A DISH BEST SERVED COLD
"Hello," Charlie Eppes answered the phone. "Hey, Charlie," Alan's voice replied. It seemed huskier then usual. "Dr. Eppes, they're waiting," Victoria replied, her face a mask of cool logic. "I'll be right there," Charlie motioned to her. Her eyes clouded over in annoyance but she left the room. Whatever it was, it must be important. "Everything okay, Dad?" Charlie questioned, once the woman was gone. He could hear Alan intake a deep breath, and his stomach fluttered, warningly. "Y-yeah, Charlie," Alan replied, "Of course it is. I mean do I need something to be wrong in order to talk to my son?" "Dad, what is it!" Charlie exclaimed. Alan could hear the panic seep into his voice. He mentally kicked himself for hesitating. "Charlie, maybe you should sit down," he said. "Dad, JUST tell me!" Charlie insisted, "Please." "Don is missing," Alan replied, "No one knows where he is." Alan could hear something thud. The air leaving Charlie's lungs soon followed. "Charlie! Charlie, you there?" Alan called frantically. "Y-yeah. I'm here," Charlie's voice stuttered over the phone choked with emotion, "H-how?" "How what?" "How...How can Don disappear? I-it's not possible. People don't just disappear!" "Charlie, you have to calm down," Alan said, catching the panic rising in Charlie's voice. "C-calm down. How can I calm down!" Charlie exclaimed, more out of suprise, "You just said my brother...you just said Don is missing! I...I...I..." "Listen to me, Charlie," Alan said, his voice taking on the paternal quality needed to catch Charlie's attention, "You need to calm down. Terry has aranged transportation for you. You can get here within an hour or two. But first you need to calm down!" "I-I'm calm. I'm calm," Charlie said, his voice sounding more in control. "Good. Now, Charlie, listen to me carefully. You need to stay calm. For Donnie's sake. His team is using every available resource to find him. We don't know anything yet. They may need you to help them. You have to keep control, for Don's sake," Alancould here the emotions strained in his words. He hoped Charliecould see past them and understand the full meaning. "I understand,"Charlie replied, "I've got to go." "Alright," Alan answered, "And, Charlie, please be careful." Looking across the room at the other agents Don tried to recognize them. Six men altogether sat lined up facing him, in a similar position to his own. All of them seemed to be signaling to him with their eyes, as if trying to tell him something. He couldn't tell what, however. Every now and then they would turn to each other and back to him. Desperate to know what was going on, Don tried to signal with his eyes his inability to comprehend. The message didn't seem to get through. A sudden noise, like a large door being open, echoed through the room. The other men instantly froze and turned their gazes to the floor. Don turned to find the source of the noise, just in time to be greeted by an open hand. A sharp pain spread it's way across Don's face and he could swear he saw stars. "You won't look unless I tell you to, Agent Eppes," the voice from the car replied. The masked man stepped into Don's line of vision. Kneeling down to eye level he looked Don in the face. From the very depth of his nature Don stared back defiantly at the man, despite the fact the world seemed to spin. Seeing that Don wasn't backing down the man let out a cry of disgust. Standing up he uttered the orders, "Bring him." Don turned around, only to be greeted by another slap. His head reeled but he knew there was no one the man was giving orders to. Suddenly the man opened the padlock and the ropes loosened. Grabbing on to the scruff of Don's neck the man pulled him to his feet. Instantly Don tried to force his weight on the man and catch him by suprise, despite the dull ache in his legs. To his suprise, however, he found himself flipped with his face flat on the floor, the man's knees burrowing into his back. "Don't try anything," the man breathed his sharp knees painfully pushing against Don, "Or it may be the last thing you do." With that the man pulled Don to his feet, seemingly without effort. Part-leading, part-dragging he pushed Don into the other room, full of blinding light.
Don struggled against the handcuffs around his wrist. Whoever was behind all this was definitly a he looked over his shoulder Don could see not only were the handcuffs connected to his chair by a rope strung through the legs, but a metal chain was padlocked to the cuffs and circled around a metal pipe. His captor had yet to untie the gag and the material felt like it burned Don's skin. The only loose limbs Don had were his legs. They were useless to him, however, since he couldn't stand up. Not to mention thefact that anytime he moved them it hurt.
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