A/N: Thanks once again to everybody who's favorited, followed and especially reviewed. Special thanks goes to Uplink2 who's comment from the last chapter made me rethink this one and add part of the scene back in.
So I've moved around the BuyMorons some. Not all will be working for the BuyMore, but bit characters will remain bit characters.
I'm also playing around with POV as sort of an experiment here. Hopefully it won't be too confusing because some of what I'm doing later is going to depend on things one or the other character won't be involved in.
Standard disclaimers apply, I don't own Chuck if I did Pink Slip would never have happened, and I mentioned more Sarah in bikinis last time right? (Still have to figure out how to work that into this story) If you're looking for cannon, might I recommend the U.S. Army Field Artillery Museum at Ft. Sill OK. (Yes I do know the spellings are different.)
Morgan went to punch in and Chuck headed over to the IPhone accessories section to look over the latest add-ons. As he got to the right aisle his phone rang. He fiddled with his phone for a bit then answered, "Hello."
"Hey Chuck it's Anna," came from the voice on the other end of the line. "Just thought you should know the CIA and NSA are both running searches on you. In fact I have indications that they've both sent agents to observe you, but at this point that's all I've got. The boss is going to talk to some folks and try and figure out what the interest is, but given your report from last night I think we all know what it's about."
"Yeah, why on earth that idiot decided to send that monster email to me I have no idea. I guess I'm kind of glad he did all things considered. I really could do without the attention this is going to draw though, especially since I'm home on vacation. The timing stinks. How complicated is this likely to get?"
"No idea Chuck, the boss is working on it, she's talked to her boss, and that man really wasn't pleased. I'm expecting some fallout, not sure what yet. I'll get back to you when we know more."
"Ok, if they approach me what do I do?" Chuck asked after a second. He'd been following the stunning blonde with his eyes as she entered the store looking around; when she saw him for a second recognition flashed on her face then it was immediately covered with a disinterested expression as she started to the Nerd Herd desk. It took him a moment and then realization set in. 'Oh crap.'
"Hopefully that won't be a problem since the boss is currently on the phone with the CIA director and the NSA is next. If it comes down to it tell them you're a US Marshal and since neither one has operational authority inside the borders they do not have authority to bring you in, and if they get pushy you're authorized to arrest them for violation of U.S. law. As to what we're going to do about the fact that this is compromising your family's security situation? That we're still working on it."
"Great, talk to security and see if they can spare a team to cover me and my sister." The blonde reacted to the smarmy guy behind the counter and apparently thinking better of approaching him and then seemed to arbitrarily head his way. Actually looking at the guy behind the counter, it might not have been acting.
"Already done, Skip is inbound with a detail. They'll pick up your sister and her boyfriend at the hospital and you wherever you are."
"Great, you mentioned there were agents in the area. Is one of them a hot leggy blonde?"
"Well the pictures are already on your phone, but yeah the CIA agent is why?" Anna asked.
"Tell the boss to have the CIA director call his agent and stand her down, she's walking over to me right now."
"Craptastic, I'm on it," Anna responded with renewed urgency, and he could hear her already conferring with someone else.
Sarah walked into the store doing a quick scan just like she'd been taught at the farm when she started, or for that matter when she was casing a place for her father. 'It's amazing what crosses over in the skill set of a spy.'
She paused as she located the mark, her mask slipping a bit when she looked at him, well at least he was good looking, probably smiled a lot. 'I'd like to see his smile, too bad he looks so serious with whoever he's on the phone with,' she thought. 'Wait, where the hell did that come from? Get your head in the game Walker.'
Her disinterested mask slipped back into place as she decided the best play was to start approaching the desk and pretend to chicken out of having to talk to whoever was manning it. She started over toward the service desk, and realized that she might not have to act about the chickening out part. She'd been shot, stabbed, and tortured, and nothing she'd faced scared her quite as much as the smarmy guy and the stoned guy behind the service counter. She gave an uncontrolled shudder and decided to head back toward the cute mark. 'Wait, when did he become cute?'
The blonde was about to get into earshot when Anna came back on the phone, "She'll be getting a call in about 2 minutes to let her know to stand down. She'll be staying and providing and I quote 'additional protection' to guarantee your, and the information's, security."
"Ok, thanks for calling," Chuck changed the conversation as the blonde was now close enough to hear him speak. This was annoying because that last statement didn't make any sense. "I've got to go, I'm going to have some additional questions when I get back, but what we talked about should do it for now."
"Understood, try not to do anything stupid," with that the line went dead.
Chuck pulled the phone away from his ear and smiled at the beautiful woman that had just walked up to him. She was around 5'10" with piercing blue eyes. "Work," he said indicating the phone and smiled at her. "I'm out for 2 weeks, and they couldn't get through the first day without calling me. Go figure."
"Well, I suppose it's good to be needed," the blonde said with a smile that seemed to light up the whole store.
"Chuck Bartowski," he said holding out his hand.
"Sarah Walker," she replied taking it.
Chuck felt an almost electric connection when their hands met. From the slightly startled look in her eyes she had too. Neither could seem to pull their gaze off the other.
"So what brings you into this wonderful establishment?" he joked.
"Well, I'm new in town and my phone stopped working so I thought I'd bring it in and have the geeks here take a look at it. But then I noticed the guys at the desk so I thought I'd hang out over here for a minute and see if somebody else comes up that I can talk to," Sarah said indicating the rather smarmy looking Indian man and the older balding man with hair looking like it hadn't been combed in the last decade that were even then looking at her with entirely inappropriate glints in their eyes.
"Normally I'd correct you and tell you it's nerds, but in their case they may actually have bitten the heads off of chickens in a roadside carnival so I'll let it pass." He wasn't actually sure he was joking. "Tell you what, let me take a look at it; I'm pretty decent with electronics. I can at least tell you whether it's something easy or something the so called professionals," he stopped and shuddered for dramatic effect, "need to look at it." He held out his hand for her phone, which she placed in his palm.
'"Ah the Intellicell these actually are something I know quite well." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a utility tool. Flipping out the small screwdriver, he popped the cover off the back and started tightening the battery. "There's a screw here in the back that tends to work loose and disconnects the battery on the secure government models. But you knew that already didn't you Agent Walker." He left that hanging for a second. The look of surprise on her face would have been priceless if he couldn't also see her thinking about pulling a weapon on him. "Easy Sarah, if I may call you that. I know why you're here, and rest assured the data is in a secure location and our bosses are even now trying to figure out how to deal with the mess that bastard Larkin left us. You're going to be getting a call oh right about now," he completed his statement as the now reassembled phone in his hand began to ring. He handed it over to her, "This should be your director."
Sarah took the phone looked at the caller ID seeing that it was indeed Director Graham and with a stunned glance at Chuck answered, "Walker secure but in public. Sir I'm standing next to the target and he knows things he shouldn't."
"Sarah, he isn't a target, he's apparently a US deputy Marshal which technically makes him more legal and official than you are," came the director's voice over the phone. "I've just received a call from the National Security Advisor and the head of a highly classified division of the US Marshal's service that Mr. Bartowski apparently belongs to. I have been notified in no uncertain terms that he is not to be harassed or detained, but we are allowed to provide additional protection for him until we sort this out. I have a meeting with the National Security Advisor and the head of his division to work out the details early tomorrow morning. Since you're already on site and have done a stint on a protection detail you're assigned until we figure out what's going on. Do you understand?"
"Understood sir, I'll discuss it with Mr. Bartowski and we'll work out the logistics," she answered.
"Good, I'll let you know as soon as we have this mess sorted out," with that he disconnected the call. 'Typical,' she thought as she closed the phone and looked back to Chuck, only to find him no longer there. She scanned the store and noticed him talking to his short friend over by the desk with the two questionable members of the human race that had scared her off before. She set off to find out what was going on.
As Sarah turned to talk to her director, Chuck noticed that the customer currently at the tech support desk had become very animated, and apparently frantic. Beside him a young girl in a tutu looked like she might be about to start crying. Curious, he walked over and signaled to Morgan who was observing the antics at the desk.
"What's up with the little girl?" he asked as he approached his bearded friend.
"Dad over there, bought a brand new digital camcorder to tape his daughter's dance recital for his wife who couldn't be there. Turns out he assumed digital meant solid state storage and didn't buy a tape for said recorder. He watched the whole thing through the viewfinder and never recorded a second of it. Now his wife is going to kill him and worse the little girl's dance recital is lost forever, so sad," answered Morgan shaking his shaggy head.
"Hmmm…" Chuck stared off into space for a minute, then did a quick look around the store. "Morgan my good man, can you hook up your giant wall o' TVs so that half take a feed from one camera and half from another?"
"Would take about 5 minutes to set up, why?" he asked.
"Because I think we can save some memories and maybe even a life today," Chuck answered with a smile. "Go set that up. And while you're at it find out what the music for the recital was supposed to be and have somebody set it up to play through the stereo center next to the TV wall." The click of heels on the tile behind him told him Sarah had finished her conversation and come looking for him.
"So all cleared up?" Chuck asked with a smile turning as Sarah approached.
"Sort of, that was a very odd conversation," Sarah said with a slightly confused look on her face. "What were you just doing with your friend over there?"
"Oh just my good deed for the day. I try to sneak them in whenever I can," Chuck replied. "If Morgan is telling me the truth you'll find out in about 5 minutes. So what did your director say?
"First a question," Sarah began. "You're a deputy Marshal? That wasn't in my brief, which raises all kinds of flags, and I was just ordered to stick around to provide additional protection, which makes no sense."
"Like you said a minute ago, sort of, and there's a very good reason why it wasn't in your brief. It's because it's classified. The additional protection part would probably make more sense if he'd told you I already have a security detail coming in to provide overwatch for myself and my sister. That would explain the additional part anyway, why they think I need additional protection is probably more agency politics than real need," Chuck responded. Suddenly he chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Sarah asked with less a confused look and more a bemused one.
"I just had a horrible thought about what might be the worst pickup line in history."
"And that would be?" Sarah was definitely looking bemused now.
"Hi, I'm an important government operative and I'm in danger would you be my close protection detail?"
"That wasn't that bad, wouldn't' work on a lot of girls though," was Sarah's response as she struggled and finally lost the battle to hold back the laughter.
Chuck couldn't help but smile watching her laugh. "I was thinking horrible and not in a funny way, apparently I was wrong."
"Sorry," Sarah apologized when she finally regained control.. "I just had a flash of some of the marks and partners I've worked trying that line and the appropriate responses, and couldn't help it. The line is reasonably awful but I was mostly laughing at the situations I just imagined. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time."
"Well then my day is made, I got a beautiful woman to laugh," he opened up a full smile at her. She actually blushed, realized she was blushing and that caused her to blush some more, it was adorable. "And the blush is the icing on the cake."
"All right, you got me, I think I like you Chuck, I've had a better time in the last 5 minutes than I've had in a long time," she thought for a minute. "How sad is that?"
"I'll admit it's pretty sad, mostly because if this is the most fun you've had in awhile you clearly don't get out much which just looking at you is a real shame..." Sarah blushed deeper. "And I just said that out loud didn't I?" Now it was Chuck's turn to blush.
He was saved from death by embarrassment when Morgan signaled that he was ready. "Walk with me Miss Walker, you can help me with my good deed for the day." He stuck out his arm and was surprised when she took it. He led her over to the man and his daughter.
"Ok, it's magic time," he said to the two distraught customers. "My fried Morgan standing over by the TV wall with the magnificent beard, has set the stage, and now all we need is our star." Sarah released his arm as he crouched down to talk to the little girl in the tutu. "Are you ready for your big solo?" he asked her.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well now that your dad has his camera working again, you need to give him something good to tape. We've set up the music you told us was for the recital, and we have a stage set up right here in front of all the TVx. All you have to do is what you've already done once today. Do you think you can do that?"
"I think so, but usually I'm in the back row, not up in front of everybody."
"Why's that?" Chuck asked.
"Because I'm too tall, I get in the way of the other ballerinas," she replied sadly.
Sarah crouched down next to Chuck and took the little girls hand. "Do you want to know a secret?" Sarah asked.
The little girl just nodded.
"Real ballerinas are tall."
Chuck looked over at Sarah with a smile on his face, when the little girl brightened up and let loose a confident smile and moved to the center of the A/V area of the store, which had started to gather a crowd.
Chuck and Sarah stood back up and slowly eased through the crowd and away from the attention being generated. Chuck waved Morgan over once the music had started. "Do not let them leave the store until you personally check that tape, and maybe make a second copy."
"Not to worry Chuck, I've got Fernando covering this with a second camera that we tested and know works right next to Dad over there, but I'll check both copies before they leave," Morgan replied.
"Good man, I'll talk to you later," Chuck said.
Morgan pulled him down to his level, "At which time you are going to dish on Vicki Vale over there."
"We'll see," was Chuck's response as he led Sarah toward the doors.
"Vicki Vale?" Sarah questioned.
"It's from Batman," Chuck responded.
"Because that makes it better." Sarah said with a smirk.
"Ok, point taken." Chuck thought for a moment, "I'll bet you have some things you have to do now that you are going to be sticking around for awhile right?"
Sarah thought for a minute and then replied, "Well I suppose I should go get set up in a hotel, then get settled in and get the equipment I'll need from the local field office. But I also shouldn't let you out of my sight"
"Tell you what," Chuck said. "I was just going to go down to the pier for the rest of the day, how about I accompany you on your errands? Then later I can drop you back here to pick up your car and you can follow me home so I can shower and change and you can go get ready as well? I know of a Mexican restaurant that will do nicely for a talk and if you're free afterwards we can see what else there is around to do."
"Why are you driving? I have a car."
"Which has a shoebox for a trunk and you said part of your errands will be picking up some stuff?" Chuck said. "I know you've seen my car."
"Size isn't everything." Sarah replied primly.
Chuck's mouth dropped open and he was pretty sure he could have been knocked over with a feather. Sarah in turn just smiled right up until he replied, "Size jokes really? I didn't realize we'd already made it to that very important point in our relationship."
Now it was Sarah's turn to gape, and Chucks to smirk. "Alright, let's get moving, times awastin'." Chuck said.
"You know that this is a bad idea right?" Sarah asked, but the look in her eyes was more amused than concerned. "We absolutely cannot get involved, I'm an agent you're an asset, and there are rules about that."
"Yep absolutely horrible idea, but one correction, I'm not an asset, and even if I was I'm not your asset so all bets are off." Chuck replied making his eyebrows dance. "Come on, let's get this done so we can discuss what our offices come up with over dinner, then maybe have some fun."
"Well, I suppose that would work, and as you can tell from what I said earlier, I could really use some fun, I've pretty much forgotten how to do that." Sarah admitted looking down.
"Hey, none of that," Chuck said stopping them, turning toward her and using his left hand to tilt up her chin so he could look into her eyes. "I'm sure we can find something fun one way or another. Don't think of this as another mission, think of it as a paid night out. We'll have some fun, the security team, which should be here by then, will make sure nobody nefarious bothers us, and we can get to know each other a little better. What do you say?"
"I still want it on record that this is a bad idea," Sarah responded, "but sure I'm in."
A/N2: Bet you weren't expecting that line to come from Sarah were you? But let's face it who's more likely to have actually seen and met ballerinas? Also while I'm not changing Sarah nearly as much as Chuck, I can't see why she wouldn't epathize with the little girl given her own childhood as related by the show.
