Chuck VS the Alien Colonists

Chapter 1

Chuck Bartowski was finally beginning to get a handle on being the Intersect, with all the baggage that came with being the Intersect. Kung Fu was the least of it. Often, Bartowski found he was capable of playing musical instruments he'd never touched before; or speaking languages he had never learned.

Bryce Larkin's death-permanent, this time-had given Chuck a chance to choose between two particular lives; either the normal-boring-life he had been craving for so long now, or the more exciting, but far more dangerous life; the life Sarah Walker and John Casey lived every day.

Much to his surprise, he had chosen the spy's life. He had actually gone to Spy Academy-of course, the NSA had one-only to fail miserably. He had failed in other ways too…

Sarah Walker had left him.

Anyway, after a few bumps on the road, Team Bartowski was back in operation. Somehow, Casey had gotten the Buy More to rehire them both, and Sarah Walker was back at the Orange Orange.

So, everyone was back where they had started. Chuck was beginning to work his way back to Sarah, deeply aware that he had hurt her, not knowing how to repair the damage, but ready to do anything in his power…

Sarah, for her part, continued her maddening orbit around him. It was like they were executing a complicated pavane; too afraid to move closer for fear of getting hurt, but too lost to truly give the other up

Thank God for John Casey. He was impatient, demanding, and all too rude, sometimes. But, he was also the steadying hand that kept the whole house of cards from falling down.

Things were also going back to normal-or what passed for normal-at the Burbank Buy More. Emmet Milbarge was…gone.

Almost everyone assumed he had left the Buy More in search of greener pastures. Chuck knew otherwise. Casey had told him that an assassin-the one who was trying to kill Chuck-had killed the Store Manager in cold blood.

So, the Buy More was short one Store Manager; but not for long…

Big Mike was back, and he had moved swiftly to set the store back on its feet. One of his first acts had been to promote Morgan Grimes to the rank of Assistant Manager. Chuck had been delighted for his old friend.

So, discounting the ever-present threat of the Ring, things were really beginning to settle down in Chuck's corner of the world. He was back on track with his relationship with Sarah; and he was learning how to hold his own in the dangerous world that was a spy's life. He was even beginning to earn John Casey's respect.

Then, the murder occurred…

*****

There were several things about the murder that just didn't make sense. For one thing, the victim, a disabled ex-FBI agent named Jeffery Spender, a man who kept himself to himself, simply wasn't the kind of guy you expected to see murdered in the first place. But the police, and the FBI, had received anonymous phone calls, giving the details of the murder, virtually leading the police by the nose, to the crime scene.

The body had been found, neck broken, in the garbage dump just behind the Buy More. Less than five minutes later, the FBI was at the scene as well.

Chuck had never seen John Casey so angry before…

"How could this happen without my knowing about it?" Casey fumed, deeply chagrined at being caught with his pants down. It was too late to send in the NSA, or CIA Cleaners. The FBI was there in full force, to avenge one of their own…

The FBI Agent in charge of the investigation had taken over the Employee Break Room to interview potential suspects, and Casey was more…skittish…than usual…

Certainly, the Buy More's environs were beginning to look like the proverbial three-ring circus, the back area cordoned off, detectives everywhere, poking, and prying, into everything.

There was even word that one of the FBI's Legends had been coaxed out of semi-retirement. Jeffrey Spender's autopsy had been done by none other than Dr. Dana Scully.

Big Mike took it all in stride. Chuck was beginning to think the man had nerves of steel. He merely gave orders that all Buy More staff were to co-operate with the FBI. Then he had retired into his office, with his ever-present box of donuts.

Morgan Grimes wasn't put out by Agent Doggett taking over the Employee Break Room either. He had cobbled together an office in the Utility Closet, so he was fine too.

The other employees-Jeff, Lester, all the others, including Chuck, himself-weren't so lucky. They wound up having to take their breaks at the Orange Orange. Not that Chuck thought that a hardship. Anything that allowed him to spend time with Sarah Walker couldn't be anything but good…

Besides, someone had to keep Jeff and Lester at bay. Neither was acquainted with the concept that "No means no."

"Thanks for being here, Chuck," Sarah Walker wiped the counter, more than a little frazzled now that everyone was coming to the Orange Orange on their breaks.

"Jeff's being questioned by Agent Doggett right now," Chuck helped himself to some chocolate sprinkles. "What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall right now…"

The freezer door swung open, and John Casey stepped out; looking more pissed-off than was usual for him.

"Nothing," he muttered. "There was nothing on the feeds."

"Your surveillance didn't show anything?" Sarah was startled.

"Not one damned thing!" Casey snarled. "No body, no killer, no nothing!"

"You mean your droids didn't even catch the murder when it happened?"

"According to my surveillance, Bartowski, not a damned thing happened last night," Casey groused. "Whoever did this knew exactly where they were, and how to spoof them,"

"So, why kill a disabled guy who used to work for the FBI?"

"I dunno, Walker" Casey's shoulders slumped. "If Beckman calls, let her know I'm out checking my cameras."

He stepped outside, grumbling something fairly rancid under his breath. Chuck's Cell phone rang; Morgan Grimes…

"Hey, buddy," Chuck forced a light tone into his voice. "What's up?"

"That FBI guy-Dog something…"

"Doggett," Chuck prompted…

"Yeah, he's looking for you."

"I'll be right there."

He put his cell phone back into his pocket.

"Doggett wants to see me now,"

Sarah nodded.

"Be careful," she said.

"Hey, it's me."

He stepped out, almost bumping into Casey.

"Where do you think you're going?" the older man rasped.

"FBI Agent Doggett wants to see me."

Casey's reaction was…interesting…

If Chuck hadn't spent as much time with the NSA Agent as he had, he might have missed it; the slightest stiffening of the shoulders, the merest catch in the man's breath.

"You okay, John?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Casey turned away as he spoke. "Remember, don't volunteer information, and answer only the questions he asks."

"I'll do that."

Chuck found Morgan Grimes at the Nerd Herder Station.

"There you are!" the shorter man was clearly rattled by the day's events.

"Breathe, Morgan," Chuck advised. "This will all be over in no time."

"Yeah…" Grimes shivered. "It's not every day we get to host a murder investigation. The dude running the show, Doggett, is one tough hombre. I bet he could even give Casey a hard time."

Chuck remembered Casey's reaction upon hearing the man's name; that slight flinch.

Perhaps he could, at that…

"He's in the Employee Break Room?"

"Yeah," Grimes nodded. "And, like I said, he's tough."

Just outside the room, Chuck took the time to straighten his tie and smooth down his hair before knocking on the door. Stepping inside, he saw FBI Agent John Doggett, tall and lean, with blondish hair going gray at the temples, and piercingly cold blue eyes, just before he was inundated by a Flash…

John Jay Doggett…USMC '77-83…Sergeant in 24th MAU, with Shannon McMahon and Knowle Rohrer (See attached photo) injured in Lebanon; retired with Commendations. Married to Barbara nee Stewart. One son born, Luke, deceased 1994 (see file). Marriage ended in divorce, Graduated FBI Academy, 1995, joined X-Files Division, 2001; X-Files Division closed 2003.

"Are you all right?" the man had gotten to his feet, concern in his eyes.

""I'm okay," Chuck shook the Flash out of his system. "Just a slight migraine. You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah," Doggett sat back down, took up pen and notebook.

An old-fashioned guy, I see…

"Your full name, for the record, please."

"Charles Irving Bartowski, but everyone calls me Chuck."

"Okay…Chuck," the man got down to business. "You are aware that a murder was committed here last night?"

"Yeah…I heard that."

"So, where were you late last night?"

"Me? I was with Sarah Walker, she's my girlfriend, and we went out to see Avatar at the Atlantic Theater."

"What time did you see it?"

"Oh, it was the ten o'clock showing. It was after midnight when we got out."

"Will your girlfriend verify that?"

"Yes, she will. She works at the Orange Orange. The best froyo in town."

"Did you ever know the victim?" Doggett was looking at him intently. "Guy's name was Jeffrey Spender."

The name triggered another Flash-detailing information about alien invasions, Alien Bounty Hunters, and Super soldiers; and Chuck wished a thousand torments upon the head of the person who had originally conceived the idea of the Intersect in the first place…

Sorry, Dad…

Gritting his teeth, he answered Doggett's question.

"No, I've never met him before."

The older man continued to look through his already copious amount of notes.

"All right," he said. "What about John Casey?"

"Casey?" Chuck couldn't keep the squeak out of his voice.

"Yes," Doggett's eyes bored into him. "I'm told he's big and rather…temperamental…"

"He's not a killer," Chuck replied. "And he detests lawbreakers."

"Yeah…" Doggett nodded. "The others have told me all about Mr. Casey's zealous anti-shoplifting policy, and his deft aim…"

Chuck winced. The story of how John Casey had felled a fleeing shoplifter with an apple-a half eaten apple, at that-was swiftly becoming a true Buy More Legend.

"Look, Agent Doggett, Casey's not a fluffy personality. But, he's not a murderer either."

"Uh-huh…" Doggett closed his notebook. "Thank you for your time. I will be getting back in touch with you, so keep yourself available."

Chuck got to his feet, and headed back to the Orange Orange, the information from the two Flashes bubbling in his brain.

"Casey," the NSA looked up from his coffee as Chuck barged in. "Doggett wants to see you now."

Again, there was…something… in Casey's eyes.

If I didn't know better, I would say he was frightened…

"Casey," Chuck continued. "He's worked in the X-Files, and there are all sorts of stuff on alien invasions, shape shifters, and Super soldiers; and…and…who is Knowle Rohrer?"

Casey stiffened.

"Where did you hear that name?" he hissed.

"It was in the Flash," Chuck explained. "Was Rohrer a cover of yours?"

"No," Casey was still tense. "The man's dead, has been for years. You didn't bring him up, did you?"

There was real fear in his voice now.

"Of course not!" Chuck said "I just thought you should know. Also…"

"What, Bartowski? Spit it out!"

"I think he's looking at you for the suspect. "He asked me an awful lot of questions concerning you. Jeff, or Lester, must have mentioned the Shoplifter you pegged with the apple."

"They probably also mentioned the volleyball incident too," Casey grumped, back to his normal self. "I'll be back when I'm done with Doggett."

"Don't do, or say, anything stupid, Casey," Sarah warned. "This is not a good time to let your temper get the better of you."

"Walker, I'm a big boy," Casey shot back. "I don't need anyone holding my hand…"

Chuck tuned them both out as he opened the freezer door, and made his way down to the Castle. Someone had to bring General Beckman up to date…

*****

Just about the last thing Agent John Doggett expected to see what a ghost. But, there the ghost was, wearing the green shirt and tan slacks of a Buy More Sales Associate. Doggett stared up at the man-John Casey-and felt his mouth go dry at the sight.

"John Casey?" Doggett said the man's name, just to be sure. The man nodded impatiently.

"Yeah, that's my name," his manner fairly screaming, get to the point you fecking idiot!

"Okay…"Doggett indicated the chair across the table. "Please have a seat."

It was clear to Doggett that the man had seen military service. He was even sitting at attention for God's sake.

""A murder was committed here late last night," Doggett began. "Could you tell me where you were at the time?"

"At home," the man folded his arms across his chest.

"Anyone with you to verify that?"

"No, sir," Casey shook his head. "I was alone."

Doggett jotted a few noted down in his notebook, trying to put Knowle Rohrer out of his mind.

"I hear tell you've got a bit of a temper, Mr. Casey, and a deft aim with the odd apple."

Casey snorted derisively.

"That kid came to no harm," he said. "And, he hasn't been back since, so he must have learned his lesson."

"How about the Volleyball Incident?"

"An accident," Casey shrugged. "I've got a mean spike."

"I'm sure you do…"

Doggett let it lie between them for a bit, looking for any signs of uneasiness. But the man was as calm as a deep lake.

"Does the name Jeffrey Spender mean anything to you?"

Casey seemed to consider the question.

"No, "he said, at last. "Anything else you need?"

"Not right now," Doggett put pen and notebook away. "But please keep yourself available."

The man nodded curtly, stood, and then left the room without another word. Doggett stared at the tabletop, not really seeing it. There was something…off…about John Casey, and it was more than his freakish resemblance to a long dead friend.

Picking up his cell phone, he dialed his partner's number. Monica Reyes answered immediately.

"Hey, John."

"Monica, I need you to run a background check on one of the Buy More employees. His name is John Casey."

"How quickly do you need it?"

"Yesterday," Doggett stretched as he spoke, working the kinks out of his spine. "Prepare for a shock, though. Casey's the living image of Knowle Rohrer."

"John…"Reyes spoke hesitantly. "Is it possible that he could be-"

"No, Monica, we both saw him die…"

Doggett wasn't sure he would ever be able to forget seeing Knowle Rohrer die; his flesh charring, blackening, as some mysterious force in the Anasazi Ruins tore his body apart…

"Whoever this John Casey is," Doggett went on. "It's not Knowle Rohrer…"

"But, he could be something else," Reyes warned him. "Like one of those Alien Bounty Hunters Mulder told us about."

"Working a dead end job in the local Buy More?"

"Well…when you put it that way…I'll get right on the background check. Maybe we'll find something…"

*****

John Casey headed for the Employee Rest Room. There, he booted those infernal slackers-Jeff and Lester, sending them back to do the work they were being paid to do. His cell phone rang.

"Casey, secure."

"This is General Beckman. Report, please."

"Ma'am," Casey took a deep breath. "Operation Bartowski is in imminent danger of becoming compromised."

"Agent Bartowski has already informed me."

Good kid…

"It looks like I'm the main suspect in this investigation, Ma'am," he said. "And the FBI has brought Agent John Doggett in to investigate the murder. He's already interviewed me, and he's no dummy. In my opinion, it's only a matter of time before he puts two and two together."

"Shit…" was Beckman's succinct response. "I can't pull you out right now. Our resources are spread thin, and there's no one I trust sufficiently to take your place in Team Bartowski. I would advise you to take care."

"What have your analysts come up with?"

"Here are the facts, Colonel. A killer has managed to murder his/her victim, without said murder being recorded on your surveillance. Also, two anonymous phone calls were made; one to the local Burbank Police, the other to the FBI. Both calls were made within minutes of the murder, and both calls were made using voice distortion technology. My analysts have come up with a picture that, oddly enough, leaves Operation Bartowski in the clear. After all, if the killer can waltz through your surveillance, and kill someone, all without turning up on your surveillance, then, if that person wanted Chuck dead, he would be dead…"

"I'm not sure I like the direction this is taking…" Casey muttered.

"Neither do I, John," Beckman's voice came over the line. "Like it or not, this seems to be aimed at you specifically, and, to me, that doesn't spell the Ring."

A thrill of fear worked its way up his spine.

"Them…" he stated. "After all these years."

"Yes, Colonel, so take extreme care. I'll come down as soon as I can. Maybe there's a way to salvage the situation. Until then, hang on."

She hung up. Casey leaned on one of the bathroom sinks, glaring at the wall mirror. He was fairly sure Team Bartowski could handle the Ring. Although he would never publicly admit it, Chuck Bartowski was getting better at this business every day; and, when Walker had her head screwed on right, she was just about the best partner Casey could ever recall having.

But, if it was the Others…

Casey shivered at the thought…

Deal with what's in your face, he admonished himself. Deal with things one day at a time…

*****

"Yes," Sarah Walker handed John Doggett a small chocolate froyo. "Chuck and I saw Avatar at the Atlantic. It was the ten o'clock show."

She smiled fondly at the memory of the evening spent "Securing their cover"…

"So," Agent Doggett prompted. "Dinner and a movie?"

"Ah…yes," Sarah flushed slightly. "Like I said, we had a late night."

"All right," the FBI agent flipped through his notebook. "Do you know John Casey? One of the Buy More Green shirts; a big bruiser of a guy…"

"He comes here often on his breaks."

Sarah kept her features impassive. Chuck had already told her what Doggett seemed to think of Casey.

God only knows what Jeff and Lester told him…

"So," Doggett was talking. "Have you ever seen Casey display…violent tendencies?"

"No," Sarah Walker didn't really like lying to an FBI Agent. But she was fairly sure Doggett wouldn't understand…

"That's not what two Buy More employees told me," Doggett countered.

"Let me guess," Sarah smiled sweetly. "Jeff Barnes and Lester Patel."

"You know them?"

"They come here on their breaks too. Agent Doggett, you must have noticed that Jeff Barnes isn't a reliable witness…"

"He did seem somewhat…iffy…" Doggett admitted. "And his breath…"

"I'm sure he was totally skunked when you interviewed him. So much so that he probably won't remember you at all tomorrow."

"I…see…" Doggett raised an eyebrow. "And, Lester Patel?"

"A weasel, pure and simple," Sarah explained. "He'll say, and do, anything, if he thinks it will help him get ahead."

"So, he lies?"

"Like a rug," Sarah assured him. She hesitated, and then spoke again. "John Casey is…rough around the edges. He has zero patience for at least nine tenths of the world's population. But, he's not the kind of guy to kill a disabled person, and leave the body in the trash."

"You sure 'bout that?"

"I've known him for three years now, and I would trust him with my life. Is there anything else?"

"Not now," Doggett stood. "Thank you for your time, Ms. Walker."

*****

Now, hours later, Doggett was sitting on the motel bed, typing away on his FBI-owned laptop, notebook by his side. There was a tap on the door, and Monica Reyes entered, dark eyes radiating a pool of psychic warmth that never failed to invigorate Doggett's soul.

"Hey," she nodded at the laptop, and the notebook. "Working Hard? Or hardly working?"

"Ech…" Doggett scrubbed his face wearily. "It's a mess. On the surface, it looks so clear; an open-and-shut case. John Casey's really the only suspect we've got."

"But, he scares you…"

"Yeah…" Doggett admitted. "I mean, he could be one of them, whoever they really are. But, what if he isn't? What if he's completely innocent?"

"Looking exactly like Knowle Rohrer?"

"Twins do get separated, Monica. Maybe their parents die, and they have no family left to take care of them. Or, maybe their mothers are too young to take care of them, so they get put up for adoption. I would hate to ruin a man's life because the only thing he's guilty of is looking like Knowle Rohrer."

He sat up straighter.

"Okay, Monica, what have you got?"

"First, Sarah Walker and Chuck Bartowski; their alibi checks out. They were at the Atlantic Theater for the ten o'clock showing of Avatar, and the security cams show them leaving the Atlantic at around 12:30 AM…"

"All right," Doggett rubbed his eyes. "You do the background check on John Casey?"

"Yes," Reyes nodded. "He served in the Marines. He was honorably discharged five years ago. But…I don't know…Casey's record seems…incomplete…somehow. No mention of family history, no mention of previous occupational history. It just doesn't feel…right."

"Like he isn't what he says he is?"

"It could be that, John…"

There was an uncomfortable silence. Too many paranoid thoughts from years back were rearing their ugly heads again.

"So," Doggett shook those thoughts away. "What were you able to dig up on Casey?"

"It seems he spent the greater part of the '90s in the Middle East. But I can't find out what he did while he was there."

But, John Doggett knew.

It was all so clear now…

An assassin…A god-damned assassin working retail in the local Burbank Buy More…

"I have learned some interesting things about him, though…" Reyes went on. "He's a bit of a loner; doesn't seem to have many friends."

"No surprise there," Doggett commented. "He isn't exactly a warm, cuddly personality."

"But he does have two friends," Reyes twinkled. "He seems to hang out with them on a regular basis. They're a bit of a trio…"

"Okay," Doggett sat up straighter. "Now, I'm curious."

"Would you be horribly surprised if I told you it was Chuck Bartowski and-"

"Sarah Walker!" Doggett exclaimed. "She said she trusted John Casey with her life. Now, I know why!"

"Will I need a decoder Ring?" Reyes sounded mildly miffed. "Or can you tell me in plain English?"

"All three of them are Agents, Monica; they've got to be!"

"Agents…"

"Either DOD, CIA, or NSA. Like I said, it makes sense."

"Oh, god," Reyes murmured. "What have we stumbled into?"

"It doesn't matter, Monica" Doggett felt grimness enter into him, sort of like an earthen blanket. "Someone killed Jeffrey Spender. Scully's report said the killer snapped his neck like a twig. What possible reason was there for killing him?"

Disabled, severely disfigured, Jeffrey Spender hadn't been any kind of threat; to anyone

"I can't let this one go, Monica. You know that."

"I know," Reyes sighed. "The killer had to be very strong to break Jeffrey's neck like that."

"So, it's back to Casey again…" Doggett pinched the bridge of his nose, the mother of all headaches taking shape behind his eyes.

"It sure looks that way," Reyes agreed. "So, what do we do?"

Doggett opened his eyes, looked Reyes square in the eyes.

"We bring him in," he said. "That's what we do."