Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Numb3rs or the characters therein. All characters are fictional, and should not be associated with any other person- real or imagined.

A/N: I'm ready to try balancing this and Alleyways (will be posting the next chapter of that in a few days, in case you're reading that). Thanks for waiting.

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It took a lot less time than they figured it would to get on the road.

Charlie slipped on the uniform that Bob had planned to wear; Alan was given an extra field jacket to put on, and once he and Charlie slipped on their helmets and riding gloves, they blended in with the rest of the veterans- at least, if given a cursory look. Megan tied up her hair and bundled up in several layers of clothes before dropping a helmet on her head and climbing in the side-seat of Bob's ride, which Alan was all set to drive. Hoping to keep the police from peering too close, they put a formal jacket on Don with the right sleeve pinned up, his arm inside with Buddy held tightly underneath; they supposed people would respectfully avoid looking directly at him if they thought he was missing an arm. After pushing some pillows down low in the second side-seat, they carefully helped Don into it, placing a helmet on his head. Then Charlie sat on the Harley, thankful it had three wheels; otherwise, he knew he would never be able to hold the thing up on his own. It was too heavy and he was too small.

"You sure you guys can drive those things?" A vet leaned over and asked Alan.

"Hippy back in the seventies," Alan explained, "rode plenty of hogs with my wife."

"Hmph," the old man grunted, "and what about him?" He nodded towards Charlie.

"Oh, no problem," Alan grinned, "he did this research last year on inertia and learned to control quite an array of vehicles- believe it or not, he's able to steer a bike better than a car." With Alan's mention of research, the old man grumbled under his breath, wondering if they were escorting a group of commie scientists. Before he could ask Alan directly, the leader of the group came up, interrupting the conversation. "I'm Jeb," he said, holding out a hand.

Alan shook it.

"Okay," Jeb continued, "you jus' stays in the middle, leave the leadin' to us. See that there thingamajig on the side of your helmet."

Alan and Charlie reached to the sides of their heads, felt around until they found what the guy was talking about and then they nodded. "Good," Jeb said, "that's a walkie-talkie kind-o like. Press this here button and you all can talk. Jus' lissen when you wanta hear me. Got it?"

"Yes," Alan replied. While the man went to get on his bike, Alan showed Megan how to use the mike.

Then they were off.

Jeb took the lead, heading out of the gate, Jimmy and Bob standing on either side to lock it up when they had all passed through. Charlie and Alan surged forward with duo jolts, following three men in front of them. Once outside the car lot, a single man took up position on either side of them, three more drove behind them and a solitary man took up the far rear.

It wasn't until they were nearly to the highway that Alan and Charlie got the hang of things, were able to keep the steady pace of the riders around them and adjust their speed to faster or slower when the rest of their caravan did likewise. Soon, they went up an entry-ramp and were on the highway, heading northwards to Silver City- and hopefully, escape.

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Melinda Thompson sat in the office of Assistant Director Merrick, eyeing the man, weighing her options. It had been over twelve hours since they had stolen her son and yet, despite the best efforts of the varied law enforcement offices that were searching for him, not a trace of him could be found.

It perturbed her to no end.

But she kept her feelings in check. At some point in the near future- maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow- but sometime soon, news of her son was bound to reach the ears of the FBI. Problem was, she was positive that when it occurred she was going to be the last person to know. This was going to create a big problem for her. Melinda knew if she wanted to keep her son, it was imperative that she be allowed access to him the moment he was sighted. Then she coul sweep him up and away from prying eyes so she could assess how much damage had been done to him while he was away from her; once that was determined, she could quickly cure him if the damage was extensive. Melinda knew any delay in proper treatment was a sure guarentee that she would lose her little boy.

Wherein lay the crux of the problem, because Melinda was convinced no one in this office was going to come rushing to tell her when they found her son. At least, no one she had met thus far.

Too many people had brushed her aside when she had been brought to the Bureau offices by helicopter earlier that evening, none of them giving regard to anything she had to say, most of them glaring at her with vehemence until a secretary had come for her and ushered her in here.

To the man before her- Merrick.

Melinda coldly calculated her odds on gaining this man's confidence, or more bluntly, bribing him into telling her when her son was found. Unfortunately, she found the odds impossible. Clearly, he had only brought her in here because of the demands of his superior.

Director Donaldson-

Now there was a man who could be reasoned with.

Donaldson was politically motivated in everything he did, his innermost desire to head a more favorable post in Washington outside the Bureau. And Thompson, of course, had the means and connections to at least help him along his way. Thus, not only had that power helped her escape kidnapping charges to begin with, but it was also the reason all stops had been pulled out in the Bureau's quest to find her son.

But in the long run, the man might end up being a worthless investment. Melinda could see that, as in many corporations and government agencies, it was the middleman who was truly in control of the information flow and Merrick would be providing an effective blockage to prevent that information from ever reaching Donaldson, and in return, her. Melinda needed someone else, a person within the ranks that was interested in getting out of them- somebody who had the low moral fiber that would allow him to sell out a fellow agent for his own advancement.

By the honest appearance of the men and women she had met briefly that day, Melinda had found it unpleasantly surprising to discover the task was not going to be as easy as it first appeared.

"Well," Merrick coughed, "we have all available men looking for your…uh, son. Road blocks were set up around the greater Los Angeles area and notification of the kidnapping sent out over the wires, so to speak. At this point though, finding him doesn't seem likely."

"I am sure," Melinda smiled her best, "that you are doing all that you can."

"Yes, quite."

"And if you don't find him tonight?"

"Normally we would put his name and face on our missing persons list, notify other field offices to keep on the look out- and then begin a waiting game."

"Until someone called in a tip, right?" Melinda said softly.

"Yes, that is the normal protocol in a kidnapping case of this sort. Really, it is more a custody battle than anything else."

"But legally, my son is still an officer of the US government, is he not?"

"Yes," Merrick sighed, "yes, he is. With that in mind, we have decided to put a team on this case- their sole job will be to look for Don, no matter where in the country he may be sighted."

"I think that would be better."

Merrick smiled at the woman through gritted teeth. He hated having her in his office. His opinion was that of so many others- the woman was evil, pure and simple. Despite that obvious fact, Merrick thought angrily, she was still able to manipulate important and powerful people-ones who should know better- into meeting her demands.

Such as the way they were conducting this case.

Sure, Don was technically a part of the Bureau, but Merrick felt it really was more sensible to describe the situation as a matter of a custody dispute between two parents rather than some enemy of the United States having taken one of its agents. He had met the Eppes before, seen the math professor at work, and found it laughable that anyone could view either mild-mannered man as potentially dangerous, especially to Don.

So Merrick had tried to get Donaldson to view it as a custody case with the hopes that the whole hoopla they were making about an agent disappearing- well, it would disappear itself. Then the Bureau would do just as Merrick had explained to Thompson; they would send out kidnapping notices to the other field offices-along with thousands of others- and do nothing else until a sighting of the family occurred, at which time a local agent would research the tip. Usually, that investigation never panned out and the people for whom they were searching remained in hiding, often forever, or at least until the child was an adult. Since Don was already grown, Merrick hoped the Eppes would remain hidden until his memory came back. Or forever, whichever was necessary to keep Don out of that bitch's hands. Thus, Merrick knew that running the case as a custody dispute was the best way for the Eppes to keep Don safe.

But Donaldson had decided different.

Somehow, the woman had managed to abuse and ruin his best agent, a good man, yet was still able to get the director of the FBI to bend to her every whim, including assigning federal agents from their office to work specifically on this case; to spend all of their valuable time looking to retrieve said best agent and bring him back on a silver platter into her possession.

With all that power at her beck and call, no wonder the woman smiled all the time.

Well, Merrick had a reason to smile, too. He called to his secretary. "Ms. Larson, please send in the team assigned to the Eppes kidnapping case."

Melinda turned expectantly towards the door. Maybe she would be able to persuade these men to report any sightings of her son to her before they informed their director.

Merrick leaned back, enjoying how Thompson's face fell when Colby and David walked into the room. "Dr. Thompson, you may remember Agents Granger and Sinclair. They were so effective in finding your son the first time he went missing that I thought it made the most sense to assign them to find him this second time."

Melinda easily regained her composure. Of course it made sense- to Merrick. The man knew her son's former colleagues would do anything to keep him from her so assigning them to the case was a clever move. With that woman leading them, they would probably spend…wait, she thought, where is Agent Reeves? A sudden realization came to Melinda. She rubbed at her sore chin, a flash of anger sparking in her eyes as she suddenly knew who had hit her.

When first waking up, Melinda had replayed the previous night in her mind, over and over again- from when she first found the Eppes trying to steal her son until the moment she was about to fire the gun at the older one. Then- everything was blank until she woke up hours later. She had first thought that somehow one of the Eppes had managed to sneak up on her and knock her out, but she had not been able to figure how that was possible. Now, seeing that one of Don's team members was missing, she thought about the previous night's events again. The Eppes were there, in front of her, in the midst of snatching her son, when…Yes, Melinda decided. Someone else must have come at her from behind. She wished she had thought of that when the police and the FBI had interviewed her. As it was, she had told them that only the Eppes were there, and now it was too late to pinpoint it on the obvious suspect, Agent Reeves.

"Nice to meet you again," David held out a hand to her. Melinda took it and gently shook it.

"Yes, I remember you," she said politely, "last time we met you were breaking down my door."

"I don't recall breaking anything, madam," David smoothly replied, "but if I'm mistaken, please tell your insurance company to contact us. We'll make good on any damage- providing, of course, that you have proof."

Colby smirked beside him.

Merrick was enjoying the interchange so much he missed the sound of a clicking tongue until Agent Jerry Atwater had snuck up behind Colby and David, taking position between them. "Reporting for duty, sir."

Colby and David silently groaned. Merrick sat forward, a frown on his face. "Atwater, what are you doing here? I thought you were stuck, uh, were busy working on that committee?"

"Director Donaldson called me direct, sir, and requested I retake my position as team leader. He said he wanted to be certain that this current kidnapping investigation was conducted successfully."

Atwater looked at Melinda and nodded his head. "Ma'am."

Melinda grinned. Here was her man of loose moral fiber; she was certain that she could recognize her own kind. Standing, she moved around Colby and David, giving them her own winning smirk, sidled up to Atwater and put her arm through his.

"I am so glad to have such a commanding presence in charge of this investigation."

"Thank you," Atwater beamed.

Melinda began guiding him out the door, the furious glares of Merrick, Colby, and David burning holes into the backs of their heads.

"I do believe," Melinda purred, "That you look like a man consumed with the ambition to succeed. I'm correct, am I not?"

"Well, actually," Atwater began to explain as they headed down the hall, click-clicks accenting every other word that he said.

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They drove on the highway until the traffic began to barely slow, Jeb speaking into his microphone that they were getting off and to continue to follow his lead. Megan was appreciative of the old man's instinct- looking to her left, ten minutes later she saw a roadblock was set up on the highway, two miles ahead of the off-ramp they had taken. They took side streets for an hour until Jeb decided to risk the highway once again.

They went back and forth like this until they were almost to Silver City. Twice they couldn't get to an off-ramp before they detected traffic was stopping and had to go through a roadblock. Each time, they listened as Jeb grumbled at the cops, griping about the mistreatment of war veterans, whining in pain when the one of them moved as if he planned to look at each rider individually, then bringing the attention of a second concerned law officer back to him with loud exclamations that his legs were getting numb and if they became stiff the officer would be responsible to take him back home- all the way to Baja.

Both times, they were quickly sent on their way.

At the turn off to Silver City, the entire group of people let loose a unified sigh of relief.

They rode up to the gates of McHugh's land sometime around four in the morning, Edgarton stealing from out of the shadows to open it and let them enter, sealing it behind them once they were inside.

At the cabin, Alan, Charlie, and Megan climbed from their seats, groaning as they stretched their limbs and walked their blood into circulating, Charlie checking on Don and giving a nod to the others when he was satisfied his brother had made the trip without further damage to his back.

Ian greeted them, his arms across his chest. "Quite an escort you have here."

The veterans grumbled something at him, Jeb asking, "Got somewhere we can pitch a tent."

"If you want to share the cabin," Alan began to offer.

"Came to camp, not sit in a cabin," another man barked, "leastways there's plenty of land fer us to do that."

Ian pointed to a spot nearby. "Land's level there, plenty of water in a stream a few hundred feet beyond those trees, an outhouse over there to your left; there's already a fire pit in place, good area for camping."

The men nodded and started forward, ignoring Charlie and Alan's attempts to thank them.

"Ornery bunch of men," Ian grinned.

"Had to be in order to save us," Alan said, "got us through two roadblocks, around all the others. Good men, all of them."

While the other two men talked, Megan joining in, Charlie went to the cabin and stepped inside. He noted that McHugh's wife had modernized the cabin- there was electricity, running water, and a full-size bathroom. Most of the cabin was still a single, open room, with a kitchen to the left, a living room area to the right with a fireplace, and a large queen bed against the far wall in front of him.

Edgarton came up behind Charlie. "Stove works without having to light it." He entered the cabin. "I set up a cot over here in the corner, and I put some blankets on the couch. Figure two of you can sleep in the bed. Oh, and there's a satellite out back- most times, you can get over five hundred channels, so you won't be bored till Cooper calls you."

"Thanks, Ian," Charlie told him warmly, "this is more than we expected."

"No problem."

Alan came up the cabin stairs with Don leaning on his shoulder. Charlie quickly rushed to them and slipped under Don's other arm, the three men slowly moving inside. "The bed's across the room," Charlie said. When they got there, they lowered Don down and laid him on his back. Then they all spent the next twenty minutes unloading the small trailers hitched to the back of the motorcycles.

When finished, Alan looked at Edgarton and Megan. "A little privacy, if you don't mind."

"Oh, sure," they replied, heading back outside and shutting the door behind them. Megan walked over to the porch banister and leaned against it, staring across the land to a newly built fire just starting to blaze.

"What gives?" Edgerton said from the dark nearby. Megan shifted uncomfortably.

"What do you mean?"

Edgerton moved to stand directly beside her; he was so quiet she wasn't aware he was next to her until he spoke again.

"Why are you here, Agent Reeves?"

Megan smiled. "The same as you- to help."

"So you'll be leaving when I do?"

When she didn't reply, Edgerton moved down the banister and leaned on his arm cockily, a smirk playing on his lips. "Didn't think so."

"Charlie and Alan aren't up to this kind of thing," she tried to explain. Her cheeks were hot from embarrassment.

"Seem to be doing alright to me."

"Well, they might appear to be doing okay right now. But they're really naïve. I don't know how well they're going to do when they realize all the laws they're going to be breaking. I worry that they'll try to take the high road…"

"And that'll lead them to trouble?"

"Yeah, with a capital T."

"Well, you know, I could stick with them for a while. At least until they get settled."

"No," Megan replied quicker than she'd wanted, "uh, that's alright. I'm going to be on a wanted poster myself pretty soon, so there's no reason for us to both get into trouble."

"Ah, now I see…" Edgerton said thoughtfully.

"What?" Megan turned to him, crossing her arms.

"The Bureau grapevine says that woman…"

"Dr. Thompson?"

"She's the one that kidnapped Don, right?"

"Yes." Megan nodded her head. "She's the one we're hiding from."

"Well, last night she called the police and reported that the Eppes had attacked her and stolen Don away. Later, when Bureau had her flown into the LA offices, she told the exact same story there."

"She's telling the truth," Megan said, "But you know that already. I mean, I'm assuming Billy Cooper had to have told you something about why we needed to disappear."

Edgerton shrugged. "When I asked, he just told me Don and his family needed to hide. Everything else I know…well, let's just say I have some very good sources."

"And these sources told you…?"

"A lot of things, but the most recent info I have is that Dr. Thompson's description of her attack doesn't make sense- sounds like a third person had to be there besides the Eppes. But every time she tells her story, she only mentions them and herself."

"Oh," Megan said thoughtfully. "So she doesn't mention me?"

"No, she doesn't. I'm assuming you're the person who cold-cocked her?"

"Oh, yeah." Megan flexed her right fist, grinning. "Nothing's ever felt that good."

"Must have been some punch if she doesn't even remember who hit her." Megan's smile broadened slightly but fell immediately with Edgerton's next words, "Guess there's really no reason for you to be here, then, huh?"

Megan realized he was right. If Thompson couldn't ID her as one of the kidnappers, then Megan could go back home and pretend nothing had happened. Except…

"Tell me Reeves, what are really doing here?"

She silently cursed the man and his intuition. Defiantly, she stared him down. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Huh, that's the same thing Don told me last year."

"Last year?"

"When you were kidnapped. He ever tell you what he had me do to that young perp? You know, Crystal Hoyt's teenage boyfriend?"

Megan shook her head slowly.

"Well," Edgerton said, peering at her intently so he could read her reaction, "He sent me in to do that witness over. And I did- real good. Didn't leave a mark on him."

Megan was stunned. "No, Don would never allow you to do something like that."

"Yeah, I thought so, too. When I asked him about it, you know, why you were so important to him, he said he didn't know what I was talking about. As far as he was concerned, you were just one of his men and he was trying to save you at all cost. Said he would've done it for David and Colby, too. Only…"

"Only what?"

Suddenly, the door to the cabin flew open and Charlie stood there, waving them back inside. "All finished." As Edgerton stepped forward, Megan grabbed his arm and demanded in a whisper, "Only what?"

"Only," Edgerton replied with a grin, "my instinct tells me different." With that cryptic statement, he pulled away from her and went inside. Megan followed, thoroughly confused; but also a little elated.

"There's food in the fridge," Edgerton was telling the Eppes. As he described the last of their amenities, he slowly made his way to the bed at the far side of the room. Don was sleeping under the covers, sucking his thumb and curled in a ball, Buddy against his chest. "Shame," Edgerton quietly observed, "what one body can do to another. Still have no idea how she did this?'

"No," Alan said, "we still don't know what the hell she did to him. At least, how she damaged his brain. You familiar with everything that's happened?"

"Yes. When my friends contacted me about helping you out, I pulled up Don's files." With an ominous expression, Edgerton faced Alan. "Even read the probate hearings. Incredible how our court systems work- or rather, how they don't work."

"That's why we're here," Charlie pointed out. "We didn't have any other choice."

"I think you're right," Edgerton agreed, "but I hope you know what you're getting yourselves into. For me, working and living outside the constraints of the law is a part of my life- has been for some time now. I don't know if any of you are cut out for it, cause trust me, it'll be harder than you think."

Charlie, Alan and Megan set their eyes on Don. "Sometimes," Charlie replied, "you just need the right motivation."

Edgerton nodded in understanding, then he walked away, heading to the door. "If you need anything, contact me through Billy. Got a case going on not too far from here, so I should be able to get to you without any problems. When the time's right, I'll get you out of here, too, without anyone being the wiser."

Alan stepped forward and grasped his hand in a firm grip. "Thank you. It's good to know my boys have friends like you."

Edgarton stared him straight in the eyes. "They have more than you think." He gave them a short salute and strode out the door, Alan shutting and locking it behind him.

"I think," he said with a yawn, "that maybe we should get some sleep."

"I'll take first watch," Charlie volunteered.

"Are you sure that's really necessary?" Megan asked. "I think we're safe enough here."

"I don't know." Charlie looked to Alan.

"I think if Edgerton thinks this place is safe, we should trust him."

"Okay," Charlie relented. Exhausted, sleep definitely sounded better than sitting up the rest of the night.

They took turns cleaning themselves up in the bathroom. Afterwards, Megan looked around the main living quarters. "I guess I can sleep on the couch. You'll have to decide who gets to share the…" She stopped mid-sentence, sinking down onto the cot instead when she realized Charlie and Alan were both planning to sleep with Don.

"Are you going to be comfortable doing that? You know one of you could sleep on the cot."

"Don't worry," Charlie smiled, "we have this down pat."

Megan returned the smile, watching as they put a pillow along Don's lower back and then gently wrapped the top sheet around him, Alan crawling in bed behind him and draping his arm over his chest, Charlie slipping in front and pulling the covers over all of them, Don wiggling in his sleep until he was nestled comfortably in their arms.

"Can you get the light?" Charlie whispered across the room, Alan already fast asleep.

"Sure." Megan walked across the room to the switch, but hesitated before flicking it. She took one last look at Charlie and Alan cuddled against Don, Buddy in the midst of them all.

Edgerton had been right; she didn't need to be here. At least, not technically. But she loved all three men that were lying in the bed before her. They were family, more so than hers had ever been. That alone was reason enough for her to stay with them, to want to keep an eye on them, to keep them safe.

Megan shut off the light and slipped over to the cot, lying with an arm thrown across her forehead.

But there was that other reason, the one that nagged at her heart and wouldn't let her go.

That was what drove her, made her hand feel good whenever she thought about knocking out that woman, helped her fall asleep while she thought over what Edgerton had told her, how he had implied that Don had once had feelings for her, similar to the ones she was having for him now.

She wondered if Edgerton's instincts were right.