Hey all, so here is the final chapter – literally but when I started to write I couldn't stop so I had to divide the chapter into 2 – Thanks for the world wind adventures and the reviews. I appreciated everyone who took the time to read, alert etc… This is my take on what could have happened after the infamous beach scene.
I don't owe Chuck all for fun – Thanks again to my loyal fans who keep returning chapter after chapter and to MRW who for some reason still knows how to keep me writing….Thanks for reading the many versions.
Chapter 7 – The Unveiling
Undisclosed location - Milan
When General Beckman paused Sarah asked, "How long have Lancer and Reid been under radar?"
"We believe that they branched off from of a group called Corvus and used their influence and knowledge about antiques to help fund their 'side' dealings in weapons distribution," Beckman replied. "Corvus was investigated in 1993 for suspicion of selling US secrets for weapons and other espionage matters."
Carina's gaze flicked to Sarah then back to the General. "Who or what is Corvus?"
"All we know is what was retrieved from an old CIA file named Phase Three. We don't have much to go on except that it involves a lot of computer 'know how' but our team is working as we speak to find something that might help us."
"What does that have to do with us?"
"I want you and Agent Walker to find Dr. Frieda Eggleston and her colleagues. The antiques Corvus is shipping to her museum and others around the country are not as authentic as they would have everyone believe they are. When Dr. Eggleston noticed that the artifacts weren't authentic she brought it to her superior's attention. The next day the artifacts mysteriously disappeared from the museum and a week later so did the doctor. With your knowledge of the underground smuggling world and Agent Walker's ability for getting the job done you two are the only agents I trust to handle this matter."
Sarah was trying to get her head in the game but everything that Beckman was saying caused her to doubt the last few weeks. She knew she was a spy, that supposedly she was married and that her memory was gone but why would parts of that life that she'd led seep through if it wasn't true? And why would names such as Phase Three sound so familiar to her? Had one of her previous missions involved the name? Had Chuck been involved? The more she thought about it the more it hurt her head to think about it.
Beckman and Carina glanced at each other hoping that the name would trigger a memory for Sarah but she remained stoic and didn't react. The General opened the file and continued debriefing them.
"Corvus was a black ops project that preceded project Omaha. It was being led by officers of the US Army and the CIA. Corvus was designed to follow up on the progress of the Omaha project but was quickly shut down and all personnel involved were either killed or disappeared or so we thought."
"So you think there are others still out there?" Sarah asked.
"Yes," Beckman nodded. "I want you to set up surveillance on their last known location. Commander Cortez will be in touch to brief you on the latest intel. You're dismissed Agent Walker."
Carina went to follow Sarah and Cortez.
"Agent Miller?"
She stopped and turned back to Beckman. "Yes General?"
"A moment please."
Carina glanced at Sarah. "You go with Cortez, I'll catch up."
Sarah nodded and followed the Commander out of the room.
When they were alone Beckman asked, "How is Agent Walker?"
"I think Chuck was right. She hasn't completely lost her memories, they're just buried."
"What makes you think that?"
"General, tackling someone to the ground just because they remind you of someone else and remembering random things that no one has told her, means that her memories are still there, it just needs something to trigger them," Carina replied.
"She didn't seem to react when I mentioned Phase Three."
"That's a little baffling," Carina admitted. "Sarah almost lost Chuck on that mission so I thought for sure that it would trigger a memory when you mentioned it. I mean going all She-male on the guy who almost lobotomized the love of your life isn't something you forget in a hurry."
Beckman took off her glasses and placed them on her desk. "There something else Agent Miller but I don't want Agent Walker to get wind of it until I know for sure that it's going to work. Chuck believes that there's a chance Sarah's memories can be returned. He found an old file of his dad's that he thinks could be the key to reversing what Quinn did to her, but the longer it takes for him to find the key the slimmer the chances of us getting our Sarah back. Phase Three and Corvus were pertinent to the Omaha project. Corvus was designed to monitor anyone who downloaded the intersect and Phase Three was created as a backup to restore any memories that were suppressed or erased after use of the intersect was no longer valid or needed. When Orion got wind that his intersect was going to fall into the wrong hands he asked Bryce to steal the files and send them to Chuck because he knew that his son was the only one who could handle the upload and keep the secrets safe. Orion knew that Quinn and others would do anything to get their hands on the intersect. Unfortunately neither of the projects got the attention they needed or deserved however when Bryce took the files from the DNI it stopped anyone else from benefitting from them. The Belgium and Quinn came close but fortunately neither managed to get the intersect."
"What intel do you have on Quinn?"
"His CIA file has been redacted but we did get word that he was once a main stockholder and a not so by the book CIA informant that was brought in to fund the right Phase Three. Research on Phase Three was running low on money so they turned to other avenues to make the money they needed and so Corvus had no choice but to get on board. This didn't sit well with Orion – he didn't want his research to be funded by guns, drugs or anything else. Threats to both projects was the driving force behind Orion doing what he did because he didn't want his efforts to go to waste."
"And the Belgium?"
"When he took Chuck we found out that Quinn advised him that if he removed the intersect from Chuck's brain Quinn could then upload the Intel himself. The Belgium agreed thinking that he was going to make a lot of money. When the name Corvus surfaced on our database and was tied to Lancer and Reid, the CIA reopened the file."
"But what would Corvus want with WMDs?"
"I don't know. There are many layers of firewalls to bypass before we can determine what if anything they have to do with this. Until then our goal is to find Dr. Eggleston and her colleagues. Hopefully in finding them we can retrieve more intel. Keep me posted on any changes with Agent Walker."
"Will do," Carina replied leaning back on the table beside her.
Castle
Chuck walked back to his computer and saw that his phone was flashing indicating that a text had recently come through. He read the message from Carina and smiled when he saw the picture she'd sent him of Sarah in a black dress; she still had the power to take his breath away. He sat down and rubbed the tip of his finger over the picture then pocketed his phone and rolled his chair over to the scanner as the receipt that he'd found in his dad's stuff finally got a hit. He brought up the files and crossed referenced the information realizing that what he'd feared or better yet assumed was true. As soon as he looked at the watermark, which had a familiar design to it, he flashed and saw images of him downloading the intersect as a child, his dad's files, his mom supressing his memories, images of the Ring and Fulcrum and finally images of the factory that recreated antiques. When he snapped out of it he grabbed the edge of the table wondering why this flash had been so much stronger than the others. He walked over to the safe where he kept his governors, punched in the code and heard the lock click open. He opened the door and a faint green light shone over the encased governors which was the only thing he had left of his dads.
He slid the shadow box out from its domain and opened it running his fingers thoughtfully over the watches as he recalled the day his dad had been tweaking them not too far from where he was standing now. He smiled. It had been around the time he and Sarah were just starting to get back on track and were trying to put Paris behind them, well most of it anyway. There were some things he'd never forget like the first time he'd made love to Sarah. He sighed and reached for one of the governors, closed the box and returned it to its home, closed the safe door and walked back to his chair. He sat down and stared at the watch then secured it to his wrist. A familiar sensation ran through his system and he immediately felt at ease again once the governor had worked its magic.
Milan
Sarah and Carina walked through the armory adding items for their extraction. To Sarah this felt like the first mission she'd had since the CAT Squad had disbanded. Carina on the other hand had to keep her mind focused on why she was really there. She wondered if she should tell Sarah the real reason they were doing this or let fate do the work for her. She knew Chuck wouldn't let her down or give up on Sarah. They just needed to get through this mission and hope that there was a happy ending for all of them.
Sarah zipped up the last bag and tossed it into the Range Rover, grabbed her small pistol and strapped it to her right thigh. She secured her vest of magazines and quickly put her hair into a pony tail. When Commander Cortez and Agent Gustoz entered the garage and opened the doors the morning sun was just starting to inch its way over the horizon.
"Morning ladies," Cortez said. "We need to be at our destination by night fall. We believe that Dr. Eggleston is being held captive near the borders of Austria and Switzerland in Liechtenstein. Our last known contact came from a small village called Balzers which sits on the Rhine River. We'll drive as far as we can then take a boat into Balzer. Satellite images of an area north of our destination showed us several trucks were entering and exiting in the last few weeks. We believe that this is where the doctor is and where the shipments are being packaged to be sent to Switzerland then to North America. If Dr. Eggleston is correct these antiques need to be found and disposed of. If at all possible Agent Walker and Miller we need to get a trace on the boxes in case one slips through our fingers."
Sarah and Carina both nodded then they buckled up and headed north.
Sarah looked up as they drove back into Milan. The morning sun was casting a heavenly glow over the town. She closed her eyes and embraced the warmth on her face. Her mind drifted and she unknowingly smiled when a vivid image appeared of two strong hands lightly feathering her lower back. The window was open as the satin curtains blew in the wind brushing her legs and upper body. The two strong hands moved upward caressing her shoulders. Sarah arched her back and leaned her head on the chest of the person behind her. She lost her inhibitions as a subtle warm breath covered her naked shoulder and reached back to loop her arms around the neck of the person behind her and brought his lips closer to her skin. The strong arms circled her shoulders and rested around her waist as his lips traced the contours of her body.
Carina looked over at Sarah. It looked like she was remembering something and judging by the smile on her face it was obviously something she was enjoying.
Sarah reached for the strong hands and brought them to her lips then returned them to her waist and looked up to see her knight in shining armor. They smiled at each other and she slowly wet her lips anticipating what was coming next. The closeness could be felt in more ways than one and she tilted her head slightly.
Carina nudged Sarah's arm. "Hey there sleeping beauty, we're here."
Sarah hated the interruption. She didn't want what she had just remembered to end. She wasn't sure if it had been a dream or had actually happened. She hadn't seen his face so she didn't know who it was that had the power to make her feel this way.
Carina grinned at her. "Care to share?"
"Share what?"
"What you were just thinking about. It was very clear at this end that it was pretty hot or close to being hot and judging by the deep shade of red in your cheeks I'm guessing that it was almost climatic."
"I don't know what you're talking about. It was the sun hitting my face and nothing more."
Carina knew that the sun didn't make a person blush like that. Sarah had remembered something and if she was a betting woman she'd place odds on it having something to do with Chuck.
Balzer
Cortez grabbed the ammo and bags and tossed them onto the boat. He decided to stay behind in case they needed help once they extracted the doctor and her team. Sarah and Carina jumped into the boat with Gustov and they headed north to Balzer. He killed the engine so as not to draw attention to themselves, as they floated past the village and along the shoreline until they came up to a small clearing of trees that led to a boulder type wall. It had once housed a Catholic Church that had been built in the mid 1700's but later fell to the ground after several invasions in the area but some remains were still visible throughout the wooded area.
They floated into the clearing and Sarah jumped out of the boat and pulled it closer to the shore. Carina tied it to a large tree and grabbed her bag. Gustov and both agents crouched down near the shore to look at the map. They needed to wait till the sun went down or at least went over the tops of the tree line. Sarah looked at the map and saw that a small river or high creek led to where they believed the team were being held. Carina knew what Sarah was thinking. The more Carina thought about this mission the more she noticed the similarities to the Thailand mission and hoped that Sarah saw it too.
Sarah grabbed her stuff, placed her supplies in a waterproof bag and strapped it to her back. Carina and Gustov cocked their guns and headed through the trees. They agreed to meet at the entrance of the compound on the east side where the water edged the south side. Sarah waded through the water and swam a fair ways till instinct kicked in and her knife found its home between her teeth. She edged closer to the surface and bobbled ever so slightly watching for Carina's call. When she saw two men dressed in dark clothing she silently crept out of the water and stabbed both of them in the back as they fell to the ground. She grabbed her bag from the shore and leaned it against the tree as she scanned the compound. Carina and Gustov walked closer to the compound dodging noisy minions along the way. Carina and Gustov reached the clearing as Sarah quietly moved out of the bush.
"Any problems?"
Sarah smiled. "Nothing I couldn't handle. It was like old times creeping through the water and jumping the bad guys."
She had never done anything like that on any of their missions with the CAT Squad so Carina knew that it had to be something Sarah had remembered from past missions with Chuck.
Gustov tapped his receiver and sent an update to Cortez and the base back in Milan. The sun had gone down and darkness descended quickly. Sarah reached for the night goggles, switched to infrared and picked up on a hot spot about fifty feet in front of them. She passed the goggles to Gustov and Carina. Several men were very close to them and when Gustov gave the signal Carina and Sarah dropped them like flies with a swatter. Gustov grabbed the first guy's radio and his magazine. Sarah took the lead while Gustov took her six and the three of them headed to a side window of a warehouse type building.
Sarah looked in and saw that the room was empty. She walked further and took a quick look inside. "Clear," she whispered updating them on her findings through her headset.
Gustov followed and picked off a bogey as he entered the warehouse.
Sarah targeted a few of her own then noticed that Carina had that 'I'm missing out on all the fun' look on her face. She crouched down and motioned to her to head towards the far wall where there was movement and voices.
Carina slithered closer to the entrance and reported back. "Four maybe five men plus three civilians tied up near the south wall. No sign of the doctor."
"Roger that," Sarah replied. "So where is she then?"
"Who knows," Carina shrugged. "But she has to be here somewhere."
"Is there any chance of grabbing the three civilians?" Gustov asked.
"Negative. Too many Johnnies near the door."
Gustov looked at Sarah. "Johnnies?"
"It's just an expression we use to use to describe a lot of bad guys," Sarah explained.
Gustov grinned and shook his head.
"Walker?"
"Go ahead Carina."
"If we create a distraction we can get to the three civilians but we need to be quick because there's a truck coming down the road."
'Remember we need to find a way to track this shipment.'
Sarah sighed and tried to think of a plan.
"Walker hurry, the truck is almost here!"
"Okay, I've got it," Sarah replied. "Gustov, I need you to distract the truck driver. Carina, head to the other side of the wall where the three civilians are being held. I'll get rid of the Johnnies and meet you there. Once we have the civilians we'll look for the doctor."
"Roger that," Carina replied.
Sarah waited till she heard the truck's tires screech to a halt then saw Carina ran to the wall. She popped the two guys on her left then the third as she headed towards the wall. Carina popped the fourth guy just as Sarah reached her, then they ran over to the civilians, made quick introductions while they cut the rope that had been used to tie the three people together.
"Where's the doctor?"
"We don't know," the older gentleman replied. "We lost contact with her a couple of days ago when they moved us here after kidnapping us from the Museum of Antiquities in Egypt. Dr Eggleston was told that as long as she did what they wanted we would be safe."
"What did they want her to do?"
"Something about encasing items into various antiques."
"Who are Lancer and Reid?"
The three civilians looked at each other none of them wanting to say anything.
"We don't have much time. Who are they?"
"They are …"
Gustov entered the warehouse. "We need to move now!"
Carina and Sarah led the civilians out of the room down a corridor and out of the door to the clearing by the water. Gustov started heading towards the boat.
Sarah stopped him. "Hold on, I want some answers before we leave here." She turned to the three civilians. "One more time, who are Lancer and Reid?"
The younger male, who looked like a student, glanced at the other two civilians then at Sarah and Carina. "All we know is that Lancer is an antiques dealer and Reid is some kind of US worker ... kind of like you guys."
Sarah and Carina looked shocked and Gustov immediately called Milan.
"What else do you know about them?"
The younger male continued to spill the information they needed. When Gustov got off the phone he confirmed that Milan and Beckman said they are dealing with a former NSA agent and a black market Antique dealer.
Los Angeles – early morning
Chuck was about to set the alarm and head up the back stairs but as he approached the elevator a beep rang throughout Castle. He turned the lights back on and went to see what it was. He followed the noise to the west wing which housed the room where Casey had worked with Director Bentley when he'd temporarily left Team Bartowski. Chuck pressed his hand against the scanner and the door slid open to the room where they had stored his dad's computer and downloaded the intersect into those two incompetent soldiers. He shook his head thinking about all the times someone had thought it was best for them to upload the intersect. It hadn't ended well for any of them and realized that the same was true of Sarah. Although he hated what the faulty intersect had done to her he had to admit that for a very brief time when they were on the bullet train it had been nice to share with her what it was like having an intersect and how it made you feel when it worked. She had been able to relate to all the physical changes and the feeling of power it gave you when you flashed. He'd never been able to share that with Morgan because he'd treated the intersect like a toy and not something that could be used for good. It made Chuck angry that Sarah was suffering because of few individuals who believed that they deserved to have the intersect. There was Shaw, The Belgium, Volkoff, Quinn and others that his dad had put away long before Bryce had sent the files to him.
Chuck traced the beep to a sub panel in the wall. When he opened it he found a standard electrical box then noticed a red light beeping on the right side near the back. He couldn't reach it and looked around for something to open the panel. He found a tool box and pulled out a hand drill. Once he'd removed the screws and slid the panel forward he reached behind and pulled out the box with the red light. He returned the panel to its rightful spot and closed the door. Walking back to the main area of Castle he placed the box on the table and ran his finger around the edges trying to find a way in. When he didn't find anything he pressed on the box hoping it might trigger a switch or something.
When he pressed the red light the box opened. He forced the lid up and removed the contents. The papers had been folded in half then in half again. He unfolding them and came across several pages that were torn out of a CIA file that belonged to Tatum Reid Black Ops Commander Corvus; Black Rock, LA 2005; Aries Project 2003 – missions included: Honduras, 1989; Kuwait 1990 – 1995, Solvenia 1995- 1997; Russia 1999- 2001. Team Members: Colonel John Casey; Captain Tony Hanselman; Terrance Burke; Andy Wiggans; Status: Unknown, last known where abouts Black Rock/Corvus 2004.
Chuck flashed on the names and missions some of which included John Casey and his dad. After the flashes subsided he continued reading then said out loud, "Who left these pages here? "Who knew I would find them and how did they know that it would go off right at this exact moment in time?" He had another piece of the puzzle but after the flash his head was hurting so he decided to call it a night. He folded the papers and put them back in the box and locked it in the safe under the stairs. When he arrived back at his apartment he fell onto the couch and as soon as his head hit the pillow he fell asleep.
Outskirts of LA County
When the light stopped flashing indicating that the box had been found he smiled and picked up the phone. It rang three times then a female voice answered.
"Hello."
"It's done, the box has been found."
"Now what?"
"We can't talk like this."
"When can I see you?"
"Soon."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"I'm hoping that we won't be needed much longer but we need to lie low for a while. Hopefully Quinn, Lancer and Reid will come out of hiding soon. I know that they're looking for the old man."
"Does he know about the old man?"
"A good disguise can fool most men. You just need to know which one works for you."
"You have been doing very well with it."
"Indeed, we will meet at our regular spot at our regular time."
"Okay."
"Goodnight dear Mary."
"Goodnight."
MILAN
Sarah paced the floor as Carina sat with her legs crossed filing her nails. Carina looked up for the millionth time and saw Sarah put her fingers to her mouth which was a sign that she was really thinking about something and it didn't look good. "Walker, will you please sit down! You're making me dizzy and wearing a groove in the floor."
Sarah found a chair and sat down not too pleased to be sitting around waiting for orders when she knew who to hunt down. One thing she did remember was how long it took Beckman to give them orders. She remembered a few missions that she, Chuck and Casey had snuck out on. They had paid the piper later of course but even back then she couldn't just sit and wait.
Carina looked up. "Did you remember something?"
"It's nothing major."
"It's a step forward though so that's got to be good, right?"
Sarah nodded then the door opened and they both stood up as Commander Cortez and Agent Gustov entered the room.
"We have new Intel and after talking to the civilians we just picked up we know that the last delivery was sent to a warehouse in Paris but it needs to stay put until we can find a secure location to move it to State side."
"Let's go!"
"Hang on Walker. Unfortunately we don't have the exact coordinates and Beckman doesn't want us to go in blind. She's having her people do some checking and will advise us how to proceed in a few hours."
"All we need to do is search for the delivery times and check what was shipped out," Sarah replied. "We can use local CCTV to ID the truck, satellite footage, bank statements …." She looked at Carina. "How did I know all that?"
Washington
Beckman waited for the person on the other end of the line to pick up. "Mary, it's Diane."
"It's been a while since we spoke," Mary replied.
"Yes it has," Beckman agreed. "I just got word from Milan that Sarah and Carina have found three of Dr. Eggleston's team. She is still missing but we think she's in Paris with Lancer. Did Chuck find the information on Reid?"
"Yes, the box was found tonight local time," Mary replied. "We hope that he flashed on the files Stephen put in there. His last upload had just enough room for them."
Beckman nodded. "Where's Chuck now?"
"He crashed a few hours ago; it's three in the morning here."
"How do you want to proceed?"
"Chuck needs to find the last key. If he doesn't find it soon Sarah's time will run out."
"Carina said that Sarah is starting to remember things," Beckman said.
"Really?"
"Yes, nothing major but it proves that her memories are just suppressed and not erased."
"Ok I'll pass that on," Mary said. "What else?"
"I need Chuck to do a search on a shipment that left Egypt a month ago via Paris," Beckman said telling Mary everything she knew.
"Do you think Chuck is ready for this?"
"He has no choice," Beckman replied. "He's already involved whether he wants to be or not."
ECHO PARK – 07:00
Chuck threw the covers onto the floor and reached for the phone. He despised anyone who was up at this time in the morning. He tried to focus on the screen and saw that it said, 'blocked unknown caller'. He hesitated but due to his lack of sleep good judgement wasn't on his side. "Hello?" he said in a sleepy groggy voice.
"Charles?"
"Mom? Do you know what time it is?"
"Sorry, I was wondering if you wanted to meet for breakfast?"
"I thought you were in Chicago with Ellie."
"I was but I had to come back for something. I'm going back to Chicago later in the week."
Chuck yawned. "I'll meet you in an hour."
"Ok son."
Chuck sat up as he ran his hands through his hair and said to the empty room, "Another sleepless night on the couch without my wife." He got up and crawled into the shower then heard his phone ringing again. He quickly shut the water off, grabbed a towel and hurried into the bedroom. He ran over to his phone and saw that it was an encrypted call from Beckman. He pressed accept and sat on the bed. "Morning General."
"Good morning Chuck."
"What can I do for you General?"
"Just checking in to see where you are at."
There were a lot of coincidences; first his mom calling out of the blue and now Beckman calling him and all after he'd found those pages and he wondered if it meant anything. "Actually there has been development." He told her what he'd found out.
Beckman wasn't surprised that he'd come so far. "Chuck, I need you to find a shipment that was taken from Egypt. We believe that this is the one. The three civilians that Sarah and Carina rescued said that Dr. Eggleston knew of its contents and that's why she was kidnapped. We also know that Lancer is a black market antiques dealer and Tatum Reid is or was one of us so this is a top priority."
"Ok send all the Intel you have on Egypt to Castle and I'll get on to it right away. I think we need to call Casey."
"I know he would love to help you in this matter. Do you have his number?"
"Yes."
"I'll contact Sarah and Carina and tell them to head to Paris. I need you there as well Chuck in case they need your computer expertise plus they'll need you to flash on Lancer."
"But!"
"Sorry Chuck we can't wait for you this time. Whether Sarah is ready to see you or not you need to be there. That's an order."
"Ok," he sighed. "I'll call you later."
"I'll have a jet on standby for your departure later today," Beckman replied. "Goodbye."
"Bye General," Chuck said pressing 'end' on his phone then he walked over to his closet to get dressed. He grabbed Sarah's black bag that she used on missions then the steel case to see if there was enough ammo in it. He threw in a few more guns and as he placed them in the bag he saw Sarah's leather jacket. He pulled it out and he smell engulfed his senses. He missed that smell. He thought about all the times she'd worn the jacket. He called it her super jacket because every time she put it on she became Sarah the spy and superwoman but when she took it off she was his Sarah. He put it back in the bag thinking that maybe he could use it as a peace offering for invading her space when she'd asked him to leave her alone. He checked his watch and saw that it was already 7:45 so he grabbed his bags, dumped them in the car and went to meet his mother.
Mary sat in a small booth at the ihop. She knew Chuck loved this place especially the pancakes so she'd ordered him a large stack with eggs and bacon, orange juice and coffee. She stood up when he walked in and welcomed him with a warm hug.
"Good to see you again mom."
"You too son," she smiled.
As soon as they sat down the food arrived and Chuck smiled at his mom. "You remembered."
"Of course," she replied motioning for him to start eating.
Three bites later after he'd washed down a mouthful of pancake with some orange juice he sat back. "So how have you been?"
"Good."
"How are Ellie, Clara and Devon?"
"Also good, they are starting to settle down in Chicago," Mary told him. "Their jobs keep them busy and Clara is growing like a weed." She took out some photos and showed them to him.
"I miss them," Chuck admitted then continued eating his breakfast.
"How have you been?"
He gave her his infamous 'I'm ok' look but Mary wasn't fooled and she didn't really care for his new bearded look. "You don't look ok. It's obvious you haven't been sleeping and what's with the new look?"
Chuck was too emotionally drained to argue with his mom so he just shrugged and continued eating his breakfast when the waitress stopped by their table to refill their cups with coffee. He watched his mom as she sipped her coffee knowing that this visit was more than a reunion – she wanted something or knew something. When the waitress moved on to the next customer he said, "Okay, spill it mom."
"What do you mean?"
"I love the fact that you're here but I find it very interesting that your call came out of the blue after what I found last night."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Mary deadpanned. "What did you find?"
"You know."
"No I don't, I …"
"You know something but you're not saying," Chuck replied wondering why she kept looking to her left. He turned around to see what she was looking at and caught a glimpse of the old man he'd had coffee with several weeks ago. He was about to get up to go and talk to him when Mary grabbed his arm and shook her head.
"But he's getting away!" Chuck protested.
"I know ... please sit down." When he didn't move she said, "Please Chuck!"
"Mom I need to talk to him, he knows something."
Mary gave him a pointed look trying to hide the fact that she knew the old man.
Chuck sighed and sat down.
"This is so hard for me to tell you, but ..."
"What? Another secret? You know that man, don't you?"
When Mary was slow to respond he asked again this time with a little bit more authority in his voice. "Mom, do you know that man?"
Chuck sat back in this seat waiting to see how his mom was going to get her way out of this one. He knew she knew something, but what and how much was anyone's guess.
"I know that getting Sarah back is your highest priority and that you're finding pieces of the puzzle but you're not sure what it all means or why things are happening like they are. You need to stay focused and stop worrying about ..."
"About who mom," Chuck interjected. "The old man that you kept looking at?"
"In time it will all become clear but right now I need to know what you found."
Chuck folded his arms across his chest and sat back in his seat then he took a deep breath and told his mom everything.
"And you believe that your dad's research will make this happen?"
"Yes I do," he nodded. "No one has found or had the very first prototype of the intersect. I believe that when dad created it and tried it on himself he had to create a way to restore his memories in order to prove to the CIA that it worked. It all made sense after you told us that dad created it as a tool and after what I found in Beckman's files, but the longer we wait the harder it will be to get back what Sarah lost. Dad mentioned in his files that when the intersect is suppressed or memories are lost after a download the brain has the capabilities to restart itself by reprogramming what has been suppressed. If a person's memory is suppressed multiple times they will lose them for good but if it's only happened once with something like a flash card then there's a good chance that they memories can be restored."
Mary was proud of him for figuring it out and gave him an indulgent smile.
Chuck continued to talk oblivious to his mom's reaction. "If several suppressors are used the brain may go into a lock down mode to protect itself from further damage. If a person has lost their memories completely the brain has to be reprogrammed. This can be done with stories, data or pictures uploaded. In extreme cases the person may need more than one session. Like the download of an intersect file the brain is able to hold a lot of data if given the right chemical makeup. If a person doesn't have the right chemical makeup and has downloaded a faulty intersect it can cause irreparable damage that the person may not recover from. So that is where we are at right now. Mom, I can't have Sarah be gone forever."
Mary was shocked but not surprized that Stephen had saved that much information but Chuck still needed to get the parts for the key from Reid as he was the last remaining member of the team besides Dr. Eggleston. Stephen, Rourke and Hartley made three keys and each one used their own key; Hartley turned into Volkoff and the effects changed his personality. Rourke had Stephen reproduce the intersect to create a small army of intersects but instead he reversed the process to allow his son to have the intersect removed. Stephen had Bryce steal the third key years ago and gave it to Chuck. Several upgrades and several suppressors later, and Quinn's attempt to get the intersect back where it belongs, but Stephen also gave copies to two CIA agents that he trusted. One like a son and one who could do the job and protect the intersect. Unlike Bryce, Reid wasn't as loyal and Beckman was more of an office wife to him so who better than his real wife could keep a secret this big. But Chuck had to put the pieces together himself. Mary just had to point him in the right direction and meeting the old man might help him to do that. Chuck had the facts but he needed faith to make it all work out.
Later that day ...
Chuck looked at his watch. His mom had given him the old man's address but he didn't have much time to going on a manhunt for someone who may or may not be able to help him because he needed to be at the airport later that night to fly to Paris. He walked down a road into China Town that he had walked on too many times before; one special time on his date with Sarah and Morgan. He laughed when a door opened and he heard Private Eyes blaring from one of the stores. He checked the address again and headed up the stairs adjacent to, of all places, a restaurant that specialized in sizzling shrimp. He was starting to dislike all these coincidences.
Chuck walked down the narrow hallway and had to duck several times as his tall frame wasn't designed for this particular apartment. He looked at the numbers on the doors then checked his piece of paper again.
Apartment 3B. Yes this was the one.
Chuck stuffed the piece of paper in his pocket and knocked on the door. He heard rustling and wondered if the old man would try and make a run for it. He didn't want to run after him then again how far could an old man get before he caught up to him? He heard the chain on the door move and the deadbolts turn then the door opened slightly with the chain still attached. The eyes of the older man could only be seen. The eyes scanned up and down then closed the door. The chain was removed and the door was opened. "Come in."
When Chuck entered the apartment the old man quickly checked the hallway to make sure that he hadn't been followed. The apartment was small but quaint. In fact it was so small that you'd have to go outside to change your mind. The old man pointed to a seat and Chuck sat down. He tried to get comfortable on the chair which was near on impossible to do with his knees up to his face.
The old man walked over to small kitchen to put the kettle on the stove. Chuck couldn't help noticing the familiarities of that walk as it was very much the same as another person he'd had the opportunity to watch years ago after Sarah had helped him find his dad. He thought for a second that this man could be his dad or maybe his lack of sleep and the ability to think clearly were playing against him. When the old man returned Chuck was finally able to see him face to face which wasn't that hard due to his lack of height. He decided that the man was way too short to be a Bartowski.
The old man tapped Chuck's shoulder as he sat down. He had thinning grey hair and aged skin and Chuck figured that he had to be in his seventies at least. He had obviously worked hard in his life given his weathered look. He looked up when he heard the whistle of the kettle and the old man smiled. "Don't worry my son I'll get it."
"Okay," Chuck said looking around the apartment. There were no pictures to tell him anything about this man and who he was and he hadn't flashed on him either which meant he wasn't in the intersect.
The old man returned with two cups of tea. His hands shook as he handed one of the cups to Chuck who quickly grabbed it before it spilled. The old man sat down and sipped his tea.
Chuck sniffed the tea and decided that if the old man hadn't croaked it was probably safe to drink so he took a sip and nodded his approval. "Not bad."
"You thought that I put something in it, didn't you?"
Chuck's face went six shades red. "Actually I was just waiting for it to cool a bit."
The old man let out a hearty laugh. "Always the spy, aren't you?"
"Why would you think that?" Chuck asked curious as to how the old man had known.
"Your father would have done the same thing," he smiled. "Your mother told me that she thought you were ready to meet me. It's been a long time coming and I really don't know how you're going to react once I tell you who I really am. I've kept my identity a secret to protect you and your sister. We're in a fickle business; it can be on your side one minute and stab you in the back the next. When I started with the CIA it was a new agency but their goal has never wavered. 'Know your enemies and keep your friends close' … it's usually your friends who stab you in the back but if you're lucky a few will be with you for life like Casey, Larkin and Walker. They are loyal but a little unpredictable at times."
"So you tell me but how am I supposed to believe you? Anyone could know who my friends are but how do I know that you're who you say you are which by the way you haven't said yet."
The old man remained silent.
"If what you're saying is true it won't help me now, will it? Bryce Larkin is dead, John Casey is off somewhere and my wife doesn't know who I am so can we cut the small chat and move on? I have a plane to catch."
"To meet Sarah?"
"How did you know that?"
"You just told me."
Chuck was tired of playing this game but knew he had to play his cards carefully. His dad had taught him that. He had to figure out who this man was because it didn't look like he was going to tell him. "Can you just tell me what you have to say because I have a ..."
"Ya ... ya ... ya, I know, you have a plane to catch. You already told me that. Patience is wasted on the young." The old man got up and walked over to the corner shelf and pulled out a file which he placed in Chuck's hand. "This should tell you what you need to know." He got up to refill his cup and watched from the kitchen.
Chuck opened up the file and noticed that it belonged to Stephen J Bartowski. He browsed through the thick file. It was one he hadn't seen before and he wondered why the old man had it. He quickly scanned the papers then came across a worn letter entitled 'Spy will of Stephen J Bartowski'. He swallowed hard and read the will.
Spy Will of Stephen J Bartowski
June 27, 1990 – revised Sept 15, 2009
If you're reading this letter then I guess I didn't make it. I can't say that I lived a bad life but the life I led was not one to brag about. I lived two lives for so long that I forgot who I was. I sacrificed my marriage, my children and what I believed in. To my wife I leave my heart and all the years we had together. Though most of them were apart we did manage to create two wonderful children, Eleanor and Charles. You knew life as a spy would be dangerous and the years we spent apart was because we chose to protect our friends – Hartley was family and we never leave family behind, that is what you told me - even when things don't go as planned. And because of that you missed out on the best years with our kids. I tried to do my best but in the end I failed. The spy life got the best of me. It took me away from my kids but my hands weren't tied either. The day I left I was going to make pancakes but ended up watching my children fend for themselves. I can't take the credit for how well they turned out, they just did. One's a doctor and the other is an engineer. Somewhere, somehow, they turned out ok.
To my dad whom is all that I had to rely on. He was my rock when my world turned upside down. He was my eyes when I couldn't see and he was the voice that my children needed and even though they were young, angry and confused at the time you never left them.
Chuck looked up. "You're my grandpa?"
The old man wiped a tear away.
"You need to finish reading my son …"
Chuck tried to hold back the tears as he continued reading.
Chuck I figured that you're the one reading this as Eleanor wouldn't understand but please let her knows that I loved her always. I hope that one day when she has a child of her own she will know how important children are to their parents. Chuck I hope that you and Sarah are together and that things worked out and if by chance thing are not going as planned then remember that you never leave family behind. I want you to know that I didn't want you to become a spy but you're stubborn like your granddad and your parents and I knew that you could take care of yourself when Bryce sent you the intersect. I knew that my efforts wouldn't be wasted but I sensed that one day they would come for me and they will come for you too. I am tired of hiding, not from the job, but from my family. I need you to continue what I have put my whole life on hold for. I know that you can handle it all because I have seen you in action. I want you to get married and have a family of your own and to keep this secret safe. People will hunt you down and hurt you but you're a Bartowski so I know that you'll prevail.
I don't want you to be angry at your granddad. He was doing what was right at the time but as the years went on it was just easier to watch from the side lines. He knows everything and I mean everything. He wasn't too pleased when I told him what I was doing and that you had uploaded the intersect when you were nine but he knew the sacrifices we have to make even when they aren't the smartest ones.
Take care of your mom for me. You're the man of the house now. Your mom needs you more than ever even if she says she's fine – look again – she wears her heart on her sleeve just like you. Chuck you are the best of both of us and I couldn't have asked for a better son. The few moments we had together were wonderful. You found me and believed in me when no one else did so I thank you for that. Without your persistence and curiosity we wouldn't be where we are today.
I leave well honestly I don't know what to leave. I guess everything that is at the cabin is yours and can be divided amongst you and your sister. My life's work is there. The old house was just a decoy in case something happened. My files are encoded with a special quote so hopefully if I am not there I hope you will know what to do about it. Talk to you granddad if things take a turn for the worse. He has the answers and even when he doesn't he likes to listen. If the intersect falls into the wrong hands I have set up many alternative methods to make or break what is out there. There were officially three keys made for Rourke, Hartley and me. We agreed to start with three and each one at the time was good for certain things. I decided to create more just to be on the safe side and to create copies that could restore, upload and change a person's mental state. My copies have a self-destruct mechanism built in if by chance the wrong person gets hold of it. I gave sample copies to Tatum Reid who at the time was a loyal friend and the other to General Diane Beckman. Each copy has a limited storage capability so whomever tries to go further with the creation of the intersect will fail. Charles you have the only complete upgrade that people know about.
People to watch out for, Reid for one – by now he knows that the one I gave him isn't the right one and he will be looking for the right one and after all these years – well he wasn't a patient man back then so I am assuming he isn't much of one now.
Quinn – who was our money maker – he was a little angry that I had Bryce take the intersect from the DNI – Quinn believes that he earned it. If he comes your way I hope and pray he doesn't succeed.
Chuck before I go – if and I hope that it is a big IF – that if something goes wrong and the intersect causes someone you love to fall and memories are erased you will find a way to get them back. I tried to predict any and all possibilities but there could be one that I never thought of. You need to find a key that looks like a light saber from Star Wars – I know what you're thinking but I had to make it look like something that wouldn't attract too much attention if it got misplaced. When you have it – it needs to be turned on. This involves matching up a sequence that I have hidden within the casing of the key. Once the key has been deciphered you need to hook it up to a computer and have the person look at a screen - images will appear on the screen reversing what was suppressed. You may need to do more than one application but Charles it only has two trials and it is time-sensitive so you need to hurry. Once the cipher is activated you don't have much time.
The person will need to be watched and monitored. Vitals and brain waves need to be watched. Hopefully this will work. If the key is activated and not used for what it is intended the results could be devastating. You have seen what it could do on a small scale – you saw it with Rourke – if Reid gets a hold of it and with his connections I hate to see what will happen and you thought that the Ring and Fulcrum was a handful. Reid wants to raise Corvus from the dead and make it his own. Corvus's file is in the one you're reading right now. It will explain what you need to know. Charles I love you my son. Be safe.
Aces Charles, Love Dad
Chuck closed the file, dried his eyes with his sleeve and stood up. The old man stood straight as Chuck walked towards him and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you granddad, my name is Charles or Chuck for short."
The old man extended his right hand. "Nice to meet you Charles or Chuck for short. My name is Charles Stephen Bartowski."
Chuck leaned in as his granddad embraced him for the first time in his memory then he pulled back and looked at his watch. "I'm sorry to cut this short but I have to go."
"I know but I feel better now that you finally know and we will catch up when you get back. I want to meet your wife."
Chuck smiled and gave his granddad another hug this time a little longer. He attempted to give the file back but Charles senior shook his head. "You need something to read. You have a long trip ahead of you."
Chuck smiled, placed the file under his arm and said goodbye.
LAX
Chuck boarded the jet that Beckman had arranged for him and fastened his seatbelt. He had six hours to get his head back in the game and learn about his father all over again. He felt the plane take off and as it ascended to the heavens he closed his eyes. An hour later Chuck awoke and glanced over to the table where he'd left the file. He stretched his legs and grabbed the jet's phone. He dialed a number remembering when Casey had told that his fingers better be on fire if he ever used it. He waited for the machine to kick in, left a message and hoped that Casey would get it before it was too late.
Milan and Paris
Carina carefully shook Sarah awake, grabbed her gear and left the room. They decided to take the train to Paris. Sarah raised her arms above her head and stretched trying to wake up. She'd had another restless sleep and she knew why but was done trying to figure it out. She grabbed her gear and followed Carina and Gustov to the train station. They had parked near the station so as not to miss the first train of the day.
Gustov sat down and distributed the coffees and day old muffins he'd bought. "I know it's not croissants but it will have to do."
"Its fine," Sarah smiled and took a sip of her coffee.
Carina grabbed her phone and walked a little ways from the other two and sent Chuck a message.
Chuck we are off 2 Paris, good lead GB still hasn't given us much 2 go on but 2 go 2 Paris 4 now. Hope u get this.
Chuck replied instantly.
That makes 2 of us. GB must know something. ETA 4 hours.
Carina looked at her phone and was shocked that Chuck was actually coming to Paris.
Is it a good idea? R u ready 4 contact?
No but after what I found out I have no choice even if she says otherwise.
Is it good info?
Yes and no ... will fill u in l8ter. How is she?
Tired ... the fog is clearing slowly ... very slowly!
Hopefully there will be bright skies ahead.
Indeed. Got to go. Train is here.
OK. C u soon.
I'll send u a new pic to tie u over.
U r the best.
C u soon chuckles.
Carina boarded the train and sat down.
Sarah noticed that Carina had been on her phone."Who did you call?"
Carina was taken aback by Sarah's question but being Carina she always had an answer. "My friend, the one who got us the room, I told him that we had to head back to the States but appreciated his hospitality."
"Well that was nice of you."
"Did you have a good time at least?"
"I guess so. I felt that at the time it was designed just for me. I know it wasn't but it felt that every detail was made for me, for us."
"No don't think that is wasn't – if you felt that it was then it was. It was what you needed at the time."
"Right," Sarah nodded then sat back and leaned against the wall.
Aboard the EuroStar – enroute to PARIS
The train sped through the southern part of Switzerland as Sarah stared out of the train window. The snow-capped mountains were a far cry from the desert looking areas of Milan. As they approach the train station in Lausanne another feeling of familiarity surge through her subconscious. She knew after the last memory that these memories weren't happening by chance. Whether fate or someone was watching out for her and the more she invested in this mission the more her life or the life she was told about could be a reality. She couldn't control what her brain was doing to her. She just had to hope that this was the end of it.
The train took off leaving the quaint little town in the distance and headed towards Paris.
Paris Airport Charles de Gaulle
The jet landed and the doors opened as Interpol agents greeted Chuck. Chuck grabbed his bags and jumped into a black suburban.
The ride he enjoyed as it drove into Paris. Chuck stared at the Effiel Tower and the hotel that he and Sarah spent their first time together in. Chuck thought that he could handle coming back here but each sidewalk, sign and corner reminded him of her. Chuck rolled up his window not able to handle the sights any longer. The scenery changed as the car drove into Interpol French Office. Chuck jumped out and headed to the elevator. Chuck was shown a room where General Beckman had set aside. The room of course faced the tower and Chuck felt a deep ache in his heart that he had to stare at the tower plus see Sarah after all these weeks. Chuck placed his gear on the table and gave the officer his list of equipment that he needed. The junior officer left the room. Chuck was about to sit down when there was a knock at the door. Chuck looked up to see a mid aged woman walking towards him.
"Bonjour Agent Carmicheal."
Chuck had to remember that he was not Chuck today.
"Oui, bonjour and you are?"
"Sorry Interpol Agent Andrea Bourassa."
Chuck greeted her with a hand shake.
"Is there anything that I can get you?"
"No I don't…well maybe. I gave my list to the officer so once I get what I need I can start my search. But I will need access to your train and airline schedules for the last month or so and if possible your known smuggling routes."
"Anything else?" As Andrea smiled at Chuck.
"Maybe a coffee?"
"Certainly, anything in it?"
"Oh yeah 1 crème 2 sugars."
"Ok I will be right back."
Andrea left and Chuck sat down. This was the first time since he arrived that he was able to breathe. In a few short hours Sarah will be here.
EuroStar
Carina noticed the sign as they sped by that read Paris 100 miles. Carina had to stay quiet as she didn't want to spill the fact that Chuck was going to be there when they arrived. Carina didn't know that when she accepted the job of being there for Sarah it would be hard on her as well. Carina liked to talk and keeping quiet wasn't her forte. But she promised Chuck that she would watch out for her and pretend that she knew nothing. But when Sarah sees Chuck and finds out – Carina didn't know what Sarah would do or say.
Sarah finished looking at the paper and saw the worried look on Carina's face. Sarah was thankful that Carina had been by her side these last few weeks. Sarah didn't know how she would have gotten through what she was going through. Sarah believed that the fact that Carina didn't know about Chuck made it easier for her to deal or maybe accept what was happening to her.
"So what's up, you look worried? Is it the mission?"
"Oh no, just thinking that's all."
"Care to elaborate?"
"Well aren't we the …."
"Hahhaah spill it."
"Just thinking, about the life you lived for the last five years, I am assuming that it wasn't that bad or you would have said so. Even if you don't remember there had to been pictures or stories that you were told to you that proved that the time was well spent. Plus to have married a guy any guy whether it was a part of the mission or not you Sarah Walker married a guy? Which I recall was something that you would have never done even if you knew what you were getting yourself into."
Sarah mauled over what Carina had just said. And she was totally right or was she?
"Yeah I was told hundreds of stories. I even asked Chuck to tell us our story and by the time he was done my eyes were so sore from crying that I didn't think that I had tears left. I am not a crier. But for some reason Chuck was able to break several layers as he called them around me. I don't know how he did it but he did. Everyone from his mom to his best friend told me stories. And each one that told me stories every version was the same."
"So how did that make you feel?"
"I didn't want to leave Chuck the way I did but I needed time and he graciously backed away. I guess he knew from practice when to say something and when not to."
"So why haven't you talked to him?"
"I told him that I would come to him."
"That's not like you."
"Why isn't it?"
"Why would you want a guy like this Chuck to sit around and wait for you? You left him, on the beach right?" Sarah nodded. "So what makes you think that he stuck around, he seems to be a decent catch, maybe he's off…"
"Chuck wouldn't do that." Very adamantly replied.
Carina smiled inside, the old Sarah wouldn't have given a rat's ass second thought whether Chuck stuck around or not. Sarah was under his spell and always would be.
"Are you sure?"
Carina got up and left Sarah thinking about what she had just said. Sarah thought now what. She is in Paris and he is in California. How was she going to talk to him now? Would he talk to her after all these weeks, was he waiting for her?'
The train started to slow down as passengers started to grab their bags. Gustov motioned to the girls that their contact was waiting for them by the ticket booth. Sarah grabbed her bag, as the door swung open she wished that she had a jacket. She didn't plan on being out in the field. Gustov introduced the girls to his partner Marcel Devereux. After the pleasantries the opened the doors to a black BMW and sped off.
Interpol Office – Paris
Chuck had finished his coffee and connected the last connector to his labtop. He flipped the switch and General Beckman came on the screen.
"Greetings Chuck, you made it. Yeah it's very early here but I made it."
"Good, so are you set up?"
"Yeah I think so. I have logged into Interpols main frame so hopefully we will get a hit on Lancer, maybe Reid."
"So what did you find out with your mom?"
"How did you know that I met with my mom?"
Chuck looked up. He didn't have to ask by the way she was looking back at him.
"Well you won't believe this or you probably will. I met my grandfather. The mystery man that I was trying to find happens to be my grandfather."
"Did he tell you anything?"
"Yeah he told me that I had to look out for Quinn if by chance I came across him and that Reid couldn't be trusted."
"So how are you doing?"
"Hasn't sunk in yet. I mean finding out that my grandfather is still alive and that my dad's memory lives on and that there is a chance to get Sarah's memories back. I have hope.."
"Agent Walker and Miller!" General Beckman shocked to say the least that they were there.
Chuck turned around to see what he thought he had just heard. Chuck took a deep breath as he stared at his wife standing at the door. Sarah tried to put on her spy face but she knew that Chuck would see right through it.
"Chuck."
"S-Sarah. You look…."
"General hello."
"Agent Walker how was the train ride."
"Long but we are here."
Carina walked up to Chuck. Chuck gave her a look not to say anything. Carina nodded slightly.
"Hi, I'm Carina Miller."
"Oh yeah Chuck, sorry this is my best friend and fellow agent Carina Miller."
Chuck extended his hand. "Chuck Bartowski or aka Charles Carmicheal."
"Nice to meet you."
General Beckman didn't know what was going on but she didn't have time to worry about it now. The team sat down as Chuck was introduced to Gustov and Marcel. Chuck stared at Gustov and was intrigued that he looked a lot like him but without the beard. Chuck then looked at Sarah. He had caught her several times staring at him. He figured the beard was the main reason but this was the first time in weeks that they had seen eachother.
General Beckman signed off as Marcel and Gustov walked out of the room. They were going to reconvene later that day. Carina knew she was the third wheel so she told Sarah that she would meet her at the elevator. Chuck sat back down and started typing away. He had to keep busy, or he would say or do something that wouldn't sit well with Sarah.
Sarah stood for a bit. She had to say something, break the already thinning ice. She knew that if Chuck started to talk something would be said that wouldn't sit well with any of them. She knew that much this time around that Chuck for the most part had a good work ethic.
"So how have you been?"
"Good."
"You been here long?"
"Nope. Flew in this evening."
Sarah knew that if she continued all she would get would be these short answers. Plus she couldn't blame him either. Sarah rubbed her arms as her chill was getting worse. Chuck looked over his labtop and noticed Sarah looking cold. Chuck got up and walked over to his bag and pull out Sarah's jacket. And walked over to her. Sarah saw him walking over and tried to not make a scene. Chuck placed the jacket around her shoulders and sat down. Sarah brought the jacket over and wondered where Chuck had found it and why would he bring it here – either way she was thankful.
"Thanks."
"No problem, its yours anyways."
03:00 local time
Chuck refreshed his scan. He had been scanning all the routes since he got there. Sarah had passed out and was sleeping on the couch and Carina decided to get some rest at the hotel. Chuck put his coffee down and walked over to where Sarah was sleeping. He grabbed his coat and laid it over Sarah. He crouched down and watched her sleep. He hoped that she was dreaming sweet dreams. He brushed the loose strands of hair away from her eyes. He leaned in but back away and stood up. Chuck shook his head and returned to his seat. Sarah opened her eyes to see that Chuck had been there. She watched him till her eyes closed shut again. This was the first time in weeks that she was able to sleep. Call it a coincidence Sarah just added it to her many unexplained events.
04:00
Chuck rubbed his beard as he needed to get some sleep but it was only around 7 at home. Chuck grabbed his dad's file and opened it up to the Corvus file. Chuck reread what the file had in it. Chuck knew what Reid looked like but the chances of finding Lancer was slim. Chuck wondered if they knew that Quinn was dead. 'With one less man to make a profit Lancer would do what he needed to do to get his money and Reid wasn't going to let a Bartowski have the last word. If they were trafficking WMD within the relics then dad's key had to be amongst one of those relics? But how would his dad been able to leave it there when he has been dead for almost three years. Unless grandpa hid it! Maybe grandpa gave it to Dr. Eggleston and she was told to hide it but when she started to question what her job really was about and panicked and Reid saw her as a threat. Maybe she hid the key within one of the relics. Maybe Reid found out….'
"Chuck who are you talking to?"
Chuck looked up to see Sarah was standing beside him. Her closeness made him lose his focus.
"Sorry, but you were spiralling."
"Sorry."
"No don't be, by the way why would you have use the word spiralling?"
"That's what it looked like you were doing? Spiralling – you seem to do that when you're on a roll or you're nervous."
"Why did I use that word before?"
Chuck smiled slightly but didn't say a word.
Sarah smiled back.
Chuck passed the file onto Sarah and told her about meeting his grandfather. They talked till the sun came up. Sarah laughed. "No seriously I sat down in the chair and my knees where up to my face. Don't ask me where I got the height cause my grandfather could stand perfectly under my armpit."
Sarah laughed and almost fell of her chair when Carina came in with coffee.
"Did I miss something?"
Sarah trying to regain her composure. "No Chuck was just telling me that he just met his grand father for the first time and the height difference were very comical."
"Oh, alright – so you two are behaving."
Chuck looked at Sarah and back at Carina. Chuck gave her another look. And Carina whispered 'What'
Chuck didn't want to make a scene – he grabbed his coffee and returned to his seat.
"So did we get some sleep here?"
"A little but Chuck hasn't slept yet."
"I think that he is ok as long as he has his coffee."
"And how would you know that?"
Carina slowly turned around. "I can tell these things."
Carina sighed and nursed her coffee. Chuck spun in his chair and saw Sarah staring out of the window. Chuck got up and stood beside her.
"So why are you here?"
"Well it took you long enough."
"I didn't want jump down your throat."
"Well thanks. General Beckman wanted me here to flash on Lancer and Reid but I already know what he looks like. Hopefully we can get a hit. Also my computer skills are the top of the line."
"Oh are they now?"
"Sarah I didn't know that you would be here at first. I am just here to lend my services and nothing more."
Sarah felt a little disappointed that he wasn't there for her. But she did ask him not to come to her, but he was standing right there beside her so why couldn't it be about her.
Just then Chuck's labtop alerted him that Lancer facial had been spotted driving down Avenue des Champs-Elysees heading west towards the docks. Chuck tapped into the other feeds and had the car entering the docks. Chuck motioned to the Interpol agents that Lancer had been spotted. Gustov got on the phone and made arrangements to a tactical team to meet them at the docks.
Chuck grabbed his gear and surveillance equipment. Sarah grabbed her bag and followed Carina to the elevator.
Chuck stepped outside and put his coat on as the winds from the ocean were cutting through his skin. Sarah zipped up her jacket and stepped out. Chuck took his binoculars and tried to find the car. Chuck saw what looked like a wooded crate being lifted onto a delivery truck. The truck was heavily guarded by several men. Chuck flashed on a few. Sarah placed her hand on Chuck's back to comfort him as he came in and out of the flashes. It was instinctual that she would place her hand on him. Chuck stood up. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah yeah." Chuck bent down again and placed his hands on his knees. "Not use to these flashes, but there not as bad now as they were. I found the govenors that my dad made and they take the edge of most of them."
"Ok give me you phone and I'll call Beckman and fill her in."
Chuck stood up and gave Sarah his phone. Sarah dialed Beckman and waited for her to call back. Sarah was about to give Chuck his phone back when she noticed his background. It was of her sitting in the car on the way to Milan. Chuck noticed that Sarah was staring at his phone and it dawned on him that she saw the picture. Chuck went for his phone when Sarah back away, phone in hand.
"Sarah can I have my phone back."
"How did you get this picture Chuck?"
"Can I have my phone back please!"
Sarah went into his photos and saw four more pictures from Milan. The latest one from the other night at the fashion show and the most recently the train ride here.
Sarah looked at Chuck. The anger and shock was all over her face.
"Let me explain, please."
"Start talking, how did you get these pictures?"
Carina stepped out to see what was happening. When she wished she hadn't.
"Don't move Carina."
"Sarah please!"
"You two know each other don't you!"
Carina faced Sarah.
"This whole time was what? A coy to get me to remember?"
"No Sarah it's not like that, Chuck was just…."
"So this is all you?"
"It's not what you think well it kind of is – but not exactly."
"Chuck!"
"Yes, Carina sent me the photos after I asked her to and after she thought that I needed cheering up."
"Well isn't that swell. What else?"
Chuck dredge this moment. He had not planned on explaining this to Sarah. He actually didn't have a plan to say anything. He never thought that what he was digging into would lead him here either.
"After you left me on the beach I went back to our place and I won't bore you with the intimate details of the fact that I missed you. But I will tell you that when I found out where you were weeks later I might add. I didn't go after you. I kept my promise but I needed to know that you were alright somehow. So I ask Carina if she would go and pretend that she knew nothing and that you two had not seen each other in five years. I felt a little better knowing that Carina was there with you at least someone who cared about you was there for you. And the pictures like I said – I wanted to see that you were having fun and that you were at least having a good time."
Sarah turned to face Carina. "He's the friend then, the one who was fitting the bill."
Carina nodded.
"Great, and I thought that you were there as a friend."
"I was the whole time but Chuck is my friend too. And what he just told you is the truth. You left him, he promised not to follow you so what's the problem."
"The problem? Everything that I shared to you, what I remember he knows."
Carina didn't respond.
Sarah walked up to Chuck and pushed his phone hard into his chest.
"I hope that you got what you wanted. Because I'm done."
Sarah walked off Chuck was about to follow. Carina put her hand out. "Let me. It's easier for her to be mad at me than you."
Chuck sat down on a crate shaking his head. 'It didn't have to end up like this.'
Carina caught up to Sarah as Sarah wiped her eyes. "So you going to tell Chuck this one too?"
"No. This one is yours."
"Why?"
"Sorry sweetie. Chuck thought that at the time."
"I hurt him."
"I think that he'll get over it."
"You didn't tell him about the dream."
"The dream, you didn't say anything about a dream." Carina looked at Sarah.
"Oh the one in the car thing? Was it about Chuck?"
"Don't know – I couldn't see his face."
"Well they do say that dreams are a way to tell us that things could happen."
"Well not after what I just did."
Carina turned Sarah to face Chuck.
"Yes we did you wrong by not telling you the truth. But what man on this earth would go to that many lengths to make sure that a girl like you was taken care of."
Sarah was just about to answer when Chuck motioned for them to come back. Sarah and Carina ran back as Chuck put his phone in his pocket. "The shipment is expected to make its' way to state side by tomorrow. Beckman has her people waiting at the airport. We need to find Dr. Eggleston before that shipment leaves Paris."
"So what's the plan?"
"We need to get into that warehouse and look into that truck. Gustov and Marcel you two check out the back end of the warehouse; Carina and Sarah you two the front. I'll take the truck."
Chuck gave Sarah her black bag and Chuck ran off towards the truck. Sarah quickly opened up the bag to find her weapons inside. Carina motioned for her to hurry up.
Chuck snuck up behind a few crates to the left of the truck. Chuck scanned the deck to find three guards other than that it was very quiet. Chuck saw Sarah and Carina heading to the front of the warehouse. Once inside Chuck crept towards the truck and stepped onto the guardrail and flipped up the canvass cover. Chuck looked for any sign of what the cargo had inside. Chuck noticed the label and flashed on images of Corvus; pictures of a team working on a prototype. Chuck snapped out of his flash and jumped off as he heard some people coming. Chuck hid behind a few boxes as Sarah's voice came through his ear piece. 'Chuck they have a woman with them and are leaving the warehouse.' Where are you?"
'Can't talk.'
'What do you mean you can't talk?"
'Just what I said.' This time even quieter.'
Chuck tried to stay silent as the guards walked by him. When Sarah didn't get a response she grabbed her binoculars and tried to find Chuck. When she saw that Chuck was behind a box and the guards were right on his tail, she headed back.
"SLOW DOWN SARAH."
"I got to go."
"And do what? Get us both killed."
"But Chuck!"
"I know but there is nothing we can do till the guards leave or…."
Just then Sarah watched as the two guards leaving the truck. Chuck ducked out and headed back to the truck as more men appeared this time with a woman that Chuck believed was Dr. Eggleston. Without flashing her name was brought up by one of the men.
The doctor was lifted into the truck. The flaps brought down. Chuck saw that the truck was leaving. As Sarah, Carina and the two Interpol agents arrived they saw the truck drive off. Sarah looked around for Chuck but couldn't see him till Carina pointed to two long legs wearing black converses were flapping their way onto the side of the truck. They jumped into the suburban and followed the truck to a remote area where they truck pulled into an old textile mill. They pulled over and watched the doctor file into the mill.
Chuck fell to the ground as the road wasn't the best. He quickly got up and hid behind an old tree.
'Sarah, can you read me'
'Yeah you ok?"
'Y-e-a-h I think so."
"You think so?"
'Yeah I'm fine where are you?"
"We are sitting on the edge of the mill. We will come to you."
Chuck waited and watched. If he stood up he could see into the mill. The doctor was tied to a chair and as far as Chuck could see where the men that he came with. Chuck heard someone in the trees and aimed his tranq gun. Chuck had his finger ready to pull the trigger when he saw who it was.
"You were going to shoot me?"
"NO!"
"Good. So what do we have?"
"Three men that came with the truck and the doctor"
Carina walked to the truck and opened up the crate. Tossing the shredded paper away from the cargo inside. Chuck and Sarah joined her to find a replica of Zeus. Chuck watch up and placed his hand on the statue. When Chuck rubbed his fingers across the piece, he looked at his fingers. There was plaster residue. That meant that this was not what it looked like. After Interpol took some pictures for evidence. Chuck grabbed a big stone and smashed it again the lower half the statue. Two semi- automatic weapons fell out. Chuck smash again and a Russian war head appeared. Chuck looked at Sarah. They had hit the jack pot. But the celebration had to end there. Chuck needed to the get the doctor out. Sarah and Chuck crawled up the side ladder and crawled inside. They crouched down as they were able to see the whole room. Chuck counted three guys plus the doctor. Neither of them were Lancer or Reid, which disappointed Chuck. The taller man's cell rang. They were speaking in French but Chuck was able to decipher some of it. Sarah looked at Chuck.
"What did he say?"
"One: kill the doctor and two: get rid of the truck."
"So now what?"
"Save the doctor?"
"And how?"
Chuck looked around and tried to find a way down without getting caught. Chuck flashed on a few moves and told Sarah to climb down the rungs behind them and he'll meet her to the side of the wall. Chuck jumped and swung and flipped his way to the otherside. Sarah climbed down and waited for Chuck to meet her. Chuck slid alongside the far wall as he could still see the guys sitting at the table; each drawing straws to see who would be the one to off the doctor. Chuck continued to move forward when his foot tripped and he fumbled against the wall crashing to the ground.
The three men stopped what they were doing.
"Go check it out!"
The two men walked towards where the noise was coming from. Chuck stayed low and waited for the men to come into his sights. When he saw the two men he tranq them and caught one of them before they hit and made a louder sound. Chuck got up again to see Sarah heading towards the Doctor. Chuck kept his eye on the third man – but he must have been ready because as soon as he saw Sarah coming he started to fire. Sarah pulled back as Carina and Gustov came in from the front. The third man fired on them as well. Carina ducked and rolled towards Sarah. They both nodded and on three they both got up and fire on the lone male knocking him to the ground. He didn't know what hit him.
