Author's Note: In this past round of the Numb3rs Writeoff, there was a need for a pinch hitter to write the "path" story for Team Angst. As soon as I found out about this, a plot bunny attacked me. In the end, I didn't need to write this story for the Writeoff, but the bunny (and my beta, the Inimitable Digeediva) wouldn't let it drop.
Warning: This is a future!fic, taking place many years after the events of the TV series. One of the characters was seriously injured years before.

"A Twist in the Path of Life"

“Today we are gathered to learn of an exciting new program, Operation Cerberus …,” the FBI Director looked out over the crowd of media and law enforcement officials. Just slightly behind him and to his right, sat Dr. Charles Edward Eppes, the creator of the exciting new program.

Charlie fidgeted with his notes and scanned the crowd. Finally, his eyes found his brother, retired Special Agent Don Eppes, sitting erect in his wheelchair. Don’s expression was a mix of pride and apprehension. Charlie basked in the pride, and pondered the apprehension.

He had stopped by Don and Robin’s house that morning to pick him up. After he had helped Don transfer himself from the wheelchair to the passenger’s seat and put the wheelchair into the trunk, he climbed into the driver’s seat. “You okay?” he asked as Don fastened his seatbelt.

“I’m good,” Don used both hands to shift his right leg over enough that he could close the door. “There. All set.”

“All right. We’re off.”

“You excited about your big day?”

“I am. I can’t wait until they implement Operation Cerberus.”

“Cerberus, huh? I’ll bet that name was Larry’s idea.”

Charlie laughed. “It was. He’ll seize any opportunity to show off his knowledge of mythology. Cerberus was…”

“I remember that much, Buddy. Cerberus was the guardian of the underworld. So your program is out guardian, right?”

“Yep. I used all the information you were able to give me about criminal activity. After thirty years of service in the FBI, you certainly had a massive amount of data. Taking that, along with my breakthrough work in cognitive emergence, I was able to create a program that will catch criminals before they commit their crimes.” He nodded at Don’s paralyzed legs. “It’ll make it safer for law enforcement officers and the general public.”

Don nodded and sighed. “I know it will, Buddy. And I trust you with that kind of information, but are you sure you’re turning it over to the right people?”

“What do you mean? I thought you were behind this.”

“Oh, I am. Don’t get me wrong. Anything that would prevent another career ending injury, or another senseless death, I’m behind one hundred percent. I’ve just been thinking.” He shrugged. “You know what, don’t worry,” Don said dismissively. “I’ve got too much time on my hands these days anyway. Robin thinks I should go back to school. Get my PhD in English. I’ve been teaching for years now, and I think it’s about time we had another doctor in the family.”

“Wait,” Charlie pulled the car over. “What?”

“You don’t think I should go back to school?” Don asked, innocently.

“Not that. Listen, you’ve got reservations about Operation Cerberus, and I want to know what they are.”

Don shook his head. “Isn’t it a little late now, Buddy? We’re on the way to unveil it to the world. The computers are all lined up, ready to implement what could be the greatest aid to law enforcement in history.”

“It’s never too late. Not until the switch is flipped, so to speak. And I’m the only one who can flip that switch. Now tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Remember that old movie, back in, when was it, the ‘90’s? The one where police were getting rid of potential criminals before they could commit their crimes? That kind of went haywire, didn’t it? What’s to prevent someone from taking you’re your program and using it for evil purposes?”

“There are safeguards,” Charlie said, checking his mirror and pulling back into traffic. “We’ve taken care of all that.”

“Okay,” Don said with a shrug. “I’m not planning on killing anyone, so I’m not worried. I don’t think I fit your profile anyway.”

“It’s not a profile,” Charlie objected. “It’s hard to explain.”

“I know,” Don said. “Don’t worry about it. Really. I’m not a deep thinker like you guys. It just scares me that someone could have this much control over peoples’ lives. It’s got to be someone you really trust, you know?”

“If they had a program like this in 2012, you would still be able to walk. The sniper who took you out would have been in prison.”

“I agree. Listen. Please, just drop it, okay?”

“Okay.” Charlie drove in silence for a few minutes. “It’s funny, isn’t it?”

“What?”

“Look at us. Neither one of us is doing what we thought we’d be doing twenty years ago. I was the teacher then, and you were in law enforcement. Now you’re going to be teaching and I’m in the business of preventing crime.”

Don nodded, smiling sadly. “It is funny. Here we had our paths laid out before us. And a few roadblocks and detours later, here we are.”

Charlie pulled into the parking lot. “Here we are,” he echoed.


Charlie could hear the director winding down. He gave Don a nervous smile, and Don grinned at him. The apprehension in his expression was replaced by a look of calm confidence. He trusted Charlie to do the right thing, whatever that might be.

“… and now, please welcome Dr. Charles Eppes! Charlie?” the director stepped back from the podium and gestured for Charlie to join him.

“Thank you,” Charlie said, laying his notes on the podium and shaking the director’s hand. He turned to the audience, caught Don’s eye again and glanced back at his notes. Inhaling deeply, he picked up the notes, folded them and put them in his pocket. “Thank you. Before my announcement, I would like to say a few words about a very special person. My big brother, Special Agent Don Eppes, has been an inspiration to me my whole life. When he was seriously wounded by a sniper on August third, 2012, that was a turning point in both of our lives. Don was paralyzed from the waist down, and I was determined to do anything I could to prevent something like this from ever happening to another member of law enforcement.

“Years before that, I started working on the math of the human brain, cognitive emergence. After Don’s injury, I began to realize that my work could be used to predict who would commit crimes and prevent them from doing so.

“I’m sure you’ve heard rumors about a program that would do just that.” He glanced nervously at the director. “And you were brought here today for the unveiling of this program, Operation Cerberus.” He gnawed at his lower lip as he glanced again at Don. “Unfortunately, I am here to tell you that the program does not work.”

The director’s voice was heard over the crowd’s stunned reaction. “What are you talking about, Eppes? I thought…”

Charlie held up his hand. “This morning, on the way here, I went over a few things, and realized there was a very serious flaw at the very basis of my thought process. A flaw I had not noticed before now. Operation Cerberus will not work. Before I came to the auditorium, I stopped and made a few tests.” He nodded in the direction of his laptop, tucked under the chair he had been sitting on. “After those tests confirmed my fears, I disabled Operation Cerberus.”

The director grabbed Charlie by the arm and pulled him away from the microphone. “You did what?”

“I disabled it. More accurately, I wiped all traces of my program from your system.”

The director grabbed the microphone. “This press conference is over. Everyone’s dismissed.”

-------------------

As Charlie walked alongside Don’s wheelchair toward the car, Don said, “Well, that was unexpected.”

Charlie shrugged. “Just another twist in the path of life, I guess.”

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