Chuck vs. His Best Friend

Best friend and renowned partners, Chuck Bartowski and Bryce Larkin are the best the CIA has to offer, save for the mysterious enigma that is Sarah Walker. When she loses contact for unknown reasons and the two friends are sent to retrieve her, everything changes.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

First, Last, and only story I'll write here.

Chapter One: Who is she?

-Burbank, California: In-n -Out Burger: 4: 00 PM-

"I love California." Bryce grinned through a mouthful of gourmet cheeseburger, barely giving himself time to swallow as he appeared to vacuum his double double. It was sunny outside, but that wasn't surprising; not where they were. Bryce's light pools of blue were brimming with light as he bit into his burger once more. It'd been a successful day.

"Sure is nice to visit the family." Chuck agreed, watching his best friend of about 4 years chow down on the local food. His chocolate eyes found their way to their surroundings once more; not that he had anything to fret over, anyway.

"Forget that-" Bryce paused, "-This burger is exclusive to here, Nevada, and ...where was it...Arizona?" he gushed.

"Okay buddy..." Chuck chuckled. "I get it. It's great." he mirrored Bryce and bit into his little piece of heaven.

"This has been a productive day." Bryce declared triumphantly, taking a sip of his chocolate shake.

"Well..." Chuck bit his lip comically. "Let's see. We...ate some terribly unhealthy food. We-"

"-got you a kick ass haircut. Curls? Old fashioned, kiddie Chuck. Now? You look like a high roller spy." Bryce declared, admiring Chuck's new, shorter hair. He looked debonair, like the guys in all the movies. He was beginning to feel like Bryce.

"You've been in Afghanistan, settling territorial disputes with nothing but a pistol with one in the chamber and you think that this..." Chuck motioned to his empty burger wrapper, "-Has been productive?"

"Oh, Chuck." Bryce smiled, leaning back in the hard red and white striped bench the In-n-Out company had to offer. "You're always so...you..."

"Thank...you?" Chuck quizzically.

The two busted out laughing.

"You know...I'm thinking we might get some down time to play zork...and you know...finish what we started." Bryce grinned.

"With Beckman's new promotion? As if." Chuck snorted, rising from the table as they headed over to his car.

"What, she can't have us working day and night…." Bryce complained, straightening as he fell back into the passenger seat.

"Today was our break, Bryce." Chuck reminded with a smile. "We're supposed to be back in D.C. tomorrow, and I-"

Chuck's phone blared a dark, satanic ring tone. It sounded like a symphony from hell. And there on the screen of his IPhone was Satan's purest form, Diane Beckman: wrinkles and all.

"Dude, you gotta record this…" Bryce was busting a gut laughing.

Chuck shushed him in a swift motion and answered. "Bartowski…secure." He saluted the general in the usual fashion; verbally.

"Agent, I need you and Larkin to return home, ASAP…."

"The apartment?" Chuck's heart began to hammer. Had something happened to Ellie? Morgan? Devon?

"Yes. It's officially back to work." In her words, it was a reassurance that all was fine…in regards to his family, anyway.

"Yes general." Chuck waited for the disconnecting beep.

"What the hell was that?" Bryce heard the conversation thoroughly.

"It's Beckman…obviously. She wants us back at the apartment….says it's urgent."

"Urgent? Did any of those NSA gorillas spill coffee on her desk or something?" Bryce raised his brow.

"I don't know…but let's not wait around." Chuck pulled into the main street with his CIA issued Lotus and headed for Echo Park.

It was one of those rare moments that could only be described as: weird. Brigadier General Diane Beckman was temporarily "taking up residence" on Chuck's couch. Technically, it was Ellie's as Chuck's apartment was in D.C., but, it was his for all intents and purposes.

He and Bryce bolted through the front door and gate, (which was surrounded by "inconspicuous" escalades, all black, of course), and into the living room to see Beckman and her entire group of cronies and guards, all standing at position.

"Hi….general." The boys greeted her with an air of awkwardness. It was silent for a moment.

"Not to be a bad host, but uh…" Chuck began, nervously. "What are you doing in my sister's living room?"

"I couldn't bring you to the briefing fast enough…so I brought the briefing to you." Beckman informed them airily. "Sit."

Like two obedient dogs, the agents sat and paid full attention. This had to be good.

"One of our best, and brightest, Agent Sarah Walker…." The name roused a great deal of interest. Chuck had heard of her. She was rumored to be drop dead gorgeous and equally deadly. Bryce had claimed she was going to be his partner…until he "got stuck" with Chuck. But both of them knew that their partnership was for the best and they cherished it. Even Beckman's men seemed to be interested now.

"She's gone rogue."

The words caused Chuck's jaw to drop, and Bryce to lean forward, both of them shocked. She'd been their only rival in success ever since they joined the agency. She was peerless until they came, and even so, some of her feats were unparalleled. So why on earth would she leave everything behind?

"A romance?" Bryce stated what everyone was thinking.

"Agent Walker?" Beckman scoffed at the idea. "Never."

"What was her mission at the time?" Chuck inquired thoughtfully.

"She was doing a simple extraction- nothing of importance." Beckman sighed. "It doesn't add up."

"How do we know she's rogue?" Chuck immediately stood up. "What if she's been captured?"

"That's what we aim to find out. Whether she's MIA or to be burned…that remains to be seen."

"Where was she headed last?" Chuck asked curiously, Bryce now intent on finding out as well.

"She was scheduled to be at a party, for one Peyman Alahi. She's to extract a diamond he has there, one we believe he's using to fund his drug smuggling operations. She was to be joined by an accomplice of the DEA, someone she knew personally…she just never reported back." Beckman finished dryly.

"What's our order?" Bryce rose.

"Find her and bring the diamond." Beckman stated with an air of finality.

"Priority?"

"Both. There are two of you for a reason." Beckman stated, she turned sharply and retrieved the mission file, throwing it on the desk. "You leave in an hour."

Chuck and Bryce finished suiting up quickly, gelling their hair back into a slick look. Chuck glanced over the file as Bryce loaded up with pistols and knives, getting some for Chuck as well.

"It says here that the diamond is guarded by lasers." Chuck noted. "Not to mention a state of the art alarm system, with a DI compatible-"

"Chuck." Bryce rolled his eyes. "We can crack it no problem."

"Okay...Bryce?"

"Yeah?" He replied, straightening his tie in the mirror.

Chuck rose, opening his suit jacket to holster his glock 9mm in place. "I don't think she's rogue."

"Why not?" Bryce agreed, but decided to play the devil's advocate.

"It doesn't add up, from what I've heard…."

"Nothing in the CIA does, Chuck." Bryce reminded with a dry chuckle.

"Yeah, but I think…I think she's taking some downtime." Chuck guessed. "Maybe something personal?" He knew her closest mentor, Graham, had died not too long ago…maybe a week?

"If she's not there…Beckman's going to have her ass." Bryce replied steadily.

"You think Graham would've been softer?" Chuck asked sadly.

"I know it. He was her "wildcard…."

Chuck bit his lip. Langston Graham was a mentor and friend. His life was ended too soon, by a group the CIA knew little to nothing about. But when the trail was discovered…there'd be hell to pay.

"Ready?" Chuck glanced at his blue eyed comrade.

"Let's get us a blonde and a diamond." Bryce grinned.

End Chapter One