them off.

The hand on his shoulder pulled at him and then pushed him in a slightly different direction.  He gladly started moving away from the rocks on a tangent from their original course.  Despite frequently checking over his right shoulder the bear didn’t make a re-appearance.  After another couple of hundred yards Don had to stop.  He let out a long breath as he slid to the ground with the aid of a handy rock, after checking there were no bears in residence of course.

“That was too close.”  He commented finally in relief.  Dealing with dangerous offenders was one thing, a pissed off bear was something else entirely different.  Somehow the FBI Academy had missed a subject; ‘Taking Down Wildlife’ just wasn’t in the curriculum.

“Yeah.”  Nelson looked back the way they had just come.  He was in complete agreement.  When he’d seen the agent freeze and then the reason for it he had wondered which way the man would react, panic or remain calm.  He’d bet on calm and was not surprised when Agent Eppes had kept his head and followed instructions.  Panic could have gotten them both killed.  At best if he’d been forced to shoot at the bear the gunshots would have carried on the still night air alerting possible rescuers to their presence.

“Thanks.”

Nelson lowered himself to the ground to sit next to the agent, the gun still in his right hand draped over his knee.  “You’re welcome.”

In response to the completely open and honest tone Don looked over at Nelson in speculation.  They shared a companionable silence as he considered that perhaps he had misjudged him.  Perhaps Nelson truly was concerned with keeping him safe, not just to avoid blame, but because that was the type of man he was. 

He suddenly shook his head and turned away.  Don had to shut that line of thinking down.  The FBI Academy ran other courses, other lessons that he needed to take heed of.  The agent had to remind himself that his benefactor had still threatened him.  His gun that Nelson was just now holstering was not in the other man’s possession by choice.  If he’d been in this position with someone he trusted such as a member of his team or even Charlie and they had the weapon for protection there would be no problem.  His right arm was useless and although he could handle the weapon and shoot left handed it was better if the gun was in the hands of a more physically able and more importantly, a trusted person.  Nelson did not fit into that last category. 

Don knew that once they left the forest and his survival was no longer in jeopardy from wildlife or the elements his continued company with Nelson would become entirely unwilling on his part.

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