Don't own Chuck
AFTER SHOOTING
After the police arrived, the team slipped out mixing in with the crowd of bystanders and before they could be identified making their escape. Chuck was in the herder with Morgan following Casey in his car who was driving like a maniac. Ignoring lights and traffic he was pushing his Crown Vic to the max. The poor herder with holes in the door panel was having difficulty keeping up and Chuck had to flash just to keep it on the road.
"Chuck, John is going to get us killed, if he keeps driving like this."
"Hang on Little Buddy, we'll be there soon." Chuck opened a comm link with General Beckman to give her a heads up.
"Agent Batrowski, what's the emergency? I was just informed that you and the Colonel were identified in a shooting incident a little while ago in a church of all things near Seventh and Broadway. I've had to dispatch a cleanup crew to purge all records of your presences."
"Truthfully General our involvement was limited to being targets." Chuck went on to describe what happened."
"Agent Bartowski, where are you headed now?"
"We're going to examine Ned Jones' house to see what we can find and to locate the widow if she's still there. Afterwards, we'll be heading down to ATF headquarter in Glendale to talk with Paul Norton's boss."
"Good, I'm recalling Sarah from Pendleton and have her rendezvous with you at Castle this evening. Agent Bartowski, Chuck until she gets there I want you to keep a close eye on the Colonel and if he even seems to be going off the reservations take charge. You have a tranq gun?"
"Yes, but General, Casey's a good Marine."
"I have no doubt but this is close to home and even the best of us might have problems."
"General, Casey is the best."
"Agent Bartowski, you have your orders. Beckman out."
"Chuck, what are you going to do? We're talking about Casey here."
"I don't know but we're here." Chuck said as he eased in behind the Crown Vic. Casey was already out and half way up the drive to the house with his weapon at the ready. "Morgan this time listen, stay in the car."
"Okay. I hear you."
"Morgan, this is real life and there's no pause button. When someone shots you, you die." Chuck said as he got out and checked his weapon. Taking the safety off and housing a dart. He then quickly went to join Casey by the front door who had already picked the lock and was about to go in.
"Casey hold up I'm going in with you," said Chuck in a low voice.
"Okay, you go left but be careful Ned could have set traps. On my three," said Casey as he counted down. "Federal Agents," he yelled as they broke in sweeping through they cleared each room but there was no one.
"It's empty," said Chuck, "looks like they ransacked the place before they took off." Drawers and papers were scattered about everywhere.
"Chuck look around and see if you flash on anything," said Casey.
"Hey, I need to tell you I called Beckman on the way here," confessed Chuck. "I had to and besides she already knew about the Church."
"I figured you would so don't sweat it. Did she tell you to tranq me if I get out of line too?"
"How'd you know?" Chuck was a little taken aback at Casey's nonchalant attitude. "Aren't you a little upset?"
"No, because it'd be what I'd do. Don't worry Chuck I won't kill you over this, maybe over bringing Grimes but not this. Where's the bearded wonder anyway?"
"I left him in the herder."
"And he stayed? Did you tranq him?"
"Casey!" Just then they heard a noise in the kitchen.
"We go a bogey." They made their way back through the house and to the kitchen door.
"You know your friend could really use a little open concept here," said Chuck.
"Will you stop with the chatter? Ready? Hand's in the air dirt bag," yelled Casey only to find Morgan making a sandwich.
"Hey Guys you want one. I was getting hungry with all this riding around and getting shot at. A man's got to eat." Casey grabbed Chuck's dart pistol and before he could stop him he fired a round into Morgan. Grimes dropped.
"Casey! Not cool, not cool."
"Why Chuck would you prefer I use mine? I'm going to call this in and have a team come down and toss this place. In the meantime let's go back maybe there's something we missed." They went back into the living room and started searching again but they still didn't find anything.
"Your friend liked fishing?" said Chuck noticing all the photos of Ned either with a fish in his hands or dressed out in fishing gear and tackle.
"Yeah, he used to talk about it forever but it never really interested me. The only fish I like is the one on my plate even then I more a steak man."
"Kind of hard to shot a fish I guess. You know there's something odd about all these photos. It's like I'm looking at something here and I know there's some not right but I just can't quite…" Chuck stopped in mid-sentence as he just stood in front of the wall then slowly turned around the room looking at all the other photos.
"Where's his wife? I see lots of photos of him but none of his wife. There isn't even a wedding picture. I've got tons of photos at home of Sarah and me. In our living room is a nice photo from our wedding." Casey looked at the wall again and Chuck was right. There wasn't a one another mystery.
"I don't know."
"Are you sure they're still married?"
"I guess so but since Honduras I really don't know."
"Casey what if the mark wasn't you but Ned's ex-wife. We could've disrupted his plan to get rid of her."
"Maybe but that does explain the stiff in the casket. Right now we've got a lot of questions and very few answers. Let's go check out the garage," said Casey. "I think the door is down this hallway off to the right." Casey went in first followed by Chuck.
"It's dark in here," said Chuck as he reached for the light switch but Casey grabbed his hand and pointed up.
"Above the door," he said. There hardly visible was a small package with C-4 written on the outside along with a detonator and a wire that ran down the wall into the back of the light switch. Then he point above the car door and there was the same small package.
"Crap, we need a bomb squad in here," said Casey looking around at the various boxes. "Chuck, can you see to flash on anything?"
"No, but there used to be something over there," Chuck said pointed to oily residue that was on the garage floor.
"I see it," said Casey as he knelt down and touched the spot then put his finger in his mouth.
"Casey, you kiss Gertrude with those lips."
"Don't worry I brush my teeth. Gun grease, this is the packing grease they ship new guns in. The first thing a seller does when he receives a shipment is to clean them off before they can be fired."
"What do you want to do?"
"Let's call and see where that team is. When they get here I'd say we make a trip down to the ATF field office in Glendale and see what we can find out about the stiff."
"Okay but you've got to help me load Morgan. We can't leave him behind."
"Why not?"
"Casey, Semper fi remember?"
"Just joking, besides Alex would kill me."
"Casey," asked Chuck as they loaded Morgan in the back seat of the Crown Vic. "How are you holding up? I mean I know this whole thing has got to be hard on you."
"Chuck, don't try to fix me I'm not broken," said Casey but Chuck knew better.
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AT PENDLETON
Sarah had been out at the range for two days already and Alex had finished her rifle quals with no problem shooting almost a perfect score from five hundred, three hundred and two hundred yards. Today was the bear and one she hoped Alex would get done early so they could hit the road to be back home by dinner. Sarah wanted to surprise Chuck. She knew he had been a trooper about her leaving but his voice and the two hundred phone calls told a different story.
"Okay Alex today we have to go to the trailer for your pistol quals. If you can shot in there you can shoot anywhere."
"What's so bad about it?"
"Imagine being in a tin building under the noon day sun sweat dripping from every pour. Bring lots of water because you're going to need it."
"Why do we have to use a trailer instead of an indoor range?"
"Well, I guess it's more a rite of passage now, something we all go through. When you meet other agents and they hear you're from the West Coast they'll ask you what you thought about the trailer. But if you can shoot through the sweat and grit you'll be able to shoot when it counts. That's why I want you to shoot there."
"Okay, what do I have to do?"
"Just listen to your PMI and he'll walk you through, but when he's walking you through remind him you're here to shoot."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Alex I'm married not blind and I saw the way that Marine was coming on to you at the range yesterday."
"Coming on, he was just being nice helping me adjust my sights."
"Whatever, if they keep it up I'll remind them that your father is a Colonel and that'll put them in line."
"You wouldn't," said Alex not wanting any special treatment but before they could continue their conversation there was a knock on their door. Sarah opened the door and two agents greeted them.
"Agent Bartowski, you're to come with us General Beckman needs to speak with you."
"But I need to get my trainee to the trailer first."
"We can drop her off on the way."
"Alex get your things together and remember what I said, all of it." After dropping Alex off at the trailer and seeing her greeted by three good looking Marines, Sarah made a mental note to drop by charge for a private chat with the base Sergeant Major.
"Where are we going?" asked Sarah but she already knew the answer.
"To the bull bin," one of the agents said. The bull bin as it was jokingly called was a circular array of antennas used by the CIA and NSA as a part of project echelon. The array was a part of a global network that picked up transmission on all frequencies and processed them through computers that looked for key words like 'terrorist' or 'bomb'. Once the computer heard the key word, the machine would automatically record the conversation or message then send it to a warm body, a real person who would interpret it and send it on if there was a serious threat concern.
The agents dropped Sarah at the entrance to a shaft that looked like a bomb shelter; all classified work was done underground.
"Will I be able to pick up my trainee," she asked suddenly thinking that if she were sent out on mission Alex would be alone.
"Don't worry, we've been told to wait for you here and to take you back after you're done." With that information and assurance if it could be trusted meant that her stay should be short. She placed her hand on the screen and looked into the retinal scanner then after voice recognition she was granted access to the elevator.
"Floor please," said a mechanical voice.
"Beckman," she replied. Asking the floor was a trick of sorts because people would automatically use a number but in the bull pen you came in by appointment only. Sarah descended down into the belly of the beast the whole shaft was a part of the array. A sudden thought hit her what if the radiation was bad for her baby's health but she remembered seeing other pregnant staff members there before so she felt a little relieved. The elevator door opened and she was challenged as soon as she stepped out.
"Agent Bartowski, S." asked a woman in a pin stripped paint suit. The strips really weren't flattering to the woman's physique. "Please place your hand here." Sarah put her hand on a tablet and was granted access the floor. She walked down a long non-descript corridor lined with the pictures of dead presidents and famous battles then after making a left turn she was greeted by a Major, General Beckman's aid.
"I'm here for the General," said Sarah.
"Yes, she's expecting you just go on in." Sarah opened the door and found the General busy signing documents sitting behind her desk. The General kept offices in all of the places she was in charge of. Some said it was a phobia while others chalked it up to security but each had the exact same furniture, pictures, and even books on the book shelves as the others. But if there were an enemy incursion they wouldn't know which office was her primary headquarters from her satellite offices.
"Agent Bartowski, Sarah, it's nice to see you. Please sit down."
"Thank you General but I don't understand why I am here?"
"I need to brief you about an incident that occurred this morning and I need you to do something for me that I wanted to say personally. I don't expect it'll be easy but if you hear me out you'll understand."
"Well, you've got me curious now. What is it?"
"This morning team Bartowski was involved in a sniper attack at St. Matthew's Church in downtown San Diego."
"What! Was Chuck hurt? I mean was anyone hurt."
"I understand your concerns for your husband. No, no one was hurt but the incident involved Colonel Casey personally or I should say Lieutenant Alex Coburn." The General went on to describe the incident. She told her that Casey, Chuck and Morgan were involved and about the casket that fell and opened up. Sarah guessed that only Morgan could have caused something like that to happen but the General just knew that somehow the casket was opened and inside was a missing ATF agent.
"Then the shooting began. We found a fifty caliber Military grade casing on top of a building across the street. We have a good slug that can be used to identify the weapon when we find it but we haven't been able to identify the shooter."
"Okay but what does this have to do with Casey and his past?"
"The Colonel was attending the funeral for a Ned Jones a former brother in arms and close friend of Lieutenant Alex Coburn."
"I didn't know Casey had friends, well us of course but other friends, no. But if this Ned Jones wasn't in the casket where is he? And what was the ATF agent doing that got him killed?"
"Agent Bartowski you're asking all the right questions that we need answered but this is the favor I need. Keep an eye on the Colonel this has got to be hard on him and if you notice anything out of the ordinary let me know right away. I've already had this conversation with your husband and he is supposed to be riding point on this until you arrive. Sarah, can I depend on you?"
"Yes Ma'am no problem," but inside she knew she'd have difficulty spying on a friend. Had this been six years ago it wouldn't have been a problem. She had no problem accusing Zondra of being a mole for the Gentle Hand but she was proved wrong and almost cost her friend her career. Could she do that again, she didn't know.
"Good, I have a car and driver waiting outside I've already had both your and Ms. McHugh's things packed. My men will transport both of you straight to Castle."
"But Alex, I mean my trainee is still missing her pistol quals."
"I was just informed she finished early with a perfect score. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
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ON THE ROAD TO GLENDALE
Casey was driving on the freeway headed toward Glendale. The traffic was light strange for this time of day. Sunlight was reflecting off the windshields of passing cars, bursts of light that struck Casey in his eyes, burst that reminded him of flash grenades. Then he was there in the jungles of Honduras dressed in his ghillie again. He could almost smell it along with the forest, the call of the animals the noise of the jungle one living entity.
"Range," Coburn asked his spotter.
"Eight hundred yards, wind three knots south by south east." and then he gave him the angle.
"Mark," he heard himself answer.
"Fire at will."
He heard the M107 fire, felt the recoil and saw the shell casing eject. It was as if traveled in slow motion flying out before landing on the moist jungle floor making a hissing sound as the hot casing cooled on impact. He heard his spotter give him corrections then yell again fire at will and he did. Two shots, two hits that sent the enemy scurrying for cover.
"Good shooting," said his spotter as he patted Alex on the back. Luck would have it that day that he was facing down when there was a bright light; a flash grenade exploded that lit up his position. A round came whizzing in and struck his spotter who fell by his side. Alex rolled over with his pistol in hand and dropped a soldier standing on top of him. However, there were two more standing next to them, and as they were about to shot but two rounds landed each one hitting their mark.
"Alex, you alright," he heard in his ear. It was the voice of his friend Ned.
"Thanks, but I lost my spotter."
"Man," he heard his CO yelling in his head. "What the hell is going on up there?" Lieutenant Coburn explained his situation.
"Son, listen we've got insurgents crawling allover our behind and unless you pin them down we're going to have a major debacle and we're going to lose more than just your one man."
"Alex." He heard his friend Ned call to him, "remember what we were taught back in school feel your heartbeat and take out your man."
That was the day Casey made his name, the hot shot sniper who saved the day. He shot round after round in between heart beats, steady pulse and nerves of steel. One shot, one down, he was a one man killing machine.
"Casey!" he heard Chuck yell bringing him back to where he was. "You've just passed the exit. Are you still with us? It looked like you were somewhere else."
"I don't know what you're talking about Bartowksi. I just don't know this road too well that's all. Stupid roads here all look alike it's easy for a person to get turned around."
"Yeah, sure," said Chuck, "unlike the jungles, right?" Casey gave Chuck a look but they both knew where he had been but Chuck thought it was best left alone for now.
"Guys, how'd I get here," asked Morgan as he started to come to. "My mouth tastes like cotton. What happened?"
"I don't know little Buddy the next thing I knew you were down," Chuck said looking back at Casey. "I guess you had a drop in sugar or something. Here take this."
"What is it?"
"The rest of the sandwich that you were eating it'll make you feel better."
"Thanks, you're a life saver."
"I'll kill you if you get any on my upholstery."