Secret Base
As they drove, Chuck spun stories of a secret place hidden beneath the city.
Rolling their eyes at each other, Peter and Neal didn't believe him. His stories sounded a bit too much like something Mozzie would spin.
Realizing that they didn't believe him, Chuck thought that it would be great to watch their faces as he proved his stories true.
"So, neither of you believe me huh." He smirked at them. "I must admit, I wouldn't have believed it if Sarah had told me about the place before showing me. Still, it is going to be so much fun to watch your faces when I show you that I am not lying."
"Uh-uh, and we are supposed to believe that we go into the yogurt shop, enter the freezer, and with the right details, we can enter into a secret government base?" When the other two stopped to look at him, Neal paused in question. "What?"
Chuck smiled. "I never said that you entered through the freezer at the yogurt shop."
Puzzled, Neal didn't know how he would know that. "I was in your secret government base?"
Glancing over at him, Chuck gave him a look. "Remember… you're actually an agent. Of course you have been to the base before. It even has your pass codes programmed into it as we never took you out."
When Peter gave him a look of his own, Chuck defended himself. "What? He was supposed to be dead and he is an ally if he showed up alive again." Chuck shrugged because he wasn't worried about what Bryce might do.
Falling silent in the back seat, Neal seemed to be surprised. "Apparently, I seem to keep recognizing places and the instinct to protect you, but I don't actually remember a thing. Have you come up with any theories Chuck?"
Snorting, Chuck replied. "Let's just say that I have seen too much science fiction. Most of my ideas aren't possible beyond the realm of television, so they aren't worth sharing. However, there might be a few ideas that have some validity."
"What ideas?" Peter questioned.
With a shrug Chuck threw a few out for them to contemplate. "Perhaps someone made a variation of an Intersect that went haywire, maybe you were hypnotized, or it's even possible that people came up with some kind of mind control."
Skeptical, Peter didn't seem to think that any of them were realistic. "And you call those plausible ideas? It's more likely that he has something along the lines of a head injury or extreme trauma… as much as I prefer the idea of hypnosis, those seem to be more likely." Peter was sticking to things that seemed to be more realistic to him.
Meanwhile in the back seat, Neal had been contemplating Chuck's theories. "What is an Intersect?"
Sighing, Chuck knew that was going to come up eventually. "It's my father's third best creation. Basically, it intersects the human mind with a super computer."
In a flash of intuition, Neal finally understood a few things. "That is why it is so important."
"Why?" Peter questioned.
Chuck simply sat back to see how much Neal knew.
"Computers store information right? So, a super computer that can store information while uploading the data to intersect it with a human mind would make the person a carrier for… who knows what." Thinking that through a little further, he made the next leap. "That is also how you fought so well isn't it, Chuck? You have an Intersect which ran a fight program."
"You are on fire there Neal, right on all counts. What else is still in that brain of yours?" Chuck was curious. Why is he suddenly remembering so much? Yesterday he couldn't recognize me, but today he is spouting government secrets?
"Uh… I don't know. It seems like you bring stuff out, but I can't seem to control it." Thinking back over the previous years, he couldn't remember ever knowing any of this stuff. "I mean, I didn't even start thinking that there was anything more until yesterday when we arrived at the Buymore."
When Chuck looked puzzled, Peter decided to explain. "After we arrived at the Buymore, Neal made a few comments about it seeming familiar for no explainable reason. Then he said 'Why do I feel like this place is special… like there is some huge piece of my life tied into that building?' Apparently, he recognized your importance in his life before he knew there was anything missing."
Chuck felt slightly ashamed. For years he was so angry at Neal, hated him even, and here Neal felt that he was a huge part of his life before he even remembered him? Who was the better friend between them?
As Chuck fell quiet, the others followed suit.
Pulling into the mall parking lot, Peter looked around questioningly. Was the secret base seriously here? This was the last place that he would have expected to end up.
"The base is beneath a mall parking lot? Isn't that endangering civilians?" He questioned.
"Considering how many unsavory people use the crowds of malls for shopping and getting away from a pursuit, it actually brings an aspect of safety to have a response team close by." Neal answered from the back seat.
Peter was skeptical, so Chuck backed the comment with a few quick references to some of his own experiences. "Granted, there are several situations where our presence here has attracted those unsavory persons, but you would be surprised how many times our presence has also diverted disaster by being here. A few examples would be when a Buymore employee was targeted for his gaming skills by terrorist trying to get Chinese nuclear codes hidden inside the game in order to nuke California off of the map and start world war three, the Yakuza sent hit men after my friend as his ex was unknowingly dating one of their leaders and he had gotten himself into trouble with them, another would be when we found smugglers importing food for a mall restaurant… that one led to us finding the not-so-dead-after-all Neal the first time… and that is just naming a few things that have come through the mall. Besides, when actual danger presents a threat to the customers, we do things like pulling the fire alarm to clear them out while our back up comes in as firefighters so that we can handle the danger while keeping civilians out of harm's way."
"Still, why don't you put the base somewhere further away from civilians?" Peter was pushing the issue as the idea of a government base hiding beneath a place for families was unsettling to him. What if they couldn't get the civilians out of harm's way in time?
"Like stick it miles out of town and hide it under a rock? I have seen those bases, and although they are harder to find… they usually present more danger as bigger groups attack with more weapons and the defense mechanisms usually cause bigger explosions. Instead, our base is typically manned by three people with the occasional persons passing through or working around temporarily. That way we have less of a presence to attract attention, we aren't where you would expect us to be, and if things go wrong, we are in the back of the parking lot with a customer base small enough that we are able to keep them safe." It wasn't entirely reassuring, but it also hadn't been Chuck's choice to place the base there. The location was mostly just a byproduct of his working there when everything happened.
"I still don't feel comfortable with the location." Peter said.
"Some days, I don't either, but as it is here, I have had to come up with ways to deal with it." Chuck shrugged.
Climbing out of the car, the three men leisurely walked acrossed the lot to the yogurt shop. Walking in, Chuck smiled as he saw Sarah working behind the counter.
"Hey guys." She greeted them. "I just need a minute to finish this up and then we'll head down to give you the tour."
Taking advantage of the break, Chuck grabbed a couple of dishes and asked the others what they wanted.
Neal laughed at him while Peter just shook his head.
Shrugging off their disinterest, Chuck fixed himself a little bit to snack on.
Smiling at him fondly, Sarah invited the others to help themselves as well. "Go ahead if you want. We'll be having a tour and a meeting to begin with so you can eat it while we do that."
Deciding to give it a try, Peter opted to take a small bowl while Neal decided to try a little bit. Talking to Chuck, they discussed what flavor was best and which toppings were the most optimal to go with it.
Enjoying their banter, Sarah was content to listen while she completed her work before joining them for a bowl herself. Then with a smile, she made a bowl for Casey as well. He wouldn't particularly care about the treat, but she decided to be nice and include him anyway.
With the food in hand, they decided to test Neal to see if he could remember how to enter the base.
Hesitantly, Neal entered the freezer ahead of them and looked around him until he found the entry pad. Trying to remember, he had no idea what to key in. Sure, his eyes were the same for that portion, but he also needed to remember a pass code. Shrugging, he turned around and looked at the others. "I have no idea what pass code I would need to put in."
Patting him on the shoulder reassuringly, Chuck took the lead and entered his codes. "Don't worry about it Neal. We just wanted to see if you could remember now that we're here. Why don't you lead to see if anything down here seems familiar?"
Following along as Neal tried to find his way, while Chuck and Sarah took note of how well he did, Peter simply took in his surroundings. I'm going to listen more to Mozzie's crazy theories in the future… He was amazed at how much the government could fit in the base. As they meandered their way through the subterranean hallways, they went past training rooms, weapons armories, cells, interrogation rooms, and finally to the main central room. It was full of computers and had a few agents working at them. Continuing to the other side of the room, they settled in at the conference room table.
Sitting at the conference room table, Chuck was still trying to adjust to having Neal sitting beside him. After all, the man had been dead twice and was suddenly back in the picture again. Only this time, Neal had no memory of him… which actually helped make it easier to call him Neal instead of Bryce.
Focusing back on the general, Chuck listened to the updates on what she had discovered on her end.
"Your last report on him showed that he had been shot in the back, died, and his body was drug away by the Ring agents who had raided the facility. Then we have him showing up as Neal Caffrey with no idea as to his identity or what happened in between.
Since the Ring is our last lead, I have a team pursuing that angle.
There is a team of scientists waiting in the back room to work with Neal. They will be conducting the tests to see if they can find what was done to remove his memory.
Agent Burke, I would like you to work with Neal to gather as much information as you can about his character of Neal Caffrey. He was originally contracted to play the role in an effort to catch the rogue agents who are a threat to his family, but that was ended when he was transferred to another operation. Now, we need to know how much he has been acting based off of his real past, the character, and as a result of what happened in the interim between the parts that we know.
Chuck, I need you and the team to do all three parts. In addition, I also need you to protect them in case anyone should try to take advantage of Larkin not being himself, and, as his oldest friend, you need to help him remember who he is. Am I clear?" When no one had anything more to say, she signed off with her typical abruptness.
For a moment the team sat there looking at the black screen in silence.
"I'm sorry Chuck." Neal started to apologize for how much trouble he was causing when the others all interrupted.
"Don't! You. Dare. Say anything, Neal!" Chuck ground out. "We are going to do whatever it takes to help you find what happened so that you can be you… which means both Neal Caffrey and Bryce Larkin as you are actually both people!"
"You don't remember me… but Neal, we were partners and we dated. Helping you, is only a small part of what we owe you for everything that you have done for us." Sarah was adamant in her desire to help him and she wouldn't take no for an answer.
Putting his hand on Neal's shoulder from the other side, Peter threw in his part. "I hope that I have made my point clear enough over the last twenty four hours… if I haven't made it before. You are my friend Neal, and, even when I am mad at you, I am still happy to do whatever I can to help you find your past." Then he smiled. "The only things that I have problems with are the crimes."
Neal smiled slightly at Peter's jibe before jumping slightly as Casey growled, grunted, and walked away while rolling his eyes.
Responding to the questioning looks without have to see them, Chuck answered the unasked question. "He would probably be making some demeaning comments right about now, but as he is not allowed to be mean, he is choosing sounds instead of words… which he is more comfortable with anyway." Looking up at Neal and Peter he added. "You'd probably compare that to a mean version of Peter's 'cowboy up' phrase that he likes so much."
Settling in for several minutes, Peter and Chuck asked Neal questions to get a little more grasp on what he remembered of his story. Then when Neal had shared as much as possible, Chuck took him back to the scientists.
Shuddering slightly to himself, Peter was still unnerved by a lot of what was going on. Here he was sitting in a secret underground government base located beneath a mall, his partner had been through something that made him believe that he was a criminal alias when he was actually an agent, and they were working with an agent who seemed to know way too much about him without being told. Also, instead of going with his partner to help him through the tests that he was to endure, he was being left behind with a computer to research. There was a lot that he didn't like about the situation, but as the others hadn't asked for it either, he decided to keep his distaste to himself.
With a few last words of encouragement, Peter watched as Neal was led away.
Sighing, he turned back to the conference room table where Sarah helped him get settled in. They got his laptop plugged in, Sarah got him Neal's real files, and, combining that with the notes he had from Neal, Peter was all set with a cup of coffee to dig in.
For the first time, he was getting to immerse himself in the truth of his friend… too bad it had to come about this way.
Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing, leaving kudos, following, and choosing to favorite my stories and I :D
I apologize for my delay in posting, we got back from a weekend trip and my evening hasn't gone as I had originally planned.
Also, just to let you all know, next Sunday I will be posting as usual, but on Monday I get my oral surgery to remove my wisdom teeth. Since my primary job involves a lot of phone talk time, I have most of the week off to recover which will mean more time off. With that extra free time, I plan on posting one of the those additional posts and working on some serious writing :D
