Don't own Chuck
Sarah and Ellie heard Pablo's rant from the back of the van. He confessed to his part in the plot to over thrown the legitimate government of Costa Gravas. The plan that he and his boss El Cardillo had come up with that involved the assassination of his step-sister. Sarah was always amazed at people's greed and what they would do for money or power or both. Jack would have loved to take them for a ride and he would have had he been there. As she sat in the back of the van her blood boiled not from the midday heat but for the anger she felt for people like Pablo and his boss that hurt innocent men, women and children. The more she stewed the angrier she got until she had to do something that involved lethal intervention.
"Colson has Chuck come back yet," ask Sarah. She knew the answer before she asked but she asked just the same.
"No he went up to the helipad with Juan. I think he intends to fly the helicopter."
"Crap, I knew he would. Listen I don't have much time. You need to contact a General by the name of Beckman and relay word for word what I'm going to tell you." She told him of Pablo's confession and the plot that the dictator had going on plus she gave him her verification code so he would be taken seriously. "Do you have all that?"
"Yes but Chuck has already talked with her. Didn't he tell you? She mentioned she had talked with your people there and all this was already suspected. By the way she talked they weren't in a secure location or one they could hold for long. She also mentioned something to Chuck about plan B."
"Okay, get what I told you to her and confirm I heard every word. I also have Chuck's sister here as a witness, if that helps." He might have said something else but she wasn't listening she had other thoughts in her head. Was this what Beckman had wanted to talk to Chuck about when Beckman had sent her away? Then like a lightning bolt she thought of Chuck and the copter.
"Crap!" She said out loud. "Ellie, I think Chuck is going to try to sacrifice himself for us. Help me, please." They dragged the body of Pablo's man into the back of the van. He was heavy and bulky but they managed. "El, I have to ask you to do something and I know it's going to be difficult but we have to try something. Are you game?"
"Tell me what you want me to do Sis."
"I'm too big to climb up in the driver's seat so you'll have to. Go ahead and go." Ellie got up and wiggled herself sideways over the gear shift and into the seat.
"Sarah, this is a stick. I don't know how if I can drive it." Ellie was beginning to panic. She was looking at Pablo's men through the windshield and they were looking back at her. "Sarah they see me. We're finished. It's over. What about Clara?"
"No, just calm down, the glass is tinted we can see out but they can't see in. Now take my knife and break off the plastic cover on the steering column." Sarah realized she was asking a lot from Ellie but if she could walk her through step by step she might be able to do it.
"Sarah I don't know if I can?'
"Think of it like surgery. You're going to operate on the brain of the van." Sarah wanted to link something Ellie knew how to do quite well with the task at hand and it worked.
"I can do that. Yes, all I have to do is apply human anatomy to this and it will open right up." As Ellie said that the plastic cover popped right off revealing a mess of wires not unlike veins and arteries.
"Okay Dr. Woodcomb shall we get started on our patient?"
"Yes, Dr. Sarah."
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Chuck and Juan were in the medevac helicopter sitting on the helipad of the hospital. Chuck was intentionally rotating the blades to attract Pablo's attention distracting him from Colson's team coming in from the opposite side. With the noise he was creating and the echoes that were being heard no one could tell if there were any other aircraft or if there were, where the other aircraft might be coming from.
"Juan, are you set up back there?" asked Chuck into his mic.
"Yes, I'm aligning sights now."
"Juan you're only going to get one shot and if you miss there probably won't be enough time for another. That missile will be coming in at us at Mach 2.2 and with its tracking system, well just let me tell you before we start thanks."
"Mr. Chuck with all that your family has done for my country this is an honor for me that you'd ask me to come along. Besides I don't intend to miss. I've trained with the best marksman in the world."
"Who would that be?" After hearing Casey brag for years about his shooting skills if would be interesting to find out that there was someone else better.
"L'Angelo de la Muerte, well I didn't actually train with him. I studied him. I review all his magnificent shoots and kills. Mr. Chuck he is an artist in lead, the Michelangelo with a Remington. I was told he was charged once by twenty men from a hundred yards. He dropped all twenty with a bolt-action rifle and still had time to smoke a cigar." Chuck couldn't help but think of Fess Parker as Daniel Boone or here as Daniel Casey maybe even John Boone. He thought to himself wonder what Casey would look like in a coonskin cap. Mental note: Christmas present.
"When this is over I have to make a trip back to your country. Casey is there now with your beloved Premier. How would you like to meet him? Casey I mean. Can one of your men take your place? I'm sure Sarah could take charge of your security detachment while you're away and didn't the beloved Premier say we were the two you could trust Hortenica with?"
"Sounds good Mr. Chuck, I am ready when you are." Chuck got word from his radio that Colson's men were making their approach low under the parking garage
"Tango two, this is tango one on my mark come up behind the bandits. I'll draw fire."
"Roger tango two," was the reply.
"Juan," Chuck yelled, "Make your shot count." Then Chuck talking into the radio, "Mark tango two."
Chuck raised the helicopter from the pad with Juan in sniper position on the opposite side so that Pablo and his men couldn't see the side door was open and as the copter rose Chuck rotated it around. Almost as he completed the ninety degree pivot Juan fired. Even with sound protection inside the helicopter cabin the noise was deafening. Chuck took a deep breath and waited. If Juan had taken out his man there wouldn't be any return fire and they would be safe. For now all Chuck could do was hover and wait.
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Sarah was talking Ellie through the wiring sequence and which wires to connect to which when it became clear that they had run out of time.
"Sarah, the helicopter is taking off from the hospital. Is that Chuck flying it? When did that happen?"
"Ellie, what am I do?" It was a sign of desperation that Sarah should ask Ellie what to do. But as Sarah watched the scene unfold in front of them, she heard the sound of a helicopter rising from behind.
"Ellie continue with the wires. Touch the red and white one with the two blue you wired together." Sarah saw a flash of light from the copter Chuck was in as it pivoted round with the side door open. That flash she immediately recognized. "Ellie my husband is a genius. Start this thing and put it in reserve." Sarah saw the muzzle flash as the van started to move backwards and crashed into a car in the back part of the parking lot. But she got done what she wanted, which was to put the assault team between them and Pablo's men.
Ellie we got to get out of here, it isn't safe," said Sarah. " Come back here with me and we'll go out the side."As they got out, they were greet by men in full combat gear.
"This way ladies," yelled one of the men as he got them behind a car. "Are you two alright?"
"Yes," said Sarah, "The bomb's phone detonator is on hold so it is relative safe for your guys to deactivate." Sarah saw one of Pablo's men sneaking up behind the agent as he was talking with them. Sarah reacted grabbing the man's pistol from his holster, she fired two shots. Pablo's man was dead before he hit the asphalt.
"Lady who is rescuing whom? Hold on to that thing you might need it," said her rescuer as he rejoin the skirmish.
The gunfight was over in minutes a well-executed plan that took down Pablo's men who all basically surrendered except for one and Pablo himself who was dead shot through the head by Juan. Sarah held Ellie as they were surrounded by Federal Agents.
"Agent Bartowski?" asked one of the men coming up to them with comm gear in his hand and handed it to Ellie.
"No, hand it to me. Christ, I'm only pregnant. What's the problem is there some law that says female agents can't get pregnant," said Sarah.
"Your husband wants to talk with you." The man said as he tried to disappear as quickly as possible from her sight. She felt a little sorry about her outburst but she wasn't at her best.
"Sweetie, we're going to have to talk about flying lessons. I love you."
"Love, I love you too. I need you to do me a favor. Get Pablo Esterman's phone. He's the man-"
"I know who he is. Do you want me to bring it to you now?" She already suspected from what Chuck had said to her when they arrived in the morning that he would have to leave but she so desperately wanted to be with him.
"I won't be there when you arrive I've got to-"
"Go do plan B, right?" There was a long pause. "Chuck, honey please be safe. Say hi to Morgan, Casey and Alex for me. Tell Casey I'll kill him if he lets anything happen to you."
"I will. You know I have to do this. If there were any other-"
"I know, just promise me you'll take care of yourself and no more human target or I'll shot you myself next time. I love you so much."
"Love, this is what I need you to do with Pablo's phone." Chuck described what he wanted Sarah to do and both with watery-eyes said good bye. Sarah stayed to watch over Hortenica with Colson and Chuck went to turn the tide.
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Chuck landed at NSA Glenview a disused naval air station located in the suburbs of Chicago. The agency had used the base before to fly black ops out of. Being close to the Canadian border had its advantages it being the longest unguarded boarder in the world which made flying in and out relatively easy. And for Chuck's off book mission it was essential. Stealth and deception would be integral players if everyone were to be returning home. Chuck and Juan made their way up inside the giant C-5, a black mammoth parked on the landing field.
After greetings Chuck led everyone into his own personal war room he and Gertrude Verbanski designed as a mobile air command center, a feat of modern technology that Gertrude wanted to put on the market but Chuck really didn't like the possibility that bad guys could get one. It would be like selling weapons on a menu from a Chinese restaurant.
"Please come here," Chuck said led them to the computer table. He called this his round table, especially since they worked out of Castle. His first idea was to call it Sherwood but then he'd have to call Casey one of his merry men and well aside from bruises that wouldn't go. However, he did like the idea of Sarah as his Maid Marian.
"Chuck, Chuck," said Gerturde, "Can you please start."
"Sorry I was thinking about something else. Okay, computer on," it was voice activated and a holographic topographical relief of Costa Gravas was projected over the table.
"Okay this is the situation as we know now," He began to rotate the image then he enlarged and diminish it as he talked. "If everything goes as planned we'll take out their communications and reboot our sides on the flight down. My plan is to parachute into the palace and assist with its defense and if things go well it will be over soon. My goal is nothing short of regime change."
"You expect them to roll over after they have just about won?" said Zondra. Chuck responded with a nod. "Is it just me or does the whole thing sounds a little farfetched. You really think this will work?"
"Listen, if you don't want to come I understand no one is obligated and I don't want you to feel like you own either Sarah or me anything. I'm not saying this is without risks. It's just the risks are less with everyone in."
"So you're saying we're going to be parachuting into a skillet? And then these people are going to just turn off the flame?"
"If you want to speak in metaphors but the plan is sound. If you want to come along and not jump that would be fine too. This would give me more time to show you how this will work."
"John's there so I'm in," said Gertrude. Verbanski had her own agenda and it involved Casey, whips and handcuffs.
"Chucky I like the way you fly by the seat of your pants almost reminds me of me or what I get accused of, so I feel I can speak for Cole and say we're in."
"Chuck you don't even have to ask," said Juan, "Hasta la victoria siempre!"
"Zondra, that leaves just you," said Chuck "What will it be? Are you in or are you out?"
"Am I the only one who sees this for what it is, a suicide mission. Crap, who wants to live forever I'm in but if you guys get me killed I'm going to shot you dead."
"Gertrude you can brief your men and let's get wheels up, we got a long flight ahead." Chuck went inside the in sanctum. It was the part of the plane reserved of secure communications. Chuck wanted to brief General Beckman.
"General we're wheels up is five minutes. Do you have any further information?"
"No, just good luck."
"Thank you, but I was reviewing the records we have on Costa Masgravas and something stuck out. This General Carlos Mendoza sticks out like a sore thumb in a sea of evil people. I have an idea but I don't know how the current administration would feel about it." Chuck went on to explain his idea and how he could implement it.
"Agent Bartowski, if you can pull this off you will not only have saved our jobs but I think you could write your own ticket afterwards."
"What I want more than anything is a little time alone with Sarah after this is done. There are some issues we have to clarify. But come to think of it there is one thing, a Presidential pardon for Jack Burton on all crimes he's committed."
"If you pull this off, I'll personally deliver the paper work straight to the president's hands."
The C-5 lumbered down to the runway. It looked too massive and too heavy to fly. Then like a giant black bumblebee it took off into the late evening sky without running lights. They were flying in stealth mode it was paramount that they not be seen.
Sarah stood in Devon's office looking out and wondering if every passing plane were Chuck's. This was the part she hated the most and the one she had tried to avoid. She didn't like being the one left behind. Then a sudden revelation fell upon her, like a load of bricks, this fear, this sinking feeling in her stomach must've been the same for her Chuck when she left and he put up with it for over a year. So much missed time, so much they could've done but could haves and should haves only build ice cream castles in the air. No when he returned she would talk and she would confess everything to him. For without him she didn't like herself he was her center and without him her world was all askew. As she was staring out her phone rang on a secure line so she wiped the tears from her eyes and answered.
"Morgan, we're all worried about you. How's Alex and Casey?" …. Casey is on the barricades with Alex? … I guess father like daughter. ….. Chuck is on his way down to you. … I don't know but I saw messages on the computer. He got in touch Gertrude, Zondra, Carina, and Cole, plus he took a guy from here Juan. He's an excellent sniper. I think Casey will like him. …. I don't know his plans but he had me download a virus. … Hey stay safe and keep me in the loop, please. … Yes, I know what it's like to stay in the van now and I've had my fill of vans lately. Oh, Verbanski said something in her message to tell Casey that she was bring handcuffs so they can play good cop, bad cop. I thought you'd like to know. bye."
Like father, like daughter she had said, it just rolled off her tongue. But now it burned like a brand in her heart. All she could think about was the conn gone bad, the conn that had cost her so much and how if Jack were there she'd put a bullet right between the eyes. As she was in the grips of sorrow there was a knock on Devon's office door and little Clara stuck in her head. Manna sent from heaven, thought Sarah.
"Shush, don't say anything I'm not supposed to be here. I heard Mom say you were here and I wanted to see you, do you mind?"
"Come here, Sweetie." Sarah grabbed her up and gave her an Ellie hug. Clara was just what Sarah needed to help rescue her for her downward spiral.
"Why are you crying," ask Clara. "Are you sad? Do you miss Uncle Chuck?" Out of the mouth of babes. Sarah just couldn't hold back the tears but she didn't want to frighten Clara.
"Love, I'm happy to see you. Oh, I love you so much. Give me your hand." She took Clara's hand and placed it on her stomach. "Do you feel that?"
"Wow, is that your baby?" Clara said wide-eyed looking up at Sarah in amazement and childish wonder. There was a time Sarah had the same expression but it was usually with her father.
"Yes and she's saying hi to you." Then Devon came in he was looking for Clara.
"Miss your mother's looking for you. Sarah I'm sorry if Clara has been bothering you," Devon said seeing Sarah's eyes all red and realizing that she was missing Chuck. "Ellie thought you'd want to be alone for a bit." But seeing Sarah he realized that someone needed to stay.
"Devon don't be silly, if anything I want the opposite. Where's Ellie? I think we could all go for some ice cream."
"Rocky Road?" added Clara with a huge smile that radiated warmth and love. Sarah couldn't believe how lucky she was to have found Chuck and to now have a family that loved and cared for her. They were like a glass of water for a thirsty man or woman which was her case.
