A/N: Hello, again! A lot of people are going to be surprised by this chapter (at least, that's what I like to think). This chapter was probably the most difficult to write for me. I don't know why, but it just was…
Again, thank you to all of you who reviewed!
Casey made his way to the filing cabinet, and stopped as he saw his daughter and that bearded troll giggled in their little corner. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't just walk over to Grimes and snap his hairy neck. Oh, how he wanted to snap that furry bastard's neck right now. Casey felt his pulse quicken as Alex placed her hand on top of Grimes'. Grimes…you're a dead man.
But who was he to put a stop to whatever the hell was going on with Alex and Morgan? Sure, he's Alex's father, but he hadn't even known that he had a daughter till he had read Alex's file three weeks ago and saw that her mother was Kathleen McHugh, his fiancée, and she was born on December 17, 1989. Seven months after he had supposedly died…
"…so I rallied up all of the analysts, right?" Casey heard Morgan saying to Alex, "And we made it our personal mission to get a Dip 'N Dots machine here in Cathedral. Lo and behold, we accomplished our mission. They're currently installing the machine as we speak."
"Are they really? I love Dip 'N Dots!" Alex cried happily. "When do you think the machine will be ready?"
"I don't know, I was just down there, and they said they were having problems with the liquid nitrogen set up…so maybe in a couple of hours?" guessed Morgan. "So…how about you and I pop the cherry on that machine later?"
Casey watched as Alex flashed the troll a smitten smile and said, "It's a date, Mr. Grimes…"
In the last three weeks, Casey got to know his daughter. He saw how warm and kind she was, and how much ass she could kick. She was going to make a hell of an Agent. If she wanted to date the bearded troll, well…things could be worse. Grimes may be an idiot, but that kid is one loyal and brave son of a bitch.
Casey felt someone bump into his hip, and as he was about to release a predatory growl, he saw Forrest smiling coyly at him.
"Good morning, Colonel," she greeted, sipping the cup of coffee he had left in her office earlier.
"Agent Forrest," he said in his usual deep, baritone voice, giving her a nod.
"Thanks for the coffee," she smiled, giving him another bump with her hip and a wink.
"Not a problem." He flashed a hint of a smile, and watched her as she walked back into her office. Damn…that woman is the M4 Carbine rifle of women; smooth, accurate, and harsh. Just how I like them…
"So you're slamming her now?" a voice called from his left. Casey turned and saw her…the ginger, scarlet woman who humiliated him in Prague so many years ago.
"Agent Miller," he grunted as Carina stood in front of him with her arms crossed. "I figured you'd be back out on whore island by now…"
"Seems like everyone's getting some action here other than me," Carina sighed, ignoring Casey's quip. "I mean, you're slamming on Agent Woods—"
"Her name's Forrest."
"Whatever," she waved her hand. "Sarah's getting boned by Chuck…even Martin over there seems to be getting some action from the pixie…"
Casey growled, and silently counted back from a hundred to keep his calm, watching Grimes getting all googly eyed around his daughter.
"And that new guy—Shaw—might as well be a robot," she continued, either ignoring or not noticing the fact that Casey's face was redder than a tomato. "What's a girl gotta do to get some action?"
"I'm pretty sure you'll think of something," he grunted.
Just then, the newlywed Bartowski's walked in, with Chuck carrying a metallic briefcase.
"Dude!" cried Morgan to Chuck. "We got a Dip 'N Dots machine!"
A frustrated grunt escaped Casey's throat as Chuck smiled idiotically. Damn, Bartowski, it's just ice cream. Keep it in your pants!
"NO WAY!" cried the taller of the two nerds, bouncing on his heels like a school girl. Before the bearded troll and the brown haired Curly Sue could say or do anything more, Sarah cleared her throat, cueing them back to reality.
"Anyway," she said. "Alex? Do you want to round up the other agents and tell them to meet Chuck and me in the conference room?"
"Of course," smiled Alex, getting up from her chair.
Minutes later, everyone gathered into the conference room, waiting to be briefed. Finally, once everyone settled into their seats, Chuck began the meeting.
"So my tech guy finished the motherboard," he said, sliding the briefcase across the table to Shaw. "You think you can flash on it and see if it works?"
"Sure…give me a sec," said Shaw, unclasping the case.
"So is today your last day?" Morgan asked to Chuck and Sarah. Casey turned to the couple.
"No," replied Sarah, smiling kindly at Morgan. "Wednesday's our last day. If the rabbit's foot is done, then Chuck and I are going to meet with Beckman to give it to her. After that, we have to finish up writing evaluations…"
"Evaluations?" asked Morgan. "Like a report card?"
"Sort of," replied Sarah. "You know…I have to write out how you all performed while out on missions, but luckily, we've only had one, so that wouldn't take too long."
"And I have to write recommendations for the analysts," said Chuck. Casey turned to Shaw to see him adjusting slightly in his seat (most likely from the flash) as Shaw clasped the case shut, and slid it back to Chuck.
"It's good," he said, nodding to Chuck.
"Right-o!"
"Okay, now that that's taken care of, we can move on," said Sarah, turning to face everyone around the table. "Like I said, Chuck and I are going to meet Beckman in a bit to deliver the briefcase and to discuss some other matters."
"What would you like us to do?" asked Casey.
"Well, seeing as the Ring will most likely cease to exist in the next twenty-four hours, I'm going to ask Beckman to let everyone here have a pick in their own assignments," replied Sarah, as Casey grunted in approval. You better watch your back, Osama, I'm coming to get you, Casey thought, smirking. "So why don't you think about where you want to go, and what you want to do, and leave the requests in my office? I'll see what I can do."
Undisclosed NSA Facility, LA
"Thank you both for meeting me here." Beckman greeted Chuck and Sarah outside by the entrance. She led the two of them into the base.
"Not a problem, ma'am," said Sarah, as she and Chuck walked alongside the tiny general.
"So the rabbit's foot is complete?"
"Yes, ma'am," answered Chuck. "My father finished the motherboard, and Shaw confirmed that it'll work. I finished writing the software, and everything's in the case."
"Good," nodded Beckman, stepping into an empty office. As she walked around behind a desk, she indicated for them to take a seat across from her. "How is Agent Shaw holding up as the Intersect? You haven't had any major problems with him?"
Chuck and Sarah exchanged glances, and he gave her a nod.
"Well, to be honest, ma'am," began Sarah. "As the Intersect, he's exceeded our expectations. We thought it would take at least a month for him to adapt to everything, but he's proved to be a fast learner…" she hesitated for a moment. Beckman raised an eyebrow.
"However…?"
"However, he seems to have made it a personal vendetta when it comes to the Ring," said Chuck. "He's more focused on avenging the death of his wife."
"But as the Intersect, he's exceeded expectations?"
"Yes, ma'am," they nodded.
"What do you think he'll do after we infiltrate the Ring database?"
"This is just a guess, but…" Chuck nervously scratched the back of his neck. "I doubt the CIA will be able to control him as the Intersect. Sarah and I have discussed it over the weekend, and we believe that Agent Shaw…er…will stop at nothing to find the agent who killed his wife. We believe that will jeopardize future missions in which Agent Shaw takes a part of."
"The evidence?"
"All written here, ma'am," replied Sarah, pulling a file out from her purse, and handing it to Beckman.
"Very well." Beckman placed the folder on her desk, and began to unclasp the case containing the rabbit's foot. "Onto the matter at hand: a group of NSA analysts were successful in finding the location of the Five Ring Elders. Tomorrow, at 09:00, eastern, we will activate the rabbit's foot. We have arranged a flight for your team to leave tonight."
"Yes, ma'am."
"I will take over Operation 3.0 from here, then," said Beckman. Sarah could have sworn that she had seen the corner of Beckman's lips curving. "I assume you two will want to go on a proper honeymoon, yes?"
Once again, Sarah and Chuck both exchanged bemused looks.
"Yes, ma'am…" said Chuck cautiously.
"Then, I suggest the two of you finish writing your evaluations," smiled the general. "Send them to me tonight, and you will both be free to leave. We'll send you your final papers through the mail, and then the two of you are free to do whatever it is the two of you want to do."
"Just like that?" Chuck asked.
"Just like that, Mr. Bartowski," replied Beckman. Sarah and Chuck smiled happily at one another. They were finally free! Sarah wanted to just jump off her chair and burst into a celebratory dance with Chuck. However, before she could do anything, her thoughts were broken as Beckman opened the briefcase and let out an angry huff. "What the—where's the rabbit's foot?"
"Excuse me?" Sarah cried. Beckman turned the briefcase toward her, and Sarah saw that nothing was inside. The rabbit's foot was gone, and so was the flashdrive that Chuck had written his software on. She turned to face Chuck, and she could practically see his brain churning…
"Shaw…" he mumbled. "He must have taken it!"
"What?" cried Sarah. "How could he have…?" And then it dawned on her: when they asked Shaw to flash once more on the rabbit's foot, everyone else was distracted. God…how could she have been so stupid?
"Mr. Bartowski," snapped the general, "I want you to find a way to contact Shaw."
"Yes, ma'am," said Chuck, quickly whipping his phone from his pocket.
"Not here! Outside! I need to speak with Mrs. Bartowski alone…" Beckman's voice was filled with ice. "Excuse us…Chuck."
Giving her a quick, reassuring look, Chuck quickly scrambled out of the general's office.
"Mrs. Bartowski," sighed Beckman, "I would like for you to explain how Agent Shaw could have taken the rabbit's foot."
"It's my fault, ma'am." Although she wanted nothing more than to stare down in shame at the floor, she knew that she needed to maintain eye contact with Beckman. "We handed Shaw the case, and asked him to flash. And we…all of us, were distracted. He must have taken it then."
"Exactly how were you distracted?"
She shut her eyes for a brief moment. "I was asked a personal question, and I chose to answer…"
Beckman shook her head, and gave Sarah an angered look.
"I knew it was a mistake to allow you and Mr. Bartowski to be involved romantically…" Beckman mumbled.
"Sorry?"
"Think about it," said Beckman sternly. "Before him, you were cold; you would always finish the job without making things personal. After him, you began to thaw…I shouldn't have given you this job…"
"General, I—" Beckman held a hand up.
"I don't want to hear it," Beckman snapped. "I want you and the rest of the agents to find Shaw, and—"
Beckman's words were cut off as the lights in the room flashed on and off. The computer on the desk began to emit a whining noise. All of a sudden, alarms were set off.
"What's going on?" demanded Beckman into her intercom.
"The network is being attacked, ma'am! It's crumbling down our firewalls!" a voice cried from the intercom.
"Damn it!" Beckman slammed her fist down on the desk, and leaned forward to Sarah. "You and your team are responsible for bringing Daniel Shaw in. Dead or alive. I will not allow either you or Chuck to be dismissed until you find Shaw. Is that understood?"
Although she wanted to slam Beckman's head into the desk, Sarah knew that this was her doing. She hadn't ever trusted Shaw…she should have spoken up…at the very least, she should have kept a better eye on him when they handed him the case…
"Understood, General…"
"Then, go! You heard them…our network's being attacked, and in a couple of hours, all our resources…our data will be compromised and rendered useless."
Sarah quickly sprinted out of the office, and down the long, narrow hallway. She bumped into several military officers, but she didn't bother to stop and apologize. The only thing that mattered to her was getting to Chuck…if Shaw knew where she and Chuck were, then…she couldn't even finish the thought.
When she made it out of the facility, she scrambled about, turning a full 360 degrees until her eyes landed on Chuck's back about fifty yards away. Even with his back turned to her, she could sense that something was wrong…Shaw must have made contact…
"Chuck!" Sarah called, jogging over to him as he stared at his phone in disbelief. "Was that Shaw?"
"You need to get my father," said Chuck frantically. "Go to Ellie and Devon's apartment. He's there. Tell him to bring one of the Orion laptops, and take him to our secret location in Barstow. He should be able to hack through Shaw's codes…"
She stared at him in confusion. Then it dawned on her. It was a code phrase for the next safe house that they had come up with when Castle had been infiltrated by the Ring a few years ago.
"…what's going on, Chuck?" she asked. "Who were you talking to? Was that Shaw?"
"Yeah, Shaw put Cathedral in detention mode using my father's wrist computer," he said, breathing heavily. "He put a bomb in the basement, and there is going to be no way anyone could defuse it! I need you to take my father to the location, and make sure he's able to crack through Shaw's codes, and wait for me there."
"What about you? What are you going to do?"
"I need to talk to Beckman," he said. "I need a Black Ops team…"
"What? Do you know where Shaw is?"
"Yes…"
"Then I'm going with you!" cried Sarah. There was no way she was going to let her husband meet up with the world's most dangerous weapons without her…without knowing he'll be safe…
"No!" She had never heard Chuck speak with such force. "No…I can take care of him. I just need you to help my father, okay? Please!"
She looked into Chuck's eyes, filled with fear, maybe even panic. Why was he being so irrational? If she went with him to get Shaw, then they can force him to defuse the bomb…
"Chuck, I'm going with you," she stated stubbornly.
"It really isn't necessary, Sarah," he said. "I can talk to him. I know what he wants."
"What does he want?"
"Sarah! We really don't have time for this!" Chuck yelled, causing Sarah to step back. "I need you to get to my father, and help him! We're wasting time!"
Glaring at her husband, she realized she had no other choice…
"Fine," she snapped, turning away from Chuck, and sprinting toward the parking lot without looking back.
Cathedral
Casey had no idea what the hell was going on. One minute, everything was fine. The next, total chaos. All of the computers were fried, the steel barriers blocked out all the exits, and now, he was staring at 300 pounds of C4, complete with the most complicated wiring that he had ever seen.
As he walked along the giant pile of destruction, he heard footsteps echoing from the stairs of the basement. Drawing his gun out, Casey pointed it toward the stairs, only to see Forrest and Morgan.
"What the hell is that?" cried Morgan, pointing at the bomb.
"That's about 300 pounds of C4, Grimes," replied Forrest. She looked up at Casey. "John…that is the most complicated wiring that I have ever seen…"
"Yeah," Casey grunted, examining the mass of different colored wires. "I'm guessing a lot of these are dummy wires. You snap one, it sets off the next, and then the next, and then, eventually…"
"Boom…" Morgan mumbled. "I've seen something similar to this…"
"What? How? When?" asked Casey. Surely if Morgan had seen a bomb, then Casey would have been there…never in their year and a half of Grimes being on the team, did Grimes actually ever deal with a bomb.
"On Lost…"
Casey grunted in frustration.
"No, look," said Morgan, pointing to an antennae, "That's a receiver. Obviously, this means that the bomb isn't on a timer. Someone probably has the detonator. Which means…this must be the power source." Morgan pointed to a metal tube with a flashing green light.
To Casey's surprise, the bearded troll was actually right.
"How do you—?" started Forrest.
"Lost, my friend," said Morgan. "And people say that show isn't realistic…"
"Okay, then…what did they do on Lost?" asked Casey.
"They froze the power source with liquid nitro…gen…" Morgan looked thoughtful for a moment, and then smiled at Casey. "The Dip N Dots machine!"
"What?"
"The machine has a small liquid nitrogen canister to keep the ice cream cold," Morgan explained. "Casey, do me a solid, and help me tear the canister from the machine. We need to freeze this battery…"
"Grimes, are you out of your mind?" Forrest laughed in disbelief. "Do you honestly think that'll work?"
"We don't have any other choice…"
"What if you set out the bomb?"
"My dear, Forrest," said Morgan, shaking his head. "This battery isn't powering the receiver; it's what triggers the bomb to go off. Without a power source, nothing will be able to detonate it."
"Why can't we just pull the wires from the battery?"
"Because, like Casey said, there are a ton of wires…we don't want to accidentally set off the bomb, do we?"
"Fine," huffed Forrest.
"Right, well, Forrest, you get everyone to the top floor. It's the safest place to be in case this bomb goes off," Casey ordered. "Grimes, let's go get the liquid nitrogen, and hope—" his words were cut off as his phone began to ring. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he saw Sarah's name on the caller ID. "Yeah?"
"Casey, Orion's working on a way to tap the detention security," she said. "He's only been able to unlock the door to the roof access. Get everyone up on the roof…"
"Are you sending choppers in to get us?"
"We can't…Shaw released the virus. Communications are down," replied Sarah. "There are a few grappling hooks in the armory. I want you, Carina, and Forrest to help Morgan, Alex, and the analysts zip-line across to the next building. After you get the analysts out, send them to the NSA facility. As for you, and the rest of the agents, meet me at the location in Barstow."
Although he knew she couldn't see him, he nodded in understanding.
"Right. On it!" said Casey, grabbing Forrest by her arm. "Go to the armory, grab three grappling hooks. You and Carina get everyone up to the roof, and help them zip line across. I'll catch up with you after I help Grimes."
"Shaw!" he called when he saw the tall, muscular man waiting by the entrance. Smiling, Shaw shook his head.
"I knew you wouldn't bring her here," said Shaw, tsk-ing.
Chuck pulled a pistol from his waistband, and pointed it at Shaw. "Where's the detonator?"
Twisting his face in mock confusion/innocence, Shaw tilted his head. "What detonator? Oh…" he snapped his fingers, and pulled out a small remote from his pocket. "This detonator…of course!" Shaw mocked, "Well, if you want it, you're going to have to shoot me. But you and I both know that you won't do that, Chuck. You've never killed a man in your life…I would know."
"Put the detonator on the ground, Shaw," said Chuck, cocking the hammer of the pistol. "If you don't, I will shoot you."
"So shoot me then!" Shaw cried carelessly. Suddenly, the gun felt heavy in his hand, as his arm began to falter.
"Sir, we've set the perimeter," a voice rang from the electronic bug in Chuck's ear. The Black Ops leader, Chuck decided.
"Just put the detonator on the ground, and we'll talk. You know you don't want to do this, Shaw…" Chuck pleaded, trying to stop his arm from shaking.
"I could give a rat's ass, to be honest." Shaw shrugged, as he began twirling the detonator around on his finger. "I do owe the CIA for what they've done to me…for what they've done to Eve." Shaw shook his head. "Actually, there are more pressing matters at hand. How about we make a deal?"
"I'm not giving you Sarah," said Chuck harshly.
"Oh, that's a shame…then it looks like you're going to have to shoot me then." The muscular man held his arms out to the side. "I'm going to give you three seconds. You have two choices: either tell me where your wife is, or shoot me. If you don't do either of them, well…I'm going to have to push this here button." His thumb hovered over a plastic, red button.
"One…"
"Just put the detonator down, Shaw! There are innocent people!" Chuck cried.
"Two…"
His finger was on the trigger. All he needed to do was give it a squeeze, and this would all be over. Perspiration began to build on his forehead as the arm holding the gun began to shake violently. He knew what he had to do, yet somehow he couldn't. He promised Sarah and himself that under no circumstances, would he ever kill another human being. But the circumstances here were different…lives were on the line. There had to be another way…
"Shaw, just…please…" he pleaded, aiming the gun down at the ground. "It doesn't have to be like this…"
"Three…" Shaw shook his head, and said, "Yes, it does, Chuck."
As Shaw's thumb made its way to the button, Chuck frantically dove forward, ready to pistol whip Shaw's head. But Shaw quickly flashed, and blocked Chuck's arm. With the force of a semi, he felt Shaw's boot connect to his gut. Launching backwards, his gun flying out of his hand, Chuck crashed back on the pavement, feeling the wind getting knocked out of him. As he struggled to breathe, he saw the larger man pushing firmly down on the detonator. In a rage, Chuck got quickly back up to his feet and charged once more at Shaw. This time, in a fluid motion, Shaw kicked his feet from under him, and as he fell back to the pavement, Shaw's boot was pressing down harshly on his throat.
"I'm giving you twenty-four hours," growled Shaw menacingly, "You either give up your wife, or you can run. If you do run, I will find her. You'll just be delaying the inevitable."
As the image of Shaw's face, twisted in anger, began to blur, Chuck heard a bullet crashing into the wall. Shaw looked up in surprise, releasing his boot from Chuck's throat. Chuck knew that it was from the Black Ops team. As another bullet cracked the brick wall beside Shaw, inches away from his head, Shaw leaned down.
Before he could even grab Shaw, Shaw turned and sprinted away from the bullets.
There wasn't nearly enough carabineers for everyone to have their own. There had only been twenty. Casey worked it out so that the heavier set analysts would zip line across the steel cable to the next building first. After them, he, Forrest, and Carina would have to transport the rest, and climb back to the Cathedral roof to take down another group. As he slid down the cable, dropping off the female analyst clinging to his back, Casey quickly made a head count. Twenty-nine analysts...he turned to see Forrest, her legs wrapped around the cable, pulling herself back up to Cathedral.
He brought his watch to his mouth, and spoke. "Grimes, how's it looking down there?"
"I think someone pushed the detonator!" Morgan's voice rang from the watch. "The light on the receiver turned red…at least the nitrogen's working, but…there's not much left."
"Damn it…" Casey mumbled to himself. He turned back to his watch. "How much time do you think we have?"
"Five minutes, tops!"
"Okay, I'm going back to the roof. When I call you, you run your ass up to the roof as quickly as possible!" Casey knew that Grimes would only have a minute at the most to reach the roof…
"Roger that!" replied Morgan, as Casey began to make his way back up to the roof. Suddenly, Morgan's voice rang from his watch again, "Alex? You need to get out of here!"
Casey's legs nearly slipped off the cable, and his heart skipped a beat. Alex was supposed to wait on the roof…
"Alex is down there?" he yelled into the watch. "Grimes, you need to get my dau—receptionist out of there and up to the roof right now! Tell her that's a direct order!"
"You heard the man," said Morgan, presumably to Alex. "Go up to the roof, Alex. It's not safe here."
"What about you?" Casey heard his daughter's voice ringing, as he urged his aching arms to climb faster. Without bothering to listen to Morgan's retort, Casey looked over at the opposite building to look for Carina.
"CARINA!" he boomed, when he saw the redhead unclasping her equipment. She stopped her motions and turned toward Casey. "We have one analyst, Grimes, and Alex left behind! Get your ass back up here!"
Once he saw Carina strapping her gear back on, he made his way back up the rope.
"How much time, Grimes?" he called into his watch.
"Three minutes!"
"Is Alex out of there yet?"
"Alex, you've got to go," Morgan's voice called through the watch. "Seriously, I'll be right behind you, okay?"
"Morgan…" the girl said sadly. "I can't just leave you…"
"I said I'll be fine. Just go, okay? We'll see each other again really soon! I promise!"
As Casey saw Forrest zipping past him, he urged himself to climb faster. "Is she out, Grimes?"
"Yeah," replied Morgan. "I totally felt like Han Solo for a minute! I mean…she just kissed me!"
As hard as it was, Casey chose to ignore the last statement. Grimes is preventing the bomb from exploding. He just saved my daughter's life. He just saved a lot of lives…Casey repeated to himself. He finally made it to the roof, to find Alex bursting through the doorway.
"C'mon, Alex," said Casey, attempting to strap a cord on her. She stepped back.
"No!" she cried stubbornly. "I want to wait till Morgan comes out!"
"Look, Alex," Casey sighed. "Grimes is going to make it out okay. See over there?" he pointed at Carina who nearly reached the building. "She'll wait up here for Grimes."
The young girl shook her head.
"Fine," Casey grumbled, silently thinking that if he had been a part of his daughter's life, then he would have spoiled her. "We'll wait for Grimes, then."
He brought his watch back to his mouth. "Grimes…talk to me. How much nitrogen do you have left?"
"I'm almost out," Morgan replied. "Maybe thirty seconds worth."
"Okay, get your ass up here," ordered Casey, walking over to the edge of the roof to pull Carina up. He turned to Alex. "Alex, you heard him, he's on his way. Go back with Carina, and I'll wait up here for Morgan." When she didn't move, Casey growled, "That was an order, young lady!"
"Come on, Shorty," said Carina, walking over to Alex, and strapping a cord around the younger girl. "Casey's going to bring your boyfriend down in just a little bit. He's going to be all right. Let's go."
Casey watched as Carina attached the carabineer to the cable. "Hang on tight," she said to Alex, and they zip lined over to the next building.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Casey's feet began to shake violently. He heard the shattering of the windows along with a deep boom, and he knew that the bomb went off. "Grimes!" he yelled into his watch. "Move your ass!"
A pathetic moan emitted from his watch. "Casey…" Morgan groaned. "A beam fell on me…I can't…it's not budging."
"I'm coming to get you," Casey said into his watch.
"No!" Morgan cried. "You'll never reach me in time! The bui—"
Another violent shake and a rumbling noise, and Casey felt the building beginning to crumble as his watch emitted no noise except for static.
"John!" a distant voice rang from behind him. He knew it was Forrest. "You have to get back here! The building's collapsing!"
"GRIMES IS STILL IN THERE!" Casey yelled, "I HAVE TO—"
He felt the ground shift as the building began to lean back. As he turned to run toward the door, he noticed that the cables were about snap.
"Casey…" a weak voice coughed from his watch. "I'm a goner…even if you can magically get here before the building collapses, I'm dead either way."
"What are you talking about, Grimes?" Casey yelled into his watch, keeping a close eye on the cable. He felt himself falling…
"A desk fell on me…my…chest…" Morgan coughed. "I'm coughing up…blood. Just…"
"Grimes?" he yelled. "Pick up, damn it!"
But it was no use…Casey knew that the noble son of a bitch was dead. Shamefully, he hooked the carabineer to the cable, and quickly zip lined back to the other roof. What he had just done went against everything he had believed in. He had left a soldier behind…
"I'm sorry, Grimes," he mumbled as he watched the collapse of Cathedral, feeling a sharp pang in his chest.
"John…where's Morgan?" asked Alex, stepping up next to him. "He made it, right?"
Casey shook his head, and swallowed a lump in his throat. "He was still in the building when the bomb went off…I'm sorry…"
Another wave of pain shot throughout his chest, as Alex backed away from him with tears in her eyes, and a look of disbelief on her face.
"But…he should have had time…" she whispered.
"Alex…I'm really sorry. Believe me," Casey reassured. As he took a step toward his daughter, he literally felt his lungs deflating as she took another step back, shaking her head. "He did a brave and honorable thing today. He was a good person…a good friend, and I'm…sorry…" That I never got to tell him that.
A/N: Thanks for reading.Tynianrex sent me a private message guessing that the character death was going to be either Morgan or Forrest. Technically, they guessed right, so you get an internet high five! As for those of you who guessed Stephen Bartowski, that was a good guess, but Shaw doesn't know that he's Orion. To him, Stephen's nothing but a normal guy. Anyway, reviews would be extremely nice! They motivate me to write faster!
