A/N: Thanks to everyone for your comments!

Chapter 2: The London Operation

The Bank Street tube station, in the middle of London's financial district, was jammed with commuters. As a train approached, the crowd jostled Sarah forward towards the edge of the platform. It was 2002 and Sarah had been undercover for almost 8 months. This was her first big mission after completing training. Tonight it was due to end, and she and her partner were set to meet in the third carriage of the 5.15 Central Line westbound from Bank, then transfer to the Piccadilly Line at Holburn, which would take them to Heathrow for their civilian flight back to the US. They were to carry the intelligence with them at all times.

"Mind the gap."

The train pulled to a stop in front of her and Sarah stepped aside to allow the passengers off the train. She was shoved sideways and tripped slightly.

"You alright, love?" A thick British accent asked.

She looked up to respond, but was shoved forward onto the train and never managed to locate who had spoken. Grabbing hold of the pole in the middle of the train she held on as the doors closed and the train leapt forward. Sarah quickly scanned the carriage. She had a great view of some guys' armpit, but apart from that couldn't see a damn thing. The train pulled in at St Pauls and the crowd shifted. Sarah looked quickly around and spotted her partner, Agent Emma James, at the other end of the carriage. She gave a small nod to the brunette, whose eyes flashed with recognition, but she held her nod and gave Sarah a meaningful look.

Sarah bit her lip. Something was wrong.

The train pulled in at Chancery Lane and Sarah was shoved against the pole as a crowd of pub-goers piled in. The doors closed again and Sarah was thrown into one of the rowdy men who had just boarded.

"Come on, love. You don't have to throw yourself at me." He bellowed to the delight of his friends.

Sarah screwed up her nose and was grateful when the doors opened at Holburn. She pushed her way through the men and stepped off the train. As soon as her feet hit the platform, someone slammed into her, knocking her to the ground and spilling both their bags onto the ground. Sarah's partner leaned down.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" Her British accent was plausible, but Sarah knew it was fake. "Are you alright?" She said helping Sarah to her feet. "Let me help you with that."

They both leaned down and began picking up their possessions.

"Ease up, would you, they're gonna know your not a local." Sarah warned.

Emma's face was grave, and in barely more than a whisper she quickly explained the situation. "I've been compromised. I counted at least 3 guys on my tail. The intell's in your bag. Get on that train and get the hell out of the city, Sarah."

Sarah threw the last couple of items back into her bag. "What about you?" She whispered.

Emma gave her a small smile and stood back up. Sarah stared at her for a moment. Emma turned and began walking away. Sarah got to her feet and trailed several yards behind. They followed the signs to the Piccadilly Line and waited at opposite ends of the platform. The crowd of commuters was still pretty heavy, but Sarah picked out three men that looked more interested in the brunette at the far end of the platform, than the approaching train. The train came to a stop and the doors opened. Sarah stepped on board and turned around. She waited several beats and the train doors closed. Almost as soon as the train began moving there was a scream from the platform and several gunshots. As the train moved down the platform, Sarah was able to see her partner fire three rounds before catching a shot to the chest. She was on the ground in a pool of her own blood when she looked up and caught Sarah's eye. Sarah watched as she took two quick breaths, then the gun slipped from her hand and fell at her side.

---

Chuck walked into Orange Orange and stopped in his tracks.

"Casey? Is that you?" He asked looking shocked. "I'm horrified, terrified… all of the 'fieds in fact. What are you wearing?"

Casey was decked out in long white pants and an orange polo shirt, the ensemble was topped off by the cute apron wrapped round his waist. He grunted in response.

"What's going on?" Chuck asked. "Where's Sarah?"

"Right here." Sarah came out from the back room with a bag slung over her shoulder. "Sorry, Chuck, but I think we're going to have to postpone that breakfast."

"What? Why? You haven't been fired again, have you?" Chuck looked worried.

"Uh… no, nothing like that." Sarah explained. "I've been ordered to lay low for a while."

"Really?" Chuck was surprised.

"Beckman was impressed we made it out alive, and with the intell. She cut us some slack." Casey cut in. "Damn reasonable of her if you ask me, considering your girlfriend was on every news show in the country last night."

Sarah shrugged sheepishly.

"How did that happen, by the way? I would have thought the CIA would have been able to stop that from going to air." Chuck asked.

"Broadcast live. By the time we were out of the building it had already gone national." Casey replied. "Easier to explain, than contain."

"But doesn't that mean you've been compromised?" Chuck asked Sarah.

"Yes, it does. If this were a normal mission I'd be on the first plane back to Langley."

"But?" Chuck urged.

"But, Beckmans up to something." Casey supplied.

"Wha… Beckman? Up to what, exactly?" Chuck looked confused.

"We don't know." Sarah replied.

"But, whatever it is, she wants to keep Walker in play." Casey finished.

"She's probably trying to flush someone out. Hope they saw me on the news and will come looking for me. Which is why I have to stay clear of the Castle and the Intersect. I've been compromised, but you haven't." Sarah seemed a little sad.

"What are you gonna do? Where are you gonna go?" Chuck asked.

"Home. Curl up with a good book and wait for this all to blow over." Sarah smiled. "Raincheck on that breakfast?"

"Yeah, sure." Chuck was disappointed.

"Okay, well I better go." She gave Casey a nod and brushed Chuck's arm as she stepped past him. Chuck turned, and he and Casey both watched as she walked out and disappeared round the corner.

"Ohh, it's okay Chuck," Casey mocked, "you can buy me breakfast."

Chuck smiled sadly. "Sure, why not?"

"What?" Casey was taken back. "Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, I've got nothing better to do, right."

---

Sarah arrived home to a locked door and a tidy apartment. At first glance it didn't appear anything was out of place. But as soon as she stepped over the threshold, she knew someone had been there. She looked over her possessions. The only thing she could find amiss was a framed picture of she and Chuck. The photograph was at a slight angle in its frame. She picked up the frame and stared at it for a moment. Whoever was here found what they were looking for. Sarah pulled the back off the frame, straightened the picture, and placed it back on its shelf.

---

Emma James had not slept since she left Salt Lake City the previous evening. She'd driven non-stop and arrived in LA just before dawn. She'd managed to locate Sarah's apartment fairly easily. It had been 7 years since they last worked together, but she knew Sarah's tastes – though they had got a little more expensive in the intervening years.

It was just after 10am when she checked into a motel near a shopping complex in Burbank. She had it on good authority (namely an orange singlet she'd found in Sarah's draw) that Sarah worked a cover job nearby.

Emma pulled a suitcase from the trunk of her car. She had already been packed and preparing to leave the country when Sarah had pulled her little stunt on the news. She slammed the trunk shut and wheeled the suitcase into her room. As she went to check she'd locked her car, two men sauntered past deep in conversation.

"What do you mean you don't like IHOP? How can you not like IHOP?" The lankier of the two men demanded.

"I never said I didn't like IHOP, I just said I don't want to eat at IHOP." The other man rolled his eyes, obviously regretting his choice of breakfast companion.

Emma pulled her phone from her pocket and flicked to the picture she had copied from Sarah's apartment that morning. She didn't really need the confirmation; she knew the man in the picture was the same guy that had just strolled past her in broad daylight.

Without another thought she pulled the door of her motel room shut and strode purposely after the two men.