Chapter 7: Agent Fisher Meets Agent Walker
A/N: Hello everyone. Thank you again for all your kind reviews. They are an inspiration to keep writing. I look forward to reading more reviews from you guys.
This chapter is the longest chapter, I've written for this story. Please pay special attention to the date/location heading. Each one should have multiple viewpoints associated with it.
Another reason this chapter is so long, is because the next chapter will not have any of these characters. I wanted to explain as many things as I could, before the next chapter.
Ever since I envisioned the youngest Bartowski, I have been dying to write this section of the story. The chapter will be called X, and it will be completely dedicated to his entire backstory...from the moment he was kidnapped by Volkoff, to the day he went MIA in Uganda.
Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck
(03-26-10) 8:15 am Burbank Airport:
When the NSA plane finally landed at Burbank airport, Agent Sarah Walker, woke up from her horrific dream. She once again recalled the uploaded memories Beckman had shown her and she knew she had to get Chuck back soon. The fear and pain she could see on his face, haunted her every time she closed her eyes. Since she learned the truth of his abduction, she was barely able to get any sleep.
Happy to be awake, Sarah pulled out her compact from her purse, and made sure her appearance was presentable. Once she was satisfied with what she saw, she turned her head to look through the window on her left. She knew Casey was coming to pick them up today, and she was looking to see if her partner was already here.
Sarah not only respected Casey, she also cared about him. After three years of working with him, she kind of looked up to him. She would never tell him, but she thought of him as an older brother in the spy world. She had seen him risk his life to save her on many occasions, and she knew she wouldn't hesitate to do the same for him.
When she got off the NSA medical transport, Sarah's eyes immediately sought out Casey. She smiled when she saw her partner waiting at the bottom of the ramp, and climbed down the stairs of the plane to meet him. "Hi Casey," she said.
When he grunted in response, Sarah's gaze finally took in his battered appearance. Casey's lip was swollen and he was sporting a blackened left eye. As she continued with her inspection, she could see the bruises over his cheeks and across his jaw, and she her eyes widened in surprise. From what she saw of his face, she had no doubt the rest of his body shared similar injuries.
It wasn't until she looked into Casey's eyes, that she saw the question he was silently asking her.
"I know about Chuck, Casey."
Sarah was surprised to see the sadness that suddenly appeared on her partner's face. The Colonel was cold school. Spies like him lost the ability to feel like normal people, a long time ago and to see him openly show his emotions, was shocking for her.
She knew the Colonel respected Chuck. His continuous name calling and repetitive insults, were just Casey's way of deflecting his emotions. She knew her partner cared about Chuck because she had always seen the respect in his eyes, whenever Chuck's actions saved the mission or one of them. But she never imagined that his feelings for her nerd, ran so deep.
As she walked up to her partner, Sarah's heart beat with every step. She was back to the only home she ever knew, and the only man she ever loved, wasn't there to be with her. Sarah tried to control her overwhelming emotions, but her training failed her. The anguish she felt inside was too much for her to bear, and she did something she had never done before...she hugged Casey.
When she buried her face and hands, into the massive chest of Colonel John Casey, she could feel his body tense beneath her touch. She knew she was making him uncomfortable, but she couldn't stop herself. She needed to feel the comfort of human contact, and she hoped the man she thought of as a brother, would forgive her intrusion. She was surprised, when his large hands wrapped around her, and held her gently.
"It's okay, Sarah," she heard John say. "We'll get him back partner."
Sarah wanted to respond, but she couldn't stop crying. The simple gesture from her partner, opened the floodgate for the emotions she was barely holding in check. As she continued to bury herself within her partner's embrace, she could feel his hands soothingly rub her back.
When she heard the others begin to depart from the plane, Sarah gently pulled away from her partner's arms. After wiping the tears from her face, she said,"Thanks partner. I really needed that."
She was shocked when the cold-blooded NSA spy, gave her a small smile and said, "Get it together, Walker. If you keep bawling all the time, we won't ever get your boy toy back."
Sarah Walker giggled when she heard Casey call Chuck her boy toy. "You can't even imagine the things I'm going to do to him, Casey," she said seductively.
When he grunted in disgust, she just kept smiling at him. "Don't worry big guy. I won't give you any of the details."
"Good," replied Casey. "If you did, I would shoot you and bury your body somewhere no one would find you."
The two laughed at his attempt to threaten her, because they both knew he would never hurt her. Once she finally regained her composure, Sarah asked, "What do you think about Chuck, Casey? How different is he?"
Sarah saw him hesitate before answering.
"He's Chuck, but different, Sarah. The man I fought against, was the best fighter I have ever seen. I've seen Larkin flash with the 2.0, and he's nothing compared to Chuck."
"But my Chuck is still in there, right Casey?", Sarah asked in fear.
She released the breath she didn't know she was holding, when Casey nodded his head in agreement.
"Our boy's still in there, Sarah. When he was kicking my ass, I could tell he was pulling his punches. He wanted to put me down, but he didn't want to cause any serious damage to me. Hell, he took out my entire security detail, and none of those boys was seriously hurt. If that oversized hulk of a partner hadn't kicked me, I would only have minor bruises myself. To be honest, I was shocked when Chuck nearly killed his own partner to save me. They may have changed his memories, but they couldn't change the type of person he is."
Sarah felt the thrill of hope when she heard what Casey said. 'My nerd is still there.'
As the two partners walked over to gather the luggage, Sarah saw Casey's contemplative look.
"What you thinking about, partner?", she asked curiously.
Sarah stopped walking, when she realized her partner was no longer next to her. When she turned back to face him, she saw Casey frozen in deep thought. She was about to call out to him, when she heard him say, "Did we make a mistake, Sarah? Should we have trained Chuck? After the first time I heard his girlish screams during a mission, I never thought the kid would have what it takes to finish training. After seeing Chuck now, I can't believe how wrong I was. If we trained him, maybe he wouldn't have gotten caught."
Sarah knew this was a slippery slope. The blame game in hindsight, was never a good idea. Besides, she knew Chuck back then, would never have agreed to learn to become a spy.
"It wouldn't have worked, partner", Sarah replied knowingly. "Chuck built his life around his friends and family. It's the love he felt for those people, that allowed him to move on from his experiences at Stanford. When Chuck met us, it was the first time he learned about the real darkness that existed in this world. He would risk his life in a heartbeat to save another, but I doubt he could have finished the training back then. He cared too much for people, to want to learn how to hurt them. The Ring did the only thing they could, to force Chuck to want to learn these horrible skills. They took away someone he loved. Chuck would always sacrifice anything of his, even his morals, to protect those he cared about."
Casey grunted when he heard her explanation. 'You're right. The moron always did the right thing.'
(03-26-10) 11:31 am Orion Farmhouse:
Stephen opened the door, before the knock could sound again. The farmhouse was his greatest safe house, and he spent years adding the best security and cameras in and out of the neighboring towns. It's because of his forward thinking, that he was able to follow his guest's arrival, from cameras he had placed miles away from their current location. Orion knew exactly when his visitors were going to pull into his driveway. He was prepared.
"Good morning, Agent Walker," Stephen said, when he opened the door.
"Morning, Mr. Bartowski," Sarah replied breathlessly. "We have Bryce in the ambulance outside, sir, and I'm worried that his vitals have dropped since we woke him from the coma. The doctor that put him under could only guess at how many extra days that would give him. We assumed he would have a week, maybe more, but I'm afraid we might not have much time. I hope the Governor is ready for him, Mr. Bartowski.
Stephen nodded through her report, and then smiled when she was finished. "Don't worry, Agent Walker. I have a temporary Governor already made. It will relieve Bryce's problems, until I can finish a permanent Governor that will be mapped to his neural pathways."
Sarah's smile of relief was short-lived, as Angie burst past her through the open doorway. The NSA Agent jumped onto an unsuspecting Stephen and began to give him kisses on both of his cheeks. "Thank you for saving him, Mr. Bartowski," Angie exclaimed. "You don't know how much this means to me."
Embarrassed at the younger woman's passionate gratitude, Stephen answered, "It's not a problem young lady. Bryce is a friend, and I'm happy to be able to help him."
Stephen quickly detached himself from Angie's entwined arms, and added, "For the sake of peace in this household, please refrain from any further acts of celebrations with me. My wife is pretty jealous."
Angie was both stunned and amused at his request. 'Would his wife really flip over a hug?' Her momentary deliberation ended, when she heard the ambulance doors close. As soon as Casey and Cole brought in Bryce's stretcher, Angie rushed to be by his side. She no longer cared what her teammates thought of her relationship with Bryce. She loved him, and she knew he cared about her as well. Bryce was a spy to his core, and he told her he didn't think he could ever love someone the way she wanted. He said he wasn't the fall in love type, but he did agree to try having a relationship with her.
The past few months were better than she could have ever imagined. She knew he felt the same way too, but he was too scared to admit it. She was okay with that. She was a spy, and she understood how hard it was to love in their business. She just never expected it to happen to her.
Stephen watched the young woman fawn over Bryce, and he was surprised by her public affection for her fellow Agent. 'If I didn't know any better, it seems the government is creating Agents with a heart.' He was polite, but firm, as he pushed his way to the stretcher, and pulled out the temporary Governor he created for his patient. When he looked down at the man in front of him, Stephen smiled and said. "Hello, Bryce. You ready to feel better today?"
Even with the pain in his head, Bryce managed to smile in return. "You don't know how ready I am, Mr. B."
When Stephen placed the watch onto his wrist, everyone saw the watch flash blue, and Bryce grab his head in pain. Before anyone could check to see if he was okay, his hands came down, and a smile lit across his face.
"The pain is gone," Bryce exclaimed to his best friend's father. "Thank you so much, Mr. Bartowski. I was beginning to think I wouldn't make it."
"No problem, Bryce," Stephen replied happily. "The Governor will regulate the Intersect for the time being. Just don't flash too often. This one isn't ready for a full workload."
When he saw Bryce's confused expression, he knew the Agent was worried about how it would affect him on the job. "Don't worry, Bryce. The Governor I'm making for you, will be mapped to your neural pathways. You won't have to regulate your flashing, once you have that one."
Bryce could only sigh in relief. He loved being the Intersect. It gave him the power to make a real difference in this world, and he wasn't ready to give it up yet. He dedicated his life to preserving the greater good, and with the Intersect, he could save a lot of people.
"Thank you again, Stephen," Bryce said graciously.
Stephen then turned to Sarah and said, "I know you guys have had a long trip. We have some spare bedrooms upstairs for you to use. Bryce and his friend can have one room. Sarah and the young lady waiting in the car, can have the other."
When Stephen saw Casey and Cole, he continued, "Gentlemen, we only have one room left upstairs. There is a room in the basement, but it's small. I'll leave it to the two of you to decide who gets the small room."
Casey was used to living in walls and crawling through sewers. As long as he had a cot to rest on, he didn't care about the size of the room. "Go ahead and take the room upstairs, Barker. I don't need much."
When the James Bond clone nodded to him in gratitude, Casey just grunted. 'Don't worry about it.'
Once the living situations were confirmed, Stephen directed his guests to the spare bedrooms.
Casey sat alone on the sofa, wishing he had a glass of scotch in his hand. He hated not having anything to do. He thought about finding one of his teammates, but he didn't want to deal with any more "lady feelings." 'Too much of that going around already,' he thought.
He grunted in surprise, as he recalled his heartfelt moment with Sarah. Three years ago, he could never have imagined Graham's wild card enforcer needing to be consoled, especially by him. It was incredible what a few years with the King of Nerds, had done to the two cold-blooded agents.
Their time with Chuck had changed them both. After two years with the Bartowski clan, they regained the humanity they lost when they chose to serve the greater good. John Casey was proud to call Chuck a friend.
When he heard a female shout come from the kitchen, Casey grunted in disgust. 'Spy chicks trying to cook? How could this possibly turn out well?'
Casey was a little pensive to not see Ellie at the house. He missed her cooking more than he could have imagined. The first six months he spent away from Burbank, were hard on John's stomach. None of the food he ate could compare to even a hasty meal provided by the intense doctor.
His time with Chuck's formidable sister, was something he would always remember. It unnerved him, how skillful she was at ferreting out secrets. Half his time at the apartments, was spent keeping Ellie away the truth. 'The woman would have been perfect as an Interrogator at Guantanamo.'He still couldn't believe someone related to the moron, could be so commanding. In his career Casey stared down assassins, soldiers, and terrorists, but even he couldn't resist an Ellie command.
Casey would never admit it, but he missed Devon a little too. The self-proclaimed Captain, had grown on him. His conversations with Devon were always enjoyable, because the man never pried. He was still impressed with the punch, the frat boy hit him with. That punch alone told Casey, Devon had more heart than he originally thought. 'Plus the man has great taste in Scotch.'
When he thought of the Woodcomb couple, Casey knew they were the greater good he was fighting for. People like Devon and Ellie, was why he gave up everything to protect his country. It was a thankless job, but he knew no one could do it better than him.
A part of him was hoping they would be here at the farmhouse. He missed the time he spent with them. Their warmth and hospitality, gave him a taste of family he thought he would never experience again. 'Self contemplating asshole,' Casey grunted to himself. 'You're going soft Colonel. Lady feelings? Really? Man up Coburn.'
Once his stomach groaned again in hunger,Casey knew if Ellie was present, the culinary disaster the spy chicks were making, would never have happened. With Ellie at the helm, he would have had his first decent meal in a year. He was shocked when Stephen told him she was out with her mother and aunt. 'How could so much change in one year?'
Casey was trying to forget about the continuous growl emanating from his stomach, but his concentration was diverted as he heard someone enter the room. He looked up when he heard the sound of approaching feet, and he was pleasantly surprised to see the person was Devon. Standing to meet his friend, Casey was curious about the blonde doctor's angry expression, and he reached his hand towards his friend in greeting.
When Devon walked into the living room, he was shocked to see Casey idly sitting on the sofa in the living room. He knew the Intersect team was coming to the farmhouse, because Stephen told them all a few nights ago. He thought he handled his anger at Casey's violation of their privacy, but he was wrong.
After the alarming revelations made by his in-laws, Stephen had given them access to everything that involved Chuck and the Intersect. When Ellie found the surveillance videos amongst the Intersect files, Devon was appalled by the intimate moments recorded between him and his wife. He was furious that a man he invited into his home as a friend, would violate them in such a manner.
Logically he knew John was just doing his job. He knew a General Beckman had authorized the bugs and that the government wanted to keep tabs on his little bro, 24/7. He understood the need to protect all the secrets in Chuck's brain, but none of that could quench his desire to get revenge. Devon knew it was the governments fault, but he couldn't stop himself from using Casey as a scapegoat. He needed to vent his anger at his wife's privacy being violated, and the Colonel was his closest option.
As he walked up to his former friend, Devon remembered the day he punched John at the man's apartment. He managed to catch him with a clean shot, and it barely stunned the spy. He still remembered the fear he felt, when Casey smiled at him and said ,"Not bad for a frat boy."
Devon thought of altering his intended action, but he couldn't quench his idiotic rage. The praise Gabe had given him after the past few days of training, gave him a false confidence he couldn't believe. He forced himself to walk up to Casey, and said, "Hi, John."
When he saw Casey smile in response, Devon unleashed a vicious uppercut into the man's chin. Just like Gabe drilled him to, Devon bent his knees, kept his hips down, rotated his body, and powered through with his legs. He was amazed that John fell to the ground, and stunned when the spy continued to lay there. Standing over the fallen man, Devon said, "That's for recording my wife, Casey."
Gabe walked into the room, right when Devon's fist connected with Casey's jaw. When he heard his young friend speak to the man, he instantly knew who it was.
Devon had been angry when he learned about the surveillance videos recorded by the government, and he blamed his friend for actually doing it. Gabe knew better. As a career military man, he knew Devon's friend was just following orders. He tried to explain this to Devon, but sighed in defeat, when he heard the younger man's challenge, "What if it was Susan, Gabe? Would you still be okay with a man you consider a friend, taping her naked?" He could only shake his head in answer. He would never tolerate anyone looking at his wife in such a manner.
When Gabe saw the Colonel rise to his feet, he could clearly recognize the anger on the man's face. He knew his young friend was nowhere near ready to fight someone as seasoned as the Colonel, and he rushed to prevent the fight from escalating any further. Gabe placed himself in front of Casey, and tried to calm the angry man.
John Casey was shocked when Devon hit him. The speed and power of Devon's punch, had amazed him. It was a far cry from the blow he once received from the doctor. This time it actually managed to stun him.
By the time he got to his feet, Casey was completely enraged. He was pissed that Devon would think he wanted to tape Ellie and him doing what they did. He hated that his friend thought so low of him. Surveillance on Chuck's apartment, became disturbing for Casey, once he got close to Ellie and Devon. He would always skip through any intimate moments between his friends. He was only doing his duty to protect the Intersect, and it pained him to think Devon thought he enjoyed it.
All he wanted to do was explain himself to Devon, when a large man suddenly came between them. Slightly shorter than Casey's 6'4", the man in front of him was heavily muscled. If not for the streaks of white in his hair, Casey would have thought the man was his age, or even younger. Having fought men of various sizes, he wasn't worried about the stranger's girth.
When he suddenly felt the man's hand against his chest, Casey's anger at Devon's misunderstanding, was discharged against the older man. Casey grabbed the man's hand with his own, wrapped his powerful fingers around the man's palm and thumb and twisted the wrist sharply to the side. Even in his rage, Casey had no intention of hurting the older man. He just wanted him out-of-the-way, so he could explain things to Devon. He decided he would release the hold once the older man was "taught", not to fuck with a marine. What happened next, Casey never expected.
Captain Gabriel(Tank) Anders, felt the pressure against his wrist, and felt his body buckle under the strain. As a one time commander of his own squadron in the Special Air Services, Gabe was more than familiar with the move used against him. On multiple occasions, he used the same tactic to disable his enemies in the field. His squadron's near perfect mission success rate, was the direct result of his leadership and ferocity during combat. After awhile, he even earned the moniker Tank, because once he was hit, he never stopped until everything in his path was destroyed.
Tank knew the Colonel's grip was incredibly strong. Even his own prodigious strength couldn't break the man's grasp, without snapping his own wrist. So he did what he was trained to do, and he took away the larger man's leverage. He pushed himself closer to the Colonel, and felt the man's grip falter on his wrist, when he slammed his free hand under Casey's chin. A lifetime spent training to fight had honed his reflexes, and he easily avoided the punch that was directed towards his face. Gabe ducked low, sidestepped to his left, and unleashed a furious combo against the Colonel's exposed rib-cage.
Casey felt the punches hammer into his side, and he was shocked at the power and ferocity of the older man. Furious he had underestimated his opponent, he launched his right elbow at the man's exposed head. When he felt his blow connect, Casey spun his body, and crashed his left fist against the older man's face. He watched with satisfaction, when he saw his opponent stagger back in pain.
The two soldiers stepped back, and eyed each other with open admiration. They were both career warriors, and they could see that their strength and will, was equally matched. They both smiled in silent acknowledgment in the other's skill, knowing neither one would concede. And so, the two soldiers did what they were trained to do...they attacked.
Casey moved towards Tank, ducking beneath his right cross, and thundered a blow to the older man's midsection. A punch smashed down onto John's neck, and he felt his knees buckle under the strain. With a grunt of pain, he fired an uppercut at the older man's chin, and felt his opponent's head snap back from the blow. When he saw that Gabe was stunned by the blow, Casey connected with a quick jab with his left and then hammered an overhand right against the man's temple.
Tank wiped the blood from his newly cut face, and wickedly smiled at the younger man in front of him. He connected with a left jab of his own, and followed that with a right hook that all but spun Casey from his feet. Gabe blocked a right from his skilled opponent, and fired home a devastating uppercut into the man's chin. Gabe was beyond impressed, when the larger man swayed, but didn't fall down. Instead, he saw the man counter with a chopping blow that connected behind his right ear. Gabe managed to shrug off the blow easily, and he realized the Colonel's strength was fading. 'Time to end this.'
As the fight continued, Casey felt his strength slowly begin to wane. His breath was shallow from the rib he had broken a few days ago, and his body still hadn't recovered from the ass kicking he received from Chuck. He was completely unprepared to fight an opponent as skilled and powerful as the man he was currently facing. When he felt the combination of punches land against his face: three straight lefts, followed by a right hook that exploded against his face, the only thing he could do was fall down in defeat.
Carina Hansen looked at the slop in the pot, and smiled at her masterpiece. In a moment of weakness, she agreed to cook so Sarah could get some rest. She even managed to convince Angie to help her. Since Bryce was busy with Stephen, she knew the young Agent was bored enough to help.
After they had all unpacked in their new rooms, Sarah asked her if she was hungry. "Hey Car, you hungry? Stephen said we could use the kitchen, if we want. I don't think anything delivers out here, so we might have to fend for ourselves."
Since Sarah learned of "her Chuck's" disappearance, Carina knew her friend wasn't sleeping. It still amazed her that Sarah Walker was head over heels in love with a geek.
When she heard Sarah talk about making food, the friend in her rose to the challenge. She convinced Sarah to take a nap, while she would cook them lunch. Sarah had been suspicious of her culinary abilities, but after a lot of pleading by Carina she eventually relented.
With the help of her fellow Agent, Carina decided to make the only dish she could think of, pasta. The two Agent's quickly gathered the ingredients, and realized they didn't have enough tomatoes for the sauce. Angie was ready to admit defeat, but Carina convinced her to use ketchup instead. "Don't worry Ang. Ketchups made from tomatoes."
After a clueless hour spent slaving over their culinary disaster, the happy Agents were ready to feed their friends.
They were both surprised by the commotion they heard coming from the living room. At first they thought it was the tv, but when they heard a vase shatter in the other room, they knew something was happening.
Carina and Angie rushed out of the kitchen, and ran to the living room. What they saw when the came in, froze them in surprise. The indomitable NSA agent, John Casey, was bloody and beaten, laying on the floor. In front of him stood a massive man, glaring at their fallen teammate.
In silent agreement the two Agents attacked the behemoth in front of them. Trained to fight larger opponents, both Agents instanly realized they couldn't hope to match the stranger's strength. Instead, they used their quickness as an advantage, and rushed the unsuspecting man, simultaneously pulling the knives they hid under their dresses.
As if they had coordinated the assault, the two women attacked in unison. Carina rushed the colossus, and drew his attention with an elbow to his face. Meanwhile Angie stepped behind him, and kicked the large man right at the back of his knee. Once the man had fallen to his knees, Carina spun around him, and placed her knife against his throat, the tip barely grazing the carotid artery. She smiled when she saw Angie's knife hovering over the base of his neck.
Leaning down, Carina stared into the man's eyes, and politely asked, "Can you give me one reason not to slit your fucking throat?"
Mary walked to the door with her daughter and sister-in-law, and couldn't possibly be any happier. The years she spent apart from her daughter, she would dream of simple days like today.
With the arrival of team Intersect, Ellie had informed her they would need more groceries. Mary and Susan hesitantly asked Ellie if she would like to get the supplies with them, and when she agreed, the two women were thrilled to be able to spend time with her.
The nearest grocery store, was an hour away, and it gave the women time to bond as a family. Ellie was amazed to hear stories of their training and missions, and the older women were ecstatic to learn how Ellie and Devon met. The time flew by so quickly, the three women regretted having to go back home.
As they parked the car, and gathered the groceries, Mary had to catch herself from crying. The entire day was everything she had ever dreamed of. Her daughter had grown into a beautiful and intelligent woman, and she couldn't wait to become part of her life again.
Never in her wildest dreams, did she imagine complete forgiveness from her children. She always hoped they would at least understand when she finally told them the truth. But every time she looked into Ellie's eyes, she could see the forgiveness she craved so badly. After today, she yearned for when she could have this moment with her sons.
When she reached the front door, Mary pulled out her keys and quickly unlocked it. As soon as she opened the door, she was stunned by what she saw. Her years of training kicked in, as she analyzed the room. Her son-in-law was frozen in surprise, a large man was laying on the ground in front of her brother, and her brother was being threatened by two beautiful women, who had knives placed against his throat.
When Sergeant Susan(Ballbuster) Anders saw the man she loved being threatened by two women, her protective instincts kicked in. She saw the young redhead bend down to stare into her husband's eyes, and she knew the younger woman's attention wouldn't be at the door. Silently rushing in on the balls of her feet, she raced up to the second woman standing behind her husband and slammed the edge of her hand against the mastoid at the side of the brunette's neck. As the woman fell down unconscious, Susan grabbed the knife she was holding, and spun around her husband. She placed the knife against the younger redhead's neck, and said, "Be a dear and remove your knife from my husband's throat."
Carina was stunned by the speed of the assault, and slowly moved her knife away from the man's throat. 'Who the hell are these guys?'
(03-28-10) 7:45 am EagleVision Technologies:
Hale was ready to make his trip to Europe, and wanted to talk to his protege before he left. He didn't have to wait long, before he saw the door to the briefing room open. Hale allowed a rare smile to grace his face, as he saw Chuck walk in. The younger Agent had arrived exactly at the designated time. 'Very professional, Agent Fisher,' Hale thought with pride.
The young Agent's performance was exemplary on the last mission. When he briefed Shaw on Chuck's actions, the man was so stunned, he demanded to hear the report again. They both agreed to have his infiltration of the base, as required reading for the new Ring recruits.
When Hale reported about Chuck's newest creation, Shaw immediately asked him his opinion on its effectiveness in the field.
"How useful was this weapon in your encounter, Agent Hale?", Shaw asked him.
"It's real life application was fantastic, Mr. Shaw.," Hale responded with conviction. "I was able to engage five men, and took down three with minor cuts to their arm or leg. Once the ketasin entered their bloodstream, they were quickly rendered unconscious. We should provide them to all of our Agents. The same should go for his watch jammer. It was once again very useful in our escape with the Intersect files."
Shaw had been thrilled to hear his recommendations. They both agreed, Chuck should send his plans to Sevell and his cronies, so they could replicate the gadgets for other Ring Agents.
Once Chuck sat down in the chair across from his, Hale snapped back from his thoughts.
"Good morning, Agent Fisher," Hale said in greeting. "Thank you for agreeing to meet me so early."
"It's not a problem, Agent Hale," Chuck replied. "I had to come in to speak to Daniel anyways. What can I do for you sir?"
"Your brother and I have discussed your recent missions with the Director, and we are all pleased with your progress, Agent Fisher," Vincent informed the young Agent. " I have also spoken to Shaw about your newest creation, and we would like you to contact Dr. Sevell with the plans for the jammer and the knife. "
Hale almost smiled at the childlike enthusiasm Chuck displayed when he heard he would need to contact Sevell. He knew Chuck and Sevell had become friends during his training at the Ring facility. 'Even after all that Agent training, he's still a nerd at heart,' Hale smirked to himself.
"You have come a long way from the young man I met a year ago, Agent Fisher. Your actions on the last mission were instrumental in saving my life. I owe you a debt, Charles, and I always pay my debts."
"Thank you, sir," Chuck replied. He was a little embarrassed by his mentor's gratitude. He only did, what he believed was the right thing to do. Chuck didn't think his mentor owed him anything. Without the skills Hale taught him, he would never be the man he is today.
Hale saw the red creep up Chuck's neck, and he knew the young man was embarrassed by his statement. He was surprised he felt happy to see such an emotion from his protege. Normally men as skilled as Chuck, were full of arrogance and false pride and Hale was happy the young man had kept his humility.
Not wanting to make the young Agent uncomfortable, he continued, "Due to the recent success of our mission, the Ring has given us a two week vacation."
When he saw Chuck's rebellious look, he knew the young man intended to continue working. Since his training was complete, Hale knew Chuck rarely took days off. His time was always spent building new devices, planning for missions, or looking for the Intersect team. Hale was sure, even now, the young man was working on some clever program to track the team down.
"The vacation is not a suggestion, Mr. Fisher," Hale said gently. "I am ordering you to take some time off. Dr. Mueller believes the Intersect will be ready in a few weeks, and you should take the time to relax, while you still have it."
"Are you taking a vacation?," Chuck asked suspiciously.
"Of course," Hale replied flippantly. "I'm leaving for my vacation now. I'll go spend some time in Europe, and maybe see a few museums. The Ring is paying Charles, take advantage of it. We live a dangerous life. Enjoy what time you do have."
When Hale saw Chuck nod his head in resignation, he allowed himself a brief smile. 'You deserve it, Charles.'
Content his protege, would finally get some well deserved rest, Hale rose to leave. He saw Chuck reflexively rise with him, and extend his hand out. "Thank you for everything, Agent Hale. I hope you have a safe flight, and enjoy your trip."
Hale could only smile in appreciation. He really liked Charles Fisher. "Please, Charles. My friends call me Vincent. You saved my life. I think I can safely say, I count you as one of my friends."
Chuck's mouth was still hanging in amazement, when Hale patted him on the shoulder, and left the room. 'Holy crap. Agent freaking Hale, thinks we're friends? Sweet.'
Kate saw Hale walk out of the briefing room, and she knew Chuck would be alone now. She just learned the Ring was awarding them a two week vacation anywhere in the world, and she thought this was the perfect time to get Chuck back to Beckman.
She groaned silently, as she realized she still needed to convince him to go with her. After the tragedy that occurred with their first kiss, she knew she had her work cut out for her. Squaring her shoulders, Agent Kathleen Cooper, walked into the Ring briefing room. Spotting her man right away, Kate walked right up to him.
"Can I talk to you, Chuck?," she asked cautiously. 'Please don't let him be pissed.'
She was relieved when he smiled at her, and said, "Of course, Kate. What can I help you with?"
Kate was bewildered by his response. She knew how badly he wanted to kiss her that night, and she could see the hurt plainly in his eyes, when she only gave him a peck on the cheek. Yet here he was, happily ready to help her. By the look in his eyes, she knew he was being sincere about his offer.'Is Bartowski this nice too?'
"I like you a lot, Chuck. I know it didn't seem like it from the way our date ended, but I really do like you."
Chuck was confused by what she was saying. He thought the night was perfect, but when they got back to her apartment, she pretty much dismissed him. Now she was saying she was interested again? 'Damn. She must think it will cause a problem for her on the team. She thinks Daniel will be pissed.'
"Ahhh, Kate," Chuck said shyly. "It's okay. You don't have to say that. We can just be friends. You won't have to worry about it affecting you on the job, or in the field. I promise. Our date doesn't involve the Ring or Daniel."
He was so sincere in his affirmation, that Kate was nearly left speechless. If most Agents had the power to ruin her career, she knew they would jump at the chance to get her to do some unsavory things for their pleasure. But not Charles Fisher. 'Damn this guy. I think I'm falling in love with him. His Bartowski version better be as sweet.'
"Chuuuuk, I mean it. I pulled back the other night, because I was hurt in my last relationship. I saw how fast I was falling for you, and I got scared. I really want to give this a try, but I need to take it a little slow. Could you just work with me a little bit?"
Chuck didn't know what to think. He was dying for this to be true, but his brain couldn't believe it. Smoking hot Kate Cooper was not only interested in him, but she was falling for him?
"Really?," he asked in amazement.
When Kate heard his question, she couldn't fathom where is lack of confidence with women came from. It actually ticked her off that a guy so amazing would doubt himself, because Chuck was better than any man she had ever met in her life.'Some bitch really must have screwed him over.'
"Yes, really," Kate barked. "Chuck, your freaking amazing, and I'm not just talking about your great body. You're smarter than anyone I know and Agents with twice the experience you have, could never hope to think like you. It amazes me, that in a world of spies, you have yet to kill anyone. I love how you're always looking to finish the mission without anyone getting hurt. Agents who can fight and shoot like you, rarely think about other people's lives. You, Charles Fisher, are the best man I know."
The longer her complimentary rant continued, the greater the blush that rose against Chuck's face. He couldn't believe she thought that about him. What he heard next, almost made him want to pinch himself.
"I know I said I want us to take it slow, but the Ring is giving us a two week vacation, and I was hoping you would go somewhere with me. We can get to know each other without constantly having to worry about a mission."
Chuck looked into Kate's eyes, and truly believed everything she said. He had to force himself to answer her. "Sure, Kate. We can go somewhere together. I really want to get to know you too."
Kate grinned like a lovesick school girl, when she heard him agree. "Great," she exclaimed. "I'll pick out a few spots and call you with the options."
When she saw him nod enthusiastically, she knew she had to do one more thing before she left. She walked up to the sexy Agent/Nerd, grabbed him by his blue tie, and pulled his face close to hers. "I really need to show you what I wanted to do that night," she whispered into his ear.
Once she saw the slight nod from Chuck, she kissed him. His lips were gentle against hers, but she wasn't about to settle for gentle. Kate needed to let this man know how badly she wanted this to happen. She deepened the kiss, and poured all the passion and lust she was feeling into it. When her tongue forced his lips open, she could feel him go wild with desire.
Kate couldn't believe this was happening. The kiss was the most amazing thing she had ever experienced and no man had ever touched her so deeply. She began to moan against him, as his hands expertly roamed all over her body. When they finally cupped her ass, and pulled her closer to him, she felt complete. Never in her life did she experience a moment so erotic. If this was Fisher with his clothes on, what the hell would he do with his clothes off?
Eventually they broke for air, and she couldn't help but smile at his dazed look. 'Glad you liked it too, Chuck,' she smirked silently.
Kate tried to pull back, but stopped when she felt his hands still squeezing her ass. She didn't mind. She knew how often he looked at her ass, and she knew it was amazing. The way she felt herself becoming lost in his eyes, she knew her ass was his.
"Chuuuk," she moaned breathlessly. "I have to go, baby. I promise, you can grab a handful once we get to our vacation."
Chuck reluctantly released his grip on her body, and smiled shyly. He didn't realize where his hands were, until he heard her comment. Trying not to blush, he just nodded his head in agreement.
"Sorry, Kate," he said. "Sure. Take your time, and let me know where you want to go. I still have to report to Daniel, and I'll call you once I'm done."
Kate didn't want him to think she wasn't happy with where his hands were, and said, "Don't be sorry, Chuck. I like when you grab my ass." She gave him a quick kiss on the lips, and then turned to leave the base, her hips swaying suggestively.
As he watched her walk away from him, he couldn't believe how badly his body was burning with desire. The only time he ever felt like this, was with Sarah. The moment he thought of the blonde temptress, the lust was swept from his eyes. The similarities between the women, flashed before him. He could hear his mentor's words, echo through his mind, 'Trust, Mr. Fisher, is necessary in this world. But blind trust will get you killed.'
Chuck was a spy now. He had a mission. He wouldn't let anything come between him and his mission. He would trust her...for now.
(03-28-10) 9:03 am Unknown Ring Facility:
Daniel waited patiently at his desk, for Chuck to establish a secure connection. Dr. Mueller informed him, that today could potentially be Chuck's last upload.
According to the apparatus Mueller was using to monitor the uploads in Chuck's head, some of the memories were now permanently ingrained in his brain. The doctor insisted, after this upload, all the new memories would become permanent.
With the help of the Intersect files they stole from the government, Daniel would be able to send the upload, when he spoke to Chuck. 'Soon that idiot will get me everything I want.'
Daniel couldn't keep the grin off his face, when he saw the camera light on the monitor, flash in response to a secure link.
As soon as Chuck's face popped onto his screen, he said, "Hey little brother."
When Daniel saw the idiot smile happily in response, he continued, "I'm really proud of you Chuck. Your past few missions have been amazing. Once we help the Ring win this war, we can finally get our revenge, little brother."
Daniel almost laughed, when he saw the idiot's face light up at the thought of revenge. 'I love those Intersect glasses.'
"We'll help the Ring win the war, Daniel," Chuck confirmed. "But I won't wait for them to win, to get our revenge. I'm working on a program to help find team Intersect, and I will find them Daniel."
Daniel was thrilled and let it show with the smile he gave to Chuck. "Fantastic, little brother. Let me know the minute you find them." 'I have no doubt you will find them, "little brother". Once you do, I can erase Larkin's memories and have two Intersects for the Ring.'
Without even realizing it, Daniel began to see the power in his future. With the scarcity of candidates available for the Intersect download, Larkin could become a useful tool. Now that he was certain the memory uploads worked, he would no longer obey the Ring's directive to kill Larkin. Instead,he would use the glasses on Larkin and make the man loyal to him. If he gave the Ring two Intersects, he could have everything he ever wanted.
Daniel forced himself to abandon his future speculations, and returned his attention to the man who would fulfill his ambitions. "I have spoken to Dr. Mueller, and he would like to try a test with the Intersect today." he said.
When he saw the confused look on Chuck's face, Daniel added, "Don't worry little brother. We can do it right now. Thanks to the Intersect files you sent us, Mueller has learned how to send the images through the secure link. It's just a test before you download the Intersect in a few weeks. He wants to give you an upload with blank files, just to see if the process works. U ready?"
Daniel smiled when he saw Chuck nod his head in agreement. 'After this upload, he will always be my little brother.'
He pulled out the dark rimmed glasses Mueller gave him to protect against the upload, and put them on. "In a moment the screen will start flashing, Chuck. Just make sure to stare directly at it."
When Daniel heard Chuck's okay, he activated the upload.
The lights flashed across the screen, for a little under two minutes. Once the upload finished, Daniel took off the glasses, and saw Chuck holding his head in his hand. Trying to sound concerned, he asked, "You okay little brother?"
Daniel was ecstatic when Chuck dropped his hands and nodded his head slowly. "I'm fine Daniel," he replied. "Just a little bit of a headache. Did it work?"
When he checked the computer monitor in front of him and saw the memory upload was at a 100%, Daniel nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes, Chuck. The upload test went perfectly." 'Chuck Bartowski is dead!'
Daniel looked at the clock, and noticed the time. In anticipation of today's successful upload, he agreed to interview a new candidate for the Ring. He planned to test her loyalties to the cause, for the rest of the day. He smiled as he thought of the things he would make the Agent do for him. 'I think I'll start her off on her knees.'
Once he decided he needed to start his celebration with the new Agent, Daniel looked at Chuck and said, "I have a meeting in a few moments, but I will contact you tomorrow for some of the gadgets you have worked on. Agent Hale and I believe Dr. Sevell can use the plans to help our other Agents in the field."
He was about to disconnect, when he heard Chuck's response.
"Ahhh, Daniel. Could we go over the plans in two weeks?"
Daniel leaned back in his chair, surprised at the news. He was monitoring Chuck since his training began, and he knew the nerd rarely took a day off. "You're taking a vacation, Chuck?," he asked curiously.
He could see the idiot become uncomfortable, and smiled when he saw the red of embarrassment spread across his neck and face. 'Has to be a woman,' he thought.
"Ahhh. Yeah. Kinda Daniel. Um, Agent Cooper asked me if I would like to go somewhere with her, and I agreed. Is it okay if I give you a call once I'm back?"
Daniel was shocked. 'The nerd managed to bag a hot piece of ass like Cooper?'
From the pictures he had seen of her, Daniel knew the hazel eyed woman was stunning. He only wished he was the Agent that recruited her. The things he would have done to make her prove her loyalty, made his mouth salivate at the thought.
When he thought of Chuck's request, he was more than willing to wait for the gadgets. Now that the memories were permanent, he was glad to give Chuck this moment and he knew it could only help in the future. Besides, the rest would do him good before he downloaded the Ring Intersect.
"Sure, Chuck," Daniel replied. "Enjoy your vacation. Call me when you get back."
(03-28-10) 11:17 pm Kate's Apartment-Chicago:
Kate smiled as she walked into her apartment, because her date with Chuck had been amazing. The kiss that took her breath away in the morning, couldn't hold a candle to the leg curling lip lock she just received a minute ago. 'Damn that man can kiss.'
They met up for dinner at Luigi's, a new Italian place that opened downtown. Surprisingly, Ayers recommended it, and they were glad they listened. The food had been amazing, and the Alfredo sauce was the best she ever tasted.
Once their dinner was over, they ordered a bottle of wine, and discussed their vacation options. They eventually decided on the Virgin Islands. Kate found a beach house on a private sector of St. Croix, and they could be as secluded as they wanted for the duration of their stay.
Kate was nervous when she mentioned the beach house. She didn't know how long it would take for Beckman to mobilize her team, and she wasn't ready to sleep with Chuck. Not when he was under some mind control crap. Once he was better, she was going to find out if the memories changed the person. If she was going to lose him, she couldn't risk falling in love. But she hoped Bartowski, was as good a man as Fisher.
As she sat in front of him, Kate was worried he would get upset with the constant mixed signals she was sending out. She asked him on a vacation, and wasn't going to put out? Yeah, he'll love that idea.
She was amazed when he happily agreed to the separate bedrooms. "Kate, I like being with you. I have no problems taking it slow."
With that simple phrase, Charles Fisher, once again proved why he was the best man she knew. It pained her to think this man would cease to exist once the memories dissipated. The world needed caring men like Fisher. 'Please be the same Bartowski.'
Shaking her thoughts of love out of her head, Kate remembered her duty. She pulled out her secure NSA phone and activated the jammer before dialing Beckman.
"Beckman secure."
"Cooper secure."
"I have an exit strategy ready, ma'am. The Ring has granted us a two week vacation, and I will be taking Chuck to the Virgin Islands tomorrow. I have rented out a private beach house in St. Croix. How long will it take to mobilize your team?"
"Team Intersect will be ready for extraction tomorrow night, Agent Cooper."
Kate was stunned. Team Intersect was coming to get Chuck? Why?
"Team Intersect will be there ma'am? Isn't it risky to expose them for a simple extraction?"
"They were his team, Major. Agent Walker and Casey were his handlers for two years, and Agent Larkin was his best friend in college. They won't be denied being involved in his rescue."
"I understand, ma'am. I will prepare Agent Fisher for extraction tomorrow night."
Chuck sat down in his car, and plugged his phone into the car speakers. He was ashamed of his actions. During dinner, when Kate went to the restroom, he planted a bug he created into her phone. After what happened with Sarah, he could never trust blindly again. He was confused by Kate's mixed signals, and suspected something when she wanted to go on a trip with him.
The bug he implanted, would allow him to access the mic and speakers on Kate's phone. Once he triggered the program on his computer, he could hear any sound in the vicinity of the device. Chuck was only planning on testing the program, and was surprised when he heard Kate talking to someone on a phone. He couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, but he could clearly hear Kate mention team Intersect and his extraction.
The moment he learned he was going to be betrayed by yet another woman he cared about, he could barely contain his anger. She was setting him up to be arrested by the government, and team Intersect would be the ones to come get him. When his mind was finally able to comprehend his thoughts, he realized who was coming to get him. All thoughts of anger at Kate's betrayal were erased from his mind at that point. He would finally get Sarah and Bryce. He could finally make them pay for what they did to his sister.
Chuck was about to call Daniel with the news, when he had an idea. He flipped out the card Hale had given him, and called the number.
"Nest secure."
"Fisher secure. Authorization code Alpha-7-1-0-5-9"
"Affirmative Agent Fisher. Voice verification and authorization code have been matched. What can we help you with sir?"
"Nest, I need ten Agents for an extraction in the Virgin Islands, for tomorrow night."
(03-28-10) 12:15 pm Orion Farmhouse:
Similar to their old house, Ellie was stunned to learn the farmhouse had a sub-basement. She was shocked when her father told her it had a full infirmary, and a fully stocked armory. As Ellie walked towards the armory, she shook her head in amazement. Who would have thought, her non-violent genius father, would have an armory that could impress a career soldier like Gabe?
The further down the quiet corridor she got, the more her thoughts became centered around her brother. When they found out where Chuck was, she had begged to go with them. She argued they might need medical help, and she was trained as an ER doctor. Her mother was the first of many to deny her. "Absolutely not Eleanor. You have no training to be out in the field. Treating patients in the comfort of a hospital, is completely different from treating patients while under fire, and with limited resources."
When she continued to argue her case, Ellie met Agent Frost for the first time, and it shocked her. "Dr. Woodcomb," her mother said with a cold voice. "You have no experience in battlefield medicine. Your ability to treat an injured person, would be severely limited under those circumstances. Without the proper training to protect yourself, you would be a liability in the field."
Ellie was furious at the rejection, but reluctantly agreed when she realized the extraction team didn't need someone else to look after. Now that team Intersect was ready to go after Chuck, she learned they would have to be prepared for the Ring to begin searching for all of them. It's why she was down in the sub-basement. Susan wanted her to carry a tranq gun at all times, and told her to procure one from the armory.
When Ellie saw the armory door open, she was surprised to learn it wasn't empty. She thought everyone that would need weapons, was already packed and loading the van to the airport.
Sarah looked up, when she heard someone come through the armory door, and quickly dried her eyes. Since learning they would finally be able to bring her nerd home, she didn't have a single moment to herself. It's the reason why she waited until everyone was packed, before she came to choose her gear. She just needed a few minutes to deal with her emotions.
When she saw Ellie walk into the armory, Sarah felt her heart skip a beat. The woman she considered a sister, had been distant since her arrival at the farmhouse, and it pained her to know why. When Sarah found out from Casey, that Ellie and Devon had seen all the Intersect files, she knew Ellie had seen her kill orders. It broke her heart that her sister thought she could hurt her or Chuck. She tried talking to Ellie about it, but she was never able to. Someone would always be around.
Sarah looked into her best friend's eyes, and saw the surprise flash to indifference. It saddened her that Ellie was cutting her out of her life. When she realized this was the first moment they had been alone together, she tried talking to her best friend.
"Hi, Ellie," she said.
"Hello, Agent Walker," Ellie replied formally.
Sarah cringed when she heard her friend call her by her title, and she didn't know how she should respond. Sarah knew she sucked at words. Ever since she was a kid running cons with her dad, she learned to bottle those emotions up, and she was never sure how to share her feelings with anyone
As she continued to stare into her best friend's eyes, she wished she knew the words to say to make her friend realize how she really felt about her. Two years ago she would have just asked Ellie for advice. What was she supposed to do now? Who could she ask for help?
"Ellie," Sarah said softly. "Is there anything I can say for you to forgive me? Those orders you saw, were from when I was first sent here by the CIA. For the past three years, John and I have become a part of your lives. You gave both us a family we never knew we could be a part of. We would never hurt you or Chuck. Especially me. I love him, Ellie. I love him more than I ever thought I could love someone. This past year without him, I felt like I wasn't alive. I could never do anything to hurt someone I love. And I love him and I love you. You were the sister I wished I had growing up. You were the first friend I ever had in my life, and I can't lose you, Ellie. Tell me what I can say to make it better. Please, Ellie. Tell me."
Eleanor Faye-Bartowski Woodcomb, was touched by Sarah's emphatic plea. From the bottom of her soul, she knew that she was right. No one was that good an actor. What existed between Sarah and her brother was real. She wanted to wrap her friend in her arms, and tell her everything was okay, but she didn't. Now that she knew about spies, she knew how well they lied. She had seen Sarah's file, and she knew Sarah was the best of the best. Ellie couldn't see why Sarah would lie about her feelings now, but she couldn't take the risk with her little brother's heart. Not yet at least. First she had to be sure about Sarah's feelings.
"I don't know, Sarah," Ellie replied. "I wish I had the words to tell you. You're a spy, sweetie. A master at the art of lying. How could I know if the feelings you have for my brother are real? You're trained to deceive people, sweetie. To make them believe you are who they want you to be. How could I ever believe you, Sarah? More importantly, how could Chuck?"
When she heard her best friends words, they felt like daggers that were stabbing through her heart. Sarah wished she could wrap herself in Chuck's arms, and ask her nerd to solve her problems. He was the smartest man she knew, and If anyone could figure out how to fix things with Ellie, she knew it was her Chuck.
The more she thought of her Chuck, the more hope she felt flow through her body. They were going to rescue him now. Once he was stripped of those god awful memories, he would be hers again. The love of her life would make everything better, and she believed that with every fiber in her being.
That hope gave Agent Walker's voice, a strength she never felt before. "You're right, Ellie," she replied confidently to her best friend. "There are no words that can fix this, but that's okay, because I suck at words. I'm an actions type of girl. So you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to rescue the man I love, and when I get him healthy again, I'm going to prove to him how much I love him, over and over again. When he finally understands how much I love him, I'm going to find my best friend, and I'm going to show her she's more than a friend to me. She's the sister I always wanted. I'm not sure how I'm going to accomplish that, but I will. It's my new mission now, and one thing you should know about Agent Walker, Ellie...she always completes her mission."
Full of confidence and hope, Sarah grabbed her duffel bag full of gear, and left the armory before Ellie could speak.
Ellie was speechless at Sarah's proclamation. Her heart burst with joy, to hear the determination in her friend's voice. In that very moment, she knew she had forgiven her best friend. When she saw Sarah leave the armory, a small smile erupted from Ellie's lips.
"Go get him, Sarah," she whispered. "I'm rooting for you sis."
(03-29-10) 1:17 am Private Beach House-St. Croix:
Chuck waited with his team, a safe distance from the beach house. The wind sweeping in from the ocean, was beginning to seep through his clothes. They had been waiting for hours for team Intersect to arrive, and still had nothing to show for it. Chuck knew they were arriving tonight, but he didn't have the heart to torture Kate for exact information. He would only let himself be a monster for Sarah and Bryce.
The seven hour flight to the Islands was tough for him. Having to fake intimacy with someone that betrayed him, was harder than he ever expected. So many times he forced himself to laugh and joke with her during their journey. It disgusted him to be so fake. By the time they reached St. Croix, it was already evening, and he couldn't wait to stop pretending to have feelings for the woman who betrayed him.
Once Kate obtained the key for the beach house, Chuck was quick to tranq her. He didn't like deceiving people, and faking to like someone was not something he was interested in doing. He figured it would be easier if she was out of the picture, and he already knew the Intersect team was coming tonight. Once Kate was unconscious, Chuck carried her upstairs and cuffed her to the bed in the master bedroom.
The next two hours were spent waiting for his team to report in. After their arrival, he had the men examine the terrain and plot out good ambush points. He didn't expect the Intersect team to bring backup, but it was better to be prepared. They were deadly enough with just Bryce and the Intersect.
Chuck read all the reports on the 2.0, and he knew how lethal Bryce could be if he was allowed to flash. He figured even his own hand to hand skills wouldn't hold up to the Intersect in Bryce's head. Chuck had no intention of letting Bryce get away tonight. No, he would tranq him immediately. Once the Intersect was neutralized, Casey and Sarah would be easy to pick up. He did have ten men after all. The odds were definitely in his favor.
Suddenly one of his men alerted him to a noise. When he looked through his binoculars, he saw team Intersect approach the beach house. He frowned when he saw the extra personnel. The team had an additional two members, a James bond clone and a beautiful brunette. He wasn't worried. The odds were still in his favor.
When he saw Bryce and Sarah enter the house, he couldn't help but smile. He finally found the people that murdered his beautiful sister, and he was ready to get his revenge. 'Please forgive me for this Eve. I don't want to be a monster, but those bastards have to suffer. Just like you suffered.'
Once he was sure all his men were carrying tranqs, Chuck signalled them to move into formation.
Sarah walked into the house with Bryce, and motioned for him to secure the downstairs, while she would go upstairs. She was scared by what she might find. Her Chuck could be in bed with another woman, and it made her sick to her stomach. The thought of another woman's hands wrapped around her man disgusted her.
When she got to the top, Sarah checked the bedrooms to her left first. Both rooms were empty, the beds still in pristine condition. Sarah turned to enter the only bedroom on the right, and forced herself to take calm relaxing breaths. 'He doesn't know who he is. Whatever skank he's sleeping with, it's not his fault.'
As she grasped the door handle and opened the door, her hands shook with fear. The room she stepped into was massive. She was surprised a room this large only held a large canopied bed in the right corner of the room, a flat screen tv on the wall, and a small dresser opposite the bed.
Careful not to make any noise, she eased passed the doorway, and made her way to the large canopied bed. She could see the outline of a woman cuffed to the bed, and she freaked out thinking Chuck was under the sheets playing a kinky sex game with her.
Her paranoia was replaced with fear when she came closer to the restrained woman, and saw the gag between her mouth. Sarah rushed to the woman's side, and quickly pulled out her lockpick set to uncuff the woman from the bed. She was furiously working on getting the lock open, when she heard it. His voice. Chuck's voice. "Hi, Sarah. Miss me?"
Chuck opened the door to the house and quietly entered. He kept his body close to the wall, while he slipped on his night vision goggles. As he walked down the corridor to the living room, Chuck stopped when he saw Bryce walking past the couch. Stunned at his good fortune, he waited until Bryce cleared the couch, before entering the living room as well. Chuck walked on the balls of his feet, as Hale taught him, and slowly crept up to his unsuspecting former best friend. When he was sure of his mark, Chuck pulled out the tranq gun and shot Bryce twice in the back. He smiled when he saw Bryce's body spasm and fall to the ground.
As he walked up to the man who helped kill his sister, he took of his night vision goggles and said, "Hey buddy. Good to see you again. We'll have a nice talk when you wake up."
As his eyes closed, Bryce felt fear at seeing his best friend stand above him. The smile on Chuck's face, could do nothing to hide the hate in his eyes. Once his eyes began to close from the ketasin, Bryce knew if they were taken by this Chuck, he wouldn't want to wake to see his best friend.
Once he was sure Bryce was zip tied and secure, Chuck made his way up the winding staircase. His gun was out, as he walked sideways up the stairs, his eyes constantly searching for signs of Sarah. When he reached the top, he immediately noticed the open door of the master bedroom on the right. 'Sarah found Kate. This should be interesting.'
As he walked through the open door, he saw the woman of his nightmares hovering over the woman that just betrayed him. Pointing his gun at her back, Chuck said, "Hi, Sarah. Miss me?"
When Kate saw the blonde woman walk into the room, she tried to scream it was a trap, but the gag in her mouth prevented her from accomplishing her goal. She watched with trepidation as the woman rushed to her side. Fearing what was going to come next, Kate's eyes frantically searched the shadows behind her rescuer.
Kate's line of sight became obstructed, when the blonde woman leaned over her to pick the locks on her handcuffs. She was staring into the Agent's beautiful blue eyes when she heard Chuck's voice behind them say, "Hi Sarah. Miss me?"
The emotions that appeared in the blonde Agent's eyes amazed her. Kate could see the happiness, pleasure, lust, pain...and love, flash across her blue eyes. They were gone so quickly, if she wasn't already looking, she would never have seen them. She was still looking at the woman when the longing on her face, became replaced by the cold mask of an Agent. 'How well does this bitch know Bartowski?'
Kate saw Chuck slowly walk towards them. When his face came into the moonlight coming through the window drapes, the smile on his face petrified her. The look he directed at the blonde Agent could only be described as feral and sadistic.
Even though she was out of the handcuffs, Kate continued to keep her hands pointed towards the head board. She knew if Chuck believed she was tied up, she could use the element of surprise to remove the gun he was holding. When she saw her target walk into striking distance, she discreetly nudged the blonde Agent with her foot, hoping the woman understood her intent. Kate was surprised when the woman raised her hands, and slowly angled herself away from the bed.
Once the blonde Agent was far enough away, Kate made her move. Years working her body hard in gymnastics and martial arts, allowed her to launch her body effortlessly off the bed. Her foot struck the gun out of Chuck's hand, as she landed lightly on her feet next to the woman who rescued her.
As soon as he felt the gun knocked out of his hand, Chuck moved into a defensive crouch. When he saw Kate and Sarah preparing to fight him, he felt the rage of their betrayal seep into his muscles. His hands and feet became a blur, as he attacked both women simultaneously. Chuck blocked a kick to his midsection from Kate, and launched a vicious elbow uppercut that exploded into her chin. When he saw the woman stagger back, he spun on his left foot and unleashed a spinning heel kick against the side of her face.
When he tried to continue his attack, he was forced to desist his assault on Kate, by a flurry of kicks from Sarah. Chuck seamlessly blocked her deadly assault, but his body became pinned against the bed behind him. Furious over his lack of mobility, Chuck knew he had to establish a new position. Suddenly he caught Sarah's kick against his face, and pinned her right leg to his shoulder with his left hand.
Sarah's body formed the perfect splits, when Chuck pinned her leg against his shoulder. As soon as she realized her stance was precarious, Sarah jumped off her planted leg and kicked Chuck in the side of the head. She fell to the ground and lay on her back, amazed that Chuck was able to absorb the blow. She tried to get up, but she was stunned by the kick he launched against her stomach. Sarah convulsed in pain and never saw the hook punch that erupted against her face.
Chuck saw Sarah writhing in pain on her knees, and he smiled when he saw the blood pouring out of her mouth. He felt his bodies desire to continue the beating he wished to inflict on her, but he restrained himself. He knew it would be unfair to Daniel. They were both wronged by this woman, and they both deserved to get their revenge. He couldn't hurt Agent Walker too much. Not yet at least.
When he saw his tranq gun laying next to Kate's unconscious form, he went to pick it up. Once he grabbed the gun, he aimed it at her body and fired a shot into Kate's back. Satisfied his latest betrayer was dealt with, Chuck turned to face Sarah. As soon as he saw her valiantly struggle to her feet, he grinned at her attempt to continue the fight.
Chuck pointed the tranq gun at her carotid artery and he was about to shoot, when he suddenly heard the bedroom door open behind him. He turned around, expecting to see one of his men, but he was shocked when he saw a brunette woman standing at the door.
When she gracefully walked in, he saw she was flanked by three other people. Two were redheads, one young, the other older, but both women were stunning. The man that came in at the end was as muscular as Ayers, but he was smaller in height.
Chuck was about to ask what happened to his men, when he saw the beautiful older brunette walk towards him and say, "Hi, Chuck."
As soon as he heard the woman say his name, Chuck was confused how the stranger would even know it. "Who are you?," he asked curiously.
The speed of the brunette woman was so fast, he never saw her pull the gun on her hip. When the dart dug into his neck, Chuck felt his body collapse to the floor. Moments before losing consciousness, he heard the woman's reply, "I'm your mom, sweetie."
(04-01-10) 7:15 am Orion Farmhouse:
Sarah saw the doors to the elevator open, and she walked out into the sub-basement under the farmhouse. She still couldn't believe, a man on the run from the United States government, was able to put something like this together. 'Where did he get the money for all of this?'
She walked by the infirmary and made her way to the control room. The room had access to the cameras in Chuck's cell, and she wanted to see how he was doing.
After they rescued Chuck, Sarah urged Mary to take him to the Castle in Burbank. She loved her man, but knew how dangerous he was. They needed to detain him in a secure cell, until his uploaded memories dissipated. When Mary insisted on taking him to the farmhouse, Sarah was stunned to learn the sub-basement boasted two detention rooms, complete with bed, toilet, and surveillance.
As she neared the control room, Sarah saw the door was ajar. Hoping to see Ellie, she pushed the door open, and walked inside.
When she saw Kate sitting in front of one of the monitors, she rolled her eyes in annoyance. After the debrief with Beckman, Sarah learned all about Major Kathleen Cooper. 'Brunette skank.'
Sarah was walking to one of the free monitors, and glanced at Kate's screen. When she saw the woman was watching Chuck sleep, she felt something inside her snap.
"Look, Major," she hissed to Kate. "Chuck's taken. He's mine, so back the fuck off."
When Kate heard Sarah's demand, she refused to be cowed by the blonde goddess.
"Do you hear yourself, Agent Walker?", she yelled back. "He's not your property. He's a grown man. Besides, what right do you have to claim him? You never dated. Your entire relationship was a cover. So fuck you, Agent Walker. I think I'll wait to hear what Chuck has to say."
As Sarah stared daggers at her rival, she had to admit the woman was right. Her entire relationship with Chuck was a cover. She was never able to tell him how much she loved him. He never knew she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. By what right, could she claim him?
Mary stood outside the door of the control room, and smiled at the conversation between the two women. By the way both of them had fawned over her son, she knew one of them was bound to become the new Mrs. Bartowski. So far she liked both women. She wanted the chance to get to know both of them, and now she would get the perfect opportunity.
As she walked into the room, Mary saw both women glaring at each other, and she couldn't help but smile at their spirit. She was glad her son had attracted such strong and powerful women. Their family had a lot of ruthless enemies, and she knew only the right woman, would be worthy of being a Bartowski.
Mary slipped on her Agent mask, before either woman could see her, and said, "Ladies, pack your bags. You will be leaving the farmhouse in the morning."
When the women gave her identical looks of astonishment, she almost laughed at their expression.
"Why?," she heard them ask in unison.
"Because, we were too late," Mary replied to the two women. "Stephen ran a scan on Chuck, and he found the traces of a new upload. He believes the memories that were uploaded are now permanent."
Mary was interrupted by both women screaming questions at her. Unable to understand their frantic stammering she raised her hand and yelled, "ENOUGH."
Satisfied both women were going to remain quiet, she continued, "Stephen created a neural inhibitor in preparation for something like this, and uploaded the program to Chuck earlier today. The inhibitor will prevent the uploaded memories from taking over his real memories."
Kate and Sarah looked at each other in confusion. Neither were certain what that meant for Chuck.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Bartowski," Sarah said. "I don't understand. Will Chuck have his old memories back?"
Mary took her time before answering. What Stephen had told her, still confused her. But she trusted her genius husband. He had never failed her before.
"I don't know for certain, Sarah," Mary replied. "Stephen believes the inhibitor will protect Chuck's memories. If we can trigger one of them, he believes the rest of his memories will follow. Unfortunately, even when they return, he will still remember all of the fake memories. His last upload, made them permanent."
Sarah was confused by what she was hearing, but she knew Chuck would make it. She would do whatever it takes to help him remember. She couldn't live without the love of her life anymore. 'Never again.'
"Then why do I have to leave?," Sarah asked forcefully. "I can help trigger his memories. I spent two years protecting Chuck."
Mary shook her head in response. She knew Sarah would say this, and after talking with Ellie, she knew what the right answer should be.
"I'm sorry, Sarah. Ellie believes you and Kate will be detrimental to him remembering his past memories. Between his fake memories, and what he saw Kate do, Ellie believes your betrayals will make him dwell on the memories he has now."
Both women were stunned to hear that. If they couldn't stay at the farmhouse, where were they supposed to go?
"Where do you want us to go, Mrs. Bartowski?," Kate asked politely.
Mary turned around and walked back to the open door. When she got there, she turned back and smiled at the confused expression on both women's faces.
"We're going to go get Chuck's younger brother...my baby boy."