My original intent was to tell the complete back story told in the previous chapter using the character conventions I used in the short section that leads this chapter off, called 'Crazy Joe Young'. My attempt was too confusing, and I had too much story to tell, so I dropped my idea. Instead, I settled for this short scene in the present, to show what I had in mind. I love flashback type scenes on television, with current characters being used. I recall Smallville did one where Clark was his father back in time, excellent episode to my eye, always wished Chuck had done it, so. Since this is my story, I did something to pay tribute to such a convention.
Other than that, I have a short scenes at Gepetto's Lair, with Chuck and Sarah in Chuck's office that outlines my plan for a normal Carmichael Industries, and finally I end up with Chuck and Sarah in bed reviewing the day, before they decide to focus on the mission of the moment.
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Crazy Joe Young / Monday February 6th, 2012, Noon / Carmichael Industries Main Lab
A team of soldiers escorted Dr Joe Young into the main lab at Carmichael Industries. Joe looked to be a fairly sturdy man, around seventy years old. He stood about five feet eight inches tall, had a trimmed gray beard, and a full, shortly cropped head of gray hair.
The whole team was gathered in the lab to meet Joe.
Joe pulled loose from the soldier's gentle hold as soon as he saw Sarah and Chuck. He ran towards them, "Mary, it's greeee...aaaaat to see you." Joe put his arms around Sarah, and picked her up in the air, which isn't easy for any five foot eight inch man to do (picture Morgan picking Sarah up), let alone a seventy year old man. Then he set her down and ceremoniously gave her a huge kiss, right on the lips.
The room was left speechless, except for Joe that is. He now had both hands around Sarah's arms which were hanging loosely at her side, as he stared at her with a joyful grin. He then said "You haven't changed a bit Mary, I missed you so much." Then, for the first time, he noticed Chuck, standing next to him, still in shock.
"Steven, you're here too, I didn't notice. I hope you didn't hear Mary making a pass at me. She won't leave me alone. Are you having enough sex with her? I have a copy of Kama Sutra, if you care to borrow it. The book was written for men with shortcomings, if you know what I mean?" Joe gave a sly laugh, as obviously he thought Chuck was Stephen.
Then he returned his attention to Sarah Mary (my convention for Sarah, who in Joe's mind is Mary, real character's name first, Joe's imaginary character second, I think it helps, you'll catch on, in conversation, names will be used as appropriate), "Mary, why don't you leave this young fellow over here and run off with me? Or, at least, how about we take inventory in the supply closet together? I've seen you and Stephen taking stock, I can imagine what you do in there, how about letting me have a shot?"
Sarah Mary, ever the spy and ex-seductress, picked up on what was going on in the mixed up old man's mind, "Joe, I'd love to run off with you!" She said as she walked to and grabbed Chuck Stephen's arm.
Chuck Stephen turned crimson red at all this talk from Joe, and was wondering what Sarah Mary was up to, the rest of the room was in stitches, laughing.
Sarah Mary then continued, "But Joe, you'd only leave me in the end, no one woman could handle you, I think I'll stick with Stephen. I can trust him to be true to me. And, just so you know, he has no such 'shortcomings'."
"Oh Mary, that's what you always say. Some day I'm going to convince you otherwise." Then, as if Joe forgot what he was in the middle of, for the first time he looked around the room, somewhat even more confused by it all, if that was possible. Joe stopped scanning, and looked squarely at Alex. Then he said, "Diane, could you please get me my coffee?"
Morgan bumped Alex, "I think he means you?"
Alex Diane played the part to perfection, "Joe, I can never remember, how do you like your coffee?"
Joe smiled, "You are the best handler in the service, I love when you ask, but would you please remember for next time? Black, like my heart."
Alex Diane smiled a genuine smile at Joe, then turned to go get coffee.
Joe called out to Alex Diane as she was leaving, "Like I said, I love my coffee black, except remember to add one third a cup of milk, and three heaping tablespoons of sugar."
The entire team was wondering what they had gotten themselves into.
Then, another character caught Joe's eye. "Hartley!" Joe yelled. " I didn't see you there. Come here, give me a hug, you're looking great. Come here, talk to me son."
Sarah Mary whispered to Devon Hartley, "Devon, he thinks you're Hartley Winterbottom, play along."
Devon Hartley, who wasn't born to act, walked over and hugged Joe. He inadvertently played his role to perfection, as he got out exactly one line, a very unsure and shy, "Hi."
Joe looked delighted, "Hartley, that is you, you haven't changed a bit." Suddenly, Joe noticed Ellie standing the farthest away from him, "YOU! YOU! Get out of here Dr Witch."
Joe turned to Sarah Mary, "Mary, arrest Dr Witch, she's a traitor, a KGB agent." Sarah Mary was not quite sure how to handle this one, but Chuck Stephen did.
Chuck Stephen stood up and said, "Joe, you're right. Dr Vukovich IS a KGB agent, but she isn't here. Dr Vukovich is trying to hurt us all, and we'll need your help to take her down. The person you see that looks like Faith, is Dr Eleanor Whitcomb, a relative of Mary's, please call her Ellie. She is here to take Dr Witch's place on the team. We need her medical knowledge to finish the mind recovery project and you need to help her understand what you are doing when you help us. OK?"
Ellie walked over and introduced herself, "Hi Joe, I'm Ellie. I have some experience on the intersect, but I'm looking forward to learning all I can from you. If you ever need someone to bounce idea's off of, I'm your girl."
Joe could not resist the Bartowski charm that Ellie possessed, "You indeed have Mary's family DNA, don't you? I couldn't be happier to be working with you, nice to meet you Ellie." Joe was smiling from ear to ear, Bartowski woman had that effect on Joe.
With that, Joe settled down. Chuck Stephen had pushed the right buttons, as Chuck Stephen had guessed his father may have had to do thirty years earlier.
Joe then noticed Casey and said in a loud, gruff tone, "Sargent Graham, where's my briefcase? If you expect me to work, I need my briefcase."
Casey Graham gave his typical answer, "Wuuduufuuugh".
Joe walked over and examined Casey Graham very closely, "Graham, you are a beast of a man. I wonder, am I the only one in the world who understands Neanderthal, that lovely language you speak? How about I invent a time machine, and you and I will travel back in time and visit some of your relatives?"
Casey Graham was not at all amused, but at this point, several team members were laughing near out of control.
Sarah Mary was trying to control her laughter, as she then spoke to get things on track, "Joe we don't have your briefcase, do you remember what was in it?"
Joe didn't answer, but all of sudden he stiffened up as he noticed Beckman. Joe stood at attention, and saluted, "General, good to see you. Dr Joesph Young reporting for duty. Do you have any orders for me?" He had no clue who Beckman was, he recognized the uniform.
Diane General saluted back and responded, "Joe, why don't you make yourself comfortable. I'm afraid it's been a while since you worked here, things have changed a bit. I'll get you a new briefcase, but you'll have to fill it with new things. Plus we have new equipment for you to work with. Let's go take a look, it'll be an adventure."
"Yes Sir. Permission to be dismissed Sir." Joe was still standing at attention. Why, nobody knew?
Diane General responded, "Permission granted, dear God, at ease Joe," as if that was really going to happen.
Alex Diane arrived with Joe's coffee, Joe reached out to her, "Perfect Diane, why don't you give the coffee to Howard over there, while you come over here to help me." Joe was looking straight at Morgan.
Everyone turned to General Beckman. "'Who is Howard?" they asked in unison. General Beckman thought for a moment, then answered, "Chuck, remember Dr Howard Busgang, your team met him a few years ago? Howard was an intern back in the early project days. Evidently, that's going to be Morgan's part in this game Joe has us playing."
"Oh boy", was all Chuck could reacting to the idea that Morgan Howard and Joe Young were going to be in the same general area.
"Howard, why are you holding my coffee? I'd like to drink it while it's still hot. Give me." Joe seemed even crazier around Morgan Howard, if that was possible.
Morgan Howard in a very annoyed manner, gave Joe his coffee.
"Howard, I have been looking all around the lab, I don't see my TRS 80 computer anywhere, nor my punch card reader. If you expect me to work, you need to get my equipment. Snap to it Howard." Joe looked ready to hit Morgan Howard with something.
Morgan Howard was not into the spirit of the moment, "TRS 80, those went the way of the dinosaur, we have far better equipment that that in our museums."
Joe hunched his shoulders and gave a little smirk while he pretended to cover his mouth with his hand so Morgan Howard couldn't hear him, even though Morgan Howard was only standing a foot away, as he whispered to Chuck Stephen and Sarah Mary, "I think Howard has gotten into my stash of LSD, he's talking like a crazy man."
Chuck Stephen looked at Morgan Howard and said, "Howard, if Joe needs a TRS 80 and a punch card reader, go look on ebay and get him one. You'd better get a punch card maker while you are at it, this is going to be fun."
"OK, OK, I get it." Morgan Howard grumbled, as he walked away, toward his own computer system, to do a little shopping on ebay.
Then, Alex Diane saved the day, "Joe, I'd let you work on my TRS-81, a slightly improved version of your TRS-80. But, I doubt you could figure out how it works, I suggest you stick with yours. It even took Howard a day to learn, it's that hard. But, if you want, I could show you." Alex knew how to talk to Joe, Sarah Mary and Chuck Stephen stood amazed watching as Alex Diane put her arm around Joe and escorted him to one of the high powered computers Chuck had set up to work on the intersect.
Joe mumbled as Alex Diane and he walked away, "If Howard can learn it in a day, it'll take me less than a few seconds. Howard. He's such a dilettante."
Alex Diane sat Joe down in front of the computer, with a few keystrokes and mouse brushes, she to the main screen, and was about to show Joe how to do a few commands, maybe show him the Internet she thought to get him interested. Joe politely removed her hands, and said, "I got this my dear. Diane, your computer system works like an idea I outlined to a young Harvard dropout I had coffee with a few years ago. I called it 'doors', as in a door opening into the world of computing."
Joe, understood exactly how to use the computer in a matter of minutes as everyone stood around amazed.
Chuck Stephen whispered to Sarah Mary, "For all we know, he designed the darned thing."
Sarah Mary laughed.
Joe then stopped and called out "Howard. Would you please go get my notes on the joe-net." He turned and addressed the room in general, "Amazing thing joe-net is, will interface every TRS 80 or now TRS 81 in the world together in one big computer network. Oops, Oh my," Joe's got distracted as he clicked into something. "Belay that order Howard, this TRS 81 already has joe-net incorporated, those people at Texas Instruments thought of everything." Joe had found the Internet.
Alex Diane had an amazing aptitude for handling Joe, she went one step further as Joe quickly was getting into the seedier places on the Internet. "Joe, stop it, let's get to work. Mary's brain has been wiped, five years worth of memory is sitting there, unreadable by her mind. You must write an intersect patch to read her memories, then figure out how to generate optics on this screen to upload that program into Mary to fix her." Alex Diane reached over Joe and hit a few keystrokes to get the screen to the research they had on the intersect. "Here are some notes we already have, you can look at those. Then when you start to make progress, Howard will enter any idea or computer program directly into the computer, without punch cards. I'm sure you could never learn how to do that on your own, but luckily Howard is very smart?"
"Nonsense my dear, sit back and watch me. I already saw the C programming box, exactly how I told that simple minded young Harvard dropout he should do it that day. I said the boxes should be 'iconic' if I recall. I got this. Howard can get me coffee if he wants, but Howard is not going to touch my computer or my work. Oh, and if it would not be too much trouble Diane, I could use a huge white board, a dozen lab notebooks and about three dozen black pens? I tend to think best while I scribble. Mary, don't you worry, we'll get you fixed in no time." With those words, Joe started banging away on the keyboard, switching windows from program to program, writing profusely, and talking to himself, while annoying Morgan Howard the entire while.
What exactly Joe was up to, nobody knew. But he was busy doing something. The future of the project to stop Gepetto was now completely in place, with very much an eye on the past, now that Dr Joe Young back in the lab working for the good guys.
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Suicide Protocal / Monday February 6th, 2012, 5 PM / Gepetto's Lair
Gepetto, "Did they take the bait?"
Agent One, "They did. They took the bait. Dr Young was brought in to what appeared to be a huge meeting at Carmichael. Frost left early, we tried to follow her, but she gave us the slip. Other than that, the whole team was present and stayed all day and night."
Gepetto, "What was the meeting about?"
Agent One, "The problem was, none of our listening devices worked, some pretty radical jamming devices were in play, one even reverse hacked backwards into our network, and downloaded some files, before our firewall detected the breach and shut the network down. And Colonel Casey had black ops squads undercover, spread throughout a four block corridor of CI. Three of our agents got arrested trying to get close. We don't have that many agents in LA, so that was a major set back."
Gepetto, "This Bartowski is good. Luckily, he hasn't a clue what he should be looking for or what he should be working on. I'm convinced that he will take the bait and focus on his wife's cure rather than find his father's past work and complete it. I have an idea of how we can slow the Colonel down. He's been a thorn in my side for too long. Will the captured agents talk?"
Agent One, "They don't know anything that could hurt us. Still, I activated our suicide protocol on every one. Each fell dead before Colonel Casey even knew they were caught."
Gepetto, "Agent One, the mission today, was a complete failure. I don't like failure. Goodbye."
With that, Gepetto activated one last suicide protocol. Agent One crumbled to the ground, in front of the remaining team members. "Agent Two, you are now Agent One. Reassemble your team, assign new numbers, and draft a plan to breach Carmichael Industries. I need to know what's going on in those gullible Bartowski minds. And, I sent you plans for your next mission, one that should slow down Colonel Casey."
New Agent One, "Anything else."
Gepetto, "Get out of my sight, before I activate the protocol on the whole bunch of you."
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Who's' the Boss / Monday February 6th, 2012, 6PM / Chuck's Office
Sarah walked into Chuck's office.
Chuck was seated behind his corporate desk, looking as frazzled and dejected, as Sarah looked radiantly joyful.
"Hello Mrs Bartowski, how was your day?" CI's CEO asked his company's president.
"Chuck, I had the best day today. I love being in charge of the normal side of the company. I have been up to my eyeballs in work, taking stock of the team I have and putting them in the slots I think they best fit. It is just like doing a spy mission, only I don't have to kill anyone." Sarah was very fired up.
"Do you have anything for me to look at?" Chuck asked.
"I brought along my proposed organization chart, of how I will run the normal side of the business. What do you think Mr Bartowski?" Sarah was very business like, as she handed Chuck the info, then seated herself on the other side of Chuck's desk, like any employee would be.
At the top of the chart was Sarah Bartowski, President. Reporting to her was Stanley Fitzroy, VP of Finance, Devon Whitcomb, VP of Sales and Marketing, Morgan Grimes, Director of Operations, Ellie Whitcomb, VP of R&D.
Chuck gave it a careful scan. "Looks great Sarah. I understand all the functions and why, except Morgan's. What does he do?"
"Morgan was a whirl wind of activity today. I think he was happy to get out of the main lab, away from Alex and Joe. He already has reviewed all of our current contracts. He's really good with things like that. He's established a calendar, complete with due dates, milestones, responsibilities. Plus, since you have almost no time for me, he is the next best person for me to ask questions about my personal past and to talk to in general. Did you know that your mom gave us a small contact to perform research using intersect technology to cure cancer? This is going to help us get other businesses and investors to look at CI as a real company." In all the time Chuck had known Sarah, this is the most excited he had seen her about work.
"OK, I get it, Morgan may have found his calling. What is everyone else doing?" Chuck was glad to get away from the pressure of saving the world, and was just starting to get into the flow of this discussion. Sarah's excitement was inspiring some of that, such enthusiasm was contagious.
"Devon already has scheduled some meetings with friends of his in the medical field, and is going to go to a trade show next weekend. He thinks he can get us a few small contracts for 'Optical Chambers'. Joe was telling me about 'Optical Chambers' while I played him in a game of chess this afternoon. Essentially, the design is much like a cancer treatment chamber would be, but since we don't know how to cure cancer, we would settle for relaxing our patient. It's a first step." Sarah was now standing up and using all kind of hand movement in selling her plans to CI's CEO.
Sarah then continued, "And Stanley, he's a wizard. I agreed to have my first meeting with him over the computer, as he is still a little afraid of me. But he is coming around. Our forty million plus that the government owes us, is safely deposited in our personal accounts. With all the government business we have, there'll be no need to dip into our kid's college funds to run this company. Stanley has CI's books in great shape. We are going to meet face to face tomorrow to discuss going public with a stock sale. I also have lunch planned tomorrow with Stanley, Jack Coleshaw and myself. Jack is going to give us some tips on going public with our company. He also has a few contacts and leads that I forwarded to Devon to pursue for future business." Sarah was talking faster than Chuck could ever remember.
Before Chuck could break in, Sarah continued, "Plus, with John more around, he also can help me with my past, when I need mission related details that I should recall but can't, so I won't have to bother you."
Chuck then got a word in, "I know John does not belong on this chart. But where has he been? I haven't seen him all day."
"John and his team have created an invisible barrier around the facility for a four block radius. They arrested and detained three of Gepetto's agents around the time of our meeting with Mary. Unfortunately, Gepetto has some sort of a death implant, such that the all were killed before we could interrogate them." Sarah then paused, as she realized how over the top excited she was. "You are quiet, am I doing OK?"
"OK? That is an understatement. You are doing great. This is exactly why I wanted you in charge, there isn't a person in the world more suited to running CI than you. And quite frankly, my mind has to stay on the BS protocol, which is why I am looking quiet, thinking about that nerd kind of stuff. You go back to what you are doing. I am one thousand percent pleased with your plans."
"Chuck, one more plan, you haven't eaten all day, take out pizza at 8, you get all my olives. I will personally deliver." With that for the first time Sarah acted like Chuck's wife, as she came around and gave him a small kiss on the cheek.
"Sounds great. See you then. Thanks!" Chuck smiled as Sarah left, as his mind quickly went back to the task at hand.
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Lingerie Wins in the End / Monday February 6th, 2012, midnight / C&S's Bed
Chuck was laying in bed alone. Sarah was still in the bathroom getting ready to join him, the long day was finally over for the Bartwoski's. They only arrived home from work a half an hour ago. Chuck was reviewing the last forty eight hours in his head, in which his mother went from kindly grandmother, to rogue international assassin. He replayed her words to when she told her immediate family of her plans, at Ellie's apartment. They begged her to change her mind, but their sadness made no impact on Mary's plan.
Chuck replayed Mary's words to Ellie and him, "Kids, I do this all for you. I will look over our family and protect you, the way your father did once. I ask that you stand up and fight evil, wherever you see it. But fight through the system, not outside of it. The evil can sweep you up and suck you in so quickly, such that you no longer recognize yourself. Do good for others, stand up for right. Live a normal life, go to your kid's soccer games and proms. Most of all, know that the sacrifices your father and I made were so you can have that life, and your children even more so. Stay connected in the normal world, leave my world of secrets and lies forever."
"Chuck, are you OK?" Chuck didn't even notice Sarah slipping into bed next to him.
"Why do you ask?" Chuck asked while still zoning off into space.
"Well, normally my presence in this kind of attire gets some sort of attention." Sarah was dressed for bed in lingerie, which was not typical, but saved for special occasions.
"Huh, OHHH! WOWZERS!" Chuck finally noticed what his wife meant.
Sarah was dressed to try to cheer Chuck up. This was the first time she recalled failing at that sort of mission. She then said to Chuck, "It's OK Chuck. I understand. Your mom, she ran away today, to become Orion." Sarah ran her hands through Chuck's hair to comfort him. "I know we talked to her yesterday, and Ellie and you got to say goodbye, but today had to be hard. You were so composed when she walked out of the room, out of our lives. I was so proud of you."
"You know Sarah, I used to feel my parents abandoned Ellie and I. But, yesterday and today, witnessing her thought process first hand, I realized, my parents were taking care of us, the only way they knew how. Plus, what my mom did today, I think she will make it safe, so that Clara, and maybe our kids someday, will not be in harms way. The next generation will grow up in a safer, better world, and be safer and better than most because they are related to my mom and dad, not in spite of it. But, that can only happen, if we defeat Gepetto." Chuck needed to say that to someone. He felt a little better.
Now was Sarah's turn, "Chuck, you have to promise me something?"
Chuck did not blurt out an answer, but gave some thought to the request, then said, "I used to say 'anything' automatically Sarah, but given what I have found out the past forty eight hours, I think my answer probably should be, if I possibly can, I will. What do you have in mind?"
Sarah leaned up on one arm to look Chuck right in the eyes, "If the choice ever comes down to my memory, or taking down Gepetto, choose to take down Gepetto."
Chuck put his arms around his wife, "Sarah, I think I maybe already made that choice today, by abandoning the memory work and moving on to the BS initiative. Although, now that Dr Young is in the equation, I honestly don't know what to expect, maybe we can have it all at the end of the day?"
Sarah then asked, "How close do you think Manchurian is to completion?"
Chuck answered this quickly, it had been his focus most of the day, "My father wrote some data bots to monitor what might be signs of Manchurian activity roaming around the web. The readings were twice as high today when I turned them loose, as any he had ever recorded. That's probably bad news. For all I know, Manchurian may be running as we speak. But I don't think so. The fact they bothered to mind wipe you, and then gave us the means to cure you, means they need more time and they don't want us poking around."
Sarah then realized the clock was ticking, and the night would be over soon, so she switched back to her main mission, "Chuck, what you were saying before about kids. There's only one way to make that happen, and I am in the mood. With our busy schedules, we can't waste a minute of free time."
"Come here you." Chuck now had a big grin on his face.
Giggling filled the room as the Bartowski's were busy completing the mission of the moment, one mission at a time.
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The next chapter skips slightly forward, and is called, 'That's What Friends R 4'. Just a little tease to add, General Beckman gets compared to Yoda by Devon in the next chapter.
