Don't own Chuck
AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM
Chuck, Casey, Morgan and Alex arrived at the museum in the late evening. Pulling into the parking lot Casey drove Chuck in his new Crown Vic paid for compliments of Carmichael Industries after Chuck killed the last two. Casey was already pacing when Alex and Morgan arrived late. They met up with Chuck and Casey in the museum parking lot and as they got out of the herder Alex straightened Morgan's bow tie.
"Grimes, you have trouble reading a watch. We were supposed to meet up when Mickey's big hand was on twelve and his little hand was on seven."
"Chill Casey we're only ten minutes late. You know how LA traffic is."
"That's what the guy said when he arrived to disarm the nuclear bomb and if I find lipstick stains on your collar that won't be the only hard to get out stain on your shirt."
"Dad, Morgan's just being a gentleman I was running late because I had trouble getting off early from my cover job."
"About that Alex," said Chuck, "after we get done, who'd you feel about us talking about a new cover job, maybe one a little closer and more flexible?"
"Sure, slinging pies is getting old. Don't get me wrong I like sweets but too much can cause diabetes and I'm tired of the sugar highs."
"Good then let's get this done and we can talk." Casey pulled Chuck apart.
"Am I going to like this Bartowski or am I going to have to get angry?"
"More angry than normal? Sorry, John," Chuck apologized and put his arm on Casey's shoulder which was greeted with a growl. "Oops forgot you know there's only a slight difference audibly between your grunt and growl just a matter of decibels."
"Chuck I'm not happy."
"Sorry, no you'll be happy I think. Sarah and I have been talking about what to do after the baby is born and well we would like to see if Alex would like to be our full time baby sitter a kind of au pair." Casey's mood immediately changed.
"That's a really good idea Chuck. Kat is concerned about Alex getting caught up in all this spy stuff and has been pressuring me to try to talk her out of it."
"Okay let's get this done then I'll talk with Alex then we all can have a sit down at Orange Orange or in Castle." Chuck and Casey walked back over to Morgan and Alex who were getting anxious.
"Now who's wasting time," said Morgan. Then he turned to Alex and offered her his arm.
"Christ and these people asked for him," said Casey shaking his head.
"I know," said Chuck. "There goes the Cobra to meet the Jade Dragon. I think we just got dropped into a Jackie Chen film."
The team was greeted at the entrance to the museum by the curator, Mark Spinks and the head of security, Matt Pike.
"Please follow us," said the Curator, "we'll give you a quick tour. Please be careful workers are still finishing the final touches for the exhibition tomorrow. It never fails things get put on hold then it's hurry up. It's a wonder I haven't had a heart attack years ago."
"Well the exhibit seems quite nice," said Chuck checking out the security cameras and motion detectors. "Do you use thermal detectors with your motion detectors?"
"Yes," said the head of security. "Please call me Matt. There's no reason to be so formal since we're both in the same line of work."
"Yes, call me Chuck, this is Morgan and Alex. And that handsome guy over there is John Casey. Call him Casey. I think even his mother call's him by his last name."
"I know the type," said Matt laughing. "I'm sorry but I was a little surprised when I was told your people would be here. You see we've just upgraded our security to state of the art and frankly I've read your website I just think for this museum it's a little over kill."
"I wish I could shed some light for you and from what I've seen it seems you've got everything in hand. How many human guards do you have?" They went on to discuss the different aspects of security as Casey was walking around trying to find holes.
"Dr. Spinks can we see the Jade Dragon," asked Alex. "My fiancé has been going on for days about it and I would like to see what all the fuss is about."
"Certainly it's in the middle of the museum. You see the exhibit it set up like a Chinese puzzle box and the closer you get to the center the more precious and I think wonderful the artifacts are."
"Is that where the Jade Sword is?"
Casey heard Morgan and he was about to drop ten pounds of hurt on him when the Curator remarked.
"The Jade Sword? How do you know about the Jade Sword? It's supposed to be a secret. The Jade Sword was found in an excavation of a tomb dating back to the Qin dynasy. It is supposed to be delivered for the show towards the end of the exhibit to bring people back in for a second look." Chuck over heard and couldn't help but think that is was a good marketing strategy.
"Alex, Emperor Qin unified China after the warring states period becoming the first emperor. The name China comes from his name Qin."
"Very good Mr. Grimes," said the Curator. "I see you are a fellow student of the orient."
"Can we see the Jade Dragon, please," said Alex before Morgan could tell the Curator that his knowledge of Chinese history came from Shaw bothers films.
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BACK AT ECHO PARK
Sarah was sitting in her living room on her sofa with the lights off listening to music. Chuck had introduced her to some nice soft music that he felt would help her relax and he was right. Chuck had select each piece he called this Sarah's compilation and indeed he had captured everything she loved. Listening to it was like having Chuck by her side. The rhythm and tempo of each piece seemed like his embrace the only thing missing was his lips. As she was lost in rhapsody in blue the doorbell rang.
"One moment," she said as she got up turned on the lights and opened the door to find Ellie standing there with a box of ice cream.
"I'm sorry," said Ellie, "but I thought we might talk."
"Sure come in but you know you don't have to keep bring ice cream. But don't get me wrong I do appreciate but I'm going to have to spend a lot of time in the gym afterwards to get off this baby weight."
"I don't know what you're talking about. If I didn't know how far along you were I'd think you were still in your first trimester."
"Thanks for the compliment but my ankles tell a different story. We can sit at the kitchen table. I'll get a couple of spoons. Ellie don't take this wrong I love Rocky Road but every now and then it's okay to get mint for Chuck."
"Duly noted. So how are things going?"
"Fine. Now that we know it's a girl things are a little easier. I'm still having a hard time getting my head around the soccer mom idea."
"Sarah love, I don't think you'll ever be a soccer mom," and the both laughed.
"That's what Chuck says too. But I'm not sure I don't want to be one either. The truth this whole thing terrifies me but at the same time I'm ecstatic. I think you can understand."
"Yes, I felt the same way without the gun play but I left LA," and they laughed again. "Can I ask you to do something and you promise not to get mad?"
"Well said like that I'm not sure but okay I trust you."
"I'd like you to come to the hospital and let me run a few tests on you. You know just to make sure you're okay."
"I don't see why. It would be just a waste of time."
"Just some routine examinations. You know before you get caught up with having a new a baby at home."
"Did Chuck ask you to check up on me?" Ellie paused not being a very good liar. "He did, didn't he? You don't have to lie to cover for him."
"He's only concerned about you and the baby's health."
"I know he is and well maybe he's right but I'm trying not to think about it. Ellie what can I do if something is wrong with me? Nothing. I've got everything, everything I never knew I wanted and I can't risk losing this again. I can't. I won't." As Sarah spoke her eyes began to water and Ellie pulled her close.
"Listen Sis, whatever happens we're in this together. You're family now and we Bartowski's look out for each other. Let me run these test and if everything comes back negative wouldn't that be a relief."
"Yes, but if they don't, what then?"
"Let's cross that bridge when we get to it but if something is wrong wouldn't it be better to be prepared?"
"I guess so. Is there anything else you want me to do?"
"Tell me about your headache."
"How did you know? Chuck, I should've guessed he'd figure out. What about them?"
"When and how often do they come? And on a scale from one to ten how strong are they?
"They come at random and when I least expect it as far as how strong they seemed to start out around a three but they have increase progressively to about a seven. When I get one I have to close my eyes and lay down then after a while it passes."
"What are you doing when they come on?"
"I don't know I really hadn't paid that much attention."
"Well do remember reading a newspaper or watching TV something like that?"
"Yes now that you mention it the last one I had I was reading the newspaper. But not really reading it as scanning articles playing a game I invented to pass the time."
"What kind of game and how does it work?"
"I invented this while I was on long surveillance to keep me alert and as I said to pass time. I call it name the perp. I take a newspaper or magazine and fan through the pages trying to name all the perps I can find."
"So you force yourself to concentrate your attention on what, the images in the paper?"
"Yes and then it just came all of a sudden." Ellie picked up a newspaper from the corner of the table.
"Was this the one you were looking at?" Sarah nodded "And this was the article you were reading with this picture?"
"Yes I was reading about the exhibit Chuck's gone to at the National Museum. I know how much he and Morgan like their Kung Fu films so I thought I could talk him in to going to the exhibit to add a little culture to those Shaw brother films," said Sarah as Ellie laughed.
"You don't know how long I've been looking for someone like you for my little brother. Someone who can see past the little boy and see the man he is inside."
"Ellie I love him. PDA has never been my cup of tea and well I've been trained to hide my emotions but I don't mind telling you or anyone else for that matter that I love Chuck."
"I know you do. I think I knew before either of you did. It was just the way you two acted around each other it was much more than just a cover. Truth is the only people you two fooled were yourselves." Both Ellie and Sarah began to well up. "If we keep on talking like this you're going to have me crying too. Do this start keeping a journal. Write down when you have a headache, how bad it is and what you were doing when it happened. Can you do that for me?"
"Sure but please don't tell Chuck. He's got enough to worry about with this job Beckman dropped on him."
"Sarah, don't you think he should know?"
"I'll talk to him after we get the test results. Right now it's only conjecture anyway."
"You know he's going to ask me if we talked."
"Fine tell him we talked and I agreed to do the tests."
"I'll call some friends at Westside tomorrow morning and try to get you in the day after. I realize we're cutting this close to your due date but there shouldn't be any problem."
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AT THE EXHIBIT
Morgan, Alex and the Curator Dr. Spinks had made their way through the onion shaped exhibit to its center. Morgan was taking in all the vases, screen prints and artifacts like a true art connoisseur. Alex wondered if this was the same Morgan she knew and loved or if he had been possessed by some ancient Chinese Emperor from the Grimes dynasty. In the middle of the exhibit under a spot light situated on a pedestal was a small jade dragon.
"All this for something so tiny," he said. Now this was the Morgan Alex recognized. "I mean man come on I thought it would be huge."
"Well Mr. Grimes," said the Curator, "you have to remember its purpose. It was used as a seal. Next to it you can see an impression we made from it, the Imperial seal. That tiny seal had the power over life and death from China's pacific coast to almost the Mediterranean."
"So that would be like the Emperor's signature?"
"It could be simplified to that more or less," said the Curator but as he was speaking out of the shadows came a dark clad figure.
"Ninja!" yelled Morgan, "Alex look out." Alex and the black clad person began to fight but from the beginning it was one sided. The so called Ninja had Alex on the ground quickly after a series of blows that seemed to come from nowhere followed by a round house kick to Alex's head. Chuck and Casey with the Security Chief, Matt Pike arrived in time to watch Alex go down and as the assailant reached for the statue Chuck flashed.
This time the fight was an even match each throwing and blocking blows neither getting the better of the other until the attacker broke off the fight. Then the dark figure disappeared into the night as quickly as it had appeared.
"Phew," Chuck said as he tried to catch his breath. "I'm glad she decided to leave I don't know how much longer I could have fought. Casey how's Alex?"
"Chuck that was impressive, I'm glad you were here or they would've made off with the statue." However, Chuck wasn't listening he was more concerned about Alex.
"She's fine just got the wind knocked out of her."
"Well I'd feel better if we took her back and have Ellie and Awesome look at her."
"No, no that's not necessary," she said as she got up. "I'm fine. How's Morgan?"
"Hey I'm the one who needs to ask you," said Morgan. "Don't do anything like that again, okay. There's nothing worth you getting hurt."
"Listen to him," said Casey, "he's right for once." Morgan helped Alex to a chair while Casey pulled Chuck aside.
"What's going on here? Where's this Chinese agent we're supposed to meet?"
"Casey I think we already have," Chuck said as he showed him a card that the assailant had left in his pocket. "She must've tucked it in while we fought. It's got the sign of the White Lotus."
"What's that?"
"I'm not sure exactly. There have been a whole series of operatives for the National Chinese Secret Service with the codename White Lotus dating back to 1948 when the Generalissimo left for the island of Formosa. The MSS have an equivalent they call the Red Lotus and the two have had a love, hate relationship for decades."
"Well they looked awfully spry to over sixty years old."
"Obviously we're not dealing with the original White Lotus but a copycat or copy tiger considering her kung fu style."
"Well grasshopper what has Beckman got us in the middle of?"
"I don't know and she might not either remember this mission came down from the State Department. Morgan," said Chuck, "leave me the key to the herder. You and Casey take Alex back to Echo Park. Listen young lady if my sister says you need to get checked out at the hospital that's what you're going to do no if ands or buts about it."
"But Dad, don't tell Mom or she'll get mad and then she'll worry."
"Alex if Kat asks I'm not going to lie." There had been too many lies between them already. Casey considered himself lucky that she still talked to him and didn't protest him seeing their daughter.
"I wouldn't ask you to but if she doesn't ask you don't have to tell." Casey reluctantly agreed.
Chuck finally got everyone packed up and gone. He didn't even want to think about what waited for him when he got home. First there would be Ellie who'd go on about how dangerous his life was. After Ellie he'd have to deal with Sarah who'd be upset with herself more than him for not coming along to cover his back even though they both knew that was impossible. But for now he needed to deal with the situation at hand.
"Chuck," said Matt, "let's go to my office and review our security procedures after tonight I think they need to be rethought. Besides I've got an open bottle of scotch."
"Both would be a good idea. Are your people small arms qualified?"
"Yes, are you suggesting we arm them? Right now they only carry mace but if you think we need to use lethal force-"
"No, no personally I don't like guns. I was thinking more along the line of Tasers or dart pistols."
"Well, if it's Tasers, we have them," said Matt as he opened his office door. "But the dart pistols would be harder to come by."
"I can handle that for you. Just let me know how many you need."
Chuck was nursing his glass and had been looking over the plans for the museum and checking on the placement of cameras and sensors.
"Look this corner over here is blind. If I were you I'd move this camera over here for the time being but later I'd put in a 360 here then add an IR detector too that way you'd know if someone was there and can rotate the camera."
"Good idea, I've still got workers here so I can get hot on that tomorrow," said Matt when Chuck's phone rang. "Take it," said Matt, "I think were done anyway."
"It's my wife and she's due next week." Chuck answered the call. "Sarah love is everything okay. … Good just one second please." Turning to Matt, "Yes, I think we're done."
"Congratulations and go, I'll handle the changes just leave me your card and I'll call you in the morning."
"Thanks," said Chuck shaking Matt's hand then started his way out of the museum. "Sarah I'm literally out the door and on my way home. How's Alex. … Good, I didn't think it was anything but I didn't want to take any chances. … Morgan and Alex went off with the Curator while Casey and I were checking over the place. It turned out that it was good we did because they had some serious holes in their security. … The White Lotus, you talked with Casey. I need to talk to him about over sharing. … Listen I don't think it was an assault more a way for the Lotus to show us that there were holes in their security. … Okay the rest of this I can talk to you about in person. I'm at the car right now. I love you and please don't worry."
Chuck was about to get in the herder when he flashed. A dart came flying towards him from the dark and he caught it between his thumb and forefinger. Looking around he didn't see anyone so he got in the herder and turned on the dome light to examine it and he flashed again. It was a Jade dart with a red tassel the mark of the Red Lotus and along with it came various images of kills attributed to her from 1948 until present.