Don't own Chuck
Morgan pulled up at Echo Park walked across the courtyard to Chuck and Sarah's. The door was locked so he used his key and went inside. He looked at his watch it was kind of early but like they say the hair of the dog he said to himself as he went to the fridge. Grabbing a grape soda from inside he popped the tab and started sipping. He was sitting at the kitchen table thinking when Casey walked in with his two shadows.
"Where's Chuck? Are you here with all your friends?" said Casey as he noticed Morgan sipping on a grape soda. "Isn't kind of early to be hitting the sauce?"
"It's just grape soda," said Evans as he looked at Gardner. "Where's agent Carmichael anyway I thought you were with him?"
"I was but Chuck sent me back here to help you guys. He wanted to track down a lead but he wanted to do it alone."
"I noticed a stack of grape soda cans by the dumpster. I hope that was Chuck cleaning up and not you sleeping in the courtyard," said Casey as he placed a stack of DVDs on the coffee table then powered on the monitor.
"I don't know what you're talking about Big Guy," said Morgan as he walked over to be with them carrying his grape soda. "So did you guys have any luck down with the Port Authority Security?"
"No I just thought about breaking out my collection of Taylor Swift CDs so we can chill kick back and drink a few cold ones until Chuck and Sarah get back."
"And you were on my case for a grape soda," said Morgan as he flopped down on a chair. "It seems to me like the pot calling the kettle black."
"I was joking knucklehead. These are recordings from their CCTV feeds. Just sit down and shut up," said Casey as he put the first DVD in then hit fast forward. John sat there with the remote control looking over at Morgan who tried to ignore him until he couldn't take it anymore.
"What is it John? You keep looking at me like I've got something on my face or something. What gives with the third degree?"
"Oh Grimes, this isn't the third degree. If we were doing the third degree you'd know it and would you. No, this is just me reminding you that if you break my daughter's heart I'll break your everything."
"Guys come on. Can we get back to watching the video feed? We've still got a lot of feed time to go through. I'd like to get this over as quickly as possible. Chuck didn't happen to mention what leads he was running down that he had to do by himself?"
"Sorry no, he just told me to come back and to work with you guys."
"Translated he got tired of your constant yapping and dumped you on us so you could abuse our ears for a while. Will you shut up so we can concentrate?"
"Chuck did not. Anyway anyone want some popcorn?" said Morgan. Casey looked over at him and growled. "I can throw some in the microwave. Alex and I like a nice big bowl of buttered popcorn when we're watching television or movies."
"If you want to make some go for it just pipe down and let the rest of us save democracy and Orville Redenbacher," said Casey as he changed out the DVD. While you're over there put on a pot of coffee.
Morgan got up and went straight for where he knew Chuck stashed his microwavable popcorn then tossed a pack in the microwave. Morgan was pulling the bag out burning his fingers when Evans came up to him.
"Sorry can't talk right now. Hot, hot I'm burning my fingers," said Morgan as he dumped the contents into a bowl then salted and buttered it.
"Just one quick thing," said Evan. "Again I want to apologize if we got off on the wrong foot, but you drove back so whereverChuck went he went on foot."
"I did drive back but I guess Chuck could've taken a taxi after I left or a bus or even train. But I did drive back. You want some popcorn," said Morgan as he put the bowl in front of him. Hoping that would make him shut up.
"Thanks," said Evans as he grabbed a small handful. "But come to think of it you never told us where you came from or where you left Chuck."
"I didn't? You're sure I didn't I could've sworn I did," said Morgan as he tried to get away from Evans bringing the popcorn in the living room. "I'm sure I did."
"Thanks Morgan," said Casey as he grabbed a big handful scarfing down half the bowl. "You should cut back on the butter it makes it too oily. You did run into the Buy More didn't you? You said that you needed to check up on Big Mike and dumb and dumber. Where's the coffee or did you forget to put it on?"
"I did sorry," said Morgan as Casey gave him a look that could kill. "That's absolutely right I left Chuck there at the Buy More so he could grab some things he needed. He probably grabbed a herder and took it so that's your explanation of where Chuck went. Oh you where asking about the coffee? Yes I forgot about that too."
"Shush I think I've got something. Watch this see those three flat beds leaving with containers. They leave from the direction of our mystery warehouse..."
"Again with the mystery warehouse, you heard the people in the Port Authorities office. That warehouse has been vacant for years and is supposed to be torn down soon because it's structurally unsound. What kind of counterfeiter is going to set up presses in a place like that risking it to cave in on top of him and his equipment?"
"If you're done ranting nonsense look closer. When those three trucks left there was no activity going on on the pier. They were in the middle of ships coming in as the ones going out were leaving so there were no containers at least from anyship to transport."
"So what does that mean?" asked Morgan. "That the three containers had to come from the warehouse? You always thought there was something up there."
"No just that but that someone had to tip them off that we were coming down to lookfor that CSI mobile lab. See this is us pulling in as they're leaving. They actually drove right past us while we were going down to the missing van."
"It's like we've long suspected there are moles in the police force that are tipping this gang off when our raids are going down. That's why we keep coming up empty handed I wish I could get my hands on that mole."
"I'm sure you would," said Casey as he looked at the two of them but before he could accuse them of anything his phone rang. It was Sarah.
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Chuck rode with DiMarco to the outskirts of the city to an old industrial park that never quite took off. Chuck rode in silence looking out the window getting himself in his cover. He warned DiMarco when they left that some of what might happen could be a little difficult for him to go along with but he needed to just play along. Now they were coming up to the first check point.
"Looks like Ivan's got his defenses up. That's a lot of firepower for a cement factory," said Joe as they were signaled by two armed guard to pull over.
"Let me do the talking here," said Chuck as he rolled down his window and began to speak to the guards in Russian. At first they were taken aback but answered in Russian.
"Georgy Mikhailovich, my friend is here to see Ivan Ivanovich. You can radio him that Captain DiMarco of the L.A. Police Department and I want to talk to him."
"How do you know my name? Do we know each other?" said the man as he looked over to his partner on guard duty. The man shrugged his shoulders. "Who are you and why do you speak Russian so well?"
"You have a lot of questions but I think you already know the answer. Tell your fellow guard Markus Yegorvich to hurry up I'm getting impatient and you don't want that to happen," said Chuck as he held out his ID for the man to see making sure he got a glimpse of his tattoo.
"Federal'naya sluzhba bezopasnosti Rossiyskoy Federatsii - theFSB," said Georgy out loud. The other man came flying around the car and took Chuck's ID from his partner.
"Kolonel Juri Sheshenkov so you're FSB," read the man into the radio then looked at Chuck. He looked like he wanted to say something but he didn't dare.
"You know Lubyanka is not that far away my brothers," said Chuck. "You should always keep that in mind." Joe was totally lost because everyone was speaking Russian around him and other than names he didn't understand a word. Then Marcus touched his ear.
"Yes I'll send them in," said Marcus. He handed Chuck back his ID then waved them on. Chuck looked back in the rearview to see the two men talking together pointing at them.
"Can you tell me what all that was about? You seemed to know them and they acted like they were terrified of you."
"Which is what I wanted just keep in mind what I told you on the way here. And to answer your question I did recognized them from mugshots I saw that were sent to us from the Russians. We keep track of each other's criminal element."
"You just look through mugshots in your spare time? I think I could come up with a different hobby for my free time. Well you've gotten me closer to Crazy Ivan than anyone else has been able to get without a team of lawyers being present."
"Well you're about to get a close up and personal," said Chuck as he pointed to a man in the parking lot ahead of them. "That's him up ahead waiting for us. Remember play along things could get a little hairy but keep in mind when you go under you have to live your cover."
"Is this what your friend warned you about? I've known people who've gone undercover and never come out. Then they start believing their cover until it wasn't a cover anymore."
"That's always the risk when you're in this line of work. But I've got an anchor in my love for Sarah that keeps me from drifting away."
"You really need to write that column in the paper," said DiMarco as a man signaled him to pull over. Men surrounded his Peugeot as they got out. Chuck opened his jacket to show them he was armed. One of the men grabbed Chuck's weapon and ID as another frisked him. Others did the same to DiMarco.
"Now that we've gotten the pleasantries out of the way," said Chuck. "Maybe we can go somewhere to talk Ivan Ivanovich. This is a long way from the ispravitelno-trudovaya koloniya."
"Corrective labor colony, Captain is what your friend is talking. They are nice new words because Gulag is no longer politically correct. Kolonel, do you come all the way here to threaten me in my own house? I might not take too kindly to that and you will quickly find out why they call me Crazy Ivan."
"You might run but Lubyanka will always be near. But you know the true home of a vor is in a prison cell," said Chuck. "Or has the good life softened you?"
Joe wanted to tell Chuck to dial back the attitude but as he was about to things seemed to go from bad to worse. Ivan walked up took Chuck's Makarov 9 from his man then pointed it at Chuck's face. Chuck stared back looking down the barrel without blinking. Ivan paused then started laughing grabbing Chuck in a bear hug then slipped his weapon back in his holster. Then he grabbed his arm and rolled up his sleeve.
"This is how a brother faces a man with gun in his face. I want all of you to remember this," said Ivan as he held Chuck's tattoo up for his men to see. No you must explain to me how is a bratva vor is in the FSB? Sorry we should speak in English for your American friend or he's going to be lost. Captain DiMarco I've heard of you and I have to say I admire your tenacity. I suppose you're here to ask me about the incident at the Matryoshkarestaurant. What a shame the only place I could get borscht like what my mother used to make."
"Yes and the bear steaks that fish and wildlife didn't know about," said DiMarco as he looked at Chuck. Now Chuck was puzzled obviously Joe had eaten there. "I was wondering what you could tell me about what happened and where I can find Brother Wong?"
"Let's go to my office and chat we'll be more comfortable there," said Ivan as he walked them into the building. Ivan's men herded them along bringing up the rear so even if they didn't want to come they had to. Chuck looked around as they went inside spotting at least two snipers.
"Ivan," said DiMarco wanting to start up a conversation but Chuck motioned for him to be patient and to wait until they got into Ivan's office to talk.
"You have to forgive my friend but he's not used to having his conversations being intercepted and listened to or living with bugs that aren't insects."
"Even though they are but that's the beauty about living in this country. How naïve the general population is and the people that they really should worry about listening to have encrypted phones and sound proof rooms," said Ivan as he pointed to his phone then the room. "I'd like to visit this Fort Meade and see the massive amount of data they have to sift through. The weight of the beast has to make it impractical."
"You seem to have a nice operation here," said Chuck as he walked around Ivan's office. He smiled looking at the small matryoshkain the middle of his desk along with a small tray with change in it. "Joe, see that saucer with change, you'll find one on every Russian manager's desk. We think that money brings other money." Joe looked a Chuck when he said 'we' wondering if the cover wasn't taking hold.
"The Kolonel's right. You were asking about Brother Wong. The truth is I have no idea where he is but I'd like to find him if nothing else to say hello and shake his hand."
"I'm sure you would," said Chuck. "How many brothers did you lose in the restaurant?" Ivan looked over at him then smiled. He went straight over to his bar.
"Forgive men I'm being terrible host," said Ivan. "Can I offer you anything? Oh I'm sorry Captain I forgot you're on duty. Kolonel, can I offer you anything? You have to try this. This is my private stock of vodka sent in from my hometown…"
"From Gorki, bóo-deem zda-ró-vye," said Chuck as he took the glass raised it then they both downed them at the same time throwing the glasses on the floor breaking them.
"Spasibo," said Ivan. "I should thank you for that toast after this morning's incident. My men and I were minding our own business when this cement truck came barreling through the restaurant. I was lucky to get out unharmed but not all my brothers made it," said Ivan as he looked at Chuck. "I can't tell you much more than that because I was knocked unconscious. One of my loyal Lieutenants got me out when I came to I was half way back here."
"So you don't know anything about a shootout afterwards?" asked Joe trying to figure out what was going on between Chuck and Ivan.
"Like I said I was out of it so whatever happened afterwards I couldn't tell you. But if someone were to fire on us I would expect my men to return fire that's what they're paid to do after all."
"The cement business must be very dangerous here if you need all the armed guards," said Chuck as he smiled at Ivan.
"It's a dog eat dog business," said Ivan as he was talking one of his men came in. "I'm sorry my man is here to remind me I have another important matter to deal with. I think I've answered all your questions. But Kolonel you still haven't asked mine. How does an FSN agent become a vor?"
"I'm sure you'll be on the phone as soon as we leave to find that information out so why should I ruin your surprise," said Chuck as he and Joe followed Ivan's man out to his Peugeot.
"You seemed very comfortable back there with Ivan. Almost like you were old chums and what's this about you being in the brotherhood that is a cover right?" Chuck didn't answer. "Geez, well we didn't get much in the way of information..."
"I wouldn't say that he basically confirmed that this Brother Tong was the one who tried to have him killed and that he was hell bent to retaliate. Whoever the king is, he's not going to stop Ivan from getting revenge. Tong didn't just take out some of Ivan's men he took out his brothers. From the Bratva point of view Ivan, being a man of honor, has to avenge them or he'll be seen as weak by the Otets or Godfather."
"That's all we need another gang war."
"But this gang war will be extremely bloody if you can't head it off. You know you can all you have to do is give Brother Tong to Ivan."
"I can't just hand over a man to a mob boss even if he's guilty of what they accuse him of. There's something call due process. Chuck, this is American not Russia," said DiMarco. Suddenly, Chuck's phone started ringing.
"They have it too now more or less," said Chuck as he answered. "Morgan, we're on our way back now. ... hold up John's on the phone with Sarah because Alex is missing? ... You need to take a deep breath then try to explain everything to me slowly."
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Sarah and Sam went to the security office of the park. Mary was already inside talking with the head ranger explaining the situation. When Sarah got there she showed the man her badge and credentials then suddenly no, no because yes, yes. He took them to the surveillance room so they could look at the footage.
"Here's the camera coverage outside the restrooms and according to the time stamp this is roughly the time," said Sarah.
"There," said Mary. "That's Alex and Sam going into the restroom. Yes there Sam goes in while Alex waits outside. Who's that guy with the ball cap?"
"That's not Morgan," said Sam as she looked at the monitor. "Alex shouldn't be speaking to strangers. That's what you always tell me."
"Yes Sweet Pea you're right but that's Dale, Alex knows him so it's all right if they talk," said Sarah as she caught Mary's look. "That's what we tell her even if we don't agree," whispered Sarah.
"There's another man. He looks like tri... ouch!" said Mary as Sarah kicked her then looked over at Sam. "Oh right, yes well they're walking towards the parking lot. She seems to be going along with them without fighting."
"We can't guess her motives from here. She probably has a good reason for going along with them. They're in the parking lot."
"Why are they tying Alex's hand and putting them in that van. Are those bad men? We should call Chuck he can take care of them and get Alex back," said Sam.
"You're right Sweetie but first I need to call Casey," said Sarah as she looked over at Mary then at Sam. Mary nodded her head.
"Sam Sweetie let's go outside for a bit of fresh air. You've been cooped up inside here for two long. You need to go out and stretch your legs."
"But I want to stay and help," said Sam but Mary took her by the hand then scooted her out. "This isn't fair I can help too."
"I appreciate it," said Sarah as she whispered into Sam's ear. "But Nana Mary needs help. I think she might even be getting a little scared so you need to be strong for her and reassure her that Alex is going to be okay. Now go with Mary but let's keep this between us."
Sarah waited for Sam to leave with Mary then she called Casey. "John, we've got a problem. Alex has been grabbed by the Triad with Dale. I don't have time to go into all the details just take down this license plate number and get a bolo out on it right away," said Sarah then she gave him the number, the type of vehicle and description. "It pulled out of here from the upper parking lot a half hour ago head south. We're going to get in my car and head that way to see if we can spot anything. ... Yes she was with Dale and no I have no idea what she was doing with him. You can ask her all that when we get her back. I've got to run."
[At Echo Park]
"John what's the matter I've never seen you like this before," said Morgan. "Is something wrong with Alex? She was with Sarah and that was Sarah on the phone."
"Shut up and sit down," said Casey as he called a contact in the police department. "I need a bolo out on a 1983 Dodge van," said John then he gave the license plate number. "What do you mean you've already found it? ... Everyone is dead, executed. Where? ... Okay you tell them to hold everyone and everything on station until I get there and if they don't I'm going to rip heads off and shove them... well you know where," said Casey. "Grimes off the phone wait if that's Chuck tell him to meet us on Burbank Broadway. Now everyone out to the Crown Vic I won't repeat myself twice. If you're not there you get left behind."