Don't own Chuck
Previous Chuck stories and order: 1 Chuck vs Charles, 2 Chuck vs the Love Boat, 3 Chuck vs The Rock, 4 Chuck vs Amtrak, 5 Chuck vs The Dictator, 6 Chuck vs The Name, 7 Chuck vs The Volcano, 8 Chuck vs The Ghost, 9 Chuck vs The Shooter, 10 Chuck vs The Package, 11 Chuck vs The Jade Dragon, 12 Chuck vs Jai-Alai, 13 Chuck vs The Greek, 14 Chuck vs The Suitcase, 15 Chuck vs The Pirate, 16 Chuck vs The Toy Maker, 17 Chuck vs The Sibyl, 18 Chuck vs The House, 19 Chuck vs The Heist, 20 Chuck vs The A-Bomb, 21 Chuck vs The Snowman, 22 Chuck vs The Tin Man, 23 Chuck vs The Baguette, 24 Chuck vs The Black Knight, 25 Chuck vs The Merchant of Venice, 26 Chuck vs Electric Sheep, 27 Chuck vs The Band, 28 Chuck vs The Cold, 29 Chuck vs A Horse With No Name, 30 Chuck vs A Bolt In The Blue, 31 Chuck vs Brick and Mortar, 32 Chuck vs Juri Sheshenkov, 33 Chuck vs The Couch, 34 Chuck vs The Hijack, 35 Chuck vs El Capitan, 36 Chuck vs The Wall, 37 Chuck vs The Outback, 38 Chuck vs The Evil Twin, 39 Chuck vs Golden Thumb, 40 Chuck vs Ben Franklin, 41 Chuck vs The Lady of Uruk, 42 Chuck vs The Beard, 43 Chuck vs Bunny, 44 Chuck vs the Football
[Previously on the Southwest Chief heading for Union Station L.A. outside of Los Vegas]
"I'll make sure he gets the word," said the waiter. Chuck looked around the table something was wrong but he couldn't figure out what it was. It was like something was missing but he shook his head. He was still thinking about his plan and running different scenarios through his head. Then in one he even had Sam dressed up like a flight attendant. He started laughing but then it hit him. He was missing Sam.
"I'm sorry Sam but you had to see... wait Sam! Where did she... the bathroom she never came back from the... I've got to find her," he said as he panicked. "Sarah's so going to kill me."
He jumped up and was about to run down the stairs to the bathroom when he saw Sam sitting at a table with a group of men playing Five Card Stud and winning judging from the toothpicks stacked in front of her.
"Sorry boys read 'em and weep a full house, aces and ladies," said Sam as she raked in the toothpicks. "Now did you see how I did that?"
"No not really," said one of the men. "You dealt too fast. Can you slow it down a little more so we can see it?"
"Come on Joe get with the program. You think when you get in the casino you're going to be able to tell the dealer slow down the shuffle. He'll laugh his butt off."
"The kid's right. We wish we could take you with us. I bet you'd break the bank," said the one man wearing a Stetson hat with a feather on the side.
"But she's under aged and shouldn't be handling cards like she was told numerous times by her mother," said Chuck. Sam took a deep gulp she was caught. "What she was showing you if you're good enough to see and you have a little tack on your fingers like pancake syrup. You can pull the card from anywhere in the deck like this," said Chuck. He flashed on the deck of cards then shuffled the deck showing off his card handling skills then he dealt out four hands.
"Okay in that hand there's two pair king high and over there we have a straight flush ten high," said Chuck as he named all the cards in the table. "What you see is a con, a sleight of hand trick like a magic act. Played like this it's for fun but inside a casino however... well people get upset and angry and hurt. You need to know what to look for so you won't be conned."
"Because if you know all the cons you'll never be a sucker," said Sam as Chuck started to take her away. "Good luck in Los Vegas and one last piece of advice. The house never loses."
"What's going on," asked Sarah as she came back. "I would've been back sooner but I couldn't find your tablet then I remember someone was watching Masha and the Bear. I found it in someone's bed. Miss, you and I need to have a talk... the bed is for sleeping. I can't help feeling I stepped in the middle of something. Why are those men in cowboy garb looking over here?"
"We can talk about that later," said Chuck as he looked across the table at Sam. "Right now I think I've got a plan that will save everyone. Just listen up and tell me what you think?"
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Outside of Los Vegas in a cabin near Lake Mead a group of gentlemen were playing a game of high stakes poker. Three gentlemen blew in off the Southwest Chief, the train from Chicago to L.A. They had done well on the strip so well that they had gotten themselves barred from all the reputable establishments which brought them here where they were at now.
"Okay read 'em and weep boys," said a man with a Stetson hat on with a feather in the side. "Boy I can't believe my luck."
"Neither can we," said the men on either side of him. They gave the man a look that said they'd like to plant a knife in his chest.
"Joe, it's getting late we should go," said one of the man's friends. He and the other friend didn't like to looks of the other men at the table.
"You two can go on ahead I want to play another hand then I'll be with you," said Joe as he tossed in his chips for the ante. "Now can I have some cards? Lady luck is smiling on me tonight."
"This isn't going to end well is it," said the one friend to the other. "I wish we had that kid with us from the train. Crap don't look now but Joe's going all in."
They all stood around as the dealer dealt the last card but as he dealt Joe his last card Joe reached over and blocked the man's hand.
"Friend, I'd like my card dealt from the top of the deck and not the bottom if you don't mind," said Joe. You could hear a pen drop in that moment.
"Are you calling me a cheat?" said the dealer as he looked for his friends to back his play. He got a nod from them. "You know around here we don't like people blowing into town talking all sorts of trash."
"Joe tell him it was a mistake that you didn't mean anything by it. It's just money," said one of the friends. "Let's just go back to the hotel and drink over this."
"It's a little too late for that but if your friend here says he's sorry and apologizes then gets up from the table. I might consider it a sign of good faith."
"You heard him this is your way out. Just apologize and let's go back to the room. It was fun while it lasted but now it's over. Let's go."
"Geez he's putting the Stetson on," said the other friend. "Joe, don't forget you bought that thing in a souvenir shop in Kansas City. You're not a cowboy or John Wayne or one of the avengers. You're going to get us killed. Look around you these men mean business."
"If you know all the cons you'll never be a sucker," said Joe as he looked in the dealer's eyes. "I'm going to have to call your bluff."
While all this was going on and tensions were rising, a man walked in from the back room with snake tattoos up both arms. He walked straight over and shot the dealer in the back of the head. The man fell forward on the table with a pistol in his hand.
"Mister it looks like I just saved your life mister. I only heard one other man say that phrase about knowing all the cons. Lucky Jack was his name and he was my partner… well sort of my partner. I've been looking for him for years and I think you can help me find him. So why don't you go ahead and prove to me I didn't just kill the wrong man."
"Well you see there was this little girl on the train with us," said Joe as he kept looking down at the body lying across the table. "And she was good with cards. She was the one who said it."
"This is interesting how little was she and what did she look like? Boys come in here and take out the trash. Feed him to the hogs out back," said the man to the others standing around. They picked up the body but as they did they gave Joe a look like he was next. Their friend was dead and it was because of Joe.
"I don't know. She was young. I guess maybe four or five but the kid was smart as a whip. Then her father came and took her. He was good with cards too…"
"That's right," said one of Joe's friends as he jumped into the conversation. He realized they'd all just witnessed a homicide and if they didn't prove their worth they'd end up a loose end. He'd never eat another bacon burger as long as he lived which he hoped would be longer that this night. "She called him Chuck. He had dark hair and dark complexion and he was about thirty-six I'd say wouldn't you agree Blair?"
"What? Oh yes, that's right… absolutely," said Blair. He still was in a state of shock over what they witnessed.
"No that's not lucky Jack. It can't be him he'd be older and well I guess he could've colored his hair. Humm… you haven't told me what the kid looked like. What color was her hair? You said she was smart."
"Yes, smart as a tack. Talking to her was like talking to an adult and she had blonde hair like her mother. Both of them had blue eyes too the kind that attracts your attention."
"I think you found my Rebbeca boys," said the man as he went over grabbed a bottle then poured out four glasses.
"I don't want to rain on your parade Mister but I heard the man, I assume was her husband, call her Sarah not Rebbeca," said one of Joe's friends.
"Blair and Joe looked at the other friend as if he was an idiot. They had finally gotten to a place where this crazed killer was giving them drinks then he had to go try and ruin it.
"Of course he did. Here drink up boys," said the man. They all let out a deep breath. "You thought I was going to kill you? Oh no we're friends now and friends help friends. We are friends?"
"Most certainly… yes of course," said Joe as the other two nodded their heads so fast they risked getting whiplash.
"Now this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to give you a phone then two of you are going to hop a train or drive or whatever you've got to do to get to L.A. I want you to find that little girl and her family. I don't care what you've got to do but find them. Your friend here Joe is it with the Stetson? You know I really like that hat."
"Then take it. It's yours," said Joe as he tried to nervously hand it to him. Blair wondered if all his courage he kept in the hat and now that he took it off he understood what had happened.
"Why thank you. Now this is what I'm talking about when I said we could be friends and we'll become even closer since you're going to stay here with me."
"But wouldn't it be better if we all three of us went to look for her. Three sets of eyes are better than two and we can cover more ground."
"That would be a good idea if you didn't have a bum leg. You won't be much help and actually my friend you might even slow them down."
"I don't have a bum leg," said Joe. "Look I can walk around just fine." The man pulled his weapon and shot Joe in the leg. He dropped to the ground moaning and crying.
"See you had a bum leg and didn't even know it. What a shame. Listen up you two you go to the police and you can collect your friend in a box. If I think you're screwing with me and not searching I'll send you a piece of him until there's nothing left to mail. Got that?" They nodded. "I'm sorry I'm going to need a vocal confirmation that you understood."
"Yes we understand," they said as they looked at Joe bleeding on the floor. "Someone should take him to a hospital before he bleeds out."
"You don't worry about him you just go do what I told you to do and everything will be okay. You've got my word on that. If you don't do what I told you he won't need a doctor but a good Mortician to put him back together again. Can someone get over here and clean this mess up. Geez there's blood everywhere and you two," he said as he turned back to them. "What are you still doing here? I thought I told you to get?"
"We're leaving right now," said Blair. "Hey hang in there Joe, we'll be right back as soon as we can you can count on us. We'll get you out of this mess we promise."
"You'd better because I know where both of you live too. Oh excuse my bad manner people call me El Serpiente," he said as he handed them back their wallets. They didn't even feel them being lifted which went to show how scared they were.
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Chuck and Sarah got back in the swing of things with Emma and Molly being there. Mary stayed behind to continue her search. Sarah wanted to say something but Chuck told her to let it lie. He was just happy they were together and back with their family. Sarah took over Bunny details. Chuck pitched in and wanted to help. When Chuck woke up the sun was up he rolled over to find Sarah putting Bunny back in her bed after her early morning feeding.
"You should've woken me up. I want to help out," said Chuck as he reached out for her. "Come here and let's cuddle for a bit."
"Sweetie, I don't know if you've noticed this or not but you're physically not equipped to do the feeding," said Sarah as she sat down next to him on the bed. They watched Bunny sleep. "But since you volunteered you've got the next diaper."
"I love you," said Chuck as he looked into her eyes and kissed her. "I can't imagine my life without you in it."
"That's good because we're not going anywhere. Do you really have to go back to work today? I'm taking the girls to the park wouldn't you like to ride the rides with them?"
"As much as I would I don't think Beckman or Casey would agree to let me. And John if you're listening I only said that to humor you. For the record I still think mayonnaise is a bad idea on any sandwich on a deserted island."
"Well you don't know what you'll be missing," said Sarah as she kissed him. "If you haven't figure it out yet let me show you again," she said as she kissed him again.
"How about I go in do a little work then duck out and meet you guys for lunch? Isn't there that hotdog truck that drives through the park?"
"Please after Wienerlicious I hope I never see or smell another hotdog. There is that ice cream truck and that hamburger joint nearby."
"All your basic food groups and enough cholesterol to clog even the healthiest of arteries," said Chuck. Sarah punched him. "Ouch, what was that for?"
"For making fun of me… Chuck, should I try to cook more? Sam is basically living on ice cream and takeaway. What's going to happen next year when she starts school and visits her little friends? She'll see how things are different then she'll hate me forever."
"She won't hate you because you did or didn't cook for her. I think you're exaggerating a little. If she hates you it will be for something else."
"Like what? The fact that I'm always gone like you hate your mother. That's what you're trying to tell me isn't it? Sam's told you something hasn't she?"
"No she hasn't told me anything because she doesn't hate you. You need to stop spiraling. Sam loves you the same way I love you… well not exactly the same," said Chuck as he put his arms around her and kissed her. "I'll never get tired of looking into your eyes. If I could I'd drown myself in them."
"I love you too Chuck even when I didn't know I loved you I loved you," she said as she kissed him back pulling him into her.
"Ewe yuck I think I'm going to be sick," said Casey from the doorway. Sarah reached under her pillow pulled out a knife and threw it into the door frame slicing Casey's cigar in half.
"There's no smoking in here. There's a baby sleeping in here or can't you see. Next time it'll be even closer."
"Crap that was one of my good ones, a pre-revolutionary Costa Gravas double corona. It wasn't even lit," said Casey as he pulled the knife out of the door frame and tossed it on the bed then he picked up the other half of his cigar wondering if he could still smoke it.
"Don't you dare try to still smoke that thing in here," warned Sarah. "I can do this carnival trick all day until we have an oopsy."
"It probably wouldn't smoke right but I'll take it with me for break time. Bartowski can you cut the crap out about mayonnaise being a bad idea on any sandwich on a deserted island. You and Grimes have beat that one to death. Put some pants on we need to get out of here the General is waiting and you know she doesn't like to wait."
"I knew you were still listening in on us," said Chuck as he got indignant. "Where'd you hide the bug at? John, you should feel ashamed of yourself."
"Chill out Chuck your baby monitor is on and the other end is in the kitchen. I heard you guys talking when I came in and had my bowl of cereal. By the way I put up on your shopping list Capt'n Crunch either get the plain or the one with crunch berries."
"A 'please' every now and then would be nice," said Chuck. "You know they say you attract more flies with honey than you do with vinegar."
"Why would I want to attract flies unless I wanted to kill them? It seems to me to be a little silly but hey if it gets my itch scratched more power to it."
"I give up," said Chuck as he got up. He kissed Sarah then grabbed his suit disappearing into the bathroom." Sarah got up and looked in on Bunny.
"John, I want that bug out of here today or I'll grind it up and put it in your chicken à la king and don't give me any crap about the baby monitor because I know it's off."
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Beckman was sitting in her officer waiting for Casey and Chuck to report in and as usual they were late. Before she would've gotten angry but now she was used to it so she spent the time weeding through the tons of paperwork that passed across her desk. She picked up one request that attracted her attention.
"Connie, can you get me my Major and tell him I want to see him right away in my office," said the General as she continued to read what was written inside.
"General you wanted to see me," said the Major as he stuck his head in her office. At first he wondered if he was in trouble. But she wasn't yelling so he was pretty much safe.
"Yes, I picked up this memorandum from the DEA. It's a request for us to do some intelligence gathering for them against a Mexican cartel. They're kind of vague about which cartel we're supposed to spy on and the scope of our intel gathering."
"I can call our liaison office and tell them we need more information before you can make a decision about the merits of their operation."
"That should really tick them off but I like it. If we piss them off enough they'll get mad call us and tell us everything they've got going."
"Or they don't tell us anything then seek help elsewhere. But I see what you mean. You don't trust they've told us everything in their request."
"One of the things that all my years of experience in this organization has taught me is never trust a guy who comes to you with his hand out because he's probably got a loaded weapon in the other."
"I'll call the DEA right away," said the Major as he started out. Diane looked at her watch then glanced at the set of clocks on the wall.
"Hold up I need for you to contact Castle and have those people contact me," she said but as she was talking Connie stuck her head in.
"It's Colonel Casey he's on monitor one for you," said Connie then ducked back out returning to her desk.
"Go take care of that other thing I told you to look into," said the General as the Colonel came up on the monitor. "Good you finally got around to checking in. I was beginning to wonder if there hadn't been a time change that I wasn't aware of."
"Funny General I thought you said at one time you did kid," said Chuck as he walked in front of the monitor with a cup of coffee in his hand.
"I didn't used to do a lot of things before like waiting forever for my agents to check in or having my orders blown off. Well this is a heads up the DEA has asked us to assist them with a sting operation but they've been a little vague about the details. I'm refusing to commit until I get details but you guys should be on standby."
"Has there been any word on Hector?" said Chuck. "We've been trying to paint a happy face on this for the girls but I'm still worried he might want to come after us."
"The last word I got was the other members of this so-call Terror, Inc. organization wanted to oust him in a coup attempt but he turned the tables on them and eliminated all its high ranking members. Right now he's off trying to rebuild his empire but as soon as I have viable intel I promise we'll take him out. In the meantime, stand by to stand by. Beckman out."
"Hey John, somewhere around noon I'm going to duck out and meet up with Sarah and Emma with the girls in the park."
"Are you asking me for my permission? If you are that would be a first."
"More I want you to know where we'll be until this Hector problem is taken care of."
"I understand and don't worry I've got you back."