A/N Once again a big thank you to the readers, reviewers and those that sent PM's. Your comments have really helped me focus this story once again. I am still so amazed anyone would actually read my crappy writing. Thanks again to Esardi for taking a look at this and pointing out all the times I screwed up. Hopefully I fixed them all but I doubt it. Mistakes are mine corrections are his.

Still don't own Chuck because if I did Sarah's wedding dress would have looked at least somewhat similar to the one that was "perfect".

Chapter 6

The Training

Saint Charles Hotel

Marseille

5 days later

Sarah had arrived in Marseille and checked into her hotel room. The Saint Charles Hotel was located very near the Saint Charles train station and had been a convenient spot to stay should she need to get out of town quickly. The first part of Beckman's plan had worked perfectly. Sarah had been sent on loan to work with Carina and the DEA and away from the control of the sleazeball Mitchell.

Shortly after she arrived she texted Carina who had agreed to meet her at her hotel room at 19:30 that evening. She had 4 hours till Carina arrived and she decided to take a shower and get some much needed rest. She had not sleep well at all for the last 4 nights ever since Chuck had left for Zuoz and his training.

To say she was worried about him would be an understatement. She had confidence in his intelligence, his character and his dedication to the mission was never in question. But this was going to be something completely different from anything Chuck had ever experienced since Bryce had taken away Chuck's freedom to make his own choices for a second time by sending him the Intersect. He would be mentally brutalized, driven to exhaustion, psychologically isolated all with the intent of breaking his spirit and rebuilding it in their image. But what worried her more is that he would be alone. He had always had her or Casey by his side to help him deal with what the spy world hurled at him. Plus Chuck needed people. He simply was not a person who could cut all ties with all others and have no human contact. It simply wasn't in his nature to be cold and isolated.

But his trainers were masters at isolating their students. It was a huge part of how they turned you into an Agent. Their job was to change you into their image of the perfect agent. Someone who was detached, emotionally and completely dedicated to completing the mission without questioning any of the motives or tactics.

But that simply wasn't Chuck, not her Chuck anyway. He would have to find a way within himself to get through this and remain the same person she loved so deeply. His differences from any of the people she had known prior to meeting him were in great part why she loved him. She didn't want him to change into Bryce, Forrest, Casey or her for that matter, well at least the her who walked into the BuyMore that day 2 years ago. That was a major reason why she never wanted him to download the 2.0. She could not live with herself if she had been in part the reason why the lovable, brilliant, trusting nerd ceased to exist and what was left was a cold, emotionless shell.

So she tried to calm herself by repeating that Chuck would find a way to get a message out to her and somehow communicate. She needed to know he was safe. She also needed to reassure him somehow that she loved him and would never turn her back on him. She was fully aware that they were going to try to turn him against her. Get him to believe that she betrayed him and has abandoned him and moved on. That was clear from what General Beckman had told her about Mitchell's plans as she saw them.

She knew that Chuck always had some confidence issues especially when it came to her. She had not really helped him there either if she was being completely truthful. But she had finally opened up her heart to him before he left and she hoped he knew what she said and felt was real. She was glad she had done it as she shuddered to think what Chuck would have gone through if she had not talked to him before he left. If he went there not knowing her true feelings.

But Chuck was smart, probably the smartest person she had ever known and he would find a way, he always did. She just had to be patient and focus on being there for him when he needed her. One thing that had built up over the two years since she asked him to trust her was that she trusted Chuck. He had never let her down and she had always been proven right giving him that trust. Among others the mission with the satellite codes showed that. Even when Casey didn't fully, she trusted Chuck and he came through. The one thing in her life that made sense and was inescapable was that she always trusted and believed in him.

After finishing her shower, Sarah laid down on the bed for her nap and she thought to herself, 'I love you Chuck. Nothing is gonna change that. I'm only a few hundred miles away. Ask me and I will be there when you need me, I promise.'

Zuoz Training Facility

Dojo

16:30 CET

"How the hell did you get selected for the program, Carmichael? I thought you were some whiz-bang super agent and you have got to be the most pathetic excuse for a spy I have ever seen!" Agent Saunders was furious.

Chuck was on his knees gasping for air trying to recuperate from the onslaught of kicks to his ribcage. He had not been able to block anything. He could not breathe as he had had the wind knocked out of him for what seemed like the tenth time in the past 5 days. Every part of his body was screaming in pain. If it wasn't for the classroom instruction that he received in the evening he didn't know how he was going to survive each day.

Mission Planning and Infiltrating and Compromising Communications and Data Systems were the absolute highlights of his day. At least in those classes he wasn't gasping for air or feeling like a complete joke of a man. Those he was good at and besides at least in those classes he didn't have to work with Agent Saunders.

He also hoped that at some point he would have access to real data systems to hack into as part of the class and maybe he could use them to contact Sarah. But the network in the classroom was a closed network with no outside access. He had already tried a few tests when the instructor turned their head for a split second.

But self-defense and marshal arts were Saunders specialty and she took on a direct personal role in that training. He had a feeling she would also be involved in the Torture Resistance classes scheduled for next week. It seemed like the only thing she was missing was a riding crop and she could have easily made a healthy living in the red Light district in some eastern European country.

But now she just continued screaming at him.

"No wonder your "team" gave up on you." She said with an even snarkier and dismissive tone. "They don't want to be associated with a failure like this poor excuse for a man in front of me."

"Agent Casey is off doing what real patriots do, killing the enemy! He is probably thrilled to be back with real men, real soldiers after babysitting a geek for two freaking years."

"And your little blonde girlfriend is already off snuggling up to her next mark in a hotel room with her tongue down his throat and that's if she isn't already riding him like the real Agent she is. She's been reassigned to be the live in "girlfriend" to a Russian arms dealer with "particular" tastes. You should have seen her face light up when she got the assignment. 'Finally some action and I get to do what I'm the best at again and not play house with a dork"

"She's already forgotten you Carmichael and you better get used to it because neither one of them is going to lift a finger to help you. You are all alone. I am your only salvation."

Chuck knew she was baiting him. Sarah had warned him they would try and do everything they could to break him and destroy his ties to his team. They would use intimidation, isolation, and torture. Every and any means necessary to break a trainee's spirit so they can then start to rebuild it in their image.

But Chuck didn't falter. He never showed any emotion. Emotions were the weakness they were looking for, the one they would capitalize on. He knew that well. All he could do was take what ever they gave out and get right back up again. He wasn't about to give Saunders the satisfaction of knowing she was getting a response.

Still Chuck was concerned. On the outside he showed nothing but inside he was a bundle of nerves. He had been giving an Academy Award worthy performance of hiding his true inner conflicts. But he wondered how long he could hold out.

Also he had not flashed on any of the Kung Fu techniques he had used in the Intersect Room. No matter what he did nothing happened. No skill sets, no intelligence, no files, no flashes on any of his Instructors. It was like it had been removed all over again.

Without the Intersect he had no defense. He was simply a green belt in a sea of 10th degree black belts. He wished he had taken up Awesome's workout regime that he had developed for Chuck. At least he would have some stamina to fall back on.

He also wondered why Beckman insisted that Sarah and Casey not train him in self-defense before he got the 2.0. At least he would have some basic techniques to use now that the Intersect was failing.

"Get up you piece of shit and show me something. I need to see these so called "flashes" of yours and you haven't given me squat. The taxpayers invested a lot of money in this project and right now they haven't got anything to show for it but a loser moron who can't do anything but get the crap beat out of him by a woman."

With that Chuck got back into defensive position. Saunders threw a left jab that Chuck actually managed to avoid only to have her sweep his legs out from under him and plant him flat on his back once again.

"Back to the gym loser. You got 5 miles to run before dinner. Before I let you out onto the cross country trails you better get those times below 8 minutes a mile. 8:37 this morning doesn't cut it. So if you want to see some sunshine and breathe some fresh mountain air ever again you better start showing me something."

St Charles Hotel

Marseille

17:30 CET

"Hey blondie, nice room you got here." Carina looked around the suite that Sarah had booked near the top floor of the St Charles. You could see across the square to the train station and then off to the right was the old harbor of Marseille and the beautiful waters of the Mediterranean.

"Yea, I guess so. I was so exhausted from the trip. I really haven't looked around much. I guess it's nice." Sarah said without much conviction.

"What do you mean 'you guess'. I'd be admiring the view while glancing over the shoulders of some Greek shipping magnet with his hands on my ass in less time than you've been here."

"Carina, I would have thought you would have run through all of the Greek ones and be on to the Italians by now."

"Well it is the busy season here and this year's crop is good one" Carina gave Sarah her wickedest wink.

"Speaking of which, why are you here Sarah? Has your mission in snoresville finally come to a much deserved end?"

"Yes sort of" Sarah said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Wait what do you mean sort of? And I thought you'd be glad to get out of there finally?"

"Did something happen to Chuckles?"

"No"

"Then what? Something tells me there is a lot more to this story. You seem to be even sadder than when I saw you after Bryce died"

"Yea about that."

"What about it?"

Sarah walked over and grabbed Carina's hand and brought her over to sit on the king size bed.

"Sarah what's going on?"

"Look Carina, first of all none of this leaves this room. Got me?"

Carina nodded and inched a little closer to Sarah on the bed.

"Bryce wasn't dead."

"Huh?" Carina's jaw dropped with a thud. More confusion.

"Look Bryce didn't die when he was shot the first time. Fulcrum had him and brought him back to life."

"So if he's alive now why are you here with me and not with your hot boy toy?"

Sarah looked up at Carina with a little more anger in her eyes than Carina expected.

"First of all, Bryce isn't/wasn't my boy toy. He and I were over a very long time ago. Yes I cared for him but it was nothing much beyond the convenience of us being partners."

"Yea the best kind of partner, handsome, hot as hell and good in the sack."

Sarah tilted her head at her best friend and gave her a look. "What did I say? I'm not wrong."

"Maybe for you but.." Sarah's voice trailed off.

"Wait so what happened to him then?"

"He went undercover going after Fulcrum. He got shot again a week ago. He's really dead this time"

"Wait, Bryce is really dead this time? How do you know that?"

"I was there. I saw his body being carried away."

"I'm so sorry Sarah. That must have been tough to go through again."

"Well it was sad certainly though a bit different the second time. But that's not why I'm here."

"Then why are you here? Something is definitely going on so why don't you tell me what it is?"

Sarah looked down at her fingers as she fidgeted with her nails.

Carina saw the sadness creep into Sarah's eyes as she had looked away. She may never have felt it herself but she knew what it was when she saw it.

"Oh my god, Sarah. You broke the cardinal rule of spying didn't you?"

"Carina"

"You fell in love with the geek."

"Nerd, he prefers nerd"

"Then it's true." Carina didn't say it as a question but Sarah nodded in agreement.

"Wait if you are in love with Chuckles why aren't you with him then in boring suburban bliss?"

"I was reassigned"

"Ahh so Beckman found out did she? Well it was pretty clear to me when I saw you last that you were falling for him even if you didn't know it yourself just yet. I'm amazed they didn't pick up on it sooner. You two must have been really discrete. I can't believe Casey didn't pick up the fun and games on the surveillance. So is he good in bed?"

"Carina!"

"Hey he turned me down twice. The least you could do is tell me what I'm missing."

Sarah leaned her head back and sighed.

"Wait, you have never had sex with him? Are you kidding me? What the hell is wrong with you Sarah?"

"Hey it's complicated ok. You know what my job is like."

"Yea but if you wanted it and you love him just find a supply closet somewhere and do some "inventory". I mean really you are one screwed up agent."

"Tell me about it"

"Ok, so if you love him does he not love you? Because I can't believe that's true. I don't think I've ever seen anyone more in love than Chuck was with you, well except maybe you with him but….."

"No he loves me. He told me the other night." Sarah smiled for the first time since Carina showed up but it fell just as quickly.

"Did you tell him?"

"Yes" Sarah said barely above a whisper.

"Then why are you here again?"

"I told you already, I was reassigned."

"Beckman"

"No, Beckman didn't do it and she doesn't know about Chuck and me."

"Now I'm really confused. Bryce is dead, you and the cutie pie nerd are in love, Beckman doesn't know but you are still here with me?"

"Yea that's about the gist of it."

"Well if you are here, where's Chuck?"

"Switzerland"

"What's he doing there?"

"Training"

"Training for what?"

"To be an Agent."

"To be an Agent? I thought he was an analyst"

"He was but he's at the CIA facility in Zuoz training to become a field Agent."

"Chuckles a field Agent? You're kidding me right?"

"No but I wish I was." Sarah looked down at her thumbs rubbing her fingers nervously. "Look there are some things I can't tell you but I can tell you why I'm here."

"And?"

"Carina, I need your help. I need to figure out a way to protect Chuck. To help him get through this."

"Chuck and I want to be out in the open as a couple. We know it will still be frowned upon but if Chuck is an Agent then we can be together, no secrets, no lies, just us."

"What do you need me to do?"

"That's just it. I don't know yet. I'm waiting for Chuck to contact me somehow. Beckman got me transferred to the DEA so I could be closer to him just in case."

"Contact you? Won't they have him isolated?"

"Yea but Chuck's smart he will find a way. I know it. I just don't know how long it will take." Tears started forming in Sarah's sapphire eyes.

"Damn girl, you got it bad."

"Tell me about it." Sarah chuckled a bit as she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hands.

"Hey, it's not the life for me but I always knew even back in our days with the Cats there was something missing for you. I take it you've found it."

Sarah nodded. "Carina I've never felt this way before. I didn't think I was even capable of feeling like this. But Chuck just has this way of looking past everything and found himself a place in my heart from the first moment I met him. You were right back then. Maybe I didn't know it but I was already in love with him. I have been since the first moment I saw him when he turned away from talking to me to help a little ballerina and her dad. No guy I have ever known would have turned away from talking to the hot blonde who was flirting with him as obviously as I was to help a little girl and her father. But Chuck did. He didn't even think twice about it. He did it because that was just him. She was hurting and needed his help. He is the kindest most amazing man I have ever known. And he loves me. ME, a cold heartless Agent with a past I am not proud of and you only know a small portion of that. But he sees beyond that to the woman or in some ways the little girl inside. I am so undeserving of his love but by some miracle I have it."

Sarah's eyes filled again but this time with both tears of joy but also a hint of sadness took them over just a bit. "But I almost lost him a few days ago because I was scared and things were moving too fast but I won't let that happen ever again." She said with determination.

"Well, I may not get it but in this business we get very little opportunity to be happy and even fewer friends. So whatever you need me to do I'm there."

"Thank you Carina."

Sarah leaned in and gave her best female friend a warm and heartfelt hug. She pulled back and said. "Well there is one other thing I need your help with."

"Ok"

"Remember that slimy weasel Fred Mitchell that was all over us in Panama?"

"Yes, I bet he still he's still feeling the crunching I put on his berries."

"Well he is the one that broke up the team. He's trying to turn Chuck into a killing machine that he can control to help him get the permanent assignment as CIA Director. Then he plans to destabilize things and use Chuck to clean it up. That will get him the political clout to make a run for the White House."

"Wow, just thinking about him makes my skin crawl,"

"Me too. I needed a bath after just seeing him on the monitor when he reassigned me and sent Chuck off to Switzerland."

"How the hell did a scumbag like him get to be named Acting Director in the first place?"

"Political clout I imagine. Did you know his uncle was one of the Watergate Conspirators?"

"He's the former AG and CREP Campaign Director's nephew?"

Sarah nodded.

"Wow, I guess there are still some folks from that era running around Washington then."

"Hey they got the fall guys but the private sector money and power people behind all of that are still around I guess."

"Well if you are planning on taking him down count me in."

"Dziękuję, Carina"

"Du är välkommen, Sarah"

Zuoz Training Facility

Saunder's office

3 weeks later

20:15 CET

"Agent Saunders may I have a word with you?"

"Agent Landers, you have 5 minutes."

Jack Landers, 57, was a 10 year veteran of the NSA. After a long career in the Army as an Intelligence officer he had decided to go back to school to learn Psychology and become a counselor for former military personnel that joined the civilian Intelligence community. He had seen far too many of the recruits turn into something completely different after their experiences in the Gulf, Afghanistan and Bosnia. He felt that he could help them deal with those issues and become effective Field Agents because of their training and ability to follow orders.

General Beckman had learned to have complete trust in him after what she saw him do with soldiers back from Irag and Afganistan who had gone on to become some of her best Agents in the NSA. She had assigned him to be her liaison in Zuoz during Chuck's training.

"Agent Saunders, I beg to differ. As General Beckman's representative of the NSA while Mr. Carmichael is being trained, I am to have complete and total access to any and all information about his training. You have been trying to stonewall me at every opportunity and limit my access to Mr Bartowski and the reports from his sessions"

"As the Agent in charge of his training that means I also have complete and total access to you. So this stonewalling ends. Understood?"

Saunders with an attempt to disregard Agent Landers comments just stood there looking down at some paper work she was holding in her right arm.

"Understood?" Agent Landers repeated. This time a little more forcefully.

"As I said you have five minutes and then I have to head back to where the asset is in class for his instructors daily reports."

I may not like that scumbag Mitchell but I'm damn sure I'm not going to let some old man crony of Beckman's screw this thing up. Saunders thought to herself.

"Well if they need to wait, they can wait." Landers refused to give her an inch.

"From what I can see, Mr. Carmichael is not performing to anywhere near the level that we had hoped. He has not flashed once since he has been here. He is getting beaten to a pulp in the almost every physical sparring session. He can't seem to pull any of the self-defense techniques that are in the Intersect and were shown back when he downloaded the 2.0. Frankly I'm beginning to get a bit concerned for his safety and if we don't begin to see some results it can only lead one to question your methods Agent Saunders." A hint of disdain was kept just below the surface.

"When I saw him earlier after his run on the track I could see the abuse his body has been taking. His bruises have bruises. It seems to me that all you are doing is turning him into your own personal punching bag."

Saunders turned to finally face the Landers with fire in her eyes. He had hit a nerve. "Agent Landers, I am the lead Agent responsible for Mr. Carmichael's training and until that changes I will not tolerate my methods being questioned. Mr. Carmichael is going to be facing much worse treatment than what he has sustained the past 4 weeks here if he is to reach his full potential in the field."

"I realize that, but the question is why isn't he flashing? Something is holding him back. Maybe he needs to be benched for a bit. He is excelling in his classroom work. He is probably the best I have ever seen at Mission planning at this point in his training. But when it comes to self-defense and Martial Arts training he is a complete beginner and so far lacks the killer instinct necessary if he is to become a solo agent." He responded again not backing down.

"We just need to find the right triggers and the Intersect will spring into action. It's like its being suppressed almost like something heavy is on top of it holding it down. My job is to find out what that is and remove it once and for all. And believe me I'll find it. It's only a matter of time." She spoke with her eyes as focused as lasers on Landers. Her arrogance and bitterness towards the NSA Agent was all too apparent.

"See that you do and it better be soon. But if nothing has changed by Friday when he is to have a Psych eval with me I'm going to have to notify the General of your failure so far."

With that Agent Saunders again looked at the agent intently but this time with a coldness and fury that even surprised Landers.

Landers glared right back at the brunette Agent, turned and left heading back to his office for his daily report to General Beckman.

Zuoz Training Facility

Clinic

22:10 CET

Chuck was lying on his back on the gurney looking up at the ceiling hoping to somehow forget the abuse his body was taking. He ached everywhere. He was making some progress in his running and would finally be approaching the sub 8 minute miles Saunders had focused him on. But the Martial Arts were slow going, very slow going. He had no idea how people right out of college could deal with the physical demands that the agency was placing on him. Hey the military guys in the NSA had at least gone through boot camp but the spy types recruited from colleges like Stanford spent their upper teens and early twenties drinking and partying till who knows when.

But he had at least in his mind shown some progress. He just needed to show a little more and maybe some of the abuse would stop.

The torture sessions had been horrible. At one point they had deprived him of sleep for 72 hours straight. Left him confined, strapped to a chair with his eyes propped open at one point. He wouldn't have believed that he was actually living in a Stanley Kubrick movie. All they needed was to play some Beethoven and the image would be complete.

But once again he found himself lying on the gurney waiting for Ursula to show up to give him some treatment for his injuries and help sooth his strained muscles so that he wouldn't cramp up.

He had grown to look forward to these sessions with her. She was the only one here to actually treat him like something other than an object to manipulate. She spoke with him, seemed to care about his aches and pains and just gave him the respect of another human being.

With a small barely perceptible knock on the clinic door, Ursula came in and greeted Chuck in his usual spot.

"Evening Chuck, any better today?"

"Hey Ursula, you know I keep telling you that you don't have to call me that, I don't want to get you into trouble on the bugs I'm sure someone is listening to behind that mirror."

"It's ok. I won't confirm or deny that they are there but I've been here longer than you have been alive so I think I'll risk it. Besides I like the name."

"Thank you. Not many people seem to and I never really got why but I'm ok with it."

"Well it suits you. Here lift up your shirt I want to have a look at your ribcage and see if the bruising has gone down since last week. That was a tough hit you took and you almost had a couple of broken ribs."

Chuck sat up and pulled the shirt up on his left abdomen. "It was nothing, Saunders just got in a lucky shot." Chuck thought back to that sparring session last week and he hasn't felt pain like that ever.

"Well actually I take that back, I LET her get in a lucky shot" They both chuckled at the irony of that.

"Well you need to take care of yourself. You need to break those 8 minute miles so you can go back topside for some training on the mountain trails. They are beautiful this time of year being mid summer and all. You will want to see them before the first snows come in October."

"I know I'm not supposed to ask this and you don't have to answer but how long have you been here and how did you happen to get this assignment?"

Ursula worked some mentholated rub onto Chuck's right side while she spoke. She had come to like Chuck and felt he was different than any of the other trainees she had treated over the years. He was a kind soul and that was extremely rare in this business. Most of the people she treated here paid her no mind whatsoever. They acted like she was just another piece of the equipment in the clinic. But Chuck seemed generally interested in her and she felt he deserved an answer. He was about to enter a very cold and dangerous life but it didn't need to be added to by her.

"Hell I don't mind" but then she turned so her back was facing the one-way mirror and turned on one of the centrifuges to create some background noise so she could speak and not have the "man behind the curtain" as she liked to call the observation team, listen in.

She leaned in and spoke in barely above a whisper. "Back in the late seventies I was working as a nanny in the Midwestern US. I'm not going to say where for obvious reasons. But one of the families I worked for were the Grahams. The father, Winston Graham was the first African American Deputy Director of the CIA. Well suffice to say I loved working for the Grahams. They were good to me and I guess you know about their son Langston. Tragic loss for his parents when he died"

"Well after I returned back home to Switzerland I took a job as a nurse for the Boarding School here in Zuoz. In the late eighties, the CIA decided to expand their training facilities to foreign, safe nations to get them out of harms way. Switzerland seemed like a logical choice. There were plenty of isolated areas, the country was neutral and access is difficult at times. Deputy Director Graham suggested Zuoz as he knew from having come to visit me when he was in St Moritz back in '84 that it had facilities that could be utilized for his purposes and besides no one would look at a boarding school with 220 students living there as a realistic location for a CIA base. So he decided to build a small facility here and asked me if I would be interested in being a nurse for the facility."

"I was recently married and could use the extra money as all newly married couples could so I was sent to Langley for 2 weeks to be interviewed and then began my double life working for both the school and the CIA."

"So you've been here ever since?"

"Yes. When Langston became Director I was so proud of him. He asked me to stay on and promised I would always have a job here if I needed it."

He thought about asking her about Mitchell but felt she had opened up enough to him for one night. He would bring him up at a later time.

Ursula glanced back towards the mirror and signaled Chuck to keep quiet while she turned off the centrifuge.

"Ok Mr. Carmichael it looks like you are making some progress but please try to block at least some of the kicks every once in a while."

"Thanks, time for me to get some sleep. I've got another 5 mile run coming up in two days and I'm looking to finally break the 8 minute mark."

"Well good luck."

Zuoz Training Facility

Chuck's room

22:50 CET

As Chuck drifted off to sleep, just like every other night, he thought of Sarah.

'Sarah, I miss you terribly. I know what Saunders says isn't true. Even though I don't know why you love someone like me but I know and believe you do. I'm not going to question that. I just need to hear your voice, to see your beautiful face, and hold your incredibly loving body in my arms.

I'm going to pass that test on Friday and get below 8 minutes a mile. Then Saunders will let me go outside where I can look at the same sky you are looking at, the same stars, the same moon. Once outside maybe I can find a way to contact you, let you know I'm alright and maybe being outside will help me flash again. Something isn't right with the Intersect and maybe being cooped up underground for a month breathing recycled air for the thousandth time isn't helping. Besides I just need to get out so I can clear my head. Maybe then I can come up with a plan to signal you.'

With thoughts of the most amazing and beautiful woman on the planet in his head he drifted off to sleep once again without her by his side. But the loneliness still was.

Saint Charles Hotel

Marseille

23:47 CET

After another long day of surveillance on some Iranian Opium smugglers in a warehouse down by the old harbor, Sarah was glad to get back to her hotel room, take a shower and try to get some much needed sleep.

Sarah hadn't slept well in a month. Not since that night in her hotel room when she and Chuck told each other that they loved each other. That night had been the best night of sleep she could ever remember having. But that was before Mitchell, before Zuoz and before Marseille.

Sarah didn't mind working with Carina again. Actually they had developed a good working relationship and Carina seemed to not improvise as much. Maybe because she was a little wiser, or she was working in her territory or maybe it was her concern for Sarah but she took slightly fewer chances now and Sarah noticed the change and she was glad for it. Carina's improvising was something that had always bothered Sarah as she was an organizational genius.

So after she took off her makeup, jumped in the shower and put on one of Chuck's T-shirts with the floppy disk saying My Life on it and some sleep shorts she crawled into bed for another night of restless sleep because the other side of her bed was empty. Chuck, her Chuck was stuck probably below ground up in the Swiss Alps and not next to her where he belonged.

'Chuck, I hope you are safe and you know how much I love you and I miss you. Please find a way to let me know you are all right. If you can do that then maybe I can finally get some rest. I need to know that the Chuck I love is still there, is still alive and hasn't become the monster Mitchell wants. Chuck, I know what you are sacrificing to do this, to become an Agent so we can be together out in the open. But please don't lose the things that make you great. I couldn't bear to see that. I love you Chuck and I need to see you again, hold you and feel safe in your arms. It is the only place I have ever felt safe and I want to feel you next to me again so we can finally express our love for each other like we should have done long ago.'

'Goodnight Chuck, be safe and come back to me. I need you and I want to show you just how much I love you.'

Sarah turned over pulled the covers up and waited for another restless night…. alone.

Zuoz Training Facility

Saunder's office

21:30 CET

"Agent Saunders do you have anything new to report?"

"No Acting Director. Mr Bartowski has not flashed once since he has been here. He has shown very little progress in Martial Arts training with no evidence of the abilities he had shown in the Intersect Room."

"This is ridiculous. Agent Saunders you have had him for a month and not once has he shown any potential to be the Agent we need him to be?"

"Well he has shown some slight improvement in his stamina and he hopefully will get below the 8 minute mile mark in his testing coming up later this week. His classroom work has been exceptional. Mission Planning and Data infiltration in particular he has scored higher than any Agent we have ever had. Also his marksmanship skills are slowly improving"

"What?" Mitchell screamed into the phone. "I don't care about that shit. I don't need another fucking analyst. I need the Intersect! I need the 2.0 to show itself and become the Super Agent we paid for! You need to figure out what the hell is wrong with him and get the bastard to flash or your next assignment won't be in the office next to mine but in some god forsaken outpost in Somalia or with the penguins at McMurdo! Do I make myself clear Agent Saunders?"

She may be a hot piece he wanted to have another "debriefing session" with but there were lots of those in the CIA. He needed her to get Bartowski flashing again or his plan was doomed to failure and failure was not an option.

"Perfectly, Acting Director."

"See that you do. I expect your next report to be about Carmichael beating the crap out of someone or it may very well be your last"

She put that phone down and pulled out her other one from its secure hiding place.

After it connected to the only number it dialed Agent Saunders succinctly said "Asset still not flashing.... Understood."

Zuoz Training Facility

Gymnasium

08:50 CET Friday

Chuck could feel the increase in stamina these past few days. His treatments with Ursula were helping and his endurance was really starting to show some signs of improvement. He wasn't flashing and was still getting the crap beat out of him in Martial Arts training but at least he was in better shape than he was 5 weeks ago.

At the 3 mile mark he caught his second wind again and decided to pick up the pace just a bit. His upper body was still sore from the bruises but his legs hadn't felt this good since he got here. Maybe he could do this. Maybe he could break 40 minutes and get himself a breath of fresh air and see the sun again.

"Faster Carmichael. Pick up the pace unless you plan to be a vampire and never go out in the sun again."

Could that woman talk in anything else but a scream? Chuck thought as he passed her when he began lap 12.

Agent Saunders actually hoped he would break 40 minutes so that she could get her pale ass outside again too. Also if he did at least make this progress maybe the flashing would start. But at least Mitchell wouldn't scream at her as often if he showed some improvement.

"Carmichael, If you are ever going to get out of here and prove your ex-girlfriend wrong when she laughs at how pathetic you are for even thinking you had a chance with a super Agent like her you are going to need to beat that time."

Chuck knew what Saunders was doing but took the meaning differently. He needed to pick up the pace so he could prove to her and Mitchell that they were the pathetic ones for even thinking he would betray Sarah or Casey. He was going to become that spy he knew he could be but in his own image. He would put his team back together, take down the Ring and get rid of that disgusting excuse for a man Mitchell.

His emotions had been all over the place for the month he had been here and he kept trying to focus them to help with his training but most times it made things worse like in the ring. Fear, worry, loneliness can lead to one big ass whipping. Besides he still needed to figure out why he wasn't flashing. Maybe that was all part of this too.

Chuck sprinted the last 200 yards. 'Just breathe, and just one more gear legs. Would you please put your length to use and get me over the finish line.'

"Carmichael run! Don't be a loser lard ass. Run Carmichael run!"

Chuck could see the finish line just barely through the sweat running into his eyes. The salty drops stung just a bit but he refused to break stride to wipe them.

Chuck crossed the finish line and proceeded to collapse on the track. He had never been this exhausted in his life. He rolled over picked himself back up, leaned over with his hands on his knees and simply looked up at Agent Saunders. He had lost the ability to speak but she knew what he was asking.

"Time was…. 39:52. I can't believe it you passed." Finally something positive on the physical side to tell the Acting Director. Maybe this won't be a complete disaster. The last part she said for herself.

"Get ready Carmichael we have another session in the ring this afternoon, classroom all weekend and then we are taking your tactical and marksmanship skills outside on monday."

"Shower now," was all Chuck could force himself to say even if barely intelligible.

Zuoz Training Facility

Agent Landers office

15:30 CET

Agent Landers had just completed a half hour session with Chuck and decided to send off a quick email to General Beckman.

General Beckman.

I want to report that Mr. Carmichael continues to have not flashed since he has arrived. He has not shown any of the skills that he showed after he first downloaded the 2.0. He has excelled in classroom work but he is taking a brutal beating in the Martial Arts area with Agent Saunders but has yet to display any defensive skills.

General, something is keeping him from flashing and if it continues I can't see how under any circumstances he could become an effective solo agent. During my psych evaluation he shows signs of depression but yet still has an amazing determination to complete this training. Something is driving him to continue to take the beatings he is taking not having the Intersect skills to defend himself. That is the only reason I recommend he continue.

Something triggered the Intersect in that room but whatever it is that is causing the Intersect to malfunction now we haven't figured out just yet.

On the positive side he did pass his endurance test and completed a 5 mile run in under 40 minutes. He will now be allowed to go outside and hopefully that may help his state of mind and allow the Intersect to function.

Madulain Trail

Above Zuoz

Monday

11:50 CET

Chuck couldn't believe how bright it had been when he stepped outside for the first time in almost 6 weeks. The sun was brilliant against the gorgeous Alpine blue sky. Chuck smiled to himself not wanting Saunders to know how much being outside again was affecting him. He kept his face perfectly emotionless though his insides were doing the dancing baby dance.

"Carmichael, we are going on a 10 mile hike into the mountains at which time you will open this duffle bag you will be carrying during the hike. At that point you will take out the contents, assemble what's inside and complete the mission I will give you once we have concluded our hike. Any questions?"

Chuck just shook his head no.

"Good, because you weren't getting any answers anyway. Now let's go. You need to complete your task in the shortest possible time. Don't screw up Carmichael, you have been nothing but a disaster since you arrived. The only thing you have accomplished was the 5 mile run time. But being able to run 5 miles in under 40 minutes does not make you an Agent. If you can't complete this simplest of tasks I have to seriously question whether or not you are worth our time and effort. So far the answer is an unequivocal no. I can see why you team deserted you. Now get the fuck moving." Saunders as dismissive as always followed along behind.

Madulain Trail

Above Zuoz

14:50 CET

Hiking at this altitude was a bit more strenuous and at many points on the hike Chuck was gasping for air just a little bit. He knew it would have been a lot worse if he had not improved his stamina over these 6 weeks.

Saunders finally put her hand up to signal that they had reached their objective. She stopped and pointed to Chuck to take a seat on an exposed boulder.

"Carmichael, you have only completed the first part of your mission. Now for the second and most important part."

"Open you duffle bag and you will have 3 minutes to assemble your M-24 while maintaining cover, then find a snipers nest, fire the specially modified sniper rifle and hit the target with at least 2 shots. Understood?"

"Yes Ma'am"

"Go" Agent Saunders started the stop watch on her phone and Chuck began to assemble the tripod, scope and main rifle body. He had the job completed in just over 3 minutes.

"That's not good enough. Now tray again."

This time it was 2 minutes 55 seconds.

"Ok the target is the #9 on the clock on top of the school."

"What? I can't destroy the school's clock? Come on we are in Switzerland, you know watches, cuckoo clocks. Even if I had the slightest chance of hitting the target I can't destroy the school's clock."

"Carmichael, did you not hear me clearly? I said specially modified M-24. It doesn't shoot a real shell it shoots a laser. There is a sensor on the clock face that will tell us if you have hit the target or not." She said smugly. Even outside she still was an imposing figure.

So Chuck looked around and scoped for a potential snipers nest. He found a good clear area behind a rather large hunk of granite. He picked up the rifle mounted it on the tripod and asked "How long does it take for us to know if I hit it or not?

Agent Saunders pulled out a tablet PC and showed him an image of the clock tower with what looked like a bullseye and an LED light with the words "Target hit"

Chuck actually marveled at how cool it was. All this while hiking in the Swiss Alps. He would have felt like a bi-athlete if it had been later in the year with snow on the trail. He had watched that event in the Olympics but here he was living it. His spirits were lifted for the first time since arriving.

As Chuck lay down behind the M-24 he scooted up to look through the scope. He slowly took aim, pulled the trigger and the first shot missed. He wasn't a great marksman but had been improving from his sessions in the training facility indoor range. But being outside with the elements and the distraction of the Swiss Alps it was affecting his concentration The modified M-24 also had a wind sensor and would simulate the effects of the wind on a round at 1000 meters.

Next shot he took a deep breath and thought about what Casey had always told him "squeeze the trigger don't pull it."

This time he hit the clock tower at least.

"Damn this is hard" Chuck said out loud but mainly to himself.

Just before the third shot Saunders was staring back in his face. He remembered another thing Casey had told him. He talked about the stress and pressure of that moment is what a good sniper never thinks about. Great Agents want the ball when the game is on the line.

Chuck shifted once again, took another cleansing breath and spied the sensor on the "9" of clock tower. Chuck felt a calming as if someone was willing him to hit the target. It felt different than before so he looked through the scope once more, lined up the crosshairs on the target and squeezed the trigger.

Over his shoulder he heard a sound. A bell signifying that he had in fact hit the target. It was just outside the actual circled area but Chuck was glad he had at least hit it. He decided to try once more for an even better score. Just as he was lining up his aim he noticed out of his other eye just over the top of the mountains behind the Clock tower the rising moon. It was beautiful, big and bright orange. It was nearly full and would be brilliant at night.

He tilted the rifle up a little higher so that he had the cross hairs lined up on the Sea of Tranquility. He wanted to see how it looked through the scope. In that moment it was as if a light went off over his head. A moment of revelation had happened but he could not let on to Saunders anything was out of the ordinary. So he quickly tilted the rifle back down, took aim at the #9 and fired again. This time he was just inside the target area. It seemed like his mind had found something that helped his concentration.

"Not bad Carmichael. With a little more practice you might actually be a decent sniper. Next time we come up here you better make it 2 for 2 and not 2 for 4. An assassin can't afford misses."

'Oh jeesh' Chuck thought but with an eye roll that he kept away from Saunders.

"Ok break down the rifle and let's hike back. I could use some dinner."

Chuck broke down the M-24, packed it all up back in the duffle and they began their decent. Chuck thought to himself as he looked up at the ever rising moon.

'It's a longshot but it might actually work. At least it's something.'

With Saunders back facing him as they hiked the trail back down the mountain to the training facility, Chuck gave just the tiniest bit of a smile.

'Soon Sarah, soon'

A/N2 Well this was the longest chapter yet. What is your preferred length? It just kept coming I felt I had to get to that point here. Hopefully real life won't kick my butt again and I can get chapter 7 out back on my earlier schedule. No promises though.