Don't own Chuck
Chuck recognized this for what it was; an Ambush and he had walked into it with both feet. Now he was caught. He found himself wired up with Dr. Dreyfus standing over the top of him and no way to escape. There was only one option left for him; follow along and hope for the best. But surely Sarah hadn't told everything. He had confided in her, she wouldn't do that to him. He had to believe if she had talked it was because she had his best interests at heart.
"Charles, lay back and just relax," said the Doctor. "We'll be done quickly and if there's nothing then I'll have you out of here soon."
"Doc, you know I just want to point out every time a doctor tells you 'just relax' it's usually just before he does something unpleasant so just by saying it negates the possibility."
"I want you look at this photo. You don't have to do anything just look at it," he said as the tech marked the printout from the EKG and EEG. Dr. Dreyfus showed him a photo from the airport in Khoy the same one that had sent him in a tailspin in the Sub-committee meeting. He felt his heart race as he took a deep breath. Grabbing hold of the table and waited for this feeling of total fear to go away. His fight-or-flight response was going haywire.
"Were did you get that?" asked Chuck clearing his throat making himself speak. "There are only a few people who have seen that photo and most of them are senators and only one person I let… I bet if I check on my phone now I'll find it missing won't I?"
"That's not important Charles let's continue. This is a map of the airport in Khoy, can you please show me where the butcher's shop is that you said you were taken to?"
"Sure," said Chuck he caught the Doctor signalling to the tech to mark the paper coming out of the machines. "Okay it was… well it was…" Chuck looked at the map but he couldn't remember where it was. He tried to trace his steps in the airport following the map but nothing.
"Is there something wrong? This should be no problem for the intersect," said Dr. Dreyfus as he wrote in his notebook.
"Still with the notes, I should know where it is but I can't for the life of me remember how to get there. Are you sure this map is correct?"
"Yes, the map is good. What would you say if I told you Colonel Casey walked through the airport and swears he didn't see a butcher's shop?"
"That's easy, he obviously was taken through a different area than I was. There would be no reason for them to take Casey through the holding area or the morgue. Doc, are you planning a barbeque? Is the butcher's shop that important?" asked Chuck feeling himself getting frustrated over what he felt was inane questioning and the Doctor writing in his notebook was getting on his nerves.
"In this case yes. I'd like to start with some simple word associations. Just tell me the first word that pops into your head. For example, I might say "Day" and you might say...Wasted. All right let's start, Gun-Shot, Shot-Dead, Dead-Rabbit, Rabbit-Sam, Sam-Love, Love-Sarah, Sarah-Life. Okay, very good," said Dr. Dreyfus as he wrote in his notebook.
"You're just going to town in that thing aren't you? I hope you've got enough blank pages. Do you keep a separate journal for each patient?" said Chuck trying not to feel worried or seeming paranoid.
"Good Charles and yes I keep a separate journal for each patient. Now let's try some other sets. What do you think of when I say Beckman?"
"Doc, I don't think you want to hear what have to say right now and I know if she's listening she doesn't to hear it either."
"Charles, remember what I said limit your response and the first word that pops in your head. Okay let's try Director.
"Boss or she'd like to think that she is. I'm sorry Doc you said the first words that pops in my head and believe me I did limit my response. You can take my word on that."
"Charles, please you have to take this test seriously and try to limit your responses to one word. What would you say if I said father-missing, missing-mother, mother-Frost, Frost-Queen, Queen-Sarah.
"Okay, now let's change it up a bit I'll just say words at random. Remember one word, the first word that comes to your head. Are you ready?
"As much as I can be it would've been better if I had been given a heads up instead of being bushwhacked."
"Charles, concentrate and pay attention. Now let's begin, Country-America, Agent-Me, Casey-friend when he's not trying to kill me but even then he's only following orders so I still would say friend.
"Charles, limit your responses to one word please. Okay let's start again Mission-Complete, Rope-hang, hang-dead, Khoy-Done."
"This is stupid I'm out of here. Gez, after everything I did and I get back to get hit by this. You have no intention of signing off on my fit for duty do you?" You don't have to lie I can see it in your face."
"No Charles I'm not, at least not now. I want you to come to my office in Pasadena tomorrow we can coordinate the time after you talk to your wife."
"So you want me to go back where this all started tomorrow. Is this some kind of therapy like getting back up on the horse? Now I see where she got the analogy."
"What are you talking about? No, my satellite office is there and I have patients I have to see on campus. You aren't my only one you know. Charles, you're suffering from repressed memory loss brought on by PTDS and when you hit different triggers you freeze like what happened on Capitol Hill."
"How do you know… Sarah told you she had to. She's the only one I told what happened. Well, isn't that just fine and dandy."
"Charles, your wife is worried about you and frankly so am I. Remember when I showed you that photo. Look at the spikes that image created in you," said the Doctor as he showed Chuck the machine readings. "This is going on inside you and you're not sleeping. All this will take a toll on you. What would happen in the field if you hit a trigger and freeze when your life or your partner's life is on the line. How would you feel then if you froze up and something happened?"
"Okay, okay I see your point. So what do you want to do with me? Recovered memory therapy, you know the term isn't listed in DSM-IV or used by your colleagues. There are a number of you who're opposed to it because the therapy can create false memories through suggestion. Although not proven, the evidence is questioned by some researchers. Where do we go from there, therapy for illusory memories?"
"I forgot how quick witted you are and with your intersect I see I'm going to have to treat you as if I'm treating a colleague. Would you like me to give you something to sleep? I understand you're having trouble."
"Sarah again. No I don't want any medication we can talk and you can do whatever prodding and poking you want but no medications. I know the ones you give people for these conditions and I know their side effects. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease."
"Very well Charles I'll see you tomorrow."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
They had just gotten off the horn with the General and Sarah got handed a mission. This was bad timing for her to go but Carina had asked for her. Carina was the closest thing she had to a best friend and she needed her. But Chuck needed her too. She knew if she asked Chuck what he'd tell her. He'd tell her to go and that everything would be all good here but would it be a real all good or the all good he told her to make her feel better.
"Please tell me I did the right thing," said Sarah as she looked at Casey and Morgan. Morgan remained silent getting up to get a coffee.
"What do you want me to say," said Casey. "You did the right thing ratting out your partner? Usually when I do that, I escort them to the brig then go home and break out the Johnny Walker Black. But that's just me and I've never married them."
"Thanks John, I feel a lot better," said Sarah sarcastically. "I just want what's best for him after everything he's gone through."
"Is it that or is this about payback?" Sarah gave him a look. "What? You got mad at him for going on a solo mission now you're doing the same thing."
"I didn't arrange the mission, it just came and I haven't decided if I'm going to accept it yet. I still have to make up my mind."
"That's a line of crap and you know it. You can't say no to Carina anymore that I can and she knows it. You're going to stand there and tell me you didn't know Chuck would be sidelined when you ratted him out? It never crossed your mind that if a mission came up he'd be stuck home watching the kid while you went off to save the world? If you actually believe what you're saying you should be lying beside him on the couch. I think the Doctor gives family discounts."
"Oh why did I even bring this up with you," said Sarah as she went back to get more coffee and to get away from Casey.
"John, lighten up on her. She's right Chuck needs some time off and if that means seeing a shrink well so be it."
"If I didn't know it I would now that you grew up in the land of fruits and nuts. Once you let one of those nut doctors in your head you never know how it's going to turn out. Limited duty can turn into unfit for duty in a heartbeat or in this case a stroke of the pen."
"I bet Dr. Dreyfus would love a session with you if you didn't try to scare or intimidate him. You know what they say confession is good for the soul."
"And the idiot that came up with that never worked for a clandestine agency. You take your secrets to your grave or my favorite one loose lips kill trolls."
"I don't believe I've ever heard that one," said Morgan as he noticed Kat coming into the Buy More. "Sarah, you've got a special delivery, Sam's here."
"Thanks I'll get her," said Sarah as she left.
"Grimes, do you mind explaining to me how all my weapons manuals got color while I was gone? How could Sam get at them if they were locked up in the armory?"
"I need to go upstairs too. I need to keep Big Mike away from Sarah," said Morgan as he quickly left Castle before Casey figured out he had given Sam his manuals to color in.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Carina just got off the horn with Beckman. She had heard about the shakeup in the agency and was somewhat surprised to find Beckman back in and Chuck sidelined. She wasn't sure how she felt about it but there would be time to catch up on gossip when Sarah arrived. She walked into Cole's office to give him the good news to find him in the middle of a powwow with guys she recognized from Q branch.
"Sorry, I can come back later you're busy," said Carina as she started to leave. "I just wanted to tell you I just got off the phone with Beckman."
"No stay, they need to hear what you found out. You know Larry and Bart," said Cole as he introduced the two men to Carina.
"Yes, I think we've met before," said Carina as she shook their hands. "You guys work in Q branch don't you?"
They both nodded back like most nerds they were tongue tied when it came to talking to members of the opposite sex, especially good looking ones. Carina smiled at them which made them even more uncomfortable.
"My God shoot you both in the head and put you out of your misery," said Cole as he looked at the two men. "You said you talked with Beckman I thought she was put out to pasture?"
"No, she's back but Chuck has been placed on limited duty…" Cole cut her off which she didn't appreciate.
"Too bad we could've used him to help us get an in with the Serbs. They could be our only way into the Bulgarians."
"Well, if you had let me finish I was about to tell you that Beckman is sending Sarah. She can help us wrap our head around this and she can help you with your Serbian situation."
"Well, she's not exactly the same as Chuck, is she? The Serbs are a male dominated society so Love if we go undercover I'm going to have to take her this time."
"Sarah and I used to share, I might be able to put up with this if I know it's her but her only," said Carina. She saw Larry and Bart turn beet red. "To go on mission with what are you two thinking?" They both denied thinking anything. "Whatever, anyway I also found out that that gas Atroxium was invented by a scientist by the name of Wheelwright who is now our guest at Bellevue, the hospital of the criminally insane."
"Did he take in too much of his own creation?" asked Cole as the three men laughed.
"I don't know I didn't get the particulars only that Sarah and Chuck were the ones who apprehended him and are the only ones in the agency to see the true effects of the gas."
"I think we got a peek when that guy bashed his head in trying to get away from the bogeyman. However, we have another problem. Guys one of you bring Agent Miller up to speed."
"As you know there is a canister of this gas, Atroxium, missing from the inventory we recovered but we discovered other items missing in particular one of the crates of RPG-22s turned up one missile short."
"Are you saying it's unaccounted for? Has the building complex been searched from the basement to roof top?"
"Yes of course, we've gone through the walls as well as the ceilings and it's all turned up nothing other than a lot of rats." Carina looked at them. "But what we did discover it that these were the same weapons that was used to strike Vauxhall in September 2000 and the same weapons that were confiscated in Croatia destined for the Real IRA."
"So you've confirmed your Bulgarian connection."
"Yes and it was because of this that I was hoping to get Chuck's help on this but you tell me he's been sidelined. I guess we'll have to make do with Sarah but you know if we had Zondra then you guys could have a CAT squad reunion." The two guys from Q Branch looked up.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Chuck pulled up in behind the Buy More in the herder parking area. He took a deep breath before he got out of the car. Part of him wanted to confront Sarah with what she had done but the other half realized that she had done it because she was concerned about him. However, he couldn't get over feeling that she had somehow let him down.
"Yes that's the word 'let down'," he said to himself in the car. If he had to label what he felt it was let down. He got out of the car then walked around the Buy More to the main entrance. Big Mike headed him off as soon as he entered the door.
"Man oh man, there goes your centerfold spread. Nope there's no way they can put a stable over that," said Big Mike as he stared at Chuck's scar. "But they can do wonders with Photoshop these days."
"What? Oh this thing" said Chuck realizing what Big Mike was looking at. "I just talked with a Doctor who says he can take care of it with laser."
"Yeah, I've seen Nip and Tuck and that never ends well. You'd better get a second opinion or this Halloween you could be going as the Headless Horseman. Well if you do have it done, the Buy More ought to take care of it. They sent you over there but what the heck were you thinking?"
"Thinking? Thinking about what?" said Chuck. He was sure Morgan had told him what tale he had spun for the scar but with everything going on he had forgotten.
"When some fool sticks a gun in your face and asks for your wallet, you give it to him. No questions asked and no wisecracks like you and Morgan make that's what got you those stitches to begin with."
"Right Big Mike, I learned my lesson never again," said Chuck but as he was talking to Big Mike he saw Sarah standing outside Morgan's office with Sam. She waved at him and he waved back. "You're absolutely right and I've learnt my lesson. Now if you'll excuse me."
Shortly before…..
"Okay here comes Chuck, remember what your cousin taught us? For this to work we need to be quiet and sneak up on him then we surprise attack him."
"Are you sure about this? I mean my cousin told us we had to careful how we used what he taught us. You know it could be deadly and someone could get hurt."
"It's for Chuck's own good. We've got to look out for him once he sees what we can do then he'll be grateful we helped him out. Did you bring the ski mask and gun?"
"Yeah but why do I have to pretend to be the robber and not you? Somehow I don't think this is fair. You aren't being racist because of my Hispanic heritage?"
"You're not Chinese? I thought you changed your name from Yu So Dum to Fernando when you immigrated from the old country? Look at me even if I put the mask on Chuck would recognize me. Just do like we rehearsed I'll push Chuck out of the way and do my move. Remember, we could be saving his life in the future.
As Chuck was speaking to Big Mike, Skip and Fernando decided the best way to teach Chuck some moves was to surprise him. So they snuck up behind him and waited for him to finish with Big Mike then when he finished and started toward Sarah they made their moved.
"Hey Chuck nice day," said Skip as he walked out to stand next to Chuck. "Oh look at that is there a thief in the Buy More? Oh my," said Skip but instead of Skip pushing Chuck out of the way Chuck pushed him. Chuck flashed. Fernando raise the pistol but as he did Chuck brush blocked it with this right grabbing it then he delivered a hammer fist to the ribs wrenched the pistol from Fernando's hand. Fernando's right index finger made a loud pop then Chuck landed a right side snap kick to Fernando's lead leg buckling in sending him kneeling to the floor. As he went down embarrassment was add to his injury Chuck shot his in the back of the head with his squirt gun.
"Chuck stop!" yelled Sarah as she came running along with Big Mike and Morgan.
"Guys, I'm really sorry. But Gez what were you thinking jumping me," said Chuck as he took Fernando's ski mask off.
"Let me see your hand. Here hold Sam and try not to shoot her," said Sarah as she handed Chuck Sam.
"Again," said Sam laughing and giggling. "Again!" Fernando's finger made a loud pop as Sarah reset it back in place.
"What were you two knuckleheads thinking," said Morgan standing next to Big Mike. What was that move supposed to be called?"
"The Golden Hen," said Skip as he opened his wings and crouched down. "The Golden Hen gets ready to…
"To lay an egg if you asked me," said Big Mike. "What were you trying to do anyway get yourself killed? Dumb and Dumber, what would've happened if someone really deadly was in here like a cop and saw you fools with a gun. I'd be looking for a replacement… come to think of why don't you take your water pistol and go walk into a bank or convenient store… You're luck it was only Chuck."
"Big Mike, Morgan this has been such a harrowing experience I'm going to take Sarah and Sam over to Orange Orange to calm my nerves down I'll be back." Morgan looked at Chuck and he smiled back.
"I hope you idiots are happy. You do this crap after what that boy's been through. Sure go ahead. You two knuckleheads get back to work."
"But my hand hurts… a lot," said Fernando holding up his hand with his now swollen index finger so Big Mike could see.
"Do you know what sound a single hand makes when it claps?" They both looked at each other shaking their heads. "None, that's going to be what you paycheck looks like if you don't get back to work."
"Again, again," said Sam as Chuck held her still laughing and giggling.
"Sam please don't encourage you father," said Sarah as she took Sam back. "Chuck, what were you thinking? You could've hurt him or worse."
"You saw what happened it was a kneejerk reaction and I used the force appropriate for the situation. Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same."
"Chuck you shot Fernando."
"It was only a water pistol. No big deal, I don't see the problem and thanks for setting me up with Dr. Dreyfus. Is this you trying to justify what you told him?"
"Chuck, I just ask you to be honest. Did you realize it was a water pistol when you took it away from Fernando? Remember, I asked you to be honest."
