Don't own Chuck
Sarah rolled out early leaving Chuck in bed. She checked on Sam who was still asleep with Mr. Rabbit in a choke hold and Bunny at the foot of her bed. She got up early to begin cooking. Even if she wasn't going to have to do the whole meal she wanted to contribute. Chuck had taken raisins and dried prunes putting them in bourbon to soak overnight. Revitalize he called it. These she added to her stuffing mixes including diced apples along with extra spices. Chuck said she was trying to out due herself, preparing both types bread and cornbread. She baked them in the same pan with one on one end and the other on the other. Her pies, two pumpkin pies, she and Chuck had made the night before then set them aside to cool. Now she was standing over them with whip cream.
"To whip or not to whip is the question," said Chuck as he walked in sleepy eye as Sarah gave him a look. "I know how it sounded but something smells good. You've been busy."
"Thanks yes," said Sarah as she sat the whip cream down and poured Chuck a cup of coffee then handed it to him. "What do you think? I need your opinion with or without whipped cream?"
"I'm a big fan of topless but I can see how whip cream could have a purpose," said Chuck as he gave her a coy look.
"Are we still talking about pies or do you have other suggestions," said Sarah as she took his coffee cup and drank from it.
"Maybe we keep the whipped cream at home for later." As they were talking they heard Casey's door open then close so they went to the window. They saw Kat slipping out with her shoes in her hands.
"No! Don't! Chuck stop!" said Sarah as tried to grab him but it was too late he had already opened the door and walked outside.
"Want some coffee before you go," said Chuck. "Sarah just made a pot and you look like you could use a cup for the road."
"Chuck!" said Sarah as grab him pulling him back in. "Kat if you want the cup you're more than welcome. My husband sometimes has a big mouth as well as a natural talent for minding other people's business," she said as she gave him a look. "You just arrive?"
"Thanks for the life saver but we all know where I just came from," said Kat as she walked inside. Chuck went and got her a cup of coffee as Sarah had her sit down at the table then she checked on her stuffing. It was done so she turned off the oven.
"I know it doesn't go well with coffee, but since you're here," said Sarah as she gave Kat a spoonful of both types. "What do you think? I can't ask some people because they would tell it was good even it were burnt to a crisp."
"Well that it's not. Let me try…. Hum, tastes good what did you use? Bourbon?" said Kate and Sarah nodded her head. "That's really good I especially like the cornbread. I'm going to remember that when I fix mine next time. Well you're probably wondered why I was coming out of John's this morning?"
"Kat, it's really none of our business unlike some people might think," said Sarah a she looked at Chuck.
"Who me?" said Chuck as he shrugged his shoulders. "No really Kat if you and Casey have something going on like Sarah said it's none of our business but if you do I'd say great for you two. I've always thought you were special to the Big Guy."
"Do you really think so? I mean no I don't think so … I mean oh… I mean I was over thawing out a venison roast John had in his freezer then we cooked it for today. I was up late with it and fell asleep on the sofa. But after what happened to Morgan I tried to mediate the best way I could."
"So you cooked Bambi?" said Chuck with a look of disgust.
"It was the only piece of meat John had that would go around. We don't have to tell them it's venison and you can't image how hard it was for me to convince him to give it up. I had to have Alex to call him and beg."
"You didn't need to worry about it," said Sarah as she kissed Chuck. "My sweetie took care of Morgan's problem last night. If you two will excuse me I need to get Sam up then we need to get changed to meet the team."
"The team?" said Kat as she looked at Chuck. "What team? Is there a mission?"
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Morgan and Alex got up early too loaded up their pies and their things then headed to the Buy More. Morgan wanted to be the first so he could bring the food up from Castle through Orange Orange since it was closed then fall on his sword. Alex tried to cheer him up but he was in a sullen dark mood.
"Morgan, will you snap out of it. This isn't your fault your order just got screwed up like what happened to me last week. I ordered fried noodles and they brought me fried rice. Sometimes I think they do it on purpose to sell off their leftovers."
"This is hardly the same thing wait… you don't think… ," said Morgan as he paused thinking for a moment. "You don't think I ought to do a spectral analysis and a DNA match. How do we know that's turkey and ham anyway?"
"You've got a point but do we really want to go down that road after all we've already tried it. I mean it's kind of late."
"Are you suddenly afraid of dogs? When you're near me do you feel like purring?" asked Morgan as Alex giggled.
"Morgan only when I'm near you so stop it you're freaking out. If you continue you'll never eat there again and you like their Moo goo gai pan."
"This morning you asked for a nice bowl of oats? Oats Alex don't you see. When someone asks you one plus one do you want to paw two? Paw or hoof? Can hoof be used as a verb?"
"Morgan I almost always eat oats for breakfast because they're good for you and your heart. You should try them sometimes. Morgan you're spiraling. We're here… But what's going on? Morgan did you know about this?"
"No we've been over run. Poor Skip and Fernando they've been taken and are being tortured as we speak so they can get what they know."
"And what do they know?"
"Nothing, they barely know their names let alone how to get home at night. I think their mothers come and take them home. Whatever let's go in through Orange Orange, there we can do a threat assessment and call in reinforcements.
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Gladys opened the cell there in the middle of the floor was Jeff, curled up in a fetal position holding his pillow with his thumb in his mouth. She shook him to try and wake him but no good so she shook him harder still nothing. Finally she had no choice she slapped him to try and bring him around. He smiled then kissed her before passing out again.
"Mr. Barnes," yelled Gladys. Jeff responded muttered something that she couldn't understand he was still pretty much out of it. "How much did you take?"
"Take? I didn't take anything. I only had two beers," Jeff answered slurring his words hold and up three fingers. "Oh wait," he said as he counted his fingers. "Why are there three here? Oh now I remember. This one was to clean my ears," he said as he stuck a finger in his ear.
"Right two beers. I'm sure only two."
"Yeah two to wash down the brownies my fan gave me. He was really nice, an Injun, you know the really cool kind."
"You know you should really say Native American but this Injun did he have a name? You know the one who made the brownies?"
"I ain't no snitch for the man," said Jeff as he looked around the room and it started to spin. "I don't feel so well I think my water's about to break.
"Let's not do that just sit still and look at me."
"Which one of you? Twins in uniform now there's a fantasy," said Jeff as he tried to reach out and touch her but he kept grabbing at the wrong one so it looked like he was trying to grab air.
"You said you weren't a snitch for the man but I'm not a man," said Gladys trying to cut through the drug induced haze to get the information she needed. "I'm a woman."
"Are you sure? Can I check to make sure?"
"No you can't and sit back down," Gladys said as she pulled away he tried to get up he went back down anyway.
"I'll take your word for it. I don't seem to be able to move too well. Reminds me of that time in Reno, that was good." He smiled
"What happened?" asked Gladys trying to get Jeff to speak
"I don't remember but if I couldn't remember then it must've been a good one. Where am I? Where's Lester? I need Chuck, get me Chuck."
"That's what I need to know, the policeman who brought you in said you wanted us to contact a Chuck for you and that he worked at the Buy More but when we went to the Beverly Hills Buy More they never heard of him."
"Chuck wouldn't work for those coordinated dressed up prissy …." Gladys interrupted him as he seemed to be rambling.
"So this Chuck, he doesn't work for the Buy More?" said Gladys. That explained why they didn't know who he was. "Where does this Chuck work or live?"
"Chuck's at 9000 Burbank Boulevard the Burbank Buy More. But come here," said Jeff as he laughed. "Come here and I'll tell you something that no one knows. But this is a secret you can't tell anyone." Gladys nodded her head but she wasn't going to get any closer. "Chuck doesn't work for the Buy More. It's his cover."
"His cover? Then who does Chuck work for?" She asked but was afraid of the answer.
"Chuck works for the man and when I say the man I mean 'the man'," said Jeff as he lowered his voice even more. "He works for the CIA, Chuck's a spy and so is his old lady."
"Great, so if I send a patrol car over they can bring back Chuck the spy and he can bail you out?" It was Thanksgiving who would be at the Buy More today unless they had some sort of in house party. It was worth trying she though. Her eyes watered as Jeff broke out singing Jeffster's hit.
"Roscoe ain't here no more; Roscoe went away and won't come back. Why he had to go I don't know? A ferret and a good ferret to me…"
"It sounds better with a steel guitar but doesn't it make you want to cry," said Gladys as she sighed to her Sargeant listening to Jeff sing.
"Among other things, so what did you find out? I want him out of here, twenty-four hours are almost up and then we'll be forced to book him. We can't put him on the street like this."
"Sounds like someone slipped him something at a concert or rave. You're right we can't put on the street he's still pretty much out of it but I've got another address to check out now."
"I heard have dispatch send the patrol car here and you tell them in person. I don't want them to call over the radio that we're looking for Chuck the spy so everyone with a police scanner can listen in. No that's the last thing we need. This thing will go viral and we'll be the laughing stock on the YouTube and ever social media."
"I'll get right on it," said Gladys as she disappeared leaving her Sargeant standing there looking at Jeff as he continued to sing.
"Chuck the spy," said the man shaking his head. "Only in L.A."
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Morgan and Alex made it into Orange, Orange where they observed the men in black in and out of the Buy More. This was definitely an incursion of some kind and they had to warn someone before they walked into a trap not to mention that Big Mike and his mother should be showing up soon. So they made their way to the freezers and the elevator taking it down to Castle.
"Maybe there's a silver lining here," said Morgan. "You don't think they could take Big Mike. I wouldn't want him hurt but maybe they could take to some place far away and turn him lose so he could go feral."
"Morgan you're being silly," said Alex as she placed her hand on the scanner for recognition then it did the retinal scan.
"You're right; Big Mike would never survive in the wild. He'd need some place where Subway sandwiches roam freely. The only place I've ever seen him forage was at the salad bar."
"But he likes to fish? I guess he could survive as long as there was water and something to fish with?"
"You mean like Tom Hanks in 'Cast Away' and what my mom is supposed to be Wilson. You know he's never really caught anything other than mosquito bites."
"What do you mean he's never caught anything? What about that Marlin you told me he had in his office when he was manager?"
"What Norman? He bought that off Ebay for two hundred dollars. No Big Mike would starve to death, he's been institutionalized by the Buy More. He can't survive anywhere else," said Morgan as they stepped off the elevator only to find Chuck and Sarah already in Castle moving the last of the food up upstairs.
"Oh there you two are," said Chuck. "Come on we've already got everything out. Casey is pawing at the ground he wants to eat."
"But what's up with the home invasion team out front? Alex thought men in black took over the Buy More," said Morgan then Alex cleared her throat. "Okay we thought... Anyway we were coming down to organize a counter offensive."
"A counter what?" said Sarah. "Guys you didn't think that if the Buy More had been taken they wouldn't have found their way down here so you would've walked into a trap."
"Morgan it's called a suicide mission," said Chuck as he handed him a pan of Chinese dumplings with turkey.
"Suicide mission? No not really we were… well… What were we doing? Oh food," said Morgan as he looked at his feet. "Chuck has anyone complained yet about the menu? You can tell me. No don't I'll go up and face the music."
"Morgan, don't worry and for the record you bailed me out," said Sarah as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You're a good friend Morgan."
"Hey do we need to get jealous," said Chuck smiling over at Alex who gave him a puzzled look back then she noticed Sarah smiling too.
"You two are up to something and those guys out front have something to do with it," said Alex as she saw confirmation in their faces.
"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," said Chuck as Sarah whispered something in Alex's ear and she smiled too.
"Okay, I get it I'm the mushroom here," said Morgan. "Why not, we're in a cave after all and I'm knee deep in it."
"You know you're bad. You should tell him," whispered Sarah in Chuck's ear. "Look at him don't you feel sorry for him?" Chuck just smiled back
They all got in the elevator and went up into the Buy More. When the elevator arrived they came out from behind the lockers to find Casey standing guard. He was running interference so no one would see any suspicious activity.
"This is the last of it John and look who we found down below. Now we can eat," said Chuck as Morgan and Alex came out with them.
"It's about time. I should've known the Troll would be lurking about in his natural lair," said Casey as Alex went up to him and kissed him.
"Happy Thanksgiving Dad," said Alex then she took Morgan by the hand.
"Let's go I'm ready to face the music," said Morgan as he walked out to a general round of applause. "What the…?"
There was a long table in the middle of the store with all the food everyone brought. It was dressed up like a cornucopia of Thanksgiving Day delights. In the middle were two large turkeys and two large hams on each end. Grimes closed his eyes and opened them again. It was real not a mirage and he knew he was awake.
"Chuck how? What did you do?" But before Chuck could answer Big Mike came up and patted him on the back.
"You really came through son I knew you would. Makes a man want to well up I'm proud of you and the mix of East meets West was a great idea. Smart move inviting the people from Buy More cooperate too but I guess old man Moses Finkelstein couldn't make it or I haven't seen him yet."
"What," said Morgan as he looked over to see General Beckman in civilian attire standing next to Mary, Chuck's mother. "Excuse me I need to do over. You understand Dad."
"You made my day son. Go right ahead."
"I guess I need to say thank you," said Morgan as he offered the General his hand. "Happy Thanksgiving." Chuck tried to get to Morgan before he reached the General but was too late.
"Happy Thanksgiving Agent Grimes and thank you for the invitation."
"Invitation?" said Morgan as Chuck nudged him. "Oh right well we wanted to do something for everyone so Chuck and I were talking and well we decided it wouldn't be the same without Beck'y our leader." The General gave him a look. "Oh what I meant to say was our General. Your star lights up our night."
"Have you been drinking?" said the General as she looked at Chuck.
"No he's just happy. He gets that way around the holidays. He's glad you're here and is well… He's just Morgan. If you excuse us ma'am," said Chuck as he herded Morgan away from disaster. "Come on let's say hello to my Mom," said Chuck as he steered Morgan.
"Okay what'd you do? How'd you pull this off?" said Morgan. "I'm not complaining I'm thankful but where did everything come from?"
"My mother can explain," said Chuck as Mary came over with Sam in her arms and Sarah behind her. Sam looked happy with Mary, Sarah less.
"Mrs. B. thanks," said Morgan. "How can I ever thank you, you bailed my turkeys out of the fire. Happy Thanksgiving."
"Happy Thanksgiving to you when Chuck called me to invite me, he told me what had happened so I pulled a few favors, nothing major. How could I not help my son's best friend especially after everything you done for us."
"Little Buddy, it's like I told you before you're family," said Chuck but as he was speaking Skip came up from behind and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Chuck what'd you do? There are two cops at the front door asking you. Fernando is holding them off if you want to slip out the back. Are you caught up on your alimony and child support?"
"What alimony are you talking about? And I've only got one child to support," said Chuck as Skip winked at him.
"I got you. Can't talk right now," said Skip elbowing Chuck winking then looking at Sarah standing next to him. "Sure I understand and the way to the loading ramp is clear."
"What is it," asked Sarah. "Why do the cops want to talk to you? Have you got all your tickets paid up?"
"I told you, you drive too fast," said Mary. "I expected something like this from Sarah but not you. Sorry but you know the way you drive."
"What's that supposed to mean," said Sarah giving Mary the look. Mary was always on her, telling her she drove too fast and that she had a lead foot.
"You know what I mean…" Chuck interrupted the conversation before it spiraled out of control. It still was Thanksgiving.
"There are no tickets or alimony or child support. Let me go talk to the police and find out what they want and end all this speculation."
"Well I'm coming with you," said Sarah. "Mary, can you take care of Sam for me? We'll be right back."
"You don't even have to ask," said Mary as she walked over towards the General. "Let's go say hi to Auntie Diane I know she wants to say hello."
"Auntie Diane?" said Chuck. "Now that's a terrifying thought."
"Come on let's go see what the police want. Are you sure you don't have any outstanding tickets, even for parking. You know sometimes you do park outside the line."
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Morgan was over with Alex who had made him a plate piled high with sweet potatoes and marshmallows. Morgan was in paradise. They were standing chatting with Casey and Kat and Morgan wanted to compliment Kat on her sweet potatoes when Skip and Fernando came over.
"Kathleen I didn't think it was possible but your sweet potatoes are better than Ellie's and I'm not saying that because you're my fiancée's mother."
"Thank you Morgan I'm glad you like them and looks like everything came together. This is really nice." Before Morgan could answer Skip butted in
"Grimes your boy's in trouble with the law," said Skip as he point to the door where Chuck was standing with Sarah in front of two uniformed cops. "I got a bet here with Fernando that Chuck's behind on his alimony or child support…"
"If either of you had a brain you'd be dangerous. John front door," said Morgan but Casey was already on it circling picking up a pricing gun with a Sig 9mm hidden inside but then Sarah waved him off and they went outside with the cops.
"So what is it," said Skip, "you need to settle our bet because you know Chuck better than anyone else."
"What are you blabbering about?" said Morgan as Casey shook his head coming back.
"Is Chuck behind…" Skip started to say but Morgan cut him off.
"I heard you before and that's absolutely ridiculous. Really I don't know about you so no you're wrong Tweedledee. Now Tweedledumber what's your hypothesis?"
"Chuck's a spy. That's what the cops ask him if he was Chuck the spy I heard them."
