A/N: Thank you all for your overwhelming and heartening response to the first chapter in the form of reviews, favorites and alerts. It is an excellent motivation.


"Dad, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure, take a seat." Stephen finished reading an email and focused his attention on his son. "I'm listening. It must be important to come to the office bright and early."

"It is. Morgan came to me yesterday with some very good news, just before you called us here to tell us about the movie premiere on Friday."

"Define good news."

Chuck took a deep breath. "A Hollywood studio wants to make Warrior Angels into a movie. They made us a most lucrative offer."

"Aces, Charles, you're Aces. Why didn't you tell us yesterday?"

"Well... with all the talk about Steel Furies it kinda slipped our minds. But now you know. How do you want to proceed?"

"Chuck, you developed the game. It's only fair that you have oversight of the project. Do you have the details of the offer?"

"Sure." He set a folder down on Stephen's desk. "It's all in here."

"Your mother and I are going to take a look at it later today. But you can take anyone you need to help."

"I'll just need Morgan. All the rest will be taken care of by the producer. Naturally, the film will be made using Orion special effects products."

"Naturally," Stephen echoed, grinning.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad."

"You're welcome. I have to sell it to your mother now. You know she's kind of a control freak, right?"

"Dad!"

"Missing the couch again, Stephen?" Mary Bartowski asked from the door. She had apparently heard her husband's last remark. There was no malice in her voice and she was smiling. She knew he meant it in a very positive way. "What do you need to convince me of… this time?"

Stephen gave her the full megawatt version of the Patented Bartowski Charm Smile, just in case. It worked with Mary over 90% of the time. "I want to give Chuck here carte blanche to handle the making of Warrior Angels into a movie as he sees fit."

"We got an offer for that?"

"Yes honey, we did. Care to take a look at the details?"

"You know the answer." She moved to pick up the folder and suddenly found herself on her husband's lap, his arms firmly around her. "Stephen!"

"Sorry babe, I couldn't resist. I never can when it comes to you." He kissed her neck and then, sensing her melt into him, he captured her lips with his.

Chuck beat a quick retreat, leaving his parents alone in the office. He contemplated telling their secretary to hold their calls unless it was something extremely urgent, but in the end just sighed and went back to his own office where Morgan was waiting, half asleep on the couch. The door slamming shut startled the bearded man awake.

"How did it go, Chuck?"

"Dad's OK with us handling the whole affair. Right now he's… um… talking to Mom about it."

"You can say it, bro. He turned the charm full on."

Chuck nodded. "Something like that, yeah."

"Goody," Morgan beamed. A happy Mrs. B was a generous Mrs. B. "By the way, I called the producers and asked them to try and book Walker specifically. They promised to do everything possible."

"Thanks buddy." Chuck moved to his computer and started going through his email inbox.

-o-

It certainly seemed like it was her imagination, or maybe she was dreaming. After all, she'd read a study about people actually being aware that they are asleep and dreaming. She popped one eye open and looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was barely eight in the morning. And the incessant pounding on her door just wouldn't stop.

"SIS, I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! OPEN UP!" Carina yelled loudly from behind the closed door.

Sarah groaned and kicked the covers off of her. Getting up, she shuffled to the door and opened it. "It better be good," she mumbled sleepily and yawned.

Carina took in her baby sister's appearance, the bed head, the oversized t-shirt and the man's boxer shorts that constituted her sleepwear choice of the week. "Why are you still asleep?"

Sarah glared at her older sister, but the effectiveness of said glare was diminished by the veil of sleep still clouding her blue eyes. "I'm off the clock," she replied simply. "And I'm going back to bed."

"No you're not. You're going to get dressed and then we're going shopping."

"Huh?"

"Sarah!" Carina lightly slapped Sarah's cheeks a few times, to jolt her fully awake.

"Hey! Stop it!"

"Like I said, we are going shopping. You are going to need a dress for the movie premiere on Friday." As she spoke, she moved to the kitchenette and started the coffee maker.

"I have plenty of dresses."

"Please tell me you're kidding!"

"I'm not." *yawn*

"Apparently you don't grasp the public relations aspect of your job."

"Yes I do. You just want to go shopping, but you hate to do it on your own, so you thought it might be a good idea to rope me in. I know you, Carina."

"Still, shopping is fun. What do you say, sis? Are you coming?"

"At least let me have a cup of coffee… or ten."

"Jeez, sis, I'd say that you're addicted to caffeine even more than I am. And I'm a cop, which says a lot."

"Is it wrong to love the taste of coffee? The caffeine kick is just an added benefit." She then excused herself and went to the bathroom.

Laughing and shaking her head, Carina poured two cups, added milk and sugar and handed Sarah one when she returned.

"Here you go."

"Thanks." Sarah took a sip. "Mmmm, heavenly."

"I also brought donuts. And not the diet variety either. Delicious, cream, chocolate and jam filled donuts."

Sarah realized that she was hungry. "Where are you hiding them?"

"Will you go shopping with me?"

"You're despicable."

"Yes or no, Sarah?"

"Yes, dammit! Give me the donuts!"

"Fantastic," Carina gloated. "I know just the place to look for the perfect dress for you. It's a little place near Rodeo Drive. I've bought clothes there on several occasions. You'll love it. Trust me."

"Donuts. Now," Sarah growled.

"They're in the fridge," Carina replied nonchalantly. "I put them there while you were in the bathroom."

The two sisters had their breakfast of coffee and donuts in companionable silence. Afterwards, Carina dragged Sarah to the bedroom and helped her choose what to wear on their shopping trip. They settled on a very comfortable outfit consisting of a blue one piece dress with button-up front and belted at the waist. If anything it was suitable for the mission of clothes shopping, as Sarah could easily take it off to try on dresses and put it back on when she was done.

They were about to leave when Sarah's phone rang. She shot an apologetic smile to her sister and answered it. "Hello." She listened for a second. "It's my agent," she mouthed to Carina. "Yes, I can talk," she continued the conversation. "You got a call today? What is it about and from whom?" Her agent had her undivided attention now. "Tell them I'll consider it. Thanks for calling…. Yes, that would help me make up my mind. Email it to me and I'll get back to you. Again, thank you. See you around."

"Well?" Carina asked, curious about what the agent had told Sarah.

"My agent got a job offer for me."

"I gathered that much. What is it about, exactly? Come on, you can tell me on the way. We'll take my car." With that, she grabbed Sarah by the arm and dragged her to the elevator.

Carina had stopped at a red light and turned to watch her sister fiddle with her cell phone. Sarah noticed it and turned to face her. "What?"

"Don't 'what' me. I'm asking the questions here. Tell me about the job offer you got."

"OK. My agent got a call from a movie producer. They are making a computer game into a movie and apparently my name was the first one that came up for the female lead."

"Are you going to take the part?"

"I don't know… I've never been in a game adaptation before."

"What's the name of the game?"

"Um, it's Warrior Angels, why?"

"We can do some research online when we're done shopping. Maybe it'll be worth it."

"Still… no matter how good the game, the screenplay is what makes the difference. I mean, there are many popular and acclaimed games out there, but not many have been successfully made into movies. I'm in the industry, I know."

Carina smiled. "Nothing like a nice early morning shopping trip to cheer you up. And, like I already said, I know the perfect place."

"I hope it's quiet. I'm not in the mood for dealing with paparazzi and stuff."

"Relax. I have my badge and my gun. Besides, where we're going we are not going to be disturbed." Carina turned her Lotus off Rodeo Drive and soon parked in front of a small boutique. "We're here," she smiled.

The shop owner was a nice middle aged lady, who was very helpful. Eventually, Carina sent Sarah to the changing room with an armful of dresses to try. Emerging with what seemed to her like the hundredth dress she'd tried on, she looked apprehensively at her sister.

"Perfect," Carina said approvingly, admiring the dark green dress that hugged Sarah's form perfectly. "It's just perfect. It's you."

"Do you really mean it?"

"Of course I do, silly." She turned to the owner, who was also looking admiringly at Sarah. "She's going to need matching shoes and a clutch."

"No problem," the woman replied smoothly. "I have everything you need."

A little later, the two sisters left the store, carrying the bags with their purchases. Carina hadn't been able to resist the temptation to get something for herself, too. Not after helping Sarah choose an outfit that would make her look breathtaking at the premiere.

Sarah looked at her watch as she got in the car. "Wow! I never realized how long it took us to pick out the dresses."

"All in a day's work, dear sister," Carina replied and winked at her. "Are you up for a light lunch?"

"I'm not really hungry. I'd rather go home and look at the offer my agent mentioned. Who knows, I might just take it."

"Make sure it won't flush your acting career down the drain first."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. Kathleen knows better. Every time she has something to recommend, she checks it out very thoroughly first. She's never steered me wrong. And besides, she's known Dad for years. She's his agent too, just in case you are forgetting."

"I'm not forgetting. It's just… I don't know much about the film industry, but game adaptations are kind of hit or miss, if you catch my drift."

"You're right. But it all depends on the screenwriter and the director, as well as the cast. Kathleen said that the game's creator has full oversight of the project, though."

"Hmmm… this can be a good thing or a very bad thing."

"Uh-huh," Sarah agreed.

Suddenly, Carina had a flash of inspiration. "Hey, I know what we can do!" She checked the rear view mirror and turned sharply into the parking lot of a mall. "Come with me!" She proceeded to drag Sarah into an electronics store.

"Carina, what are we doing in a Buy More?"

"You'll see," she replied cryptically. She looked around and spotted a salesperson. "Hi," she smiled sweetly at the man. "Where are the computer games?"

"Aisle four," the green shirt replied, obviously awed by the sight of the two beautiful women.

"Thank you. Come on, Sarah."

"That's your great idea? You want to buy the game?"

"Why the hell not? We might as well have fun while doing our research. Ah, here it is." She picked up a copy of Warrior Angels and looked at the box. "I know the firm. Orion Computers supplies a lot of our equipment."

"Did you just say Orion Computers?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because they also supply equipment to the film industry. It's all top of the line."

"Then the game can't be half bad. I mean, a company with such an excellent reputation…"

"Fine, buy it and let's go home."

"Hold on, you need speakers for your iPod. You keep putting it off."

"Yeah, well, I have a lot on my plate."

"You're just procrastinating. But now the omission will be rectified."

In short order, they emerged from the Buy More having bought the game and a set of high quality speakers for Sarah's iPod and home entertainment systems – made by Orion, naturally.

Inside the store, the plump manager paused at the doorway to his office. "Did you see those two?" The question was directed to a couple of guys from the IT service section and to his assistant manager.

"Yeah," the three replied in unison.

"I think the blonde was Sarah Walker, the actress," the older of the IT guys remarked.

"Are you sure, Jeff?"

"Pretty much… there is a way to be sure. Let's check the security cam footage."

"Sarah Walker graced my store with her presence," the manager, whose name tag read 'Big Mike', said dreamily. "All I need to make it a perfect day is a Subway sandwich. Emmett, would you like one?"

"Sure, I'd love one," the assistant manager agreed.

"Good. Meanwhile, Jeff and Lester look over the footage. I want screenshots of her for my wall of fame." Michael 'Big Mike' Tucker kept photos of celebrities that had visited his store and displayed them in his office.

"We're on it, Big Mike," Lester replied.

-o-

Chuck and Morgan spent most of the day working on the contract details with the producer for the Warrior Angels movie. It was mostly done over videoconference link, so they didn't have to leave the office.

"Are you sure you want to keep the intro? It's going to be tough," the producer's rep said.

"With our video and audio editing software, it'll be a breeze," Chuck assured him.

"The intro is one of the best features of the game," Morgan pointed out. "We're keeping it. If we leave it out, the fans will nail us, and the movie, to the nearest barn door."

"I'll talk to Mr. Graham about it. I'm pretty sure he'll agree with you, though."

"Of course he will," Chuck smiled.

"By the way, we have contacted Ms. Walker's agent, as per your request. We expect to have an answer soon."

"Hey, we forgot something," Morgan piped up.

"What?" Chuck and the guy from the production company asked in unison.

"The movie will need a director."

"Duh, that's a no brainer," Chuck shrugged. "I can only think of one man for the job: Hartley Winterbottom. He's directed Steel Furies, which premieres this week, he's worked with Orion products successfully and he's a family friend. His daughter co-starred with Sarah Walker in the Golden Scorpion. He even played a small part in the movie. I think he'll jump at the offer if he's available. Could you check that for us?"

"Sure, no problem."

"Drop my name. It'll help him make up his mind."

-o-

Following their shopping trip and a light lunch, Sarah and Carina ended up in the latter's apartment, which was next door from Sarah's. They left their purchases by the couch and then Carina got them each a beer from her fridge.

"I had a good time today," Sarah admitted. "We should do this more often."

"Sure. It reminds me of when we were back in high school." Carina had always taken her role as a big sister seriously. "And even before that, when you weren't even a freshman yet."

"You loved to take me shopping when Mom and Dad were at work, sis."

"I also reminded you to do your homework."

"That one not so much."

"You were always a good student."

"OK, what do we do now?"

"Chillax, Sarah. First we finish our drinks and then we'll look into the game we bought."

"I almost forgot about the game."

"It's research. You know, for the part. What do you say, sis? Shall we give it a try?"

"Let's go to my place," Sarah suggested. "My computer has a nice big screen."

The two took it next door, booted up the computer and diligently followed the instructions for the installation of the game. Then, Sarah adjusted the controls to her convenience, decided to skip the tutorial and started the game.

The initial video sequence had both girls' eyes virtually glued to the screen. The graphics were amazing. It was almost like watching live action, instead of computer generated imagery.

"Whoever did this is very good," Sarah said approvingly.

"And I can understand why they want you for the part. She looks a lot like you," Carina added, referring to one of the game's characters.

"I'll take the job," Sarah declared resolutely. "If anything, I think it's going to be fun… a new experience, too."

-o-

By early evening on Friday, Sarah was frantic. Her dress was ready and waiting for her, but she'd decided to take a nap and overslept. Now, she was picking the lock of Carina's apartment door.

"I should really give you a key, Sarah," Carina said, coming up behind her and causing her to jump noticeably.

"Dammit! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Why are you breaking into my place?"

"I need to borrow something. Ah, got it!" The lock clicked open.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"Research, for the Golden Scorpion," she replied. "The one I played the thief in."

"Grab whatever you need and hustle. You're going to be late for the premiere."

In the end, Sarah managed to apply her makeup and get dressed on time, but she forgot to style her hair. This was fixed easily enough. She put the top of her Porsche down. By the time she arrived at the theater, she'd achieved a natural, and very flattering, windblown look. She used the wait until a valet picked up a gleaming 1966 Mustang, after its occupants exited, to carefully check herself in the rear view mirror. And then it was her turn. She gracefully stepped out of the car, allowing the valet to take it and moved to the red carpet. She was by now used to the cameras and the reporters. She paused for the customary portrait shots and then entered the theater.

It was far quieter than the madhouse outside. Looking casually around, she spotted the director, who was talking to a couple of men. Finally, a familiar face, she thought and made her way over to them. He saw her and smiled widely.

"Sarah, how nice to see you." He gallantly kissed her hand. "You look ravishing tonight."

"Thank you Hartley. You don't look half bad yourself."

"Taking a compliment from a beautiful young lady is music to the ears of an old man like me. But where are my manners? Allow me to introduce you to the son of one of my dearest friends. Sarah, meet Charles Bartowski. Charles, I believe you've heard of Sarah."

"Of course, Ms. Walker," he said. Like Hartley before him, he gallantly kissed her hand. For a moment she was speechless. Sure, Charles was handsome, tall, with curly brown hair. But it was his eyes that totally captivated her. She'd never seen so expressive brown eyes. It was almost like they could see into the depths of her soul.

"Enchanted," he said, bringing her back to reality.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Bartowski."

"Please, call me Chuck."

"Only if you call me Sarah."

"Deal. By the way, this is my best friend, intrepid coworker and all round troubleshooter Morgan Grimes." Sarah and Morgan shook hands.

"Charles here, and a producer, offered me an exciting job, Sarah," Hartley said after the introductions. "And I took it. I'll be directing Warrior Angels, a game of his that is going to be made into a movie."

"You made Warrior Angels?" Sarah asked Chuck.

"Guilty as charged," he replied.

"I got the offer for a part. I was curious about it, so I bought the game and played it. It was… outstanding… awesome. And I also decided to accept the offer."

"Then I look forward to working with you, Sarah."

"Likewise, Chuck."

"This calls for a small celebration, before the movie we came here to see starts." Hartley flagged down a passing waiter. "Champagne, anyone?"