Chapter 3: Charles Fisher Becomes A Spy:
A/N: I hope you enjoy the chapter. As always, all mistakes are my own. Please Review.
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
(05-17-09) 1:43 pm Casa Bartowski:
Eleanor Woodcomb entered her apartment for the first time in three weeks, and she immediately noticed the stale air in the room. When she heard a grunt behind her, she turned to see Devon and quickly moved out of her husband's way.
Devon walked into the apartment, loaded down with all their baggage. He had a bag in each hand, a purse under his armpit, a backpack on his back, a laptop case slung over his shoulder and a duty-free bag hanging from his mouth, as he made his way into the apartment. He somehow managed to secure everything safely on top of their bed, and returned to see his wife checking through the stacks of mail next to the door.
"Is that the mail babe?," Devon asked curiously. "Why didn't Chuckster pick it up?"
"I dunno, Devon," Ellie replied. "I tried calling him, but his phone goes straight to voice-mail."
The newlyweds decided to see if Chuck was in his room and as soon as they entered the couple saw multiple drawers were empty.
"You think he moved out babe?," Devon asked in surprise.
"I don't think so, Devon," Ellie replied confidently. "His Tron poster and video games are still all here." 'Maybe he went on a trip with Sarah.'
Ellie pulled out her phone and dialed her best friend's number, but just like Chuck's, it went straight to voice-mail. When she failed to reach Sarah as well, Ellie began to worry about her little brother. It wasn't like Chuck to not let her know if he was leaving somewhere. Her little brother could be dense, but he was always responsible.
Still thinking what she should do, she heard Devon call her from the kitchen.
"Hey babe. Come out here. I know where Chuckster went."
Excited to know where her brother was at, Ellie rushed into the kitchen. She saw her husband holding the house phone to his ear and began walking towards him.
When Devon saw Ellie walk into the kitchen, he pushed 9 and put the phone on speaker.
"Hey Sis. Hope you're enjoying your honeymoon. I really miss you. I wanted to leave this message on the home phone, cause I didn't want to ruin your vacation. Sarah and I broke up El. I know how much you thought it would work, but she decided to go back to DC and try things with her ex. But I don't want you to worry about me Sis. This time things will be different from Jill. I quit the Buy More today. One of the customers I helped out, works for a big software company called Orion Limited, and he offered me a job. I wasn't going to take it, but after the Sarah thing, I think this is the best thing for me to do right now. I'm leaving for Paris El. I'll finally get to see the Eiffel Tower. I'll be gone for about three months. They need me to do some training with their software, before I can work with their regular clients. I just want you to know I'm good sis. I'll message you when I get everything situated. Love you El. Tell Awesome I said hi."
Devon turned off the speaker, once the message ended, and he frowned at the phone in front of him. Ever since he learned about his new bro's spy life, he couldn't help but feel a little worried about him. It still amazed him that Chuck was really a spy, and he hoped everything was okay with his new brother in law.
Eleanor Faye Bartowski-Woodcomb was furious when she heard her brother's message. A voice-mail? A freaking voice-mail? Her brother breaks up with the love of his life, and rather than tell her about it, he escapes to Paris for three months?
"Ahhhhhh," she yelled in frustration.
Devon was startled when he heard Ellie voice her frustrations and he quickly turned to face her.
"What's wrong, El?," he asked her in surprise. "I know it sucks about the Sarah thing, but he's doing something productive with his life. He's finally out of the Buy More, babe. I thought you would be happy about that?"
Ellie knew she was overreacting and that her husband was right. She was ecstatic that her little brother had finally moved on from that ridiculous Buy More job. She always knew he could do so much better in life.
"I am, sweetie," she answered Devon. "I'm happy he got this new job, Devon. I'm just worried about how he's handling the breakup. You know how he got after Jill. I can't think of him all alone over there, feeling sorry for himself."
Devon remembered how bad things had been for Chuck after Stanford. After awhile it even became depressing for him to watch Ellie's brother waste his life away. He really tried to get Chuck out of the house and be active, but the man just refused all his attempts. Instead, he spent hours binge eating cheese balls and playing video games with Morgan. Initially Devon thought the Buy More job was a great idea, since it at least got him out of the house. He just didn't expect Chuck to make a career out of the job.
When he sensed his wife's growing concern over her absent brother, he wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her gently.
"Chuck's grown up, babe," he said soothingly. "Remember how down he was after he got back from Stanford? That Chuck would never have considered taking a job like this. I know you're worried about him, but our Chuckster has gotten tougher. He took his pain over losing Sarah and used it to better his life. Have faith in the little bro, babe."
Ellie gently removed herself from her husband's embrace and looked up into his eyes.
"Your right, sweetie," she said with a small smile. "My baby brother has grown up a lot these past two years. I just miss him and I wish he would call."
As soon as he heard her words, Devon knew the "Ellie eruption" had been averted. He sighed silently in relief and leaned down to kiss her on the lips. "Don't worry, babe. I'm sure he'll call soon. Now, give me a few minutes to take a shower, and I'll take you out for a late lunch. Sound good?"
He waited for his wife to nod her head in confirmation and then quickly ran to take a shower.
Ellie sat on the sofa, waiting for Devon to finish his shower. She knew he always said he would be quick, but a quick shower for him, took at least thirty min. She was flipping through the channels on the TV, when she remembered Chuck say the name of the software company that hired him. 'Maybe I should just call him and see if he's okay.'
Ellie went and got her laptop from the bedroom, and brought it to the coffee table. Turning it on, she typed in Orion Limited on the search menu and found their homepage. When she saw their telephone number, she picked up her cell phone and began to dial their number.
(05-17-09) 1:52 pm Unknown location Orion:
Stephen heard one of his burner phones begin to ring, and he smiled when he realized which one it was. 'Ellie's home,' he thought.
He knew she would try to contact her little brother as soon as she found out where he was. When it came to Chuck, Stephen knew Ellie was part bloodhound, part mama bear, and part amateur sleuth. It's because of her protective nature, he knew to cover his tracks well.
Stephen grabbed the voice modulator near his computer, and put it over his throat. Punching in the pre-programmed voice to the modulator, he answered the phone.
"Welcome to Orion Limited. This is Stephanie, how may I direct your call?"
"Hi. This is Eleanor Woodcomb, my brother Chuck Bartowski is currently at a training seminar for your company in Paris. I was away on my honeymoon when he left, and I didn't get a chance to talk to him. I was wondering if I could get a contact number for him in Paris?
"Congratulations on your wedding, Mrs. Woodcomb. Please hold while I look up that information."
Stephen put the phone on mute and waited for a minute. He thought about pretending to be Chuck, but he knew Ellie knew him better than anyone and he didn't want to risk being caught. 'Time for plan B.'
"Hello, Mrs. Woodcomb?"
"Yes?"
"Your brother is currently on a training assignment at an embassy in France. Due to the sensitive nature of the information that is there, he and his training supervisor are guests of the embassy. Unfortunately, he can't call you until he returns to Paris in a week. If you like, I can tell the supervisor that you called."
Ellie was a little confused at not being able to speak to her brother, but she figured it made sense for embassies to guard their secrets.
"Is there a contact number I can dial in Paris, for when he gets back?"
"Of course, Mrs. Woodcomb. The number is 0389713014. Based on our current schedule, your brother should finish his on site training in around 10 days."
"Thank you for your help, Stephanie."
"Not a problem, Mrs. Woodcomb. Have a nice day."
Stephen ended the call, and pulled the modulator off his throat. He tossed the device onto the table beside him, and returned to his search for the people who had taken his son.
(05-17-09)4:17 pm Park View Hotel-Echo Park:
Gabriel Anders pulled on his grey sleeveless tank top, and walked out of the bathroom. Well over the age of 50, his love of extreme sports kept his body as young and sculpted as men half his age.
He walked into the bedroom he shared with his wife, and he was amazed when he saw her. Even after all these years, he was still mesmerized by her beauty. When he noticed her tight black boy shorts and pink tank top, he thought she looked as beautiful now, as when he first met her in the service. 'Doesn't hurt that her body is as toned now, as it was when we met,' he smirked to himself.
"Are Devon and Ellie home?," he asked his wife.
"No," Susan replied. "I think they might have gone out to eat. I'm tracking Ellie's phone right now, and its been at the same place for the past forty-five minutes. Since its only a mile from their apartment, I figure they're just eating lunch."
Gabe grunted at hearing the news. 'Food sounds good right now.'
Susan raised her eyebrow when she heard him grunt. "You're not in the service anymore, sweetheart," she said with a smirk. "Please use your words."
She almost laughed at seeing her husbands sheepish grin.
"Sorry love," Gabe replied. "Sometimes this old dog just forgets. How about we get some food of our own?"
Susan smiled at her husband, and tossed him the hotel menu, before saying, "Go ahead and order some room service."
She watched her husband as he flipped through the extensive menu, trying to find something he would like to try.
"Gabe?"
"Yes Love"
"What did you think of Ellie and Devon?"
She saw the enormous smile that erupted on her husband's face, and she already knew what his answer would be.
"Fantastic. Ellie is both brilliant and beautiful. She has a good head on her shoulders and Mary will definitely be proud when she meets her. And that Devon kid isn't too bad himself. Good looking, and he's as sharp as a whip. Best thing is, lads got spirit. When I suggested we go parachuting, he jumped at the chance. I thought I would have to help him once we got in the air, but I was surprised he had already been a few times."
Susan's eyes narrowed in displeasure when she heard Devon had been parachuting with Gabe.
"What?," she snapped. "You took our only niece's husband to jump out of an airplane? Are you crazy, Gabriel Anders? What if something would have happened to him?"
Gabe knew he made a mistake as soon as he heard his wife's tone. She hated when he went on his extreme vacations with his mates, and he should have known better than to tell her about Devon.
"Sorry darling," he apologized. "It just skipped my mind. It was a spur of the moment decision, love, but it's not like its his first time jumping."
He hoped his answer would diffuse the wrath of his wife, but he was wrong.
"You are a trained professional, Gabe," Susan nearly yelled. "I know because I trained with you. As it is, we haven't begun to earn Ellie's trust, and you think to take her new husband on some stupid adrenaline rush?"
Gabriel threw up his hands in surrender.
"You're absolutely right love. I shouldn't have done it. I enjoyed my time with the lad. We had fun during the rock climbing, and I didn't think the jump would be a problem. I didn't think it through. It was a mistake."
Susan stared at her hulking husband, until she was sure he was honestly sorry. When she returned to monitoring Ellie's tracker on the computer she heard the rustling of the menu, and she knew Gabe had resumed his search for his next meal.
After a few minutes of silence, she said, "Gabe?"
"Yes love?"
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to give you any children. You would have made a great father."
Gabe dropped the menu in astonishment, and looked up at his wife. The moment he saw the tears fall down her face, he rushed to her side and sat down next to her on the bed.
Taking his hand, he gently wiped away her tears, and said, "Hey Love. Where is this coming from? You know all I need in this world is you."
He felt her burrow into his arms, and felt the tears moisten his shirt. He knew not being able to have children was a sore spot for her. She tried leaving him when she found out she couldn't bear his children and it took weeks to convince her he couldn't live without her. Gabe knew there was nothing he could say to make her feel better, so he just tightened his grip and let her cry. When he finally heard her soft sobbing come to an end, he was sure she was all cried out and he gently kissed the top of her head.
"Feel better?" he asked. He felt her nod her head against his chest. Deciding he needed to lighten the mood he said, "Good enough to test this beautiful bed out?"
He saw her look up quickly and saw her roll her beautiful green eyes.
In faux annoyance, he heard her say, "Gabriel James Anders, is that all you think about?"
He smiled, as he knew he was successful in breaking her out of her momentary depression. "It's not my fault love," he answered. "When the sexiest woman in the world is wrapped in his arms, what's a poor lad like me to do. I am only human, my angel."
Susan graciously offered her husband a small smile. "Angel?", she asked.
"Angel," he confirmed.
Gabe leaned in and kissed her lips. His tongue eagerly forced her to open her mouth. and moments later he felt her respond to his touch. Soon all thoughts of food and crying were lost, as the two continued their passionate embrace.
(05-20-09) 3:43 pm Unknown Ring Training Facility:
Daniel Shaw sat in the tiny office of the gym Fisher was training at and shook his head in disgust. He needed to send his next report on his "brother" to the Director soon, but he was hesitant to send in the report. He grimaced as he saw Fisher stumble to the ground and empty the contents of his stomach onto the indoor track. 'This idiot could never be a field agent,' he thought in disgust.
Shaw heard the office door open behind him, and he turned away from looking at Chuck's hunched over body, into the ever serious face of Vincent Hale. Already knowing the answer to his question, he asked, "How did he do?"
Vincent knew his answer wouldn't please Shaw, so he took his time before answering,
"Better than expected, Mr. Shaw."
He saw Shaw looking at him in bewilderment, and ask, "He passed?"
"No," Hale replied. "Mr. Fisher failed every single portion of the physical. It was probably the worst trainee physical I have ever seen in my life."
Shaw stared incredulously at Vincent. Barely managing to contain his anger at the man's vague explanation, he asked, "Then why is it better that expected, Agent Hale?"
"Because he has spirit," Vincent answered. "Mr. Shaw, you must realize that Chuck Bartowski probably never did any physical activities in his entire life. While he failed every part of the physical, he didn't give up. And most importantly, he didn't complain. I believe once we get him into better shape, those qualities will help him become a better Agent."
Shaw barely managed to keep himself from yelling at the man in front of him. "We don't have time, Agent Hale. I need Bartowski to become a field Agent immediately. How the hell can a nerd like him ever hope to accomplish that? He's pathetic."
Vincent couldn't believe how narrow-minded Shaw's view was. How could someone with zero physical training, ever hope to pass a physical required for real Agents in training?
"Mr. Shaw, you do have the time," he replied patiently. "The Ring currently doesn't have a working Intersect, so there is sufficient time to train him properly."
Shaw narrowed his eyes in anger, and asked, "So what do you propose, Agent Hale?"
"I will take over all training aspects for Mr. Fisher and by the end of the year, you will have a field Agent worthy of the Ring Intersect."
Shaw's anger vanished as he realized the implications of what Hale said. If he played this right, this could be a win win situation for him. While Shaw was technically in charge of this operation, Vincent was high enough in the Ring hierarchy where Shaw could shift the blame, if Bartowski failed to meet expectations. And if by some miracle, Hale pulled it off, he could always claim the decision as his own. 'Perfect.'
"Okay, Agent Hale," Shaw said happily. "You will have complete control over Bartowski's training, but I want constant updates on him."
Nodding his head in acceptance, Vincent turned around and walked out of the office.
Chuck leaned against the wall in agony and he was positive he had never exerted his body, as much as he did today. His muscles ached down his back and legs and he barely had the energy to breathe. As he tried to catch his breath, he knew he had nothing left in his stomach, but he could still feel his body wanting to dry heave.
His eyes were closed, when he heard the footsteps walking towards him, and he was too tired to see who it was. Chuck heard the soft click of heels on the track, until the footsteps stopped right in front of him. As soon as he heard the familiar drawl of Agent Hale, he was forced to open his eyes.
"Mr. Fisher, excellent work today," the bald Agent said politely." I'm sure you could use some of this."
Chucks eyes widened in pleasure as he saw the Agent offer him a water bottle. His mouth had been parched since he finished the run this morning and none of the trainers had allowed him more than ten seconds for a water break. Forcing his arm to move, he eagerly reached for the water bottle in the bald Agent's hand. Once he grasped it in his hand, Chuck managed to open it with shaking fingers and drowned half the bottle in the first gulp. When his thirst was finally sedated, he looked up at the man in front of him.
"I passed?", he asked the bald Agent with as much hope as his voice would allow.
Chuck was surprised when he saw the briefest of smiles appear on the man's face. It was gone so quickly, he thought he might have imagined it in his current state.
"Not quite, Mr. Fisher," the Agent answered. "You actually failed every portion of the physical."
Chuck silently groaned at the news. He knew his scores weren't going to be pretty, but he didn't realize his training would end before it could even begin. He couldn't believe he had failed his sister, and begged the Agent for another chance.
"Please, Agent Hale," he croaked. "Please give me another chance."
Almost willing himself to do so, Chuck stood on his wobbly knees and began to make his way to the obstacle course. He barely made it back to the track, before he fell, his knees scraping against the synthetic surface. He chose to ignore the pain and he forced himself to stand again.
"I'm ready to run the route again, sir. I promise I'll do it faster this time."
Vincent was both impressed and surprised with the younger man's determination. He had seen real trainees unable to complete all aspects of the rigorous Personal Fitness Test, but he had never seen a trainee try to repeat the test on the same day.
"That will not be necessary, Mr. Fisher," he answered. "The test is just to determine what your baseline is. Now that we know it's poor, you will have to try harder than the other recruits."
In his haze of fatigue and pain, it took Chuck a second to realize what the man had said.
"Other trainees?", he asked the bald man.
Vincent just stared at the Chuck, unsure of how much he wanted to say. When he realized Chuck was bound to run into the recruits during his training, he decided on going with the truth.
"Yes, Mr. Fisher. You are not the only trainee at this facility. Much like the US government, the Ring has begun to gather recruits from college campuses across the country. Unlike the others, your training will be limited to me alone. We might occasionally use some of the trainees for your own training, but you will for the most part work only with me."
Not sure what he should say to the private lessons, Chuck just nodded his head in agreement. "Thank you, sir," he said hesitantly. "I won't let you down."
(06-05-09) 4:05 am Unknown Ring Training Facility-Chuck's room:
Chuck woke up before his alarm had a chance to wake him, and he was surprised he was up so early. The past two weeks he had slowly adapted to his new routine and he could already feel the changes the exercise had done to his body. Despite how strenuous it was, he found himself enjoying his new routine...Five miles running in the morning, then a few hours of work with Agent Hale at the gun range, and then another 5 miles before going to bed.
After the morning run yesterday, he knew Hale was pleased with his progress, when he informed Chuck of his new time...thirty five minutes. The new time was a far cry from his paltry forty-nine minutes at his PFT, but Chuck knew he still had a long ways to go. He paled when Hale informed him that he eventually expected Chuck to complete 10 miles in 60 minutes.
By the end of his first week of physical training, Agent Hale suggested that he alternate his evening runs with weight training. After two weeks with his new instructor, Chuck learned Agent Hale's suggestions should be taken as if they were commands.
From the moment Chuck began his training, he found Hale to be a fantastic teacher. He was patient with him while they were at the shooting range and Chuck's first attempt at firing a gun had been an utter disaster. Hale allowed him to shoot for an hour without interruption, before stopping him to see the results. When he finally brought the target in, Chuck was appalled to see only three hits on the paper. He expected the Agent to yell and scream, and he was surprised by the bald instructor's calm demeanor. He patiently corrected Chuck's stance and offered advice on when and how to pull the trigger.
By the end of the first week, Chuck improved enough to not be a complete embarrassment at the shooting range. By the end of the second week, Chuck was able to develop a decent amount of accuracy. While most of his shots now hit the target, he still lacked the ability to group his shots like a trained Agent. When Hale noticed his frustration over his accuracy, the Agent told him that he was a fast learner, and that with practice he would eventually achieve those results.
His instructors words were a surprise to Chuck, because praise from the solemn teacher was rare. While the Agent was not a member of the negative reinforcement school of thought, he also wasn't much for the positive reinforcement. Usually when Chuck did something right, he just got a nod from the older man. The fact that Hale appreciated Chuck's rapid improvement at the shooting range, made him feel uncomfortable. He knew being an Agent required knowing how to shoot a weapon, but Chuck had an innate dislike of guns. Before his sister's death, he never thought he would ever hold a gun in his hands.
After his first day at the range, Hale noticed Chuck's hesitation at pulling the trigger and he remembered how the Agent sensed his worry and helped him through his fear of shooting the weapon."The gun is just a tool, Mr. Fisher. The person holding the gun is the true weapon. If you master the ability to shoot the gun, it will be you that determines where the bullet will go. Do not forget... a bullet can disable an enemy, as easily as kill him."
The pearls of wisdom from his instructor had done wonders for Chuck's hesitancy to pull the trigger. By the start of the second day, Chuck almost completely lost his hesitancy to pull the trigger, and he immediately saw the results, as his aim improved drastically.
When he realized he could no longer return to sleep, Chuck finally threw back the covers and rolled out of bed. He walked to the little dresser they provided for his room, and he pulled out some clothes for his morning run. He quickly slipped on some grey sweats and a grey hoodie, and then headed for the indoor track at the facility.
As he walked down the hallway to reach the facilities indoor track, he noticed the office next to his brother's was open. As he neared the open door, he could hear a man speaking rapidly to someone on the speaker phone.
"We have to figure this out, Kevin. Mr. Shaw wants this file decrypted and we've stalled for over a week now. Eventually he won't buy our excuses anymore."
When he finally arrived at the open office door, he saw a man holding his head in his hands. With long wavy black hair, and of slender build, the man looked to be in his early thirties.
Chuck could sense the stranger's obvious distress, and he politely knocked on the door to get the man's attention. When the man look up in surprise, he asked, "Is everything okay here?"
He saw the disheveled man's eyes narrow in suspicion, and heard him ask, "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
Chuck was surprised by the panic he heard in the man's voice, and quickly answered,"I'm Charles Fisher. Ahhh...Daniel Shaw's brother-in-law."
When he saw the stranger's face flash from surprise to embarrassment, Chuck had to force himself not to laugh.
"Y..Y..Your Mr. Shaw's brother-in-law?," he heard the man stammer.
Chuck just nodded his head and turned on his famous smile, hoping to ease the man's obvious fears.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. Fisher," the man said fearfully. "I didn't mean to be rude. My name is Jason Sevell."
Chuck walked over to the sitting man, and reached out his hand in greeting.
"Please, call me Chuck," he said in a disarming manner.
Chuck's casual approach seemed to have a calming effect on the man in front of him. Once he saw Jason begin to relax, Chuck looked at the code on his computer screen, and asked," Need any help in decrypting that file?"
Jason was shocked that someone related to Shaw was nice enough to offer him help. "Ahhhh sure," he replied. "Do you have any experience with Coding?"
Chuck smiled as he answered,"I have some experience. I was the Nerd Herd supervisor for five years."
Jason wasn't sure what that meant, but he didn't want to upset the younger man, and nodded his head in agreement.
Chuck walked over to the empty seat next to Jason, and tilted the monitor to face him. He pulled up the command screen, and started tapping his fingers frantically on the keyboard.
Jason watched in awe, as he saw Chuck hack through layer after layer of the decrypted file. After nearly twenty minutes of watching the man's fingers fly across the keyboard, he was surprised when he heard Chuck shout, "EUREKA."
When he returned his attention back to the monitor in front of Chuck, he stared in amazement, as the decrypted file was now completely accessible. 'That was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.'
Chuck barely had a moment to gloat at his accomplishment, when he noticed the time on his wrist watch. 'Shit, I'm late,' he thought.
He quickly mumbled good-bye to the astonished man next to him, and ran out of the office before he could get a reply.
(06-05-09) 8:15 am Unknown Ring Facility:
Shaw walked into his office, furious at the delay. The Director assured him that Sevell and his cronies were the best computer specialists in the Ring. Those arrogant eggheads had the file for over a week, and still they couldn't break through the encryption. Shaw was positive the file would contain information on Team Intersect. He knew the report the Director sent on the demise of the team, had to have been fabricated, and refused to give up his search for the team.
It was too convenient that Team Intersect would have a plane accident, hours after the Ring's failed attempt at securing the 2.0 for themselves. Unfortunately, the Director and the Elders believed the Intersect team had perished in the accident. They contacted their Agents deep in the government hierarchy and all of them reported that there was no longer a functioning Intersect being used by the NSA or CIA.
Shaw knew if he wanted the resources to continue his search for the team, he would need to convince the Director and the Elders that Larkin was still alive. The file he had given to the eggheads was stolen from a Colonel who was often known as Beckman's guard dog. The Ring Agent copied the files from a flash drive hidden in the Colonel's office and Shaw was positive the file would have the information he needed to find and capture Larkin.
Unable to control his growing frustration, Daniel slammed his fist onto his table. After a second, he took a deep breath to calm himself, and looked at the clock in his office. He figured the eggheads must have some idea by now and decided to see how far they had gotten with the file. Before he could get up from his chair, he heard a respectful knock at his door. Sighing in resignation, he sat back down, and called out, "Come in."
Shaw was mildly surprised, when he saw Sevell's head poke through the door.
"I have good news, sir," the man said enthusiastically.
Shaw couldn't keep the smile off his face, as he asked the man," Its done? You have the file decrypted?"
He was ecstatic when he saw the man nod his head in agreement. Daniel rose out of his chair and quickly walked by the excited egghead. He motioned for the man to follow him, as he left his office and made his way into Sevell's.
Shaw walked up to the monitor on Sevell's desk, and quickly scanned through the contents of the file. He couldn't contain his enthusiasm, when he saw that the file was indeed decrypted. Turning to face the lanky computer specialist, Shaw offered him a rare compliment. "Congratulations Mr. Sevell. You and your team have done an excellent job."
Sevell's face lost a little of his smile, as he realized he and his team had nothing to do with decrypting the file. He was about to just take the credit for the accomplishment, when he remembered who it was that helped them solve the problem.
"I..I..I'm sorry Mr. Shaw," he said shamefully. "We didn't solve the problem."
When he saw the look of confusion on Shaw's face, slowly turn to anger, Sevell continued," Ahh..a Mr. Fisher solved it this morning."
Sevell couldn't decipher the look on Shaw's face and he worried the man in the morning might not have been who he claimed. Hoping to explain himself, Sevell said, " Ahhh...he introduced himself as your brother-in-law."
He almost wet himself in relief, when he saw Shaw nod his head in recognition of the man.
"Your brother-in-law was amazing, sir. He walked in here this morning and cracked the encryption in twenty minutes. I have never seen anyone hack that well or that fast. Chuck is a genius."
Sevell saw Shaw shake his head in bewilderment, and figured the man hadn't realized how gifted a hacker his brother-in-law was.
Shaw patted Sevell's shoulder on his way out, a victorious smile plastered onto his face. "Have the file brought to my office immediately and remove all traces of it from the other computers."
Not waiting for a reply from the egghead, Shaw walked back to his own office. 'That Golden goose just keeps giving,' he thought. Laughing softly, he couldn't believe how his fortunes had changed, since he captured the nerd.
(08-15-09) 10:27 am Cafe in Rome:
Sarah looked down at the receipt in front of her, and casually signed her new name, Sarah Andrews. She grimaced in displeasure as she read the name again. She didn't like it. It sounded too much like Anderson for her liking and she had no thoughts of ever being Mrs. Anderson again.
Sarah grabbed her purse from the chair beside her and quickly got up to leave. She hailed a taxi in front of the café, and gave him directions to her new home.
The NSA had gone all out for their new accommodations and the Villa they provided the team was incredibly beautiful. The house had five bedrooms, with each room having its own bathroom. The Castle built under the housing structure was even better outfitted than the armory in Burbank and she had no doubt Casey was thrilled by the new toys that were supposed to go with their new base's armory.
Even though she was appreciative of the privacy this would grant her, Sarah was surprised that they received such lavish accommodations. Since they were supposed to be working as an unknown black ops team, she questioned the General on the living arrangement. Beckman assured her that hiding out in the open was the best way to prevent anyone from suspecting their connection to team Intersect, so she happily went with it.
Their new covers were issued once Bryce completed his training in Prague. Bryce was to become Bryce Lattmer, CEO of a private security firm. The NSA even created multiple shell companies that were currently using the services of his company.
Sarah was to be his personal secretary, and Casey was to be John Carlson, head of Bryce's security detail. The General informed them the team would be enhanced with two extra members, but left the final decision on who to Sarah. She was hoping one of the candidates would be female, so she could take over as Bryce's "girlfriend" if the need arose. Sarah had no wish to even fake a relationship for a cover. It was too soon and she missed her Chuck too much.
Not realizing how quickly her cabbie was able to move through the city traffic, Sarah found them suddenly pulling in front of the villa. She paid the cabbie, and told him to keep the rest as a tip, before getting out of the car. Grabbing her purse, she walked up to the main gate and punched in her security code. The gates swung open gracefully, as she walked down the pathway to the villa entrance.
Before she could even put her key in the door, the door swung open, and Sarah was surprised to see Bryce grinning at her triumphantly. She raised her eyebrow in response to his obvious enthusiasm and heard him say, "We have a mission Ms. Andrews."
When she heard about the mission, Sarah instantly understood the reasoning behind his good mood. Once upon a time she too loved the excitement of a mission. In fact, she craved it. She knew how Bryce felt after spending three months being put through a wringer during his training. Even Casey had been sympathetic to the hours he was forced to flash and train repeatedly. But Bryce was the consummate professional the entire time. He completed the training without any complaints, and she knew he did it all in anticipation of this moment. She knew from experience, that his desire for a mission was almost as high as hers once had been. She offered him a brief smile and finally entered through the open door he was holding.
As soon as she walked into the new Castle, Sarah saw Casey already sitting at the briefing table, flipping through files of potential teammates. Having worked with Casey the past two years, she knew he was totally devoted to the job. Hell, his idea of a vacation usually involved training exercises in Afghanistan. She didn't think Casey even had the ability to relax like a normal person. His entire life was devoted to duty, honor, and the Reagan way.
Sarah took a seat next to her partner, and offered him a nod in greeting. "Hey Casey," she greeted him happily.
Sarah smiled when she heard him grunt in acknowledgement. 'Chuck was right,' she thought. 'His grunts do sound different.' Her nerd always surprised her with how insightful he was. She laughed when he first told her he was numbering each of Casey's grunts. She begged him for a copy, so she could learn to speak in grunt, but he adamantly refused. "Sorry, Agent Walker. I can only communicate with one neanderthal at a time." she remembered him say with that silly grin.
When she felt the grin forming on her lips, Sarah forced herself to put aside her thoughts about her adorable nerd. She needed to be focused now. The harder they worked at destroying the Ring, the faster she could get back to the life she couldn't live without. 'I hope he still remembers me when this is all over.'
The screen in the briefing room suddenly turned on, and all three Agents came to attention as they saw General Beckman.
"Good morning team," said the obviously tired General. "Today our target is, Francisco Del Rio."
The three Agents watched as another screen flashed to a picture of a tall Spanish man, decked out in a white suit and a black silk shirt. He was sitting at a restaurant surrounded by three beautiful women, and it was obvious that the man was wealthy.
"Mr. Rio is a suspected money launderer for the Ring, and tonight you will be attending a party thrown for his birthday. Your cover will be a married couple...Mr. and Mrs. Mathews."
The General paused briefly, trying to see if the cover affected Agent Walker in any way. Pleased to see the woman's cold demeanor, she continued, "Mr. Rio is known to be a playboy and his interests in blondes is quite obvious. Normally we would have sent you in separately, but Mr. Rio is renowned for his attempts at seducing married women."
Casey grunted in disgust, but did so softly. He was a trained NSA Agent, and he would cut off his right arm before disrespecting a senior officer like Beckman.
The General looked directly at Sarah and said," Your mission is to get close to Mr. Rio and get access to his bedroom. Once there, you are to break into his safe and copy his accounts and client information. You are to use any means necessary to carry out your goal. "
The General didn't wait for a response, before ending the connection.
Bryce was smiling in anticipation of his first mission as the Intersect, when he turned to see Sarah staring blankly at the screen in front of her. Despite her emotionless facade, he had been around her long enough to know she was worried. It pained him to realize why she was concerned. He knew she had strong feelings for Chuck, and thought maybe she even loved him. He knew she didn't want to go undercover with another man, especially when that man was him.
A part of him was saddened to think she felt that way. He could still remember the incredible chemistry they used to have as Mr. and Mrs Anderson, and he longed to have that with her again. Bryce knew that when she accepted to stay with the team, she did so because Beckman refused to let her quit. He hoped that her feelings for Chuck were just an infatuation, but after the way she acted since they left Burbank, he knew those feelings were real.
He also knew he had to discuss this situation with her, before they got to the mission. Regardless of how any of them felt, emotions during a mission could get one of them, if not all of them killed and he was too much of a professional to allow that to happen. Bryce motioned for Casey to give him a second with Sarah, and he waited until the big man left the room, before clearing his throat loudly.
Sarah snapped out of her daydream, as she heard Bryce clearing his throat. When she turned around, she noticed Casey had already left the room, and she shook her head in disgust. 'Damn,' she thought. 'How long have I been standing like this? Get your head in the game Sarah.'
When she saw Bryce smile at her, Sarah couldn't help but groan in frustration. She was able to avoid this moment for the past three months, because Bryce was rendered nearly comatose at the end of each training session in Prague. Sarah always knew this confrontation was inevitable and squared her shoulders, ready to set Bryce straight. She had no desire to continue anything but a professional relationship with her former partner/lover, and she was determined to make him understand that today.
Before she was able to tell Bryce her feelings, Sarah was stunned when she heard him say, "Sarah, I love you."
She saw him reach his hands out to grasp hers, but she stepped away from his touch. A part of her wanted to be with him, but she knew it was only lust, and not the amazing love she felt for Chuck. What she had with Bryce was always more about lust than love and she wasn't willing to go back to that.
Bryce felt a momentary twinge of sadness, as he saw Sarah step away from him. He didn't want to force the issue, and so he remained where he was. Looking into her crystal blue eyes, he continued before she could interrupt him. "I love you Sarah, but I'm not in love with you. Does that make sense to you?"
Sarah was too stunned to respond. She had no idea where Bryce was going with this, so she just remained silent.
Bryce sensed her confusion at what he said, and tried to explain himself. "I know you love Chuck, Sarah. Its okay. Honest, I'm happy for the two of you. You know how much I care about him. He's the only friend I have in this world."
He waited until he saw her nod her head for him to continue.
"What we had together was special to me, but that's all I could ever give you. I'm a spy. I could never give you the things that Chuck could. I know that you're hesitant to go on this mission tonight, because of our cover or what you may have to do with Rio for the mission."
Bryce didn't need her to acknowledge what he was saying, because he knew he was right. The Sarah Walker that was once his lover and partner, was not the same Sarah Walker standing in front of him. Her time with Chuck had changed her, and it was obvious to him with each passing second he spent with her.
"I can't tell you what will happen with Rio, but I can ease any thoughts you may have about us. I won't try to press the situation in my favor, or hit on you needlessly. I know you may not believe me, but I really do love you, Sarah. You were the best partner I ever had, and I'm hoping the second friend I have in this world."
Bryce hoped she believed him, because he meant every word he said. After Prague, any delusions he had about rekindling their previous relationship, were shattered. She was completely compromised by the King of Nerds, his best friend, Chuck Bartowski.
Sarah couldn't believe what just happened. She completely expected him to try hitting on her, maybe some casual flirting, or even to go straight for a home run and try to get with her right on the briefing room table. The last thing she expected was this.
As she stared into Bryce's, she tried to decipher if he was telling the truth. Sarah knew Bryce was extremely confident in his ability to lie, but she never told him that she knew when he was lying. He had a tell. Staring at him now, she couldn't believe it...he was telling the truth.
"Thank you, Bryce," she managed to whisper.
She saw her former lover smile at her once and then watched as he turned around and left the room.
For the first time in months, Sarah felt like there was some hope. She dreaded having to fend off Bryce's attempts to bed her, but now without the tension of worrying about working with him again, she finally let herself relax. Things were definitely beginning to look up. 'Now if we can just deal with the Ring, I can go back to snuggling with my Chuck.'
Truly happy for the first time in weeks, Sarah left the briefing room to get ready for her mission.
(03-03-10) 11:15 am Unknown Ring Training Facility:
Chuck looked at his watch, and sighed in frustration. It was almost time for him to meet Agent Hale in the dojo, and he was nervous about the meeting. He actually enjoyed the rush of fighting hand to hand, but he hated when he ended up hurting someone during his sparring matches.
Chuck still remembered the surprise on Hale's face, when they started his training in hand to hand combat. His first lessons were in Karate, and he was basically a human punching bag for the first few hours of his training. His anger and frustration at the constant beating and ridicule from his bald instructor, caused him to lash out without thinking. His actions resulted in a savage take-down by his instructor, and left Chuck gasping for air.
Hale had been furious with his attack. "Emotions do you no good in a fight, Mr. Fisher. Your opponent will goad you relentlessly, hoping for you to become angry. The moment that happens, you have lost. Angry people mistakes., and mistakes, Mr. Fisher...they get you killed."
Chuck had been in too much pain to respond. He forced himself to his feet, and got back onto the training mat. He took a deep breath before facing his teacher, and tried to clear his mind of all his distractions. That's when the strangest thing happened. His mind became flooded with images and pictures about Karate. The images appeared so fast, he didn't even get a chance to think how they had gotten there, before they disappeared.
He looked up to see Hale in an attack stance, and he was about to tell his teacher what he had "seen", when the older man suddenly attacked him. Chuck wasn't sure how he was doing it, but he was seamlessly blocking every attempt by Hale to strike his body. He could see Hale become frustrated, as his every attack, was met by the proper parry from Chuck. After a few more minutes of just blocking, Chuck decided he would try to attack. The speed and skill with which he responded, stunned his instructor. Seconds later, it was Hale who was on the ground gasping for air.
After that day, his training had been doubled. What little time he had to himself before that, was stripped away. His days were spent with various teachers, learning the martial form they were most proficient with. He didn't always see things like he had with Karate, with every combat form they taught, but he had seen it with others. The best thing was, once he saw those images, he always remembered them. So far, he was able to "learn" Kung Fu, Jujitsu and Krav Maga as fast as he had Karate.
His failure to pick up other combat forms, as fast as those, was perplexing to his teachers and to Hale. They didn't understand why he wasn't able to learn Muy Thai, Kickboxing our pressure point fighting as quickly as the others. As his training progressed, Chuck learned that most fighting styles carried many of the same elements. Since he had "learned" a few styles already, he found that over the next few months of training, he quickly become proficient in the martial forms he was lacking in.
As he made his way to the dojo, Chuck was surprised by how much time had passed since he lost his sister. He had been training with Hale for a year now, and his body had undergone a complete metamorphosis. Under the constant training implemented by the bald instructor, his shoulders and chest had gained in mass, and his entire body was well-defined, but still lean. Hale warned him against adding too much bulk to his frame. He told Chuck stories of men who could bench press enormous weight, but weren't able to lift themselves up a wall during training. Chuck had taken his advice to heart and he avoided the use of large weights. Instead, he concentrated on exhausting his body with a lighter weight. This allowed for his well sculpted frame, but still gave him a strength that would rival a man larger than him in size.
Today was the day Chuck had been dreading. Hale informed him that a demonstration of his skill would be required by the Director, before he could achieve Agent status. Chuck knew that if he failed today, he would never be given a chance to help Daniel get their revenge for his sister's murder. He could feel his nerves trying to overwhelm his body, but he quickly fought for his emotional control. 'No more emotions,' he thought. 'Emotions cause mistakes, and mistakes get you killed.'
As soon as he walked into the dojo, Chuck was surprised by the number of people who were present. Usually his training hours were spent with Hale and sometimes another teacher. Today, there were multiple people sitting in chairs beside the training mat. The mat itself was surrounded by a dozen people. Some he recognized as his teachers for a brief time, and others he had never seen before.
In his peripheral vision, he saw his brother sitting calmly at the end of the row and he wanted to say something to him, but he didn't want to upset Hale. Chuck walked onto the mat, and bowed to his instructor for the past year. He remained bent at the waist, until the older man mirrored his action. Once the ceremony was complete, Chuck came to attention, and waited for Hale to explain what was happening.
Hale walked up to his star pupil, and said, "Congratulations, Mr. Fisher. Today is your final day of testing. If you pass, you will officially become an Agent."
Vincent stared at the young man in front of him, and was incredibly surprised at how far he had come. He knew he could have trained the nerd into an Agent, but even he couldn't have guessed how well the nerd would take to the training. The young man had an incredible memory, and the speed with which he learned multiple combat forms was truly frightening.
Once an elite member of an elite fighting force, Vincent was certain the man before him was the best he had ever seen. The speed and quickness of Chuck's attacks were already legendary among the Agents that were involved with his training. His incredible awareness of his surroundings, allowed him to defend himself against multiple opponents. While his skills with knives and guns were well beyond those of normal Agents, Hale knew that at hand to hand combat, he had never seen anyone as deadly as Charles Fisher.
"Mr. Fisher, first you will fight against two opponents. If you do well, you will be tested against five opponents. How well you do against your attackers, will determine whether you pass or fail."
Chuck didn't trust himself to respond, so he just nodded his head in agreement.
The first two opponents turned to face him, and he recognized one of them as his instructor in Kung Fu. He bowed to the two men, and waited for Hale to start the match. As soon as he heard the command, Chuck attacked. Catching the two guys off guard, he slammed his foot into the knee of the first guy and launched an uppercut at the other. Within seconds, both men were beaten before they could even prepare to attack. Chuck was concentrating so hard on making sure he wasn't making a mistake, he didn't notice the looks of surprise and awe coming from everyone in the room.
Hale motioned for five of the men surrounding the mat to rise, but he was interrupted by a man sitting in one of the seats. Chuck didn't know who the man was, but by the suit he was wearing, he assumed it was someone important in the Ring. He heard the man call out in a British accent,"All of them, Mr. Hale."
Chuck saw Hale reluctantly nod his head in agreement, and noticed the remaining four guys rise to surround him. As he looked upon his opponents, Chuck knew he was being faced with unfair odds. Hale always stressed that even the most skilled Agents should avoid altercations with multiple trained opponents. No one was good enough to fight nine trained guys. Chuck had to force himself to not scream at the unknown man's unfair tactics. 'Fuck it,' he thought. 'I just have to take out as many as I can.'
Chuck slipped into his attack stance, feet spread shoulder width, body slightly tilted to the side, and hands raised in front of him. He didn't need to think what style he would use, he already knew.
As he learned the various martial arts he was taught during his training, his mind was able to connect the styles together. He blended the best qualities he found in each art form, and used them to create his own personal style of fighting. Chuck had never shown any of his teachers his personal style, because he feared they wouldn't allow him to continue using it. Instead, he used the time before he would go to sleep to practice secretly in his room.
Chuck smiled as he thought how shocked everyone was going to be. Since no one specified how he needed to defeat his opponents, he didn't think they could blame him for using his own style to fight. Chuck waited to hear the attack command come from Hale, and watched as his opponents began to surround him. The men he was to fight had learned from his previous match, and when the command was given, they had already formed a ring around him and were ready to react. Chuck's hands and feet became a blur as he effortlessly moved in between the attackers, blocking everything aimed at his body.
While trained to fight, his opponents weren't trained to fight together, and they would get in each other's way, while trying to attack him. Chuck used this to his advantage, as he rammed his head into one guys head. He grabbed the injured man by the collar and threw him into the two men he could "feel" behind him. When he saw the pair was stunned by the contact, he ran towards them and knocked the first guy out with a spinning heel kick. Before the second man could respond, Chuck unleashed a vicious elbow uppercut that dropped him to the floor. Once he was certain the men were down he continued spinning around the blue mat and attacked the remaining opponents. His hands and feet rapidly hitting their throats and groins with such blinding speed, none were able to stop him. Within moments all nine men were laying on the ground, their groans echoing through the stunned silence.
Hale looked down at the injured men in amazement. He had never seen anyone fight with such lethal grace in his entire life. 'What the hell style was he using?,' he thought in admiration.
When he saw the Director and Shaw begin to approach him, Hale quickly masked his amazement and turned to face the oncoming pair.
"Congratulations, Agent Hale. Your pupil is quite talented."
"Thank you, Director," Hale replied.
The Director then turned his complete attention to Chuck. He looked him up and down, and Chuck was beginning to grow nervous with the continuing silence. His mind started racing through the past few minutes, to see if he had made a mistake. Suddenly he heard the British drawl of the Director say, "Hello, Agent Fisher. Welcome to the Ring."
When he heard the Director's words, Chuck could only smile in appreciation. He had finally done it. Now he was ready to get his revenge. 'I'm coming for you, Agent Walker.'
