NoMoreNextTimes03

T/N: I'm flying to Houston to meet my guy so y'all enjoy the first days of spring in the cold. I'll be sipping Margaritas by the pool and doing X-Rated things in Cancun!!!

Nicole Fontenot

Joint NSA/CIA Training Base Camp – 'Desert One'

Deena laughed at Chuck's expression. They all gaped the first time they saw Desert One and he was no exception. She could see his mind cataloguing all he saw, finally arriving at a conclusion.

"This place is an Ark, isn't it? I've heard rumors about them but I didn't think they were real. Armageddon shelters for the politically connected in the event of a nuclear exchange. How big is it? How many trainees do you have now?"

"Yeah, it's an Ark. You're the only trainee. This really isn't the 'entrance', just a maintenance supply access route. Most of the Chosen would have entered through the mines and been brought here by electric tram. Most of it's still sealed up and what we utilize here is minimal."

"So, Deena, what do you do when there are no trainees? Do you go home? I mean, well, hell, this place is in the middle of nowhere."

"I stay here for 60 days and then get 15 days 'home leave' but since I live in Florida now, I generally just hang around and work on my tan and accrue leave. I swim, play video games, the usual stuff."

"Swim? Where?"

"The pool, dummy. There's an Olympic-sized pool down here. You should try it. It's weird knowing you're swimming 200 feet under the surface. We'll give it a go if you survive this afternoon's cycle. Let's get you suited up first. You're not exactly dressed for desert success. Nice suit though. Savile Row?"

"Um, yeah. My ex-girlfriend bought it for me. Kinda messed up now. It'll dry clean though. So where do I get fitted out?"

2 hours later

"OK, Chuck. Here's the task. You're over here and need to get over there. You have 4 hours to do it. I'll be on the other side and if you decide to wimp out, you fail. If you fall, you fail…and die. Be safe and have a good time, trainee." She giggled and left in her jeep to meet Chuck 'over there'.

'Over there' was across a canyon carved out eons ago when this area was verdant and a river cut through the soft rock. What was left was a nearly smooth-sided canyon more than 100 feet deep and between 200 and 400 feet wide. Chuck's task was to get across, any way he could.

'Chuck, you're supposed to be a trainee. This looks like something an experienced climber would hesitate to tackle. How you gonna do it? Remember, if you die, I die and I just got alive.'

'I'm open to suggestions, Deuce. What do your 200+ female agent integrated memories say?'

'We're all gonna DIEEEE!'

'Thanks bunches, Deuce. Get back in the box. God save Ireland you're worse than Morgan.'

He'd figured out almost immediately that the 'trainee' cycle was more of a test of his abilities to utilize the knowledge in the Deuce Intersect than true training. Fine. He'd use what he had.

He flashed and suddenly laughed out loud. It was so simple. He took the pitons, ropes and various carabineers and started down. Once he'd set the pitons, he simply fast-roped down to the bottom and then flicked the rope loose. This next part was the challenge.

Two and a half hours later Chuck wearily poured out the remainder of his water bottle all over a sleeping Deena Rico, enjoying her sputtering shriek of surprise.

"Scenario completed within established parameters, Agent Rico. Let's hit the pool, Deena, and then you can cook me a fine dinner."

"Not a bad time, Chuck. Not bad at all. But sorry, no din-din. Training Scenario Two has now begun. There's a rucksack in the back of the Jeep. I'll see you in two days. Be safe." She started the Jeep and drove off leaving Chuck in the dust. He inventoried the rucksack and cursed loudly and effusively for several seconds. No water and he'd been stupid and pulled a childish stunt by pouring what little remained over his sleeping instructor. Now he was going to pay a heavy price.

The note was simple and to the point. Return and gain entry to the Ark without setting off any security alarms. Entry must be made within 48 hours of instructor's departure.

He looked back over the canyon and sighed. To get to the Ark he had to cross it again. It would save 20 miles of walking since it had taken Rico 45 minutes to drive around the canyon and reach the side across from where he'd started his climb down. Shit.

Four hours later Chuck pulled himself up over the lip of the canyon and collapsed in a pile of sweaty trainee. He would gladly give Morgan to the Ring in exchange for a bottle of water. Well, Morgan wasn't here and people in hell craved ice water. He sat up and took a survival bar from his ruck and set off at a ground-eating pace for the back door of the Ark. He'd flashed on the floor plans and architect's specs and knew of at least two other 'emergency egress' ports that probably weren't covered by the security systems. He'd be in the pool before midnight.

Transient Agents Guest Quarters
NSA Headquarters
FT Meade, MD

It had been a long and grueling day and all she wanted was to soak in a hot bath and review the events of the day and plan her return to the Team. She waited impatiently for Shaw to park their pool car and bring in her bag so she could complete registration and check-in.

"Agent, we have a small suite with sitting room and bath and…"

"No! Two singles, please. The less time I have to spend with Superduperman the better." She motioned to the clerk and whispered, "Please tell him all you have are singles, please?"

"Sure, Agent, I understand completely." She winked at Walker and nodded sagely. "Sometimes the Agency is heartless, isn't it?"

"Oh, yeah. And sometimes, so are Agents."

Shaw came in with the bags, wet from the sudden rainstorm and angry with Walker for treating him like her valet. Well, things would be put back into their proper place once they were alone. He was the senior agent, after all.

Walker pulled her wheeled bag to the elevator and pushed 'UP' and waited for it…4…3…2…1

"What do you mean, all you have left are singles?"

She smiled and gave herself an imaginary high-five and got on the elevator. Unlike the Fallen One, she believed it was better to serve in Heaven than to reign in Hell.

Joint NSA/CIA Training Base Camp – 'Desert One' Pool

Deena had just completed her 10th lap and had paused for a breather. She rested her chin on her arms on the side of the pool and wondered if Carmichael was OK. She liked him. He seemed so normal, not at all what she'd been told to expect by General Beckman. He was neither moody nor brooding although after the trick she'd pulled on him back at the canyon she wouldn't be surprised if 'pissed' would be an apt descriptor.

She started her next set of 10 laps when the lights went out and the cavern where the pool was located became inky black. The small safety lights in the bottom of the pool were the only source of light. The pool no longer seemed welcoming and the center seemed black and forbidding. Shaking off the surprise at her response, she started to get out of the pool but was suddenly dragged back down by her ankle. She started to scream but a hand over her mouth squelched any sound.

"Shhh. Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you. Just figured I'd get even with you for that stunt at the canyon. I'm going to release you now. Please don't kill me, Deena. I'm sorry if I frightened you."

She turned around in the circle of his arms. "Bartowski, you bastard! How the hell did you make it back here so soon? And was it you who cut the lights? You scared the hell out of me."

"Shhh. They'll be back on in a few minutes. I just set a loop on the panel to switch them off when I figured I'd be poolside. No big deal. Go ahead and get out. I'm going to enjoy the cool water for a while."

"Chuck, I need you to turn around, please. I need to get out of the pool."

"Fine. Go ahead. Can't see anything in this light. Your bikini skimpy?" He wondered about the woman under the trainer's garb.

"Please, Chuck, just turn around. I need to get out of the…" The lights came back on and Chuck was treated to the delightful sight of a naked Deena Rico treading water near the side of the pool. From what he could tell before she started covering up places he'd much rather she didn't, she was definitely a female.

"Shit. Sorry. Turning around, Agent Rico." He laughed and then was relieved to hear her answering chuckle. "That's what I get for skinny-dipping during a training cycle. Meet me in the cafeteria in 30 minutes for dinner and debriefing."

Casa Bartowski/Grimes
Burbank, CA

"Morgan, tell me again, slowly and without all the gamer embellishments. Where is my brother? And Devon, you keep quiet. I want to hear what the Bearded One has to say. Speak, Morgan, or you've had your last free meal at Chez Ellie's."

"This is what, Ellie, the third time? No, the fourth. Captain, third or fourth time?"

"I think it's the fourth time, Morg. Yeah, the fourth…"

"Devon…so help me if you don't shut up…you can sleep on the couch."

"OK, Ellie. For the fourth time, Chuck got a job with the government. I think he's going to be doing some hush-hush programming or something like it for the government. He got the job because they needed someone in an embassy in Europe to fix some secret stuff that got a virus. He had to leave immediately or they'd find someone else. He said the money and the opportunity to travel were just too awesome to pass up."

"So when's he coming back? Why didn't he call me and why is his cell disconnected? I see the Orange Orange is closed. How convenient. He leaves and Sarah Walker leaves. Tell me the truth, Morgan, are they together? Did they elope?"

"I can tell you that they are definitely not together and marriage…no, Ellie, marriage is so unlikely that I'll get married before Chuck does."

Ellie thought about a Married Morgan and shuddered.

"OK. Fine. When's he coming back?"

"I don't know, Ellie, and I don't think he knew when we talked about it. All I know is that he was more excited about this opportunity than I've seen him be in a long time."

"Yeah, he has been kinda in a rut lately, Ellie, you have to admit. You've even commented on his recent problems after the great break with Sarah and then the whole Hannah thing." Devon was supporting Morgan despite her threats. He owed it to Chuck.

"And it's not just one embassy that has the problem. I think he said all the embassies have similar problems and need his expertise. He did say he'd be 'out of touch' until the government got him a special phone that's encrypted. Hush-hush stuff, Ellie. My best friend is going 'undercover'. How cool is that?"

"I still think he shoulda told me. I'm his sister. He's my little brother. He knows how I'll worry. That is just so not Chuck."

A/N: Unless she's slacking off and daydreaming of Cancun, you should be reading this Friday or Saturday. Sunday we're meeting in Houston and spending her Spring Break in Cancun.
APR