Numb3rs Fic: Pressure, Chapter Two/7

[aleo_70]

Title: Pressure
Author: aleo_70  
Rating: PG 13+
Genre: Gen
Characters: Don, with cameo by David
Challenge: Clue Challenge #9, March 2010 at hurt_don  .  Prompts: Who? - Don ; What? - Explosion; Where? - Crime Scene.
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.
Spoilers: Nil
Warnings: some violence
Word count this chapter: 3321
Word count total: ~22,800

Summary: Finding himself dragged into a mad bombers plan Don wonders if he will survive the day.

 

CHAPTER TWO

The silence stretched as he continued driving, interrupted only by the instructions on what turns he was to make.  While he was tense and edgy with the enforced quiet when there were questions he needed answered, Mason appeared to have calmed so that made it worthwhile.  After another cautious sidelong glance at the man Don decided to give it a little longer before trying again.  In the end the choice was taken out of his hands by the ringing of his cell phone just as they’d completed a second rough circuit of the crime scene.

“Who is it?”  Mason asked immediately, almost as if he was waiting for the call which he may very well have been.

Taking that as permission Don pulled the cell off his belt and looked at the outer screen.  The caller’s number was restricted.  Given that he should have checked in some time ago he was safe on the identity of the caller.  “The office.”

“Let it go.”

From Mason’s reaction to the ring that wasn’t the order Don expected as he waited for it to ring out.  Fifteen seconds never felt like so long.  Finally it stopped and he set the Bluetooth, placed the phone into the cradle and continued to drive in silence, obeying directions to turn.  The phone was going to ring again and at some point he wanted it answered, for his situation to become known and arguing with Mason now could put that at jeopardy.  Why he’d been told to let it ring out he couldn’t fathom.

It made no sense, the bomber had to want to get some sort of message across by the very nature of his actions.  The bombs were placed for a reason, the escalation also had a reason just as taking a hostage had a purpose somewhere in the man’s plans.  Mason had to open a line of dialogue at some point either directly or, as seemed likely now, via a proxy such as an agent under duress.  Otherwise the man could have just as easily driven himself around in an ambulance to match the uniform he was wearing or even better, travel in style by hiring a limo with an unsuspecting driver.  Kicking back in a hotel room would have been even more comfortable and far less effort than keeping a finger pressed on a button but that leant itself to a static siege which Mason wanted to avoid.  A few minutes later the phone rang and again he was told to ignore it which only served to increase his frustration.  Mason would get nothing for all his efforts if he didn’t ask for what he wanted.  Don had to force himself to open his hands, stretching them as they started to cramp from gripping the steering wheel so tightly.

“Alright,” Mason said as the phone started to ring for the third time, the gap between calls shortening.  “Now you can answer it.”

Despite it being what he wanted it just opened up a whole new line of complexity and he hesitated in the very action of reaching for the phone to answer it.  “And say what?”

“Whatever you want.”

Again, not what he expected.  Mason was giving him free rein?  “I can tell them about this?  About you and the bomb?”

“Bombs.”

The hand he had resting on the face of his cell about to accept the call suddenly dropped as he gave the man a long look.  He didn’t see anything that would make him think the man was lying.  “Bombs?  Plural?”

Jerking his empty hand back Mason said, “Backseat.”

Quickly glancing at the traffic to be sure he had a clear moment Don twisted and looked back between the seats for the bag the man had been carrying earlier and found it on the seat.  Something else caught his eye and he glanced downwards to see a second bag of the type frequently carried by paramedics resting on the passenger side floor.  So there had been more than just the bomb under his seat and the cell phone left in his car earlier.  Both bags were an ideal way to smuggle a bomb around a crime scene.  He wondered which bag the man was referring to, or even worse, if he was referring to both.  Inwardly he winced at the memory of the way the bag the man had been carrying had been tossed behind them earlier, if it didn’t contain a bomb it could have landed on the bag that did.

“I was going to put it in the back but you at least remembered to lock that.”  Mason chided as the agent turned back to look at him.  His comment cleared up one point, the second bomb was in the bag on the floor.

Don felt a flush of anger at the rebuke, he’d not locked his SUV because it was inside the guarded perimeter of a crime scene.  The caged off rear section however was always locked unless he was getting something out of it.  There was too much valuable and dangerous equipment to risk it, even in a guarded crime scene.  Firearms, such as his rifle and back up Glock, always had to be kept under lock and key when not in use.  With a mental shake he got himself back on track and reached for the phone before it finished ringing out. 

“Eppes.” The situation he was in made his voice harder than normal.

“Yeah, hey Don.  I’ve been trying to reach you.”  David’s clipped voice came through the speakers.  Clearly he was busy as would be expected given what had happened today and that his boss had seemingly gone MIA.  “You on your way back in yet?  The ADIC’s chasing a report.”

Don glanced over at his passenger to see if he was still free to speak before answering.  The man simply stared back so the agent got on with it.  “David, I’m with the bomber.”

There was a shocked pause.  Whatever David may have been thinking Don was going to say, it certainly wasn’t that.  “Say again?”

“His name is Mason and he has placed a bomb in my car.”  The best way to deliver bad news was bluntly and he stuck with that.  “He’s here with me now.”

David’s voice was careful.  “He’s holding you?”

“Yes.”  Understanding David’s position he spelt it out.  “He has my weapon and a bomb under my seat rigged to a dead-man’s switch in his hand.  He states he has a second bomb in a bag in here with us as well.” 

There was a longer pause this time and a click as David transferred the call to a recorded line.  David’s voice was fainter due to the extra equipment between them, but no less tense.  “He’s listening in?”

“You’re on speaker.”  Don confirmed.  He sat back, his part was pretty much done, the rest of the conversation should be between the negotiator and the bomber.

“My name is David Sinclair,” The now Acting Agent in Charge introduced himself.  “What do we need to do to resolve this situation?”

“The situation will resolve itself, Agent Sinclair.”  Mason answered calmly. 

“What do we need to do to ensure Agent Eppes’ safety?”

“Don’t stop us or interfere with us in any way and I see no reason to risk Agent Eppes’ life any further than it is now.”

Don didn’t find that particularly reassuring.

“Where are you going?”

“Nowhere you need to know about.”

Mason was giving David the same sort of infuriating answers he’d given his hostage.  But his words did give Don the indication that perhaps there was an end destination in mind rather than the mostly aimless driving they’d been doing up to now.  Perhaps his fuel status wasn’t the main factor deciding when things would come to a head, contrary to Mason’s earlier words.  Given the lack of real answers so far a misleading one wasn’t so unlikely.

“What do you want?”

That was the million dollar question and Don almost held his breath as he waited to hear what this was all about.  He was to be disappointed, but then, given the way things had gone until now he wasn’t surprised.

“Exactly what I have.” 

“Which is?”

Mason still didn’t seem inclined to provide any real answers to David’s questions, waving his hand in a gesture Don took to mean he was to take this one.

“I’ve got no idea what he wants, David.  He won’t tell me either.  He seems happy with whatever this is for the moment.  We’re just driving around downtown.”  He couldn’t keep the frustration out of his tone.

David clearly heard the emotion and sounded almost apologetic as he pushed.  “Anywhere in particular downtown?”

He’d not discerned any real pattern, their second circuit had taken a different route to the first so he couldn’t even point his agent towards any particular target like a building they’d passed more than once.  Their focal point had already been bombed and was crawling with police and agents so that was out.  Another glance at Mason reassured him he was still free to speak, seemingly not caring what he might say.  But then again, as he didn’t actually know anything there was little he could say that could likely cause any damage to the man’s plans.

“Not that I can tell, we just seem to be spiralling outwards from the crime scene.”

“What do we need to do to have you released?”

“He’s not going anywhere, Agent Sinclair.”  Mason answered firmly at that.  He stared at his driver for a few seconds before adding, “I think you have what you need for now.”

At the cutting motion Don reached out to the phone.  “Sorry, David.  I have to go.”  He pressed the button to disconnect the call before David could protest.  “So what did that achieve?  You didn’t make any demands.”

“I don’t need to make demands, not yet.”

Don seized on the newest scrap of information.  “Not yet?  So there will be a demand?”

“Of course, you don’t think I’m doing all this for nothing do you?”

He’d considered it a possibility.  Who knew what the man was after given his lack of explanation thus far?  It wouldn’t be the first time that it was just the attention, the only motivation they’d come up with during their investigation to date.  He wasn’t going to say that though, telling someone that what they thought was important wasn’t considered important by others was a sure fire way of antagonising them.  Antagonising the man with the remote was something he’d avoid where he could, particularly where it would be little better than a cheap shot. 

“Hardly, but why won’t you at least tell me what it is?  It’s not like I can tell anyone unless you let me.”

“What would telling you achieve for me?”

“Nothing.”  Don had to admit, aside from a little peace of mind for himself.  Or maybe not, depending on what it was, he argued back to himself.  Out loud he added, “Unless it is something you want me to act on, or get others to act on for you.”

“Like you’d know these people.”  Mason scoffed.

“Who?”  The agent demanded.  This was far more than he’d had before, finally something to work with.  “Who are we talking about?  Are you working for others?”

“You think I’m a terrorist or something?”  The other man responded heatedly.

“The thought crossed my mind.  You’ve blown things up and now you’ve targeted a government agent.”  Don explained, at this point the definition of ‘terrorist’ would seem to fit.

“Well, I’m not.  I’m working for me.”  Mason argued indignantly.

“So what then, money?”

Now the man laughed, a short bark as he found some amusement in the question.  “We all want money, even you.  But I’m not after that, at least not in the way you mean.  Right, here.”

Don was back to grinding his teeth as he took the new turn.  Mason was determined not to give him a straight answer to anything aside from his reaction to being accused of being a terrorist.  At least that was a solid response, whoever he may have been working for it wasn’t a terrorist group, that much Don was now reasonably sure of.  Or at least not a group that Mason categorised as terrorist, Don amended, which was less reassuring.  Not that the distinction either way really helped him much, in fact it probably made things a little harder.  A terrorist with fairly standard demands they had standard responses to.

“So not money.  Do you want someone out of jail?  Out of office?”  Another thought struck him, “Or into office?”

“Politics?  Really?  I already told you this was for me.  Your FBI experts couldn’t work that out.”  Mason taunted, before a hint of anger coloured his words.  “Let me make it clear for you, I’m working for me.”

“Yeah, I heard that.  But how does this work for you?”  Don lifted his hand in a gesture taking in everything that had happened and was yet to happen.  “Driving around town in circles and not making any demands when the opportunity presents?”

“The correct opportunity, as you put it, hasn’t presented.”  Mason stuck to his less than enlightening replies.  “We have to wait a while for that.”

Don’s cell phone interrupted whatever he might have found to say in response to that.  Receiving a nod he pressed the green button.  “Eppes.”

“This is David Sinclair.”  The other agent announced.  “I’m calling to give a head’s up.  I don’t want you to be alarmed, Mason, but LAPD will be taking up position with you shortly.”

The information was what Don had been expecting.  Ever since David’s first call he’d been watching his mirrors for signs.  This call confirmed that Mason had not disabled the GPS on his SUV, something he’d doubted the man would have had the time to do anyway.  If Mason forced the tail to back off they could still be tracked by the GPS in his cell which would have perhaps taken a little longer and be maybe a touch less accurate.  In the meanwhile having live eyes on the target only helped David work on a solution.

Mason barely glanced around, seemingly unconcerned even as he gave his warning.  “They better not try to stop us.”

“They’re under strict instructions to follow, not interfere.”

Don knew that wasn’t quite true but the actions of the vehicles was going to look exactly like that was their orders.  As long as they kept driving around there wasn’t a whole lot they could do anyway, at least not until some more resources were in place.  He was fairly certain however that they would have orders to interfere if they were to try to do something a bit more aggressive, say like drive into a mall or a schoolyard.  At that point he’d probably find a black & white driven across his path.

“They can follow.”

“If you would like I can have them clear traffic for you.”  David offered.  That was a more subtle way of asking for a destination.  The police would have to know where they were going if they were to clear the way for them.

“They can follow.”  Mason repeated his earlier words a little more firmly as he clearly understood the real slant to the question.  “I’m sure Agent Eppes can clear traffic if that becomes an issue.”

That just showed another reason why taking an agent hostage was to Mason’s advantage.  He had control of an emergency vehicle fitted out with all the equipment necessary to demand right-of-way through any traffic snarls.  He may not be sharing his plans but it was clear, as per their profile, he’d given things some thought.

“Just trying to help.”  David responded smoothly.  “Is there anything you want or need that I can get for you?”

Don nodded slightly to himself at the question.  It was pretty much what he would have done in the other agent’s position.  With the lack of pro-active demands David was trying to prompt the bomber into making some, much as what he’d been trying to do earlier.  They needed something to work with, something to start the to-and-fro of the negotiating process.  Almost on cue he heard sirens approaching and within seconds a pair of LAPD cruisers slid into place behind them.  They maintained a respectful position far enough back so as not to be an overt threat but they were close enough that their presence provided the start of the pressure David would bring to bear as time went on.

Mason turned in his seat to watch the two units for a few seconds as they settled into place.  As he turned back Don didn’t miss the satisfied expression on his face.  “No, Agent Sinclair.  I’ve got all that I want or need for now.  So unless you have something else you need to tell me?  No?”

At the cutting motion Don ended the call.  Mason hadn’t really given David any time to say anything else even if he had something, but that really didn’t matter.  It would give David the excuse to call back if he did have something as Don knew there was.  Their scramble time was impressive but it was still going to be a little longer before the FBI SWAT team would be in a position to join them.  David’s next call would be to report their arrival, unless something else came up first.

“You want them there.”  Don said as Mason once again turned and assessed the following LAPD units, a third car sliding into place.  He seemed perfectly calm as the number of following police increased.  That was a little out of the ordinary, most offenders demanded that the police back off.  “You want the cops on our tail.”

“Of course.  It all adds to the scene.”

“The what?”  The bomber just kept coming up with things that weren’t standard for the scenario he’d created.  “What scene?” 

Mason sat back, shaking his head.  He waved at the next corner with the hand holding the remote.  “Turn right.”

Don took the turn and then the next a block later.  They were virtually heading back the way they had just come, reversing their circuit.  The sudden change prompted him to once again ask, “Where are we going?”

“Turn when I tell you.”

“We’re going back somewhere?”

“Just keeping it interesting, don’t want anyone getting bored with the action.”  Mason said evasively, almost offhandedly, even as Don got the feeling he was once again getting annoyed at being questioned.

The other man’s feelings were the least of his worries.  He replayed the answer in his mind feeling he was missing something but it didn’t come to him.  Instead he was reminded of the comment moments ago, the two were related, he was sure of it even if he couldn’t figure out exactly how.  Again he found himself pressing the man for answers.  “What scene are you setting up?”

“You really don’t like taking no for an answer do you?”

“You wanted a driver that didn’t ask questions you should have hired a limo.”  Don pointed out.  “Instead you picked an FBI agent.”  He managed to keep the ‘so deal with it’ off the end.  The bomber seemed to hear it anyway.

“Don’t make me regret my choice, Agent.”  Mason warned.

“I already do.”  Don muttered as he turned away.  They’d reached the point where he had to let it go again.

Demonstrating sharp ears the bomber let out a snort before toying with his hostage.  “Not as much as you could.”

That was only a matter of time, Don thought to himself as he outwardly ignored the comment.  This new stage of the game had barely started as best he could tell and whilst his role wasn’t totally clear, that much he could bank on.

 

Next chapter - here

Comments

[lark_ascends]

Again, not what he expected. Mason was giving him free rein? “I can tell them about this? About you and the bomb?”

“Bombs.”

The hand he had resting on the face of his cell about to accept the call suddenly dropped as he gave the man a long look. He didn’t see anything that would make him think the man was lying. “Bombs? Plural?”

Jerking his empty hand back Mason said, “Backseat.”

Oh, I hadn't seen that coming.

Poor stressed Don. Would have to be mighty freaked out. And at some point, if this goes on for too long, I think the media is going to start picking it up, which could be fun in the long run for Alan.

[aleo-70.livejournal.com]

I think you may have been reading ahead...

And no, Don doesn't need to suck down the coffees to keep his heart going, the stress will do that for him. Doesn't do much for his temper though.

[iawenbemerry.livejournal.com]

I want to read ahead! LOL!! I can be patient. Good chapter. Gulp. Poor Don.

[aleo-70.livejournal.com]

Poor Don indeed.