Chuck vs. The Shake Up
Well, this story is progressingly nice. It may be the first story in which I'm pumping out chapters sooner than later. In case, Team Chuck are going to be evaluated by Shaw. So who does evaluate first and who does he leave for last? You'll find out once you read the chapter folks.
Again, if you enjoyed reading my stories and left a comment please leave a comment for this this one as well. Tell me what you think and I hope you enjoy the read.
I don't own Chuck but I hope to own season 4 on DVD and 5 if NBC approves a 5th season.
Under False Pretence
XXX
Castle
Santa Monica, CA
Friday 9:50 a.m.
After heading their separate ways at the top of the Santa Monica Stairs, Chuck and Travis would meet back up in Castle. Of course Sarah arrived with her husband and Casey would soon follow leading to all four members of Team Chuck sitting at the conference table. All 4 members sit and wait patiently as if they're being called to the principals office. After a few minutes of waiting its Chuck who breaks the silence.
"I don't get it…" wondered Chuck. "…why are we being evaluated?" he asked looking at his other 3 teammates expressing a look of perplexed curiosity.
"Good question." responded Travis shaking his head as he leans back in his seat. "Aren't evaluations based on performances on the field?" added the former protégé of Tobias Carter. "As far as I know, he hasn't seen us in action so what's the point?" he said shrugging his shoulders.
To Chuck, his friend and teammate makes a valid point. Shaw hasn't seen them in action so its impossible to evaluate each of them without properly watching and observing their skills, as well as, abilities in the field itself. In his mind, the newly appointment leader of Team Chuck has started off on the wrong foot but he wouldn't say that to him to his face because that would seriously tarnish the already established good natured relationship between the two of them.
"Negative." grunted Casey. "It can be informative as he looks over reports concerning past mission files going back since the team was established." added the veteran NSA Agent.
"Nearly 4 years worth." Chuck chimed in.
"Wow…" retorted Travis leaning forward. "…he must be drinking a lot of coffee to stay up and read 4 years worth of mission reports."
In that moment, Chuck briefly glances at Casey wondering if that is what he meant as to whether Shaw is either dedicated or obsessed. Any normal person wouldn't take the time to sit down and read every single word of a mission report, especially going back to the point Team Chuck's first mission. To sit there and read all those reports would not only be boring but would cause anyone to shoot themselves in the head.
"Casey's right." nodded Sarah. "He can give an assessment on our strengths and weaknesses based on what was written on the reports that were filed." added the beautiful blonde woman.
"If I recall, most of the reports were filed by Casey." stated Chuck acknowledging his burly teammate with a slight nod.
"Your point Bartowski." growled the veteran NSA agent.
"No point." quickly replied Chuck shaking his head. "I'm just stating the facts and nothing else big guy." added the brown haired business owner expressing a sheepish grin towards him.
"Speaking of reports…" interjected Travis turning his attention to Chuck. "…I read the first mission report Casey filed concerning General Stanfield, the NATO guy."
"Did you now." responded Sarah quirking her right brow up.
"Yeah and dude…" he responded turning his attention from Sarah to Chuck sitting directly across from him. "…you defused a bomb using a computer virus. That's awesome."
"Yeah I did Trav." he proudly replied expressing a smile on his face. "Did you read what kind of virus that was used to defuse the bomb with?" added the tall, lanky man.
"Sure did." nodded Travis. "Who knew an adult website virus would come in handy to stop a bomb from exploding." he added.
"Chuck can't take all the credit though. Isn't that right babe." the blonde beauty stated leaning over to lightly bump her husband with her left shoulder.
"That's right. I have to give some of the credit to Morgan who called me as the bomb was counting down and he suddenly gave me the idea to put it in action." said the successful business owner of Whiz Kid Systems, Inc.
"Does Morgan know?"
"At the time no but now that he knows what I am and what I do I can share it with him." he replied. "I know he's going to flip his lid when I tell him."
It's at that point, a low but clearly audible grunt is heard causing Chuck, Sarah, and Travis to turn their attention to the source.
"Great…" grunted Casey. "…as if the furry little bearded troll is annoying enough he'll be 10 times more annoying once Chuck tells him that piece of information."
"You know he's growing on you." said Travis reaching over quickly tapping with his left elbow.
"Yeah..." the grimacing marine retorted. "…like mold."
The response he gives causes Chuck, Sarah, and Travis to chuckle a bit.
"Come on Casey. Morgan feels left out and hearing how he played a part in the first mission I was in will make his day." he said.
"It will ruin mine I know that for damn sure." he grumbled furrowing his eyebrows at Chuck.
"Calm down partner." interjected Sarah sensing the growingly hostility within the best partner she has have worked with.
Yeah Casey calm down Chuck thinks to himself. It would without a doubt look bad to have the enforcer of Team Chuck suddenly go ballistic in the conference room if Shaw entered the room at that exact moment. In his mind, his wife has the uncanny ability to calm him down because the last thing anyone wants is for him to be unleashed at a unfortunate time that could very well jeopardize not only his career, but possibly their careers as well.
The continuing conversation between the 4 of them would abruptly end when suddenly they hear the sound of footsteps and then the appearance of Shaw stepping out from back corridor. He approaches the conference table walking behind and past Chuck and Sarah making his way towards the front of the table. Shaw turns around with his arms crossed and addresses his team.
"I would like to thank you all for coming." he stated expressing a tight lipped smile. "I will be evaluating you in my office separately. So let's not delay this any further shall we." added Shaw. "Colonel Casey please follow me."
XXX
Castle - Shaw's Office
Santa Monica, CA
Friday 10:10 a.m.
"Colonel, I've been going over you file and I must say I'm thoroughly impressed." Shaw said leaning back in his chair. "Granted there are several blemishes but that can be overlooked." the leader of Team Chuck stated.
"Just doing my job." he grunted.
"I see that." Shaw said peering down scanning his file. "Joined the U.S. Marines at a young age, expertise as stealth fighter pilot, and did some tours in Afghanistan. Were you part of Operation Desert Storm?" inquired Shaw peering up at him.
"Yes sir." he gruffly responded.
Casey witnesses Shaw nod. "Highly trained in espionage, hand-to-hand combat, firearms particularly sniper rifles, tactics, and as an assassin. Impressive."
As Shaw continues running off his list of credentials, Casey sits there wondering what is the purpose of him doing this. As much as their new fearless leader seems to be impressed by all the accomplishments he has attained over the years, he doesn't because it's what was and continues to be expected of him. They asked him to go fight and he did plain and simple as that. He did it for the greater good of his country.
The choice we made to protect something bigger than ourselves is the right choice. It considered 1 of mottos that he has always lived by and continues to live by with the other being Semper Fidelis meaning always faithful. In his mind, he has been and always be faithful when it comes protecting his country, its citizens, the constitution when it pertains the right to bear arms, his team, and most importantly his deep devotion to President Ronald Reagan.
He snaps out of this thoughts when hears a question being asked by Shaw that causes him to be a bit concerned due to the nature of the question itself. "Sir?"
"Colonel, do you recall the event in which The Ring tried to kill your former fiancé Kathleen McHugh?" he firmly asked.
In his mind, he not only recalls the event it actually ingrained in his brain. He will never forget how his late commanding officer Colonel James Keller tried to kill the first woman he loved but failed in doing so thanks to Chuck. To him, he felt the satisfaction of breaking his neck and he would do all over again if given the chance to. In hindsight, he should of thanked him for that but he's not the type of guy who tends to say thank you.
"Affirmative."
"In that event, did you tell Agent Bartowski to take an experimental prototype drug called Laudanol that an emotionally suppresses and controls feelings." he inquired.
"Yes sir."
What does have to do with my evaluation Casey thinks to himself. He wouldn't have time to try to figure out the answer as Shaw continues on.
"Did he take it?"
"Yes sir."
"Did you witness Agent Bartowski in action once he took the Laudanol?"
"Yes sir."
"What were your observations regarding how he acted under the effects of the drug Colonel?"
"What I observed was…" Casey replied. "…he lacked the compassion and emotion he would normally have during a fight." he added.
"I see." replied Shaw.
How is any of this relevant wonders the NSA agent. As he sits there, he can clearly see from where he is sitting Shaw writing down a few notes after sharing what he witnessed at his former fiancé's home. True, it was a side of Chuck that he never would have seen before if he didn't take the drug but thankfully it didn't completely take hold of him because he's not considered a killer by any stretch of the imagination.
"Tell me Colonel…" firmly stated Shaw. "…what was his state of mind at the time?"
"He had one purpose and one person only and that was to kill one of Keller's men." he replied.
"Did he achieve that goal?"
"Negative." replied the grizzled marine.
"And why not?"
"Agent Walker stopped him from doing so sir." he stated. "As soon as we entered my former fiancé's place of residence she witnessed Chuck lift the man in question by his throat and once Sarah saw that she immediately rushed over to tell him to stop."
"How long before did Chuck respond to Sarah?" asked Shaw leaning forward expressing seemingly considerable interest in his answer.
"In a matter of few seconds…" he answered narrowing his eyes. "…approximately 15-20 seconds to be exact."
"What did you observe during that time?" questioned Shaw.
"I observed Chuck recognizing Agent Walker standing in front of him and once he did he let the man go causing him to fall to the floor unconscious." states Casey. "He didn't say a word as a sense of realization suddenly hit him causing him to look at his hands knowing that he could have taken a life but didn't."
"In your opinion Colonel…" stated Shaw. "…if Agent Walker wasn't there with you would you have personally stopped him from killing Keller's man knowing the sent there on strict orders to kill the woman you once loved." he emphatically said.
In that moment, Casey is between a rock and a hard place. In his mind, he could choose to lie or he could tell the truth. The truth being that if he were standing in front of Chuck without Sarah at the house and he turned around to see him standing there he would have let him kill the bastard. However, she was and she would have done everything in her power to get him to stop Chuck from killing in cold blood.
"Chuck is not a killer." he replied. "It's not in him to be one."
"That is not what I'm asking…" Shaw stated. "…answer the question."
Casey sits there in silence jaw clinched, nostrils flaring, and tight lipped. After a few seconds pass by he gives Shaw an answer. "No sir." grunted Casey.
It's at that point Casey sees Shaw silently nod and once again writes down a few notes causing him to wonder why this line of questioning relates to his evaluation. After a brief moment, he sees the newly appointed leader look back up at him expressing a tight lipped smile and giving him a nod.
"Thank your for your time Colonel." stated Shaw. "Please send in Mr. Riley but before you go I advise you not to share with the others what was said. That is an order. Do I make myself clear." he emphasized narrowing his eyes at the burly veteran agent.
"Crystal." responded Casey as he gets up and heads out of his office to tell Travis he's up.
XXX
Castle - Shaw's Office
Santa Monica, CA
Friday 10:45 a.m.
As Travis sits in front of Shaw's desk, he sees him writing down a few notes. He doesn't have any idea what is being written but from the looks of things its considered pretty lengthy. In that brief moment, he can't help but wonder what he's going to be asked because when he tried to ask Casey he responded by telling him that he's ordered not to saying anything causing him to become somewhat concerned.
His thoughts concerning his tight lipped teammate are interrupted when he sees Shaw peer up at him causing him to give his undivided attention.
"Mr. Riley, it says here you joined the team a year and a half ago is that correct?" inquired Shaw.
"Affirmative."
"Tell me what is the nature of your relationship with Agent Bartowski."
"We're teammates and friends sir." replied Travis.
Travis witnesses Shaw nod. "Do you recall the events in which yourself, Agent Walker, Agent Casey, and Agent Bartowski had an altercation with The Ring in the alley of local eating establishment that goes by the name…" said Shaw peering down to scan for the name of the place in question. After a few seconds he finds it to where he peers back up at Travis. "…Two & a Half Amigos Restaurant and Cantina."
"No I don't because I wasn't there." he replied once again. "I was healing from injuries sustained from a personal vendetta aimed at Chuck and Casey." answered Travis.
"I see."
"However…" he interjected. "…I was told about it by Agent Bryce Larkin."
"Interesting." he stated. "Did Agent Bartowski fight at any point during the altercation?"
"Yes."
"Mr. Riley…" stated Shaw. "…as you know I know full well that Chuck is the intersect and he downloaded The Ring's intersect that was created by Dr. Victor Vale's assistant Manoosh Depak." he said. "What was he able to observe when it came to his fighting ability?"
"Permission to speak freely." requested Travis.
"Permission granted." nodded Shaw.
The flat faced serious expression Travis exuded was suddenly replaced with a noticeable light expression as a notable grin appears on his face as he responds to Shaw. "He kicked butt and took names. At some point, he went all Neo from the Matrix on their asses." he replied with fervent excitement.
Shaw expresses a chuckle or two concerning his colorful description of what happened on that particular night in the alley.
"At any point did Agent Larkin witness Chuck focusing on one person during the altercation in the alley." questioned Shaw.
"Yes sir."
"Who might that be?"
"Hooper…" replied Travis. "…he was The Ring agent in charge."
"Was there a reason that he focused on Hooper?" the leader of Team Chuck asked.
"He threatened to kill his wife or should I say fiance at the time."
"You mean Agent Walker."
"Yes." nodded Travis.
"I see." he said leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. He purses his lips together eyeing the 4th member of Team Chuck. "Tell me what was his mindset at the time?" Did it seem to you that he wanted to hurt Hooper or kill him?"
Is this the reason why Casey wouldn't answer his question he thinks to himself. To him, its not so much an that Shaw asks him to recall through Bryce how Chuck kicked butt that particular night but the considerable interest he has on what he was probably thinking when he did it. In his mind, he was probably thinking I'm going to rip this rat bastard a new one for even attempting to put his hands on Sarah who at the time was his fiancé.
"Again I wasn't there but from what Bryce told me…both." he simply stated.
"Could you elaborate further please Mr. Riley."
Travis takes a brief moment and explains his answer. "Permission to speak freely again."
"Granted."
"How would you feel knowing an asshole like Hooper threatens to kill the woman you love." he said expressing seriousness in his eyes. "I know how I would feel if it were my wife I'd kill the bastard."
"Is that what happened to Hooper?" inquired Shaw.
Travis shakes his head. "No. From what Bryce said he came close to having his life ended by Chuck."
"Go on."
"Permission…"
Shaw immediately interjects. "Just say it Mr. Riley." he quickly responded shaking his head.
"He wore Hooper's ass out and beat the living shit out of him." he emphatically stated getting animated in his seat as he punches his right fist in his left hand. "Chuck had him on his knees and from the look in his eyes he was going to kill the bastard by doing what Mr. Miyagi did do John Kreese in the beginning of Karate Kid Part 2. You know showing him no mercy." he firmly stated.
"What did he say to him." he asked with a small hint of a grin on his face.
"Something to the effect of I will show you know no mercy." replied Travis.
"Did he?"
"They all thought he was going to actually kill him to the point where Bryce screamed for him to stop. He coiled his hand like Patrick Swayze's character Dalton from Roadhouse and was ready to rip his throat out or break his neck." he retorted shaking his head recalling that particular past event in his head. "Byrce could even see it in his eyes and hear it in the anger in his voice."
"What happened?"
"He pulled the trigger, so to speak, but then stopped."
"He stopped?" responded a surprise Shaw. He tilts his head slightly to the right with his eyebrows furrowed.
"Yeah, he just stopped and then reached over to honk Hooper's nose, pushed him to ground, and then he winked at Bryce."
"He winked at him?" Travis simply nods. Shaw take a moment to mull what he said in his head. After a few seconds he continues to speak to him. "Tell me Mr. Riley, do you think Chuck would have killed Hooper if he wanted to knowing he was attempting to kill his wife."
"If it were me I know I would.
"That's not what I'm asking. I'm not dealing in ifs here." he stated leaning forward narrowing his eyes at Travis. "I'm asking do you think Chuck would have killed Hooper knowing full well he attempted to kill his wife."
In that moment, Travis takes a deep breathe before answering the question. "Yes." he simply stated.
It's at that point, Travis sees Shaw writing down something in his notes. After a few seconds, he peers up at him. "Thank for you time Mr. Riley." he said. "Please send in Agent Walker next and I order you not to discuss what was said here with anyone else. That is an order. Do I make myself clear?" ordered Shaw.
"Yes sir." he responded getting up from his seat and heading out Shaw's office to tell Sarah she is next.
XXX
Castle - Shaw's Office
Santa Monica, CA
Friday 11:45 a.m.
"Agent Walker you started out as Chuck's handler is that correct?" Shaw's face is void of any expression when he asks the question.
"Yes I was." replied Sarah. "It was my job to protect him." she added.
In that instance, Shaw leans forward narrowing his eyes at her. "I believe it was your assignment to protect the intersect Agent Walker." he firmly stated. "Is that why you compromised yourself because your feelings for Chuck superseded the job you were ordered to do?" he retorted.
Her evaluation just barely started and she's already feeling agitated at the line of questioning she's being asked by Shaw. Sarah already endured the fallout of having their relationship exposed leading to her not only being reprimanded by Beckman and her late boss Graham, but nearly got herself reassigned because of it. Thankfully, it was her father who stepped in and forced them to change their minds.
It's in that moment, she wonders if them being called in here supposedly to be evaluated is merely under false pretence. In her mind, the reason they are probably her is for him to gauge whether or not the team is fully capable of working together knowing personal distractions concerning their marriage could very well interfere during any of the missions they have been part of in the past 4 years.
"May I ask why this is considered relevant sir?" she inquired.
"You do not need to know the relevance of the question Agent Walker." Shaw stated leaning back in desk chair with his hands intertwined resting on stomach. He is briefly silent sitting there a moment taking a deep elongated breathe through his nose that Sarah can clearly hear. "You know what strike that question." he said leaning forward. "Under Beckman's orders you were responsible for overseeing Chuck's red test in order for him to become a full fledged spy is that correct?"
The minute Shaw spoke about Chuck's red test all the memories that related to the situation came flooding back to her. It wasn't just the memories that came flooding back for her but the emotions as well. For the blonde veteran agent, she recalled the pain she felt when she told him that in order for him to pass his final exam he had to kill a suspected mole Hunter Perry. The meeting place would be at the train station.
When he witnessed Chuck chase Perry, she followed after the two of them all the way to the train tracks. She lost track of the two of them because of all the parked trains within the area concealing their location. As she frantically searched, a gunshot sounded in the night her causing her to experience a mixture of emotions from fear to worry. Once she found him, she witnessed the unthinkable. Chuck standing several feet away with his gun drawn and Perry dead.
Later that night, she remembers sitting in her hotel room with tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't believe he would actually do it and actually blamed herself for putting him in that position. The Chuck she knew was gone once he pulled the trigger and killed a man in cold blood. Did Perry deserve it? Yes she answers herself. However, it would have been a haunting memory for her to where the relationship between the two of them would severely change.
Fortunately, she would find out from Casey that it wasn't Chuck who shot the mole but it was in fact he who did it. In that moment, all the sadness, regret, and everything in between quickly faded as she found herself brimming with joy knowing her now husband didn't pull the trigger. Unfortunately, not a single sole expect for her, Chuck, and Casey know what really happened. It will stay that way she thinks to herself.
"Yes sir."
"Did he fulfill his mission without any problems or outside assistance?" inquired the leader of Team Chuck.
To Sarah, it has been quite a while since she had to protect her husband knowing he has the ability to take care of his himself. She knew that she would have to protect him now and in order to do that she would have to lie for him. "Yes sir."
"I see." replied Shaw. "What was his mindset afterwards?"
"He was remorseful at first but he knew what was expected of him."
"Tell me Agent Walker…" said Shaw. "…how do you feel knowing your husband killed someone?"
"How I felt at that time is irrelevant sir. Its all in the past and we've both grown stronger because of it. Chuck did his job like he was ordered to do like myself and Casey did in the past." she firmly stated. "He passed his red test and now he is a spy." added Sarah.
As she sit's there a few feet away from Shaw, she glares at him wondering what his motives truly are.
XXX
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