Numb3rs fic: C/C
My first foray into Numb3rs fandom. Hope you like...
Chapter 1
“Granger, we’re expecting a flight of supplies and our new consultant due at the airfield at 1630. It’s your turn to fetch.”
“Yes, sir. Permission granted for use of which vehicle in the Motor Pool, sir?”
At 1640, Granger pulled up alongside the airstrip just outside the ‘terminal’, an old Piper Cub hanger (a quarter Quanset hut). He saw that the transport had already arrived, so he headed into the ‘lounge’ to look for the consultant while the grunts loaded the supplies.
Seeing no one that fit the ‘consultant’ profile, he headed toward the quartermaster’s cube to ask.
“Hey, Granger, what’s up?”
“Not much, just supplies, which your minions are taking care of, and our new consultant’s due. Any clue where he is?”
“You walked right past him, he was just back from the john. See him?” the older man asked, pointing at a figure slumped in a chair with a large backpack and a laptop satchel leaning against his legs, the hood of his jacket up.
“He looks like a student on his way home for the holidays! Are you sure he’s it?”
“That is, according to my paperwork, Dr Charles Edward Eppes, dual PhD, one from Princeton, one from Oxford, 28 years old, sent via the NSA, with a letter of merit signed by Assistant Director Robert Thompkins.”
“If you say so…” Heading over, Granger was a bit leery of this man’s skills, despite the recommendation.
“Dr Eppes? Captain Colby Granger. Colonel Brown of CID asked for me to pick you up.”
The figure jumped, tugging an earbud out. “Huh? Oh, thanks, Captain Granger. Let me just grab my bags.”
The hooded head rose, revealing a prominent nose and deep brown eyes. Peeking out of the hood was a lone chin-length inky curl. If it wasn’t for the stubble and sharp jawline, this man could pass for 17. It wouldn’t surprise Colby much if Dr Eppes was often mistaken for an undergraduate, even dressed up.
“Well, come on then, we’ve gotta get back to HQ before the Colonel blows a gasket. The Hummer’s just out front. Do you want me to carry something?”
“No thanks, I’ve got it. And it’s Charlie, at least for now, as I’m well aware of the military’s love of titles. But since I’m a civilian, Charlie or Eppes is fine. How long a ride is it to HQ? Is there time for a short doze on the way? I’m pretty jet-lagged.”
“It’s only about a half-hour, but once you’ve checked in with Colonel Brown, you’ll probably be cleared to settle in for a few Zs before dinner.”
“OK. So are there any personalities I should be aware of? An officer who’s not a morning person? Someone who hates having civilians around in a war zone? I don’t want to cause problems.’
“Don’t try to talk to the Colonel or the CommTech until they’ve each had at least 2 cups of coffee. As for the other category, at this point, our unit is so desperate to get something accomplished that I doubt anyone will begrudge your presence here if you can help pinpoint places to raid.”
“Should I be prepared to carry a firearm? I’m qualified on some of the sidearms used by the federal agencies and the military.”
Colby stifled his surprise at the revelation that this pixie could use a firearm. “You’ll need to check with the Colonel, but I doubt you’ll be leaving camp, as we have so many satellite images that going along would be redundant. I doubt a weapon will be necessary.”
Within a few more minutes, they pulled up in front of the mess hall for the complex, where the KP grunts unloaded the Hummer while the two men trudged down the road to the command post.
“Sir, the supplies have been dropped off and I’ve brought Dr Eppes.”
“Very good, Granger, you’re dismissed...Dr Eppes, you come highly recommended, the NSA brass seem to like you.”
“Yes, Colonel. Bob has called me in quite a bit. When would you like me to start my analyses?”
“I know how draining it is to get here, so I’m not expecting you to start until 0800, but any head start would be great. For now, you’ll bunk with the CommTech, as he somehow wrangled me into giving him a solitary bunk in a standard 8-man, so I always put guests with him. He also stores most of the satellite intel on his computers and the extra bunks.”
“Thank you, sir. Will I be required to go armed?”
“I’m aware of your qualifications, and if you accompany a patrol into the field, yes, but I believe you’ll have plenty of images to keep you busy here in camp.”
“Very well, sir. If I’m dismissed, I’ll see you at dinner.”
When Charlie entered the mess hall, he headed to sit with the Colonel, but he shooed him off, suggesting he get to know the lay of the land by talking to the men on the ground. Charlie, therefore, went to grab some food, then headed toward where he saw Colby sitting with some friends.
“Captain Granger, would you mind if I sat with you?”
“Dr…Charlie. Sure, come sit.”
After introducing Charlie to some of the others in the unit, Charlie started interrogating them about anything they noticed while on patrol, landforms, paths, etc, that wouldn’t show up well on satellite. Eventually, the conversation turned to Charlie updating them on basketball results. The unit got the scores, but there was only so much one could glean from the ESPN minute-by-minute.
The next morning, the CommTech awoke to his alarm to find Charlie already at work.
“Its barely 0600, how long have you been up?” he groaned.
“Huh? Oh, I never went to sleep. Once I went over the intel for the past few days, I saw a pattern that caught my attention. Have you had any upticks in chatter from sectors 17 or 26?”
“Yeah, tiny ones, not enough to alert the Colonel about, why? Never mind, tell me once I’ve had coffee, when it might actually start to make sense.”
“Captain Granger told me you’re a bit of a caffeine addict, so I left a thermos on the map table.”
This amused the CommTech, he thought he might like this bunkmate. After he was awake, Charlie re-explained his thought processes.
“Well, Dr Eppes, I may not understand all the math, as my background is in electrical engineering, but let’s talk to the Colonel at breakfast, which we’re almost late for.”
That same afternoon, Colby led 2 raids, both successful, gaining 10 prisoners, including 2 worth interrogating. That night at dinner, Charlie gave the Colonel a list of places to check over the next few weeks that were most likely to hold people with information.
“Well, Dr Eppes, I was a bit worried about having such a youngun consulting, but thank you, the raids this afternoon gave us lots of new intel. If you could stay a couple more days to check over the new batch of images and testimony, I’ll be ready to send you on your way by Friday evening.”
Charlie, hearing this, thanked him and went to speak to Colby, “Captain Granger, I hear I’ll be on my way soon, would you mind if I kept in touch? If nothing else, you’ll be the most popular guy in camp when I keep you updated on the sports back in the States before it makes it into Stars and Stripes. Poor Eddie can’t keep up with all the games…”
“I’d like that, Charlie. Let me write my email down for you.”
Within 48 hours, Charlie was back on American soil, being escorted into debriefing by Homeland Security and AD Thompkins.
Chapter 1
“Granger, we’re expecting a flight of supplies and our new consultant due at the airfield at 1630. It’s your turn to fetch.”
“Yes, sir. Permission granted for use of which vehicle in the Motor Pool, sir?”
At 1640, Granger pulled up alongside the airstrip just outside the ‘terminal’, an old Piper Cub hanger (a quarter Quanset hut). He saw that the transport had already arrived, so he headed into the ‘lounge’ to look for the consultant while the grunts loaded the supplies.
Seeing no one that fit the ‘consultant’ profile, he headed toward the quartermaster’s cube to ask.
“Hey, Granger, what’s up?”
“Not much, just supplies, which your minions are taking care of, and our new consultant’s due. Any clue where he is?”
“You walked right past him, he was just back from the john. See him?” the older man asked, pointing at a figure slumped in a chair with a large backpack and a laptop satchel leaning against his legs, the hood of his jacket up.
“He looks like a student on his way home for the holidays! Are you sure he’s it?”
“That is, according to my paperwork, Dr Charles Edward Eppes, dual PhD, one from Princeton, one from Oxford, 28 years old, sent via the NSA, with a letter of merit signed by Assistant Director Robert Thompkins.”
“If you say so…” Heading over, Granger was a bit leery of this man’s skills, despite the recommendation.
“Dr Eppes? Captain Colby Granger. Colonel Brown of CID asked for me to pick you up.”
The figure jumped, tugging an earbud out. “Huh? Oh, thanks, Captain Granger. Let me just grab my bags.”
The hooded head rose, revealing a prominent nose and deep brown eyes. Peeking out of the hood was a lone chin-length inky curl. If it wasn’t for the stubble and sharp jawline, this man could pass for 17. It wouldn’t surprise Colby much if Dr Eppes was often mistaken for an undergraduate, even dressed up.
“Well, come on then, we’ve gotta get back to HQ before the Colonel blows a gasket. The Hummer’s just out front. Do you want me to carry something?”
“No thanks, I’ve got it. And it’s Charlie, at least for now, as I’m well aware of the military’s love of titles. But since I’m a civilian, Charlie or Eppes is fine. How long a ride is it to HQ? Is there time for a short doze on the way? I’m pretty jet-lagged.”
“It’s only about a half-hour, but once you’ve checked in with Colonel Brown, you’ll probably be cleared to settle in for a few Zs before dinner.”
“OK. So are there any personalities I should be aware of? An officer who’s not a morning person? Someone who hates having civilians around in a war zone? I don’t want to cause problems.’
“Don’t try to talk to the Colonel or the CommTech until they’ve each had at least 2 cups of coffee. As for the other category, at this point, our unit is so desperate to get something accomplished that I doubt anyone will begrudge your presence here if you can help pinpoint places to raid.”
“Should I be prepared to carry a firearm? I’m qualified on some of the sidearms used by the federal agencies and the military.”
Colby stifled his surprise at the revelation that this pixie could use a firearm. “You’ll need to check with the Colonel, but I doubt you’ll be leaving camp, as we have so many satellite images that going along would be redundant. I doubt a weapon will be necessary.”
Within a few more minutes, they pulled up in front of the mess hall for the complex, where the KP grunts unloaded the Hummer while the two men trudged down the road to the command post.
“Sir, the supplies have been dropped off and I’ve brought Dr Eppes.”
“Very good, Granger, you’re dismissed...Dr Eppes, you come highly recommended, the NSA brass seem to like you.”
“Yes, Colonel. Bob has called me in quite a bit. When would you like me to start my analyses?”
“I know how draining it is to get here, so I’m not expecting you to start until 0800, but any head start would be great. For now, you’ll bunk with the CommTech, as he somehow wrangled me into giving him a solitary bunk in a standard 8-man, so I always put guests with him. He also stores most of the satellite intel on his computers and the extra bunks.”
“Thank you, sir. Will I be required to go armed?”
“I’m aware of your qualifications, and if you accompany a patrol into the field, yes, but I believe you’ll have plenty of images to keep you busy here in camp.”
“Very well, sir. If I’m dismissed, I’ll see you at dinner.”
When Charlie entered the mess hall, he headed to sit with the Colonel, but he shooed him off, suggesting he get to know the lay of the land by talking to the men on the ground. Charlie, therefore, went to grab some food, then headed toward where he saw Colby sitting with some friends.
“Captain Granger, would you mind if I sat with you?”
“Dr…Charlie. Sure, come sit.”
After introducing Charlie to some of the others in the unit, Charlie started interrogating them about anything they noticed while on patrol, landforms, paths, etc, that wouldn’t show up well on satellite. Eventually, the conversation turned to Charlie updating them on basketball results. The unit got the scores, but there was only so much one could glean from the ESPN minute-by-minute.
The next morning, the CommTech awoke to his alarm to find Charlie already at work.
“Its barely 0600, how long have you been up?” he groaned.
“Huh? Oh, I never went to sleep. Once I went over the intel for the past few days, I saw a pattern that caught my attention. Have you had any upticks in chatter from sectors 17 or 26?”
“Yeah, tiny ones, not enough to alert the Colonel about, why? Never mind, tell me once I’ve had coffee, when it might actually start to make sense.”
“Captain Granger told me you’re a bit of a caffeine addict, so I left a thermos on the map table.”
This amused the CommTech, he thought he might like this bunkmate. After he was awake, Charlie re-explained his thought processes.
“Well, Dr Eppes, I may not understand all the math, as my background is in electrical engineering, but let’s talk to the Colonel at breakfast, which we’re almost late for.”
That same afternoon, Colby led 2 raids, both successful, gaining 10 prisoners, including 2 worth interrogating. That night at dinner, Charlie gave the Colonel a list of places to check over the next few weeks that were most likely to hold people with information.
“Well, Dr Eppes, I was a bit worried about having such a youngun consulting, but thank you, the raids this afternoon gave us lots of new intel. If you could stay a couple more days to check over the new batch of images and testimony, I’ll be ready to send you on your way by Friday evening.”
Charlie, hearing this, thanked him and went to speak to Colby, “Captain Granger, I hear I’ll be on my way soon, would you mind if I kept in touch? If nothing else, you’ll be the most popular guy in camp when I keep you updated on the sports back in the States before it makes it into Stars and Stripes. Poor Eddie can’t keep up with all the games…”
“I’d like that, Charlie. Let me write my email down for you.”
Within 48 hours, Charlie was back on American soil, being escorted into debriefing by Homeland Security and AD Thompkins.