Numb3rs fic: Hostage, Chapter 2/4
Title: Hostage
Author:
aleo_70
Rating: PG 13+
Genre: Gen
Characters: Don Eppes with cameo by Alan and Charlie
Challenge: Clue Challenge #24, June 2011 at
hurt_don . Prompts: Who? Don; What? Handcuffs; Where? Apartment
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: violence
Word count this chapter: 2055
Word count total: ~9,200
Summary: Don discovers a neighbour is more than he seems when he finds himself taken hostage in his own apartment.
CHAPTER TWO
With a quick glance reassuring him that Parker was engrossed in his task Don shifted slightly on the couch as he turned his attention back to his front door.
The thought of escape died quickly however as he saw the chain was in place, way too high for him to reach with cuffed hands. He could use his mouth to slide it aside but then he’d have put his back to the door to try to turn the deadbolt by feel before he could even try for the handle. A normally simple task was suddenly difficult in his current position and would take far too much time. Distracted as he may be at the moment Parker was sure to be on him before he’d even come close to getting the door open. He remembered the earlier threat in his ear and whilst things had calmed down since there was now a gun in play. He had to wait until he could be sure he had a reasonable chance of success before attempting his escape.
Parker returned a minute later, a glass of water in his spare hand. At Don’s raised eyebrow he stood back a moment. “Look, I’m not much of a fan of cops, or feds, but your being in this mess isn’t your fault. You gave me the chance I needed, and a gun, so I’m good with giving you some water for your throat.”
Accepting the offer for what it was Don nodded and took a mouthful of water as the glass was tipped up. Swallowing hurt but he took another careful sip before pulling back and nodding his thanks.
“See? As far as you’re concerned I’m not such a bad guy.”
Don barely caught the snort at that. A glass of water did not a good guy make, not with everything else he was doing. Careful not to antagonise the man and trying not to be too accusatory he once again arched an eyebrow and glanced briefly down at the gun. He wanted to get his point across, given their current situation and despite his protestations, Parker was a bad guy.
Putting the glass aside Parker perched on the edge of the coffee table, turning the gun over in his hands in contemplation. After a moment he looked back as up one side of his mouth quirked up in a wry smile. “I see your point. Perhaps not a good guy then,” he admitted. The smile slipped away as he nodded out through the door. “If they had their way I’d be on my way to jail right now instead of here and I’m sure you’d rather that’s where I was, hmm?”
Don’s enforced silence was making the man talkative. Giving a slight shrug of one shoulder he tried to keep his expression relatively neutral. He had no idea why the man had been raided or arrested even if his subsequent actions suggested he needed to be in custody. If the man rightfully thought he was just an innocent bystander then despite their current situation it should work in his favour.
“It’s what I’d want in your position,” Parker said before standing and pacing for a moment. “Look, you can help me right? Don’t look at me like that, I know you can help, you’re a fed. You get me out of here and I’ll let you go as soon as we’re clear.”
Don considered. The man’s desperate, yet confidently violent, action out in the corridor suggested that he needed to consider the possibility that Parker could kill him as he’d earlier threatened. That contrasted somewhat to apologising to him and giving him water for his throat. As to whether any of that translated to a willingness to release him if he did get away was another story.
He glanced once again at the gun. His first reaction was for Parker to go to hell but the threat posed by the weapon was a good one and he could be honest with himself in understanding he was going to be obeying the man’s orders until he could find a way to escape. He’d stood against armed offenders before in an effort to save lives, but here today it was just his own life on the line, no one else’s. It came down to the simple fact that he didn’t want to die. There was really no choice, he had to do as he was ordered but as a federal agent he wasn’t going to make it easy.
Parker frowned as he read something in his hostage’s expression. He hadn’t missed the latest glance at the weapon in his hands. He brought it up, his expression hardening as he aimed it the agent. “You don’t know me but you need to have one thing clear, I will use this if I have to. Fed or no fed. You feeling me?”
Don’s eyes narrowed as the mood abruptly darkened. He pulled his gaze away from the muzzle of the gun and studied Parker’s face but saw nothing to doubt that he could make good on the threat. Parker was right; Don really didn’t know who he was dealing with. He was saved from responding by the sound of his landline ringing.
They both looked to the phone before staring at each other. Don waited as Parker looked at him appraisingly.
“Negotiator?”
Don shook his head. Too soon. It would be one of the detectives from the hall most likely, following the book and making some contact with the barricaded subject. The early contact was necessary to let the subject know he’d not been forgotten and that his needs were important. The longer they let it run without at least touching base the more desperate the subject was likely to become placing the hostage at greater risk.
“Hunh. Then they can wait.”
At that Don shook his head emphatically before jerking his head at the phone. Parker needed to at least answer the call, even if he didn’t make his demands at this stage. It wasn’t just the subject that was normally somewhat desperate at this early stage; the police on the scene were still operating on adrenalin and would likely react if they felt they had to.
“You’re saying I should answer it?” Parker queried. “They’re not going to be able to give me anything though, are they?”
He’d nodded his head at the first question but now followed up with a slow shake of his head. Again he ground his teeth together, this time in frustration. He needed to be able to speak or even write notes but he could do neither to make himself more clearly understood. He jerked his head again at the phone.
“Fine.” Parker moved, plucking the cordless handset from its base and pressing the button to answer the call. “What? ... I already got your name when you cuffed me. ... That’s right. I've got a gun now so you better stay back. ... The fed? Yeah I know who he is. He’s fine and will stay that way unless you do something stupid. ... Huh, I don’t think he’s up to much talking.”
Able only to hear one side of the conversation it was simple enough to follow what was being asked based on Parker’s responses. The latest response was to a demand to speak to the hostage. Don caught Parker’s eye and nodded, he would have to try to speak to them, or more likely cough at them. Whatever he managed, they needed to know he was still alive and in one piece.
“Wait.” Parker snapped into the phone. He returned to his perch on the coffee table, the handset pressed against his chest to afford some privacy. “You just tell them you’re okay, nothing else.”
As the gun jerked to reinforce the command and remind him of the potential consequences Don rolled his eyes, what else did he have to say assuming he could even string more than two words together? He looked back over at the man now frowning in him in displeasure and after a brief stare, nodded his understanding of the order. He’d insisted on the call being answered, he needed to play his role.
“Yes?” Don tried to say after Parker held the handset up against his ear. It was too much and his throat spasmed again.
“Special Agent Don Eppes?” The man on the end of the line asked before the tone sharpened into an urgent question as Don coughed. “Are you alright?”
Don managed a response that let the detective know he’d both got the name right and he was mostly okay.
“This is Detective Goodridge, Agent. I know you’re hurting but has he done anything else to you?”
He was reminded of the blow to the side of his head that had dropped him to the floor moments after he’d been dragged into his apartment. Aside from a headache and a dull throbbing from his scalp he was fine so it didn’t really count. For now.
“No.” Even that simple word was almost more than his throat could handle, swallowing he almost gagged but succeeded in holding off another coughing fit.
“He’s got your weapon?”
The detective needed the confirmation even though he’d likely been amongst those that had heard the shot Parker had fired. Don repeated his earlier positive response, a cautious two tone grunt that seemed to hurt his throat less than real words, but not by much.
“Alright, Agent. Sit tight, we’ll get you out.” Goodridge reassured.
It wasn’t like he could do much else. Don pulled his head away from the phone having done his part for now.
“Happy now?” Parker demanded into the handset. “He reckons you can’t give me what I want but I’ll make it simple for you. Tell whoever’s in charge that I want a car out the front, fully gassed up, keys in it and engine running. Soon. Got it? ... Yeah, the fed and I are going for a ride.” He pressed the button and put the handset down on the coffee table beside him.
Parker gazed speculatively at his hostage for a few seconds. “Good thing you can’t talk. You know I don’t want that car don’t you?”
The interest in his Suburban earlier suggested Parker was planning on taking his car for his getaway. The demand for a car out the front was a piece of misdirection, and a good one at that. Responding with a single nod he was fast coming to the conclusion that Parker was far more familiar with these situations than his original assessment.
“I thought so,” Parker said as he picked up the glass of water. “More?”
The offer was incongruous to the previous tension that had been interrupted by the detective’s call but Don needed the water. Another nod and he found it a little easier to swallow this time, the water soothing more than it hurt. He finished about half the glass before the balance between pain and relief started to tip the other way and he pulled back.
“How long before they call back?”
If Don was running this it wouldn’t be long but he really had no idea how long the detective would leave it. They had the man’s demands so perhaps they’d hold off making contact again for a while rather than force the creation of a deadline. He shrugged.
Parker looked across the room and Don turned to follow the line of sight, seeing the clock on his microwave.
8:27am.
He couldn’t help blinking at that, it felt way later than that. It meant he’d only been home for just over four hours after checking over the paperwork from his team’s arrest yesterday.
“I guess the boss cops aren’t even up yet, right?”
Don shrugged again. It was early, but the calls should already have been made and things would be moving.
“So I guess we wait then.” Parker decided. At Don’s nod he stood, taking the phone handset with him. He put it out of Don’s reach on the kitchen bench. “For a little while. Stay put.”
He had no plans to do anything else for the moment, it was far too early in the game and Parker was still keeping him under close enough observation to prevent a try for the door.
Next chapter: here
Author:
aleo_70
Rating: PG 13+
Genre: Gen
Characters: Don Eppes with cameo by Alan and Charlie
Challenge: Clue Challenge #24, June 2011 at
hurt_don . Prompts: Who? Don; What? Handcuffs; Where? Apartment
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: violence
Word count this chapter: 2055
Word count total: ~9,200
Summary: Don discovers a neighbour is more than he seems when he finds himself taken hostage in his own apartment.
CHAPTER TWO
With a quick glance reassuring him that Parker was engrossed in his task Don shifted slightly on the couch as he turned his attention back to his front door.
The thought of escape died quickly however as he saw the chain was in place, way too high for him to reach with cuffed hands. He could use his mouth to slide it aside but then he’d have put his back to the door to try to turn the deadbolt by feel before he could even try for the handle. A normally simple task was suddenly difficult in his current position and would take far too much time. Distracted as he may be at the moment Parker was sure to be on him before he’d even come close to getting the door open. He remembered the earlier threat in his ear and whilst things had calmed down since there was now a gun in play. He had to wait until he could be sure he had a reasonable chance of success before attempting his escape.
Parker returned a minute later, a glass of water in his spare hand. At Don’s raised eyebrow he stood back a moment. “Look, I’m not much of a fan of cops, or feds, but your being in this mess isn’t your fault. You gave me the chance I needed, and a gun, so I’m good with giving you some water for your throat.”
Accepting the offer for what it was Don nodded and took a mouthful of water as the glass was tipped up. Swallowing hurt but he took another careful sip before pulling back and nodding his thanks.
“See? As far as you’re concerned I’m not such a bad guy.”
Don barely caught the snort at that. A glass of water did not a good guy make, not with everything else he was doing. Careful not to antagonise the man and trying not to be too accusatory he once again arched an eyebrow and glanced briefly down at the gun. He wanted to get his point across, given their current situation and despite his protestations, Parker was a bad guy.
Putting the glass aside Parker perched on the edge of the coffee table, turning the gun over in his hands in contemplation. After a moment he looked back as up one side of his mouth quirked up in a wry smile. “I see your point. Perhaps not a good guy then,” he admitted. The smile slipped away as he nodded out through the door. “If they had their way I’d be on my way to jail right now instead of here and I’m sure you’d rather that’s where I was, hmm?”
Don’s enforced silence was making the man talkative. Giving a slight shrug of one shoulder he tried to keep his expression relatively neutral. He had no idea why the man had been raided or arrested even if his subsequent actions suggested he needed to be in custody. If the man rightfully thought he was just an innocent bystander then despite their current situation it should work in his favour.
“It’s what I’d want in your position,” Parker said before standing and pacing for a moment. “Look, you can help me right? Don’t look at me like that, I know you can help, you’re a fed. You get me out of here and I’ll let you go as soon as we’re clear.”
Don considered. The man’s desperate, yet confidently violent, action out in the corridor suggested that he needed to consider the possibility that Parker could kill him as he’d earlier threatened. That contrasted somewhat to apologising to him and giving him water for his throat. As to whether any of that translated to a willingness to release him if he did get away was another story.
He glanced once again at the gun. His first reaction was for Parker to go to hell but the threat posed by the weapon was a good one and he could be honest with himself in understanding he was going to be obeying the man’s orders until he could find a way to escape. He’d stood against armed offenders before in an effort to save lives, but here today it was just his own life on the line, no one else’s. It came down to the simple fact that he didn’t want to die. There was really no choice, he had to do as he was ordered but as a federal agent he wasn’t going to make it easy.
Parker frowned as he read something in his hostage’s expression. He hadn’t missed the latest glance at the weapon in his hands. He brought it up, his expression hardening as he aimed it the agent. “You don’t know me but you need to have one thing clear, I will use this if I have to. Fed or no fed. You feeling me?”
Don’s eyes narrowed as the mood abruptly darkened. He pulled his gaze away from the muzzle of the gun and studied Parker’s face but saw nothing to doubt that he could make good on the threat. Parker was right; Don really didn’t know who he was dealing with. He was saved from responding by the sound of his landline ringing.
They both looked to the phone before staring at each other. Don waited as Parker looked at him appraisingly.
“Negotiator?”
Don shook his head. Too soon. It would be one of the detectives from the hall most likely, following the book and making some contact with the barricaded subject. The early contact was necessary to let the subject know he’d not been forgotten and that his needs were important. The longer they let it run without at least touching base the more desperate the subject was likely to become placing the hostage at greater risk.
“Hunh. Then they can wait.”
At that Don shook his head emphatically before jerking his head at the phone. Parker needed to at least answer the call, even if he didn’t make his demands at this stage. It wasn’t just the subject that was normally somewhat desperate at this early stage; the police on the scene were still operating on adrenalin and would likely react if they felt they had to.
“You’re saying I should answer it?” Parker queried. “They’re not going to be able to give me anything though, are they?”
He’d nodded his head at the first question but now followed up with a slow shake of his head. Again he ground his teeth together, this time in frustration. He needed to be able to speak or even write notes but he could do neither to make himself more clearly understood. He jerked his head again at the phone.
“Fine.” Parker moved, plucking the cordless handset from its base and pressing the button to answer the call. “What? ... I already got your name when you cuffed me. ... That’s right. I've got a gun now so you better stay back. ... The fed? Yeah I know who he is. He’s fine and will stay that way unless you do something stupid. ... Huh, I don’t think he’s up to much talking.”
Able only to hear one side of the conversation it was simple enough to follow what was being asked based on Parker’s responses. The latest response was to a demand to speak to the hostage. Don caught Parker’s eye and nodded, he would have to try to speak to them, or more likely cough at them. Whatever he managed, they needed to know he was still alive and in one piece.
“Wait.” Parker snapped into the phone. He returned to his perch on the coffee table, the handset pressed against his chest to afford some privacy. “You just tell them you’re okay, nothing else.”
As the gun jerked to reinforce the command and remind him of the potential consequences Don rolled his eyes, what else did he have to say assuming he could even string more than two words together? He looked back over at the man now frowning in him in displeasure and after a brief stare, nodded his understanding of the order. He’d insisted on the call being answered, he needed to play his role.
“Yes?” Don tried to say after Parker held the handset up against his ear. It was too much and his throat spasmed again.
“Special Agent Don Eppes?” The man on the end of the line asked before the tone sharpened into an urgent question as Don coughed. “Are you alright?”
Don managed a response that let the detective know he’d both got the name right and he was mostly okay.
“This is Detective Goodridge, Agent. I know you’re hurting but has he done anything else to you?”
He was reminded of the blow to the side of his head that had dropped him to the floor moments after he’d been dragged into his apartment. Aside from a headache and a dull throbbing from his scalp he was fine so it didn’t really count. For now.
“No.” Even that simple word was almost more than his throat could handle, swallowing he almost gagged but succeeded in holding off another coughing fit.
“He’s got your weapon?”
The detective needed the confirmation even though he’d likely been amongst those that had heard the shot Parker had fired. Don repeated his earlier positive response, a cautious two tone grunt that seemed to hurt his throat less than real words, but not by much.
“Alright, Agent. Sit tight, we’ll get you out.” Goodridge reassured.
It wasn’t like he could do much else. Don pulled his head away from the phone having done his part for now.
“Happy now?” Parker demanded into the handset. “He reckons you can’t give me what I want but I’ll make it simple for you. Tell whoever’s in charge that I want a car out the front, fully gassed up, keys in it and engine running. Soon. Got it? ... Yeah, the fed and I are going for a ride.” He pressed the button and put the handset down on the coffee table beside him.
Parker gazed speculatively at his hostage for a few seconds. “Good thing you can’t talk. You know I don’t want that car don’t you?”
The interest in his Suburban earlier suggested Parker was planning on taking his car for his getaway. The demand for a car out the front was a piece of misdirection, and a good one at that. Responding with a single nod he was fast coming to the conclusion that Parker was far more familiar with these situations than his original assessment.
“I thought so,” Parker said as he picked up the glass of water. “More?”
The offer was incongruous to the previous tension that had been interrupted by the detective’s call but Don needed the water. Another nod and he found it a little easier to swallow this time, the water soothing more than it hurt. He finished about half the glass before the balance between pain and relief started to tip the other way and he pulled back.
“How long before they call back?”
If Don was running this it wouldn’t be long but he really had no idea how long the detective would leave it. They had the man’s demands so perhaps they’d hold off making contact again for a while rather than force the creation of a deadline. He shrugged.
Parker looked across the room and Don turned to follow the line of sight, seeing the clock on his microwave.
8:27am.
He couldn’t help blinking at that, it felt way later than that. It meant he’d only been home for just over four hours after checking over the paperwork from his team’s arrest yesterday.
“I guess the boss cops aren’t even up yet, right?”
Don shrugged again. It was early, but the calls should already have been made and things would be moving.
“So I guess we wait then.” Parker decided. At Don’s nod he stood, taking the phone handset with him. He put it out of Don’s reach on the kitchen bench. “For a little while. Stay put.”
He had no plans to do anything else for the moment, it was far too early in the game and Parker was still keeping him under close enough observation to prevent a try for the door.
Next chapter: here