Chapter 8

"Just because you are staring at it does not help it get cooked any quicker." said John Casey at the kids that are drooling over the hamburgers that he was cooking on the grill. There are five kids staring at his hamburgers on the grill. John could see their eyes are as big as silver dollars. John sighs in frustration. As he places his focus back on the hamburgers, he could hear some woman chuckling.

The grand opening was something that John Casey had not been looking forward to. Chuck and Morgan knew this. Chuck picked the less stressful thing that they could find for John: Cooking out in front of the Buy More building for the customers. Ever since 11:00 am, John has been cooking outside on the grill. While he did not have to deal with scheming customers, he did have to deal with people wanting free food.

"I knew that I should have picked that mission in Beijing." mumbles John Casey to no one in particular.

"Wow!" said a voice that has become very familiar to John Casey. He turns to see his daughter standing behind the drooling kids. She is wearing a red blouse and black pants and an approving smile.

"What?" ask John Casey.

"You look like you belong behind a grill." said Alex with a little smile on her face.

Alex McHugh is his daughter that John Casey never knew that he had. Unfortunately his enemies knew this about him and tried to use her against him. As the result of this event, he had to save Alex and revealed to her that he was her father. As a result, they are having a developing relationship that both individuals agree to take their time in.

"Thanks." reply John Casey as he flips the burgers.

"I don't think I ever picture you behind a grill, John." said Alex. Since coming back into her life, John Casey did not want to force anything onto her. After all, he had not been part of her life during her formative years, it would be wrong for him to expect her to call him dad or accept him as a father figure. So, he is taking his time with his daughter.

"I am a man of many talents." said John with a calm voice as he looks back at the kids that are still drooling over the food on the grill.

"I can see that."

"So what are you doing here?" ask John.

"I figure that I should support you in the Grand re opening of the Buy More." said Alex.

"Thanks." John takes the hamburgers off the grill and placed them on buns that are set off on the side on plates. He hand the plates to the kids as their eye widen. "Now get out of here."

The kids grab the plates and run off.

"You are such a people person." comments Alex

"Hazard of the job." reply John.

"Tell me about it. After work, all I want to do is simply crash in my room and enjoy the silence."

"Don't your mom worry about such behavior?" ask John.
"She understands." Alex pauses for a moment. "You should see her."

"We have already talked about it. It wouldn't be a good idea."

"Why not?" ask Alex.

"Your mom thinks that I am dead. If I show up to her house, trust me she will hate me forever. I don't want that." John looks away from his daughter and put more hamburgers on the grill.

Alex saw it for a brief moment. It was almost like lightening. It was there for a moment and it disappeared.

"I don't hate you." comfort Alex to her father.

"That is because you barely know who I am. I am only doing this because you are letting me to. The moment you say stop, I will." said John.

"Well, that is not going to happen. You are now stuck with me. Deal with it." Alex said it with a smile. John turns to see that smile. "If I don't hate you, then Mom wouldn't."

"Alex, I have seen this happened before. It never ends well." said John.

"Oh."

"Yeah." John did not like disappointing her. He could see that he was doing just that. "Want a hamburger?"

"Sure." Answer Alex. John takes the hamburger off the grill and places them on a plate. He takes a plate and place hamburger buns on it. He takes one of the hamburgers and places it on top of the buns. He hand the plate to Alex, who kindly took it from him.

"Casey!" Both Alex and John look up and see Morgan approaching them. "Dude, your hamburgers are rocking this place. No one wants to go inside."

"They like what they are eating." states John Casey. Alex takes a bite out of her hamburger.

"Obviously. I think we are just getting more people for the free food then the sale."

"What did you expect?" ask John to the hairy man.

"I don't know." Morgan notices Alex, whose smile grew only slightly bigger. "Oh. Hey, Alex."

"Hey, Morgan. How is the grand reopening?" Morgan smile did the same thing. John Casey looks at both of them hoping that he is not seeing this.

"I think we are hitting the numbers. It is a good day. Let's hope that it stay like this." said Morgan as he kept his eyes on Alex.

"Well, I got to get going. I came by to tell you that I have to cancel dinner."
"I did not know we had dinner." said Morgan to Alex.

"She was talking to me." said John to the idiot that he wants to choke. "How come?"

"Well, classes are starting back up. Mom wants to have a small weekend trip before they do."

"That's fine." Alex saw it again from John's face. It was quick. If she was not paying attention for it this time, she would have missed it: It was sadness. "You have fun with your mother."

"I will." She smiles so that John assumed that she did not see it. "I'll call you when I get back. We will do something."

"Alright." Alex takes her hamburger and start walking away from John. He watches her with some sadness. He did not pay attention to Morgan as he look at his cell phone. John did not see Morgan's face as he freaks out on what he was reading on the screen.

"Casey." said Morgan.

"What?" ask an annoyed John Casey.
"Code Black is a bad thing, isn't it?"

"Crap." John shakes out his sadness and went straight to professional mode. "That is a perimeter branch on the Buy More."

John turns off the gas grill and turn to looks at the entrance of the Buy More. He could feel his hair on the back of his neck rising as he watches as people slowly walking out of the Buy more. When he saw Jeff, Lester and Amber walking them out, he already knew that it was bad.

"That is a lot of people coming out of the Buy more." remarks Morgan.

"I don't see Chuck." observes John as he continues to scan the crowd.

"You don't think…"

"Morgan, when it comes to Chuck, there is very little thinking involved. Here is the plan. Keep everyone away from the store. When the fire department comes in, let them go in. That's our guys."

"Sure. What about the rookies?" ask Morgan.

"Have them do crowd control. If anybody gets stupid, they can take care of them. If anything happens you will have them as backup." answers John.

"What about you?" ask Morgan.

"I'm going in."

"Dude, I'm coming with you."

"No, you are not." answers John.

"How come?" asks Morgan.

"I hate to say this, but you are the authority figure here."

"What?"

"You are the assistant manger of the Buy more. The house wives will respect that and will believe you when you tell them that there is gas leak in the store. You also know the codes in the Castle. The rookies may need you if everything goes straight to hell." explains John to Morgan.

"Fine." said Morgan, not liking the situation.
"Besides, I know where all the weapons are in the store."

"Wait." interrupts Morgan. "There are weapons in the store?"
"Who do you think remodeled the store?" said John as he runs away from Morgan.

"Oh my god, the CIA remodeled our store." said Morgan underneath his breath as he watches as John Casey run into the crowd and into the store.


The locker slides open to let Sarah Walker step out. Sarah figured that the secret entrance to the Buy More would be the best course of action. She presses her watch button and put the watch up to her mouth.

"Casey."

"Walker, make it quick."

"Identification program has been confirmed that the terrorist called Major Tom is in the Buy More. It looks like Chuck flashed and had the Nerd Herders let everyone out. Last thing I saw on the video monitor was Chuck trying to distract Major Tom about television. We may have a possible hostage situation."

"I see them. What about the girl that is with them?"
"Hostage." answers Sarah.

"Your location." ask John Casey.

"I'm in the break room. What's your location?"

"I am in the store heading toward them now. Looks like Chuck is playing the salesman."

"Probably stalling until back up gets here." said Sarah.

"Time?"

"Three minutes."

"Well, until then, we are the back up." said John.

"I am on my way." said Sarah as she exits out of the break room.


"So, what do you think?" ask Chuck. He just went over the whole entertainment package with them. He was still a little surprised that the man called Major Tom did not shoot him yet. In fact, he simply let Chuck go through the sell presentation. Chuck just hopes that Major Tom does not remember that he has that option.

"Well, all well and good, but there is this little problem." state Major Tom as he look straight at Chuck.

"What's that?"

"While you were doing your sales pitch, you evacuated this whole building." said Major Tom

"What?" Chuck put on his shock look.

"Are you going to try and insult me? I can see that you clear this whole place out." Major Tom extends his hand to point out the empty sales floor. Chuck turn to see that the building is clear. His heart slows down a beat.
"Did I?"
"You know who I am." states Major Tom as he step in front of Jenny, who seems to been holding her breath.

Chuck look at the man. Major Tom had a smile on his face. Chuck did not know what to make of this man. He had to be crazy. So, Chuck did the only thing he could. He smiles.

"I really doubt that." continue Chuck.

"Please. You know who I am just like I know who you are."

"Who am I?" ask Chuck.

"A nerd who watched too many America Most Wanted episodes. You want to play the knight that save the damsel in distress. You saw me and you saw the girl. You saw your chance to be bigger then who you really are. That is who you are. Some lonely boy who wants to play superhero." Major Tom's smile turns into a wicked grin that Chuck seen before.

"Guess you figured me out. The only thing is you haven't answered is the big question: why you want the girl." ask Chuck, faking his ignorance of how important Jenny is.

"That is not of your business."

"Ok. If you don't want to answer that question, can you answer this one? How can you carry a sword and not get notice?" Chuck kept his eyes on Major Tom as he unsheathes his sword.

It is a big Katana blade. If Chuck did not know any better, he could have swore that the sword sung when Major Tom took it out.

"I have no idea. I have been carrying this thing for years and no one has ever asked me that?" answers Major Tom with a little confusion.

"Seriously, I figured you would have been stopped by someone."

"One would think. One would also think that a man would run away if he saw this sword out." Major Tom stares at Chuck with very evil intentions.

"I really should run, but I don't think it would do anyone any good."

"What makes you say that?"

"Something tells me I wouldn't get far."

"That is true."

"Of course, if I wait longer enough, help will come." said Chuck. With those words, Casey and Sarah walk in with their gun pointed at Major Tom.
"PUT YOUR HAND UP IN THE AIR!" commanded John Casey.

"CIA! PUT YOUR HANDS UP!" Yell out Sarah.

"Well this is unexpected." Major Tom look at Chuck, Sarah and then at John Casey. "Are they any good?"

"I trust them with my life." Answer Chuck.

"Can they trust you with theirs?" said Major Tom as he looks directly at Chuck. "Just so you know that I am fast enough to slice your throat, chop off Jenny's head, run over to the big guy and kill him. That blonde will be dead at the door as she runs away for her life. I will simply walk away from this building and get myself a sandwich and a drink and not feel any remorse or get caught. Now, I will ask you again: Can they trust their lives in your hands?"

Chuck takes a big breath and closes his eyes. He could feel the surge coming over him as his mind flashes. It downloads in his mind and body what it needs in this situation. Chuck opens his eyes and look at terrorist that just threaten his friends.

"Yes, they can." said Chuck with confidence that only came with experience.

"Well." said Major Tom. "Since you seem so confident, let's see how quickly you can die."

Major Tom runs toward Chuck with a swift motion that Sarah did not see him move. Jenny's eyes widen as she saw the quickness that Major Tom had. John wants to shoot but did not see a clear shot. All three individuals place their hopes on Chuck.

Chuck answers their hopes with a flying cartwheel over Major Tom, as he tried to end the situation with lunges with his sword. Chuck land on his feet with his back toward Major Tom. Chuck quickly looks for something to defend himself. The only thing he sees is Jenny standing in front of him.

"Run." said Chuck. Jenny stares at Chuck and turn to run. Chuck turn to face Major Tom. He had already turned around to slash Chuck in the middle. Not wanting to get split in half vertically, Chuck grabbed the wrist that is holding the sword. Chuck look at the blade of the sword to see that it is only inches from his head. Sweat start to come down his head as the realization that he could die in a very painful way.

Good thing he had a team.

Sarah runs toward Jenny to get her out of the away.

John Casey took him a second to find his shot and take it.

Major Tom felt the bullets as John fired. He fell back on the ground. He let the sword out of his hands. He collapsed on the floor.

John and Sarah slowly approach the area with caution. Jenny simply walks back a little as the agents approach the body.

"Are you alright?" ask Sarah.

"Yeah. Nearly got slice in half like Darth Maul, but I think I am alright." said Chuck as he stands from a distance from Major Tom.

"Chuck." said John.

"Yeah."

"Does your watch work?"

"Yeah."

"Next time you see a crazed terrorist walking into the building, hit the button." chastise Casey. Chuck look at his watch. It is still the same watch that Sarah gave him when she started to protect him. The watch had an emergency signal button in case something happens.

"Sorry. It has been a while since I had to use it."
"Well, don't forgot, Chuck. Don't make me have to remind you how to use it." said John as both agents stand beside Chuck. They look at the terrorist called Major Tom.
"Wow, so this man was the big bad Major Tom." said Chuck as he thought about the warning from the Time Lord name Jenny.

"Wanted in almost all five continents, even Antarctica." mentions John Casey.

"You're kidding."
"Nope. Killed someone there."

"How come we never caught him?" ask Chuck.

"Don't know. This is the closest anyone got to him." answers Sarah.

They both look at the body. Chuck realizes something. It was a small detail, but it is an important detail.

"He's not bleeding." said Chuck.

"What?" said both agents as they look down at the body. Without thinking, they pointed their weapons at the body.

The supposedly dead body opens his eyes. He smile with a grin that sent chills up their spine

"Well, I might have been wrong about you, Chuck." said Major Tom.

"You make a move and I will put three bullets in that skull of yours." said Casey with a tone that shows his resolve.

"At this range, whatever protection I have wouldn't work." said Major Tom to no one in particular.
"I know. Again. Don't move." said Casey with a small smile.

"So, who are you?" Major Tom looks at Casey and Sarah. "You can't be the local law enforcement. You have quality hardware. You have skills that most normal people don't have." Major Tom then looks at Chuck with cold eyes.

"It's yoga. My girlfriend demands that I take yoga." lies Chuck.

"You. Are. Lying." said Major Tom. "I wouldn't make that mistake again, Chuck. Next time we meet, you better be ready."

Major Tom moves his right hand and taps his watch. Instantly, he disappeared.

Both Sarah and John Casey simply stare at the area, trying to process the situation.

"Did he just teleported?" ask Chuck with a shock look on his face.