Chapter 2: Time to Pretend
"Am I going crazy, or did this little boy just call me 'daddy'?" asked Chuck, letting the kid down.
"Mommy?" questioned Andy, looking at a stunned Sarah standing next to "Daddy."
"Casey, what kind of sick joke is this?" shouted Sarah to an a smiling Casey who was approaching.
"Follow me," said Casey, chuckling to himself as he guided Chuck, Sarah, and Andy downstairs in the basement.
This all was too much for Chuck as it was. First with the immaculate house, and now with this random kid that thought he was his dad and Sarah his mom. He had predicted that the basement would have resembled what used to be the castle for them, but it strangely just looked like a finished basement, an amazing finished basement: huge bar, pool table, card table, mini movie theater...Ridiculous, Chuck thought.
"Who am I? A father and a millionaire. Since when?"
"Not a millionaire, but close," answered Casey. He stopped them at the left side of the movie room that held bookshelves with tons of movies, but Chuck just laughed at the entire row of disney classics.
Looking to the right of the room, Chuck noticed his old Tron poster and snorted, "Nice touch."
Suddenly Casey managed to push one of the bookshelves open like a door after biometric recognition that revealed an entirely new part of the basement that did resemble their old castle. The new castle pretty much looked exactly like the old one, which confused Chuck since they were obviously going for complete change in this new mission. Even Chuck got a hand delivered package by Casey days before that highlighted how his appearance should change. They had set him up with an appointment for a haircut that was much shorter, and actually looked like Andy's. Now I get it. Funny.
"Why didn't you have to change your appearance?" asked Chuck intended to Sarah.
"Well, maybe it has to do with the fact that I don't have a supercomputer in my head."
"Maybe," quipped Chuck.
As soon as they all were settled into the new Castle, the bookshelf closed and General Beckman appeared on the screen ahead of them.
"Welcome to Chicago. I hope you all are pleased with your new set up," said the General via satellite.
"Oh, sure. General, just one question. What's up with the mini-me?"
"Chuck," barked Sarah.
"What?"
"Agent Bartowski, this little bundle of joy is Andy. He will be your mock son for the remainder of this mission. You see, we have to make this suburban life completely believable."
"Why couldn't we get a golden retriever like last time?" said Chuck between his teeth.
"You're going to hurt the kid's feelings, Chuck."
"Oh, so I see you're taking to your maternal instincts already, Sarah," retorted Chuck.
"Chuck," said the General, "This is a much more comprehensive mission this time around. Different measures needed to be taken."
"Could we still get a dog though?" asked Andy.
"You'll have to ask your parents, kid," said Casey, still reeling.
"Wait, where did he come from? Did you guys steal the kid from some sort of orphanage?" said Chuck.
"In a way. Andy is from the CIA orphanage if you will. It's full of highly gifted children mentally prepared for things like this. What did you expect us to do in situations like these, Chuck?" answered and asked the General.
"Um, maybe not have these situations? General, this is all a bit ridiculous. He looks," said Chuck, looking straight in Andy's eyes, "...So much like me and Sarah."
"That's the point, Agent Bartowski. He will live here with you guys. Pretend that you both are his parents. We're putting him in first grade instead of kindergarten. Not only is Andy highly advanced in thinking, has scholastic knowledge through to sixth grade, and possibly beyond, it will work better in the schedule of things; considering Agent Walker will be working as a first grade teacher at his elementary school, and she is required to be there the entire school day. He is kind of like your asset this time around, Walker. You are to keep surveillance on him at all times."
"And Sarah is apparently now a teacher? Since when was she approved to teach?"
"I did go to Harvard. I think I can handle teaching first grade, Chuck."
"Whatever."
"Going on," spoke the General, "Sarah, after school you will have around an hour and a half to debrief, and then make dinner for Andy and your husband who will arrive back from work around 5:30. Chuck, your job starts tomorrow. We have you supervising the IT department at UBS, a financial service firm downtown. Your assignment as of this point is to gain some bearings at UBS, develop relationships, and find any information pertinent on dealings of the Ring. Casey lives directly behind you guys for round the clock surveillance. He's your Uncle Casey."
"Uncle Casey?"
"Great Uncle. Your mother's brother," annoyingly said Casey.
"Well, that about does it. Chuck, your debriefing will happen after dinner tomorrow night. Until then, settle in. And everyone, good luck."
Not even a second passed between her last few words did the screen go completely blank. Chuck gazed over at the little boy who now was his apparent son that had his hands perched underneath his chin, staring back at him. Chuck smiled, in a way apologizing for how he had acted before, and Andy reflected the smile. Sarah was not so much in disbelief anymore. It made sense. This suburban mission had more riding on it surprisingly, and Andy made them look more credible.
"Well, Uncle Casey, are you going to be staying for dinner?" said Sarah.
"Hell no. Oh, wait, I mean heck no. There's only too much corniness I can take for one day."
"Then you can leave."
Casey grunted and exited the castle, leaving the bookshelf/door open. She looked around the room awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. Remembering that she wanted to make dinner at this point, she got up, and Andy and Chuck's eyes stayed glued on her.
"I'm going to start making dinner. I'm assuming chicken is okay?"
"No," said Andy to both Sarah and Chuck's confusion.
"Really?" questioned Sarah.
"No. Chicken sounds good. I love chicken." Andy smiled at both Sarah and Chuck, inadvertently trying desperately for them to like him. Maybe this was the wrong approach, but he figured that a kid's cuteness would be hard not to like. So he kept smiling, and smiled brighter as the ends on Chuck and Sarah's lips started to curl up. She nodded and exited the room leaving "father" and "son" alone.
"So...Do you want to watch a movie?"
"Okay."
As soon as they left the Castle, the bookshelf automatically reverted back to normal. Chuck started at the very top considering he was tall enough, and also wanted the disney shelf to be a literal last resort. He stopped at the movie Tron, took it out, and held it in front of Andy who was pretty much half his height.
"I think it's PG?"
"I can handle it if it's not."
"Yeah, but wouldn't that make me starting off on a bad note with the whole father thing?"
"No."
"Tron it is then."
Being that he had just worked at an electronics store, Chuck knew how to work the projector and universal remote right away. Andy plopped on one of the three leather connected recliners in front of the projector, reclining the chair with the push of a button. Chuck turned around at the noise of the recliner, and couldn't help but chuckle a bit to himself. Though this entire situation was completely weird, it wasn't that bad when he looked around at everything, including the glowing five year old. Chuck took a seat next to Andy as the movie started up on the screen ahead of them. This would have constituted as bonding time between them had they really been father and son. Chuck had seen the movie for the first time at a midnight drive in showing with his own father all those years ago, but again Andy wasn't his son.
"So, Andy, where are your real parents? I mean, do you know them even?"
"Yeah. They live in Connecticut with my brothers and sisters. I get to see them most of the time on holidays and summer breaks."
"And they're okay with that?"
"They think I'm at a boarding school for highly intelligent learning in Switzerland. My own handlers posed as children psychologists, and convinced them that a kid with my brain can only thrive in that kind of environment."
"Oh. How long have you being doing this?"
"I've been in training for almost a year. This is my first mission."
"Cool...You know, you can just call me Chuck since it's just us and everything."
"I know. Casey gave me ten dollars."
Andy reached inside of the little pocket of his jeans, pulled out a $10 bill, and flashed it to Chuck, laughing all the while. Making sure Chuck laughed too, Andy stuffed the money back in his pocket, and turned back towards the screen.
"How are you feeling about some popcorn, little guy? Hold us over before dinner?"
"Cool."
"Alright. Keep on watching. But you probably already know what's going to happen. I mean, you're a genius."
Chuck ran up the stairs and met Sarah in their kitchen multitasking with pots and pans. He searched inside the walk in pantry, found a box of popcorn amongst the numerous other boxes and bags of food, and walked over beside Sarah to the microwave.
"Dinner is going to be ready in probably 15 minutes."
"Did you know about this? The kid that is."
"No. Definitely not. I mean, I knew that the CIA had set up something like this a couple years ago; but no, I didn't know we'd be issued a mini agent on this mission."
"Mini agent...This is crazy."
"Well, what do you want me to say, Chuck? You knew what you were getting into. The government didn't force you to help this time; you consciously uploaded the intersect again. You're supposed to expect the unexpected in this job. But if you don't? You better shape up, because there is too much riding on this mission. And there's a little boy that regardless of his astounding mental capacity, he's still just a little boy."
"I got that. Thanks."
Sarah and Chuck stayed in constant contact through their anger ridden eyes and furrowed brows. Sarah internally questioned if she should bring up what was really bothering her, seeing as though it was obviously putting a strain on their "marriage," but Chuck's response made that impossible for this moment.
"And you're burning our chicken."
Sarah turned around to notice a flaming chicken in one of the double ovens, and went to rectify the situation.
"Then I guess dinner's done, Chuck!"
Chuck grabbed the popcorn from the microwave, and hurriedly walked across the kitchen and the family room to the door of the basement. A part of him wanted to see if Sarah was alright with the burning chicken, but the overpowering part of Chuck was angry and rather confused. Besides, It's Sarah, she can do anything. Chuck shook his head in grief, but laughed with the frustrated grunts and yells heard from Sarah in the kitchen.
Sarah never was one to wreck a meal. Learning how to cook was not only something she was required to know in being a spy, but something she picked up by being the only woman in her father's life. She was distracted. Though she had told Chuck that he should be prepared for the unexpected, Sarah was still quite dumbfounded by her current set up. Not only was the whole mini-agent thing quite "crazy" like Chuck had said, more importantly this entire suburban expansion if you will was a complete tease. It was as if the general had known what she was thinking when she and Chuck had stopped dancing at the wedding reception, and just before Chuck's dad interrupted them.
"I don't want to save the world...I want to have a normal life. I want a family: 2.5 kids, little league, parent-teacher conferences, whatever.....And I want that all with you, Chuck."
If the General had known what she was thinking, it would now seem like she was mocking her. This suburban mission was not going to last a few days, or a week, or even a month. They had practically zero knowledge on the ring. All they knew was that they have a stronghold in e-marketing. CIA analysts believed that the reason is not only to gain financial backing behind their terrorist dealings, but also to stage a future threat to the U.S. economy as well as global economies. But still, they were going into this in the dark. And for however long they were to pose as husband and wife, as a family, would be frustrating for Sarah. It was the "so close, yet so far" ideology.
Chuck and Andy arrived in the kitchen at the opportune time: smoke everywhere, water overflowing in the pots on the stove, and Sarah looking visually annoyed.
"We're getting pizza, alright?" yelled Sarah across the over-sized island, and amid the smoke alarm rings.
"I'm thinking pepperoni and olives. Extra olives even," yelled back Chuck.
Sarah just stopped everything and looked at him. This time her face wasn't of annoyance, anger, coldness, or even blank. Her breathing heavy, she just looked on in anguish. Immediately, Chuck was defeated. As much as Chuck had been bothered of how Sarah had been acting towards him, it couldn't keep up with the look she gave him now. Strong CIA agent Sarah Walker looked helpless, something only Chuck could provoke out of her.
"I don't like olives," interrupted Andy, "...Just saying."
Now back in the basement, Chuck and Sarah sat in their own respective recliners with the kid in between. Avidly watching the movie and munching on pepperoni pizza and popcorn, Andy barely noticed Chuck trying to get Sarah's attention.
"Sarah," whispered Chuck, "Sarah-"
She finally turned her head towards him and said, "What?"
"I just-I wanted to...I'm sorry. It's just...This entire thing-I feel like a fish out of water."
"You'll figure it out, Chuck. You always do."
"I know, I know, but...I'm sorry about Bryce too-"
"Chuck?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we talk about this later?"
"Of course. I mean, I hate when people interrupt movies, and that's all I've been doing."
Sarah smiled apologetically at Chuck, and put her attention back at the screen. Chuck's glance lingered a little longer, but then replicated her own. From an outside viewer, the scene with the three of them could have been summed up as normal bonding time for a family. Maybe this mission seemed as though it wouldn't be that hard, but emotionally it would. This was everything Chuck had ever wanted, and believing that Sarah didn't made him think this entire mission was like a tease. It was as if the General knew this was exactly his idea for the future, including Sarah being his wife, and she just wanted to mock him.
Deciding that tucking Andy in would bode well for a bit of bonding time for them, Sarah walked over to Andy's room, and couldn't help but smile at the illuminating little boy already waiting anxiously for her in his bed. After reading one of the many books to him (even though he already knows how to read, he still welcomed the idea for her to read the book excitedly), Sarah weirdly felt the urge to kiss his head and pull the covers over him.
After doing so, Andy boldly asked, "Who's Bryce?"
"Bryce is a guy who was a friend of mine and Chuck's."
"Was?"
"He died a couple weeks ago. That's why Chuck was apologizing. People do that when other people die out of respect, because they feel bad."
"Apparently I'm not going to be able to feel bad, or empathize until I'm seven."
"Well, you're extremely smart being that your brain is advanced in age. I'm sure that doesn't apply to you."
"So why are you mad at Chuck?"
"I'm not mad at-"
"Are too."
"Am not."
"Are too!"
"Okay, Okay. I was mad at him, but that's because he's selfish."
"What do you mean?"
"It's complicated. It's a lot to explain, and you need to get to bed. It is way past an appropriate bedtime for a five year old."
"You said that my brain was advanced in age. That means I can go to bed later," joked Andy.
"In any case, we both need to get to bed. It's the first day of school for the both of us tomorrow. Excited?"
"Yes."
"Alright then."
Sarah got up from the bed and crossed the room to the door. After shutting out the lights, Andy said one last thing that she was completely not prepared for.
"If you love him you'll stop being mad at him."
In the glow of the hallway lights illuminating Sarah to Andy, he could still see her chuckle in awe of his last statement when she had paused at the door frame.
"Goodnight, Andy."
Walking back in the master bedroom, the last words spoken by Andy could not escape her. What he said was the truth, but what she also said was the truth. Chuck was selfish. He uploaded the intersect again out of a personal gratification for his ego. As if he suddenly realized that he was too good for 'normal'. And with that, he took away any real future of a family with her, and replaced it with this fake one. Though as she climbed into the king size bed that accompanied Chuck, the feeling she felt inside in being this close to him had the ability to extinguish any feelings of anger. Or maybe it was just his steady breathing that calmed her, also giving her the gumption to speak.
"Chuck?" asked Sarah, "Are you up?"
"Maybe."
"I'm sorry too-"
"Hey Sarah?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we talk about this later?"
"Sure."
Or maybe, just maybe, it was his body that scooted over to her side, wrapping his arms around her that made it impossible for Sarah to feel any other feeling than just love at that moment, falling in her own sleeping abyss with his warm breath on her neck.
Hey. You know what to do. Review. Just do it. Let me tell you- the more reviews, the faster I'll put up chapter three. A bit of extortion maybe? Maybe. Well, I mean it is my intellectual property. Wait, "intellectual property?" Ha I think this is my brain telling me that I need to do my ethics homework...
I hope you liked this chapter. I guess what I mean is just let me know if you did.
What you can look forward to in the next chapter probably is finally the whole falling out between Chuck and Sarah. Though they've partly reconciled, they're just ignoring what really is going on. Or basically what Chuck is doing at the end of this chapter is holding them off just for a little bit of peace in the moment.
Also what you can look forward to in the next chapter is Chuck's first day at work. It's surprising to say the least.
Anyway, let me know what you'd like to see. I intently listen, and try to incorporate them. I like to engage the reader, because I'm ultimately doing this for you.
Kind regards,
Sam.